diff --git a/.gstack/ship-policy.json b/.gstack/ship-policy.json
index a37b11ca4..48dc10cb5 100644
--- a/.gstack/ship-policy.json
+++ b/.gstack/ship-policy.json
@@ -15,5 +15,6 @@
   "maintainers": ["garrytan"],
   "train": { "gate_workflow": "evals.yml", "free_workflow": "free-tests.yml", "full_gate_check": "gstack/full-gate", "record_artifact": "gstack-train-record", "max_size": 5, "fill_hours": 1, "screen_selection": "gstack-paid", "trial_reservation_usd": 1.5 },
   "changelog_fragments": { "dir": "changelog.d", "required_checks": ["free-tests", "windows-smoke", "Check VERSION is not stale vs queue", "quality", "check-freshness", "actionlint"] },
-  "min_gstack_version": "1.91.340.0"
+  "merge": "direct",
+  "min_gstack_version": "1.95.0.0"
 }
diff --git a/changelog.d/gsta258-l2-merge-direct.md b/changelog.d/gsta258-l2-merge-direct.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3dee69575
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/gsta258-l2-merge-direct.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+- **gstack's own PRs now merge at their own green head.** Its ship policy sets `merge: direct`, so the Captain lands each READY PR with `gstack-ship-queue land --pr <n> --pin <sha>` instead of a train, and VERSION waits for the release stamp. The policy's `min_gstack_version` rises to 1.95.0.0, the release that introduced the key, so an older gstack refuses it by name (`POLICY_GSTACK_TOO_OLD`) and asks for an upgrade.