diff --git a/.github/workflows/squad-main-guard.yml b/.github/workflows/squad-main-guard.yml
index 7ea0dbe..aafb668 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/squad-main-guard.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/squad-main-guard.yml
@@ -69,36 +69,36 @@ jobs:
             }
 
             // Check each file against forbidden path rules
-            // Allow removals ΓÇö deleting forbidden files from protected branches is fine
+            // Allow removals - deleting forbidden files from protected branches is fine
             const forbidden = files
               .filter(f => f.status !== 'removed')
               .map(f => f.filename)
               .filter(f => {
-                // .ai-team/** and .squad/** ΓÇö ALL team state files, zero exceptions
+                // .ai-team/** and .squad/** - ALL team state files, zero exceptions
                 if (f === '.ai-team' || f.startsWith('.ai-team/') || f === '.squad' || f.startsWith('.squad/')) return true;
-                // .ai-team-templates/** ΓÇö Squad's own templates, stay on dev
+                // .ai-team-templates/** - Squad's own templates, stay on dev
                 if (f === '.ai-team-templates' || f.startsWith('.ai-team-templates/')) return true;
-                // team-docs/** ΓÇö ALL internal team docs, zero exceptions
+                // team-docs/** - ALL internal team docs, zero exceptions
                 if (f.startsWith('team-docs/')) return true;
-                // docs/proposals/** ΓÇö internal design proposals, stay on dev
+                // docs/proposals/** - internal design proposals, stay on dev
                 if (f.startsWith('docs/proposals/')) return true;
                 return false;
               });
 
             if (forbidden.length === 0) {
-              core.info('✅ No forbidden paths found in PR — all clear.');
+              core.info('[OK] No forbidden paths found in PR - all clear.');
               return;
             }
 
             // Build a clear, actionable error message
             const lines = [
-              '## 🚫 Forbidden files detected in PR to main',
+              '## [WARNING] Forbidden files detected in PR to main',
               '',
               'The following files must NOT be merged into `main`.',
-              '`.ai-team/` and `.squad/` are runtime team state ΓÇö they belong on dev branches only.',
-              '`.ai-team-templates/` is Squad\'s internal planning ΓÇö it belongs on dev branches only.',
-              '`team-docs/` is internal team content ΓÇö it belongs on dev branches only.',
-              '`docs/proposals/` is internal design proposals ΓÇö it belongs on dev branches only.',
+              '`.ai-team/` and `.squad/` are runtime team state - they belong on dev branches only.',
+              '`.ai-team-templates/` is Squad\'s internal planning - it belongs on dev branches only.',
+              '`team-docs/` is internal team content - it belongs on dev branches only.',
+              '`docs/proposals/` is internal design proposals - it belongs on dev branches only.',
               '',
               '### Forbidden files found:',
               '',
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ jobs:
               'git push',
               '```',
               '',
-              '> ⚠️ `.ai-team/` and `.squad/` are committed on `dev` and feature branches by design.',
+              '> [NOTE] `.ai-team/` and `.squad/` are committed on `dev` and feature branches by design.',
               '> The guard workflow is the enforcement mechanism that keeps these files off `main` and `preview`.',
               '> `git rm --cached` untracks them from this PR without deleting your local copies.',
             ];