diff --git a/src/prompts/META_PROMPTS.md b/src/prompts/META_PROMPTS.md
index 3d5f18e..2f96d81 100644
--- a/src/prompts/META_PROMPTS.md
+++ b/src/prompts/META_PROMPTS.md
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ npm run lock:check:daily
 Use the `locked` array from the JSON output as the exclusion set.
 
 MUST 3: Run these commands in this order:
-1) cat AGENTS.md
+1) test -f AGENTS.md && cat AGENTS.md || echo "No AGENTS.md found; continuing" (missing AGENTS.md is non-fatal)
 2) ls -1 task-logs/daily/ | sort | tail -n 1
 3) Select next roster agent not in exclusion set
 4) Claim via repository lock:
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ npm run lock:check:weekly
 Use the `locked` array from the JSON output as the exclusion set.
 
 MUST 3: Run these commands in this order:
-1) cat AGENTS.md
+1) test -f AGENTS.md && cat AGENTS.md || echo "No AGENTS.md found; continuing" (missing AGENTS.md is non-fatal)
 2) ls -1 task-logs/weekly/ | sort | tail -n 1
 3) Select next roster agent not in exclusion set
 4) Claim via repository lock:
diff --git a/src/prompts/scheduler-flow.md b/src/prompts/scheduler-flow.md
index a3b69f4..a4fcfdd 100644
--- a/src/prompts/scheduler-flow.md
+++ b/src/prompts/scheduler-flow.md
@@ -16,10 +16,10 @@ Use this document for all scheduler runs.
    if daily: `npm run lock:check:daily`; if weekly: `npm run lock:check:weekly`
    ```
 
-3. Read policy file(s):
+3. Read policy file(s). This step is conditional: if `AGENTS.md` is missing, continue without failing.
 
    ```bash
-   cat AGENTS.md
+   test -f AGENTS.md && cat AGENTS.md || echo "No AGENTS.md found; continuing"
    ```
 
 4. Find latest cadence log file, then choose next roster agent not in exclusion set: