diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index dbc532b2d..4fadc8a0f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 
 ### Fixes
 - Agents/System: clarify sandboxed runtime in system prompt and surface elevated availability when sandboxed.
+- Agents/System: add reasoning visibility hint + /reasoning and /status guidance in system prompt.
 - Auto-reply: prefer `RawBody` for command/directive parsing (WhatsApp + Discord) and prevent fallback runs from clobbering concurrent session updates. (#643) — thanks @mcinteerj.
 - WhatsApp: fix group reactions by preserving message IDs and sender JIDs in history; normalize participant phone numbers to JIDs in outbound reactions. (#640) — thanks @mcinteerj.
 - WhatsApp: expose group participant IDs to the model so reactions can target the right sender.
diff --git a/docs/concepts/system-prompt.md b/docs/concepts/system-prompt.md
index c357312c5..d1d254766 100644
--- a/docs/concepts/system-prompt.md
+++ b/docs/concepts/system-prompt.md
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ The prompt is intentionally compact and uses fixed sections:
 - **Reply Tags**: optional reply tag syntax for supported providers.
 - **Heartbeats**: heartbeat prompt and ack behavior.
 - **Runtime**: host, OS, node, model, thinking level (one line).
+- **Reasoning**: current visibility level + /reasoning toggle hint.
 
 ## Workspace bootstrap injection
 
diff --git a/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner.ts b/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner.ts
index e6fc8e75e..d421bf6e0 100644
--- a/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner.ts
+++ b/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner.ts
@@ -584,6 +584,7 @@ export function buildEmbeddedSandboxInfo(
 function buildEmbeddedSystemPrompt(params: {
   workspaceDir: string;
   defaultThinkLevel?: ThinkLevel;
+  reasoningLevel?: ReasoningLevel;
   extraSystemPrompt?: string;
   ownerNumbers?: string[];
   reasoningTagHint: boolean;
@@ -608,6 +609,7 @@ function buildEmbeddedSystemPrompt(params: {
   return buildAgentSystemPrompt({
     workspaceDir: params.workspaceDir,
     defaultThinkLevel: params.defaultThinkLevel,
+    reasoningLevel: params.reasoningLevel,
     extraSystemPrompt: params.extraSystemPrompt,
     ownerNumbers: params.ownerNumbers,
     reasoningTagHint: params.reasoningTagHint,
@@ -921,6 +923,7 @@ export async function compactEmbeddedPiSession(params: {
         const appendPrompt = buildEmbeddedSystemPrompt({
           workspaceDir: effectiveWorkspace,
           defaultThinkLevel: params.thinkLevel,
+          reasoningLevel: params.reasoningLevel ?? "off",
           extraSystemPrompt: params.extraSystemPrompt,
           ownerNumbers: params.ownerNumbers,
           reasoningTagHint,
@@ -1301,6 +1304,7 @@ export async function runEmbeddedPiAgent(params: {
           const appendPrompt = buildEmbeddedSystemPrompt({
             workspaceDir: effectiveWorkspace,
             defaultThinkLevel: thinkLevel,
+            reasoningLevel: params.reasoningLevel ?? "off",
             extraSystemPrompt: params.extraSystemPrompt,
             ownerNumbers: params.ownerNumbers,
             reasoningTagHint,
diff --git a/src/agents/system-prompt.test.ts b/src/agents/system-prompt.test.ts
index a479bada2..c622ad53d 100644
--- a/src/agents/system-prompt.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/system-prompt.test.ts
@@ -170,6 +170,17 @@ describe("buildAgentSystemPrompt", () => {
     expect(prompt).toContain("capabilities=inlineButtons");
   });
 
+  it("includes reasoning visibility hint", () => {
+    const prompt = buildAgentSystemPrompt({
+      workspaceDir: "/tmp/clawd",
+      reasoningLevel: "off",
+    });
+
+    expect(prompt).toContain("Reasoning: off");
+    expect(prompt).toContain("/reasoning");
+    expect(prompt).toContain("/status shows Reasoning");
+  });
+
   it("describes sandboxed runtime and elevated when allowed", () => {
     const prompt = buildAgentSystemPrompt({
       workspaceDir: "/tmp/clawd",
diff --git a/src/agents/system-prompt.ts b/src/agents/system-prompt.ts
index 829a82fab..00fcb3075 100644
--- a/src/agents/system-prompt.ts
+++ b/src/agents/system-prompt.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
-import type { ThinkLevel } from "../auto-reply/thinking.js";
+import type { ReasoningLevel, ThinkLevel } from "../auto-reply/thinking.js";
 import { SILENT_REPLY_TOKEN } from "../auto-reply/tokens.js";
 import type { EmbeddedContextFile } from "./pi-embedded-helpers.js";
 
 export function buildAgentSystemPrompt(params: {
   workspaceDir: string;
   defaultThinkLevel?: ThinkLevel;
+  reasoningLevel?: ReasoningLevel;
   extraSystemPrompt?: string;
   ownerNumbers?: string[];
   reasoningTagHint?: boolean;
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ export function buildAgentSystemPrompt(params: {
     sessions_send: "Send a message to another session/sub-agent",
     sessions_spawn: "Spawn a sub-agent session",
     session_status:
-      "Show a /status-equivalent status card (includes usage + cost when available); optional per-session model override",
+      "Show a /status-equivalent status card (usage/cost + Reasoning/Verbose/Elevated); optional per-session model override",
     image: "Analyze an image with the configured image model",
   };
 
@@ -139,6 +140,7 @@ export function buildAgentSystemPrompt(params: {
         "<final>Hey there! What would you like to do next?</final>",
       ].join(" ")
     : undefined;
+  const reasoningLevel = params.reasoningLevel ?? "off";
   const userTimezone = params.userTimezone?.trim();
   const userTime = params.userTime?.trim();
   const skillsPrompt = params.skillsPrompt?.trim();
@@ -361,6 +363,7 @@ export function buildAgentSystemPrompt(params: {
     ]
       .filter(Boolean)
       .join(" | ")}`,
+    `Reasoning: ${reasoningLevel} (hidden unless on/stream). Toggle /reasoning; /status shows Reasoning when enabled.`,
   );
 
   return lines.filter(Boolean).join("\n");