diff --git a/.github/CODEOWNERS b/.github/REVIEWERS
similarity index 92%
rename from .github/CODEOWNERS
rename to .github/REVIEWERS
index a6dc12f405db..e534da992d3d 100644
--- a/.github/CODEOWNERS
+++ b/.github/REVIEWERS
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+# Reviewer routing for scripts/assign-reviewers.mjs, in CODEOWNERS syntax.
+# This is deliberately not a CODEOWNERS file: GitHub requests every matching
+# code owner team as soon as a PR opens, before the workflow requests anyone,
+# so the whole team gets notified.
+
 # Browser, replay, feedback, and related packages
 /packages/browser/                  @getsentry/team-javascript-sdks-browser
 /packages/browser-utils/            @getsentry/team-javascript-sdks-browser
diff --git a/.github/workflows/assign-reviewers.yml b/.github/workflows/assign-reviewers.yml
index e8d11ae70c20..60e541dcb775 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/assign-reviewers.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/assign-reviewers.yml
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v7
         with:
           sparse-checkout: |
-            .github/CODEOWNERS
+            .github/REVIEWERS
             scripts/assign-reviewers.mjs
             scripts/junior-requesters.mjs
           sparse-checkout-cone-mode: false
diff --git a/scripts/assign-reviewers.mjs b/scripts/assign-reviewers.mjs
index ee6122f71d39..2120f7bdd5cd 100644
--- a/scripts/assign-reviewers.mjs
+++ b/scripts/assign-reviewers.mjs
@@ -3,9 +3,10 @@ import * as fs from 'fs';
 import { getJuniorRequesters, TEAM_SLUG } from './junior-requesters.mjs';
 
 const REQUIRED_REVIEWERS = 3;
-// Managers who are members (and code owners) of the SDK teams, but should never be auto-requested for review.
+// Managers who are members of the SDK teams, but should never be auto-requested for review.
+// GitHub's team auto-assignment can still pick them, so their pending requests don't count towards the required reviewers.
 const NEVER_REQUEST = ['mydea', 'stephanie-anderson'];
-const CODEOWNERS_PATH = '.github/CODEOWNERS';
+const REVIEWERS_PATH = '.github/REVIEWERS';
 
 function patternToRegExp(pattern) {
   let p = pattern;
@@ -100,12 +101,15 @@ export async function assignReviewers({ github, context, core }) {
   // Whoever asked Junior for the PR is its de facto author.
   const requesters = await getJuniorRequesters({ github, core, pr: currentPr });
 
+  const neverRequest = new Set(NEVER_REQUEST.map(login => login.toLowerCase()));
+  const requestedReviewers = currentPr.requested_reviewers.filter(user => !neverRequest.has(user.login.toLowerCase()));
+
   const reviews = await github.paginate(github.rest.pulls.listReviews, { owner, repo, pull_number });
   // Requested reviewers drop off `requested_reviewers` once they submit a review, so count both.
   // Bots (AI reviewers) don't count towards the required reviewers.
   const existing = [
     ...new Set(
-      [...currentPr.requested_reviewers, ...reviews.map(r => r.user)]
+      [...requestedReviewers, ...reviews.map(r => r.user)]
         .filter(user => user && user.type !== 'Bot' && user.login.toLowerCase() !== author.toLowerCase())
         .map(user => user.login),
     ),
@@ -120,7 +124,7 @@ export async function assignReviewers({ github, context, core }) {
     (await github.paginate(github.rest.teams.listMembersInOrg, { org: owner, team_slug })).map(m => m.login);
 
   const files = (await github.paginate(github.rest.pulls.listFiles, { owner, repo, pull_number })).map(f => f.filename);
-  const codeowners = getOwnersForFiles(parseCodeowners(fs.readFileSync(CODEOWNERS_PATH, 'utf8')), files);
+  const codeowners = getOwnersForFiles(parseCodeowners(fs.readFileSync(REVIEWERS_PATH, 'utf8')), files);
 
   const codeownerPool = [];
   for (const codeowner of codeowners) {
diff --git a/scripts/assign-reviewers.test.mjs b/scripts/assign-reviewers.test.mjs
index 5ff6877615e6..0628ad394373 100644
--- a/scripts/assign-reviewers.test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/assign-reviewers.test.mjs
@@ -88,4 +88,24 @@ describe('assignReviewers', () => {
       expect.objectContaining({ reviewers: expect.arrayContaining(['b', 'c', 'd']) }),
     );
   });
+
+  it('does not count pending review requests from managers towards the required reviewers', async () => {
+    const { github, run } = setup(assignReviewers, {
+      user: { login: 'author', type: 'User' },
+      requested_reviewers: [
+        { login: 'Mydea', type: 'User' },
+        { login: 'a', type: 'User' },
+      ],
+    });
+    await run();
+    expect(github.rest.pulls.requestReviewers).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({ reviewers: [expect.any(String), expect.any(String)] }),
+    );
+    expect(github.rest.pulls.requestReviewers).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({ reviewers: expect.not.arrayContaining(['a']) }),
+    );
+    expect(github.rest.pulls.requestReviewers).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({ reviewers: expect.not.arrayContaining(['Mydea']) }),
+    );
+  });
 });