diff --git a/.gittensory.yml.example b/.gittensory.yml.example
index ab94e80503..b4d3333b2b 100644
--- a/.gittensory.yml.example
+++ b/.gittensory.yml.example
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ preferredLabels:
 
 # How strongly a linked issue is expected on a PR.
 # Values: required | preferred | optional. Default: optional.
+# `required` also auto-promotes gate.linkedIssue to `block` if it's still `off` (same convergence as the
+# dashboard "Require linked issue" toggle) -- this alone is enough to make a missing issue a real gate
+# blocker, no need to separately configure gate.linkedIssue too.
 linkedIssuePolicy: optional
 
 # Test paths/areas expected to change alongside code. When code changes without
@@ -145,7 +148,8 @@ gate:
   # Default: advisory (a missing issue is surfaced in the review panel but never blocks the gate; issues
   # aren't always available, e.g. small/self-evident fixes). Set `block` here, or turn on the dashboard
   # "Require linked issue" toggle, to make a missing issue an explicit opt-in blocker.
-  # (If the dashboard toggle is on but this is still `off`, it is auto-promoted to `block`.)
+  # (If the dashboard toggle is on, OR the top-level linkedIssuePolicy: required below is set, and this is
+  # still `off`, it is auto-promoted to `block` — all three knobs converge on this one gate.)
   # This is UNRELATED to closing a PR that links an INELIGIBLE issue (owner-assigned, wrong label, etc.) —
   # that is a separate, deterministic rule, not this gate.
   linkedIssue: advisory
diff --git a/config/examples/gittensory.full.yml b/config/examples/gittensory.full.yml
index 1667cbb52c..656ed73266 100644
--- a/config/examples/gittensory.full.yml
+++ b/config/examples/gittensory.full.yml
@@ -85,6 +85,9 @@ preferredLabels:
 
 # How strongly a linked issue is expected on a PR.
 # Values: required | preferred | optional. Default: optional.
+# `required` also auto-promotes gate.linkedIssue to `block` if it's still `off` (same convergence as the
+# dashboard "Require linked issue" toggle) -- this alone is enough to make a missing issue a real gate
+# blocker, no need to separately configure gate.linkedIssue too.
 linkedIssuePolicy: optional
 
 # Test paths/areas expected to change alongside code. When code changes without
@@ -158,7 +161,8 @@ gate:
   # Default: advisory (a missing issue is surfaced in the review panel but never blocks the gate; issues
   # aren't always available, e.g. small/self-evident fixes). Set `block` here, or turn on the dashboard
   # "Require linked issue" toggle, to make a missing issue an explicit opt-in blocker.
-  # (If the dashboard toggle is on but this is still `off`, it is auto-promoted to `block`.)
+  # (If the dashboard toggle is on, OR the top-level linkedIssuePolicy: required below is set, and this is
+  # still `off`, it is auto-promoted to `block` — all three knobs converge on this one gate.)
   # This is UNRELATED to closing a PR that links an INELIGIBLE issue (owner-assigned, wrong label, etc.) —
   # that is a separate, deterministic rule, not this gate.
   linkedIssue: advisory
diff --git a/packages/gittensory-engine/src/advisory/gate-advisory.ts b/packages/gittensory-engine/src/advisory/gate-advisory.ts
index f67ea2052a..62fd986eae 100644
--- a/packages/gittensory-engine/src/advisory/gate-advisory.ts
+++ b/packages/gittensory-engine/src/advisory/gate-advisory.ts
@@ -576,11 +576,20 @@ function isConfiguredGateBlocker(finding: AdvisoryFinding, policy: GateCheckPoli
   // when the maintainer configured an enforced check). The advisory variant (`pre_merge_check_failed`) is a plain
   // warning and is never blocked here. No AI judgment is involved, so this can never cause an AI false-close.
   if (code === "pre_merge_check_required") return true;
-  // Focus-manifest policy (#555): linked-issue/test policy findings block ONLY when the maintainer opts into
-  // manifestPolicy: block. Path holds are intentionally separate and configured via hardGuardrailGlobs.
-  if (code === "manifest_linked_issue_required" || code === "manifest_missing_tests") {
+  // Focus-manifest missing-tests policy (#555): blocks ONLY when the maintainer opts into manifestPolicy:
+  // block. Path holds are intentionally separate and configured via hardGuardrailGlobs.
+  if (code === "manifest_missing_tests") {
     return gatePolicyBlocks(policy.manifestPolicyGateMode, "off");
   }
+  // Focus-manifest linked-issue policy (#555, #4618): blocks when EITHER the manifest-policy gate OR the
+  // linked-issue gate is opted into block. resolveEffectiveSettings promotes linkedIssueGateMode to "block"
+  // whenever the yml-only `linkedIssuePolicy: required` knob is set (mirroring the requireLinkedIssue
+  // promotion), so this finding's own escalation must honor that gate too -- not just manifestPolicyGateMode
+  // -- or the promotion would have no actual blocking effect and the config-surface-reduction fix would be a
+  // no-op.
+  if (code === "manifest_linked_issue_required") {
+    return gatePolicyBlocks(policy.manifestPolicyGateMode, "off") || gatePolicyBlocks(policy.linkedIssueGateMode, "advisory");
+  }
   // Self-authored linked-issue gate: blocks only when the maintainer opts in with `block`. Defaults to
   // advisory — the finding surfaces in the panel without ever closing the PR unless explicitly configured.
   if (code === "self_authored_linked_issue") return gatePolicyBlocks(policy.selfAuthoredLinkedIssueGateMode, "advisory");
diff --git a/src/rules/advisory.ts b/src/rules/advisory.ts
index 281004b7bf..c6265a4306 100644
--- a/src/rules/advisory.ts
+++ b/src/rules/advisory.ts
@@ -946,11 +946,20 @@ function isConfiguredGateBlocker(finding: AdvisoryFinding, policy: GateCheckPoli
   // when the maintainer configured an enforced check). The advisory variant (`pre_merge_check_failed`) is a plain
   // warning and is never blocked here. No AI judgment is involved, so this can never cause an AI false-close.
   if (code === "pre_merge_check_required") return true;
-  // Focus-manifest policy (#555): linked-issue/test policy findings block ONLY when the maintainer opts into
-  // manifestPolicy: block. Path holds are intentionally separate and configured via hardGuardrailGlobs.
-  if (code === "manifest_linked_issue_required" || code === "manifest_missing_tests") {
+  // Focus-manifest missing-tests policy (#555): blocks ONLY when the maintainer opts into manifestPolicy:
+  // block. Path holds are intentionally separate and configured via hardGuardrailGlobs.
+  if (code === "manifest_missing_tests") {
     return gateMode(policy.manifestPolicyGateMode ?? "off") === "block";
   }
+  // Focus-manifest linked-issue policy (#555, #4618): blocks when EITHER the manifest-policy gate OR the
+  // linked-issue gate is opted into block. resolveEffectiveSettings promotes linkedIssueGateMode to "block"
+  // whenever the yml-only `linkedIssuePolicy: required` knob is set (mirroring the requireLinkedIssue
+  // promotion), so this finding's own escalation must honor that gate too -- not just manifestPolicyGateMode
+  // -- or the promotion would have no actual blocking effect and the config-surface-reduction fix would be a
+  // no-op.
+  if (code === "manifest_linked_issue_required") {
+    return gateMode(policy.manifestPolicyGateMode ?? "off") === "block" || gateMode(policy.linkedIssueGateMode ?? "advisory") === "block";
+  }
   // Self-authored linked-issue gate: blocks only when the maintainer opts in with `block`. Defaults to
   // advisory — the finding surfaces in the panel without ever closing the PR unless explicitly configured.
   if (code === "self_authored_linked_issue") return gateMode(policy.selfAuthoredLinkedIssueGateMode ?? "advisory") === "block";
diff --git a/src/signals/focus-manifest.ts b/src/signals/focus-manifest.ts
index 30b6e94685..be7118e998 100644
--- a/src/signals/focus-manifest.ts
+++ b/src/signals/focus-manifest.ts
@@ -590,7 +590,11 @@ export function resolveEffectiveSettings(
   applyGateConfigOverrides(effective, manifest.gate);
   // The dashboard "Require linked issue" toggle must not silently diverge from gate blocking: when the
   // boolean is on but linkedIssueGateMode is still off, treat it as a block requirement (#797).
-  if (effective.requireLinkedIssue && effective.linkedIssueGateMode === "off") {
+  // #4618: the yml-only top-level `linkedIssuePolicy: required` knob gets the same promotion -- previously a
+  // self-hoster who set ONLY this (never touching the differently-worded `gate.linkedIssue: block`) got an
+  // advisory `manifest_linked_issue_required` nudge but no real gate blocker, a silent no-op that could only
+  // be discovered by cross-referencing a completely different section of the config file.
+  if ((effective.requireLinkedIssue || manifest.linkedIssuePolicy === "required") && effective.linkedIssueGateMode === "off") {
     effective.linkedIssueGateMode = "block";
   }
   // Readiness/quality can never hard-block a PR (buildQualityGateWarning is always advisory-severity;
diff --git a/test/unit/focus-manifest.test.ts b/test/unit/focus-manifest.test.ts
index 01eb25d330..ba2a38ae4c 100644
--- a/test/unit/focus-manifest.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/focus-manifest.test.ts
@@ -3079,6 +3079,30 @@ describe("parseFocusManifest settings override + resolveEffectiveSettings", () =
     expect(eff.linkedIssueGateMode).toBe("block");
   });
 
+  it("promotes yml linkedIssuePolicy: required to linkedIssueGateMode block when the gate mode is still off (#4618)", () => {
+    const eff = resolveEffectiveSettings(
+      { requireLinkedIssue: false, linkedIssueGateMode: "off" } as RepositorySettings,
+      parseFocusManifest({ linkedIssuePolicy: "required" }),
+    );
+    expect(eff.linkedIssueGateMode).toBe("block");
+  });
+
+  it("linkedIssuePolicy: preferred does NOT promote linkedIssueGateMode -- only required does (#4618)", () => {
+    const eff = resolveEffectiveSettings(
+      { requireLinkedIssue: false, linkedIssueGateMode: "off" } as RepositorySettings,
+      parseFocusManifest({ linkedIssuePolicy: "preferred" }),
+    );
+    expect(eff.linkedIssueGateMode).toBe("off");
+  });
+
+  it("linkedIssuePolicy: required does NOT downgrade an explicit gate.linkedIssue: advisory override (gate: wins, #4618)", () => {
+    const eff = resolveEffectiveSettings(
+      { requireLinkedIssue: false, linkedIssueGateMode: "off" } as RepositorySettings,
+      parseFocusManifest({ linkedIssuePolicy: "required", gate: { linkedIssue: "advisory" } }),
+    );
+    expect(eff.linkedIssueGateMode).toBe("advisory");
+  });
+
   it("REGRESSION: downgrades a pre-existing DB qualityGateMode: block to advisory, even with no gate.readiness.mode override (#2267)", () => {
     // Simulates a repo whose DB row already has quality_gate_mode = "block" from before the write-time guards
     // (the settings.qualityGateMode parser, the settings-write API routes) existed — the dashboard/API path's
diff --git a/test/unit/gate-check-policy.test.ts b/test/unit/gate-check-policy.test.ts
index 9815779dc3..91ad56bf2f 100644
--- a/test/unit/gate-check-policy.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/gate-check-policy.test.ts
@@ -674,6 +674,50 @@ describe("focus-manifest policy gate (#555)", () => {
     });
   }
 
+  describe("manifest_linked_issue_required also escalates via linkedIssueGateMode (#4618)", () => {
+    // #4618: resolveEffectiveSettings promotes linkedIssueGateMode to "block" whenever the yml-only
+    // linkedIssuePolicy: required knob is set (mirroring the requireLinkedIssue promotion). That promotion
+    // is a no-op unless this finding's own escalation actually honors linkedIssueGateMode too -- it must NOT
+    // require manifestPolicyGateMode: block as well, or a self-hoster who only ever sets linkedIssuePolicy
+    // still gets no real blocker. manifest_missing_tests is unaffected -- it stays keyed to manifestPolicyGateMode alone.
+    it("blocks a confirmed contributor via linkedIssueGateMode: block ALONE, with manifestPolicyGateMode entirely omitted (exercises its ?? 'off' fallback)", () => {
+      const result = evaluateGateCheck(manifestAdvisory("manifest_linked_issue_required"), { linkedIssueGateMode: "block", confirmedContributor: true });
+      expect(result.conclusion).toBe("failure");
+      expect(result.blockers.map((finding) => finding.code)).toContain("manifest_linked_issue_required");
+    });
+
+    it("still blocks via manifestPolicyGateMode: block ALONE, with linkedIssueGateMode advisory (back-compat)", () => {
+      const result = evaluateGateCheck(manifestAdvisory("manifest_linked_issue_required"), { manifestPolicyGateMode: "block", linkedIssueGateMode: "advisory", confirmedContributor: true });
+      expect(result.conclusion).toBe("failure");
+      expect(result.blockers.map((finding) => finding.code)).toContain("manifest_linked_issue_required");
+    });
+
+    it("stays advisory-only when BOTH gates are off/advisory", () => {
+      expect(evaluateGateCheck(manifestAdvisory("manifest_linked_issue_required"), { manifestPolicyGateMode: "off", linkedIssueGateMode: "advisory", confirmedContributor: true }).conclusion).toBe("success");
+    });
+
+    it("manifest_missing_tests is NOT escalated by linkedIssueGateMode -- only manifestPolicyGateMode governs it", () => {
+      const result = evaluateGateCheck(manifestAdvisory("manifest_missing_tests"), { manifestPolicyGateMode: "off", linkedIssueGateMode: "block", confirmedContributor: true });
+      expect(result.conclusion).toBe("success");
+    });
+
+    it("manifest_missing_tests stays non-blocking under the manifestPolicyGateMode ?? 'off' fallback when the policy field is entirely omitted", () => {
+      expect(evaluateGateCheck(manifestAdvisory("manifest_missing_tests"), { confirmedContributor: true }).conclusion).toBe("success");
+    });
+
+    it("manifest_linked_issue_required stays non-blocking under the linkedIssueGateMode ?? 'advisory' fallback when that field is entirely omitted (manifestPolicyGateMode off)", () => {
+      expect(evaluateGateCheck(manifestAdvisory("manifest_linked_issue_required"), { manifestPolicyGateMode: "off", confirmedContributor: true }).conclusion).toBe("success");
+    });
+
+    it("end-to-end: linkedIssuePolicy: required alone (no gate.linkedIssue, no manifestPolicy) produces a real gate blocker", () => {
+      const eff = resolveEffectiveSettings(settings({ linkedIssueGateMode: "off", manifestPolicyGateMode: "off" }), parseFocusManifest({ linkedIssuePolicy: "required" }));
+      expect(eff.linkedIssueGateMode).toBe("block");
+      const result = evaluateGateCheck(manifestAdvisory("manifest_linked_issue_required"), gateCheckPolicy(eff, null, true));
+      expect(result.conclusion).toBe("failure");
+      expect(result.blockers.map((finding) => finding.code)).toContain("manifest_linked_issue_required");
+    });
+  });
+
   it("ignores legacy manifest_blocked_path findings even when manifestPolicy:block is enabled", () => {
     const advisory: Advisory = {
       ...missingIssueAdvisory(),