diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 0efcfcfe37..072ccc6f48 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -615,6 +615,52 @@ For quirks and driver support specifically:
 - if duplication is temporarily unavoidable, treat it as convergence work to remove, not as a
   permanent design.
 
+### Orphan-Patch Supersession Decision Tree
+
+When `local/scripts/verify-patch-content.sh` reports that a patch in
+`local/patches/<comp>/` is no longer present in the fork HEAD
+(orphan), the default action is **NOT** to reapply the patch. Follow
+this decision tree instead (per `local/docs/PATCH-PRESERVATION-AUDIT-2026-07-12.md`):
+
+```
+1. Run 'git -C local/sources/<comp> log --all --oneline -i --grep <topic-kw>'
+   where <topic-kw> is extracted from the orphan's filename.
+
+2. ALSO check the target file's git log:
+   'git -C local/sources/<comp> log --oneline -- <target-file>'
+
+3. Classify the orphan into one of three buckets:
+   (a) SUPERSEDED upstream
+       = Red Bear itself rewrote the function and superseded it
+         (e.g. acpid/mcfg migration).
+       Action: MOVE patch to local/patches/legacy-superseded-<date>/<comp>/
+       ALSO: if the fork's content covers the same need, no other action.
+
+   (b) INTEGRATED via different commit
+       = Fork already has commits touching the same file/topic, just
+         under different commit subjects (typical of mega-absorption
+         patterns).
+       Action: MOVE patch to local/patches/legacy-superseded-<date>/<comp>/
+       Verification: confirm fork's grep shows new equivalent code.
+
+   (c) MISSING-UPSTREAM (genuine gap)
+       = Fork has no commits touching the topic AND no upstream alternative.
+       Action: try `patch -p1 --fuzz=5` (file structure may have drifted).
+         If still fails: requires fork rebase via upgrade-forks.sh.
+         Mark patch as 'Phase 2.4+ work' and leave in local/patches/<comp>/.
+
+Special cases (always SUPERSEDED regardless of fork state):
+- 'bump' patches naming 'redox-scheme', 'syscall', or 'rb': managed
+  automatically by 'sync-versions.sh' (Cat 2 fork version +rb suffix).
+- 'ecosystem-pins' patches: managed by Local Fork Supremacy Policy +
+  AGENTS.md 'Latest-upstream-before-freeze rule'.
+
+This decision tree is wired into the operator workflow by Phase 2.1
+audit + Phase 2.2 manual review + SUPERSEDED.md audit log entries.
+Future fork-upstream sync operators should run 'verify-patch-content.sh'
+on every fork upgrade and apply this decision tree before any attempt to
+reapply orphan patches.
+
 ### Structure
 
 ```