diff --git a/.gitea/sop-checklist-config.yaml b/.gitea/sop-checklist-config.yaml
index 346d231f0..12431513e 100644
--- a/.gitea/sop-checklist-config.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/sop-checklist-config.yaml
@@ -78,11 +78,11 @@ items:
   - slug: root-cause
     numeric_alias: 4
     pr_section_marker: "Root-cause not symptom"
-    required_teams: [managers, ceo]
+    required_teams: [managers, ceo, engineers]
     description: >-
       One-sentence root-cause statement. Ack from managers tier
-      (team-leads) or ceo. Senior judgment required to attest
-      root-cause-versus-symptom.
+      (team-leads), ceo, or any senior engineer. Senior judgment
+      required to attest root-cause-versus-symptom.
 
   - slug: five-axis-review
     numeric_alias: 5
@@ -95,10 +95,10 @@ items:
   - slug: no-backwards-compat
     numeric_alias: 6
     pr_section_marker: "No backwards-compat shim / dead code added"
-    required_teams: [managers, ceo]
+    required_teams: [managers, ceo, engineers]
     description: >-
-      Yes/no + justification if no. Senior ack required because
-      backward-compat shims are how dead-code accretes.
+      Yes/no + justification if no. Senior ack or engineer ack required
+      because backward-compat shims are how dead-code accretes.
 
   - slug: memory-consulted
     numeric_alias: 7