diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index d4df966e403d..6bb1f8f9e6fc 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ Otherwise infer from the component being worked in:
 | `barretenberg/cpp/src/barretenberg/vm2/**` | `merge-train/avm` |
 | everything else | `next` |
 
-The bases above target the `next` line. For work scoped to the v5 release line, use `merge-train/spartan-v5` (which targets `v5-next`) in place of `merge-train/spartan`.
+The bases above target the `next` line. For work scoped to a release line, use the matching `merge-train/spartan-v<N>` in place of `merge-train/spartan`: `merge-train/spartan-v5` targets `v5-next`, and `merge-train/spartan-v6` targets `v6-next` (the public staging line for v6 work).
 
 Use the discovered base in `git diff origin/<base>...HEAD` and `git log origin/<base>..HEAD`. Always `git fetch` before creating branches so the base is not stale.
 </critical_never_assume_master>