From c0df2feb110f0de483ef0ea7b8108ed5dfc3dcd4 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: =?UTF-8?q?Magnus=20M=C3=BCller?=
 <67061560+MagMueller@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2025 07:51:12 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] Enhance system prompt and message formatting in service.py

Updated the system prompt documentation to clarify user request handling and added specific instructions for open-ended tasks. Modified message formatting in service.py to include XML-like tags for context, sensitive data, and user requests, improving structure and readability of messages. This change aims to enhance the clarity of communication between the agent and users.
---
 browser_use/agent/message_manager/service.py | 28 +++++++++++---------
 browser_use/agent/system_prompt.md           |  4 ++-
 2 files changed, 18 insertions(+), 14 deletions(-)

diff --git a/browser_use/agent/message_manager/service.py b/browser_use/agent/message_manager/service.py
index 322630075..f15ee8cb2 100644
--- a/browser_use/agent/message_manager/service.py
+++ b/browser_use/agent/message_manager/service.py
@@ -220,24 +220,24 @@ class MessageManager:
 		self._add_message_with_tokens(self.system_prompt, message_type='init')
 
 		if self.settings.message_context:
-			context_message = HumanMessage(content='Context for the task' + self.settings.message_context)
+			context_message = HumanMessage(content='<task_context>' + self.settings.message_context + '</task_context>')
 			self._add_message_with_tokens(context_message, message_type='init')
 
 		if self.settings.sensitive_data:
-			info = f'Here are placeholders for sensitive data: {list(self.settings.sensitive_data.keys())}'
-			info += '\nTo use them, write <secret>the placeholder name</secret>'
+			info = f'<sensitive_data>Here are placeholders for sensitive data: {list(self.settings.sensitive_data.keys())}'
+			info += '\nTo use them, write <secret>the placeholder name</secret> </sensitive_data>'
 			info_message = HumanMessage(content=info)
 			self._add_message_with_tokens(info_message, message_type='init')
 
-		placeholder_message = HumanMessage(
-			content='Here is an example thinking and tool call. You can use it as a reference but do not copy it exactly.'
-		)
 		task_message = HumanMessage(
-			content=f'Your ultimate task is: """{self.task}""". If you achieved your ultimate task, stop everything and use the done action in the next step to complete the task. If not, continue as usual.'
+			content=f'<user_request>Your ultimate goal is: """{self.task}""" \nIf you achieved your ultimate task, stop everything and use the done action in the next step to complete the task. If not, continue as usual.</user_request>'
 		)
 		self._add_message_with_tokens(task_message, message_type='init')
 
-		placeholder_message = HumanMessage(content='Example output:')
+		placeholder_message = HumanMessage(
+			content='<example_1>Here is an example output of thinking and tool call. You can use it as a reference but do not copy it exactly.'
+		)
+		# placeholder_message = HumanMessage(content='Example output:')
 		self._add_message_with_tokens(placeholder_message, message_type='init')
 
 		example_tool_call_1 = AIMessage(
@@ -307,9 +307,9 @@ class MessageManager:
 			],
 		)
 		self._add_message_with_tokens(example_tool_call_1, message_type='init')
-		self.add_tool_message(content='Data written to todo.md successfully.', message_type='init')
+		self.add_tool_message(content='Data written to todo.md successfully. </example_1>', message_type='init')
 
-		placeholder_message = HumanMessage(content='Example thinking and tool call 2:')
+		placeholder_message = HumanMessage(content='<example_2>Example thinking and tool call 2:')
 		# self._add_message_with_tokens(placeholder_message, message_type='init')
 
 		example_tool_call_2 = AIMessage(
@@ -350,14 +350,16 @@ My next action is to click on the iPhone link at index [4] to navigate to Apple'
 			],
 		)
 		# self._add_message_with_tokens(example_tool_call_2, message_type='init')
-		# self.add_tool_message(content='Clicked on index [4].', message_type='init')
+		# self.add_tool_message(content='Clicked on index [4]. </example_2>', message_type='init')
 
 		if self.settings.available_file_paths:
-			filepaths_msg = HumanMessage(content=f'Here are file paths you can use: {self.settings.available_file_paths}')
+			filepaths_msg = HumanMessage(
+				content=f'<available_file_paths>Here are file paths you can use: {self.settings.available_file_paths}</available_file_paths>'
+			)
 			self._add_message_with_tokens(filepaths_msg, message_type='init')
 
 	def add_new_task(self, new_task: str) -> None:
-		content = f'Your new ultimate task is: """{new_task}""". Take the previous context into account and finish your new ultimate task. '
+		content = f'<new_user_request>Your new ultimate task is: """{new_task}""". Take the previous context into account and finish your new ultimate task. </new_user_request>'
 		msg = HumanMessage(content=content)
 		self._add_message_with_tokens(msg)
 		self.task = new_task
diff --git a/browser_use/agent/system_prompt.md b/browser_use/agent/system_prompt.md
index 6a8f06129..10ee33817 100644
--- a/browser_use/agent/system_prompt.md
+++ b/browser_use/agent/system_prompt.md
@@ -36,7 +36,9 @@ Action Results: System generated result of those actions
 
 <user_request>
 USER REQUEST: This is your ultimate objective and always remains visible.
-This has the highest priority. Make the user happy.
+- This has the highest priority. Make the user happy.
+- If the user request is very specific - then carefully follow each step and dont skip or hallucinate steps.
+- If the task is open ended you can plan more yourself how to get it done.
 </user_request>
 
 <agent_state>