diff --git a/webviews/src/agent-session/acpmux/chips/BareReferenceChip.tsx b/webviews/src/agent-session/acpmux/chips/BareReferenceChip.tsx
index 37ac477a1876..7d203920a08e 100644
--- a/webviews/src/agent-session/acpmux/chips/BareReferenceChip.tsx
+++ b/webviews/src/agent-session/acpmux/chips/BareReferenceChip.tsx
@@ -16,21 +16,24 @@ import { usePullRequestsExist } from "./referenceExistence";
 const address = (repository: string, number: number) => `https://github.com/${repository}/pull/${number}`;
 const NO_URLS: readonly string[] = [];
 
-/// `href` is the folder's (or the transcript's) address for the number: rule d's. Without one, the
-/// number is linked only when the transcript names its repository.
+/// `href` is the folder's (or the transcript's) address for the number: rule d's. Without one, or
+/// when the number is out of every candidate's range (rule 4), the number is linked only when the
+/// transcript names its repository.
 export function BareReferenceChip({ number, href, text }: { number: number; href?: string; text: string }) {
   const scope = useContext(ReferenceScopeContext);
   const fallback = href && /^https:\/\/github\.com\/([^/]+\/[^/]+)\//.exec(href)?.[1];
   const named = namedRepository(number, scope);
-  const candidates = !named && fallback ? candidateRepositories(fallback, scope) : [];
-  // Only a number with more than one candidate is asked about; one candidate is rule d's anyway.
+  const candidates = !named && fallback ? candidateRepositories(fallback, scope, number) : [];
+  // Rule d stands for the folder's repository alone, so one candidate is asked about only when the
+  // folder's is out of range (rule 4) and the cache must say the chat's repository has N.
+  const folderFirst = Boolean(fallback) && candidates[0] === fallback;
   const existing = usePullRequestsExist(
-    candidates.length > 1 ? candidates.map((repository) => address(repository, number)) : NO_URLS,
+    candidates.length > (folderFirst ? 1 : 0) ? candidates.map((repository) => address(repository, number)) : NO_URLS,
   );
   const choice = named
     ? { repository: named, alternatives: [] }
     : candidates.length
-      ? chooseRepository(candidates, existing)
+      ? chooseRepository(candidates, existing, fallback || undefined)
       : undefined;
   const ambiguous = Boolean(choice?.alternatives.length);
   if (!choice) return text;
diff --git a/webviews/src/agent-session/acpmux/conversation/Markdown.tsx b/webviews/src/agent-session/acpmux/conversation/Markdown.tsx
index 1068ff110f65..be12d380055d 100644
--- a/webviews/src/agent-session/acpmux/conversation/Markdown.tsx
+++ b/webviews/src/agent-session/acpmux/conversation/Markdown.tsx
@@ -313,6 +313,10 @@ export type InlineOptions = {
   githubRepository?: string;
   /** Link GitHub references in prose; labels of an outer link disable this. */
   linkGithubReferences?: boolean;
+  /** Link a bare `#N` too (default). Off in a quote: quoted words are someone else's, whose `#1`
+   *  is rarely this repository's pull request (Leo 2026-10-29: "these auto render to the pr
+   *  instead of just #1 #2..."). `owner/repo#N` and addresses still link there. */
+  linkBareReferences?: boolean;
   /** The chats the open chat started, whose names draw as chips (started/startedSessions.ts). */
   started?: StartedMentions;
   /** How a commit SHA draws: a GitHub chip (replies), or quiet monospace text that links to its
@@ -432,6 +436,7 @@ function linkedGithubText(
   repository?: string,
   enabled = true,
   quietCommits = false,
+  bare = true,
 ): ReactNode[] {
   if (!enabled) return linkedText(text, key);
   // A pull request address, so the chip opens the pull request card (an issue redirects there);
@@ -445,7 +450,7 @@ function linkedGithubText(
   const spans = commits.length || issues.some((issue) => issue.bare) ? textLinks(text) : [];
   const outside = (ref: { start: number; end: number }) =>
     !spans.some((span) => ref.start < span.end && span.start < ref.end);
-  const refs = [...issues.filter((issue) => !issue.bare || outside(issue)), ...commits.filter(outside)]
+  const refs = [...issues.filter((issue) => !issue.bare || (bare && outside(issue))), ...commits.filter(outside)]
     .sort((a, b) => a.start - b.start)
     .filter((ref, index, all) => index === 0 || ref.start >= all[index - 1]!.end);
   if (!refs.length) return linkedText(text, key);
@@ -525,6 +530,7 @@ function proseText(text: string, key: string, opts: InlineOptions): ReactNode[]
                 opts.githubRepository,
                 opts.linkGithubReferences !== false,
                 opts.commits === "quiet",
+                opts.linkBareReferences !== false,
               ),
               current,
             )
@@ -826,7 +832,7 @@ function Block({
     case "blockquote":
       return (
         <blockquote className={`cv-quote${motion}`}>
-          <Blocks blocks={block.children} opts={opts} depth={depth} plain={code === "plain"} />
+          <Blocks blocks={block.children} opts={quoted(opts)} depth={depth} plain={code === "plain"} />
         </blockquote>
       );
     case "list": {
@@ -894,6 +900,15 @@ function ItemThumbs({ text, opts, streaming }: { text: string; opts: InlineOptio
 
 /// Nested blocks (a quote's, a list item's). `plain` keeps the outer Markdown's plain fences
 /// (`plainCode`) inside them too: no diagram or render card at any depth.
+/// A quote's options: the same object for the same `opts`, so its memoized blocks stay drawn.
+const quotedOptions = new WeakMap<InlineOptions, InlineOptions>();
+function quoted(opts: InlineOptions): InlineOptions {
+  if (opts.linkBareReferences === false) return opts;
+  let kept = quotedOptions.get(opts);
+  if (!kept) quotedOptions.set(opts, (kept = { ...opts, linkBareReferences: false }));
+  return kept;
+}
+
 function Blocks({
   blocks,
   opts,
diff --git a/webviews/src/agent-session/acpmux/conversation/bareReferences.ts b/webviews/src/agent-session/acpmux/conversation/bareReferences.ts
index 659ca11e8287..740c5dab4377 100644
--- a/webviews/src/agent-session/acpmux/conversation/bareReferences.ts
+++ b/webviews/src/agent-session/acpmux/conversation/bareReferences.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@
 //    d. else the folder's repository (or the transcript's, transcriptRepositories.ts).
 // 3. A number that is a pull request in two or more candidates names its repository on the chip
 //    (`leo-workspace#843`).
+// 4. Rules c and d only take a candidate whose numbers the chat named are no longer than N: a cmux
+//    chat that named #27262 means no pull request by "#1 / #2" (Leo 2026-10-29: "these auto
+//    render to the pr instead of just #1 #2..."). With no candidate left, N is text.
 import { createContext } from "react";
 import { githubReferences, isGithubOwner } from "../../../githubReferences";
 import type { AcpmuxRow } from "../model";
@@ -26,6 +29,8 @@ export type ReferenceEvidence = {
   mentions: ReadonlyMap<number, readonly Mention[]>;
   /** Rule c's candidates after the folder's: the repositories the chat linked, latest first. */
   linked: readonly string[];
+  /** Rule 4: the smallest number the chat named in each repository, by its lowercase name. */
+  smallest: ReadonlyMap<string, number>;
 };
 
 /** A turn's evidence: the transcript's, its own (rule a), and where it starts. */
@@ -88,6 +93,7 @@ function rowNamed(row: Pick<AcpmuxRow, "kind" | "text" | "items">): readonly Nam
 type Reading = {
   mentions: Map<number, readonly Mention[]>;
   repos: Map<string, Mention>;
+  smallest: Map<string, number>;
   turns: Map<string, { at: number; named: Map<number, string> }>;
   turn: string;
 };
@@ -114,13 +120,25 @@ export const newReferenceScopeCache = (): ReferenceScopeCache => ({
   scopes: new Map(),
 });
 
-const empty = (): Reading => ({ mentions: new Map(), repos: new Map(), turns: new Map(), turn: "" });
+const empty = (): Reading => ({
+  mentions: new Map(),
+  repos: new Map(),
+  smallest: new Map(),
+  turns: new Map(),
+  turn: "",
+});
 
 const copy = (reading: Reading): Reading => {
   const turns = new Map(reading.turns);
   const open = turns.get(reading.turn);
   if (open) turns.set(reading.turn, { at: open.at, named: new Map(open.named) });
-  return { mentions: new Map(reading.mentions), repos: new Map(reading.repos), turns, turn: reading.turn };
+  return {
+    mentions: new Map(reading.mentions),
+    repos: new Map(reading.repos),
+    smallest: new Map(reading.smallest),
+    turns,
+    turn: reading.turn,
+  };
 };
 
 function read(reading: Reading, row: Pick<AcpmuxRow, "id" | "kind" | "text" | "items">, at: number) {
@@ -135,6 +153,7 @@ function read(reading: Reading, row: Pick<AcpmuxRow, "id" | "kind" | "text" | "i
     reading.repos.delete(key);
     reading.repos.set(key, { repo: spelled, at });
     if (number === undefined) continue;
+    if (!(number >= (reading.smallest.get(key) ?? Infinity))) reading.smallest.set(key, number);
     reading.mentions.set(number, [...(reading.mentions.get(number) ?? []), { at, repo: spelled }]);
     if (!reading.turns.has(reading.turn)) reading.turns.set(reading.turn, { at: 0, named: new Map() });
     reading.turns.get(reading.turn)!.named.set(number, spelled);
@@ -175,7 +194,7 @@ export function referenceScopes(
   const evidenceKey = `${cache.generation}:${cache.prefixLength}:${tail}`;
   if (cache.evidence?.key !== evidenceKey) {
     const linked = [...whole.repos.values()].map(({ repo }) => repo).reverse();
-    cache.evidence = { key: evidenceKey, value: { mentions: whole.mentions, linked } };
+    cache.evidence = { key: evidenceKey, value: { mentions: whole.mentions, linked, smallest: whole.smallest } };
     cache.scopes.clear();
   }
   const evidence = cache.evidence.value;
@@ -217,24 +236,33 @@ export function namedRepository(number: number, scope: ReferenceScope | null): s
   return before;
 }
 
-/** Rule c's candidates: `fallback` (rule d's) first, then the chat's repositories, latest first. */
-export function candidateRepositories(fallback: string, scope: ReferenceScope | null): string[] {
+/** Rule 4: whether `number` is as long as every number the chat named in `repo`; a repository
+ *  the chat named no number in has no range, so any number is in it. */
+export function inNamedRange(number: number, repo: string, scope: ReferenceScope | null): boolean {
+  const smallest = scope?.evidence.smallest.get(repo.toLowerCase());
+  return smallest === undefined || String(number).length >= String(smallest).length;
+}
+
+/** Rule c's candidates: `fallback` (rule d's) first, then the chat's repositories, latest first,
+ *  each only if `number` is in its range (rule 4). */
+export function candidateRepositories(fallback: string, scope: ReferenceScope | null, number: number): string[] {
   const out = [fallback];
   for (const repo of scope?.evidence.linked ?? []) {
     if (out.length >= MAX_CANDIDATES) break;
     if (!out.some((kept) => kept.toLowerCase() === repo.toLowerCase())) out.push(repo);
   }
-  return out;
+  return out.filter((repo) => inNamedRange(number, repo, scope));
 }
 
 /** Rules c and d: the first candidate with pull request N, and the others that have it too;
- *  `existing` is undefined (or has none) until the cache answers, and then rule d stands. */
+ *  `existing` is undefined (or has none) until the cache answers, and then rule d stands when
+ *  `fallback` (the folder's repository) is still a candidate; without it, N is text. */
 export function chooseRepository(
   candidates: readonly string[],
   existing: readonly boolean[] | undefined,
-): { repository: string; alternatives: string[] } {
+  fallback = candidates[0],
+): { repository: string; alternatives: string[] } | undefined {
   const found = existing ? candidates.filter((_, index) => existing[index]) : [];
-  return found.length
-    ? { repository: found[0]!, alternatives: found.slice(1) }
-    : { repository: candidates[0]!, alternatives: [] };
+  if (found.length) return { repository: found[0]!, alternatives: found.slice(1) };
+  return fallback !== undefined && candidates[0] === fallback ? { repository: fallback, alternatives: [] } : undefined;
 }
diff --git a/webviews/src/agent-session/acpmux/conversation/transcript.gallery.ts b/webviews/src/agent-session/acpmux/conversation/transcript.gallery.ts
index 43ea195b8af6..2691003f7843 100644
--- a/webviews/src/agent-session/acpmux/conversation/transcript.gallery.ts
+++ b/webviews/src/agent-session/acpmux/conversation/transcript.gallery.ts
@@ -1214,6 +1214,19 @@ export default agentPaneEntry({
       ]),
       play: hoverReference(843, ".cv-link-preview.acpmux-pr-card"),
     },
+    "github-references-quoted-numbers": {
+      note: 'Leo 2026-10-29: "these auto render to the pr instead of just #1 #2...". The reply quotes his "what is #1 / #2": in the quote and in prose they stay text (the chat named #27262, so a one-digit number is no cmux pull request); #27262 and manaflow-ai/cmux#27262 stay chips.',
+      ready: { githubRepository: "manaflow-ai/cmux" },
+      native: { "git.githubRepository": { repository: "manaflow-ai/cmux" } },
+      snapshot: chat([
+        user("Is https://github.com/manaflow-ai/cmux/pull/27262 green? Also what is #1 / #2", 3),
+        assistant(
+          "> what is #1 / #2\n\nThose are the two options I listed: #1 keeps the dock, #2 drops it. #27262 (manaflow-ai/cmux#27262) is green.",
+          2,
+        ),
+        summary(2, { status: "completed", durationMs: 9_000 }),
+      ]),
+    },
     tasks: {
       note: "Checked, unchecked, nested and wrapping task-list items.",
       snapshot: chat([user("Review the release checklist", 4), assistant(TASKS_REPLY, 3)]),
diff --git a/webviews/test/bare-ref-repo.test.tsx b/webviews/test/bare-ref-repo.test.tsx
index 2649005fdffd..151272c69c4d 100644
--- a/webviews/test/bare-ref-repo.test.tsx
+++ b/webviews/test/bare-ref-repo.test.tsx
@@ -278,3 +278,45 @@ test("a streaming reply reads only its own row again; an older row that changed
   const again = referenceScopes([prompt, done, assistant("#9")], cache);
   expect(again(prompt.id).evidence.mentions.get(9)).toEqual([{ at: 1, repo: "x/y" }]);
 });
+
+// Leo 2026-10-29: "these auto render to the pr instead of just #1 #2...". The agent quoted his
+// "what is #1 / #2", and each bare number drew as a chip for cmux's (real, unrelated) pull
+// requests #1 and #2.
+test("Leo's #1 / #2: a quote's bare numbers stay text; explicit references stay chips", async () => {
+  const view = await render(
+    [
+      user("what is #1 / #2"),
+      // The turn names cmux#2 itself (rule a), so only the quote keeps the quoted #2 text.
+      assistant(`> what is #1 / #2\n\nThe options I listed, not pull requests (${CMUX}#2 is unrelated).`),
+    ],
+    [pr(CMUX, 1), pr(CMUX, 2)],
+    { folder: CMUX },
+  );
+  expect(view.chips()).toEqual([[`${CMUX}#2`, pr(CMUX, 2)]]);
+  expect(view.element.querySelector(".cv-quote")?.textContent).toContain("what is #1 / #2");
+});
+
+test("Leo's #1 / #2: a bare number far below the repository's named numbers stays text", async () => {
+  const view = await render(
+    [
+      user(`Land ${pr(CMUX, 27262)}, then what is #1 / #2`),
+      assistant('You asked "what is #1 / #2": #1 is the sidebar fix, #2 the composer one. #27262 is green.'),
+    ],
+    [pr(CMUX, 1), pr(CMUX, 2), pr(CMUX, 27262)],
+    { folder: CMUX },
+  );
+  expect(view.chips().filter(([label]) => label?.startsWith("#"))).toEqual([["#27262", pr(CMUX, 27262)]]);
+});
+
+test("rule 4: with the folder's repository out of range, only the cache's answer links a number", async () => {
+  const view = await render(
+    [user(`Land ${pr(CMUX, 27262)} and look at ${pr("o/r", 3)}`), assistant("#5 is o/r's; #6 is nobody's.")],
+    [pr("o/r", 5)],
+    { folder: CMUX },
+  );
+  expect(view.chips().filter(([label]) => label?.startsWith("#"))).toEqual([["#5", pr("o/r", 5)]]);
+  const asked = inspected(view.calls);
+  expect(asked).toContain(pr("o/r", 6));
+  // The folder's repository is out of range for both, so neither is asked about there.
+  expect(asked.filter((url) => url === pr(CMUX, 5) || url === pr(CMUX, 6))).toEqual([]);
+});