diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 87bacd95..dd442fa9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -143,8 +143,12 @@ jobs:
       # sections at the file tail (lookup path: docs/dev/findings-index.csv).
       - name: Check dev-docs size budgets (warn only)
         run: |
+          # Budget = ~55 KB of table rows + ~110 KB of legacy D24–D33 / M-xxx
+          # narrative that predates the ctx-opt migration. The signal is fat
+          # ROWS re-accumulating, so the threshold sits ~15 KB above today's
+          # 166 KB total.
           f=$(awk '/^### F\./{f=1;next} /^### G\./{f=0} f' docs/dev/findings.md | wc -c)
-          [ "$f" -le 153600 ] || echo "WARNING: findings.md §F table region is $f bytes (> 150 KB) — fat rows accumulating; migrate cell content to ## Dxx sections"
+          [ "$f" -le 184320 ] || echo "WARNING: findings.md §F region is $f bytes (> 180 KB) — fat rows accumulating; migrate cell content to ## Dxx sections at the file tail"
           p=$(wc -c < docs/porting-notes.md)
           [ "$p" -le 122880 ] || echo "WARNING: porting-notes.md is $p bytes (> 120 KB) — consider splitting or adding a TOC block"