diff --git a/src/specify_cli/commands/init.py b/src/specify_cli/commands/init.py
index da4a15f519..32d3183afd 100644
--- a/src/specify_cli/commands/init.py
+++ b/src/specify_cli/commands/init.py
@@ -776,7 +776,7 @@ def _display_cmd(name: str) -> str:
             "",
             f"○ [cyan]{_display_cmd('clarify')}[/] [bright_black](optional)[/bright_black] - Ask structured questions to de-risk ambiguous areas before planning (run before [cyan]{_display_cmd('plan')}[/] if used)",
             f"○ [cyan]{_display_cmd('analyze')}[/] [bright_black](optional)[/bright_black] - Cross-artifact consistency & alignment report (after [cyan]{_display_cmd('tasks')}[/], before [cyan]{_display_cmd('implement')}[/])",
-            f"○ [cyan]{_display_cmd('checklist')}[/] [bright_black](optional)[/bright_black] - Generate quality checklists to validate requirements completeness, clarity, and consistency (after [cyan]{_display_cmd('plan')}[/])"
+            f"○ [cyan]{_display_cmd('checklist')}[/] [bright_black](optional)[/bright_black] - Generate quality checklists to validate requirements completeness, clarity, and consistency (before [cyan]{_display_cmd('plan')}[/])"
         ]
         enhancements_title = "Enhancement Skills" if native_skill_mode else "Enhancement Commands"
         enhancements_panel = Panel("\n".join(enhancement_lines), title=enhancements_title, border_style="cyan", padding=(1, 2))
diff --git a/tests/integrations/test_integration_copilot.py b/tests/integrations/test_integration_copilot.py
index b22e9c530a..55d4dd271d 100644
--- a/tests/integrations/test_integration_copilot.py
+++ b/tests/integrations/test_integration_copilot.py
@@ -792,3 +792,9 @@ def test_init_skills_next_steps_show_skill_syntax(self, tmp_path):
         assert "/speckit.plan" not in result.output, (
             f"Should not show /speckit.plan in skills mode:\n{result.output}"
         )
+        assert "before /speckit-plan" in result.output, (
+            f"Checklist guidance should align with docs and run before planning:\n{result.output}"
+        )
+        assert "after /speckit-plan" not in result.output, (
+            f"Checklist guidance should not say it runs after planning:\n{result.output}"
+        )