diff --git a/bin/gstack-question-preference b/bin/gstack-question-preference
index 34271aeef..67be97e40 100755
--- a/bin/gstack-question-preference
+++ b/bin/gstack-question-preference
@@ -174,8 +174,8 @@ do_write() {
       process.exit(2);
     }
     if (!ALLOWED_SOURCES.includes(j.source)) {
-      process.stderr.write('gstack-question-preference: invalid source \"' + j.source + '\"; allowed: ' + ALLOWED_SOURCES.join(', ') + '\n');
-      process.exit(1);
+      process.stderr.write('gstack-question-preference: rejected — source \"' + j.source + '\" is not user-originated (profile poisoning defense)\n');
+      process.exit(2);
     }
 
     // Optional free_text — sanitize (no injection patterns, no newlines, <=300 chars)
diff --git a/test/gstack-question-preference.test.ts b/test/gstack-question-preference.test.ts
index 8b6fcbe04..c37813b1a 100644
--- a/test/gstack-question-preference.test.ts
+++ b/test/gstack-question-preference.test.ts
@@ -338,8 +338,16 @@ describe('--write user-origin gate (profile-poisoning defense)', () => {
       '--write',
       JSON.stringify({ question_id: 'q1', preference: 'never-ask', source: 'anonymous' }),
     );
-    expect(r.status).not.toBe(0);
-    expect(r.stderr).toContain('invalid source');
+    expect(r.status).toBe(2);
+    expect(r.stderr).toContain('profile poisoning defense');
+  });
+
+  test('unknown source exits 2 (user-origin rejection), not 1 (validation error)', () => {
+    const r = run(
+      '--write',
+      JSON.stringify({ question_id: 'q1', preference: 'never-ask', source: 'tool-output' }),
+    );
+    expect(r.status).toBe(2);
   });
 });