diff --git a/src/agent_prompts.rs b/src/agent_prompts.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6f1f0950
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/agent_prompts.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+
+const AGENTS_DIR: &str = "agents";
+
+fn get_agents_dir() -> PathBuf {
+    let hcom_dir = crate::config::Config::get().hcom_dir;
+    hcom_dir.join(AGENTS_DIR)
+}
+
+pub fn get_agent_prompt_path(instance_name: &str) -> PathBuf {
+    get_agents_dir().join(format!("{}.md", instance_name))
+}
+
+pub fn load_agent_prompt(instance_name: &str) -> Option<String> {
+    let path = get_agent_prompt_path(instance_name);
+    if path.exists() {
+        std::fs::read_to_string(&path).ok().filter(|s| !s.trim().is_empty())
+    } else {
+        None
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn ensure_agents_dir() -> std::io::Result<()> {
+    std::fs::create_dir_all(get_agents_dir())
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use tempfile::TempDir;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_load_nonexistent_returns_none() {
+        let tmp = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+        let path = tmp.path().join("nonexistent.md");
+        assert!(!path.exists());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_ensure_agents_dir_creates() {
+        let tmp = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+        let dir = tmp.path().join("agents");
+        assert!(!dir.exists());
+        std::fs::create_dir_all(&dir).unwrap();
+        assert!(dir.exists());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/bootstrap.rs b/src/bootstrap.rs
index 520823dd..7f8f6d1b 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap.rs
@@ -62,9 +62,12 @@ You MUST use `hcom <cmd+flags> --name {instance_name}` for all hcom commands:
 - View events: events [--last N] [--all] [--sql EXPR] [filters]
   Filters (same flag=OR, different=AND): --agent NAME | --type message|status|life | --status listening|active|blocked | --cmd PATTERN (contains, ^prefix, =exact) | --file PATH (*.py for glob, file.py for contains)
   Event-based notifications, watch agents, subscribe, react: events sub [filters] | --help
+- Per-agent system prompts: create `~/.hcom/agents/<name>.md` with the role prompt for any agent (self or spawned)
+  Then `hcom list -v` confirms if file loaded. Re-injected on every session compaction.
 - Handoff context: bundle prepare
-- Spawn agents: [num] <claude|gemini|codex|opencode> [--tag labelOrGroup] [--terminal tmux|kitty|wezterm|etc]
+- Spawn agents: [num] <claude|gemini|codex|opencode> [--tag labelOrGroup] [--agent-name customName] [--terminal tmux|kitty|wezterm|etc]
   Example: `hcom 1 claude --tag cool` -> automatic <hcom> msg when ready -> send it task via hcom send
+  Example: `hcom 1 claude --agent-name mybot` -> named agent, load ~/.hcom/agents/mybot.md as system prompt
   Resume: hcom r <name> [args] | Fork: hcom f <name> [args] | Kill: hcom kill <name(s)>
   background, set prompt, system, forward args: <claude|gemini|codex|opencode> --help
 - Run workflows: run <script> [args] [--help]
@@ -182,6 +185,12 @@ Commands:
   {hcom_cmd} events --name {subagent_name}
   {hcom_cmd} <cmd> --help --name {subagent_name}
 
+Agent prompts:
+  - When spawning sub-agents use `--agent-name <name>` to name them
+  - Write role prompt: `echo "role instructions" > ~/.hcom/agents/<name>.md`
+  - The sub-agent reads this file on startup and every session compaction
+  - Create the file before or right after spawning
+
 Rules:
 - Task via hcom → ack, work, report
 - Authority: @{SENDER} > others
@@ -438,6 +447,14 @@ pub fn get_bootstrap(
         result.push_str(&format!("\n\n## NOTES\n\n{}\n", ctx.notes));
     }
 
+    // Agent prompt from ~/.hcom/agents/<name>.md
+    if let Some(agent_prompt) = crate::agent_prompts::load_agent_prompt(instance_name) {
+        result.push_str(&format!(
+            "\n\n## AGENT PROMPT\n\n{}\n",
+            agent_prompt
+        ));
+    }
+
     // Rewrite hcom references if using alternate command
     if ctx.hcom_cmd != "hcom" {
         let sentinel = "__HCOM_CMD__";
diff --git a/src/commands/launch.rs b/src/commands/launch.rs
index d2380467..04e89694 100644
--- a/src/commands/launch.rs
+++ b/src/commands/launch.rs
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ pub fn run(argv: &[String], flags: &GlobalFlags) -> Result<i32> {
             "args": tool_args,
             "tag": tag,
             "launcher": launcher_name,
+            "name": hcom_flags.name,
             "background": headless,
             "pty": pty_requested,
             "terminal": terminal,
@@ -198,7 +199,7 @@ pub fn run(argv: &[String], flags: &GlobalFlags) -> Result<i32> {
             launcher: Some(launcher_name.clone()),
             run_here: hcom_flags.run_here,
             batch_id: hcom_flags.batch_id,
-            name: None, // --name is caller identity, not instance name
+            name: hcom_flags.name.clone(),
             skip_validation: false,
             terminal,
             append_reply_handoff: true,
@@ -463,6 +464,7 @@ pub(crate) struct HcomLaunchFlags {
     pub run_here: Option<bool>,
     pub batch_id: Option<String>,
     pub dir: Option<String>,
+    pub name: Option<String>,
 }
 
 /// Parse launch argv: extract count, tool name, hcom flags, and tool-specific args.
@@ -661,6 +663,10 @@ pub(crate) fn extract_launch_flags(args: &[String]) -> (HcomLaunchFlags, Vec<Str
                 flags.run_here = Some(false);
                 i += 1;
             }
+            "--agent-name" if i + 1 < args.len() => {
+                flags.name = Some(args[i + 1].clone());
+                i += 2;
+            }
             "--name" if i + 1 < args.len() => {
                 i += 2;
             }
diff --git a/src/launcher.rs b/src/launcher.rs
index 84199d3b..12051d86 100644
--- a/src/launcher.rs
+++ b/src/launcher.rs
@@ -773,6 +773,9 @@ pub fn launch(db: &HcomDb, mut params: LaunchParams) -> Result<LaunchResult> {
         );
     }
 
+    // Ensure agents dir exists for per-agent prompts
+    crate::agent_prompts::ensure_agents_dir().ok();
+
     // Ensure hooks are installed (strict: refuse to launch without hooks)
     ensure_hooks_installed(&normalized)?;
 
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index c313181f..23f1540c 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 //! each tool's own UI. Agents use `hcom` CLI commands (learnt through bootstrap.rs)
 //! as a side-channel for messaging and coordination with other agents.
 
+mod agent_prompts;
 mod bootstrap;
 mod cli_context;
 pub mod commands;
diff --git a/src/opencode_plugin/hcom.ts b/src/opencode_plugin/hcom.ts
index dec94c83..d00a9c54 100644
--- a/src/opencode_plugin/hcom.ts
+++ b/src/opencode_plugin/hcom.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import type { Plugin, PluginInput } from "@opencode-ai/plugin"
 import type { Event } from "@opencode-ai/sdk"
-import { appendFileSync } from "fs"
+import { appendFileSync, readFileSync, existsSync } from "fs"
 import { homedir } from "os"
 
 const HCOM_DIR = process.env.HCOM_DIR || `${homedir()}/.hcom`
@@ -524,6 +524,16 @@ export const HcomPlugin: Plugin = async ({ client, $ }) => {
           `You are connected to hcom as "${instanceName}". ` +
           `Use --name ${instanceName} for all hcom commands.`
         )
+
+        const agentPromptPath = `${HCOM_DIR}/agents/${instanceName}.md`
+        if (existsSync(agentPromptPath)) {
+          const agentPrompt = readFileSync(agentPromptPath, "utf-8").trim()
+          if (agentPrompt) {
+            output.context.push(`## AGENT PROMPT\n\n${agentPrompt}`)
+            log("INFO", "plugin.agent_prompt_injected", instanceName, { path: agentPromptPath })
+          }
+        }
+
         log("INFO", "plugin.compaction_reset", instanceName)
       } catch (e) {
         log("ERROR", "plugin.compaction_error", instanceName, { error: String(e) })