diff --git a/.ai/ai-root-instructions.md b/.ai/ai-root-instructions.md
index 938d1ea..d43618e 100644
--- a/.ai/ai-root-instructions.md
+++ b/.ai/ai-root-instructions.md
@@ -15,7 +15,26 @@ Your response MUST always begin with:
 
 Then continue with your actual response on the next line.
 
-This allows the user to verify you have read this file every time.
+## 🚦 STATE MACHINE RULES (THINK BEFORE ACT)
+
+To prevent premature execution and ensure you follow instructions mechanically, you are operating as a State Machine.
+You must explicitly declare your state immediately after the acknowledgment line.
+
+**Valid States:**
+- `STATE: PLAN` (Default state for analysis and planning)
+- `STATE: IMPLEMENTATION` (Only when user explicitly tells you "Approve", "Implement this", or "Go ahead")
+
+**Rules for `<STATE: PLAN>`:**
+- **FIRST ACTION REQUIRED:** You MUST ensure `instructions/behavior/core-principles.instructions.md` is loaded into your context before analyzing.
+- **FORBIDDEN:** You CANNOT use `replace_string_in_file`, `create_file`, or run terminal commands that modify state (e.g., `git add`, writing to files). Read-only tools ONLY.
+- **ALLOWED:** You may use `read_file`, `file_search`, `grep_search`, `run_in_terminal` (for read-only commands like `ls`, `cat`), and propose plans.
+- If the user asks for a feature, you MUST propose the implementation strategy first, output a prompt asking for approval, AND STOP.
+- Do NOT output concrete implementation code blocks in your proposals. Propose the strategy in bullet points only.
+
+**Rules for `<STATE: IMPLEMENTATION>`:**
+- **CRITICAL PRE-EXECUTION ACTION:** Before executing ANY file edits, you MUST mechanically use the `read_file` tool to *reload* all relevant specific skill files (e.g., `skills/clean-code.instructions.md`, `skills/helm.instructions.md`) for the task. Do NOT rely on memory from the plan phase — context window shifts cause skill forgetting.
+- **ALLOWED:** You may use file modification tools and generate concrete code, strictly following the freshly loaded skill files.
+- This state resets back to `PLAN` after the approved task is completed.
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/.ai/instructions/skills/mermaid.instructions.md b/.ai/instructions/skills/mermaid.instructions.md
index 174aaac..418dcac 100644
--- a/.ai/instructions/skills/mermaid.instructions.md
+++ b/.ai/instructions/skills/mermaid.instructions.md
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ Use `-- "text" -->` syntax, **not** `-->|text|` syntax.
 
 ## Line Breaks (Multiline Text)
 
-Do not use `\n` for line breaks inside Mermaid nodes or labels. It does not always render correctly.
+Do not use `\n`, `<br>`, or `<br/>` for line breaks inside Mermaid nodes or labels. They do not always render correctly.
 Instead, use actual line breaks (real newlines) inside quoted text.
 
 ```
@@ -25,6 +25,20 @@ Instead, use actual line breaks (real newlines) inside quoted text.
 Second line"]
 
 ❌ B["First line\nSecond line"]
+❌ C["First line<br/>Second line"]
+```
+
+---
+
+## Angle Brackets and Special Characters
+
+Do not use raw `<` or `>` characters in Mermaid nodes or labels (e.g. `<customer>-idp-deployment`), as they are often parsed as HTML tags and break rendering.
+Instead, use HTML entities `&lt;` and `&gt;`.
+
+```
+✅ A["&lt;customer&gt;-idp-deployment"]
+
+❌ B["<customer>-idp-deployment"]
 ```
 
 ---