diff --git a/packages/agent/src/server/agent-server.test.ts b/packages/agent/src/server/agent-server.test.ts
index e7b1c00d76..e79c3e2169 100644
--- a/packages/agent/src/server/agent-server.test.ts
+++ b/packages/agent/src/server/agent-server.test.ts
@@ -1374,6 +1374,12 @@ describe("AgentServer HTTP Mode", () => {
       expect(prompt).toContain(
         "Do NOT create a branch, commit, push, or open a pull request unless the user explicitly asks.",
       );
+      expect(prompt).toContain(
+        "If the user does ask you to open a draft PR, open it first and do not block on long local checks",
+      );
+      expect(prompt).toContain("Opening the PR — do not block on long checks");
+      expect(prompt).toContain("assume the repo has CI");
+      expect(prompt).toContain("run the relevant checks as a follow-up task");
       expect(prompt).toContain("Generated-By: PostHog Code");
       expect(prompt).toContain("Task-Id: test-task-id");
       expect(prompt).not.toContain("gh pr create --draft");
@@ -1401,6 +1407,7 @@ describe("AgentServer HTTP Mode", () => {
           ".github/pull_request_template.md",
           "gh issue list --search",
           "Closes #<n>",
+          "Opening the PR — do not block on long checks",
           "Generated-By: PostHog Code",
           "Task-Id: test-task-id",
         ],
@@ -1414,7 +1421,11 @@ describe("AgentServer HTTP Mode", () => {
           "You may clone a repository and make local edits in that clone",
           "Do NOT create branches, commits, push changes, or open pull requests in this run",
         ],
-        shouldNotContain: ["open a draft pull request", "gh pr create --draft"],
+        shouldNotContain: [
+          "open a draft pull request",
+          "gh pr create --draft",
+          "Opening the PR — do not block on long checks",
+        ],
       },
     ])(
       "returns no-repository prompt for $label",
@@ -1440,6 +1451,10 @@ describe("AgentServer HTTP Mode", () => {
       expect(prompt).toContain("posthog-code/");
       expect(prompt).toContain("Create a draft pull request");
       expect(prompt).toContain("gh pr create --draft");
+      expect(prompt).toContain(
+        "Open the draft PR without blocking on long local checks",
+      );
+      expect(prompt).toContain("Opening the PR — do not block on long checks");
       expect(prompt).toContain("Generated-By: PostHog Code");
       expect(prompt).toContain("Task-Id: test-task-id");
       expect(prompt).toContain("Created with [PostHog Code]");
diff --git a/packages/agent/src/server/agent-server.ts b/packages/agent/src/server/agent-server.ts
index 518b576056..ad54a49b4e 100644
--- a/packages/agent/src/server/agent-server.ts
+++ b/packages/agent/src/server/agent-server.ts
@@ -1791,6 +1791,22 @@ we want:
   Generated-By: PostHog Code
   Task-Id: ${taskId}`;
 
+    const draftPrVerificationGuidance = `
+## Opening the PR — do not block on long checks
+When you open a draft pull request, open it FIRST, then handle verification.
+- Do NOT gate draft-PR creation on long-running local checks (full typecheck, full
+  test suite, or package builds). A draft is the safety net, and by the time a draft is
+  requested the work is usually already at a point the user considers complete (often
+  with some tests already run).
+- Committing is fast here: commits go through the \`git_signed_commit\` tool
+  (server-side), so there is no local pre-commit hook to wait on.
+- After the draft is open, handle verification without blocking its creation. Do NOT
+  assume the repo has CI: if it does, let CI run the checks on the PR; if it has no CI
+  (or you are unsure) and you judge verification is warranted, tell the user and offer
+  to run the relevant checks as a follow-up task. For a quick local sanity check, prefer
+  fast, scoped checks (lint, or a typecheck of just the package you touched). Reserve the
+  full suite for before marking the PR ready for review.`;
+
     const whyContextInstruction = `   - Add a brief **Why** to the body — one or two sentences capturing the reason the user asked for this change (the motivation, not a restatement of the diff). Keep it short.`;
     const prFooter = slackThreadUrl
       ? `*Created with [PostHog Code](https://posthog.com/code?ref=pr) from a [Slack thread](${slackThreadUrl})*`
@@ -1848,7 +1864,9 @@ When the user explicitly asks to clone or work in a GitHub repository:
 - Keep the PR description brief overall. Summarize only the most important changes — do NOT enumerate every change you made. A few sentences or bullets is plenty.
 ${whyContextInstruction.trimStart()}
 - End the PR description with a horizontal rule followed by this footer line: ${prFooter}
-- Do NOT create branches, commits, push changes, or open pull requests unless the user explicitly asks for that`;
+- Do NOT create branches, commits, push changes, or open pull requests unless the user explicitly asks for that
+- If the user does ask you to open a draft PR, open it first and do not block on long local checks (see below).
+${draftPrVerificationGuidance}`;
 
       return `${identityInstructions}
 # Cloud Task Execution — No Repository Mode
@@ -1879,6 +1897,8 @@ Do the requested work, but stop with local changes ready for review.
 
 Important:
 - Do NOT create a branch, commit, push, or open a pull request unless the user explicitly asks.
+- If the user does ask you to open a draft PR, open it first and do not block on long local checks (see below).
+${draftPrVerificationGuidance}
 ${signedCommitInstructions}
 `;
     }
@@ -1903,6 +1923,8 @@ ${prFooter}
 
 Important:
 - Always create the PR as a draft. Do not ask for confirmation.
+- Open the draft PR without blocking on long local checks (see below); handle verification after it is open.
+${draftPrVerificationGuidance}
 ${signedCommitInstructions}
 `;
   }