diff --git a/.github/workflows/dogfood-gate.yml b/.github/workflows/dogfood-gate.yml
index f55c357..cc5c6a2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/dogfood-gate.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/dogfood-gate.yml
@@ -37,9 +37,9 @@ jobs:
           COUNT=$(find . -type f -name '*.deed' -not -path './.git/*' | wc -l)
           echo "count=$COUNT" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           if [ "$COUNT" -eq 0 ]; then
-            echo "::warning::No .deed manifest files found. Every RSR repo should have 0-AI-MANIFEST.deed"
+            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
-          if find . -name '*.a2ml' -not -path './.git/*' | grep -q .; then
+          if find . \( -name '*.a2ml' -o -name '*.deed' \) -not -path './.git/*' | grep -q .; then
             echo "::error::Deprecated .a2ml files present; migrate to .deed"
             exit 1
           fi
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ jobs:
             cat <<'EOF' >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
           ## DEED Validation
 
-          :warning: **No manifest found.** Every RSR-compliant repo should have at least `0-AI-MANIFEST.deed`.
+          :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
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ 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