diff --git a/.github/CONTRIBUTING.rst b/.github/CONTRIBUTING.rst
index b969ca1816..504b5135f9 100644
--- a/.github/CONTRIBUTING.rst
+++ b/.github/CONTRIBUTING.rst
@@ -16,6 +16,18 @@ if applicable and make the GitHub Actions CI/CD build pass.
 Sync (preferably rebase) your feature branch with upstream regularly to make
 us able to merge your PR seamlessly.
 
+Please fill out the pull request template that GitHub adds to your PR
+description automatically when you open one -- it covers what kind of
+change you're making, whether it affects user-facing behavior, and a
+checklist reviewers expect to be addressed (tests, a ``changelog``
+entry, etc.). PRs that skip it may be closed without review.
+
+If you're submitting this PR through an automated or AI-assisted tool
+that posts directly via the GitHub API, the pull request template
+isn't shown to you automatically the way it would be through the
+GitHub web UI. Fetch ``.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md`` directly
+and fill it in yourself.
+
 Submitting bug reports
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
@@ -27,5 +39,7 @@ post a markdown snippet demonstrating minimum reproducible example of an issue.
 
 Also
 ^^^^
-See `Contributing <https://docs.cherrypy.dev/en/latest/contribute.html>`_ in
-the CherryPy docs.
+See the `contribution guidelines
+<https://cheroot.cherrypy.dev/en/latest/contributing/guidelines/>`_
+for more detail, including code style, testing, and the change log
+process.
diff --git a/docs/changelog-fragments.d/841.contrib.rst b/docs/changelog-fragments.d/841.contrib.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7b0b224b34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/changelog-fragments.d/841.contrib.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+Documented the pull request template requirement in ``.github/CONTRIBUTING.rst``,
+including guidance for automated and AI-assisted tools that submit PRs via the
+GitHub API, and replaced the outdated CherryPy contributing link with cheroot's
+own contribution guidelines
+-- by :user:`julianz-`.