diff --git a/.agents/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py b/.agents/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py
index 05ebb3423..c0da8da97 100644
--- a/.agents/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py
+++ b/.agents/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py
@@ -49,10 +49,36 @@ def without_fenced_code(text: str) -> str:
     return "".join(output)
 
 
-def without_inline_code(text: str) -> str:
+def _is_escaped(text: str, index: int) -> bool:
+    backslashes = 0
+    while index - backslashes > 0 and text[index - backslashes - 1] == "\\":
+        backslashes += 1
+    return backslashes % 2 == 1
+
+
+def without_inline_code_and_html_comments(text: str) -> str:
+    """Blank out inline code spans and HTML comments, whichever opens first.
+
+    A comment runs from `<!--` to the first `-->` after it (`<!-->` and `<!--->` included). It
+    becomes an opaque run of NUL characters, so a link or a reference definition cannot continue
+    through it, as none can through raw HTML. An escaped `\\<!--`, or an opener with no closer,
+    stays literal text, as in CommonMark.
+    """
     output: list[str] = []
     cursor = 0
+    comments_can_close = True
     while cursor < len(text):
+        if comments_can_close and text.startswith("<!--", cursor) and not _is_escaped(text, cursor):
+            closing = text.find("-->", cursor + 2)
+            if closing != -1:
+                output.extend(
+                    "\n" if character == "\n" else "\0"
+                    for character in text[cursor : closing + 3]
+                )
+                cursor = closing + 3
+                continue
+            # -- no closer here means none for any later opener either --
+            comments_can_close = False
         if text[cursor] != "`":
             output.append(text[cursor])
             cursor += 1
@@ -74,28 +100,6 @@ def without_inline_code(text: str) -> str:
     return "".join(output)
 
 
-def without_html_comments(text: str) -> str:
-    """Blank out HTML comments, where link-shaped text is not a link.
-
-    A comment runs from `<!--` to the first `-->` after it (`<!-->` and `<!--->` included). An
-    opener with no closer is left alone, as CommonMark leaves it literal text inline.
-    """
-    output: list[str] = []
-    cursor = 0
-    while True:
-        start = text.find("<!--", cursor)
-        if start == -1:
-            break
-        end = text.find("-->", start + 2)
-        if end == -1:
-            break
-        output.append(text[cursor:start])
-        output.append(re.sub(r"[^\n]", " ", text[start : end + 3]))
-        cursor = end + 3
-    output.append(text[cursor:])
-    return "".join(output)
-
-
 def inline_link_targets(text: str) -> list[str]:
     targets: list[str] = []
     matches = list(INLINE_LINK_START_RE.finditer(text))
@@ -195,7 +199,7 @@ def reference_link_targets(text: str) -> list[str]:
 
 
 def markdown_link_targets(text: str) -> list[str]:
-    text = without_html_comments(without_inline_code(without_fenced_code(text)))
+    text = without_inline_code_and_html_comments(without_fenced_code(text))
     return inline_link_targets(text) + reference_link_targets(text)
 
 
diff --git a/manifests/context-packs/skill-triggers@1.json b/manifests/context-packs/skill-triggers@1.json
index edcb97000..dbe73c73e 100644
--- a/manifests/context-packs/skill-triggers@1.json
+++ b/manifests/context-packs/skill-triggers@1.json
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
     "id": "hand-seeded",
     "source": "manual-curation-pending-regeneration"
   },
-  "registryDigest": "26e3471f7d97e474b311e1cc45c3d967f5be98fca09f264a8cfd8de33ac1158d",
+  "registryDigest": "f2a5daa835fd6ed2974e14b3f6118ac640115fd8caf10fd8568f1b8adc9a432b",
   "schemaVersion": 1,
   "triggers": {
     "skill:agent-runtime-gateway-smoke-test": [
diff --git a/pi/core/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py b/pi/core/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py
index 05ebb3423..c0da8da97 100644
--- a/pi/core/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py
+++ b/pi/core/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py
@@ -49,10 +49,36 @@ def without_fenced_code(text: str) -> str:
     return "".join(output)
 
 
-def without_inline_code(text: str) -> str:
+def _is_escaped(text: str, index: int) -> bool:
+    backslashes = 0
+    while index - backslashes > 0 and text[index - backslashes - 1] == "\\":
+        backslashes += 1
+    return backslashes % 2 == 1
+
+
+def without_inline_code_and_html_comments(text: str) -> str:
+    """Blank out inline code spans and HTML comments, whichever opens first.
+
+    A comment runs from `<!--` to the first `-->` after it (`<!-->` and `<!--->` included). It
+    becomes an opaque run of NUL characters, so a link or a reference definition cannot continue
+    through it, as none can through raw HTML. An escaped `\\<!--`, or an opener with no closer,
+    stays literal text, as in CommonMark.
+    """
     output: list[str] = []
     cursor = 0
+    comments_can_close = True
     while cursor < len(text):
+        if comments_can_close and text.startswith("<!--", cursor) and not _is_escaped(text, cursor):
+            closing = text.find("-->", cursor + 2)
+            if closing != -1:
+                output.extend(
+                    "\n" if character == "\n" else "\0"
+                    for character in text[cursor : closing + 3]
+                )
+                cursor = closing + 3
+                continue
+            # -- no closer here means none for any later opener either --
+            comments_can_close = False
         if text[cursor] != "`":
             output.append(text[cursor])
             cursor += 1
@@ -74,28 +100,6 @@ def without_inline_code(text: str) -> str:
     return "".join(output)
 
 
-def without_html_comments(text: str) -> str:
-    """Blank out HTML comments, where link-shaped text is not a link.
-
-    A comment runs from `<!--` to the first `-->` after it (`<!-->` and `<!--->` included). An
-    opener with no closer is left alone, as CommonMark leaves it literal text inline.
-    """
-    output: list[str] = []
-    cursor = 0
-    while True:
-        start = text.find("<!--", cursor)
-        if start == -1:
-            break
-        end = text.find("-->", start + 2)
-        if end == -1:
-            break
-        output.append(text[cursor:start])
-        output.append(re.sub(r"[^\n]", " ", text[start : end + 3]))
-        cursor = end + 3
-    output.append(text[cursor:])
-    return "".join(output)
-
-
 def inline_link_targets(text: str) -> list[str]:
     targets: list[str] = []
     matches = list(INLINE_LINK_START_RE.finditer(text))
@@ -195,7 +199,7 @@ def reference_link_targets(text: str) -> list[str]:
 
 
 def markdown_link_targets(text: str) -> list[str]:
-    text = without_html_comments(without_inline_code(without_fenced_code(text)))
+    text = without_inline_code_and_html_comments(without_fenced_code(text))
     return inline_link_targets(text) + reference_link_targets(text)
 
 
diff --git a/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py b/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py
index 05ebb3423..c0da8da97 100644
--- a/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py
+++ b/skills/docs-governance/scripts/markdown_links.py
@@ -49,10 +49,36 @@ def without_fenced_code(text: str) -> str:
     return "".join(output)
 
 
-def without_inline_code(text: str) -> str:
+def _is_escaped(text: str, index: int) -> bool:
+    backslashes = 0
+    while index - backslashes > 0 and text[index - backslashes - 1] == "\\":
+        backslashes += 1
+    return backslashes % 2 == 1
+
+
+def without_inline_code_and_html_comments(text: str) -> str:
+    """Blank out inline code spans and HTML comments, whichever opens first.
+
+    A comment runs from `<!--` to the first `-->` after it (`<!-->` and `<!--->` included). It
+    becomes an opaque run of NUL characters, so a link or a reference definition cannot continue
+    through it, as none can through raw HTML. An escaped `\\<!--`, or an opener with no closer,
+    stays literal text, as in CommonMark.
+    """
     output: list[str] = []
     cursor = 0
+    comments_can_close = True
     while cursor < len(text):
+        if comments_can_close and text.startswith("<!--", cursor) and not _is_escaped(text, cursor):
+            closing = text.find("-->", cursor + 2)
+            if closing != -1:
+                output.extend(
+                    "\n" if character == "\n" else "\0"
+                    for character in text[cursor : closing + 3]
+                )
+                cursor = closing + 3
+                continue
+            # -- no closer here means none for any later opener either --
+            comments_can_close = False
         if text[cursor] != "`":
             output.append(text[cursor])
             cursor += 1
@@ -74,28 +100,6 @@ def without_inline_code(text: str) -> str:
     return "".join(output)
 
 
-def without_html_comments(text: str) -> str:
-    """Blank out HTML comments, where link-shaped text is not a link.
-
-    A comment runs from `<!--` to the first `-->` after it (`<!-->` and `<!--->` included). An
-    opener with no closer is left alone, as CommonMark leaves it literal text inline.
-    """
-    output: list[str] = []
-    cursor = 0
-    while True:
-        start = text.find("<!--", cursor)
-        if start == -1:
-            break
-        end = text.find("-->", start + 2)
-        if end == -1:
-            break
-        output.append(text[cursor:start])
-        output.append(re.sub(r"[^\n]", " ", text[start : end + 3]))
-        cursor = end + 3
-    output.append(text[cursor:])
-    return "".join(output)
-
-
 def inline_link_targets(text: str) -> list[str]:
     targets: list[str] = []
     matches = list(INLINE_LINK_START_RE.finditer(text))
@@ -195,7 +199,7 @@ def reference_link_targets(text: str) -> list[str]:
 
 
 def markdown_link_targets(text: str) -> list[str]:
-    text = without_html_comments(without_inline_code(without_fenced_code(text)))
+    text = without_inline_code_and_html_comments(without_fenced_code(text))
     return inline_link_targets(text) + reference_link_targets(text)
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_docs_governance_audit.py b/tests/test_docs_governance_audit.py
index 073f4676b..1c6b1ad56 100644
--- a/tests/test_docs_governance_audit.py
+++ b/tests/test_docs_governance_audit.py
@@ -280,6 +280,23 @@ def test_artifact_scope_ignores_links_inside_html_comments(project: Path) -> Non
     assert "Broken Markdown link: 'guide.md' -> 'missing-after.md'" in result.stdout
 
 
+def test_artifact_scope_reads_html_comments_as_commonmark_does(project: Path) -> None:
+    (project / "guide.md").write_text(
+        # -- an escaped opener is text, so the link after it is real --
+        "Intro \\<!-- [escaped](missing-escaped.md) -->\n\n"
+        # -- a comment that opens before a code span ends at its own closer --
+        "<!-- ` --> `sample` [after-code](missing-after-code.md)\n\n"
+        # -- a comment where a destination must begin does not make a definition --
+        "[foo]: <!-- note --> missing-definition.md\n\n[foo]\n",
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+    result = run_audit(project, "artifacts")
+    assert result.returncode == 1
+    assert "Broken Markdown link: 'guide.md' -> 'missing-escaped.md'" in result.stdout
+    assert "Broken Markdown link: 'guide.md' -> 'missing-after-code.md'" in result.stdout
+    assert "missing-definition.md" not in result.stdout
+
+
 def test_artifact_scope_ignores_title_with_escaped_quotes(project: Path) -> None:
     (project / "guide.md").write_text("# Guide\n", encoding="utf-8")
     (project / "index.md").write_text(