diff --git a/.wolf/anatomy-index.json b/.wolf/anatomy-index.json
index 01792e86..7b715c0a 100644
--- a/.wolf/anatomy-index.json
+++ b/.wolf/anatomy-index.json
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 {
   "version": 1,
   "meta": {
-    "lastScanned": "2026-09-03T09:38:24.553Z",
+    "lastScanned": "2026-09-03T09:43:09.039Z",
     "fileCount": 678,
     "hits": 0,
     "misses": 0,
-    "renderedHash": "e164f762b92f5a3fc1d4da53cddc99441eeea59534b03859442c0e4d03095927",
-    "storeUpdatedAt": "2026-09-03T09:38:24.562Z",
-    "rootHash": "30635557a308ae3c"
+    "renderedHash": "f9b6b5e6c45a57b158c2e3c36ad0803517219698085a8974bf0619c39da55a71",
+    "storeUpdatedAt": "2026-09-03T09:43:09.048Z",
+    "rootHash": "1f27b673c8fd7041"
   },
   "files": {
     ".agent-shell/transcripts/2026-08-11-11-39-59.md": {
@@ -3239,23 +3239,21 @@
     },
     ".kiro/specs/xce-test-rc-file/spec.json": {
       "description": "",
-      "tokens": 128,
-      "hash": "2150249eb83ee3cb",
-      "size": 446,
-      "mtimeMs": 1787735907810.2854,
-      "updatedAt": "2026-08-27T19:00:00.134Z",
-      "source": "scan",
-      "importance": 0.21
+      "tokens": 130,
+      "hash": "9483d281c3b51a21",
+      "size": 454,
+      "mtimeMs": 1788428589003.9302,
+      "updatedAt": "2026-09-03T09:43:09.039Z",
+      "source": "hook"
     },
     ".kiro/specs/xce-test-rc-file/tasks.md": {
       "description": "Implementation Plan",
       "tokens": 1896,
-      "hash": "efed93cf113d7f18",
+      "hash": "e2f946f1c0e01baf",
       "size": 7596,
-      "mtimeMs": 1787765635278.1775,
-      "updatedAt": "2026-08-27T19:00:00.135Z",
-      "source": "scan",
-      "importance": 0.21
+      "mtimeMs": 1788428585606.8066,
+      "updatedAt": "2026-09-03T09:43:05.650Z",
+      "source": "hook"
     },
     ".kiro/steering/api-standards.md": {
       "description": "API Standards",
diff --git a/.wolf/anatomy.md b/.wolf/anatomy.md
index e172426f..1a4c9f7c 100644
--- a/.wolf/anatomy.md
+++ b/.wolf/anatomy.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # anatomy.md
 
-> Auto-maintained by OpenWolf. Last scanned: 2026-09-03T09:38:24.553Z
+> Auto-maintained by OpenWolf. Last scanned: 2026-09-03T09:43:09.039Z
 > Files: 678 tracked | Anatomy hits: 0 | Misses: 0
 
 ## ./
@@ -574,7 +574,7 @@
 - `design.md` — Design Document (~4183 tok)
 - `requirements.md` — Requirements Document (~1477 tok)
 - `research.md` — Summary (~1771 tok)
-- `spec.json` (~128 tok)
+- `spec.json` (~130 tok)
 - `tasks.md` — Implementation Plan (~1896 tok)
 
 ## .kiro/steering/
diff --git a/.wolf/cerebrum.md b/.wolf/cerebrum.md
index 1f6f37fb..4fe31879 100644
--- a/.wolf/cerebrum.md
+++ b/.wolf/cerebrum.md
@@ -229,3 +229,4 @@
 - **(2026-08-26, bug-1718, xce-test-rc-file task 3.1) A `python3 -` (or any "read program from stdin") invocation placed on the SAME command as a `<<HEREDOC` redirect while ALSO receiving piped input (`upstream | python3 - args <<EOF ... EOF`) silently loses the piped data, no error.** The heredoc redirect wins stdin over the pipe for that command; `python3 -` consumes the heredoc's content as its own program source, so by the time the script's own `sys.stdin.read()` runs, stdin is already at EOF — it just returns `""` with zero diagnostic. Caught by re-reading the draft before ever running it, not by a failing run. **Fix pattern: write the embedded program to its own temp file ONCE (`mktemp` + `cat >"$DRIVER" <<EOF...EOF`, cleaned via an `EXIT` trap), then invoke it as `upstream | python3 "$DRIVER" args...`** — a file argument doesn't compete with the pipe for stdin, unlike `-`. Applies to any interpreter's "read program from stdin" mode (`python3 -`, `perl -e -`, etc.) combined with a heredoc AND a real piped payload in the same pipeline.
 - **(2026-08-26, xce-test-rc-file task 3.1) `xce_test`'s `cmd_set(argc==1)` (`set` with no args) is the generic, no-live-cluster-required readback for ANY setting** (`test.c:3684`, format `"%-12s:%s default: %s\n"`, `KVAL()` prints `"<not set>"` for a NULL current value) — the right primitive for any integration test that needs to observe an rc-file/`set`-driven setting change (e.g. `masters`) without a live controller connection. Don't hardcode the exact column padding when grepping its output (fragile) — extract via `sed -E 's/^masters[[:space:]]*:(.*) default:.*/\1/'` (greedy `(.*)` correctly captures the embedded-space `"<not set>"` sentinel too, since there's only one literal `" default:"` substring per line to anchor against).
 - **(2026-08-26, xce-test-rc-file task 3.1) `xce_test` uses `libedit`'s `readline()`/`isatty(STDIN_FILENO)`-gated `g_interactive`, so a genuine interactive-mode integration test needs a REAL pty, not a piped stdin** — confirmed working via a small embedded Python `pty.fork()` driver (write commands to the master fd with a short settle delay after each, drain with `select()`, detect child exit via non-blocking `waitpid`, `os.waitstatus_to_exitcode()` for the real exit code). Same technique task 2.2's own implementer used for manual verification; this task turned it into a reusable scripted harness. The prompt itself (`fill_prompt`, top-level context) renders as literal `"xce>"` — grepping for that substring in the pty transcript is a good "this really was a TTY session, not a piped fallback" sanity check, distinct from the actual assertion under test.
+- **A `.kiro/specs/*/tasks.md` checkbox count (`- [ ]` vs `- [x]`) is NOT reliable at face value when it includes section-HEADER checkboxes ("- [ ] N. Some phase name") — a spec whose every N.M subtask is `[x]` but whose parent `- [ ] N.` header was never flipped reads as "in progress" when it is actually 100% done.** (2026-09-03, cross-spec audit) Recurred a second time after the first fix (`5c82ad0b`, 2026-08-24, 5 specs): `scheduler-sim-eager-reconciliation` looked like "6/9, stalled since Aug 22" by a naive checkbox count, but all 3 "unchecked" items were section headers whose children (1.1/1.2/2.1/3.1/3.2/3.3) were already all `[x]`, with a `task 3.3 full regression confirmation` commit proving genuine completion on 2026-08-27. `worker-rejoin-resync` was the same drift the other direction (28/28 real tasks incl. headers all `[x]`, but `spec.json.phase` itself never advanced past `tasks-generated`). **Before reporting any spec as "stalled" or "N/M done," check headers and children SEPARATELY (`grep -E '^\s*-\s*\[ \]\s*[0-9]+\.'` for unchecked headers vs `^\s*-\s*\[ \]\s*[0-9]+\.[0-9]'` for unchecked subtasks) and cross-check `spec.json.phase`/`updated_at` against the tasks.md file's own git log — a low, stale-looking checkbox ratio and a phase field that hasn't moved are both metadata that can independently lag the real state, not just one signal.**
diff --git a/.wolf/memory.md b/.wolf/memory.md
index aaa99b33..e7c7e3c5 100644
--- a/.wolf/memory.md
+++ b/.wolf/memory.md
@@ -4085,3 +4085,7 @@
 | 02:37 | Edited .kiro/specs/scheduler-sim-eager-reconciliation/spec.json | 3→3 lines | ~28 |
 | 02:38 | Edited .kiro/specs/scheduler-allocation/spec.json | modified 23() | ~261 |
 | 02:38 | Edited .kiro/specs/scheduler-preemption/spec.json | 1→3 lines | ~60 |
+| 02:42 | Edited .kiro/specs/xce-test-rc-file/tasks.md | inline fix | ~20 |
+| 02:43 | Edited .kiro/specs/xce-test-rc-file/tasks.md | inline fix | ~12 |
+| 02:43 | Edited .kiro/specs/xce-test-rc-file/tasks.md | inline fix | ~18 |
+| 02:43 | Edited .kiro/specs/xce-test-rc-file/spec.json | 3→3 lines | ~28 |