diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 9ebe6254..a08cfcae 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -11,10 +11,10 @@ license = "apache-2.0"
 authors = [{name = "jarbasAi", email = "jarbasai@mailfence.com"}]
 requires-python = ">=3.9"
 dependencies = [
-    "ovos-utils>= 0.7.0,<1.0.0",
-    "ovos_bus_client>=2.6.0a1,<3.0.0",  # HandlerLifecycle done-signal util (#246)
+    "ovos-utils>= 0.13.3a2,<1.0.0",  # FakeBus folds before handlers (ovos-utils#396) — keeps in-place add_context mutations alive so intent-layer gating works
+    "ovos_bus_client>=2.6.2a2,<3.0.0",  # HandlerLifecycle done-signal util (#246) + singleton-registry SessionManager (2.6.2a2)
     "ovos-config>=0.0.12,<3.0.0",
-    "ovos-spec-tools>=0.16.1a2",  # carries the adapt-free intent-definition primitives (OVOS-INTENT-4)
+    "ovos-spec-tools>=1.2.3a1",  # canonical SessionManager registry + OVOS-INTENT-4 intent-definition primitives
     "ovos-yes-no-plugin>=0.3.0,<1.0.0",
     "ovos-option-matcher-fuzzy-plugin>=0.0.1,<1.0.0",
     "ovos-number-parser>=0.0.1,<1.0.0",
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [project.optional-dependencies]
 test = [
-    "ovos-core>=0.0.8a50",
+    "ovos-core>=2.4.0a1",  # orchestrator owns ovos.utterance.handled on the matched path (PIPELINE-1 §9.5)
     "ovoscope>=0.1.0",
-    "ovos-adapt-parser>=1.3.1a1",
+    "ovos-adapt-parser>=1.4.2a1",
     "pytest",
     "pytest-cov",
     "ovos-translate-server-plugin",
diff --git a/test/unittests/skills/test_base.py b/test/unittests/skills/test_base.py
index b4ec9dbf..081800d4 100644
--- a/test/unittests/skills/test_base.py
+++ b/test/unittests/skills/test_base.py
@@ -355,16 +355,41 @@ def test_on_event_end(self):
         self.assertEqual(context["skill_id"], self.skill_id)
         self.assertEqual(context["session"]["session_id"], "sess1")
 
-    def test_on_event_end_is_intent_still_emits_utterance_handled(self):
-        # the ovos.utterance.handled emission must be PRESERVED alongside the
-        # delegated .complete done-signal when is_intent=True
+    def test_on_event_end_intent_defers_utterance_handled_to_core(self):
+        # PIPELINE-1 §9.5: with a modern ovos-core (>=2.3.0a1) the orchestrator
+        # owns the universal `ovos.utterance.handled` end-marker on every
+        # terminal path — the matched path included. Workshop must NOT also
+        # emit it (consumers would see the marker twice); only the delegated
+        # `mycroft.skill.handler.complete` done-signal is emitted here.
+        from unittest.mock import patch
         from ovos_bus_client.message import Message
         from ovos_spec_tools import SpecMessage
         msg = Message("trigger", {}, {})
         skill_data = {"name": "TestSkill.handle_test"}
-        captured = self._capture(OVOSSkill._on_event_end, msg,
-                                 "mycroft.skill.handler", dict(skill_data),
-                                 True)
+        with patch("ovos_workshop.skills.ovos._core_owns_utterance_handled",
+                   return_value=True):
+            captured = self._capture(OVOSSkill._on_event_end, msg,
+                                      "mycroft.skill.handler",
+                                      dict(skill_data), True)
+        types = [c[0] for c in captured]
+        self.assertIn("mycroft.skill.handler.complete", types)
+        self.assertNotIn(SpecMessage.UTTERANCE_HANDLED.value, types)
+
+    def test_on_event_end_intent_emits_utterance_handled_legacy(self):
+        # Migration-window back-compat: with an absent/old ovos-core that does
+        # not yet emit `ovos.utterance.handled` on the matched path, workshop
+        # must still emit it alongside the delegated `.complete` done-signal so
+        # spec consumers always observe exactly one end-marker.
+        from unittest.mock import patch
+        from ovos_bus_client.message import Message
+        from ovos_spec_tools import SpecMessage
+        msg = Message("trigger", {}, {})
+        skill_data = {"name": "TestSkill.handle_test"}
+        with patch("ovos_workshop.skills.ovos._core_owns_utterance_handled",
+                   return_value=False):
+            captured = self._capture(OVOSSkill._on_event_end, msg,
+                                      "mycroft.skill.handler",
+                                      dict(skill_data), True)
         types = [c[0] for c in captured]
         self.assertIn("mycroft.skill.handler.complete", types)
         self.assertIn(SpecMessage.UTTERANCE_HANDLED.value, types)