diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 6969d092b4f..f7d14637bf3 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -85,7 +85,8 @@ Telegraph style. Root rules only. Read scoped `AGENTS.md` before subtree work.
   - extension tests: extension test typecheck/tests
   - public SDK/plugin contract: extension prod/test too
   - unknown root/config: all lanes
-- Before handoff/push: `pnpm check:changed`. Tests-only: `pnpm test:changed`. Full prod sweep: `pnpm check`.
+- Before handoff/push for code/test/runtime/config changes: `pnpm check:changed`. Tests-only: `pnpm test:changed`. Full prod sweep: `pnpm check`.
+- Docs/changelog-only and CI/workflow metadata-only changes are not changed-gate work by default. Use `git diff --check` plus the relevant formatter/docs/workflow sanity check; escalate to `pnpm check:changed` only when scripts, test config, generated docs/API, package metadata, or runtime/build behavior changed.
 - Rebase sanity: after a green `pnpm check:changed`, a clean rebase onto current
   `origin/main` does not require rerunning the full changed gate when the rebase
   has no conflicts and the branch diff is materially unchanged. Do a quick