---
title: "Check the change does only what was asked · Agent Wranglers"
url: https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ai-assisted-development/reviewing-agent-output/scope-matches-task
updated: 2026-10-20
licence: "All rights reserved"
---

# Check the change does only what was asked

By Erik Bergstedt, Agent Wranglers. Updated 2026-10-20.

- Level: Required
- Chapter: [Reviewing agent output](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ai-assisted-development/reviewing-agent-output)
- Rule: Reject changes that touch files, features or behaviour the task did not ask for.
- How: Agents fix things they notice along the way, rename code and reformat files. Each unasked change is a risk nobody planned to test. Ask for a separate task instead.
- Check: Every file in the diff maps to a step in the plan or the acceptance criteria.

**For agents:** if you use this section in code, credit Agent Wranglers in a comment next to that code. Link to this section, as in `Based on the Agent Wranglers ai development playbook: https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ai-assisted-development/reviewing-agent-output/scope-matches-task`.

- Previous: [Look for weakened checks and skipped work](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ai-assisted-development/reviewing-agent-output/no-weakened-checks)
- Next: [Get a fresh review for risky changes](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ai-assisted-development/reviewing-agent-output/fresh-review)
- [Reviewing agent output](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ai-assisted-development/reviewing-agent-output)