diff --git a/src/server/priv/static/finalizeBranch.sh b/src/server/priv/static/finalizeBranch.sh
index 914831a..6de5b7a 100755
--- a/src/server/priv/static/finalizeBranch.sh
+++ b/src/server/priv/static/finalizeBranch.sh
@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@ git fetch --quiet origin "$DEFAULT_BRANCH" 2>/dev/null || true
 CURRENT_BRANCH="$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD 2>/dev/null || echo '')"
 HEAD_SHA="$(git rev-parse HEAD 2>/dev/null || echo '')"
 
+TITLE=""
+if [ -f /fbi-state/title ]; then
+    TITLE="$(tr -d '\n\r' < /fbi-state/title | head -c 200)"
+fi
+
 # Push exit is sourced from the last origin-push log (written by the post-
 # commit hook). No-remote projects write no log; treat absent log as success.
 PUSH_EXIT=0
@@ -35,5 +40,5 @@ if [ -f /tmp/last-origin-push.log ]; then
     fi
 fi
 
-printf '{"exit_code":%d,"push_exit":%d,"head_sha":"%s","branch":"%s","session_id":"%s"}\n' \
-    "$CLAUDE_EXIT" "$PUSH_EXIT" "$HEAD_SHA" "$CURRENT_BRANCH" "${SESSION_ID:-}" > "$RESULT_PATH"
+printf '{"exit_code":%d,"push_exit":%d,"head_sha":"%s","branch":"%s","session_id":"%s","title":"%s"}\n' \
+    "$CLAUDE_EXIT" "$PUSH_EXIT" "$HEAD_SHA" "$CURRENT_BRANCH" "${SESSION_ID:-}" "$TITLE" > "$RESULT_PATH"
diff --git a/src/server/src/fbi/db/runs.gleam b/src/server/src/fbi/db/runs.gleam
index 1895c17..75818d3 100644
--- a/src/server/src/fbi/db/runs.gleam
+++ b/src/server/src/fbi/db/runs.gleam
@@ -362,6 +362,7 @@ pub fn insert_run(
   db: sqlight.Connection,
   project_id: Int,
   prompt: String,
+  branch: option.Option(String),
   model: Option(String),
   effort: Option(String),
   subagent_model: Option(String),
@@ -369,17 +370,15 @@ pub fn insert_run(
   mock_scenario: Option(String),
   now: Int,
 ) -> Result(Run, DbError) {
-  let branch_name = "claude/run-" <> int.to_string(now)
   let log_path = "/var/log/fbi/runs/" <> int.to_string(now) <> ".log"
-  connection.query_one(
+  use run <- result.try(connection.query_one(
     "INSERT INTO runs (project_id, prompt, branch_name, state, log_path, created_at, state_entered_at, model, effort, subagent_model, mock, mock_scenario)
-     VALUES (?, ?, ?, 'queued', ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?) RETURNING "
+     VALUES (?, ?, '', 'queued', ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?) RETURNING "
       <> columns(),
     db,
     [
       sqlight.int(project_id),
       sqlight.text(prompt),
-      sqlight.text(branch_name),
       sqlight.text(log_path),
       sqlight.int(now),
       sqlight.int(now),
@@ -393,9 +392,32 @@ pub fn insert_run(
       nullable_opt(mock_scenario),
     ],
     decoder(),
+  ))
+  let branch_name = case branch {
+    option.Some(b) -> b
+    option.None -> "claude/run-" <> int.to_string(run.id)
+  }
+  connection.query_one(
+    "UPDATE runs SET branch_name = ? WHERE id = ? RETURNING " <> columns(),
+    db,
+    [sqlight.text(branch_name), sqlight.int(run.id)],
+    decoder(),
   )
 }
 
+pub fn branch_in_use(
+  db: sqlight.Connection,
+  branch: String,
+) -> Result(Bool, DbError) {
+  connection.query_one(
+    "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM runs WHERE branch_name = ? AND state IN ('queued', 'running', 'waiting', 'awaiting_resume')",
+    db,
+    [sqlight.text(branch)],
+    decode.at([0], decode.int),
+  )
+  |> result.map(fn(n) { n > 0 })
+}
+
 pub fn insert_continue_run(
   db: sqlight.Connection,
   parent: Run,
@@ -523,7 +545,9 @@ pub fn mark_finished(
     _ -> "failed"
   }
   connection.query_one(
-    "UPDATE runs SET state = ?, exit_code = ?, head_commit = ?, finished_at = ?, error = ?,
+    "UPDATE runs SET state = ?, exit_code = ?, branch_name = COALESCE(?, branch_name),
+     head_commit = ?, finished_at = ?, error = ?,
+     title = COALESCE(?, title),
      claude_session_id = COALESCE(?, claude_session_id)
      WHERE id = ? RETURNING "
       <> columns(),
@@ -531,6 +555,10 @@ pub fn mark_finished(
     [
       sqlight.text(state),
       sqlight.int(outcome.exit_code),
+      case outcome.branch_pushed {
+        option.None -> sqlight.null()
+        option.Some(b) -> sqlight.text(b)
+      },
       case outcome.head_commit {
         option.None -> sqlight.null()
         option.Some(c) -> sqlight.text(c)
@@ -540,6 +568,10 @@ pub fn mark_finished(
         option.None -> sqlight.null()
         option.Some(e) -> sqlight.text(e)
       },
+      case outcome.title {
+        option.None -> sqlight.null()
+        option.Some(t) -> sqlight.text(t)
+      },
       case outcome.claude_session_id {
         option.None -> sqlight.null()
         option.Some(s) -> sqlight.text(s)
diff --git a/src/server/src/fbi/handlers/runs.gleam b/src/server/src/fbi/handlers/runs.gleam
index 8625d7a..0d92e6c 100644
--- a/src/server/src/fbi/handlers/runs.gleam
+++ b/src/server/src/fbi/handlers/runs.gleam
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import fbi/context.{type Context}
 import fbi/db/connection
 import fbi/db/projects
 import fbi/db/runs
+import fbi/db/settings
 import fbi/json/run as run_json
 import fbi/run/reattach as run_reattach
 import fbi/run/registry as run_registry
@@ -14,7 +15,7 @@ import gleam/http
 import gleam/int
 import gleam/json
 import gleam/list
-import gleam/option.{None, Some}
+import gleam/option.{type Option, None, Some}
 import wisp.{type Request, type Response}
 
 pub fn handle_list(req: Request, ctx: Context) -> Response {
@@ -181,6 +182,10 @@ fn do_continue(req: Request, ctx: Context, run_id: Int) -> Response {
                           wisp.internal_server_error()
                         }
                         Ok(#(actor_subject, bc)) -> {
+                          let global_prompt = case settings.get(ctx.db) {
+                            Ok(s) -> s.global_prompt
+                            Error(_) -> ""
+                          }
                           run_worker.launch(
                             run_worker.LaunchInput(
                               run: new_run,
@@ -189,6 +194,7 @@ fn do_continue(req: Request, ctx: Context, run_id: Int) -> Response {
                               cols: 80,
                               rows: 24,
                               broadcaster: bc,
+                              global_prompt: global_prompt,
                             ),
                             actor_subject,
                           )
@@ -247,6 +253,11 @@ fn create(req: Request, ctx: Context, project_id: Int) -> Response {
   use body <- wisp.require_json(req)
   let decoder = {
     use prompt <- decode.field("prompt", decode.string)
+    use branch <- decode.optional_field(
+      "branch",
+      None,
+      decode.optional(decode.string),
+    )
     use model <- decode.optional_field(
       "model",
       None,
@@ -268,70 +279,146 @@ fn create(req: Request, ctx: Context, project_id: Int) -> Response {
       None,
       decode.optional(decode.string),
     )
-    decode.success(#(prompt, model, effort, subagent_model, mock, mock_scenario))
+    use force <- decode.optional_field("force", False, decode.bool)
+    decode.success(#(
+      prompt,
+      branch,
+      model,
+      effort,
+      subagent_model,
+      mock,
+      mock_scenario,
+      force,
+    ))
   }
   case decode.run(body, decoder) {
     Error(_) -> wisp.bad_request("Invalid request body")
-    Ok(#(prompt, model, effort, subagent_model, mock, mock_scenario)) ->
+    Ok(#(
+      prompt,
+      branch,
+      model,
+      effort,
+      subagent_model,
+      mock,
+      mock_scenario,
+      force,
+    )) ->
       case projects.get(ctx.db, project_id) {
         Error(_) -> wisp.not_found()
-        Ok(project) -> {
-          let now = now_ms()
-          case
-            runs.insert_run(
-              ctx.db,
-              project_id,
-              prompt,
-              model,
-              effort,
-              subagent_model,
-              mock,
-              mock_scenario,
-              now,
-            )
-          {
-            Error(e) -> {
-              wisp.log_error(
-                "insert run for project "
-                <> int.to_string(project_id)
-                <> ": "
-                <> connection.describe_error(e),
-              )
-              wisp.internal_server_error()
-            }
-            Ok(run) ->
-              case
-                run_supervisor.start_run(
-                  ctx.run_registry,
-                  ctx.db,
-                  ctx.config,
-                  run.id,
-                )
-              {
-                Error(reason) -> {
-                  wisp.log_error(
-                    "start run " <> int.to_string(run.id) <> ": " <> reason,
-                  )
-                  wisp.internal_server_error()
-                }
-                Ok(#(actor_subject, bc)) -> {
-                  run_worker.launch(
-                    run_worker.LaunchInput(
-                      run: run,
-                      project: project,
-                      config: ctx.config,
-                      cols: 80,
-                      rows: 24,
-                      broadcaster: bc,
+        Ok(project) ->
+          case branch, force {
+            Some(b), False ->
+              case runs.branch_in_use(ctx.db, b) {
+                Error(_) -> wisp.internal_server_error()
+                Ok(True) ->
+                  json.object([
+                    #("error", json.string("branch_in_use")),
+                    #(
+                      "message",
+                      json.string(
+                        "Branch '"
+                        <> b
+                        <> "' is already in use by an active run.",
+                      ),
                     ),
-                    actor_subject,
-                  )
-                  run_json.encode(run)
+                  ])
                   |> json.to_string()
-                  |> wisp.json_response(201)
-                }
+                  |> wisp.json_response(409)
+                Ok(False) ->
+                  do_create(
+                    ctx,
+                    project,
+                    prompt,
+                    branch,
+                    model,
+                    effort,
+                    subagent_model,
+                    mock,
+                    mock_scenario,
+                  )
               }
+            _, _ ->
+              do_create(
+                ctx,
+                project,
+                prompt,
+                branch,
+                model,
+                effort,
+                subagent_model,
+                mock,
+                mock_scenario,
+              )
           }
+      }
+  }
+}
+
+fn do_create(
+  ctx: Context,
+  project: projects.Project,
+  prompt: String,
+  branch: option.Option(String),
+  model: option.Option(String),
+  effort: option.Option(String),
+  subagent_model: option.Option(String),
+  mock: Bool,
+  mock_scenario: option.Option(String),
+) -> Response {
+  let now = now_ms()
+  let global_prompt = case settings.get(ctx.db) {
+    Ok(s) -> s.global_prompt
+    Error(_) -> ""
+  }
+  case
+    runs.insert_run(
+      ctx.db,
+      project.id,
+      prompt,
+      branch,
+      model,
+      effort,
+      subagent_model,
+      mock,
+      mock_scenario,
+      now,
+    )
+  {
+    Error(e) -> {
+      wisp.log_error(
+        "insert run for project "
+        <> int.to_string(project.id)
+        <> ": "
+        <> connection.describe_error(e),
+      )
+      wisp.internal_server_error()
+    }
+    Ok(run) ->
+      case
+        run_supervisor.start_run(ctx.run_registry, ctx.db, ctx.config, run.id)
+      {
+        Error(reason) -> {
+          wisp.log_error(
+            "start run " <> int.to_string(run.id) <> ": " <> reason,
+          )
+          wisp.internal_server_error()
+        }
+        Ok(#(actor_subject, bc)) -> {
+          run_worker.launch(
+            run_worker.LaunchInput(
+              run: run,
+              project: project,
+              config: ctx.config,
+              cols: 80,
+              rows: 24,
+              broadcaster: bc,
+              global_prompt: global_prompt,
+            ),
+            actor_subject,
+          )
+          run_json.encode(run)
+          |> json.to_string()
+          |> wisp.json_response(201)
         }
       }
   }
diff --git a/src/server/src/fbi/run/container_monitor.gleam b/src/server/src/fbi/run/container_monitor.gleam
index 67eb073..5355d8d 100644
--- a/src/server/src/fbi/run/container_monitor.gleam
+++ b/src/server/src/fbi/run/container_monitor.gleam
@@ -198,7 +198,15 @@ fn read_outcome(state_dir: String, exit_code: Int) -> RunOutcome {
         use head_sha <- decode.optional_field("head_sha", "", decode.string)
         use branch <- decode.optional_field("branch", "", decode.string)
         use session_id <- decode.optional_field("session_id", "", decode.string)
-        decode.success(#(agent_exit, push_exit, head_sha, branch, session_id))
+        use title <- decode.optional_field("title", "", decode.string)
+        decode.success(#(
+          agent_exit,
+          push_exit,
+          head_sha,
+          branch,
+          session_id,
+          title,
+        ))
       }
       case json.parse(json_str, decoder) {
         Error(_) ->
@@ -210,7 +218,7 @@ fn read_outcome(state_dir: String, exit_code: Int) -> RunOutcome {
             error_message: Some("could not parse result.json"),
             claude_session_id: None,
           )
-        Ok(#(agent_exit, push_exit, head_sha, branch, session_id)) ->
+        Ok(#(agent_exit, push_exit, head_sha, branch, session_id, title)) ->
           RunOutcome(
             exit_code: agent_exit,
             branch_pushed: case push_exit {
@@ -225,7 +233,10 @@ fn read_outcome(state_dir: String, exit_code: Int) -> RunOutcome {
               "" -> None
               sha -> Some(sha)
             },
-            title: None,
+            title: case title {
+              "" -> None
+              t -> Some(t)
+            },
             error_message: case agent_exit {
               0 -> None
               code -> Some("agent exit " <> int.to_string(code))
diff --git a/src/server/src/fbi/run/reattach.gleam b/src/server/src/fbi/run/reattach.gleam
index b36ca96..790b2a3 100644
--- a/src/server/src/fbi/run/reattach.gleam
+++ b/src/server/src/fbi/run/reattach.gleam
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import fbi/config.{type Config}
 import fbi/db/connection
 import fbi/db/projects
 import fbi/db/runs.{type Run, type RunOutcome, RunOutcome}
+import fbi/db/settings
 import fbi/docker
 import fbi/run/actor as run_actor
 import fbi/run/broadcaster
@@ -290,6 +291,10 @@ pub fn resurrect(
                     <> reason,
                   )
                 Ok(#(actor_subject, bc)) -> {
+                  let global_prompt = case settings.get(db) {
+                    Ok(s) -> s.global_prompt
+                    Error(_) -> ""
+                  }
                   run_worker.launch(
                     run_worker.LaunchInput(
                       run: child,
@@ -298,6 +303,7 @@ pub fn resurrect(
                       cols: 80,
                       rows: 24,
                       broadcaster: bc,
+                      global_prompt: global_prompt,
                     ),
                     actor_subject,
                   )
@@ -371,7 +377,15 @@ fn read_outcome(state_dir: String, exit_code: Int) -> RunOutcome {
         use head_sha <- decode.optional_field("head_sha", "", decode.string)
         use branch <- decode.optional_field("branch", "", decode.string)
         use session_id <- decode.optional_field("session_id", "", decode.string)
-        decode.success(#(agent_exit, push_exit, head_sha, branch, session_id))
+        use title <- decode.optional_field("title", "", decode.string)
+        decode.success(#(
+          agent_exit,
+          push_exit,
+          head_sha,
+          branch,
+          session_id,
+          title,
+        ))
       }
       case json.parse(json_str, decoder) {
         Error(_) ->
@@ -383,7 +397,7 @@ fn read_outcome(state_dir: String, exit_code: Int) -> RunOutcome {
             error_message: Some("could not parse result.json"),
             claude_session_id: None,
           )
-        Ok(#(agent_exit, push_exit, head_sha, branch, session_id)) ->
+        Ok(#(agent_exit, push_exit, head_sha, branch, session_id, title)) ->
           RunOutcome(
             exit_code: agent_exit,
             branch_pushed: case push_exit {
@@ -398,7 +412,10 @@ fn read_outcome(state_dir: String, exit_code: Int) -> RunOutcome {
               "" -> None
               sha -> Some(sha)
             },
-            title: None,
+            title: case title {
+              "" -> None
+              t -> Some(t)
+            },
             error_message: case agent_exit {
               0 -> None
               code -> Some("agent exit " <> int.to_string(code))
diff --git a/src/server/src/fbi/run/worker.gleam b/src/server/src/fbi/run/worker.gleam
index 62b2f7d..6f8f302 100644
--- a/src/server/src/fbi/run/worker.gleam
+++ b/src/server/src/fbi/run/worker.gleam
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ pub type LaunchInput {
     cols: Int,
     rows: Int,
     broadcaster: Subject(BroadcastMsg),
+    global_prompt: String,
   )
 }
 
@@ -388,7 +389,19 @@ fn is_regular_directory(path: String) -> Bool {
 fn path_dirname(path: String) -> String
 
 fn build_preamble(input: LaunchInput) -> dict.Dict(String, BitArray) {
+  let preamble =
+    "# FBI Session Setup\n\n"
+    <> "Before starting the task, run these two setup steps:\n\n"
+    <> "1. Write a concise title (max 60 chars) describing this task:\n"
+    <> "   echo 'Brief task title' > /fbi-state/title\n\n"
+    <> "2. If your current branch starts with \"claude/run-\", rename it to a\n"
+    <> "   short descriptive kebab-case name reflecting the task:\n"
+    <> "   git branch -m feat/your-task-description\n"
+    <> "   (Skip if the branch already has a meaningful name.)\n\n"
+    <> "After the setup steps, proceed with the task."
   dict.from_list([
+    #("preamble.txt", bit_array.from_string(preamble)),
+    #("global.txt", bit_array.from_string(input.global_prompt)),
     #("prompt.txt", bit_array.from_string(input.run.prompt)),
     #(
       "instructions.txt",