diff --git a/.gitea/scripts/gitea-merge-queue.py b/.gitea/scripts/gitea-merge-queue.py
index 5de63066e..d957a6773 100644
--- a/.gitea/scripts/gitea-merge-queue.py
+++ b/.gitea/scripts/gitea-merge-queue.py
@@ -1170,7 +1170,9 @@ def enumerate_readiness(*, dry_run: bool = False) -> list[ReadinessEntry]:
     post-batch summary can be printed.
     """
     bp = get_branch_protection(WATCH_BRANCH)
-    contexts = bp.required_contexts
+    # Uniform gate: governance checks are ALWAYS required, even if branch
+    # protection does not enumerate them. Deduplicate against BP list.
+    contexts = list(dict.fromkeys(bp.required_contexts + GOVERNANCE_REQUIRED_CONTEXTS))
     required_approvals = bp.required_approvals
 
     main_sha = get_branch_head(WATCH_BRANCH)
diff --git a/.gitea/scripts/tests/test_gitea_merge_queue.py b/.gitea/scripts/tests/test_gitea_merge_queue.py
index 3349ff739..9ac25e69a 100644
--- a/.gitea/scripts/tests/test_gitea_merge_queue.py
+++ b/.gitea/scripts/tests/test_gitea_merge_queue.py
@@ -333,6 +333,27 @@ def test_governance_red_blocks_merge():
     assert "required contexts not green" in decision.reason
 
 
+def test_non_required_red_does_not_block_merge():
+    # Uniform gate flip (CTO #2407): qa-review, security-review, sop-checklist
+    # are REQUIRED for ALL PRs. A PR with these failing/pending must NOT be
+    # force-mergeable, even if BP-required CI is green and approvals are genuine.
+    pr_status = {
+        "state": "failure",
+        "statuses": [
+            {"context": "CI / all-required (pull_request)", "status": "success"},
+            {"context": "qa-review / approved (pull_request)", "status": "failure"},
+            {"context": "security-review / approved (pull_request)", "status": "pending"},
+            {"context": "sop-checklist / all-items-acked (pull_request)", "status": "failure"},
+            {"context": "Staging SaaS / e2e (pull_request)", "status": "failure"},
+        ],
+    }
+    decision = mq.evaluate_merge_readiness(**_ready_kwargs(pr_status=pr_status))
+    assert decision.ready is False
+    assert decision.action == "wait"
+    assert "required contexts not green" in decision.reason
+    assert decision.force is False
+
+
 def test_non_required_advisory_red_does_not_block_merge():
     # Governance checks are green; only advisory non-required reds (Staging SaaS)
     # are present → PR is still mergeable with force_merge bypassing the advisory.
diff --git a/tools/gate-check-v3/gate_check.py b/tools/gate-check-v3/gate_check.py
index af0247dfb..6289e6dbb 100644
--- a/tools/gate-check-v3/gate_check.py
+++ b/tools/gate-check-v3/gate_check.py
@@ -433,6 +433,17 @@ def signal_4_branch_divergence(
 
 # ── Signal 6: CI required-checks awareness ───────────────────────────────────
 
+# Governance checks that are ALWAYS required for every PR, regardless of
+# branch-protection configuration. These are the uniform-gate checks that
+# must pass before any PR can merge (SOP tier removal makes them mandatory
+# for all PRs, not just tier:medium/tier:high).
+GOVERNANCE_REQUIRED_CONTEXTS = [
+    "qa-review / approved (pull_request)",
+    "security-review / approved (pull_request)",
+    "sop-checklist / all-items-acked (pull_request)",
+]
+
+
 def signal_6_ci(pr_number: int, repo: str, branch: str | None = None, pr_data: dict | None = None) -> dict:
     """
     Query combined CI status for PR head commit.
@@ -470,6 +481,9 @@ def signal_6_ci(pr_number: int, repo: str, branch: str | None = None, pr_data: d
             required_checks.append(check["context"])
     except GiteaError:
         pass  # No protection or no read access
+    # Uniform gate: governance checks are ALWAYS required, even if branch
+    # protection does not enumerate them. Deduplicate against BP list.
+    required_checks = list(dict.fromkeys(required_checks + GOVERNANCE_REQUIRED_CONTEXTS))
 
     failing_required = []
     passing_required = []
diff --git a/tools/gate-check-v3/test_gate_check.py b/tools/gate-check-v3/test_gate_check.py
index eb3bcd51a..bf9a1396c 100644
--- a/tools/gate-check-v3/test_gate_check.py
+++ b/tools/gate-check-v3/test_gate_check.py
@@ -354,3 +354,133 @@ def test_signal_4_branch_api_error_returns_na(monkeypatch):
 
     assert result["verdict"] == "N/A"
     assert "error" in result
+
+
+# ── Signal 6: CI required checks ────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def _signal_6_api_get(required_checks, statuses):
+    """Return a fake_api_get closure for signal_6 tests."""
+    def fake_api_get(path):
+        if path == "/repos/molecule-ai/molecule-core/pulls/200":
+            return {"base": {"sha": "base000", "ref": "main"}, "head": {"sha": "pr222"}}
+        if path == "/repos/molecule-ai/molecule-core/commits/pr222/status":
+            return {"state": "failure", "statuses": statuses}
+        if path == "/repos/molecule-ai/molecule-core/branches/main/protection":
+            return {"required_status_checks": {"checks": [{"context": c} for c in required_checks]}}
+        raise AssertionError(f"unexpected api_get: {path}")
+    return fake_api_get
+
+
+def test_signal_6_missing_required_context_returns_ci_pending(monkeypatch):
+    """A required check that is ABSENT from the status list is treated as missing,
+    which is fail-closed → CI_PENDING (never ready-by-absence)."""
+    mod = load_gate_check()
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        mod, "api_get",
+        _signal_6_api_get(
+            required_checks=["qa-review / approved (pull_request)", "security-review / approved (pull_request)"],
+            statuses=[
+                {"context": "qa-review / approved (pull_request)", "status": "success"},
+                # security-review is completely missing
+            ],
+        ),
+    )
+    result = mod.signal_6_ci(200, "molecule-ai/molecule-core")
+    assert result["verdict"] == "CI_PENDING"
+    assert "security-review / approved (pull_request)" in result["pending_required"]
+
+
+def test_signal_6_pending_required_context_returns_ci_pending(monkeypatch):
+    """A required check with status 'pending' blocks the gate with CI_PENDING."""
+    mod = load_gate_check()
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        mod, "api_get",
+        _signal_6_api_get(
+            required_checks=[
+                "qa-review / approved (pull_request)",
+                "security-review / approved (pull_request)",
+                "sop-checklist / all-items-acked (pull_request)",
+            ],
+            statuses=[
+                {"context": "qa-review / approved (pull_request)", "status": "success"},
+                {"context": "security-review / approved (pull_request)", "status": "pending"},
+                {"context": "sop-checklist / all-items-acked (pull_request)", "status": "success"},
+            ],
+        ),
+    )
+    result = mod.signal_6_ci(200, "molecule-ai/molecule-core")
+    assert result["verdict"] == "CI_PENDING"
+    assert "security-review / approved (pull_request)" in result["pending_required"]
+
+
+def test_signal_6_failing_required_context_returns_ci_fail(monkeypatch):
+    """A required check with status 'failure' blocks the gate with CI_FAIL."""
+    mod = load_gate_check()
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        mod, "api_get",
+        _signal_6_api_get(
+            required_checks=[
+                "qa-review / approved (pull_request)",
+                "security-review / approved (pull_request)",
+                "sop-checklist / all-items-acked (pull_request)",
+                "CI / all-required (pull_request)",
+            ],
+            statuses=[
+                {"context": "qa-review / approved (pull_request)", "status": "failure"},
+                {"context": "security-review / approved (pull_request)", "status": "success"},
+                {"context": "sop-checklist / all-items-acked (pull_request)", "status": "success"},
+                {"context": "CI / all-required (pull_request)", "status": "success"},
+            ],
+        ),
+    )
+    result = mod.signal_6_ci(200, "molecule-ai/molecule-core")
+    assert result["verdict"] == "CI_FAIL"
+    assert "qa-review / approved (pull_request)" in result["failing_required"]
+
+
+def test_signal_6_all_required_green_returns_clear(monkeypatch):
+    """When every required check is success/neutral, the gate is CLEAR."""
+    mod = load_gate_check()
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        mod, "api_get",
+        _signal_6_api_get(
+            required_checks=[
+                "qa-review / approved (pull_request)",
+                "security-review / approved (pull_request)",
+                "sop-checklist / all-items-acked (pull_request)",
+                "CI / all-required (pull_request)",
+            ],
+            statuses=[
+                {"context": "qa-review / approved (pull_request)", "status": "success"},
+                {"context": "security-review / approved (pull_request)", "status": "success"},
+                {"context": "sop-checklist / all-items-acked (pull_request)", "status": "success"},
+                {"context": "CI / all-required (pull_request)", "status": "success"},
+            ],
+        ),
+    )
+    result = mod.signal_6_ci(200, "molecule-ai/molecule-core")
+    assert result["verdict"] == "CLEAR"
+    assert result["pending_required"] == []
+    assert result["failing_required"] == []
+
+
+def test_signal_6_governance_checks_always_required_even_when_bp_empty(monkeypatch):
+    """Uniform gate: qa/security/sop are REQUIRED even if branch protection
+    does not enumerate them. A PR with only CI/all-required green but missing
+    governance contexts must be CI_PENDING (fail-closed)."""
+    mod = load_gate_check()
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        mod, "api_get",
+        _signal_6_api_get(
+            required_checks=[],  # BP lists nothing
+            statuses=[
+                {"context": "CI / all-required (pull_request)", "status": "success"},
+            ],
+        ),
+    )
+    result = mod.signal_6_ci(200, "molecule-ai/molecule-core")
+    assert result["verdict"] == "CI_PENDING"
+    assert "qa-review / approved (pull_request)" in result["pending_required"]
+    assert "security-review / approved (pull_request)" in result["pending_required"]
+    assert "sop-checklist / all-items-acked (pull_request)" in result["pending_required"]