diff --git a/.github/workflows/plan.lock.yml b/.github/workflows/plan.lock.yml
index 82c4533965..e0e6a80f20 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/plan.lock.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/plan.lock.yml
@@ -1409,7 +1409,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/github-script@ed597411d8f924073f98dfc5c65a23a2325f34cd # v8.0.0
         env:
           GH_AW_AGENT_OUTPUT: ${{ env.GH_AW_AGENT_OUTPUT }}
-          GH_AW_SAFE_OUTPUTS_HANDLER_CONFIG: "{\"close_discussion\":{\"max\":1,\"required_category\":\"Ideas\"},\"create_issue\":{\"labels\":[\"plan\",\"ai-generated\"],\"max\":6,\"title_prefix\":\"[plan] \"},\"missing_data\":{},\"missing_tool\":{}}"
+          GH_AW_SAFE_OUTPUTS_HANDLER_CONFIG: "{\"close_discussion\":{\"max\":1},\"create_issue\":{\"labels\":[\"plan\",\"ai-generated\"],\"max\":6,\"title_prefix\":\"[plan] \"},\"missing_data\":{},\"missing_tool\":{}}"
         with:
           github-token: ${{ secrets.GH_AW_GITHUB_TOKEN || secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           script: |
diff --git a/actions/setup/js/close_discussion.cjs b/actions/setup/js/close_discussion.cjs
index bf7f2e2ab4..ce36b2972a 100644
--- a/actions/setup/js/close_discussion.cjs
+++ b/actions/setup/js/close_discussion.cjs
@@ -152,7 +152,6 @@ async function main(config = {}) {
   // Extract configuration
   const requiredLabels = config.required_labels || [];
   const requiredTitlePrefix = config.required_title_prefix || "";
-  const requiredCategory = config.required_category || "";
   const maxCount = config.max || 10;
 
   core.info(`Close discussion configuration: max=${maxCount}`);
@@ -162,9 +161,6 @@ async function main(config = {}) {
   if (requiredTitlePrefix) {
     core.info(`Required title prefix: ${requiredTitlePrefix}`);
   }
-  if (requiredCategory) {
-    core.info(`Required category: ${requiredCategory}`);
-  }
 
   // Track how many items we've processed for max limit
   let processedCount = 0;
@@ -239,15 +235,6 @@ async function main(config = {}) {
         };
       }
 
-      // Validate required category if configured
-      if (requiredCategory && discussion.category.name !== requiredCategory) {
-        core.warning(`Discussion #${discussionNumber} category "${discussion.category.name}" doesn't match required "${requiredCategory}"`);
-        return {
-          success: false,
-          error: `Category doesn't match "${requiredCategory}"`,
-        };
-      }
-
       // Add comment if body is provided
       let commentUrl;
       if (item.body) {
diff --git a/pkg/workflow/compiler_safe_outputs_config.go b/pkg/workflow/compiler_safe_outputs_config.go
index 07ef1e6e34..62d9cfd5e9 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/compiler_safe_outputs_config.go
+++ b/pkg/workflow/compiler_safe_outputs_config.go
@@ -93,6 +93,9 @@ func (c *Compiler) addHandlerManagerConfigEnvVar(steps *[]string, data *Workflow
 		if cfg.CloseOlderDiscussions {
 			handlerConfig["close_older_discussions"] = true
 		}
+		if cfg.RequiredCategory != "" {
+			handlerConfig["required_category"] = cfg.RequiredCategory
+		}
 		if cfg.Expires > 0 {
 			handlerConfig["expires"] = cfg.Expires
 		}
@@ -142,9 +145,6 @@ func (c *Compiler) addHandlerManagerConfigEnvVar(steps *[]string, data *Workflow
 		if cfg.RequiredTitlePrefix != "" {
 			handlerConfig["required_title_prefix"] = cfg.RequiredTitlePrefix
 		}
-		if cfg.RequiredCategory != "" {
-			handlerConfig["required_category"] = cfg.RequiredCategory
-		}
 		if cfg.TargetRepoSlug != "" {
 			handlerConfig["target-repo"] = cfg.TargetRepoSlug
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/workflow/create_discussion.go b/pkg/workflow/create_discussion.go
index d809a87b8f..ffe18b6067 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/create_discussion.go
+++ b/pkg/workflow/create_discussion.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ type CreateDiscussionsConfig struct {
 	TargetRepoSlug        string   `yaml:"target-repo,omitempty"`             // Target repository in format "owner/repo" for cross-repository discussions
 	AllowedRepos          []string `yaml:"allowed-repos,omitempty"`           // List of additional repositories that discussions can be created in
 	CloseOlderDiscussions bool     `yaml:"close-older-discussions,omitempty"` // When true, close older discussions with same title prefix or labels as outdated
+	RequiredCategory      string   `yaml:"required-category,omitempty"`       // Required category for matching when close-older-discussions is enabled
 	Expires               int      `yaml:"expires,omitempty"`                 // Hours until the discussion expires and should be automatically closed
 }
 
@@ -89,6 +90,9 @@ func (c *Compiler) parseDiscussionsConfig(outputMap map[string]any) *CreateDiscu
 	}
 	if config.CloseOlderDiscussions {
 		discussionLog.Print("Close older discussions enabled")
+		if config.RequiredCategory != "" {
+			discussionLog.Printf("Required category for close older discussions: %q", config.RequiredCategory)
+		}
 	}
 	if config.Expires > 0 {
 		discussionLog.Printf("Discussion expiration configured: %d hours", config.Expires)