diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2dfdbca..3b9962b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,6 +6,18 @@ Notable changes to `@wirecat/cli-testing`, one section per version, newest first
 Every entry says what changed as a caller sees it, why, and what to watch for — the rules are
 [`docs/dev/CONVENTIONS.md`](docs/dev/CONVENTIONS.md#the-changelog).
 
+## Unreleased
+
+### Fixed
+
+- **`deny-keys` no longer counts sign-in and sign-out as writes that need a permission key.** A read-only CLI
+  whose only remote writes were `session start` and `account remove` failed with "no command that writes to the
+  service names a permission key", though those commands have no key on purpose (cli-base WC-PERM-5). cli-core's
+  `logsInOrOut` mark is not in `commands --json`, so the check leaves out the paths every CLI puts it on:
+  `session start`, `session end`, `account remove` and `setup`. A sign-in command elsewhere still counts as a
+  write. A CLI with any other remote write still fails when none of its writes names a key. gmeet-cli's contracts
+  pass with this change.
+
 ## 0.7.1 — 13.11.2026
 
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/src/contract-deny.test.ts b/src/contract-deny.test.ts
index a339673..c7a0240 100644
--- a/src/contract-deny.test.ts
+++ b/src/contract-deny.test.ts
@@ -176,6 +176,37 @@ describe("deny contracts", () => {
     expect(readsOnly.results.find((item) => item.id === "deny-keys")?.failure).toContain("no command that writes")
   })
 
+  it("passes a read-only CLI whose only writes sign in or out, and fails one with a write that names no key", async () => {
+    const signIn = [
+      { path: ["session", "start"], effects: { remote: "write" }, lifetime: "interactive", mcp: false },
+      { path: ["account", "remove"], effects: { remote: "write" }, mcp: false },
+      { path: ["setup"], effects: { remote: "write" }, lifetime: "interactive", mcp: false },
+    ]
+    const list = { path: ["meetings", "list"], effects: { remote: "read" } }
+    const create = { path: ["meetings", "create"], effects: { remote: "write" } }
+    const answering = (commands: unknown[]) => ({
+      run: (invocation: { args: string[] }) =>
+        invocation.args.includes("commands")
+          ? { exit: 0, stdout: JSON.stringify({ commands }), stderr: "" }
+          : invocation.args.includes("config")
+            ? { exit: 0, stdout: '{"item":{"config_file":"config.json"}}', stderr: "" }
+            : invocation.args.includes("--dry-run")
+              ? {
+                  exit: 0,
+                  stdout: JSON.stringify({
+                    item: { permission: { key: invocation.args.includes("list") ? "meetings.list" : null } },
+                  }),
+                  stderr: "",
+                }
+              : { exit: 5, stdout: "", stderr: '{"error":{"code":"permission_error"}}' },
+      toolSession: async () => session(() => refused),
+    })
+    const readOnly = await runContracts(plan(fakeCli(true)), answering([...signIn, list]))
+    expect(readOnly.results.find((item) => item.id === "deny-keys")).toEqual({ id: "deny-keys", passed: true })
+    const unkeyed = await runContracts(plan(fakeCli(true)), answering([...signIn, list, create]))
+    expect(unkeyed.results.find((item) => item.id === "deny-keys")?.failure).toContain("no command that writes")
+  })
+
   it("fails a refusal that is not permission_error, or that prints on stdout", async () => {
     const refusing = (stdout: string, stderr: string) => ({
       run: (invocation: { args: string[] }) =>
diff --git a/src/contract-deny.ts b/src/contract-deny.ts
index dcfcd69..0b26e02 100644
--- a/src/contract-deny.ts
+++ b/src/contract-deny.ts
@@ -70,6 +70,10 @@ const remoteLeaves = (nodes: Node[]): Node[] =>
         : [],
   )
 
+// cli-core's `logsInOrOut` mark never reaches `commands --json`; every CLI puts it on these paths (WC-PERM-5).
+const SIGN_IN_OR_OUT = new Set(["session start", "session end", "account remove", "setup"])
+const signsInOrOut = (path: string[] = []): boolean => SIGN_IN_OR_OUT.has(path.join(" "))
+
 /** The words after the command's path in its first example, or a placeholder for each required one. */
 export const argsFor = (node: Node): string[] => {
   const path = node.path ?? []
@@ -165,7 +169,8 @@ export const runDenyContracts = async (
     })
     if (!keyed.some((command) => !command.write))
       throw new Error("no command that reads the service names a permission key in its --dry-run")
-    if (leaves.some((node) => node.effects?.remote === "write") && !keyed.some((command) => command.write))
+    const writes = leaves.some((node) => node.effects?.remote === "write" && !signsInOrOut(node.path))
+    if (writes && !keyed.some((command) => command.write && !signsInOrOut(command.path)))
       throw new Error("no command that writes to the service names a permission key in its --dry-run")
   })
   for (const command of keyed)