diff --git a/packages/gittensory-engine/package.json b/packages/gittensory-engine/package.json
index ea44365380..8a697dfc23 100644
--- a/packages/gittensory-engine/package.json
+++ b/packages/gittensory-engine/package.json
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@
     ".": {
       "types": "./dist/index.d.ts",
       "default": "./dist/index.js"
+    },
+    "./miner-goal-spec-parse": {
+      "types": "./dist/miner-goal-spec-parse.d.ts",
+      "default": "./dist/miner-goal-spec-parse.js"
     }
   },
   "files": [
diff --git a/packages/gittensory-engine/src/miner-goal-spec-parse.ts b/packages/gittensory-engine/src/miner-goal-spec-parse.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a2b177ab58
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/gittensory-engine/src/miner-goal-spec-parse.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+import {
+  DEFAULT_MINER_GOAL_SPEC,
+  type MinerGoalSpec,
+  type MinerIssueDiscoveryPolicy,
+} from "./miner-goal-spec.js";
+
+export type MinerGoalSpecParseResult = {
+  present: boolean;
+  spec: Readonly<MinerGoalSpec>;
+  warnings: readonly string[];
+};
+
+const MAX_LIST_ENTRIES = 200;
+const MAX_STRING_LEN = 300;
+const POLICIES = new Set<MinerIssueDiscoveryPolicy>(["encouraged", "neutral", "discouraged"]);
+
+function freezeSpec(spec: MinerGoalSpec): Readonly<MinerGoalSpec> {
+  return Object.freeze({
+    ...spec,
+    wantedPaths: Object.freeze([...spec.wantedPaths]),
+    blockedPaths: Object.freeze([...spec.blockedPaths]),
+    preferredLabels: Object.freeze([...spec.preferredLabels]),
+  });
+}
+
+function parseStringList(value: unknown, field: string, warnings: string[]): string[] {
+  if (value === undefined) return [];
+  if (!Array.isArray(value)) {
+    warnings.push(`MinerGoalSpec field "${field}" must be an array; ignoring.`);
+    return [];
+  }
+  const seen = new Set<string>();
+  const out: string[] = [];
+  for (const entry of value) {
+    if (typeof entry !== "string") {
+      warnings.push(`MinerGoalSpec field "${field}" entries must be strings; skipping non-string.`);
+      continue;
+    }
+    const trimmed = entry.trim();
+    if (!trimmed || trimmed.length > MAX_STRING_LEN) continue;
+    if (seen.has(trimmed)) continue;
+    seen.add(trimmed);
+    out.push(trimmed);
+    if (out.length >= MAX_LIST_ENTRIES) break;
+  }
+  return out;
+}
+
+function parseBoolean(value: unknown, field: string, fallback: boolean, warnings: string[]): boolean {
+  if (value === undefined) return fallback;
+  if (typeof value === "boolean") return value;
+  warnings.push(`MinerGoalSpec field "${field}" must be a boolean; using default.`);
+  return fallback;
+}
+
+function parseClaims(value: unknown, warnings: string[]): number {
+  if (value === undefined) return DEFAULT_MINER_GOAL_SPEC.maxConcurrentClaims;
+  if (typeof value !== "number" || !Number.isFinite(value)) {
+    warnings.push(`MinerGoalSpec field "maxConcurrentClaims" must be a number; using default.`);
+    return DEFAULT_MINER_GOAL_SPEC.maxConcurrentClaims;
+  }
+  const floored = Math.floor(value);
+  if (floored < 1) {
+    warnings.push(`MinerGoalSpec field "maxConcurrentClaims" must be >= 1; using 1.`);
+    return 1;
+  }
+  return floored;
+}
+
+function parsePolicy(value: unknown, warnings: string[]): MinerIssueDiscoveryPolicy {
+  if (value === undefined) return DEFAULT_MINER_GOAL_SPEC.issueDiscoveryPolicy;
+  if (typeof value !== "string") {
+    warnings.push(`MinerGoalSpec field "issueDiscoveryPolicy" must be a string; using neutral.`);
+    return "neutral";
+  }
+  const normalized = value.trim().toLowerCase();
+  if (POLICIES.has(normalized as MinerIssueDiscoveryPolicy)) return normalized as MinerIssueDiscoveryPolicy;
+  warnings.push(
+    `MinerGoalSpec field "issueDiscoveryPolicy" must be encouraged, neutral, or discouraged; using neutral.`,
+  );
+  return "neutral";
+}
+
+/** Parse raw JSON/YAML-decoded config into a deep-frozen {@link MinerGoalSpec}. Pure — no IO. */
+export function parseMinerGoalSpec(raw: unknown): MinerGoalSpecParseResult {
+  if (raw === null || raw === undefined || typeof raw !== "object" || Array.isArray(raw)) {
+    return { present: false, spec: DEFAULT_MINER_GOAL_SPEC, warnings: [] };
+  }
+
+  const record = raw as Record<string, unknown>;
+  const warnings: string[] = [];
+  const present = Object.keys(record).length > 0;
+
+  const spec = freezeSpec({
+    minerEnabled: parseBoolean(record.minerEnabled, "minerEnabled", DEFAULT_MINER_GOAL_SPEC.minerEnabled, warnings),
+    wantedPaths: parseStringList(record.wantedPaths, "wantedPaths", warnings),
+    blockedPaths: parseStringList(record.blockedPaths, "blockedPaths", warnings),
+    preferredLabels: parseStringList(record.preferredLabels, "preferredLabels", warnings),
+    maxConcurrentClaims: parseClaims(record.maxConcurrentClaims, warnings),
+    issueDiscoveryPolicy: parsePolicy(record.issueDiscoveryPolicy, warnings),
+  });
+
+  return { present, spec, warnings: Object.freeze(warnings) };
+}
diff --git a/packages/gittensory-engine/test/miner-goal-spec-parse.test.ts b/packages/gittensory-engine/test/miner-goal-spec-parse.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b6c43406d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/gittensory-engine/test/miner-goal-spec-parse.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+import { test } from "node:test";
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+
+import { DEFAULT_MINER_GOAL_SPEC } from "../dist/miner-goal-spec.js";
+import { parseMinerGoalSpec } from "../dist/miner-goal-spec-parse.js";
+
+test("parseMinerGoalSpec returns defaults for missing or non-object input", () => {
+  for (const raw of [undefined, null, "nope", 42, []]) {
+    const result = parseMinerGoalSpec(raw);
+    assert.equal(result.present, false);
+    assert.equal(result.spec, DEFAULT_MINER_GOAL_SPEC);
+    assert.deepEqual(result.warnings, []);
+  }
+});
+
+test("parseMinerGoalSpec coerces a full valid object and marks present", () => {
+  const result = parseMinerGoalSpec({
+    minerEnabled: false,
+    wantedPaths: [" src/** ", "src/**"],
+    blockedPaths: ["dist/**"],
+    preferredLabels: [" bug ", "feature"],
+    maxConcurrentClaims: 3,
+    issueDiscoveryPolicy: "ENCOURAGED",
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(result.present, true);
+  assert.deepEqual(result.spec, {
+    minerEnabled: false,
+    wantedPaths: ["src/**"],
+    blockedPaths: ["dist/**"],
+    preferredLabels: ["bug", "feature"],
+    maxConcurrentClaims: 3,
+    issueDiscoveryPolicy: "encouraged",
+  });
+  assert.deepEqual(result.warnings, []);
+  assert.ok(Object.isFrozen(result.spec));
+  assert.ok(Object.isFrozen(result.spec.wantedPaths));
+});
+
+test("parseMinerGoalSpec floors claims and rejects values below 1", () => {
+  const floored = parseMinerGoalSpec({ maxConcurrentClaims: 2.9 });
+  assert.equal(floored.spec.maxConcurrentClaims, 2);
+
+  const zero = parseMinerGoalSpec({ maxConcurrentClaims: 0 });
+  assert.equal(zero.spec.maxConcurrentClaims, 1);
+  assert.match(zero.warnings.join(" "), /maxConcurrentClaims/);
+});
+
+test("parseMinerGoalSpec warns and falls back on malformed fields", () => {
+  const result = parseMinerGoalSpec({
+    minerEnabled: "yes",
+    wantedPaths: "src/**",
+    maxConcurrentClaims: "two",
+    issueDiscoveryPolicy: "aggressive",
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(result.present, true);
+  assert.equal(result.spec.minerEnabled, DEFAULT_MINER_GOAL_SPEC.minerEnabled);
+  assert.deepEqual(result.spec.wantedPaths, []);
+  assert.equal(result.spec.maxConcurrentClaims, DEFAULT_MINER_GOAL_SPEC.maxConcurrentClaims);
+  assert.equal(result.spec.issueDiscoveryPolicy, "neutral");
+  assert.ok(result.warnings.length >= 4);
+});