diff --git a/examples/kebab-vs-subtract.ilo b/examples/kebab-vs-subtract.ilo
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9709a137
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/kebab-vs-subtract.ilo
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+-- Kebab-case identifiers vs binary subtraction.
+-- A dash inside a name is part of the identifier; the lexer is greedy
+-- (`[a-z][a-z0-9]*(-[a-z0-9]+)*`), so `best-d` is always one token, never
+-- `best - d`. To subtract, separate the operator with spaces.
+
+-- Binary subtraction: prefix `-` followed by two atoms, spaces required.
+sub-explicit best:n d:n>n;- best d
+
+-- Kebab-case lookup: `best-d` is a single identifier, distinct from `best` and `d`.
+look best:n d:n best-d:n>n;best-d
+
+-- All three coexist: same scope binds `best`, `d`, and `best-d`. Each
+-- resolves independently. `str best-d` prints the kebab value (99),
+-- proving the parser never splits the ident into `best - d`.
+mix>L t;best=10;d=3;best-d=99;[str best-d, str best, str d]
+
+-- Multi-segment kebab works the same way.
+chain>n;a-b-c=42;a-b-c
+
+-- run: sub-explicit 10 3
+-- out: 7
+-- run: look 10 3 99
+-- out: 99
+-- run: mix
+-- out: [99, 10, 3]
+-- run: chain
+-- out: 42
diff --git a/src/verify.rs b/src/verify.rs
index aa0436c0..679051ab 100644
--- a/src/verify.rs
+++ b/src/verify.rs
@@ -212,6 +212,43 @@ fn compatible(a: &Ty, b: &Ty) -> bool {
     }
 }
 
+/// Diagnostic-layer hint for an undefined kebab-case identifier whose halves
+/// are themselves bound in scope. Misreading `best-d` (single identifier) as
+/// `best - d` (subtraction) is a recurring persona footgun; the lexer always
+/// keeps `best-d` atomic, so when both `best` and `d` resolve as values the
+/// most useful nudge is to spell that out and show the explicit subtraction
+/// form. Returns `None` if the name is not kebab-case or if any part is not
+/// in scope as a variable / function / builtin.
+fn kebab_subtract_hint<'a>(
+    name: &str,
+    candidates: impl Iterator<Item = &'a String> + Clone,
+) -> Option<String> {
+    if !name.contains('-') {
+        return None;
+    }
+    let parts: Vec<&str> = name.split('-').collect();
+    if parts.len() < 2 || parts.iter().any(|p| p.is_empty()) {
+        return None;
+    }
+    let all_resolved = parts.iter().all(|p| {
+        candidates.clone().any(|c| c == p) || is_builtin(p) || builtin_as_fn_ty(p).is_some()
+    });
+    if !all_resolved {
+        return None;
+    }
+    if parts.len() == 2 {
+        Some(format!(
+            "'{name}' is a single identifier (kebab-case); for subtraction write '- {a} {b}'",
+            a = parts[0],
+            b = parts[1],
+        ))
+    } else {
+        Some(format!(
+            "'{name}' is a single identifier (kebab-case); '-' inside an identifier never means subtraction"
+        ))
+    }
+}
+
 fn closest_match<'a>(name: &str, candidates: impl Iterator<Item = &'a String>) -> Option<String> {
     let mut best: Option<(String, usize)> = None;
     for candidate in candidates {
@@ -2702,8 +2739,14 @@ impl VerifyContext {
                         .flat_map(|frame| frame.keys().cloned())
                         .collect();
                     candidates.extend(self.functions.keys().cloned());
-                    let hint = closest_match(name, candidates.iter())
-                        .map(|s| format!("did you mean '{s}'?"));
+                    // Prefer the kebab-case clarification when every dash-separated
+                    // half resolves as a value: that's the high-signal case where
+                    // the model is liable to misread the atomic ident as a binop.
+                    // Fall back to the standard closest-match suggestion otherwise.
+                    let hint = kebab_subtract_hint(name, candidates.iter()).or_else(|| {
+                        closest_match(name, candidates.iter())
+                            .map(|s| format!("did you mean '{s}'?"))
+                    });
                     self.err(
                         "ILO-T004",
                         func,
diff --git a/tests/regression_kebab_precedence.rs b/tests/regression_kebab_precedence.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4ad769d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/regression_kebab_precedence.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+// Regression tests pinning kebab-case identifier behaviour and the
+// diagnostic-layer hint that fires when an undefined kebab-case ident's
+// halves are both bound in scope.
+//
+// The lexer rule `[a-z][a-z0-9]*(-[a-z0-9]+)*` (logos, priority 1) makes
+// kebab-case atomic: `best-d` is always one `Ident` token, never `best`
+// `-` `d`. These tests lock that guarantee in across tree/VM/Cranelift
+// engines so a future lexer change cannot silently re-introduce the
+// persona-reported confusion. The diagnostic test then covers the
+// secondary issue: when both halves resolve but the kebab ident does
+// not, the error should explicitly tell the model the ident is atomic.
+
+use std::process::Command;
+
+fn ilo() -> Command {
+    Command::new(env!("CARGO_BIN_EXE_ilo"))
+}
+
+fn run_ok(engine: &str, src: &str, func_argv: &[&str]) -> String {
+    let mut cmd = ilo();
+    cmd.arg(src).arg(engine);
+    for a in func_argv {
+        cmd.arg(a);
+    }
+    let out = cmd.output().expect("failed to run ilo");
+    assert!(
+        out.status.success(),
+        "ilo {engine} failed for `{src}` argv={func_argv:?}: stderr={}",
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr)
+    );
+    String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stdout).trim().to_string()
+}
+
+fn check_all(src: &str, func: &str, expected: &str) {
+    // Split `func` on whitespace so multi-arg invocations like "f 10 3"
+    // are passed as separate argv entries (not a single quoted string).
+    let argv: Vec<&str> = func.split_whitespace().collect();
+    for engine in ["--run-tree", "--run-vm"] {
+        let actual = run_ok(engine, src, &argv);
+        assert_eq!(
+            actual, expected,
+            "engine={engine} src=`{src}` func=`{func}`"
+        );
+    }
+    #[cfg(feature = "cranelift")]
+    {
+        let engine = "--run-cranelift";
+        let actual = run_ok(engine, src, &argv);
+        assert_eq!(
+            actual, expected,
+            "engine={engine} src=`{src}` func=`{func}`"
+        );
+    }
+}
+
+// ---- Lexer / parser guarantee: kebab-case is always one identifier ----
+
+#[test]
+fn kebab_ident_in_str_call_arg() {
+    // The persona-reported case: `str best-d` must look up the kebab-case
+    // ident, not compute `str(best) - d`. If the parser ever split the
+    // ident this would either error (type mismatch) or print 7.
+    check_all("f>t;best=10;d=3;best-d=99;str best-d", "f", "99");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn kebab_ident_distinct_from_halves_in_list() {
+    // All three idents coexist; each resolves independently. Catches any
+    // scope leakage where `best-d` would alias `best` or `d`.
+    check_all(
+        "f>L t;best=10;d=3;best-d=99;[str best-d, str best, str d]",
+        "f",
+        "[99, 10, 3]",
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn explicit_subtraction_still_works() {
+    // The escape hatch the diagnostic recommends: `- best d` with spaces.
+    check_all("f best:n d:n>n;- best d", "f 10 3", "7");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn multi_segment_kebab_ident() {
+    // `a-b-c` is one ident even with three segments. Locks the regex's
+    // `(-[a-z0-9]+)*` repetition.
+    check_all("f>n;a-b-c=42;a-b-c", "f", "42");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn kebab_with_digit_segment() {
+    // The regex permits digits in segments after the first letter; this
+    // pins that case so a tightened regex doesn't break real-world names
+    // like `v2-config` or `item-1`.
+    check_all("f>n;v2-config=7;v2-config", "f", "7");
+}
+
+// ---- Diagnostic-layer: helpful hint when halves are bound but kebab is not ----
+
+fn run_err(src: &str, func: &str) -> String {
+    // Bare `ilo "<src>"` dumps AST and exits 0; verify only runs when a
+    // function is named. Pass a func so the verifier path executes.
+    let out = ilo().args([src, func]).output().expect("failed to run ilo");
+    assert!(
+        !out.status.success(),
+        "expected failure for `{src}` func=`{func}`, stdout={} stderr={}",
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stdout),
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr)
+    );
+    String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr).into_owned()
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn diagnostic_hint_when_kebab_unbound_but_halves_bound() {
+    // Originating persona report: `str best-d` errors as
+    // "undefined variable 'best-d'" with the default suggestion
+    // "did you mean 'best'?" — which reads like the parser split the
+    // ident. The new hint should instead tell the reader the ident is
+    // atomic and show the explicit subtraction form.
+    let err = run_err("f>t;best=10;d=3;str best-d", "f");
+    assert!(err.contains("ILO-T004"), "stderr: {err}");
+    assert!(err.contains("undefined variable 'best-d'"), "stderr: {err}");
+    assert!(
+        err.contains("single identifier"),
+        "expected kebab clarification, stderr: {err}"
+    );
+    assert!(
+        err.contains("- best d"),
+        "expected explicit subtraction form, stderr: {err}"
+    );
+    // The misleading default "did you mean 'best'?" must not appear.
+    assert!(
+        !err.contains("did you mean 'best'?"),
+        "old suggestion leaked: {err}"
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn diagnostic_hint_multi_segment_no_subtract_form() {
+    // For 3+ segments there's no single binary-subtract spelling to
+    // recommend, so the hint just clarifies atomicity without a form.
+    let err = run_err("f>n;a=1;b=2;c=3;+a-b-c 0", "f");
+    assert!(err.contains("ILO-T004"), "stderr: {err}");
+    assert!(
+        err.contains("single identifier"),
+        "expected kebab clarification, stderr: {err}"
+    );
+    // No 2-arg subtract suggestion for 3-segment names.
+    assert!(
+        !err.contains("'- a b'"),
+        "should not suggest 2-arg subtract for 3-segment name: {err}"
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn diagnostic_falls_back_to_closest_match_when_half_unbound() {
+    // If only one half resolves, the kebab-confusion theory doesn't
+    // apply — fall back to the standard closest-match suggestion. Locks
+    // that the new hint is targeted, not a blanket override.
+    let err = run_err("f>t;best=10;str best-d", "f");
+    assert!(err.contains("ILO-T004"), "stderr: {err}");
+    assert!(
+        !err.contains("single identifier"),
+        "kebab hint should not fire when 'd' is unbound: {err}"
+    );
+    // Standard suggestion still appears.
+    assert!(
+        err.contains("did you mean"),
+        "expected closest-match fallback, stderr: {err}"
+    );
+}