diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 7a0511c79..6fa191160 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -18,6 +18,13 @@ Guidance for AI coding agents working in this repository.
 - Do not delete generated-looking, artifact, or IDE files unless the task explicitly asks for cleanup.
 - If the worktree contains unrelated user changes, leave them untouched.
 
+## Agent Operating Principles
+
+- Do not assume, hide confusion, or flatten uncertainty; surface questions, constraints, and tradeoffs explicitly.
+- Write the minimum code that solves the defined problem; do not add speculative abstractions, features, or cleanup.
+- Touch only the files and behavior required for the task; clean up only issues introduced by your own changes.
+- Define success criteria before implementation, then iterate until the criteria are verified or clearly state what could not be verified.
+
 ## Build And Test Commands
 
 - Build the default target: `./build.sh`
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 0f2a44f1e..d64573116 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -26,4 +26,11 @@ C# latest (`<LangVersion>latest</LangVersion>`), nullable reference types enable
 - 002-graceful-shutdown: Added C# latest (`<LangVersion>latest</LangVersion>`), nullable reference types enabled, implicit usings enabled — per `src/Directory.Build.props`. + `Elsa.Workflows.Runtime`, `Elsa.Workflows.Runtime.Distributed`, `Elsa.Hosting.Management` (existing heartbeat), `Elsa.Http` and `Elsa.Scheduling` (first ingress-source adapters), `Elsa.Api.Common` (`ElsaEndpoint<TRequest, TResponse>` on FastEndpoints), `Elsa.Features` (`IShellFeature`), `Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection`, `Elsa.Mediator`.
 
 <!-- MANUAL ADDITIONS START -->
+## Agent Operating Principles
+
+- Do not assume, hide confusion, or flatten uncertainty; surface questions, constraints, and tradeoffs explicitly.
+- Write the minimum code that solves the defined problem; do not add speculative abstractions, features, or cleanup.
+- Touch only the files and behavior required for the task; clean up only issues introduced by your own changes.
+- Define success criteria before implementation, then iterate until the criteria are verified or clearly state what could not be verified.
+
 <!-- MANUAL ADDITIONS END -->