diff --git a/.claude/skills/openstack-cloud-ops/SKILL.md b/.claude/skills/openstack-cloud-ops/SKILL.md
index 669e0c5..0cba4be 100644
--- a/.claude/skills/openstack-cloud-ops/SKILL.md
+++ b/.claude/skills/openstack-cloud-ops/SKILL.md
@@ -129,10 +129,12 @@
 available, and treat every OpenTofu step as reviewed-but-unexercised. **At STAGE
 CLOSE** (every close-out gate MET, gauntlet ALL GREEN, repo-lint 0-fail): MERGE the
 stage branch to `main` (merge commit, NOT squash; operator-gated) as PART of the
-stage's definition-of-done, then RETIRE the branch (local + remote); the next stage
-branches off post-merge `main`. `main` is trunk-of-record only for stages that have
-merged (precedent: Stage 2 -> PR #1 `e468d2e`, 2026-07-15). See
-`docs/dc-dc-deployment-workflow.md` "Cross-cutting discipline".
+stage's definition-of-done, then RETIRE the branch (local + remote). **ALSO sweep THIS
+skill in the same close:** fold in any new INVARIANT the stage established and reconcile
+any divergence from repo HEAD (facts delegate to the repo and go stale; invariants live
+here and must be kept current). The next stage branches off post-merge `main`. `main` is
+trunk-of-record only for stages that have merged (precedent: Stage 2 -> PR #1 `e468d2e`,
+2026-07-15). See `docs/dc-dc-deployment-workflow.md` "Cross-cutting discipline".
 
 **Incident loop:** capture the verbatim error -> `bash scripts/cloud-assert.sh`
 (the service-own-verdict sweep localizes the layer) -> appendix-A by exact
diff --git a/docs/dc-dc-deployment-workflow.md b/docs/dc-dc-deployment-workflow.md
index 443a9ef..25e6971 100644
--- a/docs/dc-dc-deployment-workflow.md
+++ b/docs/dc-dc-deployment-workflow.md
@@ -246,10 +246,13 @@
   close-out gate bullet is MET, the gauntlet is ALL GREEN and repo-lint is 0-fail,
   the branch is merged to `main` via a PR with a **merge commit** (NOT squash --
   preserve the per-item revertable history + changelogs), then the merged branch is
-  RETIRED (local + remote). The merge is an operator-gated action (present it, do not
-  run it unasked). `main` is trunk-of-record only for stages that have merged; the
-  next stage branches off the post-merge `main`. Precedent: Stage 2 -> PR #1
-  (`e468d2e`), 2026-07-15.
+  RETIRED (local + remote). **The stage close ALSO SWEEPS THE OPERATING SKILL**
+  (`.claude/skills/openstack-cloud-ops/`): fold in any new INVARIANT the stage
+  established and reconcile any divergence from repo HEAD, in the same close (facts
+  delegate to the repo and go stale; discipline/invariants live in the skill and must
+  be kept current). The merge is an operator-gated action (present it, do not run it
+  unasked). `main` is trunk-of-record only for stages that have merged; the next stage
+  branches off the post-merge `main`. Precedent: Stage 2 -> PR #1 (`e468d2e`), 2026-07-15.
 - **Before assigning a new D-/DOCFIX-/BUNDLEFIX-NNN:** `bash
   scripts/ledger-scan.sh` for next-free (it is the numbering authority, not
   repo-lint's informational count).