diff --git a/src/bmm/workflows/4-implementation/create-story/workflow.md b/src/bmm/workflows/4-implementation/create-story/workflow.md
index 219a885e6..530c72090 100644
--- a/src/bmm/workflows/4-implementation/create-story/workflow.md
+++ b/src/bmm/workflows/4-implementation/create-story/workflow.md
@@ -175,10 +175,16 @@ input_file_patterns:
     Business context and value - Success criteria <!-- Previous story analysis for context continuity -->
     <check if="story_num > 1">
       <action>Set {{previous_story_num}} = {{story_num}} - 1</action>
-      <action>Load previous story file: {{story_dir}}/{{epic_num}}-{{previous_story_num}}-*.md</action> **PREVIOUS STORY INTELLIGENCE:** -
-    Dev notes and learnings from previous story - Review feedback and corrections needed - Files that were created/modified and their
-    patterns - Testing approaches that worked/didn't work - Problems encountered and solutions found - Code patterns established <action>Extract
-    all learnings that could impact current story implementation</action>
+      <action>Load previous story file: {{story_dir}}/{{epic_num}}-{{previous_story_num}}-*.md</action>
+      <action>Extract previous story intelligence:
+        - Dev notes and learnings from previous story
+        - Review feedback and corrections needed
+        - Files that were created/modified and their patterns
+        - Testing approaches that worked/didn't work
+        - Problems encountered and solutions found
+        - Code patterns established
+      </action>
+      <action>Extract all learnings that could impact current story implementation</action>
     </check>
 
     <!-- Git intelligence for previous work patterns -->
diff --git a/src/bmm/workflows/document-project/instructions.md b/src/bmm/workflows/document-project/instructions.md
index a8315fcd9..7a410276d 100644
--- a/src/bmm/workflows/document-project/instructions.md
+++ b/src/bmm/workflows/document-project/instructions.md
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
   - Set status_file_found = false
   - Set standalone_mode = true
   - Set warning = ""
+  - Set status_load_error_reason = ""
   - Set suggestion = ""
   - Set next_workflow = ""
   - Set next_agent = ""
@@ -97,12 +98,15 @@
   <action>Read state file and extract: timestamps, mode, scan_level, current_step, completed_steps, project_classification</action>
   <action>Validate last_updated from state file:
     - If last_updated is missing or invalid, set state_age_hours = 999 and mark state as stale
-    - Otherwise parse timestamp and continue
+    - Otherwise parse last_updated into validated_last_updated
   </action>
   <action>Extract cached project_type_id(s) from state file if present</action>
-  <action>Calculate age of state file (current time - last_updated)</action>
+  <action>Calculate state_age_hours:
+    - If validated_last_updated exists, compute current time - validated_last_updated
+    - Otherwise keep state_age_hours = 999
+  </action>
 
-<check if="state file age >= 24 hours">
+<check if="state_age_hours >= 24">
   <action>Display: "Found old state file (>24 hours). Starting fresh scan."</action>
   <action>Attempt to create archive directory: {output_folder}/.archive/</action>
   <check if="archive directory creation failed">
@@ -125,7 +129,7 @@
   <action>Continue to Step 3</action>
 </check>
 
-<check if="state file age < 24 hours">
+<check if="state_age_hours < 24">
 
 <ask>I found an in-progress workflow state from {{last_updated}}.