diff --git a/src/bmm-skills/4-implementation/bmad-dev-auto/spec-template.md b/src/bmm-skills/4-implementation/bmad-dev-auto/spec-template.md
index 03c3758a1..05cdeb021 100644
--- a/src/bmm-skills/4-implementation/bmad-dev-auto/spec-template.md
+++ b/src/bmm-skills/4-implementation/bmad-dev-auto/spec-template.md
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ warnings: [] # optional: machine-readable warnings for orchestration, e.g. overs
      Cohesive cross-layer stories (DB+BE+UI) stay in ONE file.
      IMPORTANT: Remove all HTML comments when filling this template. -->
 
-<frozen-after-approval reason="invocation-owned intent — do not modify unless a later invocation replaces it">
+<intent-contract>
 
 ## Intent
 
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ warnings: [] # optional: machine-readable warnings for orchestration, e.g. overs
 | HAPPY_PATH | INPUT | OUTCOME | N/A |
 | ERROR_CASE | INPUT | OUTCOME | ERROR_HANDLING |
 
-</frozen-after-approval>
+</intent-contract>
 
 ## Code Map
 
diff --git a/src/bmm-skills/4-implementation/bmad-dev-auto/step-02-plan.md b/src/bmm-skills/4-implementation/bmad-dev-auto/step-02-plan.md
index 1aa5d4388..d89c69904 100644
--- a/src/bmm-skills/4-implementation/bmad-dev-auto/step-02-plan.md
+++ b/src/bmm-skills/4-implementation/bmad-dev-auto/step-02-plan.md
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ deferred_work_file: '{implementation_artifacts}/deferred-work.md'
 
 ## INSTRUCTIONS
 
-1. Draft resume check. If `{spec_file}` exists with `status: draft`, read it and capture the verbatim `<frozen-after-approval>...</frozen-after-approval>` block as `preserved_intent`. Otherwise `preserved_intent` is empty.
+1. Draft resume check. If `{spec_file}` exists with `status: draft`, read it and capture the verbatim `<intent-contract>...</intent-contract>` block as `preserved_intent_contract`. Otherwise `preserved_intent_contract` is empty.
 2. Investigate codebase. _Isolate deep exploration in sub-agents/tasks where available. To prevent context snowballing, instruct subagents to give you distilled summaries only._
-3. Read `./spec-template.md` fully. Fill it out based on the intent and investigation. If `{preserved_intent}` is non-empty, substitute it for the `<frozen-after-approval>` block in your filled spec before writing. Write the result to `{spec_file}`.
+3. Read `./spec-template.md` fully. Fill it out based on the intent and investigation. If `{preserved_intent_contract}` is non-empty, substitute it for the `<intent-contract>` block in your filled spec before writing. Write the result to `{spec_file}`.
 4. Self-review against READY FOR DEVELOPMENT standard.
 5. If intent gaps exist, do not fantasize and do not leave open questions. HALT with status `blocked`, blocking condition `intent gaps`, and include the unanswered questions and evidence gathered.
 6. Warning check. If step-01 carried `multiple-goals`, add it to `{spec_file}` frontmatter `warnings`. If `{spec_file}` exceeds 1600 tokens, add `oversized` to frontmatter `warnings`. Continue either way.
diff --git a/src/bmm-skills/4-implementation/bmad-dev-auto/step-03-implement.md b/src/bmm-skills/4-implementation/bmad-dev-auto/step-03-implement.md
index 3ce4bad19..8be1441e8 100644
--- a/src/bmm-skills/4-implementation/bmad-dev-auto/step-03-implement.md
+++ b/src/bmm-skills/4-implementation/bmad-dev-auto/step-03-implement.md
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 - YOU MUST ALWAYS SPEAK OUTPUT in your Agent communication style with the config `{communication_language}`
 - No human interaction: do not ask questions or wait for approval in this step.
-- Content inside `<frozen-after-approval>` in `{spec_file}` is read-only. Do not modify.
+- Content inside `<intent-contract>` in `{spec_file}` is read-only. Do not modify.
 
 ## PRECONDITION
 
diff --git a/src/bmm-skills/4-implementation/bmad-dev-auto/step-04-review.md b/src/bmm-skills/4-implementation/bmad-dev-auto/step-04-review.md
index 493476144..db9ab973a 100644
--- a/src/bmm-skills/4-implementation/bmad-dev-auto/step-04-review.md
+++ b/src/bmm-skills/4-implementation/bmad-dev-auto/step-04-review.md
@@ -37,9 +37,9 @@ Launch two subagents without prior session context.
    - **patch** — caused by the change; trivially fixable without human input. Just part of the diff.
    - **defer** — pre-existing issue not caused by this story, surfaced incidentally by the review. Collect for later focused attention.
    - **reject** — noise. Drop silently. When unsure between defer and reject, prefer reject — only defer findings you are confident are real.
-3. Process findings in cascading order. If intent_gap exists, lower findings are moot and this step blocks. If bad_spec exists, lower findings are moot since code will be re-derived. If neither exists, process patch and defer normally. Before each bad_spec loopback, read `{spec_file}` frontmatter `review_loop_iteration` (missing means `0`), increment it by 1, and write it back. If it exceeds 5, HALT with status `blocked` and blocking condition `review repair loop exceeded 5 iterations`.
-   - **intent_gap** — Root cause is inside `<frozen-after-approval>`. Revert code changes. HALT with status `blocked`, blocking condition `intent gap in frozen intent`, and include the intent-gap findings.
-   - **bad_spec** — Root cause is outside `<frozen-after-approval>`. Before reverting code: extract KEEP instructions for positive preservation (what worked well and must survive re-derivation). Revert code changes. Read the `## Spec Change Log` in `{spec_file}` and strictly respect all logged constraints when amending the non-frozen sections that contain the root cause. Append a new change-log entry recording: the triggering finding, what was amended, the known-bad state avoided, and the KEEP instructions. Read fully and follow `./step-03-implement.md` to re-derive the code, then this step will run again.
+3. Process findings in cascading order. If intent_gap exists, lower findings are moot; follow the intent_gap branch below. If bad_spec exists, lower findings are moot since code will be re-derived. If neither exists, process patch and defer normally. Before each bad_spec loopback, read `{spec_file}` frontmatter `review_loop_iteration` (missing means `0`), increment it by 1, and write it back. If it exceeds 5, HALT with status `blocked` and blocking condition `review repair loop exceeded 5 iterations`.
+   - **intent_gap** — Root cause is inside `<intent-contract>`. Revert code changes. HALT with status `blocked`, blocking condition `intent gap in intent contract`, and include the intent-gap findings.
+   - **bad_spec** — Root cause is outside `<intent-contract>`. Do not modify content inside `<intent-contract>`. Before reverting code: extract KEEP instructions for positive preservation (what worked well and must survive re-derivation). Revert code changes. Read the `## Spec Change Log` in `{spec_file}` and strictly respect all logged constraints when amending the sections outside `<intent-contract>` that contain the root cause. Append a new change-log entry recording: the triggering finding, what was amended, the known-bad state avoided, and the KEEP instructions. Read fully and follow `./step-03-implement.md` to re-derive the code, then this step will run again.
    - **patch** — Auto-fix. These are the only findings that survive loopbacks.
    - **defer** — Append one new entry to `{deferred_work_file}` using this format. Do not modify existing entries or look for duplicates.
      ```markdown