diff --git a/cli/git-user/git-user.test.ts b/cli/git-user/git-user.test.ts
index 9c872bd..2a681e1 100644
--- a/cli/git-user/git-user.test.ts
+++ b/cli/git-user/git-user.test.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,13 @@ describe("getLocalGitUser", () => {
     expect(getLocalGitUser()).toEqual({ name: "tomhagen" });
   });
 
+  it("returns an user with a trimmed username", () => {
+    (execSync as jest.Mock).mockReturnValueOnce("tomhagen ");
+    expect(getLocalGitUser()).toEqual({ name: "tomhagen" });
+    (execSync as jest.Mock).mockReturnValueOnce("tomhagen\n\n");
+    expect(getLocalGitUser()).toEqual({ name: "tomhagen" });
+  });
+
   it("throws an error if execSync fails", () => {
     (execSync as jest.Mock).mockImplementationOnce(() => {
       throw new Error();
diff --git a/cli/git-user/index.ts b/cli/git-user/index.ts
index 655c8e9..0e04357 100644
--- a/cli/git-user/index.ts
+++ b/cli/git-user/index.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ export function getLocalGitUser(): GitUser {
     if (!name) {
       throw new Error();
     }
-    return { name };
+    return { name: name.trim().replaceAll("\n", "") };
     // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unused-vars
   } catch (_: unknown) {
     throw new Error(getRandomMessage(MessageType.NoGitConfig));
diff --git a/scripts/init/index.ts b/scripts/init/index.ts
index fc844f4..4b457e8 100644
--- a/scripts/init/index.ts
+++ b/scripts/init/index.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ function informFileCreated(
         `- The following crews were detected:\n${crews
           .map((crew) => `   - ${crew}`)
           .join("\n")}
-Please specify their members in the codefather config for CLI enforcement.`
+\n⚙️ Please specify their members in the codefather config for CLI enforcement.\n`
       );
     }
   }
diff --git a/shared/file-matcher/file-matcher.test.ts b/shared/file-matcher/file-matcher.test.ts
index 5081fae..2165ca6 100644
--- a/shared/file-matcher/file-matcher.test.ts
+++ b/shared/file-matcher/file-matcher.test.ts
@@ -109,4 +109,69 @@ describe("matchFilesAgainstRule", () => {
     const matched = matchFilesAgainstRule([file], rule.match, configRoot);
     expect(matched).toContain(file);
   });
+  test("matches rule with leading slash", () => {
+    const result = matchFilesAgainstRule(updatedFiles, ["/src/core/**"], root);
+    expect(result).toEqual([resolve("project/src/core/index.ts")]);
+  });
+  test("matches rule with trailing slash", () => {
+    const result = matchFilesAgainstRule(
+      updatedFiles,
+      ["src/core/"], // Should auto-expand to src/core/**
+      root
+    );
+    expect(result).toEqual([resolve("project/src/core/index.ts")]);
+  });
+  test("matches rule with whitespace", () => {
+    const result = matchFilesAgainstRule(
+      updatedFiles,
+      ["  src/core/**  "],
+      root
+    );
+    expect(result).toEqual([resolve("project/src/core/index.ts")]);
+  });
+  test("matches dotfiles", () => {
+    const result = matchFilesAgainstRule(updatedFiles, [".env"], root);
+    expect(result).toEqual([resolve("project/.env")]);
+  });
+  test("matches deeply nested file", () => {
+    const result = matchFilesAgainstRule(
+      updatedFiles,
+      ["src/models/searches/**"],
+      root
+    );
+    expect(result).toEqual([resolve("project/src/models/searches/utils.ts")]);
+  });
+  test("matches pattern starting with ./", () => {
+    const result = matchFilesAgainstRule(updatedFiles, ["./src/core/**"], root);
+    expect(result).toEqual([resolve("project/src/core/index.ts")]);
+  });
+  test("matches pattern ending with /**/", () => {
+    const result = matchFilesAgainstRule(updatedFiles, ["src/**/"], root);
+    expect(result).toContain(resolve("project/src/core/index.ts"));
+    expect(result).toContain(resolve("project/src/utils/helpers.ts"));
+    expect(result).toContain(resolve("project/src/models/searches/utils.ts"));
+  });
+  test("matches pattern with regex metacharacters in path", () => {
+    const specialFiles = [
+      resolve("project/src/utils/file[1].ts"),
+      resolve("project/src/utils/file(2).ts"),
+    ];
+    const result = matchFilesAgainstRule(specialFiles, ["src/utils/**"], root);
+    expect(result).toEqual(specialFiles);
+  });
+  test("matches hidden file in subdirectory", () => {
+    const hiddenFile = resolve("project/src/.hidden/config.ts");
+    const result = matchFilesAgainstRule([hiddenFile], ["src/**"], root);
+    expect(result).toEqual([hiddenFile]);
+  });
+  test("matches file with unicode characters in path", () => {
+    const unicodeFile = resolve("project/src/设计/模块.ts");
+    const result = matchFilesAgainstRule([unicodeFile], ["src/**"], root);
+    expect(result).toEqual([unicodeFile]);
+  });
+  test("matches file with spaces and parentheses in path", () => {
+    const spacedFile = resolve("project/src/utils/my file (copy).ts");
+    const result = matchFilesAgainstRule([spacedFile], ["src/utils/**"], root);
+    expect(result).toEqual([spacedFile]);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/shared/file-matcher/index.ts b/shared/file-matcher/index.ts
index b0e01f6..2c8f146 100644
--- a/shared/file-matcher/index.ts
+++ b/shared/file-matcher/index.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,13 @@ const normalizePath = (filePath: string) => filePath.replace(/\\/g, "/");
 
 function globToRegExp(glob: string | RegExp): RegExp {
   if (glob instanceof RegExp) return glob;
-  const escaped = glob
+
+  let normalizedGlob = normalizePath(glob.trim().replace(/^\.?\/+/, ""));
+
+  // Auto-expand trailing slash to recursive match
+  if (normalizedGlob.endsWith("/")) normalizedGlob += "**";
+
+  const escaped = normalizedGlob
     .replace(/[.+^${}()|[\]\\]/g, "\\$&")
     .replace(/\*\*/g, "§§")
     .replace(/\*/g, "[^/]*")
@@ -22,7 +28,7 @@ export function matchFilesAgainstRule(
   const regexes = rulePattern.map(globToRegExp);
   const normalizedRootDir = normalizePath(rootDir);
   return files.filter((file) => {
-    const normalizedFile = normalizePath(file);
+    const normalizedFile = normalizePath(file.trim());
     const relativePath = normalizePath(
       relative(normalizedRootDir, normalizedFile)
     );
diff --git a/shared/messages/index.ts b/shared/messages/index.ts
index a5e049e..b44347a 100644
--- a/shared/messages/index.ts
+++ b/shared/messages/index.ts
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@ const sharedErrors = [
   "𐄂 _committers_: That commit screams betrayal. _goodfellas_ heard it loud and clear.",
   "𐄂 _committers_: You broke something built on trust. Now it needs fixing.",
   "𐄂 _committers_, this act smells like ambition. Careful—ambition got Fredo killed.",
-  "𐄂 _committers_: You messed up. Big. _goodfellas_ are already talking.",
   "𐄂 _committers_: You acted like a enemy. We don’t deal with enemies.",
   "𐄂 _committers_: That move lacked honor. Fix it or fade out.",
   "𐄂 _committers_: You weren’t subtle. You weren’t careful. Call _goodfella_ to clear things out.",
@@ -75,10 +74,12 @@ const messagesMap: Record<MessageType, string[]> = {
   ],
   [MessageType.Error]: [
     "𐄂 _committers_! You need permission from my trusted associate: _goodfellas_. Nobody touches this without approval.",
+    "𐄂 _committers_: You messed up. Big. _goodfellas_ is already talking.",
     ...sharedErrors,
   ],
   [MessageType.MultiErrors]: [
     "𐄂 _committers_! You need permission from my trusted associates: _goodfellas_. Nobody touches this without approval.",
+    "𐄂 _committers_: You messed up. Big. _goodfellas_ are already talking.",
     ...sharedErrors,
   ],
   [MessageType.Warning]: [