diff --git a/.changeset/proud-sloths-glide.md b/.changeset/proud-sloths-glide.md
index f96829ab8..5ab590c3d 100644
--- a/.changeset/proud-sloths-glide.md
+++ b/.changeset/proud-sloths-glide.md
@@ -2,4 +2,4 @@
 type: Fixed
 pr: 1574
 ---
-**OpenCode and other AGENTS-native runtimes now get a root `AGENTS.md` from `/gsd:new-project`** — the workflow hardcoded a codex-only branch that sent every other runtime to `.claude/CLAUDE.md`, a location OpenCode never loads. A shared `getProjectInstructionFile(runtime)` policy (claude→`.claude/CLAUDE.md`, codex/opencode/kilo/kimi→`AGENTS.md`, copilot→`copilot-instructions.md`, antigravity/gemini→`GEMINI.md`) is now the single source of truth consumed by both the new-project workflow and the generate-claude-md path, with a parity test guarding drift.
+**OpenCode and other AGENTS-native runtimes now get a root `AGENTS.md` from `/gsd:new-project`** — the workflow hardcoded a codex-only branch that sent every other runtime to `.claude/CLAUDE.md`, a location OpenCode never loads. A shared `getProjectInstructionFile(runtime)` policy (claude→`.claude/CLAUDE.md`, codex/opencode/kilo/kimi→`AGENTS.md`, copilot→`.github/copilot-instructions.md`, antigravity/gemini→`GEMINI.md`) is now the single source of truth consumed by both the new-project workflow and the generate-claude-md path, with a parity test guarding drift.
diff --git a/gsd-core/workflows/new-project.md b/gsd-core/workflows/new-project.md
index c887ec11c..b9042e331 100644
--- a/gsd-core/workflows/new-project.md
+++ b/gsd-core/workflows/new-project.md
@@ -1533,7 +1533,7 @@ PHASE1_HAS_UI=$(echo "$PHASE1_SECTION" | grep -qi "UI hint.*yes" && echo "true"
 - `.planning/REQUIREMENTS.md`
 - `.planning/ROADMAP.md`
 - `.planning/STATE.md`
-- `$INSTRUCTION_FILE` (runtime-derived via the shared `getProjectInstructionFile` policy: `AGENTS.md` for codex/opencode/kilo/kimi, `copilot-instructions.md` for copilot, `GEMINI.md` for gemini/antigravity, `.claude/CLAUDE.md` for claude)
+- `$INSTRUCTION_FILE` (runtime-derived via the shared `getProjectInstructionFile` policy: `AGENTS.md` for codex/opencode/kilo/kimi, `.github/copilot-instructions.md` for copilot, `GEMINI.md` for gemini/antigravity, `.claude/CLAUDE.md` for claude)
 
 </output>
 
@@ -1555,7 +1555,7 @@ PHASE1_HAS_UI=$(echo "$PHASE1_SECTION" | grep -qi "UI hint.*yes" && echo "true"
 - [ ] ROADMAP.md created with phases, requirement mappings, success criteria
 - [ ] STATE.md initialized
 - [ ] REQUIREMENTS.md traceability updated
-- [ ] `$INSTRUCTION_FILE` generated with GSD workflow guidance (runtime-derived via the shared `getProjectInstructionFile` policy — `AGENTS.md` for codex/opencode/kilo/kimi, `copilot-instructions.md` for copilot, `GEMINI.md` for gemini/antigravity, `.claude/CLAUDE.md` for claude; an existing hand-crafted file without GSD markers is left untouched unless `--force`)
+- [ ] `$INSTRUCTION_FILE` generated with GSD workflow guidance (runtime-derived via the shared `getProjectInstructionFile` policy — `AGENTS.md` for codex/opencode/kilo/kimi, `.github/copilot-instructions.md` for copilot, `GEMINI.md` for gemini/antigravity, `.claude/CLAUDE.md` for claude; an existing hand-crafted file without GSD markers is left untouched unless `--force`)
 - [ ] User knows next step is `/gsd:discuss-phase 1`
 
 **Atomic commits:** Each phase commits its artifacts immediately. If context is lost, artifacts persist.
diff --git a/src/profile-output.cts b/src/profile-output.cts
index 21fbac519..f0520d577 100644
--- a/src/profile-output.cts
+++ b/src/profile-output.cts
@@ -1131,7 +1131,7 @@ function cmdGenerateClaudeMd(cwd: string, options: CmdGenerateClaudeMdOptions, r
     // new-project.md bash workflow via `gsd-tools query
     // project-instruction-file`). Previously this was a codex-only override
     // (#3163) that left AGENTS-native runtimes (opencode/kilo/kimi) emitting
-    // CLAUDE.md; copilot now resolves to copilot-instructions.md, and
+    // CLAUDE.md; copilot now resolves to .github/copilot-instructions.md, and
     // antigravity/gemini to GEMINI.md. GSD_RUNTIME env var takes precedence
     // over config.runtime, mirroring detectRuntime().
     //
diff --git a/src/runtime-name-policy.cts b/src/runtime-name-policy.cts
index 3f6e21ee4..84d45233b 100644
--- a/src/runtime-name-policy.cts
+++ b/src/runtime-name-policy.cts
@@ -101,10 +101,21 @@ export function resolveRuntimeNameFromCandidates(...candidates: unknown[]): stri
  *
  *   claude                      → .claude/CLAUDE.md
  *   codex, opencode, kilo, kimi → AGENTS.md
- *   copilot                     → copilot-instructions.md
+ *   copilot                     → .github/copilot-instructions.md
  *   antigravity, gemini         → GEMINI.md
  *   unknown / future runtimes   → AGENTS.md (safe cross-agent default)
  *
+ * Source-of-truth references for each runtime's read path:
+ *   - copilot: GitHub Docs — repository-wide custom instructions are read ONLY
+ *     from `.github/copilot-instructions.md`; a root `copilot-instructions.md`
+ *     is not a read path. `AGENTS.md` is also read (agent instructions).
+ *     https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/how-tos/configure-custom-instructions/add-repository-instructions
+ *     (Installer parity: runtime-config-adapter-registry.cts installSurface
+ *     'copilot-instructions' writes the same `.github/copilot-instructions.md`.)
+ *   - codex/opencode/kilo/kimi: AGENTS.md is the documented cross-agent
+ *     instruction file (agentsmd/agents.md convention).
+ *   - antigravity/gemini: GEMINI.md is Gemini CLI's contextFileName.
+ *
  * Aliases are normalized via `canonicalizeRuntimeName` first, so inputs like
  * `codex-cli` resolve to `codex` → `AGENTS.md`. Replaces the prior codex-only
  * override in profile-output.cjs (#3163) which left AGENTS-native runtimes
@@ -113,7 +124,7 @@ export function resolveRuntimeNameFromCandidates(...candidates: unknown[]): stri
 export function getProjectInstructionFile(runtime: unknown): string {
   const canonical = canonicalizeRuntimeName(runtime);
   if (canonical === 'claude') return '.claude/CLAUDE.md';
-  if (canonical === 'copilot') return 'copilot-instructions.md';
+  if (canonical === 'copilot') return '.github/copilot-instructions.md';
   if (canonical === 'antigravity' || canonical === 'gemini') return 'GEMINI.md';
   // codex, opencode, kilo, kimi, AND unknown/future runtimes all default to
   // root AGENTS.md (the safe cross-agent instruction file).
diff --git a/tests/runtime-name-policy.test.cjs b/tests/runtime-name-policy.test.cjs
index 67cfefe2b..43a9adacb 100644
--- a/tests/runtime-name-policy.test.cjs
+++ b/tests/runtime-name-policy.test.cjs
@@ -94,8 +94,8 @@ describe('runtime-name-policy getProjectInstructionFile (#1529)', () => {
     assert.strictEqual(getProjectInstructionFile('kimi'), 'AGENTS.md');
   });
 
-  test('copilot maps to copilot-instructions.md', () => {
-    assert.strictEqual(getProjectInstructionFile('copilot'), 'copilot-instructions.md');
+  test('copilot maps to .github/copilot-instructions.md (GitHub docs read path)', () => {
+    assert.strictEqual(getProjectInstructionFile('copilot'), '.github/copilot-instructions.md');
   });
 
   test('gemini maps to GEMINI.md', () => {
@@ -121,6 +121,6 @@ describe('runtime-name-policy getProjectInstructionFile (#1529)', () => {
     // gemini-cli is an alias for gemini.
     assert.strictEqual(getProjectInstructionFile('gemini-cli'), 'GEMINI.md');
     // github-copilot is an alias for copilot.
-    assert.strictEqual(getProjectInstructionFile('github-copilot'), 'copilot-instructions.md');
+    assert.strictEqual(getProjectInstructionFile('github-copilot'), '.github/copilot-instructions.md');
   });
 });