diff --git a/crates/ledger-cli/tests/common/mod.rs b/crates/ledger-cli/tests/common/mod.rs
index 3fb84a1..027eb9d 100644
--- a/crates/ledger-cli/tests/common/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/ledger-cli/tests/common/mod.rs
@@ -209,7 +209,13 @@ impl Server {
         BufReader::new(child.stdout.take().unwrap())
             .read_line(&mut line)
             .unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(line, "ready\n", "the server didn't say ready");
+        if line != "ready\n" {
+            // Say why (the portable jobs run this on macOS and Windows,
+            // where the only evidence is what the server wrote).
+            let said =
+                std::fs::read_to_string(home.dir.path().join("server.log")).unwrap_or_default();
+            panic!("the server didn't say ready (got {line:?}); its log:\n{said}");
+        }
         Self { child }
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/ledger-mcp/src/next_steps.rs b/crates/ledger-mcp/src/next_steps.rs
index e77e146..59aaa64 100644
--- a/crates/ledger-mcp/src/next_steps.rs
+++ b/crates/ledger-mcp/src/next_steps.rs
@@ -309,6 +309,15 @@ pub(crate) fn tool_steps(
                 .get("period_id")
                 .or_else(|| args.and_then(|a| a.get("period_id")))
                 .and_then(Value::as_u64);
+            // The chain first (cheap, and what every close has always
+            // offered: the month_end_close eval follows it), then the
+            // audit the attestation rests on (P8).
+            steps.push(Step::tool(
+                "books.verify",
+                None,
+                "Verify the journal's chain and the projection after the close.",
+                false,
+            ));
             steps.push(Step::tool(
                 "books.audit",
                 Some(json!({ "scope": "month" })),