diff --git a/src/main/__tests__/github.test.ts b/src/main/__tests__/github.test.ts
index 6c26385..f205a31 100644
--- a/src/main/__tests__/github.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/__tests__/github.test.ts
@@ -182,6 +182,7 @@ describe('listIssues', () => {
         {
           number: 10,
           title: 'Bug report',
+          body: 'Something is broken',
           state: 'OPEN',
           author: { login: 'alice' },
           labels: [{ name: 'bug' }, { name: 'critical' }],
@@ -193,6 +194,7 @@ describe('listIssues', () => {
         {
           number: 11,
           title: 'Done issue',
+          body: '',
           state: 'CLOSED',
           author: { login: 'charlie' },
           labels: [],
@@ -208,9 +210,11 @@ describe('listIssues', () => {
 
     expect(issues).toHaveLength(2)
     expect(issues[0].state).toBe('open')
+    expect(issues[0].body).toBe('Something is broken')
     expect(issues[0].labels).toEqual(['bug', 'critical'])
     expect(issues[0].assignees).toEqual(['bob'])
     expect(issues[1].state).toBe('closed')
+    expect(issues[1].body).toBe('')
     expect(issues[1].assignees).toEqual([])
   })
 
diff --git a/src/main/github.ts b/src/main/github.ts
index 766c5f4..c1eea84 100644
--- a/src/main/github.ts
+++ b/src/main/github.ts
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ export async function listIssues(
   if (!ghRepo) return []
 
   const nwo = `${ghRepo.owner}/${ghRepo.repo}`
-  const fields = 'number,title,state,author,labels,assignees,url,createdAt,updatedAt'
+  const fields = 'number,title,body,state,author,labels,assignees,url,createdAt,updatedAt'
 
   return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
     execFile(
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ export async function listIssues(
             (issue: {
               number: number
               title: string
+              body: string
               state: string
               author: { login: string }
               labels: { name: string }[]
@@ -120,6 +121,7 @@ export async function listIssues(
             }) => ({
               number: issue.number,
               title: issue.title,
+              body: issue.body ?? '',
               state: issue.state === 'CLOSED' ? 'closed' : 'open',
               author: issue.author?.login ?? '',
               labels: (issue.labels ?? []).map((l) => l.name),
diff --git a/src/main/sessionManager.ts b/src/main/sessionManager.ts
index 9f3dc23..4c16c69 100644
--- a/src/main/sessionManager.ts
+++ b/src/main/sessionManager.ts
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ function spawnClaude(
   name: string,
   resume: boolean,
   prompt?: string,
+  systemPrompt?: string,
   env?: Record<string, string>
 ): nodePty.IPty {
   const args = resume
@@ -146,8 +147,13 @@ function spawnClaude(
     args.push('--plugin-dir', DEV_PLUGIN_PATH)
   }
 
+  if (systemPrompt && !resume) {
+    args.push('--append-system-prompt', systemPrompt)
+  }
+
+  // prompt is a positional argument — must come last, after all flags
   if (prompt && !resume) {
-    args.push('--prompt', prompt)
+    args.push(prompt)
   }
 
   log.info('session', `spawn: ${getClaudePath()} ${args.join(' ')}  cwd=${cwd}`)
@@ -169,6 +175,7 @@ export function createSession(
     name?: string
     resume?: boolean
     prompt?: string
+    systemPrompt?: string
     envScript?: string
   }
 ): { id: string; claudeSessionId: string } {
@@ -184,7 +191,7 @@ export function createSession(
     `createSession id=${id} claude=${claudeSessionId} resume=${resume} cwd=${cwd}`
   )
 
-  const pty = spawnClaude(cwd, claudeSessionId, name, resume, opts?.prompt, env)
+  const pty = spawnClaude(cwd, claudeSessionId, name, resume, opts?.prompt, opts?.systemPrompt, env)
 
   const entry: SessionEntry = {
     pty,
diff --git a/src/main/store.ts b/src/main/store.ts
index 653009f..9f8eaf7 100644
--- a/src/main/store.ts
+++ b/src/main/store.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { readFile, writeFile, rename, mkdir } from 'fs/promises'
 import { join } from 'path'
 import { homedir } from 'os'
-import type { PrInfo } from '../shared/types'
+import type { PrInfo, IssueInfo } from '../shared/types'
 
 const STORE_DIR = join(homedir(), '.konductor')
 const STATE_FILE = join(STORE_DIR, 'state.json')
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ export interface SessionData {
   summary: string
   claudeSessionId: string
   pr?: PrInfo
+  issue?: IssueInfo
 }
 
 export interface PersistedState {
diff --git a/src/preload/index.ts b/src/preload/index.ts
index f15f432..759db39 100644
--- a/src/preload/index.ts
+++ b/src/preload/index.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ export interface KonductorAPI {
       name?: string
       resume?: boolean
       prompt?: string
+      systemPrompt?: string
       envScript?: string
     }
   ) => Promise<{ id: string; claudeSessionId: string }>
@@ -103,6 +104,7 @@ const api: KonductorAPI = {
       name?: string
       resume?: boolean
       prompt?: string
+      systemPrompt?: string
       envScript?: string
     }
   ) => ipcRenderer.invoke('create-session', cwd, opts),
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/App.tsx b/src/renderer/src/App.tsx
index 7f3bccc..29af8a7 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/App.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { useState, useCallback, useEffect, useRef } from 'react'
 import type { ViewMode, Session } from './types'
+import type { IssueInfo } from '../../shared/types'
 import { useSessions } from './hooks/useSessions'
 import { useTerminals } from './hooks/useTerminals'
 import { useFileChanges } from './hooks/useFileChanges'
@@ -82,7 +83,13 @@ function App(): React.JSX.Element {
   }, [])
 
   const handleOpenBranchSession = useCallback(
-    async (branch: string, isNew: boolean, prompt?: string) => {
+    async (
+      branch: string,
+      isNew: boolean,
+      prompt?: string,
+      systemPrompt?: string,
+      issue?: IssueInfo
+    ) => {
       if (!activeProject || !activeProjectId) return
 
       // 1. Check if a session already exists on this branch (by matching title)
@@ -100,7 +107,7 @@ function App(): React.JSX.Element {
         const worktrees = await window.konductorAPI.listWorktrees(activeProject.cwd)
         const wt = worktrees.find((w) => w.branch === branch)
         if (wt) {
-          await createSession(activeProjectId, wt.path, branch, prompt)
+          await createSession(activeProjectId, wt.path, branch, prompt, systemPrompt, issue)
           setViewMode('focus')
           return
         }
@@ -111,7 +118,7 @@ function App(): React.JSX.Element {
       // 3. Create a new worktree and session
       try {
         const wt = await window.konductorAPI.createWorktree(activeProject.cwd, branch, isNew)
-        await createSession(activeProjectId, wt.path, branch, prompt)
+        await createSession(activeProjectId, wt.path, branch, prompt, systemPrompt, issue)
         setViewMode('focus')
       } catch (e) {
         console.error('Failed to create worktree session:', e)
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/FocusView.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/FocusView.tsx
index 1dec505..033f3b8 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/FocusView.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/FocusView.tsx
@@ -85,6 +85,15 @@ export default function FocusView({
             <span className="text-sm text-gray-500">{projectName}</span>
             <span className="text-sm text-gray-500">/</span>
             <span className="text-sm text-gray-300">{session.title}</span>
+            {session.issue && (
+              <button
+                onClick={() => window.konductorAPI.openExternal(session.issue!.url)}
+                className="text-xs shrink-0 hover:underline text-blue-400"
+                title={`Issue #${session.issue.number}`}
+              >
+                Issue #{session.issue.number}
+              </button>
+            )}
             {session.pr && session.pr.state !== 'none' && (
               <button
                 onClick={() => window.konductorAPI.openExternal(session.pr!.url)}
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/GitHubView.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/GitHubView.tsx
index 254463e..5ff5a16 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/GitHubView.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/GitHubView.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { useState, useEffect, useCallback } from 'react'
 import type { Project } from '../types'
-import type { GitHubPR, GitHubIssue } from '../../../shared/types'
+import type { GitHubPR, GitHubIssue, IssueInfo } from '../../../shared/types'
 import { ChevronLeftIcon, RefreshIcon } from './Icons'
 
 const api = window.konductorAPI
@@ -12,7 +12,13 @@ type IssueFilter = 'open' | 'closed' | 'all'
 interface GitHubViewProps {
   project: Project
   onBack: () => void
-  onOpenSession: (branch: string, isNew: boolean, prompt?: string) => void
+  onOpenSession: (
+    branch: string,
+    isNew: boolean,
+    prompt?: string,
+    systemPrompt?: string,
+    issue?: IssueInfo
+  ) => void
 }
 
 function relativeTime(iso: string): string {
@@ -313,7 +319,13 @@ function PRRow({
 }: {
   pr: GitHubPR
   onOpen: (url: string) => void
-  onOpenSession: (branch: string, isNew: boolean, prompt?: string) => void
+  onOpenSession: (
+    branch: string,
+    isNew: boolean,
+    prompt?: string,
+    systemPrompt?: string,
+    issue?: IssueInfo
+  ) => void
 }): React.JSX.Element {
   const stateColor =
     pr.state === 'open'
@@ -407,7 +419,13 @@ function IssueRow({
 }: {
   issue: GitHubIssue
   onOpen: (url: string) => void
-  onOpenSession: (branch: string, isNew: boolean, prompt?: string) => void
+  onOpenSession: (
+    branch: string,
+    isNew: boolean,
+    prompt?: string,
+    systemPrompt?: string,
+    issue?: IssueInfo
+  ) => void
 }): React.JSX.Element {
   const stateColor = issue.state === 'open' ? 'text-green-400' : 'text-red-400'
 
@@ -462,9 +480,16 @@ function IssueRow({
               .replace(/^-|-$/g, '')
               .slice(0, 30)
             const branch = `issue-${issue.number}-${slug}`
-            const labels = issue.labels.length > 0 ? ` Labels: ${issue.labels.join(', ')}.` : ''
-            const prompt = `You are working on Issue #${issue.number}: "${issue.title}" (by @${issue.author}).${labels} Help me implement a solution for this issue.`
-            onOpenSession(branch, true, prompt)
+            const labels = issue.labels.length > 0 ? `\nLabels: ${issue.labels.join(', ')}` : ''
+            const assignees =
+              issue.assignees.length > 0 ? `\nAssignees: ${issue.assignees.join(', ')}` : ''
+            const body = issue.body ? `\n\n${issue.body}` : ''
+            const systemPrompt = `# issue\nIssue #${issue.number}: ${issue.title}\nAuthor: @${issue.author}\nState: ${issue.state}\nURL: ${issue.url}${labels}${assignees}${body}`
+            const prompt = `Help me implement a solution for issue #${issue.number}.`
+            onOpenSession(branch, true, prompt, systemPrompt, {
+              number: issue.number,
+              url: issue.url
+            })
           }}
           className="text-[10px] px-2 py-1 rounded bg-accent/10 text-accent border border-accent/20 hover:bg-accent/20 transition-colors"
           title={`Create branch and open session for #${issue.number}`}
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/SessionTile.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/SessionTile.tsx
index 4a574bb..79c9eca 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/SessionTile.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/SessionTile.tsx
@@ -60,6 +60,18 @@ export default function SessionTile({
               }`}
             />
             <span className="text-xs text-gray-400 truncate">{session.title}</span>
+            {session.issue && (
+              <button
+                onClick={(e) => {
+                  e.stopPropagation()
+                  window.konductorAPI.openExternal(session.issue!.url)
+                }}
+                className="text-[10px] shrink-0 hover:underline text-blue-400"
+                title={`Issue #${session.issue.number}`}
+              >
+                #{session.issue.number}
+              </button>
+            )}
             {session.pr && session.pr.state !== 'none' && (
               <button
                 onClick={(e) => {
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/Sidebar.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
index b772672..9caf2cc 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -252,7 +252,21 @@ export default function Sidebar({
                           </svg>
                         )}
                         <div className="min-w-0">
-                          <span className="text-xs truncate block">{session.title}</span>
+                          <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5">
+                            <span className="text-xs truncate">{session.title}</span>
+                            {session.issue && (
+                              <button
+                                onClick={(e) => {
+                                  e.stopPropagation()
+                                  window.konductorAPI.openExternal(session.issue!.url)
+                                }}
+                                className="text-[9px] shrink-0 hover:underline text-blue-400"
+                                title={`Issue #${session.issue.number}`}
+                              >
+                                #{session.issue.number}
+                              </button>
+                            )}
+                          </div>
                           {isWorktree && (
                             <span className="text-[9px] text-gray-600 truncate block">
                               {session.cwd.split('/').slice(-3).join('/')}
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/hooks/useSessions.ts b/src/renderer/src/hooks/useSessions.ts
index 730db17..901fe48 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/hooks/useSessions.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/hooks/useSessions.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { useState, useEffect, useCallback, useRef } from 'react'
 import { Terminal } from '@xterm/xterm'
-import type { PrInfo } from '../../../shared/types'
+import type { PrInfo, IssueInfo } from '../../../shared/types'
 import type { Project, Session, ActivityState } from '../types'
 import type { GridCols } from '../components/GridView'
 import { TERM_THEME } from '../termTheme'
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ interface SessionMeta {
   summary: string
   claudeSessionId: string
   pr?: PrInfo
+  issue?: IssueInfo
 }
 
 interface HmrState {
@@ -131,7 +132,8 @@ export function useSessions() {
           claudeSessionId: meta.claudeSessionId,
           activity: 'ready',
           dormant: true,
-          pr: meta.pr
+          pr: meta.pr,
+          issue: meta.issue
         }))
         setSessions(dormant)
         if (state.activeSessionIndex != null && state.activeSessionIndex < dormant.length) {
@@ -196,7 +198,8 @@ export function useSessions() {
           claudeSessionId: meta.claudeSessionId,
           activity: 'ready',
           dormant: false,
-          pr: meta.pr
+          pr: meta.pr,
+          issue: meta.issue
         })
       }
 
@@ -228,7 +231,8 @@ export function useSessions() {
         title: s.title,
         summary: s.summary,
         claudeSessionId: s.claudeSessionId,
-        pr: s.pr
+        pr: s.pr,
+        issue: s.issue
       })),
       activeSessionIndex: activeIdx >= 0 ? activeIdx : null,
       gridCols
@@ -267,7 +271,8 @@ export function useSessions() {
             title: s.title,
             summary: s.summary,
             claudeSessionId: s.claudeSessionId,
-            pr: s.pr
+            pr: s.pr,
+            issue: s.issue
           })),
           activeSessionId: r.activeSessionId(),
           gridCols: r.gridCols()
@@ -442,7 +447,14 @@ export function useSessions() {
   }, [])
 
   const createSession = useCallback(
-    async (projectId: string, cwd: string, branch?: string, prompt?: string) => {
+    async (
+      projectId: string,
+      cwd: string,
+      branch?: string,
+      prompt?: string,
+      systemPrompt?: string,
+      issue?: IssueInfo
+    ) => {
       const sessionCount = sessionsRef.current.filter((s) => s.projectId === projectId).length
       const title = branch ? `${branch}` : `Session ${sessionCount + 1}`
       const project = projects.find((p) => p.id === projectId)
@@ -450,6 +462,7 @@ export function useSessions() {
       const { id, claudeSessionId } = await api.createSession(cwd, {
         name: title,
         prompt,
+        systemPrompt,
         envScript: project?.envScript
       })
 
@@ -468,7 +481,8 @@ export function useSessions() {
         alive: true,
         claudeSessionId,
         activity: 'ready',
-        dormant: false
+        dormant: false,
+        issue
       }
 
       setSessions((prev) => [...prev, session])
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/types.ts b/src/renderer/src/types.ts
index c60769c..bb07afd 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/types.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/types.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import type { Terminal } from '@xterm/xterm'
-import type { PrInfo } from '../../shared/types'
+import type { PrInfo, IssueInfo } from '../../shared/types'
 
 export type ViewMode = 'grid' | 'focus' | 'branches' | 'github' | 'settings'
 
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ export interface Session {
   dormant: boolean
   /** PR associated with the session's branch (if any) */
   pr?: PrInfo
+  /** GitHub issue this session was created from (if any) */
+  issue?: IssueInfo
 }
 
 export interface ShellTerminal {
diff --git a/src/shared/types.ts b/src/shared/types.ts
index 543a165..d3a6d62 100644
--- a/src/shared/types.ts
+++ b/src/shared/types.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ export interface GitHubPR {
 export interface GitHubIssue {
   number: number
   title: string
+  body: string
   state: 'open' | 'closed'
   author: string
   labels: string[]
@@ -48,6 +49,11 @@ export interface PrInfo {
   url: string
 }
 
+export interface IssueInfo {
+  number: number
+  url: string
+}
+
 export interface BranchDetail {
   name: string
   isHead: boolean