diff --git a/skills/brain-ops/SKILL.md b/skills/brain-ops/SKILL.md
index 1cc478f77..ae2769636 100644
--- a/skills/brain-ops/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/brain-ops/SKILL.md
@@ -34,6 +34,17 @@ flows through in both directions.
 > **Convention:** See `skills/conventions/brain-first.md` for the 5-step lookup protocol.
 > **Convention:** See `skills/conventions/quality.md` for citation and back-link rules.
 
+> **Memory verbs (MEMORY_VERBS v1, gbrain ≥ 0.43).** Over MCP, prefer the five
+> frozen memory verbs for the read/write cycle: **`remember(fact, provenance,
+> ttl?)`** to save a single durable fact (mandatory provenance; dedupes +
+> supersedes), **`recall(query | entity, budget_tokens)`** to read it back
+> budget-packed, **`entity(name)`** for a zero-LLM card, **`synthesize(question)`**
+> for the expensive cross-page answer, **`forget(id)`** to expire a fact. Use
+> `remember` instead of `extract_facts` when you already have ONE formed fact;
+> `put_page` / `add_link` / `add_timeline_entry` stay the page/graph write path.
+> Fall back to the classic ops when the verbs aren't on the surface. Contract:
+> `docs/protocol/MEMORY_VERBS_v1.md`.
+
 ## Contract
 
 This skill guarantees:
diff --git a/skills/query/SKILL.md b/skills/query/SKILL.md
index 91cac630e..7cefc5b29 100644
--- a/skills/query/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/query/SKILL.md
@@ -33,6 +33,21 @@ mutating: false
 
 Answer questions using the brain's knowledge with 3-layer search and synthesis.
 
+> **Memory verbs (MEMORY_VERBS v1, gbrain ≥ 0.43).** When connected to a brain
+> over MCP, prefer the five frozen memory verbs for memory work — they carry
+> provenance, evidence, and a server-enforced token budget:
+> - **`recall(query | entity, budget_tokens)`** — the budget-packed memory read.
+>   Use it instead of bare `search` for "what do we know that we SAVED about X".
+> - **`entity(name)`** — a zero-LLM person/company/project card (aliases,
+>   last-touched, open threads, top edges). Use it instead of `get_page` +
+>   `get_backlinks` when you just need the card.
+> - **`synthesize(question)`** — the explicitly-expensive cross-page answer; the
+>   heavy version of `query`. Reach for it only when the answer must combine
+>   evidence across pages.
+> Fall back to `search`/`query`/`get_page` when the verbs aren't on the surface
+> (older brains, or `gbrain serve --surface full`). See
+> `docs/protocol/MEMORY_VERBS_v1.md`.
+
 ## Contract
 
 This skill guarantees:
diff --git a/src/commands/migrations/index.ts b/src/commands/migrations/index.ts
index f01cf3fa8..2ee528026 100644
--- a/src/commands/migrations/index.ts
+++ b/src/commands/migrations/index.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import { v0_28_0 } from './v0_28_0.ts';
 import { v0_29_1 } from './v0_29_1.ts';
 import { v0_31_0 } from './v0_31_0.ts';
 import { v0_32_2 } from './v0_32_2.ts';
+import { v0_43_0 } from './v0_43_0.ts';
 
 export const migrations: Migration[] = [
   v0_11_0,
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ export const migrations: Migration[] = [
   v0_29_1,
   v0_31_0,
   v0_32_2,
+  v0_43_0,
 ];
 
 /** Look up a migration by exact version string. */
diff --git a/src/commands/migrations/v0_43_0.ts b/src/commands/migrations/v0_43_0.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a73e4c0d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/commands/migrations/v0_43_0.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+/**
+ * v0.43.0.0 migration — MEMORY_VERBS v1 (Cathedral 1).
+ *
+ * PITCH-ONLY. There is NO schema or data migration: the five frozen memory
+ * verbs (recall/remember/entity/synthesize/forget) ride the existing facts,
+ * pages, and typed-graph tables. This entry exists solely so `gbrain
+ * post-upgrade` / the self-upgrade NOTIFY channel actively tells an existing
+ * install that the verbs landed and how to switch a harness onto them — the
+ * propagation path the verbs otherwise lacked (the default surface stays
+ * `full`, so an upgrade alone does NOT steer agents to the verbs).
+ *
+ * The orchestrator is a no-op that reports `complete` immediately —
+ * idempotent by construction (it does nothing), so apply-migrations records
+ * the ledger row and moves on.
+ */
+
+import type { Migration, OrchestratorOpts, OrchestratorResult } from './types.ts';
+
+async function orchestrator(_opts: OrchestratorOpts): Promise<OrchestratorResult> {
+  // No schema/data work — MEMORY_VERBS v1 is a façade over existing tables.
+  return { version: '0.43.0.0', status: 'complete', phases: [] };
+}
+
+export const v0_43_0: Migration = {
+  version: '0.43.0.0',
+  featurePitch: {
+    headline:
+      'Five memory verbs — recall, remember, entity, synthesize, forget — are now the agent-facing memory protocol (MEMORY_VERBS v1).',
+    description:
+      'Point any MCP harness at `gbrain serve --surface verbs` to expose exactly these five self-describing tools instead of the full op wall: remember(fact, provenance) writes durable facts; recall(query|entity, budget_tokens) returns budget-packed memory; entity(name) is a zero-LLM card; synthesize(question) is the explicitly-expensive cross-page answer; forget(id) expires a fact. Existing `gbrain serve` (full surface) keeps working and now also lists the verbs, but `--surface verbs` is the clean agent surface. Set a default with `gbrain config set mcp_surface verbs`. Verify any endpoint with `gbrain protocol conformance`; see usage with `gbrain protocol stats`. Full contract: docs/protocol/MEMORY_VERBS_v1.md.',
+  },
+  orchestrator,
+};
diff --git a/test/apply-migrations.test.ts b/test/apply-migrations.test.ts
index 223c28d50..455f772a5 100644
--- a/test/apply-migrations.test.ts
+++ b/test/apply-migrations.test.ts
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ describe('buildPlan — diff against completed + installed VERSION', () => {
     // autopilot cooperative, v0.16.0 = subagent runtime, v0.18.0 = multi-
     // source brains, v0.18.1 = RLS hardening, v0.21.0 = Cathedral II
     // (renumbered from v0.20.0 after master shipped v0.20.x in parallel).
-    expect(plan.skippedFuture.map(m => m.version)).toEqual(['0.12.0', '0.12.2', '0.13.0', '0.13.1', '0.14.0', '0.16.0', '0.18.0', '0.18.1', '0.21.0', '0.22.4', '0.28.0', '0.29.1', '0.31.0', '0.32.2']);
+    expect(plan.skippedFuture.map(m => m.version)).toEqual(['0.12.0', '0.12.2', '0.13.0', '0.13.1', '0.14.0', '0.16.0', '0.18.0', '0.18.1', '0.21.0', '0.22.4', '0.28.0', '0.29.1', '0.31.0', '0.32.2', '0.43.0.0']);
   });
 
   test('already applied → v0.11.0 lands in `applied` bucket, not pending', () => {
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ describe('buildPlan — diff against completed + installed VERSION', () => {
     // v0.22.4, v0.28.0, v0.29.1, v0.31.0 were added later; installed=0.12.0
     // means they belong in skippedFuture, not pending. v0.11.0 and v0.12.0
     // stay pending despite being ≤ installed — that is the H9 invariant.
-    expect(plan.skippedFuture.map(m => m.version)).toEqual(['0.12.2', '0.13.0', '0.13.1', '0.14.0', '0.16.0', '0.18.0', '0.18.1', '0.21.0', '0.22.4', '0.28.0', '0.29.1', '0.31.0', '0.32.2']);
+    expect(plan.skippedFuture.map(m => m.version)).toEqual(['0.12.2', '0.13.0', '0.13.1', '0.14.0', '0.16.0', '0.18.0', '0.18.1', '0.21.0', '0.22.4', '0.28.0', '0.29.1', '0.31.0', '0.32.2', '0.43.0.0']);
   });
 
   test('--migration filter narrows to one version', () => {