diff --git a/.github/scripts/auto-triage.mjs b/.github/scripts/auto-triage.mjs
index a5963c2ce9..f42629935f 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/auto-triage.mjs
+++ b/.github/scripts/auto-triage.mjs
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import {
 	githubRequest,
 	hasLabel,
 	inferSubmissionMetadata,
+	isReviewCommitOutdated,
 	parseTags,
 	readGitHubEvent,
 	removeLabel,
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@ import {
 	findDuplicateGroup,
 	parseOlderNotice,
 } from "./duplicate-detection.mjs";
-import { autoReviewLabelChanges, reconcileReviewStatus } from "./review-state.mjs";
+import { autoReviewLabelChanges, getActiveReviewCommits, reconcileReviewStatus } from "./review-state.mjs";
 
 const token = process.env.GITHUB_TOKEN;
 if (!token) throw new Error("GITHUB_TOKEN is required");
@@ -523,11 +524,31 @@ function readFileSafe(filePath) {
 	}
 }
 
-async function getLatestReviewStatus({ owner, repo, token, prNumber, reviewers, authorLogin, headSha }) {
+async function getLatestReviewStatus({ owner, repo, token, prNumber, reviewers, authorLogin, headSha, pullFiles }) {
 	if (!reviewers || reviewers.size === 0) return "unknown";
 	try {
 		const reviews = await githubPaginated(token, `/repos/${owner}/${repo}/pulls/${prNumber}/reviews`);
-		return reconcileReviewStatus({ reviews, reviewers, authorLogin, headSha });
+		const pendingCommits = getActiveReviewCommits({ reviews, reviewers, authorLogin, headSha });
+		const outdatedCommitIds = new Set();
+		for (const commitId of pendingCommits) {
+			const isOutdated = await isReviewCommitOutdated({
+				owner,
+				repo,
+				token,
+				prNumber,
+				commitId,
+				headSha,
+				submissionFiles: pullFiles,
+			});
+			if (isOutdated) outdatedCommitIds.add(commitId);
+		}
+		return reconcileReviewStatus({
+			reviews,
+			reviewers,
+			authorLogin,
+			headSha,
+			isCommitOutdated: (cid) => !cid || (cid !== headSha && outdatedCommitIds.has(cid)),
+		});
 	} catch (e) {
 		console.warn("Unable to fetch reviews; skipping review reconciliation:", e.message);
 		return "unknown";
@@ -545,6 +566,7 @@ async function applyLabels(result) {
 		reviewers,
 		authorLogin: pullRequest.user?.login,
 		headSha: pullRequest.head?.sha,
+		pullFiles,
 	});
 	const changes = autoReviewLabelChanges({
 		labels: currentLabels,
diff --git a/.github/scripts/review-state.mjs b/.github/scripts/review-state.mjs
index 475ceeac45..4aab4c8bb5 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/review-state.mjs
+++ b/.github/scripts/review-state.mjs
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ export function autoReviewLabelChanges({ labels, validationOk, eventAction, revi
 	}
 }
 
-export function reconcileReviewStatus({ reviews, reviewers, authorLogin, headSha }) {
-	if (!reviewers || reviewers.size === 0) return "unknown";
+export function getActiveReviews({ reviews, reviewers, authorLogin }) {
+	if (!reviewers || reviewers.size === 0) return [];
 	const lowerReviewers = new Set([...reviewers].map((u) => u.toLowerCase()));
 	const lowerAuthor = authorLogin?.toLowerCase();
 
@@ -63,11 +63,32 @@ export function reconcileReviewStatus({ reviews, reviewers, authorLogin, headSha
 		}
 	}
 
-	const active = [...latestByReviewer.values()];
-	if (active.some((r) => r.state === "CHANGES_REQUESTED" && (!headSha || r.commit_id === headSha))) {
+	return [...latestByReviewer.values()];
+}
+
+export function getActiveReviewCommits({ reviews, reviewers, authorLogin, headSha }) {
+	const active = getActiveReviews({ reviews, reviewers, authorLogin });
+	const commits = new Set();
+	for (const r of active) {
+		if ((r.state === "APPROVED" || r.state === "CHANGES_REQUESTED") && r.commit_id && r.commit_id !== headSha) {
+			commits.add(r.commit_id);
+		}
+	}
+	return [...commits];
+}
+
+export function reconcileReviewStatus({ reviews, reviewers, authorLogin, headSha, isCommitOutdated }) {
+	if (!reviewers || reviewers.size === 0) return "unknown";
+
+	// ponytail: missing commit ID or mismatch defaults to outdated; upgrade path is passing isCommitOutdated comparing game files
+	const isOutdated = (commitId) =>
+		!commitId || (isCommitOutdated ? isCommitOutdated(commitId) : Boolean(headSha) && commitId !== headSha);
+
+	const active = getActiveReviews({ reviews, reviewers, authorLogin });
+	if (active.some((r) => r.state === "CHANGES_REQUESTED" && !isOutdated(r.commit_id))) {
 		return "changes_requested";
 	}
-	if (active.some((r) => r.state === "APPROVED" && Boolean(headSha) && r.commit_id === headSha)) {
+	if (active.some((r) => r.state === "APPROVED" && Boolean(headSha) && !isOutdated(r.commit_id))) {
 		return "approved";
 	}
 	if (active.some((r) => r.state === "DISMISSED")) {
diff --git a/.github/scripts/review-state.test.mjs b/.github/scripts/review-state.test.mjs
index cd8fab3a1d..e9113ef5db 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/review-state.test.mjs
+++ b/.github/scripts/review-state.test.mjs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
-import { autoReviewLabelChanges, reconcileReviewStatus } from "./review-state.mjs";
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { autoReviewLabelChanges, getActiveReviewCommits, getActiveReviews, reconcileReviewStatus } from "./review-state.mjs";
+import { isReviewCommitOutdated } from "./review-utils.mjs";
 
 describe("autoReviewLabelChanges", () => {
 	it("sets Ready for Playtest on passing validation for new submissions", () => {
@@ -203,4 +204,159 @@ describe("reconcileReviewStatus", () => {
 	it("returns unknown when reviewers set is empty or undefined", () => {
 		expect(reconcileReviewStatus({ reviews: [], reviewers: null, authorLogin: "author1", headSha })).toBe("unknown");
 	});
+
+	it("preserves changes_requested across non-game commits when isCommitOutdated is false", () => {
+		const reviews = [
+			{ user: { login: "SSoggyTacoMan" }, state: "CHANGES_REQUESTED", commit_id: "mergeSha", submitted_at: "2026-10-04T09:00:00Z" },
+		];
+		const status = reconcileReviewStatus({
+			reviews,
+			reviewers,
+			authorLogin: "author1",
+			headSha,
+			isCommitOutdated: (cid) => cid !== "mergeSha",
+		});
+		expect(status).toBe("changes_requested");
+	});
+
+	it("preserves approved across non-game commits when isCommitOutdated is false", () => {
+		const reviews = [
+			{ user: { login: "LucasHT22" }, state: "APPROVED", commit_id: "mergeSha", submitted_at: "2026-10-04T09:00:00Z" },
+		];
+		const status = reconcileReviewStatus({
+			reviews,
+			reviewers,
+			authorLogin: "author1",
+			headSha,
+			isCommitOutdated: (cid) => cid !== "mergeSha",
+		});
+		expect(status).toBe("approved");
+	});
+
+	it("resets changes_requested to none when isCommitOutdated is true", () => {
+		const reviews = [
+			{ user: { login: "SSoggyTacoMan" }, state: "CHANGES_REQUESTED", commit_id: "olderSha", submitted_at: "2026-10-04T09:00:00Z" },
+		];
+		const status = reconcileReviewStatus({
+			reviews,
+			reviewers,
+			authorLogin: "author1",
+			headSha,
+			isCommitOutdated: () => true,
+		});
+		expect(status).toBe("none");
+	});
+
+	it("treats null or missing commit_id as outdated even with custom isCommitOutdated", () => {
+		const reviews = [
+			{ user: { login: "LucasHT22" }, state: "APPROVED", commit_id: null, submitted_at: "2026-10-04T09:00:00Z" },
+		];
+		const status = reconcileReviewStatus({
+			reviews,
+			reviewers,
+			authorLogin: "author1",
+			headSha,
+			isCommitOutdated: () => false,
+		});
+		expect(status).toBe("none");
+	});
+});
+
+describe("getActiveReviews and getActiveReviewCommits", () => {
+	it("filters out non-reviewers, author, and non-actionable review states", () => {
+		const reviews = [
+			{ user: { login: "random" }, state: "APPROVED", commit_id: "sha1", submitted_at: "2026-10-04T09:00:00Z" },
+			{ user: { login: "author1" }, state: "APPROVED", commit_id: "sha1", submitted_at: "2026-10-04T09:00:00Z" },
+			{ user: { login: "SSoggyTacoMan" }, state: "COMMENTED", commit_id: "sha1", submitted_at: "2026-10-04T09:00:00Z" },
+			{ user: { login: "SSoggyTacoMan" }, state: "CHANGES_REQUESTED", commit_id: "sha2", submitted_at: "2026-10-04T10:00:00Z" },
+			{ user: { login: "LucasHT22" }, state: "APPROVED", commit_id: "sha3", submitted_at: "2026-10-04T11:00:00Z" },
+		];
+		const active = getActiveReviews({ reviews, reviewers: new Set(["ssoggytacoman", "lucasht22"]), authorLogin: "author1" });
+		expect(active).toHaveLength(2);
+		expect(active.map((r) => r.user.login)).toEqual(["SSoggyTacoMan", "LucasHT22"]);
+
+		const commits = getActiveReviewCommits({
+			reviews,
+			reviewers: new Set(["ssoggytacoman", "lucasht22"]),
+			authorLogin: "author1",
+			headSha: "sha3",
+		});
+		expect(commits).toEqual(["sha2"]);
+	});
+});
+
+describe("isReviewCommitOutdated", () => {
+	it("returns false when commitId matches headSha or either is missing", async () => {
+		expect(await isReviewCommitOutdated({ commitId: "abc", headSha: "abc" })).toBe(false);
+		expect(await isReviewCommitOutdated({ commitId: null, headSha: "abc" })).toBe(false);
+		expect(await isReviewCommitOutdated({ commitId: "abc", headSha: null })).toBe(false);
+	});
+
+	it("returns false when file blob SHA at commitId matches headSha", async () => {
+		const originalFetch = globalThis.fetch;
+		globalThis.fetch = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({
+			ok: true,
+			status: 200,
+			text: async () => JSON.stringify({ sha: "blobSha1" }),
+		});
+
+		try {
+			const outdated = await isReviewCommitOutdated({
+				owner: "hackclub",
+				repo: "sprig",
+				token: "token",
+				prNumber: 123,
+				commitId: "sha1",
+				headSha: "sha2",
+				submissionFiles: [{ filename: "games/my-game.js", sha: "blobSha1" }],
+			});
+			expect(outdated).toBe(false);
+		} finally {
+			globalThis.fetch = originalFetch;
+		}
+	});
+
+	it("returns true when file blob SHA at commitId differs from headSha", async () => {
+		const originalFetch = globalThis.fetch;
+		globalThis.fetch = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({
+			ok: true,
+			status: 200,
+			text: async () => JSON.stringify({ sha: "differentBlobSha" }),
+		});
+
+		try {
+			const outdated = await isReviewCommitOutdated({
+				owner: "hackclub",
+				repo: "sprig",
+				token: "token",
+				prNumber: 123,
+				commitId: "sha1",
+				headSha: "sha2",
+				submissionFiles: [{ filename: "games/my-game.js", sha: "blobSha1" }],
+			});
+			expect(outdated).toBe(true);
+		} finally {
+			globalThis.fetch = originalFetch;
+		}
+	});
+
+	it("returns true as safe fallback when contents request throws", async () => {
+		const originalFetch = globalThis.fetch;
+		globalThis.fetch = vi.fn().mockRejectedValue(new Error("Network error"));
+
+		try {
+			const outdated = await isReviewCommitOutdated({
+				owner: "hackclub",
+				repo: "sprig",
+				token: "token",
+				prNumber: 123,
+				commitId: "sha1",
+				headSha: "sha2",
+				submissionFiles: [{ filename: "games/my-game.js", sha: "blobSha1" }],
+			});
+			expect(outdated).toBe(true);
+		} finally {
+			globalThis.fetch = originalFetch;
+		}
+	});
 });
diff --git a/.github/scripts/review-utils.mjs b/.github/scripts/review-utils.mjs
index 307024889f..77c4a6bcda 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/review-utils.mjs
+++ b/.github/scripts/review-utils.mjs
@@ -276,6 +276,49 @@ export function daysBetween(start, end = new Date()) {
 	return Math.floor((endTime - startTime) / 86_400_000);
 }
 
+export async function isReviewCommitOutdated({ owner, repo, token, prNumber, commitId, headSha, submissionFiles }) {
+	if (!commitId || !headSha || commitId === headSha) return false;
+	try {
+		const files = submissionFiles ?? (await githubPaginated(token, `/repos/${owner}/${repo}/pulls/${prNumber}/files`));
+		const submissionFileObjects = files.filter((f) => {
+			const fn = typeof f === "string" ? f : f.filename;
+			return fn.toLowerCase().startsWith("games/");
+		});
+		if (submissionFileObjects.length === 0) return true;
+
+		for (const file of submissionFileObjects) {
+			const filename = typeof file === "string" ? file : file.filename;
+			const targetHeadSha =
+				typeof file === "object" && file?.sha
+					? file.sha
+					: await getFileBlobSha({ owner, repo, token, path: filename, ref: headSha });
+			if (!targetHeadSha) return true;
+
+			const commitBlobSha = await getFileBlobSha({ owner, repo, token, path: filename, ref: commitId });
+			if (!commitBlobSha || commitBlobSha !== targetHeadSha) {
+				return true;
+			}
+		}
+
+		return false;
+	} catch {
+		return true;
+	}
+}
+
+async function getFileBlobSha({ owner, repo, token, path: filePath, ref }) {
+	try {
+		const data = await githubRequest(
+			token,
+			"GET",
+			`/repos/${owner}/${repo}/contents/${filePath.split("/").map(encodeURIComponent).join("/")}?ref=${encodeURIComponent(ref)}`
+		);
+		return data?.sha ?? null;
+	} catch {
+		return null;
+	}
+}
+
 export function getMetadataValue(content, key) {
 	const match = content.match(new RegExp(String.raw`@${key}:[^\S\r\n]*([\s\S]*?)(?=\r?\n\s*\*?\s*@|\r?\n\s*\*\/|\*\/)`, "i"));
 	if (!match?.[1]) return "";
diff --git a/.github/scripts/stale-review-queue.mjs b/.github/scripts/stale-review-queue.mjs
index 2967e34380..79cf66a6db 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/stale-review-queue.mjs
+++ b/.github/scripts/stale-review-queue.mjs
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ async function handleNeedsAuthor(pullRequest, labels) {
 	if (!since) return;
 
 	const authorLogin = pullRequest.user?.login;
-	const lastAuthorActivity = await latestAuthorCommentTime(pullRequest.number, authorLogin);
+	const lastAuthorActivity = await latestAuthorActivityTime(pullRequest.number, authorLogin);
 	if (lastAuthorActivity && new Date(lastAuthorActivity).getTime() > new Date(since).getTime()) {
 		since = lastAuthorActivity;
 	}
@@ -175,6 +175,8 @@ async function handleNeedsAuthor(pullRequest, labels) {
 
 function newestDate(dates) {
 	return dates
+		.filter(Boolean)
+		.filter((d) => !Number.isNaN(new Date(d).getTime()))
 		.sort((a, b) => new Date(b).getTime() - new Date(a).getTime())[0] ?? null;
 }
 
@@ -211,7 +213,7 @@ async function handleClaimed(pullRequest) {
 async function handleUntouchedSubmission(pullRequest, labels) {
 	if (hasLabel(labels, "Stale")) {
 		const authorLogin = pullRequest.user?.login;
-		const lastAuthorActivity = await latestAuthorCommentTime(pullRequest.number, authorLogin);
+		const lastAuthorActivity = await latestAuthorActivityTime(pullRequest.number, authorLogin);
 		const staleTime = await latestLabelTime(pullRequest.number, "Stale");
 		if (lastAuthorActivity && staleTime && new Date(lastAuthorActivity).getTime() > new Date(staleTime).getTime()) {
 			await removeLabel({ owner, repo, token, issueNumber: pullRequest.number, label: "Stale" });
@@ -222,7 +224,12 @@ async function handleUntouchedSubmission(pullRequest, labels) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	if (daysBetween(pullRequest.updated_at) >= 30) {
+	if (daysBetween(pullRequest.created_at) < 30) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	const lastActivity = await latestSubmissionActivityTime(pullRequest);
+	if (daysBetween(lastActivity) >= 30) {
 		await addLabels({ owner, repo, token, issueNumber: pullRequest.number, labels: ["Stale"] });
 		await commentOnce({
 			issueNumber: pullRequest.number,
@@ -240,19 +247,66 @@ async function latestLabelTime(issueNumber, labelName) {
 	return matching[0]?.created_at ?? null;
 }
 
-async function latestAuthorCommentTime(issueNumber, authorLogin) {
+async function latestAuthorActivityTime(issueNumber, authorLogin) {
 	if (!authorLogin) return null;
+	const lowerAuthor = authorLogin.toLowerCase();
+	const maintainerLogins = new Set([...roles.maintainers, ...roles.triagers].map((u) => u.toLowerCase()));
 	try {
-		const comments = await githubPaginated(token, `/repos/${owner}/${repo}/issues/${issueNumber}/comments`);
+		const [comments, commits] = await Promise.all([
+			githubPaginated(token, `/repos/${owner}/${repo}/issues/${issueNumber}/comments`),
+			githubPaginated(token, `/repos/${owner}/${repo}/pulls/${issueNumber}/commits`),
+		]);
 		const authorComments = comments
-			.filter((c) => c.user?.login?.toLowerCase() === authorLogin.toLowerCase())
-			.sort((a, b) => new Date(b.created_at).getTime() - new Date(a.created_at).getTime());
-		return authorComments[0]?.created_at ?? null;
+			.filter((c) => c.user?.login?.toLowerCase() === lowerAuthor)
+			.map((c) => c.created_at);
+		const authorCommits = commits
+			.filter((c) => {
+				const isAuthor = c.author?.login?.toLowerCase() === lowerAuthor;
+				const isCommitter = c.committer?.login?.toLowerCase() === lowerAuthor;
+				const gitAuthorName = c.commit?.author?.name?.toLowerCase();
+				const isGitAuthor = gitAuthorName && gitAuthorName === lowerAuthor;
+				const isUnlinkedAuthor = !c.author?.login && !maintainerLogins.has(c.committer?.login?.toLowerCase());
+				return isAuthor || isCommitter || isGitAuthor || isUnlinkedAuthor;
+			})
+			.map((c) => c.commit?.author?.date || c.commit?.committer?.date)
+			.filter(Boolean);
+		return newestDate([...authorComments, ...authorCommits]);
 	} catch {
 		return null;
 	}
 }
 
+async function latestSubmissionActivityTime(pullRequest) {
+	const fallback = pullRequest.created_at;
+	const authorLogin = pullRequest.user?.login;
+	const lowerAuthor = authorLogin?.toLowerCase();
+	const maintainerLogins = new Set([...roles.maintainers, ...roles.triagers].map((u) => u.toLowerCase()));
+	try {
+		const [comments, commits] = await Promise.all([
+			githubPaginated(token, `/repos/${owner}/${repo}/issues/${pullRequest.number}/comments`),
+			githubPaginated(token, `/repos/${owner}/${repo}/pulls/${pullRequest.number}/commits`),
+		]);
+		const humanComments = comments
+			.filter((c) => c.user?.type !== "Bot")
+			.map((c) => c.created_at);
+		const authorCommits = commits
+			.filter((c) => {
+				if (!lowerAuthor) return true;
+				const isAuthor = c.author?.login?.toLowerCase() === lowerAuthor;
+				const isCommitter = c.committer?.login?.toLowerCase() === lowerAuthor;
+				const gitAuthorName = c.commit?.author?.name?.toLowerCase();
+				const isGitAuthor = gitAuthorName && gitAuthorName === lowerAuthor;
+				const isUnlinkedAuthor = !c.author?.login && !maintainerLogins.has(c.committer?.login?.toLowerCase());
+				return isAuthor || isCommitter || isGitAuthor || isUnlinkedAuthor;
+			})
+			.map((c) => c.commit?.author?.date || c.commit?.committer?.date)
+			.filter(Boolean);
+		return newestDate([...humanComments, ...authorCommits, fallback]);
+	} catch {
+		return pullRequest.updated_at ?? fallback;
+	}
+}
+
 async function commentOnce({ issueNumber, marker, body }) {
 	const comments = await githubPaginated(token, `/repos/${owner}/${repo}/issues/${issueNumber}/comments`);
 	const alreadyCommented = comments.some((comment) => comment.body?.includes(marker));
diff --git a/.github/scripts/sync-reviews.mjs b/.github/scripts/sync-reviews.mjs
index 49da223c1a..0cf104f9cb 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/sync-reviews.mjs
+++ b/.github/scripts/sync-reviews.mjs
@@ -8,10 +8,11 @@ import {
 	githubPaginated,
 	githubRequest,
 	hasLabel,
+	isReviewCommitOutdated,
 	readGitHubEvent,
 	setStateLabel,
 } from "./review-utils.mjs";
-import { reconcileReviewStatus } from "./review-state.mjs";
+import { getActiveReviewCommits, reconcileReviewStatus } from "./review-state.mjs";
 
 const token = process.env.GITHUB_TOKEN;
 if (!token) throw new Error("GITHUB_TOKEN is required");
@@ -67,6 +68,27 @@ if (dispatchedPr && !Number.isNaN(dispatchedPr)) {
 
 await syncAllOpenSubmissions();
 
+async function resolveOutdatedCommitIds({ prNumber, reviews, authorLogin, headSha }) {
+	const pendingCommits = getActiveReviewCommits({ reviews, reviewers, authorLogin, headSha });
+	const outdatedCommitIds = new Set();
+	if (pendingCommits.length === 0) return outdatedCommitIds;
+
+	const submissionFiles = await githubPaginated(token, `/repos/${owner}/${repo}/pulls/${prNumber}/files`);
+	for (const commitId of pendingCommits) {
+		const isOutdated = await isReviewCommitOutdated({
+			owner,
+			repo,
+			token,
+			prNumber,
+			commitId,
+			headSha,
+			submissionFiles,
+		});
+		if (isOutdated) outdatedCommitIds.add(commitId);
+	}
+	return outdatedCommitIds;
+}
+
 async function syncSinglePR(prNumber) {
 	const pull = await githubRequest(token, "GET", `/repos/${owner}/${repo}/pulls/${prNumber}`);
 	if (pull.state !== "open" || pull.draft) return;
@@ -74,11 +96,18 @@ async function syncSinglePR(prNumber) {
 	if (!hasLabel(labels, "Submission")) return;
 
 	const reviews = await githubPaginated(token, `/repos/${owner}/${repo}/pulls/${prNumber}/reviews`);
+	const outdatedCommitIds = await resolveOutdatedCommitIds({
+		prNumber,
+		reviews,
+		authorLogin: pull.user?.login,
+		headSha: pull.head?.sha,
+	});
 	const status = reconcileReviewStatus({
 		reviews,
 		reviewers,
 		authorLogin: pull.user?.login,
 		headSha: pull.head?.sha,
+		isCommitOutdated: (cid) => !cid || (cid !== pull.head?.sha && outdatedCommitIds.has(cid)),
 	});
 
 	await applyReviewStatus({ issueNumber: prNumber, status });
@@ -154,11 +183,19 @@ async function syncAllOpenSubmissions() {
 				submitted_at: r.submittedAt,
 			}));
 
+			const outdatedCommitIds = await resolveOutdatedCommitIds({
+				prNumber: issueNumber,
+				reviews,
+				authorLogin: node.author?.login,
+				headSha: node.headRefOid,
+			});
+
 			const status = reconcileReviewStatus({
 				reviews,
 				reviewers,
 				authorLogin: node.author?.login,
 				headSha: node.headRefOid,
+				isCommitOutdated: (cid) => !cid || (cid !== node.headRefOid && outdatedCommitIds.has(cid)),
 			});
 
 			try {