githubnext
diff --git a/‎docs/safe-outputs.md‎
Lines changed: 39 additions & 1 deletion b/‎docs/safe-outputs.md‎
Lines changed: 39 additions & 1 deletion
diff --git a/‎src/execute.rs‎
Lines changed: 16 additions & 1 deletion b/‎src/execute.rs‎
Lines changed: 16 additions & 1 deletion
diff --git a/‎src/main.rs‎
Lines changed: 56 additions & 1 deletion b/‎src/main.rs‎
Lines changed: 56 additions & 1 deletion
diff --git a/‎src/safeoutputs/create_pr.rs‎
Lines changed: 1 addition & 0 deletions b/‎src/safeoutputs/create_pr.rs‎
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diff --git a/‎src/safeoutputs/create_work_item.rs‎
Lines changed: 3 additions & 2 deletions b/‎src/safeoutputs/create_work_item.rs‎
Lines changed: 3 additions & 2 deletions
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ Creates an Azure DevOps work item.
 - `work-item-type` - Work item type (default: "Task")
 - `area-path` - Area path for the work item
 - `iteration-path` - Iteration path for the work item
-- `assignee` - User to assign (email or display name)
+- `assignee` - User to assign (email or display name). When omitted, falls back to the email of the last person who committed changes to the agent source markdown file (discovered via `git log` at Stage 3).
 - `tags` - Static list of tags always applied to the work item (regardless of agent input)
 - `allowed-tags` - Allowlist of tags the agent is permitted to use via the `tags` parameter. If empty, any agent-provided tags are accepted. Supports `*` wildcards anywhere in the pattern (e.g., `"agent-*"` matches `"agent-created"`; `"copilot:repo=org/project/*@main"` matches any repo name).
 - `custom-fields` - Map of custom field reference names to values (e.g., `Custom.MyField: "value"`)
@@ -199,9 +199,28 @@ The `repository` value must be `"self"`, an alias from the `checkout:` list in t
 ### noop
 Reports that no action was needed. Use this to provide visibility when analysis is complete but no changes or outputs are required.
 
+The executor always files an Azure DevOps work item or appends a comment to an existing one. Override the defaults in front matter to customise the title, type, or area path. If ADO credentials are not available the tool succeeds with a warning.
+
 **Agent parameters:**
 - `context` - Optional context about why no action was taken
 
+**Configuration options (front matter):**
+```yaml
+safe-outputs:
+  noop:
+    work-item:                                  # Work item config — always active with these defaults
+      enabled: true                             # Set to false to disable work-item filing entirely
+      title: "[ado-aw] Agent reported no operation"  # Default title (used to find existing items too)
+      work-item-type: Task                      # Work item type (default: "Task")
+      area-path: "MyProject\\MyTeam"            # Optional — area path
+      iteration-path: "MyProject\\Sprint 1"     # Optional — iteration path
+      tags:                                     # Optional — tags to apply
+        - agent-noop
+      include-stats: true                       # Append agent stats to description/comment (default: true)
+```
+
+The executor searches for a non-closed work item with the same `title` in the project. If one is found, a comment is appended; otherwise a new work item is created.
+
 ### missing-data
 Reports that data or information needed to complete the task is not available.
 
@@ -213,10 +232,29 @@ Reports that data or information needed to complete the task is not available.
 ### missing-tool
 Reports that a tool or capability needed to complete the task is not available.
 
+The executor always files an Azure DevOps work item or appends a comment to an existing one. Override the defaults in front matter to customise the title, type, or area path. If ADO credentials are not available the tool succeeds with a warning.
+
 **Agent parameters:**
 - `tool_name` - Name of the tool that was expected but not found
 - `context` - Optional context about why the tool was needed
 
+**Configuration options (front matter):**
+```yaml
+safe-outputs:
+  missing-tool:
+    work-item:                                     # Work item config — always active with these defaults
+      enabled: true                                # Set to false to disable work-item filing entirely
+      title: "[ado-aw] Agent encountered missing tool"  # Default title (used to find existing items too)
+      work-item-type: Task                         # Work item type (default: "Task")
+      area-path: "MyProject\\MyTeam"               # Optional — area path
+      iteration-path: "MyProject\\Sprint 1"        # Optional — iteration path
+      tags:                                        # Optional — tags to apply
+        - agent-missing-tool
+      include-stats: true                          # Append agent stats to description/comment (default: true)
+```
+
+The executor searches for a non-closed work item with the same `title` in the project. If one is found, a comment is appended; otherwise a new work item is created.
+
 ### report-incomplete
 Reports that a task could not be completed.
 
 
@@ -578,8 +578,15 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(result.is_ok());
         let (tool_name, result) = result.unwrap();
         assert_eq!(tool_name, "noop");
+        // noop always attempts to file a work item; without ADO credentials it
+        // returns a warning (success=true) rather than failing hard.
         assert!(result.success);
-        assert!(result.message.contains("No operation"));
+        assert!(result.is_warning(), "noop without credentials should be a warning");
+        assert!(
+            result.message.contains("not set"),
+            "noop warning should mention missing config, got: {}",
+            result.message
+        );
     }
 
     #[tokio::test]
@@ -591,7 +598,15 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(result.is_ok());
         let (tool_name, result) = result.unwrap();
         assert_eq!(tool_name, "missing-tool");
+        // missing-tool always attempts to file a work item; without ADO credentials
+        // it returns a warning (success=true) rather than failing hard.
         assert!(result.success);
+        assert!(result.is_warning(), "missing-tool without credentials should be a warning");
+        assert!(
+            result.message.contains("not set"),
+            "missing-tool warning should mention missing config, got: {}",
+            result.message
+        );
     }
 
     #[tokio::test]
 
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ async fn run_execute(
     let tools = front_matter.tools.clone();
 
     // Build execution context from front matter, CLI args, and environment
-    let ctx = build_execution_context(
+    let mut ctx = build_execution_context(
         front_matter,
         &safe_output_dir,
         ado_org_url,
@@ -273,6 +273,13 @@ async fn run_execute(
     )
     .await;
 
+    // Discover the last author of the agent source file for use as a
+    // fallback assignee in create-work-item.
+    ctx.agent_last_author = discover_last_author(&source).await;
+    if let Some(ref email) = ctx.agent_last_author {
+        log::info!("Agent source last author: {}", email);
+    }
+
     let results = execute::execute_safe_outputs(&safe_output_dir, &ctx).await?;
 
     // Process agent memory if cache-memory tool is enabled
@@ -349,6 +356,54 @@ async fn build_execution_context(
     ctx
 }
 
+/// Look up the email of the person who last authored changes to `path`.
+///
+/// Runs `git log -1 --format='%ae' -- <path>` in the file's parent directory.
+/// Returns `None` (with a debug log) when the lookup fails — e.g. shallow
+/// clone with no relevant history, or git is unavailable.
+///
+/// Note: we pass the bare filename (not a full path) so git resolves it
+/// relative to `cwd`. This means renames in history are not followed
+/// (`--follow` has its own edge-cases with merge commits and is not worth
+/// the complexity here).
+async fn discover_last_author(path: &Path) -> Option<String> {
+    let dir = path.parent().unwrap_or(Path::new("."));
+    let output = tokio::process::Command::new("git")
+        .args(["log", "-1", "--format=%ae", "--"])
+        .arg(path.file_name()?)
+        .current_dir(dir)
+        .output()
+        .await;
+
+    match output {
+        Ok(o) if o.status.success() => {
+            let email = String::from_utf8_lossy(&o.stdout).trim().to_string();
+            if email.is_empty() {
+                log::debug!("git log returned no committer for {}", path.display());
+                None
+            } else {
+                // Sanitize the email: git committer values can contain
+                // arbitrary text (e.g. ADO pipeline log commands like
+                // ##vso[task.setvariable ...]).  Apply the same config-level
+                // sanitization used for operator-supplied fields.
+                Some(crate::sanitize::sanitize_config(&email))
+            }
+        }
+        Ok(o) => {
+            log::debug!(
+                "git log failed for {}: {}",
+                path.display(),
+                String::from_utf8_lossy(&o.stderr).trim()
+            );
+            None
+        }
+        Err(e) => {
+            log::debug!("Failed to run git log for {}: {}", path.display(), e);
+            None
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 async fn process_cache_memory(
     tools: Option<&compile::types::ToolsConfig>,
     safe_output_dir: &PathBuf,
 
@@ -2510,6 +2510,7 @@ new file mode 100755
             uploaded_pipeline_artifact_keys: std::sync::Arc::new(std::sync::Mutex::new(
                 std::collections::HashSet::new(),
             )),
+            agent_last_author: None,
         };
         let outcome = result.execute_impl(&ctx).await.unwrap();
         assert!(!outcome.success);
 
@@ -300,7 +300,8 @@ impl Executor for CreateWorkItemResult {
         debug!("Work item type: {}", config.work_item_type);
         debug!("Area path: {:?}", config.area_path);
         debug!("Iteration path: {:?}", config.iteration_path);
-        debug!("Assignee: {:?}", config.assignee);
+        debug!("Assignee (config): {:?}", config.assignee);
+        debug!("Assignee (last author fallback): {:?}", ctx.agent_last_author);
 
         // Validate agent-provided tags against allowed-tags (if configured)
         if !self.tags.is_empty() && !config.allowed_tags.is_empty() {
@@ -357,7 +358,7 @@ impl Executor for CreateWorkItemResult {
         if let Some(iteration_path) = &config.iteration_path {
             patch_doc.push(field_op("System.IterationPath", iteration_path));
         }
-        if let Some(assignee) = &config.assignee {
+        if let Some(assignee) = config.assignee.as_ref().or(ctx.agent_last_author.as_ref()) {
             patch_doc.push(field_op("System.AssignedTo", assignee));
         }
         // Merge static config tags with validated agent-provided tags (dedup, case-insensitive)