diff --git a/tools/workflow-engine/auto-loop-lifetime.ts b/tools/workflow-engine/auto-loop-lifetime.ts
index bd1861a85c..a6e99408ef 100644
--- a/tools/workflow-engine/auto-loop-lifetime.ts
+++ b/tools/workflow-engine/auto-loop-lifetime.ts
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ export interface AutoLoopLifetime extends LifetimeState {
 export interface TickContext {
   readonly tickIndex: number;                   // monotonic per-session
   readonly briefAckCount: number;               // counter discipline tracking
-  readonly lastNamedDependency?: string;        // bounded-wait reason (or undefined)
+  readonly lastNamedDependency: string | undefined;  // bounded-wait reason (or undefined)
   readonly lastRefreshAt?: number;              // unix timestamp of last substrate refresh
   readonly inflightPrs: ReadonlyArray<{
     readonly number: number;
@@ -495,6 +495,7 @@ export function dispatchAutoLoopTransition(
 export const COLD_BOOT_CONTEXT: TickContext = {
   tickIndex: 0,
   briefAckCount: 0,
+  lastNamedDependency: undefined,
   inflightPrs: [],
 };