diff --git a/scripts/content-validators.ts b/scripts/content-validators.ts
index 9a5e80d5..2405df12 100644
--- a/scripts/content-validators.ts
+++ b/scripts/content-validators.ts
@@ -51,25 +51,33 @@ function findCloseMatch(name: string, authors: Author[]): string | null {
 }
 
 /**
- * Validate the authors array from frontmatter or an issue body.
+ * Validate the authors field from a GitHub issue body or a content markdown file.
  *
- * Errors (blocks): name not in authors.json and no close match found, OR empty name before '|'
- * Warnings (non-blocking): name not found but a close match exists (likely a typo)
+ * Two contexts behave differently:
+ *   - 'issue'   : Only checks format (empty name before '|'). Does NOT check authors.json
+ *                 because the publish script adds new authors automatically.
+ *   - 'content' : Checks every name exists in authors.json. Used when validating PR files
+ *                 where authors.json must already be up to date.
+ *
+ * Errors (blocks): empty name before '|', OR (content only) name not in authors.json with no close match
+ * Warnings (non-blocking): (content only) name not found but a close match exists (likely a typo)
  *
  * @param authors   Array of author name strings to validate
- * @param rawLines  Optional raw textarea lines for '|' format parsing (used by issue validator)
+ * @param rawLines  Raw textarea lines in 'Name | https://social.url' format (issue context only)
  * @param errors    Array to push error messages into
  * @param warnings  Array to push warning messages into
+ * @param context   'issue' | 'content' — controls which checks run
  */
 export function validateAuthors(
   authors: string[] | undefined,
   rawLines: string[] | undefined,
   errors: string[],
   warnings: string[],
+  context: "issue" | "content",
 ): void {
   if (!authors || authors.length === 0) return;
 
-  // Check for empty names before '|' (only relevant when rawLines are provided)
+  // Format check: catch empty name before '|' (e.g. " | https://twitter.com/foo")
   if (rawLines) {
     for (const line of rawLines) {
       const pipeIdx = line.indexOf("|");
@@ -81,13 +89,15 @@ export function validateAuthors(
     }
   }
 
+  // Issue context: publish script handles syncing new authors to authors.json — no further checks
+  if (context === "issue") return;
+
+  // Content context: every name must already exist in authors.json
   const knownAuthors = loadAuthors();
 
   for (const name of authors) {
     if (!name) continue;
-    // Exact match
     if (knownAuthors.some((a) => a.name === name)) continue;
-    // Close match → warning
     const close = findCloseMatch(name, knownAuthors);
     if (close) {
       warnings.push(
diff --git a/scripts/validate-content.ts b/scripts/validate-content.ts
index 6368bdf2..67213923 100644
--- a/scripts/validate-content.ts
+++ b/scripts/validate-content.ts
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ function validateFile(filePath: string, contentType: ContentDir): { errors: stri
   if (data.authors === undefined || !Array.isArray(data.authors) || (data.authors as string[]).length === 0) {
     errors.push("authors: required — must list at least one author");
   } else {
-    validateAuthors(data.authors as string[], undefined, errors, warnings);
+    validateAuthors(data.authors as string[], undefined, errors, warnings, "content");
   }
 
   return { errors, warnings };
diff --git a/scripts/validate-issue.ts b/scripts/validate-issue.ts
index 3bdb8eae..b1a49db2 100644
--- a/scripts/validate-issue.ts
+++ b/scripts/validate-issue.ts
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ if (!metadata.authors || metadata.authors.length === 0) {
   const rawLines = metadata.authors.map((a) =>
     a.social ? `${a.name} | ${a.social}` : a.name,
   );
-  validateAuthors(authorNames, rawLines, errors, warnings);
+  validateAuthors(authorNames, rawLines, errors, warnings, "issue");
 }
 
 // Warn if team-only fields were set by the submitter
diff --git a/src/lib/parse-issue.ts b/src/lib/parse-issue.ts
index 8be86e91..ae4b6747 100644
--- a/src/lib/parse-issue.ts
+++ b/src/lib/parse-issue.ts
@@ -185,7 +185,10 @@ export function parseAuthorEntries(raw: string): Array<{ name: string; social?:
       const pipeIdx = line.indexOf("|");
       if (pipeIdx !== -1) {
         const name = line.slice(0, pipeIdx).trim();
-        const social = line.slice(pipeIdx + 1).trim();
+        const rawSocial = line.slice(pipeIdx + 1).trim();
+        // Strip markdown link syntax [text](url) → url
+        const mdLink = rawSocial.match(/^\[.*?\]\((https?:\/\/[^)]+)\)$/);
+        const social = mdLink ? mdLink[1] : rawSocial;
         return { name, social: social || undefined };
       }
       return { name: line.trim() };