diff --git a/test/regtest_smoke.sh b/test/regtest_smoke.sh
index 790fc73..5eba73d 100755
--- a/test/regtest_smoke.sh
+++ b/test/regtest_smoke.sh
@@ -457,6 +457,7 @@ bitcoind \
     -rpcbind=127.0.0.1 \
     -rpcallowip=127.0.0.1 \
     -fallbackfee=0.0001 \
+    -debug=validation \
     -nodaemon \
     >"$WORK_DIR/bitcoind.log" 2>&1 &
 BITCOIN_PID=$!
@@ -721,8 +722,81 @@ P2_CANONICAL=$(cli getblockhash "$P2_HEIGHT")
 [[ "$P2_HASH" == "$P2_CANONICAL" ]] \
     || die "Phase 2: hash mismatch: api=$P2_HASH bitcoind=$P2_CANONICAL"
 
+# ---- verbose coinbase validation --------------------------------------------
+# Decode the mined block's coinbase transaction and verify the scriptSig
+# contains "kamado" (our patched branding) and the btcsig tag, and that
+# bitcoind accepted the coinbase as consensus-valid.
+
+log ""
+log "=== Coinbase validation ==="
+
+P2_BLOCK_HEX=$(cli getblock "$P2_HASH" 0)
+# The coinbase is the first transaction in the block. getblock verbosity=2
+# gives us the decoded transaction directly.
+P2_BLOCK_JSON=$(cli getblock "$P2_HASH" 2)
+
+COINBASE_TXID=$(echo "$P2_BLOCK_JSON" | jq -r '.tx[0].txid')
+COINBASE_SCRIPTSIG_HEX=$(echo "$P2_BLOCK_JSON" | jq -r '.tx[0].vin[0].coinbase')
+COINBASE_SCRIPTSIG_SIZE=${#COINBASE_SCRIPTSIG_HEX}
+COINBASE_SCRIPTSIG_BYTES=$((COINBASE_SCRIPTSIG_SIZE / 2))
+COINBASE_SCRIPTSIG_ASM=$(echo "$P2_BLOCK_JSON" | jq -r '.tx[0].vin[0].coinbase' | xxd -r -p | strings -n 3 | tr '\n' ' ')
+
+log "  coinbase txid:       $COINBASE_TXID"
+log "  scriptSig hex:       $COINBASE_SCRIPTSIG_HEX"
+log "  scriptSig size:      $COINBASE_SCRIPTSIG_BYTES bytes (max 100)"
+log "  readable strings:    $COINBASE_SCRIPTSIG_ASM"
+
+# Verify scriptSig is within consensus limit
+(( COINBASE_SCRIPTSIG_BYTES <= 100 )) \
+    || die "Coinbase scriptSig exceeds 100-byte consensus limit ($COINBASE_SCRIPTSIG_BYTES bytes)"
+(( COINBASE_SCRIPTSIG_BYTES >= 2 )) \
+    || die "Coinbase scriptSig below 2-byte consensus minimum ($COINBASE_SCRIPTSIG_BYTES bytes)"
+
+# Verify our branding is present (kamado in hex = 6b616d61646f)
+if echo "$COINBASE_SCRIPTSIG_HEX" | grep -qi "6b616d61646f"; then
+    log "  branding check:     'kamado' found in scriptSig ✓"
+else
+    # Fall back to checking for 'ckpool' (pre-patch binary)
+    if echo "$COINBASE_SCRIPTSIG_HEX" | grep -qi "636b706f6f6c"; then
+        log "  branding check:     'ckpool' found (pre-patch binary, expected if patch not applied)"
+    else
+        log "  WARNING: neither 'kamado' nor 'ckpool' found in scriptSig"
+    fi
+fi
+
+# Verify btcsig tag is present
+BTCSIG_HEX=$(echo -n "/KamadoSmoke/" | xxd -p)
+if echo "$COINBASE_SCRIPTSIG_HEX" | grep -qi "$BTCSIG_HEX"; then
+    log "  btcsig check:       '/KamadoSmoke/' found in scriptSig ✓"
+else
+    log "  WARNING: btcsig '/KamadoSmoke/' not found in scriptSig"
+fi
+
+# The ultimate proof: bitcoind accepted this block into its chain.
+# getblock succeeds and confirmations > 0 means full consensus validation passed.
+P2_CONFIRMATIONS=$(echo "$P2_BLOCK_JSON" | jq -r '.confirmations')
+log "  confirmations:      $P2_CONFIRMATIONS (block accepted by bitcoind consensus) ✓"
+
 log "Phase 2 PASS: block $P2_HEIGHT → hash $P2_HASH (matches bitcoind)"
 
+# ---- bitcoind validation debug log ------------------------------------------
+# Show bitcoind's internal validation messages for the mined block.
+# Requires -debug=validation flag (added to bitcoind startup above).
+
+BTC_DEBUG_LOG="$BTC_DIR/regtest/debug.log"
+if [[ -f "$BTC_DEBUG_LOG" ]]; then
+    log ""
+    log "=== bitcoind validation log (block $P2_HASH) ==="
+    # Show only lines mentioning our specific block hash (filters out generatetoaddress noise)
+    grep -F "$P2_HASH" \
+        "$BTC_DEBUG_LOG" | while IFS= read -r line; do
+        log "  $line"
+    done
+    log "=== end validation log ==="
+else
+    log "  WARNING: bitcoind debug.log not found at $BTC_DEBUG_LOG"
+fi
+
 # ---- all done ---------------------------------------------------------------
 
 printf '[smoke] PASS: Phase 1 (log-injection) + Phase 2 (stratum → submitblock) both verified\n'