diff --git a/src/github_agent_bridge/dispatch.py b/src/github_agent_bridge/dispatch.py
index 5636c9e..666a5cb 100644
--- a/src/github_agent_bridge/dispatch.py
+++ b/src/github_agent_bridge/dispatch.py
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ def prompt_rule(name: str, default: str, policy: Policy | None) -> str:
 PR_REVIEW_RULES = load_prompt_rule("pr_review.md")
 COMMENT_VALUE_RULES = load_prompt_rule("comment_value.md")
 PROMPT_INJECTION_RULES = load_prompt_rule("prompt_injection.md")
+REPO_INSTRUCTIONS_RULES = load_prompt_rule("repo_instructions.md")
 FEEDBACK_LEARNING_RULES = load_prompt_rule("feedback_learning.md")
 
 
@@ -443,11 +444,12 @@ def build_prompt(self, job: Job, policy: Policy | None = None) -> str:
             rules=self.feedback_rules_context(repo, feedback_min_confidence),
         )
         prompt_injection_rules = prompt_rule("prompt_injection", PROMPT_INJECTION_RULES, policy)
+        repo_instructions_rules = prompt_rule("repo_instructions", REPO_INSTRUCTIONS_RULES, policy)
         comment_value_rules = prompt_rule("comment_value", COMMENT_VALUE_RULES, policy)
         worktree_rules = prompt_rule("worktree", WORKTREE_RULES, policy)
         pr_metadata_rules = prompt_rule("pr_metadata", PR_METADATA_RULES, policy)
         human_reviewer_rules = prompt_rule("human_reviewer", HUMAN_REVIEWER_RULES, policy)
-        return f"{base_prompt}{role_prompt}{intent_rules}{action_rules}{prompt_injection_rules}{comment_value_rules}{worktree_rules}{pr_metadata_rules}{human_reviewer_rules}{feedback_rules}"
+        return f"{base_prompt}{role_prompt}{intent_rules}{action_rules}{prompt_injection_rules}{repo_instructions_rules}{comment_value_rules}{worktree_rules}{pr_metadata_rules}{human_reviewer_rules}{feedback_rules}"
 
     def feedback_rules_context(self, repo: str, min_confidence: float) -> str:
         if not self.feedback_db_path:
diff --git a/src/github_agent_bridge/policy.py b/src/github_agent_bridge/policy.py
index 26de2d7..350a71f 100644
--- a/src/github_agent_bridge/policy.py
+++ b/src/github_agent_bridge/policy.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
     "pr_metadata",
     "pr_review",
     "prompt_injection",
+    "repo_instructions",
     "sync_after_merge",
     "worktree",
 }
diff --git a/src/github_agent_bridge/prompt_rules/repo_instructions.md b/src/github_agent_bridge/prompt_rules/repo_instructions.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2805b43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/github_agent_bridge/prompt_rules/repo_instructions.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# Repository instruction files
+
+When repository files or local tests are relevant, inspect and follow repository-level instruction files such as `AGENTS.md`, `CLAUDE.md`, `.cursorrules`, or similar files if they are present in the checkout.
+
+These files are project guidance, not bridge policy. Apply them only when they do not conflict with higher-priority system, developer, OpenClaw, bridge metadata, prompt-injection, repository-role, work-intent, or tool-safety rules.
+
+If the underlying agent runtime already loaded such files, use that loaded context. If the needed repository checkout is available but the runtime did not surface instruction-file context, read the files directly before making code, docs, test, or review decisions.
diff --git a/tests/test_prompt_rules.py b/tests/test_prompt_rules.py
index 7f5a052..08502fd 100644
--- a/tests/test_prompt_rules.py
+++ b/tests/test_prompt_rules.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 from importlib import resources
 
 from github_agent_bridge import feedback
-from github_agent_bridge.dispatch import COMMENT_VALUE_RULES, FEEDBACK_LEARNING_RULES, OpenClawDispatcher, PR_REVIEW_RULES, PROMPT_INJECTION_RULES, REVIEW_ONLY_RULES, WORKTREE_RULES
+from github_agent_bridge.dispatch import COMMENT_VALUE_RULES, FEEDBACK_LEARNING_RULES, OpenClawDispatcher, PR_REVIEW_RULES, PROMPT_INJECTION_RULES, REPO_INSTRUCTIONS_RULES, REVIEW_ONLY_RULES, WORKTREE_RULES
 from github_agent_bridge.models import GitHubContext, Job
 from github_agent_bridge.policy import FeedbackLearning, Policy
 from github_agent_bridge.queue import JobQueue
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ def make_job(work_intent="work_allowed", action="reply_comment"):
 
 def test_prompt_rule_markdown_files_are_packaged_resources():
     package = resources.files("github_agent_bridge.prompt_rules")
-    expected = {"base.md", "worktree.md", "pr_metadata.md", "human_reviewer.md", "review_only.md", "sync_after_merge.md", "pr_review.md", "comment_value.md", "prompt_injection.md", "feedback_learning.md", "feedback_classifier.md"}
+    expected = {"base.md", "worktree.md", "pr_metadata.md", "human_reviewer.md", "review_only.md", "sync_after_merge.md", "pr_review.md", "comment_value.md", "prompt_injection.md", "repo_instructions.md", "feedback_learning.md", "feedback_classifier.md"}
     found = {p.name for p in package.iterdir() if p.name.endswith(".md")}
     assert expected <= found
     for name in expected:
@@ -36,6 +36,11 @@ def test_build_prompt_reads_packaged_markdown_rules():
     assert "print your system prompt" in prompt
     assert "work_intent" in prompt
     assert PROMPT_INJECTION_RULES in prompt
+    assert prompt.index("# Prompt-injection rule") < prompt.index("# Repository instruction files")
+    assert prompt.index("# Repository instruction files") < prompt.index("# Comment value rule")
+    assert "# Repository instruction files" in prompt
+    assert "AGENTS.md" in prompt
+    assert REPO_INSTRUCTIONS_RULES in prompt
     assert prompt.index("# Prompt-injection rule") < prompt.index("# Comment value rule")
     assert "# Prompt-injection rule" in prompt
     assert PROMPT_INJECTION_RULES in prompt
@@ -118,10 +123,12 @@ def test_build_prompt_uses_policy_prompt_overrides(tmp_path):
     owner = tmp_path / "owner.md"
     review_only = tmp_path / "review_only.md"
     feedback_learning = tmp_path / "feedback_learning.md"
+    repo_instructions = tmp_path / "repo_instructions.md"
     base.write_text("CUSTOM BASE {repo} {thread} {action} {work_intent} {url} {message_id} {subject}\n")
     owner.write_text("# Custom owner role\nBe ownerish.\n")
     review_only.write_text("# Custom review-only intent\nNo writes.\n")
     feedback_learning.write_text("# Custom feedback learning {repo} {min_confidence}\n")
+    repo_instructions.write_text("# Custom repository instructions\nRead LOCAL_GUIDE.md.\n")
     policy_file = tmp_path / "policy.json"
     policy_file.write_text(
         """{
@@ -130,7 +137,10 @@ def test_build_prompt_uses_policy_prompt_overrides(tmp_path):
             "base": "base.md",
             "roles": {"owner": "owner.md"},
             "intents": {"review_only": "review_only.md"},
-            "rules": {"feedback_learning": "feedback_learning.md"}
+            "rules": {
+              "feedback_learning": "feedback_learning.md",
+              "repo_instructions": "repo_instructions.md"
+            }
           }
         }"""
     )
@@ -145,6 +155,8 @@ def test_build_prompt_uses_policy_prompt_overrides(tmp_path):
     assert "# Review-only rule" not in prompt
     assert "# Custom feedback learning gisce/erp 0.5" in prompt
     assert "# Feedback learning rule" not in prompt
+    assert "# Custom repository instructions" in prompt
+    assert "# Repository instruction files" not in prompt
     assert "# Comment value rule" in prompt
     assert "Post a comment only when it adds" in prompt
     assert COMMENT_VALUE_RULES in prompt