diff --git a/.github/workflows/runner-full-stack-e2e.yml b/.github/workflows/runner-full-stack-e2e.yml
index 772d61f062..31e67c0f82 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/runner-full-stack-e2e.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/runner-full-stack-e2e.yml
@@ -711,18 +711,18 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/download-artifact@3e5f45b2cfb9172054b4087a40e8e0b5a5461e7c # v8
         with:
           name: ${{ needs.build_runner_artifacts.outputs.build_artifact_name }}
-          path: runner-e2e-build
+          path: ${{ runner.temp }}/runner-e2e-build
 
       - name: Verify and restore shared TypeScript outputs
         if: needs.catalog.outputs.needs_remote_provider_pack == 'true'
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
           (
-            cd runner-e2e-build
+            cd "$RUNNER_TEMP/runner-e2e-build"
             sha256sum --check runner-e2e-build-bundle.tar.gz.sha256
           )
           tar --extract --gzip \
-            --file runner-e2e-build/runner-e2e-build-bundle.tar.gz \
+            --file "$RUNNER_TEMP/runner-e2e-build/runner-e2e-build-bundle.tar.gz" \
             --directory "$GITHUB_WORKSPACE"
           test -d packages/paperclip-eval-kernel/dist
           test -d packages/paperclip-runner/dist
@@ -920,14 +920,14 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/download-artifact@3e5f45b2cfb9172054b4087a40e8e0b5a5461e7c # v8
         with:
           name: ${{ needs.build_runner_artifacts.outputs.build_artifact_name }}
-          path: runner-e2e-build
+          path: ${{ runner.temp }}/runner-e2e-build
 
       - name: Download immutable remote provider pack
         if: matrix.environmentId == 'daytona' && (matrix.profileId == 'runner-opencode' || startsWith(matrix.profileId, 'runner-acpx-'))
         uses: actions/download-artifact@3e5f45b2cfb9172054b4087a40e8e0b5a5461e7c # v8
         with:
           name: ${{ needs.build_remote_provider_pack.outputs.provider_pack_artifact_name }}
-          path: runner-e2e-provider-pack
+          path: ${{ runner.temp }}/runner-e2e-provider-pack
 
       - name: Verify and restore campaign outputs
         if: startsWith(matrix.profileId, 'runner-') || matrix.suiteId == 'openrouter-model-breadth'
@@ -937,11 +937,11 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
           (
-            cd runner-e2e-build
+            cd "$RUNNER_TEMP/runner-e2e-build"
             sha256sum --check runner-e2e-build-bundle.tar.gz.sha256
           )
           tar --extract --gzip \
-            --file runner-e2e-build/runner-e2e-build-bundle.tar.gz \
+            --file "$RUNNER_TEMP/runner-e2e-build/runner-e2e-build-bundle.tar.gz" \
             --directory "$GITHUB_WORKSPACE"
           test -d packages/paperclip-eval-kernel/dist
           if [ "$NEEDS_RUNNER_TYPESCRIPT" = true ]; then
@@ -958,11 +958,11 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
           (
-            cd runner-e2e-provider-pack
+            cd "$RUNNER_TEMP/runner-e2e-provider-pack"
             sha256sum --check runner-e2e-provider-pack.tar.gz.sha256
           )
           tar --extract --gzip \
-            --file runner-e2e-provider-pack/runner-e2e-provider-pack.tar.gz \
+            --file "$RUNNER_TEMP/runner-e2e-provider-pack/runner-e2e-provider-pack.tar.gz" \
             --directory "$GITHUB_WORKSPACE"
           jq -e \
             --arg revision "$IMAGE_SOURCE_REVISION" \
diff --git a/doc/plans/2026-10-06-hermes-native-runner.md b/doc/plans/2026-10-06-hermes-native-runner.md
index 7be37be588..6fa6475585 100644
--- a/doc/plans/2026-10-06-hermes-native-runner.md
+++ b/doc/plans/2026-10-06-hermes-native-runner.md
@@ -1125,3 +1125,12 @@ runner binary. Master changed Rust inputs, so the retained Mac binary cannot
 qualify the synchronized source. Fresh Rust builds run in cloud CI. A new Mac
 binary, current image, and the outstanding live matrix remain qualification
 requirements. No local Docker or Rust build is used for this synchronization.
+
+The trusted E2E workflow now downloads its checksum-bound build and provider-pack
+archives under `RUNNER_TEMP`, outside the controller checkout. Source admission
+checks every tracked change and all other untracked files. It excludes only
+untracked content inside the generated Mac/Linux Hermes assets and provider-pack
+roots; separate verified runtime admission still checks their manifests and
+bytes before credentials. A 43-test source/workflow selection passes, including
+tracked asset edits, staged/deleted files, root symlinks, neighboring unmanaged
+assets, and archive placement. These are fixture checks, not paid workflow proof.
diff --git a/tests/runner-e2e/hermes-source.test.ts b/tests/runner-e2e/hermes-source.test.ts
index 4345202568..24afe23f84 100644
--- a/tests/runner-e2e/hermes-source.test.ts
+++ b/tests/runner-e2e/hermes-source.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { execFileSync } from "node:child_process";
 import { createHash } from "node:crypto";
-import { mkdtempSync, realpathSync, rmSync, symlinkSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import { mkdirSync, mkdtempSync, realpathSync, rmSync, symlinkSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 import { devNull, tmpdir } from "node:os";
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
@@ -102,3 +102,35 @@ describe("approved qualification dependency lock", () => {
     })).toThrow();
   });
 });
+
+describe("generated runtime source admission", () => {
+  const assetRoot = "packages/paperclip-runner/provider-assets/hermes/linux-x64";
+  function generated(root: string, relative: string) {
+    const directory = join(root, relative); mkdirSync(directory, { recursive: true });
+    writeFileSync(join(directory, "manifest.json"), "fixture runtime bytes\n");
+  }
+  it("admits untracked Mac/Linux runtime assets and a verified pack without hiding source changes", () => {
+    const f = checkout();
+    for (const root of [assetRoot, "packages/paperclip-runner/provider-assets/hermes/darwin-arm64", "packages/paperclip-runner/provider-pack"]) generated(f.root, root);
+    expect(prepareHermesQualificationSource(selected, f.root, { PATH: process.env.PATH })).toMatchObject({ sha: f.sha, workingTreeClean: true });
+    writeFileSync(join(f.root, "source.txt"), "changed source\n");
+    expect(() => prepareHermesQualificationSource(selected, f.root, { PATH: process.env.PATH })).toThrow("clean checkout before credentials");
+  });
+  it.each(["runner-e2e-build", "runner-e2e-provider-pack", "packages/paperclip-runner/provider-assets/hermes/win32-x64", "packages/paperclip-runner/provider-assets/unmanaged"])("rejects untracked files in %s", root => {
+    const f = checkout(); generated(f.root, assetRoot); generated(f.root, root);
+    expect(() => prepareHermesQualificationSource(selected, f.root, { PATH: process.env.PATH })).toThrow("clean checkout before credentials");
+  });
+  it.each(["modified", "staged", "deleted"])("rejects %s tracked files inside a generated asset root", kind => {
+    const f = checkout(); generated(f.root, assetRoot); f.git("add", assetRoot);
+    f.git("-c", "user.name=Fixture", "-c", "user.email=fixture@example.test", "-c", "commit.gpgsign=false", "-c", `core.hooksPath=${devNull}`, "commit", "-m", "tracked asset fixture");
+    const file = join(f.root, assetRoot, "manifest.json");
+    if (kind === "deleted") rmSync(file); else writeFileSync(file, "changed tracked asset\n");
+    if (kind === "staged") f.git("add", assetRoot);
+    expect(() => prepareHermesQualificationSource(selected, f.root, { PATH: process.env.PATH })).toThrow("clean checkout before credentials");
+  });
+  it("rejects a runtime-root symlink instead of treating it as generated content", () => {
+    const f = checkout(); const parent = join(f.root, "packages/paperclip-runner/provider-assets/hermes"); mkdirSync(parent, { recursive: true });
+    symlinkSync(f.root, join(parent, "linux-x64"));
+    expect(() => prepareHermesQualificationSource(selected, f.root, { PATH: process.env.PATH })).toThrow("clean checkout before credentials");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/tests/runner-e2e/hermes-source.ts b/tests/runner-e2e/hermes-source.ts
index a6a31af047..3b92dfb80e 100644
--- a/tests/runner-e2e/hermes-source.ts
+++ b/tests/runner-e2e/hermes-source.ts
@@ -30,7 +30,19 @@ export function prepareHermesQualificationSource(
   };
   const sha = git(["rev-parse", "HEAD"]).trim();
   if (!/^[a-f0-9]{40}$/.test(sha)) throw new Error("Hermes qualification source SHA is invalid.");
-  const changes = git(["status", "--porcelain", "-z", "--untracked-files=normal"]).split("\0").filter(Boolean);
+  // Check every tracked source change, including anything tracked in an asset
+  // directory. Only untracked files in these generated runtime roots are omitted;
+  // their manifests and bytes are verified separately before credentials arrive.
+  const generatedRuntimeRoots = [
+    "packages/paperclip-runner/provider-assets/hermes/linux-x64",
+    "packages/paperclip-runner/provider-assets/hermes/darwin-arm64",
+    "packages/paperclip-runner/provider-pack",
+  ];
+  const trackedChanges = git(["status", "--porcelain", "-z", "--untracked-files=no"]).split("\0").filter(Boolean);
+  const untrackedSource = git(["ls-files", "--others", "--exclude-standard", "-z", "--", ".",
+    ...generatedRuntimeRoots.map(root => `:(exclude)${root}/**`),
+  ]).split("\0").filter(Boolean);
+  const changes = [...trackedChanges, ...untrackedSource.map(file => `?? ${file}`)];
   const approvedLock = environment.PAPERCLIP_RUNNER_E2E_LOCK_SHA256?.trim();
   if (approvedLock && !/^[a-f0-9]{64}$/.test(approvedLock)) throw new Error("Hermes qualification approved lock digest is invalid.");
   if (changes.some(change => change !== " M pnpm-lock.yaml" || !approvedLock)) {
diff --git a/tests/runner-e2e/workflow-security.test.ts b/tests/runner-e2e/workflow-security.test.ts
index d6fad7e81a..ad46dbc737 100644
--- a/tests/runner-e2e/workflow-security.test.ts
+++ b/tests/runner-e2e/workflow-security.test.ts
@@ -79,6 +79,17 @@ describe("public repository paid workflow security", () => {
     expect(provision).toContain("uv==0.12.17");
     expect(provision).toContain("scripts/provision-hermes.mjs");
   });
+  it("downloads and verifies qualification archives outside controller source", async () => {
+    const workflow = await readFile(path.join(repositoryRoot, ".github/workflows/runner-full-stack-e2e.yml"), "utf8");
+    expect(workflow.match(/path: \$\{\{ runner.temp \}\}\/runner-e2e-build/gu)).toHaveLength(2);
+    expect(workflow.match(/path: \$\{\{ runner.temp \}\}\/runner-e2e-provider-pack/gu)).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(workflow.match(/cd "\$RUNNER_TEMP\/runner-e2e-build"/gu)).toHaveLength(2);
+    expect(workflow).toContain('cd "$RUNNER_TEMP/runner-e2e-provider-pack"');
+    expect(workflow.match(/--file "\$RUNNER_TEMP\/runner-e2e-build\/runner-e2e-build-bundle.tar.gz"/gu)).toHaveLength(2);
+    expect(workflow).toContain('--file "$RUNNER_TEMP/runner-e2e-provider-pack/runner-e2e-provider-pack.tar.gz"');
+    expect(workflow).not.toMatch(/path: runner-e2e-(?:build|provider-pack)\n/u);
+    expect(workflow).not.toMatch(/--file runner-e2e-(?:build|provider-pack)\//u);
+  });
   it("keeps the manual EC2 image build credential-free and pins the authorized target", async () => {
     const workflow = await readFile(path.join(repositoryRoot, ".github/workflows/docker-runner-check.yml"), "utf8");
     const manual = workflow.slice(workflow.indexOf("  authorize_manual:"));