diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 8c13b3f..497c186 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ jobs:
         run: tests/refresh-fixtures.sh
       - name: Fail if the vendored copies drifted
         run: |
-          git diff --exit-code -- tests/fixtures || {
-            echo "::error::A hook contract moved in lich. Run tests/refresh-fixtures.sh, then make the scripts match."
+          git diff --exit-code -- tests/fixtures skills/theme/template.json || {
+            echo "::error::A hook contract or the theme template moved in lich. Run tests/refresh-fixtures.sh, then make the scripts (or the theme skill) match."
             exit 1
           }
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2a04bd5..f37eab6 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,15 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Fixed
+
+- **The theme validator knows the status tones.** `validate.mjs` read its
+  tokens off a template copied before lich 0.53.0 made `tone-pass` and
+  `tone-wait` required, so it called a current theme's tones unknown and passed
+  a theme without them that lich rejects on import. The template is now
+  refreshed from lich at `tests/lich-ref` with the contract fixtures, and CI
+  fails when the copy drifts; the skill lists the two tokens.
+
 ## [0.18.1] - 2026-10-08
 
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 0ae7379..138bdc4 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ Each doc carries the event mapping for **every** provider, one column each — a
 
 ## Skills
 
-- [skills/theme](skills/theme/SKILL.md) — writing, porting and validating lich color themes, as a single file or as a versioned theme repository. Mirrors the theme contract in the lich repository (`docs/themes.md` there); `template.json` is a copy of the starter lich itself hands out, and `validate.mjs` derives its token sets from that copy. A change to the theme shape, or to the repository contract, lands here too.
+- [skills/theme](skills/theme/SKILL.md) — writing, porting and validating lich color themes, as a single file or as a versioned theme repository. Mirrors the theme contract in the lich repository (`docs/themes.md` there); `template.json` is a copy of the starter lich itself hands out, vendored at `tests/lich-ref` by `tests/refresh-fixtures.sh` and diffed by CI like the fixtures, and `validate.mjs` derives its token sets from that copy. A change to the theme shape, or to the repository contract, lands here too.
 
 ## Tests
 
diff --git a/skills/theme/SKILL.md b/skills/theme/SKILL.md
index be27031..bae48fd 100644
--- a/skills/theme/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/theme/SKILL.md
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ manifest**, commit, push. The user takes it with **Update** on the theme's row.
   `com1`–`com9`, `lpt1`–`lpt9`) — the id names a file.
 - `name`: required, non-blank, ≤ 128 characters.
 - `scheme`: `light` or `dark`. Nothing else.
-- `app`: **every one of the 31 tokens** must be present. An unknown token is an
+- `app`: **every one of the 33 tokens** must be present. An unknown token is an
   error, not a warning.
 - `terminal`: `background` and `foreground` required; the other 20 tokens
   optional. Unknown tokens rejected.
@@ -199,6 +199,7 @@ pair contrasty, they are never used apart):
 | `muted` / `muted-foreground` | secondary text, resting icons, paths, meta |
 | `primary` / `primary-foreground` | the single high-emphasis button fill, and the Switch when on |
 | `destructive` | destructive actions and diff removals — must stay legible as red |
+| `tone-pass` / `tone-wait` | status tones: a pass (green) and a wait (amber) on session icons, pull request checks and reviews. Drawn as text and icons on `background`/`card`, so they need contrast there. Required since lich 0.53.0 — a pack that carries them is one an older lich rejects as unknown tokens, which is what `minLichVersion: "0.53.0"` names |
 | `border` | hairline seams. Translucent works well in dark (`oklch(1 0 0 / 10%)`) |
 | `input` | input and control edges, usually a touch stronger than `border` |
 | `ring` | focus ring, always visible |
diff --git a/skills/theme/template.json b/skills/theme/template.json
index ee2f528..df3e3d3 100644
--- a/skills/theme/template.json
+++ b/skills/theme/template.json
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 {
+  "$schema": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/omartelo/lich/main/themes/lich-theme.schema.json",
   "id": "purple-night",
   "name": "Purple Night",
   "scheme": "dark",
@@ -18,6 +19,8 @@
     "accent": "#3a2d57",
     "accent-foreground": "#f4efff",
     "destructive": "#ff5c8a",
+    "tone-pass": "oklch(0.696 0.17 162.48)",
+    "tone-wait": "oklch(0.769 0.188 70.08)",
     "border": "#4a3a68",
     "input": "#554178",
     "ring": "#c4a7ff",
diff --git a/tests/refresh-fixtures.sh b/tests/refresh-fixtures.sh
index 3210005..a7e7a95 100755
--- a/tests/refresh-fixtures.sh
+++ b/tests/refresh-fixtures.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# Refreshes the vendored copies of lich's hook-contract fixtures.
+# Refreshes the vendored copies of lich's hook-contract fixtures, and of the
+# theme template the theme skill hands out and validates against.
 #
 # The fixtures are canonical in the lich repository (docs/hooks/fixtures/
 # there). This repository only vendors them so the test suite never needs the
@@ -15,7 +16,8 @@ set -eu
 
 here=$(CDPATH= cd -- "$(dirname -- "$0")" && pwd)
 ref=$(tr -d '[:space:]' <"$here/lich-ref")
-base=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/omartelo/lich/$ref/docs/hooks/fixtures
+raw=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/omartelo/lich/$ref
+base=$raw/docs/hooks/fixtures
 
 for file in session-state.jsonl session-start.jsonl session-title.jsonl \
   session-touched.jsonl mod-usage.jsonl mod-control.jsonl mod-commands.json \
@@ -24,3 +26,7 @@ for file in session-state.jsonl session-start.jsonl session-title.jsonl \
   echo "refreshed $file at $ref"
 done
 
+# validate.mjs reads its token sets off this copy, so a token lich adds reaches
+# the validator by moving tests/lich-ref, not by hand.
+curl -fsSL "$raw/themes/template.json" -o "$here/../skills/theme/template.json"
+echo "refreshed skills/theme/template.json at $ref"
diff --git a/tests/theme-validate.test.mjs b/tests/theme-validate.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..11a1853
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/theme-validate.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+// Pins skills/theme/validate.mjs against the app tokens lich requires on
+// import: a theme it calls ok must be one lich installs, and the other way round.
+//
+// Run: node --test tests/
+
+import { test } from 'node:test'
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict'
+import { spawnSync } from 'node:child_process'
+import { mkdtempSync, readFileSync, writeFileSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { tmpdir } from 'node:os'
+import { join } from 'node:path'
+
+const validator = new URL('../skills/theme/validate.mjs', import.meta.url).pathname
+const template = JSON.parse(
+  readFileSync(new URL('../skills/theme/template.json', import.meta.url), 'utf8'),
+)
+
+// The status tones lich 0.53.0 made required (omartelo/lich#617), with the
+// bundled Dark theme's values.
+const tones = {
+  'tone-pass': 'oklch(0.696 0.17 162.48)',
+  'tone-wait': 'oklch(0.769 0.188 70.08)',
+}
+
+function validate(app) {
+  const path = join(mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'lich-theme-')), 'theme.json')
+  writeFileSync(path, JSON.stringify({ ...template, id: 'tones', app }))
+  return spawnSync(process.execPath, [validator, path], { encoding: 'utf8' })
+}
+
+test('a theme carrying the status tones passes', () => {
+  const run = validate({ ...template.app, ...tones })
+  assert.equal(run.status, 0, run.stderr)
+})
+
+test('a theme missing a status tone is rejected the way lich rejects it', () => {
+  const { 'tone-wait': _, ...app } = { ...template.app, ...tones }
+  const run = validate(app)
+  assert.equal(run.status, 1)
+  assert.match(run.stderr, /app\.tone-wait is required/)
+})