diff --git a/matrixbot/commands.py b/matrixbot/commands.py
index 3512b62..8174776 100644
--- a/matrixbot/commands.py
+++ b/matrixbot/commands.py
@@ -804,7 +804,9 @@ async def cmd_ask(client: AsyncClient, room_id: str, sender: str, args: str):
                                 "You are LotusBot, a helpful assistant in a Matrix chat room for a small gaming community. "
                                 "Answer questions clearly and concisely. Keep responses reasonably brief — "
                                 "a few sentences to a short paragraph unless the question genuinely needs more detail. "
-                                "Be friendly and conversational."
+                                "Be friendly and conversational. "
+                                "Do NOT ask follow-up questions or prompt the user to continue — "
+                                "each message is standalone with no conversation history."
                             ),
                         },
                         {"role": "user", "content": question},