diff --git a/.agents/skills/nemoclaw-maintainer-day/scripts/shared.ts b/.agents/skills/nemoclaw-maintainer-day/scripts/shared.ts
index c43bb261de6..e5330ac33c5 100644
--- a/.agents/skills/nemoclaw-maintainer-day/scripts/shared.ts
+++ b/.agents/skills/nemoclaw-maintainer-day/scripts/shared.ts
@@ -33,10 +33,15 @@ export const RISKY_PATTERNS: RegExp[] = [
   /inference/i,
 ];
 
+const DOCUMENTATION_PATTERNS: RegExp[] = [/^docs\//, /^fern\//];
+
 export const TEST_PATTERNS: RegExp[] = [/\.test\.[jt]sx?$/, /\.spec\.[jt]sx?$/, /^test\//];
 
 export function isRiskyFile(path: string): boolean {
-  return RISKY_PATTERNS.some((re) => re.test(path));
+  return (
+    !DOCUMENTATION_PATTERNS.some((pattern) => pattern.test(path)) &&
+    RISKY_PATTERNS.some((pattern) => pattern.test(path))
+  );
 }
 
 export function isTestFile(path: string): boolean {
diff --git a/test/skills/check-gates-compliance.test.ts b/test/skills/check-gates-compliance.test.ts
index 761a2854eb4..6a95e2f1400 100644
--- a/test/skills/check-gates-compliance.test.ts
+++ b/test/skills/check-gates-compliance.test.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,37 @@ import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import { REQUIRED_CHECK_NAMES, runComparatorGate, runGate } from "./check-gates-test-fixtures.ts";
 
 describe("maintainer merge-gate contributor compliance", () => {
+  it("excludes public docs but keeps inference source behind the risky-code test gate (#9934)", () => {
+    const docsOutput = JSON.parse(
+      runGate({
+        body: "Signed-off-by: Example User <user@example.com>",
+        verified: true,
+        files: [
+          { path: "docs/inference/set-up-vllm.mdx", status: "modified" },
+          { path: "docs/policy/network-access.mdx", status: "modified" },
+          { path: "fern/assets/inference-policy.svg", status: "modified" },
+        ],
+      }).stdout,
+    );
+    const sourceOutput = JSON.parse(
+      runGate({
+        body: "Signed-off-by: Example User <user@example.com>",
+        verified: true,
+        files: [{ path: "src/lib/inference/provider.ts", status: "modified" }],
+      }).stdout,
+    );
+
+    expect(docsOutput.gates.riskyCodeTested).toMatchObject({
+      pass: true,
+      details: "No risky files changed",
+    });
+    expect(sourceOutput.gates.riskyCodeTested).toMatchObject({
+      pass: false,
+      riskyFiles: ["src/lib/inference/provider.ts"],
+      hasTests: false,
+    });
+  });
+
   it("classifies the merge-gate checker as risky code with direct test coverage", () => {
     const output = JSON.parse(
       runGate({