@@ -39,16 +39,16 @@ Scaffolding matches [`eval-mesh-datablock-name`](../eval-mesh-datablock-name/)
 - exit 4 — `build` accepted the package whose manifest names a wheel it does
   not ship, so nothing between `validate` and a release would catch it
   (`--ship-wheel` lands here: it creates the named wheel, so `build` exits 0
-  and writes a zip, proving the rejection comes from the missing file); also
-  exit 4 if `validate` starts rejecting the package, because the trap this
-  example names would then be gone
+  and writes a zip, proving the rejection comes from the missing file)
 - exit 5 — `server-generate` wrote no listing, or the listing does not name the package
 - exit 6 — install, import, upgrade or remove failed, or `__package__` is not
   `bl_ext.user_default.example_addon`
 - exit 7 — user data lives inside the install tree, did not survive the
   upgrade, or survived removal (`--data-next-to-file` lands here: it stores
   data beside `__file__`)
 - exit 8 — `online_access` is not `False` by default and `True` under `--online-mode`
+- exit 9 — `validate` rejected the missing-wheel package, so the trap this
+  example names is gone (its own code, so `--ship-wheel` can only land on 4)
 
 ## Re-verified
 
@@ -91,11 +91,12 @@ than most examples.
 | 1 | Uncaught exception (FATAL wrapper) |
 | 2 | argparse / usage |
 | 3 | Template does not validate or build, or the zip lacks its manifest |
-| 4 | `build` accepted the missing-wheel package, or `validate` rejected it (`--ship-wheel` lands here) |
+| 4 | `build` accepted the missing-wheel package (`--ship-wheel` lands here) |
 | 5 | `server-generate` listing missing or wrong |
 | 6 | Install, import, upgrade or remove failed, or `__package__` wrong |
 | 7 | User data inside the install tree, lost on upgrade, or kept after removal (`--data-next-to-file` lands here) |
 | 8 | `online_access` default or `--online-mode` value wrong |
+| 9 | `validate` rejected the missing-wheel package: the validate-is-not-a-gate trap is gone |
 
 The `blender-smoke` workflow runs the check on Blender 5.2 LTS and 4.5 LTS
 (5.1 on the weekly cron, the `needs-5.1` PR label, or manual dispatch).
 
@@ -113,8 +113,10 @@ def check_wheel_trap(work, ship_wheel):
     print(f"{'shipped' if ship_wheel else 'missing'} wheel: validate exit {v_code}, "
           f"build exit {b_code}, output {shipped}")
     if v_code != 0:
+        # Its own code (#489): sharing 4 with the build check let --ship-wheel
+        # pass on either branch.
         return fail("validate rejects the package; the validate-is-not-a-gate trap this "
-                    "example names is gone", 4)
+                    "example names is gone", 9)
     if b_code == 0 or shipped:
         return fail(f"build accepted the package (exit {b_code}, output {shipped}); "
                     "only build can reject a wheel the manifest names but the source lacks", 4)
 
@@ -29,8 +29,10 @@ still `context.active_object` while `selected_objects` is empty and
 `target.select_get()` is `False`. Active and selected are independent, so an
 `if obj is None` guard passes on a selection that is gone (see the
 [`operators`](../../skills/operators/SKILL.md) skill, Defensive context handling). The scene
-is then reset to no active object before the join. `--clear-active-on-deselect` models the
-wrong belief that deselecting clears the active object, and exits 13.
+is then reset to no active object before the join. `--clear-active-on-deselect` is a
+self-check, not a falsifier: the script clears the active object itself, then shows exit 13
+reports it. No Blender deselection clears the active object (that is the contract), so the
+default run is the witness: if a Blender release changed that, it would exit 13 (#489).
 
 **The render is the joined object.** Everything in the still is one mesh object. It shows
 five materials because the slots merged and the per-face indices were remapped. If they had
@@ -46,7 +48,7 @@ blender --background --python temp_override_join.py --
 # Falsifier: join without temp_override. Must exit non-zero.
 blender --background --python temp_override_join.py -- --no-override
 
-# Falsifier: pretend deselect-all clears the active object. Must exit 13.
+# Self-check (not a falsifier): clear the active object by hand; exit 13 reports it.
 blender --background --python temp_override_join.py -- --clear-active-on-deselect
 
 # Also render a still (EEVEE on a GPU host; use --engine cycles on GPU-less hosts):
@@ -78,5 +80,5 @@ against it.
 
 The `blender-smoke` workflow runs the check on Blender 5.2 LTS and 4.5 LTS
 (5.1 on the weekly cron, the `needs-5.1` PR label, or manual dispatch).
-Smoke does not pass `--output`. Its catalog falsifiers are `--no-override` (expects exit 3) and `--clear-active-on-deselect` (exit 13).
+Smoke does not pass `--output`. Its catalog falsifier is `--no-override` (expects exit 3). `--clear-active-on-deselect` is not in the catalog: it reaches exit 13 only by writing the value the check reads, so it would pass whatever Blender did (#489).
 
@@ -30,15 +30,18 @@
 leaves ``context.active_object`` set to the target while
 ``selected_objects`` is empty, so an ``if obj is None`` guard passes on a
 selection that is gone. The scene state is then reset to no active object
-and nothing selected, as before. ``--clear-active-on-deselect`` models the
-wrong belief (deselect clears the active object) and exits 13.
+and nothing selected, as before. ``--clear-active-on-deselect`` is a
+self-check, not a falsifier: it clears the active object itself and shows
+that exit 13 reports it. No deselection Blender offers clears the active
+object (that is the contract), so the happy path is the witness: if Blender
+ever changed, the default run would exit 13 (#489).
 
 By default it runs only the correctness check (no render) — the CI smoke
 check. Pass --output to also render a still:
 
     blender --background --python temp_override_join.py --                 # check only
     blender --background --python temp_override_join.py -- --no-override   # must fail
-    blender --background --python temp_override_join.py -- --clear-active-on-deselect  # 13
+    blender --background --python temp_override_join.py -- --clear-active-on-deselect  # 13, self-check
     blender --background --python temp_override_join.py -- --output j.png  # + render
 """
 import argparse
@@ -380,7 +383,7 @@ def check_active_survives_deselect(objs, clear_active=False):
         ob.select_set(True)
     bpy.ops.object.select_all(action='DESELECT')
     if clear_active:
-        view_layer.objects.active = None  # the wrong mental model, made true
+        view_layer.objects.active = None  # self-check of the exit-13 report, not Blender
     active = bpy.context.active_object
     if active is None:
         active_name = None  # what the wrong mental model predicts
@@ -566,7 +569,8 @@ def main():
     p.add_argument("--no-override", action="store_true",
                    help="join without temp_override (must fail)")
     p.add_argument("--clear-active-on-deselect", action="store_true",
-                   help="clear the active object after deselect-all (must fail, exit 13)")
+                   help="self-check: clear the active object after deselect-all "
+                        "and show exit 13 reports it (not a Blender falsifier)")
     args = p.parse_args(argv)
 
     bpy.ops.wm.read_factory_settings(use_empty=True)
 
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
   {"name": "driver-wave", "script": "examples/driver-wave/driver_wave.py", "falsifiers": [{"args": ["--flat-expr"], "expect_exit": 3}, {"args": ["--simple-expr"], "expect_exit": 5}, {"args": ["--swap-handlers"], "expect_exit": 7}]},
   {"name": "bmesh-gear", "script": "examples/bmesh-gear/bmesh_gear.py", "falsifiers": [{"args": ["--no-extrude"], "expect_exit": 3}]},
   {"name": "shader-node-group", "script": "examples/shader-node-group/shader_node_group.py", "falsifiers": [{"args": ["--same-tint"], "expect_exit": 8}]},
-  {"name": "temp-override-join", "script": "examples/temp-override-join/temp_override_join.py", "falsifiers": [{"args": ["--no-override"], "expect_exit": 3}, {"args": ["--clear-active-on-deselect"], "expect_exit": 13}]},
+  {"name": "temp-override-join", "script": "examples/temp-override-join/temp_override_join.py", "falsifiers": [{"args": ["--no-override"], "expect_exit": 3}]},
   {"name": "gn-instance-grid", "script": "examples/gn-instance-grid/gn_instance_grid.py", "falsifiers": [{"args": ["--one-cell"], "expect_exit": 4}]},
   {"name": "gn-modifier-inputs", "script": "examples/gn-modifier-inputs/gn_modifier_inputs.py", "falsifiers": [{"args": ["--same-height"], "expect_exit": 8}, {"args": ["--api", "dict"], "expect_exit": 5, "min_version": "5.2"}]},
   {"name": "shape-key-blend", "script": "examples/shape-key-blend/shape_key_blend.py", "falsifiers": [{"args": ["--zero-blend"], "expect_exit": 5}]},