diff --git a/machine-docs/REVIEW-drone.md b/machine-docs/REVIEW-drone.md
index b89a068..5c35536 100644
--- a/machine-docs/REVIEW-drone.md
+++ b/machine-docs/REVIEW-drone.md
@@ -67,17 +67,31 @@ when `DRONE_GITEA_CLIENT_ID` is set. So the install hook must:
 ### Pre-probe: SCM-configured test teeth
 
 The drone health endpoint `/healthz` returns `OK` regardless of SCM connectivity. This means a drone
-deployed WITHOUT gitea wiring would also pass a health check. The "SCM-configured" test must therefore
-use the Drone API to prove OAuth/gitea connectivity — specifically:
-- `GET /api/user` with a drone user token (obtained via drone CLI `drone auth login` or by minting
-  a user token after gitea OAuth login completes in the browser) returns 200 with user info only if
-  drone's gitea OAuth is configured and working
-- Alternatively, `GET /api/user` on an un-wired drone returns 401 — this is the negative control
-- The test must exercise the actual gitea→drone OAuth flow, not just the health endpoint
+deployed WITHOUT gitea wiring would also pass a health check.
 
-**Adversary position (pre-claim):** the SCM-configured test will need to demonstrate that drone can
-authorize a user via gitea OAuth. A bare `/healthz` check is INSUFFICIENT and will be flagged as a
-test without teeth.
+**Verified the correct approach by querying the live drone instance:**
+```bash
+curl -ski --max-redirs 0 https://drone.ci.commoninternet.net/login | grep location
+# → location: https://git.autonomic.zone/login/oauth/authorize?client_id=ab4cdb9d-...&redirect_uri=...
+```
+
+`GET /login` (no-follow) → **303 redirect** to `<gitea-domain>/login/oauth/authorize?client_id=<id>&...`
+
+**The correct "SCM-configured" test:**
+1. `GET https://<drone-domain>/login` with `allow_redirects=False`
+2. Assert response is 302/303
+3. Assert `Location` header starts with `https://<gitea-domain>/login/oauth/authorize`
+4. Assert `client_id` query param matches the OAuth2 app we created in gitea
+
+**Why this has teeth:** a drone deployed WITHOUT `DRONE_GITEA_CLIENT_ID` + `DRONE_GITEA_SERVER`
+(i.e., just the base `compose.yml` without `compose.gitea.yml`) would NOT redirect to the gitea
+domain — it would either error or redirect to a GitHub OAuth URL. The test is falsified by a
+misconfigured drone.
+
+**Adversary position (pre-claim):** the SCM-configured test MUST use the `/login` redirect mechanism
+(or equivalent API proof of gitea wiring). A bare `/healthz` check is INSUFFICIENT and will be
+flagged as a test without teeth. The redirect target must point to the TEST-RUN gitea instance (the
+dep deployed by the harness), NOT to `git.autonomic.zone` (that would prove nothing).
 
 ### Pre-probe: recipe mirrors