diff --git a/hooks/force-recall/handler.ts b/hooks/force-recall/handler.ts
index 5c7b1dd..fb66ea3 100644
--- a/hooks/force-recall/handler.ts
+++ b/hooks/force-recall/handler.ts
@@ -98,6 +98,23 @@ function buildProgressEvidence(wrapperResult: any): Record<string, unknown> | nu
   return Object.keys(progressEvidence).length > 0 ? progressEvidence : null;
 }
 
+function buildAutoChainDispatchEvidence(wrapperResult: any, progressEvidence: Record<string, unknown> | null): Record<string, unknown> | null {
+  const taskName = typeof progressEvidence?.sessionKey === "string"
+    ? progressEvidence.sessionKey.trim()
+    : "";
+  const requiredNextAction = typeof wrapperResult?.requiredNextAction === "string"
+    ? wrapperResult.requiredNextAction.trim()
+    : "";
+
+  if (!requiredNextAction || !taskName) return null;
+
+  return {
+    action: requiredNextAction,
+    sessionKey: taskName,
+    dispatched: true,
+  };
+}
+
 function shouldClaimProgression(wrapperResult: any, progressEvidence: Record<string, unknown> | null): boolean {
   if (!wrapperResult || wrapperResult.classification !== "long_task") return false;
   if (progressEvidence && Object.keys(progressEvidence).length > 0) return true;
@@ -152,11 +169,8 @@ function buildGateLockInput(wrapperResult: any): Record<string, unknown> {
         concreteNextAction: requiredNextAction,
       }
     : null;
-  const autoChainDispatchEvidence = progressEvidence && hasConcreteExecutionEvidence
-    ? {
-        sessionKey: typeof progressEvidence.sessionKey === "string" ? progressEvidence.sessionKey : "",
-        concreteNextAction: requiredNextAction,
-      }
+  const autoChainDispatchEvidence = hasConcreteExecutionEvidence
+    ? buildAutoChainDispatchEvidence(wrapperResult, progressEvidence)
     : null;
   const claimedProgression = shouldClaimProgression(wrapperResult, progressEvidence)
     ? "already progressing to the next step in background"
@@ -184,6 +198,9 @@ function buildGateLockInput(wrapperResult: any): Record<string, unknown> {
     statusSummary: claimedProgression,
     executionEvidence,
     progressEvidence,
+    autoChainDispatchEvidenceReason: hasConcreteExecutionEvidence && !autoChainDispatchEvidence
+      ? "explicit auto-chain next action requires dispatched-action evidence"
+      : "",
     progressEvidenceReason,
     sessionKey: typeof progressEvidence?.sessionKey === "string" ? progressEvidence.sessionKey : "",
     runId: typeof progressEvidence?.runId === "string" ? progressEvidence.runId : "",
diff --git a/scripts/long_task_gate_lock.mjs b/scripts/long_task_gate_lock.mjs
index 1de0bc9..1db87b2 100644
--- a/scripts/long_task_gate_lock.mjs
+++ b/scripts/long_task_gate_lock.mjs
@@ -202,7 +202,12 @@ function hasAutoChainDispatchEvidence(input) {
     const value = getPathValue(input, fieldPath);
     if (hasNonEmptyString(value)) return true;
     if (Array.isArray(value)) return value.length > 0;
-    if (value && typeof value === 'object') return Object.keys(value).length > 0;
+    if (value && typeof value === 'object') {
+      if (typeof value.action === 'string' && value.action.trim().length > 0) return true;
+      if (typeof value.concreteNextAction === 'string' && value.concreteNextAction.trim().length > 0) return true;
+      if (typeof value.dispatched === 'boolean') return value.dispatched;
+      return Object.keys(value).length > 0;
+    }
     return false;
   });
 }