diff --git a/.github/workflows/check-base-branch.yml b/.github/workflows/check-base-branch.yml
index a977a320..42c4bb96 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/check-base-branch.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/check-base-branch.yml
@@ -8,8 +8,12 @@ jobs:
   check-base-branch:
     name: Validate Base Branch
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      pull-requests: read
     steps:
       - name: Ensure PR targets allowed base branch
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
           BASE="${{ github.base_ref }}"
           HEAD="${{ github.head_ref }}"
diff --git a/.opencode/skills/maintenance/SKILL.md b/.opencode/skills/maintenance/SKILL.md
index 5effc59e..f552ad12 100644
--- a/.opencode/skills/maintenance/SKILL.md
+++ b/.opencode/skills/maintenance/SKILL.md
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@ description: Use when making ANY code change to pytrendy, creating issues, or op
 
 # Maintenance & API evolution
 
-This is the consolidated context issue #141 asked for — the design principles agents keep re-litigating on PRs.
+> **CRITICAL: Before EVERY `git commit`, verify the message matches `^(feat|fix|docs|style|refactor|perf|test|build|ci|chore|revert)(\(.+\))?!?: .+`. If not, rewrite it. No exceptions.**
+>
+> **CRITICAL: Before EVERY PR title creation, verify the title matches the same pattern. `lint-pr-title.yml` enforces this in CI — PRs with non-conforming titles are blocked.**
 
 ## Public API surface
 
@@ -84,6 +86,7 @@ Segment dicts have at minimum: `direction` ('Up'/'Down'/'Flat'/'Noise'), `start`
 - `lint-pr-title.yml` rejects titles not matching `^(feat|fix|docs|style|refactor|perf|test|build|ci|chore|revert)(\(.+\))?!?: .+`.
 - semantic-release maps: `feat`→minor, `fix`→patch, `!`/`BREAKING CHANGE:`→major, others→no bump.
 - Deprecating a public API param = `feat:` (minor), *not* `refactor:` — see "Deprecation policy" section above.
+- **`chore` vs `fix`**: `fix:` triggers a **patch release** via semantic-release. Use `chore:` or `ci:` for maintenance-only changes that have zero user-facing code impact. Using `fix:` on non-bugfix work causes accidental auto-releases.
 - Imperative, lowercase, <72 chars, no trailing period.
 
 ## Don't touch these manually
diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 8d1b3345..f42e2581 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -19,5 +19,7 @@ Other skills (`test`, `cicd`, `debug`, `pr-plots`) load on demand for specific t
   - Lowercase, imperative, <72 chars, no trailing period
   - This applies to all commit messages you generate, including auto-generated summaries
   - `lint-pr-title.yml` enforces the `type: description` prefix and allowed types on PR titles (regex: `^(feat|fix|docs|style|refactor|perf|test|build|ci|chore|revert)(\(.+\))?!?: .+`)
+  - **PR titles use the same pattern** — non-conforming titles are blocked in CI
 - Deprecating a public param = `feat:` (minor), NOT `refactor:`
+- **`chore` vs `fix`**: `fix:` triggers a **patch release** via semantic-release. Use `chore:` or `ci:` for maintenance-only changes that have zero user-facing code impact. Using `fix:` on non-bugfix work causes accidental auto-releases.
 - Never hand-edit `pyproject.toml` version or `CHANGELOG.md`