diff --git a/task-templates/workflow/scope-decompose-sonnet@1.yaml b/task-templates/workflow/scope-decompose-sonnet@1.yaml
index 4bf1948..5de1376 100644
--- a/task-templates/workflow/scope-decompose-sonnet@1.yaml
+++ b/task-templates/workflow/scope-decompose-sonnet@1.yaml
@@ -20,12 +20,17 @@ nodes:
     # "succeeded" touching only .gitignore, zero work items created) — the
     # template NAME never set the model; the node model: field does.
     template: spec-writing-sonnet-repo
-    cli: agentic
+    # cli defaults to "claude" — the anthropic-cloud OAuth composite drives
+    # the claude CLI; "cli: agentic" is the OpenAI-compatible runner and
+    # fails fast with "OPENAI_BASE_URL required" (E2E 2026-07-04).
     model: sonnet
     runtime_env:
       AGENT_REPO_URL: "git@gitea.oreillyit.nz-ai-enablement:skynet/agent-runtimes-agents.git"
       AGENT_BRANCH: "spec/auto-draft"
       CP_URL: "http://controlplane.agent-runtimes.svc.cluster.local:8100"
+      # AR-38: this stage's deliverable is work items POSTed to the CP, not a
+      # repo diff — the empty-deliverable audit would fail every success.
+      AGENT_EMPTY_DELIVERABLE_CHECK: "false"
     prompt: |
       The agent-runtimes project repo is cloned at /workspace/project.
       Change to that directory before doing any work.