diff --git a/.kilo/plans/respect-kilocode-markers.md b/.kilo/plans/respect-kilocode-markers.md
new file mode 100644
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+# Plan: Respect `kilocode_change` Markers During Upstream Merge
+
+## Problem
+
+Files in `packages/opencode/script/` (and potentially other directories) have `kilocode_change` markers that indicate Kilo-specific customizations. However, the upstream merge tool classifies these as `script-transform` which does `git checkout --theirs` (takes the upstream version) and only applies GitHub URL/branding regex replacements. This **completely discards** all `kilocode_change`-marked code.
+
+### Affected Files
+
+| File              | Markers | What Gets Lost                                             |
+| ----------------- | ------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
+| `build.ts`        | 9       | Nix ELF patchelf fixes, archive renaming, repository field |
+| `postinstall.mjs` | 3       | Platform/arch detection, binary lookup, `bin/.kilo` path   |
+| `publish.ts`      | 16      | npm provenance, Docker/Homebrew/PKGBUILD Kilo branding     |
+| `seed-e2e.ts`     | 3       | Kilo provider/model defaults, agent rename                 |
+
+### Root Cause Chain
+
+1. `config.ts:175` → `scriptFiles: ["script/*.ts", "packages/opencode/script/*.ts"]`
+2. `report.ts` → `classifyFile()` returns `"script"` for these paths
+3. `report.ts` → `getRecommendation()` returns `"script-transform"` for type `"script"`
+4. `transform-scripts.ts` → `transformScriptFile()` does `git checkout --theirs` + regex replacements
+5. No check for `kilocode_change` markers anywhere in this pipeline
+
+## Solution
+
+Add a marker-awareness check so that **any file with `kilocode_change` markers that would otherwise be auto-resolved is instead classified as `manual`** (requires human review). This applies generally, not just to script files.
+
+### Changes
+
+#### 1. Add `hasKilocodeMarkers()` helper
+
+**File:** `script/upstream/utils/markers.ts` (new file)
+
+Create a helper that reads the Kilo version (HEAD) of a file and checks for `kilocode_change` markers:
+
+```ts
+import { $ } from "bun"
+
+export async function hasKilocodeMarkers(path: string): Promise<boolean> {
+  try {
+    const content = await $`git show HEAD:${path}`.text()
+    return content.includes("kilocode_change")
+  } catch {
+    return false
+  }
+}
+```
+
+#### 2. Make `getRecommendation()` async and add marker check
+
+**File:** `script/upstream/utils/report.ts`
+
+- Change `getRecommendation()` from sync to `async`
+- After the normal classification determines an auto-resolve recommendation, check for markers
+- Auto-resolve recommendations that should be checked: `script-transform`, `take-theirs-transform`, `i18n-transform`, `tauri-transform`, `extension-transform`, `web-transform`
+- If `hasKilocodeMarkers(path)` returns `true`, override to `{ recommendation: "manual", reason: "contains kilocode_change markers, needs manual review" }`
+- Do NOT check for markers on `keep-ours`, `skip`, `manual`, or `package-transform` (package.json files don't use JS-style markers and have their own merge strategy)
+
+```ts
+// After the existing type-based switch:
+const autoResolveTypes = new Set([
+  "script-transform",
+  "take-theirs-transform",
+  "i18n-transform",
+  "tauri-transform",
+  "extension-transform",
+  "web-transform",
+])
+
+if (autoResolveTypes.has(recommendation) && (await hasKilocodeMarkers(path))) {
+  return {
+    recommendation: "manual",
+    reason: "contains kilocode_change markers, needs manual review",
+  }
+}
+```
+
+#### 3. Update `analyzeConflicts()` to await async recommendation
+
+**File:** `script/upstream/utils/report.ts`
+
+Change the iteration to `await` the now-async `getRecommendation()`:
+
+```ts
+// Before (sync):
+const { recommendation, reason } = getRecommendation(path, keepOurs, skipFiles)
+
+// After (async):
+const { recommendation, reason } = await getRecommendation(path, keepOurs, skipFiles)
+```
+
+#### 4. Guard each `transformConflicted*` function against marker files
+
+**File:** `script/upstream/transforms/transform-scripts.ts` (and similar transforms)
+
+In `transformScriptFile()`, before doing `git checkout --theirs`, check for markers:
+
+```ts
+import { hasKilocodeMarkers } from "../utils/markers"
+
+// In transformScriptFile, at the start:
+if (await hasKilocodeMarkers(file)) {
+  if (options?.verbose) console.log(`  Skipping ${file} (has kilocode_change markers)`)
+  return
+}
+```
+
+Apply the same guard in:
+
+- `transform-scripts.ts` → `transformScriptFile()`
+- `transform-take-theirs.ts` → the per-file handler
+- `transform-i18n.ts` → the per-file handler
+- `transform-tauri.ts` → the per-file handler
+- `transform-extensions.ts` → the per-file handler
+- `transform-web.ts` → the per-file handler
+
+This provides **defense in depth**: even if the recommendation classification is somehow bypassed (e.g., the merge step 7c calls transforms directly on all conflicted files), each transform will independently skip files with markers.
+
+### Why Not Other Approaches
+
+| Alternative                                               | Issue                                                                               |
+| --------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| Remove `packages/opencode/script/*.ts` from `scriptFiles` | Only fixes scripts, not other file types. Doesn't protect against future additions. |
+| Add all marked files to `keepOurs`                        | Loses ALL upstream changes, including legitimate improvements                       |
+| Filter in `merge.ts` only                                 | Transforms can be called from other entry points (CLI, analyze)                     |
+
+### Testing
+
+1. Run `bun run script/upstream/analyze.ts` to verify that files with `kilocode_change` markers now show `manual` recommendation instead of `script-transform`
+2. Specifically verify that `packages/opencode/script/build.ts`, `postinstall.mjs`, `publish.ts`, and `seed-e2e.ts` are classified as `manual`
+3. Verify that `packages/opencode/script/check-migrations.ts` and `schema.ts` (no markers) still get `script-transform`
diff --git a/packages/opencode/script/publish.ts b/packages/opencode/script/publish.ts
index 530f284144e..669825af2e7 100755
--- a/packages/opencode/script/publish.ts
+++ b/packages/opencode/script/publish.ts
@@ -70,10 +70,12 @@ await $`docker buildx build --platform ${platforms} ${tagFlags} --push .`
 // registries
 if (!Script.preview) {
   // Calculate SHA values
+  // kilocode_change start
   const arm64Sha = await $`sha256sum ./dist/kilo-linux-arm64.tar.gz | cut -d' ' -f1`.text().then((x) => x.trim())
   const x64Sha = await $`sha256sum ./dist/kilo-linux-x64.tar.gz | cut -d' ' -f1`.text().then((x) => x.trim())
   const macX64Sha = await $`sha256sum ./dist/kilo-darwin-x64.zip | cut -d' ' -f1`.text().then((x) => x.trim())
   const macArm64Sha = await $`sha256sum ./dist/kilo-darwin-arm64.zip | cut -d' ' -f1`.text().then((x) => x.trim())
+  // kilocode_change end
 
   const [pkgver, _subver = ""] = Script.version.split(/(-.*)/, 2)