diff --git a/.github/scripts/pr-merge/enable-auto-merge.mjs b/.github/scripts/pr-merge/enable-auto-merge.mjs
index c66376f0b7c..b7373ce89dc 100755
--- a/.github/scripts/pr-merge/enable-auto-merge.mjs
+++ b/.github/scripts/pr-merge/enable-auto-merge.mjs
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ import { pathToFileURL } from "node:url";
 
 import { createGitHub, errorLabel, GitHubError, paginate } from "../../actions/check-trusted-trigger/check-trusted-trigger.mjs";
 import { rateLimitLatch } from "../../actions/log-api-budget/rate-guard.mjs";
-import { humanGatedLabelFrom, quote } from "../pr-unblock/address-feedback.mjs";
+import { DEQUEUE_MUTATION, humanGatedLabelFrom, leaveQueueOnHold, QUEUE_ENTRY_QUERY, quote } from "../pr-unblock/address-feedback.mjs";
 import {
   lines as bodyLines,
   foreignMarker,
@@ -1844,6 +1844,21 @@ export async function main({ env = process.env, github, actions, verify, room, c
     // would be all anyone saw.
     // Writes note sent or tried, for skip-unchanged.
     let sent = 0;
+    // A human-gated label this run added holds the pull request: a queued one
+    // leaves the queue (leaveQueueOnHold), which warns and never fails the note.
+    const leaveQueue = (pull, label) =>
+      leaveQueueOnHold({
+        pr: pull.number,
+        label,
+        readQueueEntry: async (pr) => {
+          const read = (await github("POST", "/graphql", { query: QUEUE_ENTRY_QUERY, variables: { owner: repo[1], name: repo[2], pr } }))?.data?.repository?.pullRequest;
+          if (typeof read?.id !== "string") {
+            throw new Error("the pull request did not read");
+          }
+          return { id: read.id, queued: read.mergeQueueEntry != null };
+        },
+        dequeuePull: (id) => github("POST", "/graphql", { query: DEQUEUE_MUTATION, variables: { id } }),
+      });
     const note = async (pull, detail, refusal) => {
       if (!reads || stopped !== null || refusal.clears === undefined) {
         return;
@@ -1902,6 +1917,7 @@ export async function main({ env = process.env, github, actions, verify, room, c
             return;
           }
           await github("POST", `${base}/${pull.number}/labels`, { labels: [writes.label] });
+          await leaveQueue(pull, writes.label);
           console.log(`enable-auto-merge: #${pull.number} labeled ${writes.label} again: its refusal comment stands and no person removed the label`);
           return;
         }
@@ -1910,6 +1926,7 @@ export async function main({ env = process.env, github, actions, verify, room, c
           : github("PATCH", `${base}/comments/${writes.commentId}`, { body: writes.body }));
         if (writes.label) {
           await github("POST", `${base}/${pull.number}/labels`, { labels: [writes.label] });
+          await leaveQueue(pull, writes.label);
         }
         console.log(`enable-auto-merge: #${pull.number} refusal noted on the pull request${writes.label ? `, labeled ${writes.label}` : ""}`);
       } catch (error) {
diff --git a/.github/scripts/pr-merge/enable-auto-merge.test.mjs b/.github/scripts/pr-merge/enable-auto-merge.test.mjs
index 58dd2a0fbc1..419273fddae 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/pr-merge/enable-auto-merge.test.mjs
+++ b/.github/scripts/pr-merge/enable-auto-merge.test.mjs
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ import {
   SKIP_STATE_PREFIX,
 } from "./enable-auto-merge.mjs";
 import { GitHubError } from "../../actions/check-trusted-trigger/check-trusted-trigger.mjs";
+import { DEQUEUE_MUTATION, QUEUE_ENTRY_QUERY } from "../pr-unblock/address-feedback.mjs";
 import { createRateLimitLatch } from "../../actions/log-api-budget/rate-guard.mjs";
 import { COMMENT_EDITED_QUERY, LANE_HOLD, PULL_OPENED_QUERY, VERIFY_PATH, personWrote, unblockStops, verdictHold } from "./merge-holds.mjs";
 import { VERIFY_PATH as RESOLVER_VERIFY_PATH } from "../pr-verify/resolve-pr.mjs";
@@ -140,7 +141,7 @@ const labels = (...names) => ({ totalCount: names.length, nodes: names.map((name
 // filesError: what every changed-files GET throws.
 // A pull request's `after` is its auto-merge state as the read-back sees it
 // (AUTO_MERGE_STATE_QUERY), else its listed state; `after: "error"` fails the read.
-function world(pulls, { failArm = false, armErrors = {}, disarmErrors = {}, filesError = null, noteErrors = [], disarmError = null, pinError = null } = {}) {
+function world(pulls, { failArm = false, armErrors = {}, disarmErrors = {}, filesError = null, noteErrors = [], disarmError = null, pinError = null, dequeueError = null } = {}) {
   const pins = [];
   const noteThrows = [...noteErrors];
   const armThrows = Object.fromEntries(Object.entries(armErrors).map(([id, errors]) => [id, [...errors]]));
@@ -308,6 +309,14 @@ function world(pulls, { failArm = false, armErrors = {}, disarmErrors = {}, file
       const nodes = all.slice(start, start + 2);
       return { data: { node: { comments: { totalCount: all.length, pageInfo: { hasNextPage: start + 2 < all.length, endCursor: String(start + 2) }, nodes } } } };
     }
+    // A pull request's merge-queue entry: `queued` puts it in the queue.
+    if (body.query === QUEUE_ENTRY_QUERY) {
+      const found = pulls.find((candidate) => candidate.number === body.variables.pr);
+      return { data: { repository: { pullRequest: { id: found?.id, mergeQueueEntry: found?.queued ? { id: `MQE_${found.number}` } : null } } } };
+    }
+    if (body.query === DEQUEUE_MUTATION && dequeueError) {
+      throw dequeueError;
+    }
     if (body.query === ARM_MUTATION && armThrows[body.variables.id]?.length > 0) {
       throw armThrows[body.variables.id].shift();
     }
@@ -346,8 +355,8 @@ function world(pulls, { failArm = false, armErrors = {}, disarmErrors = {}, file
   };
   const writes = () =>
     calls
-      .filter(({ method, path, body }) => method === "POST" && path === "/graphql" && ![PULLS_QUERY, DETAIL_QUERY, PULL_OPENED_QUERY, COMMENT_EDITED_QUERY, UNLABELED_QUERY, DISCUSSION_PAGE_QUERIES.comments, THREAD_PAGE_QUERY, AUTO_MERGE_STATE_QUERY].includes(body.query) && !String(body.query).startsWith(SKIP_STATE_PREFIX))
-      .map(({ body }) => ({ mutation: body.query === ARM_MUTATION ? "arm" : body.query === DISARM_MUTATION ? "disarm" : "?", ...body.variables }));
+      .filter(({ method, path, body }) => method === "POST" && path === "/graphql" && ![PULLS_QUERY, DETAIL_QUERY, PULL_OPENED_QUERY, COMMENT_EDITED_QUERY, UNLABELED_QUERY, DISCUSSION_PAGE_QUERIES.comments, THREAD_PAGE_QUERY, AUTO_MERGE_STATE_QUERY, QUEUE_ENTRY_QUERY].includes(body.query) && !String(body.query).startsWith(SKIP_STATE_PREFIX))
+      .map(({ body }) => ({ mutation: body.query === ARM_MUTATION ? "arm" : body.query === DISARM_MUTATION ? "disarm" : body.query === DEQUEUE_MUTATION ? "dequeue" : "?", ...body.variables }));
   return { github, writes, verify, verified, calls, notes, pins };
 }
 
@@ -4036,3 +4045,50 @@ test("a skip record of another repository, from the future, or malformed skips n
     assert.equal((await skipRun([riskHeld()], { from: path, minutes: 15 })).details, 1, name);
   }
 });
+
+// The lanes App adding the human-gated label to a queued pull request takes it
+// out of the merge queue, so its merge group does not run only for ci-status
+// to fail it on the label: one queue read per label add, and the dequeue only
+// when it is queued. A refused dequeue warns; the label still holds it.
+const queueReads = (calls) => calls.filter(({ body }) => body?.query === QUEUE_ENTRY_QUERY).map(({ body }) => body.variables.pr);
+const holdNotice = (outcome) => `::notice title=hold-label-dequeue::pr=1 label=needs-human outcome=${outcome}`;
+
+test("a human-gated label the lane adds to a queued pull request dequeues it", async () => {
+  const { code, writes, calls, notes, lines } = await run([pull(1, { files: COST_FILES, queued: true })]);
+  assert.equal(code, 0);
+  assert.deepEqual(notes.at(-1), { method: "POST", path: `${ISSUES}/1/labels`, body: { labels: ["needs-human"] } });
+  assert.deepEqual(queueReads(calls), [1]);
+  assert.deepEqual(writes, [{ mutation: "dequeue", id: "PR_1" }]);
+  assert.ok(lines.includes(holdNotice("dequeued")));
+});
+
+test("a human-gated label on a pull request not in the queue reads its entry once and writes nothing more", async () => {
+  const { code, writes, calls, lines } = await run([pull(1, { files: COST_FILES })]);
+  assert.equal(code, 0);
+  assert.deepEqual(queueReads(calls), [1]);
+  assert.deepEqual(writes, []);
+  assert.ok(lines.includes(holdNotice("not-queued")));
+});
+
+test("a refused dequeue warns and leaves the label add standing", async () => {
+  const { code, notes, lines } = await run([pull(1, { files: COST_FILES, queued: true })], {}, { dequeueError: new GitHubError(200, "POST /graphql (GraphQL errors)") });
+  assert.equal(code, 0);
+  assert.deepEqual(notes.at(-1), { method: "POST", path: `${ISSUES}/1/labels`, body: { labels: ["needs-human"] } });
+  assert.ok(lines.some((line) => String(line).startsWith("::warning::#1: could not dequeue it")));
+  assert.ok(lines.includes(holdNotice("refused:dequeue-failed")));
+});
+
+test("a refused pull request whose label the lane puts back while queued is dequeued", async () => {
+  const laneComment = lanesSaid(laneNote(MISSING_REASON));
+  const posted = { ...lanesSaid(personNote(LANE_HOLD_NOTE), "2026-10-23T10:05:00Z"), databaseId: 78, createdAt: "2026-10-23T10:05:00Z" };
+  const { code, notes, writes, lines } = await run([laneHeld(1, { discussion: { comments: [laneComment, posted] }, queued: true })]);
+  assert.equal(code, 0);
+  assert.deepEqual(notes, [{ method: "POST", path: `${ISSUES}/1/labels`, body: { labels: ["needs-human"] } }]);
+  assert.deepEqual(writes, [{ mutation: "dequeue", id: "PR_1" }]);
+  assert.ok(lines.includes(holdNotice("dequeued")));
+});
+
+test("a refusal that adds no label reads no queue entry", async () => {
+  const { calls } = await run([pull(1, { verdict: MISSING })]);
+  assert.deepEqual(queueReads(calls), []);
+});
diff --git a/.github/scripts/pr-unblock/address-feedback.mjs b/.github/scripts/pr-unblock/address-feedback.mjs
index ee31a1c3023..d4cfc02dbc2 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/pr-unblock/address-feedback.mjs
+++ b/.github/scripts/pr-unblock/address-feedback.mjs
@@ -1224,9 +1224,46 @@ const TREE_QUERY = `query($owner: String!, $name: String!, $expression: String!)
   }
 }`;
 
-const QUEUE_ENTRY_QUERY = `query($owner: String!, $name: String!, $pr: Int!) {
+export const QUEUE_ENTRY_QUERY = `query($owner: String!, $name: String!, $pr: Int!) {
   repository(owner: $owner, name: $name) { pullRequest(number: $pr) { id mergeQueueEntry { id } } }
 }`;
+// Takes a pull request, by node id, out of the merge queue.
+export const DEQUEUE_MUTATION = "mutation($id: ID!) { dequeuePullRequest(input: { id: $id }) { clientMutationId } }";
+
+export const HOLD_DEQUEUE_TITLE = "hold-label-dequeue";
+export const holdDequeueLine = (pr, label, outcome) =>
+  `::notice title=${HOLD_DEQUEUE_TITLE}::pr=${String(pr).replaceAll(/[\r\n%]/g, " ")} label=${String(label).replaceAll(/[\r\n%]/g, " ")} outcome=${outcome}`;
+
+// After the lanes App adds a hold label to pull request `pr`: one read of its
+// queue entry and, when it is queued, the dequeue, so its merge group does not
+// run only for ci-status to fail it on the label. A refused read or dequeue
+// warns and returns; the label is the hold, and ci-status still reads it in
+// the queue. Logs one HOLD_DEQUEUE_TITLE notice; returns its outcome.
+export async function leaveQueueOnHold({ readQueueEntry, dequeuePull, pr, label, log = console.log }) {
+  let outcome;
+  let entry = null;
+  try {
+    entry = await readQueueEntry(pr);
+  } catch (error) {
+    outcome = "refused:read-failed";
+    log(`::warning::#${pr}: its merge-queue entry did not read (${error.message}); it was not dequeued`);
+  }
+  if (entry !== null) {
+    if (!entry.queued) {
+      outcome = "not-queued";
+    } else {
+      try {
+        await dequeuePull(entry.id);
+        outcome = "dequeued";
+      } catch (error) {
+        outcome = "refused:dequeue-failed";
+        log(`::warning::#${pr}: could not dequeue it (${error.message}); ci-status still fails its merge group on ${label}`);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  log(holdDequeueLine(pr, label, outcome));
+  return outcome;
+}
 const RESOLVE_MUTATION = `mutation($id: ID!) {
   resolveReviewThread(input: { threadId: $id }) { thread { isResolved } }
 }`;
@@ -1445,7 +1482,7 @@ export function createGitHubApi({ token, repository, apiUrl, graphqlUrl, fetch:
       return { id: pull.id, queued: pull.mergeQueueEntry !== null };
     },
     async dequeuePull(id) {
-      await graphql("mutation($id: ID!) { dequeuePullRequest(input: { id: $id }) { clientMutationId } }", { id });
+      await graphql(DEQUEUE_MUTATION, { id });
     },
     async createIssueComment(pr, body) {
       await request(`${repo}/issues/${pr}/comments`, "POST", { body });
diff --git a/.github/scripts/pr-unblock/report-escalation.sh b/.github/scripts/pr-unblock/report-escalation.sh
index a32818aeb1b..d800883cdcc 100755
--- a/.github/scripts/pr-unblock/report-escalation.sh
+++ b/.github/scripts/pr-unblock/report-escalation.sh
@@ -9,8 +9,9 @@
 #   question, a CRITICAL security risk or a billing risk, a person's own
 #   thread or hold): hands the PR to a person with one machine-marked comment
 #   holding the reason, the resume key and how to resume, plus the
-#   human-gated role label. A reason the table does not list holds too, with
-#   no activity to resume (fail-safe).
+#   human-gated role label; a PR the label goes on while it sits in the merge
+#   queue leaves it (leave_queue). A reason the table does not list holds
+#   too, with no activity to resume (fail-safe).
 # - route `fail` (a stop the lane's own bounded retries did not mend): no
 #   human-gated label; the entry's `label` (needs-session), when it names one,
 #   puts the PR in the session-builder queue for a change the lane cannot
@@ -68,6 +69,35 @@ die() {
 
 routes=$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/escalation-routes.json
 
+# After the hold route adds the human-gated label: a queued PR leaves the merge
+# queue, so its group does not run only for ci-status to fail it on the label.
+# The read and the dequeue are address-feedback.mjs's QUEUE_ENTRY_QUERY and
+# DEQUEUE_MUTATION (leaveQueueOnHold), the one copy of each. A refused read or
+# dequeue warns and the escalation goes on: the label is the hold. Prints one
+# hold-label-dequeue notice.
+leave_queue() {
+  local queries answer entry outcome number=${PR_NUMBER:-} repo=${GITHUB_REPOSITORY:-}
+  if ! queries=$(QUEUE_MODULE="$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/address-feedback.mjs" node --input-type=module -e '
+    const { pathToFileURL } = await import("node:url");
+    const m = await import(pathToFileURL(process.env.QUEUE_MODULE).href);
+    process.stdout.write(JSON.stringify({ read: m.QUEUE_ENTRY_QUERY, dequeue: m.DEQUEUE_MUTATION }));'); then
+    outcome=refused:queries-unread
+    echo "::warning::#$number: the merge-queue queries did not load; it was not dequeued"
+  elif ! answer=$(gh api graphql -f "query=$(jq -r .read <<<"$queries")" -f "owner=${repo%/*}" -f "name=${repo#*/}" -F "pr=$number") ||
+    ! entry=$(jq -er '.data.repository.pullRequest | select(.id | type == "string") | [.id, (.mergeQueueEntry != null)] | @tsv' <<<"$answer"); then
+    outcome=refused:read-failed
+    echo "::warning::#$number: its merge-queue entry did not read; it was not dequeued"
+  elif [[ ${entry#*$'\t'} != true ]]; then
+    outcome=not-queued
+  elif gh api graphql -f "query=$(jq -r .dequeue <<<"$queries")" -f "id=${entry%%$'\t'*}" >/dev/null; then
+    outcome=dequeued
+  else
+    outcome=refused:dequeue-failed
+    echo "::warning::#$number: could not dequeue it; ci-status still fails its merge group on $1"
+  fi
+  echo "::notice title=hold-label-dequeue::pr=$number label=$1 outcome=$outcome"
+}
+
 # `clear`: an attempt of ACTIVITY on HEAD_SHA ended without a stop (a same-head
 # retry landed). When the newest status of the activity's context on the
 # head, by github-actions[bot], is a failure or error, it posts success over it, so a
@@ -335,6 +365,7 @@ EOF
 
 if [[ $labeled != true ]]; then
   gh api -X POST "$issue/labels" -f "labels[]=$label" >/dev/null
+  leave_queue "$label"
 fi
 gh api -X POST "$issue/comments" -F "body=@$body" >/dev/null || die "cannot post the escalation comment; the $label label is on"
 echo "escalated: $ESCALATION_REASON, label $label, resume key $HEAD_SHA"
diff --git a/.github/scripts/pr-unblock/report-escalation.test.sh b/.github/scripts/pr-unblock/report-escalation.test.sh
index 1742e6d211e..7c8d1f5a54d 100755
--- a/.github/scripts/pr-unblock/report-escalation.test.sh
+++ b/.github/scripts/pr-unblock/report-escalation.test.sh
@@ -51,6 +51,21 @@ printf '%s %s\n' "$method" "$endpoint" >>"$STUB/requests"
 # The api-budget wrapper asks for the headers (-i): a status line and one
 # rate-limit header lead the body.
 [[ " $* " != *" -i "* ]] || printf 'HTTP/2.0 201 Created\r\nx-ratelimit-remaining: 4999\r\n\r\n'
+# The merge-queue entry read and the dequeue (leave_queue): queued holds the
+# entry, fail_dequeue refuses the dequeue.
+if [[ $endpoint == graphql && " $* " == *mergeQueueEntry* ]]; then
+  echo queue-read >>"$STUB/queue"
+  entry=null
+  [[ -f $STUB/queued ]] && entry='{"id":"MQE_1"}'
+  printf '{"data":{"repository":{"pullRequest":{"id":"PR_42","mergeQueueEntry":%s}}}}\n' "$entry"
+  exit 0
+fi
+if [[ $endpoint == graphql && " $* " == *dequeuePullRequest* ]]; then
+  echo "dequeue $*" >>"$STUB/queue"
+  [[ -f $STUB/fail_dequeue ]] && { echo 'stub gh: dequeue failed' >&2; exit 1; }
+  echo '{"data":{"dequeuePullRequest":{"clientMutationId":null}}}'
+  exit 0
+fi
 case "$method $endpoint" in
 "GET repos/o/r/issues/42") cat "$STUB/issue.json" ;;
 "GET repos/o/r/issues/42/comments?per_page=100") cat "$STUB/comments.json" ;;
@@ -704,14 +719,53 @@ clear_case bogus '[]'
 check "clear: an activity the table does not route fails" 1 "$([[ $RC -ne 0 ]] && echo 1 || echo 0)"
 check "clear: an unknown activity makes no gh call" '' "$(cat "$STUB/calls")"
 
-# Never touches the branch: no git, no contents API, no write outside the PR's issue.
+# Never touches the branch: no git, no contents API, no write outside the PR's
+# issue, beside the hold route's GraphQL queue read.
 for reason in feedback-question-design protected-path-conflict workflow-staged; do
   setup '[]' "$(comment '<!-- pr-unblock:lane-stopped activity=fix-ci -->'$'\nold' 'melodic-automation-lanes[bot]' Bot 9)"
   run "$reason"
   check "$reason: never runs git" 0 "$(grep -c '^git' "$STUB/calls" || true)"
   check "$reason: never calls the contents API" 0 "$(grep -c 'contents/' "$STUB/calls" || true)"
   check "$reason: writes only the issue, its comments and labels" 0 \
-    "$(grep -vE '^(GET|POST) repos/o/r/issues/42(/comments(\?per_page=100)?|/labels)?$|^PATCH repos/o/r/issues/comments/9$' "$STUB/requests" | grep -c . || true)"
+    "$(grep -vE '^(GET|POST) repos/o/r/issues/42(/comments(\?per_page=100)?|/labels)?$|^PATCH repos/o/r/issues/comments/9$|^GET graphql$' "$STUB/requests" | grep -c . || true)"
 done
 
+# The hold route's human-gated label on a queued PR takes it out of the merge
+# queue: one queue read per label add, and the dequeue only when it is queued.
+# A refused dequeue warns and the escalation still posts. Expected values are
+# the work item's: queued dequeues, unqueued reads once and writes nothing more.
+NOTICE='::notice title=hold-label-dequeue::pr=42 label=needs-human outcome='
+setup '[]' '[]'
+: >"$STUB/queued"
+run feedback-question-design
+check "queued hold: exits 0" 0 "$RC"
+check "queued hold: one read, then the dequeue of its node id" $'queue-read\ndequeue api graphql -f query=mutation($id: ID!) { dequeuePullRequest(input: { id: $id }) { clientMutationId } } -f id=PR_42' "$(cat "$STUB/queue")"
+has "queued hold: names the dequeue" "${NOTICE}dequeued" "$STUB/out"
+check "queued hold: the label goes on before the queue read" "POST repos/o/r/issues/42/labels" "$(grep -B1 -m1 '^GET graphql$' "$STUB/requests" | head -1)"
+
+setup '[]' '[]'
+run feedback-question-design
+check "unqueued hold: exits 0" 0 "$RC"
+check "unqueued hold: one read and no dequeue" queue-read "$(cat "$STUB/queue")"
+has "unqueued hold: says it was not queued" "${NOTICE}not-queued" "$STUB/out"
+
+setup '[]' '[]'
+: >"$STUB/queued"
+: >"$STUB/fail_dequeue"
+run feedback-question-design
+check "refused dequeue: the escalation still exits 0" 0 "$RC"
+has "refused dequeue: warns" "::warning::#42: could not dequeue it" "$STUB/out"
+has "refused dequeue: names the refusal" "${NOTICE}refused:dequeue-failed" "$STUB/out"
+check "refused dequeue: the escalation comment still posts" 1 "$(grep -c '^POST repos/o/r/issues/42/comments$' "$STUB/requests" || true)"
+
+# The label already on (a later reason on the same head): no add, no read.
+setup '["needs-human"]' '[]'
+: >"$STUB/queued"
+run feedback-question-intent
+check "label already on: no queue read" '' "$(cat "$STUB/queue" 2>/dev/null)"
+# A fail route adds no human-gated label, so it reads no queue entry.
+setup '[]' '[]'
+run workflow-staged
+check "fail route: no queue read" '' "$(cat "$STUB/queue" 2>/dev/null)"
+
 exit "$FAILED"