diff --git a/checks/env_docs_gate.py b/checks/env_docs_gate.py
index 96ccb27..769a57c 100755
--- a/checks/env_docs_gate.py
+++ b/checks/env_docs_gate.py
@@ -80,11 +80,11 @@
 def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description=(__doc__ or "").partition("\n")[0])
     parser.parse_args(argv)
-    if not DOC.exists():
+    try:
+        doc_text = DOC.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    except FileNotFoundError:
         print(f"ERROR: {DOC.name} does not exist", file=sys.stderr)
         return 1
-
-    doc_text = DOC.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
     documented_rows = set(DOC_ROW.findall(doc_text))
     documented_any = documented_rows | set(DOC_INLINE.findall(doc_text))
 
@@ -95,10 +95,11 @@ def note(name: str, where: str) -> None:
             declared.setdefault(name, set()).add(where)
 
     for path in TEMPLATES:
-        if not path.exists():
+        try:
+            text = path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        except FileNotFoundError:
             print(f"ERROR: template {path} is missing", file=sys.stderr)
             return 1
-        text = path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
         rel = path.relative_to(REPO).as_posix()
         for name in DECL.findall(text):
             note(name, rel)
diff --git a/checks/media_redactions_gate.py b/checks/media_redactions_gate.py
index a677993..111aefe 100755
--- a/checks/media_redactions_gate.py
+++ b/checks/media_redactions_gate.py
@@ -29,10 +29,12 @@ def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
     files = json.loads(MANIFEST.read_text())["files"]
     failures = []
     for name, entry in files.items():
-        path = REPO / name
-        if not path.is_file():
+        try:
+            data = (REPO / name).read_bytes()
+        except FileNotFoundError:
             failures.append(f"{name}: missing")
-        elif hashlib.sha256(path.read_bytes()).hexdigest() != entry.get("result"):
+            continue
+        if hashlib.sha256(data).hexdigest() != entry.get("result"):
             failures.append(f"{name}: not its redacted result")
         elif declared(entry) != entry.get("declared"):
             failures.append(
diff --git a/checks/text_pii_gate.py b/checks/text_pii_gate.py
index b2e35f7..4e18020 100755
--- a/checks/text_pii_gate.py
+++ b/checks/text_pii_gate.py
@@ -236,10 +236,11 @@ def scan_line(text: str) -> Iterator[tuple[str, str]]:
 
 def excluded_prefixes(root: pathlib.Path) -> tuple[str, ...]:
     """The archive boundary, read the way the prose gate reads it."""
-    path = root / EXCLUDES
-    if not path.is_file():
+    try:
+        text = (root / EXCLUDES).read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    except FileNotFoundError:
         return ()
-    lines = (line.strip() for line in path.read_text(encoding="utf-8").splitlines())
+    lines = (line.strip() for line in text.splitlines())
     return tuple(line for line in lines if line and not line.startswith("#"))
 
 
@@ -270,9 +271,11 @@ def findings(root: pathlib.Path) -> list[Finding]:
 
 def load_allow(path: pathlib.Path) -> list[dict]:
     """The declared values, each checked for a known class, one matcher, and a reason."""
-    if not path.is_file():
+    try:
+        text = path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    except FileNotFoundError:
         return []
-    data = json.loads(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+    data = json.loads(text)
     entries = data.get("allow") if isinstance(data, dict) else None
     if not isinstance(entries, list):
         raise SystemExit(f"{path}: needs an object with an allow list")
diff --git a/checks/url_parity_gate.py b/checks/url_parity_gate.py
index a55d74c..f03bdfc 100755
--- a/checks/url_parity_gate.py
+++ b/checks/url_parity_gate.py
@@ -121,7 +121,11 @@ def check_robots(public):
     happens, and it catches a sitemap advertised but not built.
     """
     robots = public / "robots.txt"
-    if not robots.is_file():
+    # This uses errors="replace" rather than strict, or invalid UTF-8 raises out of the whole parity run and a gate that exists to report a bad robots.txt stack-traces on one instead.
+    # A committed static/robots.txt is the file most likely to carry it, and it is the case this check is for.
+    try:
+        text = robots.read_text(encoding="utf-8", errors="replace")
+    except FileNotFoundError:
         # Naming one cause as the cause sends a reader to check a setting that is already correct.
         # The likely one is enableRobotsTXT, and a partial build or the wrong output directory reach the same state, which is the same reason the orphan messages name both of their causes.
         print("robots : missing")
@@ -133,9 +137,6 @@ def check_robots(public):
         ]
 
     origin = site_origin(public)
-    # This uses errors="replace" rather than strict, or invalid UTF-8 raises out of the whole parity run and a gate that exists to report a bad robots.txt stack-traces on one instead.
-    # A committed static/robots.txt is the file most likely to carry it, and it is the case this check is for.
-    text = robots.read_text(encoding="utf-8", errors="replace")
     advertised = re.findall(r"(?mi)^\s*Sitemap:\s*(\S+)\s*$", text)
     if not advertised:
         print("robots : built, no Sitemap line")
@@ -170,9 +171,10 @@ def site_origin(public):
     one environment's output against another's and silently match nothing.
     """
     home = public / "index.html"
-    if not home.is_file():
+    try:
+        text = home.read_text(encoding="utf-8", errors="ignore")
+    except FileNotFoundError:
         sys.exit(f"FAIL: {home} is missing - run hugo first")
-    text = home.read_text(encoding="utf-8", errors="ignore")
     found = re.search(
         r'rel=["\']?canonical["\']?\s+href=["\']?(https?://[^/"\'>\s]+)', text
     )