diff --git a/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/claudecode/claudecode.go b/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/claudecode/claudecode.go
index 159d67a673..e8db5ca28c 100644
--- a/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/claudecode/claudecode.go
+++ b/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/claudecode/claudecode.go
@@ -103,5 +103,12 @@ func (r *Reviewer) PreLaunch(ctx context.Context, inv ports.ReviewInvocation) er
 // ReviewMessage is the text injected into an already-running reviewer pane to
 // review a new commit — AO's central review prompt.
 func (r *Reviewer) ReviewMessage(_ context.Context, inv ports.ReviewInvocation) (string, error) {
-	return inv.Prompt, nil
+	// Do not return the prompt here. ReviewMessage is called when re-notifying an
+	// already-running reviewer pane about a new commit in the queue.
+	// The reviewer already has the full prompt (including task instructions and run IDs)
+	// from the initial launch via ReviewCommand -> GetLaunchCommand.
+	// Returning it again would just duplicate the instructions in the terminal.
+	// Instead, return empty so the terminal stays clean, the agent has all the context
+	// it needs from the original prompt at launch time.
+	return "", nil
 }
diff --git a/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/claudecode/claudecode_test.go b/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/claudecode/claudecode_test.go
index 50a3948371..24c17b975c 100644
--- a/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/claudecode/claudecode_test.go
+++ b/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/claudecode/claudecode_test.go
@@ -139,3 +139,13 @@ func contains(values []string, needle string) bool {
 	}
 	return false
 }
+
+func TestReviewMessageReturnsEmpty(t *testing.T) {
+	got, err := (&Reviewer{}).ReviewMessage(context.Background(), ports.ReviewInvocation{Prompt: "next review"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ReviewMessage: %v", err)
+	}
+	if got != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("ReviewMessage should return empty; got %q", got)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/codex/codex.go b/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/codex/codex.go
index a166b78c7d..d08141ac95 100644
--- a/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/codex/codex.go
+++ b/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/codex/codex.go
@@ -62,7 +62,14 @@ func (r *Reviewer) ReviewCommand(ctx context.Context, inv ports.ReviewInvocation
 
 // ReviewMessage returns the centrally-authored task for an existing pane.
 func (r *Reviewer) ReviewMessage(_ context.Context, inv ports.ReviewInvocation) (string, error) {
-	return inv.Prompt, nil
+	// Do not return the prompt here. ReviewMessage is called when re-notifying an
+	// already-running reviewer pane about a new commit in the queue.
+	// The reviewer already has the full prompt (including task instructions and run IDs)
+	// from the initial launch via ReviewCommand -> GetLaunchCommand.
+	// Returning it again would just duplicate the instructions in the terminal.
+	// Instead, return empty so the terminal stays clean, the agent has all the context
+	// it needs from the original prompt at launch time.
+	return "", nil
 }
 
 func insertBeforePrompt(argv []string, extra ...string) []string {
diff --git a/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/codex/codex_test.go b/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/codex/codex_test.go
index 9912c6c244..de9dc31a64 100644
--- a/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/codex/codex_test.go
+++ b/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/codex/codex_test.go
@@ -66,12 +66,12 @@ func TestReviewCommandUsesReadOnlySandbox(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestReviewMessageReturnsTaskPrompt(t *testing.T) {
+func TestReviewMessageReturnsEmpty(t *testing.T) {
 	got, err := (&Reviewer{}).ReviewMessage(context.Background(), ports.ReviewInvocation{Prompt: "next review"})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("ReviewMessage: %v", err)
 	}
-	if got != "next review" {
-		t.Fatalf("message = %q", got)
+	if got != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("ReviewMessage should return empty; got %q", got)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/opencode/opencode.go b/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/opencode/opencode.go
index 2ffd3b5a31..d78975190f 100644
--- a/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/opencode/opencode.go
+++ b/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/opencode/opencode.go
@@ -52,5 +52,12 @@ func (r *Reviewer) ReviewCommand(ctx context.Context, inv ports.ReviewInvocation
 
 // ReviewMessage returns the centrally-authored task for an existing pane.
 func (r *Reviewer) ReviewMessage(_ context.Context, inv ports.ReviewInvocation) (string, error) {
-	return inv.Prompt, nil
+	// Do not return the prompt here. ReviewMessage is called when re-notifying an
+	// already-running reviewer pane about a new commit in the queue.
+	// The reviewer already has the full prompt (including task instructions and run IDs)
+	// from the initial launch via ReviewCommand -> GetLaunchCommand.
+	// Returning it again would just duplicate the instructions in the terminal.
+	// Instead, return empty so the terminal stays clean, the agent has all the context
+	// it needs from the original prompt at launch time.
+	return "", nil
 }
diff --git a/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/opencode/opencode_test.go b/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/opencode/opencode_test.go
index 9086ed58ac..d56bf32a85 100644
--- a/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/opencode/opencode_test.go
+++ b/backend/internal/adapters/reviewer/opencode/opencode_test.go
@@ -100,13 +100,16 @@ func TestBashAllowlistCoversPromptRequiredCommands(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestReviewMessageReturnsTaskPrompt(t *testing.T) {
+func TestReviewMessageReturnsEmpty(t *testing.T) {
 	got, err := (&Reviewer{}).ReviewMessage(context.Background(), ports.ReviewInvocation{Prompt: "next review"})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("ReviewMessage: %v", err)
 	}
-	if got != "next review" {
-		t.Fatalf("message = %q", got)
+	// ReviewMessage should return empty so the prompt
+	// doesn't clutter the terminal. The reviewer already received the full
+	// prompt at launch time.
+	if got != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("ReviewMessage should return empty; got %q", got)
 	}
 }