diff --git a/scripts/ql3-local-profile-artifact-audit.cjs b/scripts/ql3-local-profile-artifact-audit.cjs
index 7c5c7e37..14b946c0 100644
--- a/scripts/ql3-local-profile-artifact-audit.cjs
+++ b/scripts/ql3-local-profile-artifact-audit.cjs
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ function auditApplicationExecutable(artifactDirectory) {
   );
   if (
     output !==
-    'Usage: ql3-local-application --config /absolute/private-config.json'
+    'Usage: ql3-local-application [--cutover-probe] --config /absolute/private-config.json'
   ) {
     fail('local application executable help output is invalid');
   }
diff --git a/test/back/ql3CiCleanCheckoutContract.test.cjs b/test/back/ql3CiCleanCheckoutContract.test.cjs
index 06ba176b..942d2003 100644
--- a/test/back/ql3CiCleanCheckoutContract.test.cjs
+++ b/test/back/ql3CiCleanCheckoutContract.test.cjs
@@ -216,3 +216,14 @@ test('keeps the Node 24 compact Profile RSS budget below application and MCP tie
     /DEFAULT_MAX_MCP_RSS_DELTA_BYTES = 48 \* 1024 \* 1024/,
   );
 });
+
+test('pins the Local application cutover probe in the artifact audit', () => {
+  assert.match(
+    LOCAL_PROFILE_AUDIT,
+    /Usage: ql3-local-application \[--cutover-probe\] --config \/absolute\/private-config\.json/,
+  );
+  assert.doesNotMatch(
+    LOCAL_PROFILE_AUDIT,
+    /Usage: ql3-local-application --config \/absolute\/private-config\.json/,
+  );
+});