diff --git a/.github/CODEOWNERS b/.github/CODEOWNERS
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+# Human review is required for what defines "passing" and for what publishes:
+# CI and release workflows, public contracts, upstream pins, and agent instructions.
+# Rules stay narrow so review is rare. Ordinary code, tests, and docs
+# stay unowned, so agents may review and merge them.
+/.github/CODEOWNERS @Teakowa
+/.github/workflows/ @Teakowa
+
+# The protocol spec is the public contract
+/docs/spec/ @Teakowa
+
+# Toolchain and release
+/rust-toolchain.toml @Teakowa
+/release-please-config.json @Teakowa