diff --git a/skills/spec-grill/SKILL.md b/skills/spec-grill/SKILL.md
index 943c0f4..8add0be 100644
--- a/skills/spec-grill/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/spec-grill/SKILL.md
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ Use this as a bloat check before the per-capability flow. A large feature-first
 
 For each capability, walk the user through this order; do not skip ahead:
 
-1. **Goal** — one sentence: what the user can observe when this works. Diagnosis-side framing belongs in the charter; capability Goal is the observable outcome.
+1. **Goal** — one sentence: what the user can observe when this works. Diagnosis-side framing belongs in the charter; capability Goal is the observable outcome. Do not run Goals through the 3-axis predicate test; use plain-language observability instead.
 2. **In-scope / Out-of-scope** — what this capability owns, and the boundary it deliberately respects. Out-of-scope prevents creep.
 3. **Expected Behaviors** — three verifiable predicates. Each one must pass the 3-axis test below. Reject and rewrite until it does.
 4. **Hard Constraints** — two bright-lines this capability never crosses, even if asked. Adversarial-Goodhart defenses live here.
@@ -98,10 +98,12 @@ Every Behavior and Hard Constraint must pass all three axes before it is committ
 
 A predicate that passes all three is committable. A predicate that fails any axis is rewritten or split, never rubber-stamped.
 
+Classify positive normal outcomes as Expected Behaviors. Classify bright-line negations and anti-Goodhart guards as Hard Constraints. When both forms fit, prefer the Hard Constraint only when the negative form protects against an optimization or data-loss shortcut.
+
 ## Writing Rules
 
 On first run, copy `templates/capabilities.md` to `spec/capabilities.md` at the repo root, then walk the interview for one capability. On rerun, edit only the named capability block and leave the rest of the file untouched.
 
-After applying an accepted change, do not bump a revision number on `spec/capabilities.md`; `git blame` is the source of truth. Note in the conversation which capability was edited.
+After applying an accepted change, do not bump a revision number on `spec/capabilities.md`; `git blame` is the source of truth. Note in the conversation which capability was edited. Echo charter Decisions at capability level only when they explain a Behavior or Hard Constraint; promote cross-cutting capability Decisions through `spec-charter amend`.
 
 See `references/capabilities.md` for additional grill heuristics and [`../spec-charter/SKILL.md`](../spec-charter/SKILL.md) for the project-wide charter layer.
diff --git a/skills/spec-grill/references/capabilities.md b/skills/spec-grill/references/capabilities.md
index b9fa1fa..cee1a0c 100644
--- a/skills/spec-grill/references/capabilities.md
+++ b/skills/spec-grill/references/capabilities.md
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ Bad Goal lines usually describe diagnosis, implementation, or an internal tool.
 
 Move diagnosis-side framing to the charter Problem. Move scripts and file names to In-scope unless the script is the user-visible surface.
 
+Goals are not 3-axis predicates. Use a lighter check: can a user or operator observe the outcome in plain language without instrumentation? If yes, the Goal is committable. If no, sharpen the outcome, but do not force authority / distributional / manipulability wording into the Goal.
+
 ## Behavior vs. Hard Constraint
 
 Use Behaviors for expected positive outcomes. Use Hard Constraints for bright lines that remain true even when a user asks for the tempting shortcut.
@@ -55,6 +57,19 @@ Use Behaviors for expected positive outcomes. Use Hard Constraints for bright li
 
 Avoid "never do X unless asked" as a Hard Constraint. The phrase "unless asked" is a loophole. If explicit user consent is valid, make it a Behavior with the consent condition.
 
+Tie-breaker:
+
+- Positive normal outcome -> Expected Behavior.
+- Bright-line negation or anti-Goodhart guard -> Hard Constraint.
+- If both are valid, prefer the Hard Constraint only when the negative form blocks an optimization shortcut, silent mutation, or data-loss shortcut.
+
+Example pair:
+
+| Same intent | Better placement | Why |
+|---|---|---|
+| "Default triage is advisory and mutations require `--apply`." | Expected Behavior | It describes the ordinary user-visible flow and valid consent path. |
+| "Never close, relabel, or comment on an issue without `--apply`." | Hard Constraint | It protects the GitHub source of truth against silent mutation. |
+
 ## 3-Axis Test Examples
 
 ### Manipulability failure
@@ -112,6 +127,25 @@ It must not touch:
 
 If a rerun discovers a cross-cutting decision, append it to the relevant Decisions table or promote it to `spec/charter.md` via amend mode. Do not rewrite old Decisions rows.
 
+## Decisions Seeding
+
+Capability-level Decisions should explain local contract choices, not duplicate the charter.
+
+Use this rule:
+
+- Echo a `spec/charter.md` Decision at capability level only when its rationale is needed to understand a Behavior or Hard Constraint in that capability.
+- Leave Decisions empty when the charter row is merely historical context; the cross-cutting record already lives in `spec/charter.md`.
+- Put capability-only Decisions in that capability block.
+- Promote any capability Decision that affects more than one capability through `spec-charter amend`; append a new charter Decision instead of rewriting old rows.
+
+Examples:
+
+| Situation | Placement |
+|---|---|
+| "Alignment Check is prompt-driven" explains why `triage-grooming` has no `triage-align.js`. | Echo at `triage-grooming` level. |
+| "New charter files live under `spec/`" affects multiple spec skills. | Keep/promote in `spec/charter.md`; echo only where it explains a constraint. |
+| "`sync-pull --update` preserves non-machine-managed bodies." | Capability-only Decision under `backlog-sync`. |
+
 ## Capability Count Guidance
 
 Capability count is a readability budget, not a feature count. Keep the single-file `spec/capabilities.md` while it stays compact enough for an agent to read at session start.