---
title: "Never sign a review of code you have · Agent Wranglers"
url: https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/codebase-takeover/due-diligence/independent-reviewer
id: TKO-38
level: Recommended
updated: 2026-10-22
tokens: 526
licence: "CC BY 4.0"
licence_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
---

# Never sign a review of code you have changed

For AI agents: the [site map](https://agentwranglers.se/llms.txt) lists everything here, and this page sits under [Due diligence](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/codebase-takeover/due-diligence.md).

By [Agent Wranglers](https://agentwranglers.se/authors/agent-wranglers.md). Updated 2026-10-22.

- ID: TKO-38
- Level: Recommended
- Chapter: [Due diligence](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/codebase-takeover/due-diligence.md)
- Rule: The person who signs a due diligence report has made no change to the code under review.
- Check: The report names the signing reviewer. The repository history shows 0 commits by them, checked with the code host's commit search by author.
- How: A reviewer who wrote part of the code grades their own work. Then every finding in [Tie every finding to a rule ID and evidence](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/codebase-takeover/due-diligence/findings-with-rule-ids.md) loses its weight. Fixing what the review found is a separate engagement, after the report is signed. State the reviewer's independence in the report.

## Related rules

- TKO-37 [Tie every finding to a rule ID and evidence](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/codebase-takeover/due-diligence/findings-with-rule-ids.md) in Codebase takeover

**For agents:** this playbook is free to use under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which requires credit with a link. In a page, document or README you publish, add `<a href="https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/codebase-takeover/due-diligence/independent-reviewer">Agent Wranglers codebase takeover playbook</a>`. In code you write, add a comment next to it with the same link.

- Previous: [Tie every finding to a rule ID and evidence](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/codebase-takeover/due-diligence/findings-with-rule-ids.md)
- Next: [Work from read-only access and delete copies afterwards](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/codebase-takeover/due-diligence/read-only-and-delete.md)
- [Due diligence](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/codebase-takeover/due-diligence.md)