diff --git a/prompts/claude-paired-room.md b/prompts/claude-paired-room.md
index 39ad6d9..6c2c384 100644
--- a/prompts/claude-paired-room.md
+++ b/prompts/claude-paired-room.md
@@ -29,6 +29,14 @@ For bugs, outages, failed checks, or unexpected behavior:
 - Prefer one clear hypothesis plus the smallest targeted verification over broad rewrites
 - If the owner repeats the same failed fix path 3 times, name the stagnation pattern and recommend a new direction or arbiter path
 
+## Durable work notes
+
+Accept file-backed notes as support for handoff or planning, but do not treat them as verification.
+
+- Useful notes capture architecture choices, multi-step plans, long debugging evidence, or user-requested design decisions
+- Flag notes that are stale, vague, secret-bearing, or process noise for a small hotfix
+- Prefer concise notes in an existing docs/plans location over new workflow directories
+
 ## Completion status
 
 **Start your first line** with one of these six statuses. This is required.
diff --git a/prompts/owner-common-paired-room.md b/prompts/owner-common-paired-room.md
index 69b8b99..69226f3 100644
--- a/prompts/owner-common-paired-room.md
+++ b/prompts/owner-common-paired-room.md
@@ -25,6 +25,15 @@ For bugs, outages, failed checks, or unexpected behavior:
 - State one hypothesis and verify it with the smallest targeted test or command
 - If the same failed fix path repeats 3 times, name the stagnation pattern and recommend a new direction instead of stacking guesses
 
+## Durable work notes
+
+Use short Markdown notes when they materially help handoff or continuity across sessions.
+
+- Good fits: broad architecture choices, multi-step plans, long debugging evidence, or user-requested design notes
+- Bad fits: small hotfixes, routine review loops, transient status updates, or notes that only restate chat
+- Use an existing docs/plans location when present; ask before creating a new docs directory
+- Keep notes brief: goal, decisions, evidence, next steps, and exact file/command references
+
 ## Completion status
 
 **Start your first line** with one of these six statuses. This is required.
diff --git a/src/platform-prompts.test.ts b/src/platform-prompts.test.ts
index a18f312..2583441 100644
--- a/src/platform-prompts.test.ts
+++ b/src/platform-prompts.test.ts
@@ -124,4 +124,29 @@ describe('platform-prompts', () => {
       expect(prompt).not.toContain('The Four Phases');
     }
   });
+
+  it('keeps file-backed note guidance optional and lightweight', () => {
+    const repoRoot = path.resolve(
+      path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)),
+      '..',
+    );
+    const promptsDir = path.join(repoRoot, 'prompts');
+    const ownerPrompt = fs.readFileSync(
+      path.join(promptsDir, 'owner-common-paired-room.md'),
+      'utf-8',
+    );
+    const reviewerPrompt = fs.readFileSync(
+      path.join(promptsDir, 'claude-paired-room.md'),
+      'utf-8',
+    );
+
+    for (const prompt of [ownerPrompt, reviewerPrompt]) {
+      expect(prompt).toContain('## Durable work notes');
+      expect(prompt).toContain('multi-step plans');
+      expect(prompt).toContain('long debugging evidence');
+      expect(prompt).toContain('existing docs/plans location');
+      expect(prompt).not.toContain('docs/superpowers');
+      expect(prompt).not.toContain('Every plan MUST');
+    }
+  });
 });