diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 5859cd1bd9..2ef7931efc 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ The codebase is split into:
 
 - Run backend CLI commands through `uv run --project api <command>`.
 
-- Backend QA gate requires passing `make lint`, `make type-check`, and `uv run --project api --dev dev/pytest/pytest_unit_tests.sh` before review.
+- Before submission, all backend modifications must pass local checks: `make lint`, `make type-check`, and `uv run --project api --dev dev/pytest/pytest_unit_tests.sh`.
 
 - Use Makefile targets for linting and formatting; `make lint` and `make type-check` cover the required checks.