diff --git a/docs/api/issues.md b/docs/api/issues.md
index a0bff74004..617b17f557 100644
--- a/docs/api/issues.md
+++ b/docs/api/issues.md
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ Headers: X-Paperclip-Run-Id: {runId}
 }
 ```
 
-The optional `comment` field adds a comment in the same call.
+The optional `comment` field adds a comment in the same call. For execution-policy review or approval decisions, the decision comment must be included in this same `PATCH`; a prior `POST /api/issues/{issueId}/comments` does not satisfy the stage decision guard.
 
 Updatable fields: `title`, `description`, `status`, `priority`, `assigneeAgentId`, `projectId`, `goalId`, `parentId`, `billingCode`.
 
diff --git a/docs/guides/agent-developer/comments-and-communication.md b/docs/guides/agent-developer/comments-and-communication.md
index 23a77d455a..fe44cb78d8 100644
--- a/docs/guides/agent-developer/comments-and-communication.md
+++ b/docs/guides/agent-developer/comments-and-communication.md
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ PATCH /api/issues/{issueId}
 { "status": "done", "comment": "Implemented login endpoint with JWT auth." }
 ```
 
+When you are the active reviewer or approver for an execution-policy stage, include the decision rationale in this same `PATCH` request. A separate `POST /api/issues/{issueId}/comments` followed by a status-only `PATCH` does not advance the review/approval stage.
+
 ## Comment Style
 
 Use concise markdown with:
diff --git a/docs/guides/execution-policy.md b/docs/guides/execution-policy.md
index f12af1cb13..030798b711 100644
--- a/docs/guides/execution-policy.md
+++ b/docs/guides/execution-policy.md
@@ -173,9 +173,26 @@ This prevents silent completions where an agent finishes work but leaves no trac
 - Only the **active reviewer/approver** (the `currentParticipant` in execution state) can advance or reject the current stage.
 - Non-participants who attempt to transition the issue receive a `422 Unprocessable Entity` error.
 - Both approvals and change requests **require a comment** — empty or whitespace-only comments are rejected.
+- The decision comment must be included in the same `PATCH /api/issues/{issueId}` request that changes the status. A prior `POST /api/issues/{issueId}/comments` entry remains normal discussion and does not satisfy the review/approval decision guard.
 
 ## API Usage
 
+### Recording review or approval decisions
+
+```bash
+PATCH /api/issues/{issueId}
+{ "status": "done", "comment": "Reviewer decision: approve - implementation and tests look good." }
+```
+
+To request changes, send the target non-`done` status and the explanation together:
+
+```bash
+PATCH /api/issues/{issueId}
+{ "status": "in_progress", "comment": "Reviewer decision: request changes - cover the retry edge case." }
+```
+
+Do not split a decision into `POST /comments` followed by a status-only `PATCH`; the runtime only records the decision from the `comment` field on the same status update.
+
 ### Setting an execution policy on issue creation
 
 ```bash
diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/issue-execution-policy.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/issue-execution-policy.test.ts
index b3f09d295b..d0e348b036 100644
--- a/server/src/__tests__/issue-execution-policy.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/issue-execution-policy.test.ts
@@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ describe("issue execution policy transitions", () => {
           actor: { agentId: qaAgentId },
           commentBody: "",
         }),
-      ).toThrow("requires a comment");
+      ).toThrow(/Approving a review or approval stage requires a comment.*same PATCH request.*prior comments are not considered/);
     });
 
     it("changes requested without comment throws", () => {
@@ -659,7 +659,7 @@ describe("issue execution policy transitions", () => {
           actor: { agentId: qaAgentId },
           commentBody: null,
         }),
-      ).toThrow("requires a comment");
+      ).toThrow(/Requesting changes requires a comment.*same PATCH request.*prior comments are not considered/);
     });
 
     it("whitespace-only comment is treated as empty", () => {
diff --git a/server/src/services/issue-execution-policy.ts b/server/src/services/issue-execution-policy.ts
index 9fb34e748b..ec04838fdd 100644
--- a/server/src/services/issue-execution-policy.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/issue-execution-policy.ts
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ const PENDING_STATUS: IssueExecutionState["status"] = "pending";
 const CHANGES_REQUESTED_STATUS: IssueExecutionState["status"] = "changes_requested";
 const MONITOR_INVALID_MESSAGE = "Monitor can only be scheduled on issues assigned to an agent in in_progress or in_review";
 const MONITOR_BOUNDS_EXHAUSTED_MESSAGE = "Monitor bounds are already exhausted";
+const STAGE_DECISION_COMMENT_HINT = "Include the decision comment in the same PATCH request; prior comments are not considered.";
 export const REDACTED_ISSUE_MONITOR_EXTERNAL_REF = "[redacted]";
 
 function normalizeMonitorNotes(notes: string | null | undefined) {
@@ -708,7 +709,7 @@ function applyIssueExecutionStageTransition(input: TransitionInput): TransitionR
     if (principalsEqual(currentParticipant, actor)) {
       if (requestedStatus === "done") {
         if (!input.commentBody?.trim()) {
-          throw unprocessable("Approving a review or approval stage requires a comment");
+          throw unprocessable(`Approving a review or approval stage requires a comment. ${STAGE_DECISION_COMMENT_HINT}`);
         }
         const approvedState = buildCompletedState(existingState, activeStage);
         // Only stages after the stage being approved are advance candidates.
@@ -762,7 +763,7 @@ function applyIssueExecutionStageTransition(input: TransitionInput): TransitionR
 
       if (requestedStatus && requestedStatus !== "in_review") {
         if (!input.commentBody?.trim()) {
-          throw unprocessable("Requesting changes requires a comment");
+          throw unprocessable(`Requesting changes requires a comment. ${STAGE_DECISION_COMMENT_HINT}`);
         }
         if (!existingState?.returnAssignee) {
           throw unprocessable("This execution stage has no return assignee");