diff --git a/.github/CODEOWNERS b/.github/CODEOWNERS
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9cf381de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/CODEOWNERS
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# CODEOWNERS - GitHub auto-requests review from the listed owners on matching paths.
+# Every handle here must be a user or team with write access to this repository;
+# an unresolvable handle is silently ignored and any "require Code Owner review"
+# rule becomes unsatisfiable. Validate after editing:
+#   gh api repos/wave-av/sdk/codeowners/errors    # expect {"errors":[]}
+# Later rules take precedence over earlier ones.
+
+# Default owner for everything.
+*                       @yakimoto
+
+# Release-critical surfaces: CI/CD, package manifest, release tooling, ownership.
+/.github/workflows/    @yakimoto
+/.github/dependabot.yml @yakimoto
+/package.json           @yakimoto
+/scripts/release/       @yakimoto
+/.github/CODEOWNERS     @yakimoto
diff --git a/CODEOWNERS b/CODEOWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index f9ea19a7..00000000
--- a/CODEOWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-# Code ownership — auto-requests review from owners on matching paths.
-# Complements the AI reviewers with a human routing layer. Added by Sub-Project F (F6).
-# Routed to the SDK fleet owner. (Previously referenced @wave-av/engineering, which does not exist.)
-
-# Default owner
-* @wave-av/core-team
-
-# Governance surfaces — never change without an owner's review.
-/.github/                @wave-av/core-team
-/.foundation-version     @wave-av/core-team