diff --git a/.scratch/distributed-gguf-runtime/evidence/DGR-036/BLOCKED.md b/.scratch/distributed-gguf-runtime/evidence/DGR-036/BLOCKED.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4d71fad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.scratch/distributed-gguf-runtime/evidence/DGR-036/BLOCKED.md
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# DGR-036 real-model lane blocker
+
+`DGR-036` cannot receive completion credit yet. The live standalone worker is DGR-033's `FakeShardEngine`, a CRC/echo fixture; DGR-037's real llama.cpp `ShardEngine` binding has not been implemented. Consequently no code path can execute a whole or ranged dense GGUF and no real prefill/logit or greedy-token parity result exists.
+
+The deterministic two-process fake-worker regression is implemented in `tests/test_native_shard_worker.py`, but this sandbox cannot open loopback sockets (`PermissionError: [Errno 1] Operation not permitted`), so that runtime test needs host-side execution as well.
+
+Unblock in this order:
+
+1. Complete DGR-037's real ranged llama.cpp worker binding without changing the DGR-035 dense boundary contract.
+2. Provision a small exact dense GGUF on mounted-drive storage and record its artifact/split hashes plus runtime/backend/hardware/network identity.
+3. Run whole-model and two-range prefill comparison, then record at least 32 greedy token IDs against the locked tolerance and retain raw metrics.
+4. Run the deterministic two-process test on a host with loopback sockets, then update `README.md` and only then set `prd.json` completion truth.
diff --git a/.scratch/distributed-gguf-runtime/evidence/DGR-036/README.md b/.scratch/distributed-gguf-runtime/evidence/DGR-036/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5f8d281
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.scratch/distributed-gguf-runtime/evidence/DGR-036/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+# DGR-036 evidence — dense fixture and real-model range parity
+
+**Status:** incomplete; `prd.json` remains authoritative and keeps `DGR-036.passes` as `false`.
+
+## Deterministic fixture proof implemented
+
+`tests/test_native_shard_worker.py` now contains `test_two_disjoint_fake_worker_processes_preserve_prefill_and_decode_seam`. It starts two separate DGR-033 `shard_worker` OS processes, opens disjoint requested ranges `[0, 16)` and `[16, 32)`, forwards the first worker's actual protobuf output to the second, and checks one prefill plus 32 sequential decode positions. The test tops up the worker's 16-credit flow-control window before decode positions 16 and 32, so all 32 positions are exercised.
+
+This is deliberately **fixture evidence only**. The worker's `FakeShardEngine` validates a bundle and echoes its bytes; it has no dense graph, logits, sampler, or GGUF load. The assertions prove the two-process protocol/lifecycle seam and that bytes survive a disjoint-range handoff. They do not claim numerical model or greedy-token parity.
+
+## Real-model lane: blocked honestly
+
+DGR-037, which is still `passes: false`, is the story that binds llama.cpp to the standalone worker. The live DGR-033 worker remains the fake CRC/echo fixture, and no `ShardEngine` implementation can load/run a GGUF range. DGR-034 proves tensor ownership and memory reporting, while DGR-035 proves the Python boundary contract; neither supplies a real ranged execution engine. Therefore there is no truthful way to run a small dense GGUF whole-model versus two-range prefill comparison or to compare 32 greedy generated tokens yet.
+
+The real-model proof must be run after DGR-037 with an exact small dense GGUF, the pinned llama.cpp/runtime identity, two loaded worker ranges, and a raw report containing artifact and split hashes, backend/driver/hardware/network, prefill tolerance, all 32 token IDs, and raw metrics. It must remain opt-in, use mounted-drive artifact storage, and never download an artifact under `/home`.
+
+## Commands and results
+
+```bash
+TESTPY=/home/popov/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv/bin/python
+PYTHONPATH=packages/node:packages/tracker "$TESTPY" -m pytest -q tests/test_dense_range_boundary.py tests/test_architecture_boundary.py tests/test_shard_engine.py tests/test_fake_shard_engine.py
+```
+
+```text
+37 passed in 0.18s
+```
+
+```bash
+"$TESTPY" -m ruff check tests/test_native_shard_worker.py
+PYTHONPATH=packages/node "$TESTPY" -m compileall -q packages tests
+git diff --check
+python3 scripts/ralph_prd_schema.py validate .scratch/distributed-gguf-runtime/prd.json
+```
+
+```text
+All checks passed!
+OK: 55 stories validated.
+```
+
+Attempted two-process fixture command:
+
+```bash
+PYTHONPATH=packages/node:packages/tracker "$TESTPY" -m pytest -q tests/test_native_shard_worker.py -k two_disjoint_fake_worker_processes_preserve_prefill_and_decode_seam
+```
+
+```text
+FAILED: PermissionError: [Errno 1] Operation not permitted at socket.socket(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM)
+```
+
+This is the workspace sandbox's known localhost-socket restriction, before any worker is spawned; it is not a test assertion failure. Run that exact command on a host that permits loopback sockets after building `build/native/shard_worker`.
+
+## Changed files
+
+- `tests/test_native_shard_worker.py`
+- `.scratch/distributed-gguf-runtime/evidence/DGR-036/README.md`
+- `.scratch/distributed-gguf-runtime/evidence/DGR-036/BLOCKED.md`
+- `.ralph-tui/progress.md`
+
+## Dependency handoff
+
+- DGR-033 supplies the process, lifecycle, generated gRPC surface, fake engine, and bounded-flow-control behaviour used by the deterministic test.
+- DGR-035 supplies the strict dense residual boundary and tail-only output contract. DGR-037 must preserve that contract when it replaces the echo fake with a real engine.
+- Once DGR-037 is complete, return here to run the opt-in numerical lane. Do not turn this fixture test into a claim that a real GGUF can execute ranges.
diff --git a/tests/test_native_shard_worker.py b/tests/test_native_shard_worker.py
index 6ce60db..18bb3e9 100644
--- a/tests/test_native_shard_worker.py
+++ b/tests/test_native_shard_worker.py
@@ -316,6 +316,72 @@ def test_decode_step_is_served(worker):
     assert echoed.chunk.bundle.tensors[0].fragments[0].payload == payload
 
 
+def test_two_disjoint_fake_worker_processes_preserve_prefill_and_decode_seam():
+    """DGR-036 fixture proof across two actual fake-worker processes.
+
+    The DGR-033 worker deliberately has no model graph: its bounded forward
+    validates and echoes the activation bytes.  That makes it suitable for a
+    deterministic protocol proof only.  Keep the two ranges disjoint at the
+    ``SessionOpen`` boundary, pass each stage-one output through stage two,
+    and exercise a prefill plus 32 sequential decode positions.  Numerical
+    dense-GGUF parity remains an opt-in DGR-036 real-model lane, not a claim
+    made by this fixture.
+    """
+    head = _Worker()
+    tail = _Worker()
+    try:
+        head_open = _open(
+            route_session_id="dgr036-head",
+            shard_range=pb.ShardRange(start_layer=0, end_layer=16, effective_start_layer=0),
+        )
+        tail_open = _open(
+            route_session_id="dgr036-tail",
+            shard_range=pb.ShardRange(start_layer=16, end_layer=32, effective_start_layer=16),
+        )
+        payload = b"dgr036 deterministic dense prefill residual"
+
+        def decode_requests(*, stage: str, payloads: list[bytes]) -> list[pb.SessionRequest]:
+            requests: list[pb.SessionRequest] = []
+            for position, stage_payload in enumerate(payloads, start=1):
+                # The fixture worker's negotiated default window is 16.  Top
+                # it up before decode 16 and 32 so this exercises all 32
+                # sequential positions rather than silently testing only one
+                # credit window.
+                if position in {16, 32}:
+                    requests.append(pb.SessionRequest(flow_control=pb.FlowControl(credits_granted=16)))
+                requests.append(_decode(f"decode-{stage}-{position}", stage_payload, position + 1, position))
+            return requests
+
+        head_responses = head.session(
+            [head_open, _chunk("prefill-head", payload, step=1)]
+            + decode_requests(stage="head", payloads=[payload] * 32)
+        )
+        assert head_responses[0].WhichOneof("kind") == "accepted"
+        assert head_responses[1].WhichOneof("kind") == "chunk"
+        seam_payloads = [
+            response.chunk.bundle.tensors[0].fragments[0].payload
+            for response in head_responses
+            if response.WhichOneof("kind") == "chunk"
+        ]
+        assert len(seam_payloads) == 33
+
+        tail_responses = tail.session(
+            [tail_open, _chunk("prefill-tail", seam_payloads[0], step=1, route_session_id="dgr036-tail")]
+            + decode_requests(stage="tail", payloads=seam_payloads[1:])
+        )
+        assert tail_responses[0].WhichOneof("kind") == "accepted"
+        assert tail_responses[1].WhichOneof("kind") == "chunk"
+        assert tail_responses[1].chunk.bundle.tensors[0].fragments[0].payload == payload
+
+        for tail_response in (response for response in tail_responses if response.WhichOneof("kind") == "chunk"):
+            assert tail_response.chunk.bundle.tensors[0].fragments[0].payload == payload
+    finally:
+        if head.proc.poll() is None:
+            head.close()
+        if tail.proc.poll() is None:
+            tail.close()
+
+
 def test_release_is_terminal(worker):
     responses = worker.session([_open(), _release()])
     assert responses[0].WhichOneof("kind") == "accepted"