diff --git a/get-shit-done/workflows/new-milestone.md b/get-shit-done/workflows/new-milestone.md
index 5ce94184a..ad1e90e1e 100644
--- a/get-shit-done/workflows/new-milestone.md
+++ b/get-shit-done/workflows/new-milestone.md
@@ -46,6 +46,55 @@ If the flag is absent, keep the current behavior of continuing phase numbering f
 - Wait for their response, then use AskUserQuestion to probe specifics
 - If user selects "Other" at any point to provide freeform input, ask follow-up as plain text — not another AskUserQuestion
 
+## 2.5. Scan Planted Seeds
+
+Check `.planning/seeds/` for seed files that match the milestone goals gathered in step 2.
+
+```bash
+ls .planning/seeds/SEED-*.md 2>/dev/null
+```
+
+**If no seed files exist:** Skip this step silently — do not print any message or prompt.
+
+**If seed files exist:** Read each `SEED-*.md` file and extract from its frontmatter and body:
+- **Idea** — the seed title (heading after frontmatter, e.g. `# SEED-001: <idea>`)
+- **Trigger conditions** — the `trigger_when` frontmatter field and the "When to Surface" section's bullet list
+- **Planted during** — the `planted_during` frontmatter field (for context)
+
+Compare each seed's trigger conditions against the milestone goals from step 2. A seed matches when its trigger conditions are relevant to any of the milestone's target features or goals.
+
+**If no seeds match:** Skip silently — do not prompt the user.
+
+**If matching seeds found:**
+
+**`--auto` mode:** Auto-select ALL matching seeds. Log: `[auto] Selected N matching seed(s): [list seed names]`
+
+**Text mode (`TEXT_MODE=true`):** Present matching seeds as a plain-text numbered list:
+```
+Seeds that match your milestone goals:
+1. SEED-001: <idea> (trigger: <trigger_when>)
+2. SEED-003: <idea> (trigger: <trigger_when>)
+
+Enter numbers to include (comma-separated), or "none" to skip:
+```
+
+**Normal mode:** Present via AskUserQuestion:
+```
+AskUserQuestion(
+  header: "Seeds",
+  question: "These planted seeds match your milestone goals. Include any in this milestone's scope?",
+  multiSelect: true,
+  options: [
+    { label: "SEED-001: <idea>", description: "Trigger: <trigger_when> | Planted during: <planted_during>" },
+    ...
+  ]
+)
+```
+
+**After selection:**
+- Selected seeds become additional context for requirement definition in step 9. Store them in an accumulator (e.g. `$SELECTED_SEEDS`) so step 9 can reference the ideas and their "Why This Matters" sections when defining requirements.
+- Unselected seeds remain untouched in `.planning/seeds/` — never delete or modify seed files during this workflow.
+
 ## 3. Determine Milestone Version
 
 - Parse last version from MILESTONES.md
@@ -300,6 +349,8 @@ Display key findings from SUMMARY.md:
 
 Read PROJECT.md: core value, current milestone goals, validated requirements (what exists).
 
+**If `$SELECTED_SEEDS` is non-empty (from step 2.5):** Include selected seed ideas and their "Why This Matters" sections as additional input when defining requirements. Seeds provide user-validated feature ideas that should be incorporated into the requirement categories alongside research findings or conversation-gathered features.
+
 **If research exists:** Read FEATURES.md, extract feature categories.
 
 Present features by category:
@@ -492,3 +543,4 @@ Also: `/gsd-plan-phase [N] ${GSD_WS}` — skip discussion, plan directly
 
 **Atomic commits:** Each phase commits its artifacts immediately.
 </success_criteria>
+</output>
diff --git a/tests/seed-scan-new-milestone.test.cjs b/tests/seed-scan-new-milestone.test.cjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e06723e04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/seed-scan-new-milestone.test.cjs
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+/**
+ * GSD Tools Tests - Seed Scan in New Milestone (#2169)
+ *
+ * Structural tests verifying that new-milestone.md includes seed scanning
+ * instructions (step 2.5) and that plant-seed.md still promises auto-surfacing.
+ */
+
+const { describe, test } = require('node:test');
+const assert = require('node:assert/strict');
+const fs = require('node:fs');
+const path = require('node:path');
+
+const ROOT = path.join(__dirname, '..');
+const NEW_MILESTONE_PATH = path.join(ROOT, 'get-shit-done', 'workflows', 'new-milestone.md');
+const PLANT_SEED_PATH = path.join(ROOT, 'get-shit-done', 'workflows', 'plant-seed.md');
+
+const newMilestone = fs.readFileSync(NEW_MILESTONE_PATH, 'utf-8');
+const plantSeed = fs.readFileSync(PLANT_SEED_PATH, 'utf-8');
+
+describe('seed scanning in new-milestone workflow (#2169)', () => {
+  test('new-milestone.md mentions seed scanning', () => {
+    assert.ok(
+      newMilestone.includes('.planning/seeds/'),
+      'new-milestone.md should contain instructions about scanning .planning/seeds/'
+    );
+    assert.ok(
+      newMilestone.includes('SEED-*.md'),
+      'new-milestone.md should reference the SEED-*.md file pattern'
+    );
+  });
+
+  test('new-milestone.md handles no-seeds case', () => {
+    assert.ok(
+      /no seed files exist.*skip/i.test(newMilestone),
+      'new-milestone.md should mention skipping when no seed files exist'
+    );
+  });
+
+  test('new-milestone.md handles auto-mode for seeds', () => {
+    assert.ok(
+      newMilestone.includes('--auto'),
+      'new-milestone.md should mention --auto mode in the seed scanning step'
+    );
+    assert.ok(
+      /auto.*select.*all.*matching.*seed/i.test(newMilestone),
+      'new-milestone.md should instruct auto-selecting all matching seeds in --auto mode'
+    );
+  });
+
+  test('plant-seed.md still promises auto-surfacing during new-milestone', () => {
+    assert.ok(
+      plantSeed.includes('new-milestone'),
+      'plant-seed.md should reference new-milestone as the surfacing mechanism for seeds'
+    );
+    assert.ok(
+      /auto.surface/i.test(plantSeed) || /auto-surface/i.test(plantSeed) || /auto.present/i.test(plantSeed) || /auto-present/i.test(plantSeed),
+      'plant-seed.md should describe seeds as auto-surfacing or auto-presenting'
+    );
+  });
+});