diff --git a/CONVENTIONS.md b/CONVENTIONS.md
index 8c78465..41a8a34 100644
--- a/CONVENTIONS.md
+++ b/CONVENTIONS.md
@@ -78,7 +78,8 @@ workflows/<name>/
 | `createCursorRole` | Needs file system access (code generation, planning) | planner, coder |
 | `createHermesRole` | Needs shell + tools (testing, reviewing) | tester, reviewer |
 | `createLlmRole` | Pure LLM reasoning, no tools | analysis roles |
-| Direct `Role<Meta>` | No LLM needed, scripted logic | committer |
+| `createRole(hermesAdapter, …)` | Agent role with LLM + shell (branch/commit/push from thread context) | solve-issue committer, publish |
+| Direct `Role<Meta>` | No LLM needed, scripted logic | thin wrappers only |
 
 ### Meta Convention
 
@@ -87,7 +88,8 @@ Meta is a **routing signal only** — one boolean per role:
 - `{ done: boolean }` — coder
 - `{ approved: boolean }` — reviewer
 - `{ passed: boolean }` — tester
-- `{ success: boolean }` — committer
+- `{ committed: boolean }` — committer (solve-issue: branch created, pushed)
+- `{ success: boolean }` — publish (PR opened)
 
 ### Standard Flow
 
diff --git a/workflows/solve-issue/roles/committer/prompt.ts b/workflows/solve-issue/roles/committer/prompt.ts
index dd703ee..18e2a40 100644
--- a/workflows/solve-issue/roles/committer/prompt.ts
+++ b/workflows/solve-issue/roles/committer/prompt.ts
@@ -22,16 +22,17 @@ In the thread, locate \`---SOLVE_ISSUE_PARSE---\` and \`---SOLVE_ISSUE_REPO---\`
 ## Steps (in order)
 
 1. \`cd\` to the repo **path** from SOLVE_ISSUE_REPO.
-2. Run \`git status\`. There should be **uncommitted** changes from implement. If the tree is clean with nothing to commit, set **committed** to false and explain.
-3. Create a feature branch (do not work on the default branch directly):
+2. Run \`git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD\` and compare with **defaultBranch** from SOLVE_ISSUE_REPO. Implement leaves changes **uncommitted** on the default branch — you should be on that branch with a dirty working tree. If you are not on the default branch, or the tree is clean with nothing to commit when you expected changes, set **committed** to false and explain (avoids empty PRs from wrong state).
+3. Run \`git status\`. There should be **uncommitted** changes from implement. If the tree is clean with nothing to commit, set **committed** to false and explain.
+4. Create a feature branch (do not work on the default branch directly):
    - Name: \`fix/<number>-<short-slug>\` for fixes, or \`feat/<number>-<short-slug>\` if the issue is clearly a feature.
    - **number** from SOLVE_ISSUE_PARSE.
    - **slug**: lowercase, hyphens only, short (from issue title words).
    - Example: \`git checkout -b fix/42-auth-timeout\`
-4. \`git add -A\`
-5. Write a **conventional commit** message (e.g. \`fix(scope): summary\` or \`feat(scope): summary\`) describing **what** changed and **why**, using the thread (plan + implement context).
-6. \`git commit -m "<message>"\` — use a single \`-m\` for a one-line message, or multiple \`-m\` for body paragraphs if needed.
-7. \`git push -u origin <branch-name>\`
+5. \`git add -A\`
+6. Write a **conventional commit** message (e.g. \`fix(scope): summary\` or \`feat(scope): summary\`) describing **what** changed and **why**, using the thread (plan + implement context).
+7. \`git commit -m "<message>"\` — use a single \`-m\` for a one-line message, or multiple \`-m\` for body paragraphs if needed. Do **not** pass \`--author\` — always use the repo's local git config identity.
+8. \`git push -u origin <branch-name>\`
 
 **committed=true** only if you created the branch, committed successfully, and **push** succeeded.
 
diff --git a/workflows/solve-issue/roles/implement/prompt.ts b/workflows/solve-issue/roles/implement/prompt.ts
index 8fee642..4260a12 100644
--- a/workflows/solve-issue/roles/implement/prompt.ts
+++ b/workflows/solve-issue/roles/implement/prompt.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ Your cwd is the target repository.
 2. Run the project **build** (\`pnpm build\`, \`npm run build\`, etc.) and fix issues until build passes.
 3. Multi-step: if you cannot finish this round, explain why and set **done** to false.
 
-Do **not** run \`git checkout -b\`, \`git add\`, \`git commit\`, or \`git push\`. Branching and commits are handled by the **committer** step after you finish.
+Do **not** run \`git checkout -b\`, \`git add\`, \`git commit\`, or \`git push\`. **Never** create commits on any branch — branching and commits are handled by the **committer** step after you finish.
 
 Then close with JSON:
 \`\`\`json
diff --git a/workflows/solve-issue/roles/publish/prompt.ts b/workflows/solve-issue/roles/publish/prompt.ts
index df353f2..a610e8c 100644
--- a/workflows/solve-issue/roles/publish/prompt.ts
+++ b/workflows/solve-issue/roles/publish/prompt.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ Find \`---SOLVE_ISSUE_PARSE---\` and \`---SOLVE_ISSUE_REPO---\` in prior message
    - **## What** — one short paragraph: what this PR does
    - **## Why** — one short paragraph: motivation / issue
    - **## Changes** — bullet list of notable changes
-   - **## Ref** — the issue link above
+   - **## Ref** — include one line \`Fixes #<number>\` (same \`number\` from SOLVE_ISSUE_PARSE; closes/links the issue where supported) **and** the issue URL \`https://<host>/<owner>/<repo>/issues/<number>\`
 4. Create the PR with **tea** (not curl/fetch to Gitea):
    - \`tea pr create --repo <owner>/<repo> --base <defaultBranch> --head <branch> --title "<your meaningful title>" --body <your markdown body>\`
    - You may use a heredoc or a temp file for \`--body\` if the shell requires it; keep the four sections in the body.