diff --git a/workflows/sense-generator/build.ts b/workflows/sense-generator/build.ts
index ddc6372..4754db0 100644
--- a/workflows/sense-generator/build.ts
+++ b/workflows/sense-generator/build.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ export function buildSenseGenerator({
     roles: {
       planner: buildPlannerRole({ provider, cwd }),
       coder: buildCoderRole({ provider, cwd }),
-      tester: buildTesterRole({ provider }),
+      tester: buildTesterRole({ provider, nerveRoot: cwd }),
       committer: buildCommitterRole({ nerveRoot: cwd }),
     },
     moderator,
diff --git a/workflows/sense-generator/roles/tester/index.ts b/workflows/sense-generator/roles/tester/index.ts
index 0f54edb..2519b93 100644
--- a/workflows/sense-generator/roles/tester/index.ts
+++ b/workflows/sense-generator/roles/tester/index.ts
@@ -10,11 +10,12 @@ export type TesterMeta = z.infer<typeof testerMetaSchema>;
 
 export type BuildTesterDeps = {
   provider: LlmProvider;
+  nerveRoot: string;
 };
 
-export function buildTesterRole({ provider }: BuildTesterDeps) {
+export function buildTesterRole({ provider, nerveRoot }: BuildTesterDeps) {
   return createHermesRole<TesterMeta>({
-    prompt: async (threadId) => testerPrompt({ threadId }),
+    prompt: async (threadId) => testerPrompt({ threadId, nerveRoot }),
     extract: { provider, schema: testerMetaSchema },
   });
 }
diff --git a/workflows/sense-generator/roles/tester/prompt.ts b/workflows/sense-generator/roles/tester/prompt.ts
index b09365b..e4255de 100644
--- a/workflows/sense-generator/roles/tester/prompt.ts
+++ b/workflows/sense-generator/roles/tester/prompt.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
-export function testerPrompt({ threadId }: { threadId: string }): string {
+export function testerPrompt({ threadId, nerveRoot }: { threadId: string; nerveRoot: string }): string {
   return `You are testing a newly created Nerve sense end-to-end.
 
+**IMPORTANT: The Nerve workspace is at \`${nerveRoot}\`. All paths below are relative to this directory. Always \`cd ${nerveRoot}\` first.**
+
 Read the workflow thread for context: \`nerve thread ${threadId}\`
-Read the nerve-dev skill for expected file structure: \`cat node_modules/@uncaged/nerve-skills/nerve-dev/SKILL.md\`
+Read the nerve-dev skill for expected file structure: \`cat ${nerveRoot}/node_modules/@uncaged/nerve-skills/nerve-dev/SKILL.md\`
 
 Verify the full lifecycle in this order:
 
@@ -14,7 +16,7 @@ Verify the full lifecycle in this order:
 
 2. **Build** — run inside the sense directory:
    \`\`\`
-   cd senses/<name> && pnpm install --no-cache && pnpm build
+   cd ${nerveRoot}/senses/<name> && pnpm install --no-cache && pnpm build
    \`\`\`
    Must produce \`index.js\` at sense root without errors.
 
diff --git a/workflows/workflow-generator/build.ts b/workflows/workflow-generator/build.ts
index ee9cf36..b96b6c1 100644
--- a/workflows/workflow-generator/build.ts
+++ b/workflows/workflow-generator/build.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ export function buildWorkflowGenerator({
     roles: {
       planner: buildPlannerRole({ provider, cwd: nerveRoot }),
       coder: buildCoderRole({ provider, cwd: nerveRoot }),
-      tester: buildTesterRole({ provider }),
+      tester: buildTesterRole({ provider, nerveRoot }),
       committer: buildCommitterRole({ nerveRoot }),
     },
     moderator,
diff --git a/workflows/workflow-generator/roles/tester/index.ts b/workflows/workflow-generator/roles/tester/index.ts
index 38b5741..52117b6 100644
--- a/workflows/workflow-generator/roles/tester/index.ts
+++ b/workflows/workflow-generator/roles/tester/index.ts
@@ -10,11 +10,12 @@ export type TesterMeta = z.infer<typeof testerMetaSchema>;
 
 export type BuildTesterDeps = {
   provider: LlmProvider;
+  nerveRoot: string;
 };
 
-export function buildTesterRole({ provider }: BuildTesterDeps) {
+export function buildTesterRole({ provider, nerveRoot }: BuildTesterDeps) {
   return createHermesRole<TesterMeta>({
-    prompt: async (threadId) => testerPrompt({ threadId }),
+    prompt: async (threadId) => testerPrompt({ threadId, nerveRoot }),
     extract: { provider, schema: testerMetaSchema },
   });
 }