diff --git a/docs/external-contributor-merge-flow.md b/docs/external-contributor-merge-flow.md
index 7465636..79465d7 100644
--- a/docs/external-contributor-merge-flow.md
+++ b/docs/external-contributor-merge-flow.md
@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@
 **Author:** Epimetheus
 **Architecture review:** Ship (owns merge.py, sync-mirror.sh)
 **Code review:** Ganymede (line-level, post-design-approval)
-**Status:** Phase 1 sweep-only scope locked (Ship Msg 2/2). Awaiting code review.
+**Status:** Phase 1 sweep-only scope locked. Phase 2 architecture decisions locked (Ship Msg 3). Awaiting Phase 1 line-level code review.
 
 ## Revision log
 
-- **v2 (this revision):** Phase 1 simplified per Ship's Msg 2 — backfill script dropped (sweep IS the backfill), sweep placement specified explicitly as the very first action after initial fetch (ahead of branch-mirror loop AND auto-create-PR block at line ~250). Phase 2 architecture unchanged.
+- **v3 (this revision):** Cleanup pass per Ship Msg 3 — merge commit message updated to locked verbose form (`"Merge external GitHub PR #{N}: {branch_slug}"`), open-questions section collapsed to "Locked Phase 2 decisions" restating the three resolved outcomes (no longer questions).
+- **v2:** Phase 1 simplified per Ship's Msg 2 — backfill script dropped (sweep IS the backfill), sweep placement specified explicitly as the very first action after initial fetch (ahead of branch-mirror loop AND auto-create-PR block at line ~250). Phase 2 architecture unchanged.
 - **v1:** Initial draft.
 
 ## Problem statement
@@ -90,9 +91,12 @@ async def _merge_no_ff_external(branch: str) -> tuple[bool, str]:
     Mechanics:
     1. Fetch latest origin/main and origin/{branch}
     2. Create scratch worktree at HEAD of origin/main
-    3. git merge --no-ff origin/{branch} -m "Merge PR: {branch}"
-    4. git push origin HEAD:main
-    5. Cleanup worktree
+    3. Derive: gh_pr_num = re.match(r"gh-pr-(\d+)/", branch).group(1)
+              branch_slug = branch[len(f"gh-pr-{gh_pr_num}/"):]
+    4. git merge --no-ff origin/{branch} \
+         -m f"Merge external GitHub PR #{gh_pr_num}: {branch_slug}"
+    5. git push origin HEAD:main
+    6. Cleanup worktree
 
     Conflict handling:
     - Entity conflicts: same auto-resolve pattern as cherry-pick
@@ -108,9 +112,12 @@ async def _merge_no_ff_external(branch: str) -> tuple[bool, str]:
     """
 ```
 
-The merge commit message uses the branch name (which contains the GitHub PR
-number via the `gh-pr-{N}/...` convention) so post-merge processing can
-correlate back to the GitHub PR if needed.
+The merge commit message format `"Merge external GitHub PR #{N}: {branch_slug}"`
+embeds the GitHub PR number explicitly so `git log --merges --grep "#90"`
+surfaces the merge from PR number alone (no branch-name guessing). Branch slug
+is the post-`gh-pr-{N}/` portion of the branch (e.g.,
+`contributor/arcium-confidential-computing-challenge`) — already in scope at
+merge time, no claim-file read needed.
 
 ### Bug #2 fix: self-healing sweep at top of sync-mirror cycle
 
@@ -340,29 +347,29 @@ next merge action.
 us contributor comments on closed-via-cherry-pick PRs (already partially solves
 the UX). Phase 2 adds the "merged" badge. Phase 3 is post-Phase-1 cleanup.
 
-## Open questions for Ship
+## Locked decisions
 
-**Resolved in Msg 2:**
-- ~~`.fork-pr-map` file location~~ → moot, sweep replaces map approach
-- ~~Phase 1 vs Phase 2 sequencing~~ → separate deploys, sweep-only Phase 1 confirmed
-- ~~One-shot backfill script~~ → dropped, sweep IS the backfill
-- ~~Sweep placement~~ → confirmed: first action after initial fetch, before
-  branch-mirror loop AND auto-create-PR block
+**Phase 1 (resolved in Msg 2):**
+- `.fork-pr-map` file location → moot, sweep replaces map approach
+- Phase 1 vs Phase 2 sequencing → separate deploys, sweep-only Phase 1
+- One-shot backfill script → dropped, sweep IS the backfill
+- Sweep placement → first action after initial fetch, before branch-mirror loop
+  AND auto-create-PR block
 
-**Still open (Phase 2 architecture):**
+**Phase 2 (resolved in Msg 2 / Ship reply):**
 
-1. **Backout flag necessary?** I'm including `EXTERNAL_PR_NO_FF_MERGE` config
-   flag for fast cutout. Overkill given low-traffic external-PR path? Or
-   prudent given Accelerate Solana pressure?
+1. **Backout flag:** `EXTERNAL_PR_NO_FF_MERGE` config flag included, default
+   `True` after deploy. One config branch in dispatch is cheap insurance with
+   hackathon timing risk one week out.
 
-2. **Test plan #5 (rebase-after-fix) scope.** Documenting the silent-ignore as
-   acceptable for now. Sufficient for hackathon, or do you want me to add the
-   structured-alert path before May 5?
+2. **Rebase-after-fix scope:** silent-ignore as documented in §"Edge case".
+   Eval-reset semantics already handle the recovery path — no structured
+   alert in this scope. Re-evaluate after first 5-10 external contributors.
 
-3. **`merge --no-ff` commit message format.** I have `"Merge PR: {branch}"`.
-   Better signal to derive the GitHub PR number from the branch and write
-   `"Merge external GitHub PR #{N}: {claim_title_or_branch_slug}"`? Trades
-   verbosity for searchability in `git log --merges`.
+3. **Merge commit message format:** verbose with PR number —
+   `"Merge external GitHub PR #{N}: {branch_slug}"`. Branch slug derived from
+   the `gh-pr-{N}/` prefix strip; already in scope at merge time, no claim-file
+   read needed. Searchability via `git log --merges --grep "#90"` is the value.
 
-Sending revised doc directly via Pentagon. Ganymede gets line-level review of
-the Phase 1 code once Ship signs off on the revised design.
+Ganymede gets line-level review of the Phase 1 sweep code on
+`epimetheus/sync-mirror-self-heal` once Ship signs off on this revision.