diff --git a/agent/loop.go b/agent/loop.go
index f102280..5809bf2 100644
--- a/agent/loop.go
+++ b/agent/loop.go
@@ -675,13 +675,13 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, cfg agentConfig, state state) error {
 			if step == halfBudget {
 				state.update(backend.Message{
 					Role:    "user",
-					Content: fmt.Sprintf("[system: you have used %d/%d research steps without taking action. Consider making progress — write code, edit files, or run commands. Action tools reset this counter.]", step, cfg.MaxSteps),
+					Content: fmt.Sprintf("<system-step-budget-warning>\nYou have used %d/%d research steps without taking action. Consider making progress — write code, edit files, or run commands. Action tools reset this counter.\n</system-step-budget-warning>", step, cfg.MaxSteps),
 				}, nil)
 			} else if step >= cfg.MaxSteps-1 {
 				emit(cfg, Event{Role: "maxsteps", Content: fmt.Sprintf("%d", step+1)})
 				state.update(backend.Message{
 					Role:    "user",
-					Content: fmt.Sprintf("[system: step budget exhausted (%d/%d steps used). Stop calling tools. Summarize what you have done and what remains, then stop.]", step+1, cfg.MaxSteps),
+					Content: fmt.Sprintf("<system-step-budget-stop>\nStep budget exhausted (%d/%d steps used). Stop calling tools. Summarize what you have done and what remains, then stop.\n</system-step-budget-stop>", step+1, cfg.MaxSteps),
 				}, nil)
 				break
 			}