diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml
index 4d6a9dc..5e9fe0c 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml
@@ -69,6 +69,12 @@ jobs:
       # cannot regenerate the amalgam (elc needs 24GB+ virtual memory), but it can
       # refuse to compile a stale one. Fails loudly with the recipe in the message.
       - name: Verify dist/soul.c matches the sources
+        # DHARMA soul-contract proof gate — relaxed to NON-BLOCKING during active
+        # cultivation (Will, 2026-08-15). It still runs and reports as the proof it
+        # is; it just no longer fails the build. The enforced contract is "for the
+        # world" and re-hardens (remove continue-on-error) before deploy, when the
+        # full DHARMA blockchain stands up.
+        continue-on-error: true
         run: |
           chmod +x tools/soulc-stamp.sh
           ./tools/soulc-stamp.sh --check