diff --git a/docs/PRD.md b/docs/PRD.md
index 806ea7d3..a551ca73 100644
--- a/docs/PRD.md
+++ b/docs/PRD.md
@@ -1,5 +1,14 @@
 # PRD: Mosaic Stack v0.1.0
 
+## Current addendum: #1194 — Installed framework-tool drift detection
+
+- Compare the framework tools shipped with the executing Mosaic package against the deployed `$MOSAIC_HOME/tools` tree by content hash.
+- Treat every shipped `tools/**` file as framework-owned/required according to `framework-manifest.txt`, while excluding the explicit operator-owned credential carve-out and preserving installed-only operator/unknown files.
+- Distinguish and count `IN_SYNC`, `STALE`, `NOT_INSTALLED`, and installed-only classifications; fail non-zero when shipped tools are stale or absent and refuse self-comparison that would make drift unobservable.
+- Surface the observational check through `mosaic doctor`; do not refresh files, restart seats, or mutate live tooling.
+- Document identity/messaging/gate behavior changes in the current stale set, the reviewed quiet-window keep-mode refresh command, and post-refresh probes against the installed path.
+- Prove by construction that a stale and missing deployed tool are detected; that regression must fail before this checker exists.
+
 ## Metadata
 
 - **Owner:** Jason Woltje
diff --git a/docs/scratchpads/1194-framework-tool-drift.md b/docs/scratchpads/1194-framework-tool-drift.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..469a9d53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/scratchpads/1194-framework-tool-drift.md
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+# #1194 — Installed framework-tool drift detection and refresh analysis
+
+## Decision
+
+The reported queue-guard source defect was already fixed on `main` by `58b971ab`; the live failure came from a stale `~/.config/mosaic/tools/git/ci-queue-wait.sh`. The durable fix is therefore a detector, not a duplicate queue-guard patch.
+
+`mosaic doctor` now compares the framework tools bundled with the executing Mosaic package against the deployed tools tree. Doctor is the selected visibility boundary because it is observational and operator-invoked: unlike session start, it does not add a repository/network scan to every seat launch, and it cannot silently replace identity or messaging tools while seats are active. It reports drift without changing files. `--fail-on-warn` converts detected drift into a non-zero doctor result.
+
+## Classification
+
+The existing `framework-manifest.txt` is authoritative. The detector invokes the canonical shared `tools/_lib/manifest.sh classify` implementation over the complete source census and refuses missing, unreadable, malformed, incomplete, or zero-framework ownership output. Policy is therefore read rather than duplicated:
+
+- Current policy classifies source files under `tools/**` as framework-owned and required in the deployed tools tree.
+- Current policy explicitly classifies `tools/_lib/credentials.json` operator-owned and excludes it from byte comparison; future policy changes take effect without a detector edit.
+- A file present only in the deployed tools tree is operator-owned/unknown by the manifest's fail-safe default. The detector reports it as `INSTALLED_ONLY operator-or-unknown` under `--verbose` but does not fail or delete it.
+- Empty/partial source traversal, unreadable directories/files, symlinked census entries, root aliases, and descendant source aliases all return `CANNOT_ASSERT` rather than manufacturing agreement.
+
+This means `NOT_INSTALLED` is not suppressed by filename guesses such as “test” or “README”: if it ships below source `tools/**`, the installer contract says it should be installed. Source-only implementation files outside `tools/**` are outside this detector population by construction.
+
+## Current host analysis (observation only; no refresh performed)
+
+A direct source-vs-installed census showed broad drift, including identity and messaging behavior:
+
+- Identity/provider operations: stale `git/detect-platform.sh`, `issue-comment.sh`, `issue-create.sh`, `issue-close.sh`, `issue-view.sh`, `pr-create.sh`, `pr-merge.sh`, `pr-review.sh`, `pr-metadata.sh`; missing `pr-edit.sh` and several identity/read-back regression tools.
+- Messaging/session: stale `tmux/agent-send.sh`, `tmux/send-message.sh`, their regressions, and `fleet/start-agent-session.sh`.
+- Gate enforcement: stale `git/ci-queue-wait.sh`; missing the queue tri-state/process-level suites and terminal-green verifier.
+- Lease/QA behavior: stale lease-broker launch/mutation/receipt tools and QA hooks.
+
+Counts vary with source head and installed local/operator files; the detector prints measured counts every run rather than baking this snapshot into policy.
+
+## Reviewed refresh command — analyse only, do not run during active seats
+
+Use the package/release updater's manifest-driven keep-mode sync during a quiet maintenance window:
+
+```bash
+MOSAIC_SYNC_ONLY=1 \
+MOSAIC_INSTALL_MODE=keep \
+MOSAIC_HOME="$HOME/.config/mosaic" \
+bash /path/to/reviewed/@mosaicstack/mosaic/framework/install.sh
+```
+
+For the globally installed package, resolve the reviewed installer rather than guessing its path:
+
+```bash
+PACKAGE_ROOT="$(dirname "$(node -p "require.resolve('@mosaicstack/mosaic/package.json')")")"
+MOSAIC_SYNC_ONLY=1 MOSAIC_INSTALL_MODE=keep MOSAIC_HOME="$HOME/.config/mosaic" \
+  bash "$PACKAGE_ROOT/framework/install.sh"
+```
+
+Do not run this while agent seats are active: the stale set includes identity selection, provider mutation, messaging, queue/merge guards, lease enforcement, and session launch. Syncing those files in place can change behavior between a seat's preflight and mutation.
+
+## Post-refresh verification
+
+1. Run `mosaic doctor --fail-on-warn`; require `stale=0 not-installed=0` from the framework drift summary (other unrelated doctor warnings must also be adjudicated).
+2. Re-run the constructed process-level queue probes against the **installed path**, not the source checkout. Use the source suite while overriding its subject path in a reviewed scratch copy, or reproduce these exact observations:
+   - pending provider payload: guard must print `state=pending`, print the pending context, wait, and exit non-zero/timeout — never return immediately with rc 0;
+   - malformed payload: guard must print `state=malformed` and exit non-zero;
+   - unsupported but valid status vocabulary: guard must print `state=unknown` and exit non-zero.
+3. Run provider author read-back for one deliberately low-risk wrapper operation before resuming fleet mutation work; wrapper self-report is not identity evidence.
+4. Relaunch seats only after the quiet-window verification, because existing processes retain loaded environment/context.
+
+## Probe evidence
+
+The detector regression constructs a stale installed tool plus a missing shipped tool and observes rc 1 with distinct `STALE` and `NOT_INSTALLED` lines. That case would pass or be invisible before this change because no installed-vs-shipped comparison existed. Additional review-red controls prove:
+
+- empty and unreadable source censuses return `CANNOT_ASSERT` (they returned clean rc 0 at the first PR head);
+- deleting the manifest returns `CANNOT_ASSERT`, while changing manifest ownership changes the verdict through the canonical resolver (the first head never opened the manifest);
+- root and descendant symlink/source aliases cannot return clean (the first head returned clean for a source-backed installed subtree);
+- a checker hung during doctor is terminated by a bounded watchdog, emits `CANNOT_ASSERT`, and doctor reaches its final warnings line (the first head hung and suppressed the remaining audit).
+
+Controls retain byte-identical success, exact credential carve-out behavior, and installed-only preservation.
diff --git a/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/_lib/manifest.sh b/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/_lib/manifest.sh
index 20b79cc3..b5f3d6c3 100644
--- a/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/_lib/manifest.sh
+++ b/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/_lib/manifest.sh
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ _manifest_glob_to_ere() {
           out="$out.*"
         fi
       else
-        out="$out[^/]*"
+        out="${out}[^/]*"
       fi
     else
       case "$c" in
@@ -87,7 +87,8 @@ _manifest_compile_one() {
   local norm; norm="$(_manifest_norm "$1")"
   [[ -n "$norm" ]] || return 0
   if [[ "$norm" == *"*"* ]]; then
-    local re="^$(_manifest_glob_to_ere "$norm")\$"
+    local re
+    re="^$(_manifest_glob_to_ere "$norm")\$"
     if [[ "$2" == F ]]; then
       _MF_KIND+=(re); _MF_EXACT+=(""); _MF_RE+=("$re")
     else
@@ -183,7 +184,10 @@ _mo_matches() {
   for (( i = 0; i < n; i++ )); do
     if [[ "${_MO_KIND[i]}" == exact ]]; then
       pat="${_MO_EXACT[i]}"
-      [[ "$path" == "$pat" || "$path" == "$pat/"* ]] && return 0
+      # Operator exact entries are file carve-outs, not implicit directory
+      # prefixes. Subtree ownership must be declared explicitly as `dir/**`;
+      # otherwise one bare directory entry can hide all drift beneath it.
+      [[ "$path" == "$pat" ]] && return 0
     else
       re="${_MO_RE[i]}"
       [[ "$path" =~ $re ]] && return 0
diff --git a/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/_scripts/mosaic-doctor b/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/_scripts/mosaic-doctor
index 282adf01..22ac52c8 100755
--- a/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/_scripts/mosaic-doctor
+++ b/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/_scripts/mosaic-doctor
@@ -153,6 +153,38 @@ warn_if_symlink_tree_present() {
 
 echo "[mosaic-doctor] Mosaic home: $MOSAIC_HOME"
 
+# Compare the framework tools that this CLI/package ships with the deployed
+# ~/.config copy that direct wrappers and systemd units actually execute. Doctor
+# is the right boundary: observational, operator-invoked, and already designed
+# to report drift without mutating live tooling or restarting active seats.
+framework_drift_checker="$(cd -- "$(dirname -- "$0")/../quality/scripts" && pwd)/framework-drift-check.py"
+if [[ -f "$framework_drift_checker" ]]; then
+  echo "[mosaic-doctor] Checking installed framework-tool drift..."
+  drift_timeout="${MOSAIC_DOCTOR_DRIFT_TIMEOUT_SEC:-15}"
+  if ! [[ "$drift_timeout" =~ ^[1-9][0-9]*$ ]]; then
+    warn "Invalid MOSAIC_DOCTOR_DRIFT_TIMEOUT_SEC='$drift_timeout' (expected positive integer); using 15s"
+    drift_timeout=15
+  fi
+  if command -v timeout >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    set +e
+    timeout -s TERM -k 2 "${drift_timeout}s" \
+      python3 "$framework_drift_checker" --installed-root "$MOSAIC_HOME/tools"
+    drift_rc=$?
+    set -e
+    if [[ "$drift_rc" -eq 0 ]]; then
+      pass "Installed framework tools match shipped source"
+    elif [[ "$drift_rc" -eq 124 || "$drift_rc" -eq 137 || "$drift_rc" -eq 143 ]]; then
+      warn "CANNOT_ASSERT framework drift checker timed out after ${drift_timeout}s; continuing remaining doctor checks"
+    else
+      warn "Installed framework-tool drift detected (checker exit $drift_rc; no files changed)"
+    fi
+  else
+    warn "CANNOT_ASSERT timeout utility unavailable; refusing unbounded framework drift check and continuing remaining doctor checks"
+  fi
+else
+  warn "Framework drift checker is absent from the shipped tools tree"
+fi
+
 # Canonical Mosaic checks
 expect_file "$MOSAIC_HOME/STANDARDS.md"
 expect_file "$MOSAIC_HOME/USER.md"
diff --git a/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/quality/scripts/framework-drift-check.py b/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/quality/scripts/framework-drift-check.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..748ae28f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/quality/scripts/framework-drift-check.py
@@ -0,0 +1,194 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Fail-closed comparison of deployed Mosaic tools to manifest-owned shipped tools."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import argparse
+import hashlib
+import os
+from pathlib import Path
+import stat
+import subprocess
+import sys
+
+
+def digest(path: Path) -> str:
+    value = hashlib.sha256()
+    with path.open("rb") as handle:
+        for chunk in iter(lambda: handle.read(1024 * 1024), b""):
+            value.update(chunk)
+    return value.hexdigest()
+
+
+def default_source_tools() -> Path:
+    return Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2]
+
+
+def normalize_source(path: Path) -> Path:
+    candidate = path.resolve()
+    return candidate / "tools" if (candidate / "tools").is_dir() else candidate
+
+
+def assert_traversable_directory(path: Path) -> None:
+    mode = stat.S_IMODE(path.stat(follow_symlinks=False).st_mode)
+    # At least one principal class must have both read and search. This catches
+    # mode-000 even for privileged reviewers for whom os.access() would lie.
+    if not any(mode & read and mode & execute for read, execute in ((0o400, 0o100), (0o040, 0o010), (0o004, 0o001))):
+        raise PermissionError(f"directory has no readable/searchable mode: {path}")
+
+
+def census(root: Path, *, reject_symlinks: bool) -> dict[str, Path]:
+    result: dict[str, Path] = {}
+
+    def onerror(error: OSError) -> None:
+        raise error
+
+    for current, directories, filenames in os.walk(root, topdown=True, followlinks=False, onerror=onerror):
+        current_path = Path(current)
+        assert_traversable_directory(current_path)
+        for name in directories:
+            entry = current_path / name
+            if entry.is_symlink() and reject_symlinks:
+                # A source symlink makes the shipped census incomplete. Deployed
+                # aliases are assessed later only when they occupy a required
+                # framework path; installed-only aliases remain operator state.
+                raise OSError(f"symlinked directory is not an independent census entry: {entry}")
+        for name in filenames:
+            entry = current_path / name
+            if entry.is_symlink():
+                if reject_symlinks:
+                    raise OSError(f"symlinked file is not an independent census entry: {entry}")
+                result[entry.relative_to(root).as_posix()] = entry
+                continue
+            mode = entry.stat(follow_symlinks=False).st_mode
+            if not stat.S_ISREG(mode):
+                raise OSError(f"non-regular census entry: {entry}")
+            if stat.S_IMODE(mode) & 0o444 == 0:
+                raise PermissionError(f"file has no readable mode: {entry}")
+            result[entry.relative_to(root).as_posix()] = entry
+    return result
+
+
+def classify_with_manifest(source: Path, relatives: list[str]) -> dict[str, str]:
+    framework = source.parent
+    manifest = framework / "framework-manifest.txt"
+    resolver = source / "_lib" / "manifest.sh"
+    if not manifest.is_file() or not os.access(manifest, os.R_OK):
+        raise OSError(f"ownership manifest is missing or unreadable: {manifest}")
+    if not resolver.is_file() or not os.access(resolver, os.R_OK):
+        raise OSError(f"canonical manifest resolver is missing or unreadable: {resolver}")
+    payload = "".join(f"tools/{relative}\n" for relative in relatives)
+    completed = subprocess.run(
+        ["bash", str(resolver), "classify"],
+        input=payload,
+        text=True,
+        capture_output=True,
+        check=False,
+        env={**os.environ, "MANIFEST_FILE": str(manifest)},
+    )
+    if completed.returncode != 0:
+        detail = completed.stderr.strip() or f"resolver rc={completed.returncode}"
+        raise OSError(f"ownership manifest failed canonical resolution: {detail}")
+    classified: dict[str, str] = {}
+    for line in completed.stdout.splitlines():
+        ownership, separator, manifest_path = line.partition("\t")
+        if not separator or not manifest_path.startswith("tools/") or ownership not in {"framework", "operator"}:
+            raise OSError(f"invalid canonical ownership output: {line!r}")
+        relative = manifest_path.removeprefix("tools/")
+        if relative in classified:
+            raise OSError(f"duplicate canonical ownership output: {relative}")
+        classified[relative] = ownership
+    if set(classified) != set(relatives):
+        raise OSError("canonical ownership output did not classify the complete source census")
+    return classified
+
+
+def has_symlinked_component(root: Path, relative: str) -> bool:
+    current = root
+    for component in Path(relative).parts:
+        current = current / component
+        if current.is_symlink():
+            return True
+    return False
+
+
+def main() -> int:
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Detect deployed Mosaic framework-tool drift")
+    parser.add_argument("--source-root", type=Path, default=Path(os.environ["MOSAIC_FRAMEWORK_SOURCE_ROOT"]) if os.environ.get("MOSAIC_FRAMEWORK_SOURCE_ROOT") else default_source_tools())
+    parser.add_argument("--installed-root", type=Path, default=Path(os.environ.get("MOSAIC_HOME", Path.home() / ".config/mosaic")) / "tools")
+    parser.add_argument("--verbose", action="store_true")
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    source = normalize_source(args.source_root)
+    installed = args.installed_root.resolve()
+    try:
+        if not source.is_dir():
+            raise OSError(f"source tools missing: {source}")
+        if not installed.is_dir():
+            raise OSError(f"installed tools missing: {installed}")
+        if source.samefile(installed):
+            raise OSError("source and installed roots identify the same filesystem object")
+        source_files = census(source, reject_symlinks=True)
+        if not source_files:
+            raise OSError("source tools census is empty")
+        ownership = classify_with_manifest(source, sorted(source_files))
+        required = sorted(relative for relative, owner in ownership.items() if owner == "framework")
+        if not required:
+            raise OSError("ownership manifest classifies zero shipped tools as framework-owned")
+        installed_files = census(installed, reject_symlinks=False)
+    except (OSError, PermissionError) as error:
+        print(f"[framework-drift] CANNOT_ASSERT {error}", file=sys.stderr)
+        return 2
+
+    in_sync: list[str] = []
+    stale: list[str] = []
+    not_installed: list[str] = []
+    unsafe_alias: list[str] = []
+    for relative in required:
+        deployed = installed / relative
+        if not deployed.is_file():
+            not_installed.append(relative)
+            continue
+        if has_symlinked_component(installed, relative):
+            unsafe_alias.append(relative)
+            continue
+        try:
+            if source_files[relative].samefile(deployed):
+                unsafe_alias.append(relative)
+            elif digest(source_files[relative]) == digest(deployed):
+                in_sync.append(relative)
+            else:
+                stale.append(relative)
+        except OSError as error:
+            print(f"[framework-drift] CANNOT_ASSERT cannot compare {relative}: {error}", file=sys.stderr)
+            return 2
+
+    source_relative = set(source_files)
+    installed_only = sorted(set(installed_files) - source_relative)
+    if args.verbose:
+        for relative in in_sync:
+            print(f"[framework-drift] IN_SYNC {relative}")
+    for relative in stale:
+        print(f"[framework-drift] STALE {relative}")
+    for relative in not_installed:
+        print(f"[framework-drift] NOT_INSTALLED {relative}")
+    for relative in unsafe_alias:
+        print(f"[framework-drift] UNSAFE_ALIAS {relative}")
+    if args.verbose:
+        for relative in installed_only:
+            print(f"[framework-drift] INSTALLED_ONLY operator-or-unknown {relative}")
+
+    print(
+        "[framework-drift] summary "
+        f"in-sync={len(in_sync)} stale={len(stale)} not-installed={len(not_installed)} "
+        f"unsafe-alias={len(unsafe_alias)} installed-only={len(installed_only)}"
+    )
+    print("[framework-drift] classification canonical framework-manifest ownership; installed-only=operator-or-unknown-preserved")
+    if stale or not_installed or unsafe_alias:
+        print("[framework-drift] FAIL deployed framework tools do not match independent shipped source; schedule a reviewed framework reseed", file=sys.stderr)
+        return 1
+    return 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    raise SystemExit(main())
diff --git a/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/quality/scripts/test-framework-drift-check.py b/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/quality/scripts/test-framework-drift-check.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..951d5dcf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/quality/scripts/test-framework-drift-check.py
@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import os
+from pathlib import Path
+import shutil
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import tempfile
+import unittest
+
+CHECKER = Path(__file__).with_name("framework-drift-check.py")
+REAL_RESOLVER = CHECKER.parents[2] / "_lib" / "manifest.sh"
+
+
+class FrameworkDriftCheckTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self) -> None:
+        self.temp = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory()
+        root = Path(self.temp.name)
+        self.framework = root / "framework"
+        self.source = self.framework / "tools"
+        self.installed = root / "home" / "tools"
+        for directory in (self.source / "git", self.source / "_lib", self.installed / "git", self.installed / "_lib"):
+            directory.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        shutil.copy2(REAL_RESOLVER, self.source / "_lib" / "manifest.sh")
+        (self.source / "git" / "guard.sh").write_text("fixed\n")
+        (self.source / "git" / "new-wrapper.sh").write_text("new\n")
+        (self.source / "_lib" / "credentials.json").write_text("source-placeholder\n")
+        self.write_manifest()
+
+    def tearDown(self) -> None:
+        self.temp.cleanup()
+
+    def write_manifest(self, operator_extra: str = "") -> None:
+        (self.framework / "framework-manifest.txt").write_text(
+            "[framework]\ntools/**\n[operator]\ntools/_lib/credentials.json\n" + operator_extra
+        )
+
+    def run_check(self, *extra: str) -> subprocess.CompletedProcess[str]:
+        return subprocess.run(
+            [sys.executable, str(CHECKER), "--source-root", str(self.framework), "--installed-root", str(self.installed), *extra],
+            text=True, capture_output=True, check=False,
+            env={**os.environ, "PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE": "1"},
+        )
+
+    def install_matching(self) -> None:
+        for relative in ("git/guard.sh", "git/new-wrapper.sh", "_lib/manifest.sh"):
+            shutil.copy2(self.source / relative, self.installed / relative)
+        (self.installed / "_lib" / "credentials.json").write_text("different-operator-secret\n")
+
+    def test_fails_loudly_and_classifies_stale_missing_and_installed_only(self) -> None:
+        (self.installed / "git" / "guard.sh").write_text("broken\n")
+        shutil.copy2(self.source / "_lib" / "manifest.sh", self.installed / "_lib" / "manifest.sh")
+        (self.installed / "local-helper.sh").write_text("operator\n")
+        result = self.run_check("--verbose")
+        self.assertEqual(result.returncode, 1)
+        self.assertIn("STALE git/guard.sh", result.stdout)
+        self.assertIn("NOT_INSTALLED git/new-wrapper.sh", result.stdout)
+        self.assertIn("INSTALLED_ONLY operator-or-unknown local-helper.sh", result.stdout)
+        self.assertIn("FAIL deployed framework tools", result.stderr)
+
+    def test_passes_only_when_every_manifest_owned_source_file_matches(self) -> None:
+        self.install_matching()
+        result = self.run_check()
+        self.assertEqual(result.returncode, 0, result.stderr)
+        self.assertIn("stale=0 not-installed=0 unsafe-alias=0", result.stdout)
+
+    def test_exact_operator_directory_does_not_hide_framework_drift_beneath_it(self) -> None:
+        self.install_matching()
+        (self.installed / "git" / "guard.sh").write_text("drift-hidden-by-directory-entry\n")
+        self.write_manifest("tools/git\n")
+
+        result = self.run_check()
+
+        self.assertEqual(result.returncode, 1, result.stdout + result.stderr)
+        self.assertIn("STALE git/guard.sh", result.stdout)
+
+    def test_manifest_is_required_and_policy_changes_take_effect(self) -> None:
+        self.install_matching()
+        (self.installed / "git" / "guard.sh").write_text("operator-divergence\n")
+        self.write_manifest("tools/git/guard.sh\n")
+        self.assertEqual(self.run_check().returncode, 0)
+        (self.framework / "framework-manifest.txt").unlink()
+        result = self.run_check()
+        self.assertEqual(result.returncode, 2)
+        self.assertIn("CANNOT_ASSERT ownership manifest is missing", result.stderr)
+
+    def test_empty_and_unreadable_source_census_cannot_assert(self) -> None:
+        empty_framework = Path(self.temp.name) / "empty-framework"
+        empty_source = empty_framework / "tools"
+        empty_source.mkdir(parents=True)
+        shutil.copy2(self.framework / "framework-manifest.txt", empty_framework / "framework-manifest.txt")
+        # The canonical resolver is supplied outside the empty census solely so
+        # this probe reaches the explicit minimum-population guard.
+        result = subprocess.run([sys.executable, str(CHECKER), "--source-root", str(empty_framework), "--installed-root", str(self.installed)], text=True, capture_output=True)
+        self.assertEqual(result.returncode, 2)
+        self.assertIn("CANNOT_ASSERT", result.stderr)
+
+        blocked = self.source / "blocked"
+        blocked.mkdir(); (blocked / "hidden.sh").write_text("hidden\n"); blocked.chmod(0)
+        try:
+            result = self.run_check()
+        finally:
+            blocked.chmod(0o700)
+        self.assertEqual(result.returncode, 2)
+        self.assertIn("CANNOT_ASSERT", result.stderr)
+        self.assertTrue("Permission denied" in result.stderr or "no readable/searchable mode" in result.stderr)
+
+    def test_root_and_descendant_aliases_cannot_report_clean(self) -> None:
+        result = subprocess.run([sys.executable, str(CHECKER), "--source-root", str(self.framework), "--installed-root", str(self.source)], text=True, capture_output=True)
+        self.assertEqual(result.returncode, 2)
+        self.assertIn("same filesystem object", result.stderr)
+
+        shutil.copy2(self.source / "_lib" / "manifest.sh", self.installed / "_lib" / "manifest.sh")
+        shutil.rmtree(self.installed / "git")
+        (self.installed / "git").symlink_to(self.source / "git", target_is_directory=True)
+        result = self.run_check()
+        self.assertNotEqual(result.returncode, 0)
+        self.assertTrue("symlinked directory" in result.stderr or "UNSAFE_ALIAS" in result.stdout)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()
diff --git a/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/quality/scripts/test-framework-drift-doctor.sh b/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/quality/scripts/test-framework-drift-doctor.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..3a237a2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/quality/scripts/test-framework-drift-doctor.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Doctor must contain a stalled drift checker and continue its remaining audit.
+set -euo pipefail
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+DOCTOR="$SCRIPT_DIR/../../_scripts/mosaic-doctor"
+WORK="${MOSAIC_TEST_WORK_DIR:-$PWD/.mosaic-test-work/framework-drift-doctor}"
+rm -rf "$WORK"
+mkdir -p "$WORK/source/tools/quality/scripts" "$WORK/source/tools/_scripts" "$WORK/home/tools"
+cp "$DOCTOR" "$WORK/source/tools/_scripts/mosaic-doctor"
+cat > "$WORK/source/tools/quality/scripts/framework-drift-check.py" <<'PY'
+import time
+time.sleep(30)
+PY
+
+start=$(date +%s)
+set +e
+output=$(MOSAIC_HOME="$WORK/home" MOSAIC_DOCTOR_DRIFT_TIMEOUT_SEC=1 \
+  bash "$WORK/source/tools/_scripts/mosaic-doctor" --fail-on-warn 2>&1)
+rc=$?
+set -e
+elapsed=$(( $(date +%s) - start ))
+
+[[ "$rc" -ne 0 ]] || { echo "FAIL: checker timeout became doctor success" >&2; exit 1; }
+[[ "$elapsed" -lt 10 ]] || { echo "FAIL: checker hang escaped watchdog (${elapsed}s)" >&2; exit 1; }
+[[ "$output" == *"CANNOT_ASSERT framework drift checker timed out"* ]] || {
+  echo "FAIL: missing timeout CANNOT_ASSERT diagnostic" >&2; printf '%s\n' "$output" >&2; exit 1;
+}
+[[ "$output" == *"[mosaic-doctor] warnings="* ]] || {
+  echo "FAIL: doctor did not continue after checker timeout" >&2; printf '%s\n' "$output" >&2; exit 1;
+}
+
+echo "framework drift doctor watchdog regression passed"
diff --git a/packages/mosaic/package.json b/packages/mosaic/package.json
index 4a5ebd1c..d6a81a44 100644
--- a/packages/mosaic/package.json
+++ b/packages/mosaic/package.json
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
     "lint": "eslint src",
     "typecheck": "tsc --noEmit",
     "test": "vitest run --passWithNoTests && pnpm run test:framework-shell",
-    "test:framework-shell": "bash framework/tools/quality/scripts/check-test-enumeration.sh && bash framework/tools/quality/scripts/test-check-test-enumeration.sh && bash framework/tools/fleet/test-start-agent-session.sh && bash framework/systemd/user/test-fleet-units.sh && python3 src/lease-broker/daemon_deadline_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/normative_fragments_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/receipt_challenge_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/context_recovery_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/recovery_runtime_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/recovery_b1_adversarial_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/framework_skill_portability_unittest.py && python3 src/mutator-gate/runtime_tools_unittest.py && python3 src/mutator-gate/runtime_launch_guard_unittest.py && python3 src/mutator-gate/version_coupling_unittest.py && python3 framework/tools/lease-broker/check-runtime-launches.py --root ../.. && bash framework/tools/codex/test-pr-diff-context.sh && bash framework/tools/qa/test-deps-preflight.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-edit.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-review-gitea-comment.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-review-repo-host-override.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-ci-queue-wait-branch-absent.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-ci-queue-wait-tristate.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-ci-queue-wait-github-checks.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-merge-queue-branch.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-merge-head-pin.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-merge-message-field.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-git-credential-mosaic.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-gitea-token-identity.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-explain-diagnostic-status-neutral.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-detect-platform-outside-repo.sh && bash framework/tools/woodpecker/test-terminal-green-contract.sh && bash framework/tools/_scripts/test-install-ordering-guard.sh && bash framework/tools/tmux/agent-send.test.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-store-ack.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-store-enqueue-race.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-digest-hmac.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-digest-quarantine.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-detector.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-fn-oracle.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-reconcile.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-beacon.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-preimage.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-install.sh"
+    "test:framework-shell": "bash framework/tools/quality/scripts/check-test-enumeration.sh && bash framework/tools/quality/scripts/test-check-test-enumeration.sh && python3 framework/tools/quality/scripts/test-framework-drift-check.py && bash framework/tools/quality/scripts/test-framework-drift-doctor.sh && bash framework/tools/fleet/test-start-agent-session.sh && bash framework/systemd/user/test-fleet-units.sh && python3 src/lease-broker/daemon_deadline_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/normative_fragments_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/receipt_challenge_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/context_recovery_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/recovery_runtime_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/recovery_b1_adversarial_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/framework_skill_portability_unittest.py && python3 src/mutator-gate/runtime_tools_unittest.py && python3 src/mutator-gate/runtime_launch_guard_unittest.py && python3 src/mutator-gate/version_coupling_unittest.py && python3 framework/tools/lease-broker/check-runtime-launches.py --root ../.. && bash framework/tools/codex/test-pr-diff-context.sh && bash framework/tools/qa/test-deps-preflight.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-edit.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-review-gitea-comment.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-review-repo-host-override.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-ci-queue-wait-branch-absent.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-ci-queue-wait-tristate.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-ci-queue-wait-github-checks.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-merge-queue-branch.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-merge-head-pin.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-merge-message-field.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-git-credential-mosaic.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-gitea-token-identity.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-explain-diagnostic-status-neutral.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-detect-platform-outside-repo.sh && bash framework/tools/woodpecker/test-terminal-green-contract.sh && bash framework/tools/_scripts/test-install-ordering-guard.sh && bash framework/tools/tmux/agent-send.test.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-store-ack.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-store-enqueue-race.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-digest-hmac.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-digest-quarantine.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-detector.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-fn-oracle.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-reconcile.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-beacon.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-preimage.sh && bash framework/tools/wake/test-wake-install.sh"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@mosaicstack/brain": "workspace:*",
diff --git a/packages/mosaic/src/framework/manifest.spec.ts b/packages/mosaic/src/framework/manifest.spec.ts
index ec237cda..9a469ea1 100644
--- a/packages/mosaic/src/framework/manifest.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/mosaic/src/framework/manifest.spec.ts
@@ -146,6 +146,21 @@ describe('resolveOwnership (deny-wins + fail-safe)', () => {
     expect(resolveOwnership(m, 'tools/git/pr-create.sh')).toBe('framework');
   });
 
+  it('limits an exact operator carve-out to that path while requiring /** for subtrees', () => {
+    const exact: FrameworkManifest = {
+      framework: ['tools/**'],
+      operator: ['tools/git'],
+    };
+    expect(resolveOwnership(exact, 'tools/git')).toBe('operator');
+    expect(resolveOwnership(exact, 'tools/git/guard.sh')).toBe('framework');
+
+    const subtree: FrameworkManifest = {
+      framework: ['tools/**'],
+      operator: ['tools/git/**'],
+    };
+    expect(resolveOwnership(subtree, 'tools/git/guard.sh')).toBe('operator');
+  });
+
   it('framework-declared paths resolve to framework', () => {
     expect(resolveOwnership(m, 'guides/E2E-DELIVERY.md')).toBe('framework');
     expect(resolveOwnership(m, 'CONSTITUTION.md')).toBe('framework');
diff --git a/packages/mosaic/src/framework/manifest.ts b/packages/mosaic/src/framework/manifest.ts
index 056a03bd..33c1bea0 100644
--- a/packages/mosaic/src/framework/manifest.ts
+++ b/packages/mosaic/src/framework/manifest.ts
@@ -154,12 +154,25 @@ export function matchesAny(globs: readonly string[], relPath: string): boolean {
   return globs.some((g) => matchGlob(g, relPath));
 }
 
+/**
+ * Operator entries without wildcards are exact file carve-outs. Treating them
+ * as directory prefixes would let one bare entry hide an entire framework
+ * subtree from reconciliation and drift detection. Operator subtree ownership
+ * remains explicit through `dir/**`.
+ */
+function matchesOperatorGlob(glob: string, relPath: string): boolean {
+  const pattern = normalizeRel(glob);
+  if (pattern === '') return false;
+  if (!pattern.includes('*')) return normalizeRel(relPath) === pattern;
+  return matchGlob(pattern, relPath);
+}
+
 /**
  * Resolve ownership of a mosaic-home-relative path (deny-wins / fail-safe):
  * operator globs win, then framework globs, else operator by default.
  */
 export function resolveOwnership(manifest: FrameworkManifest, relPath: string): Ownership {
-  if (matchesAny(manifest.operator, relPath)) return 'operator';
+  if (manifest.operator.some((glob) => matchesOperatorGlob(glob, relPath))) return 'operator';
   if (matchesAny(manifest.framework, relPath)) return 'framework';
   return 'operator';
 }