diff --git a/manager/core/.env.example b/manager/core/.env.example
index 10a5475..b3e4790 100644
--- a/manager/core/.env.example
+++ b/manager/core/.env.example
@@ -21,7 +21,12 @@ BOARD_OPENCODE_BIN=opencode
 # git/gh grants per launch intent are built in). Headless runs have no
 # human at a permission prompt, so a test runner missing from this list
 # is a test the work agent cannot run.
-BOARD_AGENT_COMMANDS=python3 -m unittest,python3 -m pytest
+BOARD_AGENT_COMMANDS=python3 -m unittest
+
+# What counts as a definition-of-done check (the Focus view's CHECKS
+# panel) is a file, not an env var: core/checks ships a generic default,
+# and a `checks` file in manager/local/ replaces it wholesale. Format
+# (`<label>: <command regex>`) is documented in the default file itself.
 
 # Where work-agent worktrees are created, relative to the repo root.
 BOARD_WORKTREES=.worktrees
diff --git a/manager/core/adapters/claude/emit.py b/manager/core/adapters/claude/emit.py
index e7046a0..8363baf 100755
--- a/manager/core/adapters/claude/emit.py
+++ b/manager/core/adapters/claude/emit.py
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ from pathlib import Path
 
 EDIT_TOOLS = {"Edit", "Write", "MultiEdit", "NotebookEdit"}
 
+# manager/ — the same distance up from core/adapters/claude/ as from a
+# local/adapters/claude/ override, so both copies resolve the same files.
+MANAGER = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[3]
+
 
 def _txt(value, cap=600):
     return value[:cap] if isinstance(value, str) else ""
@@ -51,6 +55,56 @@ def _resp_text(resp):
     return ""
 
 
+def check_defs():
+    """The project's definition-of-done checks: `<label>: <command regex>`
+    per line, local/checks replacing core/checks wholesale — the same file
+    the board serves to the Focus panel, read here for classification so
+    the two never drift. (Core's config.py mirrors this parser; the bridge
+    stays standalone.) Read fresh per event; must never raise."""
+    for base in (MANAGER / "local", MANAGER / "core"):
+        try:
+            text = (base / "checks").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        except OSError:
+            continue
+        defs = []
+        for line in text.splitlines():
+            line = line.strip()
+            if not line or line.startswith("#"):
+                continue
+            label, sep, pattern = line.partition(":")
+            label, pattern = label.strip(), pattern.strip()
+            if not sep or not label or not pattern:
+                continue
+            try:
+                defs.append((label, re.compile(pattern)))
+            except re.error:
+                continue
+        return defs
+    return []
+
+
+def judge(out):
+    """Generic pass/fail from a check's output — the hook payload carries
+    no exit status (stdout/stderr/interrupted only), so judgment rests on
+    the summaries test tools print: counted results ('3 passed',
+    '1 failed', '2 errors'), lint-style broken totals, and OK/FAILED
+    verdict lines. Returns (ok, summary bit); (None, '') when the output
+    says nothing recognizable either way."""
+    failed = re.search(r"\b\d+ (?:failed|errors?)\b", out)
+    passed = re.search(r"\b\d+ passed\b", out)
+    if failed:
+        return False, failed.group(0) + (f", {passed.group(0)}" if passed else "")
+    if passed:
+        return True, passed.group(0)
+    broken = re.search(r"\b(\d+) broken\b", out)
+    if broken:
+        return broken.group(1) == "0", broken.group(0)
+    verdict = re.search(r"^(OK|FAILED)\b.*", out, re.M)
+    if verdict:
+        return verdict.group(1) == "OK", verdict.group(0)[:60]
+    return None, ""
+
+
 def classify(hook, tool, tool_input, resp):
     if hook == "SessionStart":
         return {"kind": "session", "summary": "session started"}
@@ -88,31 +142,19 @@ def classify(hook, tool, tool_input, resp):
         cmd = _txt(tool_input.get("command"), 240)
         running = hook == "PreToolUse"
         out = "" if running else _resp_text(resp)[:1200]
-        kind, ok = "command", None
-        if re.search(r"\bpytest\b", cmd):
-            kind = "test"
-        elif "lint-imports" in cmd or re.search(r"type-check|vue-tsc|\bnpm (run )?test\b|\bvitest\b", cmd):
-            kind = "check"
-        elif re.match(r"\s*git (commit|add|push|checkout|switch|merge|worktree)", cmd):
+        kind, ok, label = "command", None, None
+        for name, pattern in check_defs():
+            if pattern.search(cmd):
+                kind, label = "check", name
+                break
+        if kind == "command" and re.match(r"\s*git (commit|add|push|checkout|switch|merge|worktree)", cmd):
             kind = "git"
 
         if running:
             summary = f"running: {cmd[:90]}"
-        elif kind == "test":
-            passed = re.search(r"(\d+) passed", out)
-            failed = re.search(r"(\d+) failed", out) or re.search(r"(\d+) error", out)
-            if failed:
-                ok = False
-                summary = f"pytest — {failed.group(0)}" + (f", {passed.group(0)}" if passed else "")
-            elif passed:
-                ok = True
-                summary = f"pytest — {passed.group(0)}"
-            else:
-                summary = f"ran: {cmd[:90]}"
         elif kind == "check":
-            if "broken" in out:
-                ok = not re.search(r"[1-9]\d* broken", out)
-            summary = f"ran: {cmd[:90]}"
+            ok, bits = judge(out)
+            summary = f"{label} — {bits}" if bits else f"ran: {cmd[:90]}"
         elif kind == "git":
             m = re.search(r"""-m ["']([^"']{1,90})""", cmd)
             summary = f"git: {m.group(1) if m else cmd[:80]}"
@@ -129,7 +171,7 @@ def board_port():
     if port:
         return port
     try:
-        env_file = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[3] / "local" / ".env"
+        env_file = MANAGER / "local" / ".env"
         for line in env_file.read_text().splitlines():
             key, _, value = line.strip().partition("=")
             if key.strip() == "BOARD_PORT":
@@ -139,31 +181,36 @@ def board_port():
     return port or "26071"
 
 
-try:
-    payload = json.load(sys.stdin)
-except Exception:
-    payload = {}
+def main():
+    try:
+        payload = json.load(sys.stdin)
+    except Exception:
+        payload = {}
 
-tool_input = payload.get("tool_input")
-event = {
-    "v": 1,
-    "session": payload.get("session_id") or "unknown",
-    "agent": os.environ.get("BOARD_AGENT_ID"),
-    "task": os.environ.get("BOARD_TASK"),
-    **classify(payload.get("hook_event_name") or "?",
-               payload.get("tool_name") or "",
-               tool_input if isinstance(tool_input, dict) else {},
-               payload.get("tool_response")),
-}
+    tool_input = payload.get("tool_input")
+    event = {
+        "v": 1,
+        "session": payload.get("session_id") or "unknown",
+        "agent": os.environ.get("BOARD_AGENT_ID"),
+        "task": os.environ.get("BOARD_TASK"),
+        **classify(payload.get("hook_event_name") or "?",
+                   payload.get("tool_name") or "",
+                   tool_input if isinstance(tool_input, dict) else {},
+                   payload.get("tool_response")),
+    }
 
-try:
-    request = urllib.request.Request(
-        f"http://127.0.0.1:{board_port()}/api/events",
-        data=json.dumps(event).encode("utf-8"),
-        headers={"Content-Type": "application/json"},
-    )
-    urllib.request.urlopen(request, timeout=1).read()
-except Exception:
-    pass
+    try:
+        request = urllib.request.Request(
+            f"http://127.0.0.1:{board_port()}/api/events",
+            data=json.dumps(event).encode("utf-8"),
+            headers={"Content-Type": "application/json"},
+        )
+        urllib.request.urlopen(request, timeout=1).read()
+    except Exception:
+        pass
 
-sys.exit(0)
+    sys.exit(0)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/manager/core/board.html b/manager/core/board.html
index a0766fa..5252847 100644
--- a/manager/core/board.html
+++ b/manager/core/board.html
@@ -1295,7 +1295,7 @@ function renderFlight() {
   }
   const events = S.events[sid] || [];
   const files = new Set(events.filter(e => e.file && e.kind === 'edit').map(e => e.file));
-  const tests = events.filter(e => e.kind === 'test').length;
+  const checks = events.filter(e => e.kind === 'test' || e.kind === 'check').length;
   const agent = agentFor(sid);
   const stopBtn = agent && agent.status === 'running'
     ? `<button id="stopagent" class="stopbtn" data-aid="${esc(agent.id)}">Hold</button>` : '';
@@ -1305,7 +1305,7 @@ function renderFlight() {
     `<span class="sid">${esc(sid.slice(0, 8))}</span></div>` +
     `<div class="s-line">${meta.task ? 'on ' + esc(meta.task) + ' · ' : ''}` +
     `started ${fmtShort(meta.started)} · ${meta.count || 0} events · ` +
-    `${files.size} files edited · ${tests} test runs${branch}</div></div>` +
+    `${files.size} files edited · ${checks} check runs${branch}</div></div>` +
     stopBtn + spark(events, meta);
   const stop = $('#stopagent');
   if (stop) stop.addEventListener('click', () => stopAgent(stop.dataset.aid));
@@ -1504,19 +1504,27 @@ function renderFocus() {
     steps + act + `</div>`;
 
   const rev = [...events].reverse();
-  const lastTest = rev.find(e => e.kind === 'test' && !e.running);
-  const lastLint = rev.find(e => e.kind === 'check' && (e.cmd || '').includes('lint-imports'));
-  const lastFront = rev.find(e => e.kind === 'check' && /type-check|vitest|npm/.test(e.cmd || ''));
   const checkRow = (name, ev) => {
-    if (!ev) return `<div class="check-row none"><span class="glyph">—</span><span class="name">${name}</span><span class="state">not run</span></div>`;
+    if (!ev) return `<div class="check-row none"><span class="glyph">—</span><span class="name">${esc(name)}</span><span class="state">not run</span></div>`;
     const cls = ev.ok === false ? 'fail' : ev.ok === true ? 'pass' : 'none';
     const glyph = ev.ok === false ? '✕' : ev.ok === true ? '✓' : '·';
-    const state = esc(ev.summary.replace(/^pytest — /, '').replace(/^ran: /, '')) + ' · ' + fmtShort(ev.ts);
-    return `<div class="check-row ${cls}"><span class="glyph">${glyph}</span><span class="name">${name}</span><span class="state">${state}</span></div>`;
+    const text = ev.summary.startsWith(name + ' — ')
+      ? ev.summary.slice(name.length + 3) : ev.summary.replace(/^ran: /, '');
+    const state = esc(text) + ' · ' + fmtShort(ev.ts);
+    return `<div class="check-row ${cls}"><span class="glyph">${glyph}</span><span class="name">${esc(name)}</span><span class="state">${state}</span></div>`;
   };
+  // One row per project-defined check — labels and command patterns come
+  // from the served checks definition (local/checks over core/checks),
+  // the same file the adapter classifies against.
+  const checkRows = (S.state?.checks || []).map(c => {
+    let re = null;
+    try { re = new RegExp(c.pattern); } catch { /* skip unparseable */ }
+    const ev = re && rev.find(e => !e.running && e.cmd && re.test(e.cmd));
+    return checkRow(c.label, ev);
+  }).join('');
   const checksPanel = `<div class="panel"><div class="phead"><span class="label">Checks</span></div>` +
-    checkRow('pytest', lastTest) + checkRow('lint-imports', lastLint) +
-    checkRow('frontend', lastFront) + `</div>`;
+    (checkRows || `<div class="check-row none"><span class="glyph">—</span><span class="name">no checks defined</span><span class="state"></span></div>`) +
+    `</div>`;
 
   let fileRows = '', fileHead = '';
   const diff = agent && S.diffCache[agent.id];
diff --git a/manager/core/checks b/manager/core/checks
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..259a106
--- /dev/null
+++ b/manager/core/checks
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# Definition-of-done checks — the project half of the Focus view's
+# CHECKS panel. One check per line:
+#
+#     <label>: <regex matched against the commands agents run>
+#
+# The board never runs anything: the agent adapter classifies each
+# command an agent runs against these patterns, and Focus shows the last
+# matching run per row, judged pass/fail from the command's own output.
+#
+# Core ships this default; a file named `checks` in manager/local/
+# replaces it WHOLESALE (same resolution as prompts — the local file
+# wins by filename). The adapter and the browser read the same file, so
+# a label edited here flows to classification and rendering alike; keep
+# patterns in the regex dialect Python and JavaScript share. Read fresh
+# on every event and request — edits apply without a restart.
+pytest: \bpytest\b
+lint-imports: \blint-imports\b
+frontend: type-check|vue-tsc|\bnpm (run )?test\b|\bvitest\b
diff --git a/manager/core/config.py b/manager/core/config.py
index 106fd58..8d735da 100644
--- a/manager/core/config.py
+++ b/manager/core/config.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ things are* lives here. No state, no behaviour.
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import os
+import re
 import subprocess
 from pathlib import Path
 
@@ -92,8 +93,7 @@ ADAPTER = setting("BOARD_AGENT_ADAPTER", "claude")
 # test/check commands) — neutral, comma-separated; each adapter renders
 # them in its own permission-rule syntax. The universal git/gh grants are
 # the adapter's own knowledge; this list is the project's half.
-AGENT_COMMANDS = setting("BOARD_AGENT_COMMANDS",
-                         "python3 -m unittest,python3 -m pytest")
+AGENT_COMMANDS = setting("BOARD_AGENT_COMMANDS", "python3 -m unittest")
 
 # GitHub plumbing: the gh CLI (stub-able for tests) and the git remote PRs
 # go to. Empty remote = auto-detect the first remote; no remote = no PRs.
@@ -115,6 +115,36 @@ def prompt(name: str) -> str:
     return (CORE / "prompts" / name).read_text(encoding="utf-8")
 
 
+def checks() -> list[dict]:
+    """Definition-of-done checks for the Focus panel: core ships a default
+    (core/checks); a local/checks replaces it wholesale, like prompts. Each
+    line is `<label>: <command regex>`; invalid regexes are skipped. The
+    agent adapter reads the same file to classify commands (the claude
+    adapter's emit.py is standalone, so the parser is mirrored there), and
+    the browser matches with the served patterns — keep them in the regex
+    dialect Python and JavaScript share. Read fresh on every request."""
+    for base in (LOCAL, CORE):
+        path = base / "checks"
+        if not path.is_file():
+            continue
+        entries = []
+        for line in path.read_text(encoding="utf-8").splitlines():
+            line = line.strip()
+            if not line or line.startswith("#"):
+                continue
+            label, sep, pattern = line.partition(":")
+            label, pattern = label.strip(), pattern.strip()
+            if not sep or not label or not pattern:
+                continue
+            try:
+                re.compile(pattern)
+            except re.error:
+                continue
+            entries.append({"label": label, "pattern": pattern})
+        return entries
+    return []
+
+
 def adapter_dir() -> Path | None:
     """The configured agent adapter's directory — local overrides core."""
     for base in (LOCAL / "adapters", CORE / "adapters"):
diff --git a/manager/core/httpd.py b/manager/core/httpd.py
index 6ae88e3..0eaf9cf 100644
--- a/manager/core/httpd.py
+++ b/manager/core/httpd.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ def state_payload() -> dict:
         "branches": github.task_branches(),
         "commands": config.commands(),
         "commandRuns": commands.public(),
+        "checks": config.checks(),
         "archivedCount": taskfiles.archived_count(),
         "boardEvents": board_events,
         "now": time.time(),
diff --git a/manager/local/checks b/manager/local/checks
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1856f40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/manager/local/checks
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# Bench's own definition of done: the stdlib test suite, nothing else —
+# no lint step, no frontend build. Replaces core/checks wholesale; format
+# documented there.
+unittest: \bunittest\b
diff --git a/tests/test_checks_definition.py b/tests/test_checks_definition.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4b2fdd1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_checks_definition.py
@@ -0,0 +1,263 @@
+"""Project-owned definition-of-done checks (task 03).
+
+What counts as a check is project knowledge: core ships a default
+definition (core/checks), a same-named file in local/ replaces it
+wholesale, the claude adapter classifies agent commands against the
+resolved file, and the Focus panel renders one row per entry from the
+same definition served over /api/state. These tests pin the resolution
+order, the two parsers' agreement, the generic pass/fail judgment that
+replaced per-tool output parsing, and the absence of the origin
+project's stack anywhere else in core.
+
+    python3 -m unittest discover -s tests -v
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import re
+import sys
+import tempfile
+import unittest
+from pathlib import Path
+
+REPO = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
+sys.path.insert(0, str(REPO / "manager" / "core"))
+sys.path.insert(0, str(REPO / "manager" / "core" / "adapters" / "claude"))
+
+import config  # noqa: E402
+import emit  # noqa: E402
+
+CORE = REPO / "manager" / "core"
+
+
+class ShippedDefault(unittest.TestCase):
+    """A project defining nothing sees today's rows — as the default."""
+
+    def test_default_rows_and_patterns(self):
+        original = config.LOCAL
+        try:
+            with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
+                config.LOCAL = Path(tmp)  # no local/checks
+                checks = config.checks()
+        finally:
+            config.LOCAL = original
+        self.assertEqual([c["label"] for c in checks],
+                         ["pytest", "lint-imports", "frontend"])
+        by_label = {c["label"]: c["pattern"] for c in checks}
+        self.assertTrue(re.search(by_label["pytest"], "python3 -m pytest -q"))
+        self.assertTrue(re.search(by_label["lint-imports"], "lint-imports"))
+        for cmd in ("npm run test", "vue-tsc --noEmit", "npx vitest run"):
+            self.assertTrue(re.search(by_label["frontend"], cmd), cmd)
+        self.assertFalse(re.search(by_label["pytest"], "python3 -m unittest"))
+
+
+class LocalOverride(unittest.TestCase):
+    """local/checks beats core/checks wholesale, like prompts."""
+
+    def _with_local(self, text):
+        original = config.LOCAL
+        try:
+            with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
+                config.LOCAL = Path(tmp)
+                (Path(tmp) / "checks").write_text(text, encoding="utf-8")
+                return config.checks()
+        finally:
+            config.LOCAL = original
+
+    def test_local_definition_wins(self):
+        checks = self._with_local("# ours\nsmoke: \\bmake smoke\\b\n"
+                                  "types: \\bmypy\\b\n")
+        self.assertEqual([c["label"] for c in checks], ["smoke", "types"])
+
+    def test_replacement_is_wholesale_even_when_empty(self):
+        self.assertEqual(self._with_local("# nothing to check\n"), [])
+
+    def test_malformed_lines_are_skipped(self):
+        checks = self._with_local("no separator here\n"
+                                  ": pattern without label\n"
+                                  "label without pattern:\n"
+                                  "bad-regex: [unclosed\n"
+                                  "good: \\bok\\b\n")
+        self.assertEqual([c["label"] for c in checks], ["good"])
+
+    def test_bench_defines_its_own(self):
+        """Bench's real local/checks: the stdlib suite, so the self-hosted
+        Focus view shows a check that can actually run here."""
+        checks = config.checks()
+        self.assertEqual([c["label"] for c in checks], ["unittest"])
+        self.assertTrue(re.search(checks[0]["pattern"], "python3 -m unittest"))
+
+
+class AdapterReadsTheSameFile(unittest.TestCase):
+    """emit.py resolves and parses the identical definition, so a label
+    edit flows to classification and rendering alike."""
+
+    def test_parsers_agree_on_the_shipped_default(self):
+        original = emit.MANAGER
+        try:
+            emit.MANAGER = Path(tempfile.mkdtemp())  # no local, no core
+            (emit.MANAGER / "core").mkdir()
+            (emit.MANAGER / "core" / "checks").write_text(
+                (CORE / "checks").read_text(encoding="utf-8"), encoding="utf-8")
+            adapter_view = [(label, pattern.pattern)
+                            for label, pattern in emit.check_defs()]
+        finally:
+            emit.MANAGER = original
+        core_original = config.LOCAL
+        try:
+            with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
+                config.LOCAL = Path(tmp)
+                board_view = [(c["label"], c["pattern"]) for c in config.checks()]
+        finally:
+            config.LOCAL = core_original
+        self.assertEqual(adapter_view, board_view)
+
+    def test_local_wins_in_the_adapter_too(self):
+        original = emit.MANAGER
+        try:
+            with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
+                emit.MANAGER = Path(tmp)
+                (Path(tmp) / "core").mkdir()
+                (Path(tmp) / "core" / "checks").write_text(
+                    "core-only: \\bx\\b\n", encoding="utf-8")
+                (Path(tmp) / "local").mkdir()
+                (Path(tmp) / "local" / "checks").write_text(
+                    "ours: \\bmake check\\b\n", encoding="utf-8")
+                defs = emit.check_defs()
+        finally:
+            emit.MANAGER = original
+        self.assertEqual([label for label, _ in defs], ["ours"])
+
+    def test_missing_files_mean_no_checks_not_a_crash(self):
+        original = emit.MANAGER
+        try:
+            with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
+                emit.MANAGER = Path(tmp)
+                self.assertEqual(emit.check_defs(), [])
+        finally:
+            emit.MANAGER = original
+
+
+class Classification(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Bash commands classify against the resolved definitions; the label
+    carries into the summary; judgment is generic, not per-tool."""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self._original = emit.MANAGER
+        self._tmp = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory()
+        emit.MANAGER = Path(self._tmp.name)
+        (emit.MANAGER / "core").mkdir()
+        (emit.MANAGER / "core" / "checks").write_text(
+            "suite: \\bunittest\\b\nlint: \\bmake lint\\b\n", encoding="utf-8")
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        emit.MANAGER = self._original
+        self._tmp.cleanup()
+
+    def _bash(self, cmd, out="", hook="PostToolUse"):
+        return emit.classify(hook, "Bash", {"command": cmd},
+                             {"stdout": out, "stderr": ""})
+
+    def test_matching_command_becomes_a_check_with_its_label(self):
+        ev = self._bash("python3 -m unittest discover -s tests",
+                        "Ran 7 tests in 0.1s\n\nOK")
+        self.assertEqual(ev["kind"], "check")
+        self.assertTrue(ev["ok"])
+        self.assertTrue(ev["summary"].startswith("suite — "))
+
+    def test_label_edits_flow_to_the_event(self):
+        (emit.MANAGER / "core" / "checks").write_text(
+            "renamed: \\bunittest\\b\n", encoding="utf-8")
+        ev = self._bash("python3 -m unittest", "OK")
+        self.assertTrue(ev["summary"].startswith("renamed — "))
+
+    def test_counted_failures_fail(self):
+        ev = self._bash("python3 -m unittest", "2 failed, 5 passed in 1.2s")
+        self.assertEqual(ev["kind"], "check")
+        self.assertFalse(ev["ok"])
+        self.assertIn("2 failed", ev["summary"])
+        self.assertIn("5 passed", ev["summary"])
+
+    def test_unjudgeable_output_stays_neutral(self):
+        ev = self._bash("make lint", "some chatter")
+        self.assertEqual(ev["kind"], "check")
+        self.assertIsNone(ev["ok"])
+
+    def test_unmatched_commands_stay_commands(self):
+        self.assertEqual(self._bash("ls -la")["kind"], "command")
+
+    def test_git_classification_survives(self):
+        ev = self._bash('git commit -m "a message"')
+        self.assertEqual(ev["kind"], "git")
+
+    def test_running_events_keep_the_check_kind(self):
+        ev = self._bash("python3 -m unittest", hook="PreToolUse")
+        self.assertEqual(ev["kind"], "check")
+        self.assertTrue(ev["running"])
+
+
+class GenericJudgment(unittest.TestCase):
+    """No tool names: counts, broken totals and OK/FAILED verdict lines."""
+
+    def test_ladder(self):
+        cases = [
+            ("3 passed in 0.5s", True),
+            ("1 failed, 2 passed", False),
+            ("2 errors", False),
+            ("Ran 7 tests in 0.1s\n\nOK", True),
+            ("Ran 7 tests in 0.1s\n\nFAILED (failures=1)", False),
+            ("0 broken contracts", True),
+            ("4 broken contracts", False),
+            ("nothing recognizable", None),
+            ("", None),
+        ]
+        for out, expected in cases:
+            ok, _ = emit.judge(out)
+            self.assertEqual(ok, expected, f"judge({out!r})")
+
+
+class ServedToTheBrowser(unittest.TestCase):
+    """The state API carries the definition; Focus renders from it with
+    no fixed rows and no duplicated patterns."""
+
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpClass(cls):
+        cls.html = (CORE / "board.html").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+
+    def test_state_payload_includes_checks(self):
+        import httpd
+        payload = httpd.state_payload()
+        self.assertIn("checks", payload)
+        self.assertEqual(payload["checks"], config.checks())
+
+    def test_focus_renders_from_served_definition(self):
+        self.assertIn("S.state?.checks", self.html)
+        self.assertIn("new RegExp(c.pattern)", self.html)
+        self.assertIn("no checks defined", self.html)
+
+    def test_no_fixed_rows_or_duplicated_patterns(self):
+        for fossil in ("lint-imports", "vitest", "vue-tsc", "pytest"):
+            self.assertNotIn(fossil, self.html, f"board.html still hardcodes {fossil}")
+
+
+class NoFossilsInCore(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Nothing in manager/core/ names the origin project's stack outside
+    the shipped default checks definition."""
+
+    def test_core_is_clean(self):
+        allowed = CORE / "checks"
+        pattern = re.compile(r"pytest|lint-imports|vue-tsc|vitest")
+        for path in sorted(CORE.rglob("*")):
+            if not path.is_file() or path == allowed:
+                continue
+            try:
+                text = path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+            except UnicodeDecodeError:
+                continue
+            self.assertIsNone(pattern.search(text),
+                              f"{path.relative_to(REPO)} names a stack "
+                              "that belongs in the checks definition")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()