diff --git a/.github/scripts/issue_format.py b/.github/scripts/issue_format.py
index ed14a338ee..ce7affdb55 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/issue_format.py
+++ b/.github/scripts/issue_format.py
@@ -103,7 +103,10 @@ def _headings(body: str) -> list[tuple[str, int, int]]:
 
 def _find(body: str, aliases: tuple[str, ...]) -> int | None:
     for text, idx, _ in _headings(body):
-        if any(text == alias or text.startswith(f"{alias} (") for alias in aliases):
+        if any(
+            text == alias or text.startswith((f"{alias} (", f"{alias} -", f"{alias} /"))
+            for alias in aliases
+        ):
             return idx
     return None
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/agents-issue-format-guard.yml b/.github/workflows/agents-issue-format-guard.yml
index 5d9efd0b4d..89472ed245 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/agents-issue-format-guard.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/agents-issue-format-guard.yml
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ jobs:
         id: validate
         if: steps.issue.outputs.exempt != 'true'
         run: |
-          set +e
+          set -euo pipefail
           report_file="$(mktemp)"
           error_file="$(mktemp)"
           trap 'rm -f "$report_file" "$error_file"' EXIT
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ jobs:
             echo "rc=skip" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
             exit 0
           fi
+          set +e
           python3 .github/scripts/issue_format.py body.md > "$report_file" 2> "$error_file"
           rc=$?
           set -e
diff --git a/langsmith-fleet-worker-attempt.json b/langsmith-fleet-worker-attempt.json
index dd1ed3e8ad..7c6e3b2bf8 100644
--- a/langsmith-fleet-worker-attempt.json
+++ b/langsmith-fleet-worker-attempt.json
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 {
   "agent": "codex",
   "cli_version": "0.144.1",
-  "emitted_at": "2026-08-07T17:46:15.035406Z",
+  "emitted_at": "2026-08-07T22:39:42.671782Z",
   "execution_profile": "codex-default",
   "fallback_models": [
     "gpt-5.5"
   ],
   "operation_role": "worker",
-  "pr_number": "2973",
+  "pr_number": "2976",
   "requested_model": "gpt-5.6-terra",
   "runner": "reusable-codex-run",
   "schema": "langsmith-fleet/v1",
diff --git a/templates/consumer-repo/.github/scripts/issue_format.py b/templates/consumer-repo/.github/scripts/issue_format.py
index ed14a338ee..ce7affdb55 100644
--- a/templates/consumer-repo/.github/scripts/issue_format.py
+++ b/templates/consumer-repo/.github/scripts/issue_format.py
@@ -103,7 +103,10 @@ def _headings(body: str) -> list[tuple[str, int, int]]:
 
 def _find(body: str, aliases: tuple[str, ...]) -> int | None:
     for text, idx, _ in _headings(body):
-        if any(text == alias or text.startswith(f"{alias} (") for alias in aliases):
+        if any(
+            text == alias or text.startswith((f"{alias} (", f"{alias} -", f"{alias} /"))
+            for alias in aliases
+        ):
             return idx
     return None
 
diff --git a/templates/consumer-repo/.github/workflows/agents-issue-format-guard.yml b/templates/consumer-repo/.github/workflows/agents-issue-format-guard.yml
index 5d9efd0b4d..89472ed245 100644
--- a/templates/consumer-repo/.github/workflows/agents-issue-format-guard.yml
+++ b/templates/consumer-repo/.github/workflows/agents-issue-format-guard.yml
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ jobs:
         id: validate
         if: steps.issue.outputs.exempt != 'true'
         run: |
-          set +e
+          set -euo pipefail
           report_file="$(mktemp)"
           error_file="$(mktemp)"
           trap 'rm -f "$report_file" "$error_file"' EXIT
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ jobs:
             echo "rc=skip" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
             exit 0
           fi
+          set +e
           python3 .github/scripts/issue_format.py body.md > "$report_file" 2> "$error_file"
           rc=$?
           set -e
diff --git a/tests/scripts/test_issue_format.py b/tests/scripts/test_issue_format.py
index 25fea0f0f7..5098814f7f 100644
--- a/tests/scripts/test_issue_format.py
+++ b/tests/scripts/test_issue_format.py
@@ -12,8 +12,7 @@
 )
 
 
-def _validator():
-    path = Path(".github/scripts/issue_format.py")
+def _validator(path: Path = Path(".github/scripts/issue_format.py")):
     spec = spec_from_file_location("issue_format", path)
     assert spec and spec.loader
     module = module_from_spec(spec)
@@ -51,6 +50,26 @@ def test_heading_with_trailing_qualifier_matches_required_section() -> None:
     assert report.ok
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("separator", ["-", "/"])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "validator_path",
+    [
+        Path(".github/scripts/issue_format.py"),
+        Path("templates/consumer-repo/.github/scripts/issue_format.py"),
+    ],
+)
+def test_heading_with_spaced_trailing_qualifier_matches_required_section(
+    separator: str, validator_path: Path
+) -> None:
+    validator = _validator(validator_path)
+    report = validator.validate(
+        VALID_CONTEXT
+        + f"## Tasks {separator} in order\n- [ ] Implement it\n\n"
+        + f"## Acceptance Criteria {separator} all must hold\n- pytest tests/test_x.py passes\n"
+    )
+    assert report.ok
+
+
 def test_checkbox_and_subjective_errors_are_non_conforming() -> None:
     validator = _validator()
     report = validator.validate(