diff --git a/studio/backend/core/inference/llama_cpp.py b/studio/backend/core/inference/llama_cpp.py
index d86b0d9b80..9552e7af4c 100644
--- a/studio/backend/core/inference/llama_cpp.py
+++ b/studio/backend/core/inference/llama_cpp.py
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ _INTENT_SIGNAL = re.compile(
     # Handles both straight and curly apostrophes.
     # Excludes "I can", "I should", "I want to", "let's" which
     # appear frequently in direct answers / explanations.
-    r"\b(i['\u2019](ll|m going to|m gonna)|i am (going to|gonna)|i will|i shall|i need to|let me|allow me)\b"
+    r"\b(i['\u2019](ll|m going to|m gonna)|i am (going to|gonna)|i will|i shall|let me|allow me)\b"
     r"|"
     # Step/plan framing: "First ...", "Step 1:", "Here's my plan".
     r"\b(?:first\b|step \d+:?|here['\u2019]?s (?:my |the |a )?(?:plan|approach))"
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ _EXPLICIT_PLAN_HEADER = re.compile(
 _DIRECT_NUMBERED_PLAN_FRAMING = re.compile(
     r"(?:"
     r"\b(?:i['’](?:ll|m going to|m gonna)|i am (?:going to|gonna)|"
-    r"i will|i shall|i need to|let me|allow me|now i|next i)\b"
+    r"i will|i shall|let me|allow me|now i|next i)\b"
     r"[^\r\n]{0,160}"
     r"\b(?:open|read|search|look (?:this |that |it |them )?up|browse|"
     r"google|find|check|verify|compare|review|inspect|examine|"
@@ -202,6 +202,7 @@ _DIRECT_NUMBERED_PLAN_FRAMING = re.compile(
     r"do (?:this|these|the following|it)|"
     r"take (?:these|the following) steps|"
     r"follow (?:these|the following) steps|"
+    r"complete (?:these|the following) steps|"
     r"perform (?:these|the following) actions|"
     r"proceed|start|begin|"
     r"create|build|implement|set up|add|calculate|compute|analy[sz]e|"
@@ -327,7 +328,7 @@ _NUMBERED_ACTION_ITEM = re.compile(
 # numbered-list cross-check.
 _STRONG_INTENT_BEFORE_LIST = re.compile(
     r"\b(?:i['’](?:ll|m going to|m gonna)|i am (?:going to|gonna)|"
-    r"i will|i shall|i need to|let me|allow me|now i|next i)\b",
+    r"i will|i shall|let me|allow me|now i|next i)\b",
     re.IGNORECASE,
 )
 
@@ -340,7 +341,7 @@ _STRONG_INTENT_BEFORE_LIST = re.compile(
 # signal that this is a tool stall.
 _BARE_INTENT_NUMBERED_PLAN = re.compile(
     r"\b(?:i['’](?:ll|m going to|m gonna)|i am (?:going to|gonna)|"
-    r"i will|i shall|i need to|let me|allow me|now i|next i)\s*:[ \t]*"
+    r"i will|i shall|let me|allow me|now i|next i)\s*:[ \t]*"
     r"(?:\r?\n)[ \t]*\d+\.[ \t]+"
     r"(?:open|read|search|look up|check|verify|create|build|add|set up|"
     r"load|inspect|parse|calculate|compute|analy[sz]e|extract|run|execute|"
diff --git a/studio/backend/tests/test_llama_cpp_reprompt_guard.py b/studio/backend/tests/test_llama_cpp_reprompt_guard.py
index 96e2b5ad45..73e88637e2 100644
--- a/studio/backend/tests/test_llama_cpp_reprompt_guard.py
+++ b/studio/backend/tests/test_llama_cpp_reprompt_guard.py
@@ -985,21 +985,28 @@ def test_no_reprompt_on_code_fence_containing_markup_literal():
         assert not _would_reprompt(content), content
 
 
-def test_reprompts_on_i_need_to_numbered_plan():
-    """``First, I need to:`` / ``I need to ...`` numbered plans are
-    tool stalls and still re-prompt."""
+def test_reprompts_on_i_will_gather_identify_numbered_plan():
+    """First-person + gather/identify verbs in list items is a tool
+    stall when the intent appears directly before the list."""
+    content = (
+        "I'll:\n"
+        "1. Gather the relevant files.\n"
+        "2. Identify the issue."
+    )
+    assert not _has_answer_artifact(content), content
+    assert _would_reprompt(content), content
+
+
+def test_no_reprompt_on_bare_i_need_to_clarification():
+    """Bare ``I need to`` clarification or prose answers must NOT
+    trigger the re-prompt. The phrase is too common in plain answers."""
     samples = [
-        ("First, I need to:\n" "1. Read the uploaded file.\n" "2. Summarize it."),
-        (
-            "I need to fetch the latest data:\n"
-            "1. Query the price.\n"
-            "2. Format the answer."
-        ),
-        ("I'll:\n" "1. Gather the relevant files.\n" "2. Identify the issue."),
+        "I need to know your operating system before giving the install command.",
+        "I need to be clear: the answer is Paris.",
+        'The sentence is: "I need to leave early today."',
     ]
     for content in samples:
-        assert not _has_answer_artifact(content), content
-        assert _would_reprompt(content), content
+        assert not _would_reprompt(content), content
 
 
 def test_reprompts_on_visit_or_access_numbered_plan():
@@ -1037,9 +1044,9 @@ def test_no_reprompt_on_inline_backtick_python_prose_after_code():
     assert not _would_reprompt(content)
 
 
-def test_reprompts_on_take_or_follow_steps_numbered_plan():
-    """``I'll take these steps:`` / ``I will follow these steps:`` +
-    numbered list of work items is a plan stall."""
+def test_reprompts_on_take_follow_complete_steps_numbered_plan():
+    """``I'll take/follow/complete these steps:`` + numbered list of
+    work items is a plan stall."""
     samples = [
         (
             "I'll take these steps:\n"
@@ -1053,6 +1060,11 @@ def test_reprompts_on_take_or_follow_steps_numbered_plan():
             "2. Read the relevant section.\n"
             "3. Answer."
         ),
+        (
+            "Let me complete these steps:\n"
+            "1. Read the uploaded CSV.\n"
+            "2. Check the totals."
+        ),
     ]
     for content in samples:
         assert not _has_answer_artifact(content), content