diff --git a/tests/test_zzz_protection_verification_DELETE_ME.py b/tests/test_zzz_protection_verification_DELETE_ME.py
deleted file mode 100644
index ae4092f5..00000000
--- a/tests/test_zzz_protection_verification_DELETE_ME.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-# SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
-# Copyright (C) 2026 MessageFoundry Organization and contributors
-"""THROWAWAY — proves the 2026-07-29 branch-protection change actually BLOCKS a red PR.
-
-Delete this file and close its PR. It exists for one CI run. A protection change that returns HTTP
-200 and blocks nothing is indistinguishable from one that works, so the only way to know is to make a
-required context fail on purpose and watch the merge be refused.
-"""
-
-from __future__ import annotations
-
-
-def test_deliberate_failure_to_prove_required_checks_block_a_merge() -> None:
-    raise AssertionError("deliberate: verifying branch protection blocks a red PR")