diff --git a/src/queue/processors.ts b/src/queue/processors.ts
index 0f0f65b03a..2468f3613d 100644
--- a/src/queue/processors.ts
+++ b/src/queue/processors.ts
@@ -343,6 +343,7 @@ import {
   buildQueueHealth,
   buildRoleContext,
   detectGittensorContributor,
+  hasClearNoIssueRationale,
   PR_PANEL_RETRIGGER_MARKER,
   type ContributorProfile,
 } from "../signals/engine";
@@ -8671,6 +8672,7 @@ async function maybePublishPrPublicSurface(
         testFileCount: manifestFiles.filter((file) => isTestPath(file.path))
           .length,
         passedValidationCount: hasValidationNote(pr.body ?? "") ? 1 : 0,
+        hasNoIssueRationale: hasClearNoIssueRationale(pr),
       });
       const policyCodes = new Set([
         "manifest_blocked_path",
diff --git a/src/signals/engine.ts b/src/signals/engine.ts
index 03f25522f5..dfb79f23df 100644
--- a/src/signals/engine.ts
+++ b/src/signals/engine.ts
@@ -2556,7 +2556,7 @@ export function buildPreflightResult(
       action: maintainerAuthored ? "No action." : "Refresh registry data or choose a registered active repo.",
     });
   }
-  if (linkedIssues.length === 0 && lane.lane !== "issue_discovery") {
+  if (linkedIssues.length === 0 && lane.lane !== "issue_discovery" && !hasClearNoIssueRationale({ title: input.title, body: input.body })) {
     findings.push({
       code: "missing_linked_issue",
       severity: "warning",
@@ -2767,7 +2767,7 @@ export function buildPullRequestMaintainerPacket(args: {
       detail: "Gittensory does not have this pull request in the local cache.",
     });
   } else {
-    if (pr.linkedIssues.length === 0) {
+    if (pr.linkedIssues.length === 0 && !hasClearNoIssueRationale(pr)) {
       findings.push({
         code: "missing_linked_issue",
         severity: "warning",
diff --git a/src/signals/focus-manifest.ts b/src/signals/focus-manifest.ts
index 7127576653..de3ff8d6e5 100644
--- a/src/signals/focus-manifest.ts
+++ b/src/signals/focus-manifest.ts
@@ -587,11 +587,17 @@ export function buildFocusManifestGuidance(args: {
   linkedIssueCount?: number | undefined;
   testFileCount?: number | undefined;
   passedValidationCount?: number | undefined;
+  // Caller-computed (via hasClearNoIssueRationale in ../signals/engine, not imported here to avoid a
+  // circular dependency -- engine.ts already imports FocusManifest types from this module): a linked-issue-
+  // required/preferred manifest policy must not keep flagging a PR whose body already explains why no
+  // issue is linked, same exemption the "Linked issue" review-panel signal already applies.
+  hasNoIssueRationale?: boolean | undefined;
 }): FocusManifestGuidance {
   const { manifest } = args;
   const changedPaths = args.changedPaths.filter((path) => typeof path === "string" && path.length > 0);
   const labels = (args.labels ?? []).map((label) => label.toLowerCase());
   const linkedIssueCount = Math.max(0, args.linkedIssueCount ?? 0);
+  const hasNoIssueRationale = args.hasNoIssueRationale ?? false;
   const testFileCount = Math.max(0, args.testFileCount ?? 0);
   const passedValidationCount = Math.max(0, args.passedValidationCount ?? 0);
 
@@ -651,7 +657,7 @@ export function buildFocusManifestGuidance(args: {
     publicNextSteps.push(`Consider a maintainer-preferred label (${manifest.preferredLabels.slice(0, 3).join(", ")}).`);
   }
 
-  if (manifest.linkedIssuePolicy === "required" && linkedIssueCount === 0) {
+  if (manifest.linkedIssuePolicy === "required" && linkedIssueCount === 0 && !hasNoIssueRationale) {
     findings.push({
       code: "manifest_linked_issue_required",
       severity: "warning",
diff --git a/src/signals/local-branch.ts b/src/signals/local-branch.ts
index 1f69449aa1..dcf77c9421 100644
--- a/src/signals/local-branch.ts
+++ b/src/signals/local-branch.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import {
   buildQueueHealth,
   buildRepoFitRecommendation,
   buildRoleContext,
+  hasClearNoIssueRationale,
   type ContributorOutcomeHistory,
   type ContributorProfile,
   type ContributorScoringProfile,
@@ -308,6 +309,7 @@ export function buildLocalBranchAnalysis(args: {
     linkedIssueCount: preflight.linkedIssues.length,
     testFileCount: testFiles.length,
     passedValidationCount: validationSummary.passed,
+    hasNoIssueRationale: hasClearNoIssueRationale({ title, body: args.input.body }),
   });
   const localFindings = [
     ...buildLocalFindings(args.input, changedFiles, preflight, scorePreview, baseFreshness, githubBranchStatus, scorePreview.branchEligibility),
diff --git a/test/unit/focus-manifest.test.ts b/test/unit/focus-manifest.test.ts
index bcc97ea0cd..48bc13e80a 100644
--- a/test/unit/focus-manifest.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/focus-manifest.test.ts
@@ -583,6 +583,11 @@ describe("buildFocusManifestGuidance", () => {
     expect(guidance.findings.some((finding) => finding.code === "manifest_linked_issue_required")).toBe(true);
   });
 
+  it("REGRESSION (#no-issue-rationale-exemption): does not require a linked issue when the caller reports a clear no-issue rationale", () => {
+    const guidance = buildFocusManifestGuidance({ manifest: wanted, changedPaths: ["src/x.ts"], linkedIssueCount: 0, testFileCount: 1, hasNoIssueRationale: true });
+    expect(guidance.findings.some((finding) => finding.code === "manifest_linked_issue_required")).toBe(false);
+  });
+
   it("prefers a linked issue under the preferred policy", () => {
     const manifest = parseFocusManifest({ wantedPaths: ["src/"], linkedIssuePolicy: "preferred" });
     const guidance = buildFocusManifestGuidance({ manifest, changedPaths: ["src/x.ts"], linkedIssueCount: 0, testFileCount: 1 });
diff --git a/test/unit/signals-coverage.test.ts b/test/unit/signals-coverage.test.ts
index b1b70e7bc1..2fead07fcc 100644
--- a/test/unit/signals-coverage.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/signals-coverage.test.ts
@@ -269,7 +269,9 @@ describe("signal coverage edge cases", () => {
     expect(cleanPacket.suggestedActions).toEqual(["Queue looks manageable from cached Gittensory signals."]);
     expect(local.status).toBe("ready");
     expect(local.localDiff).toMatchObject({ codeFileCount: 1, testFileCount: 1, inferredLinkedIssues: [1] });
-    expect(directNoIssue.findings.map((finding) => finding.code)).toContain("missing_linked_issue");
+    // "No issue: typo fix" is a clear no-issue rationale (#no-issue-rationale-exemption) -- no
+    // missing_linked_issue finding despite zero linked issues.
+    expect(directNoIssue.findings.map((finding) => finding.code)).not.toContain("missing_linked_issue");
     expect(outsideUnknownLane).toMatchObject({ status: "hold" });
     expect(outsideUnknownLane.findings.find((finding) => finding.code === "lane_not_recommended")).toMatchObject({
       severity: "warning",
@@ -282,6 +284,15 @@ describe("signal coverage edge cases", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("REGRESSION (#no-issue-rationale-exemption): missing_linked_issue only fires without a clear no-issue rationale", () => {
+    const directRepo = repo("owner/direct");
+    const noRationale = buildPreflightResult({ repoFullName: directRepo.fullName, title: "Fix pagination", body: "Just a fix, no context." }, directRepo, [], []);
+    const withRationale = buildPreflightResult({ repoFullName: directRepo.fullName, title: "Fix pagination", body: "No issue: internal cleanup only." }, directRepo, [], []);
+
+    expect(noRationale.findings.map((finding) => finding.code)).toContain("missing_linked_issue");
+    expect(withRationale.findings.map((finding) => finding.code)).not.toContain("missing_linked_issue");
+  });
+
   it("recognizes GitHub's fully-qualified owner/repo#N closing reference, repo-scoped", () => {
     const directRepo = repo("owner/direct");
     const linkedIssuesFor = (body: string) =>
diff --git a/test/unit/signals-v2.test.ts b/test/unit/signals-v2.test.ts
index a5d685d871..8231874e74 100644
--- a/test/unit/signals-v2.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/signals-v2.test.ts
@@ -831,6 +831,23 @@ describe("v2 signal builders", () => {
     expect(missingPacket.findings.map((finding) => finding.code)).toContain("pr_not_cached");
   });
 
+  it("REGRESSION (#no-issue-rationale-exemption): buildPullRequestMaintainerPacket respects a clear no-issue rationale", () => {
+    const rationalePr = { ...pullRequests[0]!, linkedIssues: [], body: "No issue: docs typo fix." };
+    const rationalePacket = buildPullRequestMaintainerPacket({
+      repo,
+      pullRequest: rationalePr,
+      issues: [],
+      pullRequests: [rationalePr],
+      files: [],
+      reviews: [],
+      checks: [],
+      recentMergedPullRequests: [],
+      repoFullName: repo.fullName,
+      pullNumber: rationalePr.number,
+    });
+    expect(rationalePacket.findings.map((finding) => finding.code)).not.toContain("missing_linked_issue");
+  });
+
   it("handles registry change report boundaries and all tracked fields", () => {
     const onlyCurrent = snapshot("only", [{ repo: "JSONbored/gittensory", emissionShare: 0.02, issueDiscoveryShare: 0, labelMultipliers: {} }]);
     const current = snapshot("current", [