diff --git a/qa/_oracle_e2e.mjs b/qa/_oracle_e2e.mjs
index 4c25564..13b5ffe 100644
--- a/qa/_oracle_e2e.mjs
+++ b/qa/_oracle_e2e.mjs
@@ -137,13 +137,20 @@ if (hasFallbackMenu || hasRealReply) pass("llm_user_facing_reply_useful", llmLas
 else fail("llm_user_facing_reply_useful", llmLast.slice(0, 200));
 await p.screenshot({ path: `${OUT}/06-llm-reply.png` });
 
-// 9. Network health summary
+// 9. Network health summary — distinguish system 5xx from upstream-LLM 5xx
+// so the canvas-primary 503 is tracked (not hidden by aggregation).
 const byStatus = {};
 for (const c of calls) byStatus[c.status] = (byStatus[c.status] || 0) + 1;
-const fivexx = calls.filter(c => c.status >= 500).length;
 const fast502 = calls.filter(c => c.status === 502).length;
-if (fast502 === 0) pass("no_502_anywhere", `5xx total=${fivexx}`);
+const llmGwUrls = ["/api/v1/llm/", "/api/llm-fallback/"];
+const llm5xx = calls.filter(c => c.status >= 500 && llmGwUrls.some(p => c.url.startsWith(p)));
+const sys5xx = calls.filter(c => c.status >= 500 && !llmGwUrls.some(p => c.url.startsWith(p)));
+console.log(`  LLM gateway 5xx (tracked, handled by cascade): ${llm5xx.length}`);
+console.log(`  System 5xx (must be zero): ${sys5xx.length}`);
+if (fast502 === 0) pass("no_502_anywhere", `5xx breakdown: llm=${llm5xx.length} sys=${sys5xx.length}`);
 else fail("no_502_anywhere", `${fast502} 502s seen`);
+if (sys5xx.length === 0) pass("no_system_5xx", `llm-only 5xx=${llm5xx.length} are expected (cascade handles)`);
+else fail("no_system_5xx", `${sys5xx.length} non-LLM 5xx: ${JSON.stringify(sys5xx.slice(0,3))}`);
 
 await b.close();
 
diff --git a/qa/_wave4_gaps.mjs b/qa/_wave4_gaps.mjs
index 11f1c76..f0ac134 100644
--- a/qa/_wave4_gaps.mjs
+++ b/qa/_wave4_gaps.mjs
@@ -53,6 +53,18 @@ console.log("\n=== Gap 1: Real LLM-backed answer ===");
   if (gatewayOk && !fallback && last.length > 30) pass("gap1_real_llm_answer", `${gatewayOk.text.match(/provider=\w+/)?.[0]} · ${last.length}ch`);
   else fail("gap1_real_llm_answer", `fallback=${fallback}, gateway_ok=${!!gatewayOk}, len=${last.length}`);
   await p.screenshot({ path: `${OUT}/g1-llm-answer.png`, fullPage: false });
+
+  // Oracle wave-4 action #5: regression check — if both primary and
+  // fallback gateways fail, the assistant must NOT produce a real reply.
+  // Equivalent: a real LLM reply implies at least one gateway succeeded.
+  // We assert the inverse by inspecting telemetry: a successful 'gap1'
+  // run produces exactly one "ok" telemetry line; the cascade-exhausted
+  // failure mode emits "all gateways exhausted". If we ever see both
+  // primary AND fallback-dev fail (cascade exhausted) AND a real reply,
+  // the test fails because the contract is broken.
+  const cascadeExhausted = msgs.some(m => /\[llm\] all gateways exhausted/.test(m.text));
+  if (!cascadeExhausted) pass("gap1_cascade_did_not_exhaust");
+  else fail("gap1_cascade_did_not_exhaust", "both primary and fallback-dev failed");
   await p.context().close();
 }