diff --git a/nanobot/cli/commands.py b/nanobot/cli/commands.py
index e23e0422..a6ebbe35 100644
--- a/nanobot/cli/commands.py
+++ b/nanobot/cli/commands.py
@@ -1595,7 +1595,7 @@ def _run_gateway(
 
             prompt = (
                 _HEARTBEAT_PREAMBLE
-                + f"Review the following HEARTBEAT.md and report any active tasks:\n\n{content}"
+                + f"You are executing periodic heartbeat tasks. Read the active tasks below, perform each one, and report what you did:\n\n{content}"
             )
 
             # Internal check: funnel all output through the post-run gate so the