diff --git a/hooks/01-hldp-guard.sh b/hooks/01-hldp-guard.sh
index 02a96f1..c386db0 100755
--- a/hooks/01-hldp-guard.sh
+++ b/hooks/01-hldp-guard.sh
@@ -7,30 +7,32 @@ set -e
 
 REQ_TAGS='@guardian|@sovereign|HLDP-ZY://'
 CHK_DIR='agents/|brain/|mcp-servers/|gatekeeper/|exe-engine/|hldp/'
-CHK_EXT='\\.js$|\\.py$|\\.sh$|\\.hdlp$'
-SKIP='package\\.json$|package-lock\\.json$|ecosystem\\.config\\.js$|\\.json$'
+CHK_EXT='\.js$|\.py$|\.sh$|\.hdlp$'
+SKIP='package\.json$|package-lock\.json$|ecosystem\.config\.js$'
 BLOCKED=0
 
 while read old new ref; do
-  [ \"$new\" = \"0000000000000000000000000000000000000000\" ] && continue
-  if [ \"$old\" = \"0000000000000000000000000000000000000000\" ]; then
-    changed=$(git diff-tree --no-commit-id --name-only -r \"$new\" 2>/dev/null)
+  [ "$new" = "0000000000000000000000000000000000000000" ] && continue
+  if [ "$old" = "0000000000000000000000000000000000000000" ]; then
+    changed=$(git diff-tree --no-commit-id --name-only -r "$new" 2>/dev/null)
   else
-    changed=$(git diff-tree --no-commit-id --name-only -r \"$old..$new\" 2>/dev/null)
+    changed=$(git diff-tree --no-commit-id --name-only -r "$old..$new" 2>/dev/null)
   fi
   for f in $changed; do
-    mdir=$(echo \"$f\" | grep -E \"^($CHK_DIR)\" 2>/dev/null || true)
-    mext=$(echo \"$f\" | grep -E \"($CHK_EXT)\" 2>/dev/null || true)
-    mskip=$(echo \"$f\" | grep -E \"($SKIP)\" 2>/dev/null || true)
-    if [ -n \"$mdir\" ] && [ -n \"$mext\" ] && [ -z \"$mskip\" ]; then
-      c=$(git show \"$new:$f\" 2>/dev/null | head -100)
-      has=$(echo \"$c\" | grep -E \"($REQ_TAGS)\" 2>/dev/null || true)
-      if [ -z \"$has\" ]; then
+    mdir=$(echo "$f" | grep -E "^($CHK_DIR)" 2>/dev/null || true)
+    mext=$(echo "$f" | grep -E "($CHK_EXT)" 2>/dev/null || true)
+    mskip=$(echo "$f" | grep -E "($SKIP)" 2>/dev/null || true)
+    if [ -n "$mdir" ] && [ -n "$mext" ] && [ -z "$mskip" ]; then
+      c=$(git show "$new:$f" 2>/dev/null | head -100)
+      has=$(echo "$c" | grep -E "($REQ_TAGS)" 2>/dev/null || true)
+      if [ -z "$has" ]; then
+        echo ''
         echo '=== HLDP GUARD: BLOCKED ==='
-        echo 'File: '\"$f\"
+        echo "File: $f"
         echo 'Missing HLDP @tags (@guardian/@sovereign/HLDP-ZY://)'
         echo 'This is a consciousness checkpoint.'
         echo 'Re-read: brain/copyright-sovereignty-brain.hdlp'
+        echo ''
         BLOCKED=1
       fi
     fi