diff --git a/.github/tests/test_template.py b/.github/tests/test_template.py
index 852b449..1ed4055 100755
--- a/.github/tests/test_template.py
+++ b/.github/tests/test_template.py
@@ -211,8 +211,8 @@ def validate_file_structure(self) -> bool:
         # Template version marker: every release bumps this deliberately.
         marker = self.project_path / ".github" / "template-version.txt"
         if marker.exists():
-            if marker.read_text().strip() != "reloaded-templates-rust:1.4.2":
-                logger.error("✗ template-version.txt does not match 1.4.2")
+            if marker.read_text().strip() != "reloaded-templates-rust:1.4.3":
+                logger.error("✗ template-version.txt does not match 1.4.3")
                 errors += 1
         else:
             logger.error("✗ template-version.txt not found")
@@ -644,7 +644,7 @@ def validate_builds(self) -> bool:
         return True
 
     def validate_v1_1_4_template_updates(self) -> bool:
-        """Validate v1.1.4 template updates (format-check job, AGENTS.md, verify headers) plus v1.3.0 workflow paths and v1.4.2 guidance/lint pins."""
+        """Validate v1.1.4 template updates (format-check job, AGENTS.md, verify headers) plus v1.3.0 workflow paths, v1.4.2 lint pins and the v1.4.3 verify order."""
         logger.info("Validating v1.1.4 template updates...")
         errors = 0
 
@@ -758,30 +758,42 @@ def validate_v1_1_4_template_updates(self) -> bool:
             logger.error("✗ .gitignore not found")
             errors += 1
 
-        # v1.4.2: tidy runs last, after the publish dry-run.
+        # v1.4.3: file-altering steps (fmt, tidy) run first, before the build.
         verify_scripts = [
-            ("src/.llm/verify.sh", "run_cmd rust-llm-tidy"),
-            ("src/.llm/verify.ps1", 'Invoke-LoggedCommand "rust-llm-tidy"'),
+            (
+                "src/.llm/verify.sh",
+                "run_cmd rust-llm-tidy",
+                "run_cmd cargo fmt",
+                "run_cmd cargo build",
+            ),
+            (
+                "src/.llm/verify.ps1",
+                'Invoke-LoggedCommand "rust-llm-tidy"',
+                'Invoke-LoggedCommand "cargo" @("fmt"',
+                'Invoke-LoggedCommand "cargo" @("build"',
+            ),
         ]
-        for verify_rel, invocation in verify_scripts:
+        for verify_rel, tidy_step, fmt_step, build_step in verify_scripts:
             verify_path = self.project_path / verify_rel
             if verify_path.exists():
                 verify_text = verify_path.read_text()
                 for fragment in (
                     "Script is relative to git repo root; search if not found",
-                    invocation,
+                    tidy_step,
                     "cargo install rust-llm-tidy-cli",
                 ):
                     if fragment not in verify_text:
                         logger.error(f"✗ {verify_rel} missing: {fragment}")
                         errors += 1
 
-                dry_run = verify_text.find("--dry-run")
-                if dry_run == -1 or verify_text.find(invocation) < dry_run:
-                    logger.error(
-                        f"✗ {verify_rel} tidy step must follow the publish dry-run"
-                    )
-                    errors += 1
+                build_index = verify_text.find(build_step)
+                for step_name, step in (("formatting", fmt_step), ("tidy", tidy_step)):
+                    step_index = verify_text.find(step)
+                    if step_index == -1 or step_index > build_index:
+                        logger.error(
+                            f"✗ {verify_rel} {step_name} step must precede the build"
+                        )
+                        errors += 1
             else:
                 logger.error(f"✗ {verify_rel} not found")
                 errors += 1
diff --git a/docs/migration/about.md b/docs/migration/about.md
index 7aa71f0..f8214ca 100644
--- a/docs/migration/about.md
+++ b/docs/migration/about.md
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ For information about migrating between template versions, see the following gui
 - **[v1.4.0]** - Add rust-llm-tidy CI: auto-tidies changed files on pull requests
 - **[v1.4.1]** - Remove root `AGENTS.md` shim, move style rule to `.llm/general.md`
 - **[v1.4.2]** - Slim `.llm` guidance, tidy in verify, `core` over `std` lint
+- **[v1.4.3]** - Verify scripts run the file-altering steps first
 
 [v1.0.0]: v1.0.0.md
 [v1.0.1]: v1.0.1.md
@@ -38,3 +39,4 @@ For information about migrating between template versions, see the following gui
 [v1.4.0]: v1.4.0.md
 [v1.4.1]: v1.4.1.md
 [v1.4.2]: v1.4.2.md
+[v1.4.3]: v1.4.3.md
diff --git a/docs/migration/v1.4.3.md b/docs/migration/v1.4.3.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d38ae50
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/migration/v1.4.3.md
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+# Migration to v1.4.3
+
+From `v1.4.2` to `v1.4.3`.
+
+Runs the file-altering verify steps first:
+
+- Moves `cargo fmt` and `rust-llm-tidy` to the top of `.llm/verify.{sh,ps1}`.
+- Every later step now checks the formatted and tidied files, so a passing run leaves no unverified edits.
+
+## 1. Reorder `.llm/verify.sh`
+
+Remove the formatting and tidy steps from the end:
+
+```diff
+  echo "Docs..."
+  run_cmd env RUSTDOCFLAGS="-D warnings" cargo doc --workspace --all-features --no-deps --document-private-items --quiet
+
+- echo "Formatting..."
+- run_cmd cargo fmt --all --quiet
+-
+  echo "Publish dry-run..."
+  run_cmd cargo publish --dry-run --allow-dirty --quiet --workspace
+
+- echo "Tidy..."
+- if command -v rust-llm-tidy >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+-   run_cmd rust-llm-tidy
+- else
+-   echo "Skipping; rust-llm-tidy not installed. Install: cargo install rust-llm-tidy-cli"
+- fi
+-
+  if [ "$EXIT_CODE" -eq 0 ]; then
+```
+
+Add them at the top, before the build:
+
+```diff
+    return 0
+  }
+
++ echo "Formatting..."
++ run_cmd cargo fmt --all --quiet
++
++ echo "Tidy..."
++ if command -v rust-llm-tidy >/dev/null 2>&1; then
++   run_cmd rust-llm-tidy
++ else
++   echo "Skipping; rust-llm-tidy not installed. Install: cargo install rust-llm-tidy-cli"
++ fi
++
+  echo "Building..."
+  run_cmd cargo build --workspace --all-features --all-targets --quiet
+```
+
+## 2. Reorder `.llm/verify.ps1`
+
+Remove the formatting and tidy steps from the end:
+
+```diff
+      Write-Host "Docs..."
+      $env:RUSTDOCFLAGS = "-D warnings"
+      try {
+          Invoke-LoggedCommand "cargo" @("doc", "--workspace", "--all-features", "--no-deps", "--document-private-items", "--quiet")
+      } finally {
+          $env:RUSTDOCFLAGS = $originalRustdocFlags
+      }
+
+-     Write-Host "Formatting..."
+-     Invoke-LoggedCommand "cargo" @("fmt", "--all", "--quiet")
+-
+      Write-Host "Publish dry-run..."
+      Invoke-LoggedCommand "cargo" @("publish", "--dry-run", "--allow-dirty", "--quiet", "--workspace")
+
+-     Write-Host "Tidy..."
+-     if (Get-Command rust-llm-tidy -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) {
+-         Invoke-LoggedCommand "rust-llm-tidy" @()
+-     } else {
+-         Write-Host "Skipping; rust-llm-tidy not installed. Install: cargo install rust-llm-tidy-cli"
+-     }
+  } finally {
+```
+
+Add them at the top, before the build:
+
+```diff
+  try {
++     Write-Host "Formatting..."
++     Invoke-LoggedCommand "cargo" @("fmt", "--all", "--quiet")
++
++     Write-Host "Tidy..."
++     if (Get-Command rust-llm-tidy -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) {
++         Invoke-LoggedCommand "rust-llm-tidy" @()
++     } else {
++         Write-Host "Skipping; rust-llm-tidy not installed. Install: cargo install rust-llm-tidy-cli"
++     }
++
+      Write-Host "Building..."
+      Invoke-LoggedCommand "cargo" @("build", "--workspace", "--all-features", "--all-targets", "--quiet")
+```
+
+## 3. Update the template version marker
+
+```diff
+-reloaded-templates-rust:1.4.2
++reloaded-templates-rust:1.4.3
+```
diff --git a/mkdocs.yml b/mkdocs.yml
index 1a79369..38c00bc 100644
--- a/mkdocs.yml
+++ b/mkdocs.yml
@@ -93,5 +93,6 @@ nav:
       - To v1.4.0: migration/v1.4.0.md
       - To v1.4.1: migration/v1.4.1.md
       - To v1.4.2: migration/v1.4.2.md
+      - To v1.4.3: migration/v1.4.3.md
   - License: https://reloaded-project.github.io/Reloaded.MkDocsMaterial.Themes.R2/Pages/license.html
   - How to Document: https://reloaded-project.github.io/Reloaded.MkDocsMaterial.Themes.R2/Pages/contributing.html
diff --git a/templates/general/.github/template-version.txt b/templates/general/.github/template-version.txt
index c69c592..71b5cc3 100644
--- a/templates/general/.github/template-version.txt
+++ b/templates/general/.github/template-version.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-reloaded-templates-rust:1.4.2
+reloaded-templates-rust:1.4.3
diff --git a/templates/general/src/.llm/verify.ps1 b/templates/general/src/.llm/verify.ps1
index de2a2d7..03432b4 100644
--- a/templates/general/src/.llm/verify.ps1
+++ b/templates/general/src/.llm/verify.ps1
@@ -58,6 +58,16 @@ function Invoke-LoggedCommand {
 }
 
 try {
+    Write-Host "Formatting..."
+    Invoke-LoggedCommand "cargo" @("fmt", "--all", "--quiet")
+
+    Write-Host "Tidy..."
+    if (Get-Command rust-llm-tidy -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) {
+        Invoke-LoggedCommand "rust-llm-tidy" @()
+    } else {
+        Write-Host "Skipping; rust-llm-tidy not installed. Install: cargo install rust-llm-tidy-cli"
+    }
+
     Write-Host "Building..."
     Invoke-LoggedCommand "cargo" @("build", "--workspace", "--all-features", "--all-targets", "--quiet")
 
@@ -75,18 +85,8 @@ try {
         $env:RUSTDOCFLAGS = $originalRustdocFlags
     }
 
-    Write-Host "Formatting..."
-    Invoke-LoggedCommand "cargo" @("fmt", "--all", "--quiet")
-
     Write-Host "Publish dry-run..."
     Invoke-LoggedCommand "cargo" @("publish", "--dry-run", "--allow-dirty", "--quiet", "--workspace")
-
-    Write-Host "Tidy..."
-    if (Get-Command rust-llm-tidy -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) {
-        Invoke-LoggedCommand "rust-llm-tidy" @()
-    } else {
-        Write-Host "Skipping; rust-llm-tidy not installed. Install: cargo install rust-llm-tidy-cli"
-    }
 } finally {
     $env:RUSTDOCFLAGS = $originalRustdocFlags
     Set-Location $originalDir
diff --git a/templates/general/src/.llm/verify.sh b/templates/general/src/.llm/verify.sh
index e8c6432..3b26af3 100755
--- a/templates/general/src/.llm/verify.sh
+++ b/templates/general/src/.llm/verify.sh
@@ -33,6 +33,16 @@ run_cmd() {
   return 0
 }
 
+echo "Formatting..."
+run_cmd cargo fmt --all --quiet
+
+echo "Tidy..."
+if command -v rust-llm-tidy >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  run_cmd rust-llm-tidy
+else
+  echo "Skipping; rust-llm-tidy not installed. Install: cargo install rust-llm-tidy-cli"
+fi
+
 echo "Building..."
 run_cmd cargo build --workspace --all-features --all-targets --quiet
 
@@ -45,19 +55,9 @@ run_cmd cargo clippy --workspace --all-features --quiet -- -D warnings
 echo "Docs..."
 run_cmd env RUSTDOCFLAGS="-D warnings" cargo doc --workspace --all-features --no-deps --document-private-items --quiet
 
-echo "Formatting..."
-run_cmd cargo fmt --all --quiet
-
 echo "Publish dry-run..."
 run_cmd cargo publish --dry-run --allow-dirty --quiet --workspace
 
-echo "Tidy..."
-if command -v rust-llm-tidy >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-  run_cmd rust-llm-tidy
-else
-  echo "Skipping; rust-llm-tidy not installed. Install: cargo install rust-llm-tidy-cli"
-fi
-
 if [ "$EXIT_CODE" -eq 0 ]; then
   echo "All checks passed!"
 else