diff --git a/packages/app/src/pages/session/composer/session-question-dock.tsx b/packages/app/src/pages/session/composer/session-question-dock.tsx
index 6eda5f0bc5..b909d8c932 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/pages/session/composer/session-question-dock.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/pages/session/composer/session-question-dock.tsx
@@ -73,10 +73,11 @@ export const SessionQuestionDock: Component<{ request: QuestionRequest; onSubmit
   const total = createMemo(() => questions().length)
 
   const cached = cache.get(cacheKey)
+  const defaults = props.request.questions.map((q) => q.default ?? "")
   const [store, setStore] = createStore({
     tab: cached?.tab ?? 0,
     answers: cached?.answers ?? ([] as QuestionAnswer[]),
-    custom: cached?.custom ?? ([] as string[]),
+    custom: cached?.custom ?? defaults,
     customOn: cached?.customOn ?? ([] as boolean[]),
     editing: false,
     focus: 0,
diff --git a/packages/core/src/tool/question.ts b/packages/core/src/tool/question.ts
index 3fa5b3b215..97fba1e5ba 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/tool/question.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/tool/question.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ Usage notes:
 - Every question is a card: a choice question (default) lists options; a free-form question — one expecting an open-ended typed answer, like a name or a number — uses kind: "text" and renders a bare text input with submit, so give it no options
 - When \`custom\` is enabled (default), a "Type your own answer" option is added automatically; don't include "Other" or catch-all options
 - Answers are returned as arrays of labels; set \`multiple: true\` to allow selecting more than one
-- If you recommend a specific option, make that the first option in the list and add "(Recommended)" at the end of the label`
+- If you recommend a specific option, make that the first option in the list and add "(Recommended)" at the end of the label
+- For text-kind questions, set \`default\` to pre-fill the input with a value the user can edit before submitting`
 
 export const Input = Schema.Struct({
   questions: Schema.Array(QuestionV2.Prompt).annotate({ description: "Questions to ask" }),
diff --git a/packages/core/test/tool-question.test.ts b/packages/core/test/tool-question.test.ts
index 540bae03b5..e7a216cd3f 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/tool-question.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/tool-question.test.ts
@@ -165,4 +165,30 @@ describe("QuestionTool", () => {
       expect(Exit.isFailure(exit)).toBe(true)
     }),
   )
+
+  it.effect("passes a default field through on text-kind questions for pre-filling", () =>
+    Effect.gen(function* () {
+      assertions.length = 0
+      captured = undefined
+      reject = false
+      deny = false
+      const registry = yield* ToolRegistry.Service
+      const questions = [
+        {
+          question: "Edit your description",
+          header: "Description",
+          kind: "text" as const,
+          options: [],
+          default: "JJ is a researcher focused on quantum control.",
+        },
+      ]
+
+      yield* settleTool(registry, {
+        sessionID,
+        ...toolIdentity,
+        call: { type: "tool-call", id: "call-question-default", name: "question", input: { questions } },
+      })
+      expect(capturedInput()?.questions[0].default).toBe("JJ is a researcher focused on quantum control.")
+    }),
+  )
 })
diff --git a/packages/schema/src/question.ts b/packages/schema/src/question.ts
index 0f44af7685..a6867918c9 100644
--- a/packages/schema/src/question.ts
+++ b/packages/schema/src/question.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ const base = {
   options: Schema.Array(Option).annotate({ description: "Available choices" }),
   multiple: Schema.Boolean.pipe(optional).annotate({ description: "Allow selecting multiple choices" }),
   kind: Kind.pipe(optional),
+  default: Schema.String.pipe(optional).annotate({
+    description: "Pre-filled value for text-kind questions (user can edit before submitting)",
+  }),
 }
 
 export const Info = Schema.Struct({
diff --git a/packages/schema/src/v1/question.ts b/packages/schema/src/v1/question.ts
index b90503a594..08b9401caf 100644
--- a/packages/schema/src/v1/question.ts
+++ b/packages/schema/src/v1/question.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ const base = {
   options: Schema.Array(Option).annotate({ description: "Available choices" }),
   multiple: Schema.optional(Schema.Boolean).annotate({ description: "Allow selecting multiple choices" }),
   kind: Schema.optional(Kind),
+  default: Schema.optional(Schema.String).annotate({
+    description: "Pre-filled value for text-kind questions (user can edit before submitting)",
+  }),
 }
 
 export const Info = Schema.Struct({
diff --git a/packages/sdk/js/src/v2/gen/types.gen.ts b/packages/sdk/js/src/v2/gen/types.gen.ts
index 37ff1cb916..fb467d191e 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/js/src/v2/gen/types.gen.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/js/src/v2/gen/types.gen.ts
@@ -738,6 +738,7 @@ export type QuestionInfo = {
    * Question shape: "choice" (default, an option list) or "text" (a free-form text card, no options)
    */
   kind?: "choice" | "text"
+  default?: string
   custom?: boolean
 }
 
@@ -3077,6 +3078,7 @@ export type ModelRef = {
 
 export type LocationRef = {
   directory: string
+  directories?: Array<string>
   workspaceID?: string
 }
 
@@ -3197,6 +3199,7 @@ export type QuestionV2Info = {
    * Question shape: "choice" (default, an option list) or "text" (a free-form text card, no options)
    */
   kind?: "choice" | "text"
+  default?: string
   custom?: boolean
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/tui/src/routes/session/question.tsx b/packages/tui/src/routes/session/question.tsx
index 7921b3a1e6..10187dbf5a 100644
--- a/packages/tui/src/routes/session/question.tsx
+++ b/packages/tui/src/routes/session/question.tsx
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ export function QuestionPrompt(props: { request: QuestionRequest; directory?: st
   const [store, setStore] = createStore({
     tab: 0,
     answers: [] as QuestionAnswer[],
-    custom: [] as string[],
+    custom: props.request.questions.map((q) => q.default ?? "") as string[],
     selected: 0,
     editing: false,
   })