`[2026-07-06]` **A fast/"no-op" deploy can leave a STALE container running the old image -- verify the running version, not the deploy status.** Personal's b22 deploy (run 8204) "completed" in ~1m (vs ~6m normal): a pull-only deploy racing ahead of the main build, leaving the container on the pre-#348 image. A clean bound mood read stayed neutral DESPITE the persona being declared and the fix being in the code (worldtree-dev proved the b22 derivation is correct). infra-ops force-swapped to the real b22 (run 8211, verified `info.version 2.3.0` on `879cefe`). **Lesson: when engine-proven-correct code produces wrong runtime behavior, suspect the deploy -- check the actual running image version.**