diff --git a/wizard-work/forge/_test_roundtrip_refactor_CHECK_EVIDENCE.txt b/wizard-work/forge/_test_roundtrip_refactor_CHECK_EVIDENCE.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a86fe5b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/wizard-work/forge/_test_roundtrip_refactor_CHECK_EVIDENCE.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+=== Roundtrip Refactor Verification Evidence ===
+Date: 2026-10-24
+Artifact: /root/.hermes/wizard-outputs/forge/verify_roundtrip_refactor.py
+Work dir: /root/troupe-standup/wizard-work/forge/
+
+Original:   _test_roundtrip.py          (117 lines, has: import string, global PASS/FAIL, no __main__)
+Refactored: _test_roundtrip_refactored.py (193 lines, clean: no import string, no globals, __main__ guard)
+
+Results of: python3 /root/troupe-standup/wizard-work/forge/verify_roundtrip_refactor.py
+
+OK: _test_roundtrip_refactored.py is git-tracked at HEAD
+OK: identical output (exit 0): === Results: 34 passed, 0 failed ===
+OK: py_compile passes
+OK: no 'global' statements
+OK: no 'import string' (dead import removed)
+OK: __main__ guard present
+
+=== Verification: 6/6 checks passed ===
+EXIT_CODE=0
diff --git a/wizard-work/forge/verify_roundtrip_refactor.py b/wizard-work/forge/verify_roundtrip_refactor.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0f1d7ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/wizard-work/forge/verify_roundtrip_refactor.py
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+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Verification harness for the _test_roundtrip_refactored.py refactor.
+
+Checks:
+  1. The refactored file is git-tracked at HEAD.
+  2. Original and refactored produce byte-identical stdout+stderr.
+  3. The refactored file compiles (py_compile).
+  4. No ``global`` statements remain.
+  5. No standalone ``import string`` (dead import removed).
+  6. ``if __name__ == "__main__"`` guard is present.
+
+Exit 0 = all pass; exit 1 = at least one failure.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import difflib
+import os
+import subprocess
+import sys
+
+REPO_ROOT = "/root/troupe-standup"
+WORK_DIR = os.path.join(REPO_ROOT, "wizard-work", "forge")
+REFACTORED = "_test_roundtrip_refactored.py"
+ORIGINAL = "_test_roundtrip.py"
+REL_PATH = "wizard-work/forge/_test_roundtrip_refactored.py"
+
+
+def _run(*args: str) -> subprocess.CompletedProcess:
+    return subprocess.run(
+        args,
+        cwd=WORK_DIR,
+        capture_output=True,
+        text=True,
+    )
+
+
+def check_git_tracked() -> bool:
+    r = _run("git", "cat-file", "-e", f"HEAD:{REL_PATH}")
+    if r.returncode != 0:
+        print(f"FAIL: {REFACTORED} not found at HEAD:{REL_PATH}")
+        return False
+    print(f"OK: {REFACTORED} is git-tracked at HEAD")
+    return True
+
+
+def check_identical_output() -> bool:
+    orig = _run("python3", ORIGINAL)
+    ref = _run("python3", REFACTORED)
+    orig_text = orig.stdout + orig.stderr
+    ref_text = ref.stdout + ref.stderr
+    if orig_text != ref_text:
+        print("FAIL: original and refactored output differ")
+        diff = difflib.unified_diff(
+            orig_text.splitlines(keepends=True),
+            ref_text.splitlines(keepends=True),
+            fromfile="original",
+            tofile="refactored",
+        )
+        print("".join(diff))
+        return False
+    if orig.returncode != ref.returncode:
+        print(f"FAIL: exit codes differ ({orig.returncode} vs {ref.returncode})")
+        return False
+    print(f"OK: identical output (exit {orig.returncode}): {orig_text.strip()}")
+    return True
+
+
+def check_py_compile() -> bool:
+    r = _run("python3", "-m", "py_compile", REFACTORED)
+    if r.returncode != 0:
+        print(f"FAIL: py_compile failed: {r.stderr}")
+        return False
+    print("OK: py_compile passes")
+    return True
+
+
+def check_no_globals() -> bool:
+    path = os.path.join(WORK_DIR, REFACTORED)
+    with open(path) as f:
+        content = f.read()
+    for i, line in enumerate(content.splitlines(), 1):
+        stripped = line.lstrip()
+        if stripped.startswith("global "):
+            print(f"FAIL: 'global' found at line {i}: {line.strip()}")
+            return False
+    print("OK: no 'global' statements")
+    return True
+
+
+def check_no_dead_import_string() -> bool:
+    path = os.path.join(WORK_DIR, REFACTORED)
+    with open(path) as f:
+        content = f.read()
+    for i, line in enumerate(content.splitlines(), 1):
+        stripped = line.lstrip()
+        if stripped.startswith("import ") and "string" in stripped.split()[:2]:
+            print(f"FAIL: 'import string' found at line {i}: {line.strip()}")
+            return False
+    print("OK: no 'import string' (dead import removed)")
+    return True
+
+
+def check_main_guard() -> bool:
+    path = os.path.join(WORK_DIR, REFACTORED)
+    with open(path) as f:
+        content = f.read()
+    if '__name__ == "__main__"' not in content:
+        print("FAIL: no '__name__ == \"__main__\"' guard")
+        return False
+    print('OK: __main__ guard present')
+    return True
+
+
+def main() -> None:
+    checks = [
+        check_git_tracked,
+        check_identical_output,
+        check_py_compile,
+        check_no_globals,
+        check_no_dead_import_string,
+        check_main_guard,
+    ]
+    results = [fn() for fn in checks]
+    passed = sum(results)
+    total = len(results)
+    print(f"\n=== Verification: {passed}/{total} checks passed ===")
+    if passed != total:
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()