diff --git a/.gittensory.yml.example b/.gittensory.yml.example
index 341ae17be8..1ae642a52e 100644
--- a/.gittensory.yml.example
+++ b/.gittensory.yml.example
@@ -576,6 +576,8 @@ settings:
 #   path_filters:
 #     - "src/**"
 #     - "!src/generated/**"
+#   # Public-safe voice brief complementing review.profile (e.g. concise, cite line numbers). null/unset ⇒ byte-identical prompt.
+#   tone: "Be concise and cite line numbers."
 #   # Deterministic AI review eligibility filters — skipped PRs never fail the gate. (#1954)
 #   auto_review:
 #     skip_drafts: true
diff --git a/src/queue/processors.ts b/src/queue/processors.ts
index c9e5c3db90..388025ec97 100644
--- a/src/queue/processors.ts
+++ b/src/queue/processors.ts
@@ -357,6 +357,7 @@ import { decidePublicSurface } from "../signals/settings-preview";
 import {
   buildFocusManifestGuidance,
   composeRepoReviewContext,
+  composeManifestReviewInstructions,
   filterReviewFilesForAi,
   resolvePullRequestAutoReviewSkipReason,
   resolveRepoEnrichmentToggles,
@@ -8136,6 +8137,7 @@ async function maybePublishPrPublicSurface(
             inlineComments: reviewInlineComments,
             pathInstructions: reviewPathInstructions,
             instructions: manifestReviewInstructions,
+            tone: reviewTone,
             excludePaths: reviewExcludePaths,
             pathFilters: reviewPathFilters,
           } = resolveReviewPromptOverrides(reviewManifest);
@@ -8153,7 +8155,7 @@ async function maybePublishPrPublicSurface(
           // byte-identical prompt. getReviewFiles() is memoized, so the second call reuses the loaded diff.
           const reviewInstructions =
             [
-              manifestReviewInstructions,
+              composeManifestReviewInstructions(manifestReviewInstructions, reviewTone),
               composeRepoReviewContext(
                 await loadRepoReviewContext(repoFullName),
                 changedPaths,
diff --git a/src/signals/focus-manifest.ts b/src/signals/focus-manifest.ts
index e212b825b0..ccbfbbaf37 100644
--- a/src/signals/focus-manifest.ts
+++ b/src/signals/focus-manifest.ts
@@ -301,6 +301,9 @@ export type FocusManifestReviewConfig = {
   enrichmentAnalyzers: Partial<Record<ReesAnalyzerName, boolean>>;
   /** `review.profile`: chill / balanced / assertive. null (absent) = balanced = byte-identical reviewer prompt. */
   profile: ReviewProfile | null;
+  /** `review.tone`: a bounded public-safe voice brief complementing `review.profile` (e.g. "concise, cite line numbers").
+   *  Folded into the review-instructions slot at runtime. null (default, absent) ⇒ byte-identical prompt. (#2044) */
+  tone: string | null;
   /** `review.security_focus`: when true, the AI reviewer is told to prioritize a security-defect category
    *  (injection, authn/authz bypass, secret handling, unsafe deserialization, SSRF, path traversal) with
    *  elevated scrutiny, ON TOP OF whatever `profile` volume is set — an orthogonal "what to prioritize" axis,
@@ -517,7 +520,7 @@ const EMPTY_MANIFEST: FocusManifest = {
   publicNotes: [],
   gate: { ...EMPTY_GATE_CONFIG },
   settings: {},
-  review: { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {}, enrichmentAnalyzers: {}, profile: null, securityFocus: null, inlineComments: null, pathInstructions: [], instructions: null, excludePaths: [], pathFilters: [], preMergeChecks: [], autoReview: { ...EMPTY_AUTO_REVIEW_CONFIG } },
+  review: { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {}, enrichmentAnalyzers: {}, profile: null, tone: null, securityFocus: null, inlineComments: null, pathInstructions: [], instructions: null, excludePaths: [], pathFilters: [], preMergeChecks: [], autoReview: { ...EMPTY_AUTO_REVIEW_CONFIG } },
   features: { ...EMPTY_FEATURES_CONFIG },
   contentLane: { ...EMPTY_CONTENT_LANE_CONFIG },
   repoDocGeneration: { ...EMPTY_REPO_DOC_GENERATION_CONFIG },
@@ -547,7 +550,7 @@ function emptyManifest(source: FocusManifestSource, warnings: string[] = []): Fo
     warnings,
     gate: { ...EMPTY_GATE_CONFIG },
     settings: {},
-    review: { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {}, enrichmentAnalyzers: {}, profile: null, securityFocus: null, inlineComments: null, pathInstructions: [], instructions: null, excludePaths: [], pathFilters: [], preMergeChecks: [], autoReview: { ...EMPTY_AUTO_REVIEW_CONFIG } },
+    review: { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {}, enrichmentAnalyzers: {}, profile: null, tone: null, securityFocus: null, inlineComments: null, pathInstructions: [], instructions: null, excludePaths: [], pathFilters: [], preMergeChecks: [], autoReview: { ...EMPTY_AUTO_REVIEW_CONFIG } },
     features: { ...EMPTY_FEATURES_CONFIG },
     contentLane: { ...EMPTY_CONTENT_LANE_CONFIG },
     repoDocGeneration: { ...EMPTY_REPO_DOC_GENERATION_CONFIG },
@@ -1453,7 +1456,7 @@ function parsePublicSafeText(value: JsonValue | undefined, field: string, warnin
  * throws; invalid/unsafe values are dropped with warnings.
  */
 function parseReviewConfig(value: JsonValue | undefined, warnings: string[]): FocusManifestReviewConfig {
-  const empty: FocusManifestReviewConfig = { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {}, enrichmentAnalyzers: {}, profile: null, securityFocus: null, inlineComments: null, pathInstructions: [], instructions: null, excludePaths: [], pathFilters: [], preMergeChecks: [], autoReview: { ...EMPTY_AUTO_REVIEW_CONFIG } };
+  const empty: FocusManifestReviewConfig = { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {}, enrichmentAnalyzers: {}, profile: null, tone: null, securityFocus: null, inlineComments: null, pathInstructions: [], instructions: null, excludePaths: [], pathFilters: [], preMergeChecks: [], autoReview: { ...EMPTY_AUTO_REVIEW_CONFIG } };
   if (value === undefined || value === null) return empty;
   if (typeof value !== "object" || Array.isArray(value)) {
     warnings.push(`Manifest field "review" must be a mapping; ignoring it.`);
@@ -1487,6 +1490,7 @@ function parseReviewConfig(value: JsonValue | undefined, warnings: string[]): Fo
   const footerText = footerRecord ? parsePublicSafeText(footerRecord.text, "review.footer.text", warnings) : null;
   const note = parsePublicSafeText(r.note, "review.note", warnings);
   const profile = parseReviewProfile(r.profile, warnings);
+  const tone = parsePublicSafeText(r.tone, "review.tone", warnings);
   const securityFocus = normalizeOptionalBoolean(r.security_focus, "review.security_focus", warnings);
   const inlineComments = normalizeOptionalBoolean(r.inline_comments, "review.inline_comments", warnings);
   const pathInstructions = parseReviewPathInstructions(r.path_instructions, warnings);
@@ -1500,6 +1504,7 @@ function parseReviewConfig(value: JsonValue | undefined, warnings: string[]): Fo
       footerText !== null ||
       note !== null ||
       profile !== null ||
+      tone !== null ||
       securityFocus !== null ||
       inlineComments !== null ||
       pathInstructions.length > 0 ||
@@ -1515,6 +1520,7 @@ function parseReviewConfig(value: JsonValue | undefined, warnings: string[]): Fo
     fields,
     enrichmentAnalyzers,
     profile,
+    tone,
     securityFocus,
     inlineComments,
     pathInstructions,
@@ -1740,6 +1746,7 @@ export function reviewConfigToJson(review: FocusManifestReviewConfig): JsonValue
   if (review.footerText !== null) out.footer = { text: review.footerText };
   if (review.note !== null) out.note = review.note;
   if (review.profile !== null) out.profile = review.profile;
+  if (review.tone !== null) out.tone = review.tone;
   if (review.securityFocus !== null) out.security_focus = review.securityFocus;
   if (review.inlineComments !== null) out.inline_comments = review.inlineComments;
   if (review.instructions !== null) out.instructions = review.instructions;
@@ -1836,16 +1843,27 @@ export function resolvePullRequestAutoReviewSkipReason(args: {
   });
 }
 
-/** Resolve the AI-reviewer overrides (`review.profile` + `review.security_focus` + `review.path_instructions` +
+/** Fold `review.tone` into the repo-instructions slot alongside `review.instructions` so both inherit the same
+ *  public-safe system append in the AI reviewer. Null/empty tone ⇒ instructions unchanged (byte-identical). (#2044) */
+export function composeManifestReviewInstructions(instructions: string | null, tone: string | null): string | null {
+  const toneText = tone?.trim() || null;
+  const instructionText = instructions?.trim() || null;
+  if (!toneText) return instructionText;
+  const toneSection = `Review tone (maintainer voice brief — complements review.profile): ${toneText}`;
+  if (!instructionText) return toneSection;
+  return `${toneSection}\n\n${instructionText}`;
+}
+
+/** Resolve the AI-reviewer overrides (`review.profile` + `review.tone` + `review.security_focus` + `review.path_instructions` +
  *  `review.exclude_paths` + `review.path_filters`) from a possibly-null manifest (null = load failure). A null
  *  manifest yields the byte-identical defaults. Centralized so the AI-review caller threads them in one place
  *  with the null-manifest branch covered here (unit-tested) rather than inline in the processor.
- *  (#review-profile / #review-security-focus / #review-path-instructions / #review-exclude-paths / #2043) */
-export function resolveReviewPromptOverrides(manifest: FocusManifest | null): { profile: ReviewProfile | null; securityFocus: boolean; inlineComments: boolean; pathInstructions: ReviewPathInstruction[]; instructions: string | null; excludePaths: string[]; pathFilters: string[] } {
+ *  (#review-profile / #review-tone / #review-security-focus / #review-path-instructions / #review-exclude-paths / #2043) */
+export function resolveReviewPromptOverrides(manifest: FocusManifest | null): { profile: ReviewProfile | null; tone: string | null; securityFocus: boolean; inlineComments: boolean; pathInstructions: ReviewPathInstruction[]; instructions: string | null; excludePaths: string[]; pathFilters: string[] } {
   // inlineComments resolves to a strict boolean — true ONLY when the manifest explicitly set review.inline_comments:
   // true; null/false/absent ⇒ false. The caller ANDs this per-repo toggle with the operator flag + cutover allowlist.
   // securityFocus resolves the same way — true ONLY when the manifest explicitly set review.security_focus: true.
-  return { profile: manifest?.review.profile ?? null, securityFocus: manifest?.review.securityFocus === true, inlineComments: manifest?.review.inlineComments === true, pathInstructions: manifest?.review.pathInstructions ?? [], instructions: manifest?.review.instructions ?? null, excludePaths: manifest?.review.excludePaths ?? [], pathFilters: manifest?.review.pathFilters ?? [] };
+  return { profile: manifest?.review.profile ?? null, tone: manifest?.review.tone ?? null, securityFocus: manifest?.review.securityFocus === true, inlineComments: manifest?.review.inlineComments === true, pathInstructions: manifest?.review.pathInstructions ?? [], instructions: manifest?.review.instructions ?? null, excludePaths: manifest?.review.excludePaths ?? [], pathFilters: manifest?.review.pathFilters ?? [] };
 }
 
 /** Resolve `review.pre_merge_checks` from a possibly-null manifest (null = load failure ⇒ no checks). Centralized
diff --git a/test/unit/focus-manifest.test.ts b/test/unit/focus-manifest.test.ts
index 0aa3a68c7b..0cd1d2e990 100644
--- a/test/unit/focus-manifest.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/focus-manifest.test.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import {
   evaluateAutoReviewSkipReason,
   resolveAutoReviewConfig,
   resolveReviewPromptOverrides,
+  composeManifestReviewInstructions,
   EMPTY_AUTO_REVIEW_CONFIG,
   repoDocGenerationConfigToJson,
   reviewConfigToJson,
@@ -546,7 +547,7 @@ describe("compileFocusManifestPolicy", () => {
       publicNotes: ["Keep PRs focused.", "Maximize your reward payout"],
       gate: { present: false, enabled: null, checkMode: null, pack: null, linkedIssue: null, duplicates: null, readinessMode: null, readinessMinScore: null, slopMode: null, slopMinScore: null, slopAiAdvisory: null, sizeMode: null, lockfileIntegrityMode: null, aiReviewMode: null, aiReviewByok: null, aiReviewProvider: null, aiReviewModel: null, aiReviewAllAuthors: null, aiReviewCloseConfidence: null, aiReviewCombine: null, aiReviewOnMerge: null, aiReviewReviewers: null, mergeReadiness: null, selfAuthoredLinkedIssue: null, manifestPolicy: null, dryRun: null, firstTimeContributorGrace: null, premergeContentRecheck: null, requireFreshRebaseWindowMinutes: null, claMode: null, claConsentPhrase: null, claCheckRunName: null, claCheckRunAppSlug: null, expectedCiContexts: null },
       settings: {},
-      review: { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {}, enrichmentAnalyzers: {}, profile: null, securityFocus: null, inlineComments: null, pathInstructions: [], instructions: null, excludePaths: [], pathFilters: [], preMergeChecks: [], autoReview: { ...EMPTY_AUTO_REVIEW_CONFIG } },
+      review: { present: false, footerText: null, note: null, fields: {}, enrichmentAnalyzers: {}, profile: null, tone: null, securityFocus: null, inlineComments: null, pathInstructions: [], instructions: null, excludePaths: [], pathFilters: [], preMergeChecks: [], autoReview: { ...EMPTY_AUTO_REVIEW_CONFIG } },
       features: { present: false, rag: null, reputation: null, unifiedComment: null, safety: null },
       contentLane: { present: false, entryFileGlob: null, providerFileGlob: null, artifactGlob: null, collectionField: null, maxAppendedEntries: null, duplicateKeyFields: [], validatorId: null },
       repoDocGeneration: { present: false, enabled: false, scope: ["agents"], allowOverwriteExisting: false, refreshIntervalDays: 7 },
@@ -2426,6 +2427,30 @@ describe("parseFocusManifest review config", () => {
     expect(m2.warnings.some((w) => /review\.profile.*must be a string/.test(w))).toBe(true);
   });
 
+  it("parses review.tone, marks present, round-trips, and rejects non-public-safe values (#2044)", () => {
+    const m = parseFocusManifest({ review: { tone: " Be concise and cite line numbers. " } });
+    expect(m.review.tone).toBe("Be concise and cite line numbers.");
+    expect(m.review.present).toBe(true);
+    expect(parseFocusManifest({ review: reviewConfigToJson(m.review) }).review.tone).toBe(m.review.tone);
+    const unsafe = parseFocusManifest({ review: { tone: "estimate the contributor reward payout" } });
+    expect(unsafe.review.tone).toBeNull();
+    expect(unsafe.warnings.some((w) => /review\.tone.*not public-safe/.test(w))).toBe(true);
+    const long = parseFocusManifest({ review: { tone: "x".repeat(400) } });
+    expect(long.review.tone).toHaveLength(300);
+  });
+
+  it("composeManifestReviewInstructions: null tone is byte-identical; tone folds ahead of instructions (#2044)", () => {
+    expect(composeManifestReviewInstructions(null, null)).toBeNull();
+    expect(composeManifestReviewInstructions("Follow our conventions.", null)).toBe("Follow our conventions.");
+    expect(composeManifestReviewInstructions(null, "Be concise.")).toBe(
+      "Review tone (maintainer voice brief — complements review.profile): Be concise.",
+    );
+    expect(composeManifestReviewInstructions("Follow our conventions.", "Be concise.")).toBe(
+      "Review tone (maintainer voice brief — complements review.profile): Be concise.\n\nFollow our conventions.",
+    );
+    expect(resolveReviewPromptOverrides(parseFocusManifest({ review: { tone: "Be concise." } })).tone).toBe("Be concise.");
+  });
+
   it("parses review.path_instructions, drops invalid/unsafe entries, marks present, and round-trips (#review-path-instructions)", () => {
     const m = parseFocusManifest({
       review: {
@@ -2522,9 +2547,9 @@ describe("resolveReviewPathInstructions (#review-path-instructions)", () => {
 
   it("resolveReviewPromptOverrides: non-null manifest passes the config through; null manifest → defaults", () => {
     const manifest = parseFocusManifest({ review: { profile: "chill", security_focus: true, inline_comments: true, path_instructions: [{ path: "src/**", instructions: "be strict" }], instructions: "Follow our async-error conventions.", exclude_paths: ["**/*.lock"], path_filters: ["src/**", "!src/generated/**"] } });
-    expect(resolveReviewPromptOverrides(manifest)).toEqual({ profile: "chill", securityFocus: true, inlineComments: true, pathInstructions: [{ path: "src/**", instructions: "be strict" }], instructions: "Follow our async-error conventions.", excludePaths: ["**/*.lock"], pathFilters: ["src/**", "!src/generated/**"] });
+    expect(resolveReviewPromptOverrides(manifest)).toEqual({ profile: "chill", tone: null, securityFocus: true, inlineComments: true, pathInstructions: [{ path: "src/**", instructions: "be strict" }], instructions: "Follow our async-error conventions.", excludePaths: ["**/*.lock"], pathFilters: ["src/**", "!src/generated/**"] });
     // A null manifest (load failure) yields the byte-identical defaults; inline comments + security focus default OFF.
-    expect(resolveReviewPromptOverrides(null)).toEqual({ profile: null, securityFocus: false, inlineComments: false, pathInstructions: [], instructions: null, excludePaths: [], pathFilters: [] });
+    expect(resolveReviewPromptOverrides(null)).toEqual({ profile: null, tone: null, securityFocus: false, inlineComments: false, pathInstructions: [], instructions: null, excludePaths: [], pathFilters: [] });
     // An explicit false / absent toggle both resolve to the strict-boolean false.
     expect(resolveReviewPromptOverrides(parseFocusManifest({ review: { inline_comments: false } })).inlineComments).toBe(false);
     expect(resolveReviewPromptOverrides(parseFocusManifest({ review: { profile: "chill" } })).inlineComments).toBe(false);
diff --git a/test/unit/signals-coverage.test.ts b/test/unit/signals-coverage.test.ts
index 3496904c43..3c786deef4 100644
--- a/test/unit/signals-coverage.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/signals-coverage.test.ts
@@ -1127,7 +1127,7 @@ describe("signal coverage edge cases", () => {
       collisions: buildCollisionReport(directRepo.fullName, [], [currentPr]),
       preflight: buildPreflightResult({ repoFullName: directRepo.fullName, title: "Fix isolated issue", body: "Fixes #99", linkedIssues: [99] }, directRepo, [], [currentPr]),
       settings: gateSettings,
-      review: { present: true, footerText: "Reviewed by the Acme maintainer bot.", note: "Run npm test before pushing.", fields: { relatedWork: false }, enrichmentAnalyzers: {}, profile: null, securityFocus: null, inlineComments: null, pathInstructions: [], instructions: null, excludePaths: [], pathFilters: [], preMergeChecks: [], autoReview: { skipDrafts: null, ignoreAuthors: [], ignoreTitleKeywords: [], baseBranches: [] } },
+      review: { present: true, footerText: "Reviewed by the Acme maintainer bot.", note: "Run npm test before pushing.", fields: { relatedWork: false }, enrichmentAnalyzers: {}, profile: null, tone: null, securityFocus: null, inlineComments: null, pathInstructions: [], instructions: null, excludePaths: [], pathFilters: [], preMergeChecks: [], autoReview: { skipDrafts: null, ignoreAuthors: [], ignoreTitleKeywords: [], baseBranches: [] } },
       aiReview: { notes: "The change is focused.\n\n**Nits (2)**\n- Add a test for the </details> edge case.\n- Keep the validator helper scoped." },
     });
     expect(customizedComment).toContain("Reviewed by the Acme maintainer bot."); // custom footer lead