diff --git a/cmd/bd/daemon_autostart_unit_test.go b/cmd/bd/daemon_autostart_unit_test.go
index 179851b6..57f9b439 100644
--- a/cmd/bd/daemon_autostart_unit_test.go
+++ b/cmd/bd/daemon_autostart_unit_test.go
@@ -383,34 +383,47 @@ func TestIsWispOperation(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name:     "mol burn",
 			cmdNames: []string{"bd", "mol", "burn"},
-			args:     []string{"bd-eph-abc"},
+			args:     []string{"bd-wisp-abc"},
 			want:     true,
 		},
 		{
 			name:     "mol squash",
 			cmdNames: []string{"bd", "mol", "squash"},
-			args:     []string{"bd-eph-abc"},
+			args:     []string{"bd-wisp-abc"},
 			want:     true,
 		},
-		// Ephemeral issue IDs in args
+		// Ephemeral issue IDs in args (wisp-* pattern)
 		{
-			name:     "close with bd-eph ID",
+			name:     "close with bd-wisp ID",
+			cmdNames: []string{"bd", "close"},
+			args:     []string{"bd-wisp-abc123"},
+			want:     true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "show with gt-wisp ID",
+			cmdNames: []string{"bd", "show"},
+			args:     []string{"gt-wisp-xyz"},
+			want:     true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "update with wisp- prefix",
+			cmdNames: []string{"bd", "update"},
+			args:     []string{"wisp-test", "--status=closed"},
+			want:     true,
+		},
+		// Legacy eph-* pattern (backwards compatibility)
+		{
+			name:     "close with legacy bd-eph ID",
 			cmdNames: []string{"bd", "close"},
 			args:     []string{"bd-eph-abc123"},
 			want:     true,
 		},
 		{
-			name:     "show with gt-eph ID",
+			name:     "show with legacy gt-eph ID",
 			cmdNames: []string{"bd", "show"},
 			args:     []string{"gt-eph-xyz"},
 			want:     true,
 		},
-		{
-			name:     "update with eph- prefix",
-			cmdNames: []string{"bd", "update"},
-			args:     []string{"eph-test", "--status=closed"},
-			want:     true,
-		},
 		// Non-wisp operations (should NOT bypass)
 		{
 			name:     "regular show",
@@ -438,9 +451,9 @@ func TestIsWispOperation(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 		// Edge cases
 		{
-			name:     "flag that looks like eph ID should be ignored",
+			name:     "flag that looks like wisp ID should be ignored",
 			cmdNames: []string{"bd", "show"},
-			args:     []string{"--format=bd-eph-style", "bd-regular"},
+			args:     []string{"--format=bd-wisp-style", "bd-regular"},
 			want:     false,
 		},
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/bd/main_errors.go b/cmd/bd/main_errors.go
index 603c8870..c88fc077 100644
--- a/cmd/bd/main_errors.go
+++ b/cmd/bd/main_errors.go
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ func handleFreshCloneError(err error, beadsDir string) bool {
 //   - mol wisp subcommands (create, list, gc, or direct proto invocation)
 //   - mol burn (only operates on wisps)
 //   - mol squash (condenses wisps to digests)
-//   - Commands with ephemeral issue IDs in args (bd-*-eph-*, eph-*)
+//   - Commands with ephemeral issue IDs in args (bd-*-wisp-*, wisp-*, or legacy eph-*)
 func isWispOperation(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) bool {
 	cmdName := cmd.Name()
 
@@ -97,14 +97,16 @@ func isWispOperation(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) bool {
 	}
 
 	// Check for ephemeral issue IDs in arguments
-	// Ephemeral IDs have "eph" segment: bd-eph-xxx, gt-eph-xxx, eph-xxx
+	// Ephemeral IDs have "wisp" segment: bd-wisp-xxx, gt-wisp-xxx, wisp-xxx
+	// Also detect legacy "eph" prefix for backwards compatibility
 	for _, arg := range args {
 		// Skip flags
 		if strings.HasPrefix(arg, "-") {
 			continue
 		}
-		// Check for ephemeral prefix patterns
-		if strings.Contains(arg, "-eph-") || strings.HasPrefix(arg, "eph-") {
+		// Check for ephemeral prefix patterns (wisp-* or legacy eph-*)
+		if strings.Contains(arg, "-wisp-") || strings.HasPrefix(arg, "wisp-") ||
+			strings.Contains(arg, "-eph-") || strings.HasPrefix(arg, "eph-") {
 			return true
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/bd/mol_test.go b/cmd/bd/mol_test.go
index 4c84fd8a..90572939 100644
--- a/cmd/bd/mol_test.go
+++ b/cmd/bd/mol_test.go
@@ -2417,7 +2417,7 @@ func TestSpawnMoleculeEphemeralFlag(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Spawn with ephemeral=true
-	result, err := spawnMolecule(ctx, s, subgraph, nil, "", "test", true, "eph")
+	result, err := spawnMolecule(ctx, s, subgraph, nil, "", "test", true, "wisp")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("spawnMolecule failed: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -2435,8 +2435,8 @@ func TestSpawnMoleculeEphemeralFlag(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Verify spawned issues have the correct prefix
 	for _, newID := range result.IDMapping {
-		if !strings.HasPrefix(newID, "test-eph-") {
-			t.Errorf("Spawned issue ID %s should have prefix 'test-eph-'", newID)
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(newID, "test-wisp-") {
+			t.Errorf("Spawned issue ID %s should have prefix 'test-wisp-'", newID)
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -2490,7 +2490,7 @@ func TestSpawnMoleculeFromFormulaEphemeral(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Spawn with ephemeral=true (simulating bd mol wisp <formula>)
-	result, err := spawnMolecule(ctx, s, subgraph, nil, "", "test", true, "eph")
+	result, err := spawnMolecule(ctx, s, subgraph, nil, "", "test", true, "wisp")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("spawnMolecule failed: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -2509,8 +2509,8 @@ func TestSpawnMoleculeFromFormulaEphemeral(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Verify they have the correct prefix
 	for _, newID := range result.IDMapping {
-		if !strings.HasPrefix(newID, "test-eph-") {
-			t.Errorf("Spawned issue ID %s should have prefix 'test-eph-'", newID)
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(newID, "test-wisp-") {
+			t.Errorf("Spawned issue ID %s should have prefix 'test-wisp-'", newID)
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/cmd/bd/wisp.go b/cmd/bd/wisp.go
index 0c9f6689..3f078fb0 100644
--- a/cmd/bd/wisp.go
+++ b/cmd/bd/wisp.go
@@ -257,8 +257,8 @@ func runWispCreate(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	}
 
 	// Spawn as ephemeral in main database (Ephemeral=true, skips JSONL export)
-	// Use "eph" prefix for distinct visual recognition
-	result, err := spawnMolecule(ctx, store, subgraph, vars, "", actor, true, "eph")
+	// Use "wisp" prefix for distinct visual recognition
+	result, err := spawnMolecule(ctx, store, subgraph, vars, "", actor, true, "wisp")
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Error creating wisp: %v\n", err)
 		os.Exit(1)