diff --git a/crates/aura-cli/src/main.rs b/crates/aura-cli/src/main.rs
index 18214c0..010c3a4 100644
--- a/crates/aura-cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/aura-cli/src/main.rs
@@ -4256,6 +4256,18 @@ fn main() {
                     eprintln!("aura: {path}: {e:?}");
                     std::process::exit(2);
                 });
+                // Refuse an open (free-knob) blueprint at the dispatch boundary, mirroring
+                // `blueprint_mc_family`'s closed-guard: `run` bootstraps over the EMPTY point, so a
+                // free knob would panic in `compile_with_params` — reject it clean instead (#176).
+                let free = blueprint_axis_probe(&doc).param_space();
+                if !free.is_empty() {
+                    eprintln!(
+                        "aura: run requires a closed blueprint (no free parameters); {} free knob(s) — \
+                         bind them or use `aura sweep --axis`",
+                        free.len()
+                    );
+                    std::process::exit(2);
+                }
                 let BlueprintRunArgs { params, data, seed } = parse_blueprint_run_args(&rest[1..])
                     .unwrap_or_else(|msg| {
                         eprintln!("aura: {msg}");
diff --git a/crates/aura-cli/tests/cli_run.rs b/crates/aura-cli/tests/cli_run.rs
index f6dc88a..cf31213 100644
--- a/crates/aura-cli/tests/cli_run.rs
+++ b/crates/aura-cli/tests/cli_run.rs
@@ -3655,6 +3655,37 @@ fn aura_mc_rejects_an_open_blueprint() {
     let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&cwd);
 }
 
+/// E2E (#176): `aura run <open blueprint.json>` refuses an open blueprint the same way the
+/// sibling `aura mc` does — a clean named error + exit 2, NEVER a `compile_with_params`
+/// arity panic (exit 101). The `run` dispatch bootstraps over the EMPTY point (a
+/// closed-blueprint assumption), so a free knob must be rejected at the dispatch boundary
+/// before that bootstrap, mirroring `blueprint_mc_family`'s closed-guard.
+#[test]
+fn aura_run_rejects_an_open_blueprint_without_panicking() {
+    let cwd = temp_cwd("run-blueprint-open-reject");
+    let fixture = format!("{}/tests/fixtures/stage1_signal_open.json", env!("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR"));
+    let out = Command::new(BIN)
+        .args(["run", &fixture])
+        .current_dir(&cwd)
+        .output()
+        .expect("spawn aura run open-blueprint");
+    let stderr = String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr).into_owned();
+    assert_eq!(
+        out.status.code(),
+        Some(2),
+        "an open blueprint fails clean (exit 2, not a panic/exit 101): stderr={stderr}"
+    );
+    assert!(
+        stderr.contains("closed blueprint"),
+        "names the closed-blueprint requirement (mirroring `aura mc`): {stderr}"
+    );
+    assert!(
+        !stderr.contains("panicked"),
+        "must refuse at the dispatch boundary, never panic: {stderr}"
+    );
+    let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&cwd);
+}
+
 /// E2E (negative): `aura reproduce <unknown>` is a hard error (exit non-zero + named
 /// cause on stderr), distinct from `runs family <id>`'s treat-as-empty exit 0.
 #[test]