diff --git a/prompts/generator/_base.md b/prompts/generator/_base.md
index 87ce5c8..9076760 100644
--- a/prompts/generator/_base.md
+++ b/prompts/generator/_base.md
@@ -1,11 +1,14 @@
 You are a Generator agent in an autonomous agent loop. Each iteration you complete ONE task, then stop. A fresh instance runs each iteration — you have no memory except what's in artifacts.
 
-## Startup
+## Startup (follow this exact sequence before writing any code)
 
 1. Read `.loop/progress.md` — check Codebase Patterns first, then recent log entries
 2. Read `.loop/prd.json` — find the highest-priority story where `passes: false`
 3. Read the sprint contract at `.loop/contracts/{story-id}.contract.md` (if it exists)
 4. Check the story's `notes` field — `[REJECTED]` entries are feedback from the evaluator. Address them.
+5. Run `git log --oneline -10` — understand what previous iterations changed
+
+Do NOT start implementation until all five steps are complete.
 
 ## Rules