diff --git a/tools/port/check-all b/tools/port/check-all
index 1c883ca2..8050e866 100755
--- a/tools/port/check-all
+++ b/tools/port/check-all
@@ -117,6 +117,12 @@ step transcode-bands  must-pass tools/port/verify-transcode-fidelity
 step bands-harness    must-pass tools/port/verify-transcode-fidelity --selftest
 step capture-controls must-pass tools/port/check-capture-controls
 step menu-audio       must-pass env OUT="$OUT/audio" tools/port/verify-menu-audio
+# 🔴 ADDED 2026-09-02, because `menu-audio` above SPENT WEEKS UNABLE TO FAIL. It
+# computed its verdict, printed a red line when a cue was silent, and its python
+# had no exit path -- so it returned 0 while registered `must-pass` here. Every
+# other assertion in this file has a control for exactly this reason and audio
+# was the one that did not. It costs a second set of runs and that is the price.
+step menu-audio-ctl  must-pass env OUT="$OUT/audioctl" tools/port/verify-menu-audio --control
 # 🔴 ADDED 2026-09-01 after a human found Ⓐ dead on a real controller while the
 # unattended P5 walk passed. `--script` sends `InputEventAction`, which BYPASSES
 # the input map, so every check here asserted the code BELOW the map and nothing