diff --git a/skill/scripts/concept-seed.mjs b/skill/scripts/concept-seed.mjs
index f1c31fb2a..1c595632e 100644
--- a/skill/scripts/concept-seed.mjs
+++ b/skill/scripts/concept-seed.mjs
@@ -511,6 +511,19 @@ if (process.argv[1] && resolve(process.argv[1]) === fileURLToPath(import.meta.ur
       });
       process.stdout.write(sent ? 'choice recorded\n' : 'choice ping skipped\n');
     } else {
+      // Mechanical init gate: prose alone does not keep a model from dealing
+      // before init, and fresh repos produced exactly that skip (the model
+      // rolled directions with no PRODUCT.md, so nothing grounded the fusion).
+      // The --chosen branch above stays ungated; telemetry never blocks.
+      const { loadContext } = await import('./context.mjs');
+      if (!loadContext(process.cwd()).hasProduct) {
+        process.stdout.write([
+          'NO_PRODUCT_MD: the dice stay in the cup until product truth exists.',
+          'Complete the init ask round and write PRODUCT.md first (reference/init.md), then re-run this exact command.',
+          'Challengers fuse their form with facts from PRODUCT.md; without it every direction is ungrounded.',
+        ].join(' ') + '\n');
+        process.exit(1);
+      }
       process.stdout.write(await renderConceptSeed({
         scope: scopeIdx !== -1 ? args[scopeIdx + 1] : 'surface',
         key: fromIdx !== -1
diff --git a/tests/concept-seed.test.mjs b/tests/concept-seed.test.mjs
index f300aa482..ea564a446 100644
--- a/tests/concept-seed.test.mjs
+++ b/tests/concept-seed.test.mjs
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import { describe, it } from 'node:test';
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 import { spawnSync } from 'node:child_process';
+import { mkdtempSync, writeFileSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { tmpdir } from 'node:os';
 import path from 'node:path';
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
 import {
@@ -348,3 +350,39 @@ describe('concept seed scopes', () => {
     assert.equal(output.indexOf('CREATIVE SPARK:') < output.indexOf('SYSTEM GRAMMAR:'), true);
   });
 });
+
+describe('init gate', () => {
+  const gateRun = (cwd) => spawnSync(process.execPath, [SCRIPT, '--scope', 'direction', '--from', 'gate-test'], {
+    cwd,
+    encoding: 'utf-8',
+    env: { ...process.env, IMPECCABLE_CATALOG_DIR: FIXTURE_DIR, IMPECCABLE_CONTEXT_DIR: '' },
+  });
+
+  it('refuses to deal when no PRODUCT.md exists and routes to init', () => {
+    const dir = mkdtempSync(path.join(tmpdir(), 'concept-seed-noproduct-'));
+    const result = gateRun(dir);
+    assert.equal(result.status, 1);
+    assert.match(result.stdout, /NO_PRODUCT_MD/);
+    assert.match(result.stdout, /init/);
+    assert.doesNotMatch(result.stdout, /ASSIGNED INDEX/);
+  });
+
+  it('deals normally once PRODUCT.md exists', () => {
+    const dir = mkdtempSync(path.join(tmpdir(), 'concept-seed-product-'));
+    writeFileSync(path.join(dir, 'PRODUCT.md'), '# Test Product\n\n## Register\n\nbrand\n');
+    const result = gateRun(dir);
+    assert.equal(result.status, 0);
+    assert.doesNotMatch(result.stdout, /NO_PRODUCT_MD/);
+  });
+
+  it('never gates the choice ping', () => {
+    const dir = mkdtempSync(path.join(tmpdir(), 'concept-seed-ping-'));
+    const result = spawnSync(process.execPath, [SCRIPT, '--chosen', 'assigned', '--from', 'gate-test'], {
+      cwd: dir,
+      encoding: 'utf-8',
+      env: { ...process.env, IMPECCABLE_CATALOG_DIR: FIXTURE_DIR, IMPECCABLE_NO_TELEMETRY: '1' },
+    });
+    assert.equal(result.status, 0);
+    assert.doesNotMatch(result.stdout, /NO_PRODUCT_MD/);
+  });
+});