diff --git a/.github/workflows/breaking-change-checker.lock.yml b/.github/workflows/breaking-change-checker.lock.yml
index 878ec718c8..d14d780fde 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/breaking-change-checker.lock.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/breaking-change-checker.lock.yml
@@ -1287,6 +1287,7 @@ jobs:
         env:
           GH_AW_AGENT_OUTPUT: ${{ env.GH_AW_AGENT_OUTPUT }}
           GH_AW_SAFE_OUTPUTS_HANDLER_CONFIG: "{\"create_issue\":{\"assignees\":[\"copilot\"],\"max\":1},\"missing_data\":{},\"missing_tool\":{},\"noop\":{\"max\":1}}"
+          GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT: "true"
         with:
           github-token: ${{ secrets.GH_AW_GITHUB_TOKEN || secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           script: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/duplicate-code-detector.lock.yml b/.github/workflows/duplicate-code-detector.lock.yml
index a656a98d55..71be8e3471 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/duplicate-code-detector.lock.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/duplicate-code-detector.lock.yml
@@ -1308,6 +1308,7 @@ jobs:
         env:
           GH_AW_AGENT_OUTPUT: ${{ env.GH_AW_AGENT_OUTPUT }}
           GH_AW_SAFE_OUTPUTS_HANDLER_CONFIG: "{\"create_issue\":{\"assignees\":[\"copilot\"],\"max\":1},\"missing_data\":{},\"missing_tool\":{},\"noop\":{\"max\":1}}"
+          GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT: "true"
         with:
           github-token: ${{ secrets.GH_AW_GITHUB_TOKEN || secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           script: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/security-alert-burndown.lock.yml b/.github/workflows/security-alert-burndown.lock.yml
index d5d1e81676..1adf066c01 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/security-alert-burndown.lock.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/security-alert-burndown.lock.yml
@@ -2189,6 +2189,7 @@ jobs:
         env:
           GH_AW_AGENT_OUTPUT: ${{ env.GH_AW_AGENT_OUTPUT }}
           GH_AW_SAFE_OUTPUTS_PROJECT_HANDLER_CONFIG: "{\"create_project_status_update\":{\"max\":1},\"update_project\":{\"max\":100}}"
+          GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT: "true"
           GH_AW_PROJECT_GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GH_AW_PROJECT_GITHUB_TOKEN }}
         with:
           github-token: ${{ secrets.GH_AW_PROJECT_GITHUB_TOKEN }}
@@ -2204,6 +2205,7 @@ jobs:
           GH_AW_AGENT_OUTPUT: ${{ env.GH_AW_AGENT_OUTPUT }}
           GH_AW_TEMPORARY_PROJECT_MAP: ${{ steps.process_project_safe_outputs.outputs.temporary_project_map }}
           GH_AW_SAFE_OUTPUTS_HANDLER_CONFIG: "{\"create_issue\":{\"assignees\":[\"copilot\"],\"max\":1},\"missing_data\":{},\"missing_tool\":{},\"noop\":{\"max\":1}}"
+          GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT: "true"
         with:
           github-token: ${{ secrets.GH_AW_AGENT_TOKEN || secrets.GH_AW_GITHUB_TOKEN || secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           script: |
@@ -2211,17 +2213,4 @@ jobs:
             setupGlobals(core, github, context, exec, io);
             const { main } = require('/opt/gh-aw/actions/safe_output_handler_manager.cjs');
             await main();
-      - name: Assign copilot to created issues
-        if: steps.process_safe_outputs.outputs.issues_to_assign_copilot != ''
-        uses: actions/github-script@ed597411d8f924073f98dfc5c65a23a2325f34cd # v8.0.0
-        env:
-          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GH_AW_AGENT_TOKEN || secrets.GH_AW_GITHUB_TOKEN || secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-          ISSUES_TO_ASSIGN_COPILOT: ${{ steps.process_safe_outputs.outputs.issues_to_assign_copilot }}
-        with:
-          github-token: ${{ secrets.GH_AW_AGENT_TOKEN || secrets.GH_AW_GITHUB_TOKEN || secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-          script: |
-            const { setupGlobals } = require('/opt/gh-aw/actions/setup_globals.cjs');
-            setupGlobals(core, github, context, exec, io);
-            const { main } = require('/opt/gh-aw/actions/assign_copilot_to_created_issues.cjs');
-            await main();
 
diff --git a/pkg/workflow/compiler_safe_outputs_env.go b/pkg/workflow/compiler_safe_outputs_env.go
index 343dcb9e15..d44607f8b8 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/compiler_safe_outputs_env.go
+++ b/pkg/workflow/compiler_safe_outputs_env.go
@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@ func (c *Compiler) addAllSafeOutputConfigEnvVars(steps *[]string, data *Workflow
 			stagedFlagAdded = true
 			compilerSafeOutputsEnvLog.Print("Added staged flag for create-issue")
 		}
+		// Check if copilot is in assignees - if so, we'll output issues for assign_to_agent job
+		if hasCopilotAssignee(cfg.Assignees) {
+			*steps = append(*steps, "          GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT: \"true\"\n")
+			compilerSafeOutputsEnvLog.Print("Copilot assignment requested - will output issues_to_assign_copilot")
+		}
 	}
 
 	// Add Comment - all config now in handler config JSON
diff --git a/pkg/workflow/compiler_safe_outputs_env_copilot_test.go b/pkg/workflow/compiler_safe_outputs_env_copilot_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fb64d8a644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/workflow/compiler_safe_outputs_env_copilot_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+//go:build !integration
+
+package workflow
+
+import (
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+// TestCopilotAssignmentEnvVarIsSet verifies that GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT is set
+// when copilot is in the assignees list
+func TestCopilotAssignmentEnvVarIsSet(t *testing.T) {
+	compiler := NewCompiler()
+
+	data := &WorkflowData{
+		Name: "Test",
+		SafeOutputs: &SafeOutputsConfig{
+			CreateIssues: &CreateIssuesConfig{
+				BaseSafeOutputConfig: BaseSafeOutputConfig{Max: 1},
+				Assignees:            []string{"copilot"},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	var steps []string
+	compiler.addAllSafeOutputConfigEnvVars(&steps, data)
+
+	// Join steps to search for the env var
+	stepsStr := strings.Join(steps, "")
+
+	assert.Contains(t, stepsStr, "GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT", "Expected GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT to be set when copilot is in assignees")
+	assert.Contains(t, stepsStr, `GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT: "true"`, "Expected GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT to be set to 'true'")
+}
+
+// TestCopilotAssignmentEnvVarNotSetWithoutCopilot verifies that GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT
+// is not set when copilot is not in the assignees list
+func TestCopilotAssignmentEnvVarNotSetWithoutCopilot(t *testing.T) {
+	compiler := NewCompiler()
+
+	data := &WorkflowData{
+		Name: "Test",
+		SafeOutputs: &SafeOutputsConfig{
+			CreateIssues: &CreateIssuesConfig{
+				BaseSafeOutputConfig: BaseSafeOutputConfig{Max: 1},
+				Assignees:            []string{"user1"},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	var steps []string
+	compiler.addAllSafeOutputConfigEnvVars(&steps, data)
+
+	// Join steps to search for the env var
+	stepsStr := strings.Join(steps, "")
+
+	assert.NotContains(t, stepsStr, "GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT", "Expected GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT not to be set when copilot is not in assignees")
+}
+
+// TestCopilotAssignmentEnvVarWithMixedAssignees verifies that GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT is set
+// when copilot is in the assignees list along with other users
+func TestCopilotAssignmentEnvVarWithMixedAssignees(t *testing.T) {
+	compiler := NewCompiler()
+
+	data := &WorkflowData{
+		Name: "Test",
+		SafeOutputs: &SafeOutputsConfig{
+			CreateIssues: &CreateIssuesConfig{
+				BaseSafeOutputConfig: BaseSafeOutputConfig{Max: 1},
+				Assignees:            []string{"user1", "copilot", "user2"},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	var steps []string
+	compiler.addAllSafeOutputConfigEnvVars(&steps, data)
+
+	// Join steps to search for the env var
+	stepsStr := strings.Join(steps, "")
+
+	assert.Contains(t, stepsStr, "GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT", "Expected GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT to be set when copilot is among multiple assignees")
+	assert.Contains(t, stepsStr, `GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT: "true"`, "Expected GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT to be set to 'true'")
+}
+
+// TestCopilotAssignmentEnvVarWithNilAssignees verifies that GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT
+// is not set when assignees field is nil
+func TestCopilotAssignmentEnvVarWithNilAssignees(t *testing.T) {
+	compiler := NewCompiler()
+
+	data := &WorkflowData{
+		Name: "Test",
+		SafeOutputs: &SafeOutputsConfig{
+			CreateIssues: &CreateIssuesConfig{
+				BaseSafeOutputConfig: BaseSafeOutputConfig{Max: 1},
+				Assignees:            nil,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	var steps []string
+	compiler.addAllSafeOutputConfigEnvVars(&steps, data)
+
+	// Join steps to search for the env var
+	stepsStr := strings.Join(steps, "")
+
+	assert.NotContains(t, stepsStr, "GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT", "Expected GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT not to be set when assignees is nil")
+}
+
+// TestCopilotAssignmentEnvVarWithEmptyAssignees verifies that GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT
+// is not set when assignees array is empty
+func TestCopilotAssignmentEnvVarWithEmptyAssignees(t *testing.T) {
+	compiler := NewCompiler()
+
+	data := &WorkflowData{
+		Name: "Test",
+		SafeOutputs: &SafeOutputsConfig{
+			CreateIssues: &CreateIssuesConfig{
+				BaseSafeOutputConfig: BaseSafeOutputConfig{Max: 1},
+				Assignees:            []string{},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	var steps []string
+	compiler.addAllSafeOutputConfigEnvVars(&steps, data)
+
+	// Join steps to search for the env var
+	stepsStr := strings.Join(steps, "")
+
+	assert.NotContains(t, stepsStr, "GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT", "Expected GH_AW_ASSIGN_COPILOT not to be set when assignees is empty")
+}