Phase 8: codify review-ready hand-off as a valid terminal state; never --admin; explicit human auth satisfies a do-not-auto-merge hold #39

Template gap (consolidated)

Phase 8 is written as if gh pr merge succeeds whenever no do-not-auto-merge path matches. On several real repos there is no autonomous merge path at all: main is branch-protected (requires an approving review) and/or repository auto-merge is disabled, so a clean, CI-green PR's true terminal state is open + self-review posted + awaiting human approval — not "merged". Separately, when a protected path does match, the skill is silent on what happens after the human codeowner explicitly authorizes the merge.

Rule to add to the template (Phase 8 / Edge cases)

• Make "review-ready hand-off" an explicit, expected Phase-8 terminal outcome for a clean PR when branch protection or disabled auto-merge blocks autonomous merge. Expect gh pr merge → the base branch policy prohibits the merge and --auto → Auto merge is not allowed for this repository. Do not use --admin to bypass a deliberately-configured human gate. A future self-audit must not score "could not auto-merge" as a failed cycle.
• A do-not-auto-merge path match blocks autonomous merge only. If the human codeowner explicitly authorizes the merge after being shown which protected path matched, that authorization satisfies the hold — proceed, but still run the Phase 7 docs sweep and Phase 8 regression gate first, and state in the merge report which protected path was overridden and by whose authorization.

Consolidates (close on merge of the template change)

• example-s-dev-loop#3 — auto-merge unreachable (protected main + auto-merge disabled)
• example-z-dev-loop#2 — do-not-auto-merge hold vs. explicit user authorization

Related repo-specific residue (left open): example-o-dev-loop#4 (gateway auto-deploys prod on merge), example-�-dev-loop#2 (foundational-phase hand-off is the norm).

Consolidated upstream from per-loop self-audit findings. drafted by Claude on behalf of Daniel Stephenson