diff --git a/.github/workflows/dogfood-gate.yml b/.github/workflows/dogfood-gate.yml
index 9a046de2..6d45e5d3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/dogfood-gate.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/dogfood-gate.yml
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ jobs:
   # Job 1: A2ML manifest validation
   # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
   a2ml-validate:
-    name: Validate A2ML manifests
+    name: Validate DEED manifests
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     timeout-minutes: 10
 
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ jobs:
           COUNT=$(find . -type f \( -name '*.a2ml' -o -name '*.deed' \) -not -path './.git/*' | wc -l)
           echo "count=$COUNT" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           if [ "$COUNT" -eq 0 ]; then
-            echo "::warning::No .deed manifest files found. Every RSR repo should have 0-AI-MANIFEST.deed (.a2ml is legacy and no longer authored)"
+            echo "::warning::No .a2ml/.deed manifest files found. Every RSR repo should have a repo deed (<reponame>_chora.deed); legacy 0-AI-MANIFEST.a2ml accepted mid-migration — standards #837"
           fi
 
       - name: Validate A2ML manifests
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ jobs:
             cat <<'EOF' >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
           ## A2ML Validation
 
-          :warning: **No manifest found.** Every RSR-compliant repo should have at least `0-AI-MANIFEST.deed`. (`.a2ml` still validates as legacy but is no longer authored.)
+          :warning: **No .a2ml/.deed manifest files found.** Every RSR-compliant repo should have a repo deed (`<reponame>_chora.deed`) at its root.
 
           Copy one from [rsr-template-repo](https://github.com/hyperpolymath/rsr-template-repo).
           EOF
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ jobs:
             cat <<'EOF' >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
           ## K9 Contract Validation
 
-          :warning: **No K9 contract files found.** Repos with configuration files should have K9 contracts.
+          :warning: **No .a2ml/.deed manifest files found.** Every RSR-compliant repo should have a repo deed (`<reponame>_chora.deed`) at its root.
 
           Generate contracts with: `k9iser generate .`
           EOF