diff --git a/.github/workflows/instructions-janitor.lock.yml b/.github/workflows/instructions-janitor.lock.yml
index ab4c6dde6ff..094ef3855ab 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/instructions-janitor.lock.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/instructions-janitor.lock.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# gh-aw-metadata: {"schema_version":"v4","frontmatter_hash":"2256cfdbb6eabd06ee2ca32a50389c7a254f365d848a0513729ce8a2b0bba5fd","body_hash":"ed9d62a77bdf8624fc07e1e6eee6c179c04cbc788a0ba36bfe4362e49f971a16","strict":true,"agent_id":"claude","engine_versions":{"claude":"2.1.191"}}
+# gh-aw-metadata: {"schema_version":"v4","frontmatter_hash":"edc68e6ca1f8397e6f724afcb2cb0f0ecee2cce6ec927b340b603befb25237cf","body_hash":"3fd65d5cd62f9b1ff7d5e6d62005859eb93d00d794c3f2f344c97f75e7fd939e","strict":true,"agent_id":"claude","engine_versions":{"claude":"2.1.191"}}
 # gh-aw-manifest: {"version":1,"secrets":["ANTHROPIC_API_KEY","GH_AW_CI_TRIGGER_TOKEN","GH_AW_GITHUB_MCP_SERVER_TOKEN","GH_AW_GITHUB_TOKEN","GH_AW_OTEL_GRAFANA_AUTHORIZATION","GH_AW_OTEL_GRAFANA_ENDPOINT","GH_AW_OTEL_SENTRY_AUTHORIZATION","GH_AW_OTEL_SENTRY_ENDPOINT","GITHUB_TOKEN"],"actions":[{"repo":"actions/cache/restore","sha":"27d5ce7f107fe9357f9df03efb73ab90386fccae","version":"v5.0.5"},{"repo":"actions/cache/save","sha":"27d5ce7f107fe9357f9df03efb73ab90386fccae","version":"v5.0.5"},{"repo":"actions/checkout","sha":"9c091bb21b7c1c1d1991bb908d89e4e9dddfe3e0","version":"v7.0.0"},{"repo":"actions/download-artifact","sha":"3e5f45b2cfb9172054b4087a40e8e0b5a5461e7c","version":"v8.0.1"},{"repo":"actions/github-script","sha":"3a2844b7e9c422d3c10d287c895573f7108da1b3","version":"v9.0.0"},{"repo":"actions/setup-node","sha":"48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e","version":"v6.4.0"},{"repo":"actions/upload-artifact","sha":"043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a","version":"v7.0.1"}],"containers":[{"image":"ghcr.io/github/gh-aw-firewall/agent:0.27.11","digest":"sha256:979723c628182da7729333f2208bb249fd25ddee579645cf9a3892d681a929c7","pinned_image":"ghcr.io/github/gh-aw-firewall/agent:0.27.11@sha256:979723c628182da7729333f2208bb249fd25ddee579645cf9a3892d681a929c7"},{"image":"ghcr.io/github/gh-aw-firewall/api-proxy:0.27.11","digest":"sha256:807e4831999b44513b0a66e5859d478dc4da7ae74ab1918cec967d513f95bf9d","pinned_image":"ghcr.io/github/gh-aw-firewall/api-proxy:0.27.11@sha256:807e4831999b44513b0a66e5859d478dc4da7ae74ab1918cec967d513f95bf9d"},{"image":"ghcr.io/github/gh-aw-firewall/cli-proxy:0.27.11"},{"image":"ghcr.io/github/gh-aw-firewall/squid:0.27.11","digest":"sha256:ff27ea0525ad953a6adee28a5fbe9d2e22be47dbec755c15767af4ea3f91df7d","pinned_image":"ghcr.io/github/gh-aw-firewall/squid:0.27.11@sha256:ff27ea0525ad953a6adee28a5fbe9d2e22be47dbec755c15767af4ea3f91df7d"},{"image":"ghcr.io/github/gh-aw-mcpg:v0.3.30","digest":"sha256:35625d1a2269b1238606078c879f59a91cffc4ac33eb54bf39c6418822c1a8be","pinned_image":"ghcr.io/github/gh-aw-mcpg:v0.3.30@sha256:35625d1a2269b1238606078c879f59a91cffc4ac33eb54bf39c6418822c1a8be"},{"image":"ghcr.io/github/gh-aw-node","digest":"sha256:529d02eb970b1161aa25c593a9c3df57fdfad5a8add328cb3b6eccef66f3183b","pinned_image":"ghcr.io/github/gh-aw-node@sha256:529d02eb970b1161aa25c593a9c3df57fdfad5a8add328cb3b6eccef66f3183b"},{"image":"ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:v1.4.0","digest":"sha256:2afb26356481d1a350e14544a6e160f7f7ec1561a1ea309b823665abf0309036","pinned_image":"ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:v1.4.0@sha256:2afb26356481d1a350e14544a6e160f7f7ec1561a1ea309b823665abf0309036"}]}
 # This file was automatically generated by gh-aw. DO NOT EDIT. To debug this workflow, load the skill at https://github.com/github/gh-aw/blob/main/debug.md
 #
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 #
 # For more information: https://github.github.com/gh-aw/introduction/overview/
 #
-# Reviews and cleans up instruction files to ensure clarity, low duplication, and sub-500-line files for agentic consumption
+# Reviews and cleans up instruction files to ensure clarity, low duplication, and sub-400-line files for agentic consumption
 #
 # Resolved workflow manifest:
 #   Imports:
@@ -1531,7 +1531,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/github-script@3a2844b7e9c422d3c10d287c895573f7108da1b3 # v9.0.0
         env:
           WORKFLOW_NAME: "Instructions Janitor"
-          WORKFLOW_DESCRIPTION: "Reviews and cleans up instruction files to ensure clarity, low duplication, and sub-500-line files for agentic consumption"
+          WORKFLOW_DESCRIPTION: "Reviews and cleans up instruction files to ensure clarity, low duplication, and sub-400-line files for agentic consumption"
           HAS_PATCH: ${{ needs.agent.outputs.has_patch }}
         with:
           script: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/instructions-janitor.md b/.github/workflows/instructions-janitor.md
index 5eb2c2b8d11..5e2fbf8de4f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/instructions-janitor.md
+++ b/.github/workflows/instructions-janitor.md
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ safe-outputs:
     - instructions
     protected-files: allowed
     title-prefix: "[instructions] "
-description: Reviews and cleans up instruction files to ensure clarity, low duplication, and sub-500-line files for agentic consumption
+description: Reviews and cleans up instruction files to ensure clarity, low duplication, and sub-400-line files for agentic consumption
 emoji: 🧹
 engine: claude
 name: Instructions Janitor
@@ -60,15 +60,15 @@ Use small, topic-focused files.
 |---|---|---|
 | `github-agentic-workflows.md` | Compact entry point and reference table | `< 200` lines |
 | `syntax.md` | Schema index only | `< 100` lines |
-| `syntax-*.md` | Focused schema detail files | `< 500` lines each |
+| `syntax-*.md` | Focused schema detail files | `< 400` lines each |
 | `safe-outputs.md` | Safe-output index only | `< 120` lines |
-| `safe-outputs-*.md` | Focused safe-output detail files | `< 500` lines each |
-| `create-agentic-workflow.md` | Creator prompt | `< 500` lines |
+| `safe-outputs-*.md` | Focused safe-output detail files | `< 400` lines each |
+| `create-agentic-workflow.md` | Creator prompt | `< 400` lines |
 | `update-agentic-workflow.md` | Updater prompt | `< 400` lines |
 | `debug-agentic-workflow.md` | Debugger prompt | `< 400` lines |
 | `create-shared-agentic-workflow.md` | Shared-component prompt | `< 400` lines |
 | `charts.md` | Compact charting overview | `< 250` lines |
-| any new `.github/aw/*.md` file | Single focused topic | `< 500` lines |
+| any new `.github/aw/*.md` file | Single focused topic | `< 400` lines |
 
 ## Mission
 
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ wc -l .github/aw/*.md
 
 Rules:
 
-- any file over `500` lines must be split or rewritten before the task is considered complete
+- any file over `400` lines must be split or rewritten before the task is considered complete
 - if a file is close to the limit, prefer extracting a dedicated sub-file before adding more content
 - keep index files short and route detail to sub-files