diff --git a/cc-ci-plan/JOURNAL.md b/cc-ci-plan/JOURNAL.md
index 8fab356..35c2849 100644
--- a/cc-ci-plan/JOURNAL.md
+++ b/cc-ci-plan/JOURNAL.md
@@ -422,3 +422,19 @@ session cc-ci-orchestrator-stale can be killed; recipe-mirrors org still private
   not backup-capable, no upgrade target). UNINTENTIONAL N/A (infra error, missing tool,
   aborted tier = unverified) blocks — the level cannot be above an unverified rung.
   Statuses now {pass, fail, skip, unver}; unclassifiable N/A defaults to unver.
+
+## 2026-06-11 ~04:50 — night-watch findings: limit system held core invariant; 2 bugs fixed
+- ~01:49-01:51 all three sessions hit a MONTHLY SPEND limit ("You've hit your monthly
+  spend limit. /usage-credits to adjust") — no reset time exists, so "unparsable → flat
+  5-min probe" was CORRECT behavior. Zero kill+reboots during the limit window (the old
+  system's churn bug is confirmed gone — last stall reboots were 23:26-23:50, old code).
+- Bug 1: probe text contained "usage limit" → matched LIMIT_RE → self-sustaining window.
+  Reworded to "quota window" (must never match LIMIT_RE).
+- Bug 2: probe dedupe checked the whole 40-line pane → once the submitted probe scrolled
+  into the conversation, all further probes were suppressed (builder/adv stuck at
+  nudges=1; orchestrator probes degraded to hourly, riding the wake's scroll). Dedupe now
+  checks only the bottom 8 lines (the input area).
+- shot phase: M1 PASSed (ae10b55, 19/19 matrix) + builder landed the harness capture fix
+  (ce50f64) BEFORE the limit hit. Loops resume via watchdog probe after this bounce.
+- lvl5 plan: operator addition — top badge (card corner/dashboard pill/SVG) shows ONLY
+  the level, no capping info; inline rung table keeps intentional-skip detail.
diff --git a/cc-ci-plan/launch.py b/cc-ci-plan/launch.py
index 4e25078..b47ed13 100644
--- a/cc-ci-plan/launch.py
+++ b/cc-ci-plan/launch.py
@@ -376,11 +376,14 @@ def _next_limit_until(pane, now):
     return now + LIMIT_PROBE_FALLBACK, False
 
 def _limit_nudge_msg(role):
+    # CAUTION: this text lands in the pane that limit_tick later greps. It must NEVER
+    # match LIMIT_RE (found 2026-06-11: "usage limit has reset" matched, making the
+    # window self-sustaining once the probe scrolled into the conversation).
     if role == "orchestrator":
-        return ("watchdog limit-probe: if the usage limit has reset, RESUME now — "
+        return ("watchdog probe: if the quota window has reset, RESUME now — "
                 "you are the cc-ci orchestrator; re-check loop status and continue "
                 "supervising from where you stopped.")
-    return ("watchdog limit-probe: if the usage limit has reset, RESUME your loop now — "
+    return ("watchdog probe: if the quota window has reset, RESUME your loop now — "
             "pull latest, re-read your phase STATUS/REVIEW files, and continue from "
             "where you stopped; re-arm your loop pacing.")
 
@@ -415,10 +418,12 @@ def limit_tick(role, session, pane):
     if now < state.get("until", 0):
         return True  # quietly inside the window
 
-    # Window elapsed, banner still showing → probe. Dedupe: never stack a second
-    # probe while our own text is still visible (typed-but-unsubmitted, or echoed).
+    # Window elapsed, banner still showing → probe. Dedupe: never stack a second probe
+    # while our own text sits typed-but-unsubmitted in the INPUT area (bottom lines only —
+    # checking the whole pane wedged the machine once a submitted probe scrolled into the
+    # conversation above, suppressing all further probes; found 2026-06-11).
     msg = _limit_nudge_msg(role)
-    if msg[:28] in pane:
+    if msg[:28] in "\n".join(pane.splitlines()[-8:]):
         return True
     nudges = state.get("nudges", 0) + 1
     log(f"limit probe #{nudges} on {role} ({session}) — nudging to resume")
diff --git a/cc-ci-plan/plan-phase-lvl5-lint-rung.md b/cc-ci-plan/plan-phase-lvl5-lint-rung.md
index a7fb8a7..a381433 100644
--- a/cc-ci-plan/plan-phase-lvl5-lint-rung.md
+++ b/cc-ci-plan/plan-phase-lvl5-lint-rung.md
@@ -90,7 +90,12 @@ State files (phase-namespaced): `STATUS-lvl5.md`, `BACKLOG-lvl5.md`, `REVIEW-lvl
    new formal rule; `cap_reason`/`capped` deleted from level.py, derive_rungs/results.json
    schema, card (the "capped: …"/"full clean climb — top level (4)" line at card.py:~246
    is replaced by the rung table alone or a neutral "level N of 5"), dashboard fields,
-   and docs. Unit tests rewritten to the new semantics, INCLUDING the three worked
+   and docs. **The top-corner level badge in particular** (the big LEVEL badge on the
+   card, the dashboard `_level_pill`, and `/badge/<recipe>.svg`) shows ONLY the level —
+   number + color, zero capping/cap-reason annotation (operator-specified 2026-06-11).
+   The INLINE detail keeps the intentional-skip information: the per-rung table still
+   marks each rung ✔ / ✘ / intentional-skip / unverified, so "why isn't it higher" lives
+   there and only there. Unit tests rewritten to the new semantics, INCLUDING the worked
    examples from the mission and the old N/A-cases (single-published-version recipe,
    non-backup-capable recipe) now climbing past their former caps.
 7. **All consumers updated coherently:** RUNGS/labels, results schema, card (color map +