diff --git a/cmd/build_leyline_coverage_test.go b/cmd/build_leyline_coverage_test.go
index da5e541..2d40797 100644
--- a/cmd/build_leyline_coverage_test.go
+++ b/cmd/build_leyline_coverage_test.go
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ import (
 // seedCoverageFixture builds a synthetic leyline-parse db containing _ast
 // rows ONLY for Go, plus a source dir holding both a .go and a .sql file —
 // the exact hollow-projection shape the review of mache-73b885 reproduced
-// live (leyline v0.7.5 has no sql grammar, so sql schema dirs project
+// live (as of ley-line-open v0.8.0 only CUE lacks a grammar; sql/java/etc.
+// all parse now, so cue is the sole hollow-projection language)
 // empty with zero warnings).
 func seedCoverageFixture(t *testing.T) (*sql.DB, string) {
 	t.Helper()
@@ -107,28 +108,29 @@ func TestRunBuildViaLeylineSchema_UnparseableLanguageErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	defer saved.restore()
 
 	src := t.TempDir()
-	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(src, "util.sql"),
-		[]byte("CREATE TABLE users (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY);\n"), 0o644))
+	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(src, "conf.cue"),
+		[]byte("package conf\n\nx: 1\n"), 0o644))
 	output := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "out.db")
 
-	// The ORIGINAL #524 repro: the sql PRESET ref. Preset schemas carry
-	// no Language hints, so this exercises the preset-derived language
-	// stamp, not the hint collector.
-	schemaPath = "sql"
+	// cue is the SOLE language ley-line-open v0.8.0 has no grammar for
+	// (no tree-sitter-0.26 cue grammar exists) — the last hollow-projection
+	// case after sql/java/etc. gained grammars. Preset ref (no Language
+	// hints) exercises the preset-derived language stamp.
+	schemaPath = "cue"
 	err := runBuildViaLeyline(src, output, true /* explicit backend */)
 	require.Error(t, err, "preset-ref hollow projection must not build silently on the explicit backend")
-	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "sql", "error must name the unparseable language")
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "cue", "error must name the unparseable language")
 	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "--backend=tree-sitter", "error must point at the working escape hatch")
 
 	// Same via an explicit Language-hinted schema FILE (the hint collector).
 	work := t.TempDir()
 	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(work, "schema.json"),
-		[]byte(`{"version":"v1alpha1","nodes":[{"name":"tables","selector":"(create_table_statement) @t","language":"sql"}]}`), 0o644))
+		[]byte(`{"version":"v1alpha1","nodes":[{"name":"fields","selector":"(field) @f","language":"cue"}]}`), 0o644))
 	t.Chdir(work)
 	schemaPath = "schema.json"
 	err = runBuildViaLeyline(src, output, true /* explicit backend */)
 	require.Error(t, err, "hint-based hollow projection must not build silently on the explicit backend")
-	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "sql")
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "cue")
 
 	// Auto path: warns and builds (advisory), does not error.
 	require.NoError(t, runBuildViaLeyline(src, output, false /* auto */),
diff --git a/cmd/serve_find_smells_views_test.go b/cmd/serve_find_smells_views_test.go
index 7d85e00..8f82be8 100644
--- a/cmd/serve_find_smells_views_test.go
+++ b/cmd/serve_find_smells_views_test.go
@@ -167,6 +167,62 @@ func TestEnsureCanonicalViews_ReferrerFromContainerNodeID(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, "f.go/call_expression_top", topReferrer, "empty container_node_id falls back to node_id")
 }
 
+// TestEnsureCanonicalViews_QualifierFromNodeRefs pins the node_refs.qualifier
+// passthrough (ley-line-open v0.8.0, mache-dcb808): the mention arm surfaces
+// the ref's qualifier (receiver/selector text) instead of the pre-v0.8.0
+// hardcoded ”. Legacy dbs without the column degrade to ”.
+func TestEnsureCanonicalViews_QualifierFromNodeRefs(t *testing.T) {
+	dbPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "qual.db")
+	db, err := sql.Open("sqlite", dbPath)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer func() { _ = db.Close() }()
+
+	_, err = db.Exec(`
+		CREATE TABLE node_defs (token TEXT, node_id TEXT);
+		CREATE TABLE node_refs (token TEXT, node_id TEXT, qualifier TEXT);
+		INSERT INTO node_refs VALUES
+			('Println', 'f.go/call_0', 'fmt'),
+			('Method',  'f.go/call_1', 'obj'),
+			('bareCall','f.go/call_2', NULL);
+	`)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	qg := &sqlDBQuerier{db: db}
+	require.NoError(t, ensureCanonicalViews(qg))
+
+	var q string
+	require.NoError(t, db.QueryRow(`SELECT qualifier FROM v_refs WHERE token='Println'`).Scan(&q))
+	assert.Equal(t, "fmt", q, "mention arm must surface node_refs.qualifier")
+	require.NoError(t, db.QueryRow(`SELECT qualifier FROM v_refs WHERE token='Method'`).Scan(&q))
+	assert.Equal(t, "obj", q)
+	require.NoError(t, db.QueryRow(`SELECT qualifier FROM v_refs WHERE token='bareCall'`).Scan(&q))
+	assert.Equal(t, "", q, "NULL qualifier degrades to empty string")
+}
+
+// TestEnsureCanonicalViews_QualifierAbsentDegradesToEmpty pins the legacy
+// path: a node_refs WITHOUT a qualifier column must still build v_refs with
+// an empty qualifier (no error).
+func TestEnsureCanonicalViews_QualifierAbsentDegradesToEmpty(t *testing.T) {
+	dbPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "noqual.db")
+	db, err := sql.Open("sqlite", dbPath)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer func() { _ = db.Close() }()
+
+	_, err = db.Exec(`
+		CREATE TABLE node_defs (token TEXT, node_id TEXT);
+		CREATE TABLE node_refs (token TEXT, node_id TEXT);
+		INSERT INTO node_refs VALUES ('x', 'f.go/call_0');
+	`)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	qg := &sqlDBQuerier{db: db}
+	require.NoError(t, ensureCanonicalViews(qg), "missing qualifier column must not error")
+
+	var q string
+	require.NoError(t, db.QueryRow(`SELECT qualifier FROM v_refs WHERE token='x'`).Scan(&q))
+	assert.Equal(t, "", q)
+}
+
 // TestEnsureCanonicalViews_ReferrerFallsBackWithoutContainer pins the
 // legacy/tree-sitter shape: node_refs WITHOUT a container_node_id column →
 // referrer_node_id is node_id (the mache-schema caller construct), unchanged.
diff --git a/cmd/smell_refs_views.go b/cmd/smell_refs_views.go
index 78ae12d..317c073 100644
--- a/cmd/smell_refs_views.go
+++ b/cmd/smell_refs_views.go
@@ -106,6 +106,21 @@ func ensureCanonicalViews(qg refsQuerier) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("probe node_refs.container_node_id: %w", err)
 	}
 
+	// node_refs.qualifier (ley-line-open v0.8.0, bead ley-line-open-4dde42):
+	// the receiver/selector text of a call site — the bare-token row of a
+	// dual-emit pair carries its qualifier (the `Println` row carries `fmt`;
+	// `obj.Method()` carries `obj`; '' for bare calls). Before v0.8.0 the
+	// mention arm had no qualifier source, so it emitted a constant '' and
+	// only capnp binding rows carried one. Surfacing it lets package-scoped
+	// rules GROUP BY structurally (fan_out_skew) and resolve stdlib-vs-local
+	// callees through _imports (fatal_call rung-1, mache-4dc205). Probe and
+	// prefer it; degrades to '' on legacy dbs — tree-sitter/mache-schema
+	// behavior is unchanged.
+	hasRefsQualifier, err := tableHasColumn(qg, "node_refs", "qualifier")
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("probe node_refs.qualifier: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	defsHashExpr := "NULL"
 	if hasDefsNodeHash {
 		defsHashExpr = "node_hash"
@@ -142,13 +157,17 @@ func ensureCanonicalViews(qg refsQuerier) error {
 	if hasRefsContainer {
 		refsReferrerExpr = "COALESCE(NULLIF(container_node_id, ''), node_id)"
 	}
+	refsQualExpr := "''"
+	if hasRefsQualifier {
+		refsQualExpr = "COALESCE(qualifier, '')"
+	}
 	refsBody := `SELECT ` + refsReferrerExpr + ` AS referrer_node_id,
 	       token,
 	       NULL  AS target_node_id,
 	       NULL  AS ref_uri,
 	       NULL  AS ref_line,
 	       'mention' AS fidelity,
-	       ''    AS qualifier,
+	       ` + refsQualExpr + ` AS qualifier,
 	       ` + refsHashExpr + ` AS node_hash
 	FROM node_refs`
 	// Binding-fidelity rows come from the per-connection
diff --git a/docs/smell-baseline.json b/docs/smell-baseline.json
index 81bd150..a8368b1 100644
--- a/docs/smell-baseline.json
+++ b/docs/smell-baseline.json
@@ -11,6 +11,16 @@
       "source_id": "internal/ingest/benchmark_test.go",
       "count": 1
     },
+    {
+      "rule_id": "dead_code",
+      "source_id": "internal/treesitter/elixir/scanner.c",
+      "count": 7
+    },
+    {
+      "rule_id": "dead_code",
+      "source_id": "internal/treesitter/elixir/tree_sitter/parser.h",
+      "count": 16
+    },
     {
       "rule_id": "dead_code",
       "source_id": "mount/mount.go",
@@ -469,7 +479,7 @@
     {
       "rule_id": "duplicate_code",
       "source_id": "internal/writeback/validate_test.go",
-      "count": 6
+      "count": 2
     },
     {
       "rule_id": "duplicate_code",
@@ -601,11 +611,21 @@
       "source_id": "cmd/serve_test.go",
       "count": 10
     },
+    {
+      "rule_id": "duplicate_definitions",
+      "source_id": "cmd/testdata/preset_fixtures/bash/build.sh",
+      "count": 1
+    },
     {
       "rule_id": "duplicate_definitions",
       "source_id": "cmd/testdata/preset_fixtures/rust/lib.rs",
       "count": 2
     },
+    {
+      "rule_id": "duplicate_definitions",
+      "source_id": "cmd/testdata/preset_fixtures/sql/schema.sql",
+      "count": 1
+    },
     {
       "rule_id": "duplicate_definitions",
       "source_id": "cmd/untested_function_leyline_test.go",
@@ -616,6 +636,11 @@
       "source_id": "cmd/utils.go",
       "count": 1
     },
+    {
+      "rule_id": "duplicate_definitions",
+      "source_id": "examples/testdata/sql_sample.sql",
+      "count": 2
+    },
     {
       "rule_id": "duplicate_definitions",
       "source_id": "internal/graph/graph.go",
@@ -696,6 +721,11 @@
       "source_id": "internal/testfixtures/registry.go",
       "count": 3
     },
+    {
+      "rule_id": "duplicate_definitions",
+      "source_id": "internal/treesitter/elixir/tree_sitter/parser.h",
+      "count": 4
+    },
     {
       "rule_id": "duplicate_definitions",
       "source_id": "internal/vfs/types.go",
@@ -716,6 +746,16 @@
       "source_id": "mount/mount.go",
       "count": 2
     },
+    {
+      "rule_id": "duplicate_definitions",
+      "source_id": "scripts/arena.sh",
+      "count": 2
+    },
+    {
+      "rule_id": "duplicate_definitions",
+      "source_id": "scripts/leyline-integration-test.sh",
+      "count": 1
+    },
     {
       "rule_id": "duplicate_definitions",
       "source_id": "testdata/snapshots/medium-rust-rosary/crates/bdr/src/accrete.rs",
@@ -944,7 +984,7 @@
     {
       "rule_id": "duplicate_definitions",
       "source_id": "testdata/snapshots/medium-rust-rosary/src/observation/mod.rs",
-      "count": 4
+      "count": 5
     },
     {
       "rule_id": "duplicate_definitions",
@@ -1146,6 +1186,26 @@
       "source_id": "testdata/snapshots/medium-rust-rosary/tests/cli_integration.rs",
       "count": 1
     },
+    {
+      "rule_id": "duplicate_definitions",
+      "source_id": "tests/llm_refactor_challenge.sh",
+      "count": 1
+    },
+    {
+      "rule_id": "duplicate_definitions",
+      "source_id": "tests/test_data/sql/test.sql",
+      "count": 2
+    },
+    {
+      "rule_id": "duplicate_definitions",
+      "source_id": "tests/torture_test.sh",
+      "count": 1
+    },
+    {
+      "rule_id": "duplicate_definitions",
+      "source_id": "tests/verify_git_projection.sh",
+      "count": 1
+    },
     {
       "rule_id": "duplicate_definitions",
       "source_id": "tools/coverage-gate/main.go",
@@ -1186,6 +1246,11 @@
       "source_id": "tools/notion-fetch/main.go",
       "count": 1
     },
+    {
+      "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
+      "source_id": "cmd/agent.go",
+      "count": 1
+    },
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
       "source_id": "cmd/build.go",
@@ -1199,7 +1264,7 @@
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
       "source_id": "cmd/cache_oci.go",
-      "count": 2
+      "count": 4
     },
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
@@ -1214,7 +1279,7 @@
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
       "source_id": "cmd/mount_control.go",
-      "count": 2
+      "count": 1
     },
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
@@ -1229,7 +1294,7 @@
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
       "source_id": "cmd/serve.go",
-      "count": 2
+      "count": 3
     },
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
@@ -1286,6 +1351,11 @@
       "source_id": "cmd/serve_handlers.go",
       "count": 1
     },
+    {
+      "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
+      "source_id": "cmd/serve_hosted.go",
+      "count": 1
+    },
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
       "source_id": "cmd/serve_impact.go",
@@ -1299,7 +1369,7 @@
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
       "source_id": "cmd/serve_registry.go",
-      "count": 3
+      "count": 2
     },
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
@@ -1313,12 +1383,12 @@
     },
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
-      "source_id": "internal/control/control.go",
+      "source_id": "internal/graph/arena_writer.go",
       "count": 1
     },
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
-      "source_id": "internal/graph/arena_writer.go",
+      "source_id": "internal/graph/community.go",
       "count": 1
     },
     {
@@ -1329,7 +1399,7 @@
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
       "source_id": "internal/graph/memstore_refsdb.go",
-      "count": 2
+      "count": 1
     },
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
@@ -1401,6 +1471,11 @@
       "source_id": "internal/ingest/sitter_walker.go",
       "count": 4
     },
+    {
+      "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
+      "source_id": "internal/ingest/sqlite_writer.go",
+      "count": 1
+    },
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
       "source_id": "internal/lattice/greedy.go",
@@ -1421,16 +1496,6 @@
       "source_id": "internal/leyline/trigger.go",
       "count": 1
     },
-    {
-      "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
-      "source_id": "internal/linter/linter.go",
-      "count": 1
-    },
-    {
-      "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
-      "source_id": "internal/lsp/binding_log.go",
-      "count": 1
-    },
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
       "source_id": "internal/materialize/json.go",
@@ -1464,18 +1529,28 @@
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
       "source_id": "testdata/snapshots/medium-rust-rosary/src/acp.rs",
-      "count": 1
+      "count": 2
     },
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
       "source_id": "testdata/snapshots/medium-rust-rosary/src/dispatch/mod.rs",
-      "count": 2
+      "count": 3
+    },
+    {
+      "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
+      "source_id": "testdata/snapshots/medium-rust-rosary/src/dispatch/providers.rs",
+      "count": 1
     },
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
       "source_id": "testdata/snapshots/medium-rust-rosary/src/dolt/mod.rs",
       "count": 1
     },
+    {
+      "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
+      "source_id": "testdata/snapshots/medium-rust-rosary/src/github_mirror.rs",
+      "count": 1
+    },
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
       "source_id": "testdata/snapshots/medium-rust-rosary/src/linear.rs",
@@ -1489,13 +1564,18 @@
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
       "source_id": "testdata/snapshots/medium-rust-rosary/src/reconcile/mod.rs",
-      "count": 2
+      "count": 3
     },
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
       "source_id": "testdata/snapshots/medium-rust-rosary/src/reconcile/orchestration.rs",
       "count": 1
     },
+    {
+      "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
+      "source_id": "testdata/snapshots/medium-rust-rosary/src/reconcile/threading.rs",
+      "count": 1
+    },
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
       "source_id": "testdata/snapshots/medium-rust-rosary/src/reconcile/triage.rs",
@@ -1514,17 +1594,22 @@
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
       "source_id": "testdata/snapshots/medium-rust-rosary/src/serve/handlers.rs",
-      "count": 4
+      "count": 7
     },
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
       "source_id": "testdata/snapshots/medium-rust-rosary/src/serve/ipc.rs",
-      "count": 2
+      "count": 3
     },
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
       "source_id": "testdata/snapshots/medium-rust-rosary/src/serve/mod.rs",
-      "count": 2
+      "count": 4
+    },
+    {
+      "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
+      "source_id": "testdata/snapshots/medium-rust-rosary/src/serve/webhook.rs",
+      "count": 1
     },
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
@@ -1536,6 +1621,11 @@
       "source_id": "testdata/snapshots/medium-rust-rosary/src/sync.rs",
       "count": 1
     },
+    {
+      "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
+      "source_id": "testdata/snapshots/medium-rust-rosary/tests/cli_integration.rs",
+      "count": 1
+    },
     {
       "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
       "source_id": "tools/coverage-gate/main.go",
@@ -1566,6 +1656,11 @@
       "source_id": "tools/notion-fetch/main.go",
       "count": 1
     },
+    {
+      "rule_id": "fan_out_skew",
+      "source_id": "tools/server-json-gen/main.go",
+      "count": 1
+    },
     {
       "rule_id": "god_file",
       "source_id": "cmd/serve_registry.go",
@@ -2246,16 +2341,6 @@
       "source_id": "internal/leyline/version_check.go",
       "count": 1
     },
-    {
-      "rule_id": "untested_function",
-      "source_id": "internal/linter/linter.go",
-      "count": 1
-    },
-    {
-      "rule_id": "untested_function",
-      "source_id": "internal/writeback/validate.go",
-      "count": 1
-    },
     {
       "rule_id": "untested_function",
       "source_id": "mount/mount.go",
diff --git a/internal/leyline/binary_pin.go b/internal/leyline/binary_pin.go
index 51d0552..04c542f 100644
--- a/internal/leyline/binary_pin.go
+++ b/internal/leyline/binary_pin.go
@@ -26,10 +26,10 @@ import (
 //	gh release view <tag> --repo agentic-research/ley-line-open --json assets \
 //	  --jq '.assets[]|select(.name|startswith("leyline-"))|"\(.name) \(.digest)"'
 var leylinePinnedSHA256 = map[string]string{
-	"darwin-amd64": "54b21072d3c0e362304b93f82065d21451619751d9b66ad4291de0a64b1a5f3e",
-	"darwin-arm64": "c20ae5ed2b89b7693463240fcba25285c019502b3f29d0476ed3b3430e6430cb",
-	"linux-amd64":  "34cc851f744f3f2662d89473be1bc6a175b9777747e2922fd3efd88292b9fcb2",
-	"linux-arm64":  "c48b64041a68744d66274cd18d5b0996d0e4db07c51af8430c8b31fe7ddffe79",
+	"darwin-amd64": "f5fb211ff35b863273cd1cf2c1ed911a9724d53d444aa4f0f90180e263fb5734",
+	"darwin-arm64": "78e47b7abf70c29e42a31a937ff84f8f0c20af1625727818a133f6cea9418d83",
+	"linux-amd64":  "d5510a540d2ed26bf8d861899f07cac62a78778e4ef0dd00d9da3133d8b5162f",
+	"linux-arm64":  "03ca51e453193ad27020dbc30c811da1ccc2a1f12ef980eb9a7cb6f8b07d876d",
 }
 
 // leylineVersionMatchesPin runs `<path> --version` and reports whether the
diff --git a/internal/leyline/socket.go b/internal/leyline/socket.go
index 8c9cf19..447a106 100644
--- a/internal/leyline/socket.go
+++ b/internal/leyline/socket.go
@@ -795,15 +795,18 @@ func (c *SocketClient) Prioritize(files []string) error {
 // column (closed κ vocabulary — lets dead_code filter WHERE canonical_kind IN
 // ('function','method','type'), collapsing its leyline over-report). All
 // additive — mache does not consume the new columns / CFG types yet (that is
-// the LLO-only smell-gate consolidation, mache-608a3c), and the v0.7.2–v0.7.5
+// the LLO-only smell-gate consolidation, mache-608a3c), and the v0.7.2–v0.8.0
 // leyline-schema Go submodule tags are unpublished (clients/go/leyline-schema
-// stops at v0.7.1), so the schema-client pin remains at v0.7.1. The
-// version-parity gate (mache-b8af69) enforces MAJOR.MINOR agreement only —
-// 0.7 == 0.7 — so this is in contract. Earlier context: v0.7.0 raised compat_min
-// to 0.6.0 and added source_blobs / capnp_blobs / _ast_pointer, the unified
-// daemon.sheaf.invalidate topic, and cross-language def/ref extraction
-// (ley-line-open-caf423); v0.7.1 was a sheaf-correctness patch (δ⁰
-// orientation-invariance, cascade fixed-point).
+// stops at v0.7.1) BECAUSE THE WIRE HASN'T CHANGED — wire_format_major=1 with
+// compat floor 0.6.0 has held from v0.7.0 through v0.8.0, so the v0.7.1 schema
+// client still decodes v0.8.0's wire. The version-parity gate (mache-b8af69)
+// checks the schema pin sits in [leylineSchemaCompatFloor, binary], not that
+// it equals the binary minor (that only held while everything was 0.7.x).
+// Earlier context: v0.7.0 raised compat_min to 0.6.0 and added source_blobs /
+// capnp_blobs / _ast_pointer, the unified daemon.sheaf.invalidate topic, and
+// cross-language def/ref extraction (ley-line-open-caf423); v0.7.1 was a
+// sheaf-correctness patch; v0.8.0 added validate coverage (27/28),
+// node_refs.qualifier, and extraction epochs — all additive, wire unchanged.
 //
 // The version-check (leylineVersionMatchesPin) is EXACT major.minor.patch —
 // LLO patch releases have changed the emitted _ast schema (0.7.4 added
@@ -811,16 +814,30 @@ func (c *SocketClient) Prioritize(files []string) error {
 // float (mache-608a3c). v0.7.5 ships all four leyline-<os>-<arch> daemon
 // binaries (darwin/linux × amd64/arm64).
 //
-// BUMP THIS to the latest published ley-line-open release with binary assets;
-// bump the go.mod leyline-schema pin too whenever the WIRE format changes (i.e.
-// wire_format_major or the major.minor moves — a patch-only daemon bump does not).
+// BUMP THIS to the latest published ley-line-open release with binary assets.
+// The go.mod leyline-schema pin only needs bumping when the WIRE format
+// changes (a new schema module tag is published) — a binary-version bump with
+// unchanged wire (like v0.8.0) does NOT require a schema bump; the parity gate
+// enforces the [floor, binary] range that makes this safe.
 //
 // Doubles as this build's leyline schema-client version for the startup
 // wire-compat handshake (VerifyReachableDaemonVersion, mache-8kif): mache
 // queries the daemon's leyline_version op and refuses on a structural
-// mismatch. Its major.minor is kept in lockstep with the go.mod leyline-schema
-// pin by the version-parity gate (mache-b8af69).
-const leylineBinaryVersion = "v0.7.8"
+// mismatch.
+const leylineBinaryVersion = "v0.8.0"
+
+// leylineSchemaCompatFloor is the OLDEST leyline-schema Go client version
+// whose wire format the pinned binary still accepts (ley-line-open's
+// compat_min_schema_version). The schema Go module
+// (clients/go/leyline-schema, go.mod pinned) is tagged SEPARATELY from the
+// binary and only re-cut when the capnp wire types change — so it lags the
+// binary version legitimately (v0.8.0 binary, but the wire has been
+// wire_format_major=1 / floor 0.6.0 since well before, so the newest schema
+// tag is still v0.7.1). The parity gate asserts the go.mod schema pin sits in
+// [floor, binary], NOT that it equals the binary's minor (which only held by
+// coincidence while everything was in the 0.7.x line). BUMP this when
+// ley-line-open raises compat_min_schema_version. (mache-b8af69 / mache-dcb808)
+const leylineSchemaCompatFloor = "v0.6.0"
 
 // leylineReleaseURLTemplate is the GitHub releases URL for the public
 // ley-line-open repository. The earlier URL pointed at the private
diff --git a/internal/leyline/version_parity_test.go b/internal/leyline/version_parity_test.go
index 00f59df..1ca25a5 100644
--- a/internal/leyline/version_parity_test.go
+++ b/internal/leyline/version_parity_test.go
@@ -17,14 +17,17 @@ import (
 //     (github.com/agentic-research/ley-line-open/clients/go/leyline-schema)
 //   - the leylineBinaryVersion const (the daemon binary mache downloads)
 //
-// Per socket.go's design note, the *patch* may float (a daemon-only LSP fix
-// ships a binary with no wire change), but the MAJOR.MINOR must match because
-// that is the wire/schema format the Go client decodes. Today only a comment
-// and a human keeping two pins in lockstep enforce that — the exact setup
-// that produced the stale-cached-0.4.1 skew (mache-0acdf6). This test makes
-// the invariant executable: a minor/major bump to one without the other fails
-// CI. The dynamic runtime handshake is the complementary mache-8kif (blocked
-// on LLO shipping a daemon `version` op).
+// The invariant (mache-b8af69): the go.mod leyline-schema client must decode
+// the wire the pinned binary speaks. The binary and the schema Go module are
+// tagged on DIFFERENT cadences — the binary bumps every release, the schema
+// module (clients/go/leyline-schema) only when the capnp wire types change —
+// so equal-minor is NOT the contract (it held only by coincidence while
+// everything was 0.7.x, and v0.8.0 broke that: binary v0.8.0, newest schema
+// tag v0.7.1, wire unchanged). The real contract is a RANGE: the schema pin
+// must sit in [leylineSchemaCompatFloor, binary]. Below the floor the wire is
+// incompatible; above the binary the client expects types the daemon doesn't
+// emit. This makes the invariant executable — a schema/binary pair that falls
+// outside the range fails CI. Complementary runtime handshake: mache-8kif.
 func TestLeylineSchemaBinaryVersionParity(t *testing.T) {
 	root := repoRoot(t)
 	modBytes, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(root, "go.mod"))
@@ -32,20 +35,50 @@ func TestLeylineSchemaBinaryVersionParity(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// The require line: "<module> vMAJOR.MINOR.PATCH[...]". Pseudo-versions
 	// still lead with vMAJOR.MINOR.PATCH, so the base captures fine.
-	schemaRE := regexp.MustCompile(`(?m)^\s*github\.com/agentic-research/ley-line-open/clients/go/leyline-schema\s+v(\d+)\.(\d+)\.\d+`)
+	schemaRE := regexp.MustCompile(`(?m)^\s*github\.com/agentic-research/ley-line-open/clients/go/leyline-schema\s+(v\d+\.\d+\.\d+)`)
 	sm := schemaRE.FindStringSubmatch(string(modBytes))
 	require.NotNil(t, sm, "leyline-schema require line not found in go.mod")
-	schemaMM := sm[1] + "." + sm[2]
+	schemaVer := sm[1]
 
-	binRE := regexp.MustCompile(`^v(\d+)\.(\d+)\.\d+`)
-	bm := binRE.FindStringSubmatch(leylineBinaryVersion)
-	require.NotNil(t, bm, "leylineBinaryVersion %q is not a vMAJOR.MINOR.PATCH tag", leylineBinaryVersion)
-	binMM := bm[1] + "." + bm[2]
+	// schema pin must be >= the binary's wire compat floor …
+	assert.GreaterOrEqual(t, compareSemver(schemaVer, leylineSchemaCompatFloor), 0,
+		"leyline-schema go.mod pin (%s) is below the binary's wire compat floor (%s) — "+
+			"the client can't decode %s's wire (mache-b8af69; bump the schema pin or the floor)",
+		schemaVer, leylineSchemaCompatFloor, leylineBinaryVersion)
 
-	assert.Equal(t, schemaMM, binMM,
-		"leyline-schema go.mod pin (v%s.x) and leylineBinaryVersion const (%s) must agree on major.minor — "+
-			"that's the wire format. Patch may float; a minor/major bump must update BOTH (mache-b8af69; see socket.go's leylineBinaryVersion note).",
-		schemaMM, leylineBinaryVersion)
+	// … and <= the binary version (the client must not expect newer types
+	// than the daemon emits).
+	assert.LessOrEqual(t, compareSemver(schemaVer, leylineBinaryVersion), 0,
+		"leyline-schema go.mod pin (%s) is newer than the pinned binary (%s) — "+
+			"the client expects wire types the daemon may not emit (mache-b8af69)",
+		schemaVer, leylineBinaryVersion)
+}
+
+// schemaInBinaryRange is the pure predicate the parity gate asserts: a schema
+// client version is compatible iff floor <= schema <= binary. Extracted so the
+// boundary semantics are pinned with synthetic values, independent of the live
+// go.mod pin and consts.
+func schemaInBinaryRange(schema, floor, binary string) bool {
+	return compareSemver(schema, floor) >= 0 && compareSemver(schema, binary) <= 0
+}
+
+func TestSchemaInBinaryRange_Boundaries(t *testing.T) {
+	const floor, binary = "v0.6.0", "v0.8.0"
+	cases := []struct {
+		schema string
+		want   bool
+		why    string
+	}{
+		{"v0.7.1", true, "the real v0.8.0 case: wire unchanged, schema lags the binary minor"},
+		{"v0.6.0", true, "exactly at the floor is compatible"},
+		{"v0.8.0", true, "exactly at the binary is compatible"},
+		{"v0.5.9", false, "below the floor: wire incompatible"},
+		{"v0.8.1", false, "above the binary: client expects types the daemon may not emit"},
+	}
+	for _, c := range cases {
+		assert.Equalf(t, c.want, schemaInBinaryRange(c.schema, floor, binary),
+			"schema=%s floor=%s binary=%s — %s", c.schema, floor, binary, c.why)
+	}
 }
 
 // repoRoot walks up from the test's working directory to the module root
diff --git a/internal/writeback/validate.go b/internal/writeback/validate.go
index 19d85d0..3b06d1f 100644
--- a/internal/writeback/validate.go
+++ b/internal/writeback/validate.go
@@ -9,14 +9,15 @@ package writeback
 // see that function's doc for the latency profile (sub-ms with a live daemon,
 // a one-off spawn cost on the first write otherwise).
 //
-// Language coverage CHANGED with the migration: the daemon validates the
-// extension keys in leylineValidateLangs below, and HCL/Terraform validates
-// IN-PROCESS via hclsyntax (hclwrite.Format is a token formatter, NOT a
-// validator — it mangles broken input, which is why the in-process check
-// exists). Every other extension the old in-process grammar set covered
-// (.sql/.yaml/.md/.toml/.json plus the C-family/JVM/scripting set) passes
-// through UNVALIDATED — same contract as an unknown extension — until
-// leyline grows the grammars (ley-line-open-e5addb).
+// Language coverage: since ley-line-open v0.8.0 the daemon validates EVERY
+// mache registry language except cue (no tree-sitter-0.26 cue grammar), so
+// daemonValidates gates on "recognized source extension, not cue, not HCL".
+// HCL/Terraform validates IN-PROCESS via hclsyntax (hclwrite.Format is a
+// token formatter, NOT a validator — it mangles broken input; the daemon
+// also validates HCL now, but the in-process path is faster and needs no
+// daemon). Only cue and unrecognized extensions pass through unvalidated.
+// The daemon identifies the language from the path, so mache keeps no
+// per-extension language-id map (the old one missed .cc/.cxx/.mjs aliases).
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/hashicorp/hcl/v2"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/hcl/v2/hclsyntax"
 
+	"github.com/agentic-research/mache/internal/lang"
 	"github.com/agentic-research/mache/internal/leyline"
 )
 
@@ -41,39 +43,30 @@ func (e *ValidationError) Error() string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d:%d: %s", e.FilePath, e.Line+1, e.Column+1, e.Message)
 }
 
-// leylineValidateLangs is the set of extension keys the pinned leyline
-// daemon's validate op accepts (ley-line-open rs/ll-open/fs/src/validate.rs
-// language_for_extension). The key doubles as the wire `language` value.
-var leylineValidateLangs = map[string]bool{
-	"go":  true,
-	"py":  true,
-	"js":  true,
-	"ts":  true,
-	"tsx": true,
-	"rs":  true,
-	"ex":  true,
-	"exs": true,
-}
-
-// langKeyForPath maps a file path to the leyline validate language key, or ""
-// when the extension is not validated (pass-through).
-func langKeyForPath(filePath string) string {
-	ext := strings.TrimPrefix(strings.ToLower(filepath.Ext(filePath)), ".")
-	if leylineValidateLangs[ext] {
-		return ext
+// daemonValidates reports whether filePath is syntax-validated by the leyline
+// daemon (as opposed to in-process HCL, or pass-through). Since ley-line-open
+// v0.8.0 the daemon validates every registry language EXCEPT cue (no
+// tree-sitter-0.26 cue grammar exists), so the gate is "recognized source
+// extension, not cue, not HCL" — the language itself is identified by the
+// daemon from the path, so mache never maintains a per-extension language-id
+// map (the old map missed C++'s .cc/.cxx/.hpp aliases, JS's .mjs, etc.).
+func daemonValidates(filePath string) bool {
+	l := lang.ForPath(filePath)
+	if l == nil {
+		return false // unrecognized extension → pass through
+	}
+	if l.Name == "cue" {
+		return false // no tree-sitter-0.26 cue grammar; daemon rejects it
 	}
-	return ""
+	return !isHCLPath(filePath) // HCL validates in-process (below)
 }
 
 // SupportedPath reports whether filePath's extension is syntax-validated on
-// write-back — by the leyline daemon (Go/Python/JS/TS/TSX/Rust/Elixir) or
-// in-process (HCL/Terraform via hclsyntax). Everything else — including
-// .sql/.yaml/.md/.toml/.json and the C-family/JVM/scripting extensions the
-// old in-process grammar set covered — passes through UNVALIDATED and
-// splices as written; there is no structural check for those until leyline
-// grows the grammars.
+// write-back — by the leyline daemon (every registry language except cue,
+// since ley-line-open v0.8.0) or in-process (HCL/Terraform via hclsyntax).
+// Only cue and unrecognized extensions pass through unvalidated.
 func SupportedPath(filePath string) bool {
-	return isHCLPath(filePath) || langKeyForPath(filePath) != ""
+	return isHCLPath(filePath) || daemonValidates(filePath)
 }
 
 // Validate checks content for syntax errors via the leyline daemon and
@@ -111,13 +104,15 @@ func validateRemote(content []byte, filePath string, wantAST bool) (*leyline.AST
 	if isHCLPath(filePath) {
 		return nil, validateHCL(content, filePath)
 	}
-	key := langKeyForPath(filePath)
-	if key == "" {
-		return nil, nil // not validated — pass through
+	if !daemonValidates(filePath) {
+		return nil, nil // cue / unrecognized extension — pass through
 	}
-	emit := wantAST && key == "go"
+	// emit_ast is Go-only (the sole language mache has AST lint rules for).
+	// language="" → the daemon infers it from the path, which handles every
+	// extension alias (.cc/.cxx/.mjs/...) without a per-extension map.
+	emit := wantAST && lang.ForPath(filePath).Name == "go"
 
-	res, err := leyline.ValidateContent(content, key, filePath, emit)
+	res, err := leyline.ValidateContent(content, "", filePath, emit)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("validate %s: %w", filePath, err)
 	}
@@ -202,11 +197,10 @@ func ASTErrors(content []byte, filePath string) []ValidationError {
 	if isHCLPath(filePath) {
 		return hclErrors(content, filePath)
 	}
-	key := langKeyForPath(filePath)
-	if key == "" {
+	if !daemonValidates(filePath) {
 		return nil
 	}
-	res, err := leyline.ValidateContent(content, key, filePath, false)
+	res, err := leyline.ValidateContent(content, "", filePath, false)
 	if err != nil || res.OK {
 		return nil
 	}
diff --git a/internal/writeback/validate_test.go b/internal/writeback/validate_test.go
index 1cb1e1b..938cf26 100644
--- a/internal/writeback/validate_test.go
+++ b/internal/writeback/validate_test.go
@@ -55,8 +55,10 @@ func TestValidate_ValidGo_FakeDaemon(t *testing.T) {
 
 	require.NotNil(t, gotReq, "daemon must be consulted for .go content")
 	assert.Equal(t, "validate", gotReq["op"])
-	assert.Equal(t, "go", gotReq["language"], "language key must be sent (it wins over path)")
-	assert.Equal(t, "test.go", gotReq["path"])
+	assert.Equal(t, "test.go", gotReq["path"],
+		"path drives the daemon's language inference (no per-extension language-id map)")
+	_, hasLang := gotReq["language"]
+	assert.False(t, hasLang, "language must be omitted — the daemon infers it from the path")
 	assert.Equal(t, "package main\n", gotReq["content"])
 	_, hasEmit := gotReq["emit_ast"]
 	assert.False(t, hasEmit, "plain Validate must not request emit_ast")
@@ -99,7 +101,8 @@ func TestValidate_DaemonWithoutErrorsKey_IsHardError(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Error(t, err)
 	var ve *ValidationError
 	assert.False(t, errors.As(err, &ve), "daemon-too-old must not be a ValidationError")
-	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "v0.7.8")
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "errors", "must name the missing errors field")
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "daemon too old", "must diagnose the daemon as too old")
 }
 
 func TestValidate_DaemonErrorEnvelope_IsHardError(t *testing.T) {
@@ -188,7 +191,8 @@ func TestValidateWithAST_EmitRequestedButMissing_IsHardError(t *testing.T) {
 
 	_, err := ValidateWithAST([]byte("package main\n"), "test.go")
 	require.Error(t, err)
-	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "v0.7.8")
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "ast", "must name the missing AST payload")
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "daemon too old", "must diagnose the daemon as too old")
 }
 
 func TestValidateWithAST_NonGoValidatedLanguage_NoEmit(t *testing.T) {
@@ -207,13 +211,19 @@ func TestValidateWithAST_NonGoValidatedLanguage_NoEmit(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Nil(t, ast)
 	require.NotNil(t, gotReq)
 	_, hasEmit := gotReq["emit_ast"]
-	assert.False(t, hasEmit)
-	assert.Equal(t, "py", gotReq["language"])
+	assert.False(t, hasEmit, "non-Go validated language must not request emit_ast")
+	assert.Equal(t, "test.py", gotReq["path"])
+	_, hasLang := gotReq["language"]
+	assert.False(t, hasLang, "language inferred from path")
 }
 
 func TestValidateWithAST_PassThroughExtension_NilNil(t *testing.T) {
+	// .xyz is not a recognized source extension → pass through, daemon
+	// never contacted (dead socket would error if dialed). Note .md/.sql/
+	// .yaml are VALIDATED since v0.8.0 — only cue + unknown extensions
+	// pass through now.
 	useDeadSocket(t)
-	ast, err := ValidateWithAST([]byte("whatever"), "notes.md")
+	ast, err := ValidateWithAST([]byte("whatever"), "notes.xyz")
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.Nil(t, ast)
 }
@@ -273,11 +283,13 @@ func TestSupportedPath(t *testing.T) {
 		{"MAIN.GO", true},  // extension matching is case-insensitive
 		{"infra.tf", true}, // HCL validates in-process via hclsyntax
 		{"mod.hcl", true},
-		{"conf.yaml", false},
-		{"query.sql", false},
-		{"README.md", false},
-		{"data.json", false},
-		{"no_extension", false},
+		{"conf.yaml", true}, // v0.8.0: daemon validates all registry langs
+		{"query.sql", true}, // except cue
+		{"README.md", true},
+		{"data.json", false},    // .json has no tree-sitter Language (data, not source)
+		{"foo.cue", false},      // the ONE unvalidated registry language
+		{"no_extension", false}, // unrecognized → pass through
+		{"pic.png", false},
 	}
 	for _, tc := range tests {
 		t.Run(tc.path, func(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/validate/validate.go b/validate/validate.go
index 3192d6d..f66bbc2 100644
--- a/validate/validate.go
+++ b/validate/validate.go
@@ -2,16 +2,14 @@
 //
 // This is the public API for mache's AST validation. Since mache-73b885 it is
 // backed by the pinned leyline daemon's `validate` op (ley-line-open >=
-// v0.7.8) instead of in-process tree-sitter, and supports Go, Python,
-// JavaScript, TypeScript/TSX, Rust, and Elixir; HCL/Terraform validates
-// in-process via hclsyntax. EVERY other extension passes through with no
-// error — including .sql/.yaml/.md/.toml/.json AND the ~25 further
-// extensions the old in-process grammar set covered (.c/.cpp/.java/.rb/
-// .php/.kt/.lua/.sh/...). Content in those languages splices as written,
-// with no structural check, until leyline grows the grammars. A leyline
-// daemon is acquired lazily on first use (see internal/leyline
-// ValidateContent for the latency profile); daemon-acquisition failures
-// surface as ordinary errors, never as false "valid" results.
+// v0.8.0) instead of in-process tree-sitter. As of v0.8.0 the daemon
+// validates EVERY mache registry language except CUE (no tree-sitter-0.26
+// grammar exists); HCL/Terraform validates in-process via hclsyntax (a fast,
+// offline path — the daemon covers it too). Only .cue and unrecognized
+// extensions pass through with no error. A leyline daemon is acquired lazily
+// on first use (see internal/leyline ValidateContent for the latency
+// profile); daemon-acquisition failures surface as ordinary errors, never as
+// false "valid" results.
 //
 // Usage:
 //
diff --git a/validate/validate_test.go b/validate/validate_test.go
index 5f1bfc0..c0774b3 100644
--- a/validate/validate_test.go
+++ b/validate/validate_test.go
@@ -129,9 +129,10 @@ func TestContentErrors_BrokenHCLPopulatesSlice(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestSupportedExtension(t *testing.T) {
-	// Since mache-73b885 the supported set is the leyline daemon's validate
-	// language set — .tf/.hcl, .sql, .yaml, .md, .toml (covered by the old
-	// in-process grammar set) are now pass-through, .ex/.exs are new.
+	// Since ley-line-open v0.8.0 the daemon validates every mache registry
+	// language except cue; HCL/Terraform validates in-process. Only cue,
+	// .json (data, no tree-sitter Language), and unrecognized extensions
+	// pass through.
 	tests := []struct {
 		path string
 		want bool
@@ -142,9 +143,13 @@ func TestSupportedExtension(t *testing.T) {
 		{"comp.tsx", true},
 		{"lib.rs", true},
 		{"app.ex", true},
-		{"infra.tf", true},   // HCL validates in-process via hclsyntax (mache-73b885)
-		{"README.md", false}, // was true pre-mache-73b885
-		{"data.json", false},
+		{"infra.tf", true},  // HCL validates in-process via hclsyntax
+		{"README.md", true}, // v0.8.0: markdown validated
+		{"query.sql", true},
+		{"conf.yaml", true},
+		{"Main.java", true},  // C-family/JVM now validated too
+		{"foo.cue", false},   // the ONE unvalidated registry language
+		{"data.json", false}, // data, not a tree-sitter language
 		{"no_extension", false},
 	}
 	for _, tc := range tests {