diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
new file mode 120000
index 0000000..b1972c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/LICENSE
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+LICENSES/CC-BY-SA-4.0.txt
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/The_Steelbore_Standard.md b/The_Steelbore_Standard.md
index 4504447..f02e658 100644
--- a/The_Steelbore_Standard.md
+++ b/The_Steelbore_Standard.md
@@ -23,6 +23,21 @@ concerns.
 
 ## Changelog
 
+- **v1.36 (2026-07-26):** **§4.3:** the root `LICENSE` file is now
+  **required** and MUST be a **symbolic link** to the project’s primary
+  license text in `LICENSES/` (e.g.
+  `ln -s LICENSES/GPL-3.0-or-later.txt LICENSE`) — upgrading the former
+  "a root `LICENSE` MAY remain as a GitHub-detection pointer" allowance.
+  GitHub follows the symlink for license detection while REUSE keeps the
+  verbatim texts in `LICENSES/`, giving both one source of truth; a
+  duplicated regular-file `LICENSE` is non-compliant because the two
+  copies drift. Link target follows the §4.1.1 artifact class
+  (`GPL-3.0-or-later` / `AGPL-3.0-or-later` for software-primary repos,
+  `CC-BY-SA-4.0` for document-primary repos). **§5.2:** `LICENSE` added
+  as a required posture file in its own right. **§16:**
+  compliance-checklist §4.3 bullet extended with the symlink
+  requirement.
+
 - **v1.35 (2026-07-25):** **§11 becomes a palette family.** The single
   canonical palette is replaced by a registry of six: the Steelbore 2
   palette of v1.34 is now named **Steelbore Modern** and remains the
@@ -676,8 +691,26 @@ machine-readable license and copyright metadata. Every project MUST be
 - **`LICENSES/` directory:** the verbatim text of every license used in
   the repo lives in `LICENSES/<SPDX-id>.txt` (e.g.,
   `LICENSES/GPL-3.0-or-later.txt`, `LICENSES/AGPL-3.0-or-later.txt`,
-  plus any upstream licenses per §4.2). A root `LICENSE` file MAY remain
-  as a pointer for GitHub’s license detection.
+  plus any upstream licenses per §4.2).
+
+- **Root `LICENSE` is a symbolic link.** GitHub reads a repository’s
+  license from a root `LICENSE` file; REUSE requires the verbatim texts
+  under `LICENSES/`. Both are satisfied with a single source of truth:
+  the root `LICENSE` MUST be a symbolic link to the project’s primary
+  license text inside `LICENSES/` — never a second, duplicated copy of
+  the text.
+
+      ln -s LICENSES/GPL-3.0-or-later.txt LICENSE
+      git add LICENSE
+
+  Git stores the result as a symlink (mode `120000`), GitHub follows it
+  for license detection, and `reuse lint` stays clean. The link target
+  is the repository’s **primary** license per §4.1.1 —
+  `GPL-3.0-or-later` (or `AGPL-3.0-or-later` when network-facing) for a
+  software-primary repo, `CC-BY-SA-4.0` for a document-primary repo. A
+  duplicated regular-file `LICENSE` is **non-compliant**: the two copies
+  drift, and a stale root `LICENSE` misreports the project’s license to
+  every GitHub visitor.
 
 - **CI gate:** `reuse lint` MUST pass before shipping.
 
@@ -721,7 +754,8 @@ templates:
 | `README.md` | Includes a "Project Posture" section linking to the two below |
 | `NOTICE.md` | Full no-warranty / no-liability statement; defers to the project’s GPL/AGPL license (§4.1) for binding terms |
 | `CONTRIBUTING.md` | Contribution scope, PR-acceptance discretion, sign-off, security reporting, license-of-contributions |
-| `LICENSES/` | REUSE license directory (§4.3): verbatim text of every license used (`GPL-3.0-or-later` or `AGPL-3.0-or-later`, plus any upstream licenses per §4.2). A root `LICENSE` MAY remain as a GitHub-detection pointer. |
+| `LICENSES/` | REUSE license directory (§4.3): verbatim text of every license used (`GPL-3.0-or-later` or `AGPL-3.0-or-later`, plus any upstream licenses per §4.2) |
+| `LICENSE` | Symbolic link to the primary license text in `LICENSES/` (§4.3) — e.g. `ln -s LICENSES/GPL-3.0-or-later.txt LICENSE`. Not a duplicated copy of the text. |
 
 Customize only the project name, scope, and any project-specific
 carve-outs.
@@ -2023,7 +2057,8 @@ Before finalising **any** Spacecraft Software artifact, mentally verify:
 - [ ] **§4.3** REUSE-compliant: two-tag SPDX header
   (`SPDX-FileCopyrightText` + `SPDX-License-Identifier`) on every file
   (or `.license` sidecar / `REUSE.toml` entry); `LICENSES/` directory
-  present; `reuse lint` passes
+  present; root `LICENSE` is a symbolic link into `LICENSES/` (never a
+  duplicated copy); `reuse lint` passes
 
 - [ ] **§5** Project Posture: README/NOTICE/CONTRIBUTING present;
   default personal-hobby stance applied; general-use carve-outs declared
diff --git a/The_Steelbore_Standard.texi b/The_Steelbore_Standard.texi
index a60324d..44db09e 100644
--- a/The_Steelbore_Standard.texi
+++ b/The_Steelbore_Standard.texi
@@ -5,11 +5,11 @@
 @setfilename The_Steelbore_Standard.info
 @documentencoding UTF-8
 @documentlanguage en
-@settitle The Steelbore Standard 1.35
+@settitle The Steelbore Standard 1.36
 @c %**end of header
 
-@set VERSION 1.35
-@set UPDATED 2026-07-25
+@set VERSION 1.36
+@set UPDATED 2026-07-26
 @set SUBDOMAIN https://Standard.SpacecraftSoftware.org/
 
 @copying
@@ -108,6 +108,21 @@ are separate concerns.
 @section Changelog
 @itemize
 @item
+@strong{v1.36 (2026-07-26):} @strong{§4.3:} the root @code{LICENSE} file
+is now @strong{required} and MUST be a @strong{symbolic link} to the
+project's primary license text in @code{LICENSES/} (e.g. @code{ln -s
+LICENSES/GPL-3.0-or-later.txt LICENSE}) --- upgrading the former "a root
+@code{LICENSE} MAY remain as a GitHub-detection pointer" allowance.
+GitHub follows the symlink for license detection while REUSE keeps the
+verbatim texts in @code{LICENSES/}, giving both one source of truth; a
+duplicated regular-file @code{LICENSE} is non-compliant because the two
+copies drift. Link target follows the §4.1.1 artifact class
+(@code{GPL-3.0-or-later} / @code{AGPL-3.0-or-later} for software-primary
+repos, @code{CC-BY-SA-4.0} for document-primary repos). @strong{§5.2:}
+@code{LICENSE} added as a required posture file in its own right.
+@strong{§16:} compliance-checklist §4.3 bullet extended with the symlink
+requirement.
+@item
 @strong{v1.35 (2026-07-25):} @strong{§11 becomes a palette family.} The
 single canonical palette is replaced by a registry of six: the
 Steelbore 2 palette of v1.34 is now named @strong{Steelbore Modern} and
@@ -948,8 +963,28 @@ entry in the repo-root @code{REUSE.toml}. No file is left uncovered
 used in the repo lives in @code{LICENSES/<SPDX-id>.txt} (e.g.,
 @code{LICENSES/GPL-3.0-or-later.txt},
 @code{LICENSES/AGPL-3.0-or-later.txt}, plus any upstream licenses per
-§4.2). A root @code{LICENSE} file MAY remain as a pointer for GitHub's
-license detection.
+§4.2).
+@item
+@strong{Root @code{LICENSE} is a symbolic link.} GitHub reads a
+repository's license from a root @code{LICENSE} file; REUSE requires the
+verbatim texts under @code{LICENSES/}. Both are satisfied with a single
+source of truth: the root @code{LICENSE} MUST be a symbolic link to the
+project's primary license text inside @code{LICENSES/} --- never a
+second, duplicated copy of the text.
+
+@verbatim
+ln -s LICENSES/GPL-3.0-or-later.txt LICENSE
+git add LICENSE
+@end verbatim
+
+Git stores the result as a symlink (mode @code{120000}), GitHub follows
+it for license detection, and @code{reuse lint} stays clean. The link
+target is the repository's @strong{primary} license per §4.1.1 ---
+@code{GPL-3.0-or-later} (or @code{AGPL-3.0-or-later} when
+network-facing) for a software-primary repo, @code{CC-BY-SA-4.0} for a
+document-primary repo. A duplicated regular-file @code{LICENSE} is
+@strong{non-compliant}: the two copies drift, and a stale root
+@code{LICENSE} misreports the project's license to every GitHub visitor.
 @item
 @strong{CI gate:} @code{reuse lint} MUST pass before shipping.
 @end itemize
@@ -1039,8 +1074,12 @@ reporting, license-of-contributions
 @code{LICENSES/}
  @tab REUSE license directory (§4.3): verbatim text of every license
 used (@code{GPL-3.0-or-later} or @code{AGPL-3.0-or-later}, plus any
-upstream licenses per §4.2). A root @code{LICENSE} MAY remain as a
-GitHub-detection pointer.
+upstream licenses per §4.2)
+@item
+@code{LICENSE}
+ @tab Symbolic link to the primary license text in @code{LICENSES/}
+(§4.3) --- e.g. @code{ln -s LICENSES/GPL-3.0-or-later.txt LICENSE}. Not
+a duplicated copy of the text.
 @end multitable
 
 Customize only the project name, scope, and any project-specific
@@ -3380,7 +3419,9 @@ shipped in @code{LICENSES/}
 ☐ @strong{§4.3} REUSE-compliant: two-tag SPDX header
 (@code{SPDX-FileCopyrightText} + @code{SPDX-License-Identifier}) on
 every file (or @code{.license} sidecar / @code{REUSE.toml} entry);
-@code{LICENSES/} directory present; @code{reuse lint} passes
+@code{LICENSES/} directory present; root @code{LICENSE} is a symbolic
+link into @code{LICENSES/} (never a duplicated copy); @code{reuse lint}
+passes
 @item
 ☐ @strong{§5} Project Posture: README/NOTICE/CONTRIBUTING present;
 default personal-hobby stance applied; general-use carve-outs declared