diff --git a/nanoclaude/tests/test_classifier_io.py b/nanoclaude/tests/test_classifier_io.py
index 30d4838..f876f6d 100644
--- a/nanoclaude/tests/test_classifier_io.py
+++ b/nanoclaude/tests/test_classifier_io.py
@@ -156,3 +156,19 @@ def test_actual_bug_payload_detected():
         '추론 모델에게 전달할게요!", "prompt": "노래 가사를 분석해주세요."}'
     )
     assert looks_like_router_json(text) is True
+
+
+# ---------- combined: normal direct path stays out of fallback ----------
+
+
+def test_normal_direct_response_takes_direct_path():
+    """Spec contract: a normal direct response with non-empty natural text
+    must be classified `direct` AND survive the leak guard, so the worker's
+    direct-path elif fires (not the chat_fallback branch)."""
+    raw = '{"action": "direct", "response": "안녕하세요! 무엇을 도와드릴까요?", "prompt": ""}'
+    parsed = parse_classification(raw)
+    assert parsed["action"] == "direct"
+    assert parsed["response"]
+    assert looks_like_router_json(parsed["response"]) is False
+    # The two assertions above together replicate the elif condition in
+    # worker.py: action=="direct" and response_text and not router-shaped.