diff --git a/Wiki/changelog/cli.md b/Wiki/changelog/cli.md
index beb0ead..a082387 100644
--- a/Wiki/changelog/cli.md
+++ b/Wiki/changelog/cli.md
@@ -13,6 +13,25 @@ page records release-level changes.
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+### 2026-08-03 — Separate link-escape rule from link-target
+
+- `okn validate` now reports a link that resolves outside the bundle root
+  under a separate `link-escape` rule instead of `link-target`. The
+  unconfigured default is unchanged: the warning still appears by default.
+  The split lets a bundle silence escape warnings alone via
+  `link-escape = "off"` in `.openknowledge.toml` (or `--rule link-escape=off`)
+  without losing `link-target` detection for in-bundle links that do not
+  exist. Integrated knowledge bases that link to surrounding repository source
+  files can keep missing-link detection while suppressing the escape noise.
+- **Migration:** an existing `link-target = "off"|"error"` config now affects
+  only missing-target; add a matching `link-escape` entry to preserve the
+  prior behavior. JSON consumers keying on `rule: "link-target"` for escape
+  issues must update to `link-escape`.
+- Source: `packages/cli/internal/okf/validation_rules.go`,
+  `packages/cli/internal/okf/validation_policy.go`,
+  `packages/cli/internal/okf/validation_checks.go`.
+- Docs: `Wiki/features/commands/validate.md`.
+
 ### 2026-08-02 — Unified interactive setup
 
 - `okn setup` now starts a terminal wizard. Without terminal input, it prints
diff --git a/Wiki/features/commands/validate.md b/Wiki/features/commands/validate.md
index 98b53f8..972b460 100644
--- a/Wiki/features/commands/validate.md
+++ b/Wiki/features/commands/validate.md
@@ -48,7 +48,8 @@ okn validate --quiet Wiki
 | `frontmatter-format` | warning | Parseable frontmatter follows clean formatting. |
 | `markdown-syntax` | warning | Links, code spans, tables, and fences look complete. |
 | `okf-version` | warning | Root `okf_version` matches the selected spec. |
-| `link-target` | warning | Local Markdown links resolve inside the bundle. |
+| `link-target` | warning | Local Markdown link targets inside the bundle exist. |
+| `link-escape` | warning | Local Markdown links resolve inside the bundle root. Disable to allow links to repository files outside the bundle. |
 
 The scan includes `.md` and `.markdown` files. It skips `.git`. It classifies
 `index.md` and `log.md` as reserved files.
diff --git a/packages/cli/internal/okf/validate_test.go b/packages/cli/internal/okf/validate_test.go
index bbd0889..9cb6eb8 100644
--- a/packages/cli/internal/okf/validate_test.go
+++ b/packages/cli/internal/okf/validate_test.go
@@ -238,6 +238,56 @@ func TestValidateWarnsForBrokenLocalLinks(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestValidateSeparatesEscapeAndMissingLinkRules(t *testing.T) {
+	base := t.TempDir()
+	root := filepath.Join(base, "Wiki")
+	writeFile(t, base, "src/app.kt", "package demo\n")
+	writeFile(t, root, "index.md", "# Index\n\n[Code](../src/app.kt)\n[Missing](missing.md)\n")
+	writeFile(t, root, "log.md", "# Log\n\n## 2026-06-16\n\n* Created.\n")
+
+	find := func(warnings []Issue, rule, substr string) bool {
+		for _, w := range warnings {
+			if w.Rule == rule && strings.Contains(w.Message, substr) {
+				return true
+			}
+		}
+		return false
+	}
+
+	result, err := Validate(root)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if len(result.Errors) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected no errors, got %#v", result.Errors)
+	}
+	if len(result.Warnings) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected escape and missing warnings, got %#v", result.Warnings)
+	}
+	if !find(result.Warnings, "link-escape", "escapes bundle root") {
+		t.Fatalf("expected link-escape warning, got %#v", result.Warnings)
+	}
+	if !find(result.Warnings, "link-target", "missing.md") {
+		t.Fatalf("expected link-target missing warning, got %#v", result.Warnings)
+	}
+
+	result, err = ValidateWithVersionAndOptions(root, LatestSpecVersion, ValidationOptions{Rules: map[string]string{"link-escape": "off"}})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if len(result.Warnings) != 1 || !find(result.Warnings, "link-target", "missing.md") {
+		t.Fatalf("expected only the missing-link warning after disabling link-escape, got %#v", result.Warnings)
+	}
+
+	result, err = ValidateWithVersionAndOptions(root, LatestSpecVersion, ValidationOptions{Rules: map[string]string{"link-target": "off"}})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if len(result.Warnings) != 1 || !find(result.Warnings, "link-escape", "escapes bundle root") {
+		t.Fatalf("expected only the escape warning after disabling link-target, got %#v", result.Warnings)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestValidateOptionsEscalateAndDisableRules(t *testing.T) {
 	root := t.TempDir()
 	writeFile(t, root, "index.md", "# Index\n\n[Missing](missing.md)\n")
diff --git a/packages/cli/internal/okf/validation_checks.go b/packages/cli/internal/okf/validation_checks.go
index 5cbfffa..228167f 100644
--- a/packages/cli/internal/okf/validation_checks.go
+++ b/packages/cli/internal/okf/validation_checks.go
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ func buildChecks(result Result) []Check {
 		},
 		{
 			Name:    "Link targets",
-			Status:  statusForErrorWarningRules(result.Errors, result.Warnings, []string{"link-target"}, []string{"link-target"}),
+			Status:  statusForErrorWarningRules(result.Errors, result.Warnings, []string{"link-target", "link-escape"}, []string{"link-target", "link-escape"}),
 			Message: "Local Markdown links should resolve inside the bundle",
 		},
 		{
diff --git a/packages/cli/internal/okf/validation_policy.go b/packages/cli/internal/okf/validation_policy.go
index d1c8573..6857caf 100644
--- a/packages/cli/internal/okf/validation_policy.go
+++ b/packages/cli/internal/okf/validation_policy.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ var knownValidationRules = map[string]struct{}{
 	"frontmatter":         {},
 	"frontmatter-format":  {},
 	"index-frontmatter":   {},
+	"link-escape":         {},
 	"link-target":         {},
 	"log-date":            {},
 	"log-frontmatter":     {},
diff --git a/packages/cli/internal/okf/validation_rules.go b/packages/cli/internal/okf/validation_rules.go
index ad02bfc..1ea6b08 100644
--- a/packages/cli/internal/okf/validation_rules.go
+++ b/packages/cli/internal/okf/validation_rules.go
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ func validateDocumentLinks(root string, document ASTDocument, result *Result) {
 			result.Warnings = append(result.Warnings, Issue{
 				Path:    document.Rel,
 				Line:    link.Line,
-				Rule:    "link-target",
+				Rule:    "link-escape",
 				Message: fmt.Sprintf("link target escapes bundle root: %s", link.Href),
 			})
 			continue