diff --git a/src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.test.ts b/src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.test.ts
index 066e8d124..61bfd0445 100644
--- a/src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/pi-embedded-subscribe.test.ts
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ describe("subscribeEmbeddedPiSession", () => {
 
     expect(onBlockReply).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
     expect(onBlockReply.mock.calls[0][0].text).toBe(
-      "Reasoning:\nBecause it helps",
+      "Reasoning:\n_Because it helps_",
     );
     expect(onBlockReply.mock.calls[1][0].text).toBe("Final answer");
   });
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ describe("subscribeEmbeddedPiSession", () => {
 
     expect(onBlockReply).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
     expect(onBlockReply.mock.calls[0][0].text).toBe(
-      "Reasoning:\nBecause it helps",
+      "Reasoning:\n_Because it helps_",
     );
     expect(onBlockReply.mock.calls[1][0].text).toBe("Final answer");
 
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ describe("subscribeEmbeddedPiSession", () => {
     const streamTexts = onReasoningStream.mock.calls
       .map((call) => call[0]?.text)
       .filter((value): value is string => typeof value === "string");
-    expect(streamTexts.at(-1)).toBe("Reasoning:\nBecause it helps");
+    expect(streamTexts.at(-1)).toBe("Reasoning:\n_Because it helps_");
 
     expect(assistantMessage.content).toEqual([
       { type: "thinking", thinking: "Because it helps" },
diff --git a/src/agents/pi-embedded-utils.ts b/src/agents/pi-embedded-utils.ts
index f52ccbe40..40c3ec1ce 100644
--- a/src/agents/pi-embedded-utils.ts
+++ b/src/agents/pi-embedded-utils.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,9 @@ export function extractAssistantThinking(msg: AssistantMessage): string {
 export function formatReasoningMessage(text: string): string {
   const trimmed = text.trim();
   if (!trimmed) return "";
-  return `Reasoning:\n${trimmed}`;
+  // Show reasoning in italics (cursive) for markdown-friendly surfaces (Discord, etc.).
+  // Keep the plain "Reasoning:" prefix so existing parsing/detection keeps working.
+  return `Reasoning:\n_${trimmed}_`;
 }
 
 type ThinkTaggedSplitBlock =
diff --git a/src/auto-reply/reply/agent-runner.heartbeat-typing.test.ts b/src/auto-reply/reply/agent-runner.heartbeat-typing.test.ts
index 556e223c6..26d0f2dce 100644
--- a/src/auto-reply/reply/agent-runner.heartbeat-typing.test.ts
+++ b/src/auto-reply/reply/agent-runner.heartbeat-typing.test.ts
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ describe("runReplyAgent typing (heartbeat)", () => {
           text?: string;
         }) => Promise<void> | void;
       }) => {
-        await params.onReasoningStream?.({ text: "Reasoning:\nstep" });
+        await params.onReasoningStream?.({ text: "Reasoning:\n_step_" });
         await params.onPartialReply?.({ text: "hi" });
         return { payloads: [{ text: "final" }], meta: {} };
       },
diff --git a/src/infra/heartbeat-runner.test.ts b/src/infra/heartbeat-runner.test.ts
index 49b975a49..df8bf7776 100644
--- a/src/infra/heartbeat-runner.test.ts
+++ b/src/infra/heartbeat-runner.test.ts
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ describe("runHeartbeatOnce", () => {
       };
 
       replySpy.mockResolvedValue([
-        { text: "Reasoning:\nBecause it helps" },
+        { text: "Reasoning:\n_Because it helps_" },
         { text: "Final alert" },
       ]);
       const sendWhatsApp = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ describe("runHeartbeatOnce", () => {
       expect(sendWhatsApp).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
         1,
         "+1555",
-        "Reasoning:\nBecause it helps",
+        "Reasoning:\n_Because it helps_",
         expect.any(Object),
       );
       expect(sendWhatsApp).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ describe("runHeartbeatOnce", () => {
       };
 
       replySpy.mockResolvedValue([
-        { text: "Reasoning:\nBecause it helps" },
+        { text: "Reasoning:\n_Because it helps_" },
         { text: "HEARTBEAT_OK" },
       ]);
       const sendWhatsApp = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ describe("runHeartbeatOnce", () => {
       expect(sendWhatsApp).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
         1,
         "+1555",
-        "Reasoning:\nBecause it helps",
+        "Reasoning:\n_Because it helps_",
         expect.any(Object),
       );
     } finally {