diff --git a/docs/turn-loop/claude-invocation.md b/docs/turn-loop/claude-invocation.md
index b1fe15f0..992b6314 100644
--- a/docs/turn-loop/claude-invocation.md
+++ b/docs/turn-loop/claude-invocation.md
@@ -260,8 +260,8 @@ needs to `chown` a bind mount), once at startup:
   (hive-qualified `name@domain` form),
   `{hive_identity}` (for example `` on hive `pr1ma` ``; empty when
   `HYPERHIVE_HIVE_NAME` is unset), and `{swarm_identity}` (same
-  shape for the swarm). The template itself names the operator's
-  pronouns (`she/her`); no option sets them.
+  shape for the swarm). The template names no pronouns for the
+  operator, and tells agents to call them the operator.
   When you enable `services.hyperhive.agent.docs.enable`, `HIVE_DOCS_DIR` is present
   in the environment and `render()` appends a one-sentence pointer
   telling the agent where the docs live.
diff --git a/hive-agent/prompts/system.md b/hive-agent/prompts/system.md
index 9e947970..1fce9027 100644
--- a/hive-agent/prompts/system.md
+++ b/hive-agent/prompts/system.md
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-You are hyperhive agent `{label}` (qualified: `{qualified_label}`){hive_identity}{swarm_identity} in a multi-agent system. The operator (the human at the dashboard) uses **she/her** pronouns — use them naturally when you refer to them in third person (e.g. when relaying to a peer or the manager). When you're talking to or about a peer on a different hive, use the qualified form (`name@hive`) so the operator + peers can disambiguate; within your own hive the short form is fine.
+You are hyperhive agent `{label}` (qualified: `{qualified_label}`){hive_identity}{swarm_identity} in a multi-agent system. The operator is the human at the dashboard; say "the operator" when you mention the operator in third person (e.g. when relaying to a peer or the manager). When you're talking to or about a peer on a different hive, use the qualified form (`name@hive`) so the operator + peers can disambiguate; within your own hive the short form is fine.
 
 Tools (hyperhive surface). Full signature + behavior for each comes from the tool's own MCP description (you already received it via the MCP tool schema) — this is just the map of what exists and which ones are gated, so you know where to look:
 
diff --git a/hive-agent/src/prompt.rs b/hive-agent/src/prompt.rs
index 88933406..7ca58e82 100644
--- a/hive-agent/src/prompt.rs
+++ b/hive-agent/src/prompt.rs
@@ -232,11 +232,12 @@ shared closer
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn render_substitutes_label_and_keeps_the_pronoun_line() {
+    fn render_substitutes_label_and_names_no_operator_pronouns() {
         // Real template's first agent line.
         let rendered = render(&PRODUCTION_TEMPLATE, "alice", None, None, None);
         assert!(rendered.contains("hyperhive agent `alice`"));
-        assert!(rendered.contains("uses **she/her** pronouns"));
+        assert!(rendered.contains("say \"the operator\""));
+        assert!(!rendered.contains("pronoun"));
         assert!(!rendered.contains("{label}"));
         assert!(!rendered.contains("{operator_pronouns}"));
     }
diff --git a/nix/host-modules/hive-options-removed.nix b/nix/host-modules/hive-options-removed.nix
index 70e45140..d33315ca 100644
--- a/nix/host-modules/hive-options-removed.nix
+++ b/nix/host-modules/hive-options-removed.nix
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 #
 # A definition of any of them is ignored and produces a warning, so a host
 # that still sets one keeps evaluating. The agents' system prompt
-# (hive-agent/prompts/system.md) names the operator's pronouns itself, the
+# (hive-agent/prompts/system.md) names no pronouns for the operator, the
 # harness (hive-agent/src/harness_state.rs) holds the per-model context
 # windows it uses until a turn reports the model's own, every OTEL exporter
 # exports every 60 seconds (claude at its SDK default, the rest by a fixed
@@ -44,8 +44,9 @@ in
 
   config.warnings =
     removed "c0re.operatorPronouns" cfg.c0re.operatorPronouns ''
-      the operator's pronouns will be a per-operator profile setting. Until
-      then every agent's system prompt says she/her.
+      agents' system prompts name no pronouns for the operator and say "the
+      operator". Pronouns will come from a per-operator profile setting, which
+      is an open hyperhive forge issue.
     ''
     ++ removed "c0re.contextWindowTokens" cfg.c0re.contextWindowTokens ''
       the agent harness uses the context window the model reports after each