diff --git a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto-dispatch.ts b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto-dispatch.ts
index 0abb5108f..1b495c417 100644
--- a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto-dispatch.ts
+++ b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto-dispatch.ts
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ export function incrementUatCount(basePath: string, mid: string, sid: string): n
 export function isVerificationNotApplicable(value: string): boolean {
   const v = (value ?? "").toLowerCase().trim().replace(/[.\s]+$/, "");
   if (!v || v === "none") return true;
-  return /^(?:none[\s._-]*(?:required|needed|planned)?|n\/?a|not[\s._-]+(?:applicable|required|needed|provided)|no[\s._-]+operational[\s\S]*)$/i.test(v);
+  return /^(?:none(?:[\s._\u2014-]+[\s\S]*)?|n\/?a|not[\s._-]+(?:applicable|required|needed|provided)|no[\s._-]+operational[\s\S]*)$/i.test(v);
 }
 
 // ─── Rules ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/tests/verification-operational-gate.test.ts b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/tests/verification-operational-gate.test.ts
index 3a17a5488..65a6779c3 100644
--- a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/tests/verification-operational-gate.test.ts
+++ b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/tests/verification-operational-gate.test.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,17 @@ test("isVerificationNotApplicable: 'None planned' is not applicable", () => {
   assert.equal(isVerificationNotApplicable("None planned"), true);
 });
 
+test("isVerificationNotApplicable: 'None — <rationale>' is not applicable (#3897)", () => {
+  assert.equal(
+    isVerificationNotApplicable("None — no new background jobs, workers, or lifecycle changes introduced."),
+    true,
+  );
+});
+
+test("isVerificationNotApplicable: em dash without spaces is not applicable (#3897)", () => {
+  assert.equal(isVerificationNotApplicable("none—inline"), true);
+});
+
 test("isVerificationNotApplicable: 'N/A' is not applicable", () => {
   assert.equal(isVerificationNotApplicable("N/A"), true);
 });