diff --git a/scripts/check-rules.sh b/scripts/check-rules.sh
index 2d8bc23..c112383 100755
--- a/scripts/check-rules.sh
+++ b/scripts/check-rules.sh
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ $RULE_VERBOSE && log_step "File hygiene"
 if git rev-parse --is-inside-work-tree >/dev/null 2>&1; then
     # archive/ excluded: legacy files are preserved verbatim and may contain
     # decorative `====` banners that false-positive as conflict markers.
-    CONFLICT="$(git diff --cached --name-only --diff-filter=ACM 2>/dev/null | grep -v '^archive/' | xargs -r grep -lE '^(<<<<<<<|=======|>>>>>>>)' 2>/dev/null || true)"
+    CONFLICT="$(git diff --cached --name-only --diff-filter=ACM 2>/dev/null | grep -v '^archive/' | xargs -r grep -lE '^(<{7}( \S+)?|=======|>{7}( \S+)?)$' 2>/dev/null || true)"
     if [ -z "$CONFLICT" ]; then check "No merge-conflict markers staged" "pass"; else check "Merge-conflict markers staged: $CONFLICT" "fail"; fi
 fi