diff --git a/src/auto-reply/reply/get-reply-run.media-only.test.ts b/src/auto-reply/reply/get-reply-run.media-only.test.ts
index c17dc56a084..fbac41a80d2 100644
--- a/src/auto-reply/reply/get-reply-run.media-only.test.ts
+++ b/src/auto-reply/reply/get-reply-run.media-only.test.ts
@@ -1018,7 +1018,7 @@ describe("runPreparedReply media-only handling", () => {
     expect(call?.followupRun.transcriptPrompt).toBe("[OpenClaw heartbeat poll]");
   });
 
-  it("keeps bare reset startup instructions out of visible transcript prompt", async () => {
+  it("uses a non-empty transcript marker while keeping bare reset startup instructions out of visible transcript prompt", async () => {
     await runPreparedReply(
       baseParams({
         ctx: {
@@ -1052,8 +1052,8 @@ describe("runPreparedReply media-only handling", () => {
     const call = vi.mocked(runReplyAgent).mock.calls.at(-1)?.[0];
     expect(call?.commandBody).toContain("A new session was started via /new or /reset.");
     expect(call?.followupRun.prompt).toContain("A new session was started via /new or /reset.");
-    expect(call?.transcriptCommandBody).toBe("");
-    expect(call?.followupRun.transcriptPrompt).toBe("");
+    expect(call?.transcriptCommandBody).toBe("[OpenClaw session new]");
+    expect(call?.followupRun.transcriptPrompt).toBe("[OpenClaw session new]");
   });
 
   it("keeps reset user notes visible while hiding startup instructions", async () => {
diff --git a/src/auto-reply/reply/get-reply-run.ts b/src/auto-reply/reply/get-reply-run.ts
index 9660af0633e..df782f06eb2 100644
--- a/src/auto-reply/reply/get-reply-run.ts
+++ b/src/auto-reply/reply/get-reply-run.ts
@@ -502,7 +502,7 @@ export async function runPreparedReply(
   const transcriptBodyBase = isHeartbeat
     ? HEARTBEAT_TRANSCRIPT_PROMPT
     : isBareSessionReset
-      ? softResetTail
+      ? softResetTail || `[OpenClaw session ${startupAction}]`
       : hasUserBody
         ? baseBodyFinal
         : "[User sent media without caption]";