diff --git a/.changeset/patch-clean-safe-outputs-loader.md b/.changeset/patch-clean-safe-outputs-loader.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..54e80ffa9f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/patch-clean-safe-outputs-loader.md
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+"gh-aw": patch
+---
+
+Clean and modernize `pkg/workflow/js/safe_outputs_tools_loader.cjs` by refactoring
+internal functions (`loadTools`, `attachHandlers`, `registerDynamicTools`) to use
+modern JavaScript patterns (optional chaining, nullish coalescing, handler map)
+and reduce nesting and complexity. No behavioral changes.
+
diff --git a/pkg/workflow/js/safe_outputs_tools_loader.cjs b/pkg/workflow/js/safe_outputs_tools_loader.cjs
index 69eb19e315d..88c1975e942 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/js/safe_outputs_tools_loader.cjs
+++ b/pkg/workflow/js/safe_outputs_tools_loader.cjs
@@ -9,30 +9,28 @@ const fs = require("fs");
  */
 function loadTools(server) {
   const toolsPath = process.env.GH_AW_SAFE_OUTPUTS_TOOLS_PATH || "/tmp/gh-aw/safeoutputs/tools.json";
-  let ALL_TOOLS = [];
-
+  
   server.debug(`Reading tools from file: ${toolsPath}`);
 
+  if (!fs.existsSync(toolsPath)) {
+    server.debug(`Tools file does not exist at: ${toolsPath}`);
+    server.debug(`Using empty tools array`);
+    return [];
+  }
+
   try {
-    if (fs.existsSync(toolsPath)) {
-      server.debug(`Tools file exists at: ${toolsPath}`);
-      const toolsFileContent = fs.readFileSync(toolsPath, "utf8");
-      server.debug(`Tools file content length: ${toolsFileContent.length} characters`);
-      server.debug(`Tools file read successfully, attempting to parse JSON`);
-      ALL_TOOLS = JSON.parse(toolsFileContent);
-      server.debug(`Successfully parsed ${ALL_TOOLS.length} tools from file`);
-    } else {
-      server.debug(`Tools file does not exist at: ${toolsPath}`);
-      server.debug(`Using empty tools array`);
-      ALL_TOOLS = [];
-    }
+    server.debug(`Tools file exists at: ${toolsPath}`);
+    const toolsFileContent = fs.readFileSync(toolsPath, "utf8");
+    server.debug(`Tools file content length: ${toolsFileContent.length} characters`);
+    server.debug(`Tools file read successfully, attempting to parse JSON`);
+    const tools = JSON.parse(toolsFileContent);
+    server.debug(`Successfully parsed ${tools.length} tools from file`);
+    return tools;
   } catch (error) {
     server.debug(`Error reading tools file: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`);
     server.debug(`Falling back to empty tools array`);
-    ALL_TOOLS = [];
+    return [];
   }
-
-  return ALL_TOOLS;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -42,15 +40,19 @@ function loadTools(server) {
  * @returns {Array} Tools with handlers attached
  */
 function attachHandlers(tools, handlers) {
+  const handlerMap = {
+    create_pull_request: handlers.createPullRequestHandler,
+    push_to_pull_request_branch: handlers.pushToPullRequestBranchHandler,
+    upload_asset: handlers.uploadAssetHandler,
+  };
+
   tools.forEach(tool => {
-    if (tool.name === "create_pull_request") {
-      tool.handler = handlers.createPullRequestHandler;
-    } else if (tool.name === "push_to_pull_request_branch") {
-      tool.handler = handlers.pushToPullRequestBranchHandler;
-    } else if (tool.name === "upload_asset") {
-      tool.handler = handlers.uploadAssetHandler;
+    const handler = handlerMap[tool.name];
+    if (handler) {
+      tool.handler = handler;
     }
   });
+  
   return tools;
 }
 
@@ -84,76 +86,64 @@ function registerDynamicTools(server, tools, config, outputFile, registerTool, n
     const normalizedKey = normalizeTool(configKey);
 
     // Skip if it's already a predefined tool
-    if (server.tools[normalizedKey]) {
+    if (server.tools[normalizedKey] || tools.find(t => t.name === normalizedKey)) {
       return;
     }
 
-    // Check if this is a safe-job (not in ALL_TOOLS)
-    if (!tools.find(t => t.name === normalizedKey)) {
-      const jobConfig = config[configKey];
-
-      // Create a dynamic tool for this safe-job
-      const dynamicTool = {
-        name: normalizedKey,
-        description: jobConfig && jobConfig.description ? jobConfig.description : `Custom safe-job: ${configKey}`,
-        inputSchema: {
-          type: "object",
-          properties: {},
-          additionalProperties: true, // Allow any properties for flexibility
-        },
-        handler: args => {
-          // Create a generic safe-job output entry
-          const entry = {
-            type: normalizedKey,
-            ...args,
-          };
-
-          // Write the entry to the output file in JSONL format
-          // CRITICAL: Use JSON.stringify WITHOUT formatting parameters for JSONL format
-          // Each entry must be on a single line, followed by a newline character
-          const entryJSON = JSON.stringify(entry);
-          fs.appendFileSync(outputFile, entryJSON + "\n");
-
-          // Use output from safe-job config if available
-          const outputText = jobConfig && jobConfig.output ? jobConfig.output : `Safe-job '${configKey}' executed successfully with arguments: ${JSON.stringify(args)}`;
-
-          return {
-            content: [
-              {
-                type: "text",
-                text: JSON.stringify({ result: outputText }),
-              },
-            ],
-          };
-        },
-      };
-
-      // Add input schema based on job configuration if available
-      if (jobConfig && jobConfig.inputs) {
-        dynamicTool.inputSchema.properties = {};
-        dynamicTool.inputSchema.required = [];
-
-        Object.keys(jobConfig.inputs).forEach(inputName => {
-          const inputDef = jobConfig.inputs[inputName];
-          const propSchema = {
-            type: inputDef.type || "string",
-            description: inputDef.description || `Input parameter: ${inputName}`,
-          };
-
-          if (inputDef.options && Array.isArray(inputDef.options)) {
-            propSchema.enum = inputDef.options;
-          }
-
-          dynamicTool.inputSchema.properties[inputName] = propSchema;
-
-          if (inputDef.required) {
-            dynamicTool.inputSchema.required.push(inputName);
-          }
-        });
-      }
-
-      registerTool(server, dynamicTool);
+    const jobConfig = config[configKey];
+
+    // Create a dynamic tool for this safe-job
+    const dynamicTool = {
+      name: normalizedKey,
+      description: jobConfig?.description ?? `Custom safe-job: ${configKey}`,
+      inputSchema: {
+        type: "object",
+        properties: {},
+        additionalProperties: true, // Allow any properties for flexibility
+      },
+      handler: args => {
+        // Create a generic safe-job output entry
+        const entry = { type: normalizedKey, ...args };
+
+        // Write the entry to the output file in JSONL format
+        // CRITICAL: Use JSON.stringify WITHOUT formatting parameters for JSONL format
+        // Each entry must be on a single line, followed by a newline character
+        fs.appendFileSync(outputFile, `${JSON.stringify(entry)}\n`);
+
+        // Use output from safe-job config if available
+        const outputText = jobConfig?.output ?? `Safe-job '${configKey}' executed successfully with arguments: ${JSON.stringify(args)}`;
+
+        return {
+          content: [{ type: "text", text: JSON.stringify({ result: outputText }) }],
+        };
+      },
+    };
+
+    // Add input schema based on job configuration if available
+    if (jobConfig?.inputs) {
+      dynamicTool.inputSchema.properties = {};
+      dynamicTool.inputSchema.required = [];
+
+      Object.keys(jobConfig.inputs).forEach(inputName => {
+        const inputDef = jobConfig.inputs[inputName];
+        const propSchema = {
+          type: inputDef.type || "string",
+          description: inputDef.description || `Input parameter: ${inputName}`,
+        };
+
+        if (Array.isArray(inputDef.options)) {
+          propSchema.enum = inputDef.options;
+        }
+
+        dynamicTool.inputSchema.properties[inputName] = propSchema;
+
+        if (inputDef.required) {
+          dynamicTool.inputSchema.required.push(inputName);
+        }
+      });
     }
+
+    registerTool(server, dynamicTool);
   });
 }