diff --git a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto-dispatch.ts b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto-dispatch.ts
index 91918938f..b537d8916 100644
--- a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto-dispatch.ts
+++ b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto-dispatch.ts
@@ -129,6 +129,21 @@ export function setRewriteCount(basePath: string, count: number): void {
   writeFileSync(filePath, JSON.stringify({ count, updatedAt: new Date().toISOString() }) + "\n");
 }
 
+// ─── Helpers ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+/**
+ * Returns true when the verification_operational value indicates that no
+ * operational verification is needed.  Covers common phrasings the planning
+ * agent may use: "None", "None required", "N/A", "Not applicable", etc.
+ *
+ * @see https://github.com/gsd-build/gsd-2/issues/2931
+ */
+export function isVerificationNotApplicable(value: string): boolean {
+  const v = (value ?? "").toLowerCase().trim();
+  if (!v || v === "none") return true;
+  return /^(?:none[\s._-]*(?:required|needed|planned)?|n\/?a|not[\s._-]+(?:applicable|required|needed)|no[\s._-]+operational[\s\S]*)$/i.test(v);
+}
+
 // ─── Rules ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 export const DISPATCH_RULES: DispatchRule[] = [
@@ -672,7 +687,7 @@ export const DISPATCH_RULES: DispatchRule[] = [
         if (isDbAvailable()) {
           const milestone = getMilestone(mid);
           if (milestone?.verification_operational &&
-              milestone.verification_operational.toLowerCase() !== "none") {
+              !isVerificationNotApplicable(milestone.verification_operational)) {
             const validationPath = resolveMilestoneFile(basePath, mid, "VALIDATION");
             if (validationPath) {
               const validationContent = await loadFile(validationPath);
diff --git a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/tests/verification-operational-gate.test.ts b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/tests/verification-operational-gate.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a9ae8d83a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/tests/verification-operational-gate.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+/**
+ * Regression test for #2931: completing-milestone gate should treat
+ * "None required", "N/A", "Not applicable", etc. as equivalent to "none"
+ * and skip the operational verification content check entirely.
+ */
+import { test } from "node:test";
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+
+import { isVerificationNotApplicable } from "../auto-dispatch.ts";
+
+test("isVerificationNotApplicable: bare 'none' is not applicable", () => {
+  assert.equal(isVerificationNotApplicable("none"), true);
+});
+
+test("isVerificationNotApplicable: 'None' (capitalized) is not applicable", () => {
+  assert.equal(isVerificationNotApplicable("None"), true);
+});
+
+test("isVerificationNotApplicable: 'NONE' (uppercase) is not applicable", () => {
+  assert.equal(isVerificationNotApplicable("NONE"), true);
+});
+
+test("isVerificationNotApplicable: 'None required' is not applicable (#2931)", () => {
+  assert.equal(isVerificationNotApplicable("None required"), true);
+});
+
+test("isVerificationNotApplicable: 'None needed' is not applicable", () => {
+  assert.equal(isVerificationNotApplicable("None needed"), true);
+});
+
+test("isVerificationNotApplicable: 'None planned' is not applicable", () => {
+  assert.equal(isVerificationNotApplicable("None planned"), true);
+});
+
+test("isVerificationNotApplicable: 'N/A' is not applicable", () => {
+  assert.equal(isVerificationNotApplicable("N/A"), true);
+});
+
+test("isVerificationNotApplicable: 'n/a' is not applicable", () => {
+  assert.equal(isVerificationNotApplicable("n/a"), true);
+});
+
+test("isVerificationNotApplicable: 'Not applicable' is not applicable", () => {
+  assert.equal(isVerificationNotApplicable("Not applicable"), true);
+});
+
+test("isVerificationNotApplicable: 'Not required' is not applicable", () => {
+  assert.equal(isVerificationNotApplicable("Not required"), true);
+});
+
+test("isVerificationNotApplicable: 'Not needed' is not applicable", () => {
+  assert.equal(isVerificationNotApplicable("Not needed"), true);
+});
+
+test("isVerificationNotApplicable: 'No operational verification needed' is not applicable", () => {
+  assert.equal(isVerificationNotApplicable("No operational verification needed"), true);
+});
+
+test("isVerificationNotApplicable: 'No operational' is not applicable", () => {
+  assert.equal(isVerificationNotApplicable("No operational"), true);
+});
+
+test("isVerificationNotApplicable: empty string is not applicable", () => {
+  assert.equal(isVerificationNotApplicable(""), true);
+});
+
+test("isVerificationNotApplicable: whitespace-only is not applicable", () => {
+  assert.equal(isVerificationNotApplicable("   "), true);
+});
+
+// Positive cases: these SHOULD require verification
+test("isVerificationNotApplicable: 'Run load tests' requires verification", () => {
+  assert.equal(isVerificationNotApplicable("Run load tests"), false);
+});
+
+test("isVerificationNotApplicable: 'Verify API response times under load' requires verification", () => {
+  assert.equal(isVerificationNotApplicable("Verify API response times under load"), false);
+});
+
+test("isVerificationNotApplicable: 'Monitor error rates for 24h' requires verification", () => {
+  assert.equal(isVerificationNotApplicable("Monitor error rates for 24h"), false);
+});