diff --git a/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md b/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
index 6221ffdb..e11fa15f 100644
--- a/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
+++ b/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
@@ -22,6 +22,12 @@
   (A) Issue exists — tag each linked issue with `Fixes: #123`, `Closes #123`,
       or `Refs #123`. Include duplicates and closely related issues too.
 
+  Only reference PUBLIC GitHub issues/PRs here. Do NOT paste internal,
+  instance-local Paperclip references — ticket ids like PAPA-123 / PAP-224,
+  /PAP/issues/... or agent://... links, or localhost/tailnet URLs. Other
+  contributors cannot open them. See CONTRIBUTING.md → "No Internal Issue
+  References".
+
   (B) No issue exists — describe the underlying problem here, following the
       relevant issue template so reviewers get the same fields:
         • Bug:     .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.yml
@@ -81,6 +87,7 @@
 - [ ] I have checked ROADMAP.md and confirmed this PR does not duplicate planned core work
 - [ ] I have searched GitHub for duplicate or related PRs and linked them above
 - [ ] I have either (a) linked existing issues with `Fixes: #` / `Closes #` / `Refs #` OR (b) described the issue in-PR following the relevant issue template
+- [ ] I have not referenced internal/instance-local Paperclip issues or links (only public GitHub `#NNN` / `github.com/paperclipai/paperclip` URLs)
 - [ ] I have run tests locally and they pass
 - [ ] I have added or updated tests where applicable
 - [ ] If this change affects the UI, I have included before/after screenshots
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 2c43a072..69de6e7b 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -61,7 +61,21 @@ We do not gate PRs on a pre-existing issue. Two acceptable paths:
    - **Feature:** problem/motivation, proposed solution, alternatives considered, roadmap alignment. See [`feature_request.yml`](.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/feature_request.yml).
    - **New adapter:** agent or provider, why it's useful, how it's invoked. See [`adapter_request.yml`](.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/adapter_request.yml).
 
-Either way, a reviewer should be able to understand the underlying issue without leaving the PR. Commitperclip may check that one of these two paths is satisfied.
+Either way, a reviewer should be able to understand the underlying issue without leaving the PR. Commitperclip may check that one of these two paths is satisfied. Only link **public** GitHub issues — see [No Internal Issue References](#no-internal-issue-references) for what to leave out.
+
+### No Internal Issue References
+
+Many contributors run their own Paperclip instance to manage their work. Issue ids and links from *your* instance are private — reviewers and other contributors cannot open them, so they show up as clutter or broken links.
+
+In your PR title, description, commits, and comments, **only reference public GitHub issues and PRs** — `#123`, `Fixes #123` / `Closes #123` / `Refs #123`, or full `https://github.com/paperclipai/paperclip/...` URLs.
+
+Do **not** include references to internal/instance-local Paperclip work, such as:
+
+- Internal ticket ids like `PAPA-123`, `PAP-224`, or any `{PREFIX}-{NUMBER}` identifier that isn't a public GitHub issue number.
+- Instance UI links such as `/PAP/issues/...`, `/PAP/agents/...`, `agent://...`, or document deep links.
+- `localhost`, private IP, or tailnet URLs pointing at your own instance.
+
+If an internal issue captured useful context, restate that context in plain English in the PR body instead of linking to it.
 
 ### Model Used (Required)