diff --git a/.husky/commit-msg b/.husky/commit-msg
index be93a78..c676911 100644
--- a/.husky/commit-msg
+++ b/.husky/commit-msg
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# RuleOfCode v7.17.4 Commit Message Validation
+# RuleOfCode v7.17.5 Commit Message Validation
 # Config-driven validation with 1 pattern(s)
 # husky v9+ native hook (no deprecated v8 boilerplate)
 
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ fi
 if [ "$VALID" = false ]; then
     echo "❌ Invalid commit message format!"
     echo ""
-    echo "🏛️ RuleOfCode v7.17.4 Constitutional Commit Message Format:"
+    echo "🏛️ RuleOfCode v7.17.5 Constitutional Commit Message Format:"
     echo "   Your message must match one of the configured patterns"
     echo ""
     echo "Types: feat, fix, docs, style, refactor, test, chore, perf, ci, build, revert"
@@ -68,4 +68,4 @@ if [ "$EXEMPT" = false ]; then
     fi
 fi
 
-echo "✅ Commit message format validated (RuleOfCode v7.17.4)"
+echo "✅ Commit message format validated (RuleOfCode v7.17.5)"
diff --git a/.husky/pre-commit b/.husky/pre-commit
index aebc547..2749bf6 100644
--- a/.husky/pre-commit
+++ b/.husky/pre-commit
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-# RuleOfCode v7.17.4 Constitutional Checkpoint (husky v9+ native hook)
-echo "🏛️ RuleOfCode v7.17.4 Constitutional Checkpoint with lint-staged"
+# RuleOfCode v7.17.5 Constitutional Checkpoint (husky v9+ native hook)
+echo "🏛️ RuleOfCode v7.17.5 Constitutional Checkpoint with lint-staged"
 npx lint-staged
 
 # Run constitutional audit on staged files
diff --git a/.husky/pre-push b/.husky/pre-push
index a66e2d2..c42c80a 100644
--- a/.husky/pre-push
+++ b/.husky/pre-push
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-# RuleOfCode v7.17.4 Constitutional Compliance Pre-Push Hook (husky v9+ native)
-echo "🏛️ RuleOfCode v7.17.4 Constitutional Checkpoint - Pre-Push Mode"
+# RuleOfCode v7.17.5 Constitutional Compliance Pre-Push Hook (husky v9+ native)
+echo "🏛️ RuleOfCode v7.17.5 Constitutional Checkpoint - Pre-Push Mode"
 echo "═════════════════════════════════════════════════════"
 
 # Run full RuleOfCode audit before push
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 423dd3d..b9b3848 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,32 @@ All notable changes to RuleOfCode will be documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## [7.17.5] - 2026-08-08
+
+### 🐛 Fixed — three git laws were blind to linked worktrees
+
+In a linked worktree (`git worktree add`) `<root>/.git` is a **file** holding `gitdir: …`,
+and the shared config and hooks live in the main repository's git directory. Three laws
+joined `.git/hooks` and `.git/config` onto the project root, found nothing, and reported
+it as a violation:
+
+- **Git Hooks Standards** — "Git hooks directory missing"
+- **Branch Protection Standards** — "Unable to read Git configuration"
+- **Git Hook Compliance** — "Git hooks directory not found"
+
+A consumer hit this in a worktree whose husky hooks had **just blocked a push**: the
+concern was met and the law said otherwise. The same commit scored 100/100 in the primary
+checkout and 90/100 in the worktree.
+
+A new shared resolver asks git (`rev-parse --git-common-dir`) instead of guessing the
+layout, and honours **`core.hooksPath`** — a second trap, since husky moves hooks to
+`.husky`, which makes `<gitdir>/hooks` the default rather than the answer. A relative
+`core.hooksPath` resolves against the working-tree top level, which is what git itself
+does. Verified with real `git worktree add` fixtures.
+
+Worktrees are a standard git workflow; if you audit from one, this is the fix. No config
+change needed.
+
 ## [7.17.4] - 2026-08-07
 
 ### 🐛 Fixed — `init` crashed instead of setting up when there is no terminal
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 4bb127f..ddf5c90 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "ruleofcode",
-  "version": "7.17.4",
+  "version": "7.17.5",
   "description": "Constitutional-compliance CLI — audit a codebase against a catalog of laws and get one honest pass-or-fail verdict, with git hooks. Supports TypeScript, Angular and Python.",
   "main": "dist/index.js",
   "types": "dist/index.d.ts",
diff --git a/src/hooks/installer.ts b/src/hooks/installer.ts
index 22cef35..7f460bd 100644
--- a/src/hooks/installer.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/installer.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ export interface HooksInstallOptions {
 }
 
 export class GitHooksInstaller {
-  private static readonly VERSION = '7.17.4';
+  private static readonly VERSION = '7.17.5';
   private static readonly PACKAGE_JSON_FILE = 'package.json';
   private static readonly HUSKY_DIR = '.husky';
   private static readonly PRE_COMMIT_HOOK = 'pre-commit';