diff --git a/cmd/bd/init.go b/cmd/bd/init.go
index e94307f4..9727b2c2 100644
--- a/cmd/bd/init.go
+++ b/cmd/bd/init.go
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ With --stealth: configures global git settings for invisible beads usage:
 					fmt.Printf("  Mode: %s\n", cyan("no-db (JSONL-only)"))
 					fmt.Printf("  Issues file: %s\n", cyan(jsonlPath))
 					fmt.Printf("  Issue prefix: %s\n", cyan(prefix))
-					fmt.Printf("  Issues will be named: %s\n\n", cyan(prefix+"-1, "+prefix+"-2, ..."))
+					fmt.Printf("  Issues will be named: %s\n\n", cyan(prefix+"-<hash> (e.g., "+prefix+"-a3f2dd)"))
 					fmt.Printf("Run %s to get started.\n\n", cyan("bd --no-db quickstart"))
 				}
 				return
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ With --stealth: configures global git settings for invisible beads usage:
 		fmt.Printf("\n%s bd initialized successfully!\n\n", green("✓"))
 		fmt.Printf("  Database: %s\n", cyan(initDBPath))
 		fmt.Printf("  Issue prefix: %s\n", cyan(prefix))
-		fmt.Printf("  Issues will be named: %s\n\n", cyan(prefix+"-1, "+prefix+"-2, ..."))
+		fmt.Printf("  Issues will be named: %s\n\n", cyan(prefix+"-<hash> (e.g., "+prefix+"-a3f2dd)"))
 		fmt.Printf("Run %s to get started.\n\n", cyan("bd quickstart"))
 
 		// Run bd doctor diagnostics to catch setup issues early (bd-zwtq)
diff --git a/cmd/bd/init_test.go b/cmd/bd/init_test.go
index c96d2b85..4f2b9e40 100644
--- a/cmd/bd/init_test.go
+++ b/cmd/bd/init_test.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ func TestInitCommand(t *testing.T) {
 			name:           "init with custom prefix",
 			prefix:         "myproject",
 			quiet:          false,
-			wantOutputText: "myproject-1, myproject-2",
+			wantOutputText: "myproject-<hash>",
 		},
 		{
 			name:         "init with quiet flag",
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ func TestInitCommand(t *testing.T) {
 			name:           "init with prefix ending in hyphen",
 			prefix:         "test-",
 			quiet:          false,
-			wantOutputText: "test-1, test-2",
+			wantOutputText: "test-<hash>",
 		},
 	}
 
diff --git a/cmd/bd/quickstart.go b/cmd/bd/quickstart.go
index bcb75e24..f0f0095f 100644
--- a/cmd/bd/quickstart.go
+++ b/cmd/bd/quickstart.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ var quickstartCmd = &cobra.Command{
 		fmt.Printf("            Auto-detects prefix from directory name (e.g., myapp-1, myapp-2)\n\n")
 
 		fmt.Printf("  %s   Initialize with custom prefix\n", cyan("bd init --prefix api"))
-		fmt.Printf("            Issues will be named: api-1, api-2, ...\n\n")
+		fmt.Printf("            Issues will be named: api-<hash> (e.g., api-a3f2dd)\n\n")
 
 		fmt.Printf("%s\n", bold("CREATING ISSUES"))
 		fmt.Printf("  %s\n", cyan("bd create \"Fix login bug\""))