diff --git a/src/linear/format.test.ts b/src/linear/format.test.ts
index 1db1bd96..5ed8c1ab 100644
--- a/src/linear/format.test.ts
+++ b/src/linear/format.test.ts
@@ -28,10 +28,23 @@ describe('linear/format', () => {
         heading: 'Task complete',
         date: new Date('2026-06-23T00:00:00Z'),
       });
-      expect(body.startsWith('**Task complete**')).toBe(true);
+      expect(body.startsWith('🧭 **[OpenSwarm] Task complete**')).toBe(true);
       expect(body).toContain('_via OpenSwarm · 2026-06-23_');
     });
 
+    it('always starts with the daemon signature regardless of optional content', () => {
+      const inputs = [
+        { heading: 'Minimal' },
+        { heading: 'With summary', summary: 'Done.' },
+        { heading: 'With sections', sections: [{ label: 'Result', body: 'Done.' }] },
+        { heading: 'With meta', meta: { Run: '42' } },
+        { heading: 'With all', summary: 'Done.', sections: [{ label: 'Result', body: 'Done.' }], meta: { Run: '42' } },
+      ];
+      for (const input of inputs) {
+        expect(formatAutomationComment(input)).toMatch(/^🧭 \*\*\[OpenSwarm\] /);
+      }
+    });
+
     it('keeps short facts inline and renders lists as bullets', () => {
       const body = formatAutomationComment({
         heading: 'Revision requested',
diff --git a/src/linear/format.ts b/src/linear/format.ts
index 801379e0..6b73562d 100644
--- a/src/linear/format.ts
+++ b/src/linear/format.ts
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ export interface AutomationCommentInput {
  * carrying just enough trace to find the run later.
  */
 export function formatAutomationComment(input: AutomationCommentInput): string {
-  const parts: string[] = [`**${input.heading}**`];
+  const parts: string[] = [`🧭 **[OpenSwarm] ${input.heading}**`];
 
   if (input.summary?.trim()) parts.push(input.summary.trim());
 
diff --git a/src/linear/linear.test.ts b/src/linear/linear.test.ts
index d2179a04..6f1d7386 100644
--- a/src/linear/linear.test.ts
+++ b/src/linear/linear.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
-import { addComment, clearLinearCache, createSubIssue, drainLinearConnection, effectCommentId, fetchIssuesForStates, getInProgressIssues, getNextBacklogIssue, initLinear, LINEAR_ACTIVE_ENRICH_CAP, LINEAR_ACTIVE_MAX_PAGES, LINEAR_ACTIVE_PAGE_SIZE, LINEAR_BACKLOG_PAGE_SIZE, LINEAR_RELATED_PAGE_SIZE, parseBlockerIdentifiers, populateBlockedBy, type LinearIssueInfo, type RawIssueNode } from './linear.js';
+import { addComment, clearLinearCache, createSubIssue, drainLinearConnection, effectCommentId, fetchIssuesForStates, getInProgressIssues, getNextBacklogIssue, initLinear, logBlocked, logWorkComplete, logWorkStart, LINEAR_ACTIVE_ENRICH_CAP, LINEAR_ACTIVE_MAX_PAGES, LINEAR_ACTIVE_PAGE_SIZE, LINEAR_BACKLOG_PAGE_SIZE, LINEAR_RELATED_PAGE_SIZE, parseBlockerIdentifiers, populateBlockedBy, type LinearIssueInfo, type RawIssueNode } from './linear.js';
 import { LinearClient } from '@linear/sdk';
 
 // createSubIssue reads the module-level client singleton (getClient()), set only
@@ -402,3 +402,23 @@ describe('populateBlockedBy', () => {
     expect(result[0].blockedBy).toBeUndefined();
   });
 });
+
+describe('state-change comment ordering', () => {
+  it.each([
+    ['start', logWorkStart, ['issue-1', 'agent-1'], 'In Progress'],
+    ['complete', logWorkComplete, ['issue-1', 'agent-1', 'done'], 'Done'],
+    ['blocked', logBlocked, ['issue-1', 'agent-1', 'reason'], 'Todo'],
+  ])('%s comments before changing state', async (_label, action, args, expectedState) => {
+    const events: string[] = [];
+    const fakeClient = {
+      createComment: vi.fn(async () => { events.push('comment'); return { success: true }; }),
+      issue: vi.fn(async () => ({ team: Promise.resolve({ id: 'team-1' }) })),
+      team: vi.fn(async () => ({ states: async () => ({ nodes: [{ id: 'state-1', name: expectedState }] }) })),
+      updateIssue: vi.fn(async () => { events.push('state'); return { success: true }; }),
+    };
+    vi.mocked(LinearClient).mockImplementation(function (this: unknown) { return fakeClient as never; } as never);
+    initLinear('fake-key', 'team-1');
+    await (action as (...values: string[]) => Promise<void>)(...(args as string[]));
+    expect(events).toEqual(['comment', 'state']);
+  });
+});