diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 1fcada5a..f41c4196 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -1,6 +1,22 @@
 # Contributing to lstk
 
-Thanks for contributing to lstk! This document covers contribution guidelines for the lstk CLI.
+lstk is developed by the LocalStack team. You can read the source, build it, and fork it freely.
+
+**We do not accept pull requests from outside collaborators.**
+
+**The way to participate is to open a well-formed issue.** A reproducible bug report or a clearly explained feature request gives us the context we need to act.
+
+## Filing an issue
+
+[Open a new issue](https://github.com/localstack/lstk/issues/new) for a bug report or feature request.
+
+For **bug reports**, include enough information for someone else to reproduce the problem without a follow-up.
+
+For **feature requests**, lead with the problem rather than only a proposed implementation.
+
+## Why we don't accept outside pull requests
+
+lstk's architecture and roadmap move quickly, and reviewing outside patches requires context and coordination we cannot currently offer fairly. An issue lets us validate the problem and decide on an approach before anyone spends time implementing it.
 
 ## Development Setup
 
@@ -98,13 +114,14 @@ This scaffolds a new Bubble Tea TUI component.
 - Unit tests for isolated logic where integration is impractical
 - When fixing a bug, always add an integration test that reproduces the scenario
 
-## Pull Requests
+## Pull Requests for Collaborators
+
+These steps are for authorized repository collaborators:
 
-1. Fork the repository
-2. Create a feature branch from `main`
-3. Run `make lint` and `make test` before submitting
-4. Review your own PR first — run `/review-pr <number>`
-5. Open a PR against `main`
+1. Create a feature branch from `main`
+2. Run `make lint` and `make test` before submitting
+3. Review your own PR first — run `/review-pr <number>`
+4. Open a PR against `main`
 
 ## Questions?
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 11e68b9c..f2d978ef 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -53,10 +53,8 @@ Running `lstk` will automatically handle authentication, configuration, and cont
 
 For the full command reference, configuration options, environment variables, and troubleshooting, see the **[lstk documentation](https://docs.localstack.cloud/aws/developer-tools/running-localstack/lstk/)**.
 
-## Contributing
+## Participating
 
-See [CONTRIBUTING.md](https://github.com/localstack/lstk/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md) for development setup, architecture, and pull request guidelines.
+lstk is developed by the LocalStack team. You can read the source, build it, and fork it freely — but we don't accept pull requests from outside collaborators.
 
-## Reporting bugs
-
-Feedback is welcome! Use the [repository issue tracker](https://github.com/localstack/lstk/issues) for bug reports or feature requests.
+The best way to participate is to open a well-formed issue. A bug report we can reproduce is worth more to us than a patch, because it captures the part we can't discover ourselves. [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) explains what to include in bug reports and feature requests.