diff --git a/scripts/lib/verify-commands.mjs b/scripts/lib/verify-commands.mjs
index bbe9f7c64a..eaa4a02cfb 100644
--- a/scripts/lib/verify-commands.mjs
+++ b/scripts/lib/verify-commands.mjs
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
+import { importVerifierSource } from "./verifier-source-loader.mjs";
+
 let implementation;
 
 /** Load the development command owner and its canonical process source graph. */
 export async function createVerifierCommands(options = {}) {
-  implementation ??= import("tsx/esm/api").then(({ tsImport }) =>
-    tsImport(
-      new URL("./verifier-command-owner.mts", import.meta.url).href,
-      import.meta.url,
-    ),
+  implementation ??= importVerifierSource(
+    new URL("./verifier-command-owner.mts", import.meta.url).href,
+    import.meta.url,
   );
   const module = await implementation;
   return module.createVerifierCommands(options);
diff --git a/scripts/lib/verify-package-core.mjs b/scripts/lib/verify-package-core.mjs
index eb15c49085..2c5a8977e8 100644
--- a/scripts/lib/verify-package-core.mjs
+++ b/scripts/lib/verify-package-core.mjs
@@ -1,13 +1,10 @@
 import { lstat } from "node:fs/promises";
 import { Ajv2020 } from "ajv/dist/2020.js";
 
-// Only catalog verification needs built MCP contracts; the other helpers work
+// Only catalog verification needs built MCP contracts; path checks work
 // from source without a runtime build.
 const loadMcpVerifierResults = () => import("./mcp-verifier-results.mjs");
 
-/** Parse JSON from a command output string. */
-export const json = (text) => JSON.parse(text);
-
 /** Verify schema validity and that the MCP catalog matches session metadata. */
 export const verifyCompleteToolCatalog = async (client, options) => {
   const { requireMcpLifecycleResult, sortVerifierNames } =
diff --git a/scripts/verify-package-artifact.mjs b/scripts/verify-package-artifact.mjs
index 60583ffd76..ef87ce1105 100644
--- a/scripts/verify-package-artifact.mjs
+++ b/scripts/verify-package-artifact.mjs
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@ import { isDeepStrictEqual } from "node:util";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 import { TextReader, Uint8ArrayWriter, ZipWriter } from "@zip.js/zip.js";
 
-import { json } from "./lib/verify-package-core.mjs";
-
 /** Run artifact and JavaScript application analysis against packaged fixtures. */
 export async function verifyPackageArtifactAndElectron({
   commands,
@@ -37,14 +35,14 @@ const verifyPackagedArtifact = async ({
   const artifactWriter = new ZipWriter(new Uint8ArrayWriter());
   await artifactWriter.add("app/main.js", new TextReader("main();"));
   await writeFile(artifactArchive, await artifactWriter.close());
-  const artifactInspection = json(
+  const artifactInspection = JSON.parse(
     await commands.run(
       cli,
       ["inspect-artifact", artifactArchive, "--json"],
       environment,
     ),
   );
-  const repeatedArtifactInspection = json(
+  const repeatedArtifactInspection = JSON.parse(
     await commands.run(
       cli,
       ["inspect-artifact", artifactArchive, "--json"],
@@ -95,7 +93,7 @@ const verifyPackagedElectronApplication = async ({
     join(applicationRoot, "preload.js"),
     'const { contextBridge, ipcRenderer } = require("electron");\ncontextBridge.exposeInMainWorld("rea", { ping: () => ipcRenderer.invoke("rea:ping") });\n',
   );
-  const applicationAnalysis = json(
+  const applicationAnalysis = JSON.parse(
     await commands.run(
       cli,
       ["analyze-javascript-application", applicationRoot, "--json"],
@@ -110,7 +108,7 @@ const verifyPackagedElectronApplication = async ({
       ?.paired_renderer_transmissions !== 1
   )
     throw new Error("packaged JavaScript application analysis CLI failed");
-  const routedApplicationAnalysis = json(
+  const routedApplicationAnalysis = JSON.parse(
     await commands.run(
       cli,
       ["analyze", applicationRoot, "--json"],
@@ -138,7 +136,7 @@ const verifyPackagedArtifactExtraction = async ({
   );
   if (occurrence?.logical_path === undefined)
     throw new Error("packaged artifact inventory omitted the selected member");
-  const extraction = json(
+  const extraction = JSON.parse(
     await commands.run(
       cli,
       ["extract-artifact", artifactArchive, "--json"],
diff --git a/scripts/verify-package-capabilities.mjs b/scripts/verify-package-capabilities.mjs
index af2375bb43..18dd2f8c1b 100644
--- a/scripts/verify-package-capabilities.mjs
+++ b/scripts/verify-package-capabilities.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import { json } from "./lib/verify-package-core.mjs";
 import {
   expandCapabilitiesOutput,
   expandProviderOutput,
@@ -11,12 +10,14 @@ export async function verifyPackageCapabilitiesAndSearch({
   environment,
 }) {
   const capabilities = expandCapabilitiesOutput(
-    json(await commands.run(cli, ["capabilities", "--json"], environment)),
+    JSON.parse(
+      await commands.run(cli, ["capabilities", "--json"], environment),
+    ),
   );
   if (!Array.isArray(capabilities.capabilities))
     throw new Error("packaged capabilities CLI failed");
   const providers = expandProviderOutput(
-    json(await commands.run(cli, ["providers", "--json"], environment)),
+    JSON.parse(await commands.run(cli, ["providers", "--json"], environment)),
   );
   const candidates = providers.analysis_provider_candidates;
   if (
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@ export async function verifyPackageCapabilitiesAndSearch({
   )
     throw new Error("packaged providers CLI failed");
   if (process.platform !== "linux") {
-    const searchResult = json(
+    const searchResult = JSON.parse(
       await commands.run(
         cli,
         [
diff --git a/scripts/verify-package-discovery.mjs b/scripts/verify-package-discovery.mjs
index 65a119da92..8b6748da29 100644
--- a/scripts/verify-package-discovery.mjs
+++ b/scripts/verify-package-discovery.mjs
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-import { json } from "./lib/verify-package-core.mjs";
-
 const REQUIRED_HELP_COMMANDS = [
   "setup",
   "update",
@@ -87,7 +85,7 @@ export async function verifyPackageDiscovery({ commands, cli, environment }) {
     ["doctor", "--json"],
     environment,
   );
-  const doctor = json(doctorExecution.stdout);
+  const doctor = JSON.parse(doctorExecution.stdout);
   const { supportedSetupHost, hopperReadinessRequired, hopperSetupSupported } =
     packageSetupSupport(doctor.checks, {
       platform: process.platform,
diff --git a/scripts/verify-package-evidence.mjs b/scripts/verify-package-evidence.mjs
index 5f0630bae4..f513632e79 100644
--- a/scripts/verify-package-evidence.mjs
+++ b/scripts/verify-package-evidence.mjs
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ import { readFile, writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 
 import { createEvidence } from "../dist/domain/evidence.js";
-import { json } from "./lib/verify-package-core.mjs";
 
 /** Round-trip historical reference import and evidence bundles. */
 export async function verifyPackageEvidence({
@@ -12,7 +11,7 @@ export async function verifyPackageEvidence({
   referenceRoot,
   environment,
 }) {
-  const referenceImport = json(
+  const referenceImport = JSON.parse(
     await commands.run(
       cli,
       ["import-reference-source", referenceRoot, "--json"],
@@ -39,21 +38,21 @@ export async function verifyPackageEvidence({
   const sourceBundlePath = join(evidenceRoot, "source.json");
   const canonicalBundlePath = join(evidenceRoot, "canonical.json");
   await writeFile(sourceBundlePath, serializeEvidenceBundle(sourceBundle));
-  const importedBundle = json(
+  const importedBundle = JSON.parse(
     await commands.run(
       cli,
       ["evidence-import", sourceBundlePath, "--json"],
       environment,
     ),
   );
-  const exportedBundle = json(
+  const exportedBundle = JSON.parse(
     await commands.run(
       cli,
       ["evidence-export", sourceBundlePath, canonicalBundlePath, "--json"],
       environment,
     ),
   );
-  const comparedBundle = json(
+  const comparedBundle = JSON.parse(
     await commands.run(
       cli,
       ["compare", sourceBundlePath, canonicalBundlePath, "--json"],
diff --git a/scripts/verify-package-install.mjs b/scripts/verify-package-install.mjs
index 74e520dc0e..27f3315c23 100644
--- a/scripts/verify-package-install.mjs
+++ b/scripts/verify-package-install.mjs
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ import { rm } from "node:fs/promises";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 import { pathToFileURL } from "node:url";
 
-import { json } from "./lib/verify-package-core.mjs";
-
 /** Install the packed CLI globally with and without optional dependencies and verify PTY degradation. */
 export async function verifyPackageInstall({
   tarball,
@@ -39,7 +37,7 @@ export async function verifyPackageInstall({
       "lib/node_modules/rea-agents/dist/process/capture/ProcessCaptureCapability.js",
     ),
   ).href;
-  const processCaptureCapability = json(
+  const processCaptureCapability = JSON.parse(
     (
       await commands.exec(
         process.execPath,
@@ -84,7 +82,7 @@ export async function verifyPackageInstall({
       "lib/node_modules/rea-agents/dist/process/capture/ProcessCaptureCapability.js",
     ),
   ).href;
-  const noOptionalCapability = json(
+  const noOptionalCapability = JSON.parse(
     (
       await commands.exec(
         process.execPath,
diff --git a/scripts/verify-package-managed.mjs b/scripts/verify-package-managed.mjs
index 28ea7785ab..3d37462c40 100644
--- a/scripts/verify-package-managed.mjs
+++ b/scripts/verify-package-managed.mjs
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import { join } from "node:path";
 import { createEvidence } from "../dist/domain/evidence.js";
 import { buildManagedPeFixture } from "./fixtures/managed/pe.mjs";
 import { functionDossier } from "./fixtures/managed/function-dossier.mjs";
-import { json } from "./lib/verify-package-core.mjs";
 
 const buildManagedFixtures = async (workspace) => {
   const managedPath = join(workspace, "managed-fixture.exe");
@@ -44,7 +43,7 @@ const verifyManagedArtifact = async ({
   managedPath,
   environment,
 }) => {
-  const managedArtifact = json(
+  const managedArtifact = JSON.parse(
     await commands.run(
       cli,
       ["inspect-managed-artifact", managedPath, "--json"],
@@ -66,7 +65,7 @@ const verifyManagedMembers = async ({
   managedPath,
   environment,
 }) => {
-  const managedMembers = json(
+  const managedMembers = JSON.parse(
     await commands.run(
       cli,
       ["inspect-managed-members", managedPath, "--json"],
@@ -111,7 +110,7 @@ const verifyManagedReconstruction = async ({
     ],
     notes: ["packaged synthetic reconstruction import"],
   };
-  const managedReconstruction = json(
+  const managedReconstruction = JSON.parse(
     await commands.run(
       cli,
       [
@@ -138,7 +137,7 @@ const verifyManagedBoundaries = async ({
   managedPath,
   environment,
 }) => {
-  const managedBoundaries = json(
+  const managedBoundaries = JSON.parse(
     await commands.run(
       cli,
       ["inspect-managed-native-boundaries", managedPath, "--json"],
@@ -174,7 +173,7 @@ const verifyManagedApplicationGraph = async ({
       "inspect_managed_native_boundaries",
     ),
   };
-  const managedApplicationGraph = json(
+  const managedApplicationGraph = JSON.parse(
     await commands.run(
       cli,
       [
@@ -260,7 +259,7 @@ const verifyManagedNativeVerification = async ({
       ),
     ],
   };
-  const managedNativeVerification = json(
+  const managedNativeVerification = JSON.parse(
     await commands.run(
       cli,
       [
@@ -289,7 +288,7 @@ const verifyManagedComparison = async ({
   managedRightPath,
   environment,
 }) => {
-  const managedComparison = json(
+  const managedComparison = JSON.parse(
     await commands.run(
       cli,
       ["compare-managed-members", managedPath, managedRightPath, "--json"],
diff --git a/scripts/verify-package-mcp.mjs b/scripts/verify-package-mcp.mjs
index 12bb7bc44b..c7dc6d83e1 100644
--- a/scripts/verify-package-mcp.mjs
+++ b/scripts/verify-package-mcp.mjs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { StdioClientTransport } from "@modelcontextprotocol/client/stdio";
 import { resolveMcpStartupBudgets } from "../dist/config/mcpStartupBudgets.js";
 import { parseEvidence } from "../dist/domain/evidence.js";
 import * as prompts from "./verify-package-prompts.mjs";
-import { json, verifyCompleteToolCatalog } from "./lib/verify-package-core.mjs";
+import { verifyCompleteToolCatalog } from "./lib/verify-package-core.mjs";
 import { withVerifierCleanup } from "./lib/verifier-cleanup.mjs";
 
 const verifyMcpToolsAndPrompts = async (client, mcpOptions) => {
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ const verifyMcpNonLinuxCurrentDocument = async (
   mcpOptions,
   current,
 ) => {
-  if (json(prompts.mcpText(current)).normalized_result !== "fixture")
+  if (JSON.parse(prompts.mcpText(current)).normalized_result !== "fixture")
     throw new Error("packaged MCP bridge call failed");
   const batch = await client.callTool(
     {
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ const verifyMcpNonLinuxCurrentDocument = async (
     },
     mcpOptions,
   );
-  const batchResult = json(prompts.mcpText(batch)).normalized_result;
+  const batchResult = JSON.parse(prompts.mcpText(batch)).normalized_result;
   if (
     batch.isError === true ||
     batchResult?.total !== 1 ||
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ const verifyMcpInlineArtifactEvidence = async (
       inspected.structuredContent?.normalized_result,
     );
     assert.deepEqual(
-      json(prompts.mcpText(inspected)),
+      JSON.parse(prompts.mcpText(inspected)),
       inspected.structuredContent,
     );
     const compared = await client.callTool(
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ export async function verifyPackageMcp({
   evidenceRoot,
   artifactArchive,
 }) {
-  const diagnosed = json(
+  const diagnosed = JSON.parse(
     (
       await commands.exec(cli, ["mcp", "doctor", "--json"], {
         env: environment,
diff --git a/scripts/verify-package-platform.mjs b/scripts/verify-package-platform.mjs
index 4f9027d75f..57fb59a80f 100644
--- a/scripts/verify-package-platform.mjs
+++ b/scripts/verify-package-platform.mjs
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-import { json } from "./lib/verify-package-core.mjs";
-
 /** Run platform-specific deep-analysis smoke tests. */
 export async function verifyPackagePlatform({
   commands,
@@ -15,7 +13,7 @@ export async function verifyPackagePlatform({
     );
     assertLinuxPackageProviderFailure(unsupportedExecution);
   } else {
-    const overview = json(
+    const overview = JSON.parse(
       await commands.run(
         cli,
         ["analyze", process.execPath, "--provider", "hopper", "--json"],
@@ -26,7 +24,7 @@ export async function verifyPackagePlatform({
       throw new Error(
         `packaged Hopper-backed analyze CLI failed: ${JSON.stringify(overview)}`,
       );
-    const inspected = json(
+    const inspected = JSON.parse(
       await commands.run(
         cli,
         ["inspect", process.execPath, "--provider", "hopper", "--json"],
@@ -35,7 +33,7 @@ export async function verifyPackagePlatform({
     );
     if (!hasPositiveProcedureCount(inspected))
       throw new Error("packaged inspect CLI failed");
-    const functionResult = json(
+    const functionResult = JSON.parse(
       await commands.run(
         cli,
         [
@@ -57,7 +55,7 @@ export async function verifyPackagePlatform({
       throw new Error(
         `packaged function CLI failed: ${JSON.stringify(functionResult)}`,
       );
-    const xrefs = json(
+    const xrefs = JSON.parse(
       await commands.run(
         cli,
         ["xrefs", process.execPath, "0x1000", "--provider", "hopper", "--json"],
@@ -69,7 +67,7 @@ export async function verifyPackagePlatform({
       JSON.stringify(xrefs.normalized_result) !== JSON.stringify(["0x1000"])
     )
       throw new Error(`packaged xrefs CLI failed: ${JSON.stringify(xrefs)}`);
-    const trace = json(
+    const trace = JSON.parse(
       await commands.run(
         cli,
         [
@@ -108,7 +106,7 @@ export const isUnsupportedHopperLaunchFailure = (failure) => {
 
 /** Require an exact pre-execution rejection, observed helper exit, or missing-Xvfb diagnostic. */
 export const assertLinuxPackageProviderFailure = (execution) => {
-  const failure = json(execution.stdout);
+  const failure = JSON.parse(execution.stdout);
   const details = failure?.details;
   const diagnostic = details?.diagnostics;
   const missingDisplayDependency =
diff --git a/scripts/verify-package-setup.mjs b/scripts/verify-package-setup.mjs
index ddd84cc5d4..4f93b4af26 100644
--- a/scripts/verify-package-setup.mjs
+++ b/scripts/verify-package-setup.mjs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { dirname, join } from "node:path";
 
 import { TOOL_CONTRACTS } from "../dist/contracts/toolContracts.js";
 import { PRODUCT_IDENTITY } from "../dist/identity.js";
-import { json, pathExists } from "./lib/verify-package-core.mjs";
+import { pathExists } from "./lib/verify-package-core.mjs";
 import { parse as parseJsonc } from "jsonc-parser";
 import { skillReferenceIssues } from "./lib/docs-facts.mjs";
 import {
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ const verifySetupPlan = async ({
     ["setup", "--all-detected", "--dry-run", "--json"],
     environment,
   );
-  const planned = json(plannedExecution.stdout);
+  const planned = JSON.parse(plannedExecution.stdout);
   if (supportedSetupHost) {
     const plannedActions = Array.isArray(planned?.plannedActions)
       ? planned.plannedActions
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ const verifyAbsentOpenCodeSetup = async ({
     ["setup", "--yes", "--client", "opencode", "--skill=false", "--json"],
     { ...environment, XDG_CONFIG_HOME: xdgConfigHome },
   );
-  const result = json(execution.stdout);
+  const result = JSON.parse(execution.stdout);
   const config = JSON.parse(await readFile(configPath, "utf8"));
   if (
     execution.status !== 0 ||
@@ -163,8 +163,8 @@ const verifyAbsentClaudeCodeSetup = async ({
     args,
     childEnvironment,
   );
-  const first = json(firstExecution.stdout);
-  const config = json(await readFile(configPath, "utf8"));
+  const first = JSON.parse(firstExecution.stdout);
+  const config = JSON.parse(await readFile(configPath, "utf8"));
   const registration = first.doctor.identity?.registrations?.find(
     ({ client }) => client === "claude_code",
   );
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ const verifyAbsentClaudeCodeSetup = async ({
     args,
     childEnvironment,
   );
-  const repeat = json(repeatExecution.stdout);
+  const repeat = JSON.parse(repeatExecution.stdout);
   if (
     repeatExecution.status !== 0 ||
     repeat.status !== "ready" ||
@@ -214,13 +214,13 @@ const verifySetupApply = async ({
     ["setup", "--yes", "--all-detected", "--json"],
     environment,
   );
-  const first = json(firstExecution.stdout);
+  const first = JSON.parse(firstExecution.stdout);
   const alignedExecution = await commands.runWithStatus(
     cli,
     ["setup", "--all-detected", "--json"],
     environment,
   );
-  const aligned = json(alignedExecution.stdout);
+  const aligned = JSON.parse(alignedExecution.stdout);
   const secondExecution = await commands.runWithStatus(
     cli,
     [
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ const verifySetupApply = async ({
     ],
     environment,
   );
-  const second = json(secondExecution.stdout);
+  const second = JSON.parse(secondExecution.stdout);
   if (supportedSetupHost) {
     if (
       first.status !== status ||
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ const verifySetupApply = async ({
 
 /** Verify the live registration and exact pre-setup backup bytes. */
 export const assertClientConfig = async (cli, configPath, original) => {
-  const config = json(await readFile(configPath, "utf8"));
+  const config = JSON.parse(await readFile(configPath, "utf8"));
   if (
     config.existing !== true ||
     config.mcpServers?.rea?.command !== cli ||
@@ -285,8 +285,7 @@ const assertOpenCodeConfig = async ({
 }) => {
   const contents = await readFile(configPath, "utf8");
   const errors = [];
-  const parsed = parseJsonc(contents, errors, { allowTrailingComma: true });
-  const config = parsed;
+  const config = parseJsonc(contents, errors, { allowTrailingComma: true });
   const mcp = config?.mcp;
   if (
     errors.length !== 0 ||
@@ -357,7 +356,7 @@ const assertAlignedDoctor = async (commands, cli, environment) => {
     ["doctor", "--json"],
     environment,
   );
-  const alignedDoctor = json(alignedDoctorExecution.stdout);
+  const alignedDoctor = JSON.parse(alignedDoctorExecution.stdout);
   if (
     alignedDoctorExecution.status !== (alignedDoctor.healthy ? 0 : 1) ||
     alignedDoctor.identity?.skill?.state !== "aligned" ||
@@ -425,7 +424,8 @@ const verifySetupFailureRecovery = async ({
     ["setup", "--yes", "--all-detected", "--json"],
     environment,
   );
-  const failed = json(failedExecution.stdout);
+  const failed = JSON.parse(failedExecution.stdout);
+  const cursorAfterFailure = JSON.parse(await readFile(cursorConfig, "utf8"));
   if (
     failed.status !== "needs_human" ||
     failedExecution.status !== 1 ||
@@ -433,8 +433,8 @@ const verifySetupFailureRecovery = async ({
     failed.appliedActions.length !== 0 ||
     !failed.remediation?.includes("Claude Desktop") ||
     (await readFile(claudeConfig, "utf8")) !== "malformed" ||
-    json(await readFile(cursorConfig, "utf8")).existing !== true ||
-    json(await readFile(cursorConfig, "utf8")).mcpServers?.rea !== undefined
+    cursorAfterFailure.existing !== true ||
+    cursorAfterFailure.mcpServers?.rea !== undefined
   )
     throw new Error(
       `packaged setup mutated clients after a preflight failure: ${JSON.stringify(failed)}`,
@@ -445,11 +445,12 @@ const verifySetupFailureRecovery = async ({
     ["setup", "--yes", "--all-detected", "--json"],
     environment,
   );
-  const recovered = json(recoveredExecution.stdout);
+  const recovered = JSON.parse(recoveredExecution.stdout);
   if (
     recovered.status !== status ||
     recoveredExecution.status !== (status === "ready" ? 0 : 1) ||
-    json(await readFile(cursorConfig, "utf8")).mcpServers?.rea?.command !== cli
+    JSON.parse(await readFile(cursorConfig, "utf8")).mcpServers?.rea
+      ?.command !== cli
   )
     throw new Error("packaged setup did not recover");
 };
@@ -464,7 +465,7 @@ const verifyDanglingSymlink = async ({ commands, cli, environment, home }) => {
     ["setup", "--yes", "--client", "gemini_cli", "--json"],
     environment,
   );
-  const dangling = json(danglingExecution.stdout);
+  const dangling = JSON.parse(danglingExecution.stdout);
   if (
     dangling.status !== "needs_human" ||
     danglingExecution.status !== 1 ||
@@ -496,8 +497,8 @@ const verifyUninstall = async ({
     ["uninstall", "--json"],
     environment,
   );
-  const uninstall = json(uninstallExecution.stdout);
-  const cursorAfterUninstall = json(await readFile(cursorTarget, "utf8"));
+  const uninstall = JSON.parse(uninstallExecution.stdout);
+  const cursorAfterUninstall = JSON.parse(await readFile(cursorTarget, "utf8"));
   const codexAfterUninstall = await readFile(codexTarget, "utf8");
   const openCodeErrors = [];
   const openCodeAfterUninstall = parseJsonc(
diff --git a/scripts/verify-package-unknown-provider.mjs b/scripts/verify-package-unknown-provider.mjs
index 775e6426ec..6d590c9ada 100644
--- a/scripts/verify-package-unknown-provider.mjs
+++ b/scripts/verify-package-unknown-provider.mjs
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-import { json } from "./lib/verify-package-core.mjs";
-
 /** Verify that an unknown --provider is rejected by the packaged CLI. */
 export async function verifyUnknownProvider({ commands, cli, environment }) {
   const unknownProviderExecution = await commands.runWithStatus(
@@ -7,7 +5,7 @@ export async function verifyUnknownProvider({ commands, cli, environment }) {
     ["analyze", process.execPath, "--provider", "missing-provider", "--json"],
     environment,
   );
-  const unknownProvider = json(unknownProviderExecution.stdout);
+  const unknownProvider = JSON.parse(unknownProviderExecution.stdout);
   if (
     unknownProviderExecution.status !== 1 ||
     unknownProvider.details?.selection_reason !== "unknown_provider" ||
diff --git a/scripts/verify-package-update.mjs b/scripts/verify-package-update.mjs
index bf39f12cdf..09295a0b6f 100644
--- a/scripts/verify-package-update.mjs
+++ b/scripts/verify-package-update.mjs
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import { readFile, writeFile, mkdir } from "node:fs/promises";
 import { dirname, join } from "node:path";
 import { pathToFileURL } from "node:url";
 
-import { json } from "./lib/verify-package-core.mjs";
 import { withVerifierCleanup } from "./lib/verifier-cleanup.mjs";
 
 /** Exercise the packaged updater with real npm and a local release registry fixture. */
@@ -17,7 +16,7 @@ export async function verifyPackageUpdate({
   commands,
 }) {
   const metadataPath = join(packageRoot, "package.json");
-  const metadata = json(await readFile(metadataPath, "utf8"));
+  const metadata = JSON.parse(await readFile(metadataPath, "utf8"));
   const archive = await readFile(tarball);
   const entry = join(packageRoot, "scripts", "rea.mjs");
   const home = join(workspace, "update-home");
@@ -144,7 +143,7 @@ process.stdout.write(JSON.stringify(result));
 if (result.status === "failed") process.exitCode = 1;
 `,
       );
-      const result = json(
+      const result = JSON.parse(
         (
           await commands.exec(process.execPath, [harness], {
             env: runtimeEnvironment,
diff --git a/tests/boundary/process/nativeVerifierSourceOwnership.test.ts b/tests/boundary/process/nativeVerifierSourceOwnership.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d8c4d72e3e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/boundary/process/nativeVerifierSourceOwnership.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+import { expect } from "vitest";
+import { z } from "zod";
+
+import { processTest } from "../../support/process/processFixture.js";
+
+const commandsModule = new URL(
+  "../../../scripts/lib/verify-commands.mjs",
+  import.meta.url,
+).href;
+const verifierModule = new URL(
+  "../../../scripts/lib/verifier-run.mjs",
+  import.meta.url,
+).href;
+const repository = fileURLToPath(new URL("../../../", import.meta.url));
+const commandOutput = "authored native verifier command completed\n";
+
+const reportSchema = z.object({
+  command: z.object({ stdout: z.string(), stderr: z.string() }),
+  verifier: z.object({
+    process_lineage: z.discriminatedUnion("status", [
+      z.object({
+        status: z.literal("verified"),
+        descendants: z.array(
+          z.object({
+            pid: z.number().int().positive(),
+            parent_pid: z.number().int().positive(),
+            process_group_id: z.number().int().positive(),
+          }),
+        ),
+      }),
+      z.object({ status: z.literal("unavailable"), reason: z.string() }),
+    ]),
+  }),
+});
+
+// This exercises the public source loader and real command cleanup. The lineage
+// receipt is sampled inside the driver before its exit releases loader children.
+// Windows has no native Job Object lease for this verifier lineage observation.
+processTest.skipIf(process.platform === "win32")(
+  "releases a cold native verifier source loader before reporting command cleanup complete",
+  { timeout: 30_000 },
+  async ({ processes }) => {
+    const result = await processes.run(
+      process.execPath,
+      [
+        "--input-type=module",
+        "-e",
+        `
+import { createVerifierRun, completeVerifierRun } from ${JSON.stringify(verifierModule)};
+const run = createVerifierRun();
+const { createVerifierCommands } = await import(${JSON.stringify(commandsModule)});
+const commands = await createVerifierCommands();
+let command;
+try {
+  command = await commands.exec(process.execPath, [
+    "-e", ${JSON.stringify(`process.stdout.write(${JSON.stringify(commandOutput)})`)},
+  ], { timeout: 5000 });
+} finally {
+  await commands.close();
+}
+const verifier = await completeVerifierRun(run);
+process.stdout.write(JSON.stringify({ command, verifier }));
+`,
+      ],
+      {
+        cwd: repository,
+        // Installed tsx reads this switch before choosing its transform cache.
+        // A fresh process must transform source even when disk cache is warm.
+        env: { ...process.env, TSX_DISABLE_CACHE: "1" },
+        timeoutMs: 20_000,
+      },
+    );
+    expect(result.exitCode, result.stderr).toBe(0);
+    expect(result.signal, result.stderr).toBeNull();
+    const report = reportSchema.parse(JSON.parse(result.stdout));
+    expect(report.command).toEqual({ stdout: commandOutput, stderr: "" });
+    expect(report.verifier.process_lineage).toEqual({
+      status: "verified",
+      descendants: [],
+    });
+  },
+);