diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e277672..be4dc0f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -38,6 +38,16 @@ with its CIS result and SBOM attached (NetOrk/netork#1390).
     image: registry.netork.io/netork/engine:main-abc1234
     arch: amd64
 
+# a base's nightly, to decide whether its pin moves:
+- name: Judge it against the pin
+  id: verdict
+  uses: https://git.netork.io/NetOrk/image-tools/actions/verdict@<commit>
+  env:
+    NETORK_LICENSE_KEY: ${{ secrets.NETORK_LICENSE_KEY }}
+  with:
+    current: registry.netork.io/netork/base-os:pinned
+    candidate: registry.netork.io/netork/base-os:13-20261022.3-amd64
+
 # push it, then:
 - name: Sign it
   uses: https://git.netork.io/NetOrk/image-tools/actions/sign@<commit>
diff --git a/actions/verdict/action.yml b/actions/verdict/action.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3b2942a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/actions/verdict/action.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+name: Judge a rebuild against the pin
+description: >-
+  Whether a candidate improves on the pinned image, by netOrk's matcher in
+  kb-server (image_tools/verify.py). Writes verdict.json and report.md, prints
+  the report, and fails when no verdict could be reached. The caller passes
+  NETORK_LICENSE_KEY, and TRIVY_USERNAME/TRIVY_PASSWORD for the registry, as env.
+inputs:
+  current:
+    description: The pinned image
+    required: true
+  candidate:
+    description: The rebuild
+    required: true
+  packages:
+    description: The packages the image may hold, for the CIS part of the verdict
+    default: packages.allow
+outputs:
+  improved:
+    description: '"true" when the candidate improves on the pin'
+    value: ${{ steps.verdict.outputs.improved }}
+runs:
+  using: composite
+  steps:
+    - id: verdict
+      shell: bash
+      env:
+        CURRENT: ${{ inputs.current }}
+        CANDIDATE: ${{ inputs.candidate }}
+        PACKAGES: ${{ inputs.packages }}
+        PYTHONPATH: ${{ github.action_path }}/../..
+      run: |
+        python3 -m image_tools.verify "$CURRENT" "$CANDIDATE" --packages "$PACKAGES" \
+          --json verdict.json --report report.md
+        # Into the log: Gitea shows no step summary.
+        cat report.md
+        cat report.md >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+        python3 -c "import json; print('improved=' + str(json.load(open('verdict.json'))['improved']).lower())" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+        # A verdict that could not be reached is no "same": the step fails, so it is seen.
+        python3 -c "import json, sys; e = json.load(open('verdict.json'))['error']; sys.exit(f'no verdict: {e}' if e else 0)"
diff --git a/tests/test_actions.py b/tests/test_actions.py
index 5b630ba..3cad5c9 100644
--- a/tests/test_actions.py
+++ b/tests/test_actions.py
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
 ACTIONS = sorted((ROOT / "actions").glob("*/action.yml"))
 
 
-def test_the_three_actions():
-    assert [a.parent.name for a in ACTIONS] == ["judge", "sign", "verify-base"]
+def test_the_four_actions():
+    assert [a.parent.name for a in ACTIONS] == ["judge", "sign", "verdict", "verify-base"]
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("action", ACTIONS, ids=lambda a: a.parent.name)
@@ -36,3 +36,13 @@ def test_signing_needs_its_secrets_from_the_caller():
     text = (ROOT / "actions/sign/action.yml").read_text()
 
     assert "COSIGN_PRIVATE_KEY_B64" in text and "secrets." not in text
+
+
+def test_a_verdict_that_could_not_be_reached_fails_the_step():
+    """A silent "same" hid an empty NETORK_LICENSE_KEY for two nights (2026-10-21/22)."""
+    spec = yaml.safe_load((ROOT / "actions/verdict/action.yml").read_text())
+    [step] = spec["runs"]["steps"]
+
+    assert spec["outputs"]["improved"]["value"] == "${{ steps.verdict.outputs.improved }}"
+    assert "['error']" in step["run"] and "sys.exit(" in step["run"]
+    assert "cat report.md" in step["run"].splitlines()