diff --git a/plugins/kanban/dashboard/dist/index.js b/plugins/kanban/dashboard/dist/index.js
index 720cdb9e1e2..6f05df72bf6 100644
--- a/plugins/kanban/dashboard/dist/index.js
+++ b/plugins/kanban/dashboard/dist/index.js
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
   const FALLBACK_COLUMN_HELP = {
     triage: "Raw ideas — a specifier will flesh out the spec",
     todo: "Waiting on dependencies or unassigned",
-    ready: "Assigned and waiting for a dispatcher tick",
+    ready: "Dependencies satisfied; assign a profile to dispatch",
     running: "Claimed by a worker — in-flight",
     blocked: "Worker asked for human input",
     done: "Completed",
@@ -2048,6 +2048,7 @@
     };
 
     const progress = t.progress;
+    const needsAssignee = t.status === "ready" && !t.assignee;
 
     return h("div", {
       ref: cardRef,
@@ -2118,6 +2119,13 @@
                   title: `${progress.done} of ${progress.total} child tasks done`,
                 }, `${progress.done}/${progress.total}`)
               : null,
+            needsAssignee
+              ? h(Badge, {
+                  variant: "outline",
+                  className: "hermes-kanban-needs-assignee",
+                  title: tx(i18n, "needsAssigneeHint", "Dependencies are satisfied, but the dispatcher skips this task until you assign a profile."),
+                }, tx(i18n, "needsAssignee", "Needs assignee"))
+              : null,
           ),
           h("div", { className: "hermes-kanban-card-title" },
             t.title || tx(i18n, "untitled", "(untitled)")),
@@ -2126,7 +2134,9 @@
               ? h("span", { className: "hermes-kanban-assignee",
                             title: `Assigned to Hermes profile @${t.assignee}` }, "@", t.assignee)
               : h("span", { className: "hermes-kanban-unassigned",
-                            title: "No profile assigned. The dispatcher will pick one from available profiles when the task is Ready." },
+                            title: needsAssignee
+                              ? tx(i18n, "needsAssigneeHint", "Dependencies are satisfied, but the dispatcher skips this task until you assign a profile.")
+                              : "No profile assigned." },
                   tx(i18n, "unassigned", "unassigned")),
             t.comment_count > 0
               ? h("span", { className: "hermes-kanban-count",
diff --git a/plugins/kanban/dashboard/dist/style.css b/plugins/kanban/dashboard/dist/style.css
index 3bcfccb289b..f3d66a88597 100644
--- a/plugins/kanban/dashboard/dist/style.css
+++ b/plugins/kanban/dashboard/dist/style.css
@@ -280,6 +280,14 @@
   padding: 0.05rem 0.3rem !important;
 }
 
+.hermes-kanban-needs-assignee {
+  font-size: 0.6rem !important;
+  padding: 0.05rem 0.3rem !important;
+  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-warning, #d4b348) 16%, transparent);
+  border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-warning, #d4b348) 45%, var(--color-border));
+  color: var(--color-foreground);
+}
+
 .hermes-kanban-assignee {
   font-weight: 500;
   color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-foreground) 80%, var(--color-muted-foreground));
diff --git a/web/src/i18n/af.ts b/web/src/i18n/af.ts
index 4f49eb12227..e588a63596d 100644
--- a/web/src/i18n/af.ts
+++ b/web/src/i18n/af.ts
@@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ export const af: Translations = {
     columnHelp: {
       triage: "Rou idees — 'n spesifiseerder sal die spesifikasie uitwerk",
       todo: "Wag op afhanklikhede of nie toegewys nie",
-      ready: "Toegewys en wag vir 'n versender-tik",
+      ready: "Afhanklikhede is bevredig; wys 'n profiel toe om te versend",
       running: "Deur 'n werker geëis — in vlug",
       blocked: "Werker het mensinvoer aangevra",
       done: "Voltooi",
diff --git a/web/src/i18n/de.ts b/web/src/i18n/de.ts
index c70ccfe8701..28a9b59deff 100644
--- a/web/src/i18n/de.ts
+++ b/web/src/i18n/de.ts
@@ -662,7 +662,7 @@ export const de: Translations = {
     columnHelp: {
       triage: "Rohe Ideen — ein Specifier wird die Spezifikation ausarbeiten",
       todo: "Wartet auf Abhängigkeiten oder ist nicht zugewiesen",
-      ready: "Zugewiesen und wartet auf einen Dispatcher-Tick",
+      ready: "Abhängigkeiten erfüllt; Profil zum Dispatch zuweisen",
       running: "Von einem Worker übernommen — in Bearbeitung",
       blocked: "Worker hat um menschliche Eingabe gebeten",
       done: "Abgeschlossen",
diff --git a/web/src/i18n/en.ts b/web/src/i18n/en.ts
index e93fdac7ec4..5eae3f9a14a 100644
--- a/web/src/i18n/en.ts
+++ b/web/src/i18n/en.ts
@@ -574,6 +574,9 @@ export const en: Translations = {
     createTask: "Create task in this column",
     noTasks: "— no tasks —",
     unassigned: "unassigned",
+    needsAssignee: "Needs assignee",
+    needsAssigneeHint:
+      "Dependencies are satisfied, but the dispatcher skips this task until you assign a profile.",
     untitled: "(untitled)",
     loadingDetail: "Loading…",
     addComment: "Add a comment… (Enter to submit)",
@@ -664,7 +667,7 @@ export const en: Translations = {
     columnHelp: {
       triage: "Raw ideas — a specifier will flesh out the spec",
       todo: "Waiting on dependencies or unassigned",
-      ready: "Assigned and waiting for a dispatcher tick",
+      ready: "Dependencies satisfied; assign a profile to dispatch",
       running: "Claimed by a worker — in-flight",
       blocked: "Worker asked for human input",
       done: "Completed",
diff --git a/web/src/i18n/es.ts b/web/src/i18n/es.ts
index 19088de12c8..139a8175d44 100644
--- a/web/src/i18n/es.ts
+++ b/web/src/i18n/es.ts
@@ -662,7 +662,7 @@ export const es: Translations = {
     columnHelp: {
       triage: "Ideas en bruto — un specifier desarrollará la especificación",
       todo: "Esperando dependencias o sin asignar",
-      ready: "Asignado y esperando un tick del dispatcher",
+      ready: "Dependencias satisfechas; asigna un perfil para despachar",
       running: "Reclamado por un worker — en ejecución",
       blocked: "El worker pidió intervención humana",
       done: "Completado",
diff --git a/web/src/i18n/fr.ts b/web/src/i18n/fr.ts
index 4532cab3ee0..51b5ba54f12 100644
--- a/web/src/i18n/fr.ts
+++ b/web/src/i18n/fr.ts
@@ -662,7 +662,7 @@ export const fr: Translations = {
     columnHelp: {
       triage: "Idées brutes — un specifier rédigera la spécification",
       todo: "En attente de dépendances ou non assigné",
-      ready: "Assigné et en attente d'un tick du dispatcher",
+      ready: "Dépendances satisfaites ; assignez un profil pour dispatch",
       running: "Réclamé par un worker — en cours d'exécution",
       blocked: "Le worker a demandé une intervention humaine",
       done: "Terminé",
diff --git a/web/src/i18n/ga.ts b/web/src/i18n/ga.ts
index d75ec061b8b..4dc4e823430 100644
--- a/web/src/i18n/ga.ts
+++ b/web/src/i18n/ga.ts
@@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ export const ga: Translations = {
     columnHelp: {
       triage: "Smaointe amha — déanfaidh specifier an spec a chur i bhfeidhm",
       todo: "Ag fanacht ar spleáchais nó gan sannadh",
-      ready: "Sannta agus ag fanacht ar thic an dispatcher",
+      ready: "Tá na spleáchais sásaithe; sann próifíl le dispatch a dhéanamh",
       running: "Éilithe ag worker — ar siúl",
       blocked: "D'iarr an worker ionchur duine",
       done: "Críochnaithe",
diff --git a/web/src/i18n/hu.ts b/web/src/i18n/hu.ts
index f563c1dacc4..8b492f3bb16 100644
--- a/web/src/i18n/hu.ts
+++ b/web/src/i18n/hu.ts
@@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ export const hu: Translations = {
     columnHelp: {
       triage: "Nyers ötletek — egy specifier kidolgozza a specifikációt",
       todo: "Függőségekre vár vagy nincs felelőse",
-      ready: "Kiosztva, dispatcher tickre vár",
+      ready: "A függőségek teljesültek; rendelj hozzá profilt az indításhoz",
       running: "Worker felvette — folyamatban",
       blocked: "A worker emberi beavatkozást kért",
       done: "Befejezve",
diff --git a/web/src/i18n/it.ts b/web/src/i18n/it.ts
index 5e79d3115c3..86fce86589e 100644
--- a/web/src/i18n/it.ts
+++ b/web/src/i18n/it.ts
@@ -662,7 +662,7 @@ export const it: Translations = {
     columnHelp: {
       triage: "Idee grezze — un specifier elaborerà la specifica",
       todo: "In attesa di dipendenze o non assegnato",
-      ready: "Assegnato e in attesa di un tick del dispatcher",
+      ready: "Dipendenze soddisfatte; assegna un profilo per il dispatch",
       running: "Preso in carico da un worker — in esecuzione",
       blocked: "Il worker ha richiesto input umano",
       done: "Completato",
diff --git a/web/src/i18n/ja.ts b/web/src/i18n/ja.ts
index 175468e4d8b..154e11f5dbb 100644
--- a/web/src/i18n/ja.ts
+++ b/web/src/i18n/ja.ts
@@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ export const ja: Translations = {
     columnHelp: {
       triage: "未整理のアイデア — スペシファイアが仕様を肉付けします",
       todo: "依存関係の待機中、または未割り当て",
-      ready: "割り当て済み、ディスパッチャーのティック待ち",
+      ready: "依存関係は満たされています。ディスパッチするにはプロファイルを割り当ててください",
       running: "ワーカーが取得中 — 実行中",
       blocked: "ワーカーが人間の入力を求めています",
       done: "完了",
diff --git a/web/src/i18n/ko.ts b/web/src/i18n/ko.ts
index cfc40d63df7..4dafaeb9cde 100644
--- a/web/src/i18n/ko.ts
+++ b/web/src/i18n/ko.ts
@@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ export const ko: Translations = {
     columnHelp: {
       triage: "원시 아이디어 — 스페시파이어가 사양을 구체화합니다",
       todo: "종속성 대기 중 또는 미지정",
-      ready: "지정되었으며 디스패처 틱 대기 중",
+      ready: "종속성이 충족됨; 디스패치하려면 프로필을 지정하세요",
       running: "워커가 점유 중 — 실행 중",
       blocked: "워커가 사람의 입력을 요청함",
       done: "완료됨",
diff --git a/web/src/i18n/pt.ts b/web/src/i18n/pt.ts
index 6cdd40b8fe5..d32402dc92a 100644
--- a/web/src/i18n/pt.ts
+++ b/web/src/i18n/pt.ts
@@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ export const pt: Translations = {
     columnHelp: {
       triage: "Ideias em bruto — um specifier vai detalhar a especificação",
       todo: "À espera de dependências ou sem atribuição",
-      ready: "Atribuído e à espera de um tick do dispatcher",
+      ready: "Dependências satisfeitas; atribua um perfil para despachar",
       running: "Reivindicado por um worker — em execução",
       blocked: "O worker pediu intervenção humana",
       done: "Concluído",
diff --git a/web/src/i18n/ru.ts b/web/src/i18n/ru.ts
index c5b9a5b5038..79a6961b251 100644
--- a/web/src/i18n/ru.ts
+++ b/web/src/i18n/ru.ts
@@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ export const ru: Translations = {
     columnHelp: {
       triage: "Сырые идеи — specifier подготовит спецификацию",
       todo: "Ожидает зависимостей или без исполнителя",
-      ready: "Назначено и ждёт тика диспетчера",
+      ready: "Зависимости выполнены; назначьте профиль для диспетчеризации",
       running: "Взято воркером — выполняется",
       blocked: "Воркер запросил вмешательство человека",
       done: "Завершено",
diff --git a/web/src/i18n/tr.ts b/web/src/i18n/tr.ts
index 7de6ea1df7d..56670424abb 100644
--- a/web/src/i18n/tr.ts
+++ b/web/src/i18n/tr.ts
@@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ export const tr: Translations = {
     columnHelp: {
       triage: "Ham fikirler — bir specifier şartnameyi detaylandıracak",
       todo: "Bağımlılıklar bekleniyor veya atanmamış",
-      ready: "Atanmış ve dispatcher tick'i bekleniyor",
+      ready: "Bağımlılıklar karşılandı; dispatch için bir profil atayın",
       running: "Bir worker tarafından alındı — yürütülüyor",
       blocked: "Worker insan girdisi istedi",
       done: "Tamamlandı",
diff --git a/web/src/i18n/types.ts b/web/src/i18n/types.ts
index ca40b4a381f..55669a4b679 100644
--- a/web/src/i18n/types.ts
+++ b/web/src/i18n/types.ts
@@ -586,6 +586,8 @@ export interface Translations {
     createTask: string;
     noTasks: string;
     unassigned: string;
+    needsAssignee?: string;
+    needsAssigneeHint?: string;
     untitled: string;
     loadingDetail: string;
     addComment: string;
diff --git a/web/src/i18n/uk.ts b/web/src/i18n/uk.ts
index 72726aabe5f..3c3df8dae68 100644
--- a/web/src/i18n/uk.ts
+++ b/web/src/i18n/uk.ts
@@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ export const uk: Translations = {
     columnHelp: {
       triage: "Сирі ідеї — специфікатор деталізує специфікацію",
       todo: "Очікує на залежності або не призначено",
-      ready: "Призначено, очікує тіку диспетчера",
+      ready: "Залежності задоволені; призначте профіль для диспетчеризації",
       running: "Захоплено воркером — у роботі",
       blocked: "Воркер запитав втручання людини",
       done: "Завершено",
diff --git a/web/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts b/web/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts
index c79222cfe91..27f3a41b95f 100644
--- a/web/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts
+++ b/web/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts
@@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ export const zhHant: Translations = {
     columnHelp: {
       triage: "原始想法 — 規格制定者將完善規格",
       todo: "等待相依項目或尚未指派",
-      ready: "已指派，等待排程器輪詢",
+      ready: "相依項目已滿足；指派設定檔以便排程",
       running: "已被工作者領取 — 執行中",
       blocked: "工作者請求人工輸入",
       done: "已完成",
diff --git a/web/src/i18n/zh.ts b/web/src/i18n/zh.ts
index 0a8ceb7962a..6290c473b82 100644
--- a/web/src/i18n/zh.ts
+++ b/web/src/i18n/zh.ts
@@ -659,7 +659,7 @@ export const zh: Translations = {
     columnHelp: {
       triage: "原始想法 — 规范制定者将完善规格",
       todo: "等待依赖项或未分配",
-      ready: "已分配，等待调度器轮询",
+      ready: "依赖项已满足；分配一个配置文件以便调度",
       running: "已被工作者认领 — 执行中",
       blocked: "工作者请求人工输入",
       done: "已完成",