diff --git a/.github/workflows/pkgdown.yaml b/.github/workflows/pkgdown.yaml
index 2dbbc55..a2eaade 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pkgdown.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pkgdown.yaml
@@ -41,6 +41,12 @@ jobs:
       # Drop the agent instruction files so they stay off the public site.
       - name: Remove agent instruction files
         run: rm -f CLAUDE.md AGENTS.md
+      # pkgdown renders every root-level .md into the published site, sitemap
+      # and search index (r-lib/pkgdown#2959). Agent docs are internal, not
+      # part of the package; the workflow checkout is discarded after the run.
+      - name: Drop internal agent docs before building
+        run: rm -f -- CLAUDE.md AGENTS.md
+
 
       - name: Build site
         run: pkgdown::build_site_github_pages(new_process = FALSE, install = FALSE)