selfcontained · selfcontained · Sep 4, 2026 · Sep 4, 2026
diff --git a/apps/server/src/agents/manager.ts b/apps/server/src/agents/manager.ts
@@ -175,9 +175,13 @@ type CreateAgentInput = {
    * what the CLI receives: `prompt` is the message as the person or launching
    * agent wrote it (the MCP launch path wraps `initialPrompt` in a header the
    * feed should not repeat); `links` are the raw startup URLs the route also
-   * turned into url pins. Defaults to `initialPrompt` and no links.
+   * turned into url pins. Internal/generated startup prompts are deliberately
+   * omitted unless a caller explicitly supplies their user-authored context.
    */
-  launchContext?: { prompt?: string; links?: string[] };
+  launchContext?: {
+    prompt?: string;
+    links?: string[];
+  };
   initialPins?: AgentPin[];
   initialFiles?: Array<{
     fileName: string;
@@ -590,7 +594,7 @@ export class AgentManager {
     return {
       id: launchPostId,
       agentId: p.id,
-      text: input.launchContext?.prompt ?? input.initialPrompt,
+      text: input.launchContext?.prompt,
       files: initialMedia.map((media) => ({ mediaId: media.mediaId })),
       links: input.launchContext?.links ?? [],
       pins: p.initialPins.map((pin) => ({

diff --git a/apps/server/src/agents/tmux/command-builder.ts b/apps/server/src/agents/tmux/command-builder.ts
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ export function buildStartupPrompt(
  * and attachment schema.
  */
 export const CHAT_SURFACE_GUIDANCE_RULE =
-  "Send user-facing replies and questions with dispatch_chat_post; use kind: question with options for finite choices. Terminal output remains in Console.";
+  "The user is reading Chat, not Console. Send every user-facing reply and question with dispatch_chat_post; use kind: question with options for finite choices.";
 
 /**
  * Build the numbered launch guidance text shared by all CLI agent types.

diff --git a/apps/server/src/chat/envelope.ts b/apps/server/src/chat/envelope.ts
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ export function escapeEnvelopeMarkers(text: string): string {
 
 /**
  * The pane-injection envelope wrapping a user's Chat message. The trailing
- * line tells the agent how to answer so the reply lands back in the Chat
- * tab (docs/chat-surface-plan.md, "Injection envelope").
+ * line gives the minimum routing reminder needed to thread the reply back
+ * into Chat; the persistent launch guidance explains why.
  *
  * `attachmentLines` (one `- kind: …` line each) are listed after the text and
  * before the closing marker so the agent can act on them. A blank text with
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ export function buildChatEnvelope(
     `--- DISPATCH CHAT (id: ${messageId}) ---`,
     ...(body.length > 0 ? [safeBody] : []),
     "--- END DISPATCH CHAT ---",
-    `The user is reading the Chat tab, not this terminal — they only see what you post with dispatch_chat_post. Reply there (replyTo: "${messageId}"); terminal output alone will not reach them.`,
+    `The user only sees Chat — reply with dispatch_chat_post (replyTo: "${messageId}").`,
   ].join("\n");
 }
 

diff --git a/apps/server/src/chat/feed.ts b/apps/server/src/chat/feed.ts
@@ -223,17 +223,25 @@ async function listAgentMessageEntries(
     recipient_agent_id: string;
     sender_name: string;
     recipient_name: string;
+    involves_child_agent: boolean;
     content: string;
     delivered: boolean | null;
     created_at: Date;
     at_key: string;
   }>(
-    `SELECT id, sender_agent_id, recipient_agent_id, sender_name,
-            recipient_name, content, delivered, created_at,
+    `SELECT m.id, m.sender_agent_id, m.recipient_agent_id, m.sender_name,
+            m.recipient_name,
+            EXISTS (
+              SELECT 1
+                FROM agents child
+               WHERE child.id IN (m.sender_agent_id, m.recipient_agent_id)
+                 AND child.parent_agent_id = $1
+            ) AS involves_child_agent,
+            m.content, m.delivered, m.created_at,
             ${AT_KEY_SQL} AS at_key
-       FROM agent_messages
-      WHERE (sender_agent_id = $1 OR recipient_agent_id = $1) ${clause}
-      ORDER BY created_at DESC, id DESC
+       FROM agent_messages m
+      WHERE (m.sender_agent_id = $1 OR m.recipient_agent_id = $1) ${clause}
+      ORDER BY m.created_at DESC, m.id DESC
       LIMIT $${params.length}`,
     params
   );
@@ -246,6 +254,7 @@ async function listAgentMessageEntries(
       senderName: row.sender_name,
       recipientAgentId: row.recipient_agent_id,
       recipientName: row.recipient_name,
+      involvesChildAgent: row.involves_child_agent,
       content: row.content,
       delivered: row.delivered,
       at: row.created_at.toISOString(),

diff --git a/apps/server/src/jobs/service.ts b/apps/server/src/jobs/service.ts
@@ -200,9 +200,9 @@ export class JobService {
         model: agentConfig.model ?? undefined,
         cwd: job.directory,
         agentArgs: buildAgentArgs(agentType, prompt, agentConfig.fullAccess),
-        // The CLI receives the prompt through agentArgs; the Chat feed's
-        // launch post needs it stated separately.
-        launchContext: { prompt },
+        // The CLI receives generated job-run scaffolding through agentArgs;
+        // Chat shows only the user-authored job prompt.
+        launchContext: { prompt: resolvedPrompt },
         fullAccess: agentConfig.fullAccess,
         ...templateWorktreeConfig(agentConfig),
         jobRunId: run.id,
@@ -471,7 +471,7 @@ export class JobService {
         prompt,
         agentConfig.fullAccess
       ),
-      launchContext: { prompt },
+      launchContext: { prompt: resolvedPrompt },
       fullAccess: agentConfig.fullAccess,
       ...templateWorktreeConfig(agentConfig),
       jobRunId: run.id,

diff --git a/apps/server/src/routes/agents/crud-routes.ts b/apps/server/src/routes/agents/crud-routes.ts
@@ -323,7 +323,13 @@ export async function registerAgentCrudRoutes(
           !isTerminalAgent && typeof body.initialPrompt === "string"
             ? body.initialPrompt.trim() || undefined
             : undefined,
-        launchContext: { links: !isTerminalAgent ? (startupLinks ?? []) : [] },
+        launchContext: {
+          prompt:
+            !isTerminalAgent && typeof body.initialPrompt === "string"
+              ? body.initialPrompt.trim() || undefined
+              : undefined,
+          links: !isTerminalAgent ? (startupLinks ?? []) : [],
+        },
         initialPins: !isTerminalAgent ? startupPins : [],
         initialFiles: !isTerminalAgent ? startupFiles : [],
       });

diff --git a/apps/server/src/server/mcp-handlers.ts b/apps/server/src/server/mcp-handlers.ts
@@ -646,8 +646,9 @@ async function handleLaunchAgent(
     launchedByAgentId: agentId,
     cliSessionId,
     initialPrompt: buildLaunchedAgentInitialPrompt(agentId, prompt, child),
-    // The feed shows the prompt as the launcher wrote it, not the header.
-    launchContext: { prompt },
+    // The feed shows the prompt as the launcher wrote it, not the rendered
+    // template instructions or the launch header.
+    launchContext: { prompt: input.prompt },
     templateId: input.templateId,
   });
 

diff --git a/apps/server/src/templates/service.ts b/apps/server/src/templates/service.ts
@@ -222,7 +222,9 @@ export class TemplateService {
       model: resolvedModel,
       cwd,
       initialPrompt: finalPrompt,
-      launchContext: { links: !isTerminal ? (input.startupLinks ?? []) : [] },
+      launchContext: {
+        links: !isTerminal ? (input.startupLinks ?? []) : [],
+      },
       fullAccess: !isTerminal && template.fullAccess,
       ...(isTerminal
         ? { useWorktree: false }

diff --git a/apps/server/test/chat-feed.test.ts b/apps/server/test/chat-feed.test.ts
@@ -15,15 +15,18 @@ let store: ChatStore;
 
 const A = "agt_feed_a";
 const OTHER = "agt_feed_other";
+const ARCHIVED_CHILD = "agt_feed_archived_child";
 
 beforeAll(async () => {
   pool = await setupTestDb();
   await runTestMigrations();
   store = new ChatStore(pool);
   await pool.query(
-    `INSERT INTO agents (id, name, cwd, status)
-     VALUES ($1, 'Feed A', '/tmp', 'running'), ($2, 'Other', '/tmp', 'running')`,
-    [A, OTHER]
+    `INSERT INTO agents (id, name, cwd, status, parent_agent_id, deleted_at)
+     VALUES ($1, 'Feed A', '/tmp', 'running', NULL, NULL),
+            ($2, 'Other', '/tmp', 'running', NULL, NULL),
+            ($3, 'Archived child', '/tmp', 'stopped', $1, NOW())`,
+    [A, OTHER, ARCHIVED_CHILD]
   );
 });
 
@@ -154,6 +157,32 @@ describe("composeChatFeed", () => {
     expect(page3.entries.map((e) => e.type)).toEqual(["status"]);
   });
 
+  it("marks both directions of archived child conversations", async () => {
+    await pool.query(
+      `INSERT INTO agent_messages
+         (id, sender_agent_id, recipient_agent_id, sender_name, recipient_name,
+          content, delivered, created_at)
+       VALUES (gen_random_uuid(), $2, $1, 'Archived child', 'Feed A', 'in', true, $3),
+              (gen_random_uuid(), $1, $2, 'Feed A', 'Archived child', 'out', true, $4),
+              (gen_random_uuid(), $5, $1, 'Other', 'Feed A', 'peer', true, $4)`,
+      [A, ARCHIVED_CHILD, at(10), at(11), OTHER]
+    );
+
+    const messages = (await composeChatFeed(store, A)).entries.filter(
+      (entry) => entry.type === "agent_message"
+    );
+    expect(messages).toHaveLength(3);
+    expect(
+      messages
+        .map((entry) => [entry.content, entry.involvesChildAgent])
+        .sort(([left], [right]) => String(left).localeCompare(String(right)))
+    ).toEqual([
+      ["in", true],
+      ["out", true],
+      ["peer", false],
+    ]);
+  });
+
   it("never drops or repeats rows that share a timestamp across sources", async () => {
     // Nine rows at the same instant (three per source kind plus chat) with
     // microsecond-identical created_at, paged two at a time.

diff --git a/apps/server/test/chat-routes.test.ts b/apps/server/test/chat-routes.test.ts
@@ -566,7 +566,7 @@ describe("chat routes with a deliverable terminal", () => {
         `--- DISPATCH CHAT (id: ${body.message.id}) ---`,
         "please do X",
         "--- END DISPATCH CHAT ---",
-        `The user is reading the Chat tab, not this terminal — they only see what you post with dispatch_chat_post. Reply there (replyTo: "${body.message.id}"); terminal output alone will not reach them.`,
+        `The user only sees Chat — reply with dispatch_chat_post (replyTo: "${body.message.id}").`,
       ].join("\n")
     );
     expect(published).toEqual([

diff --git a/apps/server/test/chat-service.test.ts b/apps/server/test/chat-service.test.ts
@@ -713,7 +713,7 @@ describe("ChatService user workflows", () => {
         "- pin: URL — http://x",
         "- link: https://example.com/spec — Spec",
         "--- END DISPATCH CHAT ---",
-        `The user is reading the Chat tab, not this terminal — they only see what you post with dispatch_chat_post. Reply there (replyTo: "${res.message.id}"); terminal output alone will not reach them.`,
+        `The user only sees Chat — reply with dispatch_chat_post (replyTo: "${res.message.id}").`,
       ].join("\n")
     );
   });

diff --git a/apps/server/test/db/agent-manager.test.ts b/apps/server/test/db/agent-manager.test.ts
@@ -259,7 +259,10 @@ describe("AgentManager", () => {
           cwd: "/tmp",
           useWorktree: false,
           initialPrompt: "Build the widget",
-          launchContext: { links: ["https://example.com/spec"] },
+          launchContext: {
+            prompt: "Build the widget",
+            links: ["https://example.com/spec"],
+          },
           initialPins: [
             {
               label: "example.com",
@@ -353,6 +356,7 @@ describe("AgentManager", () => {
           useWorktree: false,
           launchedByAgentId: parent.id,
           initialPrompt: "Go",
+          launchContext: { prompt: "Go" },
         });
         expect((await launchPosts(independent.id))[0]).toMatchObject({
           launched_by_agent_id: parent.id,
@@ -373,6 +377,7 @@ describe("AgentManager", () => {
           useWorktree: false,
           parentAgentId: parent.id,
           initialPrompt: "Pretend I am the parent",
+          launchContext: { prompt: "Pretend I am the parent" },
         });
         expect((await launchPosts(child.id))[0]).toMatchObject({
           author_kind: "user",
@@ -456,7 +461,10 @@ describe("AgentManager", () => {
             type: "claude",
             useWorktree: false,
             initialPrompt: "Build the widget",
-            launchContext: { links: ["https://example.com/spec"] },
+            launchContext: {
+              prompt: "Build the widget",
+              links: ["https://example.com/spec"],
+            },
             initialFiles: [
               {
                 fileName: "brief.md",
@@ -501,6 +509,7 @@ describe("AgentManager", () => {
           type: "claude",
           useWorktree: false,
           initialPrompt: "Build the widget",
+          launchContext: { prompt: "Build the widget" },
         });
         expect(await launchPosts(agent.id)).toHaveLength(1);
         const setupScript = await readFile(
@@ -511,6 +520,27 @@ describe("AgentManager", () => {
         expect(setupScript).toContain("Build the widget");
       });
 
+      it("keeps generated startup prompts out of Chat while retaining Chat guidance", async () => {
+        await withChatSurface(async () => {
+          const agent = await manager.createAgent({
+            cwd: "/tmp",
+            type: "claude",
+            useWorktree: false,
+            initialPrompt: "Internal launch instructions",
+          });
+          expect(await launchPosts(agent.id)).toEqual([]);
+          const setupScript = await readFile(
+            `/tmp/dispatch_setup_${agent.id}.sh`,
+            "utf-8"
+          );
+          expect(setupScript).toContain("Internal launch instructions");
+          expect(setupScript).toContain(
+            "The user is reading Chat, not Console."
+          );
+          expect(setupScript).not.toContain("--- DISPATCH CHAT");
+        });
+      });
+
       it("starts the runtime without waiting on a write that never resolves", async () => {
         const warn = vi.fn();
         const stuckManager = new AgentManager(
@@ -586,6 +616,7 @@ describe("AgentManager", () => {
             type: "claude",
             useWorktree: false,
             initialPrompt: "Go",
+            launchContext: { prompt: "Go" },
           });
           expect(warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
             expect.objectContaining({
@@ -703,6 +734,7 @@ describe("AgentManager", () => {
             type: "claude",
             useWorktree: false,
             initialPrompt: "Go",
+            launchContext: { prompt: "Go" },
           });
           expect(warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
             expect.objectContaining({ agentId: agent.id }),

diff --git a/apps/server/test/jobs-routes.test.ts b/apps/server/test/jobs-routes.test.ts
@@ -326,12 +326,9 @@ describe("POST /api/v1/jobs/run", () => {
       origin: "launch",
       attachments: [],
     });
-    // The post carries the same prompt the CLI receives through agentArgs:
-    // the job header plus the job's own prompt.
-    expect(posts.rows[0].text).toContain(`Run ID: ${body.runId}`);
-    expect(posts.rows[0].text).toContain(
-      "\nJob prompt:\nSweep the stale branches"
-    );
+    // Chat shows only the user-authored prompt, not generated job lifecycle
+    // scaffolding (which still reaches the CLI through agentArgs).
+    expect(posts.rows[0].text).toBe("Sweep the stale branches");
     await ctx.pool.query(
       `UPDATE job_runs SET status = 'completed' WHERE id = $1`,
       [body.runId]

diff --git a/apps/server/test/jobs/continuation.test.ts b/apps/server/test/jobs/continuation.test.ts
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ describe("continuation jobs", () => {
       useWorktree: true,
       baseBranch: "main",
       launchContext: {
-        prompt: expect.stringContaining("Continuation chain: chain-1"),
+        prompt: "Continue the work.",
       },
       // No stored branch name, so each iteration gets its own generated branch
       // rather than colliding with the previous iteration's.

diff --git a/apps/server/test/jobs/service.test.ts b/apps/server/test/jobs/service.test.ts
@@ -319,9 +319,9 @@ describe("JobService", () => {
         expect.objectContaining({
           jobRunId: result.runId,
           name: `job-Rename_Test-${result.runId.slice(0, 8)}`,
-          // The Chat launch post gets the job prompt the CLI receives.
+          // The Chat launch post gets only the user-authored job prompt.
           launchContext: {
-            prompt: expect.stringContaining(`Run ID: ${result.runId}`),
+            prompt: "Test prompt",
           },
         })
       );

diff --git a/apps/server/test/mcp-handlers.test.ts b/apps/server/test/mcp-handlers.test.ts
@@ -1316,7 +1316,7 @@ describe("createMcpHandlers", () => {
           "--- DISPATCH CHAT (id: post-1) ---",
           created.initialPrompt,
           "--- END DISPATCH CHAT ---",
-          'The user is reading the Chat tab, not this terminal — they only see what you post with dispatch_chat_post. Reply there (replyTo: "post-1"); terminal output alone will not reach them.',
+          'The user only sees Chat — reply with dispatch_chat_post (replyTo: "post-1").',
         ].join("\n")
       );
       expect(turn).toContain('You were launched by Dispatch agent "agt_test1"');
@@ -1561,6 +1561,9 @@ describe("createMcpHandlers", () => {
       expect(initialPrompt).toContain("Build this idea:");
       expect(initialPrompt).toContain("fix the launch bug");
       expect(initialPrompt).not.toContain("{{D:");
+      expect(
+        deps.agentManager.createAgent.mock.calls[0][0].launchContext
+      ).toEqual({ prompt: "fix the launch bug" });
     });
 
     it("appends the caller's prompt to the template's prompt", async () => {

diff --git a/apps/server/test/template-routes.test.ts b/apps/server/test/template-routes.test.ts
@@ -307,15 +307,16 @@ describe("POST /api/v1/templates/:id/launch", () => {
         value: "https://example.com/spec",
       }),
     ]);
-    // ...but the launch post shows the URL once, as a link attachment.
+    // ...but the launch post shows the URL once, as a link attachment, while
+    // template runtime instructions stay out of Chat.
     const posts = await ctx.pool.query(
       `SELECT text, origin, attachments FROM agent_chat_messages
          WHERE agent_id = $1`,
       [agent.id]
     );
     expect(posts.rows).toHaveLength(1);
     expect(posts.rows[0]).toMatchObject({
-      text: "Read the spec",
+      text: "",
       origin: "launch",
       attachments: [{ type: "link", url: "https://example.com/spec" }],
     });