diff --git a/pkg/workflow/compiler.go b/pkg/workflow/compiler.go
index 201301c39f..ed9bc9cbda 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/compiler.go
+++ b/pkg/workflow/compiler.go
@@ -1130,7 +1130,7 @@ func (c *Compiler) ParseWorkflowFile(markdownPath string) (*WorkflowData, error)
 	// Use the already extracted output configuration
 	workflowData.SafeOutputs = safeOutputs
 
-	// Extract safe-jobs from the new location (safe-outputs.jobs) or old location (safe-jobs) for backwards compatibility
+	// Extract safe-jobs from safe-outputs.jobs location
 	topSafeJobs := extractSafeJobsFromFrontmatter(result.Frontmatter)
 
 	// Process @include directives to extract additional safe-outputs configurations
diff --git a/pkg/workflow/safe_jobs.go b/pkg/workflow/safe_jobs.go
index 7c256e7422..98649a63ae 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/safe_jobs.go
+++ b/pkg/workflow/safe_jobs.go
@@ -39,7 +39,9 @@ func HasSafeJobsEnabled(safeJobs map[string]*SafeJobConfig) bool {
 	return len(safeJobs) > 0
 }
 
-// parseSafeJobsConfig parses the safe-jobs configuration from top-level frontmatter
+// parseSafeJobsConfig parses safe-jobs configuration from a frontmatter map.
+// This is an internal helper function that expects a map with a "safe-jobs" key.
+// User workflows should use "safe-outputs.jobs" syntax; the top-level "safe-jobs" key is NOT supported.
 func (c *Compiler) parseSafeJobsConfig(frontmatter map[string]any) map[string]*SafeJobConfig {
 	safeJobsSection, exists := frontmatter["safe-jobs"]
 	if !exists {
@@ -328,8 +330,8 @@ func (c *Compiler) buildSafeJobs(data *WorkflowData, threatDetectionEnabled bool
 	return nil
 }
 
-// extractSafeJobsFromFrontmatter extracts safe-jobs section from frontmatter map
-// Only checks the location under safe-outputs.jobs
+// extractSafeJobsFromFrontmatter extracts safe-jobs configuration from frontmatter.
+// Only checks the safe-outputs.jobs location. The old top-level "safe-jobs" syntax is NOT supported.
 func extractSafeJobsFromFrontmatter(frontmatter map[string]any) map[string]*SafeJobConfig {
 	// Check location: safe-outputs.jobs
 	if safeOutputs, exists := frontmatter["safe-outputs"]; exists {
diff --git a/pkg/workflow/safe_jobs_syntax_test.go b/pkg/workflow/safe_jobs_syntax_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2d10750c91
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/workflow/safe_jobs_syntax_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+package workflow
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// TestOldSafeJobsSyntaxRejected verifies that the old top-level safe-jobs syntax is rejected
+func TestOldSafeJobsSyntaxRejected(t *testing.T) {
+	c := NewCompiler(false, "", "test")
+
+	// Create a temporary workflow file with old safe-jobs syntax
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	workflowPath := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "test-old-syntax.md")
+	content := `---
+on: issues
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+safe-jobs:
+  deploy:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Test
+        run: echo "test"
+---
+
+# Test workflow
+Test old syntax
+`
+	err := os.WriteFile(workflowPath, []byte(content), 0644)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Failed to create test file: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Attempt to parse the workflow
+	_, err = c.ParseWorkflowFile(workflowPath)
+
+	// Should fail with schema validation error
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Expected error when using old safe-jobs syntax, but got nil")
+	}
+
+	// Error message should mention safe-jobs
+	if err != nil && !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "safe-jobs") {
+		t.Errorf("Expected error to mention 'safe-jobs', got: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestNewSafeOutputsJobsSyntaxAccepted verifies that the new safe-outputs.jobs syntax works
+func TestNewSafeOutputsJobsSyntaxAccepted(t *testing.T) {
+	c := NewCompiler(false, "", "test")
+
+	// Create a temporary workflow file with new safe-outputs.jobs syntax
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	workflowPath := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "test-new-syntax.md")
+	content := `---
+on: issues
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+  actions: read
+safe-outputs:
+  jobs:
+    deploy:
+      runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+      steps:
+        - name: Test
+          run: echo "test"
+---
+
+# Test workflow
+Test new syntax
+`
+	err := os.WriteFile(workflowPath, []byte(content), 0644)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Failed to create test file: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Attempt to parse the workflow
+	data, err := c.ParseWorkflowFile(workflowPath)
+
+	// Should succeed
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected no error with new safe-outputs.jobs syntax, got: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Verify safe-jobs were parsed
+	if data.SafeOutputs == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Expected SafeOutputs to be populated")
+	}
+
+	if len(data.SafeOutputs.Jobs) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected 1 safe-job, got %d", len(data.SafeOutputs.Jobs))
+	}
+
+	if _, exists := data.SafeOutputs.Jobs["deploy"]; !exists {
+		t.Error("Expected 'deploy' job to exist in SafeOutputs.Jobs")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/workflow/safe_jobs_test.go b/pkg/workflow/safe_jobs_test.go
index 7841c79785..3e1b09884a 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/safe_jobs_test.go
+++ b/pkg/workflow/safe_jobs_test.go
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@ import (
 func TestParseSafeJobsConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	c := NewCompiler(false, "", "test")
 
-	// Test basic safe-jobs configuration
+	// Test parseSafeJobsConfig internal function which expects a "safe-jobs" key.
+	// Note: User workflows should use "safe-outputs.jobs" syntax; this test validates
+	// the internal parsing logic used by extractSafeJobsFromFrontmatter and safe_outputs.go.
 	frontmatter := map[string]any{
 		"safe-jobs": map[string]any{
 			"deploy": map[string]any{