diff --git a/.changeset/patch-fix-cross-repo-safe-output-handlers.md b/.changeset/patch-fix-cross-repo-safe-output-handlers.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..eaaeea2347
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/patch-fix-cross-repo-safe-output-handlers.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"gh-aw": patch
+---
+
+Ensure remove_labels and assign_to_user safe-output handlers honor target-repo and allowed_repos configs.
diff --git a/actions/setup/js/assign_to_user.cjs b/actions/setup/js/assign_to_user.cjs
index 63bc4b96de..0a7226137e 100644
--- a/actions/setup/js/assign_to_user.cjs
+++ b/actions/setup/js/assign_to_user.cjs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 const { processItems } = require("./safe_output_processor.cjs");
 const { getErrorMessage } = require("./error_helpers.cjs");
+const { resolveTargetRepoConfig, resolveAndValidateRepo } = require("./repo_helpers.cjs");
 
 /** @type {string} Safe output type handled by this module */
 const HANDLER_TYPE = "assign_to_user";
@@ -20,11 +21,16 @@ async function main(config = {}) {
   // Extract configuration
   const allowedAssignees = config.allowed || [];
   const maxCount = config.max || 10;
+  const { defaultTargetRepo, allowedRepos } = resolveTargetRepoConfig(config);
 
   core.info(`Assign to user configuration: max=${maxCount}`);
   if (allowedAssignees.length > 0) {
     core.info(`Allowed assignees: ${allowedAssignees.join(", ")}`);
   }
+  core.info(`Default target repo: ${defaultTargetRepo}`);
+  if (allowedRepos.size > 0) {
+    core.info(`Allowed repos: ${Array.from(allowedRepos).join(", ")}`);
+  }
 
   // Track how many items we've processed for max limit
   let processedCount = 0;
@@ -47,6 +53,18 @@ async function main(config = {}) {
 
     processedCount++;
 
+    // Resolve and validate target repository
+    const repoResult = resolveAndValidateRepo(message, defaultTargetRepo, allowedRepos, "assignee");
+    if (!repoResult.success) {
+      core.warning(`Skipping assign_to_user: ${repoResult.error}`);
+      return {
+        success: false,
+        error: repoResult.error,
+      };
+    }
+    const { repo: itemRepo, repoParts } = repoResult;
+    core.info(`Target repository: ${itemRepo}`);
+
     const assignItem = message;
 
     // Determine issue number
@@ -96,18 +114,18 @@ async function main(config = {}) {
       };
     }
 
-    core.info(`Assigning ${uniqueAssignees.length} users to issue #${issueNumber}: ${JSON.stringify(uniqueAssignees)}`);
+    core.info(`Assigning ${uniqueAssignees.length} users to issue #${issueNumber} in ${itemRepo}: ${JSON.stringify(uniqueAssignees)}`);
 
     try {
       // Add assignees to the issue
       await github.rest.issues.addAssignees({
-        owner: context.repo.owner,
-        repo: context.repo.repo,
+        owner: repoParts.owner,
+        repo: repoParts.repo,
         issue_number: issueNumber,
         assignees: uniqueAssignees,
       });
 
-      core.info(`Successfully assigned ${uniqueAssignees.length} user(s) to issue #${issueNumber}`);
+      core.info(`Successfully assigned ${uniqueAssignees.length} user(s) to issue #${issueNumber} in ${itemRepo}`);
 
       return {
         success: true,
diff --git a/actions/setup/js/assign_to_user.test.cjs b/actions/setup/js/assign_to_user.test.cjs
index 45a83f30c1..9485164aa4 100644
--- a/actions/setup/js/assign_to_user.test.cjs
+++ b/actions/setup/js/assign_to_user.test.cjs
@@ -238,4 +238,111 @@ describe("assign_to_user (Handler Factory Architecture)", () => {
       assignees: ["user1", "user2"],
     });
   });
+
+  it("should support target-repo from config", async () => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+    const { main } = require("./assign_to_user.cjs");
+    const targetRepoHandler = await main({
+      max: 10,
+      "target-repo": "external-org/external-repo",
+    });
+    const addAssigneesCalls = [];
+
+    mockGithub.rest.issues.addAssignees = async params => {
+      addAssigneesCalls.push(params);
+      return {};
+    };
+
+    const result = await targetRepoHandler(
+      {
+        issue_number: 100,
+        assignees: ["user1"],
+      },
+      {}
+    );
+
+    expect(result.success).toBe(true);
+    expect(addAssigneesCalls[0].owner).toBe("external-org");
+    expect(addAssigneesCalls[0].repo).toBe("external-repo");
+  });
+
+  it("should support repo field in message for cross-repository operations", async () => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+    const { main } = require("./assign_to_user.cjs");
+    const crossRepoHandler = await main({
+      max: 10,
+      "target-repo": "default-org/default-repo",
+      allowed_repos: ["cross-org/cross-repo"],
+    });
+    const addAssigneesCalls = [];
+
+    mockGithub.rest.issues.addAssignees = async params => {
+      addAssigneesCalls.push(params);
+      return {};
+    };
+
+    const result = await crossRepoHandler(
+      {
+        issue_number: 456,
+        assignees: ["user1"],
+        repo: "cross-org/cross-repo",
+      },
+      {}
+    );
+
+    expect(result.success).toBe(true);
+    expect(addAssigneesCalls[0].owner).toBe("cross-org");
+    expect(addAssigneesCalls[0].repo).toBe("cross-repo");
+  });
+
+  it("should reject repo not in allowed-repos list", async () => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+    const { main } = require("./assign_to_user.cjs");
+    const handler = await main({
+      max: 10,
+      "target-repo": "default-org/default-repo",
+      allowed_repos: ["allowed-org/allowed-repo"],
+    });
+
+    const result = await handler(
+      {
+        issue_number: 100,
+        assignees: ["user1"],
+        repo: "unauthorized-org/unauthorized-repo",
+      },
+      {}
+    );
+
+    expect(result.success).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.error).toContain("not in the allowed-repos list");
+  });
+
+  it("should qualify bare repo name with default repo org", async () => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+    const { main } = require("./assign_to_user.cjs");
+    const handler = await main({
+      max: 10,
+      "target-repo": "github/default-repo",
+      allowed_repos: ["github/gh-aw"],
+    });
+    const addAssigneesCalls = [];
+
+    mockGithub.rest.issues.addAssignees = async params => {
+      addAssigneesCalls.push(params);
+      return {};
+    };
+
+    const result = await handler(
+      {
+        issue_number: 100,
+        assignees: ["user1"],
+        repo: "gh-aw", // Bare repo name
+      },
+      {}
+    );
+
+    expect(result.success).toBe(true);
+    expect(addAssigneesCalls[0].owner).toBe("github");
+    expect(addAssigneesCalls[0].repo).toBe("gh-aw");
+  });
 });
diff --git a/actions/setup/js/remove_labels.cjs b/actions/setup/js/remove_labels.cjs
index 294970b8a6..ef8118f9e1 100644
--- a/actions/setup/js/remove_labels.cjs
+++ b/actions/setup/js/remove_labels.cjs
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ const HANDLER_TYPE = "remove_labels";
 
 const { validateLabels } = require("./safe_output_validator.cjs");
 const { getErrorMessage } = require("./error_helpers.cjs");
+const { resolveTargetRepoConfig, resolveAndValidateRepo } = require("./repo_helpers.cjs");
 
 /**
  * Main handler factory for remove_labels
@@ -20,11 +21,16 @@ async function main(config = {}) {
   // Extract configuration
   const allowedLabels = config.allowed || [];
   const maxCount = config.max || 10;
+  const { defaultTargetRepo, allowedRepos } = resolveTargetRepoConfig(config);
 
   core.info(`Remove labels configuration: max=${maxCount}`);
   if (allowedLabels.length > 0) {
     core.info(`Allowed labels to remove: ${allowedLabels.join(", ")}`);
   }
+  core.info(`Default target repo: ${defaultTargetRepo}`);
+  if (allowedRepos.size > 0) {
+    core.info(`Allowed repos: ${Array.from(allowedRepos).join(", ")}`);
+  }
 
   // Track how many items we've processed for max limit
   let processedCount = 0;
@@ -47,6 +53,18 @@ async function main(config = {}) {
 
     processedCount++;
 
+    // Resolve and validate target repository
+    const repoResult = resolveAndValidateRepo(message, defaultTargetRepo, allowedRepos, "label");
+    if (!repoResult.success) {
+      core.warning(`Skipping remove_labels: ${repoResult.error}`);
+      return {
+        success: false,
+        error: repoResult.error,
+      };
+    }
+    const { repo: itemRepo, repoParts } = repoResult;
+    core.info(`Target repository: ${itemRepo}`);
+
     // Determine target issue/PR number
     const itemNumber = message.item_number !== undefined ? parseInt(String(message.item_number), 10) : context.payload?.issue?.number || context.payload?.pull_request?.number;
 
@@ -111,7 +129,7 @@ async function main(config = {}) {
       };
     }
 
-    core.info(`Removing ${uniqueLabels.length} labels from ${contextType} #${itemNumber}: ${JSON.stringify(uniqueLabels)}`);
+    core.info(`Removing ${uniqueLabels.length} labels from ${contextType} #${itemNumber} in ${itemRepo}: ${JSON.stringify(uniqueLabels)}`);
 
     // Track successfully removed labels
     const removedLabels = [];
@@ -121,17 +139,18 @@ async function main(config = {}) {
     for (const label of uniqueLabels) {
       try {
         await github.rest.issues.removeLabel({
-          ...context.repo,
+          owner: repoParts.owner,
+          repo: repoParts.repo,
           issue_number: itemNumber,
           name: label,
         });
         removedLabels.push(label);
-        core.info(`Removed label "${label}" from ${contextType} #${itemNumber}`);
+        core.info(`Removed label "${label}" from ${contextType} #${itemNumber} in ${itemRepo}`);
       } catch (error) {
         // Label might not exist on the issue/PR - this is not a failure
         const errorMessage = getErrorMessage(error);
         if (errorMessage.includes("Label does not exist") || errorMessage.includes("404")) {
-          core.info(`Label "${label}" was not present on ${contextType} #${itemNumber}, skipping`);
+          core.info(`Label "${label}" was not present on ${contextType} #${itemNumber} in ${itemRepo}, skipping`);
         } else {
           core.warning(`Failed to remove label "${label}": ${errorMessage}`);
           failedLabels.push({ label, error: errorMessage });
@@ -140,7 +159,7 @@ async function main(config = {}) {
     }
 
     if (removedLabels.length > 0) {
-      core.info(`Successfully removed ${removedLabels.length} labels from ${contextType} #${itemNumber}`);
+      core.info(`Successfully removed ${removedLabels.length} labels from ${contextType} #${itemNumber} in ${itemRepo}`);
     }
 
     return {
diff --git a/actions/setup/js/remove_labels.test.cjs b/actions/setup/js/remove_labels.test.cjs
index c8b89711b2..0776578f57 100644
--- a/actions/setup/js/remove_labels.test.cjs
+++ b/actions/setup/js/remove_labels.test.cjs
@@ -430,5 +430,104 @@ describe("remove_labels", () => {
       expect(removeLabelCalls[0].owner).toBe("test-owner");
       expect(removeLabelCalls[0].repo).toBe("test-repo");
     });
+
+    it("should support target-repo from config", async () => {
+      const handler = await main({
+        max: 10,
+        "target-repo": "external-org/external-repo",
+      });
+      const removeLabelCalls = [];
+
+      mockGithub.rest.issues.removeLabel = async params => {
+        removeLabelCalls.push(params);
+        return {};
+      };
+
+      const result = await handler(
+        {
+          item_number: 100,
+          labels: ["bug"],
+        },
+        {}
+      );
+
+      expect(result.success).toBe(true);
+      expect(removeLabelCalls[0].owner).toBe("external-org");
+      expect(removeLabelCalls[0].repo).toBe("external-repo");
+    });
+
+    it("should support repo field in message for cross-repository operations", async () => {
+      const handler = await main({
+        max: 10,
+        "target-repo": "default-org/default-repo",
+        allowed_repos: ["cross-org/cross-repo"],
+      });
+      const removeLabelCalls = [];
+
+      mockGithub.rest.issues.removeLabel = async params => {
+        removeLabelCalls.push(params);
+        return {};
+      };
+
+      const result = await handler(
+        {
+          item_number: 456,
+          labels: ["bug"],
+          repo: "cross-org/cross-repo",
+        },
+        {}
+      );
+
+      expect(result.success).toBe(true);
+      expect(removeLabelCalls[0].owner).toBe("cross-org");
+      expect(removeLabelCalls[0].repo).toBe("cross-repo");
+    });
+
+    it("should reject repo not in allowed-repos list", async () => {
+      const handler = await main({
+        max: 10,
+        "target-repo": "default-org/default-repo",
+        allowed_repos: ["allowed-org/allowed-repo"],
+      });
+
+      const result = await handler(
+        {
+          item_number: 100,
+          labels: ["bug"],
+          repo: "unauthorized-org/unauthorized-repo",
+        },
+        {}
+      );
+
+      expect(result.success).toBe(false);
+      expect(result.error).toContain("not in the allowed-repos list");
+    });
+
+    it("should qualify bare repo name with default repo org", async () => {
+      const handler = await main({
+        max: 10,
+        "target-repo": "github/default-repo",
+        allowed_repos: ["github/gh-aw"],
+      });
+      const removeLabelCalls = [];
+
+      mockGithub.rest.issues.removeLabel = async params => {
+        removeLabelCalls.push(params);
+        return {};
+      };
+
+      const result = await handler(
+        {
+          item_number: 100,
+          labels: ["bug"],
+          repo: "gh-aw", // Bare repo name
+        },
+        {}
+      );
+
+      expect(result.success).toBe(true);
+      expect(removeLabelCalls[0].owner).toBe("github");
+      expect(removeLabelCalls[0].repo).toBe("gh-aw");
+    });
   });
 });