diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/codex.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/codex.rs
index 7d7bd60a..d11a53b5 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/codex.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/codex.rs
@@ -1586,7 +1586,7 @@ async fn spawn_review_thread(
 
     // Seed the child task with the review prompt as the initial user message.
     let input: Vec<InputItem> = vec![InputItem::Text {
-        text: format!("{base_instructions}\n\n---\n\nNow, here's your task: {review_prompt}"),
+        text: review_prompt,
     }];
     let tc = Arc::new(review_turn_context);
 
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/review.rs b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/review.rs
index 66b67ae9..f3eeb3a3 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/review.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/review.rs
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ async fn review_input_isolated_from_parent_history() {
     .await;
     let _complete = wait_for_event(&codex, |ev| matches!(ev, EventMsg::TaskComplete(_))).await;
 
-    // Assert the request `input` contains the environment context followed by the review prompt.
+    // Assert the request `input` contains the environment context followed by the user review prompt.
     let request = &server.received_requests().await.unwrap()[0];
     let body = request.body_json::<serde_json::Value>().unwrap();
     let input = body["input"].as_array().expect("input array");
@@ -473,9 +473,14 @@ async fn review_input_isolated_from_parent_history() {
     assert_eq!(review_msg["role"].as_str().unwrap(), "user");
     assert_eq!(
         review_msg["content"][0]["text"].as_str().unwrap(),
-        format!("{REVIEW_PROMPT}\n\n---\n\nNow, here's your task: Please review only this",)
+        review_prompt,
+        "user message should only contain the raw review prompt"
     );
 
+    // Ensure the REVIEW_PROMPT rubric is sent via instructions.
+    let instructions = body["instructions"].as_str().expect("instructions string");
+    assert_eq!(instructions, REVIEW_PROMPT);
+
     // Also verify that a user interruption note was recorded in the rollout.
     codex.submit(Op::GetPath).await.unwrap();
     let history_event =