diff --git a/agent-ops/skills/common/prepare-epic-work-items/scripts/run_epic_cycle.py b/agent-ops/skills/common/prepare-epic-work-items/scripts/run_epic_cycle.py
index cfb4dd01..bc581d1b 100755
--- a/agent-ops/skills/common/prepare-epic-work-items/scripts/run_epic_cycle.py
+++ b/agent-ops/skills/common/prepare-epic-work-items/scripts/run_epic_cycle.py
@@ -343,7 +343,12 @@ def validate_pairs(
             pairs.append((plan, review, header))
             union.update(target_ids)
         contents = plan.read_text(encoding="utf-8") + "\n" + review.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
-        if "[TODO" in contents or "<task_group>" in contents:
+        unresolved_contents = contents.replace("`m-<milestone-slug>`", "")
+        if (
+            "[TODO" in unresolved_contents
+            or "<task_group>" in unresolved_contents
+            or "<milestone-slug>" in unresolved_contents
+        ):
             raise CycleError(f"unresolved template token: {plan.parent}")
         if dispatcher.is_file():
             run(
diff --git a/agent-ops/skills/common/prepare-epic-work-items/tests/test_run_epic_cycle.py b/agent-ops/skills/common/prepare-epic-work-items/tests/test_run_epic_cycle.py
index 8650d300..ac3c8ea0 100644
--- a/agent-ops/skills/common/prepare-epic-work-items/tests/test_run_epic_cycle.py
+++ b/agent-ops/skills/common/prepare-epic-work-items/tests/test_run_epic_cycle.py
@@ -286,6 +286,28 @@ class EpicCycleContractTest(unittest.TestCase):
             self.assertEqual(len(pairs), 1)
             self.assertEqual(union, {"inside"})
 
+    def test_validate_pair_rejects_bare_milestone_slug_placeholder(self) -> None:
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as raw:
+            workspace = Path(raw)
+            command(workspace, "git", "init")
+            task = workspace / "agent-task" / "m-sample" / "01_work"
+            task.mkdir(parents=True)
+            header = (
+                "<!-- task=m-sample/01_work plan=0 tag=TEST "
+                "milestone-task=inside -->\n"
+            )
+            (task / "PLAN-local-G01.md").write_text(
+                header + "# Plan\n\nPath: agent-task/m-<milestone-slug>/\n",
+                encoding="utf-8",
+            )
+            (task / "CODE_REVIEW-local-G01.md").write_text(
+                header + "# Review\n",
+                encoding="utf-8",
+            )
+
+            with self.assertRaisesRegex(MODULE.CycleError, "unresolved template token"):
+                MODULE.validate_pairs(workspace, "m-sample", {"inside"})
+
     def test_validate_pair_rejects_foreign_pair_outside_selected_batch(self) -> None:
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as raw:
             workspace = Path(raw)