diff --git a/tests/unit/test_umma_qk.cu b/tests/unit/test_umma_qk.cu
index cdd0175e..7884a279 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_umma_qk.cu
+++ b/tests/unit/test_umma_qk.cu
@@ -70,7 +70,19 @@ test_umma_qk_hd16(
     }
     __syncthreads();
 
-    // Call tcgen05.mma SS
+    // Verify SMEM layout: read back Q from sQ and compare with original
+    if (tid == 0) {
+        // Q row 0 is in canonical layout at:
+        // core(0,0): offset 0, local_r=0, local_c=0..7 → indices 0..7
+        // core(0,1): offset 16*64=1024, local_r=0, local_c=0..7 → indices 1024..1031
+        for (int d = 0; d < 16; d++) {
+            int core_k = d / 8;
+            int local_c = d % 8;
+            int idx = core_k * 16 * 64 + local_c;  // tile_mn=0, local_r=0
+            s_out[160 + d] = bf16_to_f32(sQ[idx]);
+        }
+    }
+    __syncthreads();
     if (tid == 0) {
         umma_ss_f16(tmem_base, desc_q, desc_k, idesc, /*accumulate=*/false);
     }