diff --git a/internal/sddstatus/status.go b/internal/sddstatus/status.go
index 41308539..1580deea 100644
--- a/internal/sddstatus/status.go
+++ b/internal/sddstatus/status.go
@@ -614,7 +614,10 @@ func reportLineHasBlocker(line string) bool {
 	if line == "" {
 		return false
 	}
-	if reportPassNegationPattern.MatchString(line) || reportPendingPattern.MatchString(line) {
+	if reportPassNegationPattern.MatchString(line) {
+		return true
+	}
+	if reportPendingPattern.MatchString(line) && !reportLineHasPassSignal(line) {
 		return true
 	}
 	if reportCriticalGlyphStatusPattern.MatchString(line) {
@@ -647,6 +650,9 @@ func reportLineHasPassSignal(line string) bool {
 	if line == "" {
 		return false
 	}
+	if strings.Contains(line, "✅") {
+		return true
+	}
 	_, value, hasField := reportField(line)
 	if hasField && reportPassValuePattern.MatchString(stripMarkdownSignal(value)) {
 		return true
diff --git a/internal/sddstatus/status_test.go b/internal/sddstatus/status_test.go
index b6144e42..5c648ae1 100644
--- a/internal/sddstatus/status_test.go
+++ b/internal/sddstatus/status_test.go
@@ -402,6 +402,44 @@ func TestResolveApplyVerifyArchiveGates(t *testing.T) {
 			wantNext:    "verify",
 			wantBlocked: "verify-report.md is not clearly passing.",
 		},
+		{
+			name: "archive ready when verify report has checkmark todo on same line",
+			seed: func(t *testing.T, root string) {
+				changeRoot := seedReadyChange(t, root, "thin", "- [x] 1.1 Work\n")
+				write(t, filepath.Join(changeRoot, "verify-report.md"), "# Verify\nStatus: PASS\n✅ TODO: finish audit\n✅ PENDING: test run\n")
+			},
+			wantApply:   ApplyAllDone,
+			wantApplyD:  DependencyAllDone,
+			wantVerify:  DependencyAllDone,
+			wantArchive: DependencyReady,
+			wantNext:    "archive",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "archive blocked when verify report has standalone todo without glyph",
+			seed: func(t *testing.T, root string) {
+				changeRoot := seedReadyChange(t, root, "thin", "- [x] 1.1 Work\n")
+				write(t, filepath.Join(changeRoot, "verify-report.md"), "# Verify\nStatus: PASS\ntodo: security review\n")
+			},
+			wantApply:   ApplyAllDone,
+			wantApplyD:  DependencyAllDone,
+			wantVerify:  DependencyReady,
+			wantArchive: DependencyBlocked,
+			wantNext:    "verify",
+			wantBlocked: "verify-report.md is not clearly passing.",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "archive blocked when verify report mixes checkmark todo and standalone todo",
+			seed: func(t *testing.T, root string) {
+				changeRoot := seedReadyChange(t, root, "thin", "- [x] 1.1 Work\n")
+				write(t, filepath.Join(changeRoot, "verify-report.md"), "# Verify\nStatus: PASS\n✅ TODO: finish audit\ntodo: security review\n")
+			},
+			wantApply:   ApplyAllDone,
+			wantApplyD:  DependencyAllDone,
+			wantVerify:  DependencyReady,
+			wantArchive: DependencyBlocked,
+			wantNext:    "verify",
+			wantBlocked: "verify-report.md is not clearly passing.",
+		},
 		{
 			name: "archive blocked when verify report says status not passed",
 			seed: func(t *testing.T, root string) {