diff --git a/bridged/src/main/java/dev/ltms/bridged/member/ClaudeCodeLauncher.java b/bridged/src/main/java/dev/ltms/bridged/member/ClaudeCodeLauncher.java
index b237e44..3a9c42e 100644
--- a/bridged/src/main/java/dev/ltms/bridged/member/ClaudeCodeLauncher.java
+++ b/bridged/src/main/java/dev/ltms/bridged/member/ClaudeCodeLauncher.java
@@ -181,8 +181,8 @@ public final class ClaudeCodeLauncher extends HerdrPeerLauncher {
         // id via -r and passes no --session-id (the two conflict). Both are injected before the
         // model flag so --model keeps outranking the operator's own argv.
         // mutableArgv: argvWithBridge may hand back the profile's own (immutable) List.of when it
-        // has no MCP — session flags must be added into a list we own.
-        List<String> argv = mutableArgv(argvWithBridge(cfg));
+        // has neither MCP nor a charter — session flags must be added into a list we own.
+        List<String> argv = mutableArgv(argvWithBridge(cfg, spec.charter()));
         String agentSessionId = applySessionIdentity(argv, spec.sessionName(), spec.resumeSessionId());
         return new Launch(workerEnv, argvWithModel(argv, cfg), agentSessionId);
     }
@@ -217,22 +217,26 @@ public final class ClaudeCodeLauncher extends HerdrPeerLauncher {
     }
 
     /**
-     * The launch argv, plus — when {@code worker.mcpUrl} is set — inline {@code --mcp-config} for
-     * the bridge server and {@code --append-system-prompt} for the {@link #REPLY_CHARTER}. Neither
-     * touches the profile's config; both are pure command-line flags. This inline-flag mount is
-     * Claude Code specific — other adapters mount MCP and instructions their own way.
+     * The launch argv, plus an inline {@code --mcp-config} when {@code worker.mcpUrl} is set and
+     * {@code --append-system-prompt} when the base composed a charter. Neither touches the profile's
+     * config; both are pure command-line flags. This inline-flag mount is Claude Code specific —
+     * other adapters mount MCP and instructions their own way.
      */
-    private List<String> argvWithBridge(BridgedConfig.Profile cfg) {
-        if (!cfg.hasMcp()) {
+    private List<String> argvWithBridge(BridgedConfig.Profile cfg, String charter) {
+        if (!cfg.hasMcp() && charter == null) {
             return cfg.argv();
         }
-        String mcpJson = "{\"mcpServers\":{\"bridge\":{\"type\":\"http\",\"url\":\""
-                + cfg.mcpUrl() + "\"}}}";
         List<String> argv = mutableArgv(cfg.argv());
-        argv.add("--mcp-config");
-        argv.add(mcpJson);
-        argv.add("--append-system-prompt");
-        argv.add(REPLY_CHARTER);
+        if (cfg.hasMcp()) {
+            String mcpJson = "{\"mcpServers\":{\"bridge\":{\"type\":\"http\",\"url\":\""
+                    + cfg.mcpUrl() + "\"}}}";
+            argv.add("--mcp-config");
+            argv.add(mcpJson);
+        }
+        if (charter != null) {
+            argv.add("--append-system-prompt");
+            argv.add(charter);
+        }
         return argv;
     }
 
diff --git a/bridged/src/test/java/dev/ltms/bridged/member/ClaudeCodeLauncherTest.java b/bridged/src/test/java/dev/ltms/bridged/member/ClaudeCodeLauncherTest.java
index 049ca30..b50dbba 100644
--- a/bridged/src/test/java/dev/ltms/bridged/member/ClaudeCodeLauncherTest.java
+++ b/bridged/src/test/java/dev/ltms/bridged/member/ClaudeCodeLauncherTest.java
@@ -102,6 +102,53 @@ class ClaudeCodeLauncherTest {
                 "the operator's own args are preserved, in order, ahead of the model flag");
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void appendsTheBaseComposedRoleAndReplyCharter() {
+        FakeHerdr herdr = new FakeHerdr();
+        String roleCharter = "You review changes.";
+        BridgedConfig.Profile cfg = new BridgedConfig.Profile(
+                "sonnet", "http://gx00.gw:8000", null, null, "BRIDGED_WORKER_TOKEN",
+                List.of("claude"), "tab", "bridged-workers", "w #{n}",
+                "http://127.0.0.1:8765/mcp", null, null);
+        ClaudeCodeLauncher svc = new ClaudeCodeLauncher(new AgentControl(herdr), new WorkspaceControl(herdr),
+                new SubscriptionGuard(Set.of("gx00.gw")), Map.of(cfg.profile(), cfg), cfg.profile(), _ -> null,
+                0, 0L, () -> fleet(Map.of("reviewer", roleCharter), null));
+
+        svc.spawn(new SpawnRequest("sonnet", null, null, null, null, MemberRole.REVIEWER));
+
+        List<String> args = spawnedArgs(herdr);
+        int flag = args.indexOf("--append-system-prompt");
+        assertEquals(1, args.stream().filter("--append-system-prompt"::equals).count(),
+                "the composed charter is passed once");
+        assertEquals(roleCharter + "\n\n" + HerdrPeerLauncher.REPLY_CHARTER, args.get(flag + 1),
+                "the role charter comes first and the reply rule comes last");
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void profileWithoutMcpOrRoleCharterGetsNoSystemPrompt() {
+        FakeHerdr herdr = new FakeHerdr();
+        ClaudeCodeLauncher svc = labelService(herdr, () -> fleet(Map.of(), null));
+
+        svc.spawn(new SpawnRequest("sonnet", null, null, null, null, MemberRole.DEV));
+
+        assertFalse(spawnedArgs(herdr).contains("--append-system-prompt"));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void profileWithoutMcpStillGetsItsRoleCharter() {
+        FakeHerdr herdr = new FakeHerdr();
+        String roleCharter = "You design changes.";
+        ClaudeCodeLauncher svc = labelService(herdr, () -> fleet(Map.of("architect", roleCharter), null));
+
+        svc.spawn(new SpawnRequest("sonnet", null, null, null, null, MemberRole.ARCHITECT));
+
+        List<String> args = spawnedArgs(herdr);
+        int flag = args.indexOf("--append-system-prompt");
+        assertTrue(flag >= 0, "a role charter does not need an MCP mount");
+        assertEquals(roleCharter, args.get(flag + 1));
+        assertFalse(args.contains("--mcp-config"));
+    }
+
     private ClaudeCodeLauncher multiProfile(FakeHerdr herdr) {
         BridgedConfig.Profile gx10 = new BridgedConfig.Profile("gx10", "http://gx10.gw:8000", "coder",
                 null, "BRIDGED_WORKER_TOKEN", List.of("claude"), "tab", "bridged-workers", "w #{n}", null, null, null);