diff --git a/cmd/linters/main.go b/cmd/linters/main.go
index ccc733d9574..5f81884700b 100644
--- a/cmd/linters/main.go
+++ b/cmd/linters/main.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/github/gh-aw/pkg/linters/excessivefuncparams"
 	"github.com/github/gh-aw/pkg/linters/fileclosenotdeferred"
 	"github.com/github/gh-aw/pkg/linters/largefunc"
+	"github.com/github/gh-aw/pkg/linters/manualmutexunlock"
 	"github.com/github/gh-aw/pkg/linters/osexitinlibrary"
 	"github.com/github/gh-aw/pkg/linters/rawloginlib"
 	"github.com/github/gh-aw/pkg/linters/regexpcompileinfunction"
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ func main() {
 		excessivefuncparams.Analyzer,
 		fileclosenotdeferred.Analyzer,
 		largefunc.Analyzer,
+		manualmutexunlock.Analyzer,
 		osexitinlibrary.Analyzer,
 		rawloginlib.Analyzer,
 		regexpcompileinfunction.Analyzer,
diff --git a/docs/adr/34091-add-manual-mutex-unlock-linter.md b/docs/adr/34091-add-manual-mutex-unlock-linter.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d45f869fedc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/adr/34091-add-manual-mutex-unlock-linter.md
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+# ADR-34091: Add manual-mutex-unlock Linter
+
+**Date**: 2026-05-22
+**Status**: Draft
+**Deciders**: Unknown
+
+---
+
+## Part 1 — Narrative (Human-Friendly)
+
+### Context
+
+An automated scan of the codebase (linter-miner run #15) found 12+ instances where `sync.Mutex` / `sync.RWMutex` instances are unlocked manually instead of via `defer mu.Unlock()` — including `pkg/cli/compile_watch.go:189` (with manual unlocks at 204 and 209), multiple sites in `pkg/console/spinner.go:130-168`, and `pkg/cli/docker_images.go:149-151`. Manual unlock is a well-known Go anti-pattern: a panic or early return between `Lock()` and `Unlock()` leaves the mutex held and can deadlock the entire goroutine pool. The repository already houses a family of small, focused, in-house analyzers under `pkg/linters/` (e.g., `fileclosenotdeferred`, `largefunc`, `regexpcompileinfunction`) registered through `cmd/linters/main.go`, so the established convention is to add another analyzer rather than rely on review discipline or external tooling.
+
+### Decision
+
+We will add a new static-analysis linter, `manualmutexunlock`, that flags functions where a `sync.Mutex` or `sync.RWMutex` is unlocked via a non-deferred `Unlock()` / `RUnlock()` call. The linter lives under `pkg/linters/manualmutexunlock/`, is registered in `cmd/linters/main.go` alongside the existing analyzers, walks each `*ast.FuncDecl` body (excluding nested `*ast.FuncLit` closures to avoid false positives) tracking per-variable state keyed by `types.Object` (to correctly handle variable shadowing), and reports the lock position when a variable has a manual `Unlock()` / `RUnlock()` and no matching `defer`. Test files are excluded via the shared `pkg/linters/internal/filecheck.IsTestFile` helper. The implementation mirrors the structure of ADR-33834 (`fileclosenotdeferred`) for consistency.
+
+### Alternatives Considered
+
+#### Alternative 1: Fix the 12+ known instances and rely on review
+
+Patch each flagged call site to use `defer mu.Unlock()` and trust reviewers to catch new instances. Rejected because the same anti-pattern was present in 12+ independent sites across `pkg/cli/` and `pkg/console/`, indicating that human review alone has not been sufficient. A mechanical check on every PR is cheaper than reviewer attention and cannot be forgotten as the codebase grows.
+
+#### Alternative 2: Use a third-party linter (e.g., `gocritic`, `staticcheck`'s SA-rules)
+
+General-purpose Go linters offer mutex-related rules with broader coverage. Rejected to stay consistent with the project's convention of small, focused, in-house analyzers under `pkg/linters/`, each as its own package with custom logic. Pulling in an external linter for a single rule introduces a new dependency surface, inconsistent rule configuration, and noise from rules the project has not opted into.
+
+#### Alternative 3: Combine with a broader "deferred cleanup" linter
+
+Bundle this rule with `fileclosenotdeferred` and any future checks (e.g., `http.Response.Body` close, `context.CancelFunc` invocation) into one analyzer that flags any "resource acquired but cleanup not deferred" pattern. Rejected because the existing convention is one analyzer per rule, which keeps each rule's `Analyzer.Doc` URL narrow, independently disable-able, and easy to extend without coupling unrelated checks. The two linters share a near-identical structural pattern, but coupling them would make it harder to suppress one without the other.
+
+### Consequences
+
+#### Positive
+- New non-deferred `Unlock()` / `RUnlock()` patterns introduced after merge are caught by `make golint-custom` and fail in CI rather than landing on `main`.
+- The linter follows the same `pkg/linters/<name>/` layout, `Analyzer` shape, and `testdata` convention as the sibling analyzers (notably the sibling `fileclosenotdeferred` from ADR-33834), so contributors can extend it without learning a new pattern.
+- Creates incentive to clean up the 12+ pre-existing manual-unlock sites in `pkg/cli/` and `pkg/console/` to maintain a clean linter signal.
+
+#### Negative
+- Detection is structural and intentionally narrow: it matches only direct calls `<var>.Lock()` / `<var>.RLock()` / `<var>.Unlock()` / `<var>.RUnlock()` where `<var>`'s static type is `sync.Mutex` / `sync.RWMutex` (or a pointer thereto). It will miss mutexes accessed via field selectors (`s.mu.Lock()`), mutexes returned from helper functions, and locks released through wrapper methods. False negatives are accepted in exchange for low false-positive rate.
+- The 12+ pre-existing violations are not fixed in this PR, so the linter cannot be made a blocking CI gate without follow-up work or suppression.
+- Adds one more analyzer to the registry, marginally increasing `cmd/linters/main.go` compile and run time.
+
+#### Neutral
+- Test files are deliberately excluded via `filecheck.IsTestFile`, matching the convention used by the sibling linters. Test fixtures may legitimately unlock mutexes inline to exercise concurrency paths.
+- The diagnostic reports at the lock position, not the manual-unlock position, so the warning points the reader to the place where `defer` should be inserted.
+- Re-locking the same variable after a prior unlock is handled by resetting per-variable state on the new `Lock()` call, so cyclical lock/unlock patterns inside a single function are tolerated provided each lock has a matching defer.
+
+---
+
+## Part 2 — Normative Specification (RFC 2119)
+
+> The key words **MUST**, **MUST NOT**, **REQUIRED**, **SHALL**, **SHALL NOT**, **SHOULD**, **SHOULD NOT**, **RECOMMENDED**, **MAY**, and **OPTIONAL** in this section are to be interpreted as described in [RFC 2119](https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc2119).
+
+### Linter Behaviour
+
+1. The analyzer **MUST** be exported as `manualmutexunlock.Analyzer` with `Name` equal to `"manualmutexunlock"`.
+2. The analyzer **MUST** report a diagnostic for every local variable whose static type is `sync.Mutex`, `sync.RWMutex`, or a pointer to either, when `Unlock()` or `RUnlock()` is invoked on that variable without a matching `defer` statement in the same `*ast.FuncDecl` body following a `Lock()` or `RLock()` call.
+3. The analyzer **MUST NOT** report a diagnostic when the mutex variable's `Unlock()` / `RUnlock()` is invoked via a `defer` statement anywhere in the same function body for the corresponding lock acquisition.
+4. The analyzer **MUST NOT** descend into nested `*ast.FuncLit` literals; closures are treated as independent scopes.
+5. The analyzer **MUST NOT** report a diagnostic when the containing file is a Go test file as determined by `pkg/linters/internal/filecheck.IsTestFile`.
+6. The diagnostic `Pos` **MUST** be the position of the originating `Lock()` / `RLock()` call, not the position of the manual `Unlock()` / `RUnlock()`.
+7. The diagnostic `Message` **SHOULD** read `"mutex Unlock() should be deferred immediately after Lock() to prevent deadlocks on panic or early return"` so downstream tooling can match on a stable string.
+8. The analyzer **MUST** declare `inspect.Analyzer` in its `Requires` list.
+9. Mutex variable identity **MUST** be tracked by `types.Object` (not by identifier name) so that variable shadowing and same-named variables in different scopes are distinguished correctly.
+
+### Registration
+
+1. The analyzer **MUST** be registered in `cmd/linters/main.go` via the `multichecker.Main` argument list alongside the existing custom analyzers.
+2. The package import in `cmd/linters/main.go` **MUST** use the path `github.com/github/gh-aw/pkg/linters/manualmutexunlock`.
+
+### Package Layout
+
+1. The linter source **MUST** live under `pkg/linters/manualmutexunlock/`.
+2. Test fixtures **MUST** live under `pkg/linters/manualmutexunlock/testdata/src/manualmutexunlock/` and **MUST** use `// want` comments compatible with `golang.org/x/tools/go/analysis/analysistest`.
+3. The test fixtures **MUST** include at least one positive case (manual `Unlock()` flagged), one positive case for `sync.RWMutex` (`RUnlock()` flagged), one negative case (`defer mu.Unlock()` not flagged), and one multi-mutex case where one mutex is correctly deferred and another is not.
+
+### Conformance
+
+An implementation is considered conformant with this ADR if it satisfies all **MUST** and **MUST NOT** requirements above. Failure to meet any **MUST** or **MUST NOT** requirement constitutes non-conformance.
+
+---
+
+*This is a DRAFT ADR generated by the [Design Decision Gate](https://github.com/github/gh-aw/actions/runs/26311406138) workflow. The PR author must review, complete, and finalize this document before the PR can merge.*
diff --git a/pkg/linters/manualmutexunlock/manualmutexunlock.go b/pkg/linters/manualmutexunlock/manualmutexunlock.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f46b54dbf7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/linters/manualmutexunlock/manualmutexunlock.go
@@ -0,0 +1,183 @@
+// Package manualmutexunlock implements a Go analysis linter that flags
+// mutex Unlock() calls that are not deferred, which can lead to deadlocks
+// if a panic or early return occurs between Lock() and Unlock().
+package manualmutexunlock
+
+import (
+	"go/ast"
+	"go/token"
+	"go/types"
+
+	"golang.org/x/tools/go/analysis"
+	"golang.org/x/tools/go/analysis/passes/inspect"
+	"golang.org/x/tools/go/ast/inspector"
+
+	"github.com/github/gh-aw/pkg/linters/internal/filecheck"
+)
+
+// Analyzer is the manual-mutex-unlock analysis pass.
+var Analyzer = &analysis.Analyzer{
+	Name:     "manualmutexunlock",
+	Doc:      "reports mutex Unlock() calls that are not deferred",
+	URL:      "https://github.com/github/gh-aw/tree/main/pkg/linters/manualmutexunlock",
+	Requires: []*analysis.Analyzer{inspect.Analyzer},
+	Run:      run,
+}
+
+func run(pass *analysis.Pass) (any, error) {
+	insp := pass.ResultOf[inspect.Analyzer].(*inspector.Inspector)
+
+	nodeFilter := []ast.Node{
+		(*ast.FuncDecl)(nil),
+	}
+
+	insp.Preorder(nodeFilter, func(n ast.Node) {
+		fn, ok := n.(*ast.FuncDecl)
+		if !ok || fn.Body == nil {
+			return
+		}
+
+		pos := pass.Fset.PositionFor(fn.Pos(), false)
+		if filecheck.IsTestFile(pos.Filename) {
+			return
+		}
+
+		// Track mutex variables: types.Object -> *mutexVarState (lock position, hasDefer, hasManualUnlock)
+		mutexVars := make(map[types.Object]*mutexVarState)
+
+		// Walk all statements in the function body
+		ast.Inspect(fn.Body, func(node ast.Node) bool {
+			if node == nil {
+				return false
+			}
+
+			// Do not descend into function literals — closures are independent
+			if _, ok := node.(*ast.FuncLit); ok {
+				return false
+			}
+
+			// Look for mutex Lock() calls
+			if exprStmt, ok := node.(*ast.ExprStmt); ok {
+				if call, ok := exprStmt.X.(*ast.CallExpr); ok {
+					if obj := getLockCallObj(pass, call); obj != nil {
+						// If this mutex was already tracked from a prior lock on the same
+						// binding, report any unresolved violation before overwriting state.
+						if prev, exists := mutexVars[obj]; exists && prev.hasManualUnlock && !prev.hasDefer {
+							pass.Report(analysis.Diagnostic{
+								Pos:     prev.lockPos,
+								Message: "mutex Unlock() should be deferred immediately after Lock() to prevent deadlocks on panic or early return",
+							})
+						}
+						mutexVars[obj] = &mutexVarState{
+							lockPos: call.Pos(),
+						}
+					}
+				}
+			}
+
+			// Look for defer mu.Unlock()
+			if deferStmt, ok := node.(*ast.DeferStmt); ok {
+				if obj := getUnlockCallObj(pass, deferStmt.Call); obj != nil {
+					if state, found := mutexVars[obj]; found {
+						state.hasDefer = true
+					}
+				}
+			}
+
+			// Look for non-deferred mu.Unlock() in expression statements
+			if exprStmt, ok := node.(*ast.ExprStmt); ok {
+				if call, ok := exprStmt.X.(*ast.CallExpr); ok {
+					if obj := getUnlockCallObj(pass, call); obj != nil {
+						if state, found := mutexVars[obj]; found {
+							state.hasManualUnlock = true
+						}
+					}
+				}
+			}
+
+			return true
+		})
+
+		// Report mutexes with manual unlock but no defer
+		for _, state := range mutexVars {
+			if state.hasManualUnlock && !state.hasDefer {
+				pass.Report(analysis.Diagnostic{
+					Pos:     state.lockPos,
+					Message: "mutex Unlock() should be deferred immediately after Lock() to prevent deadlocks on panic or early return",
+				})
+			}
+		}
+	})
+
+	return nil, nil
+}
+
+type mutexVarState struct {
+	lockPos         token.Pos
+	hasDefer        bool
+	hasManualUnlock bool
+}
+
+// getLockCallObj returns the types.Object for the receiver if call is like mu.Lock() or mu.RLock()
+func getLockCallObj(pass *analysis.Pass, call *ast.CallExpr) types.Object {
+	sel, ok := call.Fun.(*ast.SelectorExpr)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil
+	}
+	if sel.Sel.Name != "Lock" && sel.Sel.Name != "RLock" {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return getMutexReceiverObj(pass, sel.X)
+}
+
+// getUnlockCallObj returns the types.Object for the receiver if call is like mu.Unlock() or mu.RUnlock()
+func getUnlockCallObj(pass *analysis.Pass, call *ast.CallExpr) types.Object {
+	sel, ok := call.Fun.(*ast.SelectorExpr)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil
+	}
+	if sel.Sel.Name != "Unlock" && sel.Sel.Name != "RUnlock" {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return getMutexReceiverObj(pass, sel.X)
+}
+
+func getMutexReceiverObj(pass *analysis.Pass, recv ast.Expr) types.Object {
+	if !isMutexType(pass.TypesInfo.TypeOf(recv)) {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	switch r := recv.(type) {
+	case *ast.Ident:
+		return pass.TypesInfo.ObjectOf(r)
+	case *ast.SelectorExpr:
+		if sel := pass.TypesInfo.Selections[r]; sel != nil {
+			return sel.Obj()
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// isMutexType returns true if t is sync.Mutex, sync.RWMutex, or a pointer to one
+func isMutexType(t types.Type) bool {
+	if t == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	
+	// Handle pointer types
+	if ptr, ok := t.(*types.Pointer); ok {
+		t = ptr.Elem()
+	}
+	
+	named, ok := t.(*types.Named)
+	if !ok {
+		return false
+	}
+	
+	obj := named.Obj()
+	if obj == nil || obj.Pkg() == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	
+	return obj.Pkg().Path() == "sync" && (obj.Name() == "Mutex" || obj.Name() == "RWMutex")
+}
diff --git a/pkg/linters/manualmutexunlock/manualmutexunlock_test.go b/pkg/linters/manualmutexunlock/manualmutexunlock_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b9841c1c3d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/linters/manualmutexunlock/manualmutexunlock_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+//go:build !integration
+
+package manualmutexunlock_test
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"golang.org/x/tools/go/analysis/analysistest"
+
+	"github.com/github/gh-aw/pkg/linters/manualmutexunlock"
+)
+
+func TestAnalyzer(t *testing.T) {
+	testdata := analysistest.TestData()
+	analysistest.Run(t, testdata, manualmutexunlock.Analyzer, "manualmutexunlock")
+}
diff --git a/pkg/linters/manualmutexunlock/testdata/src/manualmutexunlock/manualmutexunlock.go b/pkg/linters/manualmutexunlock/testdata/src/manualmutexunlock/manualmutexunlock.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8e323647052
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/linters/manualmutexunlock/testdata/src/manualmutexunlock/manualmutexunlock.go
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+package manualmutexunlock
+
+import (
+	"sync"
+)
+
+// Correct: defer unlock immediately after lock
+func GoodMutexPattern() {
+	var mu sync.Mutex
+	mu.Lock()
+	defer mu.Unlock()
+	
+	// ... do work ...
+}
+
+// Wrong: manual unlock without defer - should be flagged
+func BadMutexPattern() {
+	var mu sync.Mutex
+	mu.Lock() // want `mutex Unlock\(\) should be deferred immediately after Lock\(\) to prevent deadlocks on panic or early return`
+	
+	// ... do work ...
+	
+	mu.Unlock()
+}
+
+// Correct: RWMutex with defer
+func GoodRWMutexPattern() {
+	var mu sync.RWMutex
+	mu.RLock()
+	defer mu.RUnlock()
+	
+	// ... do work ...
+}
+
+// Wrong: RWMutex without defer - should be flagged
+func BadRWMutexPattern() {
+	var mu sync.RWMutex
+	mu.RLock() // want `mutex Unlock\(\) should be deferred immediately after Lock\(\) to prevent deadlocks on panic or early return`
+	
+	// ... do work ...
+	
+	mu.RUnlock()
+}
+
+// Wrong: write lock without defer - should be flagged
+func BadRWMutexWriteLock() {
+	var mu sync.RWMutex
+	mu.Lock() // want `mutex Unlock\(\) should be deferred immediately after Lock\(\) to prevent deadlocks on panic or early return`
+	
+	// ... do work ...
+	
+	mu.Unlock()
+}
+
+// Correct: nested function with defer
+func GoodNestedPattern() {
+	var mu sync.Mutex
+	mu.Lock()
+	defer mu.Unlock()
+	
+	func() {
+		// This is a closure, analyzed separately
+	}()
+}
+
+// Correct: multiple locks with defers
+func GoodMultipleMutexes() {
+	var mu1 sync.Mutex
+	var mu2 sync.Mutex
+	
+	mu1.Lock()
+	defer mu1.Unlock()
+	
+	mu2.Lock()
+	defer mu2.Unlock()
+	
+	// ... do work ...
+}
+
+// Wrong: multiple locks, one without defer
+func BadMultipleMutexes() {
+	var mu1 sync.Mutex
+	var mu2 sync.Mutex
+	
+	mu1.Lock()
+	defer mu1.Unlock()
+	
+	mu2.Lock() // want `mutex Unlock\(\) should be deferred immediately after Lock\(\) to prevent deadlocks on panic or early return`
+	
+	// ... do work ...
+
+	mu2.Unlock()
+}
+
+type guarded struct {
+	mu sync.Mutex
+}
+
+// Wrong: selector-based mutex receiver without defer - should be flagged
+func BadSelectorPattern() {
+	var g guarded
+	g.mu.Lock() // want `mutex Unlock\(\) should be deferred immediately after Lock\(\) to prevent deadlocks on panic or early return`
+	g.mu.Unlock()
+}
+
+// Wrong: repeated lock on same mutex should still report earlier unresolved violation
+func BadRepeatedLockBeforeGood() {
+	var mu sync.Mutex
+	mu.Lock() // want `mutex Unlock\(\) should be deferred immediately after Lock\(\) to prevent deadlocks on panic or early return`
+	mu.Unlock()
+
+	mu.Lock()
+	defer mu.Unlock()
+}