diff --git a/lang/el-compiler/src/codegen.el b/lang/el-compiler/src/codegen.el
index 8c20a01..01a9346 100644
--- a/lang/el-compiler/src/codegen.el
+++ b/lang/el-compiler/src/codegen.el
@@ -992,12 +992,14 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
 
         if func_kind == "Ident" {
             let fn_name: String = func["name"]
-            // Capability-kind enforcement: services can't call
-            // self-formation primitives; utilities can't call any
-            // DHARMA or LLM primitives. cap_check_call records
-            // violations to be emitted as #error directives at the
-            // top of the generated C, so cc fails with a clear msg.
-            cap_check_call(fn_name)
+            // Every call is recorded here, from cg_expr, because this runs for
+            // EVERY expression in every context -- including main's body, which
+            // cg_fn returns early on since C provides its own main. Hooking the
+            // recording to cg_fn instead left every call in main invisible to
+            // the relation graph, a blind spot exactly where a program does its
+            // work. Caught by capability_query.sh, not by reading the code.
+            record_call("program", "is_kind:" + state_get("__program_kind"))
+            record_call(state_get("__cg_current_fn"), fn_name)
             // Arity check against the builtin table - refuse, with a clear
             // El-source message, when a known builtin gets the wrong arg
             // count (e.g. `http_serve(port)` instead of `http_serve(port,
@@ -2491,95 +2493,19 @@ fn float_operand_c(expr: Map<String, Any>, expr_c: String) -> String {
 // The compiler-level rule is structural: the binary either CAN or CANNOT
 // emit the call. There is no runtime check, no opt-in, no override.
 
-fn cap_record_violation(kind: String, fn_name: String) -> Bool {
-    let csv: String = state_get("__cap_violations")
-    if str_eq(csv, "") { let csv = "," }
-    let entry: String = kind + ":" + fn_name
-    let key: String = "," + entry + ","
-    if str_contains(csv, key) { return true }
-    state_set("__cap_violations", csv + entry + ",")
-    return true
-}
 
 // Self-formation primitives - the cut between CGI and service. A program
 // that emits these calls IS structurally a CGI; we forbid them everywhere
 // else.
-fn is_self_formation_call(fn_name: String) -> Bool {
-    if str_eq(fn_name, "llm_call_agentic") { return true }
-    if str_eq(fn_name, "llm_register_tool") { return true }
-    if str_eq(fn_name, "dharma_emit") { return true }
-    if str_eq(fn_name, "dharma_field") { return true }
-    return false
-}
 
 // Any DHARMA primitive - utilities have zero network presence.
-fn is_dharma_call(fn_name: String) -> Bool {
-    if str_eq(fn_name, "dharma_connect") { return true }
-    if str_eq(fn_name, "dharma_send") { return true }
-    if str_eq(fn_name, "dharma_activate") { return true }
-    if str_eq(fn_name, "dharma_emit") { return true }
-    if str_eq(fn_name, "dharma_field") { return true }
-    if str_eq(fn_name, "dharma_strengthen") { return true }
-    if str_eq(fn_name, "dharma_relationship") { return true }
-    if str_eq(fn_name, "dharma_peers") { return true }
-    return false
-}
 
 // Any LLM primitive - utilities have no LLM access at all.
-fn is_llm_call(fn_name: String) -> Bool {
-    if str_eq(fn_name, "llm_call") { return true }
-    if str_eq(fn_name, "llm_call_system") { return true }
-    if str_eq(fn_name, "llm_call_agentic") { return true }
-    if str_eq(fn_name, "llm_vision") { return true }
-    if str_eq(fn_name, "llm_register_tool") { return true }
-    if str_eq(fn_name, "llm_models") { return true }
-    return false
-}
 
-fn cap_check_call(fn_name: String) -> Bool {
-    let kind: String = state_get("__program_kind")
-    if str_eq(kind, "cgi") { return true }
-    if str_eq(kind, "service") {
-        if is_self_formation_call(fn_name) {
-            cap_record_violation("service", fn_name)
-            return false
-        }
-        return true
-    }
-    // utility (default)
-    if is_dharma_call(fn_name) {
-        cap_record_violation("utility", fn_name)
-        return false
-    }
-    if is_llm_call(fn_name) {
-        cap_record_violation("utility", fn_name)
-        return false
-    }
-    return true
-}
 
 // Emit collected capability violations as #error directives. Called
 // from codegen()'s entry point right after the cgi/service-block scan,
 // so they appear at the very top of the generated C.
-fn emit_cap_violations() -> Void {
-    let csv: String = state_get("__cap_violations")
-    if str_eq(csv, "") { return }
-    if str_eq(csv, ",") { return }
-    let n: Int = str_len(csv)
-    let i: Int = 1
-    while i < n {
-        let next_comma: Int = str_index_of(str_slice(csv, i, n), ",")
-        if next_comma < 0 { return }
-        let entry: String = str_slice(csv, i, i + next_comma)
-        let colon: Int = str_index_of(entry, ":")
-        if colon > 0 {
-            let kind: String = str_slice(entry, 0, colon)
-            let fn_name: String = str_slice(entry, colon + 1, str_len(entry))
-            emit_line("#error \"capability violation: '" + kind + "' programs may not call '" + fn_name + "' (self-formation primitive - only 'cgi' programs may use it)\"")
-        }
-        let i = i + next_comma + 1
-    }
-}
 
 // Surface temporal-type violations as #error directives. The cg_expr BinOp
 // dispatcher records each violation (Instant + Instant, Duration + Int, -)
@@ -3471,9 +3397,15 @@ fn emit_program_init(stmt: Map<String, Any>) -> Void {
 fn record_call(caller: String, callee: String) -> Void {
     let path: String = env("EL_RELATIONS_OUT")
     if str_eq(path, "") { return }
+    // cg_fn returns early for `main` -- C provides its own -- so __cg_current_fn
+    // is unset while main's body is walked. Without this, every call in main is
+    // invisible to the relation graph and both checkers have a blind spot
+    // exactly where a program does its work. Caught by capability_query.sh.
+    let caller2: String = caller
+    if str_eq(caller2, "") { let caller2 = "main" }
     let prev: String = ""
     if fs_exists(path) { let prev = fs_read(path) }
-    fs_write(path, prev + caller + " calls " + callee + "\n")
+    fs_write(path, prev + caller2 + " calls " + callee + "\n")
 }
 
 
@@ -3653,7 +3585,6 @@ fn codegen(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) -> String {
     if svc_count >= 1 { let kind = "service" }
     state_set("__program_kind", kind)
     // Clear capability-violation accumulator from any prior compile.
-    state_set("__cap_violations", "")
     // Clear arity-violation accumulator from any prior compile.
     state_set("__arity_violations", "")
     // Clear temporal-type-violation accumulator from any prior compile.
@@ -3818,6 +3749,11 @@ fn codegen(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) -> String {
     // main(). Use _argc/_argv so El programs are free to declare their own
     // local `argv` / `argc` (compiler.el itself does this) without colliding
     // with the C-side parameters when fn main()'s body is folded in below.
+    // From here the emitter is walking main's body. Without resetting this the
+    // caller attribution is stale from the last cg_fn, so a violation inside
+    // main is reported against whichever function happened to be emitted last
+    // -- a diagnostic naming the wrong fn is worse than none.
+    state_set("__cg_current_fn", "main")
     emit_line("int main(int _argc, char** _argv) {")
     emit_line("  el_runtime_init_args(_argc, _argv);")
     if prog_have {
@@ -3914,7 +3850,6 @@ fn codegen(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) -> String {
     // will fail on the first one and surface the message; placement at
     // the bottom is fine - preprocessor errors halt the build wherever
     // they appear.
-    emit_cap_violations()
     // Same for builtin-arity violations: cc halts on the first #error,
     // so a misuse of a known builtin (wrong arg count) fails the build
     // with a clear message naming the builtin and its expected arity.
@@ -4429,7 +4364,6 @@ fn emit_streaming_preamble(sigs: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) -> Void {
     if cgi_count >= 1 { let kind = "cgi" }
     if svc_count >= 1 { let kind = "service" }
     state_set("__program_kind", kind)
-    state_set("__cap_violations", "")
     state_set("__arity_violations", "")
     state_set("__time_violations", "")
 
@@ -4838,6 +4772,7 @@ fn codegen_streaming(tokens: [Any], sigs: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) ->
 
         // main() delegates to the El-side runner. Everything above this line is
         // generated glue; all reporting logic lives in runtime/eltest.el.
+        state_set("__cg_current_fn", "main")
         emit_line("int main(int _argc, char **_argv) {")
         emit_line("  el_runtime_init_args(_argc, _argv);")
         emit_line("  for (int _i = 1; _i < _argc; _i++) {")
@@ -4867,6 +4802,7 @@ fn codegen_streaming(tokens: [Any], sigs: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) ->
     // Emit main() — wrap in arena scope to free intermediate strings.
     let main_arena_mark: Any = el_arena_push()
     let kind2: String = state_get("__program_kind")
+    state_set("__cg_current_fn", "main")
     emit_line("int main(int _argc, char** _argv) {")
     emit_line("  el_runtime_init_args(_argc, _argv);")
     // Cross-cutting concerns declared by a `program` block run BEFORE anything
@@ -4952,8 +4888,6 @@ fn codegen_streaming(tokens: [Any], sigs: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) ->
     emit_line("  return 0;")
     emit_line("}")
     emit_blank()
-
-    emit_cap_violations()
     emit_arity_violations()
     emit_time_violations()
     el_arena_pop(main_arena_mark)
diff --git a/lang/tests/integration/capability_query.sh b/lang/tests/integration/capability_query.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..01385f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lang/tests/integration/capability_query.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Control for capability-as-policy: the compiler records the program's kind and
+# its call graph; the shipped policy file and the checker decide.
+set -uo pipefail
+ELC="${1:?usage: capability_query.sh <elc>}"
+LANG_DIR="${2:-$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/../.." && pwd)}"
+W=$(mktemp -d); trap 'rm -rf "$W"' EXIT; F=0
+chk(){ [ "$2" = "$3" ] && printf '  ok    %s\n' "$1" || { printf '  FAIL  %s\n    expected %s got %s\n' "$1" "$2" "$3"; F=$((F+1)); }; }
+
+cat > "$W/u.el" <<'EOF'
+fn leaky() -> Int {
+    dharma_emit("x", "y")
+    return 1
+}
+fn main() { println("ok") }
+EOF
+EL_RELATIONS_OUT="$W/r.txt" "$ELC" "$W/u.el" >/dev/null 2>&1
+chk "the emitter does not adjudicate" "0" "$("$ELC" "$W/u.el" 2>/dev/null | grep -c 'capability violation')"
+"$LANG_DIR/tools/check/capabilities.sh" "$W/r.txt" > "$W/o.txt" 2>&1; rc=$?
+chk "a utility calling a DHARMA primitive is caught" "1" "$rc"
+chk "the offending fn is named" "1" "$(grep -c 'called from leaky' "$W/o.txt")"
+
+cat > "$W/c.el" <<'EOF'
+fn quiet() -> Int { return 1 }
+fn main() { println("ok") }
+EOF
+EL_RELATIONS_OUT="$W/r2.txt" "$ELC" "$W/c.el" >/dev/null 2>&1
+"$LANG_DIR/tools/check/capabilities.sh" "$W/r2.txt" >/dev/null 2>&1
+chk "a clean program exits 0" "0" "$?"
+
+# the policy is DATA: editing it changes enforcement, with no compiler rebuild
+printf 'utility prohibits_within println\n' > "$W/policy.rel"
+"$LANG_DIR/tools/check/capabilities.sh" "$W/r2.txt" "$W/policy.rel" >/dev/null 2>&1
+chk "editing the policy file changes enforcement, no rebuild" "1" "$?"
+
+echo; echo "  5 assertions, $((5-F)) passed, $F failed"; exit $F
diff --git a/lang/tools/check/capabilities.rel b/lang/tools/check/capabilities.rel
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f2bab0a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lang/tools/check/capabilities.rel
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# capabilities.rel — the capability policy, as shipped data.
+#
+# A program's tier bounds what it may call. This is policy that comes from
+# OUTSIDE the program: a utility cannot be trusted to declare its own
+# restrictions, because it would declare none. So unlike prohibits_outside,
+# which a program declares about itself, this ships with the language and is
+# editable without a compiler release.
+#
+# Previously: four functions and eighteen string literals inside codegen.el.
+#
+#   <kind> prohibits_within <comma-separated names>
+
+service prohibits_within llm_call_agentic,llm_register_tool,dharma_emit,dharma_field
+
+utility prohibits_within dharma_connect,dharma_send,dharma_activate,dharma_emit,dharma_field,dharma_strengthen,dharma_relationship,dharma_peers
+utility prohibits_within llm_call,llm_call_system,llm_call_agentic,llm_vision,llm_register_tool,llm_models
+
+# cgi is unrestricted: self-formation is what a cgi program is for.
diff --git a/lang/tools/check/capabilities.sh b/lang/tools/check/capabilities.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..e91d31f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lang/tools/check/capabilities.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# capabilities.sh — enforce the capability tier as a QUERY over emitted
+# relations plus a shipped policy file. The compiler records the program's kind
+# and its call graph; deciding what that tier may call is not an emitter's job.
+set -uo pipefail
+REL="${1:?usage: capabilities.sh <relations-file> [policy]}"
+POLICY="${2:-$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/capabilities.rel}"
+[ -f "$REL" ] || exit 0
+KIND=$(grep -m1 '^program calls is_kind:' "$REL" | sed 's/.*is_kind://')
+[ -n "$KIND" ] || KIND=utility
+V=0
+while read -r kind rel names; do
+    [ "$kind" = "$KIND" ] && [ "$rel" = "prohibits_within" ] || continue
+    IFS=',' read -ra NAMES <<< "$names"
+    for n in "${NAMES[@]}"; do
+        while read -r caller _ callee; do
+            [ "$callee" = "$n" ] || continue
+            printf "capability violation: '%s' programs may not call '%s' (called from %s)\n" "$KIND" "$n" "$caller"
+            V=$((V+1))
+        done < <(sort -u "$REL")
+    done
+done < <(grep -v '^#' "$POLICY" | grep -v '^[[:space:]]*$')
+[ "$V" -eq 0 ] && echo "capabilities: clean ($KIND)"
+exit "$V"