diff --git a/.github/policies/prs.external-reviewers.generated.yml b/.github/policies/prs.external-reviewers.generated.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..404ceb92720
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/policies/prs.external-reviewers.generated.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+# This file is generated by the sync-labels script DO NOT EDIT manually
+# cspell:ignore fionabronwen steverice swatkatz
+id: prs.external-reviewers
+name: Notify external area owners on PRs
+description: GitHub doesn't allow CODEOWNERS entries or formal review requests
+  for users that are not repository collaborators, but some areas are
+  contributed by external teams. Mention those owners in a comment instead.
+  https://github.com/orgs/community/discussions/23042
+resource: repository
+disabled: false
+configuration:
+  resourceManagementConfiguration:
+    eventResponderTasks:
+      - if:
+          - payloadType: Pull_Request
+        then:
+          - if:
+              - includesModifiedFiles:
+                  files:
+                    - packages/graphql/**/*
+              - not:
+                  hasLabel:
+                    label: emitter:graphql
+            then:
+              - addReply:
+                  reply: "@fionabronwen @swatkatz @steverice — this PR modifies files in the
+                    `emitter:graphql` area, which your team owns. Please take a
+                    look. (You can't be added as a formal reviewer because
+                    you're not a repository collaborator, so this is a heads-up
+                    instead.)"
+              - addLabel:
+                  label: emitter:graphql
diff --git a/.github/policies/prs.external-reviewers.yml b/.github/policies/prs.external-reviewers.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 697150e62a5..00000000000
--- a/.github/policies/prs.external-reviewers.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-# cspell:ignore swatkatz
-id: prs.external-reviewers
-name: Assign External Reviewers to PRs.
-description: Github doesn't allow CODEOWNERS to have external users but some emitters are contributed externally https://github.com/orgs/community/discussions/23042
-resource: repository
-disabled: false
-configuration:
-  resourceManagementConfiguration:
-    eventResponderTasks:
-      - if:
-          - payloadType: Pull_Request
-        then:
-          - if:
-              - includesModifiedFiles:
-                  files:
-                    - packages/graphql/**/*
-            then:
-              - requestReview:
-                  reviewer: steverice
-              - requestReview:
-                  reviewer: swatkatz
diff --git a/eng/common/config/area.ts b/eng/common/config/area.ts
index d66a60b59de..f1c12ec9726 100644
--- a/eng/common/config/area.ts
+++ b/eng/common/config/area.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,18 @@ export const AreaPaths: Record<keyof typeof AreaLabels, string[]> = {
   spector: ["packages/spector/", "packages/http-specs"],
 };
 
+/**
+ * External area owners: teams/users outside the org that should be notified on PRs
+ * touching their area. GitHub does not allow non-collaborators in CODEOWNERS, nor can
+ * they be added as formal reviewers, so they are @-mentioned in a comment instead.
+ *
+ * Keyed by the same area names as {@link AreaPaths}; the paths are reused from there.
+ */
+export const ExternalOwners: Partial<Record<keyof typeof AreaLabels, string[]>> = {
+  // cspell:ignore swatkatz fionabronwen
+  "emitter:graphql": ["fionabronwen", "swatkatz", "steverice"],
+};
+
 /**
  * Path that should trigger every CI build.
  */
diff --git a/eng/common/config/labels.ts b/eng/common/config/labels.ts
index 286c297f5f5..24a8f197ae4 100644
--- a/eng/common/config/labels.ts
+++ b/eng/common/config/labels.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // cspell:ignore bfff
 import { defineConfig, defineLabels } from "../scripts/labels/config.js";
 import { repo } from "../scripts/utils/common.js";
-import { AreaPaths } from "./area.js";
+import { AreaPaths, ExternalOwners } from "./area.js";
 
 /**
  * Labels that are used to categorize issue for which area they belong to.
@@ -230,4 +230,5 @@ export default defineConfig({
     },
   },
   areaPaths: AreaPaths,
+  externalOwners: ExternalOwners,
 });
diff --git a/eng/common/scripts/labels/automation.ts b/eng/common/scripts/labels/automation.ts
index f3b110cc2ee..da0d1cac0a4 100644
--- a/eng/common/scripts/labels/automation.ts
+++ b/eng/common/scripts/labels/automation.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import { CheckOptions, syncFile } from "../utils/common.js";
 import { expandFolder } from "../utils/find-area-changed.js";
 import {
   PolicyServiceConfig,
+  addLabel,
+  addReply,
   and,
   eventResponderTask,
   hasLabel,
@@ -24,15 +26,35 @@ export interface SyncLabelAutomationOptions extends CheckOptions {}
 export async function syncLabelAutomation(config: RepoConfig, options: SyncLabelAutomationOptions) {
   await syncPolicyFile(createIssueTriageConfig(config), options);
   await syncPolicyFile(createPrTriageConfig(config), options);
+  await syncPolicyFile(
+    createExternalReviewersConfig(config),
+    options,
+    collectExternalOwners(config),
+  );
 }
 
-async function syncPolicyFile(policy: PolicyServiceConfig, options: CheckOptions) {
+async function syncPolicyFile(
+  policy: PolicyServiceConfig,
+  options: CheckOptions,
+  ignoreWords: string[] = [],
+) {
   const yaml = stringify(policy);
-  const content = `# This file is generated by the sync-labels script DO NOT EDIT manually\n${yaml}`;
+  const cspell = ignoreWords.length > 0 ? `# cspell:ignore ${ignoreWords.join(" ")}\n` : "";
+  const content = `# This file is generated by the sync-labels script DO NOT EDIT manually\n${cspell}${yaml}`;
   const filename = resolve(policyFolder, `${policy.id}.generated.yml`);
   await syncFile(filename, content, options);
 }
 
+function collectExternalOwners(config: RepoConfig): string[] {
+  const all = new Set<string>();
+  for (const owners of Object.values(config.externalOwners)) {
+    for (const owner of owners) {
+      all.add(owner);
+    }
+  }
+  return [...all].sort();
+}
+
 function createIssueTriageConfig(config: RepoConfig): PolicyServiceConfig {
   const areaLabels = config.labels.area.labels;
   return {
@@ -129,3 +151,40 @@ function createPrTriageConfig(config: RepoConfig): PolicyServiceConfig {
     },
   };
 }
+function createExternalReviewersConfig(config: RepoConfig): PolicyServiceConfig {
+  const entries = Object.entries(config.externalOwners).filter(([, owners]) => owners.length > 0);
+  return {
+    id: "prs.external-reviewers",
+    name: "Notify external area owners on PRs",
+    description:
+      "GitHub doesn't allow CODEOWNERS entries or formal review requests for users that are not repository collaborators, but some areas are contributed by external teams. Mention those owners in a comment instead. https://github.com/orgs/community/discussions/23042",
+    resource: "repository",
+    disabled: false,
+    configuration: {
+      resourceManagementConfiguration: {
+        eventResponderTasks: [
+          eventResponderTask({
+            if: [payloadType("Pull_Request")],
+            then: entries.map(([area, owners]) => {
+              const globs = (config.areaPaths[area] ?? []).map(expandFolder);
+              const mentions = owners.map((owner) => `@${owner}`).join(" ");
+              // The area label doubles as the "already notified" guard: it is added
+              // below the first time the paths match so owners are pinged once and not
+              // on every subsequent push (the prs.triage policy also adds it, but adding
+              // it here guarantees the guard is set even if that policy hasn't run yet).
+              return {
+                if: [includesModifiedFiles(globs), not(hasLabel(area))],
+                then: [
+                  addReply(
+                    `${mentions} — this PR modifies files in the \`${area}\` area, which your team owns. Please take a look. (You can't be added as a formal reviewer because you're not a repository collaborator, so this is a heads-up instead.)`,
+                  ),
+                  addLabel(area),
+                ],
+              };
+            }),
+          }),
+        ],
+      },
+    },
+  };
+}
diff --git a/eng/common/scripts/labels/policy.ts b/eng/common/scripts/labels/policy.ts
index fb04c9b6348..df2307d368f 100644
--- a/eng/common/scripts/labels/policy.ts
+++ b/eng/common/scripts/labels/policy.ts
@@ -166,3 +166,23 @@ export type EventResponderTask = {
 export function eventResponderTask(options: EventResponderTask): EventResponderTask {
   return options;
 }
+
+export type AddReply = {
+  addReply: { reply: string };
+};
+
+/**
+ * Post a comment on the issue/PR. @-mentions in the body notify the mentioned users,
+ * including users that are not repository collaborators.
+ */
+export function addReply(reply: string): AddReply {
+  return { addReply: { reply } };
+}
+
+export type AddLabel = {
+  addLabel: { label: string };
+};
+
+export function addLabel(label: string): AddLabel {
+  return { addLabel: { label } };
+}
diff --git a/eng/common/scripts/labels/types.ts b/eng/common/scripts/labels/types.ts
index a461d553d12..4c1809f6d71 100644
--- a/eng/common/scripts/labels/types.ts
+++ b/eng/common/scripts/labels/types.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ export interface RepoConfig {
   };
   labels: LabelsConfig;
   areaPaths: Record<string, string[]>;
+  externalOwners: Record<string, string[]>;
 }
 
 export interface LabelsConfig {