diff --git a/.github/scripts/detect-changes.js b/.github/scripts/detect-changes.js
index c48e68f4e..616830255 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/detect-changes.js
+++ b/.github/scripts/detect-changes.js
@@ -255,11 +255,11 @@ async function detectChanges({ github, context, core, files, fetchFiles } = {})
       doc_only: 'false',
       run_core: 'true',
       reason: 'rate_limited',
-      docker_changed: 'true',
+      docker_changed: 'false',  // Don't assume docker changes - causes failures in repos without Dockerfile
       workflow_changed: 'true',
     };
     const warn = core?.warning ? core.warning.bind(core) : console.warn.bind(console);
-    warn('Rate limit reached while determining changed files; assuming code changes.');
+    warn('Rate limit reached while determining changed files; assuming code changes (but not docker).');
     if (core) {
       for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(outputs)) {
         core.setOutput(key, value);
diff --git a/.github/workflows/agents-autofix-loop.yml b/.github/workflows/agents-autofix-loop.yml
index 23a343272..f81aff3de 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/agents-autofix-loop.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/agents-autofix-loop.yml
@@ -181,10 +181,34 @@ jobs:
 
             const body = prData.body || '';
             const configMatch = body.match(/autofix\s*:\s*(true|false)/i);
-            const autofixEnabled = configMatch
+            let autofixEnabled = configMatch
               ? configMatch[1].toLowerCase() === 'true'
               : hasAgentLabel;
 
+            // Auto-escalation: If basic autofix ran but Gate still fails, auto-add agent:codex
+            // This ensures non-agent PRs can be fixed by Codex when ruff/black isn't enough
+            if (!autofixEnabled && !configMatch) {
+              const hasAutofixApplied = labels.includes('autofix:applied') || labels.includes('autofix');
+              const gateConclusion = (run.conclusion || '').toLowerCase();
+              const gateFailed = gateConclusion === 'failure';
+
+              if (hasAutofixApplied && gateFailed) {
+                core.info('🔄 Auto-escalation: Basic autofix ran but Gate still failing. Adding agent:codex label...');
+                try {
+                  await github.rest.issues.addLabels({
+                    owner,
+                    repo,
+                    issue_number: prNumber,
+                    labels: ['agent:codex', 'autofix:escalated'],
+                  });
+                  core.info('✅ Added agent:codex and autofix:escalated labels for Codex escalation');
+                  autofixEnabled = true;
+                } catch (error) {
+                  core.warning(`Failed to add escalation labels: ${error.message}`);
+                }
+              }
+            }
+
             if (!autofixEnabled) {
               return stop('autofix disabled for this pull request');
             }
@@ -197,7 +221,9 @@ jobs:
             });
 
             const workflowFile = 'agents-autofix-loop.yml';
-            const maxAttempts = Number(outputs.max_attempts);
+            // Reduce attempts for auto-escalated PRs (they weren't agent-initiated)
+            const isEscalated = labels.includes('autofix:escalated');
+            const maxAttempts = isEscalated ? Math.min(2, Number(outputs.max_attempts)) : Number(outputs.max_attempts);
             const previousRuns = await github.paginate(github.rest.actions.listWorkflowRuns, {
               owner,
               repo,