diff --git a/.github/README_LABELING.md b/.github/README_LABELING.md
index 4c6022f2..f9160fc8 100644
--- a/.github/README_LABELING.md
+++ b/.github/README_LABELING.md
@@ -74,6 +74,10 @@ Apply special labels:
 
 ```
 /help                  # Mark as help-wanted (good for contributors)
+/level archived        # Set project level (removes other level/* labels)
+/level graduation
+/level incubation
+/level sandbox
 ```
 
 ### Remove Commands
@@ -103,17 +107,36 @@ Labels are automatically applied based on the files changed in a PR:
 | `Kubestronaut/**` | `area/kubestronaut` | Kubestronaut program |
 | `tests/**` | `area/infrastructure` | Testing infrastructure |
 
-### Missing Label Indicators
-If certain required labels are missing, helper labels are automatically applied:
+### `needs-*` Helper Labels
 
-- **`needs-kind`** — Applied when a PR/issue lacks a `kind/*` label
-- **`needs-priority`** — Applied when a PR/issue lacks a `priority/*` label
-- **`needs-area`** — Applied when a PR/issue lacks an `area/*` label
-- **`needs-status`** — Applied when a PR/issue lacks a `status/*` label
-- **`needs-triage`** — Applied when a PR/issue lacks a `triage/*` label
-- **`needs-group`** — Applied when lacking `toc`, `tag/*`, or `sub/*` label
+These labels are added automatically when a required category is absent, and removed automatically when the corresponding label is present — whether applied via a `/` command, the GitHub UI, or a file-path rule.
 
-These helper labels encourage proper labeling without requiring it.
+| Helper label | Removed when |
+|---|---|
+| `needs-triage` | Any `triage/*` label is present |
+| `needs-kind` | Any `kind/*` label is present |
+| `needs-group` | Any `toc`, `tag/*`, or `sub/*` label is present |
+| `needs-priority` | Any `priority/*` label is present |
+| `needs-area` | Any `area/*` label is present |
+| `needs-status` | Any `status/*` label is present |
+| `dd/needs-triage` | Any `dd/triage/*` label is present |
+
+### Mutually Exclusive Label Groups
+
+The following label groups enforce mutual exclusivity automatically. When a label in the group is applied (by any means), conflicting labels in the same group are removed.
+
+| Group | Labels |
+|---|---|
+| `level/*` | `level/archived`, `level/graduation`, `level/incubation`, `level/sandbox` — applying one removes the others via `/level` |
+| `triage/*` | Enforced via `/triage` command |
+| `kind/*` — no, kind can be multi | n/a |
+| `priority/*` | Enforced via `/priority` command |
+| `status/*` | Enforced via `/status` command |
+| `area/*` | Enforced via `/area` command |
+| `vote/open` + `vote/closed` | Enforced via `/vote` command |
+| `init/*` | Enforced via `/init` command |
+
+In short: use `/` commands when you want explicit control, and rely on automatic labeling for baseline triage, path-based routing, and mutual exclusivity enforcement.
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/.github/labels.yaml b/.github/labels.yaml
index 4cbb13ba..5d745456 100644
--- a/.github/labels.yaml
+++ b/.github/labels.yaml
@@ -467,6 +467,16 @@ ruleset:
     spec:
       label: needs-triage
 
+- name: remove-needs-triage
+  kind: label
+  spec:
+    match: triage/*
+    matchCondition: AND
+  actions:
+  - kind: remove-label
+    spec:
+      match: needs-triage
+
 - name: needs-kind
   kind: label
   spec:
@@ -477,6 +487,16 @@ ruleset:
     spec:
       label: needs-kind
 
+- name: remove-needs-kind
+  kind: label
+  spec:
+    match: kind/*
+    matchCondition: AND
+  actions:
+  - kind: remove-label
+    spec:
+      match: needs-kind
+
 - name: needs-group
   kind: label
   spec:
@@ -487,6 +507,16 @@ ruleset:
     spec:
       label: needs-group
 
+- name: remove-needs-group
+  kind: label
+  spec:
+    match: "{toc,tag/*,sub/*}"
+    matchCondition: AND
+  actions:
+  - kind: remove-label
+    spec:
+      match: needs-group
+
 - name: needs-priority
   kind: label
   spec:
@@ -497,6 +527,16 @@ ruleset:
     spec:
       label: needs-priority
 
+- name: remove-needs-priority
+  kind: label
+  spec:
+    match: priority/*
+    matchCondition: AND
+  actions:
+  - kind: remove-label
+    spec:
+      match: needs-priority
+
 - name: needs-area
   kind: label
   spec:
@@ -507,6 +547,16 @@ ruleset:
     spec:
       label: needs-area
 
+- name: remove-needs-area
+  kind: label
+  spec:
+    match: area/*
+    matchCondition: AND
+  actions:
+  - kind: remove-label
+    spec:
+      match: needs-area
+
 - name: needs-status
   kind: label
   spec:
@@ -517,6 +567,16 @@ ruleset:
     spec:
       label: needs-status
 
+- name: remove-needs-status
+  kind: label
+  spec:
+    match: status/*
+    matchCondition: AND
+  actions:
+  - kind: remove-label
+    spec:
+      match: needs-status
+
 - name: apply-kind
   kind: match
   spec:
@@ -695,6 +755,34 @@ ruleset:
     spec:
       label: area/{{ argv.0 }}
 
+- name: apply-level
+  kind: match
+  spec:
+    command: /level
+    rules:
+    - matchList:
+      - level/archived
+      - level/graduation
+      - level/incubation
+      - level/sandbox
+  actions:
+  - kind: remove-label
+    spec:
+      match: level/*
+  - kind: apply-label
+    spec:
+      label: level/{{ argv.0 }}
+
+- name: remove-dd-needs-triage
+  kind: label
+  spec:
+    match: dd/triage/*
+    matchCondition: AND
+  actions:
+  - kind: remove-label
+    spec:
+      match: dd/needs-triage
+
 
 ##############################################################################
 # DD commands
diff --git a/.github/workflows/detect-label-drift.yml b/.github/workflows/detect-label-drift.yml
index 34f9bd8b..a18cc194 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/detect-label-drift.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/detect-label-drift.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ jobs:
     permissions:
       contents: read
       issues: write
+      pull-requests: write
     steps:
       - name: Checkout code
         uses: actions/checkout@de0fac2e4500dabe0009e67214ff5f5447ce83dd # v6.0.2
@@ -211,3 +212,64 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: label-drift-report
           path: /tmp/label_drift.json
+
+      - name: Fix stale helper labels on open issues and PRs
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+        run: |
+          python3 - <<'PY'
+          import json
+          import os
+          import subprocess
+
+          REPO = os.environ["GITHUB_REPOSITORY"]
+
+          def list_items(kind):
+              return json.loads(subprocess.check_output(
+                  ["gh", kind, "list", "--repo", REPO, "--state", "open",
+                   "--limit", "500", "--json", "number,labels"],
+                  text=True,
+              ))
+
+          def remove_label(kind, number, label):
+              subprocess.run(
+                  ["gh", kind, "edit", str(number), "--repo", REPO, "--remove-label", label],
+                  check=True,
+              )
+              print(f" [{kind} #{number}] removed '{label}'")
+
+          def matches(label_names, pattern):
+              if pattern == "{toc,tag/*,sub/*}":
+                  return any(
+                      l == "toc" or l.startswith("tag/") or l.startswith("sub/")
+                      for l in label_names
+                  )
+              if pattern.endswith("/*"):
+                  prefix = pattern[:-1]
+                  return any(l.startswith(prefix) for l in label_names)
+              return pattern in label_names
+
+          # (trigger pattern, stale label to remove)
+          RULES = [
+              ("triage/*",          "needs-triage"),
+              ("kind/*",             "needs-kind"),
+              ("{toc,tag/*,sub/*}", "needs-group"),
+              ("priority/*",        "needs-priority"),
+              ("area/*",            "needs-area"),
+              ("status/*",          "needs-status"),
+              ("dd/triage/*",       "dd/needs-triage"),
+          ]
+
+          total_fixed = 0
+          for kind in ("issue", "pr"):
+              for item in list_items(kind):
+                  number = item["number"]
+                  label_names = {l["name"] for l in item["labels"]}
+                  for trigger, stale in RULES:
+                      if stale in label_names and matches(label_names, trigger):
+                          remove_label(kind, number, stale)
+                          label_names.discard(stale)
+                          total_fixed += 1
+
+          print(f"\nTotal label corrections made: {total_fixed}")
+          PY