diff --git a/scripts/resolvers/design.ts b/scripts/resolvers/design.ts
index 55d0c8fd0..21420784e 100644
--- a/scripts/resolvers/design.ts
+++ b/scripts/resolvers/design.ts
@@ -676,7 +676,7 @@ ${outsideVoiceInvocation(ctx, { timeoutMs: 300000, reasoningEffort: 'medium', pu
 ${outsideVoiceProvenance(ctx, 'design-sketch')}
 
 2. **${outsideVoiceFor(ctx).nativeLabel} subagent** (via Agent tool, \`run_in_background: false\` — subagents default to background since ${CC_BACKGROUND_DEFAULT_SINCE}):
-"For this product approach, what design direction would you recommend? What aesthetic, typography, and interaction patterns fit? What would make this approach feel inevitable to the user? Be specific — font names, hex colors, spacing values."
+"For this product approach, what design direction would you recommend? What aesthetic, typography, and interaction patterns fit? What would make this approach feel inevitable to the user? Be specific — font names, hex colors, spacing values. Do not fall back on these defaults: a cream ground with a high-contrast serif and terracotta accent; near-black with one neon accent and glowing edges; italic accent words inside headlines; numbered 01 / 02 / 03 section labels; tiny tracked monospace labels; pill-shaped buttons. If your first idea is one of these, name it and choose again."
 
 Present ${outsideVoiceFor(ctx).label} output under \`${outsideVoiceFor(ctx).label.toUpperCase()} SAYS (design sketch):\` and subagent output under \`${outsideVoiceFor(ctx).nativeLabel.toUpperCase()} SUBAGENT (design direction):\`.
 Error handling: all non-blocking. On failure, skip and continue.`;
@@ -771,6 +771,8 @@ Propose a surprising indie-studio direction beyond conventional enterprise UI.
 - 2 deliberate departures from category norms
 - What emotional reaction should the user have in the first 3 seconds?
 
+Do not fall back on these defaults: a cream ground with a high-contrast serif and terracotta accent; near-black with one neon accent and glowing edges; broadsheet hairlines with an italic display serif and tiny tracked mono labels; italic accent words inside headlines; numbered 01 / 02 / 03 section labels; pill-shaped buttons; ${catalogEntries(['ai-color-palette', 'feature-grid-3col', 'centered-everything', 'decorative-blobs', 'nested-cards', 'kicker-above-heading', 'icon-tile-stack', 'dark-glow']).map(e => e.name.toLowerCase()).join(', ')}. If your first idea is one of these, name it and choose again.
+
 Be bold and specific.`;
   } else {
     // Unknown skill — return empty
@@ -1148,7 +1150,7 @@ Commands:
 
 \`generate\` returns \`sessionFile\`; \`iterate\` requires that existing session. \`variants\` returns \`paths\` but creates no session: regenerate with an updated brief instead.` : ''}
 
-**CRITICAL PATH RULE:** Design artifacts belong in \`$GSTACK_STATE_ROOT/projects/$SLUG/designs/\`.
+**Path rule:** Design artifacts belong in \`$GSTACK_STATE_ROOT/projects/$SLUG/designs/\`.
 Use \`bin/gstack-paths\` (docs/state-root.md). Keep it even if temporary; never substitute
 .context/, docs/designs/ or another directory.
 These are user files, not application source.`;
diff --git a/test/helpers/carve-guards.ts b/test/helpers/carve-guards.ts
index 7740b2b68..f0f5ec5ef 100644
--- a/test/helpers/carve-guards.ts
+++ b/test/helpers/carve-guards.ts
@@ -409,8 +409,9 @@ do not launch the downstream skill or open a browser.`,
     // v1.64+v1.65 merge sums both waves' preamble growth; measured 1.073.
     // + W1 guarded state-root resolution in the Context Recovery preamble, the
     // eureka log, the office-hours lookup and the taste-profile read; measured
-    // 1.0834 (2026-09-30).
-    maxSizeRatio: 1.085,
+    // 1.0834 (2026-09-30). + named design-direction defaults to avoid in the native
+    // subagent prompt (s02 H4a); measured 1.0911 (2026-10-02).
+    maxSizeRatio: 1.092,
   },
   cso: {
     skill: 'cso',