diff --git a/scripts/wt-memory-gate-batch b/scripts/wt-memory-gate-batch
index 7636b5b..b13a7b3 100755
--- a/scripts/wt-memory-gate-batch
+++ b/scripts/wt-memory-gate-batch
@@ -20,15 +20,19 @@
 #     detached git worktree at that sha. The main working tree is worldtree-dev's
 #     and is NEVER checked out, reset or committed to by this script;
 #   - no git commit (worldtree-dev commits the run dirs);
-#   - no retry. A FAIL is reported the same day with its run stamp.
+#   - no retry. EVERY verdict (PASS and FAIL) goes to worldtree-dev the same
+#     day with its run stamp: both build the n for the U11b data-deletion gate
+#     (three consecutive PASS batches at off, or Prime's waiver).
 #
 # Exit codes (the runner acts on these):
-#   0  PASS
-#   1  FAIL                    → worldtree-dev, same day, with the run stamp
+#   0  PASS                    → worldtree-dev, same day, with the run stamp
+#   1  FAIL                    → worldtree-dev, same day, with the run stamp; no retry
 #   2  harness error / no verdict → infra-ops
-#   3  refused before running (lock held, a batch already running, sha not
-#      resolvable, dependency drift between the deployed sha and the tree)
+#   3  refused before running (sha not resolvable, dependency drift between
+#      the deployed sha and the tree, worktree trouble)
 #                              → infra-ops; do NOT work around it
+#   4  busy: another batch is running (lock held, or a hand-run harness)
+#                              → not a fault; try again later the same day
 #
 # Env overrides:
 #   WT_TREE          default ~/development/Worldtree
@@ -60,18 +64,19 @@ case "${1:-}" in
 esac
 
 refuse() { echo "REFUSED: $*" >&2; echo "→ escalate to infra-ops; do not work around this." >&2; exit 3; }
+busy() { echo "BUSY: $*" >&2; echo "→ not a fault: try again later today (never two batches at once)." >&2; exit 4; }
 now() { date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ; }
 
 mkdir -p "$STATE_DIR"
 
 # ── 1. one batch at a time ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
 exec 9>"$LOCK_FILE"
-flock -n 9 || refuse "another wt-memory-gate-batch holds $LOCK_FILE"
+flock -n 9 || busy "another wt-memory-gate-batch holds $LOCK_FILE"
 if running="$(pgrep -af 'python -m core\.memory_acceptance\.live' || true)"; [[ -n "$running" ]]; then
   if [[ "$DRY_RUN" -eq 1 ]]; then
     echo "  (a real run would REFUSE now: a harness batch is already running)"
   else
-    refuse "a harness batch is already running (worldtree-dev's?):
+    busy "a harness batch is already running (worldtree-dev's?):
 $running"
   fi
 fi
@@ -164,7 +169,7 @@ echo "  run stamp    $stamp"
 echo "  verdict      ${verdict:-NONE}"
 echo "  line         ${verdict_line:-<no Aggregate verdict line in trace1.md>}"
 case "$verdict" in
-  PASS) exit 0 ;;
+  PASS) echo "→ report to worldtree-dev today with run stamp $stamp (PASS builds the n)."; exit 0 ;;
   FAIL) echo "→ report to worldtree-dev TODAY with run stamp $stamp. Do not retry." >&2; exit 1 ;;
   *)    echo "→ no parseable verdict; escalate to infra-ops with $run_dir." >&2; exit 2 ;;
 esac