diff --git a/get-shit-done/bin/lib/phase.cjs b/get-shit-done/bin/lib/phase.cjs
index 05023fdeb..4e4cbff60 100644
--- a/get-shit-done/bin/lib/phase.cjs
+++ b/get-shit-done/bin/lib/phase.cjs
@@ -193,6 +193,11 @@ function cmdFindPhase(cwd, phase, raw) {
   }
 }
 
+function extractObjective(content) {
+  const m = content.match(/<objective>\s*\n?\s*(.+)/);
+  return m ? m[1].trim() : null;
+}
+
 function cmdPhasePlanIndex(cwd, phase, raw) {
   if (!phase) {
     error('phase required for phase-plan-index');
@@ -242,9 +247,10 @@ function cmdPhasePlanIndex(cwd, phase, raw) {
     const content = fs.readFileSync(planPath, 'utf-8');
     const fm = extractFrontmatter(content);
 
-    // Count tasks (## Task N patterns)
-    const taskMatches = content.match(/##\s*Task\s*\d+/gi) || [];
-    const taskCount = taskMatches.length;
+    // Count tasks: XML <task> tags (canonical) or ## Task N markdown (legacy)
+    const xmlTasks = content.match(/<task[\s>]/gi) || [];
+    const mdTasks = content.match(/##\s*Task\s*\d+/gi) || [];
+    const taskCount = xmlTasks.length || mdTasks.length;
 
     // Parse wave as integer
     const wave = parseInt(fm.wave, 10) || 1;
@@ -259,10 +265,11 @@ function cmdPhasePlanIndex(cwd, phase, raw) {
       hasCheckpoints = true;
     }
 
-    // Parse files-modified
+    // Parse files_modified (underscore is canonical; also accept hyphenated for compat)
     let filesModified = [];
-    if (fm['files-modified']) {
-      filesModified = Array.isArray(fm['files-modified']) ? fm['files-modified'] : [fm['files-modified']];
+    const fmFiles = fm['files_modified'] || fm['files-modified'];
+    if (fmFiles) {
+      filesModified = Array.isArray(fmFiles) ? fmFiles : [fmFiles];
     }
 
     const hasSummary = completedPlanIds.has(planId);
@@ -274,7 +281,7 @@ function cmdPhasePlanIndex(cwd, phase, raw) {
       id: planId,
       wave,
       autonomous,
-      objective: fm.objective || null,
+      objective: extractObjective(content) || fm.objective || null,
       files_modified: filesModified,
       task_count: taskCount,
       has_summary: hasSummary,
diff --git a/tests/phase.test.cjs b/tests/phase.test.cjs
index 21d6d2951..f1888eb3c 100644
--- a/tests/phase.test.cjs
+++ b/tests/phase.test.cjs
@@ -358,6 +358,228 @@ objective: Manual review needed
   });
 });
 
+
+// ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// phase-plan-index — canonical XML format (template-aligned)
+// ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+describe('phase-plan-index canonical format', () => {
+  let tmpDir;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    tmpDir = createTempProject();
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    cleanup(tmpDir);
+  });
+
+  test('files_modified: underscore key is parsed correctly', () => {
+    const phaseDir = path.join(tmpDir, '.planning', 'phases', '04-ui');
+    fs.mkdirSync(phaseDir, { recursive: true });
+
+    fs.writeFileSync(
+      path.join(phaseDir, '04-01-PLAN.md'),
+      `---
+wave: 1
+autonomous: true
+files_modified: [src/App.tsx, src/index.ts]
+---
+
+<objective>
+Build main application shell
+
+Purpose: Entry point
+Output: App component
+</objective>
+
+<tasks>
+<task type="auto">
+  <name>Task 1: Create App component</name>
+  <files>src/App.tsx</files>
+  <action>Create component</action>
+  <verify>npm run build</verify>
+  <done>Component renders</done>
+</task>
+</tasks>
+`
+    );
+
+    const result = runGsdTools('phase-plan-index 04', tmpDir);
+    assert.ok(result.success, `Command failed: ${result.error}`);
+
+    const output = JSON.parse(result.output);
+    assert.deepStrictEqual(
+      output.plans[0].files_modified,
+      ['src/App.tsx', 'src/index.ts'],
+      'files_modified with underscore should be parsed'
+    );
+  });
+
+  test('objective: extracted from <objective> XML tag, not frontmatter', () => {
+    const phaseDir = path.join(tmpDir, '.planning', 'phases', '04-ui');
+    fs.mkdirSync(phaseDir, { recursive: true });
+
+    fs.writeFileSync(
+      path.join(phaseDir, '04-01-PLAN.md'),
+      `---
+wave: 1
+autonomous: true
+files_modified: []
+---
+
+<objective>
+Build main application shell
+
+Purpose: Entry point for the SPA
+Output: App.tsx with routing
+</objective>
+
+<tasks>
+<task type="auto">
+  <name>Task 1: Scaffold</name>
+  <files>src/App.tsx</files>
+  <action>Create shell</action>
+  <verify>build passes</verify>
+  <done>App renders</done>
+</task>
+</tasks>
+`
+    );
+
+    const result = runGsdTools('phase-plan-index 04', tmpDir);
+    assert.ok(result.success, `Command failed: ${result.error}`);
+
+    const output = JSON.parse(result.output);
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      output.plans[0].objective,
+      'Build main application shell',
+      'objective should come from <objective> XML tag first line'
+    );
+  });
+
+  test('task_count: counts <task> XML tags', () => {
+    const phaseDir = path.join(tmpDir, '.planning', 'phases', '04-ui');
+    fs.mkdirSync(phaseDir, { recursive: true });
+
+    fs.writeFileSync(
+      path.join(phaseDir, '04-01-PLAN.md'),
+      `---
+wave: 1
+autonomous: true
+files_modified: []
+---
+
+<objective>
+Create UI components
+</objective>
+
+<tasks>
+<task type="auto">
+  <name>Task 1: Header</name>
+  <files>src/Header.tsx</files>
+  <action>Create header</action>
+  <verify>build</verify>
+  <done>Header renders</done>
+</task>
+
+<task type="auto">
+  <name>Task 2: Footer</name>
+  <files>src/Footer.tsx</files>
+  <action>Create footer</action>
+  <verify>build</verify>
+  <done>Footer renders</done>
+</task>
+
+<task type="checkpoint:human-verify" gate="blocking">
+  <what-built>UI components</what-built>
+  <how-to-verify>Visit localhost:3000</how-to-verify>
+  <resume-signal>Type approved</resume-signal>
+</task>
+</tasks>
+`
+    );
+
+    const result = runGsdTools('phase-plan-index 04', tmpDir);
+    assert.ok(result.success, `Command failed: ${result.error}`);
+
+    const output = JSON.parse(result.output);
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      output.plans[0].task_count,
+      3,
+      'should count all 3 <task> XML tags'
+    );
+  });
+
+  test('all three fields work together in canonical plan format', () => {
+    const phaseDir = path.join(tmpDir, '.planning', 'phases', '04-ui');
+    fs.mkdirSync(phaseDir, { recursive: true });
+
+    fs.writeFileSync(
+      path.join(phaseDir, '04-01-PLAN.md'),
+      `---
+phase: 04-ui
+plan: 01
+type: execute
+wave: 1
+depends_on: []
+files_modified: [src/components/Chat.tsx, src/app/api/chat/route.ts]
+autonomous: true
+requirements: [R1, R2]
+---
+
+<objective>
+Implement complete Chat feature as vertical slice.
+
+Purpose: Self-contained chat that can run parallel to other features.
+Output: Chat component, API endpoints.
+</objective>
+
+<execution_context>
+@~/.claude/get-shit-done/workflows/execute-plan.md
+</execution_context>
+
+<context>
+@.planning/PROJECT.md
+@.planning/ROADMAP.md
+</context>
+
+<tasks>
+<task type="auto">
+  <name>Task 1: Create Chat component</name>
+  <files>src/components/Chat.tsx</files>
+  <action>Build chat UI with message list and input</action>
+  <verify>npm run build</verify>
+  <done>Chat component renders messages</done>
+</task>
+
+<task type="auto">
+  <name>Task 2: Create Chat API</name>
+  <files>src/app/api/chat/route.ts</files>
+  <action>GET /api/chat and POST /api/chat endpoints</action>
+  <verify>curl tests pass</verify>
+  <done>CRUD operations work</done>
+</task>
+</tasks>
+
+<verification>
+- [ ] npm run build succeeds
+- [ ] API endpoints respond correctly
+</verification>
+`
+    );
+
+    const result = runGsdTools('phase-plan-index 04', tmpDir);
+    assert.ok(result.success, `Command failed: ${result.error}`);
+
+    const output = JSON.parse(result.output);
+    const plan = output.plans[0];
+    assert.strictEqual(plan.objective, 'Implement complete Chat feature as vertical slice.', 'objective from XML tag');
+    assert.deepStrictEqual(plan.files_modified, ['src/components/Chat.tsx', 'src/app/api/chat/route.ts'], 'files_modified with underscore');
+    assert.strictEqual(plan.task_count, 2, 'task_count from <task> XML tags');
+  });
+});
+
 // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 // state-snapshot command
 // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────