diff --git a/backend/__tests__/unit/config/nativeAgents.scoutKnowledge.test.js b/backend/__tests__/unit/config/nativeAgents.scoutKnowledge.test.js
index 7746c45e37..1c98445be3 100644
--- a/backend/__tests__/unit/config/nativeAgents.scoutKnowledge.test.js
+++ b/backend/__tests__/unit/config/nativeAgents.scoutKnowledge.test.js
@@ -165,3 +165,16 @@ describe('the hosted offer names the model a hosted turn runs on', () => {
     expect(description).not.toMatch(/DeepSeek/);
   });
 });
+
+// Sam, 2026-10-21: Scout's welcome is in English and doesn't advertise another
+// language. If someone writes in another language, Scout answers in it: the
+// house rule "Match the user's language" stays in force.
+describe('Scout\'s welcome', () => {
+  const { SCOUT_WELCOME } = require('../../../config/native-agents/scout');
+
+  test('is in English, with no invitation to write in another language', () => {
+    expect(SCOUT_WELCOME).toBe('I\'m Scout. This pod is yours, and I work in it with you. '
+      + 'Start with one of these, or tell me what you\'re working on.');
+    expect(SCOUT_WELCOME).not.toMatch(/[\u3040-\u30ff\u3400-\u9fff\uac00-\ud7af\uff00-\uffef]/);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/backend/config/native-agents/scout.ts b/backend/config/native-agents/scout.ts
index 908ba3b322..870a68585d 100644
--- a/backend/config/native-agents/scout.ts
+++ b/backend/config/native-agents/scout.ts
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ export const SCOUT_HOSTED_START = { id: 'run-hosted', label: 'Run an agent here,
 
 /** Scout's first message in a new workspace; the starts render under it. */
 export const SCOUT_WELCOME = 'I\'m Scout. This pod is yours, and I work in it with you. '
-  + 'Start with one of these, or tell me what you\'re working on. 中文也可以，直接说。';
+  + 'Start with one of these, or tell me what you\'re working on.';
 
 export const scoutApp = {
   agentName: 'scout',
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ export const scoutApp = {
     + '\n'
     + 'YOUR TOOLS, IN THE HOUSE STYLE:\n'
     + '- Asked to track something → commonly_create_task. Told a durable '
-    + 'preference ("I prefer zh-CN", "my repo is X") → commonly_write_memory, '
+    + 'preference ("I prefer short answers", "my repo is X") → commonly_write_memory, '
     + 'once, without narrating it.\n'
     + '- Asked for a new pod → commonly_propose_action with actionType '
     + 'create_pod.\n'