feat(ops): make @ops routable + post under its own TOKEN_OPS identity

PR #55 added @ops to the registry but route.sh only looped pm/junior/senior/lead/qa, so @ops could
never be triggered, and there was no token case for it. Add 'ops' to the routing loop and the
TOKEN_OPS case in route.sh + publish.sh, and pass TOKEN_OPS in the workflow env next to TOKEN_QA
(route/publish/rescue steps) so route.sh (set -u) doesn't error on an @ops run.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

.gitea/workflows/agent.yml

@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ jobs:
           TOKEN_JUNIOR: ${{ secrets.TOKEN_JUNIOR }}
           TOKEN_LEAD: ${{ secrets.TOKEN_LEAD }}
           TOKEN_QA: ${{ secrets.TOKEN_QA }}
+          TOKEN_OPS: ${{ secrets.TOKEN_OPS }}
         run: bash "$SCRIPTS/route.sh"
 
       - name: Install opencode + provider config (+ Playwright MCP for browser agents)
@@ -131,6 +132,17 @@ jobs:
           AGENT_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.AGENT_TOKEN }}
         run: bash "$SCRIPTS/skill-gitea-api.sh"
 
+      - name: Set up `gitea-admin` skill (@ops only — administer the Gitea instance)
+        # Instance administration (orgs/users/repos/labels/secrets/scoped tokens). The SKILL.md is
+        # written ONLY for @ops (skill-gitea-admin.sh gates on NAME), so the admin how-to never
+        # reaches other agents; permission.skill also denies it to everyone but @ops. Uses
+        # AGENT_TOKEN (an admin PAT during bootstrap) — see the script header for the token plan.
+        env:
+          SCRIPTS: ${{ runner.temp }}/agents-scripts
+          NAME: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.name }}
+          AGENT_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.AGENT_TOKEN }}
+        run: bash "$SCRIPTS/skill-gitea-admin.sh"
+
       - name: Inspect / fetch image attachments (download only for vision agents)
         id: imgs
         env:
@@ -162,6 +174,7 @@ jobs:
           MODE: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.mode }}
           HAS_IMAGES: ${{ steps.imgs.outputs.has_images }}
           BRANCH: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.branch }}
+          AUTOPILOT: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.autopilot }}   # 'true' when the issue carries the `autopilot` label
           NUM: ${{ github.event.issue.number }}
           TITLE: ${{ github.event.issue.title }}
           IBODY: ${{ github.event.issue.body }}
@@ -186,12 +199,16 @@ jobs:
           TOKEN_JUNIOR: ${{ secrets.TOKEN_JUNIOR }}
           TOKEN_LEAD: ${{ secrets.TOKEN_LEAD }}
           TOKEN_QA: ${{ secrets.TOKEN_QA }}
+          TOKEN_OPS: ${{ secrets.TOKEN_OPS }}
           NAME: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.name }}
           MODE: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.mode }}
           NUM: ${{ github.event.issue.number }}
           TITLE: ${{ github.event.issue.title }}
           BRANCH: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.branch }}
           NEW: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.new }}
+          IS_PR: ${{ github.event.issue.pull_request }}   # set when this run is on a PR thread
+          AUTOPILOT: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.autopilot }}   # 'true' when the origin issue carries `autopilot`
+          ISSNUM: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.issnum }}          # origin issue number (resolved from branch on PR threads)
         run: bash "$SCRIPTS/publish.sh"
 
       # Failure-safe: if any step above failed AFTER a dev agent already pushed commits, the normal
@@ -208,6 +225,7 @@ jobs:
           TOKEN_JUNIOR: ${{ secrets.TOKEN_JUNIOR }}
           TOKEN_LEAD: ${{ secrets.TOKEN_LEAD }}
           TOKEN_QA: ${{ secrets.TOKEN_QA }}
+          TOKEN_OPS: ${{ secrets.TOKEN_OPS }}
           NAME: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.name }}
           MODE: ${{ steps.prep.outputs.mode }}
           NUM: ${{ github.event.issue.number }}

.gitea/workflows/ai-agent.yml

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name: ai-agent
-run-name: ai-agent · #${{ github.event.issue.number }}
+run-name: "ai-agent · #${{ github.event.issue.number }}"   # quotes required: bare # starts a YAML comment
 # Standard caller for the shared AI-agent workflow (ffaerber/agents). Copy this file VERBATIM into
 # any repo that should get the agents — it is identical in every repo. All logic + scripts live in
 # agents/.gitea/workflows/; scripts are fetched from @main at run time. The `jobs.agent` wrapper is

.gitea/workflows/scripts/agents.json

@@ -3,5 +3,6 @@
   "junior": {"model":"ollama-cloud/kimi-k2.7-code:cloud","vision":false,"mode":"pr",     "skills":[],"desc":"Junior dev — small, low-risk changes (mostly YAML/compose/config). Text-only, cannot read images. Defers complex or image tasks to @senior or @lead."},
   "senior": {"model":"ollama-cloud/glm-5.2:cloud","vision":false,"mode":"pr",     "skills":["gitea-api","node1-ssh"],"desc":"Senior dev — complex, multi-file implementation (GLM-5.2 via Ollama Cloud, text-only)."},
   "lead":   {"model":"anthropic/claude-opus-4-8","vision":true, "mode":"pr",     "skills":["gitea-api","node1-ssh"],"desc":"Tech lead — the hardest problems, architecture, and final calls."},
-  "qa":     {"model":"ollama-cloud/minimax-m3:cloud","vision":true, "mode":"comment","skills":["gitea-api"],"desc":"QA — verifies things work. Drives a headless browser (Playwright) to open a URL/web app, click through it, screenshot, and report bugs or confirm behavior. Comments findings; opens no PRs."}
+  "qa":     {"model":"ollama-cloud/minimax-m3:cloud","vision":true, "mode":"comment","skills":["gitea-api"],"desc":"QA — verifies things work. Drives a headless browser (Playwright) to open a URL/web app, click through it, screenshot, and report bugs or confirm behavior. Comments findings; opens no PRs."},
+  "ops":    {"model":"anthropic/claude-opus-4-8","vision":false,"mode":"comment","skills":["gitea-admin"],"desc":"Gitea operator — administers the Gitea instance itself: create orgs/users/repos, manage labels and secrets, mint scoped per-user tokens, bootstrap new repos with the agent caller. Comments only; never edits code. ALWAYS confirms before any destructive action (delete user/repo/org)."}
 }

.gitea/workflows/scripts/build-activity-log.sh

@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
-# Build activity log (tool calls + reasoning) from the event stream into /tmp/activity_log.md.
-# Only dev agents (mode=pr) get an activity-log comment — comment-only roles (pm/qa)
-# do no tool calls, so a trail would be empty/noise.
+# Build the activity log — the list of TOOL CALLS the agent made — into /tmp/activity_log.md.
+# Only dev agents (mode=pr) get an activity-log comment — comment-only roles (pm/qa) do no tool calls.
+# NOTE: we deliberately DO NOT include the agent's prose text parts. That final "here's what I did"
+# text is just a restatement of the PR description (already published as the PR body), not a tool
+# call — so it was noise in a section titled "tool calls". The log is the record of ACTIONS taken.
 #
 # Required env (provided by the workflow step): MODE
 set -u
@@ -11,16 +13,12 @@ if [ "$MODE" != "pr" ]; then
 fi
 jq -r '
   def trunc(n): if length > n then (.[0:n] + "…") else . end;
-  select(.type=="tool_use" or .type=="text") |
-    if .type=="text" then
-      "💬 " + ((.part.text // "") | trunc(4000))
-    else
+  select(.type=="tool_use") |
     (.part.tool // "?") as $t |
     ((.part.state.title // (.part.state.input | tojson | trunc(160)) // "")) as $title |
     "🔧 **" + $t + "**: `" + ($title | trunc(240)) + "`"
-    end
 ' /tmp/events.jsonl > /tmp/activity_log.md 2>/dev/null || true
 n=$(wc -l < /tmp/activity_log.md 2>/dev/null || echo 0)
-echo "activity log: $n entries"
+echo "activity log: $n tool calls"
 [ "$n" -eq 0 ] && : > /tmp/activity_log.md
 head -3 /tmp/activity_log.md

.gitea/workflows/scripts/publish.sh

@@ -4,11 +4,12 @@
 # Required env (provided by the workflow step):
 #   GT AGENT_TOKEN TOKEN_PM TOKEN_SENIOR TOKEN_JUNIOR TOKEN_LEAD TOKEN_QA
 #   NAME MODE NUM TITLE BRANCH NEW GITHUB_SERVER_URL GITHUB_REPOSITORY
+#   IS_PR AUTOPILOT ISSNUM  (autopilot: @qa label-gated merge/halt + auto-trigger @qa on a fresh PR)
 set +e   # publish is best-effort: a grep-no-match / curl non-zero must NOT kill the step
 # Post/PR as the agent's OWN Gitea user when its token is configured; else the built-in bot.
 case "$NAME" in
   pm) TOK="$TOKEN_PM";; senior) TOK="$TOKEN_SENIOR";; junior) TOK="$TOKEN_JUNIOR";;
-  lead) TOK="$TOKEN_LEAD";; qa) TOK="$TOKEN_QA";; *) TOK="";;
+  lead) TOK="$TOKEN_LEAD";; qa) TOK="$TOKEN_QA";; ops) TOK="$TOKEN_OPS";; *) TOK="";;
 esac
 [ -z "$TOK" ] && TOK="$GT"
 git config user.name  "$NAME"
@@ -17,15 +18,43 @@ API="${GITHUB_SERVER_URL}/api/v1/repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}"
 hdr=(-H "Authorization: token $TOK" -H "Content-Type: application/json")
 post() { curl -sS -w 'comment -> HTTP %{http_code}\n' -X POST "${hdr[@]}" \
   "$API/issues/$NUM/comments" -d "$(jq -nc --arg b "$1" '{body:$b}')"; }
+# Remove the 'autopilot' label from an issue by resolving its ID first (Gitea's DELETE label
+# endpoint is by ID, not name). Arg $1 = issue number. Used as the autopilot kill switch.
+del_autopilot_label() {
+  local iss="$1" lid
+  lid=$(curl -sS "${hdr[@]}" "$API/issues/$iss/labels" 2>/dev/null \
+        | jq -r 'if type=="array" then ([.[]|select(.name=="autopilot")][0].id // empty) else empty end')
+  if [ -n "$lid" ]; then
+    curl -sS -X DELETE "${hdr[@]}" "$API/issues/$iss/labels/$lid" \
+      -w '\nunlabel -> HTTP %{http_code}\n' || true
+  else
+    echo "no 'autopilot' label found on #$iss to remove"
+  fi
+}
 
-# drop machine-readable markers (DELEGATE / CLOSE_ISSUE / the BEGIN_SUBTASKS..END_SUBTASKS block)
+# drop machine-readable markers: DELEGATE / CLOSE_ISSUE / MERGE_PR / HALT_AUTOPILOT, and the
+# BEGIN_SUBTASKS..END_SUBTASKS and BEGIN_PR_DESCRIPTION..END_PR_DESCRIPTION blocks (the PR
+# description is published separately).
 reply=$(awk '
   /^[[:space:]]*BEGIN_SUBTASKS/{s=1}
+  /^[[:space:]]*BEGIN_PR_DESCRIPTION/{p=1}
   /^[[:space:]]*DELEGATE:[[:space:]]*@/{next}
   /^[[:space:]]*CLOSE_ISSUE[[:space:]]*$/{next}
+  /^[[:space:]]*MERGE_PR[[:space:]]*$/{next}
+  /^[[:space:]]*HALT_AUTOPILOT[[:space:]]*$/{next}
+  /^[[:space:]]*BOUNCE:[[:space:]]*@/{next}
   s{ if(/^[[:space:]]*END_SUBTASKS/){s=0}; next }
+  p{ if(/^[[:space:]]*END_PR_DESCRIPTION/){p=0}; next }
   {print}
 ' /tmp/agent_out.md 2>/dev/null)
+# Strip a leading self-header the model sometimes emits ("🤖 **@pm**" on its own line) so we don't
+# double it when we prepend our own. Removes a leading run of such header lines and blank lines.
+reply=$(printf '%s' "$reply" | awk '
+  BEGIN{s=1}
+  s && /^[^A-Za-z0-9]*\*\*@[A-Za-z]+\*\*[[:space:]]*$/ {next}
+  s && /^[[:space:]]*$/ {next}
+  {s=0; print}
+')
 [ -z "$reply" ] && reply="_(Made changes without a text summary — see the diff below.)_"
 # Prefer the agent's clean delimited PR description; fall back to the whole reply.
 prdesc=$(awk '/BEGIN_PR_DESCRIPTION/{f=1;next} /END_PR_DESCRIPTION/{f=0} f' /tmp/agent_out.md)
@@ -80,6 +109,75 @@ if [ "$MODE" != "pr" ]; then
     subtext=$(printf '\n\n---\n🤖 **@%s** — created sub-issues%s (mention an agent on each when ready):%b' "$NAME" "${ms:+ under milestone **$ms**}" "$links")
   fi
   post "$(printf '🤖 **@%s**\n\n%s%s' "$NAME" "$msg" "$subtext")"
+
+  # --- AUTOPILOT: @qa's narrow, label-gated merge / halt authority ---
+  # Only @qa, only when 'autopilot' is set, and only on a PR thread. The MERGE_PR / HALT_AUTOPILOT
+  # markers come from the QA prompt. Merge + label ops use TOKEN_QA (the QA user's PAT, which the
+  # maintainer must grant write+merge scope). ISSNUM is the origin issue (resolved from the branch).
+  if [ "$NAME" = "qa" ] && [ "$AUTOPILOT" = "true" ]; then
+    if grep -qiE '^[[:space:]]*MERGE_PR[[:space:]]*$' /tmp/agent_out.md; then
+      if [ -z "$IS_PR" ]; then
+        echo "MERGE_PR marker but this run is not on a PR thread — skipping merge"
+      else
+        echo "@qa autopilot: merging PR #$NUM (origin issue #${ISSNUM:-$NUM})"
+        # Merge with AGENT_TOKEN (a PAT) — NOT the built-in Actions token — so the resulting push to
+        # main TRIGGERS downstream workflows (e.g. deploy). A merge made with the built-in GITEA_TOKEN
+        # does not fire new runs (loop-prevention), which silently skips the deploy. Fall back to the
+        # agent's own token only if AGENT_TOKEN isn't set (then the deploy would need a manual run).
+        mtok="${AGENT_TOKEN:-$TOK}"
+        mc=$(curl -sS -o /tmp/merge_resp.txt -w '%{http_code}' -X POST \
+              -H "Authorization: token $mtok" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+              "$API/pulls/$NUM/merge" -d '{"Do":"merge"}')
+        echo "merge -> HTTP $mc"; cat /tmp/merge_resp.txt 2>/dev/null || true
+        case "$mc" in
+          200|201|204)
+            echo "closing origin issue #${ISSNUM:-$NUM}"
+            curl -sS -X PATCH "${hdr[@]}" "$API/issues/${ISSNUM:-$NUM}" \
+              -d '{"state":"closed"}' -w '\nclose -> HTTP %{http_code}\n' || true
+            post "$(printf '🤖 **@qa** — ✅ verified & merged PR #%s (autopilot). Closed issue #%s.' "$NUM" "${ISSNUM:-$NUM}")"
+            ;;
+          *)
+            # Merge failed (checks not green, conflicts, or TOKEN_QA lacks merge scope) — do NOT
+            # silently proceed: drop the label so it reverts to human control and report.
+            del_autopilot_label "${ISSNUM:-$NUM}"
+            post "$(printf '🤖 **@qa** — ⚠️ tried to merge PR #%s but the API returned HTTP %s (checks not green, a conflict, or missing merge permission on TOKEN_QA). Removed the `autopilot` label — @ffaerber please take a look.' "$NUM" "$mc")"
+            ;;
+        esac
+      fi
+    elif grep -qiE '^[[:space:]]*BOUNCE:[[:space:]]*@(junior|senior|lead)' /tmp/agent_out.md; then
+      # @qa wants the dev to fix something. Send it back — never fix it ourselves. After 3 bounces,
+      # stop and hand to the human. QA's feedback is already posted (the reply comment above).
+      if [ -z "$IS_PR" ]; then
+        echo "BOUNCE marker but this run is not on a PR thread — skipping"
+      else
+        target=$(grep -oiE 'BOUNCE:[[:space:]]*@(junior|senior|lead)' /tmp/agent_out.md | head -1 \
+                 | grep -oiE '(junior|senior|lead)' | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]')
+        [ -z "$target" ] && target=$(curl -sS "${hdr[@]}" "$API/pulls/$NUM" | jq -r '.user.login // "junior"')
+        # Count how many times this PR has already been bounced (marker in the trigger comment).
+        prior=$(curl -sS "${hdr[@]}" "$API/issues/$NUM/comments?limit=100" \
+                | jq -r 'if type=="array" then [.[]|select(.body|test("autopilot fix attempt"))]|length else 0 end' 2>/dev/null)
+        prior=${prior:-0}
+        if [ "$prior" -ge 3 ]; then
+          echo "@qa autopilot: 3 bounces already — halting"
+          del_autopilot_label "${ISSNUM:-$NUM}"
+          post "$(printf '🤖 **@qa** — 🛑 still not right after 3 fix attempts. Stopping autopilot (removed the `autopilot` label). @ffaerber please take over — details in the comments above.')"
+        else
+          n=$((prior + 1))
+          echo "@qa autopilot: bounce $n/3 -> @$target"
+          curl -sS -X POST -H "Authorization: token $AGENT_TOKEN" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+            "$API/issues/$NUM/comments" \
+            -d "$(jq -nc --arg b "@$target please address @qa's feedback above and update this PR (autopilot fix attempt $n/3)." '{body:$b}')" \
+            -w '\nbounce -> HTTP %{http_code}\n' || true
+        fi
+      fi
+    elif grep -qiE '^[[:space:]]*HALT_AUTOPILOT[[:space:]]*$' /tmp/agent_out.md; then
+      echo "@qa autopilot: HALT — removing 'autopilot' label from #${ISSNUM:-$NUM}"
+      del_autopilot_label "${ISSNUM:-$NUM}"
+      post "$(printf '🤖 **@qa** — 🛑 this needs a human decision (not a dev fix). Removed the `autopilot` label (back to human control). @ffaerber please decide next steps (details above).')"
+    fi
+    exit 0
+  fi
+
   # Auto-delegate: if the plan names a teammate, trigger them via AGENT_TOKEN (a PAT, so it
   # fires a new workflow run — the built-in token cannot). Never targets @pm or self, so the
   # chain always terminates at a dev. The '🤖' guard on the trigger stops status-comment loops.
@@ -133,7 +231,7 @@ activity=""
 if [ -s /tmp/activity_log.md ]; then
   entries=$(wc -l < /tmp/activity_log.md 2>/dev/null || echo 0)
   log=$(cat /tmp/activity_log.md)
-  activity=$(printf '\n\n---\n🤖 **@%s** — activity log (%s entries):\n<details>\n<summary>tool calls & reasoning</summary>\n\n%s\n\n</details>' "$NAME" "$entries" "$log")
+  activity=$(printf '\n\n<details>\n<summary>🔧 activity — %s tool calls</summary>\n\n%s\n\n</details>' "$entries" "$log")
 fi
 
 # One PR per run: publish ONLY this run's own branch ($BRANCH), never sibling
@@ -174,7 +272,31 @@ prpost() {
 
 if [ "$NEW" = "true" ]; then
   prpost "$prnum" "$(printf '🤖 **@%s** — ✅ PR ready for review — @ffaerber please review & merge:\n- %s%s' "$NAME" "$url" "$activity")"
+  # AUTOPILOT: hand the fresh PR to @qa automatically (via AGENT_TOKEN, so it fires a new run).
+  # @qa then verifies and — if green — merges + closes via its MERGE_PR marker. The comment lands
+  # on the PR thread ($prnum) so the next run resolves the origin issue's label from the branch
+  # name. The '🤖' guard on the trigger gate stops status-comment loops.
+  if [ "$AUTOPILOT" = "true" ] && [ -n "$AGENT_TOKEN" ] && [ -n "$prnum" ]; then
+    echo "autopilot: auto-triggering @qa to review PR #$prnum"
+    curl -sS -X POST -H "Authorization: token $AGENT_TOKEN" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+      "$API/issues/$prnum/comments" \
+      -d "$(jq -nc --arg b "@qa please verify this PR (autopilot: issue #$NUM is labeled autopilot). Merge it if correct, or bounce it back to the dev with exactly what needs fixing." '{body:$b}')" \
+      -w '\ntrigger-qa -> HTTP %{http_code}\n' || true
+  fi
 else
-  # Resume (comment is on a PR thread): include the write-up here too.
-  prpost "$prnum" "$(printf '🤖 **@%s** — updated branch/PR:\n- %s\n\n%s%s' "$NAME" "$url" "$prdesc" "$activity")"
+  # Resume: just link the PR — its body and the diff already carry the description, so we don't
+  # repeat the full write-up in the comment (the reasoning trail below shows what this run did).
+  prpost "$prnum" "$(printf '🤖 **@%s** — pushed an update to the PR:\n- %s%s' "$NAME" "$url" "$activity")"
+  # AUTOPILOT: after a dev pushes a fix (e.g. following a @qa bounce), hand back to @qa to re-verify.
+  if [ "$AUTOPILOT" = "true" ] && [ -n "$AGENT_TOKEN" ] && [ -n "$prnum" ]; then
+    case "$NAME" in
+      junior|senior|lead)
+        echo "autopilot: dev pushed a fix — re-triggering @qa to re-verify PR #$prnum"
+        curl -sS -X POST -H "Authorization: token $AGENT_TOKEN" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+          "$API/issues/$prnum/comments" \
+          -d "$(jq -nc --arg b "@qa please re-verify this PR (autopilot). Merge it if now correct, or bounce it back with exactly what still needs fixing." '{body:$b}')" \
+          -w '\ntrigger-qa -> HTTP %{http_code}\n' || true
+        ;;
+    esac
+  fi
 fi

.gitea/workflows/scripts/route.sh

@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ cp "$AGENTS_JSON" /tmp/agents.json
 # here — see agent.yml: this reusable workflow sees it as 'workflow_call'.)
 if [ -n "$CID" ]; then scan="$BODY"; else scan="$IBODY"; fi
 name=""
-for a in pm junior senior lead qa; do
+for a in pm junior senior lead qa ops; do
   case "$scan" in *"@$a"*) name=$a; break;; esac
 done
 if [ -z "$name" ]; then
@@ -44,18 +44,26 @@ echo "Routing to @$name (model=$model vision=$vision mode=$mode skills=$skills)"
 # Act as the agent's own Gitea user when its token is set; else the built-in bot.
 case "$name" in
   pm) TOK="$TOKEN_PM";; senior) TOK="$TOKEN_SENIOR";; junior) TOK="$TOKEN_JUNIOR";;
-  lead) TOK="$TOKEN_LEAD";; qa) TOK="$TOKEN_QA";; *) TOK="";;
+  lead) TOK="$TOKEN_LEAD";; qa) TOK="$TOKEN_QA";; ops) TOK="$TOKEN_OPS";; *) TOK="";;
 esac
 [ -z "$TOK" ] && TOK="$GT"
 git config user.name "$name"
 git config user.email "$name@ffaerber.duckdns.org"
 API="${GITHUB_SERVER_URL}/api/v1/repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}"
 hdr=(-H "Authorization: token $TOK" -H "Content-Type: application/json")
+branch_ref=""
 if [ -n "$IS_PR" ]; then                     # comment on a PR -> resume its branch
   ref=$(curl -s -H "Authorization: token $GT" "$API/pulls/$NUM" | jq -r .head.ref)
+  branch_ref="$ref"
   git fetch origin "$ref" && git checkout "$ref"
   { echo "branch=$ref"; echo "new=false"; } >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
-else                                         # comment on an issue -> new branch
+elif git ls-remote --exit-code --heads origin "ai/issue-$NUM" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  # comment on an issue whose branch ALREADY exists (a prior run / open PR) -> RESUME it, so new
+  # commits fast-forward onto the same branch and update its PR. Branching fresh from main here would
+  # be rejected on push as non-fast-forward and the new work would be silently lost (see issue #17).
+  git fetch origin "ai/issue-$NUM" && git checkout "ai/issue-$NUM"
+  { echo "branch=ai/issue-$NUM"; echo "new=false"; } >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+else                                         # comment on an issue, no branch yet -> new branch
   git checkout -b "ai/issue-$NUM"
   { echo "branch=ai/issue-$NUM"; echo "new=true"; } >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
   # For dev agents, publish the branch immediately and tell the maintainer where to watch.
@@ -66,3 +74,18 @@ else                                         # comment on an issue -> new branch
       -d "$(jq -nc --arg b "🔨 **@$name** is on it — building on branch [\`ai/issue-$NUM\`]($url). I'll open a PR when it's ready." '{body:$b}')" >/dev/null || true
   fi
 fi
+
+# --- Autopilot gate: read the `autopilot` label FRESH every run. ---
+# Presence of this label is the opt-in switch (and the kill switch: remove it mid-flight and the
+# next run reverts to normal human-approval behavior). When @qa is triggered on a PR thread, the
+# label lives on the ORIGIN issue (ai/issue-N), so resolve N from the branch name.
+issnum="$NUM"
+case "$IS_PR" in ?*) issnum=$(printf '%s' "$branch_ref" | sed -nE 's,^ai/issue-([0-9]+).*,\1,p');; esac
+[ -z "$issnum" ] && issnum="$NUM"
+autopilot=false
+if curl -sS -H "Authorization: token $GT" "$API/issues/$issnum/labels" 2>/dev/null \
+     | jq -e 'any(.[]?; .name=="autopilot")' >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  autopilot=true
+fi
+echo "autopilot (autopilot label on #$issnum)=$autopilot"
+{ echo "autopilot=$autopilot"; echo "issnum=$issnum"; } >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"

.gitea/workflows/scripts/run-agent.sh

@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@
 # plain-text reply (/tmp/agent_out.md) plus the raw event stream (/tmp/events.jsonl).
 #
 # Required env (provided by the workflow step):
-#   ANTHROPIC_API_KEY AGENT_TOKEN NAME MODEL VISION MODE HAS_IMAGES BRANCH NUM TITLE IBODY CMT
+#   ANTHROPIC_API_KEY AGENT_TOKEN NAME MODEL VISION MODE HAS_IMAGES BRANCH AUTOPILOT NUM TITLE
+#   IBODY CMT
 #   FILES   (the opencode -f image flags, from the imgs step output)
+#   AUTOPILOT is 'true' when the issue carries the `autopilot` label (label-gated autopilot mode).
 set -u
 
 [ -z "$CMT" ] && CMT="(a new issue was just opened — assess it)"
@@ -51,6 +53,39 @@ if [ "$MODE" = "comment" ]; then
    END_SUBTASKS
    The automation creates the milestone + one sub-issue per line (each linked to this issue). It
    does NOT auto-start any dev — the maintainer @mentions an agent on each sub-issue when ready."
+    if [ "$AUTOPILOT" = "true" ]; then
+      ACTION="$ACTION
+   AUTOPILOT MODE IS ACTIVE (this issue carries the 'autopilot' label). This OVERRIDES the
+   two-phase approval gate above: do NOT ask '@ffaerber ready to start building?' and do NOT wait
+   for a 'yes'. When the task is clear, present your SHORT plan naming the best teammate to build it
+   AND end your reply with a 'DELEGATE: @<agent>' line in the SAME turn to hand off immediately.
+   Prefer @junior for small/low-risk (mostly YAML/compose/config), @senior/@lead for complex or
+   multi-file work. Only skip delegating (and instead ask @ffaerber) if the task is genuinely
+   ambiguous or unsafe — otherwise plan-and-delegate now."
+    fi
+  fi
+  if [ "$NAME" = "qa" ]; then
+    ACTION="$ACTION
+   As QA you verify a change works: read the PR/issue, drive the web app with your headless
+   browser if there is a URL, and report bugs or confirm behavior. You normally do NOT merge —
+   a human does that."
+    if [ "$AUTOPILOT" = "true" ]; then
+      ACTION="$ACTION
+   AUTOPILOT MODE IS ACTIVE (this issue/PR carries the 'autopilot' label). You are the quality gate.
+   You do NOT edit code or fix anything yourself — you either accept the PR or send it back to the dev
+   with precise instructions. After actually verifying, end your reply with EXACTLY one of:
+   - 'MERGE_PR' — the change is correct and any CI is green. The automation merges the PR and closes
+     the linked issue. Do NOT merge by any other means; only this marker triggers the merge.
+   - 'BOUNCE: @<dev>' — something needs changing. FIRST spell out, specifically and actionably, exactly
+     what the dev must change (name the file, label, value, hostname, etc.), THEN end with the BOUNCE
+     line naming who should fix it (@junior / @senior / @lead — usually whoever built it; @senior or
+     @lead for something harder). The automation sends the PR back to that dev and then re-verifies
+     with you. After 3 bounces it stops automatically and hands to @ffaerber — so make each round
+     count and list ALL problems at once, not one at a time.
+   Use BOUNCE for anything a dev can fix. Only use 'HALT_AUTOPILOT' when the problem is NOT fixable by
+   a dev — the request itself is ambiguous or needs a human decision — to hand back to @ffaerber.
+   Emit AT MOST one of MERGE_PR / BOUNCE / HALT_AUTOPILOT, and only after you have actually verified."
+    fi
   fi
 else
   ACTION="You start on git branch '${BRANCH}', with git and push credentials already configured.

.gitea/workflows/scripts/skill-gitea-admin.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Set up the `gitea-admin` skill — instance administration for the @ops agent ONLY.
+# Emits an opencode Skill file under ~/.config/opencode/skills/ documenting how to create
+# orgs/users/repos, manage labels & secrets, and mint scoped per-user tokens via the Gitea API.
+#
+# The credential is AGENT_TOKEN (BOOTSTRAP: currently an admin PAT — temporary). This skill doc is
+# written ONLY for @ops (gated on NAME) so the how-to never reaches other agents. NOTE: while
+# AGENT_TOKEN is admin, every agent's process technically holds an admin credential in its env —
+# that is the bootstrap trade-off. Once @ops is minting scoped per-user tokens, AGENT_TOKEN should be
+# narrowed and a dedicated admin token injected only for @ops.
+#
+# Required env (provided by the workflow step): NAME AGENT_TOKEN
+set -eu
+
+[ "${NAME:-}" = "ops" ] || { echo "not @ops — skipping gitea-admin skill"; exit 0; }
+if [ -z "${AGENT_TOKEN:-}" ]; then
+  echo "AGENT_TOKEN not set — skipping gitea-admin skill"
+  exit 0
+fi
+mkdir -p ~/.config/opencode/skills/gitea-admin && chmod 700 ~/.config/opencode/skills/gitea-admin
+cat > ~/.config/opencode/skills/gitea-admin/SKILL.md <<'SKILLET'
+---
+name: gitea-admin
+description: Administer this Gitea instance — create orgs, users, repos; manage labels & Actions secrets; mint scoped per-user access tokens; bootstrap a new repo with the agent caller workflow. Use for "create org X", "create repo Y", "add user Z", "give user W a token scoped to …", "set label set on …".
+domains: [gitea, admin, orgs, users, repos, secrets, tokens]
+tags: [gitea, admin, api, curl, bootstrap]
+---
+
+# `gitea-admin` Skill (operator / @ops only)
+
+Administer the Gitea instance via its REST API at `${GITHUB_SERVER_URL}/api/v1`, authenticated with
+`Authorization: token ${AGENT_TOKEN}` (a site-admin token during bootstrap). Both env vars are
+already set. Work from the issue instructions; report what you did.
+
+## Golden rules
+- **NEVER print, echo, or paste a token, password, or secret value** — not in comments, not in logs.
+  Capture into a shell variable and immediately store it as a secret; report only that it was stored.
+- **ALWAYS confirm before anything destructive** (delete user/repo/org, remove a member). Post a
+  clear "reply `yes` to confirm deleting X" and stop; only act after the maintainer confirms.
+- Prefer the **least privilege** that satisfies the request when minting tokens.
+- Be idempotent where you can (check if the org/repo/label already exists before creating).
+
+## Create an organisation
+```
+curl -sS -X POST -H "Authorization: token $AGENT_TOKEN" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+  "$API/orgs" -d '{"username":"acme","visibility":"private"}'
+```
+
+## Create a user, then mint a TAILORED token for them (least privilege)
+Admin creates the user with a password you generate; you then basic-auth AS that user (with the
+password you just set) to mint a scoped token, and store the token straight into a secret.
+```
+API="${GITHUB_SERVER_URL}/api/v1"
+PW=$(head -c 24 /dev/urandom | base64 | tr -d '/+=' | head -c 24)   # generated, never printed
+# 1) create the user
+curl -sS -X POST -H "Authorization: token $AGENT_TOKEN" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+  "$API/admin/users" -d "$(jq -nc --arg u inter --arg e inter@ffaerber.duckdns.org --arg p "$PW" \
+     '{username:$u,email:$e,password:$p,must_change_password:false,source_id:0,visibility:"private"}')"
+# 2) mint a scoped token AS that user (pick the narrowest scopes needed)
+tok=$(curl -sS -u "inter:$PW" -H "Content-Type: application/json" -X POST "$API/users/inter/tokens" \
+      -d '{"name":"inter","scopes":["read:repository","write:issue"]}' | jq -r '.sha1')
+# 3) store it as a secret (org / repo / user level) — never print $tok
+curl -sS -X PUT -H "Authorization: token $AGENT_TOKEN" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+  "$API/orgs/gitea/actions/secrets/TOKEN_INTER" -d "$(jq -nc --arg d "$tok" '{data:$d}')"
+```
+Token **scopes** are groups of `read:`/`write:` on: `repository`, `issue`, `organization`, `user`,
+`package`, `notification`, `misc`, and (only for a privileged token) `admin`.
+
+## Token inventory — record everything in `gitea/secrets`
+The private repo **`gitea/secrets`** (readable only by @ffaerber and @ops) is the source of truth for
+tokens. Whenever you mint, rotate, or re-scope a token, append/update a row in its `tokens.md` via the
+contents API (`GET` the file for its `sha`, then `PUT` the updated base64 content with that `sha`):
+`| <token/secret name> | <owner user> | <scopes> | <Actions secret it is stored in> | <notes> |`.
+Storing the live value in the matching Actions secret is what workflows use; the `gitea/secrets` row
+is the human-readable inventory. Never paste a token value into any issue/PR/comment/log.
+
+## Change a user's token scope (the "update my token" flow)
+Tokens are immutable — you can't edit scopes. Re-mint: delete the old token and create a new one,
+then overwrite the stored secret.
+```
+curl -sS -u "inter:$PW" -X DELETE "$API/users/inter/tokens/<name-or-id>"     # needs the password again
+tok=$(curl -sS -u "inter:$PW" -X POST "$API/users/inter/tokens" -d '{"name":"inter","scopes":[…new…]}' | jq -r '.sha1')
+curl -sS -X PUT -H "Authorization: token $AGENT_TOKEN" "$API/orgs/gitea/actions/secrets/TOKEN_INTER" -d "$(jq -nc --arg d "$tok" '{data:$d}')"
+```
+(If you no longer hold the user's password, reset it first via `PATCH /admin/users/{username}` with a
+new generated password, then re-mint.)
+
+## Actions secrets & variables
+```
+curl -sS -X PUT  -H "Authorization: token $AGENT_TOKEN" "$API/orgs/{org}/actions/secrets/{NAME}"  -d '{"data":"<value>"}'
+curl -sS -X PUT  -H "Authorization: token $AGENT_TOKEN" "$API/repos/{owner}/{repo}/actions/secrets/{NAME}" -d '{"data":"<value>"}'
+curl -sS -X PUT  -H "Authorization: token $AGENT_TOKEN" "$API/user/actions/secrets/{NAME}" -d '{"data":"<value>"}'   # user-level
+```
+
+## Labels (repo or org-wide). Scoped labels (name `scope/value`) are mutually exclusive if `exclusive:true`.
+```
+curl -sS -X POST -H "Authorization: token $AGENT_TOKEN" "$API/repos/{owner}/{repo}/labels" \
+  -d '{"name":"status/review","color":"1d76db","description":"…","exclusive":true}'
+curl -sS -X POST -H "Authorization: token $AGENT_TOKEN" "$API/orgs/{org}/labels" -d '{…}'
+```
+
+## Bootstrap a new repo (create + wire it up for the agents)
+1. Create: `POST /orgs/{org}/repos` or `POST /admin/users/{user}/repos` (e.g. `{"name":"homepage","auto_init":true,"private":true}`).
+2. Add the standard label set (loop the labels above).
+3. Commit the standard caller so it gets the agents — `PUT /repos/{owner}/{repo}/contents/.gitea/workflows/ai-agent.yml`
+   with base64 `content`, `message`, `branch:"main"` (copy the exact caller from the `agents` repo README).
+4. Add the agent bot users as collaborators: `PUT /repos/{owner}/{repo}/collaborators/{username}` (`{"permission":"write"}`).
+5. Ensure the repo can run agents — the org must hold the runtime secrets (ANTHROPIC_API_KEY, AGENT_TOKEN,
+   TOKEN_* , OLLAMA_URL, OLLAMA_CLOUD_API_KEY); set any missing via the secrets calls above.
+
+## Admin user management
+- Create: `POST /admin/users`. Edit: `PATCH /admin/users/{username}`. Delete: `DELETE /admin/users/{username}` (**confirm first**).
+- List: `GET /admin/users`.
+SKILLET
+chmod -R o=rX ~/.config/opencode/skills/gitea-admin
+echo "gitea-admin skill installed for @ops ($(wc -l < ~/.config/opencode/skills/gitea-admin/SKILL.md) lines)"

AGENTS.md

@@ -11,10 +11,26 @@ the loop guards.
 ## Golden rules
 - You may edit **any file**. **NEVER push to `main`, NEVER merge a PR** — all work goes on a branch
   and becomes a PR a human reviews and merges.
+  - **Narrow exception — `@qa` autopilot merge:** `@qa` (and only `@qa`) MAY merge a single PR **only**
+    when the linked issue carries the `autopilot` label, the PR is clearly correct, and any CI
+    checks are green. `@qa` triggers the merge by ending its reply with the `MERGE_PR` marker (the
+    workflow performs the merge + closes the issue). On **any** doubt or bug, `@qa` must NOT merge:
+    it ends with `HALT_AUTOPILOT` instead, which removes the `autopilot` label and returns the
+    issue to human control. No other agent may merge, and `@qa` may not merge without the label.
 - **Never print, exfiltrate, or invent secret values.**
 - Keep changes **minimal** and match the conventions already in the file you're editing.
 - Do the work on a **branch** — never paste code or diffs into the issue thread.
 
+## Autopilot (`autopilot` label)
+An issue labeled **`autopilot`** runs without the usual human checkpoints:
+- `@pm` plans **and** delegates in the same turn (skips the "ready to build? reply yes" gate).
+- After the dev's PR is opened, `@qa` is auto-triggered to verify it, and merges + closes on success
+  (see the QA merge exception above).
+- **Kill switch:** remove the `autopilot` label at any time. The label is re-read fresh at the
+  start of every run, so the next agent turn reverts to normal human-approval behavior. `@qa` also
+  removes the label itself whenever it halts on a bug or a failed merge.
+No label (the default) = today's behavior, unchanged.
+
 ## Branches & pull requests
 Start on `ai/issue-<N>`. Split independent changes into separate branches (one PR each). Commit and
 push incrementally. Do NOT open PRs yourself (automated). End your reply with the PR description

README.md

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ Shared **AI dev-team** workflow for Gitea Actions, reusable across repos. It giv
 | `@senior` | `ollama-cloud/glm-5.2:cloud` | no | pr | `gitea-api`, `node1-ssh` | Senior dev — complex, multi-file implementation (GLM-5.2 via Ollama Cloud, text-only). |
 | `@lead` | `anthropic/claude-opus-4-8` | yes | pr | `gitea-api`, `node1-ssh` | Tech lead — the hardest problems, architecture, and final calls. |
 | `@qa` | `ollama-cloud/minimax-m3:cloud` | yes | comment | `gitea-api` | QA — verifies things work. Drives a headless browser (Playwright) to open a URL/web app, click through it, screenshot, and report bugs or confirm behavior. Comments findings; opens no PRs. |
+| `@ops` | `anthropic/claude-opus-4-8` | no | comment | `gitea-admin` | Gitea operator — administers the instance itself (create orgs/users/repos, labels, secrets, scoped per-user tokens, bootstrap repos). Comments only; never edits code. Confirms before destructive actions. |
 
 `agent.yml`'s agent registry is the source of truth for this mapping — if you change a model
 or an agent's skills there, update this table too.
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ it is the source of truth, and `agents` itself uses the same file:
 
 ```yaml
 name: ai-agent
-run-name: ai-agent · #${{ github.event.issue.number }}
+run-name: "ai-agent · #${{ github.event.issue.number }}"   # quotes required: bare # starts a YAML comment
 # Standard caller for the shared AI-agent workflow (ffaerber/agents). Copy this file VERBATIM into
 # any repo that should get the agents — it is identical in every repo. All logic + scripts live in
 # agents/.gitea/workflows/; scripts are fetched from @main at run time. The `jobs.agent` wrapper is