diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/store-create-intake-column.test.ts b/packages/core/src/__tests__/store-create-intake-column.test.ts
index faf6160bbf..02b9a14452 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/__tests__/store-create-intake-column.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/store-create-intake-column.test.ts
@@ -48,4 +48,16 @@ describe("createTask intake-column wiring (Coding (Ideas))", () => {
     );
     expect(prompt).toBe(`# ${task.id}\n\n${task.description}\n`);
   });
+
+  it("keeps generateSpecifiedPrompt for a direct create into todo (not bootstrap)", async () => {
+    const store = harness.store();
+    const task = await store.createTask({ description: "direct todo create", column: "todo" });
+    expect(task.column).toBe("todo");
+    const prompt = await readFile(
+      join(harness.rootDir(), ".fusion", "tasks", task.id, "PROMPT.md"),
+      "utf-8",
+    );
+    // A direct todo create is NOT an intake column, so it must NOT get the bootstrap stub.
+    expect(prompt).not.toBe(`# ${task.id}\n\n${task.description}\n`);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/core/src/store.ts b/packages/core/src/store.ts
index 6157c6ffec..19c9807837 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/store.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/store.ts
@@ -5060,15 +5060,13 @@ ${TASK_UPSERT_SQL_ASSIGNMENTS}
     if (this.isWatching) this.taskCache.set(id, { ...task });
 
     /*
-    FNXC:CodingIdeasWorkflow 2026-07-04-10:10:
-    A freshly created task has no specification yet regardless of which intake/planning column it lands in (triage, ideas, or a merged todo). Use the bootstrap stub for every pre-execution column so the spec-detection helpers (isBootstrapPromptStub) treat the card as unplanned until triage replaces it with a real PROMPT.md. Execution/review/done/archived columns keep the generated specified prompt for the legacy direct-create paths.
+    FNXC:CodingIdeasWorkflow 2026-07-04-10:10 (revised):
+    A freshly created task needs the bootstrap stub only when it lands in a column the triage service will plan from — the legacy "triage" intake or a workflow's resolved manual intake (e.g. Coding (Ideas) → "ideas"). Gate on those two ids so legacy direct-create callers that pass an explicit column like "todo" still get the generated specified prompt. A task whose column is neither the entry column nor "triage" (custom hold/backlog columns, direct todo creates) keeps generateSpecifiedPrompt.
     */
-    const isPrePlanningColumn = task.column !== "in-progress"
-      && task.column !== "in-review"
-      && task.column !== "done"
-      && task.column !== "archived";
+    const isIntakeColumn = task.column === "triage"
+      || (options?.resolvedEntryColumn !== undefined && task.column === options.resolvedEntryColumn);
     const prompt = options?.promptOverride
-      ?? (isPrePlanningColumn
+      ?? (isIntakeColumn
         ? buildBootstrapPrompt(id, task.title, task.description)
         : this.generateSpecifiedPrompt(task));
     const validation = validateFileScopeInPromptContent(prompt);
diff --git a/packages/dashboard/app/components/TaskCard.tsx b/packages/dashboard/app/components/TaskCard.tsx
index d7c53dede1..50566bd3c6 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard/app/components/TaskCard.tsx
+++ b/packages/dashboard/app/components/TaskCard.tsx
@@ -1407,7 +1407,7 @@ function TaskCardComponent({
     || Boolean(task.blockedBy)
     || Boolean(task.overlapBlockedBy)
     || Boolean(fanout && fanout.totalCount > 0);
-  const showStartAction = task.column === "ideas" && Boolean(onMoveTask);
+  const showStartAction = taskColumnFlags?.intake === true && task.column !== "triage" && Boolean(onMoveTask);
   const shouldRenderActionRow = Boolean(onPromote) || showCreatePrQuickAction || showAddressPrFeedbackAction || showStartAction || (showInReviewMoveControl && !metaRowVisible);
 
   const renderInReviewMoveControl = () => (
diff --git a/packages/engine/src/scheduler.ts b/packages/engine/src/scheduler.ts
index a8d3d927d5..283b8c594d 100644
--- a/packages/engine/src/scheduler.ts
+++ b/packages/engine/src/scheduler.ts
@@ -2252,6 +2252,24 @@ export class Scheduler {
         reserveSlot: async (task): Promise<SlotReservation | null> => {
           let reservedScope = false;
 
+          /*
+          FNXC:CodingIdeasWorkflow 2026-07-04-12:10:
+          The workflow-column dispatch path is the only dispatcher when the flag is on, so the planning/bootstrap guards from the legacy todo filter must also apply here. A todo task being specified in place (status "planning") or still carrying the bootstrap stub PROMPT.md must not be released into an execution slot.
+          */
+          if (task.status === "planning") {
+            return null;
+          }
+          if (task.column === "todo") {
+            try {
+              const promptContent = await readFile(getPromptPath(this.store.getTasksDir(), task.id), "utf-8");
+              if (promptContent === buildBootstrapPrompt(task.id, task.title, task.description)) {
+                return null;
+              }
+            } catch {
+              // Missing prompt handled by filesystem validation below.
+            }
+          }
+
           const unmetDeps = getUnmetSchedulingDependencies(task, tasks, schedulingDependencyOptions);
           if (unmetDeps.length > 0) {
             await this.store.updateTask(task.id, {
diff --git a/packages/engine/src/triage.ts b/packages/engine/src/triage.ts
index a63867dd75..76d8fd41b8 100644
--- a/packages/engine/src/triage.ts
+++ b/packages/engine/src/triage.ts
@@ -336,8 +336,13 @@ export class TriageProcessor {
   }
 
   private async clearStaleSpecifyingStatuses(): Promise<void> {
-    const tasks = await this.store.listTasks({ column: "triage", slim: true });
-    const stale = tasks.filter(
+    /*
+    FNXC:CodingIdeasWorkflow 2026-07-04-12:00:
+    In the merged planner/capacity "todo" column a task can carry status "planning" when the triage service is specifying it in place. A crash/restart before planning completes leaves that status set, so the startup sweep must clear it from BOTH triage and todo — otherwise a stale planning todo task permanently occupies a maxTriageConcurrent slot and blocks new triage work.
+    */
+    const triageTasks = await this.store.listTasks({ column: "triage", slim: true });
+    const todoTasks = await this.store.listTasks({ column: "todo", slim: true });
+    const stale = [...triageTasks, ...todoTasks].filter(
       (t) => t.status === "planning" && !this.processing.has(t.id),
     );
     for (const t of stale) {