diff --git a/internal/receipt/receipt.go b/internal/receipt/receipt.go
index 6954a26..fdf4f40 100644
--- a/internal/receipt/receipt.go
+++ b/internal/receipt/receipt.go
@@ -193,8 +193,10 @@ func sanitizePaths(detail, repoRoot string) string {
 //     by five tests where four pass and one fails does NOT hold, and letting
 //     passing probes outvote a failing one would launder a defect into a
 //     verified row.
-//   - verified: no refutation, and some probe ran and passed; effective tier is
-//     the highest a passing probe conferred.
+//   - verified: no refutation, and some probe ran, passed, and conferred a
+//     tier above T0 (Evidence.Verified enforces the tier floor — a T0 pass
+//     raises nothing); effective tier is the highest a passing probe
+//     conferred.
 //   - unverified: nothing ran that could raise the claim. Remainder.
 func weigh(evs []schema.Evidence) (schema.Status, schema.Tier) {
 	best := schema.T0Unverified
diff --git a/internal/receipt/receipt_test.go b/internal/receipt/receipt_test.go
index 0af1d67..0772992 100644
--- a/internal/receipt/receipt_test.go
+++ b/internal/receipt/receipt_test.go
@@ -96,6 +96,29 @@ func TestINV007_RefutationDominatesVerification(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestT0PassConfersNoVerification: a probe result that ran and passed but
+// confers only T0 raises nothing — T0 IS the unverified tier, so accepting
+// such a pass would mint a verified row whose effective tier means "nothing
+// checked this". The claim stays in the remainder, and the pass does not
+// dilute an honest refutation either.
+func TestT0PassConfersNoVerification(t *testing.T) {
+	claims := []schema.Claim{{ID: "Z1", Shape: schema.ShapeInvariant,
+		ProbeIDs: []string{"noop:x"}}}
+	evidence := [][]schema.Evidence{{
+		{ClaimID: "Z1", ProbeID: "noop:x", Tier: schema.T0Unverified, Ran: true, Passed: true},
+	}}
+	r := Assemble(gitdiff.Change{}, claims, evidence, schema.Coverage{})
+	if r.Results[0].Status != schema.StatusUnverified {
+		t.Fatalf("status = %q, want unverified (a T0 pass confers nothing)", r.Results[0].Status)
+	}
+	if len(r.Remainder) != 1 || r.Remainder[0].Claim.ID != "Z1" {
+		t.Fatalf("claim with only a T0 pass must land in the remainder")
+	}
+	if r.Summary.Verified != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("summary.Verified = %d, want 0", r.Summary.Verified)
+	}
+}
+
 // TestRemainderSectionAlwaysRenders: the text receipt states the remainder even
 // when it is empty, so its absence is a declared result, not an omission.
 func TestRemainderSectionAlwaysRenders(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/schema/schema.go b/schema/schema.go
index 70ee9a1..08698e5 100644
--- a/schema/schema.go
+++ b/schema/schema.go
@@ -192,10 +192,13 @@ type Evidence struct {
 	Binding string `json:"binding,omitempty"`
 }
 
-// Verified reports whether this evidence raises its claim: the probe ran and
-// passed. A probe that ran and FAILED refutes the claim; a probe that did not
-// run says nothing.
-func (e Evidence) Verified() bool { return e.Ran && e.Passed }
+// Verified reports whether this evidence raises its claim: the probe ran,
+// passed, AND confers a tier above T0. A pass at T0 confers nothing — T0 IS
+// the unverified tier, so counting such a pass as verification would mint
+// StatusVerified with an effective tier that means "nothing checked this".
+// A probe that ran and FAILED refutes the claim; a probe that did not run
+// says nothing.
+func (e Evidence) Verified() bool { return e.Ran && e.Passed && e.Tier > T0Unverified }
 
 // Refuted reports whether this evidence refutes its claim: the probe ran and
 // the claim did not hold.
@@ -207,8 +210,9 @@ type Status string
 const (
 	// StatusVerified: at least one probe ran and passed. EffectiveTier > T0.
 	StatusVerified Status = "verified"
-	// StatusRefuted: at least one probe ran and failed, and none passed at a
-	// higher tier. The merge gate should block on refuted claims.
+	// StatusRefuted: at least one probe ran and failed. Refutation dominates
+	// unconditionally — no volume or tier of passing probes outweighs a
+	// failure. The merge gate should block on refuted claims.
 	StatusRefuted Status = "refuted"
 	// StatusUnverified: nothing ran that could raise the claim. Remainder.
 	StatusUnverified Status = "unverified"