@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ This is a **dispatcher agent** that routes your request to the appropriate speci
 - **CLI commands and triggering workflows**: Routes to `cli-commands` guide — consult this whenever the user asks how to run, compile, debug, or manage workflows from the command line, or when they need the MCP tool equivalent of a `gh aw` command
 - **Reducing token consumption / cost optimization**: Routes to `token-optimization` guide — consult this whenever the user asks how to reduce token usage, lower costs, speed up workflows, or measure the impact of prompt changes with experiments
 - **Choosing workflow architectures and design patterns**: Routes to `patterns` guide — consult this whenever the user asks for strategy, architecture, operating models, or pattern selection for agentic workflows
+- **Git-backed work queues**: Routes to `work-queue` instructions for producers, dispatchers, workers, observers, deployment and recovery
 
 Workflows may optionally include:
 
@@ -184,6 +185,15 @@ loops using explicit live gates and includes existing-run evidence triage.
 
 ## Instructions
 
+### Work Queue
+
+For queue design, deployment, inspection or recovery, load
+`https://raw.githubusercontent.com/github/gh-aw/main/.github/aw/work-queue.md`.
+Also load it after the primary create/update/debug/upgrade prompt whenever a
+workflow uses `tools.work-queue`. Load linked developer docs and specifications
+only when needed; do not substitute lightweight WorkQueueOps backlog guidance
+for the Git-backed protocol.
+
 When a user interacts with you:
 
 1. **Identify the task type** from the user's request
 
@@ -48,6 +48,11 @@
       "version": "v3.2.0",
       "sha": "bcd2ba49218906704ab6c1aa796996da409d3eb1"
     },
+    "actions/download-artifact@v8.0.1": {
+      "repo": "actions/download-artifact",
+      "version": "v8.0.1",
+      "sha": "3e5f45b2cfb9172054b4087a40e8e0b5a5461e7c"
+    },
     "actions/download-artifact@v8.0.2": {
       "repo": "actions/download-artifact",
       "version": "v8.0.2",
@@ -88,11 +93,21 @@
       "version": "v7.0.0",
       "sha": "820762786026740c76f36085b0efc47a31fe5020"
     },
+    "actions/setup-node@v7.1.0": {
+      "repo": "actions/setup-node",
+      "version": "v7.1.0",
+      "sha": "949feb2413d6458794dcd2491c4babbbce0c15c1"
+    },
     "actions/setup-python@v7.0.0": {
       "repo": "actions/setup-python",
       "version": "v7.0.0",
       "sha": "5fda3b95a4ea91299a34e894583c3862153e4b97"
     },
+    "actions/upload-artifact@v7.0.1": {
+      "repo": "actions/upload-artifact",
+      "version": "v7.0.1",
+      "sha": "043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a"
+    },
     "actions/upload-artifact@v7.0.2": {
       "repo": "actions/upload-artifact",
       "version": "v7.0.2",
 
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ description: GitHub context expression variables and Handlebars-style template c
 - **`${{ steps.* }}`** - Any outputs from previous steps (e.g., `${{ steps.my-step.outputs.result }}`)
 - **`${{ github.event.inputs.* }}`** - Any workflow inputs when triggered by workflow_dispatch (e.g., `${{ github.event.inputs.environment }}`)
 
-`aw_context` is reserved and injected by the compiler into supported dispatch and reusable-workflow triggers; do not declare it as a user input. Workflows with `tools.work-queue` also receive a compiler-managed `work_queue_claim` dispatch input.
+`aw_context` is reserved and injected by the compiler into supported dispatch and reusable-workflow triggers; do not declare it as a user input. Workflows with `tools.work-queue` receive a compiler-managed `work_queue_assignment` dispatch input. It is a version-3 immutable assignment containing a `claims` array; do not declare or construct it as a user input.
 
 All other expressions are disallowed.
 
 
@@ -97,9 +97,13 @@ Pattern docs base path: `https://github.com/github/gh-aw/blob/main/docs/src/cont
 - **Pattern doc:** https://github.com/github/gh-aw/blob/main/docs/src/content/docs/experimental/trial-ops.md
 
 ### WorkQueueOps
-- **Load when:** The user needs durable queue processing for many items via issues, sub-issues, discussions, or cache-memory.
+- **Load when:** The user needs lightweight backlog processing via issue checklists, sub-issues, discussions, or cache-memory, without native Claim authority or scheduling guarantees.
 - **Pattern doc:** https://github.com/github/gh-aw/blob/main/docs/src/content/docs/patterns/workqueue-ops.md
 
+### Git-backed Work Queue
+- **Load when:** The user needs native fair scheduling, Work DAGs, Claim-scoped effects, or queue deployment/inspection/recovery.
+- **Instructions:** [work-queue.md](work-queue.md)
+
 ## Notes
 
 - Prefer documented patterns over ad hoc architecture when a strong match exists.
 
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ description: Safe-output reference for workflow dispatch, code scanning, checks,
       allowed-refs: ["release/*"]         # Optional: glob allowlist for agent-provided per-call ref overrides (default: caller's ref only)
   ```
 
-  Triggers other agentic workflows using workflow_dispatch. Agent output includes `workflow_name` (without .md extension) and optional `inputs` (key-value pairs). Cross-repo dispatch is supported via `target-repo` plus an `allowed-repos` allowlist; cross-repo targets require a token with `actions: write` on the target repository. When the target workflow enables `tools.work-queue: true` and declares `aw_context`, pass `work_queue: {work_id: "<id>"}` instead of `inputs` to dispatch a Claim to that worker — see [work-queue.md](work-queue.md) for the full protocol.
+  Triggers other agentic workflows using workflow_dispatch. Agent output includes `workflow_name` (without .md extension) and optional `inputs` (key-value pairs). Cross-repo dispatch is supported via `target-repo` plus an `allowed-repos` allowlist; cross-repo targets require a token with `actions: write` on the target repository. For queue workers, load [work-queue.md](work-queue.md) and use `work_queue_dispatch_next` to request a bounded pool prefix. Trusted processing selects Work and the installed worker profile; do not select `work_id` through `dispatch_workflow` or declare reserved assignment/caller inputs.
 - `dispatch-repository:` - Dispatch `repository_dispatch` events to external repositories (experimental)
 
   ```yaml