diff --git a/.github/workflows/create-plugin-pr.yml b/.github/workflows/create-plugin-pr.yml
index 6c4caba..3c71504 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/create-plugin-pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/create-plugin-pr.yml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ jobs:
     if: contains(github.event.issue.labels.*.name, 'plugin-submission')
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/github-script@v8
+      - uses: actions/github-script@v9
         with:
           script: |
             const body = context.payload.issue.body ?? '';
@@ -48,7 +48,27 @@ jobs:
             const status = parseField(body, 'Status');
             const minimumVersion = parseField(body, 'Minimum Docusaurus version');
             const npmPackagesRaw = parseField(body, 'npm package name(s)');
-            const tags = parseCheckboxes(body, 'Tags');
+            const submittedTags = parseCheckboxes(body, 'Tags');
+
+            // These tags curate the directory's highlighted/official listings, so only
+            // maintainers may apply them — anyone else's selection is stripped below.
+            const RESTRICTED_TAGS = ['favourite', 'docusaurus'];
+            const submitter = context.payload.issue.user.login;
+            let isMaintainer = false;
+            try {
+              const { data: permission } = await github.rest.repos.getCollaboratorPermissionLevel({
+                owner: context.repo.owner,
+                repo: context.repo.repo,
+                username: submitter,
+              });
+              isMaintainer = permission.permission === 'admin' || permission.permission === 'maintain';
+            } catch (e) {
+              if (e.status !== 404) throw e;
+              // Not a collaborator — expected for external contributors
+            }
+
+            const removedTags = isMaintainer ? [] : submittedTags.filter(t => RESTRICTED_TAGS.includes(t));
+            const tags = isMaintainer ? submittedTags : submittedTags.filter(t => !RESTRICTED_TAGS.includes(t));
 
             const errors = [];
             if (!name) errors.push('Plugin name is required');
@@ -190,13 +210,22 @@ jobs:
             });
 
             // Comment on the issue with the PR link
+            const successBody = [
+              `Thank you for your plugin submission! A draft PR has been created: ${pr.data.html_url}`,
+              '',
+              'A maintainer will review it shortly. Please check the PR for any CI validation errors.',
+            ];
+
+            if (removedTags.length > 0) {
+              successBody.push(
+                '',
+                `Note: the ${removedTags.map(t => `\`${t}\``).join(', ')} tag(s) are reserved for maintainers and were removed from your submission. A maintainer can add them back if appropriate.`,
+              );
+            }
+
             await github.rest.issues.createComment({
               owner: context.repo.owner,
               repo: context.repo.repo,
               issue_number: issueNumber,
-              body: [
-                `Thank you for your plugin submission! A draft PR has been created: ${pr.data.html_url}`,
-                '',
-                'A maintainer will review it shortly. Please check the PR for any CI validation errors.',
-              ].join('\n'),
+              body: successBody.join('\n'),
             });
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish.yml b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
index 0d26af5..c03b5ee 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ jobs:
 
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v6
+        uses: actions/checkout@v7
         with:
           ref: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha || github.ref }}
           fetch-depth: 0
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Remove label
         if: ${{ github.event_name == 'pull_request_target' && contains(github.event.label.name, '🚀request-deploy') }}
-        uses: actions/github-script@v8
+        uses: actions/github-script@v9
         with:
           github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           script: |
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ jobs:
               issue_number: context.issue.number,
               owner: context.repo.owner,
               repo: context.repo.repo,
-              name: ['🚀request-deploy']
+              name: '🚀request-deploy'
             })
 
   # Comment on PR from the fork
diff --git a/.yarn/install-state.gz b/.yarn/install-state.gz
index faa48b6..84602c2 100644
Binary files a/.yarn/install-state.gz and b/.yarn/install-state.gz differ
diff --git a/contributing/plugins.mdx b/contributing/plugins.mdx
index d70399d..377eee9 100644
--- a/contributing/plugins.mdx
+++ b/contributing/plugins.mdx
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ npmPackages:
 | `description` | Yes | Short, one-sentence description |
 | `preview` | Yes | URL to a preview image, or `null` to auto-generate |
 | `website` | Yes | Public website or repository URL |
-| `source` | No | Source code URL (required for acceptance) |
+| `source` | No | Source code URL — required if the plugin is open source, `null` or omitted if closed source |
 | `author` | No | Your GitHub username or organisation name |
 | `tags` | No | See [available tags](#tags) below |
 | `minimumVersion` | No | Minimum Docusaurus version, e.g. `3.0.0`, or `null` |
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 3b13b13..4ef2124 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -58,15 +58,15 @@
     "@docusaurus/tsconfig": "^3.10.1",
     "@docusaurus/types": "^3.10.1",
     "@types/jest": "^30.0.0",
-    "@types/node": "^26.0.1",
+    "@types/node": "^26.1.0",
     "@types/react": "^19.2.17",
     "jest": "^30.4.2",
-    "prettier": "3.9.3",
+    "prettier": "3.9.4",
     "prettier-plugin-css-order": "2.2.0",
     "prop-types": "^15.8.1",
     "react-waypoint": "^10.3.0",
     "typescript": "^6.0.3",
-    "webpack": "^5.108.2"
+    "webpack": "^5.108.3"
   },
   "browserslist": {
     "production": [
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index df1ac33..faf08de 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -6868,12 +6868,12 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
-"@types/node@npm:^26.0.1":
-  version: 26.0.1
-  resolution: "@types/node@npm:26.0.1"
+"@types/node@npm:^26.1.0":
+  version: 26.1.0
+  resolution: "@types/node@npm:26.1.0"
   dependencies:
     undici-types: "npm:~8.3.0"
-  checksum: 10c0/31d204333c70124da6bcac7d1f27d8980149fe3f95a8419bfcd19c3e5823705c0e370d71ac34399352e1263b2d5fc41c87af964ec81e5a05a32224d65d8d224e
+  checksum: 10c0/61c22ad1ef215e24138cb8b7368fb68bab9de4c123b3f23d411749b015ba1b7d22f878ad54add26a0b69068d7e07c04af665069d8571b6c6c3b9b2fb73b7bd91
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
@@ -9842,7 +9842,7 @@ __metadata:
     "@popperjs/core": "npm:^2.11.8"
     "@swc/core": "npm:^1.15.43"
     "@types/jest": "npm:^30.0.0"
-    "@types/node": "npm:^26.0.1"
+    "@types/node": "npm:^26.1.0"
     "@types/react": "npm:^19.2.17"
     "@types/react-dom": "npm:^19.2.3"
     clsx: "npm:^2.1.1"
@@ -9850,7 +9850,7 @@ __metadata:
     docusaurus-remark-plugin-tab-blocks: "npm:^4.0.0"
     git-url-parse: "npm:^16.1.0"
     jest: "npm:^30.4.2"
-    prettier: "npm:3.9.3"
+    prettier: "npm:3.9.4"
     prettier-plugin-css-order: "npm:2.2.0"
     prism-react-renderer: "npm:^2.4.1"
     prop-types: "npm:^15.8.1"
@@ -9866,7 +9866,7 @@ __metadata:
     sass: "npm:^1.101.0"
     swc-loader: "npm:^0.2.7"
     typescript: "npm:^6.0.3"
-    webpack: "npm:^5.108.2"
+    webpack: "npm:^5.108.3"
   dependenciesMeta:
     "@docusaurus/tsconfig":
       unplugged: true
@@ -16707,12 +16707,12 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
-"prettier@npm:3.9.3":
-  version: 3.9.3
-  resolution: "prettier@npm:3.9.3"
+"prettier@npm:3.9.4":
+  version: 3.9.4
+  resolution: "prettier@npm:3.9.4"
   bin:
     prettier: bin/prettier.cjs
-  checksum: 10c0/56623a03f0a1a791413b76458dbcab1dff8e5a7d02744be98ccc589a3a8cf8371dda8fba68f2d2336ded8475ed40f6eaf66f0f4d39df33235656018f64d2fdac
+  checksum: 10c0/dc6ec13d692745c6b7e7bf39beda9eb1b3b76c619118319bce393928c392264b1273337c75f80499695e165affefc7b3a9d2ebb18983af0a8f4dfbb2f45f6ff3
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
@@ -19745,9 +19745,9 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
-"webpack@npm:^5.108.2":
-  version: 5.108.2
-  resolution: "webpack@npm:5.108.2"
+"webpack@npm:^5.108.3":
+  version: 5.108.3
+  resolution: "webpack@npm:5.108.3"
   dependencies:
     "@types/estree": "npm:^1.0.8"
     "@types/json-schema": "npm:^7.0.15"
@@ -19776,7 +19776,7 @@ __metadata:
       optional: true
   bin:
     webpack: bin/webpack.js
-  checksum: 10c0/0415339267d6759502022d0fe9a18f59d8c5d5bd08c42566f6591b86814073ee63078ad90344e45ed8bd6f2de13d58623a98b4bf47a620fca356b997da3d7f74
+  checksum: 10c0/96a0e17e5443ed179be24ee91fe2d5aca25aad8cf61e3ea469219b1fe9f970642ae40e0f32ad84888e8867c7141e2b8b2eaf32c290edce2e93762482231b7dad
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard