diff --git a/dag/gunbc/fleet/fleet_revision_acceptance.dag b/dag/gunbc/fleet/fleet_revision_acceptance.dag
index 0f437a47391..7d18cfb865a 100644
--- a/dag/gunbc/fleet/fleet_revision_acceptance.dag
+++ b/dag/gunbc/fleet/fleet_revision_acceptance.dag
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@ module gunbc.fleet_revision_acceptance
 import std.types { String, NonEmptyStr, Bool, Int, List }
 import extdeps.git.object_store { GitObjectId, git_object_id_from_untagged_hex, git_object_id_eq, git_object_id_wire_hex }
 import extdeps.github.workflow_runs {
-  WorkflowRun, WorkflowRunList, WorkflowRunConclusion, Success, Cancelled, Skipped, Completed,
+  WorkflowRun, WorkflowRunList, WorkflowRunConclusion, Success, Failure, Neutral, Cancelled, Skipped,
+  TimedOut, ActionRequired, StartupFailure, Completed, Queued, InProgress, Waiting, Requested, Pending,
 }
 import extdeps.github.actions { github_event_name_merge_group }
 import extdeps.github.push_event { PushRefUpdate }
@@ -435,20 +436,27 @@ fn run_is_merge_group(run: WorkflowRun) -> Bool {
   run.event == github_event_name_merge_group
 }
 
+// A run carries a verdict when GitHub states a terminal outcome for it: Success, Failure,
+// TimedOut, ActionRequired and StartupFailure say what happened. Neutral, Cancelled and Skipped
+// report that no verdict was rendered -- the run did not judge the revision -- so they are not
+// verdicts, and an unconcluded floor refuses as RequiredCiMergeGroupRunUnconcluded. A run that
+// has not completed (Queued, InProgress, Waiting, Requested, Pending) has rendered nothing yet.
+// Every status and every conclusion is named so an addition to either cannot inherit
+// verdict-carrying without an arm.
 fn merge_group_run_carries_verdict(run: WorkflowRun) -> Bool {
   match run.status {
     Completed =>
       match run.conclusion {
         Present { value: c } =>
           match c {
-            Cancelled => false
-            Skipped => false
             Success => true
             Failure => true
-            Neutral => true
             TimedOut => true
             ActionRequired => true
             StartupFailure => true
+            Neutral => false
+            Cancelled => false
+            Skipped => false
           }
         none => false
       }
@@ -465,13 +473,7 @@ fn merge_group_run_succeeded(run: WorkflowRun) -> Bool {
     Present { value: c } =>
       match c {
         Success => true
-        Failure => false
-        Cancelled => false
-        Neutral => false
-        Skipped => false
-        TimedOut => false
-        ActionRequired => false
-        StartupFailure => false
+        _ => false
       }
     none => false
   }
diff --git a/dag/gunbc/runner/runner_throughput_qualification_route.dag b/dag/gunbc/runner/runner_throughput_qualification_route.dag
index 92b7cc0e19d..f817e86d527 100644
--- a/dag/gunbc/runner/runner_throughput_qualification_route.dag
+++ b/dag/gunbc/runner/runner_throughput_qualification_route.dag
@@ -340,7 +340,9 @@ fn route_control_plane_write_count(route: List<QualificationStage>) -> Int {
   )
 }
 
-// EVERY BMC WRITE IS UNDER THE APPROVAL GATE, by declaration identity.
+// EVERY BMC WRITE IS UNDER THE APPROVAL GATE, by declaration identity. The arms are named, not
+// wildcarded: a stage effect added later must state here what the gate audit reads from it, or the
+// route stops compiling -- a fresh write-shaped effect may not inherit the audit's pass.
 fn route_bmc_writes_are_gated(route: List<QualificationStage>) -> Bool {
   route |> all(s =>
     match stage_effect(stage: s) {
@@ -392,6 +394,8 @@ fn route_deregisters_what_it_registered(route: List<QualificationStage>) -> Bool
     && (registered |> all(u => deregistered |> any(d => d == u)))
 }
 
+// Only a dispatch stage is asked to name the attempt; the other four stages say so by name, not
+// by wildcard, so a stage added later must state that here rather than inherit the vacuous pass.
 fn route_dispatch_selector_names_the_attempt(route: List<QualificationStage>, attempt: NonEmptyStr) -> Bool {
   route |> all(s =>
     match s {
diff --git a/dag/test/claim/fleet/fleet_desired_merge_queue_admission_witness_test.dag b/dag/test/claim/fleet/fleet_desired_merge_queue_admission_witness_test.dag
index 9f6848fba1c..1319a1e2bf4 100644
--- a/dag/test/claim/fleet/fleet_desired_merge_queue_admission_witness_test.dag
+++ b/dag/test/claim/fleet/fleet_desired_merge_queue_admission_witness_test.dag
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import std.contract_identity { ContractEpoch }
 import extdeps.git.object_store { GitObjectId, git_object_id_from_untagged_hex, git_object_id_eq }
 import extdeps.github.workflow_runs {
   WorkflowRun, WorkflowRunList, WorkflowRunStatus, WorkflowRunConclusion,
-  Completed, InProgress, Queued, Success, Failure, Cancelled, TimedOut,
+  Completed, InProgress, Queued, Success, Failure, Cancelled, Neutral, TimedOut,
 }
 import extdeps.github.push_event { PushRefUpdate, push_ref_update_from_event_json, PushRefUpdateObserved, PushRefUpdateMemberAbsent }
 import gunbc.generated_artifact { WitnessFloorYamlArtifact, artifact_path }
@@ -118,6 +118,26 @@ test fn a_cancelled_run_beside_a_success_admits() -> Bool {
   admits(push: main_push(after: sha_r), rs: runs(rs: [mg(id: 11, conclusion: Cancelled), mg(id: 12, conclusion: Success)]))
 }
 
+// NO VERDICT RENDERED IS NOT A FAILED VERDICT. A neutral conclusion reports that the workflow did
+// not apply to this revision; it carries no verdict, so a floor of only-neutral runs is
+// UNCONCLUDED -- not "the floor ran and did not succeed", which is a different refusal and a
+// different operator action. merge_group_run_carries_verdict names all eight conclusions so a
+// conclusion added later cannot inherit verdict-carrying without an arm.
+test fn a_floor_of_neutral_runs_refuses_as_unconcluded_not_not_success() -> Bool {
+  match ci_on_r(rs: runs(rs: [mg(id: 11, conclusion: Neutral)])) {
+    Present { value: RequiredCiRefused { cause: RequiredCiMergeGroupRunUnconcluded { revision: _, run_ids: ids } } } =>
+      ids == [11]
+    _ => false
+  }
+}
+
+// A neutral run beside a success neither contradicts it nor blocks the entry: not applicable is
+// not a competing verdict, and the refusal it caused before the classification named all eight
+// conclusions read as two runs disagreeing about one revision.
+test fn a_neutral_run_beside_a_success_admits() -> Bool {
+  admits(push: main_push(after: sha_r), rs: runs(rs: [mg(id: 11, conclusion: Neutral), mg(id: 12, conclusion: Success)]))
+}
+
 // THE CONTRADICTION. Nothing picks one: the refusal carries both id sets so an operator reads both logs.
 test fn a_success_and_a_failure_on_one_revision_refuse_carrying_both_run_ids() -> Bool {
   match ci_on_r(rs: runs(rs: [mg(id: 11, conclusion: Success), mg(id: 12, conclusion: Failure)])) {