diff --git a/bin/gstack-config b/bin/gstack-config
index 01defcef8..52936ffa2 100755
--- a/bin/gstack-config
+++ b/bin/gstack-config
@@ -86,7 +86,16 @@ CONFIG_HEADER='# gstack configuration — edit freely, changes take effect on ne
 #                           #   --no-plan-tune-hooks, or env GSTACK_PLAN_TUNE_HOOKS.
 #
 # ─── Advanced ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-# codex_reviews: enabled    # disabled = skip Codex adversarial reviews in /ship
+# codex_reviews: enabled    # Master switch for Codex cross-model review. enabled =
+#                           #   Codex runs as a standard step in /review, /ship,
+#                           #   /document-release, plan reviews, and /autoplan (auto
+#                           #   falls back to a Claude subagent if Codex is missing or
+#                           #   not authenticated). disabled = skip all Codex passes.
+#                           #   Asymmetry on disabled: diff-review (/review, /ship) still
+#                           #   runs the free Claude adversarial subagent; plan-review and
+#                           #   /document-release skip the outside-voice step entirely.
+#                           #   An invalid value is REJECTED (existing value preserved) so
+#                           #   a typo cannot silently turn paid Codex calls on or off.
 # gstack_contributor: false # true = file field reports when gstack misbehaves
 # skip_eng_review: false    # true = skip eng review gate in /ship (not recommended)
 #
@@ -302,6 +311,13 @@ case "${1:-}" in
       echo "Warning: plan_tune_hooks '$VALUE' not recognized. Valid values: prompt, yes, no. Using prompt." >&2
       VALUE="prompt"
     fi
+    # codex_reviews controls PAID Codex calls. Unlike the warn-and-default keys above,
+    # an invalid value is REJECTED and the existing setting is left unchanged — a typo
+    # must never silently flip the switch and turn paid Codex calls on or off.
+    if [ "$KEY" = "codex_reviews" ] && [ "$VALUE" != "enabled" ] && [ "$VALUE" != "disabled" ]; then
+      echo "Error: codex_reviews '$VALUE' not recognized. Valid values: enabled, disabled. Existing value left unchanged." >&2
+      exit 1
+    fi
     mkdir -p "$STATE_DIR"
     # Write annotated header on first creation
     if [ ! -f "$CONFIG_FILE" ]; then