diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 4c2c07f..90c4dfa 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -7,11 +7,98 @@ on:
     branches: [ main, dev ]
 
 jobs:
-  check-repo:
+  build-test-smoke:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        include:
+          - name: debug-fast
+            hypericum_paramset: debug
+            kryzhovnik_paramset: debug
+          - name: baseline-medium
+            hypericum_paramset: m_128_20
+            kryzhovnik_paramset: medium
+    timeout-minutes: 25
     steps:
       - name: Checkout repository with submodules
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           submodules: recursive
 
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: |
+          sudo apt-get update
+          sudo apt-get install -y \
+            build-essential \
+            cmake \
+            pkg-config \
+            libssl-dev \
+            libcppunit-dev
+
+      - name: Configure (${{ matrix.name }})
+        run: |
+          cmake -S . -B build-${{ matrix.name }} \
+            -DHYPERICUM_PARAMSET=${{ matrix.hypericum_paramset }} \
+            -DKRYZHOVNIK_PARAMSET=${{ matrix.kryzhovnik_paramset }}
+
+      - name: Build (${{ matrix.name }})
+        run: |
+          cmake --build build-${{ matrix.name }} --parallel
+
+      - name: CTest core checks (${{ matrix.name }})
+        run: |
+          ctest --test-dir build-${{ matrix.name }} \
+            --output-on-failure \
+            -R 'kryzhovnik|adapters_smoke|merkletree_test'
+
+      - name: Benchmark smoke (${{ matrix.name }})
+        run: |
+          ./build-${{ matrix.name }}/bench/bench_seq \
+            --algo hypericum \
+            --params ${{ matrix.hypericum_paramset }} \
+            --batch-size 1 \
+            --iters 1 \
+            --verify 1 \
+            --out-csv /tmp/h_${{ matrix.name }}.csv \
+            --out-json /tmp/h_${{ matrix.name }}.json
+
+          ./build-${{ matrix.name }}/bench/bench_seq \
+            --algo shipovnik \
+            --params default \
+            --batch-size 1 \
+            --iters 1 \
+            --verify 1 \
+            --out-csv /tmp/s_${{ matrix.name }}.csv \
+            --out-json /tmp/s_${{ matrix.name }}.json
+
+          ./build-${{ matrix.name }}/bench/bench_seq \
+            --algo kryzhovnik \
+            --params ${{ matrix.kryzhovnik_paramset }} \
+            --batch-size 1 \
+            --iters 1 \
+            --verify 1 \
+            --out-csv /tmp/k_${{ matrix.name }}.csv \
+            --out-json /tmp/k_${{ matrix.name }}.json
+
+  benchmark-script-smoke:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 10
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository with submodules
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          submodules: recursive
+
+      - name: Verify benchmark script CLI and dry-run
+        run: |
+          bash scripts/benchmark.sh --help
+          bash scripts/benchmark.sh \
+            --dry-run \
+            --algo hypericum \
+            --batch-sizes 1 \
+            --iters 1 \
+            --verify 1 \
+            --hypericum-params debug \
+            --kryzhovnik-params debug
+
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 99630c9..1f7ff79 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -95,6 +95,10 @@ cmake -S . -B build \
 cmake --build build --parallel
 ```
 
+Supported Hypericum values: `b_256_64`, `m_256_64`, `b_256_20`, `m_256_20`, `b_128_20`, `m_128_20`, `debug`.
+
+`debug` is an aggressive speed-oriented research profile for benchmarks and diagnostics.
+
 Supported Kryzhovnik values: `small`, `medium`, `large`, `debug`.
 
 `debug` is intended for fast diagnostics and troubleshooting, not security evaluation.
@@ -105,7 +109,7 @@ The benchmark helper script also supports separate flags:
 ./scripts/benchmark.sh \
   --algo kryzhovnik \
   --kryzhovnik-params small \
-  --hypericum-params m_128_20
+  --hypericum-params debug
 ```
 
 Note: Kryzhovnik constants are aligned with `security.sage` for `small/medium/large`. Keep validating against the official specification before production use.
diff --git a/README_ru.md b/README_ru.md
index ecc2cb8..40e75ac 100644
--- a/README_ru.md
+++ b/README_ru.md
@@ -100,6 +100,10 @@ cmake -S . -B build \
 cmake --build build --parallel
 ```
 
+Поддерживаемые значения для Hypericum: `b_256_64`, `m_256_64`, `b_256_20`, `m_256_20`, `b_128_20`, `m_128_20`, `debug`.
+
+`debug` — агрессивный исследовательский профиль, ориентированный на скорость для benchmark/diagnostics.
+
 Поддерживаемые значения для Kryzhovnik: `small`, `medium`, `large`, `debug`.
 
 `debug` предназначен для быстрой диагностики и отладки, а не для оценки стойкости.
@@ -110,7 +114,7 @@ cmake --build build --parallel
 ./scripts/benchmark.sh \
   --algo kryzhovnik \
   --kryzhovnik-params small \
-  --hypericum-params m_128_20
+  --hypericum-params debug
 ```
 
 Примечание: константы Kryzhovnik для `small/medium/large` синхронизированы со скриптом `security.sage`; перед production-использованием их нужно дополнительно верифицировать по официальной спецификации.
diff --git a/scripts/benchmark.sh b/scripts/benchmark.sh
index 33e2355..9487162 100755
--- a/scripts/benchmark.sh
+++ b/scripts/benchmark.sh
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ ROOT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)"
 BUILD_DIR="${ROOT_DIR}/build"
 OUTPUT_DIR="${ROOT_DIR}/results/bench-$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)"
 ALGOS="all"
-HYPERICUM_PARAMS="m_128_20"
-KRYZHOVNIK_PARAMS="medium"
+HYPERICUM_PARAMS="debug"
+KRYZHOVNIK_PARAMS="debug"
 BATCH_SIZES="1,2,4,8,16,32,64"
 ITERS=100
 MSG_SIZE=1024
@@ -19,10 +19,10 @@ usage() {
     cat <<EOF
 Usage: ./scripts/benchmark.sh [options]
     --algo <all|shipovnik|hypericum|kryzhovnik>
-    --hypericum-params <b_256_64|m_256_64|...> (default: m_128_20)
-    --kryzhovnik-params <small|medium|large|debug>   (default: medium)
+    --hypericum-params <b_256_64|m_256_64|b_256_20|m_256_20|b_128_20|m_128_20|debug> (default: debug)
+    --kryzhovnik-params <small|medium|large|debug>   (default: debug)
     --params <value>                           (legacy: sets hypericum;
-                                               also sets kryzhovnik when value is small|medium|large)
+                                               also sets kryzhovnik when value is small|medium|large|debug)
         
   --batch-sizes <comma-separated list>   (default: 1,2,4,8,16,32,64)
   --iters <n>                             (default: 100)
diff --git a/third_party/CMakeLists.txt b/third_party/CMakeLists.txt
index 9a550ec..85714cf 100644
--- a/third_party/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/third_party/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -44,16 +44,21 @@ set(HYPERICUM_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/hypericum)
 if(TARGET streebog AND EXISTS "${HYPERICUM_DIR}/hypericum.c")
     set(HYPERICUM_PARAMSET "b_256_64" CACHE STRING "Select a hypericum parameter set")
     set_property(CACHE HYPERICUM_PARAMSET PROPERTY STRINGS
-        "b_256_64" "m_256_64" "b_256_20" "m_256_20" "b_128_20" "m_128_20")
+        "b_256_64" "m_256_64" "b_256_20" "m_256_20" "b_128_20" "m_128_20" "debug")
     if(NOT HYPERICUM_PARAMSET)
         set(HYPERICUM_PARAMSET "b_256_64")
     endif()
     message(STATUS "Using Hypericum parameter set ${HYPERICUM_PARAMSET}")
 
-    # Generate current-paramset.h from .h.in using HYPERICUM_PARAMSET as PARAMSET
-    set(PARAMSET ${HYPERICUM_PARAMSET})
+    if(HYPERICUM_PARAMSET STREQUAL "debug")
+        set(HYPERICUM_PARAMSET_INCLUDE "paramsets/hypericum/params_debug.h")
+    else()
+        set(HYPERICUM_PARAMSET_INCLUDE "paramsets/params_${HYPERICUM_PARAMSET}.h")
+    endif()
+
+    # Generate current-paramset.h in build tree from superproject template.
     configure_file(
-        ${HYPERICUM_DIR}/current-paramset.h.in
+        ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/hypericum-current-paramset.h.in
         ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/hypericum/current-paramset.h
     )
 
@@ -79,6 +84,7 @@ if(TARGET streebog AND EXISTS "${HYPERICUM_DIR}/hypericum.c")
         PUBLIC
             $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${HYPERICUM_DIR}/include>
             $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/hypericum>
+            $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}>
         PRIVATE
             ${HYPERICUM_DIR}
             ${STREEBOG_DIR}
diff --git a/third_party/hypericum-current-paramset.h.in b/third_party/hypericum-current-paramset.h.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d52da51
--- /dev/null
+++ b/third_party/hypericum-current-paramset.h.in
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+/*
+   Superproject-generated Hypericum paramset selector.
+   This file allows local paramset overrides without patching hypericum submodule.
+*/
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "@HYPERICUM_PARAMSET_INCLUDE@"
diff --git a/third_party/paramsets/hypericum/params_debug.h b/third_party/paramsets/hypericum/params_debug.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..93c9a74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/third_party/paramsets/hypericum/params_debug.h
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+/*
+   This product is distributed under 2-term BSD-license terms
+
+   Copyright (c) 2023, QApp. All rights reserved.
+
+   Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+   modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+
+   1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this
+   list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+   2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
+   this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation
+   and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+
+   THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND
+   ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
+   WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
+   DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR
+   ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
+   (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
+   LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND
+   ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+   (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS
+   SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+*/
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+
+/* Hypericum debug profile: fast diagnostics only. */
+/* Height of the hypertree. */
+#define HYP_H 10
+/* Hypertree layers count */
+#define HYP_D 2
+/* FORS+C tree height */
+#define HYP_B 5
+/* FORS+C trees count plus one */
+#define HYP_K 8
+
+/*
+ * checks whether bits in interval [(k - 1) * b; k * b) of digest are all 0
+ * this variant is generic and works for any HYP_B/HYP_K combination.
+ */
+static uint8_t md_suffix_nonzero(const uint8_t* digest)
+{
+    uint16_t i;
+    uint16_t start = (uint16_t)((HYP_K - 1) * HYP_B);
+    uint8_t acc = 0;
+
+    for (i = 0; i < HYP_B; ++i) {
+        uint16_t bit_index = (uint16_t)(start + i);
+        uint16_t byte_index = (uint16_t)(bit_index >> 3);
+        uint8_t bit_in_byte = (uint8_t)(7U - (bit_index & 7U));
+        acc |= (uint8_t)(digest[byte_index] & (uint8_t)(1U << bit_in_byte));
+    }
+
+    return acc;
+}