diff --git a/.github/labels.conf b/.github/labels.conf
index 2568711..3a779e4 100644
--- a/.github/labels.conf
+++ b/.github/labels.conf
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 panel=claude-bot-andresmgsl codex-bot-andresmgsl grok-bot-andresmgsl kimi-bot-andresmgsl
+triage-actors=dan-claude-bot
 scope:release-flow|C5DEF5|The reusable release workflow, decide, the doors
 scope:guards|C5DEF5|changelog-armed / changelog-monotonic / drill-recorded
 scope:labels|C5DEF5|The labels workflow, reconciler, the taxonomy
diff --git a/.github/workflows/labels.yml b/.github/workflows/labels.yml
index 2e2363c..1ad9bad 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/labels.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/labels.yml
@@ -92,6 +92,15 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./actions/labels-reconcile
         with:
           bootstrap: ${{ github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && 'yes' || 'no' }}
+      - name: reconcile issue flow
+        if: github.repository != 'heavy-duty/ceremony'
+        uses: ./.ceremony-src/actions/issueflow-reconcile
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+          REPO: ${{ github.repository }}
+      - name: reconcile issue flow (dogfood — the workspace IS ceremony)
+        if: github.repository == 'heavy-duty/ceremony'
+        uses: ./actions/issueflow-reconcile
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
           REPO: ${{ github.repository }}
diff --git a/LABELS.md b/LABELS.md
index a995657..d617129 100644
--- a/LABELS.md
+++ b/LABELS.md
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ the labels workflow's bootstrap dispatch (issue #10).
 
 Two state machines share the taxonomy: the **PR machine** (proven in
 box/rig/cast, reconciled by machinery) and the **issue flow** (the
-triage → build queue, doctrine-enforced today, machinery to follow —
-issue #18). One rule joins everything: **states are machine-owned, intent
+triage → build queue, reconciled by the work-queue sweep). One rule joins
+everything: **states are machine-owned, intent
 labels are hand-set** — a hand-moved state label is a lie waiting to happen,
 and the reconciler recomputes it from GitHub's own facts.
 
@@ -54,11 +54,11 @@ strips it on sight).
 | `blocked` | `#6A737D` | waiting on another issue or PR (`Blocked by #N` in the body names it) | triage; anyone may correct it |
 | `epic` | `#5319E7` | organizes other issues via a dependency-ordered task list; **builders never pick an epic** | triage |
 
-The invariant a board scan relies on: every open issue is either
+The work-queue sweep enforces the invariant a board scan relies on: every open issue is either
 `needs-triage`, `epic`, or carries exactly one of `ready` / `claimed` /
-`blocked`. A `claimed` issue with no open PR and no activity is what the
-staleness sweep will reclaim (issue #18); until that machinery exists,
-[TRIAGE.md](TRIAGE.md) owns the hygiene by hand.
+`blocked`. It flags conflicts rather than guessing intent. A `claimed` issue
+with no open PR and no activity for 48 hours is reclaimed by the sweep: it
+comments, unassigns the stale owner, and restores `ready`.
 
 ## Cross-cutting (PRs and issues)
 
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ on a PR would say the same thing twice and drift.
 
 The labels workflow (issue #10) recomputes PR state statelessly on PR events
 plus a 15-minute advisory cron, and bootstraps this taxonomy idempotently on
-manual dispatch. Issue-flow labels are doctrine-owned until #18 lands
-machinery for them. Default GitHub labels (`duplicate`, `invalid`,
+manual dispatch. The same workflow reconciles issue-flow labels on issue
+events and during the scheduled sweep. Default GitHub labels (`duplicate`, `invalid`,
 `question`, `wontfix`, `help wanted`, `good first issue`) are deleted at
 bootstrap — a `question` is a discussion, not an issue.
diff --git a/TRIAGE.md b/TRIAGE.md
index a0a7df0..edbebd0 100644
--- a/TRIAGE.md
+++ b/TRIAGE.md
@@ -82,13 +82,16 @@ dependency-ordered task list of child issues. Children reference the epic;
 the epic's checklist is the progress view. Builders never pick the epic
 itself. Keep the checklist current — a stale epic misleads every scan.
 
-## Backlog hygiene (yours until #18 automates it)
+## Backlog hygiene
 
 - **Dedup before minting** — search issues *and* closed issues; extend or
   reopen before duplicating.
-- **Flip `blocked` → `ready`** when the named dependency lands.
-- **Reclaim abandoned claims**: `claimed` + no open PR + no activity →
-  comment, unassign, restore `ready`.
+- The issue-flow sweep flips `blocked` → `ready` when every named dependency
+  lands, and flags a blocked issue whose dependency declaration is unreadable.
+- The sweep reclaims abandoned claims after 48 hours: `claimed` + no open PR
+  + no activity → comment, unassign, restore `ready`.
+- Automation never guesses intent. Resolve the conflict comments it leaves on
+  malformed queue states, and close or extend completed epics when nudged.
 - **Close obsolete issues** with the reason and a link to what obsoleted
   them. Every label on every open issue stays true; the board is only worth
   scanning if it does not lie.
diff --git a/actions/issueflow-reconcile/action.yml b/actions/issueflow-reconcile/action.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bfd7886
--- /dev/null
+++ b/actions/issueflow-reconcile/action.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+name: Reconcile issue flow
+description: Converge the issue work queue and reclaim stale claims
+runs:
+  using: composite
+  steps:
+    - name: reconcile issue flow
+      shell: bash
+      env:
+        LABELS_CONF: ${{ github.workspace }}/.github/labels.conf
+      run: bash "$GITHUB_ACTION_PATH/issueflow-reconcile.sh"
diff --git a/actions/issueflow-reconcile/issueflow-reconcile.sh b/actions/issueflow-reconcile/issueflow-reconcile.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..17c26b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/actions/issueflow-reconcile/issueflow-reconcile.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,231 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# shellcheck disable=SC2016 # backticks in comment bodies are Markdown literals
+if [ "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" = "$0" ]; then
+  set -euo pipefail
+else
+  set -u
+fi
+
+# The issue-flow half of the labels state machine. Decisions are pure strings;
+# API calls live below the divider so fixture tests can exercise every branch.
+
+STALE_AFTER=$((48 * 3600))
+QUEUE_LABELS=(ready claimed blocked)
+TRIAGE_ACTORS=()
+
+log() { printf 'issueflow: %s\n' "$*"; }
+run() { if [ -n "${DRY_RUN:-}" ]; then log "DRY_RUN: $*"; else "$@"; fi; }
+
+load_issueflow_config() { # $1 = labels.conf
+  local conf="$1" line seen=false
+  [ -f "$conf" ] || { echo "issueflow: missing config: $conf" >&2; return 1; }
+  TRIAGE_ACTORS=()
+  while IFS= read -r line || [ -n "$line" ]; do
+    case "$line" in
+      triage-actors=*)
+        [ "$seen" = false ] || {
+          echo "issueflow: duplicate triage-actors line in $conf" >&2
+          return 1
+        }
+        seen=true
+        read -r -a TRIAGE_ACTORS <<<"${line#triage-actors=}"
+        [ "${#TRIAGE_ACTORS[@]}" -gt 0 ] || {
+          echo "issueflow: triage-actors must name at least one actor in $conf" >&2
+          return 1
+        }
+        ;;
+    esac
+  done <"$conf"
+  [ "$seen" = true ] || {
+    echo "issueflow: missing triage-actors= line in $conf" >&2
+    return 1
+  }
+}
+
+is_triage_actor() {
+  local actor
+  for actor in "${TRIAGE_ACTORS[@]}"; do
+    [ "$actor" = "$1" ] && return 0
+  done
+  return 1
+}
+
+has_issue_label() { grep -qxF "$1" <<<"$ISSUE_LABELS"; }
+
+queue_decision() { # labels on stdin -> KEEP | ADD_NEEDS_TRIAGE | FLAG_CONFLICT
+  local labels count=0 label categories=0
+  labels="$(cat)"
+  grep -qxF needs-triage <<<"$labels" && categories=$((categories + 1))
+  grep -qxF epic <<<"$labels" && categories=$((categories + 1))
+  for label in "${QUEUE_LABELS[@]}"; do
+    if grep -qxF "$label" <<<"$labels"; then count=$((count + 1)); fi
+  done
+  [ "$count" -gt 0 ] && categories=$((categories + 1))
+  if [ "$categories" -eq 0 ]; then echo ADD_NEEDS_TRIAGE
+  elif [ "$categories" -gt 1 ] || [ "$count" -gt 1 ]; then echo FLAG_CONFLICT
+  else echo KEEP
+  fi
+}
+
+author_decision() { # $1 = true when author is triage; labels on stdin
+  local triage="$1" labels
+  labels="$(cat)"
+  if [ "$triage" = false ] && ! grep -qxF needs-triage <<<"$labels"; then
+    echo ADD_NEEDS_TRIAGE
+  else echo KEEP
+  fi
+}
+
+claim_decision() { # $1 assignee count, $2 linked open PR, $3 age seconds
+  local assignees="$1" open_pr="$2" age="$3"
+  if [ "$assignees" -eq 0 ]; then echo FLAG_UNASSIGNED
+  elif [ "$open_pr" = true ] || [ "$age" -le "$STALE_AFTER" ]; then echo KEEP
+  else echo RECLAIM
+  fi
+}
+
+blocked_references() { # body on stdin -> issue numbers, one per line
+  sed -nE 's/^[[:space:]]*Blocked by[[:space:]]+//Ip' \
+    | { grep -Eo '#[0-9]+' || true; } | tr -d '#' | sort -nu
+}
+
+blocked_decision() { # $1 refs, $2 OPEN/CLOSED states
+  local refs="$1" states="$2"
+  if [ -z "$refs" ]; then echo FLAG_UNPARSEABLE
+  elif grep -qxF OPEN <<<"$states"; then echo KEEP
+  elif grep -qxF UNKNOWN <<<"$states"; then echo FLAG_UNPARSEABLE
+  else echo READY
+  fi
+}
+
+epic_references() { # markdown task-list issue references from body on stdin
+  sed -nE '/^[[:space:]]*[-*][[:space:]]+\[[ xX]\]/ { s/.*#([0-9]+).*/\1/p; }' \
+    | sort -nu
+}
+
+epic_decision() { # $1 refs, $2 states
+  local refs="$1" states="$2"
+  if [ -n "$refs" ] && ! grep -Eq '^(OPEN|UNKNOWN)$' <<<"$states"; then echo NUDGE
+  else echo KEEP
+  fi
+}
+
+# API edge. Marker comments make warnings and nudges idempotent across sweeps.
+ensure_comment() { # $1 issue, $2 marker, $3 message
+  local n="$1" marker="$2" message="$3"
+  if gh api --paginate "repos/$REPO/issues/$n/comments" --jq '.[].body' \
+      | grep -qF "<!-- issueflow:$marker -->"; then return; fi
+  run gh issue comment "$n" -R "$REPO" --body "<!-- issueflow:$marker -->
+$message" >/dev/null
+}
+
+reference_states() {
+  local ref state
+  while IFS= read -r ref; do
+    [ -n "$ref" ] || continue
+    state="$(gh api "repos/$REPO/issues/$ref" --jq '.state' 2>/dev/null || echo UNKNOWN)"
+    case "$state" in open) echo OPEN ;; closed) echo CLOSED ;; *) echo UNKNOWN ;; esac
+  done
+}
+
+last_issue_activity() {
+  local n="$1" created="$2" latest
+  latest="$({ printf '%s\n' "$created"; gh api --paginate "repos/$REPO/issues/$n/comments" --jq '.[].created_at'; } \
+    | sort | tail -n1)"
+  date -d "$latest" +%s
+}
+
+reconcile_issue() {
+  local n="$1" author triage=false decision refs states age assignees open_pr=false remove="" label owners
+  author="$(jq -r '.user.login' <<<"$ISSUE_JSON")"
+  is_triage_actor "$author" && triage=true
+  decision="$(author_decision "$triage" <<<"$ISSUE_LABELS")"
+  if [ "$decision" = ADD_NEEDS_TRIAGE ]; then
+    for label in epic "${QUEUE_LABELS[@]}"; do
+      has_issue_label "$label" && remove="$remove,$label"
+    done
+    remove="${remove#,}"
+    if [ -n "$remove" ]; then
+      run gh issue edit "$n" -R "$REPO" --add-label needs-triage --remove-label "$remove" >/dev/null
+    else
+      run gh issue edit "$n" -R "$REPO" --add-label needs-triage >/dev/null
+    fi
+    log "#$n: needs-triage (opened by $author)"
+    ISSUE_LABELS=needs-triage
+  fi
+
+  decision="$(queue_decision <<<"$ISSUE_LABELS")"
+  case "$decision" in
+    ADD_NEEDS_TRIAGE)
+      run gh issue edit "$n" -R "$REPO" --add-label needs-triage >/dev/null
+      log "#$n: needs-triage (no queue state)" ;;
+    FLAG_CONFLICT)
+      ensure_comment "$n" queue-conflict \
+        'The issue-flow sweep found conflicting queue labels. It cannot infer intent safely; triage must leave exactly one of `needs-triage`, `epic`, `ready`, `claimed`, or `blocked`.'
+      log "#$n: conflicting queue labels; flagged"
+      return ;;
+  esac
+
+  if has_issue_label claimed; then
+    assignees="$(jq '.assignees | length' <<<"$ISSUE_JSON")"
+    grep -qxF "$n" <<<"${OPEN_PR_ISSUES:-}" && open_pr=true
+    age=$((NOW - $(last_issue_activity "$n" "$(jq -r '.created_at' <<<"$ISSUE_JSON")")))
+    decision="$(claim_decision "$assignees" "$open_pr" "$age")"
+    case "$decision" in
+      FLAG_UNASSIGNED)
+        ensure_comment "$n" claimed-unassigned \
+          'This issue is `claimed` but has no assignee. The sweep cannot infer an owner; triage must repair the claim.' ;;
+      RECLAIM)
+        ensure_comment "$n" claim-reclaimed \
+          'This claim has no linked open PR and no activity for 48 hours. The sweep is reclaiming it for the ready queue.'
+        owners="$(jq -r '[.assignees[].login] | join(",")' <<<"$ISSUE_JSON")"
+        run gh issue edit "$n" -R "$REPO" --remove-assignee "$owners" \
+          --remove-label claimed --add-label ready >/dev/null
+        log "#$n: stale claim reclaimed -> ready" ;;
+    esac
+  elif has_issue_label blocked; then
+    refs="$(blocked_references <<<"$(jq -r '.body // ""' <<<"$ISSUE_JSON")")"
+    states="$(reference_states <<<"$refs")"
+    decision="$(blocked_decision "$refs" "$states")"
+    case "$decision" in
+      FLAG_UNPARSEABLE)
+        ensure_comment "$n" blocked-unparseable \
+          'This issue is `blocked`, but its body has no parseable `Blocked by #N` declaration. The sweep will not guess the dependency.' ;;
+      READY)
+        ensure_comment "$n" blockers-cleared \
+          'Every issue named by `Blocked by` is closed. The sweep is moving this issue to `ready`.'
+        run gh issue edit "$n" -R "$REPO" --remove-label blocked --add-label ready >/dev/null
+        log "#$n: blockers closed -> ready" ;;
+    esac
+  elif has_issue_label epic; then
+    refs="$(epic_references <<<"$(jq -r '.body // ""' <<<"$ISSUE_JSON")")"
+    states="$(reference_states <<<"$refs")"
+    if [ "$(epic_decision "$refs" "$states")" = NUDGE ]; then
+      ensure_comment "$n" epic-complete \
+        "Every issue referenced by this epic's task list is closed. Please close the epic or extend its task list."
+      log "#$n: completed epic nudged"
+    fi
+  fi
+}
+
+main() {
+  REPO="${REPO:?set REPO to owner/name}"
+  LABELS_CONF="${LABELS_CONF:-.github/labels.conf}"
+  load_issueflow_config "$LABELS_CONF"
+  NOW="$(date +%s)"
+  OPEN_PR_ISSUES="$(gh pr list -R "$REPO" --state open --limit 100 \
+    --json closingIssuesReferences --jq '.[].closingIssuesReferences[].number' | sort -nu)"
+
+  local n
+  for n in $(gh issue list -R "$REPO" --state open --limit 100 --json number --jq '.[].number'); do
+    (
+      ISSUE_JSON="$(gh api "repos/$REPO/issues/$n")"
+      jq -e 'has("pull_request") | not' <<<"$ISSUE_JSON" >/dev/null || exit 0
+      ISSUE_LABELS="$(jq -r '.labels[].name' <<<"$ISSUE_JSON")"
+      reconcile_issue "$n"
+    ) || log "#$n: reconcile failed — continuing with the remaining issues"
+  done
+  log "reconciled."
+}
+
+if [ "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" = "$0" ]; then main "$@"; fi
diff --git a/actions/labels-reconcile/labels-reconcile.sh b/actions/labels-reconcile/labels-reconcile.sh
index a6e17cc..53f6d01 100755
--- a/actions/labels-reconcile/labels-reconcile.sh
+++ b/actions/labels-reconcile/labels-reconcile.sh
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ load_config() { # $1 = consumer labels.conf; panel is mandatory, scopes optional
           return 1
         }
         ;;
+      triage-actors=*) ;;
       *) parse_label_row "$line" >/dev/null || return ;;
     esac
   done <"$conf"
@@ -102,7 +103,7 @@ configured_label_rows() { # validated scope rows, excluding the panel setting
   [ -f "$conf" ] || return 0
   while IFS= read -r line || [ -n "$line" ]; do
     [ -n "$line" ] || continue
-    case "$line" in panel=*) continue ;; esac
+    case "$line" in panel=* | triage-actors=*) continue ;; esac
     parse_label_row "$line" || return
   done <"$conf"
 }
diff --git a/docs/CONSUMERS.md b/docs/CONSUMERS.md
index 17191e7..e216dc1 100644
--- a/docs/CONSUMERS.md
+++ b/docs/CONSUMERS.md
@@ -229,6 +229,8 @@ on:
   workflow_dispatch:                 # bootstraps missing labels on a fresh repo
   pull_request_target:
     types: [opened, reopened, ready_for_review, converted_to_draft, synchronize, labeled, unlabeled]
+  issues:
+    types: [opened, labeled, unlabeled, assigned, unassigned, closed]
 permissions:
   contents: read
   issues: write
@@ -242,16 +244,18 @@ jobs:
 token to write labels. The reusable workflow executes no PR code. It checks
 out only the consumer's base branch and the pinned ceremony implementation.
 
-`.github/labels.conf` has one mandatory panel setting followed by zero or
-more scope rows:
+`.github/labels.conf` has one mandatory panel setting, one mandatory
+`triage-actors` setting, and then zero or more scope rows:
 
 ```text
 panel=claude-bot example-codex-bot example-grok-bot
+triage-actors=example-triage-bot
 scope:cli|C5DEF5|The command-line surface
 scope:docs|C5DEF5|Documentation
 ```
 
-The panel is whitespace-separated. Label rows use exactly
+Both actor lists are whitespace-separated. `triage-actors` names the identities
+allowed to mint issues without the sweep applying `needs-triage`. Label rows use exactly
 `name|color|description`; blank lines are ignored and extra pipes are refused.
 There are no comment lines: every non-blank line must be the `panel=`
 setting or a label row, so `#`-prefixed prose is a parse failure, not a
diff --git a/test/issueflow-reconcile.test.sh b/test/issueflow-reconcile.test.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0806443
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/issueflow-reconcile.test.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -u
+
+ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)"
+# shellcheck source=test/harness.sh
+source "$ROOT/test/harness.sh"
+# shellcheck source=actions/issueflow-reconcile/issueflow-reconcile.sh
+source "$ROOT/actions/issueflow-reconcile/issueflow-reconcile.sh"
+
+TMP="$(mktemp -d)"
+trap 'rm -rf "$TMP"' EXIT
+
+printf '%s\n' \
+  'panel=one two' \
+  'triage-actors=triage-one triage-two' \
+  'scope:one|C5DEF5|First scope' >"$TMP/good.conf"
+check "triage actors parse beside panel and labels" 0 "" load_issueflow_config "$TMP/good.conf"
+load_issueflow_config "$TMP/good.conf"
+check "triage actor is recognized" 0 "" is_triage_actor triage-two
+check "non-triage actor is rejected" 1 "" is_triage_actor builder
+printf '%s\n' 'panel=one' >"$TMP/missing.conf"
+check "missing triage actors fails loudly" 1 "missing triage-actors=" load_issueflow_config "$TMP/missing.conf"
+printf '%s\n' 'triage-actors=one' 'triage-actors=two' >"$TMP/duplicate.conf"
+check "duplicate triage actors fails loudly" 1 "duplicate triage-actors" load_issueflow_config "$TMP/duplicate.conf"
+
+# Invariant 1: exactly one queue category.
+check "one ready queue label is valid" 0 "KEEP" queue_decision <<<"ready"
+check "zero queue labels is derivably needs-triage" 0 "ADD_NEEDS_TRIAGE" queue_decision <<<"enhancement"
+check "multiple queue labels are ambiguous" 0 "FLAG_CONFLICT" queue_decision <<< $'ready\nblocked'
+check "needs-triage plus queue is a conflict" 0 "FLAG_CONFLICT" queue_decision <<< $'needs-triage\nready'
+
+# Invariant 2: claims have an owner and either a PR or recent activity.
+check "claim with open PR stays claimed" 0 "KEEP" claim_decision 1 true 999999
+check "recent claim without PR stays claimed" 0 "KEEP" claim_decision 1 false 60
+check "unassigned claim is flagged" 0 "FLAG_UNASSIGNED" claim_decision 0 false 60
+check "quiet claim without PR is reclaimed" 0 "RECLAIM" claim_decision 1 false $((STALE_AFTER + 1))
+
+# Invariant 3: blocked declarations parse and release only when all close.
+refs="$(blocked_references <<< $'Context #99\nBlocked by #12 and #7')"
+check "blocked declaration extracts only declared refs" 0 $'7\n12' printf '%s\n' "$refs"
+check "open blocker keeps issue blocked" 0 "KEEP" blocked_decision "$refs" $'CLOSED\nOPEN'
+check "all closed blockers release issue" 0 "READY" blocked_decision "$refs" $'CLOSED\nCLOSED'
+check "missing blocked declaration is flagged" 0 "FLAG_UNPARSEABLE" blocked_decision "" ""
+check "unreadable blocker is flagged" 0 "FLAG_UNPARSEABLE" blocked_decision "12" "UNKNOWN"
+
+# Invariant 4: only configured triage actors mint directly into the queue.
+check "triage-authored ready issue is accepted" 0 "KEEP" author_decision true <<<"ready"
+check "outside author receives needs-triage" 0 "ADD_NEEDS_TRIAGE" author_decision false <<<"ready"
+check "outside author already marked needs-triage is stable" 0 "KEEP" author_decision false <<<"needs-triage"
+
+# Invariant 5: completed epics get one nudge; incomplete/unparseable do not.
+epic_refs="$(epic_references <<< $'- [ ] #3 first\n- [x] #2 done\nplain #8')"
+check "epic parser reads task-list refs only" 0 $'2\n3' printf '%s\n' "$epic_refs"
+check "completed epic is nudged" 0 "NUDGE" epic_decision "$epic_refs" $'CLOSED\nCLOSED'
+check "open epic child suppresses nudge" 0 "KEEP" epic_decision "$epic_refs" $'CLOSED\nOPEN'
+check "epic without parseable children is stable" 0 "KEEP" epic_decision "" ""
+
+summary