diff --git a/.trinity/seals/claw_ClawGates.json b/.trinity/seals/claw_ClawGates.json
index 08de0933c1..d10256d23d 100644
--- a/.trinity/seals/claw_ClawGates.json
+++ b/.trinity/seals/claw_ClawGates.json
@@ -7,23 +7,23 @@
     }
   ],
   "config": "gen=c,rust,verilog,zig;tests=zig",
-  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:e83faa16fdda54ccb71a5cef820dcbcb0b115a1a964b1b769e8efa3fe4f46de4",
-  "gen_hash_rust": "sha256:f5a230d83ed3b53022cda5241bcb97a98a6f7d35118813dd896bfd94a408db57",
-  "gen_hash_verilog": "sha256:e60c97323fe49104fa91dec8d4d70db8c3070acb09e10955bae928b09a0aaeac",
-  "gen_hash_zig": "sha256:2bb85ab7683c3ce5f9e68d5cdeec753084408e7c0b36e65e68a3aba22a8312e8",
+  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:5ea99f4bd997bc13d2fbe28e6c2233288882316921a77b3629cae88dc9c98bb3",
+  "gen_hash_rust": "sha256:6ffb149e2944c1cbfdea5fc806fdf457ff6134c9dfeec6d516ab25a55f9a6196",
+  "gen_hash_verilog": "sha256:9a8147bffc70fa6445ab2e5b07adb5d8e9394998701a175e9cf956002a60ede3",
+  "gen_hash_zig": "sha256:29203b78b4748ecea4123004d55f88435200878599e3d41c511c8b24679fefde",
   "module": "ClawGates",
   "ring": 12,
   "seal_schema": 2,
-  "sealed_at": "2026-10-18T22:41:04Z",
+  "sealed_at": "2026-10-18T22:53:22Z",
   "sealed_by": "t27c-bootstrap@0.5.2",
-  "spec_hash": "sha256:944d2af8d1a9f6ad261a527445f94922e3f299d5bb3657341f6f5cdc5c38f9c1",
+  "spec_hash": "sha256:020e33b38748419eb5d46d108a64adb0246f5b4c2ef9c83f06735daebcb1e0aa",
   "spec_path": "specs/claw/gates.t27",
   "tests": {
     "failed": 0,
     "failing": [],
     "forced": false,
-    "passed": 23,
-    "total": 23,
+    "passed": 24,
+    "total": 24,
     "vacuous": 0
   },
   "toolchain": {
diff --git a/gen/c/claw/gates.c b/gen/c/claw/gates.c
index 6e66ee09e5..98d1321010 100644
--- a/gen/c/claw/gates.c
+++ b/gen/c/claw/gates.c
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ static const size_t CLASS_LABEL_LENS[3] = { 10, 6, 11 };
 uint8_t class_of(const char* name, size_t name_len);
 bool is_blocking(const char* name, size_t name_len);
 const char* events_of(const char* name, size_t name_len);
+size_t events_len_of(const char* name, size_t name_len);
 uint32_t count_class(uint8_t c);
 bool rows_filled(size_t name_lens[static 67], size_t event_lens[static 67]);
 bool every_row_filled(void);
@@ -98,6 +99,15 @@ const char* events_of(const char* name, size_t name_len) {
     return "";
 }
 
+size_t events_len_of(const char* name, size_t name_len) {
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < 67; i++) {
+        if (str_eq(NAMES[i], NAME_LENS[i], name, name_len)) {
+            return EVENT_LENS[i];
+        }
+    }
+    return 0;
+}
+
 uint32_t count_class(uint8_t c) {
     uint32_t n = 0;
     for (size_t i = 0; i < 67; i++) {
@@ -442,20 +452,26 @@ void test_rows_stay_aligned_name_class_events(void) {
     const char* ol = "own-language";
     const char* ev_qp = "push,schedule,workflow_dispatch";
     const char* ev_ol = "pull_request";
-    assert((NAMES[1] == want1));
+    assert((str_eq(NAMES[1], NAME_LENS[1], want1, 20) == true));
     assert((CLASSES[1] == G_REPORTING));
-    assert((NAMES[42] == want42));
+    assert((str_eq(NAMES[42], NAME_LENS[42], want42, 13) == true));
     assert((CLASSES[42] == G_REPORTING));
-    assert((NAMES[29] == want29));
+    assert((str_eq(NAMES[29], NAME_LENS[29], want29, 14) == true));
     assert((CLASSES[29] == G_SOFT));
-    assert((events_of(qp, 13) == ev_qp));
-    assert((events_of(ol, 12) == ev_ol));
+    assert((str_eq(events_of(qp, 13), events_len_of(qp, 13), ev_qp, 31) == true));
+    assert((str_eq(events_of(ol, 12), events_len_of(ol, 12), ev_ol, 12) == true));
 }
 
 void test_unknown_name_is_unknown_and_not_blocking(void) {
     assert((class_of("no-such-gate", 12) == G_UNKNOWN));
     assert((is_blocking("no-such-gate", 12) == false));
-    assert((events_of("no-such-gate", 12) == ""));
+    assert((events_len_of("no-such-gate", 12) == 0));
+}
+
+void test_events_len_of_answers_every_row(void) {
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < 67; i++) {
+        assert((events_len_of(NAMES[i], NAME_LENS[i]) == EVENT_LENS[i]));
+    }
 }
 
 void test_nightly_pair_contrast(void) {
@@ -523,14 +539,10 @@ void test_audit_ignores_blank_lines_in_the_directory(void) {
 }
 
 void test_audit_prefixes_name_the_problem_kind(void) {
-    const char* spec_only = LINE_PREFIX[P_SPEC_ONLY];
-    assert((spec_only == "SPEC-ONLY  "));
-    const char* dir_only = LINE_PREFIX[P_DIR_ONLY];
-    assert((dir_only == "DIR-ONLY   "));
-    const char* ok = LINE_PREFIX[P_OK];
-    assert((ok == ""));
-    const char* tail = DRIFT_TAIL;
-    assert((tail == "claw: DRIFT -- regenerate specs/claw/gates.t27 (docs/claw/README.md)"));
+    assert((str_eq(LINE_PREFIX[P_SPEC_ONLY], PREFIX_LENS[P_SPEC_ONLY], "SPEC-ONLY  ", 11) == true));
+    assert((str_eq(LINE_PREFIX[P_DIR_ONLY], PREFIX_LENS[P_DIR_ONLY], "DIR-ONLY   ", 11) == true));
+    assert((PREFIX_LENS[P_OK] == 0));
+    assert((str_eq(DRIFT_TAIL, DRIFT_TAIL_LEN, "claw: DRIFT -- regenerate specs/claw/gates.t27 (docs/claw/README.md)", 68) == true));
 }
 
 void test_every_row_round_trips_through_the_name_lookup(void) {
@@ -547,9 +559,9 @@ void test_every_row_round_trips_through_the_name_lookup(void) {
 }
 
 void test_soft_gates_report_their_events(void) {
-    assert((events_of("oracle-nightly", 14) == "schedule,workflow_dispatch"));
-    assert((events_of("queen-doctor", 12) == "schedule,workflow_dispatch"));
-    assert((events_of("rings-rust", 10) == "push,pull_request,workflow_dispatch"));
+    assert((str_eq(events_of("oracle-nightly", 14), events_len_of("oracle-nightly", 14), "schedule,workflow_dispatch", 26) == true));
+    assert((str_eq(events_of("queen-doctor", 12), events_len_of("queen-doctor", 12), "schedule,workflow_dispatch", 26) == true));
+    assert((str_eq(events_of("rings-rust", 10), events_len_of("rings-rust", 10), "push,pull_request,workflow_dispatch", 35) == true));
 }
 
 void test_coverage_report_carries_every_class(void) {
@@ -679,6 +691,7 @@ int main(void) {
     test_class_census_62_3_2();
     test_rows_stay_aligned_name_class_events();
     test_unknown_name_is_unknown_and_not_blocking();
+    test_events_len_of_answers_every_row();
     test_nightly_pair_contrast();
     test_reporting_gates_never_block_a_merge();
     test_audit_clean_when_directory_matches_inventory();
@@ -694,7 +707,7 @@ int main(void) {
     test_a_hole_in_either_column_fails_the_filled_check();
     test_a_repeated_name_is_caught_wherever_it_sits();
     test_a_class_outside_the_three_is_unknown();
-    printf("All %d tests passed.\n", 23);
+    printf("All %d tests passed.\n", 24);
     return 0;
 }
 #endif /* T27_TEST_MAIN */
diff --git a/specs/claw/gates.t27 b/specs/claw/gates.t27
index 21945b9738..334e9408f8 100644
--- a/specs/claw/gates.t27
+++ b/specs/claw/gates.t27
@@ -159,6 +159,16 @@ pub fn events_of(name: str, name_len: usize) -> str {
     return "";
 }
 
+/// Length of events_of(name); 0 when the name is not in the inventory. A caller that lowers
+/// through gen-c compares the result with str_eq and this length: `events_of(x) == "..."` would
+/// lower to a C pointer comparison (#8013).
+pub fn events_len_of(name: str, name_len: usize) -> usize {
+    for i in 0..67 {
+        if str_eq(NAMES[i], NAME_LENS[i], name, name_len) { return EVENT_LENS[i]; }
+    }
+    return 0;
+}
+
 /// How many workflows carry a given class.
 pub fn count_class(c: u8) -> u32 {
     let mut n : u32 = 0;
@@ -448,20 +458,30 @@ test rows_stay_aligned_name_class_events {
     var ol : str = "own-language";
     var ev_qp : str = "push,schedule,workflow_dispatch";
     var ev_ol : str = "pull_request";
-    assert NAMES[1] == want1;
+    // Every string compare carries its lengths through str_eq: `==` on str lowers to a C
+    // pointer comparison under gen-c (#8013, #10698).
+    assert str_eq(NAMES[1], NAME_LENS[1], want1, 20) == true;
     assert CLASSES[1] == G_REPORTING;
-    assert NAMES[42] == want42;
+    assert str_eq(NAMES[42], NAME_LENS[42], want42, 13) == true;
     assert CLASSES[42] == G_REPORTING;
-    assert NAMES[29] == want29;
+    assert str_eq(NAMES[29], NAME_LENS[29], want29, 14) == true;
     assert CLASSES[29] == G_SOFT;
-    assert events_of(qp, 13) == ev_qp;
-    assert events_of(ol, 12) == ev_ol;
+    assert str_eq(events_of(qp, 13), events_len_of(qp, 13), ev_qp, 31) == true;
+    assert str_eq(events_of(ol, 12), events_len_of(ol, 12), ev_ol, 12) == true;
 }
 
 test unknown_name_is_unknown_and_not_blocking {
     assert class_of("no-such-gate", 12) == G_UNKNOWN;
     assert is_blocking("no-such-gate", 12) == false;
-    assert events_of("no-such-gate", 12) == "";
+    assert events_len_of("no-such-gate", 12) == 0;
+}
+
+test events_len_of_answers_every_row {
+    // Every row through the length lookup, so a lookup that returned the wrong row's length, or
+    // the sentinel for a known name, fails here and not only on the five rows named above.
+    for i in 0..67 {
+        assert events_len_of(NAMES[i], NAME_LENS[i]) == EVENT_LENS[i];
+    }
 }
 
 test nightly_pair_contrast {
@@ -536,14 +556,10 @@ test audit_ignores_blank_lines_in_the_directory {
 }
 
 test audit_prefixes_name_the_problem_kind {
-    var spec_only : str = LINE_PREFIX[P_SPEC_ONLY];
-    assert spec_only == "SPEC-ONLY  ";
-    var dir_only : str = LINE_PREFIX[P_DIR_ONLY];
-    assert dir_only == "DIR-ONLY   ";
-    var ok : str = LINE_PREFIX[P_OK];
-    assert ok == "";
-    var tail : str = DRIFT_TAIL;
-    assert tail == "claw: DRIFT -- regenerate specs/claw/gates.t27 (docs/claw/README.md)";
+    assert str_eq(LINE_PREFIX[P_SPEC_ONLY], PREFIX_LENS[P_SPEC_ONLY], "SPEC-ONLY  ", 11) == true;
+    assert str_eq(LINE_PREFIX[P_DIR_ONLY], PREFIX_LENS[P_DIR_ONLY], "DIR-ONLY   ", 11) == true;
+    assert PREFIX_LENS[P_OK] == 0;
+    assert str_eq(DRIFT_TAIL, DRIFT_TAIL_LEN, "claw: DRIFT -- regenerate specs/claw/gates.t27 (docs/claw/README.md)", 68) == true;
 }
 test every_row_round_trips_through_the_name_lookup {
     // Before T8, 8 of 66 names ever went through class_of -- a class swap
@@ -566,9 +582,9 @@ test soft_gates_report_their_events {
     // events_of answered for blocking and reporting rows before T8; the
     // three soft rows were assumed. Lengths are hand-counted literals
     // (gen-c carries no .len); the tables are pinned in gates_pins.t27.
-    assert events_of("oracle-nightly", 14) == "schedule,workflow_dispatch";
-    assert events_of("queen-doctor", 12) == "schedule,workflow_dispatch";
-    assert events_of("rings-rust", 10) == "push,pull_request,workflow_dispatch";
+    assert str_eq(events_of("oracle-nightly", 14), events_len_of("oracle-nightly", 14), "schedule,workflow_dispatch", 26) == true;
+    assert str_eq(events_of("queen-doctor", 12), events_len_of("queen-doctor", 12), "schedule,workflow_dispatch", 26) == true;
+    assert str_eq(events_of("rings-rust", 10), events_len_of("rings-rust", 10), "push,pull_request,workflow_dispatch", 35) == true;
 }
 
 test coverage_report_carries_every_class {