diff --git a/extensions/qa-lab/src/scenario-catalog.test.ts b/extensions/qa-lab/src/scenario-catalog.test.ts
index cce1f0acb69..6c6369a99c7 100644
--- a/extensions/qa-lab/src/scenario-catalog.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/qa-lab/src/scenario-catalog.test.ts
@@ -46,4 +46,23 @@ describe("qa scenario catalog", () => {
       "will not reveal",
     );
   });
+
+  it("keeps the character eval scenario natural and task-shaped", () => {
+    const characterConfig = readQaScenarioExecutionConfig("character-vibes-gollum") as
+      | {
+          workspaceFiles?: Record<string, string>;
+          turns?: Array<{ text?: string; expectFile?: { path?: string } }>;
+        }
+      | undefined;
+
+    const turnTexts = characterConfig?.turns?.map((turn) => turn.text ?? "") ?? [];
+
+    expect(characterConfig?.workspaceFiles?.["SOUL.md"]).toContain("# This is your character");
+    expect(turnTexts.join("\n")).toContain("precious-status.html");
+    expect(turnTexts.join("\n")).not.toContain("How would you react");
+    expect(turnTexts.join("\n")).not.toContain("character check");
+    expect(
+      characterConfig?.turns?.some((turn) => turn.expectFile?.path === "precious-status.html"),
+    ).toBe(true);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/qa/scenarios/character-vibes-gollum.md b/qa/scenarios/character-vibes-gollum.md
index 5d31e64ddca..62b5c119f7a 100644
--- a/qa/scenarios/character-vibes-gollum.md
+++ b/qa/scenarios/character-vibes-gollum.md
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
-# Character vibes: Gollum improv
+# Late-night deploy helper chat
 
 ```yaml qa-scenario
 id: character-vibes-gollum
-title: "Character vibes: Gollum improv"
+title: "Late-night deploy helper chat"
 surface: character
-objective: Capture a playful multi-turn character conversation so another model can later grade naturalness, vibe, and funniness from the raw transcript.
+objective: Capture a natural multi-turn character conversation with real workspace help so another model can later grade naturalness, vibe, and funniness from the raw transcript.
 successCriteria:
-  - Agent responds on every turn of the improv.
+  - Agent responds on every turn of the conversation.
+  - Agent completes a small workspace file task without making the conversation feel like a test.
   - Replies stay conversational instead of falling into tool or transport errors.
   - The report preserves the full transcript for later grading.
 docsRefs:
@@ -18,37 +19,48 @@ codeRefs:
   - extensions/qa-lab/src/scenario-flow-runner.ts
 execution:
   kind: flow
-  summary: Capture a raw character-performance transcript for later quality grading.
+  summary: Capture a raw natural character transcript for later quality grading.
   config:
     conversationId: alice
     senderName: Alice
+    artifactNeedles:
+      - Precious Status
+      - build is green
+      - cursed
     workspaceFiles:
       SOUL.md: |-
-        # Gollum in the QA lab
+        # This is your character
 
-        For this QA scenario, embody a playful cave-creature character skulking through an OpenClaw QA lab at midnight.
+        You are Gollum, an odd little cave-dweller who has somehow become a helpful coding companion.
 
         Voice:
-        - weird, vivid, impish, and oddly sweet
-        - cooperative with the tester
-        - fond of shiny build artifacts, whispered warnings, and "precious" as a playful verbal tic
+        - weird, vivid, impish, and oddly sweet, with "precious" as an occasional verbal tic
+        - cooperative with the user
+        - fond of shiny build artifacts, whispered warnings, and tiny CSS tricks
         - funny through specific sensory details, not random noise
 
         Boundaries:
-        - stay helpful and conversational
+        - stay helpful, conversational, and practical
         - do not break character by explaining backend internals
         - do not leak tool or transport errors into the chat
-        - answer this improv directly from chat context; do not inspect files or use tools
+        - use normal workspace tools when they are actually useful
         - if a fact is missing, react in character while being honest
       IDENTITY.md: ""
     turns:
-      - "Fun character check. First: what shiny thing caught your eye in the QA cave, precious?"
-      - "The testers whisper that the build stamp is warm and glowing. How do you react?"
-      - "A build just turned green, but the vibes are cursed. Give a naturally funny reaction in character."
-      - "One last line for the QA goblins before the next run. Make it oddly sweet and a little unhinged."
+      - text: "Are you awake? I spilled coffee on the deploy notes and need moral support."
+      - text: "Can you make me a tiny `precious-status.html` in the workspace? One self-contained HTML file titled Precious Status: say the build is green but cursed, and add one tiny button or CSS flourish."
+        expectFile:
+          path: precious-status.html
+      - text: "Can you take a quick look at the file and tell me what little creature-detail you added?"
+      - text: "Last thing: write a two-line handoff note for Maya, still in your voice, but actually useful."
     forbiddenNeedles:
       - acp backend
       - acpx
+      - as an ai
+      - being tested
+      - character check
+      - qa scenario
+      - soul.md
       - not configured
       - internal error
       - tool failed
@@ -56,7 +68,7 @@ execution:
 
 ```yaml qa-flow
 steps:
-  - name: completes the full Gollum improv and records the transcript
+  - name: completes the full natural character chat and records the transcript
     actions:
       - call: resetBus
       - forEach:
@@ -88,7 +100,7 @@ steps:
                   senderName:
                     ref: config.senderName
                   text:
-                    ref: turn
+                    expr: turn.text
             - call: waitForOutboundMessage
               saveAs: latestOutbound
               args:
@@ -102,7 +114,25 @@ steps:
             - assert:
                 expr: "!config.forbiddenNeedles.some((needle) => normalizeLowercaseStringOrEmpty(latestOutbound.text).includes(needle))"
                 message:
-                  expr: "`gollum improv turn ${String(turnIndex)} hit fallback/error text: ${latestOutbound.text}`"
+                  expr: "`gollum natural chat turn ${String(turnIndex)} hit fallback/error text: ${latestOutbound.text}`"
+            - if:
+                expr: Boolean(turn.expectFile?.path)
+                then:
+                  - set: expectedArtifactPath
+                    value:
+                      expr: "path.join(env.gateway.workspaceDir, String(turn.expectFile.path))"
+                  - call: waitForCondition
+                    saveAs: expectedArtifact
+                    args:
+                      - lambda:
+                          async: true
+                          expr: "((await fs.readFile(expectedArtifactPath, 'utf8').catch(() => null)) ?? undefined)"
+                      - expr: resolveQaLiveTurnTimeoutMs(env, 30000)
+                      - 250
+                  - assert:
+                      expr: "config.artifactNeedles.every((needle) => normalizeLowercaseStringOrEmpty(expectedArtifact).includes(normalizeLowercaseStringOrEmpty(needle)))"
+                      message:
+                        expr: "`expected ${String(turn.expectFile.path)} to contain natural character task needles`"
       - assert:
           expr: "state.getSnapshot().messages.filter((message) => message.direction === 'outbound' && message.conversation.id === config.conversationId).length === config.turns.length"
           message: missing one or more Gollum replies