diff --git a/.github/workflows/claude-issue-triage.yml b/.github/workflows/claude-issue-triage.yml
index 701776e0e..9b4087ab4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/claude-issue-triage.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/claude-issue-triage.yml
@@ -24,8 +24,29 @@ jobs:
         with:
           claude_code_oauth_token: ${{ secrets.CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN }}
           track_progress: true  # Show triage progress
+          settings: |
+            {
+              "includeGitInstructions": false,
+              "permissions": {
+                "deny": [
+                  "Edit",
+                  "Write",
+                  "NotebookEdit",
+                  "Bash(git add *)",
+                  "Bash(git commit *)",
+                  "Bash(git rm *)",
+                  "Bash(git push *)",
+                  "Bash(*git-push.sh *)"
+                ]
+              }
+            }
           prompt: |
-            Analyze this new Basic Memory issue and perform triage:
+            Analyze this new Basic Memory issue and perform triage only.
+
+            **Scope Boundary:**
+            - Do not implement a fix, edit repository files, run tests, create a branch, commit, or push.
+            - The only permitted write actions are adding issue labels and posting issue comments.
+            - Even when the issue includes a root cause, suggested fix, or acceptance criteria, stop after triage.
 
             **Issue Analysis:**
             1. **Type Classification:**
@@ -56,7 +77,8 @@ jobs:
                - Complex: Major feature work, architectural changes
 
             **Actions to Take:**
-            1. Add appropriate labels using: `gh issue edit ${{ github.event.issue.number }} --add-label "label1,label2"`
+            1. Add appropriate labels using:
+               `./scripts/edit-issue-labels.sh --add-label label1 --add-label label2`
             2. Check for duplicates using: `gh search issues`
             3. If duplicate found, comment mentioning the original issue
             4. For feature requests, ask clarifying questions if needed
@@ -69,5 +91,8 @@ jobs:
             - Complexity: simple, medium, complex
             - Status: needs-reproduction, needs-clarification, duplicate
 
-            Read the issue carefully and provide helpful triage with appropriate labels.
-          claude_args: '--allowed-tools "Bash(gh issue:*),Bash(gh search:*),Read"'
+            Read the issue carefully, apply appropriate labels, post any necessary triage comment,
+            and then stop. Do not begin implementation work.
+          claude_args: |
+            --permission-mode dontAsk
+            --allowedTools "Bash(./scripts/edit-issue-labels.sh:*),Bash(gh issue view:*),Bash(gh issue comment:*),Bash(gh search issues:*),Read,Grep,Glob"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/claude.yml b/.github/workflows/claude.yml
index 7f330290b..af2c58de2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/claude.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/claude.yml
@@ -37,9 +37,12 @@ jobs:
       )
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     permissions:
-      contents: read
-      pull-requests: read
-      issues: read
+      # write access lets @claude push its working branch and open the PR;
+      # with contents:read the push failed as github-actions[bot] (403) and the
+      # run dead-ended after committing locally (see #1084).
+      contents: write
+      pull-requests: write
+      issues: write
       id-token: write
       actions: read # Required for Claude to read CI results on PRs
     steps:
@@ -64,7 +67,11 @@ jobs:
           # Optional: Give a custom prompt to Claude. If this is not specified, Claude will perform the instructions specified in the comment that tagged it.
           # prompt: 'Update the pull request description to include a summary of changes.'
 
-          # Optional: Add claude_args to customize behavior and configuration
+          # Allow the interpreters @claude needs to self-verify a change before
+          # opening the PR. The default Bash allowlist already covers git/gh and
+          # file edits (that part worked in #1084); it only blocked test runners,
+          # so this list is additive and scoped to project quality gates.
+          claude_args: '--allowed-tools "Bash(just:*),Bash(uv:*),Bash(uvx:*),Bash(pytest:*),Bash(ruff:*),Bash(python:*),Bash(python3:*)"'
+
           # See https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code-action/blob/main/docs/usage.md
           # or https://docs.claude.com/en/docs/claude-code/sdk#command-line for available options
-          # claude_args: '--model claude-opus-4-1-20250805 --allowed-tools Bash(gh pr:*)'
diff --git a/scripts/edit-issue-labels.sh b/scripts/edit-issue-labels.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..c21faccce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/edit-issue-labels.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# Limit automated issue triage to labels on the issue that triggered the workflow.
+set -euo pipefail
+
+issue_number=$(jq -r '.issue.number // empty' "${GITHUB_EVENT_PATH:?GITHUB_EVENT_PATH not set}")
+if ! [[ "$issue_number" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+    echo "Error: no issue number in event payload" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+labels=()
+while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
+    case "$1" in
+        --add-label)
+            if [[ $# -lt 2 ]]; then
+                echo "Error: --add-label requires a label" >&2
+                exit 1
+            fi
+            labels+=("$2")
+            shift 2
+            ;;
+        *)
+            echo "Error: only --add-label is accepted" >&2
+            exit 1
+            ;;
+    esac
+done
+
+if [[ ${#labels[@]} -eq 0 ]]; then
+    echo "Error: at least one label is required" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+valid_labels=$(gh label list --limit 500 --json name --jq '.[].name')
+filtered_labels=()
+for label in "${labels[@]}"; do
+    if grep -qxF "$label" <<<"$valid_labels"; then
+        filtered_labels+=("$label")
+    else
+        echo "Ignoring unknown label: $label" >&2
+    fi
+done
+
+if [[ ${#filtered_labels[@]} -eq 0 ]]; then
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+repository=${GITHUB_REPOSITORY:?GITHUB_REPOSITORY not set}
+labels_url="repos/$repository/issues/$issue_number/labels"
+api_args=(--method POST "$labels_url")
+for label in "${filtered_labels[@]}"; do
+    api_args+=(-f "labels[]=$label")
+done
+
+gh api "${api_args[@]}" --silent
+echo "Added: ${filtered_labels[*]}"