diff --git a/.github/actions/strands-agent-runner/action.yml b/.github/actions/strands-agent-runner/action.yml
index 6d4c2d7fb..d0e93effe 100644
--- a/.github/actions/strands-agent-runner/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/strands-agent-runner/action.yml
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ runs:
         STRANDS_TOOL_CONSOLE_MODE: 'enabled'
         BYPASS_TOOL_CONSENT: 'true'
       run: |
-        uv run --no-project ${{ runner.temp }}/strands-agent-runner/.github/scripts/python/agent_runner.py "$INPUT_TASK"
+        uv run --no-project ${{ runner.temp }}/strands-agent-runner/.github/scripts/python/agent_runner.py
 
     - name: Capture repository state
       shell: bash
diff --git a/.github/scripts/javascript/process-input.cjs b/.github/scripts/javascript/process-input.cjs
index b7ed29263..395e37b64 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/javascript/process-input.cjs
+++ b/.github/scripts/javascript/process-input.cjs
@@ -8,9 +8,10 @@ async function getIssueInfo(github, context, inputs) {
   const issueId = context.eventName === 'workflow_dispatch' 
     ? inputs.issue_id
     : context.payload.issue.number.toString();
+  const commentBody = context.payload.comment?.body || '';
   const command = context.eventName === 'workflow_dispatch'
     ? inputs.command
-    : (context.payload.comment.body.match(/^\/strands\s*(.*?)$/m)?.[1]?.trim() || '');
+    : (commentBody.startsWith('/strands') ? commentBody.slice('/strands'.length).trim() : '');
 
   console.log(`Event: ${context.eventName}, Issue ID: ${issueId}, Command: "${command}"`);
 
@@ -76,10 +77,25 @@ function buildPrompts(mode, issueId, isPullRequest, command, branchName, inputs)
   const scriptFile = scriptFiles[mode] || scriptFiles['refiner'];
   const systemPrompt = fs.readFileSync(scriptFile, 'utf8');
   
+  // Extract the user's feedback/instructions after the mode keyword
+  // e.g., "release-notes Move #123 to Major Features" -> "Move #123 to Major Features"
+  const modeKeywords = {
+    'release-notes': /^(?:release-notes|release notes)\s*/i,
+    'implementer': /^implement\s*/i,
+    'refiner': /^refine\s*/i
+  };
+  
+  const modePattern = modeKeywords[mode];
+  const userFeedback = modePattern ? command.replace(modePattern, '').trim() : command.trim();
+  
   let prompt = (isPullRequest) 
     ? 'The pull request id is:'
     : 'The issue id is:';
-  prompt += `${issueId}\n${command}\nreview and continue`;
+  prompt += `${issueId}\n`;
+  
+  // If there's any user feedback beyond the command keyword, include it as the main instruction, 
+  // otherwise default to "review and continue"
+  prompt += userFeedback || 'review and continue';
 
   return { sessionId, systemPrompt, prompt };
 }
diff --git a/.github/scripts/python/agent_runner.py b/.github/scripts/python/agent_runner.py
index db10ceadb..9d92c2ac4 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/python/agent_runner.py
+++ b/.github/scripts/python/agent_runner.py
@@ -142,13 +142,12 @@ def run_agent(query: str):
 def main() -> None:
     """Main entry point for the agent runner."""
     try:
-        # Read task from command line arguments
-        if len(sys.argv) < 2:
-            raise ValueError("Task argument is required")
-
-        task = " ".join(sys.argv[1:])
-        if not task.strip():
-            raise ValueError("Task cannot be empty")
+        # Prefer INPUT_TASK env var (avoids shell escaping issues), fall back to CLI args
+        task = os.getenv("INPUT_TASK", "").strip()
+        if not task and len(sys.argv) > 1:
+            task = " ".join(sys.argv[1:]).strip()
+        if not task:
+            raise ValueError("Task is required (via INPUT_TASK env var or CLI argument)")
         print(f"🤖 Running agent with task: {task}")
 
         run_agent(task)