diff --git a/packages/gittensory-miner/README.md b/packages/gittensory-miner/README.md
index af57fa7a0e..411bb63869 100644
--- a/packages/gittensory-miner/README.md
+++ b/packages/gittensory-miner/README.md
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ Current scope is intentionally small:
 Environment variables read by the miner are documented in [`docs/env-reference.md`](docs/env-reference.md).
 Regenerate that file with `npm run miner:env-reference` from the repo root after adding or removing env reads.
 
+Config precedence (`.gittensory-miner.yml` vs operator env vs CLI flags) is documented in
+[`docs/config-precedence.md`](docs/config-precedence.md).
+
 Real miner commands land in follow-up issues.
 
 The package also includes the first metadata-only discovery primitive: `fetchCandidateIssues` lists open issue
diff --git a/packages/gittensory-miner/docs/config-precedence.md b/packages/gittensory-miner/docs/config-precedence.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e6a995fc06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/gittensory-miner/docs/config-precedence.md
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+# Miner config precedence
+
+AMS does **not** have a single `config.js` resolver. Configuration is layered by concern across several modules under `packages/gittensory-miner/lib/` and `@jsonbored/gittensory-engine`. This document states the order each layer **actually implements today** — not an idealized or corrected order.
+
+## Configuration layers
+
+| Layer | Source | Scope | Typical modules |
+| --- | --- | --- | --- |
+| **Per-target-repo file** | `.gittensory-miner.yml` (or `.github/gittensory-miner.yml`, JSON variants) | One cloned target repo | `lib/miner-goal-spec.js`, engine `parseMinerGoalSpecContent` |
+| **Operator env** | `GITTENSORY_MINER_*` / `MINER_*` | This miner process / fleet container | `lib/local-store.js`, `lib/governor-kill-switch.js`, `lib/attempt-cli.js`, … |
+| **CLI flags** | `gittensory-miner <cmd> …` argv | One invocation | `lib/attempt-cli.js`, `lib/discover-cli.js`, `lib/loop-cli.js`, … |
+| **Operator file (not goal spec)** | `~/.config/gittensory-miner/.gittensory-ams.yml` | Operator execution policy | `lib/ams-policy.js` |
+
+`.gittensory-miner.yml` is **maintainer-authored in the target repo**. Operator env and CLI flags are **never overridden by a target repo's goal spec** for operator-owned policy (see `lib/ams-policy.js` header).
+
+## `.gittensory-miner.yml` file discovery
+
+First existing file wins (engine `MINER_GOAL_SPEC_FILENAMES`):
+
+1. `.gittensory-miner.yml`
+2. `.github/gittensory-miner.yml`
+3. `.gittensory-miner.json`
+4. `.github/gittensory-miner.json`
+
+## Precedence by concern
+
+### Kill switch (halt miner writes)
+
+**Sources:** `GITTENSORY_MINER_KILL_SWITCH` (operator env) and `.gittensory-miner.yml` → `killSwitch.paused`.
+
+**Order (safest wins, engine `resolveMinerKillSwitch`):**
+
+1. Global env halt → scope `"global"` (always reported even when the repo yml also pauses).
+2. Else per-repo yml `killSwitch.paused: true` → scope `"repo"`.
+3. Else → scope `"none"`.
+
+There is **no CLI flag** for kill-switch today. `MINER_CODING_AGENT_PAUSED` is a separate axis (coding-agent spawn only) and does not change kill-switch scope.
+
+### Governor live write mode
+
+**Sources:** `GITTENSORY_MINER_LIVE_MODE=live` (operator env) and `.gittensory-miner.yml` → `execution.liveModeOptIn: live`.
+
+**Order (engine `resolveMinerActionMode`):**
+
+1. Kill switch active → `"paused"` (overrides any live opt-in).
+2. Else **both** operator env **and** repo yml must equal the exact string `"live"` → `"live"`.
+3. Else → `"dry_run"`.
+
+This is an **AND** requirement, not “last writer wins”. Either side missing or malformed → dry-run.
+
+There is **no CLI flag wired to governor live mode** today. `attempt --live` / `loop --live` affect coding-agent spawn mode only (below).
+
+### Coding-agent execution mode (spawn the driver?)
+
+**Sources:** `MINER_CODING_AGENT_PAUSED` (operator env) and `attempt|loop --live` (CLI, per invocation).
+
+**Order (engine `resolveCodingAgentExecutionMode`, wired in `lib/attempt-cli.js`):**
+
+1. Global env pause (`MINER_CODING_AGENT_PAUSED` truthy) → `"paused"`.
+2. Else CLI `--live` absent → `agentDryRun: true` → `"dry_run"` (`attempt-cli.js` enforces dry-run default for #2342).
+3. Else CLI `--live` present → `"live"`.
+
+There is **no `.gittensory-miner.yml` field** for coding-agent mode today.
+
+### Discover forge credential env var name
+
+**Sources:** `discover --token-env <VAR>` (CLI), programmatic `options.tokenEnv`, forge default (`GITHUB_TOKEN`).
+
+**Order (`lib/discover-cli.js`):**
+
+1. CLI `--token-env`
+2. Else programmatic `options.tokenEnv`
+3. Else `resolveForgeConfig(...).tokenEnvVar` (default `GITHUB_TOKEN`)
+
+There is **no `.gittensory-miner.yml` forge block** today; `--api-base-url` follows the same CLI → programmatic → default shape for the API host.
+
+### Local SQLite store paths
+
+**Sources:** per-store `GITTENSORY_MINER_*_DB` env var, then `GITTENSORY_MINER_CONFIG_DIR`, then XDG default (`lib/local-store.js`).
+
+Explicit per-store env **wins** over config dir; config dir **wins** over XDG. No CLI or goal-spec override.
+
+## Known gaps / inconsistencies
+
+- **No unified precedence** across yml + env + CLI for a single knob — each concern owns its resolver.
+- **Live execution** spans two independent gates: coding-agent `--live` (spawn) vs governor env+yml (writes). Both must allow live for a full live open-pr attempt.
+- **Forge tenant overrides** (`--api-base-url`, `--token-env`) are CLI/programmatic only; `.gittensory-miner.yml` cannot set them yet.
+- **Operator AMS policy** (`.gittensory-ams.yml`) is separate from per-repo goal spec; goal spec never overrides operator policy.
+
+If a future change adds yml or CLI for a setting documented here as env-only, update this file and extend `test/unit/miner-config-precedence.test.ts`.
+
+## See also
+
+- [`miner-goal-spec.md`](miner-goal-spec.md) — goal-spec field reference
+- [`env-reference.md`](env-reference.md) — generated operator env list
+- ORB `.gittensory.yml` precedence (`yml > DB > defaults`) in the main app — analogous documentation style, different runtime
diff --git a/packages/gittensory-miner/lib/config-precedence.d.ts b/packages/gittensory-miner/lib/config-precedence.d.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f88be25fb1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/gittensory-miner/lib/config-precedence.d.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import type { MinerActionMode, MinerKillSwitchScope } from "@jsonbored/gittensory-engine";
+import type { CodingAgentExecutionMode } from "@jsonbored/gittensory-engine";
+import type { ForgeConfig } from "./forge-config.js";
+
+export function resolveDocumentedKillSwitchScope(
+  env: Record<string, string | undefined>,
+  repoPaused: boolean,
+): MinerKillSwitchScope;
+
+export function resolveDocumentedGovernorActionMode(input: {
+  killSwitchScope: MinerKillSwitchScope;
+  repoLiveModeOptIn?: unknown;
+  globalLiveModeOptIn: boolean;
+}): MinerActionMode;
+
+export function resolveDocumentedCodingAgentMode(
+  env: Record<string, string | undefined>,
+  cliLiveFlag: boolean,
+): CodingAgentExecutionMode;
+
+export function resolveDocumentedDiscoverTokenEnvVar(input?: {
+  cliTokenEnv?: string | null;
+  optionsTokenEnv?: string | null;
+  forge?: Partial<ForgeConfig>;
+}): string;
diff --git a/packages/gittensory-miner/lib/config-precedence.js b/packages/gittensory-miner/lib/config-precedence.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..be8badba36
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/gittensory-miner/lib/config-precedence.js
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+/** Documented config-resolution helpers for precedence tests (#5198). Thin wrappers over existing resolvers —
+ *  no new precedence rules. See `docs/config-precedence.md`. */
+
+import {
+  isGlobalMinerCodingAgentPause,
+  resolveCodingAgentExecutionMode,
+  resolveMinerActionMode,
+  resolveMinerKillSwitch,
+} from "@jsonbored/gittensory-engine";
+import { resolveForgeConfig } from "./forge-config.js";
+
+/** Kill-switch scope from operator env + parsed goal-spec `killSwitch.paused`. */
+export function resolveDocumentedKillSwitchScope(env, repoPaused) {
+  const global = /^(1|true|yes|on)$/i.test(env.GITTENSORY_MINER_KILL_SWITCH ?? "");
+  return resolveMinerKillSwitch({ global, repoPaused });
+}
+
+/** Governor action mode from kill-switch scope + env/yml live opt-ins. */
+export function resolveDocumentedGovernorActionMode(input) {
+  return resolveMinerActionMode(input);
+}
+
+/** Coding-agent mode from operator env pause + CLI `--live` (via agentDryRun). */
+export function resolveDocumentedCodingAgentMode(env, cliLiveFlag) {
+  return resolveCodingAgentExecutionMode({
+    globalPaused: isGlobalMinerCodingAgentPause(env),
+    agentDryRun: cliLiveFlag ? false : true,
+  });
+}
+
+/** Discover credential env var name: CLI > programmatic > forge default. Mirrors discover-cli.js. */
+export function resolveDocumentedDiscoverTokenEnvVar(input = {}) {
+  const parsedTokenEnv = input.cliTokenEnv ?? null;
+  const optionsTokenEnv = input.optionsTokenEnv ?? null;
+  if (parsedTokenEnv !== null) return parsedTokenEnv;
+  if (optionsTokenEnv !== null) return optionsTokenEnv;
+  return resolveForgeConfig(input.forge).tokenEnvVar;
+}
diff --git a/test/unit/miner-config-precedence.test.ts b/test/unit/miner-config-precedence.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e38008d584
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/miner-config-precedence.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+vi.mock("@jsonbored/gittensory-engine", async () => {
+  return import("../../packages/gittensory-engine/src/index");
+});
+
+import {
+  resolveDocumentedCodingAgentMode,
+  resolveDocumentedDiscoverTokenEnvVar,
+  resolveDocumentedGovernorActionMode,
+  resolveDocumentedKillSwitchScope,
+} from "../../packages/gittensory-miner/lib/config-precedence.js";
+import { parseDiscoverArgs } from "../../packages/gittensory-miner/lib/discover-cli.js";
+import { parseAttemptArgs } from "../../packages/gittensory-miner/lib/attempt-cli.js";
+import { resolveCodingAgentModeFromConfig } from "../../packages/gittensory-engine/src/index";
+
+describe("miner config precedence (#5198)", () => {
+  describe("kill switch: env global > .gittensory-miner.yml repo pause", () => {
+    it("global env wins when both global env and repo yml pause are set", () => {
+      expect(resolveDocumentedKillSwitchScope({ GITTENSORY_MINER_KILL_SWITCH: "true" }, true)).toBe("global");
+    });
+
+    it("falls back to repo yml pause when global env is unset", () => {
+      expect(resolveDocumentedKillSwitchScope({}, true)).toBe("repo");
+      expect(resolveDocumentedKillSwitchScope({}, false)).toBe("none");
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("governor live mode: env AND yml both required", () => {
+    it("requires both operator env and repo yml opt-in for live", () => {
+      expect(
+        resolveDocumentedGovernorActionMode({
+          killSwitchScope: "none",
+          repoLiveModeOptIn: "live",
+          globalLiveModeOptIn: true,
+        }),
+      ).toBe("live");
+    });
+
+    it("falls back to dry_run when only env is set (yml missing)", () => {
+      expect(
+        resolveDocumentedGovernorActionMode({
+          killSwitchScope: "none",
+          repoLiveModeOptIn: null,
+          globalLiveModeOptIn: true,
+        }),
+      ).toBe("dry_run");
+    });
+
+    it("falls back to dry_run when only yml is set (env missing)", () => {
+      expect(
+        resolveDocumentedGovernorActionMode({
+          killSwitchScope: "none",
+          repoLiveModeOptIn: "live",
+          globalLiveModeOptIn: false,
+        }),
+      ).toBe("dry_run");
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("coding-agent mode: MINER_CODING_AGENT_PAUSED > CLI --live", () => {
+    it("env pause wins over CLI --live", () => {
+      expect(resolveDocumentedCodingAgentMode({ MINER_CODING_AGENT_PAUSED: "1" }, true)).toBe("paused");
+    });
+
+    it("CLI --live absent defaults to dry_run without env pause", () => {
+      expect(resolveDocumentedCodingAgentMode({}, false)).toBe("dry_run");
+    });
+
+    it("CLI --live enables live when env pause is unset", () => {
+      expect(resolveDocumentedCodingAgentMode({}, true)).toBe("live");
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("discover token env var: CLI > programmatic > default (three sources)", () => {
+    it("CLI --token-env wins when CLI, programmatic, and default all differ", () => {
+      expect(
+        resolveDocumentedDiscoverTokenEnvVar({
+          cliTokenEnv: "CLI_TOKEN_ENV",
+          optionsTokenEnv: "PROGRAMMATIC_TOKEN_ENV",
+        }),
+      ).toBe("CLI_TOKEN_ENV");
+    });
+
+    it("falls back to programmatic when CLI is absent", () => {
+      expect(
+        resolveDocumentedDiscoverTokenEnvVar({
+          cliTokenEnv: null,
+          optionsTokenEnv: "PROGRAMMATIC_TOKEN_ENV",
+        }),
+      ).toBe("PROGRAMMATIC_TOKEN_ENV");
+    });
+
+    it("falls back to forge default GITHUB_TOKEN when only the default layer applies", () => {
+      expect(resolveDocumentedDiscoverTokenEnvVar({})).toBe("GITHUB_TOKEN");
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("invariant: documented helpers match production call sites", () => {
+    it("attempt-cli wires CLI --live into resolveCodingAgentModeFromConfig the same way as config-precedence", () => {
+      const env = { MINER_CODING_AGENT_PAUSED: "0" };
+      for (const live of [false, true]) {
+        const parsed = parseAttemptArgs(["acme/widgets", "7", "--miner-login", "miner", ...(live ? ["--live"] : [])]);
+        expect("error" in parsed).toBe(false);
+        if ("error" in parsed) continue;
+        const production = resolveCodingAgentModeFromConfig({ env, agentDryRun: !parsed.live });
+        const documented = resolveDocumentedCodingAgentMode(env, parsed.live);
+        expect(documented).toBe(production);
+      }
+    });
+
+    it("discover-cli tokenEnv resolution matches config-precedence for parsed CLI args", () => {
+      const parsed = parseDiscoverArgs(["acme/widgets", "--token-env", "FORGE_PAT"]);
+      expect("error" in parsed).toBe(false);
+      if ("error" in parsed) return;
+      expect(
+        resolveDocumentedDiscoverTokenEnvVar({
+          cliTokenEnv: parsed.tokenEnv ?? null,
+          optionsTokenEnv: "SHOULD_NOT_WIN",
+        }),
+      ).toBe("FORGE_PAT");
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("canary: precedence assertions fail when expectations are wrong", () => {
+    it("does not treat a malformed yml live opt-in as live even with env set", () => {
+      expect(
+        resolveDocumentedGovernorActionMode({
+          killSwitchScope: "none",
+          repoLiveModeOptIn: "yes",
+          globalLiveModeOptIn: true,
+        }),
+      ).toBe("dry_run");
+    });
+
+    it("does not treat absent CLI --live as live coding-agent mode", () => {
+      expect(resolveDocumentedCodingAgentMode({}, false)).not.toBe("live");
+    });
+  });
+});