diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
index 183c27f..b56d2f6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ name: CI
 
 on:
   push:
+    branches: [main]
   pull_request:
 
 jobs:
@@ -25,3 +26,25 @@ jobs:
         run: uv sync
       - name: Run pytest
         run: uv run pytest
+  # Single aggregate check to require in the branch ruleset. It depends on
+  # every other CI job and fails if any of them failed or was cancelled.
+  # Requiring this one check (instead of each job or matrix leg) keeps the
+  # ruleset stable when matrix dimensions change, and means a conditionally
+  # skipped dependency never leaves a required check stuck "waiting" —
+  # `skipped` is treated as acceptable here.
+  ci-gate:
+    if: always()
+    needs: [test]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Verify no required job failed
+        run: |
+          results="${{ join(needs.*.result, ' ') }}"
+          echo "Upstream job results: ${results}"
+          for r in ${results}; do
+            if [ "${r}" = "failure" ] || [ "${r}" = "cancelled" ]; then
+              echo "::error::A required CI job did not pass (result: ${r})."
+              exit 1
+            fi
+          done
+          echo "All required CI jobs passed (or were acceptably skipped)."
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 4ad5ca3..bf2c539 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ requires-python = ">=3.12"
 dev = [
     "pytest",
     "copier",
+    "pyyaml",
 ]
 
 [tool.pytest.ini_options]
diff --git a/spec/issue-7.md b/spec/issue-7.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a25eb47
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/issue-7.md
@@ -0,0 +1,173 @@
+Goal: allow easy activation of branch protection in github via rule set.
+
+Normally, all targets that must be green must be hand-configured. This is flaky.
+
+Instead, implement via CI gate so that rules don't need to list all possible targets.
+
+See https://github.com/rodekruis/qualitative-feedback-analysis/blob/main/.github/workflows/ci.yaml for reference.
+
+---
+
+## Spec
+
+**What:** Add one aggregate `ci-gate` job to **both** CI workflows — the shipped
+`template/.github/workflows/cicd.yaml` (so every generated project has it) and this repo's own
+`.github/workflows/ci.yaml` — restrict `push:` to `main` in both, add a drift test that the gate's
+`needs` covers every other job, and note the required check name in the template README.
+
+**Why:** A branch ruleset must name required status checks literally, so today it has to list every
+matrix leg (`test (3.12)`, `test (3.13)`, …). That list silently rots the moment a matrix dimension
+or job is added or renamed — the ruleset keeps passing while the new leg goes unchecked, which is
+the flakiness this ticket is about. One unmatrixed aggregate job whose name never changes is the
+only thing the ruleset has to require, and `needs:` moves the "everything must be green" list into
+the workflow, next to the jobs it guards.
+
+### The gate job
+
+Identical in both files except its `needs:` list. Append to `jobs:` in each:
+
+```yaml
+  # Single aggregate check to require in the branch ruleset. It depends on
+  # every other CI job and fails if any of them failed or was cancelled.
+  # Requiring this one check (instead of each job or matrix leg) keeps the
+  # ruleset stable when matrix dimensions change, and means a conditionally
+  # skipped dependency never leaves a required check stuck "waiting" —
+  # `skipped` is treated as acceptable here.
+  ci-gate:
+    if: always()
+    needs: [lint, test]        # own ci.yaml has only `test`, so: needs: [test]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Verify no required job failed
+        run: |
+          results="${{ join(needs.*.result, ' ') }}"
+          echo "Upstream job results: ${results}"
+          for r in ${results}; do
+            if [ "${r}" = "failure" ] || [ "${r}" = "cancelled" ]; then
+              echo "::error::A required CI job did not pass (result: ${r})."
+              exit 1
+            fi
+          done
+          echo "All required CI jobs passed (or were acceptably skipped)."
+```
+
+`if: always()` is load-bearing: without it the job is skipped when a dependency fails, and a
+skipped required check leaves the PR waiting forever instead of failing.
+
+The job has **no `uses:` step** — not even `actions/checkout` — so it adds nothing to the
+action-pinning surface of #4.
+
+### Trigger change (both files)
+
+Both workflows currently fire on `push:` (every branch) *and* `pull_request:`, which produces two
+identical `ci-gate` check runs on any same-repo PR branch. Restrict push to `main`:
+
+```yaml
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [main]
+  pull_request:
+  workflow_call:      # template/cicd.yaml only; the repo's own ci.yaml has none
+```
+
+Keep `pull_request:` — dropping it (as the qfa reference does) means fork PRs never run CI, so the
+required check never appears and those PRs become unmergeable. Accepted cost: pushing a branch with
+no PR open no longer runs CI.
+
+### Drift test
+
+The gate is only as good as its `needs:` list — add a job, forget the list, and the gate goes green
+while the new job burns. Add to `tests/test_template.py`, parameterized over both workflow files on
+disk (no rendering needed, see below), asserting: a `ci-gate` job exists, it carries `if: always()`,
+and `set(needs) == set(jobs) - {"ci-gate"}`.
+
+Two traps for the implementer:
+
+- **PyYAML parses a bare `on:` key as boolean `True`** (YAML 1.1). Any assertion that inspects
+  triggers must read `workflow[True] if True in workflow else workflow["on"]` — the same dance
+  `tests/test_docker_packaging.py` uses in the aeloop repo.
+- **`pyyaml` is currently only a transitive dependency** (via `copier`). Add it explicitly to the
+  `dev` group in the root `pyproject.toml` rather than relying on the transitive.
+
+The template workflow can be parsed straight from disk because `_templates_suffix: .jinja` means
+only `.jinja` files are rendered — `cicd.yaml` is copied verbatim, which is why its existing
+`${{ matrix.python-version }}` survives generation today. Do **not** rename it to `.jinja`; `${{ }}`
+would then collide with Jinja.
+
+### README note
+
+Under *Development* in `template/README.md.jinja`, at most four lines naming `ci-gate` as the single
+check to require in a branch ruleset. Per `AGENTS.md`, add the fact and nothing more — no
+walkthrough of the GitHub settings UI.
+
+## Acceptance criteria
+
+- [ ] `template/.github/workflows/cicd.yaml` has a `ci-gate` job exactly as specified above, with
+      `needs: [lint, test]`, `if: always()`, `runs-on: ubuntu-latest`, and no `uses:` step.
+- [ ] `.github/workflows/ci.yaml` has the same job with `needs: [test]`.
+- [ ] In both files `push:` is restricted to `branches: [main]`, `pull_request:` is retained, and the
+      template's `workflow_call:` is retained.
+- [ ] `tests/test_template.py` gains a test, parameterized over both workflow files, asserting the
+      gate exists, carries `if: always()`, and that its `needs` equals every other job in that file.
+- [ ] That test fails if a job is added to either workflow without being added to `needs` (verify by
+      temporarily adding a dummy job locally, or by reasoning stated in the PR body).
+- [ ] `pyyaml` is an explicit entry in the `dev` dependency group of the root `pyproject.toml`.
+- [ ] `template/README.md.jinja` names `ci-gate` as the required check in ≤4 added lines under
+      *Development*.
+- [ ] `template/.github/workflows/cicd.yaml` still has no `.jinja` suffix and renders verbatim — the
+      existing rendered-project tests still pass.
+- [ ] `uv run pytest tests` is green.
+- [ ] Commit uses the `ci:` prefix (as in 9b55106) and carries no AI attribution trailer.
+
+## Activating the protection (repo admin, after merge)
+
+The one check to require is `ci-gate`. Applies identically to this repo and to any generated project.
+
+UI: *Settings → Rules → Rulesets → New branch ruleset* → target **Default branch** → tick **Require
+status checks to pass** → add `ci-gate` → enforcement **Active**.
+
+Or:
+
+```bash
+gh api -X POST repos/<owner>/<repo>/rulesets --input - <<'JSON'
+{
+  "name": "main",
+  "target": "branch",
+  "enforcement": "active",
+  "conditions": { "ref_name": { "include": ["~DEFAULT_BRANCH"], "exclude": [] } },
+  "rules": [
+    { "type": "required_status_checks",
+      "parameters": {
+        "strict_required_status_checks_policy": false,
+        "required_status_checks": [ { "context": "ci-gate" } ]
+      } }
+  ]
+}
+JSON
+```
+
+- Leave **Require branches to be up to date** (`strict_required_status_checks_policy`) off unless you
+  want every merge to force a rebase and a full CI re-run on the next PR in the queue.
+- Add the parameterless `deletion` and `non_fast_forward` rule types to also block branch deletion
+  and force-pushes.
+- Adding a CI job later needs no ruleset edit — that is the point of the gate.
+
+## Out of scope
+
+- Creating or enabling the branch ruleset itself — that is a repo-admin action in GitHub settings,
+  not code. The section above is the recipe; this ticket only makes one stable check name available
+  to require.
+- Automating ruleset creation via `gh api` (GitHub does not import rulesets from a repo file).
+- Renaming `cicd.yaml` → `ci.yaml` in the template (#8) and pinning actions to hashes (#4). Both are
+  independent of this change; whichever lands first, the other rebases.
+
+## Verification
+
+```bash
+uv run pytest tests            # needs network; renders a project and runs its lint/test/pre-commit
+```
+
+The gate's runtime behaviour can only be fully proven on GitHub: after merge, confirm a `ci-gate`
+check run appears on a PR and that a ruleset can require it by that name.
+
+No `Depends-on:` — nothing this spec builds on is unmerged.
diff --git a/template/.github/workflows/cicd.yaml b/template/.github/workflows/cicd.yaml
index 3981646..9994f9b 100644
--- a/template/.github/workflows/cicd.yaml
+++ b/template/.github/workflows/cicd.yaml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ name: CI/CD
 
 on:
   push:
+    branches: [main]
   pull_request:
   workflow_call:
 
@@ -67,3 +68,25 @@ jobs:
         run: make docs-strict
       - name: Run docs drift tests
         run: make test-docs
+  # Single aggregate check to require in the branch ruleset. It depends on
+  # every other CI job and fails if any of them failed or was cancelled.
+  # Requiring this one check (instead of each job or matrix leg) keeps the
+  # ruleset stable when matrix dimensions change, and means a conditionally
+  # skipped dependency never leaves a required check stuck "waiting" —
+  # `skipped` is treated as acceptable here.
+  ci-gate:
+    if: always()
+    needs: [lint, test, docs]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Verify no required job failed
+        run: |
+          results="${{ join(needs.*.result, ' ') }}"
+          echo "Upstream job results: ${results}"
+          for r in ${results}; do
+            if [ "${r}" = "failure" ] || [ "${r}" = "cancelled" ]; then
+              echo "::error::A required CI job did not pass (result: ${r})."
+              exit 1
+            fi
+          done
+          echo "All required CI jobs passed (or were acceptably skipped)."
diff --git a/template/README.md.jinja b/template/README.md.jinja
index 7ed14cd..a88dd0d 100644
--- a/template/README.md.jinja
+++ b/template/README.md.jinja
@@ -47,6 +47,10 @@ make test
 make lint
 ```
 
+## Branch protection
+
+`ci-gate` is the single status check to require in the branch ruleset: it depends on every other CI job, so the ruleset stays correct as jobs and matrix legs change.
+
 ## Documentation
 
 Documentation is a [Sphinx](https://www.sphinx-doc.org/) + [MyST](https://myst-parser.readthedocs.io/)
diff --git a/tests/test_template.py b/tests/test_template.py
index 2bdf570..3451a21 100644
--- a/tests/test_template.py
+++ b/tests/test_template.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 from types import SimpleNamespace
 
 import pytest
+import yaml
 
 import copier
 
@@ -15,6 +16,28 @@
 
 TEMPLATE_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
 
+# Both CI workflows carry the aggregate `ci-gate` job. They can be parsed
+# straight from disk: `_templates_suffix: .jinja` means only `.jinja` files are
+# rendered, so the template's cicd.yaml is copied verbatim (which is also why
+# its `${{ matrix.python-version }}` survives generation).
+CI_WORKFLOWS = [
+    TEMPLATE_ROOT / ".github" / "workflows" / "ci.yaml",
+    TEMPLATE_ROOT / "template" / ".github" / "workflows" / "cicd.yaml",
+]
+
+
+def _load_workflow(path: Path) -> dict:
+    return yaml.safe_load(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+
+
+def _triggers(workflow: dict) -> dict:
+    """Return a workflow's `on:` block.
+
+    PyYAML follows YAML 1.1, where a bare ``on`` key is the boolean ``True``,
+    so the block cannot simply be looked up by its name.
+    """
+    return workflow[True] if True in workflow else workflow["on"]
+
 COPIER_DATA = {
     "author_name": "Test Author",
     "author_email": "test@example.com",
@@ -230,6 +253,42 @@ def test_default_slug_is_valid_package_name(tmp_path):
     assert slug.isidentifier(), f"slug is not a valid identifier: {slug!r}"
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("workflow_path", CI_WORKFLOWS, ids=lambda p: p.name)
+def test_ci_gate_covers_every_job(workflow_path):
+    """The `ci-gate` job must depend on every other job in its workflow.
+
+    A branch ruleset names required checks literally, so it requires only
+    `ci-gate` and the workflow itself carries the "everything must be green"
+    list. That indirection is only safe while `needs:` stays complete — add a
+    job (or a whole matrix) and forget the list, and the gate goes green while
+    the new job burns. This test is the tripwire for exactly that drift.
+    """
+    workflow = _load_workflow(workflow_path)
+    jobs = workflow["jobs"]
+
+    assert "ci-gate" in jobs, f"{workflow_path.name} has no ci-gate job"
+    gate = jobs["ci-gate"]
+
+    # Without `if: always()` the gate is skipped when a dependency fails, and a
+    # skipped required check leaves the PR waiting forever instead of failing.
+    assert gate.get("if") == "always()"
+    assert set(gate["needs"]) == set(jobs) - {"ci-gate"}
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("workflow_path", CI_WORKFLOWS, ids=lambda p: p.name)
+def test_ci_workflow_triggers(workflow_path):
+    """Push runs only on main; pull_request stays so fork PRs still get a gate.
+
+    Firing on every push *and* on pull_request produces two identical `ci-gate`
+    check runs for a same-repo PR branch. Dropping `pull_request:` instead
+    would mean fork PRs never run CI, so the required check never appears and
+    those PRs cannot be merged.
+    """
+    triggers = _triggers(_load_workflow(workflow_path))
+    assert triggers["push"] == {"branches": ["main"]}
+    assert "pull_request" in triggers
+
+
 def test_invalid_project_slug_is_rejected(tmp_path):
     """An explicitly supplied invalid project_slug must fail validation.
 
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index 70a8939..a6cab34 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ source = { virtual = "." }
 dev = [
     { name = "copier" },
     { name = "pytest" },
+    { name = "pyyaml" },
 ]
 
 [package.metadata]
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ dev = [
 dev = [
     { name = "copier" },
     { name = "pytest" },
+    { name = "pyyaml" },
 ]
 
 [[package]]