diff --git a/scripts/release_control/staged_commit_shape_guard.py b/scripts/release_control/staged_commit_shape_guard.py
index bb5211cc63..d2614c7a90 100644
--- a/scripts/release_control/staged_commit_shape_guard.py
+++ b/scripts/release_control/staged_commit_shape_guard.py
@@ -58,8 +58,7 @@ def load_head_repo_json(path: str) -> dict | None:
 
 
 def load_staged_status_payload() -> dict:
-    # Internal governance files are not git-tracked; always read from filesystem.
-    return load_repo_json(STATUS_PATH, staged=False)
+    return load_repo_json(STATUS_PATH, staged=True, strict_staged=True)
 
 
 def load_head_status_payload() -> dict | None:
@@ -67,8 +66,7 @@ def load_head_status_payload() -> dict | None:
 
 
 def load_staged_registry_payload() -> dict:
-    # Internal governance files are not git-tracked; always read from filesystem.
-    return load_repo_json(REGISTRY_PATH, staged=False)
+    return load_repo_json(REGISTRY_PATH, staged=True, strict_staged=True)
 
 
 def _is_runtime_surface_path(path: str) -> bool:
diff --git a/scripts/release_control/staged_commit_shape_guard_test.py b/scripts/release_control/staged_commit_shape_guard_test.py
index 3bf53b070b..7036f42b86 100644
--- a/scripts/release_control/staged_commit_shape_guard_test.py
+++ b/scripts/release_control/staged_commit_shape_guard_test.py
@@ -1,19 +1,84 @@
 import io
+import json
 import os
+import subprocess
+import tempfile
 import unittest
+from pathlib import Path
 from contextlib import redirect_stderr, redirect_stdout
 from unittest.mock import patch
 
+from repo_file_io import strip_local_git_env
 from staged_commit_shape_guard import (
+    REGISTRY_PATH,
+    STATUS_PATH,
     CONTRACT_NEUTRAL_OVERRIDE_ENV,
     advanced_lane_ids,
     format_combined_errors,
     lane_progress_shape_errors,
+    load_staged_registry_payload,
+    load_staged_status_payload,
     main,
     staged_promotion_proof_errors,
 )
 
 
+class StagedGovernanceInputTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    def git(self, repo_root: Path, *args: str) -> None:
+        env = os.environ.copy()
+        strip_local_git_env(env)
+        subprocess.run(
+            ["git", *args],
+            cwd=repo_root,
+            env=env,
+            check=True,
+            capture_output=True,
+            text=True,
+        )
+
+    def test_staged_inputs_ignore_unstaged_edits_and_missing_worktree_files(self) -> None:
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
+            repo_root = Path(tmpdir)
+            self.git(repo_root, "init", "--initial-branch=main")
+            loaders = (
+                (STATUS_PATH, load_staged_status_payload),
+                (REGISTRY_PATH, load_staged_registry_payload),
+            )
+            expected = {"fixture_source": "index"}
+            for rel, _ in loaders:
+                path = repo_root / rel
+                path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+                path.write_text(json.dumps(expected) + "\n", encoding="utf-8")
+            self.git(repo_root, "add", "--", *(rel for rel, _ in loaders))
+
+            with patch("repo_file_io.REPO_ROOT", repo_root):
+                for rel, loader in loaders:
+                    path = repo_root / rel
+                    for content in ('{"fixture_source": "working-tree"}', "invalid json"):
+                        with self.subTest(path=rel, unstaged_content=content):
+                            path.write_text(content + "\n", encoding="utf-8")
+                            self.assertEqual(loader(), expected)
+                    with self.subTest(path=rel, worktree_missing=True):
+                        path.unlink()
+                        self.assertEqual(loader(), expected)
+
+    def test_missing_index_inputs_fail_closed_with_worktree_files_present(self) -> None:
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
+            repo_root = Path(tmpdir)
+            self.git(repo_root, "init", "--initial-branch=main")
+            with patch("repo_file_io.REPO_ROOT", repo_root):
+                for rel, loader in (
+                    (STATUS_PATH, load_staged_status_payload),
+                    (REGISTRY_PATH, load_staged_registry_payload),
+                ):
+                    with self.subTest(path=rel):
+                        path = repo_root / rel
+                        path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+                        path.write_text('{"fixture_source": "working-tree"}\n', encoding="utf-8")
+                        with self.assertRaises(FileNotFoundError):
+                            loader()
+
+
 class StagedCommitShapeGuardTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_advanced_lane_ids_detects_score_or_completion_progress(self) -> None:
         previous = {