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diff --git a/‎.github/workflows/release.yml‎
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diff --git a/‎docs/front-matter.md‎
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diff --git a/‎prompts/create-ado-agentic-workflow.md‎
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diff --git a/‎prompts/debug-ado-agentic-workflow.md‎
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diff --git a/‎prompts/update-ado-agentic-workflow.md‎
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diff --git a/‎scripts/ado-script/.gitignore‎
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diff --git a/‎scripts/ado-script/package-lock.json‎
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diff --git a/‎scripts/ado-script/package.json‎
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diff --git a/‎scripts/ado-script/src/exec-context-pr-synth/__tests__/harness.ts‎
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@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
           cd scripts
-          zip -r ../ado-script.zip ado-script/gate.js ado-script/import.js ado-script/exec-context-pr.js
+          zip -r ../ado-script.zip ado-script/gate.js ado-script/import.js ado-script/exec-context-pr.js ado-script/exec-context-pr-synth.js
 
       - name: Upload release assets
         env:
 
@@ -104,6 +104,24 @@ on:                            # trigger configuration (unified under on: key)
       include: [main]
     paths:
       include: [src/*]
+    mode: synthetic            # synthetic (default) | policy. Controls how
+                               # `on.pr` builds reach the pipeline.
+                               #   - synthetic: a Setup-job script calls the
+                               #     ADO REST API on every CI build, finds the
+                               #     open PR for `Build.SourceBranch`, and
+                               #     promotes the build to PR semantics if it
+                               #     matches `branches`/`paths`. No Build
+                               #     Validation branch policy required. Zero
+                               #     or multiple matches → Agent job
+                               #     self-skips cleanly. CI trigger stays at
+                               #     the ADO default (all branches).
+                               #   - policy: the operator has installed a
+                               #     Build Validation branch policy. Compiler
+                               #     omits all synth wiring AND emits
+                               #     `trigger: none` so feature-branch pushes
+                               #     do not queue duplicate CI builds. Real
+                               #     PR-typed builds drive everything.
+                               # See "PR Triggering in Azure Repos" below.
     filters:                   # runtime PR filters (compiled to gate step)
       title: "*[review]*"
       author:
@@ -328,3 +346,78 @@ The filter gate step uses `System.AccessToken` for self-cancellation
 If the token is unavailable, the gate step logs a warning and the build
 completes as "Succeeded" (with the agent job skipped via condition)
 rather than "Cancelled".
+
+## PR Triggering in Azure Repos
+
+Azure DevOps Services **ignores the YAML `pr:` block unless a per-branch
+Build Validation branch policy is registered server-side**. Without that
+policy, a `git push` to a feature branch fires the compiled pipeline as
+`Build.Reason = IndividualCI` even when an open PR exists — the gate
+evaluator's "not a PR build" bypass triggers and `exec-context-pr.js`
+is skipped. PR-aware agents (e.g. PR reviewers) silently degrade.
+
+`ado-aw` lets the agent author pick one of two coherent strategies via
+`on.pr.mode`:
+
+| `on.pr.mode` | Synthesis wiring | Top-level `trigger:` | Use when |
+|---|---|---|---|
+| `synthetic` (default) | emitted (synthPr Setup step, coalesced env, broadened conditions) | ADO default (all branches) | No branch policy. **The vast majority of agents.** |
+| `policy` | omitted | `trigger: none` | Operator has installed a Build Validation branch policy and wants real PR-typed builds only, no duplicate CI builds. |
+
+### `mode: synthetic` — how it works under the hood
+
+On every CI build:
+
+1. **Real PR build?** If `Build.Reason == PullRequest` (a branch policy
+   is configured), the synth step no-ops and the existing PR path
+   handles everything.
+2. **GitHub-typed repo resource?** GitHub repos already get correct
+   `pr:` semantics from ADO. The synth step no-ops.
+3. **Look up the PR.** Otherwise, the script calls
+   `GET /{project}/_apis/git/repositories/{repoId}/pullrequests`
+   filtered by `sourceRefName == Build.SourceBranch` and
+   `status = active`.
+4. **Filter by target branch.** PRs whose `targetRefName` does not match
+   `on.pr.branches.include` (respecting `exclude`) are dropped.
+5. **Exactly one match.** Zero or multiple matches → emit
+   `AW_SYNTHETIC_PR_SKIP=true`; the Agent job self-skips cleanly with a
+   single info log line. Never noisy, never red.
+6. **Path filter.** If `on.pr.paths` is configured, the script enforces
+   it against the PR's changed-file list (which ADO's CI trigger
+   ignores). Empty intersection → skip.
+7. **Promote.** Otherwise, emit `AW_SYNTHETIC_PR=true` plus the PR
+   identifiers as Setup-job outputs. Downstream `gate.js` and
+   `exec-context-pr.js` env blocks coalesce these with the real
+   `System.PullRequest.*` variables, so the gate evaluator runs the
+   full PR-spec predicates and `aw-context/pr/{base.sha,head.sha}` is
+   staged for the agent.
+
+### Why the CI trigger is not auto-narrowed in `mode: synthetic`
+
+`pr.branches.include` lists PR **target** branches (e.g. `main`), but
+ADO `trigger:` fires on pushes **to** the listed branches. Narrowing
+`trigger:` to `pr.branches.include` would suppress CI on the feature
+branches synthPr actually needs to react to (pushing to `feature/x`
+with an open PR `feature/x → main` would never queue a build). The
+compiler therefore leaves the top-level `trigger:` at the ADO default
+("trigger on every branch") in synth mode, and relies on the synthPr
+Setup step's fast-exit for cost control: a single
+`listActivePullRequestsBySourceRef` call returns `[]` on branches
+without a matching PR and the Agent job self-skips cleanly via
+`AW_SYNTHETIC_PR_SKIP=true`.
+
+### `mode: policy` — when to choose it
+
+Choose `mode: policy` when the operator has explicitly installed an
+Azure DevOps Build Validation branch policy targeting the compiled
+pipeline. In this mode the compiler:
+
+- Omits all synth wiring (`synthPr` step, `PR_SYNTH_SPEC` env,
+  `AW_SYNTHETIC_PR_SKIP` guard, coalesced env macros, broadened
+  `exec-context-pr.js` condition).
+- Emits `trigger: none` so feature-branch pushes do not queue
+  duplicate CI builds alongside the policy-driven PR build.
+
+Result: every PR update fires exactly one PR-typed build (`Build.Reason
+== PullRequest`); commit-driven CI is fully silenced.
+
@@ -429,6 +429,8 @@ on:
 
 When `on.pr` is set: the native ADO `pr:` trigger block is generated from `branches:` and `paths:`. Runtime `filters:` compile to a gate step in the Setup job that self-cancels the build when they do not match.
 
+**`on.pr` triggering works without a Build Validation branch policy.** By default (`mode: synthetic`), the compiler emits a Setup-job script that, on CI-triggered builds, looks up the open PR for `Build.SourceBranch` via the ADO REST API and promotes the build to PR semantics if exactly one matches `pr.branches` (and `pr.paths` if configured). Zero or multiple matches → the Agent job self-skips cleanly. Set `on.pr.mode: policy` when an operator-installed Build Validation branch policy is in place — that mode omits all synth wiring AND emits `trigger: none` so feature-branch pushes do not queue duplicate CI builds alongside the policy-driven PR build. Note that in `mode: synthetic` the top-level CI `trigger:` is **not** auto-narrowed to `pr.branches.include`: those are PR target branches, and ADO `trigger:` fires on pushes *to* listed branches, so narrowing would suppress CI on the feature branches synthPr must react to. Full reference: ["PR Triggering in Azure Repos" in `docs/front-matter.md`](../docs/front-matter.md#pr-triggering-in-azure-repos).
+
 **PR-reviewer agents — DO NOT write your own precompute step.** When `on.pr` is set, the compiler automatically (1) fetches the PR target branch with progressive deepening, (2) resolves and stages `aw-context/pr/base.sha` + `aw-context/pr/head.sha`, (3) appends a prompt fragment listing common `git diff`/`git show`/`git log` commands and example Azure DevOps MCP tool calls (`repo_get_pull_request_by_id`, `repo_list_pull_request_threads`, `repo_create_pull_request_thread`) with the PR id / project / repo pre-filled, and (4) adds `git`, `git diff`, `git log`, `git show`, `git status`, `git rev-parse`, `git symbolic-ref` to the agent's bash allow-list. The agent runs `git diff $BASE..$HEAD` itself inside the AWF sandbox (objects are already fetched into the workspace). On failure (e.g. merge-base could not be resolved), the failure fragment tells the agent to surface the error rather than produce an empty review. Opt out via `execution-context.pr.enabled: false`. Full reference: [`docs/execution-context.md`](../docs/execution-context.md).
 
 #### Pipeline Triggers (`on.pipeline`)
 
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ Agent             →  Detection          →  SafeOutputs
 | **SafeOutputs** | Executes approved safe outputs (create PRs, work items, wiki pages, etc.) | Write (`permissions.write`) | Standard ADO agent |
 
 Additional optional jobs:
-- **Setup** — runs before `Agent` (from `setup:` front matter)
+- **Setup** — runs before `Agent` (from `setup:` front matter). When `on.pr` is set with the default `mode: synthetic`, this job also runs a `synthPr` step that calls the ADO REST API to promote CI-triggered builds to PR semantics when an open PR matches; if it sets `AW_SYNTHETIC_PR_SKIP=true`, the Agent job is skipped cleanly. With `mode: policy` there is no synthPr step (and `trigger: none` is emitted so the operator's Build Validation branch policy is the sole source of PR builds). See [`docs/front-matter.md#pr-triggering-in-azure-repos`](../docs/front-matter.md#pr-triggering-in-azure-repos).
 - **Teardown** — runs after `SafeOutputs` (from `teardown:` front matter)
 
 ---
 
@@ -44,6 +44,16 @@ triggers → steps → post-steps → setup → teardown → network →
 permissions → parameters
 ```
 
+> **`on.pr` knob update**: when changing `on.pr.branches` or
+> `on.pr.paths`, also confirm whether `mode` (default `synthetic`) is
+> appropriate. In `synthetic` mode the compiler emits a Setup-job ADO
+> REST call to discover the open PR for `Build.SourceBranch` and
+> leaves the top-level `trigger:` at the ADO default. Switch to
+> `mode: policy` only if the operator has explicitly installed a
+> Build Validation branch policy — that mode emits `trigger: none`
+> and drops the synth wiring. Reference:
+> [`docs/front-matter.md#pr-triggering-in-azure-repos`](../docs/front-matter.md#pr-triggering-in-azure-repos).
+
 ### Step 3 — Validate the Changes
 
 Run through the validation checklist (see below) before finalizing. Fix any issues and inform the user of corrections made.
 
@@ -3,5 +3,6 @@ node_modules
 gate.js
 import.js
 exec-context-pr.js
+exec-context-pr-synth.js
 schema
 *.tsbuildinfo
@@ -7,23 +7,26 @@
     "node": ">=20.0.0"
   },
   "scripts": {
-    "build": "npm run codegen && npm run clean && npm run build:gate && npm run build:import && npm run build:exec-context-pr",
-    "clean": "node -e \"const fs=require('node:fs'); fs.rmSync('.ado-build',{recursive:true,force:true}); fs.rmSync('gate.js',{force:true}); fs.rmSync('import.js',{force:true}); fs.rmSync('exec-context-pr.js',{force:true});\"",
+    "build": "npm run codegen && npm run clean && npm run build:gate && npm run build:import && npm run build:exec-context-pr && npm run build:exec-context-pr-synth",
+    "clean": "node -e \"const fs=require('node:fs'); fs.rmSync('.ado-build',{recursive:true,force:true}); fs.rmSync('gate.js',{force:true}); fs.rmSync('import.js',{force:true}); fs.rmSync('exec-context-pr.js',{force:true}); fs.rmSync('exec-context-pr-synth.js',{force:true});\"",
     "build:gate": "ncc build src/gate/index.ts -o .ado-build/gate -m -t && node -e \"const fs=require('node:fs'); fs.copyFileSync('.ado-build/gate/index.js','gate.js'); fs.rmSync('.ado-build/gate',{recursive:true,force:true});\"",
     "build:import": "ncc build src/import/index.ts -o .ado-build/import -m -t && node -e \"const fs=require('node:fs'); fs.copyFileSync('.ado-build/import/index.js','import.js'); fs.rmSync('.ado-build/import',{recursive:true,force:true});\"",
     "build:exec-context-pr": "ncc build src/exec-context-pr/index.ts -o .ado-build/exec-context-pr -m -t && node -e \"const fs=require('node:fs'); fs.copyFileSync('.ado-build/exec-context-pr/index.js','exec-context-pr.js'); fs.rmSync('.ado-build/exec-context-pr',{recursive:true,force:true});\"",
+    "build:exec-context-pr-synth": "ncc build src/exec-context-pr-synth/index.ts -o .ado-build/exec-context-pr-synth -m -t && node -e \"const fs=require('node:fs'); fs.copyFileSync('.ado-build/exec-context-pr-synth/index.js','exec-context-pr-synth.js'); fs.rmSync('.ado-build/exec-context-pr-synth',{recursive:true,force:true});\"",
     "build:check": "ls -lh gate.js && wc -c gate.js",
     "codegen": "node -e \"require('node:fs').mkdirSync('schema', { recursive: true })\" && cargo run --quiet --manifest-path ../../Cargo.toml -- export-gate-schema --output schema/gate-spec.schema.json && npx json2ts schema/gate-spec.schema.json -o src/shared/types.gen.ts --bannerComment \"// AUTO-GENERATED from Rust IR via cargo run -- export-gate-schema. Do not edit; run npm run codegen.\"",
     "test": "vitest run",
-    "test:smoke": "npm run build:gate && npm run build:import && npm run build:exec-context-pr && vitest run -c vitest.config.smoke.ts",
+    "test:smoke": "npm run build:gate && npm run build:import && npm run build:exec-context-pr && npm run build:exec-context-pr-synth && vitest run -c vitest.config.smoke.ts",
     "lint": "echo TODO",
     "typecheck": "tsc --noEmit"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "azure-devops-node-api": "^14.1.0"
+    "azure-devops-node-api": "^14.1.0",
+    "picomatch": "^4.0.4"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@types/node": "^20.19.39",
+    "@types/picomatch": "^4.0.3",
     "@vercel/ncc": "^0.38.4",
     "json-schema-to-typescript": "^15.0.4",
     "typescript": "^5.9.3",
 
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+/**
+ * Test harness for the exec-context-pr-synth bundle.
+ *
+ * Provides:
+ *   - `runMain(env)` — invokes the bundle's main() with a captured
+ *     stdout buffer.
+ *   - `makeEnv(overrides)` — returns a minimal env block populated
+ *     with the required vars, easy to override per case.
+ *   - `build_pr_synth_spec(spec)` — base64-encodes a PrSynthSpec JSON
+ *     for the PR_SYNTH_SPEC env var.
+ */
+import { vi } from "vitest";
+
+import { main } from "../index.js";
+import { _resetCompletedForTesting } from "../../shared/vso-logger.js";
+
+export interface RunResult {
+  code: number;
+  output: string;
+}
+
+export async function runMain(env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv): Promise<RunResult> {
+  _resetCompletedForTesting();
+  const chunks: string[] = [];
+  const writeSpy = vi
+    .spyOn(process.stdout, "write")
+    .mockImplementation((c: any) => {
+      chunks.push(typeof c === "string" ? c : c.toString());
+      return true;
+    });
+  try {
+    const code = await main(env);
+    return { code, output: chunks.join("") };
+  } finally {
+    writeSpy.mockRestore();
+  }
+}
+
+export function makeEnv(overrides: Record<string, string>): NodeJS.ProcessEnv {
+  return {
+    BUILD_REASON: "IndividualCI",
+    BUILD_REPOSITORY_PROVIDER: "TfsGit",
+    BUILD_SOURCEBRANCH: "refs/heads/feature/x",
+    ADO_PROJECT: "MyProject",
+    ADO_REPO_ID: "00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000",
+    ...overrides,
+  };
+}
+
+export function build_pr_synth_spec(
+  spec: {
+    branches?: { include: string[]; exclude: string[] };
+    paths?: { include: string[]; exclude: string[] };
+  } = {},
+): string {
+  const full = {
+    branches: spec.branches ?? { include: ["main"], exclude: [] },
+    paths: spec.paths ?? { include: [], exclude: [] },
+  };
+  return Buffer.from(JSON.stringify(full), "utf8").toString("base64");
+}