diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index fca448ce..5dfdea03 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -98,3 +98,19 @@ This section applies to any agent (Claude, Codex, Cursor, opencode, ...) working
 - Do not justify risky debug defaults as temporary shortcuts.
 - Do not defer dependency review, SBOM generation, or supply-chain checks to a later phase.
 - Do not defer Windows or macOS build enforcement to a later phase.
+
+## CODEOWNERS-based merge gates — off, on hold
+
+Recorded 2026-08-04. CODEOWNERS approval gates (`require_code_owner_reviews` in branch
+protection, `require_code_owner_review` in rulesets) are disabled across ContextualWisdomLab:
+the org has a single maintainer, so a code-owner approval can never be supplied and any PR
+carrying such a gate is unmergeable. Do not re-add one to this repository until the org has
+more than one maintainer.
+
+Scope: this covers CODEOWNERS gates only. Every other review requirement — independent
+write-capable approval, required status checks, exact-head evidence — stays in force and is
+unaffected.
+
+Authority: the policy and its re-enable criteria live in `ContextualWisdomLab/.github`. This
+note is a non-authoritative pointer so that agents working in this repository do not
+re-introduce the gate; if it ever disagrees with central governance, central governance wins.