diff --git a/actions/setup/js/add_labels.cjs b/actions/setup/js/add_labels.cjs
index a2c4865c3f8..469ce2a56d7 100644
--- a/actions/setup/js/add_labels.cjs
+++ b/actions/setup/js/add_labels.cjs
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ const { attachExecutionState, fetchIssueState, normalizeLabelNames } = require("
 const { MAX_LABELS } = require("./constants.cjs");
 const { createCountGatedHandler } = require("./handler_scaffold.cjs");
 const { withRetry, RATE_LIMIT_RETRY_CONFIG } = require("./error_recovery.cjs");
+const { resolveInvocationContext } = require("./invocation_context_helpers.cjs");
 
 /**
  * Main handler factory for add_labels
@@ -78,7 +79,8 @@ const main = createCountGatedHandler({
       // Accept common aliases: issue_number, pr_number, and pull_number are normalised to item_number
       const targetResult = resolveSafeOutputIssueTarget({ message, resolvedTemporaryIds, repoParts, handlerType: HANDLER_TYPE });
       if (!targetResult.success) return targetResult;
-      const itemNumber = targetResult.number ?? context.payload?.issue?.number ?? context.payload?.pull_request?.number;
+      const effectiveContext = resolveInvocationContext(context);
+      const itemNumber = targetResult.number ?? effectiveContext.eventPayload?.issue?.number ?? effectiveContext.eventPayload?.pull_request?.number;
 
       if (!itemNumber || Number.isNaN(Number(itemNumber))) {
         const error = "No issue/PR number available";
@@ -86,7 +88,7 @@ const main = createCountGatedHandler({
         return { success: false, error };
       }
 
-      const contextType = context.payload?.pull_request ? "pull request" : "issue";
+      const contextType = effectiveContext.eventPayload?.pull_request ? "pull request" : "issue";
       const requestedLabels = message.labels ?? [];
       core.info(`Requested labels: ${JSON.stringify(requestedLabels)}`);
 
diff --git a/actions/setup/js/add_labels.test.cjs b/actions/setup/js/add_labels.test.cjs
index 81529fba70e..fbd0dceec57 100644
--- a/actions/setup/js/add_labels.test.cjs
+++ b/actions/setup/js/add_labels.test.cjs
@@ -201,6 +201,40 @@ describe("add_labels", () => {
       expect(result.contextType).toBe("issue");
     });
 
+    it("should add labels from workflow_dispatch aw_context when issue payload is absent", async () => {
+      mockContext.eventName = "workflow_dispatch";
+      mockContext.payload = {
+        inputs: {
+          aw_context: JSON.stringify({
+            event_type: "issue_comment",
+            item_type: "issue",
+            item_number: 456,
+            repo: "test-owner/test-repo",
+          }),
+        },
+      };
+
+      const handler = await main({ max: 10 });
+      const addLabelsCalls = [];
+
+      mockGithub.rest.issues.addLabels = async params => {
+        addLabelsCalls.push(params);
+        return {};
+      };
+
+      const result = await handler(
+        {
+          labels: ["documentation"],
+        },
+        {}
+      );
+
+      expect(result.success).toBe(true);
+      expect(result.number).toBe(456);
+      expect(result.contextType).toBe("issue");
+      expect(addLabelsCalls[0].issue_number).toBe(456);
+    });
+
     it("should add labels to a pull request from context", async () => {
       mockContext.payload = {
         pull_request: {
diff --git a/actions/setup/js/remove_labels.cjs b/actions/setup/js/remove_labels.cjs
index 6b90769ebc7..494f4cf16e1 100644
--- a/actions/setup/js/remove_labels.cjs
+++ b/actions/setup/js/remove_labels.cjs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ const { logStagedPreviewInfo } = require("./staged_preview.cjs");
 const { createAuthenticatedGitHubClient } = require("./handler_auth.cjs");
 const { resolveSafeOutputIssueTarget } = require("./temporary_id.cjs");
 const { createCountGatedHandler } = require("./handler_scaffold.cjs");
+const { resolveInvocationContext } = require("./invocation_context_helpers.cjs");
 
 /**
  * Main handler factory for remove_labels
@@ -69,7 +70,8 @@ const main = createCountGatedHandler({
       // Accept common aliases: issue_number, pr_number, and pull_number are normalised to item_number
       const targetResult = resolveSafeOutputIssueTarget({ message, resolvedTemporaryIds, repoParts, handlerType: HANDLER_TYPE });
       if (!targetResult.success) return targetResult;
-      const itemNumber = targetResult.number ?? context.payload?.issue?.number ?? context.payload?.pull_request?.number;
+      const effectiveContext = resolveInvocationContext(context);
+      const itemNumber = targetResult.number ?? effectiveContext.eventPayload?.issue?.number ?? effectiveContext.eventPayload?.pull_request?.number;
 
       if (!itemNumber || Number.isNaN(Number(itemNumber))) {
         const error = "No issue/PR number available";
@@ -77,7 +79,7 @@ const main = createCountGatedHandler({
         return { success: false, error };
       }
 
-      const contextType = context.payload?.pull_request ? "pull request" : "issue";
+      const contextType = effectiveContext.eventPayload?.pull_request ? "pull request" : "issue";
       const requestedLabels = message.labels ?? [];
       core.info(`Requested labels to remove: ${JSON.stringify(requestedLabels)}`);
 
diff --git a/actions/setup/js/remove_labels.test.cjs b/actions/setup/js/remove_labels.test.cjs
index 6f4e0a455af..e5e32bd0a17 100644
--- a/actions/setup/js/remove_labels.test.cjs
+++ b/actions/setup/js/remove_labels.test.cjs
@@ -195,6 +195,40 @@ describe("remove_labels", () => {
       expect(result.contextType).toBe("issue");
     });
 
+    it("should remove labels from workflow_dispatch aw_context when issue payload is absent", async () => {
+      mockContext.eventName = "workflow_dispatch";
+      mockContext.payload = {
+        inputs: {
+          aw_context: JSON.stringify({
+            event_type: "issue_comment",
+            item_type: "issue",
+            item_number: 456,
+            repo: "test-owner/test-repo",
+          }),
+        },
+      };
+
+      const handler = await main({ max: 10 });
+      const removeLabelCalls = [];
+
+      mockGithub.rest.issues.removeLabel = async params => {
+        removeLabelCalls.push(params);
+        return {};
+      };
+
+      const result = await handler(
+        {
+          labels: ["documentation"],
+        },
+        {}
+      );
+
+      expect(result.success).toBe(true);
+      expect(result.number).toBe(456);
+      expect(result.contextType).toBe("issue");
+      expect(removeLabelCalls[0].issue_number).toBe(456);
+    });
+
     it("should remove labels from a pull request from context", async () => {
       mockContext.payload = {
         pull_request: {
diff --git a/actions/setup/js/safe_output_helpers.cjs b/actions/setup/js/safe_output_helpers.cjs
index 9e6f02b55c0..c89ab62d2b9 100644
--- a/actions/setup/js/safe_output_helpers.cjs
+++ b/actions/setup/js/safe_output_helpers.cjs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 const { getErrorMessage } = require("./error_helpers.cjs");
 const { matchesSimpleGlob } = require("./glob_pattern_helpers.cjs");
 const { logStagedPreviewInfo } = require("./staged_preview.cjs");
+const { resolveInvocationContext } = require("./invocation_context_helpers.cjs");
 
 /**
  * Parse a comma-separated list of allowed items from environment variable
@@ -70,12 +71,24 @@ function parseMaxCount(envValue, defaultValue = 3) {
  */
 function resolveTarget(params) {
   const { targetConfig, item, context, itemType, supportsPR = false, supportsIssue = false } = params;
+  let invocationContext;
+  try {
+    invocationContext = resolveInvocationContext(context);
+  } catch (err) {
+    return {
+      success: false,
+      error: `Failed to resolve invocation context for ${itemType}: ${getErrorMessage(err)}`,
+      shouldFail: true,
+    };
+  }
+  const effectiveEventName = invocationContext?.eventName || context.eventName;
+  const effectivePayload = invocationContext?.eventPayload || context.payload;
 
   // Check context type
   const prEventNames = new Set(["pull_request", "pull_request_target", "pull_request_review", "pull_request_review_comment"]);
-  const isIssueCommentOnPR = context.eventName === "issue_comment" && Boolean(context.payload?.issue?.pull_request);
-  const isIssueContext = context.eventName === "issues" || (context.eventName === "issue_comment" && !isIssueCommentOnPR);
-  const isPRContext = prEventNames.has(context.eventName) || isIssueCommentOnPR;
+  const isIssueCommentOnPR = effectiveEventName === "issue_comment" && Boolean(effectivePayload?.issue?.pull_request);
+  const isIssueContext = effectiveEventName === "issues" || (effectiveEventName === "issue_comment" && !isIssueCommentOnPR);
+  const isPRContext = prEventNames.has(effectiveEventName) || isIssueCommentOnPR;
 
   // Default target is "triggering"
   const target = targetConfig || "triggering";
@@ -202,8 +215,8 @@ function resolveTarget(params) {
   } else {
     // Use triggering context
     if (isIssueContext) {
-      if (context.payload.issue) {
-        itemNumber = context.payload.issue.number;
+      if (effectivePayload.issue) {
+        itemNumber = effectivePayload.issue.number;
         contextType = "issue";
       } else {
         return {
@@ -213,11 +226,11 @@ function resolveTarget(params) {
         };
       }
     } else if (isPRContext) {
-      if (context.payload.pull_request) {
-        itemNumber = context.payload.pull_request.number;
+      if (effectivePayload.pull_request) {
+        itemNumber = effectivePayload.pull_request.number;
         contextType = "pull request";
       } else if (isIssueCommentOnPR) {
-        itemNumber = context.payload.issue.number;
+        itemNumber = effectivePayload.issue.number;
         contextType = "pull request";
       } else {
         return {
diff --git a/actions/setup/js/safe_output_helpers.test.cjs b/actions/setup/js/safe_output_helpers.test.cjs
index 281858cab3f..188a62eb56d 100644
--- a/actions/setup/js/safe_output_helpers.test.cjs
+++ b/actions/setup/js/safe_output_helpers.test.cjs
@@ -95,6 +95,29 @@ describe("safe_output_helpers", () => {
         expect(result.contextType).toBe("issue");
       });
 
+      it("should resolve workflow_dispatch issue context from aw_context", () => {
+        const result = helpers.resolveTarget({
+          ...baseParams,
+          context: {
+            eventName: "workflow_dispatch",
+            repo: { owner: "test-owner", repo: "test-repo" },
+            payload: {
+              inputs: {
+                aw_context: JSON.stringify({
+                  event_type: "issue_comment",
+                  item_type: "issue",
+                  item_number: 321,
+                  repo: "test-owner/test-repo",
+                }),
+              },
+            },
+          },
+        });
+        expect(result.success).toBe(true);
+        expect(result.number).toBe(321);
+        expect(result.contextType).toBe("issue");
+      });
+
       it("should resolve triggering PR context", () => {
         const result = helpers.resolveTarget({
           ...baseParams,
@@ -458,6 +481,29 @@ describe("safe_output_helpers", () => {
         expect(result.contextType).toBe("issue");
       });
 
+      it("should resolve workflow_dispatch issue context from aw_context", () => {
+        const result = helpers.resolveTarget({
+          ...baseParams,
+          context: {
+            eventName: "workflow_dispatch",
+            repo: { owner: "test-owner", repo: "test-repo" },
+            payload: {
+              inputs: {
+                aw_context: JSON.stringify({
+                  event_type: "issue_comment",
+                  item_type: "issue",
+                  item_number: 654,
+                  repo: "test-owner/test-repo",
+                }),
+              },
+            },
+          },
+        });
+        expect(result.success).toBe(true);
+        expect(result.number).toBe(654);
+        expect(result.contextType).toBe("issue");
+      });
+
       it("should fail when triggering and not in issue context", () => {
         const result = helpers.resolveTarget({
           ...baseParams,
diff --git a/actions/setup/js/update_issue.test.cjs b/actions/setup/js/update_issue.test.cjs
index be92fd6ae4f..a5562b17f37 100644
--- a/actions/setup/js/update_issue.test.cjs
+++ b/actions/setup/js/update_issue.test.cjs
@@ -778,6 +778,40 @@ describe("update_issue.cjs - cross-repo and operation integration", () => {
     expect(capturedRepo).toBe("other-repo");
   });
 
+  it("should resolve triggering issue from workflow_dispatch aw_context", async () => {
+    const savedEventName = mockContext.eventName;
+    const savedPayload = mockContext.payload;
+    mockContext.eventName = "workflow_dispatch";
+    mockContext.payload = {
+      inputs: {
+        aw_context: JSON.stringify({
+          event_type: "issue_comment",
+          item_type: "issue",
+          item_number: 123,
+          repo: "testowner/testrepo",
+        }),
+      },
+    };
+    let capturedIssueNumber;
+
+    mockGithub.rest.issues.get.mockResolvedValue({
+      data: { number: 123, title: "Test", body: "Original", html_url: "https://github.com/testowner/testrepo/issues/123" },
+    });
+    mockGithub.rest.issues.update.mockImplementation(async ({ issue_number, body }) => {
+      capturedIssueNumber = issue_number;
+      return { data: { number: issue_number, title: "Test", body, html_url: `https://github.com/testowner/testrepo/issues/${issue_number}` } };
+    });
+
+    const { main } = await import("./update_issue.cjs");
+    const handler = await main();
+    const result = await handler({ body: "Updated from centralized dispatch" }, {});
+
+    expect(result.success).toBe(true);
+    expect(capturedIssueNumber).toBe(123);
+    mockContext.eventName = savedEventName;
+    mockContext.payload = savedPayload;
+  });
+
   it("should use current workflow repo in attribution URL for cross-repo updates", async () => {
     let capturedBody;