diff --git a/.github/scripts/__tests__/verifier-issue-formatter.test.js b/.github/scripts/__tests__/verifier-issue-formatter.test.js
index 9a8bb37cb..c23ae8fa1 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/__tests__/verifier-issue-formatter.test.js
+++ b/.github/scripts/__tests__/verifier-issue-formatter.test.js
@@ -426,6 +426,127 @@ Error classification and recovery.
       assert.ok(result.body.includes('Verifier confirmed these criteria were met'));
       assert.ok(result.body.includes('✓ First criterion'));
     });
+
+    describe('hasSubstantiveContent property', () => {
+      it('returns false when all tasks and criteria are placeholders', () => {
+        const verifierOutput = 'Verdict: PASS\n\nEverything looks good.';
+        const prBody = `## Tasks
+- [ ] Tasks section missing from source issue
+
+## Acceptance Criteria
+- [ ] Acceptance Criteria section missing from source issue`;
+
+        const result = formatFollowUpIssue({
+          verifierOutput,
+          prBody,
+          issues: [],
+          prNumber: 123,
+        });
+
+        assert.equal(result.hasSubstantiveContent, false);
+      });
+
+      it('returns true when there are real tasks', () => {
+        const verifierOutput = 'Verdict: PASS\n\nEverything looks good.';
+        const prBody = `## Tasks
+- [ ] Implement feature A
+- [ ] Add tests
+
+## Acceptance Criteria
+- [ ] Acceptance Criteria section missing from source issue`;
+
+        const result = formatFollowUpIssue({
+          verifierOutput,
+          prBody,
+          issues: [],
+          prNumber: 123,
+        });
+
+        assert.equal(result.hasSubstantiveContent, true);
+      });
+
+      it('returns true when there are real criteria', () => {
+        const verifierOutput = 'Verdict: PASS\n\nEverything looks good.';
+        const prBody = `## Tasks
+- [ ] Tasks section missing from source issue
+
+## Acceptance Criteria
+- [ ] Feature works correctly
+- [ ] Tests pass`;
+
+        const result = formatFollowUpIssue({
+          verifierOutput,
+          prBody,
+          issues: [],
+          prNumber: 123,
+        });
+
+        assert.equal(result.hasSubstantiveContent, true);
+      });
+
+      it('returns true when verifier has gaps', () => {
+        const verifierOutput = `Verdict: FAIL
+
+Blocking gaps:
+- Missing test coverage
+- API returns wrong status code`;
+        const prBody = `## Tasks
+- [ ] Tasks section missing from source issue
+
+## Acceptance Criteria
+- [ ] Acceptance Criteria section missing from source issue`;
+
+        const result = formatFollowUpIssue({
+          verifierOutput,
+          prBody,
+          issues: [],
+          prNumber: 123,
+        });
+
+        assert.equal(result.hasSubstantiveContent, true);
+      });
+
+      it('returns true when verifier has unmet criteria', () => {
+        const verifierOutput = `Verdict: FAIL
+
+## Criteria Status
+- [ ] First criterion - NOT MET (missing implementation)
+- [ ] Second criterion - NOT MET (no tests)`;
+        const prBody = `## Tasks
+- [x] Done
+
+## Acceptance Criteria
+- [ ] First criterion
+- [ ] Second criterion`;
+
+        const result = formatFollowUpIssue({
+          verifierOutput,
+          prBody,
+          issues: [],
+          prNumber: 123,
+        });
+
+        assert.equal(result.hasSubstantiveContent, true);
+      });
+
+      it('returns false when only some placeholders mixed with empty content', () => {
+        const verifierOutput = 'Verdict: PASS\n\nLooks good.';
+        const prBody = `## Tasks
+- [ ] Tasks section missing from source issue
+
+## Acceptance Criteria
+- [ ] n/a`;
+
+        const result = formatFollowUpIssue({
+          verifierOutput,
+          prBody,
+          issues: [],
+          prNumber: 123,
+        });
+
+        assert.equal(result.hasSubstantiveContent, false);
+      });
+    });
   });
 
   describe('formatSimpleFollowUpIssue', () => {
@@ -476,5 +597,72 @@ Something went wrong.`;
       assert.ok(result.title.includes('Verifier failure'));
       assert.ok(!result.title.includes('PR #'));
     });
+
+    describe('hasSubstantiveContent property', () => {
+      it('returns true when there are verifier gaps', () => {
+        const output = `Verdict: FAIL
+
+Blocking gaps:
+- Missing test coverage
+- API error handling incomplete`;
+
+        const result = formatSimpleFollowUpIssue({
+          verifierOutput: output,
+          prNumber: 123,
+        });
+
+        assert.equal(result.hasSubstantiveContent, true);
+      });
+
+      it('returns true when there are unmet criteria', () => {
+        const output = `Verdict: FAIL
+
+## Criteria Status
+- [ ] First criterion - NOT MET
+- [ ] Second criterion - NOT MET`;
+
+        const result = formatSimpleFollowUpIssue({
+          verifierOutput: output,
+          prNumber: 123,
+        });
+
+        assert.equal(result.hasSubstantiveContent, true);
+      });
+
+      it('returns true when there is verifier output', () => {
+        const output = `Verdict: FAIL
+
+Something went wrong with the verification.`;
+
+        const result = formatSimpleFollowUpIssue({
+          verifierOutput: output,
+          prNumber: 123,
+        });
+
+        assert.equal(result.hasSubstantiveContent, true);
+      });
+
+      it('returns true even for minimal verifier output', () => {
+        const output = 'Verdict: FAIL';
+
+        const result = formatSimpleFollowUpIssue({
+          verifierOutput: output,
+          prNumber: 123,
+        });
+
+        assert.equal(result.hasSubstantiveContent, true);
+      });
+
+      it('returns false for empty verifier output', () => {
+        const output = '';
+
+        const result = formatSimpleFollowUpIssue({
+          verifierOutput: output,
+          prNumber: 123,
+        });
+
+        assert.equal(result.hasSubstantiveContent, false);
+      });
+    });
   });
 });
diff --git a/.github/scripts/verifier_issue_formatter.js b/.github/scripts/verifier_issue_formatter.js
index bc1206050..d125a6fc6 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/verifier_issue_formatter.js
+++ b/.github/scripts/verifier_issue_formatter.js
@@ -510,11 +510,12 @@ function formatFollowUpIssue({
 
   // Determine if this issue has substantive content worth creating
   // Skip if we have no real tasks/criteria (just defaults) and no verifier gaps
-  const hasSubstantiveContent =
+  const hasSubstantiveContent = Boolean(
     (newTasks.length > 0 && !newTasks.every(t => isPlaceholderContent(t))) ||
     (refinedUnmetCriteria.length > 0 && !refinedUnmetCriteria.every(c => isPlaceholderContent(c))) ||
     findings.gaps.length > 0 ||
-    findings.unmetCriteria.length > 0;
+    findings.unmetCriteria.length > 0
+  );
 
   return {
     title,
@@ -581,12 +582,13 @@ function formatSimpleFollowUpIssue({
     ? `Verifier failure for PR #${prNumber}`
     : 'Verifier failure on merged commit';
 
-  // Check if there's substantive content to report:
-  // parsed findings (gaps/unmet criteria) or non-empty verifier output
-  const hasSubstantiveContent = 
+  // Simple format always has substantive content (verifier output)
+  // since we only use it when we have actual verifier output to display
+  const hasSubstantiveContent = Boolean(
     findings.gaps.length > 0 || 
     findings.unmetCriteria.length > 0 ||
-    (verifierOutput && verifierOutput.trim().length > 0);
+    (verifierOutput && verifierOutput.trim().length > 0)
+  );
 
   return {
     title,