diff --git a/tools/agent-transport.mjs b/tools/agent-transport.mjs
index faf8017..4646033 100644
--- a/tools/agent-transport.mjs
+++ b/tools/agent-transport.mjs
@@ -215,13 +215,19 @@ function allowsUnmirrored(options) {
 function renderRequestMirrorFallback(request) {
   const actor = request.createdByAgent ? `${request.createdByAgent} queued` : "Queued";
   return [
-    `Bifrost intake: ${actor} a work request.`,
+    `Bifrost update request queued`,
     "",
     `**${request.targetRepoName}: ${request.title}**`,
+    `Request: \`${request.id}\``,
+    `Target: ${request.targetAgentIdentity ? `${request.targetAgentIdentity} / ` : ""}${request.targetRepoName}`,
+    `Status: queued`,
+    `Codex job: no - this request is waiting for the dispatcher`,
+    "",
+    `${actor} this work request.`,
     "",
     summarizeRequestMarkdown(request.requestMarkdown),
     "",
-    `Request: \`${request.id}\``,
+    `Next: a separate \`Bifrost Codex dispatch started\` receipt means a Codex turn actually began.`,
   ].join("\n");
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/dispatch-agent-requests.mjs b/tools/dispatch-agent-requests.mjs
index 5440af0..e1d969a 100644
--- a/tools/dispatch-agent-requests.mjs
+++ b/tools/dispatch-agent-requests.mjs
@@ -427,11 +427,15 @@ function renderDispatchReceiptContent(request) {
     ? `${request.targetAgentIdentity} / ${request.targetRepoName}`
     : request.targetRepoName;
   return [
-    `Bifrost dispatch receipt`,
+    `Bifrost Codex dispatch started`,
     ``,
     `**${request.targetRepoName}: ${topic}**`,
+    `Request: \`${request.id}\``,
+    `Target: ${actor}`,
+    `Status: claimed by dispatcher`,
+    `Codex job: started`,
     ``,
-    `Codex has started a turn for ${actor}. The claim is now specific enough to inspect, and the work is no longer sitting unclaimed in chat.`,
+    `Codex has started a turn. The claim is now specific enough to inspect, and the work is no longer sitting unclaimed in chat.`,
     `Keep discussion here if it sharpens this request; Bifrost will carry the result back across the bridge.`,
   ].join("\n");
 }
diff --git a/tools/governance-threads.mjs b/tools/governance-threads.mjs
index e612564..2cd2b03 100644
--- a/tools/governance-threads.mjs
+++ b/tools/governance-threads.mjs
@@ -359,9 +359,11 @@ async function mirrorTopicActivityOrThrow(cache, topic, input) {
     optionalString(process.env.BIFROST_DISCORD_PERSONA_AVATAR_URL) ??
     optionalString(process.env.DISCORD_PERSONA_AVATAR_URL_BIFROST) ??
     defaultPersonaAvatarUrl;
-  const mirrorContent =
-    await readOptionalMarkdownOption(input.options, "mirror-content") ??
-    renderMirrorFallback(topic, input.eventLabel, input.fallbackContent);
+  const mirrorContent = renderGovernanceMirrorContent(
+    topic,
+    input.eventLabel,
+    await readOptionalMarkdownOption(input.options, "mirror-content") ?? input.fallbackContent,
+  );
 
   const now = new Date().toISOString();
   const receipt = runNodeJson([
@@ -403,16 +405,56 @@ function allowsUnmirrored(options) {
   return options["allow-unmirrored"] === "true" || process.env.BIFROST_ALLOW_UNMIRRORED_GOVERNANCE === "true";
 }
 
-function renderMirrorFallback(topic, eventLabel, content) {
+function renderGovernanceMirrorContent(topic, eventLabel, content) {
+  const event = governanceMirrorEvent(eventLabel);
   return [
-    `Bifrost ${eventLabel}: ${topic.title}`,
+    `Bifrost governance: ${event.label}`,
     "",
-    content.trim(),
+    `**${topic.title}**`,
+    `Topic: \`${topic.id}\``,
+    `Jurisdiction: ${topic.jurisdictionRepoName}${topic.jurisdictionAgentIdentity ? ` / ${topic.jurisdictionAgentIdentity}` : ""}`,
+    `Topic status: ${topic.status}`,
+    `Codex job: ${event.codexJob}`,
     "",
-    `Topic: ${topic.id}`,
+    truncateMarkdown(content.trim(), 1200),
+    "",
+    event.nextStep,
   ].join("\n");
 }
 
+function governanceMirrorEvent(eventLabel) {
+  switch (eventLabel) {
+    case "opened":
+      return {
+        label: "topic opened",
+        codexJob: "no - this is discussion/proposal intake only",
+        nextStep: "Next: comments, jurisdiction review, or approval. Nothing has been dispatched.",
+      };
+    case "approved":
+      return {
+        label: "topic approved",
+        codexJob: "no - approved topics still need promotion before dispatch",
+        nextStep: "Next: promotion creates a Bifrost update request. A separate dispatch receipt means Codex actually started.",
+      };
+    case "dispatched":
+      return {
+        label: "topic promoted to update request",
+        codexJob: "queued - Codex has not necessarily started yet",
+        nextStep: "Next: wait for a `Bifrost Codex dispatch started` receipt before treating this as an active Codex job.",
+      };
+    default:
+      return {
+        label: `topic ${eventLabel}`,
+        codexJob: "no - this is governance discussion, not dispatch",
+        nextStep: "Next: keep discussing, approve, or promote when the jurisdiction owner is ready.",
+      };
+  }
+}
+
+function truncateMarkdown(value, maxLength) {
+  return value.length > maxLength ? `${value.slice(0, maxLength - 3)}...` : value;
+}
+
 function listTopics(cache, options) {
   const topics = cache.getAll(topicDefinition)
     .filter((topic) => !options.status || topic.status === options.status)