refactor: standardize agent block handling and improve messaging format

- Introduced a new `wrapAgentBlock` function to standardize the formatting of agent-only messages across the application.
- Updated the `requestReview` method to utilize the new agent block format, enhancing consistency in review request messages.
- Refactored legacy agent block handling to support both new XML-like and legacy fenced formats, ensuring backward compatibility.
- Enhanced tests to validate the new agent block formatting and ensure proper extraction of agent-only content from messages.

agent-teams-controller/src/internal/agentBlocks.js

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+const AGENT_BLOCK_TAG = 'info_for_agent';
+const AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN = `<${AGENT_BLOCK_TAG}>`;
+const AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE = `</${AGENT_BLOCK_TAG}>`;
+
+function wrapAgentBlock(text) {
+  const trimmed = typeof text === 'string' ? text.trim() : '';
+  if (!trimmed) {
+    return '';
+  }
+  return `${AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN}\n${trimmed}\n${AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE}`;
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+  AGENT_BLOCK_TAG,
+  AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN,
+  AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE,
+  wrapAgentBlock,
+};

agent-teams-controller/src/internal/review.js

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 const kanban = require('./kanban.js');
 const messages = require('./messages.js');
 const tasks = require('./tasks.js');
+const { wrapAgentBlock } = require('./agentBlocks.js');
 
 function getReviewer(context, flags) {
   if (typeof flags.reviewer === 'string' && flags.reviewer.trim()) {
@@ -33,12 +34,12 @@ function requestReview(context, taskId, flags = {}) {
       from,
       text:
         `Please review task #${task.displayId || task.id}.\n\n` +
-        '<agent-block>\n' +
+        wrapAgentBlock(
-        `When approved, use MCP tool review_approve:\n` +
+          `When approved, use MCP tool review_approve:\n` +
-        `{ teamName: "${context.teamName}", taskId: "${task.id}", notifyOwner: true }\n\n` +
+            `{ teamName: "${context.teamName}", taskId: "${task.id}", notifyOwner: true }\n\n` +
-        `If changes are needed, use MCP tool review_request_changes:\n` +
+            `If changes are needed, use MCP tool review_request_changes:\n` +
-        `{ teamName: "${context.teamName}", taskId: "${task.id}", comment: "..." }\n` +
+            `{ teamName: "${context.teamName}", taskId: "${task.id}", comment: "..." }`
-        '</agent-block>',
+        ),
       summary: `Review request for #${task.displayId || task.id}`,
       source: 'system_notification',
     });

agent-teams-controller/src/legacy/teamctl.cli.js

@@ -8,11 +8,20 @@ const path = require('path');
 const crypto = require('crypto');
 
 const TOOL_VERSION = '1.0.0';
+const AGENT_BLOCK_TAG = 'info_for_agent';
+const AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN = '<' + AGENT_BLOCK_TAG + '>';
+const AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE = '</' + AGENT_BLOCK_TAG + '>';
 
 function nowIso() {
   return new Date().toISOString();
 }
 
+function wrapAgentBlock(text) {
+  const trimmed = typeof text === 'string' ? text.trim() : '';
+  if (!trimmed) return '';
+  return AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN + '\n' + trimmed + '\n' + AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE;
+}
+
 function makeId() {
   return crypto.randomUUID ? crypto.randomUUID() : String(Date.now()) + '-' + String(Math.random());
 }
@@ -1261,11 +1270,14 @@ async function main() {
             parts.push('\nInstructions:\n' + prompt);
           }
           parts.push(
-            '\n' + "```info_for_agent",
+            '\n' +
-            'Update task status using:',
+              wrapAgentBlock(
-            'node "' + __filename + '" --team ' + String(teamName) + ' task start ' + String(task.id),
+                [
-            'node "' + __filename + '" --team ' + String(teamName) + ' task complete ' + String(task.id),
+                  'Update task status using:',
-            "```"
+                  'node "' + __filename + '" --team ' + String(teamName) + ' task start ' + String(task.id),
+                  'node "' + __filename + '" --team ' + String(teamName) + ' task complete ' + String(task.id),
+                ].join('\n')
+              )
           );
           sendInboxMessage(paths, teamName, {
             to: task.owner,
@@ -1377,11 +1389,14 @@ async function main() {
           parts.push('\nDescription:\n' + String(task.description).slice(0, 500));
         }
         parts.push(
-          '\n' + "```info_for_agent",
+          '\n' +
-          'Update task status using:',
+            wrapAgentBlock(
-          'node "' + __filename + '" --team ' + String(teamName) + ' task start ' + String(task.id),
+              [
-          'node "' + __filename + '" --team ' + String(teamName) + ' task complete ' + String(task.id),
+                'Update task status using:',
-          "```"
+                'node "' + __filename + '" --team ' + String(teamName) + ' task start ' + String(task.id),
+                'node "' + __filename + '" --team ' + String(teamName) + ' task complete ' + String(task.id),
+              ].join('\n')
+            )
         );
         sendInboxMessage(paths, teamName, {
           to: effectiveOwner,

agent-teams-controller/test/controller.test.js

@@ -267,6 +267,24 @@ describe('agent-teams-controller API', () => {
     ]);
   });
 
+  it('wraps review instructions in the canonical agent block format used by the UI', () => {
+    const claudeDir = makeClaudeDir();
+    const controller = createController({ teamName: 'my-team', claudeDir });
+    const task = controller.tasks.createTask({ subject: 'Review me', owner: 'bob' });
+
+    controller.kanban.addReviewer('alice');
+    controller.tasks.completeTask(task.id, 'bob');
+    controller.review.requestReview(task.id, { from: 'team-lead' });
+
+    const reviewerInboxPath = path.join(claudeDir, 'teams', 'my-team', 'inboxes', 'alice.json');
+    const inbox = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(reviewerInboxPath, 'utf8'));
+
+    expect(inbox).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(inbox[0].text).toContain('<info_for_agent>');
+    expect(inbox[0].text).toContain('review_approve');
+    expect(inbox[0].text).not.toContain('<agent-block>');
+  });
+
   it('persists full inbox metadata through controller messages.sendMessage', () => {
     const claudeDir = makeClaudeDir();
     const controller = createController({ teamName: 'my-team', claudeDir });

src/main/services/team/TeamProvisioningService.ts

@@ -658,15 +658,16 @@ function buildAgentBlockUsagePolicy(): string {
   return `Agent-only formatting policy (applies to ALL messages you write):
 - Humans can see teammate inbox messages and coordination text in the UI.
 - Keep normal reasoning, decisions, and user-facing communication OUTSIDE agent-only blocks.
+- Use agent-only blocks specifically for hidden internal instructions sent between agents/teammates that the human user must NOT see in the UI.
 - Any internal operational instructions about tooling/scripts MUST be hidden inside an agent-only block, including:
   - how to use internal MCP tools, exact tool names, and argument shapes
   - review command phrases like "review_approve" / "review_request_changes"
   - internal file paths under ~/.claude/ (teams, tasks, kanban state, etc.)
   - meta coordination lines like "All teammates are online and have received their assignments via --notify."
-- Use an agent-only fenced block (AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN / AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE):
+- Use an agent-only tag block (AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN / AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE):
   - AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN is exactly: ${AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN}
   - AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE is exactly: ${AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE}
-  - IMPORTANT: the fence lines must start at the beginning of the line (no indentation).
+  - IMPORTANT: put the opening tag and closing tag on their own lines with no indentation.
 - Example (copy/paste exactly, no indentation):
 ${AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN}
 (internal instructions: commands, script usage, paths, etc.)

src/renderer/components/sidebar/GlobalTaskList.tsx

@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ export const GlobalTaskList = ({
       <div className="flex shrink-0 items-center gap-1.5 px-2 py-1">
         <span className="shrink-0 text-[11px] text-text-muted">Group by:</span>
         <div
-          className="border-border-emphasis/40 inline-flex rounded-md border bg-[var(--color-surface)] p-0.5 text-[11px]"
+          className="inline-flex rounded-md border border-[var(--color-border)] bg-[var(--color-surface)] p-0.5 text-[11px]"
           role="group"
           aria-label="Group by"
         >
@@ -509,7 +509,7 @@ export const GlobalTaskList = ({
                 className={cn(
                   'rounded px-2 py-0.5 transition-colors',
                   groupingMode === mode
-                    ? 'ring-border-emphasis/60 bg-surface-raised text-text shadow-sm ring-1'
+                    ? 'bg-surface-raised text-text-secondary shadow-sm ring-1 ring-[var(--color-border)]'
                     : 'text-text-muted hover:text-text-secondary'
                 )}
               >

src/renderer/components/team/TeamDetailView.tsx

@@ -1551,17 +1551,19 @@ export const TeamDetailView = ({ teamName }: TeamDetailViewProps): React.JSX.Ele
                 });
               }}
             />
-            <PendingRepliesBlock
+            <div className="mb-[35px]">
-              members={data.members}
+              <PendingRepliesBlock
-              pendingRepliesByMember={pendingRepliesByMember}
+                members={data.members}
-              onMemberClick={setSelectedMember}
+                pendingRepliesByMember={pendingRepliesByMember}
-            />
+                onMemberClick={setSelectedMember}
-            <ActiveTasksBlock
+              />
-              members={data.members}
+              <ActiveTasksBlock
-              tasks={data.tasks}
+                members={data.members}
-              onMemberClick={setSelectedMember}
+                tasks={data.tasks}
-              onTaskClick={setSelectedTask}
+                onMemberClick={setSelectedMember}
-            />
+                onTaskClick={setSelectedTask}
+              />
+            </div>
             <ActivityTimeline
               messages={filteredMessages}
               teamName={teamName}

src/renderer/components/team/activity/ActiveTasksBlock.tsx

@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ export const ActiveTasksBlock = ({
         return (
           <article
             key={`${member.name}-${taskId}`}
-            className="overflow-hidden rounded-md"
+            className="activity-card-enter-animate overflow-hidden rounded-md"
             style={{
               backgroundColor: CARD_BG,
               border: CARD_BORDER_STYLE,

src/renderer/components/team/activity/PendingRepliesBlock.tsx

@@ -2,9 +2,8 @@ import { CARD_BG, CARD_BORDER_STYLE, CARD_ICON_MUTED } from '@renderer/constants
 import { getTeamColorSet, getThemedBadge } from '@renderer/constants/teamColors';
 import { useTheme } from '@renderer/hooks/useTheme';
 import { formatAgentRole } from '@renderer/utils/formatAgentRole';
-import { buildMemberColorMap } from '@renderer/utils/memberHelpers';
+import { agentAvatarUrl, buildMemberColorMap } from '@renderer/utils/memberHelpers';
 import { formatDistanceToNowStrict } from 'date-fns';
-import { Loader2 } from 'lucide-react';
 
 import type { ResolvedTeamMember } from '@shared/types';
 
@@ -47,7 +46,7 @@ export const PendingRepliesBlock = ({
         return (
           <article
             key={`pending-reply:${member.name}:${sentAtMs}`}
-            className="overflow-hidden rounded-md"
+            className="activity-card-enter-animate overflow-hidden rounded-md"
             style={{
               backgroundColor: CARD_BG,
               border: CARD_BORDER_STYLE,
@@ -55,10 +54,18 @@ export const PendingRepliesBlock = ({
             }}
           >
             <div className="flex items-center gap-2 px-3 py-2">
-              <Loader2
+              <span className="relative inline-flex shrink-0">
-                className="size-3.5 shrink-0 animate-spin"
+                <img
-                style={{ color: colors.border }}
+                  src={agentAvatarUrl(member.name, 24)}
-              />
+                  alt=""
+                  className="size-5 rounded-full bg-[var(--color-surface-raised)]"
+                  loading="lazy"
+                />
+                <span className="absolute -bottom-0.5 -right-0.5 flex h-2.5 w-2.5">
+                  <span className="absolute inline-flex size-full animate-ping rounded-full bg-emerald-400 opacity-70" />
+                  <span className="relative inline-flex size-full rounded-full bg-emerald-500" />
+                </span>
+              </span>
               {onMemberClick ? (
                 <button
                   type="button"

src/renderer/components/team/dialogs/AddMemberDialog.tsx

@@ -102,6 +102,10 @@ export const AddMemberDialog = ({
     setError(null);
     const wf = workflowDraft.value.trim() || undefined;
     onAdd(name.trim().toLowerCase(), effectiveRole, wf);
+    // Reset form fields after successful submission
+    setName('');
+    setRoleSelect(NO_ROLE);
+    setCustomRole('');
     workflowDraft.clearDraft();
   };
 
@@ -132,63 +136,67 @@ export const AddMemberDialog = ({
           <DialogDescription>Add a new member to {teamName}</DialogDescription>
         </DialogHeader>
 
-        <div className="space-y-4 py-2">
+        <form
-          <div className="space-y-2">
+          onSubmit={(e) => {
-            <Label>Name</Label>
+            e.preventDefault();
-            <Input
+            handleSubmit();
-              placeholder="e.g. alice, dev-1"
+          }}
-              value={name}
+        >
-              onChange={(e) => {
+          <div className="space-y-4 py-2">
-                setName(e.target.value);
+            <div className="space-y-2">
-                setError(null);
+              <Label>Name</Label>
-              }}
+              <Input
-              onKeyDown={(e) => {
+                placeholder="e.g. alice, dev-1"
-                if (e.key === 'Enter') handleSubmit();
+                value={name}
-              }}
+                onChange={(e) => {
-              autoFocus
+                  setName(e.target.value);
-            />
+                  setError(null);
-            {error && <p className="text-xs text-red-400">{error}</p>}
+                }}
+                autoFocus
+              />
+              {error && <p className="text-xs text-red-400">{error}</p>}
+            </div>
+
+            <div className="space-y-2">
+              <Label className="label-optional">Role (optional)</Label>
+              <RoleSelect
+                value={roleSelect}
+                onValueChange={setRoleSelect}
+                customRole={customRole}
+                onCustomRoleChange={setCustomRole}
+              />
+            </div>
+
+            <div className="space-y-2">
+              <Label className="label-optional">Workflow (optional)</Label>
+              <MentionableTextarea
+                className="text-xs"
+                minRows={3}
+                maxRows={8}
+                value={workflowDraft.value}
+                onValueChange={handleWorkflowChange}
+                suggestions={mentionSuggestions}
+                projectPath={projectPath ?? undefined}
+                placeholder="How this agent should behave, what tasks it handles..."
+                footerRight={
+                  workflowDraft.isSaved ? (
+                    <span className="text-[10px] text-[var(--color-text-muted)]">Draft saved</span>
+                  ) : null
+                }
+              />
+            </div>
           </div>
 
-          <div className="space-y-2">
+          <DialogFooter>
-            <Label className="label-optional">Role (optional)</Label>
+            <Button type="button" variant="outline" onClick={onClose} disabled={adding}>
-            <RoleSelect
+              Cancel
-              value={roleSelect}
+            </Button>
-              onValueChange={setRoleSelect}
+            <Button type="submit" disabled={adding || !name.trim()}>
-              customRole={customRole}
+              {adding ? <Loader2 className="mr-1.5 size-4 animate-spin" /> : null}
-              onCustomRoleChange={setCustomRole}
+              Add
-            />
+            </Button>
-          </div>
+          </DialogFooter>
-
+        </form>
-          <div className="space-y-2">
-            <Label className="label-optional">Workflow (optional)</Label>
-            <MentionableTextarea
-              className="text-xs"
-              minRows={3}
-              maxRows={8}
-              value={workflowDraft.value}
-              onValueChange={handleWorkflowChange}
-              suggestions={mentionSuggestions}
-              projectPath={projectPath ?? undefined}
-              placeholder="How this agent should behave, what tasks it handles..."
-              footerRight={
-                workflowDraft.isSaved ? (
-                  <span className="text-[10px] text-[var(--color-text-muted)]">Draft saved</span>
-                ) : null
-              }
-            />
-          </div>
-        </div>
-
-        <DialogFooter>
-          <Button variant="outline" onClick={onClose} disabled={adding}>
-            Cancel
-          </Button>
-          <Button onClick={handleSubmit} disabled={adding || !name.trim()}>
-            {adding ? <Loader2 className="mr-1.5 size-4 animate-spin" /> : null}
-            Add
-          </Button>
-        </DialogFooter>
       </DialogContent>
     </Dialog>
   );

src/renderer/components/team/dialogs/TaskDetailDialog.tsx

@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ export const TaskDetailDialog = ({
 
   return (
     <Dialog open={open} onOpenChange={(v) => !v && onClose()}>
-      <DialogContent className="min-w-0 sm:max-w-4xl">
+      <DialogContent className="sm:min-w-[500px] sm:max-w-4xl">
         <DialogHeader>
           <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
             <Badge variant="secondary" className="px-1.5 py-0 text-[10px] font-normal">

src/renderer/components/team/members/MemberExecutionLog.tsx

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { MarkdownViewer } from '@renderer/components/chat/viewers/MarkdownViewer
 import { Tooltip, TooltipContent, TooltipTrigger } from '@renderer/components/ui/tooltip';
 import { enhanceAIGroup } from '@renderer/utils/aiGroupEnhancer';
 import { transformChunksToConversation } from '@renderer/utils/groupTransformer';
-import { createAgentBlockRegex, stripAgentBlocks } from '@shared/constants/agentBlocks';
+import { extractAgentBlockContents, stripAgentBlocks } from '@shared/constants/agentBlocks';
 import { format } from 'date-fns';
 import { Bot, ChevronDown, ChevronRight } from 'lucide-react';
 
@@ -92,16 +92,7 @@ export const MemberExecutionLog = ({
 
 /** Extract agent-only instruction blocks and human-visible text from a message. */
 function splitAgentBlocks(raw: string): { humanText: string; agentInfo: string[] } {
-  const agentInfo: string[] = [];
+  const agentInfo = extractAgentBlockContents(raw);
-  const regex = createAgentBlockRegex();
-  let m: RegExpExecArray | null;
-  while ((m = regex.exec(raw)) !== null) {
-    const content = m[0]
-      .replace(/^```info_for_agent\n?/, '')
-      .replace(/\n?```$/, '')
-      .trim();
-    if (content) agentInfo.push(content);
-  }
   const humanText = stripAgentBlocks(raw);
   return { humanText, agentInfo };
 }

src/renderer/components/ui/MentionableTextarea.tsx

@@ -620,7 +620,7 @@ export const MentionableTextarea = React.forwardRef<HTMLTextAreaElement, Mention
     const rotatingTips = React.useMemo(
       () => [
         'Tip: Use @ to mention team members or search files',
-        'Tip: Mention "delegate a task to a teammate" to add it to the kanban',
+        'Tip: Mention "create a task" to add it to the kanban',
         "Tip: Don't overload the team lead with tasks — ask them to delegate to teammates",
       ],
       []

src/renderer/index.css

@@ -655,6 +655,22 @@ body {
   animation: thought-expand 350ms ease-out both;
 }
 
+@keyframes activity-card-enter {
+  from {
+    max-height: 0;
+    opacity: 0;
+    overflow: hidden;
+  }
+  to {
+    max-height: 80px;
+    opacity: 1;
+  }
+}
+
+.activity-card-enter-animate {
+  animation: activity-card-enter 300ms ease-out both;
+}
+
 @keyframes att-scale-in {
   from {
     transform: scale(0);

src/shared/constants/agentBlocks.ts

@@ -1,22 +1,28 @@
 /**
- * Fenced code block marker for agent-only content.
+ * XML-like marker for agent-only content.
  * Content wrapped in these markers is intended for the agent (Claude Code)
  * and should be hidden from the human user in the UI.
  *
- * Format:
+ * Canonical format:
- * ```info_for_agent
+ * <info_for_agent>
  * ... agent-only instructions ...
- * ```
+ * </info_for_agent>
+ *
+ * Backward compatibility:
+ * - legacy fenced blocks: ```info_for_agent ... ```
+ * - legacy xml-like blocks: <agent-block> ... </agent-block>
  */
 export const AGENT_BLOCK_TAG = 'info_for_agent';
-export const AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN = '```' + AGENT_BLOCK_TAG;
+export const AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN = `<${AGENT_BLOCK_TAG}>`;
-export const AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE = '```';
+export const AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE = `</${AGENT_BLOCK_TAG}>`;
 
 /**
- * Regex pattern string for matching ``` info_for_agent ... ``` blocks (including fences).
+ * Regex pattern string for matching current and legacy agent-only blocks.
- * Supports optional leading/trailing whitespace and newlines around the block.
  */
-const AGENT_BLOCK_PATTERN = '\\n?```' + AGENT_BLOCK_TAG + '\\n[\\s\\S]*?\\n```\\n?';
+const CURRENT_AGENT_BLOCK_PATTERN = '\\n?<info_for_agent>\\n?[\\s\\S]*?\\n?<\\/info_for_agent>\\n?';
+const LEGACY_FENCED_AGENT_BLOCK_PATTERN = '\\n?```' + AGENT_BLOCK_TAG + '\\n[\\s\\S]*?\\n```\\n?';
+const LEGACY_XML_AGENT_BLOCK_PATTERN = '\\n?<agent-block>\\n?[\\s\\S]*?\\n?<\\/agent-block>\\n?';
+const AGENT_BLOCK_PATTERN = `(?:${CURRENT_AGENT_BLOCK_PATTERN}|${LEGACY_FENCED_AGENT_BLOCK_PATTERN}|${LEGACY_XML_AGENT_BLOCK_PATTERN})`;
 
 /**
  * Creates a new RegExp for matching agent blocks.
@@ -27,10 +33,46 @@ export function createAgentBlockRegex(): RegExp {
 }
 
 /**
- * Removes ```info_for_agent ... ``` blocks from text for UI display.
+ * Removes the current and legacy agent-only blocks from text for UI display.
  */
 export function stripAgentBlocks(text: string): string {
-  return text.replace(createAgentBlockRegex(), '').trim();
+  return text
+    .replace(createAgentBlockRegex(), '\n')
+    .replace(/\n{3,}/g, '\n\n')
+    .trim();
+}
+
+/**
+ * Removes only the wrapper markers from a single agent block.
+ */
+export function unwrapAgentBlock(block: string): string {
+  const trimmed = block.trim();
+
+  if (trimmed.startsWith(AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN) && trimmed.endsWith(AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE)) {
+    return trimmed.slice(AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN.length, -AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE.length).trim();
+  }
+
+  const legacyFencedOpen = '```' + AGENT_BLOCK_TAG;
+  if (trimmed.startsWith(legacyFencedOpen) && trimmed.endsWith('```')) {
+    return trimmed.slice(legacyFencedOpen.length, -'```'.length).trim();
+  }
+
+  const legacyXmlOpen = '<agent-block>';
+  const legacyXmlClose = '</agent-block>';
+  if (trimmed.startsWith(legacyXmlOpen) && trimmed.endsWith(legacyXmlClose)) {
+    return trimmed.slice(legacyXmlOpen.length, -legacyXmlClose.length).trim();
+  }
+
+  return trimmed;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Extracts agent-only block contents without the wrapper markers.
+ */
+export function extractAgentBlockContents(text: string): string[] {
+  return Array.from(text.matchAll(createAgentBlockRegex()))
+    .map((match) => unwrapAgentBlock(match[0]))
+    .filter((content) => content.length > 0);
 }
 
 /**

test/main/services/team/TeamProvisioningServicePrompts.test.ts

@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import * as path from 'path';
 
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
 
+import { AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE, AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN } from '@shared/constants/agentBlocks';
+
 let tempClaudeRoot = '';
 let tempTeamsBase = '';
 let tempTasksBase = '';
@@ -112,6 +114,8 @@ describe('TeamProvisioningService prompt content (solo mode discipline)', () =>
     expect(prompt).toContain('Default to working ONE task at a time');
     expect(prompt).toContain('task_start');
     expect(prompt).toContain('task_complete');
+    expect(prompt).toContain(`AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN is exactly: ${AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN}`);
+    expect(prompt).toContain(`AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE is exactly: ${AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE}`);
     expect(prompt).not.toContain('teamctl.js');
     expect(prompt).not.toContain('.claude/tools');
 
@@ -172,6 +176,8 @@ describe('TeamProvisioningService prompt content (solo mode discipline)', () =>
     expect(prompt).toContain('Execute tasks sequentially and keep the board + user updated');
     expect(prompt).toContain('Do NOT start the next task until the current task is completed');
     expect(prompt).toContain('task_start');
+    expect(prompt).toContain(`AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN is exactly: ${AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN}`);
+    expect(prompt).toContain(`AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE is exactly: ${AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE}`);
     expect(prompt).not.toContain('teamctl.js');
     expect(prompt).not.toContain('.claude/tools');
 

test/main/services/team/teamctl.test.ts

@@ -2540,7 +2540,7 @@ describe('teamctl.js', () => {
       ]);
       const inbox = readInbox(claudeDir, 'bob') as Record<string, unknown>[];
       const text = String(inbox[0].text);
-      // Must contain agent block markers (```info_for_agent ... ```)
+      // Must contain agent block markers (<info_for_agent> ... </info_for_agent>)
       expect(text).toContain('info_for_agent');
       expect(text).toContain('task start');
       expect(text).toContain('task complete');

test/shared/constants/agentBlocks.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+import {
+  AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE,
+  AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN,
+  extractAgentBlockContents,
+  stripAgentBlocks,
+  unwrapAgentBlock,
+} from '@shared/constants/agentBlocks';
+
+describe('agentBlocks', () => {
+  it('strips the canonical info_for_agent tags from display text', () => {
+    const text = `Visible line\n${AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN}\ninternal instruction\n${AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE}\nAfter`;
+
+    expect(stripAgentBlocks(text)).toBe('Visible line\nAfter');
+    expect(extractAgentBlockContents(text)).toEqual(['internal instruction']);
+  });
+
+  it('keeps backward compatibility for legacy agent block formats', () => {
+    const legacyFenced = 'Hello\n```info_for_agent\nhidden fenced\n```\nWorld';
+    const legacyXml = 'Hello\n<agent-block>\nhidden xml\n</agent-block>\nWorld';
+
+    expect(stripAgentBlocks(legacyFenced)).toBe('Hello\nWorld');
+    expect(stripAgentBlocks(legacyXml)).toBe('Hello\nWorld');
+    expect(extractAgentBlockContents(legacyFenced)).toEqual(['hidden fenced']);
+    expect(extractAgentBlockContents(legacyXml)).toEqual(['hidden xml']);
+  });
+
+  it('unwraps canonical and legacy wrappers consistently', () => {
+    expect(unwrapAgentBlock(`${AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN}\ninside\n${AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE}`)).toBe('inside');
+    expect(unwrapAgentBlock('```info_for_agent\ninside\n```')).toBe('inside');
+    expect(unwrapAgentBlock('<agent-block>\ninside\n</agent-block>')).toBe('inside');
+  });
+});