diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/src/modes/components/tool-execution.ts b/packages/coding-agent/src/modes/components/tool-execution.ts
index 3910fd9b9..b3141996e 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/src/modes/components/tool-execution.ts
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/src/modes/components/tool-execution.ts
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ export const SPINNER_GLYPH_ADVANCE_MS = 80;
 
 /** Phase-locked spinner glyph index shared by every live tool block so parallel
  * spinners advance in lockstep instead of each tracking its own start time. */
-export function sharedSpinnerFrame(frameCount: number, now: number = performance.now()): number {
+export function sharedSpinnerFrame(frameCount: number, now: number = Date.now()): number {
 	return frameCount > 0 ? Math.floor(now / SPINNER_GLYPH_ADVANCE_MS) % frameCount : 0;
 }
 
@@ -620,10 +620,10 @@ export class ToolExecutionComponent extends Container implements NativeScrollbac
 				// If a detached task interval from an older render path is still live,
 				// stop it the instant the block leaves the repaintable region.
 				if (this.#maybeFreezeBackgroundTask()) return;
-				const now = performance.now();
 				const frameCount = theme.spinnerFrames.length;
-				this.#spinnerFrame = sharedSpinnerFrame(frameCount, now);
+				this.#spinnerFrame = frameCount > 0 ? ((this.#spinnerFrame ?? 0) + 1) % frameCount : 0;
 				this.#renderState.spinnerFrame = this.#spinnerFrame;
+				this.#updateDisplay();
 				// Component-scoped: a spinner tick only changes this tool block, so
 				// the TUI reuses every other root subtree instead of walking the
 				// whole tree (issue #4377).
diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/src/prompts/tools/eval.md b/packages/coding-agent/src/prompts/tools/eval.md
index 8ba73935c..b77603a39 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/src/prompts/tools/eval.md
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/src/prompts/tools/eval.md
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ env(key?=None, value?=None) → str | None | dict
 output(*ids, format?="raw", query?=None, offset?=None, limit?=None) → str | dict | list[dict]
 tool.<name>(args) → unknown
 completion(prompt, model?="default"|"smol"|"slow", system?=None, schema?=None) → str | dict
-{{#if spawns}}agent(prompt, agent?="{{spawnDefaultAgent}}", model?=None, schema?=None, handle?=False) → str | dict{{#if spawnAllowedAgentsText}}  Allowed: {{spawnAllowedAgentsText}}.{{/if}}
+{{#if spawns}}agent(prompt, agent?="{{spawnDefaultAgent}}", model?=None, schema?=None, handle?=False) → str | dict{{#if spawnAllowedAgentsText}}  Allowed agents: {{spawnAllowedAgentsText}}. (omit it to use `{{spawnDefaultAgent}}`){{/if}}
 {{#if js}}    JS: agent(prompt, { agent, schema, handle }).{{/if}}
 {{/if}}
 parallel(thunks) → list     pipeline(items, ...stages) → list
diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/src/prompts/tools/task.md b/packages/coding-agent/src/prompts/tools/task.md
index d41cf71e3..c111e1f62 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/src/prompts/tools/task.md
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/src/prompts/tools/task.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ Execution does not block — you receive an ID immediately; the result delivers
 Agents marked BLOCKING run inline — results return in this call; non-blocking items in the same batch still spawn as background jobs.{{/if}}{{else}}{{#if batchEnabled}}Run subagents synchronously by passing items in a `tasks[]` batch. Execution blocks until all work finishes.{{else}}Run ONE subagent synchronously. Execution blocks until work finishes.{{/if}}{{/if}}
 
 # Task Design
-- **Agent typing:** Pick each item's `agent` type. Read-only research MUST use `agent: "scout"` (faster model). Use default worker only when no specialist fits.
+- **Agent typing:** Pick each item's `agent` type. Read-only research MUST use `agent: "scout"` (faster model). Use the general-purpose worker (`{{defaultAgent}}`) only when no specialist fits.
 - **No overhead:** Each `task` MUST instruct its agent to skip formatters, linters, and project-wide test suites. Run those once at the end.
 - **One-pass:** Prefer agents that investigate AND edit in one pass; spin a read-only scout only when affected files are genuinely unknown.
 
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ Agents marked BLOCKING run inline — results return in this call; non-blocking
 # Communication
 Subagents start blank — no conversation history.{{#if ircEnabled}} Parent-to-subagent IRC delivered immediately as steering.{{/if}}
 Pass large payloads via `local://<path>` URIs, NEVER inline text.
+{{#if spawnAllowedAgentsText}}Current spawn policy allows: {{spawnAllowedAgentsText}}.
+{{/if}}
 
 # Format Contracts
 {{#if batchEnabled}}
diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/src/session/agent-session.ts b/packages/coding-agent/src/session/agent-session.ts
index 966fba92e..4244afd73 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/src/session/agent-session.ts
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/src/session/agent-session.ts
@@ -1741,6 +1741,8 @@ export class AgentSession {
 	 *  trigger gate: the switch fires at the first edit/write AFTER the todo
 	 *  list exists (sessions without an ACTIVE todo tool skip the gate). */
 	#prewalkTodoSeen = false;
+	/** True once a text-only turn has consumed its continuation until tool progress re-arms it. */
+	#prewalkContinuationIssued = false;
 	#planYolo: PlanYolo | undefined;
 	#planYoloPreviousTools: string[] | undefined;
 	#planYoloArmed = false;
@@ -2238,7 +2240,8 @@ export class AgentSession {
 		// silently killing production SWE-bench runs before any code was ever
 		// written. Force one more turn only in that specific, self-created
 		// hazard window.
-		if (this.#prewalkPlanInjected && context.toolResults.length === 0) {
+		if (context.toolResults.length > 0) this.#prewalkContinuationIssued = false;
+		if (this.#prewalkPlanInjected && context.toolResults.length === 0 && !this.#prewalkContinuationIssued) {
 			this.agent.steer({
 				role: "custom",
 				customType: PREWALK_CONTINUE_MESSAGE_TYPE,
@@ -2247,6 +2250,7 @@ export class AgentSession {
 				display: false,
 				timestamp: Date.now(),
 			});
+			this.#prewalkContinuationIssued = true;
 		}
 
 		// Todo gate: the plan nudge instructs "finish the plan, then init the
@@ -2257,6 +2261,9 @@ export class AgentSession {
 		// ACTIVE tool set, not the registry: a registered-but-deactivated todo
 		// (e.g. a restricted active-tool slate) is uncallable and would
 		// deadlock the switch.
+		if (context.toolResults.some(result => result.toolName === "todo")) {
+			this.#prewalkTodoSeen = true;
+		}
 		const todoGateOpen = this.#prewalkTodoSeen || !this.getActiveToolNames().includes("todo");
 		const action = todoGateOpen
 			? context.toolResults.find(result => PREWALK_ACTION_TOOLS[result.toolName])
diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/src/task/index.ts b/packages/coding-agent/src/task/index.ts
index 2e787c297..1b24442dd 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/src/task/index.ts
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/src/task/index.ts
@@ -202,6 +202,7 @@ function renderDescription(
 		agents: renderedAgents,
 		spawningDisabled,
 		defaultAgent: spawnPolicy.defaultAgent,
+		spawnAllowedAgentsText: spawnPolicy.allowedPromptText,
 		isolationEnabled,
 		batchEnabled,
 		asyncEnabled,