diff --git a/docs/content/investigations.md b/docs/content/investigations.md
index 3861fb54..992fac50 100644
--- a/docs/content/investigations.md
+++ b/docs/content/investigations.md
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ the token falls out of the address bar. The launcher stays alive in the terminal
 3. **Spawn the agent.** Claude is launched with that `mcp.json` plus a system prompt that points the agent at the
    `investigation` playbook. The agent is told nothing product-specific in prose; the playbooks carry the procedural
    knowledge.
+   The form's optional **Playbook** picker overrides this: when the operator selects a playbook (a release-verification runbook, say), the system prompt points the agent at that playbook instead, and the guided flow, including the closing `capture_offer` step, is skipped. The session header shows which playbook was selected.
 4. **Walk the playbook.** The agent calls `list_playbooks`, picks a matching domain playbook, and walks it: read step
    description, make suggested calls, call `step_complete` with findings and the matching goto. The activity panel
    renders every tool call live.
diff --git a/frontend/app/(main)/investigations/new/page.tsx b/frontend/app/(main)/investigations/new/page.tsx
index 97b8a91d..e3e7f355 100644
--- a/frontend/app/(main)/investigations/new/page.tsx
+++ b/frontend/app/(main)/investigations/new/page.tsx
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ function InvestigationsHomeInner() {
         inputs: sub.inputs,
         prom: sub.prom,
         auto: sub.auto || undefined,
+        playbook: sub.playbook,
       });
       router.push(`/investigations/?id=${encodeURIComponent(inv.id)}`);
     } catch (e) {
diff --git a/frontend/components/investigations/InvestigationForm.test.tsx b/frontend/components/investigations/InvestigationForm.test.tsx
index dc727423..aacbc549 100644
--- a/frontend/components/investigations/InvestigationForm.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/components/investigations/InvestigationForm.test.tsx
@@ -144,4 +144,42 @@ describe("InvestigationForm", () => {
       expect.objectContaining({ auto: false }),
     );
   });
+
+  describe("playbook selection", () => {
+    const synced = { status: "synced", reason: "" } as const;
+    function setup() {
+      vi.spyOn(api, "getProfileInputs").mockResolvedValue([
+        { id: "notes", label: "Notes", type: "textarea", optional: true, placeholder: "enter notes" },
+      ]);
+      vi.spyOn(api, "getConnections").mockResolvedValue({ slack: false, incidentio: false, slack_channel_prefix: "" });
+      vi.spyOn(api, "listPlaybooks").mockResolvedValue([
+        { id: "investigation", source: "system", locked: true, nodeCount: 1, yaml: "", syncState: synced, type: "general" },
+        { id: "release_verification", symptom: "Verify a release", source: "user", nodeCount: 1, yaml: "", syncState: synced, type: "general" },
+      ]);
+    }
+
+    it("submits without a playbook by default", async () => {
+      setup();
+      const onSubmit = vi.fn();
+      render(<InvestigationForm onSubmit={onSubmit} />);
+      await screen.findByPlaceholderText("enter notes");
+      await screen.findByRole("option", { name: /release_verification/ });
+
+      fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: /run preflight/i }));
+      expect(onSubmit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.objectContaining({ playbook: undefined }));
+    });
+
+    it("submits the chosen playbook id and hides locked entries", async () => {
+      setup();
+      const onSubmit = vi.fn();
+      render(<InvestigationForm onSubmit={onSubmit} />);
+      await screen.findByPlaceholderText("enter notes");
+      await screen.findByRole("option", { name: /release_verification/ });
+      expect(screen.queryByRole("option", { name: /^investigation/ })).toBeNull();
+
+      fireEvent.change(screen.getByLabelText(/Playbook/i), { target: { value: "release_verification" } });
+      fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: /run preflight/i }));
+      expect(onSubmit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.objectContaining({ playbook: "release_verification" }));
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/frontend/components/investigations/InvestigationForm.tsx b/frontend/components/investigations/InvestigationForm.tsx
index 46f23f8c..9f64b3a6 100644
--- a/frontend/components/investigations/InvestigationForm.tsx
+++ b/frontend/components/investigations/InvestigationForm.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 "use client";
 
 import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
-import { api, type InputSchema, type PromOverride } from "@/lib/api";
+import { api, type InputSchema, type PlaybookListItem, type PromOverride } from "@/lib/api";
+import { selectablePlaybooks } from "@/lib/playbook-select";
 import { ArrowRightIcon } from "@/components/shared/Icons";
 import { Spinner } from "@/components/shared/Spinner";
 import { TextInput } from "@/components/inputs/TextInput";
@@ -14,6 +15,9 @@ export type FormSubmission = {
   inputs: Record<string, Record<string, unknown>>;
   prom: PromOverride;
   auto: boolean;
+  // playbook: id of the playbook the operator picked, or undefined for
+  // the profile's guided investigation flow.
+  playbook?: string;
 };
 
 type Props = {
@@ -24,6 +28,8 @@ export function InvestigationForm({ onSubmit }: Props) {
   const [schema, setSchema] = useState<InputSchema[] | null>(null);
   const [values, setValues] = useState<Record<string, Record<string, unknown>>>({});
   const [auto, setAuto] = useState(false);
+  const [playbooks, setPlaybooks] = useState<PlaybookListItem[]>([]);
+  const [playbook, setPlaybook] = useState("");
 
   // Prom override panel state — unchanged from today.
   const [showPromOverrides, setShowPromOverrides] = useState(false);
@@ -34,6 +40,12 @@ export function InvestigationForm({ onSubmit }: Props) {
 
   useEffect(() => {
     api.getProfileInputs().then(setSchema).catch(() => setSchema([]));
+    // The picker degrades to "default flow only" when the catalog
+    // can't be fetched; the operator can still start a session.
+    api
+      .listPlaybooks()
+      .then((items) => setPlaybooks(selectablePlaybooks(items)))
+      .catch(() => setPlaybooks([]));
     // Pre-populate prom override fields with the profile's defaults so the
     // operator sees what's currently configured. Functional setters so a
     // late-arriving fetch can't overwrite values the operator typed while
@@ -64,7 +76,7 @@ export function InvestigationForm({ onSubmit }: Props) {
       const portNum = parseInt(promPort, 10);
       if (!Number.isNaN(portNum) && portNum > 0) prom.port = portNum;
     }
-    onSubmit({ inputs: values, prom, auto });
+    onSubmit({ inputs: values, prom, auto, playbook: playbook || undefined });
   }
 
   function setValue(id: string, next: Record<string, unknown>) {
@@ -125,6 +137,28 @@ export function InvestigationForm({ onSubmit }: Props) {
         }
       })}
 
+      {playbooks.length > 0 && (
+        <label className="block">
+          <span className="font-medium">Playbook</span>
+          <span className="block text-sm text-zinc-500">
+            Walk a specific playbook instead of the guided investigation flow.
+          </span>
+          <select
+            value={playbook}
+            onChange={(e) => setPlaybook(e.target.value)}
+            className={inputClass + " mt-2"}
+          >
+            <option value="">Guided investigation (default)</option>
+            {playbooks.map((p) => (
+              <option key={p.id} value={p.id}>
+                {p.id}
+                {p.symptom ? ` — ${p.symptom}` : ""}
+              </option>
+            ))}
+          </select>
+        </label>
+      )}
+
       <label className="flex items-start gap-2 cursor-pointer">
         <input
           type="checkbox"
diff --git a/frontend/components/investigations/SessionView.header.tsx b/frontend/components/investigations/SessionView.header.tsx
index 1e2ae8cb..86da8e88 100644
--- a/frontend/components/investigations/SessionView.header.tsx
+++ b/frontend/components/investigations/SessionView.header.tsx
@@ -165,6 +165,14 @@ function HeaderTitle({ investigation }: { investigation: Investigation }) {
           {investigation.namespace}
         </p>
       )}
+      {investigation.playbook && (
+        <p
+          className="truncate text-xs text-zinc-500"
+          title="Playbook selected at session start"
+        >
+          playbook: <span className="font-mono">{investigation.playbook}</span>
+        </p>
+      )}
     </>
   );
 }
diff --git a/frontend/lib/api.ts b/frontend/lib/api.ts
index c0336c1c..a652cb42 100644
--- a/frontend/lib/api.ts
+++ b/frontend/lib/api.ts
@@ -327,6 +327,10 @@ export type PreflightRequest = {
   // Omitted on the wire when false thanks to `auto,omitempty` on the
   // server-side struct.
   auto?: boolean;
+  // playbook: optional playbook id to walk instead of the profile's
+  // guided investigation flow. Omitted when the operator keeps the
+  // default.
+  playbook?: string;
 };
 
 export type LinkedRepo = {
@@ -479,6 +483,9 @@ export type Investigation = {
   slackChannelUrl?: string;
   notes?: string;
   label?: string;
+  // playbook: the id the operator selected at session start; absent
+  // when the session runs the guided investigation flow.
+  playbook?: string;
   mcpConfigPath: string;
   docsPrefix?: string;
   sessionDir: string;
diff --git a/frontend/lib/playbook-select.test.ts b/frontend/lib/playbook-select.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d3aec77b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/lib/playbook-select.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
+import { selectablePlaybooks } from "./playbook-select";
+import type { PlaybookListItem } from "./playbook";
+
+const synced = { status: "synced", reason: "" } as PlaybookListItem["syncState"];
+
+function item(over: Partial<PlaybookListItem> & { id: string }): PlaybookListItem {
+  return { source: "plugin", nodeCount: 1, yaml: "", syncState: synced, ...over };
+}
+
+describe("selectablePlaybooks", () => {
+  it("drops locked, disabled and broken entries", () => {
+    const out = selectablePlaybooks([
+      item({ id: "investigation", source: "system", locked: true }),
+      item({ id: "off", disabled: true }),
+      item({ id: "bad", source: "broken" }),
+      item({ id: "ok" }),
+    ]);
+    expect(out.map((p) => p.id)).toEqual(["ok"]);
+  });
+
+  it("orders by type (investigation first) then id", () => {
+    const out = selectablePlaybooks([
+      item({ id: "z-general", type: "general" }),
+      item({ id: "b-inv", type: "investigation" }),
+      item({ id: "a-general", type: "general" }),
+      item({ id: "untyped" }),
+    ]);
+    expect(out.map((p) => p.id)).toEqual(["b-inv", "untyped", "a-general", "z-general"]);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/frontend/lib/playbook-select.ts b/frontend/lib/playbook-select.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..39519ff5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/lib/playbook-select.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+import { DEFAULT_PLAYBOOK_TYPE, type PlaybookListItem } from "./playbook";
+
+// selectablePlaybooks narrows the playbook catalog to entries an
+// operator can start a session against: locked entries are the
+// launcher's own metas (the guided entrypoint, closing offer, and
+// sub-flows the walker delegates to), and disabled / broken entries
+// can't be walked. Investigation-typed playbooks sort first, then
+// other types, each group by id.
+export function selectablePlaybooks(items: PlaybookListItem[]): PlaybookListItem[] {
+  const typeOf = (p: PlaybookListItem) => p.type || DEFAULT_PLAYBOOK_TYPE;
+  const rank = (p: PlaybookListItem) => (typeOf(p) === DEFAULT_PLAYBOOK_TYPE ? 0 : 1);
+  return items
+    .filter((p) => !p.locked && !p.disabled && p.source !== "broken")
+    .sort(
+      (a, b) =>
+        rank(a) - rank(b) ||
+        typeOf(a).localeCompare(typeOf(b)) ||
+        a.id.localeCompare(b.id),
+    );
+}
diff --git a/internal/server/handlers.go b/internal/server/handlers.go
index 8bf7a27f..1a0e6782 100644
--- a/internal/server/handlers.go
+++ b/internal/server/handlers.go
@@ -344,6 +344,12 @@ func (a *apiHandlers) handlePreflight(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 			return
 		}
 	}
+	if body.Playbook != "" {
+		if err := a.validateSelectedPlaybook(body.Playbook); err != nil {
+			writeError(w, http.StatusBadRequest, err.Error())
+			return
+		}
+	}
 
 	// Extract typed values from the generic inputs map.
 	// Canonical input IDs (same for any profile that
@@ -473,6 +479,7 @@ func (a *apiHandlers) handlePreflight(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		IncidentioMCPEnabled: ioMCPToken != "",
 		LinkedRepos:          linked,
 		Profile:              a.prof,
+		Playbook:             body.Playbook,
 		PromTarget:           promTarget,
 		PromDisabled:         promDisabled,
 		ActiveContext:        activeContext,
@@ -1031,6 +1038,31 @@ type preflightRequest struct {
 	// turn — EnableAuto runs in a goroutine. Operator-side failures are
 	// logged to stderr and the investigation continues in manual mode.
 	Auto bool `json:"auto,omitempty"`
+	// Playbook is an optional playbook id the session should walk
+	// instead of the profile's guided investigation flow. Must name a
+	// loadable, non-disabled playbook from GET /api/playbooks.
+	Playbook string `json:"playbook,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// validateSelectedPlaybook checks that id names a playbook the session
+// can start on: present in the catalog, not disabled, and not one of
+// the launcher's locked metas (the guided entrypoint, the closing
+// offer, and the sub-flows the walker delegates to are internal, not
+// standalone session entrypoints).
+func (a *apiHandlers) validateSelectedPlaybook(id string) error {
+	for _, pb := range a.collectPlaybooks() {
+		if pb.ID != id {
+			continue
+		}
+		if pb.Disabled {
+			return fmt.Errorf("playbook %q is disabled", id)
+		}
+		if pb.Locked {
+			return fmt.Errorf("playbook %q is a launcher meta and cannot be selected", id)
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+	return fmt.Errorf("playbook %q not found", id)
 }
 
 // promOverrideBody is the per-investigation Prometheus override received
diff --git a/internal/server/handlers_start_test.go b/internal/server/handlers_start_test.go
index 923b32a6..a9caaa75 100644
--- a/internal/server/handlers_start_test.go
+++ b/internal/server/handlers_start_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package server
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"strings"
@@ -10,6 +11,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/sourcehawk/triagent/internal/connections"
 	"github.com/sourcehawk/triagent/internal/preflight"
 	"github.com/sourcehawk/triagent/internal/profile"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
 // newPreflightAPIWithInputsProfile returns an apiHandlers whose prof field is
@@ -124,3 +127,83 @@ func TestPreflight_InputsMap_EmptyIsOK(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("status=%d, body=%s", rr.Code, rr.Body.String())
 	}
 }
+
+// seedPlaybooks populates the handler's meta cache with the given
+// playbooks so preflight's playbook validation has a catalog to check.
+func seedPlaybooks(a *apiHandlers, pbs map[string]MetaPlaybook) {
+	a.metaCache = &metaCache{}
+	a.metaCache.set(&Meta{Playbooks: pbs})
+}
+
+func postPreflight(t *testing.T, a *apiHandlers, body string) *httptest.ResponseRecorder {
+	t.Helper()
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodPost, "/api/preflight", strings.NewReader(body))
+	rr := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	a.handlePreflight(rr, req)
+	return rr
+}
+
+func TestPreflight_SelectedPlaybookIsRecordedOnInvestigation(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	a := newPreflightAPIWithInputsProfile(t)
+	seedPlaybooks(a, map[string]MetaPlaybook{
+		"release_verification": {Source: "plugin", Type: "general", YAML: "id: release_verification\nsymptom: x\nentrypoint: n\nnodes:\n  n: {description: d}\n"},
+	})
+
+	rr := postPreflight(t, a, `{"inputs": {}, "playbook": "release_verification"}`)
+	require.Equal(t, http.StatusOK, rr.Code, rr.Body.String())
+
+	var dto InvestigationDTO
+	require.NoError(t, json.Unmarshal(rr.Body.Bytes(), &dto))
+	assert.Equal(t, "release_verification", dto.Playbook)
+	inv := a.manager.Get(dto.ID)
+	require.NotNil(t, inv)
+	assert.Equal(t, "release_verification", inv.Playbook)
+}
+
+func TestPreflight_UnknownPlaybookRejected(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	a := newPreflightAPIWithInputsProfile(t)
+	seedPlaybooks(a, map[string]MetaPlaybook{})
+
+	rr := postPreflight(t, a, `{"inputs": {}, "playbook": "nope"}`)
+	assert.Equal(t, http.StatusBadRequest, rr.Code)
+	assert.Contains(t, rr.Body.String(), "nope", "error must name the offending playbook")
+}
+
+func TestPreflight_DisabledPlaybookRejected(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	a := newPreflightAPIWithInputsProfile(t)
+	seedPlaybooks(a, map[string]MetaPlaybook{
+		"off": {Source: "plugin", Type: "general", YAML: "id: off\nactive: false\nsymptom: x\nentrypoint: n\nnodes:\n  n: {description: d}\n"},
+	})
+
+	rr := postPreflight(t, a, `{"inputs": {}, "playbook": "off"}`)
+	assert.Equal(t, http.StatusBadRequest, rr.Code)
+	assert.Contains(t, rr.Body.String(), "off")
+}
+
+func TestPreflight_LockedPlaybookRejected(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	a := newPreflightAPIWithInputsProfile(t)
+	seedPlaybooks(a, map[string]MetaPlaybook{
+		"investigation": {Source: "system", Locked: true, Type: "general", YAML: "id: investigation\nsymptom: x\nentrypoint: n\nnodes:\n  n: {description: d}\n"},
+	})
+
+	rr := postPreflight(t, a, `{"inputs": {}, "playbook": "investigation"}`)
+	assert.Equal(t, http.StatusBadRequest, rr.Code)
+	assert.Contains(t, rr.Body.String(), "investigation")
+}
+
+func TestPreflight_NoPlaybookLeavesInvestigationUnset(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	a := newPreflightAPIWithInputsProfile(t)
+	// No meta cache seeded: the default path must not consult the catalog.
+
+	rr := postPreflight(t, a, `{"inputs": {}}`)
+	require.Equal(t, http.StatusOK, rr.Code, rr.Body.String())
+	var dto InvestigationDTO
+	require.NoError(t, json.Unmarshal(rr.Body.Bytes(), &dto))
+	assert.Empty(t, dto.Playbook)
+	assert.NotContains(t, rr.Body.String(), `"playbook"`, "unset playbook must be omitted from the wire DTO")
+}
diff --git a/internal/server/manager.go b/internal/server/manager.go
index 0efa501b..f44d94cb 100644
--- a/internal/server/manager.go
+++ b/internal/server/manager.go
@@ -82,6 +82,11 @@ type Investigation struct {
 	IncidentioMCPEnabled bool
 	LinkedRepos          []repos.LinkedRepo
 	Profile              *profile.Profile // investigation profile (prompt content + playbook IDs)
+	// Playbook is the playbook id the operator selected at preflight.
+	// When set, the session walks that playbook instead of the
+	// profile's guided investigation flow. Empty for the default flow
+	// and for signal-watch spawns.
+	Playbook string
 	// PromTarget is the per-investigation Prometheus port-forward target,
 	// resolved from the profile defaults overlaid with any per-investigation
 	// override supplied at preflight time. Nil means no prom target was
@@ -300,6 +305,7 @@ type InvestigationDTO struct {
 	SlackMCPEnabled      bool               `json:"slackMCPEnabled,omitempty"`
 	IncidentioMCPEnabled bool               `json:"incidentioMCPEnabled,omitempty"`
 	LinkedRepos          []repos.LinkedRepo `json:"linkedRepos,omitempty"`
+	Playbook             string             `json:"playbook,omitempty"`
 	// CloudMCPs are the cloud-context MCP servers wired into this session,
 	// derived from the profile's cloud sources. Empty when no cloud sources are
 	// configured, or when the session carries no profile (e.g. an import).
@@ -399,6 +405,7 @@ func (i *Investigation) Snapshot() InvestigationDTO {
 		SlackMCPEnabled:      i.SlackMCPEnabled,
 		IncidentioMCPEnabled: i.IncidentioMCPEnabled,
 		LinkedRepos:          i.LinkedRepos,
+		Playbook:             i.Playbook,
 		CloudMCPs:            cloudMCPsForProfile(i.Profile),
 		CreatedAt:            i.CreatedAt,
 		Started:              i.started,
@@ -544,6 +551,7 @@ func (i *Investigation) Start() error {
 		KubeconfigPath:         i.KubeconfigPath,
 		Cluster:                i.ActiveContext,
 		Profile:                i.Profile,
+		Playbook:               i.Playbook,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		i.mu.Unlock()
diff --git a/internal/server/manager_test.go b/internal/server/manager_test.go
index 28a42808..10c76cb6 100644
--- a/internal/server/manager_test.go
+++ b/internal/server/manager_test.go
@@ -758,3 +758,20 @@ func TestPersistOriginatingSignalRoundtrips(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected restore: %+v", got.OriginatingSignal)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestLoadInvestigation_RestoresSelectedPlaybook(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	st := newStore(dir)
+	t.Cleanup(st.close)
+	require.NoError(t, st.writeMetadata(InvestigationDTO{
+		ID:         "rid",
+		SessionDir: dir,
+		CreatedAt:  time.Now().UTC(),
+		Playbook:   "release_verification",
+	}))
+
+	loaded, err := loadInvestigation(dir)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, "release_verification", loaded.Playbook)
+	assert.Equal(t, "release_verification", loaded.Snapshot().Playbook)
+}
diff --git a/internal/server/persist.go b/internal/server/persist.go
index a4a4bfeb..adfc4f5d 100644
--- a/internal/server/persist.go
+++ b/internal/server/persist.go
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ type persistedMetadata struct {
 	SlackChannelName string `json:"slackChannelName,omitempty"`
 	Notes            string `json:"notes,omitempty"`
 	Label            string `json:"label,omitempty"`
+	Playbook         string `json:"playbook,omitempty"`
 	MCPConfigPath   string `json:"mcpConfigPath"`
 	DocsPrefix      string `json:"docsPrefix,omitempty"`
 	SessionDir      string `json:"sessionDir"`
@@ -196,6 +197,7 @@ func (s *store) writeMetadata(dto InvestigationDTO) error {
 		SlackChannelName: dto.SlackChannelName,
 		Notes:            dto.Notes,
 		Label:            dto.Label,
+		Playbook:         dto.Playbook,
 		MCPConfigPath:   dto.MCPConfigPath,
 		DocsPrefix:      dto.DocsPrefix,
 		SessionDir:      dto.SessionDir,
@@ -335,6 +337,7 @@ func loadInvestigation(dir string) (*Investigation, error) {
 		SlackChannelName: meta.SlackChannelName,
 		Notes:            meta.Notes,
 		Label:            meta.Label,
+		Playbook:         meta.Playbook,
 		MCPConfigPath:   meta.MCPConfigPath,
 		DocsPrefix:      meta.DocsPrefix,
 		SessionDir:      meta.SessionDir,
diff --git a/internal/sessions/session.go b/internal/sessions/session.go
index beb7cab4..672268c9 100644
--- a/internal/sessions/session.go
+++ b/internal/sessions/session.go
@@ -55,6 +55,33 @@ type Options struct {
 	// preflight (when known). Rendered as kubernetes-context in the
 	// opening prompt and exposed to namespace_derivation as "cluster".
 	Cluster string
+
+	// Playbook is the playbook id the operator selected at session
+	// start. When set, the session walks that playbook instead of the
+	// profile's guided investigation flow. Empty = profile defaults.
+	Playbook string
+}
+
+// promptEnv projects the options into the prompt environment Build
+// renders into the opening system prompt. Cluster feeds the
+// Environment block's kubernetes-context line so the agent sees the
+// context the launcher already seeded instead of "<unset>".
+func (o Options) promptEnv() prompts.Env {
+	clusterID := clusterIDFromNamespace(o.Namespace)
+	return prompts.Env{
+		Context:   o.Cluster,
+		UserNotes: o.UserNotes,
+		InputValues: map[string]map[string]any{
+			"cluster_id":    {"value": clusterID},
+			"incident_url":  {"value": o.IncidentURL},
+			"slack_channel": {"id": o.SlackChannelID, "name": o.SlackChannelName, "url": o.SlackChannelURL},
+			"notes":         {"value": o.UserNotes},
+		},
+		SlackMCPAvailable:      o.SlackMCPAvailable,
+		IncidentioMCPAvailable: o.IncidentioMCPAvailable,
+		LinkedRepos:            o.LinkedRepos,
+		Playbook:               o.Playbook,
+	}
 }
 
 // Session is a thin wrapper around claude.Session with prompt + allowed-tools
@@ -189,24 +216,9 @@ func (s *Session) Start(ctx context.Context) (<-chan claude.Event, error) {
 	return s.inner.Start(ctx, s.startPrompt())
 }
 
-// startPrompt renders the opening prompt from Options. Cluster feeds the
-// Environment block's kubernetes-context line so the agent sees the
-// context the launcher already seeded instead of "<unset>".
+// startPrompt renders the opening prompt from Options.
 func (s *Session) startPrompt() string {
-	clusterID := clusterIDFromNamespace(s.opts.Namespace)
-	return prompts.Build(prompts.Env{
-		Context:   s.opts.Cluster,
-		UserNotes: s.opts.UserNotes,
-		InputValues: map[string]map[string]any{
-			"cluster_id":    {"value": clusterID},
-			"incident_url":  {"value": s.opts.IncidentURL},
-			"slack_channel": {"id": s.opts.SlackChannelID, "name": s.opts.SlackChannelName, "url": s.opts.SlackChannelURL},
-			"notes":         {"value": s.opts.UserNotes},
-		},
-		SlackMCPAvailable:      s.opts.SlackMCPAvailable,
-		IncidentioMCPAvailable: s.opts.IncidentioMCPAvailable,
-		LinkedRepos:            s.opts.LinkedRepos,
-	}, s.opts.Profile)
+	return prompts.Build(s.opts.promptEnv(), s.opts.Profile)
 }
 
 // Resume continues the most-recent conversation with a follow-up prompt.
diff --git a/internal/sessions/session_test.go b/internal/sessions/session_test.go
index 75a48deb..50f02c19 100644
--- a/internal/sessions/session_test.go
+++ b/internal/sessions/session_test.go
@@ -140,6 +140,13 @@ func TestNew_ForwardsProfileInvestigationModel(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, "claude-opus-4-7", sess.inner.Model())
 }
 
+func TestPromptEnv_ForwardsSelectedPlaybook(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	env := Options{Namespace: "abc-zeebe", Playbook: "release_verification"}.promptEnv()
+	assert.Equal(t, "release_verification", env.Playbook)
+	assert.Equal(t, "abc", env.InputValues["cluster_id"]["value"])
+}
+
 func TestStartPrompt_EmitsSeededKubeContext(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	s := &Session{opts: Options{
diff --git a/prompts/prompts.go b/prompts/prompts.go
index 5e3157c0..cc88d012 100644
--- a/prompts/prompts.go
+++ b/prompts/prompts.go
@@ -38,6 +38,12 @@ type Env struct {
 	// known-noop outcomes so the ingestion agent can dismiss similar
 	// signals on the next poll.
 	OriginatingSignalSet bool
+	// Playbook, when non-empty, is the playbook id the operator picked
+	// at session start. It replaces the profile's entrypoint playbook
+	// and suppresses the closing playbook: the session walks only the
+	// selected playbook, without the guided investigation flow around
+	// it. Empty means the profile defaults apply.
+	Playbook string
 }
 
 // incidentioRefFromURL extracts the trailing path segment of an
@@ -105,9 +111,13 @@ func Build(env Env, prof *profile.Profile) string {
 	b.WriteString("kubernetes-context: ")
 	b.WriteString(orUnset(env.Context))
 	b.WriteString("\nsuggested-entrypoint-playbook: ")
-	b.WriteString(prof.Playbooks.Entrypoint)
-	b.WriteString("\nsuggested-closing-playbook: ")
-	b.WriteString(prof.Playbooks.Closing)
+	if env.Playbook != "" {
+		b.WriteString(env.Playbook)
+	} else {
+		b.WriteString(prof.Playbooks.Entrypoint)
+		b.WriteString("\nsuggested-closing-playbook: ")
+		b.WriteString(prof.Playbooks.Closing)
+	}
 	b.WriteString("\n")
 
 	// Dynamic section: walk profile inputs in declaration order.
@@ -148,7 +158,11 @@ func Build(env Env, prof *profile.Profile) string {
 		b.WriteString("Write the wiki entry with `status: wontfix` and include enough ")
 		b.WriteString("symptom keywords for `wiki_correlate` to find it.\n")
 	}
-	b.WriteString("- Investigation playbooks: mcp__triagent-strategies__*   (start with `walk_playbook` against the `suggested-entrypoint-playbook` from the parameter block. Walk `suggested-closing-playbook` after every `summarize`.)")
+	if env.Playbook != "" {
+		b.WriteString("- Investigation playbooks: mcp__triagent-strategies__*   (the operator selected this playbook for the session. Start with `walk_playbook` against the `suggested-entrypoint-playbook` from the parameter block and follow it to completion. There is no closing playbook to walk afterwards.)")
+	} else {
+		b.WriteString("- Investigation playbooks: mcp__triagent-strategies__*   (start with `walk_playbook` against the `suggested-entrypoint-playbook` from the parameter block. Walk `suggested-closing-playbook` after every `summarize`.)")
+	}
 	b.WriteString("\n- Cluster-inspection tools: mcp__triagent-k8s__*   (read-only: list_resource_kinds, list_resources, get_resource, get_logs, list_events, list_namespaces, trace_crossplane). Pass `namespace` on every call. Default to `cluster-resource-namespace` from the parameter block. If it is `<unset>`, call `list_namespaces`.")
 	if env.IncidentioMCPAvailable {
 		b.WriteString("\n- incident.io tools: mcp__triagent-incidentio__*   (incidentio_get_incident, incidentio_get_timeline, incidentio_get_postmortem, incidentio_search_related). Pass `incident_id` on every call.")
diff --git a/prompts/prompts_test.go b/prompts/prompts_test.go
index 8b384dbd..ea85d69d 100644
--- a/prompts/prompts_test.go
+++ b/prompts/prompts_test.go
@@ -366,6 +366,27 @@ func TestBuildIncludesAutoTriggerHintWhenSet(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestBuild_SelectedPlaybookReplacesEntrypointAndDropsClosing(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	out := Build(Env{Context: "ctx-A", Playbook: "release_verification"}, testProf())
+
+	assert.Contains(t, out, "suggested-entrypoint-playbook: release_verification")
+	assert.NotContains(t, out, "suggested-entrypoint-playbook: investigation")
+	assert.NotContains(t, out, "suggested-closing-playbook")
+	assert.NotContains(t, out, "capture_offer")
+	assert.Contains(t, out, "operator selected this playbook",
+		"the tool bullet must tell the agent the playbook was chosen by the operator and no closing playbook follows")
+}
+
+func TestBuild_NoSelectedPlaybookKeepsProfileDefaults(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	out := Build(Env{Context: "ctx-A"}, testProf())
+
+	assert.Contains(t, out, "suggested-entrypoint-playbook: investigation")
+	assert.Contains(t, out, "suggested-closing-playbook: capture_offer")
+	assert.NotContains(t, out, "operator selected this playbook")
+}
+
 // Every session the launcher spawns writes prose a human reads later
 // (summaries, wiki entries, playbook YAML). The writing-simply skill
 // rides in the system prompt rather than relying on skill discovery,