diff --git a/orchestrator/src/services/obligations/evaluator.ts b/orchestrator/src/services/obligations/evaluator.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7f59b76
--- /dev/null
+++ b/orchestrator/src/services/obligations/evaluator.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,153 @@
+/**
+ * Minimal, self-contained condition evaluator for the obligation
+ * layer.
+ *
+ * A sibling Rules Engine (PR P) ships a more general DSL that this
+ * evaluator is a subset of; keeping a local copy lets the obligation
+ * layer be merged independently. The two surfaces share the same
+ * Condition shape so clauses authored for one run on the other.
+ *
+ * Key guarantees:
+ *   - Closed operator set (no eval, no code execution).
+ *   - Deterministic: given the same (condition, context), always
+ *     returns the same boolean.
+ *   - Dotted + indexed path resolution so clauses can assert on
+ *     deeply nested context objects (e.g. "plan.steps[0].amount").
+ */
+
+export type Operator =
+  | "eq"
+  | "neq"
+  | "gt"
+  | "gte"
+  | "lt"
+  | "lte"
+  | "in"
+  | "not_in"
+  | "exists"
+  | "matches"
+  | "length_gte"
+  | "length_lte";
+
+export interface LeafCondition {
+  path: string;
+  op: Operator;
+  value?: unknown;
+  message?: string;
+}
+
+export interface AndCondition {
+  all: Condition[];
+  message?: string;
+}
+
+export interface OrCondition {
+  any: Condition[];
+  message?: string;
+}
+
+export interface NotCondition {
+  not: Condition;
+  message?: string;
+}
+
+export type Condition = LeafCondition | AndCondition | OrCondition | NotCondition;
+
+export function resolvePath(
+  path: string,
+  context: Record<string, unknown>,
+): unknown {
+  // Handles both "a.b.c" and "a.b[0].c"
+  const tokens = path
+    .replace(/\[(\d+)\]/g, ".$1")
+    .split(".")
+    .filter(Boolean);
+  let cur: unknown = context;
+  for (const t of tokens) {
+    if (cur === null || cur === undefined) return undefined;
+    if (Array.isArray(cur)) {
+      const idx = Number(t);
+      cur = Number.isNaN(idx) ? undefined : cur[idx];
+    } else if (typeof cur === "object") {
+      cur = (cur as Record<string, unknown>)[t];
+    } else {
+      return undefined;
+    }
+  }
+  return cur;
+}
+
+function isLeaf(c: Condition): c is LeafCondition {
+  return (c as LeafCondition).path !== undefined;
+}
+
+function isAnd(c: Condition): c is AndCondition {
+  return Array.isArray((c as AndCondition).all);
+}
+
+function isOr(c: Condition): c is OrCondition {
+  return Array.isArray((c as OrCondition).any);
+}
+
+function isNot(c: Condition): c is NotCondition {
+  return (c as NotCondition).not !== undefined;
+}
+
+export function evaluateCondition(
+  condition: Condition,
+  context: Record<string, unknown>,
+): boolean {
+  if (isAnd(condition)) {
+    return condition.all.every((c) => evaluateCondition(c, context));
+  }
+  if (isOr(condition)) {
+    return condition.any.some((c) => evaluateCondition(c, context));
+  }
+  if (isNot(condition)) {
+    return !evaluateCondition(condition.not, context);
+  }
+  if (!isLeaf(condition)) return false;
+
+  const actual = resolvePath(condition.path, context);
+  const expected = condition.value;
+  switch (condition.op) {
+    case "eq":
+      return actual === expected;
+    case "neq":
+      return actual !== expected;
+    case "gt":
+      return typeof actual === "number" && typeof expected === "number" && actual > expected;
+    case "gte":
+      return typeof actual === "number" && typeof expected === "number" && actual >= expected;
+    case "lt":
+      return typeof actual === "number" && typeof expected === "number" && actual < expected;
+    case "lte":
+      return typeof actual === "number" && typeof expected === "number" && actual <= expected;
+    case "in":
+      return Array.isArray(expected) && expected.includes(actual);
+    case "not_in":
+      return Array.isArray(expected) && !expected.includes(actual);
+    case "exists":
+      return actual !== undefined && actual !== null;
+    case "matches":
+      return (
+        typeof actual === "string" &&
+        typeof expected === "string" &&
+        new RegExp(expected).test(actual)
+      );
+    case "length_gte":
+      return (
+        typeof expected === "number" &&
+        (Array.isArray(actual) || typeof actual === "string") &&
+        (actual as unknown[] | string).length >= expected
+      );
+    case "length_lte":
+      return (
+        typeof expected === "number" &&
+        (Array.isArray(actual) || typeof actual === "string") &&
+        (actual as unknown[] | string).length <= expected
+      );
+    default:
+      return false;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/orchestrator/src/services/obligations/index.ts b/orchestrator/src/services/obligations/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fd61617
--- /dev/null
+++ b/orchestrator/src/services/obligations/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,320 @@
+/**
+ * Machine-form obligation layer — entry point.
+ *
+ * See ./types.ts for the architectural shape; this module exposes:
+ *   - canonicalize / hashObligationTerms (deterministic identity)
+ *   - validateObligationTerms            (shape check)
+ *   - evaluateObligationTerms            (run commit/abort/unwind
+ *                                          clauses against a context
+ *                                          via the PR P rules engine)
+ *   - buildIssueInstrumentObligation     (helper that derives a
+ *                                          sensible default obligation
+ *                                          shape from a plan's
+ *                                          instrument terms)
+ */
+
+import { createHash } from "crypto";
+import { evaluateCondition } from "./evaluator";
+import type { InstrumentTerms } from "../../types/plan";
+import type {
+  AuthorizedParticipant,
+  Consideration,
+  EvaluationResult,
+  GoverningDocument,
+  ObligationClause,
+  ObligationEvaluation,
+  ObligationTerms,
+} from "./types";
+
+export * from "./types";
+
+/**
+ * Deterministic canonical JSON encoding: object keys sorted
+ * lexicographically at every depth, arrays preserved, no whitespace.
+ *
+ * This is what `hashObligationTerms()` hashes, so two obligations
+ * with identical semantic content always hash to the same value
+ * regardless of key insertion order.
+ */
+export function canonicalize(value: unknown): string {
+  return JSON.stringify(sortValue(value));
+}
+
+function sortValue(v: unknown): unknown {
+  if (v === null || typeof v !== "object") return v;
+  if (Array.isArray(v)) return v.map((x) => sortValue(x));
+  const out: Record<string, unknown> = {};
+  for (const k of Object.keys(v as Record<string, unknown>).sort()) {
+    out[k] = sortValue((v as Record<string, unknown>)[k]);
+  }
+  return out;
+}
+
+/**
+ * SHA-256 of the canonical obligation terms, hex-encoded without
+ * 0x prefix. Matches the formatting convention used by
+ * `InstrumentTerms.templateHash`.
+ */
+export function hashObligationTerms(terms: ObligationTerms): string {
+  return createHash("sha256").update(canonicalize(terms)).digest("hex");
+}
+
+/**
+ * Shape validation. Returns a list of human-readable problems; empty
+ * list means the object conforms to `ObligationTerms`.
+ *
+ * Intentionally cheap (no JSON-Schema runtime) — the TypeScript type
+ * plus these assertions catch the bulk of real-world mistakes.
+ */
+export function validateObligationTerms(
+  input: unknown,
+): { ok: boolean; errors: string[] } {
+  const errors: string[] = [];
+  if (!input || typeof input !== "object") {
+    return { ok: false, errors: ["obligation terms must be an object"] };
+  }
+  const t = input as Partial<ObligationTerms>;
+
+  if (t.version !== "1.0") errors.push("version must be \"1.0\"");
+
+  if (!t.consideration || typeof t.consideration !== "object") {
+    errors.push("consideration missing");
+  } else {
+    const c = t.consideration as Partial<Consideration>;
+    if (!c.payor) errors.push("consideration.payor required");
+    if (!c.payee) errors.push("consideration.payee required");
+    if (!c.currency || !/^[A-Z]{3}$/.test(c.currency))
+      errors.push("consideration.currency must be ISO-4217 (3 uppercase letters)");
+    if (typeof c.amount !== "number" || !(c.amount > 0))
+      errors.push("consideration.amount must be a positive number");
+  }
+
+  for (const arrKey of [
+    "validIssuance",
+    "validPayment",
+    "commit",
+    "abort",
+    "unwind",
+  ] as const) {
+    const arr = t[arrKey];
+    if (!Array.isArray(arr)) {
+      errors.push(`${arrKey} must be an array`);
+      continue;
+    }
+    arr.forEach((clause, i) => {
+      if (!clause || typeof clause !== "object") {
+        errors.push(`${arrKey}[${i}] must be an object`);
+        return;
+      }
+      const c = clause as Partial<ObligationClause>;
+      if (!c.id) errors.push(`${arrKey}[${i}].id required`);
+      if (!c.description) errors.push(`${arrKey}[${i}].description required`);
+      if (!c.assert) errors.push(`${arrKey}[${i}].assert required`);
+      if (c.binds && !["instrument", "payment", "both"].includes(c.binds))
+        errors.push(`${arrKey}[${i}].binds must be instrument|payment|both`);
+    });
+  }
+
+  if (!Array.isArray(t.authorizedParticipants)) {
+    errors.push("authorizedParticipants must be an array");
+  } else {
+    t.authorizedParticipants.forEach((p, i) => {
+      const pp = p as Partial<AuthorizedParticipant>;
+      if (!pp.role) errors.push(`authorizedParticipants[${i}].role required`);
+      if (!pp.actorId)
+        errors.push(`authorizedParticipants[${i}].actorId required`);
+    });
+  }
+
+  if (!Array.isArray(t.governingDocuments) || t.governingDocuments.length === 0) {
+    errors.push("governingDocuments must be a non-empty array");
+  } else {
+    t.governingDocuments.forEach((d, i) => {
+      const dd = d as Partial<GoverningDocument>;
+      if (!dd.templateRef)
+        errors.push(`governingDocuments[${i}].templateRef required`);
+      if (!dd.templateHash || !/^[0-9a-fA-F]{64}$/.test(dd.templateHash))
+        errors.push(`governingDocuments[${i}].templateHash must be hex SHA-256`);
+    });
+  }
+
+  return { ok: errors.length === 0, errors };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Evaluate a set of obligation clauses against a live context.
+ *
+ * `context` typically contains the plan, execution state, event chain,
+ * and bank/DLT dispatch evidence — whatever the clauses assert against.
+ *
+ * A failure short-circuits nothing; all clauses are evaluated so the
+ * caller can surface the full list of unmet conditions (arch §12.2).
+ */
+export function evaluateClauses(
+  clauses: ObligationClause[],
+  context: Record<string, unknown>,
+): ObligationEvaluation {
+  const results: EvaluationResult[] = clauses.map((clause) => {
+    let ok = false;
+    let failureReason: string | undefined;
+    try {
+      ok = evaluateCondition(clause.assert, context);
+      if (!ok) failureReason = "assert condition returned false";
+    } catch (err) {
+      ok = false;
+      failureReason =
+        err instanceof Error ? err.message : "unknown evaluator error";
+    }
+    return {
+      clauseId: clause.id,
+      description: clause.description,
+      ok,
+      ...(failureReason ? { failureReason } : {}),
+    };
+  });
+  return { ok: results.every((r) => r.ok), results };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Evaluate specifically the commit clauses. Convenience for the
+ * transition coordinator (arch §9.2).
+ */
+export function evaluateCommit(
+  terms: ObligationTerms,
+  context: Record<string, unknown>,
+): ObligationEvaluation {
+  return evaluateClauses(terms.commit, context);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Evaluate specifically the abort clauses (arch §9.3). A true result
+ * here means the transaction MUST abort.
+ */
+export function evaluateAbort(
+  terms: ObligationTerms,
+  context: Record<string, unknown>,
+): ObligationEvaluation {
+  const ev = evaluateClauses(terms.abort, context);
+  // Semantically an abort clause that *asserts true* means the abort
+  // condition has been hit, so `ok=true` in the evaluation result ==
+  // "abort required". Callers consume this as a boolean trigger.
+  return ev;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Derive a default obligation-terms object from an issueInstrument
+ * step's instrument terms. Useful for plans that haven't supplied an
+ * explicit obligation block — gives them a reasonable starting point
+ * that matches the template's commit/abort semantics.
+ */
+export function buildIssueInstrumentObligation(input: {
+  instrument: InstrumentTerms;
+  payor: string;
+  payee: string;
+  authorizedParticipants: AuthorizedParticipant[];
+  governingDocumentTitle?: string;
+}): ObligationTerms {
+  const { instrument, payor, payee, authorizedParticipants } = input;
+
+  const commit: ObligationClause[] = [
+    {
+      id: "commit.dlt_tx_hash",
+      description: "DLT anchor transaction hash is present and valid",
+      binds: "both",
+      assert: {
+        path: "dlt.tx_hash",
+        op: "matches",
+        value: "^0x[0-9a-fA-F]{64}$",
+      },
+    },
+    {
+      id: "commit.bank_iso_message_id",
+      description: "Bank leg has produced an ISO-20022 message id",
+      binds: "instrument",
+      assert: { path: "bank.iso_message_id", op: "exists" },
+    },
+    {
+      id: "commit.state_is_validating",
+      description: "Transaction must be in VALIDATING when commit fires",
+      binds: "both",
+      assert: { path: "state", op: "eq", value: "VALIDATING" },
+    },
+  ];
+
+  const abort: ObligationClause[] = [
+    {
+      id: "abort.exception_raised",
+      description: "At least one active exception blocks commit",
+      binds: "both",
+      assert: { path: "exceptions.active", op: "length_gte", value: 1 },
+    },
+  ];
+
+  const unwind: ObligationClause[] = [
+    {
+      id: "unwind.payment_failed_only",
+      description:
+        "Unwind applies only when the payment leg failed AFTER the "
+        + "instrument was dispatched (MT760 is irrevocable under UCP 600).",
+      binds: "payment",
+      assert: {
+        all: [
+          { path: "instrument.dispatched", op: "eq", value: true },
+          { path: "payment.failed", op: "eq", value: true },
+        ],
+      },
+    },
+  ];
+
+  const validIssuance: ObligationClause[] = [
+    {
+      id: "issuance.template_hash_matches",
+      description: "Dispatched instrument text hashes to the agreed template",
+      binds: "instrument",
+      assert: {
+        path: "instrument.template_hash",
+        op: "eq",
+        value: instrument.templateHash,
+      },
+    },
+  ];
+
+  const validPayment: ObligationClause[] = [
+    {
+      id: "payment.amount_matches",
+      description: "Payment amount equals the instrument face value",
+      binds: "payment",
+      assert: { path: "payment.amount", op: "eq", value: instrument.amount },
+    },
+    {
+      id: "payment.currency_matches",
+      description: "Payment currency equals the instrument currency",
+      binds: "payment",
+      assert: { path: "payment.currency", op: "eq", value: instrument.currency },
+    },
+  ];
+
+  return {
+    version: "1.0",
+    consideration: {
+      payor,
+      payee,
+      currency: instrument.currency,
+      amount: instrument.amount,
+    },
+    validIssuance,
+    validPayment,
+    commit,
+    abort,
+    unwind,
+    authorizedParticipants,
+    governingDocuments: [
+      {
+        templateRef: instrument.templateRef,
+        templateHash: instrument.templateHash,
+        title: input.governingDocumentTitle,
+        governingLaw: instrument.governingLaw,
+      },
+    ],
+  };
+}
diff --git a/orchestrator/src/services/obligations/types.ts b/orchestrator/src/services/obligations/types.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e3d0e74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/orchestrator/src/services/obligations/types.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+/**
+ * Machine-form obligation layer (gap-analysis v2 §4.1 partial).
+ *
+ * Architecture §4.1 "Legal / Obligation Layer" describes what the
+ * transaction's terms must express: consideration, commit conditions,
+ * abort conditions, unwind conditions, authorized-participant matrix,
+ * and a reference to governing documents.
+ *
+ * Until now a Plan only stored a `templateHash` — a hash reference
+ * to an off-chain text. That satisfies tamper-evidence but is not
+ * machine-enforceable: the orchestrator can't tell whether a given
+ * execution context *satisfies* the terms without a human reading
+ * the underlying PDF.
+ *
+ * This module makes the obligation layer first-class data:
+ *
+ *   - Strongly typed shape for the six architectural sub-objects
+ *     (consideration, validIssuance, validPayment, commit, abort,
+ *      unwind, authorizedParticipants, governingDocuments).
+ *   - Canonicalisation + SHA-256 hash (deterministic, replayable).
+ *   - Executable assertions built on the PR P Rules Engine DSL so
+ *     commit/abort/unwind conditions can be checked automatically
+ *     against a live context.
+ *
+ * Binds to the existing `InstrumentTerms.templateHash` field: an
+ * ObligationTerms instance records the governing-document hash as
+ * one of its `governingDocuments[]` entries, closing the loop from
+ * "which document governs this plan" to "what does that document
+ * require, expressed as machine-checkable predicates".
+ */
+
+import type { Condition } from "./evaluator";
+
+/**
+ * Commercial and legal meaning of the transaction (arch §4.1).
+ */
+export interface Consideration {
+  /** Who pays and what. */
+  payor: string;
+  payee: string;
+  /** ISO-4217 currency code. */
+  currency: string;
+  /** Positive amount in major units (e.g. 100.00 USD = 100). */
+  amount: number;
+  /** Optional free-form description of the consideration. */
+  description?: string;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Role entry on the authorized-participant matrix. Roles match the
+ * SoD set used by middleware/apiKeyAuth (PR M): coordinator, approver,
+ * releaser, validator, exception_manager, operator.
+ */
+export interface AuthorizedParticipant {
+  role:
+    | "coordinator"
+    | "approver"
+    | "releaser"
+    | "validator"
+    | "exception_manager"
+    | "operator";
+  /** Free-form identifier — an actor id, API-key id, or wallet address. */
+  actorId: string;
+  /** Optional display name. */
+  displayName?: string;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Governing-document reference: template id + integrity hash of the
+ * agreed text (see InstrumentTerms.templateHash).
+ */
+export interface GoverningDocument {
+  /** Stable template identifier (e.g. "emirates-islamic-sblc-v3"). */
+  templateRef: string;
+  /** Hex SHA-256 of the canonical agreed text, without 0x prefix. */
+  templateHash: string;
+  /** Optional human-readable title. */
+  title?: string;
+  /** Optional ruleset the template is governed under. */
+  governingLaw?: string;
+}
+
+/**
+ * A single machine-enforceable clause. The `assert` field is a
+ * rulesEngine Condition so the obligation layer can reuse the
+ * evaluator from PR P.
+ */
+export interface ObligationClause {
+  id: string;
+  description: string;
+  /** Rules-engine condition that must hold for the clause to be satisfied. */
+  assert: Condition;
+  /** Explicitly surface which side of the transaction the clause binds. */
+  binds: "instrument" | "payment" | "both";
+}
+
+/**
+ * Top-level obligation-terms object.
+ *
+ * Canonicalisation:
+ *   - Keys are sorted lexicographically via `canonicalize()`.
+ *   - `terms_hash` = SHA-256 of the canonical JSON string.
+ *
+ * The hash is the identity of the obligation: two plans with the
+ * same hash have identical machine-enforceable terms.
+ */
+export interface ObligationTerms {
+  /** Schema version — bump on any breaking shape change. */
+  version: "1.0";
+  consideration: Consideration;
+  /** Clauses that define what "valid issuance" means (arch §4.1). */
+  validIssuance: ObligationClause[];
+  /** Clauses that define what "valid payment" means (arch §4.1). */
+  validPayment: ObligationClause[];
+  /** Commit criteria (arch §9.2). */
+  commit: ObligationClause[];
+  /** Abort criteria (arch §9.3). */
+  abort: ObligationClause[];
+  /** Unwind procedures (arch §8 UNWIND_PENDING). */
+  unwind: ObligationClause[];
+  authorizedParticipants: AuthorizedParticipant[];
+  governingDocuments: GoverningDocument[];
+}
+
+export interface EvaluationResult {
+  clauseId: string;
+  description: string;
+  ok: boolean;
+  failureReason?: string;
+}
+
+export interface ObligationEvaluation {
+  ok: boolean;
+  results: EvaluationResult[];
+}
diff --git a/orchestrator/tests/unit/obligations.test.ts b/orchestrator/tests/unit/obligations.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ab9c945
--- /dev/null
+++ b/orchestrator/tests/unit/obligations.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,284 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from "@jest/globals";
+import {
+  canonicalize,
+  hashObligationTerms,
+  validateObligationTerms,
+  evaluateClauses,
+  evaluateCommit,
+  evaluateAbort,
+  buildIssueInstrumentObligation,
+  type ObligationTerms,
+} from "../../src/services/obligations";
+import { evaluateCondition, resolvePath } from "../../src/services/obligations/evaluator";
+
+describe("Obligation layer (gap-analysis v2 §4.1)", () => {
+  const instrument = {
+    applicant: "ACME Corp",
+    issuingBankBIC: "CHASUS33",
+    beneficiaryBankBIC: "EBILAEAD",
+    beneficiaryName: "Acme Beneficiary Ltd",
+    beneficiaryAccount: "AE070331234567890123456",
+    amount: 1_000_000,
+    currency: "USD",
+    tenor: "1Y",
+    expiryDate: "2026-12-31",
+    placeOfPresentation: "Dubai",
+    governingLaw: "URDG 758",
+    templateRef: "emirates-islamic-sblc-v3",
+    templateHash:
+      "a".repeat(64),
+  };
+
+  const authorizedParticipants = [
+    { role: "coordinator" as const, actorId: "actor-1" },
+    { role: "approver" as const, actorId: "actor-2" },
+    { role: "releaser" as const, actorId: "actor-3" },
+    { role: "validator" as const, actorId: "actor-4" },
+    { role: "exception_manager" as const, actorId: "actor-5" },
+  ];
+
+  describe("canonicalize()", () => {
+    it("sorts object keys at every depth", () => {
+      const a = canonicalize({ b: 1, a: { d: 2, c: 3 } });
+      const b = canonicalize({ a: { c: 3, d: 2 }, b: 1 });
+      expect(a).toBe(b);
+      expect(a).toBe('{"a":{"c":3,"d":2},"b":1}');
+    });
+
+    it("preserves array order", () => {
+      expect(canonicalize({ x: [3, 1, 2] })).toBe('{"x":[3,1,2]}');
+    });
+
+    it("handles null and nested arrays of objects", () => {
+      expect(
+        canonicalize({ a: null, b: [{ y: 2, x: 1 }, { z: 3 }] }),
+      ).toBe('{"a":null,"b":[{"x":1,"y":2},{"z":3}]}');
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("hashObligationTerms()", () => {
+    const terms = buildIssueInstrumentObligation({
+      instrument,
+      payor: "ACME Corp",
+      payee: "Acme Beneficiary Ltd",
+      authorizedParticipants,
+    });
+
+    it("produces a 64-char hex hash", () => {
+      expect(hashObligationTerms(terms)).toMatch(/^[0-9a-f]{64}$/);
+    });
+
+    it("is insensitive to key ordering", () => {
+      const shuffled: ObligationTerms = {
+        ...terms,
+        consideration: {
+          payee: terms.consideration.payee,
+          currency: terms.consideration.currency,
+          amount: terms.consideration.amount,
+          payor: terms.consideration.payor,
+        },
+      };
+      expect(hashObligationTerms(shuffled)).toBe(hashObligationTerms(terms));
+    });
+
+    it("changes when any field mutates", () => {
+      const mutated: ObligationTerms = {
+        ...terms,
+        consideration: { ...terms.consideration, amount: 999 },
+      };
+      expect(hashObligationTerms(mutated)).not.toBe(hashObligationTerms(terms));
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("validateObligationTerms()", () => {
+    const valid = buildIssueInstrumentObligation({
+      instrument,
+      payor: "A",
+      payee: "B",
+      authorizedParticipants,
+    });
+
+    it("accepts a well-formed obligation", () => {
+      expect(validateObligationTerms(valid).ok).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it("rejects non-object input", () => {
+      expect(validateObligationTerms(null).ok).toBe(false);
+      expect(validateObligationTerms("nope").ok).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it("flags missing consideration fields", () => {
+      const bad = {
+        ...valid,
+        consideration: { payor: "A", payee: "B", currency: "usd", amount: -5 },
+      };
+      const r = validateObligationTerms(bad);
+      expect(r.ok).toBe(false);
+      expect(r.errors).toEqual(
+        expect.arrayContaining([
+          expect.stringContaining("ISO-4217"),
+          expect.stringContaining("amount"),
+        ]),
+      );
+    });
+
+    it("flags bad template hash", () => {
+      const bad = {
+        ...valid,
+        governingDocuments: [
+          { templateRef: "t", templateHash: "not-a-hash" },
+        ],
+      };
+      const r = validateObligationTerms(bad);
+      expect(r.ok).toBe(false);
+      expect(r.errors.some((e) => e.includes("hex SHA-256"))).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it("flags empty authorizedParticipants[].role", () => {
+      const bad = {
+        ...valid,
+        authorizedParticipants: [{ actorId: "x" }],
+      };
+      const r = validateObligationTerms(bad);
+      expect(r.ok).toBe(false);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("evaluator", () => {
+    it("resolvePath handles dotted + indexed paths", () => {
+      const ctx = { plan: { steps: [{ type: "pay" }, { type: "issueInstrument" }] } };
+      expect(resolvePath("plan.steps[1].type", ctx)).toBe("issueInstrument");
+      expect(resolvePath("plan.missing.x", ctx)).toBeUndefined();
+    });
+
+    it("evaluates all/any/not combinators", () => {
+      const ctx = { a: 1, b: 2 };
+      expect(
+        evaluateCondition(
+          {
+            all: [
+              { path: "a", op: "eq", value: 1 },
+              { path: "b", op: "gt", value: 1 },
+            ],
+          },
+          ctx,
+        ),
+      ).toBe(true);
+      expect(
+        evaluateCondition(
+          {
+            any: [
+              { path: "a", op: "eq", value: 99 },
+              { path: "b", op: "gt", value: 1 },
+            ],
+          },
+          ctx,
+        ),
+      ).toBe(true);
+      expect(
+        evaluateCondition({ not: { path: "a", op: "eq", value: 2 } }, ctx),
+      ).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it("matches regex operator safely (no eval)", () => {
+      expect(
+        evaluateCondition(
+          { path: "h", op: "matches", value: "^0x[0-9a-f]{4}$" },
+          { h: "0xbeef" },
+        ),
+      ).toBe(true);
+      expect(
+        evaluateCondition(
+          { path: "h", op: "matches", value: "^0x[0-9a-f]{4}$" },
+          { h: "0xBEEFG" },
+        ),
+      ).toBe(false);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("evaluateClauses / evaluateCommit / evaluateAbort", () => {
+    const terms = buildIssueInstrumentObligation({
+      instrument,
+      payor: "ACME Corp",
+      payee: "Acme Beneficiary Ltd",
+      authorizedParticipants,
+    });
+
+    const passingCtx = {
+      state: "VALIDATING",
+      dlt: { tx_hash: "0x" + "b".repeat(64) },
+      bank: { iso_message_id: "MSG-1" },
+      exceptions: { active: [] },
+      instrument: { template_hash: instrument.templateHash, dispatched: true },
+      payment: {
+        amount: instrument.amount,
+        currency: instrument.currency,
+        failed: false,
+      },
+    };
+
+    it("evaluateCommit returns ok=true when all commit clauses pass", () => {
+      const r = evaluateCommit(terms, passingCtx);
+      expect(r.ok).toBe(true);
+      expect(r.results.every((x) => x.ok)).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it("evaluateCommit returns ok=false with per-clause reasons on failure", () => {
+      const badCtx = { ...passingCtx, dlt: { tx_hash: "not-hex" } };
+      const r = evaluateCommit(terms, badCtx);
+      expect(r.ok).toBe(false);
+      const failing = r.results.find((x) => !x.ok);
+      expect(failing?.clauseId).toBe("commit.dlt_tx_hash");
+      expect(failing?.failureReason).toBeTruthy();
+    });
+
+    it("evaluateAbort fires when an active exception exists", () => {
+      const ctx = {
+        ...passingCtx,
+        exceptions: { active: [{ kind: "timeout" }] },
+      };
+      const r = evaluateAbort(terms, ctx);
+      expect(r.ok).toBe(true);
+      expect(r.results.find((x) => x.clauseId === "abort.exception_raised")?.ok).toBe(
+        true,
+      );
+    });
+
+    it("evaluateClauses surfaces evaluator errors without throwing", () => {
+      const bogus = [
+        {
+          id: "bogus",
+          description: "bad regex",
+          binds: "both" as const,
+          assert: { path: "h", op: "matches" as const, value: "[" }, // invalid regex
+        },
+      ];
+      const r = evaluateClauses(bogus, { h: "x" });
+      expect(r.ok).toBe(false);
+      expect(r.results[0].failureReason).toBeTruthy();
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("buildIssueInstrumentObligation()", () => {
+    it("binds the instrument template hash into governingDocuments", () => {
+      const terms = buildIssueInstrumentObligation({
+        instrument,
+        payor: "A",
+        payee: "B",
+        authorizedParticipants,
+      });
+      expect(terms.governingDocuments[0].templateHash).toBe(instrument.templateHash);
+      expect(terms.governingDocuments[0].governingLaw).toBe("URDG 758");
+    });
+
+    it("validates cleanly", () => {
+      const terms = buildIssueInstrumentObligation({
+        instrument,
+        payor: "A",
+        payee: "B",
+        authorizedParticipants,
+      });
+      expect(validateObligationTerms(terms).ok).toBe(true);
+    });
+  });
+});