From 147c2c60078fd46a0809484346a05004495dedd6 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "goodolclint-claude[bot]"
 <323206664+goodolclint-claude[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2026 18:24:32 +0000
Subject: [PATCH] ci: request the operator's review when the automated reviewer
 defers (#169)

* docs: deferred reviews mention the operator so the decision reaches their inbox

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5.1 <noreply@anthropic.com>

* ci: request the operator's review when the automated reviewer defers

A COMMENTED verdict sends no notification. The workflow now turns a
deferral into a formal review request, which reaches the operator's
queue and inbox. The prompt-only mention is dropped in favour of this.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5.1 <noreply@anthropic.com>

---------

Co-authored-by: goodolclint-claude[bot] <323206664+goodolclint-claude[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Claude Fable 5.1 <noreply@anthropic.com>
---
 .github/workflows/claude-code-review.yml | 27 ++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 27 insertions(+)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/claude-code-review.yml b/.github/workflows/claude-code-review.yml
index f78971a..b30cd7f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/claude-code-review.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/claude-code-review.yml
@@ -256,6 +256,33 @@ jobs:
             exit 1
           fi
 
+      # A deferral is a COMMENTED verdict, which sends no notification and sits
+      # unseen. Requesting the operator's review puts it in their queue and
+      # sends the email. CHANGES_REQUESTED is the author's to act on, not the
+      # operator's, so it is left alone.
+      - name: Request operator review on a deferred verdict
+        if: always() && steps.claude-review.outputs.execution_file != ''
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+          PR_NUMBER: ${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}
+          REPO: ${{ github.repository }}
+          HEAD_SHA: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}
+          OPERATOR: ${{ github.repository_owner }}
+        run: |
+          verdict=$(gh api --paginate "repos/$REPO/pulls/$PR_NUMBER/reviews" \
+            --jq '[.[] | select(.user.login == "claude[bot]") |
+                   select(.commit_id == env.HEAD_SHA) |
+                   select(.state == "APPROVED" or
+                          .state == "CHANGES_REQUESTED" or
+                          ((.body // "") | length > 0))] | last | .state // ""')
+          echo "Verdict at $HEAD_SHA: ${verdict:-none}"
+          if [ "$verdict" != "COMMENTED" ]; then
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          gh api -X POST "repos/$REPO/pulls/$PR_NUMBER/requested_reviewers" \
+            -f "reviewers[]=$OPERATOR" >/dev/null
+          echo "::notice title=Operator review requested::The automated reviewer deferred this PR to the operator. A review request has been sent to @$OPERATOR."
+
   # A skipped job reports its required check as PASSING, so without this a fork
   # PR would go green with no review and no trace of why. This job leaves that
   # trace in the run summary.