diff --git a/.gitea/scripts/sop-tier-refire.sh b/.gitea/scripts/sop-tier-refire.sh
index ef0e0473c..22dfbdc34 100755
--- a/.gitea/scripts/sop-tier-refire.sh
+++ b/.gitea/scripts/sop-tier-refire.sh
@@ -125,7 +125,9 @@ if [ ! -f "$SCRIPT" ]; then
 fi
 
 # Re-invoke. Pipe stdout/stderr through so the runner log shows the
-# tier-check decision inline.
+# tier-check decision inline. Capture the real exit code so the posted
+# protected status reflects the evaluator result (closes #2140).
+TIER_EXIT=0
 GITEA_TOKEN="$GITEA_TOKEN" \
   GITEA_HOST="$GITEA_HOST" \
   REPO="$REPO" \
@@ -133,8 +135,7 @@ GITEA_TOKEN="$GITEA_TOKEN" \
   PR_AUTHOR="$PR_AUTHOR" \
   SOP_DEBUG="${SOP_DEBUG:-0}" \
   SOP_LEGACY_CHECK="${SOP_LEGACY_CHECK:-0}" \
-  bash "$SCRIPT" || true
-TIER_EXIT=0
+  bash "$SCRIPT" || TIER_EXIT=$?
 debug "sop-tier-check.sh exit=$TIER_EXIT"
 
 # 4. POST the resulting status.
diff --git a/.gitea/scripts/tests/test_sop_tier_refire.sh b/.gitea/scripts/tests/test_sop_tier_refire.sh
index 2f2966beb..95b8c46d2 100755
--- a/.gitea/scripts/tests/test_sop_tier_refire.sh
+++ b/.gitea/scripts/tests/test_sop_tier_refire.sh
@@ -246,21 +246,21 @@ assert_contains "T1 POST context is sop-tier-check / tier-check" \
   '"context": "sop-tier-check / tier-check (pull_request)"' "$POSTED"
 assert_contains "T1 description names commenter" "test-runner" "$POSTED"
 
-# T2: missing tier label → tier-check fails internally, but refire status
-# matches the canonical workflow's fail-open job conclusion.
+# T2: missing tier label → tier-check fails internally; refire now posts the
+# real evaluator result (failure) to the protected status (#2140).
 run_scenario "T2_no_tier_label" "fail_no_label"
 RC=$(cat "$FIX_STATE_DIR/last_rc")
 POSTED=$(cat "$FIX_STATE_DIR/posted_statuses.jsonl" 2>/dev/null || true)
-assert_eq "T2 exit code 0 (canonical fail-open)" "0" "$RC"
-assert_contains "T2 POSTed state=success" '"state": "success"' "$POSTED"
+assert_eq "T2 exit code 1 (evaluator failure propagated)" "1" "$RC"
+assert_contains "T2 POSTed state=failure" '"state": "failure"' "$POSTED"
 
-# T3: tier:low present but ZERO approving reviews → internal tier check fails,
-# refire status remains aligned with the canonical workflow.
+# T3: tier:low present but ZERO approving reviews → internal tier check fails;
+# refire posts failure so the protected status reflects reality.
 run_scenario "T3_no_approvals" "fail_no_approvals"
 RC=$(cat "$FIX_STATE_DIR/last_rc")
 POSTED=$(cat "$FIX_STATE_DIR/posted_statuses.jsonl" 2>/dev/null || true)
-assert_eq "T3 exit code 0 (canonical fail-open)" "0" "$RC"
-assert_contains "T3 POSTed state=success" '"state": "success"' "$POSTED"
+assert_eq "T3 exit code 1 (evaluator failure propagated)" "1" "$RC"
+assert_contains "T3 POSTed state=failure" '"state": "failure"' "$POSTED"
 
 # T4: closed PR — refire is a no-op (no POST, exit 0)
 run_scenario "T4_closed" "pass"