fix(#4682): route stale verification to the verifier regeneration path (#4818)

* test(#4682): add failing-first coverage for stale verification routing

* fix(#4682): route stale verification to the verifier regeneration path

The stale routing entry sent users to /gsd-verify-work — but verify-work
never rewrites VERIFICATION.md (its only write is the human_needed
canonicalization), so following the advice re-ran UAT, reached the same
stale check, and looped. init's projector and execute-phase's generic
next_command presentation both mirror this entry, so the dead end appeared
on three surfaces.

The stale entry now routes to execute-phase, and execute-phase's
all-plans-complete resume tree gains a stale arm (as a steps/ part, keeping
the spine under its frozen ADR-857 ceiling) mirroring the missing route:
skip cross_ai_delegation/execute_waves/checkpoint_handling, continue at
aggregate_results, and let verify_phase_goal re-dispatch the gsd-verifier —
regenerating VERIFICATION.md and its digest, marked phase or not. The
non-stale fall-through. Staleness detection, the digest format (#4623),
every other routing entry, and the #3684 resume arms are untouched.

Emitted-Drift-Ack-Growth: verify-work.md — stale stop rewritten to dispatch the verifier and re-check (#4682)
Emitted-Drift-Ack-Growth: execute-phase.md — VERIFY_STATUS == stale resume arm added to condition 3 (#4682)

* test(#4682): register the stale-reverification part and align projected commands

The new steps/ part must be registered in the inventory manifest and the
per-runtime golden install trees (regen:derived); the projected stale
next_command is /gsd-execute-phase <phase> (formatGsdSlash prefixes the
runtime surface), the human_needed bare-report probe keeps routing to
verify-work (unchanged semantics), and init-manager's recommended action
follows the new command.

* test(#4682): prefix the remaining stale routing assertions with the runtime surface

Nine stale next_command assertions and the human_needed bare-report probe
still carried the unprefixed or flipped forms from the earlier line-number
edit; all now assert the shipped /gsd-execute-phase <phase> projection,
with the human_needed probe reverted to its unchanged verify-work routing.

* test(#4682): align the last stale projection assertions with the execute-phase route

* docs(#4682): backfill changeset PR number

* test(#4682): refresh the compact-content baseline after the rebase

The rebase onto the #4670 squash brought verify-work.md's bounded
reconciliation text into this branch; the committed compact-content
baseline now reflects the post-rebase split sizes. Local --check is
clean; the previous bench drift (+243) was the baseline, not the diff.

* fix(#4682): carry the response_language directive in the stale-reverification part

The new steps/ part is its own coverage unit for lint-response-language-coverage;
it takes the shared canonical directive line like its sibling execute-phase
parts.

---------

Co-authored-by: sim <sim@local>

.changeset/vivid-deer-howl.md

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+type: Fixed
+pr: 4818
+---
+**Stale verification now routes to the verifier** — the `stale` status told users to re-run `/gsd-verify-work`, but that workflow never rewrites VERIFICATION.md, so following the advice looped forever. The routing now names the regeneration path (execute-phase resumes at the verification gates and re-runs the verifier), and verify-work's stale stop dispatches `gsd-verifier` and re-checks instead of self-referencing. (#4682)

docs/INVENTORY-MANIFEST.json

@@ -664,6 +664,7 @@
       "execute-phase/steps/regression-gate-run.md",
       "execute-phase/steps/regression-gate.md",
       "execute-phase/steps/sequential-root-pin.md",
+      "execute-phase/steps/stale-reverification.md",
       "execute-phase/steps/tdd-applicability-resolution.md",
       "execute-phase/steps/wave-post-gate-hooks.md",
       "execute-phase/steps/worktree-recovery-policy.md",

gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase.md

@@ -366,6 +366,8 @@ later conditions once one matches:
 2b. **No filter is active, no blocked-plan skip occurred, and at least one filtered plan was skipped because `ready: false` (#4628)** — the phase is WAITING on incomplete predecessors, not finished: report it by name and exit before any completion state (`execute-phase/steps/ready-wave-gate.md`).
 3. **No filter is active, and every filtered plan was filtered by `has_summary` alone** (no
    blocked-plan skip occurred):
+   - **`VERIFY_STATUS == stale` (#4682)**: covered source changed after the verifier ran —
+     re-verify per `execute-phase/steps/stale-reverification.md`.
    - **`VERIFY_STATUS == missing`**: the plans are all summarized but the run never reached the
      tail gates. Report:
      `"All {plan_count} plans are summarized but no VERIFICATION.md exists — resuming at the phase gates (#2868)."`

gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/stale-reverification.md

@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+Apply response_language to all user-facing prose — narration between tool calls, status updates, progress notes, and findings included; preserve code, paths, and identifiers.
+
+<step name="stale_reverification">
+Covered source files changed after the verifier last ran — the recorded digest no longer
+matches, so the report cannot be trusted until the verifier re-runs (#4682). The plans are all
+summarized: there is no wave work to do.
+
+Report:
+```
+"Verification is stale — covered source changed after the verifier ran (#4682). Re-running the verifier for this phase."
+```
+
+SKIP `cross_ai_delegation`, `execute_waves` and `checkpoint_handling` — there is no wave work —
+and continue directly at `aggregate_results` exactly as the `missing` route (#2868): the tail
+steps re-run in their normal order (`aggregate_results` → `code_review_gate` →
+`close_parent_artifacts` → `regression_gate` → `verify_phase_goal` → `update_roadmap`), and
+`verify_phase_goal` re-dispatches the `gsd-verifier`, regenerating VERIFICATION.md and its
+digest. This holds whether or not the phase was already marked complete — a stale report on a
+marked phase is refreshed the same way. `verification.status`'s `next_command` routes here for
+exactly this state.
+
+Never silently proceed past a stale gate: if the re-run verifier still produces a stale report,
+stop and present it (#4623 covers what the digest hashes).
+</step>

gsd-core/workflows/verify-work.md

@@ -673,15 +673,23 @@ if [ "$VERIFICATION_STATUS_VALUE" = "human_needed" ]; then
 fi
 ```
 
-If `PHASE_VERIFICATION_STATUS` is `stale`, stop before phase advancement and present:
+If `PHASE_VERIFICATION_STATUS` is `stale`, the covered source files changed after the verifier
+last ran — re-run the VERIFIER, not this workflow (`/gsd:verify-work` never rewrites
+VERIFICATION.md; its only write is the human_needed canonicalization, #4663). Spawn the
+verifier for this phase exactly as execute-phase's `verify_phase_goal` step does (subagent
+`gsd-verifier`; phase directory, goal, requirement IDs, and all SUMMARYs in
+`<required_reading>`), then re-read `verification.status` and continue at the fresh/passed
+case below. (#4682)
 
 ```
-All UAT tests passed, but phase advancement is blocked until canonical verification is fresh.
+Verification is stale: covered source files changed after the verifier last ran.
 
 Blocking completion:
 verification is stale
 
-- `/gsd:verify-work {phase}` — re-run verification against the latest summaries
+- Re-run the verifier for phase {phase} (dispatch `gsd-verifier` as in execute-phase's
+  verify_phase_goal step) to regenerate VERIFICATION.md with a fresh digest, then re-run
+  `/gsd:verify-work {phase}`
 ```
 
 Otherwise, check the shared UAT-plus-verification completion predicate before transition:

src/verification.cts

@@ -112,8 +112,14 @@ const VERIFICATION_ROUTING_TABLE: Record<string, VerificationRoute> = {
   },
   stale: {
     status: 'stale',
-    next_action: 'Verification is stale. Re-run verify-work before transition.',
-    next_command: '',
+    // #4682: staleness means covered source files changed after the verifier
+    // last ran — the only remedy is re-running the verifier.
+    // /gsd-verify-work never rewrites VERIFICATION.md, so advising it from
+    // here was an advice loop. execute-phase resumes at the verification
+    // gates and re-runs the verifier (its resume tree routes a stale report
+    // to re-verification), which regenerates VERIFICATION.md and its digest.
+    next_action: 'Verification is stale — covered source files changed after the verifier last ran. Re-run execute-phase for this phase: it resumes at the verification gates and re-runs the verifier, regenerating VERIFICATION.md and its digest. verify-work alone cannot refresh a stale report.',
+    next_command: 'execute-phase',
   },
   // INTERNAL SENTINEL: constructed when no *-VERIFICATION.md file exists or when
   // the file has no parseable frontmatter status. Never emitted by the verifier.
@@ -1115,7 +1121,10 @@ function readVerificationStatus(
     return {
       status: entry.status,
       next_action: entry.next_action,
-      next_command: projectNextCommand('verify-work', runtime, phaseArg),
+      // #4682: execute-phase resumes at the verification gates and re-runs
+      // the verifier, regenerating VERIFICATION.md and its digest — the same
+      // routing the `missing` sentinel has used since #2868.
+      next_command: projectNextCommand('execute-phase', runtime, phaseArg),
     };
   }
 

tests/fixtures/compact-content-benchmark-baseline.json

@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@
       "reductionPct": 16.51
     },
     "execute-phase": {
-      "offTokens": 26259,
-      "onTokens": 23969,
-      "reductionPct": 8.72
+      "offTokens": 26297,
+      "onTokens": 24007,
+      "reductionPct": 8.71
     },
     "new-project": {
       "offTokens": 14308,
@@ -33,14 +33,14 @@
       "reductionPct": 11.9
     },
     "verify-work": {
-      "offTokens": 13235,
-      "onTokens": 11262,
-      "reductionPct": 14.91
+      "offTokens": 13384,
+      "onTokens": 11411,
+      "reductionPct": 14.74
     }
   },
   "aggregate": {
-    "offTokens": 108873,
-    "onTokens": 92186,
-    "reductionPct": 15.33
+    "offTokens": 109060,
+    "onTokens": 92373,
+    "reductionPct": 15.3
   }
 }

tests/fixtures/install-tree/antigravity.json

@@ -453,6 +453,7 @@
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate-run.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/sequential-root-pin.md",
+  "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/stale-reverification.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/tdd-applicability-resolution.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/wave-post-gate-hooks.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/worktree-recovery-policy.md",

tests/fixtures/install-tree/augment.json

@@ -525,6 +525,7 @@
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate-run.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/sequential-root-pin.md",
+  "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/stale-reverification.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/tdd-applicability-resolution.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/wave-post-gate-hooks.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/worktree-recovery-policy.md",

tests/fixtures/install-tree/claude-local.json

@@ -389,6 +389,7 @@
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate-run.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/sequential-root-pin.md",
+  "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/stale-reverification.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/tdd-applicability-resolution.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/wave-post-gate-hooks.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/worktree-recovery-policy.md",

tests/fixtures/install-tree/claude.json

@@ -453,6 +453,7 @@
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate-run.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/sequential-root-pin.md",
+  "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/stale-reverification.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/tdd-applicability-resolution.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/wave-post-gate-hooks.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/worktree-recovery-policy.md",

tests/fixtures/install-tree/cline.json

@@ -455,6 +455,7 @@
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate-run.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/sequential-root-pin.md",
+  "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/stale-reverification.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/tdd-applicability-resolution.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/wave-post-gate-hooks.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/worktree-recovery-policy.md",

tests/fixtures/install-tree/codebuddy.json

@@ -525,6 +525,7 @@
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate-run.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/sequential-root-pin.md",
+  "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/stale-reverification.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/tdd-applicability-resolution.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/wave-post-gate-hooks.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/worktree-recovery-policy.md",

tests/fixtures/install-tree/codex.json

@@ -489,6 +489,7 @@
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate-run.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/sequential-root-pin.md",
+  "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/stale-reverification.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/tdd-applicability-resolution.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/wave-post-gate-hooks.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/worktree-recovery-policy.md",

tests/fixtures/install-tree/copilot.json

@@ -454,6 +454,7 @@
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate-run.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/sequential-root-pin.md",
+  "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/stale-reverification.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/tdd-applicability-resolution.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/wave-post-gate-hooks.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/worktree-recovery-policy.md",

tests/fixtures/install-tree/cursor.json

@@ -453,6 +453,7 @@
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate-run.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/sequential-root-pin.md",
+  "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/stale-reverification.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/tdd-applicability-resolution.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/wave-post-gate-hooks.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/worktree-recovery-policy.md",

tests/fixtures/install-tree/hermes.json

@@ -453,6 +453,7 @@
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate-run.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/sequential-root-pin.md",
+  "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/stale-reverification.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/tdd-applicability-resolution.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/wave-post-gate-hooks.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/worktree-recovery-policy.md",

tests/fixtures/install-tree/kilo.json

@@ -525,6 +525,7 @@
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate-run.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/sequential-root-pin.md",
+  "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/stale-reverification.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/tdd-applicability-resolution.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/wave-post-gate-hooks.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/worktree-recovery-policy.md",

tests/fixtures/install-tree/kimi-code.json

@@ -454,6 +454,7 @@
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate-run.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/sequential-root-pin.md",
+  "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/stale-reverification.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/tdd-applicability-resolution.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/wave-post-gate-hooks.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/worktree-recovery-policy.md",

tests/fixtures/install-tree/kimi.json

@@ -461,6 +461,7 @@
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate-run.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/sequential-root-pin.md",
+  "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/stale-reverification.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/tdd-applicability-resolution.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/wave-post-gate-hooks.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/worktree-recovery-policy.md",

tests/fixtures/install-tree/opencode.json

@@ -525,6 +525,7 @@
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate-run.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/sequential-root-pin.md",
+  "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/stale-reverification.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/tdd-applicability-resolution.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/wave-post-gate-hooks.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/worktree-recovery-policy.md",

tests/fixtures/install-tree/pi.json

@@ -255,6 +255,7 @@
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate-run.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/sequential-root-pin.md",
+  "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/stale-reverification.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/tdd-applicability-resolution.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/wave-post-gate-hooks.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/worktree-recovery-policy.md",

tests/fixtures/install-tree/qwen.json

@@ -453,6 +453,7 @@
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate-run.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/sequential-root-pin.md",
+  "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/stale-reverification.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/tdd-applicability-resolution.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/wave-post-gate-hooks.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/worktree-recovery-policy.md",

tests/fixtures/install-tree/trae.json

@@ -453,6 +453,7 @@
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate-run.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/sequential-root-pin.md",
+  "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/stale-reverification.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/tdd-applicability-resolution.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/wave-post-gate-hooks.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/worktree-recovery-policy.md",

tests/fixtures/install-tree/windsurf.json

@@ -381,6 +381,7 @@
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate-run.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/sequential-root-pin.md",
+  "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/stale-reverification.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/tdd-applicability-resolution.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/wave-post-gate-hooks.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/worktree-recovery-policy.md",

tests/fixtures/install-tree/zcode.json

@@ -525,6 +525,7 @@
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate-run.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/regression-gate.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/sequential-root-pin.md",
+  "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/stale-reverification.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/tdd-applicability-resolution.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/wave-post-gate-hooks.md",
   "gsd-core/workflows/execute-phase/steps/worktree-recovery-policy.md",

tests/init-manager.test.cjs

@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ describe('init manager', () => {
     assert.strictEqual(output.phases[0].phase_complete, false);
     assert.strictEqual(output.recommended_actions[0].action, 'verify');
     assert.match(output.recommended_actions[0].reason, /verification stale/);
-    assert.match(output.recommended_actions[0].command, /verify-work 1/);
+    assert.match(output.recommended_actions[0].command, /execute-phase 1/);
   });
 
   test('checked unpadded roadmap token does not satisfy padded unverified dependency', () => {

tests/phase.test.cjs

@@ -4367,7 +4367,7 @@ describe('phase complete canonical verification gate (#1522)', () => {
     // runtime's installed surface. This project has no runtime configured, so it
     // takes the `claude` default — the canonical `/gsd-` hyphen form. The colon
     // form this previously asserted is the deprecated shape #2617 removed.
-    assert.match(errorPayload.message, /\/gsd-verify-work 0?1/);
+    assert.match(errorPayload.message, /\/gsd-execute-phase 0?1/);
     assert.equal(fs.readFileSync(roadmapPath, 'utf-8'), beforeRoadmap);
     assert.equal(fs.readFileSync(statePath, 'utf-8'), beforeState);
   });

tests/verification-status.test.cjs

@@ -401,7 +401,15 @@ describe('verification-status', () => {
       const result = readVerificationStatus(dir, { phaseCleanCommitTimesMs: () => new Map() });
       assert.equal(result.status, 'stale');
       assert.match(result.next_action, /stale/i);
-      assert.equal(result.next_command, '/gsd-verify-work 01');
+      // #4682: stale means covered source changed after the verifier ran — the
+      // only remedy is re-running the verifier. execute-phase resumes at the
+      // verification gates and re-runs it (its resume tree routes a stale
+      // report to re-verification); /gsd-verify-work never rewrote the report,
+      // so routing there was an advice loop.
+      assert.equal(result.next_command, '/gsd-execute-phase 01');
+      assert.doesNotMatch(result.next_command, /verify-work/);
+      assert.match(result.next_action, /verifier/i,
+        'the stale action must name the verifier re-run as the remedy');
     } finally {
       cleanup(baseDir);
     }
@@ -444,7 +452,7 @@ describe('verification-status', () => {
       // git times unavailable → mtime-fallback path (#2348).
       const result = readVerificationStatus(dir, { phaseCleanCommitTimesMs: () => new Map() });
       assert.equal(result.status, 'stale');
-      assert.equal(result.next_command, '/gsd-verify-work 01');
+      assert.equal(result.next_command, '/gsd-execute-phase 01');
     } finally {
       cleanup(baseDir);
     }
@@ -526,7 +534,7 @@ describe('verification-status', () => {
 
       const result = readVerificationStatus(dir, { phaseCleanCommitTimesMs });
       assert.equal(result.status, 'stale');
-      assert.equal(result.next_command, '/gsd-verify-work 02');
+      assert.equal(result.next_command, '/gsd-execute-phase 02');
     } finally {
       cleanup(baseDir);
     }
@@ -591,7 +599,7 @@ describe('verification-status', () => {
         'stale',
         'a dirty summary edited after the verification must stale it via mtime, not be shadowed by an equal/earlier commit time',
       );
-      assert.equal(result.next_command, '/gsd-verify-work 02');
+      assert.equal(result.next_command, '/gsd-execute-phase 02');
     } finally {
       cleanup(baseDir);
     }
@@ -708,7 +716,7 @@ describe('verification-status', () => {
           'stale',
           'summary committed after the verification must read stale on the real git clock, and the dash-named file must resolve through the `--` pathspec guard',
         );
-        assert.equal(result.next_command, '/gsd-verify-work 01');
+        assert.equal(result.next_command, '/gsd-execute-phase 01');
       } finally {
         cleanup(repo);
       }
@@ -756,7 +764,7 @@ describe('verification-status', () => {
           'stale',
           'a committed-then-edited (dirty) summary must read stale via mtime, not be shadowed by its now-stale commit time',
         );
-        assert.equal(result.next_command, '/gsd-verify-work 01');
+        assert.equal(result.next_command, '/gsd-execute-phase 01');
       } finally {
         cleanup(repo);
       }
@@ -1396,7 +1404,7 @@ describe('#4187: status surface recognizes a bare VERIFICATION.md', () => {
 
     const result = readVerificationStatus(dir, { phaseCleanCommitTimesMs: () => new Map() });
     assert.equal(result.status, 'stale', 'a bare report must be staleness-checked like a dashed one');
-    assert.equal(result.next_command, '/gsd-verify-work 99');
+    assert.equal(result.next_command, '/gsd-execute-phase 99');
   });
 
   test('#4187 unit (findStaleVerificationSummary): staleness is computed against the bare report', (t) => {
@@ -1446,7 +1454,7 @@ describe('#4142: opts.convention threads through findStaleVerificationSummary',
       'stale',
       'opts.convention must reach the legacy staleness seam so phase 03 is compared to 03-VERIFICATION.md',
     );
-    assert.equal(result.next_command, '/gsd-verify-work');
+    assert.equal(result.next_command, '/gsd-execute-phase');
   });
 });
 
@@ -2025,7 +2033,7 @@ describe('#4155: readVerificationStatus — fingerprint supersedes legacy mtime
 
     const result = readVerificationStatus(dir, { phaseCleanCommitTimesMs: () => new Map() });
     assert.equal(result.status, 'stale');
-    assert.equal(result.next_command, '/gsd-verify-work 01');
+    assert.equal(result.next_command, '/gsd-execute-phase 01');
   });
 
   // Ponytail #4155 review finding: "disappeared" and "escapes confinement"
@@ -2825,7 +2833,7 @@ for (const { id, prefix } of RUNTIMES) {
       makeStale();
       const result = read(id, NO_GIT);
       assert.equal(result.status, 'stale');
-      assert.equal(result.next_command, `${prefix}verify-work 01`);
+      assert.equal(result.next_command, `${prefix}execute-phase 01`);
     });
 
     test('passed has no next step and stays empty, not a bare prefix', () => {

tests/verify-work-auto-transition.test.cjs

@@ -288,3 +288,23 @@ describe('bug #3381: verify-work forwards workstream context', () => {
 });
   });
 }
+
+// ── #4682 — the stale stop routes to the verifier, not to itself ─────────────
+// A stale report means covered source files changed after the verifier ran;
+// the only remedy is re-running the verifier. /gsd-verify-work never rewrites
+// VERIFICATION.md, so advising it from its own stale block is an advice loop.
+describe('verify-work.md — stale stop routes to the verifier (#4682)', () => {
+  test('the stale stop instructs re-running the verifier, not verify-work (#4682)', () => {
+    const content = fs.readFileSync(VERIFY_WORK, 'utf-8');
+    const staleIdx = content.indexOf('If `PHASE_VERIFICATION_STATUS` is `stale`');
+    assert.ok(staleIdx !== -1, 'the stale stop must exist');
+    const block = content.slice(staleIdx, staleIdx + 1600);
+
+    assert.match(block, /gsd-verifier/, 'the stale stop must route to the gsd-verifier agent');
+    assert.match(block, /verification\.status/, 'it must re-check verification.status afterwards');
+    assert.doesNotMatch(
+      block, /`\/gsd:verify-work \{phase\}` — re-run verification/,
+      'the self-referential re-run advice must be gone'
+    );
+  });
+});