diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 97a82ac..cab8a8d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@11bd71901bbe5b1630ceea73d27597364c9af683  # v4.2.2 — umbrella: canonical template + checker
         with:
           repository: dmfdeploy/dmfdeploy
+          ref: working-model-v1
           path: .umbrella
           persist-credentials: false
       - name: Working-model block sync (strict)
diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 4321e85..f576ead 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -12,9 +12,11 @@ Canonical: [docs/WORKING-MODEL.md](https://github.com/dmfdeploy/dmfdeploy/blob/m
 in the umbrella repo. The three rules that matter mid-task:
 
 1. **Work starts at an issue** in the canonical backlog
-   ([dmfdeploy/dmfdeploy issues](https://github.com/dmfdeploy/dmfdeploy/issues);
-   milestone + `component:*`/`workstream:*` labels). Non-trivial work gets a
-   plan doc in umbrella `docs/plans/` with `tracking_issue` frontmatter.
+   ([dmfdeploy/dmfdeploy issues](https://github.com/dmfdeploy/dmfdeploy/issues)):
+   `component:*`/`workstream:*` labels **always**, plus a milestone **only if
+   the work is scheduled** — unscheduled work gets `platform-debt` and no
+   milestone (§2). Non-trivial work gets a plan doc in umbrella `docs/plans/`
+   with `tracking_issue` frontmatter.
 2. **The completing PR auto-closes its issue; you still flip the plan
    frontmatter by hand in that PR.** Reference umbrella issues **fully
    qualified** — `Closes dmfdeploy/dmfdeploy#N` (bare `#N` targets the wrong
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 60705fc..35bd60a 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -7,9 +7,11 @@ Canonical: [docs/WORKING-MODEL.md](https://github.com/dmfdeploy/dmfdeploy/blob/m
 in the umbrella repo. The three rules that matter mid-task:
 
 1. **Work starts at an issue** in the canonical backlog
-   ([dmfdeploy/dmfdeploy issues](https://github.com/dmfdeploy/dmfdeploy/issues);
-   milestone + `component:*`/`workstream:*` labels). Non-trivial work gets a
-   plan doc in umbrella `docs/plans/` with `tracking_issue` frontmatter.
+   ([dmfdeploy/dmfdeploy issues](https://github.com/dmfdeploy/dmfdeploy/issues)):
+   `component:*`/`workstream:*` labels **always**, plus a milestone **only if
+   the work is scheduled** — unscheduled work gets `platform-debt` and no
+   milestone (§2). Non-trivial work gets a plan doc in umbrella `docs/plans/`
+   with `tracking_issue` frontmatter.
 2. **The completing PR auto-closes its issue; you still flip the plan
    frontmatter by hand in that PR.** Reference umbrella issues **fully
    qualified** — `Closes dmfdeploy/dmfdeploy#N` (bare `#N` targets the wrong
diff --git a/QWEN.md b/QWEN.md
index edf2a2f..cd30824 100644
--- a/QWEN.md
+++ b/QWEN.md
@@ -7,9 +7,11 @@ Canonical: [docs/WORKING-MODEL.md](https://github.com/dmfdeploy/dmfdeploy/blob/m
 in the umbrella repo. The three rules that matter mid-task:
 
 1. **Work starts at an issue** in the canonical backlog
-   ([dmfdeploy/dmfdeploy issues](https://github.com/dmfdeploy/dmfdeploy/issues);
-   milestone + `component:*`/`workstream:*` labels). Non-trivial work gets a
-   plan doc in umbrella `docs/plans/` with `tracking_issue` frontmatter.
+   ([dmfdeploy/dmfdeploy issues](https://github.com/dmfdeploy/dmfdeploy/issues)):
+   `component:*`/`workstream:*` labels **always**, plus a milestone **only if
+   the work is scheduled** — unscheduled work gets `platform-debt` and no
+   milestone (§2). Non-trivial work gets a plan doc in umbrella `docs/plans/`
+   with `tracking_issue` frontmatter.
 2. **The completing PR auto-closes its issue; you still flip the plan
    frontmatter by hand in that PR.** Reference umbrella issues **fully
    qualified** — `Closes dmfdeploy/dmfdeploy#N` (bare `#N` targets the wrong