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+---
+name: "Auto-select available agent for stage in start_agent"
+---
+
+# Story 190: Auto-select available agent for stage in start_agent
+
+## User Story
+
+As a supervisor starting an agent on a story, I want start_agent to automatically pick an available (idle) agent for the requested stage so that work isn't queued behind a busy agent when another one of the same role is free.
+
+## Acceptance Criteria
+
+- [ ] Add a method to query available (not running) agents filtered by stage/role
+- [ ] start_agent without an explicit agent_name picks the first idle agent matching the stage instead of always picking the first configured one
+- [ ] If all agents for the stage are busy, the story is queued as it is today
+- [ ] Existing behaviour when agent_name is explicitly provided is unchanged
+
+## Out of Scope
+
+- TBD