diff --git a/.github/agents/registry.yml b/.github/agents/registry.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2b6def670
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/agents/registry.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+version: 1
+
+default_agent: codex
+
+agents:
+  codex:
+    runner_workflow: .github/workflows/reusable-codex-run.yml
+    required_secrets:
+      - CODEX_AUTH_JSON
+    branch_prefix: codex/issue-
+    ui_mentions_allowed: false
+    capabilities:
+      pr_keepalive: true
+      pr_autofix: true
+      belt: true
+      verifier_checkbox: true
diff --git a/.github/scripts/agent_registry.js b/.github/scripts/agent_registry.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2aaeb3c8d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/scripts/agent_registry.js
@@ -0,0 +1,216 @@
+'use strict';
+
+const fs = require('node:fs');
+
+function stripTrailingComment(rawLine) {
+  const line = String(rawLine ?? '');
+  const trimmed = line.trim();
+  if (!trimmed || trimmed.startsWith('#')) {
+    return '';
+  }
+
+  // Keep this intentionally simple: our registry YAML should not rely on inline comments.
+  const match = line.match(/^(.*?)(\s+#.*)?$/);
+  return (match?.[1] ?? line).replace(/\s+$/, '');
+}
+
+function parseScalar(value) {
+  const raw = String(value ?? '').trim();
+  if (!raw) {
+    return '';
+  }
+
+  if (raw === 'true') {
+    return true;
+  }
+  if (raw === 'false') {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  if (/^-?\d+$/.test(raw)) {
+    return Number(raw);
+  }
+
+  const quoted = raw.match(/^(['"])(.*)\1$/);
+  if (quoted) {
+    return quoted[2];
+  }
+
+  return raw;
+}
+
+function countIndent(line) {
+  // Match all leading horizontal whitespace (spaces and tabs).
+  const match = String(line).match(/^([ \t]*)/);
+  const indentPrefix = match?.[1] ?? '';
+  if (indentPrefix.includes('\t')) {
+    throw new Error('Registry YAML must use spaces only (tabs are not allowed)');
+  }
+  if (indentPrefix.length % 2 !== 0) {
+    throw new Error(
+      `Registry YAML indentation must be multiples of 2 spaces (got ${indentPrefix.length})`,
+    );
+  }
+  return indentPrefix.length;
+}
+
+function findNextMeaningfulLine(lines, startIndex) {
+  for (let index = startIndex; index < lines.length; index += 1) {
+    const stripped = stripTrailingComment(lines[index]);
+    if (!stripped.trim()) {
+      continue;
+    }
+    return {
+      index,
+      indent: countIndent(stripped),
+      trimmed: stripped.trim(),
+    };
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
+// Minimal YAML parser for the registry file.
+// Supported features:
+// - nested mappings via indentation (2 spaces)
+// - scalar values (strings, booleans, integers)
+// - sequences using "- item" lines (scalar items only)
+// Unsupported (intentionally): anchors, multiline strings, flow maps, complex quoting.
+function parseRegistryYaml(text) {
+  const rawLines = String(text ?? '').split(/\r?\n/);
+  const lines = rawLines.map(stripTrailingComment);
+
+  const root = {};
+  const stack = [{ indent: -1, container: root }];
+
+  for (let lineIndex = 0; lineIndex < lines.length; lineIndex += 1) {
+    const rawLine = lines[lineIndex];
+    if (!rawLine.trim()) {
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    const indent = countIndent(rawLine);
+    const trimmed = rawLine.trim();
+
+    while (stack.length > 1 && indent <= stack[stack.length - 1].indent) {
+      stack.pop();
+    }
+
+    const parent = stack[stack.length - 1].container;
+
+    if (trimmed.startsWith('- ')) {
+      if (!Array.isArray(parent)) {
+        throw new Error(`Unexpected list item at line ${lineIndex + 1}; parent is not a list`);
+      }
+      parent.push(parseScalar(trimmed.slice(2)));
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    const sepIndex = trimmed.indexOf(':');
+    if (sepIndex <= 0) {
+      throw new Error(`Invalid registry YAML line ${lineIndex + 1}: expected "key: value"`);
+    }
+
+    const key = trimmed.slice(0, sepIndex).trim();
+    const rest = trimmed.slice(sepIndex + 1).trim();
+
+    if (!key) {
+      throw new Error(`Invalid registry YAML line ${lineIndex + 1}: empty key`);
+    }
+    if (typeof parent !== 'object' || parent === null || Array.isArray(parent)) {
+      throw new Error(`Invalid registry YAML line ${lineIndex + 1}: cannot assign key under a list`);
+    }
+
+    if (rest) {
+      parent[key] = parseScalar(rest);
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    const next = findNextMeaningfulLine(lines, lineIndex + 1);
+    const shouldBeList = Boolean(next && next.indent > indent && next.trimmed.startsWith('- '));
+    const child = shouldBeList ? [] : {};
+    parent[key] = child;
+    stack.push({ indent, container: child });
+  }
+
+  return root;
+}
+
+function loadAgentRegistry({ registryPath } = {}) {
+  const path = registryPath || '.github/agents/registry.yml';
+  const raw = fs.readFileSync(path, 'utf8');
+  const registry = parseRegistryYaml(raw);
+  if (!registry || typeof registry !== 'object') {
+    throw new Error('Agent registry did not parse into an object');
+  }
+  if (!registry.agents || typeof registry.agents !== 'object') {
+    throw new Error('Agent registry missing required "agents" mapping');
+  }
+  if (!registry.default_agent || typeof registry.default_agent !== 'string') {
+    throw new Error('Agent registry missing required "default_agent" string');
+  }
+  return registry;
+}
+
+function normalizeLabel(label) {
+  if (!label) {
+    return '';
+  }
+  if (typeof label === 'string') {
+    return label.trim();
+  }
+  if (typeof label === 'object' && typeof label.name === 'string') {
+    return label.name.trim();
+  }
+  return '';
+}
+
+function resolveAgentFromLabels(labels, { registryPath } = {}) {
+  const registry = loadAgentRegistry({ registryPath });
+  const labelList = Array.isArray(labels) ? labels : [];
+  const agentLabels = labelList
+    .map(normalizeLabel)
+    .filter(Boolean)
+    .filter((value) => value.startsWith('agent:'));
+
+  const uniqueAgents = new Set(agentLabels.map((value) => value.slice('agent:'.length)));
+
+  if (uniqueAgents.size > 1) {
+    throw new Error(`Multiple agent labels present: ${Array.from(uniqueAgents).join(', ')}`);
+  }
+
+  const explicit = Array.from(uniqueAgents)[0];
+  const agentKey = explicit || registry.default_agent;
+  if (!registry.agents[agentKey]) {
+    const known = Object.keys(registry.agents).sort();
+    throw new Error(`Unknown agent key: ${agentKey}. Known agents: ${known.join(', ') || '(none)'}`);
+  }
+  return agentKey;
+}
+
+function getAgentConfig(agentKey, { registryPath } = {}) {
+  const registry = loadAgentRegistry({ registryPath });
+  const key = String(agentKey || '').trim() || registry.default_agent;
+  const config = registry.agents[key];
+  if (!config) {
+    const known = Object.keys(registry.agents).sort();
+    throw new Error(`Unknown agent key: ${key}. Known agents: ${known.join(', ') || '(none)'}`);
+  }
+  return config;
+}
+
+function getRunnerWorkflow(agentKey, { registryPath } = {}) {
+  const config = getAgentConfig(agentKey, { registryPath });
+  const workflow = String(config.runner_workflow || '').trim();
+  if (!workflow) {
+    throw new Error(`Agent config missing runner_workflow for agent: ${agentKey}`);
+  }
+  return workflow;
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+  getAgentConfig,
+  getRunnerWorkflow,
+  loadAgentRegistry,
+  parseRegistryYaml,
+  resolveAgentFromLabels,
+};
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index ba4894572..685aac408 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -49,53 +49,6 @@ When an issue is labeled `agent:codex`:
 
 ## Common Issues
 
-## CI Test Policy (PR Gate vs CI vs Release E2E)
-
-This repo intentionally does **not** run the full test surface area on every PR Gate run.
-
-### PR Gate (`.github/workflows/pr-00-gate.yml`)
-
-Goal: fast feedback for most PRs.
-
-- Runs pytest **in parallel** (xdist): `-n auto --dist loadscope`
-- Runs pytest **without coverage** (`coverage: false`)
-- Skips integration directories:
-     - `tests/integration/`
-     - `tests/integrations/`
-- Skips **release/packaging** tests via marker: `pytest_markers: "not release"`
-
-These suites will NOT run on PR Gate unless you run them manually (see below).
-
-### Main-branch CI (`.github/workflows/ci.yml`)
-
-Goal: enforce full quality gates on `main`.
-
-- Runs pytest **with coverage** (`coverage: true`, `coverage-min` enforced)
-- Runs pytest **in parallel** (xdist): `-n auto --dist loadscope`
-- Runs the full test suite (including integration dirs and `release` tests)
-
-### Release/Packaging E2E (`.github/workflows/release-e2e.yml`)
-
-Goal: keep slow PyInstaller + packaged-executable checks out of PR Gate.
-
-- Runs nightly on `main`
-- Runs on PRs when the PR is labeled: `run-release`
-- Executes only the tests marked `release`: `pytest -m release`
-
-### How to run skipped suites locally
-
-```bash
-# Fast PR-gate-like run (parallel, no coverage, skip release + integration dirs)
-pytest -q -n auto --dist loadscope -m "not release" \
-     --ignore=tests/integration --ignore=tests/integrations
-
-# Release / packaging validation (PyInstaller + packaged executable)
-pytest -q -m release
-
-# Integration directories (if you need them on a PR)
-pytest -q tests/integration tests/integrations
-```
-
 ### Workflow fails with "workflow file issue"
 - A reusable workflow is being called that doesn't exist
 - Check Workflows repo has the required `reusable-*.yml` file
diff --git a/scripts/langchain/progress_reviewer.py b/scripts/langchain/progress_reviewer.py
index c17bfdea1..b3953ff9d 100755
--- a/scripts/langchain/progress_reviewer.py
+++ b/scripts/langchain/progress_reviewer.py
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ def review_progress_with_llm(
             ),
             feedback_for_agent="Review your recent work against the acceptance criteria.",
             summary=(
-                f"Heuristic review: {len(aligned)}/{len(recent_commits)} commits appear aligned"
+                f"Heuristic review: {len(aligned)}/" f"{len(recent_commits)} commits appear aligned"
             ),
             used_llm=False,
             error="LLM unavailable, using heuristic fallback",
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ def review_progress(
             ),
             feedback_for_agent="Work appears aligned. Continue toward task completion.",
             summary=(
-                f"Heuristic: {len(aligned)}/{len(recent_commits)} commits aligned with criteria"
+                f"Heuristic: {len(aligned)}/" f"{len(recent_commits)} commits aligned with criteria"
             ),
             used_llm=False,
         )
diff --git a/scripts/sync_dev_dependencies.py b/scripts/sync_dev_dependencies.py
index b38259c64..90a5dd483 100755
--- a/scripts/sync_dev_dependencies.py
+++ b/scripts/sync_dev_dependencies.py
@@ -57,10 +57,6 @@
 )
 
 
-def _is_black_drift(change: str) -> bool:
-    return change.strip().lower().startswith("black:")
-
-
 def parse_env_file(path: Path) -> dict[str, str]:
     """Parse the autofix-versions.env file into a dict of key=value pairs."""
     if not path.exists():
@@ -437,12 +433,6 @@ def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
         return 2
 
     if changes:
-        if args.check and any(_is_black_drift(change) for change in changes):
-            print(
-                "Error: Black formatting pin drift detected (version mismatch/out of sync).",
-                file=sys.stderr,
-            )
-
         print(f"{'Applied' if args.apply else 'Found'} {len(changes)} version updates:")
         for change in changes:
             print(f"  - {change}")
@@ -450,9 +440,9 @@ def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
         if args.check:
             print("\nRun with --apply to update dependency files")
             return 1
-
-        print("\n✓ Dependency files updated")
-        return 0
+        else:
+            print("\n✓ Dependency files updated")
+            return 0
     else:
         print("✓ All dev dependency versions are in sync")
         return 0
diff --git a/tests/test_historical_update.py b/tests/test_historical_update.py
index fc3bac58d..a1bccb73c 100644
--- a/tests/test_historical_update.py
+++ b/tests/test_historical_update.py
@@ -640,9 +640,7 @@ def test_append_wal_row_preserves_existing_formulas_and_formatting(tmp_path: Pat
     sheet.cell(row=3, column=2).value = "=2.10"
     sheet.cell(row=3, column=2).number_format = "0.00"
     sheet.cell(row=3, column=2).font = styles.Font(bold=True)
-    sheet.cell(row=3, column=2).fill = styles.PatternFill(
-        patternType="solid", fgColor="FFFF00"
-    )
+    sheet.cell(row=3, column=2).fill = styles.PatternFill(patternType="solid", fgColor="FFFF00")
     sheet.cell(row=3, column=2).border = styles.Border(
         left=styles.Side(style="thin"),
         right=styles.Side(style="thin"),
diff --git a/tools/requirements-llm.txt b/tools/requirements-llm.txt
index 1cfa17cab..d97f23c87 100644
--- a/tools/requirements-llm.txt
+++ b/tools/requirements-llm.txt
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@
 # - These are standalone runtime pins for workflow LLM steps, not app deps.
 # - When updating, coordinate with requirements.lock and pyproject.toml.
 # - Use strict X.Y.Z pins to keep workflow installs reproducible.
-langchain==1.2.9
-langchain-core==1.2.11
+langchain==1.2.10
+langchain-core==1.2.13
 langchain-community==0.4.1
-langchain-openai==1.1.7
-langchain-anthropic==1.3.2
+langchain-openai==1.1.9
+langchain-anthropic==1.3.3
 pydantic==2.12.5
 requests==2.32.5