diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/start.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/start.ts
index 32f84f813..43d67cfb4 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/start.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/start.ts
@@ -567,6 +567,7 @@ async function autoCreateConfig(workingDir: string): Promise<OrchestratorConfig>
   const defaultBranch = env.defaultBranch || "main";
 
   // If no repo detected, inform the user and ask
+  /* c8 ignore start -- interactive prompt, tested via onboarding integration */
   if (!repo && isHumanCaller()) {
     console.log(chalk.yellow("  ⚠ Could not auto-detect a GitHub/GitLab remote."));
     const entered = await promptText(
@@ -581,6 +582,7 @@ async function autoCreateConfig(workingDir: string): Promise<OrchestratorConfig>
       console.log(chalk.yellow(`  ⚠ "${trimmed}" doesn't look like owner/repo — skipping.`));
     }
   }
+  /* c8 ignore stop */
 
   // Detect available agent runtimes via plugin registry
   let detectedAgents = await detectAvailableAgents();
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/prompts.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/prompts.ts
index 460ae380c..f7be6bebb 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/prompts.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/prompts.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ export async function promptSelect<T extends string>(
   return result;
 }
 
+/* c8 ignore start -- interactive prompt wrapper, same pattern as promptConfirm/promptSelect */
 export async function promptText(
   message: string,
   placeholder?: string,
@@ -43,3 +44,4 @@ export async function promptText(
   }
   return result;
 }
+/* c8 ignore stop */
diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/orchestrator-prompt.test.ts b/packages/core/src/__tests__/orchestrator-prompt.test.ts
index 82ae1ff49..c9fcf26c8 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/__tests__/orchestrator-prompt.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/orchestrator-prompt.test.ts
@@ -56,6 +56,18 @@ describe("generateOrchestratorPrompt", () => {
     expect(prompt).toContain("ao send --no-wait");
   });
 
+  it("shows 'not configured' when repo is omitted", () => {
+    const noRepoProject = { ...config.projects["my-app"]!, repo: undefined };
+    const prompt = generateOrchestratorPrompt({
+      config,
+      projectId: "my-app",
+      project: noRepoProject,
+    });
+
+    expect(prompt).toContain("not configured");
+    expect(prompt).not.toContain("undefined");
+  });
+
   it("pushes implementation and PR claiming into worker sessions", () => {
     const prompt = generateOrchestratorPrompt({
       config,