New1Direction · New1Direction · Jun 1, 2026 · Jun 1, 2026 · Jun 1, 2026 · Jun 1, 2026
diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile b/docker/Dockerfile
@@ -6,13 +6,14 @@ FROM python:3.11-slim as builder
 WORKDIR /build
 COPY pyproject.toml ./
 COPY src/ ./src/
-
-# Install only production deps
-RUN pip install --no-cache-dir \
-    pydantic>=2.0.0 \
-    fastapi>=0.110.0 \
-    uvicorn>=0.27.0 \
-    httpx>=0.27.0 \
+COPY docker/requirements.txt ./requirements.txt
+
+# Install only production deps from a hash-pinned, fully-resolved lockfile.
+# --require-hashes makes the build reproducible (exact versions every time) and
+# supply-chain safe (a tampered/yanked release fails the hash check instead of
+# being installed). Regenerate the lock with the command documented in
+# docker/requirements.in after changing a dependency.
+RUN pip install --no-cache-dir --require-hashes -r requirements.txt \
     && find /usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages -name "*.pyc" -delete \
     && find /usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages -name "__pycache__" -exec rm -rf {} + 2>/dev/null || true
 

diff --git a/docker/requirements.in b/docker/requirements.in
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Direct production runtime deps for the Docker image. Compile to a hash-pinned
+# lock with:
+#   uv pip compile docker/requirements.in --python-version 3.11 \
+#       --python-platform x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu --generate-hashes \
+#       -o docker/requirements.txt
+# Constraints mirror pyproject.toml's [all] extra.
+pydantic>=2.0.0
+fastapi>=0.110.0,<1.0.0
+uvicorn>=0.27.0,<1.0.0
+httpx>=0.27.0
diff --git a/docker/requirements.txt b/docker/requirements.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,200 @@
+annotated-doc==0.0.4 \
+    --hash=sha256:571ac1dc6991c450b25a9c2d84a3705e2ae7a53467b5d111c24fa8baabbed320 \
+    --hash=sha256:fbcda96e87e9c92ad167c2e53839e57503ecfda18804ea28102353485033faa4
+    # via fastapi
+annotated-types==0.7.0 \
+    --hash=sha256:1f02e8b43a8fbbc3f3e0d4f0f4bfc8131bcb4eebe8849b8e5c773f3a1c582a53 \
+    --hash=sha256:aff07c09a53a08bc8cfccb9c85b05f1aa9a2a6f23728d790723543408344ce89
+    # via pydantic
+anyio==4.13.0 \
+    --hash=sha256:08b310f9e24a9594186fd75b4f73f4a4152069e3853f1ed8bfbf58369f4ad708 \
+    --hash=sha256:334b70e641fd2221c1505b3890c69882fe4a2df910cba14d97019b90b24439dc
+    # via
+    #   httpx
+    #   starlette
+certifi==2026.5.20 \
+    --hash=sha256:3c52e209ba0a4ad7aebe60436a4ab349c39e1e602e8c134221e546902ad25897 \
+    --hash=sha256:69dea482ab64caa7b9f6aba1c6bf48bb6a5448d1c0f1b17ab42ad8c763a5344d
+    # via
+    #   httpcore
+    #   httpx
+click==8.4.1 \
+    --hash=sha256:482be17c6991b8c19c5429a1e995d9b0efdbb63172824c41f99965dc0ade8ec2 \
+    --hash=sha256:918b5633eddf6b41c32d4f454bf0de810065c74e3f7dbf8ee5452f8be88d3e96
+    # via uvicorn
+fastapi==0.136.3 \
+    --hash=sha256:3d2a69bdf04b7e9f3afa292c3bc7a98816bbfafa10bc9b45f3f3700d2f761620 \
+    --hash=sha256:e487fae93ad408e6f47641ee4dfe389864fd7bec92e547ea8498fc13f43e83ab
+    # via -r docker/requirements.in
+h11==0.16.0 \
+    --hash=sha256:4e35b956cf45792e4caa5885e69fba00bdbc6ffafbfa020300e549b208ee5ff1 \
+    --hash=sha256:63cf8bbe7522de3bf65932fda1d9c2772064ffb3dae62d55932da54b31cb6c86
+    # via
+    #   httpcore
+    #   uvicorn
+httpcore==1.0.9 \
+    --hash=sha256:2d400746a40668fc9dec9810239072b40b4484b640a8c38fd654a024c7a1bf55 \
+    --hash=sha256:6e34463af53fd2ab5d807f399a9b45ea31c3dfa2276f15a2c3f00afff6e176e8
+    # via httpx
+httpx==0.28.1 \
+    --hash=sha256:75e98c5f16b0f35b567856f597f06ff2270a374470a5c2392242528e3e3e42fc \
+    --hash=sha256:d909fcccc110f8c7faf814ca82a9a4d816bc5a6dbfea25d6591d6985b8ba59ad
+    # via -r docker/requirements.in
+idna==3.17 \
+    --hash=sha256:466e48829084efe2548012b855df21540b96f2e20e51bd124c851536556a592c \
+    --hash=sha256:5eb0cb53bc467c12eadcf6de83163ad8527cec9416f44b9b61b19caedad2b87f
+    # via
+    #   anyio
+    #   httpx
+pydantic==2.13.4 \
+    --hash=sha256:45a282cde31d808236fd7ea9d919b128653c8b38b393d1c4ab335c62924d9aba \
+    --hash=sha256:c40756b57adaa8b1efeeced5c196f3f3b7c435f90e84ea7f443901bec8099ef6
+    # via
+    #   -r docker/requirements.in
+    #   fastapi
+pydantic-core==2.46.4 \
+    --hash=sha256:00c603d540afdd6b80eb39f078f33ebd46211f02f33e34a32d9f053bba711de0 \
+    --hash=sha256:0186750b482eefa11d7f435892b09c5c606193ef3375bcf94aa00ae6bfb66262 \
+    --hash=sha256:041bde0a48fd37cf71cab1c9d56d3e8625a3793fef1f7dd232b3ff37e978ecda \
+    --hash=sha256:0c563b08bca408dc7f65f700633d8442fffb2421fc47b8101377e9fd65051ff0 \
+    --hash=sha256:0cbe8b01f948de4286c74cdd6c667aceb38f5c1e26f0693b3983d9d74887c65e \
+    --hash=sha256:0ce40cd7b21210e99342afafbd4d0f76d784eb5b1d60f3bdc566be4983c6c73b \
+    --hash=sha256:0e96592440881c74a213e5ad528e2b24d3d4f940de2766bed9010ab1d9e51594 \
+    --hash=sha256:10e17cbb10a330363733efc4d7c4d0dd827ac0909b8f6a6542298fed1ea62f29 \
+    --hash=sha256:133878133d271ade3d41d1bfb2a45ec38dbdbda40bc065921c6b04e4630127e2 \
+    --hash=sha256:14d4edf427bdcf950a8a02d7cb44a08614388dd6e1bdcbf4f67504fa7887da9c \
+    --hash=sha256:14f4c5d6db102bd796a627bbb3a17b4cf4574b9ae861d8b7c9a9661c6dd3362d \
+    --hash=sha256:17299feefe090f2caa5b8e37222bb5f663e4935a8bfa6931d4102e5df1a9f398 \
+    --hash=sha256:184c081504d17f1c1066e430e117142b2c77d9448a97f7b65c6ac9fd9aee238d \
+    --hash=sha256:18e5ceec2ab67e6d5f1a9085e5a24c9c4e2ac4545730bfe668680bca05e555f3 \
+    --hash=sha256:19e51f073cd3df251856a8a4189fbdf1de4012c3ebacfb1884f94f1eb406079f \
+    --hash=sha256:1a7dd0b3ee80d90150e3495a3a13ac34dbcbfd4f012996a6a1d8900e91b5c0fb \
+    --hash=sha256:1d8ba486450b14f3b1d63bc521d410ec7565e52f887b9fb671791886436a42f7 \
+    --hash=sha256:2108ba5c1c1eca18030634489dc544844144ee36357f2f9f780b93e7ddbb44b5 \
+    --hash=sha256:228ee9bae8bef5b1e97ec58302f80357c37199e0d0a99174e138d28e6957b9d9 \
+    --hash=sha256:23ace664830ee0bfe014a0c7bc248b1f7f25ed7ad103852c317624a1083af462 \
+    --hash=sha256:2412e734dcb48da14d4e4006b82b46b74f2518b8a26ee7e58c6844a6cd6d03c4 \
+    --hash=sha256:29c61fc04a3d840155ff08e475a04809278972fe6aef51e2720554e96367e34b \
+    --hash=sha256:2f84c03c8607173d16b5a854ec68a2f9079ae03237a54fb506d13af47e1d018d \
+    --hash=sha256:3009f12e4e90b7f88b4f9adb1b0c4a3d58fe7820f3238c190047209d148026df \
+    --hash=sha256:3245406455a5d98187ec35530fd772b1d799b26667980872c8d4614991e2c4a2 \
+    --hash=sha256:3447661d99f75a3683a4cf5c87da72f2161964611864dbbeac7fbb118bb4bfc0 \
+    --hash=sha256:372429a130e469c9cd698925ce5fc50940b7a1336b0d82038e63d5bbc4edc519 \
+    --hash=sha256:395aebd9183f9d112f569aeb5b2214d1a10a33bec8456447f7fbdfa51d38d4cd \
+    --hash=sha256:3a233125ac121aa3ffba9a2b59edfc4a985a76092dc8279586ab4b71390875e7 \
+    --hash=sha256:3be77f45df024d789a672ae34f8b06fb346c4f9f46ea714956660ea4862e89ac \
+    --hash=sha256:3bf92c5d0e00fefaab325a4d27828fe6b6e2a21848686b5b60d2d9eeb09d76c6 \
+    --hash=sha256:3ecbc122d18468d06ca279dc26a8c2e2d5acb10943bb35e36ae92096dc3b5565 \
+    --hash=sha256:3fb702cd90b0446a3a1c5e470bfa0dd23c0233b676a9099ddcc964fa6ca13898 \
+    --hash=sha256:428e04521a40150c85216fc8b85e8d39fece235a9cf5e383761238c7fa9b96fb \
+    --hash=sha256:432c179df7874eeb73307aad2df0755e1ae0efa61ff0ea89b93e194411ae3928 \
+    --hash=sha256:4a05d69cba51d852c5c3e92758653245a50c0b646ced0cf05bd793ed592839d6 \
+    --hash=sha256:4c63ebc82684aa89d9a3bcbd13d515b3be44250dc68dd3bd81526c1cb31286c3 \
+    --hash=sha256:4fc73cb559bdb54b1134a706a2802a4cddd27a0633f5abb7e53056268751ac6a \
+    --hash=sha256:4fcbe087dbc2068af7eda3aa87634eba216dbda64d1ae73c8684b621d33f6596 \
+    --hash=sha256:56cb4851bcaf3d117eddcef4fe66afd750a50274b0da8e22be256d10e5611987 \
+    --hash=sha256:5855698a4856556d86e8e6cd8434bc3ac0314ee8e12089ae0e143f64c6256e4e \
+    --hash=sha256:5a4330cdbc57162e4b3aa303f588ba752257694c9c9be3e7ebb11b4aca659b5d \
+    --hash=sha256:5b712b53160b79a5850310b912a5ef8e57e56947c8ad690c227f5c9d7e561712 \
+    --hash=sha256:5d5902252db0d3cedf8d4a1bc68f70eeb430f7e4c7104c8c476753519b423008 \
+    --hash=sha256:617d7e2ca7dcb8c5cf6bcb8c59b8832c94b36196bbf1cbd1bfb56ed341905edd \
+    --hash=sha256:62f875393d7f270851f20523dd2e29f082bcc82292d66db2b64ea71f64b6e1c1 \
+    --hash=sha256:633147d34cf4550417f12e2b1a0383973bdf5cdfde212cb09e9a581cf10820be \
+    --hash=sha256:66ce7632c22d837c95301830e111ad0128a32b8207533b60896a96c4915192ea \
+    --hash=sha256:6b3ace8194b0e5204818c92802dcdca7fc6d88aabbb799d7c795540d9cd6d292 \
+    --hash=sha256:6f2eeda33a839975441c86a4119e1383c50b47faf0cbb5176985565c6bb02c33 \
+    --hash=sha256:7027560ee92211647d0d34e3f7cd6f50da56399d26a9c8ad0da286d3869a53f3 \
+    --hash=sha256:7283d57845ecf5a163403eb0702dfc220cc4fbdd18919cb5ccea4f95ee1cdab4 \
+    --hash=sha256:7a5f930472650a82629163023e630d160863fce524c616f4e5186e5de9d9a49b \
+    --hash=sha256:7bfb192b3f4b9e8a89b6277b6ce787564f62cfd272055f6e685726b111dc7826 \
+    --hash=sha256:811ff8e9c313ab425368bcbb36e5c4ebd7108c2bbf4e4089cfbb0b01eff63fac \
+    --hash=sha256:8233f2947cf85404441fd7e0085f53b10c93e0ee78611099b5c7237e36aacbf7 \
+    --hash=sha256:82cf5301172168103724d49a1444d3378cb20cdee30b116a1bd6031236298a5d \
+    --hash=sha256:8358a950c8909158e3df31538a7e4edc2d7265a7c54b47f0864d9e5bae9dcebf \
+    --hash=sha256:85bb3611ff1802f3ee7fdd7dbff26b56f343fb432d57a4728fdd49b6ef35e2f4 \
+    --hash=sha256:86e1a4418c6cd97d60c95c71164158eaf7324fae7b0923264016baa993eba6fc \
+    --hash=sha256:8b9bab013d1c7a79d3501ff86d0bc9c31bf587db4551677b96bec07df78c6b15 \
+    --hash=sha256:8c5dac79fa1614d1e06ca695109c6105923bd9c7d1d6c918d4e637b7e6b32fd3 \
+    --hash=sha256:8d0820e8192167f80d88d64038e609c31452eeca865b4e1d9950a27a4609b00b \
+    --hash=sha256:8daafc69c93ee8a0204506a3b6b30f586ef54028f52aeeeb5c4cfc5184fd5914 \
+    --hash=sha256:9037063db01f09b09e237c282b6792bd4da634b5402c4e7f0c61effed7701a04 \
+    --hash=sha256:905a0ed8ea6f2d61c1738835f99b699348d7857379083e5fc497fa0c967a407c \
+    --hash=sha256:90884113d8b48f760e9587002789ddd741e76ab9f89518cd1e43b1f1a52ec44b \
+    --hash=sha256:91a06d2e259ecfbd8c901d70c3c507900458498142b3026a296b7de4d1322cc9 \
+    --hash=sha256:926c9541b14b12b1681dca8a0b75feb510b06c6341b70a8e500c2fdcff837cce \
+    --hash=sha256:9401557acd873c3a7f3eb9383edef8ac4968f9510e340f4808d427e75667e7b4 \
+    --hash=sha256:9551187363ffc0de2a00b2e47c25aeaeb1020b69b668762966df15fc5659dd5a \
+    --hash=sha256:962ccbab7b642487b1d8b7df90ef677e03134cf1fd8880bf698649b22a69371f \
+    --hash=sha256:97e7cf2be5c77b7d1a9713a05605d49460d02c6078d38d8bef3cbe323c548424 \
+    --hash=sha256:9aa768456404a8bf48a4406685ac2bec8e72b62c69313734fa3b73cf33b3a894 \
+    --hash=sha256:9bc519fbf2b7578398853d815009ae5e4d4603d12f4e3f91da8c06852d3da3e9 \
+    --hash=sha256:9d56801be94b86a9da183e5f3766e6310752b99ff647e38b09a9500d88e46e76 \
+    --hash=sha256:9f444c499b3eefd3a92e348059471ea0c3a6e303d9c1cec09fa748fd9f895201 \
+    --hash=sha256:9fa8ae11da9e2b3126c6426f147e0fba88d96d65921799bb30c6abd1cb2c97fb \
+    --hash=sha256:a0f62d0a58f4e7da165457e995725421e0064f2255d8eccebc49f41bbc23b109 \
+    --hash=sha256:a396dcc17e5a0b164dbe026896245a4fa9ff402edca1dff0be3d53a517f74de4 \
+    --hash=sha256:aaa2a54443eff1950ba5ddc6b6ccda0d9c84a364276a62f969bdf2a390650848 \
+    --hash=sha256:ad785e92e6dc634c21555edc8bd6b64957ab844541bcb96a1366c202951ae526 \
+    --hash=sha256:af8244b2bef6aaad6d92cda81372de7f8c8d36c9f0c3ea36e827c60e7d9467a0 \
+    --hash=sha256:b078afbc25f3a1436c7a1d2cd3e322497ee99615ba97c563566fdf46aff1ee01 \
+    --hash=sha256:b2f69dec1725e79a012d920df1707de5caf7ed5e08f3be4435e25803efc47458 \
+    --hash=sha256:b8458003118a712e66286df6a707db01c52c0f52f7db8e4a38f0da1d3b94fc4e \
+    --hash=sha256:bb63e0198ca18aad131c089b9204c23079c3afa95487e561f4c522d519e55aba \
+    --hash=sha256:bfec22eab3c8cc2ceec0248aec886624116dc079afa027ecc8ad4a7e62010f8a \
+    --hash=sha256:c1747f85cee84c26985853c6f3d9bd3e75da5212912443fa111c113b9c246f39 \
+    --hash=sha256:c1b3f518abeca3aa13c712fd202306e145abf59a18b094a6bafb2d2bbf59192c \
+    --hash=sha256:c50f2528cf200c5eed56faf3f4e22fcd5f38c157a8b78576e6ba3168ec35f000 \
+    --hash=sha256:c68fcd102d71ea85c5b2dfac3f4f8476eff42a9e078fd5faefff6d145063536b \
+    --hash=sha256:c7a7bd4e39e8e4c12c39cd480356842b6a8a06e41b23a55a5e3e191718838ddf \
+    --hash=sha256:c94f0688e7b8d0a67abf40e57a7eaaecd17cc9586706a31b76c031f63df052b4 \
+    --hash=sha256:cbaf13819775b7f769bf4a1f066cb6df7a28d4480081a589828ef190226881cd \
+    --hash=sha256:cd2213145bcc2ba85884d0ac63d222fece9209678f77b9b4d76f054c561adb28 \
+    --hash=sha256:ce5c1d2a8b27468f433ca974829c44060b8097eedc39933e3c206a90ee49c4a9 \
+    --hash=sha256:d396ec2b979760aaf3218e76c24e65bd0aca24983298653b3a9d7a45f9e47b30 \
+    --hash=sha256:d51026d73fcfd93610abc7b27789c26b313920fcfb20e27462d74a7f8b06e983 \
+    --hash=sha256:d80ee3d731373b24cebbc10d689ca4ee1875caf0d5703a245db18efd4dd37fc1 \
+    --hash=sha256:d995260fdf4e1db774581b4900e0f832abe3c7c84996726bbc161b19c8f29e76 \
+    --hash=sha256:da4b951fe36dc7c3a1ccb4e3cd1747c3542b8c9ceede8fc86cae054e764485f5 \
+    --hash=sha256:daa27d92c36f24388fe3ad306b174781c747627f134452e4f128ea00ce1fe8c4 \
+    --hash=sha256:db06ffe51636ffe9ca531fe9023dd64bdd794be8754cb5df57c5498ae5b518a7 \
+    --hash=sha256:e0d65b8c354be7fb5f720c3caa8bc940bc2d20ce749c8e06135f07f8ed95dd7c \
+    --hash=sha256:e68b7a074f65a2fd746c52a7ce6142ab7006074ac269ace0c25cd8ba171f8066 \
+    --hash=sha256:e739fee756ba1010f8bcccb534252e85a35fe45ae92c295a06059ce58b74ccd3 \
+    --hash=sha256:e846ae7835bf0703ae43f534ab79a867146dadd59dc9ca5c8b53d5c8f7c9ef02 \
+    --hash=sha256:e9c26f834c65f5752f3f06cb08cb86a913ceb7274d0db6e267808a708b46bc89 \
+    --hash=sha256:ea793e075b70290d89d8142074262885d3f7da19634845135751bd6344f73b50 \
+    --hash=sha256:f027324c56cd5406ca49c124b0db10e56c69064fec039acc571c29020cc87c76 \
+    --hash=sha256:f13a646d65d09fbf1bc6b3a9635d30095c8e7e5cc419ff35ecc563c5fd04cd49 \
+    --hash=sha256:f47286a97f0bc9b8859519809077b91b2cefe4ae47fcbf5e466a009c1c5d742b \
+    --hash=sha256:f747929cf940cddb5b3668a390056ddd5ba2e5010615ea2dcf4f9c4f3ab8791d \
+    --hash=sha256:f99626688942fb746e545232e7726926f3be91b5975f8b55327665fafda991c7 \
+    --hash=sha256:f9fa868638bf362d3d138ea55829cefb3d5f4b0d7f142234382a15e2485dbec4 \
+    --hash=sha256:fbdb89b3e1c94a30cc5edfce477c6e6a5dc4d8f84665b455c27582f211a1c72c \
+    --hash=sha256:fc010ab034c8c7452522748bf937df58020d256ccae0874463d1f4d01758af8e \
+    --hash=sha256:fc3e9034a63de20e15e8ade85358bc6efc614008cab72898b4b4952bea0509ff \
+    --hash=sha256:fd8b3d9fd264be37976686c7f65cd52a83f5e84f4bfd2adf9c1d469676bbb6ae
+    # via pydantic
+starlette==1.2.1 \
+    --hash=sha256:4de0082d08c8f6764a85a54cf1120d6939507a19905c7768acad2a9f875d2b89 \
+    --hash=sha256:9b9b5ebb992e67d6093741e63c2f59e4f6fff986f81163c087867bd7b924b3f6
+    # via fastapi
+typing-extensions==4.15.0 \
+    --hash=sha256:0cea48d173cc12fa28ecabc3b837ea3cf6f38c6d1136f85cbaaf598984861466 \
+    --hash=sha256:f0fa19c6845758ab08074a0cfa8b7aecb71c999ca73d62883bc25cc018c4e548
+    # via
+    #   anyio
+    #   fastapi
+    #   pydantic
+    #   pydantic-core
+    #   starlette
+    #   typing-inspection
+typing-inspection==0.4.2 \
+    --hash=sha256:4ed1cacbdc298c220f1bd249ed5287caa16f34d44ef4e9c3d0cbad5b521545e7 \
+    --hash=sha256:ba561c48a67c5958007083d386c3295464928b01faa735ab8547c5692e87f464
+    # via
+    #   fastapi
+    #   pydantic
+uvicorn==0.48.0 \
+    --hash=sha256:48097851328b87ec36117d3d575234519eb58c2b22d79666e9bbc6c49a761dad \
+    --hash=sha256:a5504207195d08c2511bf9125ede5ac4a4b71725d519e758d01dcf0bc2d31c37
+    # via -r docker/requirements.in
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
@@ -138,6 +138,29 @@ extend-exclude = [
 select = ["E", "F", "W", "I", "N", "B", "C4"]
 ignore = ["E501", "E402", "N801", "N818"]  # legacy: import-position + naming (renames risk breaking refs)
 
+[tool.ruff.lint.isort]
+# Declare the platform's first-party namespaces explicitly. Otherwise ruff infers
+# first-party from whichever packages happen to be present, so import-sort (I001)
+# results differ between a full working tree and a clean checkout/CI — making the
+# lint gate non-deterministic.
+known-first-party = [
+    "pi_agent_chain",
+    "pi_agent_interceptor",
+    "pi_agent_registry",
+    "pi_connector_fabric",
+    "pi_console",
+    "pi_event_fabric",
+    "pi_extension_governor",
+    "pi_ide_re",
+    "pi_interoperability_layer",
+    "pi_micro_agents",
+    "pi_production",
+    "pi_runtime",
+    "pi_semantic_diff",
+    "pi_semantic_radius",
+    "pi_semantic_validator",
+]
+
 [tool.ruff.lint.per-file-ignores]
 "__init__.py" = ["F401"]
 "tests/**" = ["B017"]

diff --git a/src/pi_agent_chain/governance/kernel.py b/src/pi_agent_chain/governance/kernel.py
@@ -234,35 +234,14 @@ def execute(
                 execution_time_ms=exec_time,
             )
 
-        # --- STEP 6: Entropy evaluation ---
-        if artifact is not None:
-            snapshot = self.entropy_monitor.capture(self._current_state, artifact)
-            entropy_warning = self.entropy_monitor.check_monotonic_decrease()
-            if entropy_warning and self._current_state in {
-                RuntimeState.ASSEMBLING_IR,
-                RuntimeState.GENERATING_SPEC,
-                RuntimeState.COMPLETED,
-            }:
-                entropy_violation = GovernanceViolation(
-                    violation_id=str(uuid.uuid4())[:16],
-                    rule="ENTROPY_INCREASE",
-                    worker_id=worker_id,
-                    root_goal_id=self.root_goal_id,
-                    severity="ERROR",
-                    context={"warning": entropy_warning, "snapshot": snapshot.model_dump()},
-                    action_taken="HALT",
-                )
-                self._violations.append(entropy_violation)
-                return WorkerResponse(
-                    root_goal_id=self.root_goal_id,
-                    worker_id=worker_id,
-                    status=WorkerStatus.VERIFICATION_MISMATCH,
-                    errors=[f"Entropy violation: {entropy_warning}"],
-                    execution_id=exec_id,
-                    input_hash=envelope.input_hash,
-                    output_hash=output_hash,
-                    execution_time_ms=exec_time,
-                )
+        # --- STEP 6: (removed) kernel-mediated entropy evaluation ---
+        # This previously ran only `if artifact is not None`, but every production
+        # caller (PipelineDriver) invokes execute() with artifact=None, so the gate
+        # never fired — dead code masquerading as an enforced guard. Entropy
+        # regression IS enforced in the pipeline by the separate
+        # EntropyAnalysisValidator (pipeline.py), so removing the dead block changes
+        # no behaviour and stops advertising enforcement that didn't happen. The
+        # `artifact` parameter is retained for call-site/API compatibility.
 
         # --- STEP 7: Commit state transition ---
         self._current_state = target_state