diff --git a/actions/setup/js/safe_output_handler_manager.cjs b/actions/setup/js/safe_output_handler_manager.cjs
index 2d3626a7a0..d4fa61d0ea 100644
--- a/actions/setup/js/safe_output_handler_manager.cjs
+++ b/actions/setup/js/safe_output_handler_manager.cjs
@@ -157,13 +157,7 @@ const HANDLER_MAP = {
  * Other standalone types: assign_to_agent, create_agent_session, upload_asset, noop
  *   - Have dedicated processing steps with specialized logic
  */
-const STANDALONE_STEP_TYPES = new Set(["assign_to_agent", "create_agent_session", "create_project", "create_project_status_update", "update_project", "upload_asset", "noop"]);
-
-/**
- * Project-related message types that are handled by the unified handler
- * Used to provide more specific skip reasons
- */
-const PROJECT_RELATED_TYPES = new Set(["create_project", "create_project_status_update", "update_project"]);
+const STANDALONE_STEP_TYPES = new Set(["assign_to_agent", "create_agent_session", "upload_asset", "noop"]);
 
 /**
  * Load configuration for safe outputs
@@ -332,18 +326,14 @@ async function processMessages(messageHandlers, messages) {
     if (!messageHandler) {
       // Check if this message type is handled by a standalone step
       if (STANDALONE_STEP_TYPES.has(messageType)) {
-        // Determine the specific skip reason based on message type
-        const isProjectRelated = PROJECT_RELATED_TYPES.has(messageType);
-        const skipReason = isProjectRelated ? "Handled by project handler step" : "Handled by standalone step";
-
         // Silently skip - this is handled by a dedicated step
-        core.debug(`Message ${i + 1} (${messageType}) will be ${skipReason.toLowerCase()}`);
+        core.debug(`Message ${i + 1} (${messageType}) will be handled by standalone step`);
         results.push({
           type: messageType,
           messageIndex: i,
           success: false,
           skipped: true,
-          reason: skipReason,
+          reason: "Handled by standalone step",
         });
         continue;
       }
@@ -866,7 +856,6 @@ async function main() {
     const successCount = processingResult.results.filter(r => r.success).length;
     const failureCount = processingResult.results.filter(r => !r.success && !r.deferred && !r.skipped).length;
     const deferredCount = processingResult.results.filter(r => r.deferred).length;
-    const skippedProjectResults = processingResult.results.filter(r => r.skipped && r.reason === "Handled by project handler step");
     const skippedStandaloneResults = processingResult.results.filter(r => r.skipped && r.reason === "Handled by standalone step");
     const skippedNoHandlerResults = processingResult.results.filter(r => !r.success && !r.skipped && r.error?.includes("No handler loaded"));
 
@@ -877,11 +866,6 @@ async function main() {
     if (deferredCount > 0) {
       core.info(`Deferred: ${deferredCount}`);
     }
-    if (skippedProjectResults.length > 0) {
-      core.info(`Skipped (project handler step): ${skippedProjectResults.length}`);
-      const projectTypes = [...new Set(skippedProjectResults.map(r => r.type))];
-      core.info(`  Types: ${projectTypes.join(", ")}`);
-    }
     if (skippedStandaloneResults.length > 0) {
       core.info(`Skipped (standalone step): ${skippedStandaloneResults.length}`);
       const standaloneTypes = [...new Set(skippedStandaloneResults.map(r => r.type))];
diff --git a/actions/setup/js/safe_output_handler_manager.test.cjs b/actions/setup/js/safe_output_handler_manager.test.cjs
index e93f721689..ea26caf1c9 100644
--- a/actions/setup/js/safe_output_handler_manager.test.cjs
+++ b/actions/setup/js/safe_output_handler_manager.test.cjs
@@ -395,14 +395,14 @@ describe("Safe Output Handler Manager", () => {
     it("should silently skip message types handled by standalone steps", async () => {
       const messages = [
         { type: "create_issue", title: "Issue" },
-        { type: "update_project", project: "https://github.com/orgs/myorg/projects/42" },
         { type: "create_agent_session", title: "Task" },
+        { type: "upload_asset", path: "file.txt" },
       ];
 
       const mockHandler = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ success: true });
 
       // Only create_issue handler is available
-      // update_project and create_agent_session are handled by standalone steps
+      // create_agent_session and upload_asset are handled by standalone steps
       const handlers = new Map([["create_issue", mockHandler]]);
 
       const result = await processMessages(handlers, messages);
@@ -414,32 +414,32 @@ describe("Safe Output Handler Manager", () => {
       expect(result.results[0].success).toBe(true);
       expect(result.results[0].type).toBe("create_issue");
 
-      // Second message should be skipped (project handler step)
+      // Second message should be skipped (standalone step)
       expect(result.results[1].success).toBe(false);
-      expect(result.results[1].type).toBe("update_project");
+      expect(result.results[1].type).toBe("create_agent_session");
       expect(result.results[1].skipped).toBe(true);
-      expect(result.results[1].reason).toBe("Handled by project handler step");
+      expect(result.results[1].reason).toBe("Handled by standalone step");
 
       // Third message should also be skipped (standalone step)
       expect(result.results[2].success).toBe(false);
-      expect(result.results[2].type).toBe("create_agent_session");
+      expect(result.results[2].type).toBe("upload_asset");
       expect(result.results[2].skipped).toBe(true);
       expect(result.results[2].reason).toBe("Handled by standalone step");
 
       // Should NOT have logged warnings for standalone step types
-      expect(core.warning).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.stringContaining("No handler loaded for message type 'update_project'"));
       expect(core.warning).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.stringContaining("No handler loaded for message type 'create_agent_session'"));
+      expect(core.warning).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.stringContaining("No handler loaded for message type 'upload_asset'"));
 
       // Should have logged debug messages
-      expect(core.debug).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.stringContaining("update_project"));
       expect(core.debug).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.stringContaining("create_agent_session"));
+      expect(core.debug).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.stringContaining("upload_asset"));
     });
 
     it("should track skipped message types for logging", async () => {
       const messages = [
         { type: "create_issue", title: "Issue" },
-        { type: "update_project", project: "https://github.com/orgs/myorg/projects/42" },
         { type: "create_agent_session", title: "Task" },
+        { type: "upload_asset", path: "file.txt" },
         { type: "unknown_type", data: "test" },
         { type: "another_unknown", data: "test2" },
       ];
@@ -453,15 +453,10 @@ describe("Safe Output Handler Manager", () => {
 
       expect(result.success).toBe(true);
 
-      // Collect skipped project handler types
-      const skippedProjectResults = result.results.filter(r => r.skipped && r.reason === "Handled by project handler step");
-      const projectTypes = [...new Set(skippedProjectResults.map(r => r.type))];
-      expect(projectTypes).toEqual(expect.arrayContaining(["update_project"]));
-
       // Collect skipped standalone types
       const skippedStandaloneResults = result.results.filter(r => r.skipped && r.reason === "Handled by standalone step");
       const standaloneTypes = [...new Set(skippedStandaloneResults.map(r => r.type))];
-      expect(standaloneTypes).toEqual(expect.arrayContaining(["create_agent_session"]));
+      expect(standaloneTypes).toEqual(expect.arrayContaining(["create_agent_session", "upload_asset"]));
 
       // Collect skipped no-handler types
       const skippedNoHandlerResults = result.results.filter(r => !r.success && !r.skipped && r.error?.includes("No handler loaded"));
diff --git a/docs/src/content/docs/agent-factory-status.mdx b/docs/src/content/docs/agent-factory-status.mdx
index 2bc15014f1..2337b43950 100644
--- a/docs/src/content/docs/agent-factory-status.mdx
+++ b/docs/src/content/docs/agent-factory-status.mdx
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ These are experimental agentic workflows used by the GitHub Next team to learn,
 | [Terminal Stylist](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/blob/main/.github/workflows/terminal-stylist.md) | copilot | [![Terminal Stylist](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/actions/workflows/terminal-stylist.lock.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/actions/workflows/terminal-stylist.lock.yml) | - | - |
 | [Test Create PR Error Handling](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/blob/main/.github/workflows/test-create-pr-error-handling.md) | claude | [![Test Create PR Error Handling](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/actions/workflows/test-create-pr-error-handling.lock.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/actions/workflows/test-create-pr-error-handling.lock.yml) | - | - |
 | [Test Dispatcher Workflow](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/blob/main/.github/workflows/test-dispatcher.md) | copilot | [![Test Dispatcher Workflow](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/actions/workflows/test-dispatcher.lock.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/actions/workflows/test-dispatcher.lock.yml) | - | - |
-| [Test Project URL Default](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/blob/main/.github/workflows/test-project-url-default.md) | copilot | [![Test Project URL Default](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/actions/workflows/test-project-url-default.lock.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/actions/workflows/test-project-url-default.lock.yml) | - | - |
+| [Test Project URL Explicit Requirement](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/blob/main/.github/workflows/test-project-url-default.md) | copilot | [![Test Project URL Explicit Requirement](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/actions/workflows/test-project-url-default.lock.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/actions/workflows/test-project-url-default.lock.yml) | - | - |
 | [Test YAML Import](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/blob/main/.github/workflows/test-yaml-import.md) | copilot | [![Test YAML Import](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/actions/workflows/test-yaml-import.lock.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/actions/workflows/test-yaml-import.lock.yml) | - | - |
 | [The Daily Repository Chronicle](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/blob/main/.github/workflows/daily-repo-chronicle.md) | copilot | [![The Daily Repository Chronicle](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/actions/workflows/daily-repo-chronicle.lock.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/actions/workflows/daily-repo-chronicle.lock.yml) | `0 16 * * 1-5` | - |
 | [The Great Escapi](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/blob/main/.github/workflows/firewall-escape.md) | copilot | [![The Great Escapi](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/actions/workflows/firewall-escape.lock.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/actions/workflows/firewall-escape.lock.yml) | - | - |
diff --git a/docs/src/content/docs/reference/frontmatter-full.md b/docs/src/content/docs/reference/frontmatter-full.md
index 4f7882931e..5dbbf2bfd1 100644
--- a/docs/src/content/docs/reference/frontmatter-full.md
+++ b/docs/src/content/docs/reference/frontmatter-full.md
@@ -1950,9 +1950,10 @@ safe-outputs:
     # (optional)
     github-token: "${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}"
 
-    # Target project URL for update-project operations. Agent messages can optionally
-    # override this by providing an explicit project field in the output. Must be a
-    # valid GitHub Projects v2 URL.
+    # Target project URL for update-project operations. This is required in the
+    # configuration for documentation purposes. Agent messages MUST explicitly include
+    # the project field in their output - the configured value is not used as a
+    # fallback. Must be a valid GitHub Projects v2 URL.
     project: "example-value"
 
     # Optional array of project views to create. Each view must have a name and
@@ -2106,9 +2107,10 @@ safe-outputs:
     # (optional)
     github-token: "${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}"
 
-    # Target project URL for status update operations. Agent messages can optionally
-    # override this by providing an explicit project field in the output. Must be a
-    # valid GitHub Projects v2 URL.
+    # Target project URL for status update operations. This is required in the
+    # configuration for documentation purposes. Agent messages MUST explicitly include
+    # the project field in their output - the configured value is not used as a
+    # fallback. Must be a valid GitHub Projects v2 URL.
     project: "example-value"
 
   # Option 2: Enable project status updates with default configuration (max=1)