diff --git a/.github/workflows/gemini-scheduled-issue-triage.yml b/.github/workflows/gemini-scheduled-issue-triage.yml
index 9feb470ddd..a91b0cc60e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/gemini-scheduled-issue-triage.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/gemini-scheduled-issue-triage.yml
@@ -233,17 +233,38 @@ jobs:
             core.info(`Raw labels JSON: ${rawLabels}`);
             let parsedLabels;
             try {
+              // First, try to parse the raw output as JSON.
+              parsedLabels = JSON.parse(rawLabels);
+            } catch (jsonError) {
+              // If that fails, check for a markdown code block.
+              core.warning(`Direct JSON parsing failed: ${jsonError.message}. Trying to extract from a markdown block.`);
               const jsonMatch = rawLabels.match(/```json\s*([\s\S]*?)\s*```/);
-              if (!jsonMatch || !jsonMatch[1]) {
-                throw new Error("Could not find a ```json ... ``` block in the output.");
+              if (jsonMatch && jsonMatch[1]) {
+                try {
+                  parsedLabels = JSON.parse(jsonMatch[1].trim());
+                } catch (markdownError) {
+                  core.setFailed(`Failed to parse JSON even after extracting from markdown block: ${markdownError.message}\nRaw output: ${rawLabels}`);
+                  return;
+                }
+              } else {
+                // If no markdown block, try to find a raw JSON array in the output.
+                // The CLI may include debug/log lines (e.g. telemetry init, YOLO mode)
+                // before the actual JSON response.
+                const jsonArrayMatch = rawLabels.match(/(\[[\s\S]*\])/);
+                if (jsonArrayMatch) {
+                  try {
+                    parsedLabels = JSON.parse(jsonArrayMatch[0]);
+                  } catch (extractError) {
+                    core.setFailed(`Found JSON-like content but failed to parse: ${extractError.message}\nRaw output: ${rawLabels}`);
+                    return;
+                  }
+                } else {
+                  core.setFailed(`Output is not valid JSON and does not contain extractable JSON.\nRaw output: ${rawLabels}`);
+                  return;
+                }
               }
-              const jsonString = jsonMatch[1].trim();
-              parsedLabels = JSON.parse(jsonString);
-              core.info(`Parsed labels JSON: ${JSON.stringify(parsedLabels)}`);
-            } catch (err) {
-              core.setFailed(`Failed to parse labels JSON from Gemini output: ${err.message}\nRaw output: ${rawLabels}`);
-              return;
             }
+            core.info(`Parsed labels JSON: ${JSON.stringify(parsedLabels)}`);
 
             for (const entry of parsedLabels) {
               const issueNumber = entry.issue_number;