diff --git a/src/queue/processors.ts b/src/queue/processors.ts
index e23601783b..c124aa770b 100644
--- a/src/queue/processors.ts
+++ b/src/queue/processors.ts
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ import type { CheckFailureDetail, MergeReadiness } from "../review/unified-comme
 import { buildIssueSlopAssessment, buildSlopAssessment, type SlopBand } from "../signals/slop";
 import { runGittensoryAiSlopAdvisory } from "../services/ai-slop";
 import { decidePublicSurface } from "../signals/settings-preview";
-import { buildFocusManifestGuidance } from "../signals/focus-manifest";
+import { buildFocusManifestGuidance, type ReviewProfile } from "../signals/focus-manifest";
 import { loadRepoFocusManifest } from "../signals/focus-manifest-loader";
 import { resolveRepositorySettings } from "../settings/repository-settings";
 import type { LocalBranchAnalysisInput } from "../signals/local-branch";
@@ -2022,6 +2022,10 @@ export async function runAiReviewForAdvisory(
     // review + grounding + RAG use these instead of re-reading the stored rows — so a review that fired before
     // detail-sync still sees the REAL diff (FIX B). Omitted (e.g. unit tests) → fall back to the stored read.
     files?: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof listPullRequestFiles>> | undefined;
+    // `.gittensory.yml` review.profile (#review-profile), resolved by the caller from the (already-cached)
+    // manifest. Threaded in (not loaded here) so the AI review path makes no extra manifest fetch — absent ⇒
+    // null ⇒ balanced ⇒ the reviewer prompt is byte-identical.
+    reviewProfile?: ReviewProfile | null | undefined;
   },
 ): Promise<{ notes: string; reviewerCount: number } | undefined> {
   const packAllowsAnyAuthorBlockingReview = args.settings.gatePack === "oss-anti-slop" && args.settings.aiReviewMode === "block";
@@ -2087,6 +2091,7 @@ export async function runAiReviewForAdvisory(
       providerKey,
       grounding,
       ragContext,
+      profile: args.reviewProfile ?? null,
     });
     if (result.status !== "ok") return undefined;
     if (result.consensusDefect) {
@@ -2515,6 +2520,10 @@ async function maybePublishPrPublicSurface(
     // to keep gate-only and advisory-sweep repos free of an extra file resolve.
     const aiReviewWillRun = !webhook.skipAiReview && settings.aiReviewMode !== "off" && Boolean(advisory.headSha);
     if (aiReviewWillRun) {
+      // `.gittensory.yml` review.profile (#review-profile): resolve from the manifest (cached from settings
+      // resolution, so a cheap cache hit — no extra fetch) and thread it into the AI review so chill/assertive
+      // shapes the write-up. Absent ⇒ null ⇒ balanced ⇒ byte-identical prompt. Fail-safe to null on any read error.
+      const reviewProfile = (await loadRepoFocusManifest(env, repoFullName).catch(() => null))?.review.profile ?? null;
       aiReview = await runAiReviewForAdvisory(env, {
         settings,
         advisory,
@@ -2523,6 +2532,7 @@ async function maybePublishPrPublicSurface(
         author,
         confirmedContributor,
         files: await getReviewFiles(),
+        reviewProfile,
       });
     }
 
diff --git a/src/services/ai-review.ts b/src/services/ai-review.ts
index 48d43b65f6..f9cb391eb4 100644
--- a/src/services/ai-review.ts
+++ b/src/services/ai-review.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import { countByokAiEventsForRepoSince, recordAiUsageEvent, sumAiEstimatedNeuron
 import { sanitizePublicComment } from "../queue-intelligence";
 import { defangReviewInput, isSafetyEnabled } from "../review/safety";
 import { isConvergenceRepoAllowed } from "../review/cutover-gate";
+import type { ReviewProfile } from "../signals/focus-manifest";
 
 /**
  * The best free Workers-AI model pair for review accuracy — two different families for independence,
@@ -88,6 +89,13 @@ export type GittensoryAiReviewInput = {
    * to today — no section is appended.
    */
   ragContext?: string | null | undefined;
+  /**
+   * `.gittensory.yml` `review.profile` (#review-profile): adjusts how nitpicky the maintainer review write-up is.
+   * `chill` → surface only blocking defects; `assertive` → also raise minor improvements & nits; absent/`balanced`
+   * → the reviewer prompt is byte-identical to today. PRESENTATION ONLY — it never changes the gate verdict (the
+   * consensus-defect pass still runs the same), just how much advisory detail the prose carries.
+   */
+  profile?: ReviewProfile | null | undefined;
 };
 
 /** A consensus critical defect, already public-safe, ready to become a gate blocker finding. */
@@ -254,11 +262,22 @@ function buildUserPrompt(input: GittensoryAiReviewInput): string {
   return lines.join("\n");
 }
 
+// `.gittensory.yml` review.profile → an appended tone instruction (#review-profile). `balanced`/absent appends
+// nothing (byte-identical). PRESENTATION ONLY: it shapes how many nits the write-up surfaces, never the verdict.
+const REVIEW_PROFILE_SUFFIX: Record<"chill" | "assertive", string> = {
+  chill:
+    "\n\nReview profile: CHILL. Report ONLY blocking, must-fix defects (bugs, security, data loss, breaking changes). Do NOT raise style preferences, naming, or minor nitpicks — omit them entirely.",
+  assertive:
+    "\n\nReview profile: ASSERTIVE. Beyond blocking defects, also surface minor improvements, style/consistency suggestions, and nitpicks — be thorough and exacting, clearly marking each non-blocking item as a nit.",
+};
+
 /** The effective reviewer SYSTEM prompt. Appends the grounding-discipline suffix when the caller supplied one
- *  (flag GITTENSORY_REVIEW_GROUNDING on); absent/empty (default) → the base prompt, byte-identical to today. */
+ *  (flag GITTENSORY_REVIEW_GROUNDING on), then the `review.profile` tone suffix when set; both absent (default)
+ *  → the base prompt, byte-identical to today. */
 function buildSystemPrompt(input: GittensoryAiReviewInput): string {
-  const suffix = input.grounding?.systemSuffix;
-  return suffix ? `${REVIEW_SYSTEM_PROMPT}${suffix}` : REVIEW_SYSTEM_PROMPT;
+  const groundingSuffix = input.grounding?.systemSuffix ?? "";
+  const profileSuffix = input.profile === "chill" || input.profile === "assertive" ? REVIEW_PROFILE_SUFFIX[input.profile] : "";
+  return `${REVIEW_SYSTEM_PROMPT}${groundingSuffix}${profileSuffix}`;
 }
 
 /** One Workers-AI opinion with a per-slot reliable fallback and a 3× retry on the primary. */
diff --git a/src/signals/focus-manifest.ts b/src/signals/focus-manifest.ts
index ee33682178..b0e1f69b7c 100644
--- a/src/signals/focus-manifest.ts
+++ b/src/signals/focus-manifest.ts
@@ -80,6 +80,13 @@ export type FocusManifestSettings = Partial<
 export const REVIEW_FIELD_KEYS = ["linkedIssue", "relatedWork", "reviewLoad", "validationEvidence", "openPrQueue", "contributorContext", "gateResult"] as const;
 export type ReviewFieldKey = (typeof REVIEW_FIELD_KEYS)[number];
 
+// `review.profile` (#review-profile): how nitpicky the AI maintainer review is. `chill` = surface only blocking
+// defects (bugs/security/breakage), suppress style nits; `assertive` = also raise minor improvements & nits;
+// `balanced` (default / absent) leaves the reviewer prompt byte-identical. A presentation knob only — it NEVER
+// changes the gate verdict, only how much advisory detail the review write-up carries.
+export const REVIEW_PROFILES = ["chill", "balanced", "assertive"] as const;
+export type ReviewProfile = (typeof REVIEW_PROFILES)[number];
+
 /**
  * Maintainer overrides for the public review-panel CONTENT, declared under `review:`. Customizes the
  * panel without changing what gittensory measures: a custom public-safe footer lead line, a custom intro
@@ -92,6 +99,8 @@ export type FocusManifestReviewConfig = {
   footerText: string | null;
   note: string | null;
   fields: Partial<Record<ReviewFieldKey, boolean>>;
+  /** `review.profile`: chill / balanced / assertive. null (absent) = balanced = byte-identical reviewer prompt. */
+  profile: ReviewProfile | null;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -186,7 +195,7 @@ const EMPTY_MANIFEST: FocusManifest = {
   publicNotes: [],
   gate: { ...EMPTY_GATE_CONFIG },
   settings: {},
-  review: { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {} },
+  review: { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {}, profile: null },
   warnings: [],
 };
 
@@ -199,7 +208,7 @@ export function isFocusManifestPublicSafe(text: string): boolean {
 }
 
 function emptyManifest(source: FocusManifestSource, warnings: string[] = []): FocusManifest {
-  return { ...EMPTY_MANIFEST, source, warnings, gate: { ...EMPTY_GATE_CONFIG }, settings: {}, review: { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {} } };
+  return { ...EMPTY_MANIFEST, source, warnings, gate: { ...EMPTY_GATE_CONFIG }, settings: {}, review: { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {}, profile: null } };
 }
 
 function normalizeStringList(value: JsonValue | undefined, field: string, warnings: string[]): string[] {
@@ -477,7 +486,7 @@ function parsePublicSafeText(value: JsonValue | undefined, field: string, warnin
  * throws; invalid/unsafe values are dropped with warnings.
  */
 function parseReviewConfig(value: JsonValue | undefined, warnings: string[]): FocusManifestReviewConfig {
-  const empty: FocusManifestReviewConfig = { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {} };
+  const empty: FocusManifestReviewConfig = { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {}, profile: null };
   if (value === undefined || value === null) return empty;
   if (typeof value !== "object" || Array.isArray(value)) {
     warnings.push(`Manifest field "review" must be a mapping; ignoring it.`);
@@ -497,7 +506,23 @@ function parseReviewConfig(value: JsonValue | undefined, warnings: string[]): Fo
   }
   const footerText = footerRecord ? parsePublicSafeText(footerRecord.text, "review.footer.text", warnings) : null;
   const note = parsePublicSafeText(r.note, "review.note", warnings);
-  return { present: footerText !== null || note !== null || Object.keys(fields).length > 0, footerText, note, fields };
+  const profile = parseReviewProfile(r.profile, warnings);
+  return { present: footerText !== null || note !== null || profile !== null || Object.keys(fields).length > 0, footerText, note, fields, profile };
+}
+
+/** Parse `review.profile` — one of chill / balanced / assertive (case-insensitive). `balanced` normalizes to
+ *  null (the default, so the reviewer prompt stays byte-identical). Any other value is ignored with a warning. */
+function parseReviewProfile(value: JsonValue | undefined, warnings: string[]): ReviewProfile | null {
+  if (value === undefined || value === null) return null;
+  if (typeof value !== "string") {
+    warnings.push(`Manifest "review.profile" must be a string (chill | balanced | assertive); ignoring it.`);
+    return null;
+  }
+  const normalized = value.trim().toLowerCase();
+  if (normalized === "balanced") return null; // default → no prompt change
+  if (normalized === "chill" || normalized === "assertive") return normalized;
+  warnings.push(`Manifest "review.profile" must be one of chill / balanced / assertive; ignoring "${value.slice(0, 32)}".`);
+  return null;
 }
 
 /** Serialize the review config for the cache round-trip; returns null when nothing is set. */
@@ -506,6 +531,7 @@ export function reviewConfigToJson(review: FocusManifestReviewConfig): JsonValue
   const out: Record<string, JsonValue> = {};
   if (review.footerText !== null) out.footer = { text: review.footerText };
   if (review.note !== null) out.note = review.note;
+  if (review.profile !== null) out.profile = review.profile;
   if (Object.keys(review.fields).length > 0) out.fields = { ...review.fields } as Record<string, JsonValue>;
   return out;
 }
diff --git a/test/unit/ai-review.test.ts b/test/unit/ai-review.test.ts
index 3b778e11b4..7c87679f16 100644
--- a/test/unit/ai-review.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/ai-review.test.ts
@@ -123,6 +123,36 @@ describe("runGittensoryAiReview advisory mode", () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe("review.profile shapes the reviewer system prompt (#review-profile)", () => {
+  const systemPromptOf = (run: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>): string => ((run.mock.calls[0]?.[1] as { messages?: Array<{ content?: string }> })?.messages?.[0]?.content ?? "");
+  const runProfile = async (profile: GittensoryAiReviewInput["profile"]) => {
+    const run = vi.fn(async () => ({ response: reviewJson() }));
+    const env = createTestEnv({ AI: { run } as unknown as Ai, AI_SUMMARIES_ENABLED: "true", AI_PUBLIC_COMMENTS_ENABLED: "true", AI_DAILY_NEURON_BUDGET: "100000" });
+    await runGittensoryAiReview(env, { ...baseInput, profile });
+    return systemPromptOf(run);
+  };
+
+  it("chill appends the CHILL tone instruction (suppress nits)", async () => {
+    const system = await runProfile("chill");
+    expect(system).toContain("CHILL");
+    expect(system).not.toContain("ASSERTIVE");
+  });
+
+  it("assertive appends the ASSERTIVE tone instruction (also raise nits)", async () => {
+    const system = await runProfile("assertive");
+    expect(system).toContain("ASSERTIVE");
+    expect(system).not.toContain("CHILL");
+  });
+
+  it("absent / null profile leaves the prompt byte-identical (no profile suffix)", async () => {
+    const withNull = await runProfile(null);
+    const without = await runProfile(undefined);
+    expect(withNull).not.toMatch(/CHILL|ASSERTIVE/);
+    expect(without).not.toMatch(/CHILL|ASSERTIVE/);
+    expect(withNull).toBe(without);
+  });
+});
+
 describe("runGittensoryAiReview block mode (consensus)", () => {
   function envWith(run: (model: string) => Promise<unknown>) {
     return createTestEnv({ AI: { run: vi.fn(run) } as unknown as Ai, AI_SUMMARIES_ENABLED: "true", AI_PUBLIC_COMMENTS_ENABLED: "true", AI_DAILY_NEURON_BUDGET: "100000" });
diff --git a/test/unit/focus-manifest.test.ts b/test/unit/focus-manifest.test.ts
index f0473de165..dae48d5604 100644
--- a/test/unit/focus-manifest.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/focus-manifest.test.ts
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ describe("compileFocusManifestPolicy", () => {
       publicNotes: ["Keep PRs focused.", "Maximize your reward payout"],
       gate: { present: false, enabled: null, pack: null, linkedIssue: null, duplicates: null, readinessMode: null, readinessMinScore: null, slopMode: null, slopMinScore: null, slopAiAdvisory: null, aiReviewMode: null, aiReviewByok: null, aiReviewProvider: null, aiReviewModel: null, mergeReadiness: null, selfAuthoredLinkedIssue: null, manifestPolicy: null, firstTimeContributorGrace: null },
       settings: {},
-      review: { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {} },
+      review: { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {}, profile: null },
       warnings: [],
     });
     expect(policy.publicSafe.entryGuidance).toContain("Keep PRs focused.");
@@ -1035,4 +1035,25 @@ describe("parseFocusManifest review config", () => {
     expect(reparsed.review).toEqual(original.review);
     expect(reviewConfigToJson(parseFocusManifest({}).review)).toBeNull();
   });
+
+  it("parses review.profile (chill/assertive), normalizes balanced→null, and round-trips (#review-profile)", () => {
+    expect(parseFocusManifest({ review: { profile: "chill" } }).review.profile).toBe("chill");
+    expect(parseFocusManifest({ review: { profile: "ASSERTIVE" } }).review.profile).toBe("assertive"); // case-insensitive
+    // `balanced` is the default → normalizes to null, and a balanced-only block is NOT "present".
+    expect(parseFocusManifest({ review: { profile: "balanced" } }).review.profile).toBeNull();
+    expect(parseFocusManifest({ review: { profile: "balanced" } }).review.present).toBe(false);
+    // A profile-only manifest IS present and survives the reviewConfigToJson round-trip.
+    const chill = parseFocusManifest({ review: { profile: "chill" } });
+    expect(chill.review.present).toBe(true);
+    expect(parseFocusManifest({ review: reviewConfigToJson(chill.review) }).review).toEqual(chill.review);
+  });
+
+  it("ignores an invalid review.profile with a warning", () => {
+    const m = parseFocusManifest({ review: { profile: "spicy" } });
+    expect(m.review.profile).toBeNull();
+    expect(m.warnings.some((w) => /review\.profile.*chill.*balanced.*assertive/.test(w))).toBe(true);
+    const m2 = parseFocusManifest({ review: { profile: 42 } });
+    expect(m2.review.profile).toBeNull();
+    expect(m2.warnings.some((w) => /review\.profile.*must be a string/.test(w))).toBe(true);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/test/unit/signals-coverage.test.ts b/test/unit/signals-coverage.test.ts
index f6dfcb9448..615dff0298 100644
--- a/test/unit/signals-coverage.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/signals-coverage.test.ts
@@ -904,7 +904,7 @@ describe("signal coverage edge cases", () => {
       collisions: buildCollisionReport(directRepo.fullName, [], [currentPr]),
       preflight: buildPreflightResult({ repoFullName: directRepo.fullName, title: "Fix isolated issue", body: "Fixes #99", linkedIssues: [99] }, directRepo, [], [currentPr]),
       settings: gateSettings,
-      review: { present: true, footerText: "Reviewed by the Acme maintainer bot.", note: "Run npm test before pushing.", fields: { relatedWork: false } },
+      review: { present: true, footerText: "Reviewed by the Acme maintainer bot.", note: "Run npm test before pushing.", fields: { relatedWork: false }, profile: null },
       aiReview: { notes: "The change is focused.\n\n**Suggestions**\n- Add a test for the </details> edge case." },
     });
     expect(customizedComment).toContain("Reviewed by the Acme maintainer bot."); // custom footer lead