diff --git a/dev/phase-handler.sh b/dev/phase-handler.sh
index b72ab5b..08ef9df 100644
--- a/dev/phase-handler.sh
+++ b/dev/phase-handler.sh
@@ -410,9 +410,11 @@ Write PHASE:awaiting_review to the phase file, then stop and wait for review fee
       _ci_pipeline_url="${WOODPECKER_SERVER}/repos/${WOODPECKER_REPO_ID}/pipeline/${PIPELINE_NUM:-0}"
       if [ "$CI_FIX_COUNT" -gt "$MAX_CI_FIXES" ]; then
         log "CI failure not recoverable after ${CI_FIX_COUNT} fix attempts — escalating"
+        local _mention_html=""
+        [ -n "${MATRIX_MENTION_USER:-}" ] && _mention_html="<a href='https://matrix.to/#/${MATRIX_MENTION_USER}'>${MATRIX_MENTION_USER}</a> "
         notify_ctx \
           "CI exhausted after ${CI_FIX_COUNT} attempts — escalating for human help" \
-          "CI exhausted after ${CI_FIX_COUNT} attempts on PR <a href='${PR_URL:-${FORGE_WEB}/pulls/${PR_NUMBER}}'>#${PR_NUMBER}</a> | <a href='${_ci_pipeline_url}'>Pipeline</a><br>Step: <code>${FAILED_STEP:-unknown}</code> — escalating for human help"
+          "${_mention_html}CI exhausted after ${CI_FIX_COUNT} attempts on PR <a href='${PR_URL:-${FORGE_WEB}/pulls/${PR_NUMBER}}'>#${PR_NUMBER}</a> | <a href='${_ci_pipeline_url}'>Pipeline</a><br>Step: <code>${FAILED_STEP:-unknown}</code> — escalating for human help"
         printf 'PHASE:escalate\nReason: ci_exhausted after %d attempts (step: %s)\n' "$CI_FIX_COUNT" "${FAILED_STEP:-unknown}" > "$PHASE_FILE"
         # Do NOT update LAST_PHASE_MTIME here — let the main loop detect PHASE:escalate
         return 0
@@ -646,9 +648,11 @@ Instructions:
     _issue_url="${FORGE_WEB}/issues/${ISSUE}"
     _pr_link=""
     [ -n "${PR_NUMBER:-}" ] && _pr_link=" | PR <a href='${FORGE_WEB}/pulls/${PR_NUMBER}'>#${PR_NUMBER}</a>"
+    local _mention_html=""
+    [ -n "${MATRIX_MENTION_USER:-}" ] && _mention_html="<a href='https://matrix.to/#/${MATRIX_MENTION_USER}'>${MATRIX_MENTION_USER}</a> "
     notify_ctx \
       "⚠️ Issue #${ISSUE} (PR #${PR_NUMBER:-none}) escalated — needs human input.${ESCALATE_REASON:+ Reason: ${ESCALATE_REASON}}" \
-      "⚠️ <a href='${_issue_url}'>Issue #${ISSUE}</a>${_pr_link} escalated — needs human input.${ESCALATE_REASON:+ Reason: ${ESCALATE_REASON}}<br>Reply in this thread to send guidance to the agent."
+      "${_mention_html}⚠️ <a href='${_issue_url}'>Issue #${ISSUE}</a>${_pr_link} escalated — needs human input.${ESCALATE_REASON:+ Reason: ${ESCALATE_REASON}}<br>Reply in this thread to send guidance to the agent."
     log "phase: escalate — notified via Matrix, session stays alive waiting for reply"
     # Session stays alive — matrix_listener injects human reply directly
 
diff --git a/lib/load-project.sh b/lib/load-project.sh
index 49e4199..fc4e579 100755
--- a/lib/load-project.sh
+++ b/lib/load-project.sh
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ if 'bot_user' in mx:
     emit('MATRIX_BOT_USER', mx['bot_user'])
 if 'token_env' in mx:
     emit('MATRIX_TOKEN_ENV', mx['token_env'])
+if 'mention_user' in mx:
+    emit('MATRIX_MENTION_USER', mx['mention_user'])
 
 # [monitoring] section
 mon = cfg.get('monitoring', {})
diff --git a/projects/disinto.toml.example b/projects/disinto.toml.example
index 759865f..c0a3003 100644
--- a/projects/disinto.toml.example
+++ b/projects/disinto.toml.example
@@ -17,9 +17,10 @@ stale_minutes      = 60
 containers = []
 
 [matrix]
-room_id   = "!your_room_id:matrix.example.org"
-bot_user  = "@disinto-factory:matrix.example.org"
-token_env = "DISINTO_MATRIX_TOKEN"
+room_id      = "!your_room_id:matrix.example.org"
+bot_user     = "@disinto-factory:matrix.example.org"
+token_env    = "DISINTO_MATRIX_TOKEN"
+mention_user = "@johba:matrix.allf.in"  # Matrix user to @mention on escalations
 
 [monitoring]
 check_prs            = true
diff --git a/projects/harb.toml.example b/projects/harb.toml.example
index 0761a59..83bb1e1 100644
--- a/projects/harb.toml.example
+++ b/projects/harb.toml.example
@@ -17,9 +17,10 @@ stale_minutes      = 60
 containers = ["ponder"]
 
 [matrix]
-room_id   = "!your_room_id:matrix.example.org"
-bot_user  = "@harb-factory:matrix.example.org"
-token_env = "MATRIX_TOKEN"
+room_id      = "!your_room_id:matrix.example.org"
+bot_user     = "@harb-factory:matrix.example.org"
+token_env    = "MATRIX_TOKEN"
+mention_user = "@johba:matrix.allf.in"  # Matrix user to @mention on escalations
 
 [monitoring]
 check_prs            = true