diff --git a/pkg/workflow/frontmatter_extraction_yaml.go b/pkg/workflow/frontmatter_extraction_yaml.go
index 630dc2a396a..d43e6cdcf55 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/frontmatter_extraction_yaml.go
+++ b/pkg/workflow/frontmatter_extraction_yaml.go
@@ -57,6 +57,13 @@ func (c *Compiler) extractTopLevelYAMLSection(frontmatter map[string]any, key st
 
 	// Check if value is a map that we should order alphabetically
 	if valueMap, ok := value.(map[string]any); ok {
+		// For the "on" section, exclude gh-aw-specific keys that are processed
+		// separately and must not appear in the compiled GitHub Actions workflow.
+		// The "needs" key (on.needs) controls job dependency wiring and is invalid
+		// as a top-level on: trigger key in GitHub Actions.
+		if key == "on" {
+			valueMap = excludeMapKeys(valueMap, "needs")
+		}
 		// Use OrderMapFields for alphabetical sorting (empty priority list = all alphabetical)
 		orderedValue := OrderMapFields(valueMap, []string{})
 		// Wrap the ordered value with the key using MapSlice
diff --git a/pkg/workflow/on_needs_integration_test.go b/pkg/workflow/on_needs_integration_test.go
index f6f8ad0962e..f7b193664a5 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/on_needs_integration_test.go
+++ b/pkg/workflow/on_needs_integration_test.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package workflow
 import (
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/github/gh-aw/pkg/testutil"
@@ -52,6 +53,15 @@ Run with on.needs
 	var lock map[string]any
 	require.NoError(t, yaml.Unmarshal(lockBytes, &lock), "compiled lock file should be valid YAML")
 
+	// Verify on.needs is NOT emitted into the compiled on: section
+	onSection, ok := lock["on"].(map[string]any)
+	require.True(t, ok, "compiled workflow should contain on section")
+	assert.NotContains(t, onSection, "needs", "on.needs must not appear as a key in the compiled on: section")
+
+	// Verify on.needs is not in the raw compiled text (even as a comment)
+	lockContent := string(lockBytes)
+	assert.False(t, containsNeedsInOnSection(lockContent), "on.needs must not appear in the compiled on: section text")
+
 	jobs, ok := lock["jobs"].(map[string]any)
 	require.True(t, ok, "compiled workflow should contain jobs map")
 
@@ -63,3 +73,52 @@ Run with on.needs
 	require.True(t, ok, "compiled workflow should contain activation job")
 	assert.Contains(t, activation["needs"], "secrets_fetcher", "activation should depend on on.needs job")
 }
+
+// containsNeedsInOnSection checks whether the "needs:" key appears in the "on:" section
+// of a compiled workflow YAML string, including a commented-out "# needs:" line.
+func containsNeedsInOnSection(yamlContent string) bool {
+	inOnSection := false
+	onIndent := 0
+	childIndent := -1
+	for _, line := range strings.Split(yamlContent, "\n") {
+		trimmed := strings.TrimLeft(line, " \t")
+		// Track when we enter/leave the on: section
+		if trimmed == "on:" || strings.HasPrefix(trimmed, `"on":`) {
+			inOnSection = true
+			onIndent = len(line) - len(trimmed)
+			childIndent = -1
+			continue
+		}
+		// Leave on: section when we hit a top-level key
+		if inOnSection && len(line) > 0 && line[0] != ' ' && line[0] != '\t' && !strings.HasPrefix(trimmed, "#") {
+			inOnSection = false
+		}
+		if !inOnSection {
+			continue
+		}
+		indent := len(line) - len(trimmed)
+		if indent <= onIndent {
+			continue
+		}
+		if trimmed == "" || strings.HasPrefix(trimmed, "#") {
+			normalized := strings.TrimSpace(strings.TrimPrefix(trimmed, "#"))
+			if childIndent != -1 && indent == childIndent && strings.HasPrefix(normalized, "needs:") {
+				return true
+			}
+			continue
+		}
+		if childIndent == -1 {
+			childIndent = indent
+		}
+		if indent != childIndent {
+			continue
+		}
+		normalized := strings.TrimSpace(strings.TrimPrefix(trimmed, "#"))
+		// Check for needs: inside on: section as a direct child key, even if it
+		// has been commented out.
+		if strings.HasPrefix(normalized, "needs:") {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
diff --git a/pkg/workflow/yaml_test.go b/pkg/workflow/yaml_test.go
index 651e13ff2a8..07834aa4526 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/yaml_test.go
+++ b/pkg/workflow/yaml_test.go
@@ -400,6 +400,34 @@ func TestMarshalWithFieldOrder_OrdersNestedEnvWithSecretsRecursively(t *testing.
 	assertOrder("    ALPHA_STEP:", "    ZETA_STEP:")
 }
 
+func TestExtractTopLevelYAMLSectionExcludesOnNeeds(t *testing.T) {
+	compiler := NewCompiler()
+
+	frontmatter := map[string]any{
+		"on": map[string]any{
+			"needs":             []any{"custom_job"},
+			"workflow_dispatch": nil,
+		},
+	}
+
+	result := compiler.extractTopLevelYAMLSection(frontmatter, "on")
+
+	if strings.Contains(result, "needs:") {
+		t.Errorf("on.needs must not appear in compiled on: section, but found it in:\n%s", result)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(result, "workflow_dispatch") {
+		t.Errorf("workflow_dispatch should be present in the compiled on: section:\n%s", result)
+	}
+	// Verify the original frontmatter["on"] map is not mutated
+	onMap, ok := frontmatter["on"].(map[string]any)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("frontmatter[\"on\"] should remain a map[string]any")
+	}
+	if _, hasNeeds := onMap["needs"]; !hasNeeds {
+		t.Error("extractTopLevelYAMLSection must not mutate the original frontmatter[\"on\"] map")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestExtractTopLevelYAMLSectionWithOrdering(t *testing.T) {
 	compiler := NewCompiler()