diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/03-task.yml b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/03-task.yml
index b5dc9e1fd..5c24b8110 100644
--- a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/03-task.yml
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/03-task.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name: Task
-description: Track maintainer or agent execution work
+description: Track narrow execution, audit, spike, migration, or follow-up work
 title: "[Task] "
 labels:
   - task
@@ -7,7 +7,13 @@ body:
   - type: markdown
     attributes:
       value: |
-        Use this for maintainer or agent execution work that is not a user-facing bug report or feature request.
+        Use this for narrow execution-only, audit, spike, migration, upstream follow-up, or tracking work.
+
+        Do not use Task when another type is clearer:
+        - Behavior is broken, incorrect, flaky, misleading, or regressed → `bug`
+        - A user-facing workflow or capability should improve → `enhancement`
+        - Documentation, templates, policies, or written process should change → `documentation`
+        - Internal cleanup, maintainability, architecture, test, or quality debt → add `tech-debt` as supplemental context
 
         Keep the issue concrete enough that an agent can understand the target, scope, and verification path.
   - type: textarea
diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TRIAGE.md b/.github/ISSUE_TRIAGE.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..25884f9cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TRIAGE.md
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# Issue triage labels
+
+Use one primary type label whenever possible:
+
+- `bug`: existing behavior is broken, incorrect, flaky, misleading, or regressed.
+- `enhancement`: a user-facing workflow or capability should improve.
+- `documentation`: docs, templates, policies, or written process should change.
+- `task`: narrow execution-only, audit, spike, migration, upstream follow-up, or tracking work without clearer bug, feature, docs, or tech-debt semantics.
+
+Do not use `task` as the default label for work an agent can do. If `bug`, `enhancement`, or `documentation` describes the work more clearly, use that label instead.
+
+Area, priority, and context labels such as `app`, `ui`, `platform`, `harness`, `ci`, `P1`, `P2`, `upstream`, and `tech-debt` are supplemental and may be combined with the primary type. Use `tech-debt` for internal cleanup, maintainability, architecture, test, or quality debt; it does not require `task`.
diff --git a/.github/pull_request_template.md b/.github/pull_request_template.md
index 392b5403d..cf84e4d69 100644
--- a/.github/pull_request_template.md
+++ b/.github/pull_request_template.md
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ Required for visible UI changes.
 ## Checklist
 
 > **How to use this checklist:**
+>
 > - Tick a box by replacing `[ ]` with `[x]`. Do not edit, add, or remove items.
 > - The bot-applied label items can only be honestly ticked AFTER the PR is opened and the labeler / priority-triage bots have run — return to the PR description and tick them then.
 > - Most items are required. The few that are conditional are explicitly marked **(conditional)**; for those, leave unticked if they truly do not apply and explain why in Risk Notes. All other items must be ticked before requesting human review.
diff --git a/.github/scripts/label-policy-check.js b/.github/scripts/label-policy-check.js
index e8c24d507..9ed918651 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/label-policy-check.js
+++ b/.github/scripts/label-policy-check.js
@@ -37,15 +37,12 @@ export function validateLabelPolicy({ itemType, labels = [] }) {
 
   const routing = intersection(labelSet, POLICY.routing)
   if (routing.length < 1) {
-    errors.push(error(`${itemType} must have at least one primary routing label: ${labelList(POLICY.routing)}`, routing))
-  }
-
-  if (labelSet.has("tech-debt") && !labelSet.has("task")) {
-    errors.push(error("tech-debt is only allowed with the task type label", ["tech-debt"]))
+    errors.push(
+      error(`${itemType} must have at least one primary routing label: ${labelList(POLICY.routing)}`, routing),
+    )
   }
 
-  const forbiddenIssueLabels =
-    itemType === "issue" ? intersection(labelSet, POLICY.issueForbiddenLabels) : []
+  const forbiddenIssueLabels = itemType === "issue" ? intersection(labelSet, POLICY.issueForbiddenLabels) : []
   if (forbiddenIssueLabels.length > 0) {
     errors.push(
       error(`issue must not use PR automation labels: ${labelList(POLICY.issueForbiddenLabels)}`, forbiddenIssueLabels),
diff --git a/.github/scripts/label-policy-check.test.js b/.github/scripts/label-policy-check.test.js
index 3900497d2..4ea017a00 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/label-policy-check.test.js
+++ b/.github/scripts/label-policy-check.test.js
@@ -81,7 +81,9 @@ test("rejects multiple type labels", () => {
     labels: ["bug", "task", "P2", "app"],
   })
 
-  assert.deepEqual(messages(result), ["issue must have exactly one type label: bug, enhancement, task, or documentation"])
+  assert.deepEqual(messages(result), [
+    "issue must have exactly one type label: bug, enhancement, task, or documentation",
+  ])
 })
 
 test("rejects missing primary routing labels", () => {
@@ -90,16 +92,18 @@ test("rejects missing primary routing labels", () => {
     labels: ["task", "P2"],
   })
 
-  assert.deepEqual(messages(result), ["issue must have at least one primary routing label: app, ui, platform, harness, or ci"])
+  assert.deepEqual(messages(result), [
+    "issue must have at least one primary routing label: app, ui, platform, harness, or ci",
+  ])
 })
 
-test("rejects tech-debt outside task issues", () => {
+test("accepts tech-debt as a supplemental label with any primary type", () => {
   const result = validateLabelPolicy({
     itemType: "issue",
     labels: ["bug", "P2", "app", "tech-debt"],
   })
 
-  assert.deepEqual(messages(result), ["tech-debt is only allowed with the task type label"])
+  assert.deepEqual(result.errors, [])
 })
 
 test("rejects dependency automation labels on issues", () => {