diff --git a/CodeSmellAuditor.Core.Tests/AuditPromptBuilderTests.cs b/CodeSmellAuditor.Core.Tests/AuditPromptBuilderTests.cs
index 9bd0120..687ebb7 100644
--- a/CodeSmellAuditor.Core.Tests/AuditPromptBuilderTests.cs
+++ b/CodeSmellAuditor.Core.Tests/AuditPromptBuilderTests.cs
@@ -17,7 +17,10 @@ public void BuildSystemPrompt_IncludesRulesAndOutputTemplate()
 
         Assert.Contains("[RULE: test.mdc]", prompt);
         Assert.Contains("Prefer interfaces at boundaries.", prompt);
-        Assert.Contains("Status: COMPLIANT or REVIEW REQUIRED", prompt);
+        Assert.Contains("Status: COMPLIANT", prompt);
+        Assert.Contains("REVIEW REQUIRED", prompt);
+        Assert.Contains("EXACTLY one of", prompt);
+        Assert.Contains("omit Missing Context", prompt);
         Assert.Contains("No analysis traces", prompt);
     }
 
diff --git a/CodeSmellAuditor.Core.Tests/AuditReportParserTests.cs b/CodeSmellAuditor.Core.Tests/AuditReportParserTests.cs
index 8fb9b0d..8ab649d 100644
--- a/CodeSmellAuditor.Core.Tests/AuditReportParserTests.cs
+++ b/CodeSmellAuditor.Core.Tests/AuditReportParserTests.cs
@@ -10,15 +10,47 @@ public class AuditReportParserTests
     [InlineData("Status: REVIEW REQUIRED", false)]
     [InlineData("# Report\nStatus: COMPLIANT\nScore: 90", true)]
     [InlineData("# Report\nStatus: REVIEW REQUIRED\nScore: 40", false)]
-    public void ParsePassStatus_ReadsStatusLine(string body, bool expectedPass)
+    [InlineData("status: compliant", true)]
+    [InlineData("Status: Review Required", false)]
+    public void ParsePassStatus_ReadsExactStatusLine(string body, bool expectedPass)
     {
         Assert.Equal(expectedPass, AuditReportParser.ParsePassStatus(body));
     }
 
     [Fact]
-    public void ParsePassStatus_FallsBackWhenNoStatusLine()
+    public void ParsePassStatus_MissingStatusLine_FailsClosed()
     {
         Assert.False(AuditReportParser.ParsePassStatus("Some text with REVIEW REQUIRED in it"));
-        Assert.True(AuditReportParser.ParsePassStatus("All checks passed."));
+        Assert.False(AuditReportParser.ParsePassStatus("All checks passed."));
+        Assert.False(AuditReportParser.ParsePassStatus("This report looks COMPLIANT overall."));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void ParsePassStatus_EmptyOrWhitespace_FailsClosed()
+    {
+        Assert.False(AuditReportParser.ParsePassStatus(""));
+        Assert.False(AuditReportParser.ParsePassStatus("   \n\t  "));
+        Assert.False(AuditReportParser.ParsePassStatus(null!));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void ParsePassStatus_UnknownStatusValue_FailsClosed()
+    {
+        Assert.False(AuditReportParser.ParsePassStatus("Status: PASS"));
+        Assert.False(AuditReportParser.ParsePassStatus("Status: COMPLIANT WITH NOTES"));
+        Assert.False(AuditReportParser.ParsePassStatus("Status:"));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void ParsePassStatus_TruncatedReportWithoutStatus_FailsClosed()
+    {
+        string truncated = """
+            # Audit Report: SampleService.cs
+
+            ## Top Findings
+            - Domain logic references UI directly
+            """;
+
+        Assert.False(AuditReportParser.ParsePassStatus(truncated));
     }
 }
diff --git a/CodeSmellAuditor.Core/AuditPromptBuilder.cs b/CodeSmellAuditor.Core/AuditPromptBuilder.cs
index 58d0b36..0abab8c 100644
--- a/CodeSmellAuditor.Core/AuditPromptBuilder.cs
+++ b/CodeSmellAuditor.Core/AuditPromptBuilder.cs
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@ public static class AuditPromptBuilder
 
         # Audit Report: {filename}
 
-        Status: COMPLIANT or REVIEW REQUIRED
-        Score: 0-100
+        Status: COMPLIANT
+        Score: 85
 
         ## Top Findings
         - (max 5 bullets, one line each)
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ public static class AuditPromptBuilder
 
         ## Recommended Next Step
         One sentence.
+
+        Contract rules:
+        - The Status line must appear exactly once and use EXACTLY one of: COMPLIANT or REVIEW REQUIRED (nothing else on that line after Status:).
+        - The Score line must appear exactly once as an integer from 0 to 100.
+        - Emit Status, Score, and Top Findings first. If the output budget is tight, omit Missing Context and/or Recommended Next Step rather than truncating or omitting Status.
         """;
 
     public static string BuildSystemPrompt(IEnumerable<AuditRule> rules)
@@ -67,8 +72,16 @@ public static void ValidateBudget(string systemPrompt, string userPrompt, AuditC
 
 public static class AuditReportParser
 {
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Pass/fail from a dedicated Status line only. Missing or unparseable Status fails closed.
+    /// </summary>
     public static bool ParsePassStatus(string reportBody)
     {
+        if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(reportBody))
+        {
+            return false;
+        }
+
         foreach (string line in reportBody.Split('\n'))
         {
             string trimmed = line.Trim();
@@ -78,17 +91,21 @@ public static bool ParsePassStatus(string reportBody)
             }
 
             string statusValue = trimmed["Status:".Length..].Trim();
-            if (statusValue.Contains("REVIEW REQUIRED", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+            if (statusValue.Equals("REVIEW REQUIRED", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
             {
                 return false;
             }
 
-            if (statusValue.Contains("COMPLIANT", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+            if (statusValue.Equals("COMPLIANT", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
             {
                 return true;
             }
+
+            // Status line present but not an allowed value: fail closed.
+            return false;
         }
 
-        return !reportBody.Contains("REVIEW REQUIRED", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
+        // No Status line (truncated or drifted report): fail closed.
+        return false;
     }
 }