diff --git a/sw-block/design/v3-phase-15-g9df-qa-test-instruction.md b/sw-block/design/v3-phase-15-g9df-qa-test-instruction.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bdefe93a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sw-block/design/v3-phase-15-g9df-qa-test-instruction.md
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+# V3 Phase 15 G9D/F QA Test Instruction
+
+Date: 2026-05-02
+Status: QA-verified on `phase-15@eeef486`
+Scope: lifecycle registration, placement planning, verified placement, and authority-boundary guards
+
+## Headline
+
+At `phase-15@eeef486`, G9D/F proves master can discover/register desired volume
+and node inventory, compute and verify placement readiness, but still does not
+grant authority.
+
+## Environment
+
+- Repo: `seaweed_block`
+- Branch: `phase-15`
+- Minimum commit: `eeef486`
+- Fidelity: component/L2 with real package wiring; not m01/M02 hardware
+- Non-claim: no production authority minting, frontend service, or recovery run
+
+## Command
+
+```powershell
+go test ./core/lifecycle ./core/host/master ./core/authority ./cmd/blockmaster ./cmd/blockvolume -count=1
+```
+
+Expected result: all five packages pass. `cmd/blockvolume` can take about two
+minutes because it includes the G8 subprocess failover tests.
+
+## Scenario Checklist
+
+1. Desired volume persists.
+   Backing test: `core/lifecycle/store_test.go::TestFileStore_CreateVolumePersistsAndIsIdempotent`
+
+2. Node inventory persists.
+   Backing test: `core/lifecycle/node_inventory_test.go::TestNodeInventoryStore_RegisterNodePersistsCapacityAndReplicas`
+
+3. Planner produces placement intent.
+   Backing test: `core/lifecycle/reconciler_test.go::TestReconcilePlacement_HappyPathWritesPlacementIntent`
+
+4. Insufficient inventory fails closed.
+   Backing test: `core/lifecycle/reconciler_test.go::TestReconcilePlacement_InsufficientInventoryReportsButDoesNotPersist`
+
+5. Existing replica conflict fails closed.
+   Backing test: `core/lifecycle/reconciler_test.go::TestReconcilePlacement_ExistingReplicaConflictIsReportOnly`
+
+6. Verified placement requires observation.
+   Backing tests: `core/lifecycle/verified_placement_test.go::TestG9F_PlacementIntentWithoutObservation_DoesNotVerify`,
+   `core/host/master/lifecycle_test.go::TestMasterLifecycleSnapshot_PlacementWithoutNodeObservationIsNotVerified`
+
+7. Fresh observation verifies an existing replica.
+   Backing test: `core/host/master/lifecycle_test.go::TestMasterLifecycleSnapshot_ExistingReplicaVerifiesFromObservationStore`
+
+8. Stale observation or missing address fails closed.
+   Backing tests: `core/lifecycle/verified_placement_test.go::TestG9F_PlacementIntentWithStaleObservation_DoesNotVerify`,
+   `core/lifecycle/verified_placement_test.go::TestG9F_FreshObservationMissingControlAddress_DoesNotVerify`
+
+9. No authority side effect.
+   Backing tests: `core/host/master/lifecycle_test.go::TestMasterLifecycleStore_OpensRegistrationStoresWithoutAuthority`,
+   `core/host/master/lifecycle_test.go::TestMasterLifecycleSnapshot_ExistingReplicaVerifiesFromObservationStore`,
+   `core/host/master/lifecycle_test.go::TestMasterLifecycleSnapshot_PlacementWithoutNodeObservationIsNotVerified`
+
+## Non-Claims
+
+- Does not auto-assign a newly created volume.
+- Does not make any blockvolume become primary or replica.
+- Does not start iSCSI, NVMe, or frontend service paths.
+- Does not start recovery, rebuild, or WAL feeding.
+- Does not call the authority publisher or mint epoch / endpoint-version facts.
+
+## Closure Sentence
+
+G9D/F is a verify-only fact-layer checkpoint: product intent and observation can
+produce `VerifiedPlacement`, but `VerifiedPlacement` is still not authority.
diff --git a/sw-block/design/v3-phase-15-g9f-placement-authority-bridge-mini-plan.md b/sw-block/design/v3-phase-15-g9f-placement-authority-bridge-mini-plan.md
index 0d7f36a09..b1664ca0d 100644
--- a/sw-block/design/v3-phase-15-g9f-placement-authority-bridge-mini-plan.md
+++ b/sw-block/design/v3-phase-15-g9f-placement-authority-bridge-mini-plan.md
@@ -1,10 +1,16 @@
 # V3 Phase 15 G9F - Placement Intent to Authority Bridge Mini-Plan
 
 Date: 2026-05-02
-Status: architect draft; code must not start until §1.A is accepted
+Status: §1.A architect-ratified 2026-05-02 for verify-only first slice; implemented and merged at `phase-15@eeef486`
 Branch target: `p15-g9d/volume-lifecycle-intent` or successor branch off `phase-15`
 Scope: first bridge from placement intent facts toward authority publication
 
+§1.A architect-ratified: 2026-05-02. Binding applies only to the verify-only first slice:
+`PlacementIntent + fresh Observation -> VerifiedPlacement`, with no publisher wiring and no
+authority minting. Any follow-up that turns `VerifiedPlacement` into an authority request,
+assignment ask, publisher apply, epoch, or endpoint-version change requires a separate G9F-2
+mini-plan and ratification.
+
 ## 0. Why this needs a mini-plan
 
 G9D-A through G9D-E intentionally stayed on the observation/product-intent side:
@@ -168,4 +174,3 @@ Only after the verify-only bridge is green:
 1. decide whether verified placement becomes input to existing `TopologyController`, a new placement controller, or a publisher directive adapter;
 2. write a separate mini-plan for the authority-minting slice;
 3. add a negative test that observation-only and placement-only each fail, while placement+fresh-observation can request authority.
-