diff --git a/ROADMAP.md b/ROADMAP.md
index 1902794..481d963 100644
--- a/ROADMAP.md
+++ b/ROADMAP.md
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@
 > Update the **Current step** line and the item status every time something moves.
 > Add new findings at the bottom of the relevant block rather than rewriting history.
 
-**Current step:** Block 0 closed, plus 2.1, 2.2 and 5.1 (2026-09-18). Next: 2.3
-(Docker secret `*_FILE` loading), then 2.4/2.5 (the release gate and its decayed
-preflight). Block 1 still waits on client inputs for 1.1/1.2.
+**Current step:** Block 0 closed, plus 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5 and 5.1. Next: 2.4 (the
+release gate the docs describe but the workflow never ran — partly addressed by
+5.1), then 2.6/2.7. Block 1 still waits on client inputs for 1.1/1.2.
 
 **Last audit:** 2026-09-18, full read of `local/`, `dtf-site.html`, `deploy/`,
 `.gitea/`, docs and legacy prototypes. Findings below carry their audit IDs.
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ record has no attacker IP.
 on the environment name: 120 new visitors per 15 minutes **site-wide** (~8/min).
 Normal traffic 429s. Key per source IP (after 2.1) and raise the ceiling.
 
-### `[ ]` 2.3 — `deploy/stack.yaml` cannot boot `(F7)`
+### `[x]` 2.3 — `deploy/stack.yaml` cannot boot `(F7)`
 
 It passes `DATABASE_URL_FILE`, `AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID_FILE`, `OPERATOR_PASSWORD_FILE`,
 `OPERATOR_USER`. The code reads `DATABASE_URL`, `AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID`,
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ unit tests, then builds, pushes `latest` and calls the webhook **unconditionally
 
 - Either implement the gate or correct both documents. Do not leave the gap.
 
-### `[ ]` 2.5 — The preflight has silently decayed `(F9)`
+### `[x]` 2.5 — The preflight has silently decayed `(F9)`
 
 It blocks by string-matching source. **4 of 6 markers are dead** after the R2
 refactor: `'This runtime only supports APP_ENV=local'`,
@@ -413,6 +413,22 @@ charges. Fix as part of 1.1.
   `customer_login_failed`, `cross_origin_rejected`, `http_security_event`).
 - `[x]` CI runs the integration suites against a real stack before publishing.
 
+### 2026-09-21
+
+- `[x]` 2.3 — `local/secrets.py` resolves every `<NAME>_FILE` into `<NAME>` from the
+  API, worker and bootstrap entrypoints, failing closed on an unreadable or empty
+  secret and on a value supplied both ways. Verified by booting the API, the worker
+  and bootstrap with credentials supplied only as mounted files, including a
+  password containing `:/?#[]&=+$ ,%`. `OPERATOR_USER` in the stack became
+  `OPERATOR_EMAIL`, which is what the runtime reads.
+- `[x]` 2.5 — The gate now loads `local/secrets.py` and makes it resolve every
+  secret `deploy/stack.yaml` declares, plus asserts it fails closed. Verified
+  against a no-op loader (11 blockers) and one that swallows a missing file
+  (1 blocker); only the real implementation passes. The four marker strings that
+  stopped matching when R2 support landed were removed; the two describing real
+  blockers stay, so the gate still refuses a release while the payment and
+  messaging adapters are fake.
+
 ### Reporting
 
 - `[x]` Week-1 client report (`Relatorio-Semana-1-DTF.docx`), corrected 2026-09-18 to