diff --git a/src/PowderCoating.Infrastructure/Services/AiQuoteService.cs b/src/PowderCoating.Infrastructure/Services/AiQuoteService.cs
index a75d13c..2de6e73 100644
--- a/src/PowderCoating.Infrastructure/Services/AiQuoteService.cs
+++ b/src/PowderCoating.Infrastructure/Services/AiQuoteService.cs
@@ -435,7 +435,15 @@ Only ask follow-up questions if truly needed — prefer to make reasonable assum
             shopSpeedLine = "- Shop blast rate: not calibrated — use conservative industry-average times for this shop tier";
         }
 
-        var coatingSpeedLine = $"- THIS SHOP'S coating application rate: ~{coatingRate:F0} sqft/hr";
+        string coatingSpeedLine;
+        if (coatingRate > 0)
+            coatingSpeedLine = $"- THIS SHOP'S coating application rate: ~{coatingRate:F0} sqft/hr — use this to derive coating time (surface area ÷ coating rate), NOT generic industry averages";
+        else
+            coatingSpeedLine = "- Shop coating rate: not calibrated — use conservative industry-average coating times for this shop tier";
+
+        var rateInstruction = (blastRate > 0 || coatingRate > 0)
+            ? "IMPORTANT: For estimatedMinutes, you MUST use this shop's specific rates above where provided, not generic industry speeds."
+            : "IMPORTANT: For estimatedMinutes, use conservative industry-average times appropriate for a professional powder coating shop.";
 
         return $@"Please analyze the item(s) in the photo(s) for powder coating estimation.
 
@@ -453,7 +461,7 @@ Company operating costs for your reference:
 {shopSpeedLine}
 {coatingSpeedLine}
 
-IMPORTANT: For estimatedMinutes, you MUST use this shop's specific blast and coating rates above, not generic industry speeds.
+{rateInstruction}
 Sandblasting time = surface area of item ÷ shop blast rate (sqft/hr), adjusted for part complexity (harder-to-reach areas take more passes).
 Coating time = surface area ÷ shop coating rate, adjusted for masking and complexity.
 Include racking/unracking, inspection, and any material-specific prep (preheat handling, chemical stripping) as ACTIVE labor time.
@@ -547,9 +555,9 @@ Respond with the JSON object only.";
             _                                                     => 0
         };
 
-        // Labor cost — AI returns total batch minutes, so divide by quantity to get per-item minutes.
-        // The unit price × quantity must equal the total batch labor cost.
-        var rawPerItemMinutes = aiResult.EstimatedMinutes / Math.Max(1m, (decimal)request.Quantity);
+        // Labor cost — AI returns per-item minutes (both system prompt and user prompt say "per single item").
+        // Unit price is per item; the caller multiplies by quantity for the line total.
+        var rawPerItemMinutes = aiResult.EstimatedMinutes;
         var minFloorApplied   = materialMinMinutes > 0 && rawPerItemMinutes < materialMinMinutes;
         var perItemMinutes    = minFloorApplied ? materialMinMinutes : rawPerItemMinutes;
         var laborHours = perItemMinutes / 60m;