diff --git a/scripts/hooks/preflight_reminder.py b/scripts/hooks/preflight_reminder.py
index 530c9e7c..7ea081b2 100644
--- a/scripts/hooks/preflight_reminder.py
+++ b/scripts/hooks/preflight_reminder.py
@@ -2,7 +2,26 @@
 
 When the user prompt indicates code-implementation intent, inject a
 system-reminder elevating bicameral.preflight above the agent's default
-tool-selection priority.
+tool-selection priority — but only as a write-op gate, not a discovery
+gate.
+
+Reconciles with #146: that issue's failure mode was the agent doing
+file inspection and then NEVER calling preflight at all. The original
+fix (#155) over-corrected by telling the agent to call preflight
+"before any file-inspection tool". That short-circuited the caller-LLM
+discovery the rest of the contract depends on — preflight needs
+``file_paths`` populated to do region-anchored retrieval, and the agent
+can't extract file paths if we forbid it from looking at the codebase
+first.
+
+Updated contract:
+  - Read / Grep / Glob FIRST — caller LLM resolves "the reorder feature"
+    to concrete file paths.
+  - bicameral.preflight(topic, file_paths) — fed by step 1's discovery,
+    so the server gets the deterministic binds_to lookup it needs.
+  - Write ops (Edit / Write / NotebookEdit / mutating Bash) — preflight
+    must precede the first one. This is the line that #146 was
+    actually defending; the asserter (assert_flow_2) gates exactly this.
 
 Per Claude Code 2.x hook contract: read JSON from stdin, write JSON to
 stdout shaped as ``{"hookSpecificOutput": {"hookEventName":
@@ -24,12 +43,29 @@
 
 REMINDER_TEXT = (
     "<system-reminder>\n"
-    "This prompt indicates code-implementation intent. Before invoking "
-    "any file-inspection tool (Read, Grep, Bash, Glob), call "
-    "`bicameral.preflight` to surface prior decisions, drifted regions, "
-    "and open questions for the affected area. The skill produces zero "
-    "output when nothing relevant is found, so the cost of firing is "
-    "bounded. Auto-fire is the contract; do not skip.\n"
+    "This prompt indicates code-implementation intent. Auto-fire is the "
+    "contract: `bicameral.preflight` MUST run BEFORE any write op (Edit, "
+    "Write, NotebookEdit, or Bash that mutates state — git commit, file "
+    "writes, mv/rm/etc.).\n"
+    "\n"
+    "Read-only discovery FIRST, then preflight, then writes.\n"
+    "\n"
+    "Recommended sequence:\n"
+    "  1. Use Read / Grep / Glob to map the user's request to concrete "
+    "file paths. The user often names a feature ('the reorder feature') "
+    "rather than a file (`reorder.ts`); resolve that mapping yourself "
+    "before calling preflight.\n"
+    "  2. Call `bicameral.preflight(topic, file_paths)` with BOTH a "
+    "natural-language topic AND the concrete file paths discovered in "
+    "step 1. `file_paths=[]` defeats region-anchored retrieval — the "
+    "server uses these to look up bound decisions deterministically; "
+    "topic alone falls back to fuzzy text similarity.\n"
+    "  3. Read the surfaced decisions / drifted regions / open questions, "
+    "then proceed with the implementation.\n"
+    "\n"
+    "The skill produces zero output when nothing relevant is found, so "
+    "the cost of firing is bounded. Skipping preflight is the contract "
+    "violation, not running discovery first.\n"
     "</system-reminder>"
 )
 
diff --git a/skills/bicameral-preflight/SKILL.md b/skills/bicameral-preflight/SKILL.md
index 2930574c..ffad3af4 100644
--- a/skills/bicameral-preflight/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/bicameral-preflight/SKILL.md
@@ -139,10 +139,18 @@ case proceed directly to step 2.
 
 ### 2. Call `bicameral.preflight` for region-anchored and HITL state
 
+**Discover first, then preflight.** Before this call, use Read / Grep / Glob to
+resolve the user's request to concrete file paths. The user often names a
+*feature* ("the reorder feature", "the rate limiter") rather than a *file*; the
+caller LLM is responsible for that mapping — the server does deterministic
+retrieval, not semantic guessing. A topic-only call falls back to fuzzy text
+similarity over decision descriptions; passing `file_paths` engages the
+high-precision `binds_to` graph lookup.
+
 ```
 bicameral.preflight(
   topic="<the 1-line topic>",
-  file_paths=["<repo-relative path>", ...],  # include if you've scoped the files
+  file_paths=["<repo-relative path>", ...],  # discovered in step 1
 )
 ```
 
@@ -160,8 +168,12 @@ those into your in-scope set.
 The response also carries an optional `sync_metrics` field — skip rendering it.
 If `response.product_stage` is non-null, surface it verbatim to the user as a brief note (shown once per device only).
 
-**Omit `file_paths`** if you haven't scoped the files yet (early "how should I
-approach X?" queries). The handler still runs sync and HITL checks.
+**`file_paths` may be omitted only** for genuinely abstract queries with no
+file referent yet (e.g. *"how should I approach building a retry helper?"* —
+no existing files to point at). For implementation prompts that name or imply
+a feature backed by existing code, populate `file_paths` from your discovery.
+The handler still runs sync and HITL checks either way; passing `file_paths`
+just unlocks the precision channel.
 
 ### 2.5 Resolve pending compliance checks if present
 
diff --git a/tests/test_preflight_hook.py b/tests/test_preflight_hook.py
index 1c17600e..fe76eb01 100644
--- a/tests/test_preflight_hook.py
+++ b/tests/test_preflight_hook.py
@@ -96,3 +96,27 @@ def test_handles_natural_contradiction_prompt():
     inner = _hook_output(json.loads(out))
     assert "additionalContext" in inner
     assert "bicameral.preflight" in inner["additionalContext"]
+
+
+def test_reminder_gates_writes_not_discovery():
+    """The reminder must allow Read/Grep/Glob discovery before preflight,
+    and gate preflight against WRITE ops only. An earlier shape ("call
+    preflight before any file-inspection tool") short-circuited the
+    caller-LLM discovery the rest of the contract depends on (the agent
+    needs to map "the X feature" → concrete file paths via Read/Grep/Glob
+    before calling preflight). Lock the new posture in so future edits
+    don't quietly regress it.
+    """
+    payload = {"prompt": "refactor the reorder feature to a text-editor flow"}
+    rc, out, _ = _run_hook(json.dumps(payload))
+    assert rc == 0
+    ctx = _hook_output(json.loads(out))["additionalContext"]
+    # Affirmative: discovery comes first, write op is the gate.
+    assert "Read-only discovery FIRST" in ctx
+    assert "BEFORE any write op" in ctx
+    assert "Edit, Write" in ctx
+    # The reminder should explicitly tell the agent to populate file_paths.
+    assert "file_paths" in ctx
+    # Negative: must NOT forbid file-inspection tools (the old shape).
+    assert "before any file-inspection tool" not in ctx
+    assert "Before invoking any file-inspection tool" not in ctx