diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index bb5a591..331a68e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -81,6 +81,10 @@ jobs:
       - run: pnpm typecheck
       - run: pnpm lint
       - run: pnpm conformance
+      # scripts/ is not a workspace package, so `pnpm test` (turbo) never
+      # reaches its test files — they get their own vitest run.
+      - name: Root scripts test suite
+        run: pnpm test:scripts
       - name: Compliance manifest drift check
         run: |
           pnpm compliance:emit-all --check || {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 6f34996..2902583 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
     "lint": "turbo run lint",
     "test": "turbo run test",
     "test:e2e": "turbo run test:e2e",
+    "test:scripts": "vitest run --config vitest.scripts.config.mjs",
     "test:stories": "turbo run test:stories",
     "test:visual": "pnpm --filter @repo/storybook exec concurrently -k -s first -n 'SB,VRT' -c 'magenta,blue' 'pnpm --filter @repo/storybook exec http-server storybook-static --port 6006 --silent' 'pnpm --filter @repo/storybook exec wait-on tcp:6006 && pnpm exec playwright test --config ../../playwright.config.ts'",
     "typecheck": "turbo run typecheck",
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@
     "prettier": "^3.5.0",
     "turbo": "^2.4.0",
     "typescript": "^5.8.0",
+    "vitest": "^3.2.7",
     "zod": "^3.25.0"
   },
   "lint-staged": {
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 7e42936..2b4dfd4 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@ importers:
       typescript:
         specifier: ^5.8.0
         version: 5.9.3
+      vitest:
+        specifier: ^3.2.7
+        version: 3.2.7(@types/debug@4.1.13)(@types/node@22.19.17)(happy-dom@20.8.9)(jiti@2.7.0)(jsdom@25.0.1)(lightningcss@1.32.0)(sass@1.99.0)(terser@5.49.0)(tsx@4.21.0)(yaml@2.9.0)
       zod:
         specifier: ^3.25.0
         version: 3.25.76
diff --git a/scripts/compliance/emit-data-map.test.mjs b/scripts/compliance/emit-data-map.test.mjs
index d5ca479..3739246 100644
--- a/scripts/compliance/emit-data-map.test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/compliance/emit-data-map.test.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-import { test, describe } from "node:test";
+// Runs under vitest (pnpm test:scripts picks up scripts/**/*.test.mjs);
+// node:assert keeps the original assertion style.
+import { test, describe } from "vitest";
 import assert from "node:assert/strict";
 import fs from "node:fs";
 import os from "node:os";
diff --git a/scripts/compliance/emit-retention-policy.test.mjs b/scripts/compliance/emit-retention-policy.test.mjs
index e09aa0a..5d92e3d 100644
--- a/scripts/compliance/emit-retention-policy.test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/compliance/emit-retention-policy.test.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-import { test, describe } from "node:test";
+// Runs under vitest (pnpm test:scripts picks up scripts/**/*.test.mjs);
+// node:assert keeps the original assertion style.
+import { test, describe } from "vitest";
 import assert from "node:assert/strict";
 import fs from "node:fs";
 import os from "node:os";
diff --git a/scripts/compliance/emit-sub-processors.test.mjs b/scripts/compliance/emit-sub-processors.test.mjs
index 1ae0a10..a88eefe 100644
--- a/scripts/compliance/emit-sub-processors.test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/compliance/emit-sub-processors.test.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-import { test, describe } from "node:test";
+// Runs under vitest (pnpm test:scripts picks up scripts/**/*.test.mjs);
+// node:assert keeps the original assertion style.
+import { test, describe } from "vitest";
 import assert from "node:assert/strict";
 import fs from "node:fs";
 import os from "node:os";
diff --git a/scripts/coverage/aggregate.test.mjs b/scripts/coverage/aggregate.test.mjs
index 676fe5f..d825217 100644
--- a/scripts/coverage/aggregate.test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/coverage/aggregate.test.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-import { test, describe } from "node:test";
+// Runs under vitest (pnpm test:scripts picks up scripts/**/*.test.mjs);
+// node:assert keeps the original assertion style.
+import { test, describe } from "vitest";
 import assert from "node:assert/strict";
 import fs from "node:fs";
 import path from "node:path";
diff --git a/scripts/coverage/diff.test.mjs b/scripts/coverage/diff.test.mjs
index 534735b..1cfba89 100644
--- a/scripts/coverage/diff.test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/coverage/diff.test.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-import { test, describe } from "node:test";
+// Runs under vitest (pnpm test:scripts picks up scripts/**/*.test.mjs);
+// node:assert keeps the original assertion style.
+import { test, describe } from "vitest";
 import assert from "node:assert/strict";
 import fs from "node:fs";
 import path from "node:path";
diff --git a/scripts/coverage/mutate.test.mjs b/scripts/coverage/mutate.test.mjs
index 8911e84..2de7664 100644
--- a/scripts/coverage/mutate.test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/coverage/mutate.test.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-import { test, describe } from "node:test";
+// Runs under vitest (pnpm test:scripts picks up scripts/**/*.test.mjs);
+// node:assert keeps the original assertion style.
+import { test, describe } from "vitest";
 import assert from "node:assert/strict";
 import fs from "node:fs";
 import path from "node:path";
diff --git a/scripts/library-decisions/check.test.mjs b/scripts/library-decisions/check.test.mjs
index 715fac8..41e4127 100644
--- a/scripts/library-decisions/check.test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/library-decisions/check.test.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-import { test, describe } from "node:test";
+// Runs under vitest (pnpm test:scripts picks up scripts/**/*.test.mjs);
+// node:assert keeps the original assertion style.
+import { test, describe } from "vitest";
 import assert from "node:assert/strict";
 import fs from "node:fs";
 import os from "node:os";
diff --git a/scripts/library-decisions/revalidate.test.mjs b/scripts/library-decisions/revalidate.test.mjs
index 41f5ba6..723ce45 100644
--- a/scripts/library-decisions/revalidate.test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/library-decisions/revalidate.test.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-import { test, describe } from "node:test";
+// Runs under vitest (pnpm test:scripts picks up scripts/**/*.test.mjs);
+// node:assert keeps the original assertion style.
+import { test, describe } from "vitest";
 import assert from "node:assert/strict";
 import fs from "node:fs";
 import os from "node:os";
diff --git a/scripts/library-decisions/schema.test.mjs b/scripts/library-decisions/schema.test.mjs
index 8ebd6b0..90b31b1 100644
--- a/scripts/library-decisions/schema.test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/library-decisions/schema.test.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-import { test, describe } from "node:test";
+// Runs under vitest (pnpm test:scripts picks up scripts/**/*.test.mjs);
+// node:assert keeps the original assertion style.
+import { test, describe } from "vitest";
 import assert from "node:assert/strict";
 import fs from "node:fs";
 import os from "node:os";
diff --git a/scripts/work/cli.test.mjs b/scripts/work/cli.test.mjs
index c7e169a..4ccbf5b 100644
--- a/scripts/work/cli.test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/work/cli.test.mjs
@@ -52,8 +52,10 @@ describe("pnpm work cli", () => {
     expect(out.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
   });
 
-  it("dispatch prints a plan", () => {
+  it("dispatch prints a plan or reports nothing is ready", () => {
+    // Runs against the real docs/work tree, so the outcome depends on
+    // whether a ready task exists — both branches are valid CLI output.
     const out = run("dispatch");
-    expect(out).toContain("Dispatch plan");
+    expect(out).toMatch(/Dispatch plan|No ready task to dispatch/);
   });
 });
diff --git a/scripts/work/decompose.test.mjs b/scripts/work/decompose.test.mjs
index a4096f9..89c27ac 100644
--- a/scripts/work/decompose.test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/work/decompose.test.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-import { test, describe } from "node:test";
+// Runs under vitest (pnpm test:scripts picks up scripts/**/*.test.mjs);
+// node:assert keeps the original assertion style.
+import { test, describe } from "vitest";
 import assert from "node:assert/strict";
 import fs from "node:fs";
 import path from "node:path";
diff --git a/scripts/work/dispatch.test.mjs b/scripts/work/dispatch.test.mjs
index 79402e0..8e582f2 100644
--- a/scripts/work/dispatch.test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/work/dispatch.test.mjs
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ import {
 function makeWorkTree({ epics }) {
   const root = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "dispatch-"));
   for (const [epicId, epicData] of Object.entries(epics)) {
-    const epicDir = path.join(root, epicId);
+    // findNextTask/buildState walk <workRoot>/epics/ — mirror docs/work.
+    const epicDir = path.join(root, "epics", epicId);
     fs.mkdirSync(epicDir, { recursive: true });
     fs.writeFileSync(
       path.join(epicDir, "_epic.md"),
diff --git a/scripts/work/prd-ship.test.mjs b/scripts/work/prd-ship.test.mjs
index 5823fb0..d047cbc 100644
--- a/scripts/work/prd-ship.test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/work/prd-ship.test.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-import { test, describe } from "node:test";
+// Runs under vitest (pnpm test:scripts picks up scripts/**/*.test.mjs);
+// node:assert keeps the original assertion style.
+import { test, describe } from "vitest";
 import assert from "node:assert/strict";
 import fs from "node:fs";
 import path from "node:path";
diff --git a/scripts/work/state-builder.test.mjs b/scripts/work/state-builder.test.mjs
index e3dad9d..fba70fd 100644
--- a/scripts/work/state-builder.test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/work/state-builder.test.mjs
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ import {
 function makeWorkTree({ epics }) {
   const root = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "work-state-"));
   for (const [epicId, epicData] of Object.entries(epics)) {
-    const epicDir = path.join(root, epicId);
+    // buildState walks <workRoot>/epics/ — mirror the real docs/work layout.
+    const epicDir = path.join(root, "epics", epicId);
     fs.mkdirSync(epicDir, { recursive: true });
     fs.writeFileSync(
       path.join(epicDir, "_epic.md"),
@@ -85,6 +86,7 @@ describe("buildState", () => {
       epic1: {
         status: "in-progress",
         title: "epic1",
+        prd: null,
         stories: {
           story1: {
             status: "done",
@@ -127,7 +129,7 @@ describe("buildState", () => {
 
   it("parses depends-on and blocks frontmatter arrays", () => {
     const root = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "work-dep-"));
-    const epicDir = path.join(root, "epic1");
+    const epicDir = path.join(root, "epics", "epic1");
     fs.mkdirSync(epicDir, { recursive: true });
     fs.writeFileSync(
       path.join(epicDir, "_epic.md"),
diff --git a/vitest.scripts.config.mjs b/vitest.scripts.config.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d672ad9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vitest.scripts.config.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+import { defineConfig } from "vitest/config";
+
+/**
+ * Runner for the root scripts/ test suite (pnpm test:scripts).
+ *
+ * scripts/ is not a workspace package, so `turbo run test` never reaches
+ * these files — this dedicated config wires them to a runner. The suite
+ * runs in CI's validate job alongside the other root-level gates.
+ *
+ * Named vitest.scripts.config.mjs (not vitest.config.*) on purpose so a
+ * bare `vitest` invocation at the repo root does not auto-discover it.
+ */
+export default defineConfig({
+  test: {
+    environment: "node",
+    include: ["scripts/**/*.test.mjs"],
+    clearMocks: true,
+    restoreMocks: true,
+    // Several suites exec child node processes (work CLI, conformance
+    // fixtures) — keep a generous per-test ceiling.
+    testTimeout: 60_000,
+    hookTimeout: 60_000,
+  },
+});