From f201fc4db8e087208105747386387b804225e215 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Srajan Asthana <srajan@truefoundry.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 2026 15:37:51 +0530
Subject: [PATCH 1/4] nit

---
 .../src/core/capabilities/builtins/AskUserQuestion.ts        | 5 +++++
 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+)

diff --git a/packages/harness/src/core/capabilities/builtins/AskUserQuestion.ts b/packages/harness/src/core/capabilities/builtins/AskUserQuestion.ts
index 4f8fe262b..67ae31485 100644
--- a/packages/harness/src/core/capabilities/builtins/AskUserQuestion.ts
+++ b/packages/harness/src/core/capabilities/builtins/AskUserQuestion.ts
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ export class AskUserQuestion extends ClientSideTool {
           '- The user picks exactly one option — multi-select is not available.',
           '- Options must be mutually exclusive. If a valid choice is a combination of other options, include it as a separate option with the combined data.',
           '- Every option must commit the user to a specific outcome. Do not add an option whose purpose is to let the user describe, specify, or type their own answer. Do not add an option like "Other" or "Something else".',
+          '- If a stated preference, existing config, or earlier decision favors one option, put it first with the exact suffix " (Recommended)" — no other wording. Otherwise mark nothing; never recommend from general knowledge.',
           '',
           'Example (distinct options):',
           'question: "<your question>"',
@@ -46,6 +47,10 @@ export class AskUserQuestion extends ClientSideTool {
           'question: "<your question>"',
           'options: ["<Option A>", "<Option B>", "<Option A and B — combined details>"]',
           '',
+          'Example (user already stated a preference for A):',
+          'question: "<your question>"',
+          'options: ["<Option A> (Recommended)", "<Option B>", "<Option C>"]',
+          '',
           'Avoid:',
           'options: ["<Option A>", "<Option B>", "Other"]',
         ].join('\n'),

From c61bc43781c80860af9f44141f49e0ad8fdde133 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Srajan Asthana <srajan@truefoundry.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 2026 15:54:02 +0530
Subject: [PATCH 2/4] nit

---
 .../harness/src/core/capabilities/builtins/AskUserQuestion.ts | 4 ++--
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/packages/harness/src/core/capabilities/builtins/AskUserQuestion.ts b/packages/harness/src/core/capabilities/builtins/AskUserQuestion.ts
index 67ae31485..b713708ff 100644
--- a/packages/harness/src/core/capabilities/builtins/AskUserQuestion.ts
+++ b/packages/harness/src/core/capabilities/builtins/AskUserQuestion.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ export class AskUserQuestion extends ClientSideTool {
           '- The user picks exactly one option — multi-select is not available.',
           '- Options must be mutually exclusive. If a valid choice is a combination of other options, include it as a separate option with the combined data.',
           '- Every option must commit the user to a specific outcome. Do not add an option whose purpose is to let the user describe, specify, or type their own answer. Do not add an option like "Other" or "Something else".',
-          '- If a stated preference, existing config, or earlier decision favors one option, put it first with the exact suffix " (Recommended)" — no other wording. Otherwise mark nothing; never recommend from general knowledge.',
+          '- If you have enough context to confidently recommend one option, put it first with the exact suffix " (Recommended)" — no other wording. If no option clearly stands out, mark nothing.',
           '',
           'Example (distinct options):',
           'question: "<your question>"',
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ export class AskUserQuestion extends ClientSideTool {
           'question: "<your question>"',
           'options: ["<Option A>", "<Option B>", "<Option A and B — combined details>"]',
           '',
-          'Example (user already stated a preference for A):',
+          'Example (context clearly favors A, e.g. the user stated a preference or the project already uses it):',
           'question: "<your question>"',
           'options: ["<Option A> (Recommended)", "<Option B>", "<Option C>"]',
           '',

From 20250873321c133f818bf16340b954d22d377c52 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Srajan Asthana <srajan@truefoundry.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 2026 16:10:28 +0530
Subject: [PATCH 3/4] nit

---
 .../harness/src/core/capabilities/builtins/AskUserQuestion.ts   | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/packages/harness/src/core/capabilities/builtins/AskUserQuestion.ts b/packages/harness/src/core/capabilities/builtins/AskUserQuestion.ts
index b713708ff..42c99da4c 100644
--- a/packages/harness/src/core/capabilities/builtins/AskUserQuestion.ts
+++ b/packages/harness/src/core/capabilities/builtins/AskUserQuestion.ts
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ export class AskUserQuestion extends ClientSideTool {
           'question: "<your question>"',
           'options: ["<Option A>", "<Option B>", "<Option A and B — combined details>"]',
           '',
-          'Example (context clearly favors A, e.g. the user stated a preference or the project already uses it):',
+          'Example (context clearly favors A):',
           'question: "<your question>"',
           'options: ["<Option A> (Recommended)", "<Option B>", "<Option C>"]',
           '',

From 27e7a20ac58686dbed2fed41b2cef3b2f8ce6ceb Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Srajan Asthana <srajan@truefoundry.com>
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 2026 11:48:19 +0530
Subject: [PATCH 4/4] add changeset

---
 .changeset/20260817061700-ask-user-recommended-option.md | 5 +++++
 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 .changeset/20260817061700-ask-user-recommended-option.md

diff --git a/.changeset/20260817061700-ask-user-recommended-option.md b/.changeset/20260817061700-ask-user-recommended-option.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f64364230
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/20260817061700-ask-user-recommended-option.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@truefoundry/trueforge-core': patch
+---
+
+Instruct ask_user_question to mark a first option as (Recommended) when context clearly favors one.