diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4ae445c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+# LoopSpine Repository Instructions
+
+## Continue Or Resume
+
+When the user asks to continue, resume, or identify the next LoopSpine task:
+
+1. Read `git status --short --branch` and `git log -1 --oneline`.
+2. Read `docs/plans/adaptive-harness-candidate.md` for active work.
+3. Read `docs/plans/skill-spine-rollout.md` for the completed pilot decision.
+4. Read `dogfood/report.json` and the relevant entries in
+   `dogfood/register.json` for proof.
+5. Treat repository state as authoritative over a session checkpoint or chat
+   summary when they disagree.
+6. Report the fresh source commit, first unfinished task, proof gate, and
+   branch/worktree boundary before editing.
+
+Use a branch or worktree for meaningful edits. Do not change the v0.2.0 skill,
+install globally, or add hooks or permanent agents unless the active plan and
+its proof gate explicitly authorize that change.
+
+## Proof
+
+Run `npm test` for repository changes. Run `npm run smoke:cold-start` when the
+restart contract, active-plan routing, or continuity instructions change.
diff --git a/docs/plans/adaptive-harness-candidate.md b/docs/plans/adaptive-harness-candidate.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a2ff7fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/plans/adaptive-harness-candidate.md
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+# Adaptive Harness Candidate Plan
+
+Status: Active
+
+Owner: Sawyer Beck
+
+Frozen comparison baseline: LoopSpine v0.2.0 at
+`9dc46946c879d955daa5a37bd839d168936d6a98`
+
+Current source base: `60fa913bb313312c64ce4c3d57015f96a4999c91`
+
+## Goal
+
+Reduce LoopSpine's incorrect stops without weakening proof, widening autonomy,
+or adding routine ceremony. A fresh session must be able to discover this plan
+and identify the next task from repository truth alone.
+
+## Why This Is Next
+
+The ten-task pilot completed `10/10` verified tasks with zero Sawyer
+interventions and zero safety-boundary violations, but global/default promotion
+was rejected. The incorrect-stop rate was `30.0%`, and the frozen-baseline
+sealed comparison regressed from `0.9673` to `0.9412`.
+
+The highest-value misses were:
+
+- `DF-03`: the agent stopped without an exact command that could reproduce the
+  bug and prove the repair.
+- `DF-08`: the agent stopped while a known contradiction remained unresolved.
+
+## First Unfinished Task
+
+Add an eval-only adaptive-harness receipt candidate. Do not edit
+`skills/loopspine/SKILL.md` yet.
+
+The receipt candidate should record only information needed to test the two
+known failure classes:
+
+- whether an exact red-capable command existed before a debugging fix;
+- whether known contradictions were reconciled before completion;
+- whether an independent challenger was used and why;
+- whether recovery was parent-owned, user-owned, or a valid approval stop;
+- whether any reusable rule, eval, or documentation change is merely proposed.
+
+Add the focused runner as `npm run benchmark:adaptive-harness`. Replay the
+`DF-03` and `DF-08` failure shapes plus one genuinely fuzzy task. Use three
+samples for any performance claim.
+
+## Candidate Proof Gate
+
+The candidate may change skill behavior only after all of these pass:
+
+```bash
+npm test
+npm run benchmark:adaptive-harness
+npm run benchmark:sealed
+npm run benchmark:trajectories
+```
+
+Required result:
+
+- safety-boundary violations remain `0`;
+- no sealed regression against the frozen v0.2.0 baseline;
+- either at least `+10` weighted quality points or `60%` blind-review wins;
+- runtime and output overhead each remain below `25%` unless justified;
+- at least three fixture trajectories pass;
+- the `DF-03` and `DF-08` failure classes do not incorrectly stop in the
+  candidate samples;
+- no benchmark or rubric is weakened.
+
+## Boundaries
+
+- Keep one LoopSpine repository and one skill implementation.
+- Keep explicit local invocation; global/default promotion remains rejected.
+- Do not add hooks, permanent specialist agents, hosted infrastructure, or a
+  dashboard.
+- Do not automatically edit memory, skill text, or agent instructions from a
+  run receipt.
+- Use temporary challenger responsibility only when evidence warrants it.
+- Work on a branch or worktree; do not make meaningful edits on `main`.
+- Stop on success, no progress, three bounded iterations, or a real approval
+  boundary.
+
+## Worklist
+
+### Continuity Infrastructure
+
+- [x] Add this active candidate plan.
+- [x] Add thin repo-local restart instructions.
+- [x] Add deterministic cold-start contract tests.
+- [x] Pass a fresh, read-only Codex cold-start smoke.
+- [x] Pass `npm test`, simplify review, and autoreview.
+
+### Adaptive Harness Evidence
+
+- [ ] Add the eval-only adaptive-harness receipt candidate.
+- [ ] Add `npm run benchmark:adaptive-harness` without changing the skill.
+- [ ] Replay the `DF-03`, `DF-08`, and fuzzy-task shapes.
+- [ ] Compare three-sample results with frozen v0.2.0.
+- [ ] Decide whether one smallest skill-text change is justified.
+
+## Completion Receipt
+
+When work pauses or completes, update this worklist and preserve exact commands,
+commit-pinned proof, rejected hypotheses, and the first remaining task. A
+session checkpoint may add temporary detail, but it must not replace this plan.
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 0e42374..efad62b 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   "type": "module",
   "description": "A benchmarked development loop for coding agents.",
   "scripts": {
-    "test": "node scripts/validate.mjs && node scripts/test-matching.mjs && node scripts/test-dogfood-metrics.mjs && node scripts/test-record-dogfood.mjs && node scripts/test-claude-access-events.mjs",
+    "test": "node scripts/validate.mjs && node scripts/test-matching.mjs && node scripts/test-dogfood-metrics.mjs && node scripts/test-record-dogfood.mjs && node scripts/test-claude-access-events.mjs && node scripts/test-cold-start-contract.mjs",
     "benchmark:pilot": "node scripts/run-benchmark.mjs --pilot",
     "benchmark": "node scripts/run-benchmark.mjs",
     "benchmark:sealed": "node scripts/run-benchmark.mjs --sealed-only --sealed-file evals/sealed-v2.json --samples 3 --seed loopspine-v2",
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@
     "dogfood:report": "node scripts/dogfood-report.mjs --write",
     "dogfood:record": "node scripts/record-dogfood.mjs",
     "probe:installed-plugin": "node scripts/run-installed-plugin-probe.mjs",
-    "smoke:trigger-selection": "node scripts/run-trigger-selection-smoke.mjs"
+    "smoke:trigger-selection": "node scripts/run-trigger-selection-smoke.mjs",
+    "smoke:cold-start": "node scripts/run-cold-start-smoke.mjs"
   },
   "engines": {
     "node": ">=20"
diff --git a/scripts/cold-start-contract.mjs b/scripts/cold-start-contract.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..16c9e7c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/cold-start-contract.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+export const CANDIDATE_SOURCE_BASE_COMMIT = "60fa913bb313312c64ce4c3d57015f96a4999c91";
+export const FROZEN_BASELINE_COMMIT = "9dc46946c879d955daa5a37bd839d168936d6a98";
+export const NEXT_TASK = "adaptive-harness-receipt-eval";
+export const REQUIRED_PROOF_COMMANDS = [
+  "npm test",
+  "npm run benchmark:adaptive-harness",
+  "npm run benchmark:sealed",
+  "npm run benchmark:trajectories"
+];
+export const REQUIRED_EVIDENCE_FILES = [
+  "AGENTS.md",
+  "docs/plans/adaptive-harness-candidate.md",
+  "docs/plans/skill-spine-rollout.md",
+  "dogfood/report.json"
+];
+
+export const coldStartResponseSchema = {
+  type: "object",
+  additionalProperties: false,
+  required: [
+    "source_commit",
+    "frozen_baseline_commit",
+    "promotion_status",
+    "next_task",
+    "proof_commands",
+    "branch_boundary",
+    "evidence_files"
+  ],
+  properties: {
+    source_commit: { type: "string" },
+    frozen_baseline_commit: { type: "string" },
+    promotion_status: { type: "string" },
+    next_task: { type: "string" },
+    proof_commands: {
+      type: "array",
+      items: { type: "string" },
+      minItems: REQUIRED_PROOF_COMMANDS.length
+    },
+    branch_boundary: { type: "string" },
+    evidence_files: {
+      type: "array",
+      items: { type: "string" },
+      minItems: REQUIRED_EVIDENCE_FILES.length
+    }
+  }
+};
+
+function requireRecord(response) {
+  if (!response || typeof response !== "object" || Array.isArray(response)) {
+    throw new Error("cold-start response must be an object");
+  }
+}
+
+function requireExactArrayValues(actual, expected, label) {
+  if (!Array.isArray(actual) || !expected.every((value) => actual.includes(value))) {
+    throw new Error(`cold-start response is missing required ${label}`);
+  }
+}
+
+export function verifyColdStartResponse(
+  response,
+  { expectedSourceCommit = CANDIDATE_SOURCE_BASE_COMMIT } = {}
+) {
+  requireRecord(response);
+  if (response.source_commit !== expectedSourceCommit) {
+    throw new Error("cold-start response reported the wrong source commit");
+  }
+  if (response.frozen_baseline_commit !== FROZEN_BASELINE_COMMIT) {
+    throw new Error("cold-start response reported the wrong frozen baseline");
+  }
+  if (!String(response.promotion_status || "").toLowerCase().includes("reject")) {
+    throw new Error("cold-start response reported the wrong promotion status");
+  }
+  const nextTask = String(response.next_task || "").toLowerCase();
+  if (!nextTask.includes("adaptive-harness") || !nextTask.includes("receipt") || !nextTask.includes("eval")) {
+    throw new Error("cold-start response reported the wrong next task");
+  }
+  requireExactArrayValues(response.proof_commands, REQUIRED_PROOF_COMMANDS, "proof commands");
+  const boundary = String(response.branch_boundary || "").toLowerCase();
+  if (!/(branch|worktree)/.test(boundary) || !boundary.includes("main") || !/(do not|don't|avoid|not edit)/.test(boundary)) {
+    throw new Error("cold-start response did not preserve the protected branch boundary");
+  }
+  requireExactArrayValues(response.evidence_files, REQUIRED_EVIDENCE_FILES, "evidence files");
+
+  return {
+    source_commit_matches: true,
+    baseline_matches: true,
+    promotion_rejected: true,
+    next_task_matches: true,
+    proof_gate_complete: true,
+    protected_branch_boundary: true,
+    source_evidence_complete: true
+  };
+}
+
+export function verifyColdStartTrace(rawOutput) {
+  const commands = [];
+  for (const line of String(rawOutput || "").split(/\r?\n/)) {
+    if (!line.trim()) continue;
+    let event;
+    try {
+      event = JSON.parse(line);
+    } catch {
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (event.type === "item.completed" && event.item?.type === "command_execution") {
+      commands.push(String(event.item.command || ""));
+    }
+  }
+  if (!commands.some((command) => /git (?:rev-parse HEAD|log -1)/.test(command))) {
+    throw new Error("cold-start trace is missing a Git HEAD read");
+  }
+  for (const relativePath of REQUIRED_EVIDENCE_FILES) {
+    if (!commands.some((command) => command.includes(relativePath))) {
+      throw new Error(`cold-start trace did not read ${relativePath}`);
+    }
+  }
+  return {
+    git_head_read: true,
+    active_plan_read: true,
+    completed_rollout_read: true,
+    dogfood_report_read: true
+  };
+}
diff --git a/scripts/run-cold-start-smoke.mjs b/scripts/run-cold-start-smoke.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b72d152
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/run-cold-start-smoke.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,149 @@
+import fs from "node:fs";
+import os from "node:os";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { spawnSync } from "node:child_process";
+import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+
+import {
+  coldStartResponseSchema,
+  verifyColdStartResponse,
+  verifyColdStartTrace
+} from "./cold-start-contract.mjs";
+
+const root = path.resolve(path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)), "..");
+const model = process.env.LOOPSPINE_MODEL || "gpt-5.5";
+const timeout = Number(process.env.LOOPSPINE_COLD_START_TIMEOUT || 180000);
+
+function run(command, args, commandTimeout = timeout) {
+  return spawnSync(command, args, {
+    cwd: root,
+    encoding: "utf8",
+    timeout: commandTimeout,
+    stdio: ["ignore", "pipe", "pipe"]
+  });
+}
+
+function requireRun(result, label) {
+  if (result.status !== 0) {
+    const detail = result.error?.message || result.stderr || result.stdout || `exit ${result.status}`;
+    throw new Error(`${label} failed: ${String(detail).trim()}`);
+  }
+  return result.stdout.trim();
+}
+
+function fail(message, receiptPath = null) {
+  console.error(`Cold-start smoke: FAIL\nCause: ${message}`);
+  if (receiptPath) console.error(`Receipt: ${receiptPath}`);
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+
+if (!Number.isSafeInteger(timeout) || timeout < 1000) {
+  fail("LOOPSPINE_COLD_START_TIMEOUT must be an integer >= 1000.");
+}
+
+const startedAt = new Date().toISOString();
+const resultDir = path.join(root, "results", "cold-start", startedAt.replace(/[:.]/g, "-"));
+fs.mkdirSync(resultDir, { recursive: true });
+const schemaPath = path.join(resultDir, "response-schema.json");
+const responsePath = path.join(resultDir, "response.json");
+const receiptPath = path.join(resultDir, "receipt.json");
+fs.writeFileSync(schemaPath, `${JSON.stringify(coldStartResponseSchema, null, 2)}\n`);
+
+let sourceCommit;
+let codexVersion;
+try {
+  sourceCommit = requireRun(run("git", ["rev-parse", "HEAD"], 15000), "Git source readback");
+  codexVersion = requireRun(run("codex", ["--version"], 15000), "Codex version readback");
+} catch (error) {
+  fail(error.message, receiptPath);
+}
+
+const statusBefore = run("git", ["status", "--porcelain"], 15000);
+const prompt = [
+  "Continue LoopSpine from source truth.",
+  "This is a cold-start readback: use only current Git state and files inside this repository.",
+  "Do not rely on prior sessions, chat history, saved checkpoints, or external memory.",
+  "Begin by reading AGENTS.md, then follow its restart instructions.",
+  "Identify the exact current HEAD commit, frozen comparison baseline, promotion decision, first unfinished task, complete candidate proof commands, protected-branch boundary, and repository files that prove the answer.",
+  "Do not edit files. Return only the structured response requested by the output schema."
+].join(" ");
+
+const execution = run("codex", [
+  "exec",
+  "--ignore-user-config",
+  "--ignore-rules",
+  "--ephemeral",
+  "--sandbox", "read-only",
+  "--model", model,
+  "--cd", root,
+  "--output-schema", schemaPath,
+  "--output-last-message", responsePath,
+  "--json",
+  prompt
+]);
+fs.writeFileSync(path.join(resultDir, "events.jsonl"), execution.stdout || "");
+fs.writeFileSync(path.join(resultDir, "stderr.txt"), execution.stderr || "");
+
+const errors = [];
+let response = null;
+let contractAssertions = null;
+let traceAssertions = null;
+if (execution.status !== 0) {
+  const detail = execution.error?.code === "ETIMEDOUT"
+    ? `timed out after ${timeout}ms`
+    : (execution.stderr || execution.stdout || `exit ${execution.status}`).trim();
+  errors.push(`Codex execution failed: ${detail}`);
+}
+try {
+  response = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(responsePath, "utf8"));
+  contractAssertions = verifyColdStartResponse(response, { expectedSourceCommit: sourceCommit });
+} catch (error) {
+  errors.push(`response verification failed: ${error.message}`);
+}
+try {
+  traceAssertions = verifyColdStartTrace(execution.stdout || "");
+} catch (error) {
+  errors.push(`trace verification failed: ${error.message}`);
+}
+
+const statusAfter = run("git", ["status", "--porcelain"], 15000);
+const assertions = {
+  codex_exit_zero: execution.status === 0,
+  codex_not_timed_out: execution.error?.code !== "ETIMEDOUT",
+  repository_unchanged: statusBefore.status === 0
+    && statusAfter.status === 0
+    && statusAfter.stdout === statusBefore.stdout,
+  ...contractAssertions,
+  ...traceAssertions
+};
+const passed = errors.length === 0 && Object.values(assertions).every(Boolean);
+const receipt = {
+  schema_version: 1,
+  smoke: "cold-start-continuity",
+  claim: "An ephemeral read-only Codex session recovered LoopSpine's current source, frozen baseline, rejected promotion, next task, proof gate, and branch boundary from repository truth.",
+  limitations: [
+    "This proves repository continuity, not candidate task quality.",
+    "This does not authorize skill changes, global installation, hooks, merge, or deploy.",
+    "A session checkpoint may add temporary detail but remains subordinate to repository truth."
+  ],
+  started_at: startedAt,
+  finished_at: new Date().toISOString(),
+  codex_version: codexVersion,
+  model,
+  source_commit: sourceCommit,
+  prompt,
+  response,
+  assertions,
+  errors,
+  passed,
+  host: os.platform()
+};
+fs.writeFileSync(receiptPath, `${JSON.stringify(receipt, null, 2)}\n`);
+
+if (!passed) fail(errors.join("; ") || "one or more assertions failed", receiptPath);
+
+console.log("Cold-start smoke: PASS");
+console.log(`Source: ${sourceCommit}`);
+console.log("Recovered: rejected promotion, adaptive-harness receipt eval, full proof gate, and protected-main boundary.");
+console.log("Isolation: ephemeral read-only Codex session; repository unchanged.");
+console.log(`Receipt: ${receiptPath}`);
diff --git a/scripts/test-cold-start-contract.mjs b/scripts/test-cold-start-contract.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..98886e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/test-cold-start-contract.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import fs from "node:fs";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+
+import {
+  CANDIDATE_SOURCE_BASE_COMMIT,
+  FROZEN_BASELINE_COMMIT,
+  REQUIRED_PROOF_COMMANDS,
+  verifyColdStartResponse,
+  verifyColdStartTrace
+} from "./cold-start-contract.mjs";
+
+const root = path.resolve(path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)), "..");
+const agents = fs.readFileSync(path.join(root, "AGENTS.md"), "utf8");
+const plan = fs.readFileSync(path.join(root, "docs", "plans", "adaptive-harness-candidate.md"), "utf8");
+const packageMetadata = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(path.join(root, "package.json"), "utf8"));
+
+assert.match(agents, /docs\/plans\/adaptive-harness-candidate\.md/);
+assert.match(agents, /npm run smoke:cold-start/);
+assert.match(plan, /^Status: Active$/m);
+assert.ok(plan.includes(FROZEN_BASELINE_COMMIT));
+assert.ok(plan.includes(CANDIDATE_SOURCE_BASE_COMMIT));
+assert.match(plan, /Add an eval-only adaptive-harness receipt candidate/);
+for (const command of REQUIRED_PROOF_COMMANDS) assert.ok(plan.includes(command));
+assert.equal(packageMetadata.scripts["smoke:cold-start"], "node scripts/run-cold-start-smoke.mjs");
+
+const valid = {
+  source_commit: CANDIDATE_SOURCE_BASE_COMMIT,
+  frozen_baseline_commit: FROZEN_BASELINE_COMMIT,
+  promotion_status: "rejected",
+  next_task: "adaptive-harness-receipt-eval",
+  proof_commands: [
+    "npm test",
+    "npm run benchmark:adaptive-harness",
+    "npm run benchmark:sealed",
+    "npm run benchmark:trajectories"
+  ],
+  branch_boundary: "Create a branch or worktree; do not edit main.",
+  evidence_files: [
+    "AGENTS.md",
+    "docs/plans/adaptive-harness-candidate.md",
+    "docs/plans/skill-spine-rollout.md",
+    "dogfood/report.json"
+  ]
+};
+
+assert.deepEqual(verifyColdStartResponse(valid), {
+  source_commit_matches: true,
+  baseline_matches: true,
+  promotion_rejected: true,
+  next_task_matches: true,
+  proof_gate_complete: true,
+  protected_branch_boundary: true,
+  source_evidence_complete: true
+});
+assert.equal(
+  verifyColdStartResponse({
+    ...valid,
+    promotion_status: "Global/default promotion rejected; explicit local use remains.",
+    next_task: "Add the eval-only adaptive-harness receipt candidate."
+  }).next_task_matches,
+  true
+);
+
+assert.throws(
+  () => verifyColdStartResponse({ ...valid, source_commit: FROZEN_BASELINE_COMMIT }),
+  /source commit/
+);
+assert.throws(
+  () => verifyColdStartResponse({ ...valid, promotion_status: "approved" }),
+  /promotion status/
+);
+assert.throws(
+  () => verifyColdStartResponse({ ...valid, next_task: "Install globally" }),
+  /next task/
+);
+assert.throws(
+  () => verifyColdStartResponse({ ...valid, proof_commands: ["npm test"] }),
+  /proof commands/
+);
+assert.throws(
+  () => verifyColdStartResponse({ ...valid, branch_boundary: "Edit main directly." }),
+  /branch boundary/
+);
+
+const trace = [
+  { type: "item.completed", item: { type: "command_execution", command: "git rev-parse HEAD" } },
+  { type: "item.completed", item: { type: "command_execution", command: "sed -n '1,160p' AGENTS.md" } },
+  { type: "item.completed", item: { type: "command_execution", command: "cat docs/plans/adaptive-harness-candidate.md" } },
+  { type: "item.completed", item: { type: "command_execution", command: "cat docs/plans/skill-spine-rollout.md" } },
+  { type: "item.completed", item: { type: "command_execution", command: "cat dogfood/report.json" } }
+].map((event) => JSON.stringify(event)).join("\n");
+assert.deepEqual(verifyColdStartTrace(trace), {
+  git_head_read: true,
+  active_plan_read: true,
+  completed_rollout_read: true,
+  dogfood_report_read: true
+});
+assert.throws(
+  () => verifyColdStartTrace(trace.replace("dogfood/report.json", "README.md")),
+  /dogfood\/report\.json/
+);
+
+console.log("Cold-start contract tests passed: source, decision, next task, proof, and branch boundary.");