diff --git a/.github/workflows/agda-proof-policy.yml b/.github/workflows/agda-proof-policy.yml
index c363ffb..069e2f1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/agda-proof-policy.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/agda-proof-policy.yml
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ jobs:
           echo "$G/bin" >> "$GITHUB_PATH"
 
       - name: Pinned toolchain from build/channels.scm and build/manifest.scm
+        id: toolchain
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
           guix time-machine -C build/channels.scm -- describe
@@ -72,18 +73,21 @@ jobs:
             lean --version | tee /dev/stderr | grep -qF "version ${LEAN_VERSION}"'
 
       - name: Agda lane (gate, then planted controls)
+        if: ${{ !cancelled() && steps.toolchain.outcome == 'success' }}
         run: |
           guix time-machine -C build/channels.scm -- shell -m build/manifest.scm -- sh -euc '
             bash scripts/check-proofs.sh agda
             bash tests/proofs/gate_controls_test.sh agda'
 
       - name: Rocq lane (gate, then planted controls)
+        if: ${{ !cancelled() && steps.toolchain.outcome == 'success' }}
         run: |
           guix time-machine -C build/channels.scm -- shell -m build/manifest.scm -- sh -euc '
             bash scripts/check-proofs.sh coq
             bash tests/proofs/gate_controls_test.sh coq'
 
       - name: Lean lane (gate, then planted controls)
+        if: ${{ !cancelled() && steps.toolchain.outcome == 'success' }}
         run: |
           guix time-machine -C build/channels.scm -- shell -m build/manifest.scm -- sh -euc '
             bash scripts/check-proofs.sh lean4
diff --git a/scripts/check-proofs.sh b/scripts/check-proofs.sh
index 0107cdb..f8b4314 100755
--- a/scripts/check-proofs.sh
+++ b/scripts/check-proofs.sh
@@ -197,6 +197,25 @@ if ! command -v "$CMD" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
   exit 1
 fi
 "$CMD" --version 2>/dev/null | head -1 || true
+
+# --- Agda: a data directory it can write ---------------------------------------
+# Agda keeps the interfaces of its own primitive modules (Agda.Primitive and the
+# Agda.Builtin modules) in <data dir>/lib/prim/_build. A packaged Agda whose
+# store path is read-only and ships without them (Guix agda 2.7.0.1, found
+# 2026-11-10: "lib/prim/_build: createDirectory: permission denied") cannot
+# check any module. Then the gate gives Agda a writable copy of its data
+# directory through Agda_datadir, the variable Agda reads for it. The copy holds
+# Agda's own library unchanged; only the interfaces are written there.
+if [ "$PROVER" = agda ] && [ -z "${Agda_datadir:-}" ]; then
+  agda_data="$(agda --print-agda-data-dir 2>/dev/null || true)"
+  if [ -n "$agda_data" ] && [ ! -d "$agda_data/lib/prim/_build" ] && [ ! -w "$agda_data/lib/prim" ]; then
+    Agda_datadir="$(mktemp -d)"
+    cp -r "$agda_data/." "$Agda_datadir/"
+    chmod -R u+w "$Agda_datadir"
+    export Agda_datadir
+    echo "Agda data directory is read-only without interfaces; using a writable copy"
+  fi
+fi
 echo
 
 # --- a repo with proofs but no MANIFEST is itself a failure -------------------