diff --git a/cmd/gadfly/consolidate.go b/cmd/gadfly/consolidate.go
index 7f8fb6c..47f2e26 100644
--- a/cmd/gadfly/consolidate.go
+++ b/cmd/gadfly/consolidate.go
@@ -32,16 +32,25 @@ func (v verdict) label() string {
 // The base prompt tells each lens to lead with one of the three phrases.
 func parseVerdict(out string) verdict {
 	l := strings.ToLower(out)
-	switch {
-	case strings.Contains(l, "blocking issues found"):
-		return verdictBlocking
-	case strings.Contains(l, "no material issues"):
-		return verdictClean
-	case strings.Contains(l, "minor issues"):
-		return verdictMinor
-	default:
-		return verdictUnknown
+	// Match the EARLIEST-appearing verdict phrase (the lead verdict), and match
+	// leniently — models write "Blocking issues found", "**Blocking issues**",
+	// "blocking issue", etc. (A strict "blocking issues found" check let a
+	// gpt-oss section that said "**Blocking issues**" fall through to unknown,
+	// so the overall header wrongly read "No material issues found".)
+	best, bestIdx := verdictUnknown, -1
+	for _, c := range []struct {
+		phrase string
+		v      verdict
+	}{
+		{"blocking issue", verdictBlocking},
+		{"minor issue", verdictMinor},
+		{"no material issue", verdictClean},
+	} {
+		if i := strings.Index(l, c.phrase); i >= 0 && (bestIdx == -1 || i < bestIdx) {
+			best, bestIdx = c.v, i
+		}
 	}
+	return best
 }
 
 // specialistResult pairs a specialist with its rendered review and verdict.
diff --git a/cmd/gadfly/specialists_test.go b/cmd/gadfly/specialists_test.go
index c720747..708336a 100644
--- a/cmd/gadfly/specialists_test.go
+++ b/cmd/gadfly/specialists_test.go
@@ -111,10 +111,13 @@ define:
 
 func TestParseVerdictAndWorst(t *testing.T) {
 	cases := map[string]verdict{
-		"VERDICT: No material issues found.": verdictClean,
-		"Minor issues\n- nit":                verdictMinor,
-		"**Blocking issues found**":          verdictBlocking,
-		"something unparseable":              verdictUnknown,
+		"VERDICT: No material issues found.":                      verdictClean,
+		"Minor issues\n- nit":                                     verdictMinor,
+		"**Blocking issues found**":                               verdictBlocking,
+		"**Blocking issues**\n- bug":                              verdictBlocking, // no "found" suffix
+		"VERDICT: Blocking issue\n- one":                          verdictBlocking, // singular
+		"No material issues found. There are no blocking issues.": verdictClean,    // earliest phrase wins
+		"something unparseable":                                   verdictUnknown,
 	}
 	for in, want := range cases {
 		if got := parseVerdict(in); got != want {