diff --git a/.kagi/README.md b/.kagi/README.md
index c4aa542..95d31c5 100644
--- a/.kagi/README.md
+++ b/.kagi/README.md
@@ -4,14 +4,15 @@ Zed tasks wrapping the `kagi` CLI. Each task spawns `bin/kagi-ask`, which
 queries Kagi Assistant, writes the markdown result to `.kagi/out/`, and opens
 it in Zed.
 
-| Task label            | Keybinding        | Assistant         |
-| --------------------- | ----------------- | ----------------- |
-| `kagi: prompt-refine` | TBD (D3)          | `prompt-smith`    |
-| `kagi: explain`       | TBD (D3)          | `code-reader`     |
-| `kagi: review`        | TBD (D3)          | `code-reviewer`   |
-| `kagi: ask`           | TBD (D3)          | *(default)*       |
+| Task label            | Keybinding            | Persona                                                            |
+| --------------------- | --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
+| `kagi: prompt-refine` | `cmd-ctrl-r`          | Rewrite prompt: minimal-token, unambiguous, agent-ready; fenced output only |
+| `kagi: explain`       | `cmd-ctrl-shift-e`    | Concise code explanation; never restates the code                   |
+| `kagi: review`        | `cmd-ctrl-v`          | Bug/edge-case/security review; terse bullets; no style nits         |
+| `kagi: ask`           | `cmd-ctrl-a`          | *(none — text passed through unchanged)*                            |
 
 - Tasks defined in `.zed/tasks.json`; open via the `task: spawn` modal.
 - Keybindings land in `~/.config/zed/keymap.json` (deliverable D3).
-- Assistants are created with the `kagi` CLI (deliverable D4).
+- Personas are inlined in `bin/kagi-ask` (D4 superseded: kagi-cli 0.16.0
+  cannot reach custom assistants; see `.kagi/SETUP.md`).
 - Output files go to `.kagi/out/` (gitignored).
diff --git a/.kagi/SETUP.md b/.kagi/SETUP.md
index d62adeb..7855f8f 100644
--- a/.kagi/SETUP.md
+++ b/.kagi/SETUP.md
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 Wrapper invoked by Zed tasks.
 - Usage: `kagi-ask <mode> <selected-text> [language]`
 - Modes: `prompt-refine`, `explain`, `review`, `ask`
-- Maps mode -> a custom assistant name (see D4).
+- Maps mode -> an inlined persona (see D4).
 - Writes output to `$ZED_WORKTREE_ROOT/.kagi/out/<timestamp>-<mode>.md`, also echoes to stdout.
 - Must pass `--format markdown` and `--stream`.
 - Must `set -euo pipefail`, `mkdir -p` the out dir, and handle empty selection with a clear error.
@@ -43,14 +43,10 @@ Bind each task with `["task::Spawn", { "task_name": "<exact label>" }]` under `"
 Avoid collisions with the VSCode base keymap.
 
 ### D4 - custom assistants
-Model slugs are unavailable: `kagi assistant models` returns `[]`. This is expected and is NOT a
-blocker. Do not investigate it. Create all three WITHOUT `--model`; the account default applies.
-Use only flags confirmed by `kagi assistant custom create --help`.
-- `prompt-smith`  - rewrites a prompt to be minimal-token, unambiguous, agent-ready.
-  Outputs ONLY the rewritten prompt in a fenced block. No web access.
-- `code-reader`   - explains code concisely; does not restate the code back.
-- `code-reviewer` - bug/edge-case/security focus; terse bullets; no style nits.
-Verify with `kagi assistant custom list` after creation.
+### D4 - superseded
+Personas are inlined in `bin/kagi-ask`; custom assistants are unreachable in
+kagi-cli 0.16.0 (`custom create` fails with "assistant form missing name";
+`custom list` returns `[]`). Do not retry.
 
 ### D5 - housekeeping
 - Append `.kagi/out/` to `.gitignore`.
@@ -59,5 +55,4 @@ Verify with `kagi assistant custom list` after creation.
 
 ## Acceptance
 - `bin/kagi-ask prompt-refine "write a function" Python` produces a markdown file in `.kagi/out/`.
-- `kagi assistant custom list` returns the three assistants.
 - Each task appears in the `task: spawn` modal.
diff --git a/.zed/tasks.json b/.zed/tasks.json
index fe858a2..00043ae 100644
--- a/.zed/tasks.json
+++ b/.zed/tasks.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   {
     "label": "kagi: prompt-refine",
     "command": "$ZED_WORKTREE_ROOT/bin/kagi-ask",
-    "args": ["prompt-refine", "$ZED_SELECTED_TEXT", "$ZED_LANGUAGE"],
+    "args": ["prompt-refine", "\"${ZED_SELECTED_TEXT:-}\"", "\"${ZED_LANGUAGE:-unknown}\""],
     "cwd": "$ZED_WORKTREE_ROOT",
     "use_new_terminal": false,
     "allow_concurrent_runs": true,
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
   {
     "label": "kagi: explain",
     "command": "$ZED_WORKTREE_ROOT/bin/kagi-ask",
-    "args": ["explain", "$ZED_SELECTED_TEXT", "$ZED_LANGUAGE"],
+    "args": ["explain", "\"${ZED_SELECTED_TEXT:-}\"", "\"${ZED_LANGUAGE:-unknown}\""],
     "cwd": "$ZED_WORKTREE_ROOT",
     "use_new_terminal": false,
     "allow_concurrent_runs": true,
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
   {
     "label": "kagi: review",
     "command": "$ZED_WORKTREE_ROOT/bin/kagi-ask",
-    "args": ["review", "$ZED_SELECTED_TEXT", "$ZED_LANGUAGE"],
+    "args": ["review", "\"${ZED_SELECTED_TEXT:-}\"", "\"${ZED_LANGUAGE:-unknown}\""],
     "cwd": "$ZED_WORKTREE_ROOT",
     "use_new_terminal": false,
     "allow_concurrent_runs": true,
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
   {
     "label": "kagi: ask",
     "command": "$ZED_WORKTREE_ROOT/bin/kagi-ask",
-    "args": ["ask", "$ZED_SELECTED_TEXT", "$ZED_LANGUAGE"],
+    "args": ["ask", "\"${ZED_SELECTED_TEXT:-}\"", "\"${ZED_LANGUAGE:-unknown}\""],
     "cwd": "$ZED_WORKTREE_ROOT",
     "use_new_terminal": false,
     "allow_concurrent_runs": true,
diff --git a/bin/kagi-ask b/bin/kagi-ask
index 05d7a3b..4465baa 100755
--- a/bin/kagi-ask
+++ b/bin/kagi-ask
@@ -8,6 +8,12 @@ MODE="${1:-}"
 SELECTION="${2:-}"
 LANGUAGE="${3:-}"
 
+# Personas are inlined here (D4 superseded: kagi-cli 0.16.0 cannot reach
+# custom assistants; see .kagi/SETUP.md).
+PERSONA_PROMPT_REFINE='Rewrite the provided prompt to be minimal-token, unambiguous, and agent-ready. Output ONLY the rewritten prompt, in a fenced code block. Nothing else: no commentary, no preamble.'
+PERSONA_EXPLAIN='Explain the following code concisely. Do not restate the code back. Say what it does, how it works, and any notable details, in the fewest words that remain precise.'
+PERSONA_REVIEW='Review the following code with a bug, edge-case, and security focus. Report findings as terse bullet points. Skip style nits.'
+
 # Prefer the Zed-provided worktree root; fall back to the repo root so the
 # script also works outside Zed (e.g. the acceptance test in SETUP.md).
 ROOT="${ZED_WORKTREE_ROOT:-$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)}"
@@ -22,10 +28,10 @@ usage() {
 [ -n "$MODE" ] || usage
 
 case "$MODE" in
-  prompt-refine) ASSISTANT="prompt-smith" ;;
-  explain)       ASSISTANT="code-reader" ;;
-  review)        ASSISTANT="code-reviewer" ;;
-  ask)           ASSISTANT="" ;; # no custom assistant; default applies
+  prompt-refine) PERSONA="$PERSONA_PROMPT_REFINE" ;;
+  explain)       PERSONA="$PERSONA_EXPLAIN" ;;
+  review)        PERSONA="$PERSONA_REVIEW" ;;
+  ask)           PERSONA="" ;; # no persona; pass the text through unchanged
   *)             usage ;;
 esac
 
@@ -42,17 +48,18 @@ fi
 mkdir -p "$OUT_DIR"
 OUT_FILE="$OUT_DIR/$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)-$MODE.md"
 
-PROMPT="$SELECTION"
+# Prompt: <persona> + blank line + --- + blank line + <user text>.
+# ask mode passes the user text through unchanged.
+if [ -n "$PERSONA" ]; then
+  PROMPT="$PERSONA"$'\n\n---\n\n'"$SELECTION"
+else
+  PROMPT="$SELECTION"
+fi
 if [ -n "$LANGUAGE" ]; then
   PROMPT="$PROMPT"$'\n\n'"Language: $LANGUAGE"
 fi
 
-KAGI_ARGS=(assistant "$PROMPT" --format markdown --stream)
-if [ -n "$ASSISTANT" ]; then
-  KAGI_ARGS+=(--assistant "$ASSISTANT")
-fi
-
-kagi "${KAGI_ARGS[@]}" | tee "$OUT_FILE"
+kagi assistant "$PROMPT" --format markdown --stream --no-web-access | tee "$OUT_FILE"
 
 # Open the result in Zed if the CLI is on PATH; skip silently otherwise.
 if command -v zed >/dev/null 2>&1; then