From 2f318bfc3599e9a8c37604eae0954bd6958e56e5 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: =?UTF-8?q?=E9=9B=B7=E7=94=B5=E8=8A=BD=E8=A1=A3?=
 <zhangyanghaha0407@outlook.com>
Date: Sun, 19 Apr 2026 19:47:38 -0400
Subject: [PATCH] Route new-CEO timer wakes to the team-building directive
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The timer initial user turn hard-coded the priority sequence
"deliverable reviews first, unblocking reports second, next step on
assigned work third" — a ranking that only makes sense for agents
with a team and tasks. A brand-new CEO in team_building mode has
none of those, so the model read the cue, matched nothing, and
returned without firing the hire POSTs its system prompt explicitly
described.

Detect that branch in resolveInitialUserTurn: if the trigger is a
timer or bootstrap wake and the agent is a top-level CEO with zero
active direct reports, emit a cue that points at the Team Building
operating instructions. Also soften the generic timer cue so it
defers to the agent's current operating mode instead of dictating a
task-centric priority order that doesn't fit every role.
---
 src/main/orchestration/initial-user-turn.ts | 29 ++++++++++++++++++++-
 1 file changed, 28 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/src/main/orchestration/initial-user-turn.ts b/src/main/orchestration/initial-user-turn.ts
index e1ba7b4f..49181084 100644
--- a/src/main/orchestration/initial-user-turn.ts
+++ b/src/main/orchestration/initial-user-turn.ts
@@ -50,6 +50,33 @@ export function resolveInitialUserTurn(
     }
   }
 
+  // The generic timer turn hard-coded "deliverable reviews first,
+  // unblocking reports second, next step on assigned work third" —
+  // a ranking that presumes a manager or IC with tasks. For a new CEO
+  // in team_building mode, none of those clauses apply, so the model
+  // read "nothing to do" and returned without acting on the actual
+  // Operating Instructions that explicitly told it to file hires.
+  // Shortcut: when a CEO has zero active direct reports, replace the
+  // generic timer cue with a team-building cue that matches the CEO
+  // mode prompt.
+  if (trigger === "timer" || trigger === "bootstrap") {
+    try {
+      const agent = deps.db.getAgent(agentId);
+      if (!agent.reportsTo) {
+        const activeReports = deps.db
+          .getDirectReports(agentId, companyId)
+          .filter((r) => r.status !== "pending_approval" && r.status !== "terminated");
+        if (activeReports.length === 0) {
+          return "You are the CEO and have zero active direct reports. Follow your Team Building Phase operating instructions: file 3–5 hire_agent POSTs this wake, then file one approve_ceo_strategy, then return. Do not write plan documents or analyse the filesystem beyond a 20-second read.";
+        }
+      }
+    } catch {
+      // Fall through to the generic turn — a lookup failure here must
+      // not crash the run; the system prompt still carries the full
+      // operating directives.
+    }
+  }
+
   return buildGenericWakeTurn(trigger);
 }
 
@@ -78,7 +105,7 @@ function buildCommunicationTurn(
 function buildGenericWakeTurn(trigger: string | null): string {
   switch (trigger) {
     case "timer":
-      return "Heartbeat check. Review your briefing, then take the highest-priority action: deliverable reviews first, unblocking reports second, next step on assigned work third.";
+      return "Heartbeat check. Read your briefing and execute the top-priority action described in your Operating Instructions for the mode you are currently in. If your briefing lists unread messages, reply to them before starting task work.";
     case "assignment":
       return "A new task has been assigned to you. Find it in your briefing, check it out via POST /api/issues/{issueId}/checkout, then begin work.";
     case "comment":