diff --git a/repo_contract/stacks.py b/repo_contract/stacks.py
index 0328d13..3707b4a 100644
--- a/repo_contract/stacks.py
+++ b/repo_contract/stacks.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ from pathlib import Path
 PRUNE = frozenset(
     {
         ".git",
+        ".utils",
         "node_modules",
         "build",
         ".dart_tool",
diff --git a/repo_contract/tests/test_stacks.py b/repo_contract/tests/test_stacks.py
index 75851fd..7ba2c69 100644
--- a/repo_contract/tests/test_stacks.py
+++ b/repo_contract/tests/test_stacks.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ def test_shell_only_and_unknown(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
 
 def test_walk_prunes_and_bounds_depth(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     write(tmp_path, "node_modules/x/y_test.py")
+    write(tmp_path, ".utils/tests/test_gate.py")  # CI checkout of the shared gate
     deep = "/".join(["d"] * (MAX_DEPTH + 1))
     write(tmp_path, f"{deep}/test_deep.py")
     assert not has_tests(tmp_path, [])