diff --git a/forgetest/forgetest/suite/commission_dark.py b/forgetest/forgetest/suite/commission_dark.py
index ea972df..d9ed910 100644
--- a/forgetest/forgetest/suite/commission_dark.py
+++ b/forgetest/forgetest/suite/commission_dark.py
@@ -228,9 +228,12 @@ def check_cameras(ctx):
 @test("commission.check-motion", title="The motion check proves the rail, the lens reference, and the jogs",
       subsystem="commission", kind="auto", hardware="takeover", est_min=5,
       covers=DARK_COVERS + [("forgectrl", "src/super.c"), ("forgectrl", "src/liveness.c"),
+                            ("forgectrl", "src/lenshome.c"),
                             ("forgectrl", "src/accel.c"), ("forgectrl", "src/cool.c")],
       requires=["forgectrl.auth", "motion.pacing"],
-      description="POST /wiz/motion/start: the controller stops, the liveness probe runs, the lens "
+      description="POST /wiz/motion/start: the controller stops, the liveness probe runs and the "
+                  "lens takes its hall-edge reference behind it (a lens that cannot reach its "
+                  "edge is a motion fault, and no controller starts), the lens "
                   "finds the hall reference in five agreeing passes, the controller comes back in "
                   "loopback posture, and the head jogs 50 mm each way on X and Y with the "
                   "accelerometer as the witness. The one prompt (the jogs are about to move) is "
diff --git a/forgetest/forgetest/suite/forgectrl.py b/forgetest/forgetest/suite/forgectrl.py
index 1d638af..970d7da 100644
--- a/forgetest/forgetest/suite/forgectrl.py
+++ b/forgetest/forgetest/suite/forgectrl.py
@@ -281,7 +281,9 @@ def settings_bounds(ctx):
               ("forgectrl", "src/curverec.*")],
       description="The panel page is served, /status carries the machine telemetry the panel and "
                   "the acceptance tool read (including the sys block: CPU busy percent over the "
-                  "interval since the previous read, memory used percent), and /cam/status "
+                  "interval since the previous read, memory used percent; and homed_axes, "
+                  "the axes that carry a reference, Z alone once the lens has taken its "
+                  "own at the controller's start), and /cam/status "
                   "answers. In GRBL mode with a live controller, /status also echoes the "
                   "controller's published state file as the grbl block (fresh age, machine "
                   "state, sender session, laser window and dose model, modal report), "
@@ -328,6 +330,32 @@ def panel_serves(ctx):
     ctx.check(isinstance(sys_.get("mem_pct"), (int, float)) and 0.0 < sys_["mem_pct"] < 100.0,
               "/status sys.mem_pct is not a percent: %s", sys_)
 
+    # The lens takes its own reference on the hall edge at every
+    # controller start, so with a controller running Z is referenced on
+    # its own while X and Y wait for a home: homed_axes names the axes
+    # that carry one, and Z reads inside the lens reach rather than the
+    # zero an unreferenced axis would show.
+    axes = s.get("homed_axes")
+    ev["homed_axes"] = axes
+    ctx.check(isinstance(axes, int) and 0 <= axes <= 7,
+              "/status homed_axes is not an axis mask: %s", axes)
+    ctx.check(bool(s.get("homed")) == (axes == 7),
+              "/status homed (%s) disagrees with homed_axes (%s)",
+              s.get("homed"), axes)
+    st, mode0 = fc.get("/mode")
+    if isinstance(mode0, dict) and mode0.get("controller") == "running":
+        lens = s.get("lens") or {}
+        pos = s.get("pos") or {}
+        ctx.log("/status homed_axes=%s pos.z=%s reach=%s..%s", axes,
+                pos.get("z"), lens.get("reach_min"), lens.get("reach_max"))
+        ctx.check(axes is not None and axes & 4,
+                  "Z is not referenced with a controller running: %s", axes)
+        ctx.check(isinstance(pos.get("z"), (int, float))
+                  and lens.get("reach_min") is not None
+                  and lens["reach_min"] <= pos["z"] <= lens["reach_max"],
+                  "Z %s is outside the lens reach %s..%s", pos.get("z"),
+                  lens.get("reach_min"), lens.get("reach_max"))
+
     st, cam = fc.get("/cam/status")
     ev["cam_status"] = st
     ctx.log("GET /cam/status -> %s %s", st, cam)
diff --git a/scripts/bench/laser_stream_test.py b/scripts/bench/laser_stream_test.py
index c696438..be23a58 100644
--- a/scripts/bench/laser_stream_test.py
+++ b/scripts/bench/laser_stream_test.py
@@ -146,12 +146,11 @@ JOB_M4 = [
     "M5",
 ]
 
-# Session Z: the lens is in the stream. The sender references the lens
-# (M103, as a commissioning card does), then a 1 mm move up and back at
-# the screw's 2.922 half-steps per millimeter: three Z steps with the
-# direction bit set, three with it clear.
+# Session Z: the lens is in the stream. The lens is referenced on its hall
+# edge at the controller's start, so Z is already open here: a 1 mm move up
+# and back at the screw's 2.922 half-steps per millimeter, three Z steps
+# with the direction bit set, three with it clear.
 JOB_Z = [
-    "M103 Z3 P14 Q20",
     "G0 Z4",
     "G0 Z3",
 ]