diff --git a/app/RSpade/CodeQuality/Rules/Jqhtml/JqhtmlHtmlComment_CodeQualityRule.php b/app/RSpade/CodeQuality/Rules/Jqhtml/JqhtmlHtmlComment_CodeQualityRule.php
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..4bc2af3f2
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+++ b/app/RSpade/CodeQuality/Rules/Jqhtml/JqhtmlHtmlComment_CodeQualityRule.php
@@ -0,0 +1,166 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\RSpade\CodeQuality\Rules\Jqhtml;
+
+use App\RSpade\CodeQuality\Rules\CodeQualityRule_Abstract;
+
+/**
+ * JqhtmlHtmlCommentRule - Detects HTML comments used before <Define> in jqhtml files
+ *
+ * Catches the common mistake of using <!-- --> comments for docblocks instead of
+ * the correct <%-- --%> jqhtml comment syntax. HTML comments in jqhtml files
+ * still have their contents parsed as JavaScript, causing cryptic errors.
+ */
+class JqhtmlHtmlComment_CodeQualityRule extends CodeQualityRule_Abstract
+{
+    public function get_id(): string
+    {
+        return 'JQHTML-COMMENT-01';
+    }
+
+    public function get_name(): string
+    {
+        return 'Jqhtml HTML Comment Detection';
+    }
+
+    public function get_description(): string
+    {
+        return 'Detects HTML comments (<!-- -->) used before <Define> tag - must use <%-- --%> syntax';
+    }
+
+    public function get_file_patterns(): array
+    {
+        return ['*.jqhtml'];
+    }
+
+    public function get_default_severity(): string
+    {
+        return 'critical';
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Run during manifest scan for immediate feedback on this common mistake.
+     *
+     * EXCEPTION: This rule has been explicitly approved to run at manifest-time because
+     * HTML comments before <Define> cause cryptic JavaScript parsing errors that are
+     * extremely difficult to debug. Catching this early prevents developer confusion.
+     */
+    public function is_called_during_manifest_scan(): bool
+    {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Process file during manifest update to detect HTML comments used as docblocks
+     *
+     * Only flags HTML comments that appear BEFORE any jqhtml comment starts.
+     * HTML comments inside jqhtml comments (<%-- ... --%>) are safe - they're
+     * documentation/examples and will be stripped with the jqhtml comment.
+     */
+    public function on_manifest_file_update(string $file_path, string $contents, array $metadata = []): ?array
+    {
+        // Find the position of first <Define: tag
+        $define_pos = strpos($contents, '<Define:');
+        if ($define_pos === false) {
+            // No <Define> tag, nothing to check
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        // Get content before <Define>
+        $before_define = substr($contents, 0, $define_pos);
+
+        // Check for HTML comment opening
+        $html_comment_pos = strpos($before_define, '<!--');
+        if ($html_comment_pos === false) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        // Check for jqhtml comment opening
+        $jqhtml_comment_pos = strpos($before_define, '<%--');
+
+        // If jqhtml comment starts BEFORE the HTML comment, then the HTML comment
+        // is inside the jqhtml comment block (documentation/example) and is safe
+        if ($jqhtml_comment_pos !== false && $jqhtml_comment_pos < $html_comment_pos) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        // Found HTML comment before any jqhtml comment - this is the docblock mistake
+        $line_number = substr_count(substr($contents, 0, $html_comment_pos), "\n") + 1;
+
+        // Extract the comment content for the error message
+        $comment_end = strpos($contents, '-->', $html_comment_pos);
+        $comment_text = $comment_end !== false
+            ? substr($contents, $html_comment_pos, min($comment_end - $html_comment_pos + 3, 100))
+            : substr($contents, $html_comment_pos, 50);
+
+        return [
+            'html_comment_violation' => [
+                'line' => $line_number,
+                'code' => trim($comment_text),
+            ],
+        ];
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Check jqhtml file for HTML comment violations stored in metadata
+     */
+    public function check(string $file_path, string $contents, array $metadata = []): void
+    {
+        // Check for violations in code quality metadata
+        if (!isset($metadata['code_quality_metadata']['JQHTML-COMMENT-01']['html_comment_violation'])) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        $violation = $metadata['code_quality_metadata']['JQHTML-COMMENT-01']['html_comment_violation'];
+
+        $error_message = "Code Quality Violation (JQHTML-COMMENT-01) - HTML Comment in Jqhtml File\n\n";
+        $error_message .= "CRITICAL: HTML comments (<!-- -->) are NOT safe for docblocks in .jqhtml files.\n\n";
+        $error_message .= "File: {$file_path}\n";
+        $error_message .= "Line: {$violation['line']}\n";
+        $error_message .= "Code: {$violation['code']}\n\n";
+        $error_message .= $this->get_remediation();
+
+        throw new \App\RSpade\CodeQuality\RuntimeChecks\YoureDoingItWrongException(
+            $error_message,
+            0,
+            null,
+            base_path($file_path),
+            $violation['line']
+        );
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get remediation instructions
+     */
+    private function get_remediation(): string
+    {
+        return "PROBLEM: HTML comments in jqhtml files still have their contents parsed as JavaScript.
+This causes cryptic syntax errors because the template engine processes everything inside <!-- -->.
+
+EXAMPLE OF THE BUG:
+    <!-- Component docblock -->
+              ^^^^^^^^^^^
+    This gets parsed as: Component docblock
+    Which is invalid JavaScript, causing: SyntaxError: Unexpected identifier 'docblock'
+
+SOLUTION: Use jqhtml comment syntax instead:
+
+    WRONG:  <!-- This is a docblock for my component -->
+    RIGHT:  <%-- This is a docblock for my component --%>
+
+The <%-- --%> syntax is a true comment that is completely stripped before parsing.
+
+QUICK FIX:
+    Find:    <!--
+    Replace: <%--
+
+    Find:    -->
+    Replace: --%>
+
+WHY THIS MATTERS:
+- HTML comments are NOT comments in jqhtml - their contents are parsed
+- This causes confusing 'Unexpected identifier' or 'Unexpected token' errors
+- The error messages don't indicate the real problem (using wrong comment syntax)
+- Developers waste time debugging JavaScript when the fix is just changing comment delimiters";
+    }
+}