diff --git a/internal/beads/beads.go b/internal/beads/beads.go
index 47c07301..65911db6 100644
--- a/internal/beads/beads.go
+++ b/internal/beads/beads.go
@@ -706,6 +706,7 @@ type AgentFields struct {
 	HookBead      string // Currently pinned work bead ID
 	RoleBead      string // Role definition bead ID (canonical location; may not exist yet)
 	CleanupStatus string // ZFC: polecat self-reports git state (clean, has_uncommitted, has_stash, has_unpushed)
+	ActiveMR      string // Currently active merge request bead ID (for traceability)
 }
 
 // FormatAgentDescription creates a description string from agent fields.
@@ -745,6 +746,12 @@ func FormatAgentDescription(title string, fields *AgentFields) string {
 		lines = append(lines, "cleanup_status: null")
 	}
 
+	if fields.ActiveMR != "" {
+		lines = append(lines, fmt.Sprintf("active_mr: %s", fields.ActiveMR))
+	} else {
+		lines = append(lines, "active_mr: null")
+	}
+
 	return strings.Join(lines, "\n")
 }
 
@@ -782,6 +789,8 @@ func ParseAgentFields(description string) *AgentFields {
 			fields.RoleBead = value
 		case "cleanup_status":
 			fields.CleanupStatus = value
+		case "active_mr":
+			fields.ActiveMR = value
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -896,6 +905,26 @@ func (b *Beads) UpdateAgentCleanupStatus(id string, cleanupStatus string) error
 	return b.Update(id, UpdateOptions{Description: &description})
 }
 
+// UpdateAgentActiveMR updates the active_mr field in an agent bead.
+// This links the agent to their current merge request for traceability.
+// Pass empty string to clear the field (e.g., after merge completes).
+func (b *Beads) UpdateAgentActiveMR(id string, activeMR string) error {
+	// First get current issue to preserve other fields
+	issue, err := b.Show(id)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Parse existing fields
+	fields := ParseAgentFields(issue.Description)
+	fields.ActiveMR = activeMR
+
+	// Format new description
+	description := FormatAgentDescription(issue.Title, fields)
+
+	return b.Update(id, UpdateOptions{Description: &description})
+}
+
 // DeleteAgentBead permanently deletes an agent bead.
 // Uses --hard --force for immediate permanent deletion (no tombstone).
 func (b *Beads) DeleteAgentBead(id string) error {
diff --git a/internal/beads/fields.go b/internal/beads/fields.go
index cbe3517f..12009280 100644
--- a/internal/beads/fields.go
+++ b/internal/beads/fields.go
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ type MRFields struct {
 	Rig         string // Which rig
 	MergeCommit string // SHA of merge commit (set on close)
 	CloseReason string // Reason for closing: merged, rejected, conflict, superseded
+	AgentBead   string // Agent bead ID that created this MR (for traceability)
 }
 
 // ParseMRFields extracts structured merge-request fields from an issue's description.
@@ -218,6 +219,9 @@ func ParseMRFields(issue *Issue) *MRFields {
 		case "close_reason", "close-reason", "closereason":
 			fields.CloseReason = value
 			hasFields = true
+		case "agent_bead", "agent-bead", "agentbead":
+			fields.AgentBead = value
+			hasFields = true
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -257,6 +261,9 @@ func FormatMRFields(fields *MRFields) string {
 	if fields.CloseReason != "" {
 		lines = append(lines, "close_reason: "+fields.CloseReason)
 	}
+	if fields.AgentBead != "" {
+		lines = append(lines, "agent_bead: "+fields.AgentBead)
+	}
 
 	return strings.Join(lines, "\n")
 }
@@ -284,6 +291,9 @@ func SetMRFields(issue *Issue, fields *MRFields) string {
 		"close_reason": true,
 		"close-reason": true,
 		"closereason":  true,
+		"agent_bead":   true,
+		"agent-bead":   true,
+		"agentbead":    true,
 	}
 
 	// Collect non-MR lines from existing description
diff --git a/internal/cmd/done.go b/internal/cmd/done.go
index 2767f857..a8c7c9f5 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/done.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/done.go
@@ -108,6 +108,19 @@ func runDone(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		polecatName = parts[len(parts)-1]
 	}
 
+	// Get agent bead ID for cross-referencing
+	var agentBeadID string
+	if roleInfo, err := GetRoleWithContext(cwd, townRoot); err == nil {
+		ctx := RoleContext{
+			Role:     roleInfo.Role,
+			Rig:      roleInfo.Rig,
+			Polecat:  roleInfo.Polecat,
+			TownRoot: townRoot,
+			WorkDir:  cwd,
+		}
+		agentBeadID = getAgentBeadID(ctx)
+	}
+
 	// For COMPLETED, we need an issue ID and branch must not be main
 	var mrID string
 	if exitType == ExitCompleted {
@@ -173,6 +186,9 @@ func runDone(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			if worker != "" {
 				description += fmt.Sprintf("\nworker: %s", worker)
 			}
+			if agentBeadID != "" {
+				description += fmt.Sprintf("\nagent_bead: %s", agentBeadID)
+			}
 
 			// Create MR bead (ephemeral wisp - will be cleaned up after merge)
 			mrIssue, err := bd.Create(beads.CreateOptions{
@@ -186,6 +202,13 @@ func runDone(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			}
 			mrID = mrIssue.ID
 
+			// Update agent bead with active_mr reference (for traceability)
+			if agentBeadID != "" {
+				if err := bd.UpdateAgentActiveMR(agentBeadID, mrID); err != nil {
+					style.PrintWarning("could not update agent bead with active_mr: %v", err)
+				}
+			}
+
 			// Success output
 			fmt.Printf("%s Work submitted to merge queue\n", style.Bold.Render("✓"))
 			fmt.Printf("  MR ID: %s\n", style.Bold.Render(mrID))
diff --git a/internal/mrqueue/mrqueue.go b/internal/mrqueue/mrqueue.go
index 5ae5cac8..0e9ee411 100644
--- a/internal/mrqueue/mrqueue.go
+++ b/internal/mrqueue/mrqueue.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ type MR struct {
 	Title       string    `json:"title"`        // MR title
 	Priority    int       `json:"priority"`     // Priority (lower = higher priority)
 	CreatedAt   time.Time `json:"created_at"`
+	AgentBead   string    `json:"agent_bead,omitempty"` // Agent bead ID that created this MR (for traceability)
 }
 
 // Queue manages the MR storage.
diff --git a/internal/refinery/engineer.go b/internal/refinery/engineer.go
index 4b74d973..4878ff0c 100644
--- a/internal/refinery/engineer.go
+++ b/internal/refinery/engineer.go
@@ -262,6 +262,13 @@ func (e *Engineer) handleSuccess(mr *beads.Issue, result ProcessResult) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// 3.5. Clear agent bead's active_mr reference (traceability cleanup)
+	if mrFields.AgentBead != "" {
+		if err := e.beads.UpdateAgentActiveMR(mrFields.AgentBead, ""); err != nil {
+			fmt.Fprintf(e.output, "[Engineer] Warning: failed to clear agent bead %s active_mr: %v\n", mrFields.AgentBead, err)
+		}
+	}
+
 	// 4. Delete source branch if configured (local only - branches never go to origin)
 	if e.config.DeleteMergedBranches && mrFields.Branch != "" {
 		if err := e.git.DeleteBranch(mrFields.Branch, true); err != nil {
@@ -328,6 +335,13 @@ func (e *Engineer) handleSuccessFromQueue(mr *mrqueue.MR, result ProcessResult)
 		}
 	}
 
+	// 1.5. Clear agent bead's active_mr reference (traceability cleanup)
+	if mr.AgentBead != "" {
+		if err := e.beads.UpdateAgentActiveMR(mr.AgentBead, ""); err != nil {
+			fmt.Fprintf(e.output, "[Engineer] Warning: failed to clear agent bead %s active_mr: %v\n", mr.AgentBead, err)
+		}
+	}
+
 	// 2. Delete source branch if configured (local only)
 	if e.config.DeleteMergedBranches && mr.Branch != "" {
 		if err := e.git.DeleteBranch(mr.Branch, true); err != nil {