diff --git a/src/queue/processors.ts b/src/queue/processors.ts
index fd81efb412..e4653c4ab4 100644
--- a/src/queue/processors.ts
+++ b/src/queue/processors.ts
@@ -3495,6 +3495,10 @@ export async function runAiReviewForAdvisory(
     // cached manifest. The CONFIG (not a fetch) is threaded in; the per-PR glob match against `files` happens
     // here (pure), so the AI path makes no extra manifest fetch. Absent/empty ⇒ byte-identical reviewer prompt.
     reviewPathInstructions?: ReviewPathInstruction[] | undefined;
+    // `.gittensory.yml` review.instructions (#review-instructions): a repo-level maintainer brief, resolved by the
+    // caller from the cached manifest, handed to the reviewer on EVERY review (bounded + public-safe at parse time).
+    // Absent/null ⇒ byte-identical reviewer prompt.
+    reviewInstructions?: string | null | undefined;
     // `.gittensory.yml` review.exclude_paths (#review-exclude-paths), resolved by the caller from the cached
     // manifest. Globs whose files are dropped from the AI review (diff + grounding + RAG) — generated/lockfiles
     // the maintainer doesn't want reviewed. Empty ⇒ every file is reviewed (byte-identical). The gate is unaffected.
@@ -3677,6 +3681,7 @@ export async function runAiReviewForAdvisory(
         args.reviewPathInstructions ?? [],
         files.map((file) => file.path),
       ),
+      repoInstructions: args.reviewInstructions ?? null,
     });
     if (result.status !== "ok") return undefined;
     const findings: AdvisoryFinding[] = [];
@@ -4466,6 +4471,7 @@ async function maybePublishPrPublicSurface(
           profile: reviewProfile,
           inlineComments: reviewInlineComments,
           pathInstructions: reviewPathInstructions,
+          instructions: reviewInstructions,
           excludePaths: reviewExcludePaths,
         } = resolveReviewPromptOverrides(
           await loadRepoFocusManifest(env, repoFullName).catch(() => null),
@@ -4485,6 +4491,7 @@ async function maybePublishPrPublicSurface(
           files: await getReviewFiles(),
           reviewProfile,
           reviewPathInstructions,
+          reviewInstructions,
           reviewExcludePaths,
           reviewInlineComments,
         });
diff --git a/src/services/ai-review.ts b/src/services/ai-review.ts
index 5a2db059dc..90e78ff644 100644
--- a/src/services/ai-review.ts
+++ b/src/services/ai-review.ts
@@ -155,6 +155,12 @@ export type GittensoryAiReviewInput = {
    * instructions passed the manifest's public-safe filter at parse time).
    */
   pathGuidance?: string | null | undefined;
+  /**
+   * `.gittensory.yml` `review.instructions` (#review-instructions) — a repo-level maintainer brief appended to EVERY
+   * review (vs the per-path pathGuidance). Bounded + public-safe at parse time, so it stays cost-cheap. Absent/null ⇒
+   * the reviewer prompt is byte-identical.
+   */
+  repoInstructions?: string | null | undefined;
   /**
    * `.gittensory.yml` `review.inline_comments` (#inline-comments) — when true (the caller has already ANDed the
    * operator flag + cutover allowlist + the per-repo manifest toggle), the reviewer is asked to ALSO emit an
@@ -455,8 +461,13 @@ function buildSystemPrompt(input: GittensoryAiReviewInput): string {
   // `.gittensory.yml` review.path_instructions (#review-path-instructions): the caller pre-resolved the entries
   // matching this PR's files into a prompt section; empty ⇒ nothing appended (byte-identical).
   const pathSuffix = input.pathGuidance?.trim() ? input.pathGuidance : "";
+  // `.gittensory.yml` review.instructions (#review-instructions): a repo-level maintainer brief appended to every
+  // review; empty ⇒ nothing appended (byte-identical).
+  const repoInstructionsSuffix = input.repoInstructions?.trim()
+    ? ` REPOSITORY REVIEW INSTRUCTIONS (maintainer conventions for this repo — honor them unless they conflict with a real defect): ${input.repoInstructions.trim()}`
+    : "";
   const inlineSuffix = input.inlineFindings ? INLINE_FINDINGS_SUFFIX : "";
-  return `${REVIEW_SYSTEM_PROMPT}${groundingSuffix}${enrichmentSuffix}${profileSuffix}${pathSuffix}${inlineSuffix}`;
+  return `${REVIEW_SYSTEM_PROMPT}${groundingSuffix}${enrichmentSuffix}${profileSuffix}${pathSuffix}${repoInstructionsSuffix}${inlineSuffix}`;
 }
 
 /** One Workers-AI opinion with a per-slot reliable fallback and a 3× retry on the primary. */
diff --git a/src/signals/focus-manifest.ts b/src/signals/focus-manifest.ts
index 53ad21103a..8d06eeee50 100644
--- a/src/signals/focus-manifest.ts
+++ b/src/signals/focus-manifest.ts
@@ -130,6 +130,11 @@ export type FocusManifestReviewConfig = {
   /** `review.path_instructions`: per-path natural-language guidance handed to the AI reviewer when the PR's
    *  changed files match the glob. Empty (default) ⇒ byte-identical reviewer prompt. (#review-path-instructions) */
   pathInstructions: ReviewPathInstruction[];
+  /** `review.instructions`: a repo-level natural-language brief handed to the AI reviewer on EVERY review (vs the
+   *  per-path path_instructions) — the maintainer's conventions/voice for this repo. Bounded + public-safe at parse
+   *  time (so it stays cost-cheap, unlike ingesting a whole CLAUDE.md). null (default, absent) ⇒ byte-identical
+   *  reviewer prompt. (#review-instructions) */
+  instructions: string | null;
   /** `review.exclude_paths`: globs whose matching files are EXCLUDED from the AI review (diff + grounding + RAG)
    *  — generated/vendored/lockfiles the maintainer doesn't want reviewed. Empty (default) ⇒ every file is
    *  reviewed (byte-identical). Gate/slop/secret-scan are UNAFFECTED — this only narrows the AI review.
@@ -266,7 +271,7 @@ const EMPTY_MANIFEST: FocusManifest = {
   publicNotes: [],
   gate: { ...EMPTY_GATE_CONFIG },
   settings: {},
-  review: { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {}, profile: null, inlineComments: null, pathInstructions: [], excludePaths: [], preMergeChecks: [] },
+  review: { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {}, profile: null, inlineComments: null, pathInstructions: [], instructions: null, excludePaths: [], preMergeChecks: [] },
   features: { ...EMPTY_FEATURES_CONFIG },
   warnings: [],
 };
@@ -280,7 +285,7 @@ export function isFocusManifestPublicSafe(text: string): boolean {
 }
 
 function emptyManifest(source: FocusManifestSource, warnings: string[] = []): FocusManifest {
-  return { ...EMPTY_MANIFEST, source, warnings, gate: { ...EMPTY_GATE_CONFIG }, settings: {}, review: { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {}, profile: null, inlineComments: null, pathInstructions: [], excludePaths: [], preMergeChecks: [] }, features: { ...EMPTY_FEATURES_CONFIG } };
+  return { ...EMPTY_MANIFEST, source, warnings, gate: { ...EMPTY_GATE_CONFIG }, settings: {}, review: { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {}, profile: null, inlineComments: null, pathInstructions: [], instructions: null, excludePaths: [], preMergeChecks: [] }, features: { ...EMPTY_FEATURES_CONFIG } };
 }
 
 function normalizeStringList(value: JsonValue | undefined, field: string, warnings: string[]): string[] {
@@ -603,7 +608,7 @@ function parsePublicSafeText(value: JsonValue | undefined, field: string, warnin
  * throws; invalid/unsafe values are dropped with warnings.
  */
 function parseReviewConfig(value: JsonValue | undefined, warnings: string[]): FocusManifestReviewConfig {
-  const empty: FocusManifestReviewConfig = { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {}, profile: null, inlineComments: null, pathInstructions: [], excludePaths: [], preMergeChecks: [] };
+  const empty: FocusManifestReviewConfig = { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {}, profile: null, inlineComments: null, pathInstructions: [], instructions: null, excludePaths: [], preMergeChecks: [] };
   if (value === undefined || value === null) return empty;
   if (typeof value !== "object" || Array.isArray(value)) {
     warnings.push(`Manifest field "review" must be a mapping; ignoring it.`);
@@ -626,6 +631,7 @@ function parseReviewConfig(value: JsonValue | undefined, warnings: string[]): Fo
   const profile = parseReviewProfile(r.profile, warnings);
   const inlineComments = normalizeOptionalBoolean(r.inline_comments, "review.inline_comments", warnings);
   const pathInstructions = parseReviewPathInstructions(r.path_instructions, warnings);
+  const instructions = parsePublicSafeText(r.instructions, "review.instructions", warnings);
   const excludePaths = parseReviewExcludePaths(r.exclude_paths, warnings);
   const preMergeChecks = parseReviewPreMergeChecks(r.pre_merge_checks, warnings);
   return {
@@ -635,6 +641,7 @@ function parseReviewConfig(value: JsonValue | undefined, warnings: string[]): Fo
       profile !== null ||
       inlineComments !== null ||
       pathInstructions.length > 0 ||
+      instructions !== null ||
       excludePaths.length > 0 ||
       preMergeChecks.length > 0 ||
       Object.keys(fields).length > 0,
@@ -644,6 +651,7 @@ function parseReviewConfig(value: JsonValue | undefined, warnings: string[]): Fo
     profile,
     inlineComments,
     pathInstructions,
+    instructions,
     excludePaths,
     preMergeChecks,
   };
@@ -823,10 +831,10 @@ export function resolveReviewPathInstructions(pathInstructions: ReviewPathInstru
  *  a possibly-null manifest (null = load failure). A null manifest yields the byte-identical defaults. Centralized
  *  so the AI-review caller threads them in one place with the null-manifest branch covered here (unit-tested)
  *  rather than inline in the processor. (#review-profile / #review-path-instructions / #review-exclude-paths) */
-export function resolveReviewPromptOverrides(manifest: FocusManifest | null): { profile: ReviewProfile | null; inlineComments: boolean; pathInstructions: ReviewPathInstruction[]; excludePaths: string[] } {
+export function resolveReviewPromptOverrides(manifest: FocusManifest | null): { profile: ReviewProfile | null; inlineComments: boolean; pathInstructions: ReviewPathInstruction[]; instructions: string | null; excludePaths: string[] } {
   // inlineComments resolves to a strict boolean — true ONLY when the manifest explicitly set review.inline_comments:
   // true; null/false/absent ⇒ false. The caller ANDs this per-repo toggle with the operator flag + cutover allowlist.
-  return { profile: manifest?.review.profile ?? null, inlineComments: manifest?.review.inlineComments === true, pathInstructions: manifest?.review.pathInstructions ?? [], excludePaths: manifest?.review.excludePaths ?? [] };
+  return { profile: manifest?.review.profile ?? null, inlineComments: manifest?.review.inlineComments === true, pathInstructions: manifest?.review.pathInstructions ?? [], instructions: manifest?.review.instructions ?? null, excludePaths: manifest?.review.excludePaths ?? [] };
 }
 
 /** Resolve `review.pre_merge_checks` from a possibly-null manifest (null = load failure ⇒ no checks). Centralized
diff --git a/test/unit/ai-review.test.ts b/test/unit/ai-review.test.ts
index 510063dcb3..1f844393d1 100644
--- a/test/unit/ai-review.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/ai-review.test.ts
@@ -330,6 +330,33 @@ describe("review.profile shapes the reviewer system prompt (#review-profile)", (
     );
   });
 
+  it("repoInstructions (#review-instructions) is appended to the system prompt; absent leaves it byte-identical", async () => {
+    const systemPromptOf = (run: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>): string =>
+      (run.mock.calls[0]?.[1] as { messages?: Array<{ content?: string }> })
+        ?.messages?.[0]?.content ?? "";
+    const runInstr = async (repoInstructions: string | undefined) => {
+      const run = vi.fn(async () => ({ response: reviewJson() }));
+      const env = createTestEnv({
+        AI: { run } as unknown as Ai,
+        AI_SUMMARIES_ENABLED: "true",
+        AI_PUBLIC_COMMENTS_ENABLED: "true",
+        AI_DAILY_NEURON_BUDGET: "100000",
+      });
+      await runGittensoryAiReview(env, { ...baseInput, repoInstructions });
+      return systemPromptOf(run);
+    };
+    const withInstr = await runInstr("Follow our async-error conventions.");
+    expect(withInstr).toContain("REPOSITORY REVIEW INSTRUCTIONS");
+    expect(withInstr).toContain("async-error conventions");
+    // Absent or whitespace-only → no append (byte-identical prompt).
+    expect(await runInstr(undefined)).not.toContain(
+      "REPOSITORY REVIEW INSTRUCTIONS",
+    );
+    expect(await runInstr("   ")).not.toContain(
+      "REPOSITORY REVIEW INSTRUCTIONS",
+    );
+  });
+
   it("the inline-findings instruction is appended to the system prompt ONLY when requested (#inline-comments)", async () => {
     const systemPromptOf = (run: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>): string =>
       (run.mock.calls[0]?.[1] as { messages?: Array<{ content?: string }> })
diff --git a/test/unit/focus-manifest.test.ts b/test/unit/focus-manifest.test.ts
index 8798d7f09b..ded633b296 100644
--- a/test/unit/focus-manifest.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/focus-manifest.test.ts
@@ -478,7 +478,7 @@ describe("compileFocusManifestPolicy", () => {
       publicNotes: ["Keep PRs focused.", "Maximize your reward payout"],
       gate: { present: false, enabled: null, pack: null, linkedIssue: null, duplicates: null, readinessMode: null, readinessMinScore: null, slopMode: null, slopMinScore: null, slopAiAdvisory: null, aiReviewMode: null, aiReviewByok: null, aiReviewProvider: null, aiReviewModel: null, aiReviewAllAuthors: null, mergeReadiness: null, selfAuthoredLinkedIssue: null, manifestPolicy: null, firstTimeContributorGrace: null },
       settings: {},
-      review: { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {}, profile: null, inlineComments: null, pathInstructions: [], excludePaths: [], preMergeChecks: [] },
+      review: { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {}, profile: null, inlineComments: null, pathInstructions: [], instructions: null, excludePaths: [], preMergeChecks: [] },
       features: { present: false, rag: null, reputation: null, unifiedComment: null, safety: null },
       warnings: [],
     });
@@ -1242,10 +1242,10 @@ describe("resolveReviewPathInstructions (#review-path-instructions)", () => {
   });
 
   it("resolveReviewPromptOverrides: non-null manifest passes the config through; null manifest → defaults", () => {
-    const manifest = parseFocusManifest({ review: { profile: "chill", inline_comments: true, path_instructions: [{ path: "src/**", instructions: "be strict" }], exclude_paths: ["**/*.lock"] } });
-    expect(resolveReviewPromptOverrides(manifest)).toEqual({ profile: "chill", inlineComments: true, pathInstructions: [{ path: "src/**", instructions: "be strict" }], excludePaths: ["**/*.lock"] });
+    const manifest = parseFocusManifest({ review: { profile: "chill", inline_comments: true, path_instructions: [{ path: "src/**", instructions: "be strict" }], instructions: "Follow our async-error conventions.", exclude_paths: ["**/*.lock"] } });
+    expect(resolveReviewPromptOverrides(manifest)).toEqual({ profile: "chill", inlineComments: true, pathInstructions: [{ path: "src/**", instructions: "be strict" }], instructions: "Follow our async-error conventions.", excludePaths: ["**/*.lock"] });
     // A null manifest (load failure) yields the byte-identical defaults; inline comments default OFF.
-    expect(resolveReviewPromptOverrides(null)).toEqual({ profile: null, inlineComments: false, pathInstructions: [], excludePaths: [] });
+    expect(resolveReviewPromptOverrides(null)).toEqual({ profile: null, inlineComments: false, pathInstructions: [], instructions: null, excludePaths: [] });
     // An explicit false / absent toggle both resolve to the strict-boolean false.
     expect(resolveReviewPromptOverrides(parseFocusManifest({ review: { inline_comments: false } })).inlineComments).toBe(false);
     expect(resolveReviewPromptOverrides(parseFocusManifest({ review: { profile: "chill" } })).inlineComments).toBe(false);
diff --git a/test/unit/signals-coverage.test.ts b/test/unit/signals-coverage.test.ts
index b55a3b20b2..ca9598329a 100644
--- a/test/unit/signals-coverage.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/signals-coverage.test.ts
@@ -904,7 +904,7 @@ describe("signal coverage edge cases", () => {
       collisions: buildCollisionReport(directRepo.fullName, [], [currentPr]),
       preflight: buildPreflightResult({ repoFullName: directRepo.fullName, title: "Fix isolated issue", body: "Fixes #99", linkedIssues: [99] }, directRepo, [], [currentPr]),
       settings: gateSettings,
-      review: { present: true, footerText: "Reviewed by the Acme maintainer bot.", note: "Run npm test before pushing.", fields: { relatedWork: false }, profile: null, inlineComments: null, pathInstructions: [], excludePaths: [], preMergeChecks: [] },
+      review: { present: true, footerText: "Reviewed by the Acme maintainer bot.", note: "Run npm test before pushing.", fields: { relatedWork: false }, profile: null, inlineComments: null, pathInstructions: [], instructions: null, excludePaths: [], preMergeChecks: [] },
       aiReview: { notes: "The change is focused.\n\n**Suggestions**\n- Add a test for the </details> edge case." },
     });
     expect(customizedComment).toContain("Reviewed by the Acme maintainer bot."); // custom footer lead