diff --git a/.github/workflows/tend-ci-fix.yaml b/.github/workflows/tend-ci-fix.yaml
index b85f63b73..83b4fe172 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tend-ci-fix.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tend-ci-fix.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Generated by tend 0.2.8. Regenerate with: uvx tend@latest init
+# Generated by tend 0.2.9. Regenerate with: uvx tend@latest init
 #
 # Do not edit this file directly — it will be overwritten on regeneration.
 # To customize behavior, edit the relevant skill (for example,
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ jobs:
           fetch-tags: true
           token: ${{ secrets.TEND_BOT_TOKEN }}
 
-      - uses: max-sixty/tend/claude@0.2.8
+      - uses: max-sixty/tend/claude@0.2.9
         with:
           github_token: ${{ secrets.TEND_BOT_TOKEN }}
           claude_code_oauth_token: ${{ secrets.CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tend-mention-relay.yaml b/.github/workflows/tend-mention-relay.yaml
index 4941dc5f8..1f1174705 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tend-mention-relay.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tend-mention-relay.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Generated by tend 0.2.8. Regenerate with: uvx tend@latest init
+# Generated by tend 0.2.9. Regenerate with: uvx tend@latest init
 #
 # Do not edit this file directly — it will be overwritten on regeneration.
 # To customize behavior, edit the relevant skill (for example,
@@ -41,6 +41,12 @@ jobs:
     # any user with read access already wakes `handle` on a same-repo PR.
     # Widening this is a separate decision, and moot while a fork run's token
     # is refused the dispatch POST (403, probed).
+    #
+    # The pause variable is deliberately absent: it gates the jobs that boot
+    # the agent, and this job boots none. `TEND_ENABLED=false` skips
+    # tend-mention's `verify` — and `handle`, which needs it — so a relayed
+    # event reaches nothing. A paused repo still runs this job and still POSTs
+    # the dispatch; both runs then do nothing.
     if: github.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name == github.repository
     runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
     # No secrets here. `contents: write` is what the dispatch POST needs, and
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tend-mention.yaml b/.github/workflows/tend-mention.yaml
index c8772697b..b1b6e3322 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tend-mention.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tend-mention.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Generated by tend 0.2.8. Regenerate with: uvx tend@latest init
+# Generated by tend 0.2.9. Regenerate with: uvx tend@latest init
 #
 # Do not edit this file directly — it will be overwritten on regeneration.
 # To customize behavior, edit the relevant skill (for example,
@@ -78,7 +78,15 @@ jobs:
 
 
           def gh(*args: str, quiet: bool = False) -> str:
-              result = subprocess.run(["gh", *args], capture_output=True, text=True, check=False)
+              # `gh` colorizes a piped `--json`/`--jq` response when the job's
+              # environment forces color, and the ANSI codes land inside the body
+              # `gh_json` parses. `CLICOLOR_FORCE=0` is the setting that defeats it:
+              # `gh` ranks a forced value above `NO_COLOR`, so `NO_COLOR` alone loses.
+              env = os.environ.copy()
+              env.update(NO_COLOR="1", CLICOLOR_FORCE="0")
+              result = subprocess.run(
+                  ["gh", *args], capture_output=True, text=True, env=env, check=False
+              )
               if result.returncode:
                   if result.stderr and not quiet:
                       sys.stderr.write(result.stderr)
@@ -319,7 +327,7 @@ jobs:
           # the API record — the dispatch payload never carries one to spoof.
           EVENT_TS: ${{ github.event.comment.updated_at || needs.verify.outputs.ts || github.event.issue.updated_at }}
 
-      - uses: max-sixty/tend/claude@0.2.8
+      - uses: max-sixty/tend/claude@0.2.9
         with:
           github_token: ${{ secrets.TEND_BOT_TOKEN }}
           claude_code_oauth_token: ${{ secrets.CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tend-nightly.yaml b/.github/workflows/tend-nightly.yaml
index 246662b74..b13fe3e7e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tend-nightly.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tend-nightly.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Generated by tend 0.2.8. Regenerate with: uvx tend@latest init
+# Generated by tend 0.2.9. Regenerate with: uvx tend@latest init
 #
 # Do not edit this file directly — it will be overwritten on regeneration.
 # To customize behavior, edit the relevant skill (for example,
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ jobs:
           fetch-tags: true
           token: ${{ secrets.TEND_BOT_TOKEN }}
 
-      - uses: max-sixty/tend/claude@0.2.8
+      - uses: max-sixty/tend/claude@0.2.9
         with:
           github_token: ${{ secrets.TEND_BOT_TOKEN }}
           claude_code_oauth_token: ${{ secrets.CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tend-notifications.yaml b/.github/workflows/tend-notifications.yaml
index a9a6415be..e5f9836a8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tend-notifications.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tend-notifications.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Generated by tend 0.2.8. Regenerate with: uvx tend@latest init
+# Generated by tend 0.2.9. Regenerate with: uvx tend@latest init
 #
 # Do not edit this file directly — it will be overwritten on regeneration.
 # To customize behavior, edit the relevant skill (for example,
@@ -72,11 +72,17 @@ jobs:
 
 
           def _gh(*args: str, quiet: bool = False) -> str:
+              # `gh` colorizes a piped `--json`/`--jq` response when the job's
+              # environment forces color, and the ANSI codes land inside the body
+              # `_json` parses. `CLICOLOR_FORCE=0` is the setting that defeats it:
+              # `gh` ranks a forced value above `NO_COLOR`, so `NO_COLOR` alone loses.
+              env = os.environ.copy()
+              env.update(NO_COLOR="1", CLICOLOR_FORCE="0")
               result = subprocess.run(
                   ["gh", *args],
                   capture_output=True,
                   text=True,
-                  env=os.environ.copy(),
+                  env=env,
                   check=False,
               )
               if result.returncode:
@@ -231,7 +237,7 @@ jobs:
           fetch-depth: 0
           fetch-tags: true
           token: ${{ secrets.TEND_BOT_TOKEN }}
-      - uses: max-sixty/tend/claude@0.2.8
+      - uses: max-sixty/tend/claude@0.2.9
         if: steps.check.outputs.count != '0' || steps.check.outputs.conflict_count != '0' || github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
         with:
           github_token: ${{ secrets.TEND_BOT_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tend-review-runs.yaml b/.github/workflows/tend-review-runs.yaml
index ea32341de..fcdd5d2a1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tend-review-runs.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tend-review-runs.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Generated by tend 0.2.8. Regenerate with: uvx tend@latest init
+# Generated by tend 0.2.9. Regenerate with: uvx tend@latest init
 #
 # Do not edit this file directly — it will be overwritten on regeneration.
 # To customize behavior, edit the relevant skill (for example,
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ jobs:
           fetch-tags: true
           token: ${{ secrets.TEND_BOT_TOKEN }}
 
-      - uses: max-sixty/tend/claude@0.2.8
+      - uses: max-sixty/tend/claude@0.2.9
         with:
           github_token: ${{ secrets.TEND_BOT_TOKEN }}
           claude_code_oauth_token: ${{ secrets.CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tend-review.yaml b/.github/workflows/tend-review.yaml
index 83f555ae8..119324481 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tend-review.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tend-review.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Generated by tend 0.2.8. Regenerate with: uvx tend@latest init
+# Generated by tend 0.2.9. Regenerate with: uvx tend@latest init
 #
 # Do not edit this file directly — it will be overwritten on regeneration.
 # To customize behavior, edit the relevant skill (for example,
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ jobs:
           fetch-tags: true
           token: ${{ secrets.TEND_BOT_TOKEN }}
 
-      - uses: max-sixty/tend/claude@0.2.8
+      - uses: max-sixty/tend/claude@0.2.9
         with:
           github_token: ${{ secrets.TEND_BOT_TOKEN }}
           claude_code_oauth_token: ${{ secrets.CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tend-triage.yaml b/.github/workflows/tend-triage.yaml
index 5962ea900..08cc7cd5b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tend-triage.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tend-triage.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Generated by tend 0.2.8. Regenerate with: uvx tend@latest init
+# Generated by tend 0.2.9. Regenerate with: uvx tend@latest init
 #
 # Do not edit this file directly — it will be overwritten on regeneration.
 # To customize behavior, edit the relevant skill (for example,
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ jobs:
           fetch-tags: true
           token: ${{ secrets.TEND_BOT_TOKEN }}
 
-      - uses: max-sixty/tend/claude@0.2.8
+      - uses: max-sixty/tend/claude@0.2.9
         with:
           github_token: ${{ secrets.TEND_BOT_TOKEN }}
           claude_code_oauth_token: ${{ secrets.CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tend-weekly.yaml b/.github/workflows/tend-weekly.yaml
index cd4f022df..6fe69219f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tend-weekly.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tend-weekly.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Generated by tend 0.2.8. Regenerate with: uvx tend@latest init
+# Generated by tend 0.2.9. Regenerate with: uvx tend@latest init
 #
 # Do not edit this file directly — it will be overwritten on regeneration.
 # To customize behavior, edit the relevant skill (for example,
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ jobs:
           fetch-tags: true
           token: ${{ secrets.TEND_BOT_TOKEN }}
 
-      - uses: max-sixty/tend/claude@0.2.8
+      - uses: max-sixty/tend/claude@0.2.9
         with:
           github_token: ${{ secrets.TEND_BOT_TOKEN }}
           claude_code_oauth_token: ${{ secrets.CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN }}