diff --git a/.github/workflows/claude-review.yml b/.github/workflows/claude-review.yml
index 96dda15..7708203 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/claude-review.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/claude-review.yml
@@ -16,15 +16,57 @@ permissions:
   id-token: write
 
 jobs:
+  # ---------- Gate: run CI checks first so Claude doesn't waste tokens ----------
+  # Skips gracefully if package.json doesn't exist yet (spec-only PRs).
+  ci:
+    if: github.event.pull_request.draft == false
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 10
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Check if project has been scaffolded
+        id: check
+        run: |
+          if [ -f package.json ]; then
+            echo "has_project=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          else
+            echo "has_project=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+            echo "No package.json found — skipping CI (spec-only PR)"
+          fi
+
+      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        if: steps.check.outputs.has_project == 'true'
+        with:
+          node-version: 22
+
+      - run: npm ci
+        if: steps.check.outputs.has_project == 'true'
+
+      - run: npm run lint
+        if: steps.check.outputs.has_project == 'true'
+
+      - run: npm run typecheck
+        if: steps.check.outputs.has_project == 'true'
+
+      - run: npm test -- --run
+        if: steps.check.outputs.has_project == 'true'
+        env:
+          CI: true
+
+      - run: npm run build
+        if: steps.check.outputs.has_project == 'true'
+
+  # ---------- Claude review: only runs if CI passes ----------
   review:
-    # Skip drafts; review when marked ready.
+    needs: ci
     if: github.event.pull_request.draft == false
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    timeout-minutes: 30
+    timeout-minutes: 15
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
-          fetch-depth: 0 # full history so Claude can diff against base
+          fetch-depth: 0
 
       - uses: anthropics/claude-code-action@v1
         with:
@@ -42,32 +84,29 @@ jobs:
             judging the diff — PRs here are usually either spec documents or
             implementations of a spec.
 
-            Review standards for this repo, in priority order:
+            CI (tests, lint, typecheck, build) has ALREADY PASSED in a prior
+            job. Do NOT re-run npm ci, npm test, npm run lint, npm run
+            typecheck, or npm run build. Focus exclusively on code review.
 
-            1. VERIFY, don't trust. If the PR contains code, run the actual
-               acceptance toolchain from a clean state: npm ci (a lockfile out
-               of sync with package.json is an automatic blocker), then
-               npm test, npm run typecheck, npm run lint, npm run build.
-               Report exact failures. A fresh clone must work — missing
-               postinstall/prepare steps are blockers, not nits.
+            Review standards for this repo, in priority order:
 
-            2. Spec traceability. If the PR implements a numbered task, check
+            1. Spec traceability. If the PR implements a numbered task, check
                the implementation against that spec's acceptance criteria and
                flag criteria that are unmet or silently reinterpreted.
 
-            3. Consistency across sources of truth. Flag contradictions
+            2. Consistency across sources of truth. Flag contradictions
                between the diff, .kiro/steering/AI-MAP.md, .kiro/specs/, and
                "MD Instructions/" — including stale version pins and paths.
 
-            4. Registry purity rule: nothing imported by /compiler, its CLI,
+            3. Registry purity rule: nothing imported by /compiler, its CLI,
                or /server may transitively import .vue files. Check imports.
 
-            5. Standard review: correctness, types (no `any`), security,
+            4. Standard review: correctness, types (no `any`), security,
                and whether tests actually assert what they claim.
 
             Do not restate the diff or praise padding. Credit genuinely good
             decisions in one or two lines. Be specific enough that a follow-up
             commit can address every point without asking questions.
           claude_args: |
-            --max-turns 30
-            --allowedTools "Bash(npm ci),Bash(npm install),Bash(npm test),Bash(npm run typecheck),Bash(npm run lint),Bash(npm run build),Bash(npx nuxt prepare),Bash(git diff:*),Bash(git log:*)"
+            --max-turns 20
+            --allowedTools "Read,Grep,Glob,MultiGrep,Bash(git diff:*),Bash(git log:*),Bash(cat:*),Bash(find:*),Bash(ls:*),Bash(head:*),Bash(tail:*),Bash(wc:*)"
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 9cabaa2..0136231 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -25,5 +25,7 @@ reviewer, Claude Code sessions) must follow the same project conventions.
 - Component tests mounting Nuxt UI components use `mountSuspended` from
   `@nuxt/test-utils/runtime` (Vitest environment `nuxt`); pure unit tests
   opt into node via a `// @vitest-environment node` docblock.
-- A fresh clone must pass: `npm ci && npm test && npm run typecheck &&
-  npm run lint && npm run build`.
+- A fresh clone must pass: `npm ci && npm run lint && npm run typecheck &&
+  npm test && npm run build`.
+- CI runs these checks as a gate before the Claude review job. Claude does
+  not re-run them — it focuses on code review only.