diff --git a/src/commands.cts b/src/commands.cts
index 93419df94..9ffd6522c 100644
--- a/src/commands.cts
+++ b/src/commands.cts
@@ -1334,7 +1334,7 @@ function cmdTodoMatchPhase(cwd: string, phase: string | undefined, raw: boolean)
       for (const pf of planFiles) {
         const planContent = platformReadSync(path.join(phaseDir, pf));
         if (planContent === null) continue;
-        const fmFiles = planContent.match(/files_modified:\s*\[([^\]]*)\]/);
+        const fmFiles = planContent.match(/files_modified:\s*\[([^\]]{0,8000})\]/);
         if (fmFiles) {
           phasePlans.push(...fmFiles[1].split(',').map(s => s.trim().replace(/['"]/g, '')).filter(Boolean));
         }
diff --git a/src/markdown-sectionizer.cts b/src/markdown-sectionizer.cts
index 0665ff39c..8a745d37a 100644
--- a/src/markdown-sectionizer.cts
+++ b/src/markdown-sectionizer.cts
@@ -537,7 +537,7 @@ export function extractTaggedBlocks(content: string, tagName: string): string[]
 
   // Escape the tag name for safe interpolation into a RegExp.
   const escapedTag = tagName.replace(/[.*+?^${}()|[\]\\]/g, '\\$&');
-  const pattern = new RegExp(`<${escapedTag}>([\\s\\S]*?)</${escapedTag}>`, 'g');
+  const pattern = new RegExp(`<${escapedTag}>((?:(?!<${escapedTag}>)[\\s\\S])*?)</${escapedTag}>`, 'g');
 
   const results: string[] = [];
   let match: RegExpExecArray | null;
diff --git a/src/phase.cts b/src/phase.cts
index 24c68bf5d..78de4bfae 100644
--- a/src/phase.cts
+++ b/src/phase.cts
@@ -1519,7 +1519,7 @@ function cmdPhaseComplete(cwd: string, phaseNum: string, raw: boolean): void {
         }
 
         const planCountPattern = new RegExp(
-          `(#{2,4}\\s*Phase\\s+${phaseEscaped}[\\s\\S]*?\\*\\*Plans:\\*\\*\\s*)[^\\n]+`,
+          `(#{2,4}\\s*Phase\\s+${phaseEscaped}(?:(?!\\n#{1,4}\\s)[\\s\\S])*?\\*\\*Plans:\\*\\*\\s*)[^\\n]+`,
           'i',
         );
         roadmapContent = roadmapContent.replace(
diff --git a/src/roadmap.cts b/src/roadmap.cts
index 7f6febff9..427c44365 100644
--- a/src/roadmap.cts
+++ b/src/roadmap.cts
@@ -545,7 +545,7 @@ function cmdRoadmapUpdatePlanProgress(cwd: string, phaseNum: string | null | und
     //   `**Plans:** N plans`  — bold "Plans:" (colon inside bold)
     //   `Plans: N plans`      — plain text header
     const planCountPattern = new RegExp(
-      `(#{2,4}\\s*Phase\\s+${phasePattern}${OPTIONAL_PHASE_TAG_SOURCE}(?=[:\\s])[\\s\\S]*?(?:\\*\\*Plans\\*\\*:|\\*\\*Plans:\\*\\*|(?:^|\\n)Plans:)\\s*)[^\\n]+`,
+      `(#{2,4}\\s*Phase\\s+${phasePattern}${OPTIONAL_PHASE_TAG_SOURCE}(?=[:\\s])(?:(?!\\n#{1,4}\\s)[\\s\\S])*?(?:\\*\\*Plans\\*\\*:|\\*\\*Plans:\\*\\*|(?:^|\\n)Plans:)\\s*)[^\\n]+`,
       'i'
     );
     const planCountText = isComplete
@@ -615,11 +615,11 @@ function cmdRoadmapUpdatePlanProgress(cwd: string, phaseNum: string | null | und
       // Pattern A: anchor to bare `Plans:` header (preferred).
       // Pattern B: fallback to bold summary when no bare header exists.
       const insertRowsPatternA = new RegExp(
-        `(#{2,4}\\s*Phase\\s+${phasePattern}${OPTIONAL_PHASE_TAG_SOURCE}(?=[:\\s])[\\s\\S]*?(?:^|\\n)(?:Plans:)[^\\n]*)`,
+        `(#{2,4}\\s*Phase\\s+${phasePattern}${OPTIONAL_PHASE_TAG_SOURCE}(?=[:\\s])(?:(?!\\n#{1,4}\\s)[\\s\\S])*?(?:^|\\n)(?:Plans:)[^\\n]*)`,
         'i'
       );
       const insertRowsPatternB = new RegExp(
-        `(#{2,4}\\s*Phase\\s+${phasePattern}${OPTIONAL_PHASE_TAG_SOURCE}(?=[:\\s])[\\s\\S]*?(?:\\*\\*Plans\\*\\*:|\\*\\*Plans:\\*\\*)[^\\n]*)`,
+        `(#{2,4}\\s*Phase\\s+${phasePattern}${OPTIONAL_PHASE_TAG_SOURCE}(?=[:\\s])(?:(?!\\n#{1,4}\\s)[\\s\\S])*?(?:\\*\\*Plans\\*\\*:|\\*\\*Plans:\\*\\*)[^\\n]*)`,
         'i'
       );
 
diff --git a/src/verify.cts b/src/verify.cts
index 27a71d92e..184344cf8 100644
--- a/src/verify.cts
+++ b/src/verify.cts
@@ -373,20 +373,20 @@ function scanFileWideNegativeGateConflict(content: string): { warnings: string[]
     const namem = tc.match(/<name>([\s\S]*?)<\/name>/);
     const name = namem ? namem[1].trim() : 'unnamed';
     // Extract <files> entries.
-    const filesm = tc.match(/<files>([\s\S]*?)<\/files>/);
+    const filesm = tc.match(/<files>((?:(?!<files>)[\s\S])*?)<\/files>/);
     const filesText = filesm ? filesm[1] : '';
     const files = filesText.split(/[,\s]+/).map(s => s.trim()).filter(Boolean);
     // Gate text: <verify>/<automated>/<acceptance_criteria>.
     const gateFragments: string[] = [];
     for (const tag of ['verify', 'automated', 'acceptance_criteria']) {
-      const re = new RegExp(`<${tag}>([\\s\\S]*?)<\\/${tag}>`, 'g');
+      const re = new RegExp(`<${tag}>((?:(?!<${tag}>)[\\s\\S])*?)<\\/${tag}>`, 'g');
       let mm: RegExpExecArray | null;
       while ((mm = re.exec(tc)) !== null) gateFragments.push(mm[1]);
     }
     // Requirement text: <action>/<acceptance_criteria>.
     const reqFragments: string[] = [];
     for (const tag of ['action', 'acceptance_criteria']) {
-      const re = new RegExp(`<${tag}>([\\s\\S]*?)<\\/${tag}>`, 'g');
+      const re = new RegExp(`<${tag}>((?:(?!<${tag}>)[\\s\\S])*?)<\\/${tag}>`, 'g');
       let mm: RegExpExecArray | null;
       while ((mm = re.exec(tc)) !== null) reqFragments.push(mm[1]);
     }
@@ -2094,7 +2094,7 @@ function cmdVerifySchemaDrift(
   const planFiles = fs.readdirSync(phaseDir).filter((f) => f.endsWith('-PLAN.md'));
   for (const pf of planFiles) {
     const content = fs.readFileSync(path.join(phaseDir, pf), 'utf-8');
-    const fmMatch = content.match(/files_modified:\s*\[([^\]]*)\]/);
+    const fmMatch = content.match(/files_modified:\s*\[([^\]]{0,8000})\]/);
     if (fmMatch) {
       const files = fmMatch[1].split(',').map((f) => f.trim()).filter(Boolean);
       allFiles.push(...files);