diff --git a/test/issueflow-reconcile.test.sh b/test/issueflow-reconcile.test.sh
index 8dcca61..f31b58d 100644
--- a/test/issueflow-reconcile.test.sh
+++ b/test/issueflow-reconcile.test.sh
@@ -1793,12 +1793,12 @@ cp "$ARRIVAL/labels.conf" "$FORGEJO_BOARD/labels.conf" 2>/dev/null || true
 printf '[]\n' >"$FORGEJO_BOARD/repos_owner_repo_pulls_state_open.json"
 printf '[]\n' >"$FORGEJO_BOARD/repos_owner_repo_pulls_state_closed.json"
 printf '%s\n' \
-  '[{"number":60,"pull_request":null,"labels":[{"name":"ready"}],"title":"an issue"},
+  '[{"number":60,"pull_request":null,"labels":[],"title":"an issue with no queue state"},
     {"number":61,"pull_request":{"merged":false},"labels":[],"title":"a pull request"}]' \
   >"$FORGEJO_BOARD/repos_owner_repo_issues_state_open.json"
 jq -n --arg at "$(iso_at "$INOW")" \
   '{number:60,user:{login:"triage-one"},created_at:$at,body:"",pull_request:null,
-    labels:[{name:"ready"}],assignees:[]}' \
+    labels:[],assignees:[]}' \
   >"$FORGEJO_BOARD/repos_owner_repo_issues_60.json"
 printf '[]\n' >"$FORGEJO_BOARD/repos_owner_repo_issues_60_comments.json"
 forgejo_board_run() {
@@ -1812,7 +1812,13 @@ check "a forgejo-shaped board is NOT read as empty" 1 "" \
   grep -qF 'issueflow: no open issues.' <<<"$fjb_out"
 check "...the sweep completes over it" 0 "" \
   grep -qF 'issueflow: reconciled.' <<<"$fjb_out"
-check "...and the PR row is still excluded from the issue set" 1 "" \
+# TRAVERSAL, not merely a non-empty gather: the null-valued row has a
+# deterministic outcome — no queue state means needs-triage is minted — so this
+# proves reconcile_issue_pass actually ran over it, which "the board is not
+# empty" does not (@codex-reviewer-andresmgsl, #210 review).
+check "...the null-valued row is TRAVERSED, with an observable outcome" 0 "" \
+  grep -qE '^issueflow: #60: needs-triage' <<<"$fjb_out"
+check "...and the object-valued PR row is not reconciled as an issue" 1 "" \
   grep -qE '^issueflow: #61' <<<"$fjb_out"
 
 # release_bodies is the THIRD producer and has its own has() site. A `release`
@@ -1846,15 +1852,23 @@ check "...and the sweep still completes" 0 "" \
 
 # The THIRD site is reconcile_issue_pass's per-issue payload check. Same key,
 # scalar rather than a list: null means issue, an object means PR.
-pass_disc() { # $1 = the payload -> the exit status the guard would take
-  jq -e '.pull_request == null' <<<"$1" >/dev/null && echo issue || echo pr
-}
-check "a forgejo issue payload (key present, null) reads as an issue" 0 "issue" \
-  pass_disc '{"number":60,"pull_request":null}'
-check "...and an object-valued one reads as a PR" 0 "pr" \
-  pass_disc '{"number":61,"pull_request":{"merged":false}}'
-check "...and a github-shaped payload (key absent) still reads as an issue" 0 "issue" \
-  pass_disc '{"number":60}'
+# The scalar site, driven through the REAL path rather than through the jq
+# expression it contains — asserting the expression in isolation is what let
+# the regression through (@codex-reviewer-andresmgsl, #210 review). Same board
+# harness, one row flipped: null-valued reconciles, object-valued stands down.
+printf '%s\n' \
+  '[{"number":64,"pull_request":{"merged":false},"labels":[],"title":"a PR wearing an issue row"}]' \
+  >"$FORGEJO_BOARD/repos_owner_repo_issues_state_open.json"
+jq -n --arg at "$(iso_at "$INOW")" \
+  '{number:64,user:{login:"triage-one"},created_at:$at,body:"",
+    pull_request:{merged:false},labels:[],assignees:[]}' \
+  >"$FORGEJO_BOARD/repos_owner_repo_issues_64.json"
+printf '[]\n' >"$FORGEJO_BOARD/repos_owner_repo_issues_64_comments.json"
+fjb3_out="$(forgejo_board_run)"
+check "an object-valued row is not reconciled as an issue by the pass" 1 "" \
+  grep -qE '^issueflow: #64' <<<"$fjb3_out"
+check "...and the sweep reports the board as empty of ISSUES, correctly" 0 "" \
+  grep -qF 'issueflow: no open issues.' <<<"$fjb3_out"
 
 # -- the rule is pinned at the source, because a comment did not hold --------
 # `.pull_request == null` is stated in this file's own header AND at