diff --git a/packages/core/src/loop/boringstack/refine-prompt.ts b/packages/core/src/loop/boringstack/refine-prompt.ts
index 11997638..4ccee4d9 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/loop/boringstack/refine-prompt.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/loop/boringstack/refine-prompt.ts
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ const companyOptions = companies.map((c) => (<option key={c.id} value={c.id}>{c.
 
 **Every visible string via \`t("features.${camel}.<key>")\`** — no hardcoded JSX text (button labels like "Edit"/"Delete" included).
 
-**Make the feature reachable.** Add a sidebar link to \`apps/ui/src/components/core/AppSidebar/AppSidebar.tsx\` (add your feature's entry to the \`APP_SIDEBAR_NAV_ITEMS\` array, following the existing format) and register its route in \`apps/ui/src/app/router/routes.tsx\` (add a route pointing at your feature's page component). Both files are in your editable scope — ADD ONLY your feature's entries, never modify another feature's link/route (same rule as the shared schema + locale files). A feature missing from the sidebar or router is unreachable and fails browser acceptance. **After adding your NavLink, update the sidebar's co-located test \`apps/ui/src/components/core/AppSidebar/AppSidebar.test.tsx\`: it asserts the EXACT number of nav links (e.g. \`toHaveLength(6)\`), so bump that count by exactly one for your added link — otherwise the final full-project validate fails even though your feature is correct.**
+**Make the feature reachable.** Add a sidebar link to \`apps/ui/src/components/core/AppSidebar/AppSidebar.tsx\` (add your feature's entry to the \`APP_SIDEBAR_NAV_ITEMS\` array, following the existing format) and register its route in \`apps/ui/src/app/router/routes.tsx\` (add a route pointing at your feature's page component). Both files are in your editable scope — ADD ONLY your feature's entries, never modify another feature's link/route (same rule as the shared schema + locale files). A feature missing from the sidebar or router is unreachable and fails browser acceptance. **After adding your NavLink, update the sidebar's co-located test \`apps/ui/src/components/core/AppSidebar/AppSidebar.test.tsx\`: it asserts the EXACT number of nav links (e.g. \`toHaveLength(6)\`), so bump that count by exactly one for your added link — otherwise the per-feature gate fails THIS cycle (it runs that test), not only the final validate, even though your feature is correct.**
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/packages/core/tests/boringstack-refine-prompt.test.ts b/packages/core/tests/boringstack-refine-prompt.test.ts
index ebbbbddb..a722bb59 100644
--- a/packages/core/tests/boringstack-refine-prompt.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/tests/boringstack-refine-prompt.test.ts
@@ -552,6 +552,13 @@ describe("refinePrompt", () => {
     expect(prompt).toContain("APP_SIDEBAR_NAV_ITEMS");
     // Must carry the add-only boundary for those shared files.
     expect(prompt).toContain("ADD ONLY");
+    // Post-#183 the FAST per-feature gate runs the sidebar's co-located nav-count test, so the
+    // guidance must tell the model a stale count fails THIS cycle — not merely the final validate
+    // (understating the urgency lets the model defer the count bump and spray the fast gate).
+    expect(prompt).toContain("per-feature gate fails THIS cycle");
+    expect(prompt).not.toContain(
+      "otherwise the final full-project validate fails"
+    );
   });
 
   it("teaches the scaffold's api-client hook typing: annotate the DOMAIN type, never Readable/as (kills the near-green cluster)", () => {