diff --git a/.github/workflows/emit-bitexact-gate.yml b/.github/workflows/emit-bitexact-gate.yml
index c5201c414..8f620b29a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/emit-bitexact-gate.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/emit-bitexact-gate.yml
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@ on:
   pull_request:
     branches: [master]
     paths:
+      # The four backends this gate proves equivalent all live in ONE file,
+      # bootstrap/src/compiler.rs -- gen_zig:3437, gen_verilog:6741, gen_c:10522,
+      # gen_rust:14382, in 31,077 lines. Without bootstrap/** here, a PR that
+      # rewrites the C emitter merges with the cross-target proof never running.
+      - "bootstrap/**"
+      - "cli/**"
       - "tools/gft_backprop_microcode.py"
       - "tools/verify_emit_bitexact.py"
       - "tools/verify_multitarget.py"
@@ -52,7 +58,7 @@ jobs:
         run: python3 tools/verify_emit_bitexact.py
 
       - name: Prove GF-T primitives bit-exact across C + Rust + model
-        run: python3 tools/verify_multitarget.py
+        run: python3 tools/verify_multitarget.py --require
 
       - name: Prove the WHOLE trainer bit-exact in C (== model == Verilog)
         run: python3 tools/verify_trainer_c.py
diff --git a/docs/NOW.md b/docs/NOW.md
index b489966d2..552d43126 100644
--- a/docs/NOW.md
+++ b/docs/NOW.md
@@ -1,3 +1,14 @@
+# NOW -- the bit-exactness gate could not see the compiler (2026-08-18)
+
+Last updated: 2026-08-18
+
+## ci: let the cross-target gate see bootstrap/, and make its skip loud (Closes #2183)
+
+- **The gate that proves "one spec, four targets, bit-exact" was blind to the compiler.** `emit-bitexact-gate.yml` listed 11 paths and `bootstrap/**` was not one of them, while all four backends live in a single file: `bootstrap/src/compiler.rs`, `gen_zig:3437`, `gen_verilog:6741`, `gen_c:10522`, `gen_rust:14382`, 31,077 lines. A PR rewriting the C emitter merged with the proof never running
+- **Green did not mean proved.** `tools/verify_multitarget.py` exits 0 when `t27c`, `cc` or `rustc` is missing. The job builds `t27c` itself and the runner ships the other two, so a skip there means the environment broke -- and exit 0 makes *proved* indistinguishable from *never ran*
+- `--require` turns every skip into a failure and is now what CI passes; without it the script stays tolerant, so a contributor without `rustc` is not blocked. Verified both ways: tolerant exits 0, `--require` exits 1 with the reason
+- The path filter carries a negative control in this commit's own verification: `bootstrap/src/compiler.rs`, `cli/tri/src/main.rs` and `tools/verify_multitarget.py` all match; `docs/README.md` does not. A filter that matches everything is as useless as one that matches nothing
+
 # NOW -- the withdrawal gate was green because it was blind (2026-08-18)
 
 Last updated: 2026-08-18
diff --git a/tools/verify_multitarget.py b/tools/verify_multitarget.py
index c37a80b9c..8ad64174f 100644
--- a/tools/verify_multitarget.py
+++ b/tools/verify_multitarget.py
@@ -7,9 +7,15 @@
 C == model and Rust == model on the same random operands -- closing the
 "one spec -> any target, bit-exact" claim across {Verilog, C, Rust, model}.
 
-Self-contained + CI-friendly: SKIPs (exit 0) if t27c / a C compiler / rustc is
-missing; a real cross-target divergence exits 1. Run:
-    python3 tools/verify_multitarget.py
+Self-contained. Locally it SKIPs (exit 0) when t27c, a C compiler or rustc is
+absent, because a contributor without rustc should not be blocked. In CI that
+tolerance is wrong: the workflow builds t27c itself and the runner ships cc and
+rustc, so a skip there means the environment broke, and exit 0 makes "proved"
+indistinguishable from "never ran". Pass --require to turn every skip into a
+failure. A real cross-target divergence exits 1 in both modes.
+
+    python3 tools/verify_multitarget.py             # local, tolerant
+    python3 tools/verify_multitarget.py --require   # CI, asserts it actually ran
 """
 import os, sys, shutil, subprocess, tempfile, importlib.util, random
 
@@ -18,7 +24,16 @@
 N = 600
 
 
+REQUIRE = "--require" in sys.argv
+
+
 def skip(msg):
+    if REQUIRE:
+        print(f"FAIL verify_multitarget: {msg}")
+        print("  --require was given, so a missing prerequisite is a failure, not a skip.")
+        print("  The CI job builds t27c and the runner ships cc and rustc; if one is")
+        print("  absent the environment is broken and this check did not run.")
+        sys.exit(1)
     print(f"SKIP verify_multitarget: {msg}")
     sys.exit(0)