diff --git a/.config/hooks/pre-commit b/.config/hooks/pre-commit
index 6e3843c83..bb5bc7e6c 100755
--- a/.config/hooks/pre-commit
+++ b/.config/hooks/pre-commit
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ run_check() {
             ERRORS=$((ERRORS + 1))
         fi
     else
-        echo "pre-commit: skipping $label ($script not found or not executable)"
+        echo "pre-commit: WARNING — $label skipped ($script not found or not executable)"
+        echo "  Run 'make setup' or check that $script exists and is executable."
     fi
 }
 
diff --git a/docs/DEVOPS.md b/docs/DEVOPS.md
index 7624f5c42..8d6c3a0ae 100644
--- a/docs/DEVOPS.md
+++ b/docs/DEVOPS.md
@@ -129,6 +129,12 @@ Active checks:
 
 The `core.hooksPath` setting uses a relative path (`.config/hooks`) that resolves per worktree, so it works correctly across all worktrees in the repository.
 
+To bypass hooks in an emergency:
+
+```bash
+git commit --no-verify -m "fix: emergency hotfix"
+```
+
 ## Configuration Files
 
 The `.config/` directory holds shared configuration for linters, formatters, and CI. Examples of what goes here:
diff --git a/tooling/check-fact-ids b/tooling/check-fact-ids
index 4fb843755..8472b1450 100755
--- a/tooling/check-fact-ids
+++ b/tooling/check-fact-ids
@@ -22,9 +22,11 @@ if [ -d "$KNOWLEDGE_DIR" ]; then
         grep -rh 'fact_id:\s*' "$KNOWLEDGE_DIR" \
             --include='*.yaml' \
             --exclude='entity-attributes.yaml' \
+        | grep -v '^\s*#' \
         | sed 's/.*fact_id:\s*//' \
         | sed 's/\s*#.*//' \
         | sed "s/^[\"']\(.*\)[\"']$/\1/" \
+        | sed 's/[[:space:]]*$//' \
         | sort -u \
         || true
     )
@@ -39,9 +41,11 @@ if [ -d "$CONTENT_DIR" ]; then
     REFERENCED=$(
         grep -rh 'fact_id:\s*' "$CONTENT_DIR" \
             --include='*.yaml' \
+        | grep -v '^\s*#' \
         | sed 's/.*fact_id:\s*//' \
         | sed 's/\s*#.*//' \
         | sed "s/^[\"']\(.*\)[\"']$/\1/" \
+        | sed 's/[[:space:]]*$//' \
         || true
     )
 fi