diff --git a/bridge.env b/bridge.env
index 954e918..959eee7 100644
--- a/bridge.env
+++ b/bridge.env
@@ -4,8 +4,12 @@ PULSE_BRIDGE_MIB_BASE=http://127.0.0.1:5520
 # Nirlab Command Center (founder workspace) — where the Pulse/Activity feed lives
 PULSE_BRIDGE_WORKSPACE_ID=293d29db-4978-4c54-a92e-b24d4c0a7115
 PULSE_BRIDGE_CHANNEL=activity
-# handle used in "@nir NEEDS YOU:" escalation comments
-PULSE_BRIDGE_MENTION=nir
+# handle used in "@… NEEDS YOU:" escalation comments. Must be the lower(name)
+# of an ACTIVE member of the workspace above — mib007 resolves user mentions by
+# lower(u.name) over workspace_memberships. "nir" does not resolve here (the
+# only human members are Board/local-board and RapidNir/rapidnir-admin), so we
+# mention RapidNir — Nir's account in the Nirlab Command Center workspace.
+PULSE_BRIDGE_MENTION=rapidnir
 PULSE_BRIDGE_POSTER_NAME=Ledger
 PULSE_BRIDGE_SHRE_ITEMS=/Users/aibot/.local/bin/shre-items
 PULSE_BRIDGE_STATE=/Users/aibot/.shre/pulse-bridge/state.json
diff --git a/bridge.py b/bridge.py
index 0746945..e325093 100644
--- a/bridge.py
+++ b/bridge.py
@@ -136,12 +136,15 @@ def save_state(state: dict) -> None:
 def neutralize(text: str) -> str:
     """Insert a zero-width space after '@' in ledger-derived text.
 
-    mib007's comms route treats the FIRST '@handle' in a message as an agent
-    mention: a matching agent fires an AI reply into the thread, and on this
-    instance ANY mention 500s after the insert (the agent lookup references a
-    nonexistent url_key column). So no bridge-emitted text may ever contain a
-    bare '@handle' — including the bridge's own needs-you escalation, which is
-    emitted zwsp-neutralised and renders identically in the UI.
+    mib007's comms route treats the FIRST '@handle' in a message as a mention:
+    a matching agent fires an AI reply into the thread, and a matching
+    workspace-member user gets a notification. The historical crash (mention
+    lookup on a nonexistent agents.url_key column 500'd AFTER the insert) is
+    FIXED — Nirlabinc/mib007 PR #32 — so mentions are safe to send. We still
+    neutralize ledger-DERIVED text (titles, details, notes) because arbitrary
+    item text containing "@aros"/"@ellie" must not accidentally fire an agent
+    reply into the feed. The bridge's own needs-you escalation line is the one
+    place that deliberately carries a live @handle (see update_body).
     """
     return (text or "").replace("@", "@​")
 
@@ -176,7 +179,11 @@ def update_body(rec: dict) -> str:
     stage = rec.get("stage")
     note = neutralize(rec.get("note", ""))
     if kind == "needs-you":
-        lines.append(neutralize(f"@{MENTION}") + " NEEDS YOU: this item is now"
+        # Deliberately a LIVE mention (not neutralized): mib007 resolves
+        # @<lower(user name)> against active workspace members and creates a
+        # comment.mention notification, so the escalation actually pings the
+        # human. Everything else in the line stays neutralized.
+        lines.append(f"@{MENTION} NEEDS YOU: this item is now"
                      " waiting on a human." + (f" — {note}" if note else ""))
         note = ""  # already included
     elif kind == "failed":