diff --git a/RULES.md b/RULES.md
index 79c8b13..9cbab89 100644
--- a/RULES.md
+++ b/RULES.md
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+> **⚠️ THIS FILE MUST NEVER BE MODIFIED BY AGENTS.**
+> RULES.md is maintained exclusively by the project owner. AI agents, bots,
+> and automated tools must treat this file as read-only. If an audit finds a
+> divergence between the code and this file, the code must be changed to match
+> — never the other way around.
+
 # AutistMask Rules Checklist
 
 This file is derived from README.md and REPO_POLICIES.md for use as an audit