diff --git a/.github/workflows/automerge.yml b/.github/workflows/automerge.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6f0a79c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/automerge.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+name: Auto-merge
+
+# Enables GitHub's native auto-merge on every non-draft PR.
+# GitHub will merge automatically once all required status checks pass
+# (as configured in branch protection → required status checks → CI Gate).
+#
+# Prerequisites:
+#   1. "Allow auto-merge" must be enabled in repo Settings → General
+#   2. Branch protection for main must have "CI Gate" as a required check
+#      with "Allow administrators to bypass" unchecked
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    types: [opened, synchronize, ready_for_review]
+
+jobs:
+  enable-automerge:
+    name: Enable auto-merge
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    if: github.event.pull_request.draft == false
+    permissions:
+      pull-requests: write
+      contents: write
+    steps:
+      - name: Enable auto-merge (squash)
+        run: gh pr merge --auto --squash "${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}"
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          GH_REPO: ${{ github.repository }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 746bc5a..9a4edbf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ jobs:
       - run: ruff check .
       - run: ruff format --check .
       - run: bash -n scripts/*
+      - name: Validate pre-commit config
+        run: pre-commit validate-config .pre-commit-config.yaml
       - run: pre-commit run --all-files --show-diff-on-failure
       - name: Validate version consistency
         run: |
@@ -159,3 +161,19 @@ jobs:
           else
             echo "CHANGELOG.md is up to date."
           fi
+
+  gate:
+    name: CI Gate
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: [test, lint, package]
+    if: always()
+    steps:
+      - name: All required checks passed
+        run: |
+          if [[ "${{ needs.test.result }}"    != "success" ]] ||
+             [[ "${{ needs.lint.result }}"    != "success" ]] ||
+             [[ "${{ needs.package.result }}" != "success" ]]; then
+            echo "::error::One or more required checks failed — merge blocked."
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "All required checks passed."
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index edb9974..7ae41fb 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -9,6 +9,17 @@ git clone https://github.com/fusionAIze/faigate.git faigate
 cd faigate
 python3 -m venv venv && source venv/bin/activate
 pip install -e ".[dev]"
+pre-commit install        # enforce hooks before every commit — required
+```
+
+`pre-commit install` installs git hooks that run the full hook suite (ruff, bandit,
+trailing-whitespace, etc.) before each commit. This catches ~80 % of CI failures
+locally before they ever reach GitHub. **Do not skip this step.**
+
+To run all hooks manually at any time:
+
+```bash
+pre-commit run --all-files
 ```
 
 ## Running Tests
@@ -56,9 +67,16 @@ Important: Never score the system prompt for keywords. See ClawRouter's insight
 1. Fork the repo
 2. Create a `feature/<topic>-<date>` branch
 3. Add tests for new functionality
-4. Ensure `pytest` and `ruff check` pass
+4. Ensure `pre-commit run --all-files` and `pytest` pass
 5. Open a PR with a clear description
 
+PRs are merged automatically by the CI Gate bot once all required checks pass
+(test, lint, package). You do not need to manually trigger a merge. If checks
+fail the bot will not merge — fix the issues and push again.
+
+See [docs/process/ci-safeguards.md](./docs/process/ci-safeguards.md) for full
+details on the CI enforcement model.
+
 Use the repository templates when possible:
 
 - bug reports via `.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.yml`
diff --git a/docs/process/ci-safeguards.md b/docs/process/ci-safeguards.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8c1e3f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/process/ci-safeguards.md
@@ -0,0 +1,150 @@
+# CI Safeguards
+
+Three complementary mechanisms enforce code quality gates in this repo:
+
+1. **Local pre-commit hooks** — catch issues before they reach GitHub
+2. **CI Gate job** — single required check that cannot be bypassed
+3. **Auto-merge bot** — merges automatically once the gate passes
+
+Together they eliminate the "merge and fix later" cycle.
+
+---
+
+## 1. Local Pre-commit Hooks
+
+### Setup (one-time, per clone)
+
+```bash
+pip install -e ".[dev]"
+pre-commit install
+```
+
+### What it runs on every `git commit`
+
+| Hook | Purpose |
+|------|---------|
+| `trailing-whitespace` | Strips trailing whitespace |
+| `end-of-file-fixer` | Ensures files end with a newline |
+| `check-yaml` | Validates YAML syntax (catches duplicate keys) |
+| `check-merge-conflict` | Detects unresolved conflict markers |
+| `detect-private-key` | Blocks accidental credential commits |
+| `ruff` | Lints Python (auto-fixes where possible) |
+| `ruff-format` | Formats Python |
+| `bandit` | Security scan on `faigate/` package |
+
+### Manual run (scan all files)
+
+```bash
+pre-commit run --all-files
+```
+
+### Validate hook config itself
+
+```bash
+pre-commit validate-config .pre-commit-config.yaml
+```
+
+CI runs this step before executing the hooks. It catches typos in hook IDs
+(e.g. `check-merge-conflicts` vs. `check-merge-conflict`) before they silently
+disable entire hook groups.
+
+---
+
+## 2. CI Gate Job
+
+### How it works
+
+`ci.yml` defines a `gate` job that depends on `test`, `lint`, and `package`:
+
+```yaml
+gate:
+  name: CI Gate
+  runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+  needs: [test, lint, package]
+  if: always()
+  steps:
+    - name: All required checks passed
+      run: |
+        if [[ "${{ needs.test.result }}"    != "success" ]] ||
+           [[ "${{ needs.lint.result }}"    != "success" ]] ||
+           [[ "${{ needs.package.result }}" != "success" ]]; then
+          echo "::error::One or more required checks failed — merge blocked."
+          exit 1
+        fi
+```
+
+`if: always()` ensures the gate job runs even when upstream jobs fail — without
+this, a failed `test` job would cause `gate` to be skipped, which would count
+as "not run" rather than "failed" in branch protection.
+
+### Branch protection setup (one-time, per repo)
+
+In **Settings → Branches → Branch protection rules** for `main`:
+
+1. Enable **"Require status checks to pass before merging"**
+2. Add **`CI Gate`** as the required check (only this one — not individual jobs)
+3. **Uncheck "Allow administrators to bypass branch protection rules"**
+
+Step 3 is the critical one. With admin bypass disabled, `gh pr merge --admin`
+no longer works. The only path to merge is through the gate.
+
+> **If CI itself is broken** (e.g. a hook config typo): fix the CI config,
+> push the fix as a PR, let the gate pass, and merge normally. Do not add
+> temporary admin bypass — fix the root cause.
+
+### Why a single gate check instead of multiple required checks?
+
+Adding individual jobs (`test`, `lint`) as required checks means you have to
+update branch protection settings every time you rename or add a job. The gate
+job is a stable indirection layer: update `needs:` in the workflow, not GitHub
+settings.
+
+---
+
+## 3. Auto-merge Bot
+
+### How it works
+
+`.github/workflows/automerge.yml` enables GitHub's native auto-merge on every
+non-draft PR when it is opened or updated:
+
+```yaml
+- name: Enable auto-merge (squash)
+  run: gh pr merge --auto --squash "${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}"
+```
+
+Once enabled, GitHub automatically merges the PR the moment all required status
+checks pass. No manual merge step needed.
+
+### Prerequisites
+
+Enable **"Allow auto-merge"** in **Settings → General** (under Pull Requests).
+This is a one-time repo setting.
+
+### Workflow
+
+```
+PR opened/pushed
+      │
+      ├─► automerge.yml enables --auto on the PR
+      │
+      └─► CI runs: test + lint + package
+                │
+                ├─► gate passes → GitHub merges automatically
+                │
+                └─► gate fails → PR stays open, author fixes and pushes
+```
+
+No manual `gh pr merge` calls. No `--admin` overrides.
+
+---
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
+|---------|-------|-----|
+| Gate job skipped (not run) | `if: always()` missing from gate job | Add `if: always()` |
+| `--admin` merge still works | Admin bypass not disabled in branch protection | Uncheck it in Settings |
+| Auto-merge not triggering | "Allow auto-merge" disabled in repo settings | Enable in Settings → General |
+| `pre-commit validate-config` fails | Typo in hook ID or wrong `rev` | Fix `.pre-commit-config.yaml` |
+| `check-merge-conflict` unknown | Hook name typo (trailing `s`) or wrong version | Use `check-merge-conflict` with `rev: v4.6.0` |