diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/RefineSpawnDialog.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/RefineSpawnDialog.tsx
index dc70a23..479c7f5 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/RefineSpawnDialog.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/RefineSpawnDialog.tsx
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ interface RefineSpawnDialogProps {
   showInstructionInput?: boolean;
   /** Placeholder text for the instruction textarea */
   instructionPlaceholder?: string;
+  /** Pre-populate the instruction field (e.g. from a crashed agent's original instruction) */
+  defaultInstruction?: string;
   /** Whether the spawn mutation is pending */
   isSpawning: boolean;
   /** Error message if spawn failed */
@@ -38,6 +40,7 @@ export function RefineSpawnDialog({
   description,
   showInstructionInput = true,
   instructionPlaceholder = "What should the agent focus on? (optional)",
+  defaultInstruction,
   isSpawning,
   error,
   onSpawn,
@@ -53,18 +56,25 @@ export function RefineSpawnDialog({
     onSpawn(finalInstruction);
   };
 
+  const openDialog = () => {
+    setInstruction(defaultInstruction ?? "");
+    setShowDialog(true);
+  };
+
   const handleOpenChange = (open: boolean) => {
-    setShowDialog(open);
-    if (!open) {
+    if (open) {
+      setInstruction(defaultInstruction ?? "");
+    } else {
       setInstruction("");
     }
+    setShowDialog(open);
   };
 
   const defaultTrigger = (
     <Button
       variant="outline"
       size="sm"
-      onClick={() => setShowDialog(true)}
+      onClick={openDialog}
       className="gap-1.5"
     >
       <Sparkles className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
@@ -75,7 +85,7 @@ export function RefineSpawnDialog({
   return (
     <>
       {trigger ? (
-        <div onClick={() => setShowDialog(true)}>
+        <div onClick={openDialog}>
           {trigger}
         </div>
       ) : (
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/editor/RefineAgentPanel.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/editor/RefineAgentPanel.tsx
index e88001d..a499d47 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/editor/RefineAgentPanel.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/editor/RefineAgentPanel.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useCallback, useEffect } from "react";
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo } from "react";
 import { Loader2, AlertCircle } from "lucide-react";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { QuestionForm } from "@/components/QuestionForm";
@@ -6,6 +6,12 @@ import { ChangeSetBanner } from "@/components/ChangeSetBanner";
 import { RefineSpawnDialog } from "../RefineSpawnDialog";
 import { useRefineAgent } from "@/hooks";
 
+function extractInstruction(prompt: string | null | undefined): string | undefined {
+  if (!prompt) return undefined;
+  const match = prompt.match(/<user_instruction>\n([\s\S]*?)\n<\/user_instruction>/);
+  return match?.[1] || undefined;
+}
+
 interface RefineAgentPanelProps {
   initiativeId: string;
 }
@@ -123,6 +129,11 @@ export function RefineAgentPanel({ initiativeId }: RefineAgentPanelProps) {
   }
 
   // Crashed
+  const crashedInstruction = useMemo(
+    () => (state === "crashed" ? extractInstruction(agent?.prompt) : undefined),
+    [state, agent?.prompt],
+  );
+
   if (state === "crashed") {
     return (
       <div className="mb-3 rounded-lg border border-destructive/50 bg-destructive/5 px-3 py-2">
@@ -134,6 +145,7 @@ export function RefineAgentPanel({ initiativeId }: RefineAgentPanelProps) {
             title="Refine Initiative Content"
             description="An agent will review all pages and suggest improvements."
             instructionPlaceholder="What should the agent focus on? (optional)"
+            defaultInstruction={crashedInstruction}
             isSpawning={spawn.isPending}
             error={spawn.error?.message}
             onSpawn={handleSpawn}