diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index d8be276..18ecd3f 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ item → work → verify → commit+push on `main` → record. All loop state is
 git-tracked in `agent/`.
 
 ## Rules that apply to every session, loop or not
+- **Before your first change, read `agent/VERIFICATION.md`** and follow
+  it — every change, however small, climbs its V0–V3 ladder. For theme
+  or visual work, also read `agent/THEME-DESIGN.md`; before any VM test,
+  `docs/TESTING.md`.
 - **Honesty rule** (`agent/VERIFICATION.md`, `docs/TESTING.md`): for
   visual/interactive changes, evaluation is not rendering — state the
   tier you reached. Cheap first: `nix flake check --no-build`.