diff --git a/bin/check-mcp-env b/bin/check-mcp-env
index b20d8e7..a46d151 100755
--- a/bin/check-mcp-env
+++ b/bin/check-mcp-env
@@ -41,7 +41,17 @@ if [ ! -f "$CONFIG" ]; then
 fi
 
 if [ ! -f "$ENVFILE" ]; then
+  # EXPECTED IN CI, and permanently so. The env-file holds live credentials, so
+  # it is not on the runner and must not be -- which means this check can only
+  # ever verify on a host that has one. infra#368 added jq to the runner image
+  # believing that would let CI verify; it removed the jq branch below and
+  # changed nothing else, because this branch is the binding one.
+  #
+  # Said plainly so nobody concludes CI covers this. It does not, it cannot,
+  # and putting ~/.op-env on the runner to make it would be trading a real
+  # secret for a green tick.
   echo "ERROR: no such env-file: $ENVFILE -- cannot verify MCP variables" >&2
+  echo "       (expected in CI: this check only verifies on a host with ~/.op-env)" >&2
   exit 2
 fi