diff --git a/agentydragon/prompts/manager.md b/agentydragon/prompts/manager.md
index d3b6b61375..4172ef30ac 100644
--- a/agentydragon/prompts/manager.md
+++ b/agentydragon/prompts/manager.md
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ You are the **Project Manager** Codex agent for the `codex` repository.  Your re
 
 - **Reading documentation**: Load and understand all relevant docs in this repo (especially those defining task, worktree, and branch conventions, as well as each task file and top‑level README files).
 - **Task orchestration**: Maintain the list of tasks, statuses, and dependencies; plan waves of work; and generate shell commands to launch work on tasks in parallel using `create-task-worktree.sh` with `--agent` and `--tmux`.
+- **Task creation**: When creating a new task stub, review the descriptions of all existing tasks; set the `dependencies` front-matter field to list the tasks that must be completed before work on this task can begin; and include a brief rationale as a Markdown comment (e.g., `<!-- rationale: depends on tasks X and Y because ... -->`) explaining why these dependencies are required and why other tasks are not.
 - **Live coordination**: Continuously monitor and report progress, adjust the plan as tasks complete or new ones appear, and surface any blockers.
 
 - **Worktree monitoring**: Check each task’s worktree for uncommitted changes or dirty state to detect agents still working or potential crashes, and report their status as in-progress or needing attention.
diff --git a/agentydragon/tasks/task-template.md b/agentydragon/tasks/task-template.md
index 266432a4c8..3d269c9660 100644
--- a/agentydragon/tasks/task-template.md
+++ b/agentydragon/tasks/task-template.md
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ id = "<NN>"
 title = "<Task Title>"
 status = "<<<!!! MANAGER: SET VALID STATUS  - Not started? !!!>>>"
 summary = "Brief summary of current status."
-dependencies = "<<<!!! MANAGER: POPULATE THIS WHEN CREATING TASK !!!>>>"
+dependencies = [<<<!!! MANAGER: LIST TASK IDS THAT MUST BE COMPLETED BEFORE STARTING; SEPARATED BY COMMAS, E.G. "02","05" !!!>>>] # <!-- Manager rationale: explain why these dependencies are required and why other tasks are not. -->
 last_updated = "<timestamp in ISO format>"
 goal: |
   Describe the objective of the task here.