diff --git a/src/github/utils/sanitizer.ts b/src/github/utils/sanitizer.ts
index 486456c6..47f60abb 100644
--- a/src/github/utils/sanitizer.ts
+++ b/src/github/utils/sanitizer.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,13 @@ export function stripInvisibleCharacters(content: string): string {
 }
 
 export function stripMarkdownImageAltText(content: string): string {
-  return content.replace(/!\[[^\]]*\]\(/g, "![](");
+  // Inline images: ![alt](url) -> ![](url)
+  content = content.replace(/!\[[^\]]*\]\(/g, "![](");
+  // Reference-style images: ![alt][ref] -> ![][ref] (keep the label, drop the
+  // alt text, which is otherwise a hidden-instruction channel just like the
+  // inline form above).
+  content = content.replace(/!\[[^\]]*\](\[[^\]]*\])/g, "![]$1");
+  return content;
 }
 
 export function stripMarkdownLinkTitles(content: string): string {
diff --git a/test/sanitizer.test.ts b/test/sanitizer.test.ts
index da797d0f..2cb7e301 100644
--- a/test/sanitizer.test.ts
+++ b/test/sanitizer.test.ts
@@ -59,6 +59,22 @@ describe("stripMarkdownImageAltText", () => {
   it("should handle empty alt text", () => {
     expect(stripMarkdownImageAltText("![](image.png)")).toBe("![](image.png)");
   });
+
+  it("should remove alt text from reference-style images", () => {
+    expect(stripMarkdownImageAltText("![example alt text][img1]")).toBe(
+      "![][img1]",
+    );
+    expect(
+      stripMarkdownImageAltText("Text ![description][ref] more text"),
+    ).toBe("Text ![][ref] more text");
+  });
+
+  it("should preserve the reference label of a reference-style image", () => {
+    // the [ref] label must survive so the image definition still resolves;
+    // only the alt text (the injection channel) is removed
+    expect(stripMarkdownImageAltText("![alt][my-ref]")).toBe("![][my-ref]");
+    expect(stripMarkdownImageAltText("![][keep]")).toBe("![][keep]");
+  });
 });
 
 describe("stripMarkdownLinkTitles", () => {