diff --git a/packages/software-factory/realm/issue-tracker.gts b/packages/software-factory/realm/issue-tracker.gts
index 7ebdad9b4d..63fd2d0818 100644
--- a/packages/software-factory/realm/issue-tracker.gts
+++ b/packages/software-factory/realm/issue-tracker.gts
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ import CheckboxIcon from '@cardstack/boxel-icons/checkbox';
 import CircleAlert from '@cardstack/boxel-icons/circle-alert';
 import Folder from '@cardstack/boxel-icons/folder';
 import LayoutSidebarRightCollapse from '@cardstack/boxel-icons/layout-sidebar-right-collapse';
+import Link2 from '@cardstack/boxel-icons/link-2';
 import LayoutSidebarRightExpand from '@cardstack/boxel-icons/layout-sidebar-right-expand';
 import MessageSquare from '@cardstack/boxel-icons/message-square';
 import Settings from '@cardstack/boxel-icons/settings';
@@ -163,7 +164,7 @@ class IssueIsolated extends Component<typeof Issue> {
   @tracked showSidebar = true;
   @tracked descriptionOpen = true;
   @tracked acceptanceCriteriaOpen = true;
-  @tracked commentsOpen = false;
+  @tracked commentsOpen = true;
 
   get statusColor(): string | undefined {
     return getIssueStatusColor(this.args.model, this.args.model?.status);
@@ -345,7 +346,12 @@ class IssueIsolated extends Component<typeof Issue> {
 
             {{#if @model.blockedBy.length}}
               <div class='sidebar-section'>
-                <h3 class='sidebar-section-title'>Blocked By</h3>
+                <h3
+                  class='sidebar-section-title'
+                  data-test-dependencies-heading
+                >
+                  Depends On
+                </h3>
                 <div class='related-list'>
                   <@fields.blockedBy />
                 </div>
@@ -660,7 +666,7 @@ class IssueEdit extends Component<typeof Issue> {
   @tracked showSidebar = true;
   @tracked descriptionOpen = true;
   @tracked acceptanceCriteriaOpen = true;
-  @tracked commentsOpen = false;
+  @tracked commentsOpen = true;
 
   get statusColor(): string | undefined {
     return getIssueStatusColor(this.args.model, this.args.model?.status);
@@ -835,7 +841,9 @@ class IssueEdit extends Component<typeof Issue> {
               </FieldContainer>
             </div>
             <div class='sidebar-section'>
-              <h3 class='sidebar-section-title'>Blocked By</h3>
+              <h3 class='sidebar-section-title' data-test-dependencies-heading>
+                Depends On
+              </h3>
               <FieldContainer @label='' @vertical={{true}}>
                 <@fields.blockedBy />
               </FieldContainer>
@@ -1097,6 +1105,35 @@ export class Issue extends CardDef {
   });
 
   static fitted = class Fitted extends Component<typeof Issue> {
+    // Dependencies normally sequence work. Use the blocked warning state only
+    // when a direct dependency is itself in the blocked status.
+    get blockedDependencies() {
+      return (this.args.model?.blockedBy ?? []).filter(
+        (dependency) => dependency?.status === 'blocked',
+      );
+    }
+
+    get hasBlockedDependency(): boolean {
+      return this.blockedDependencies.length > 0;
+    }
+
+    get dependencyLabel(): string {
+      let dependencies = this.args.model?.blockedBy ?? [];
+      let issueIds = (list: typeof dependencies): string =>
+        list
+          .map((dependency) => dependency?.issueId)
+          .filter(Boolean)
+          .join(', ');
+
+      if (this.hasBlockedDependency) {
+        return `Blocked by ${
+          issueIds(this.blockedDependencies) || this.blockedDependencies.length
+        }`;
+      }
+
+      return `Depends on ${issueIds(dependencies) || dependencies.length}`;
+    }
+
     get statusColor(): string | undefined {
       return getIssueStatusColor(this.args.model, this.args.model?.status);
     }
@@ -1144,9 +1181,29 @@ export class Issue extends CardDef {
               </div>
             {{/if}}
             {{#if @model.blockedBy.length}}
-              <div class='meta-link-item meta-blocked-by'>
-                <CircleAlert class='meta-link-icon' />
-                <span>Blocked by {{@model.blockedBy.length}}</span>
+              <div
+                class='meta-link-item meta-depends-on
+                  {{if this.hasBlockedDependency "has-blocked-dependency"}}'
+                title={{if
+                  this.hasBlockedDependency
+                  'A dependency is blocked — this issue cannot proceed until it unblocks'
+                }}
+              >
+                {{#if this.hasBlockedDependency}}
+                  <CircleAlert class='meta-link-icon' />
+                {{else}}
+                  <Link2 class='meta-link-icon' />
+                {{/if}}
+                <span data-test-dependency-label={{@model.issueId}}>
+                  {{this.dependencyLabel}}
+                </span>
+                {{#if this.hasBlockedDependency}}
+                  <span
+                    class='blocked-dependency-dot'
+                    aria-hidden='true'
+                    data-test-blocked-dependency-dot={{@model.issueId}}
+                  ></span>
+                {{/if}}
               </div>
             {{/if}}
             {{#if @model.relatedKnowledge.length}}
@@ -1309,6 +1366,18 @@ export class Issue extends CardDef {
           color: var(--muted-foreground, var(--boxel-500));
           overflow: hidden;
         }
+        .meta-depends-on.has-blocked-dependency {
+          color: var(--destructive, var(--boxel-danger));
+        }
+        .blocked-dependency-dot {
+          display: inline-block;
+          width: 0.375rem;
+          height: 0.375rem;
+          border-radius: 50%;
+          background: var(--destructive, var(--boxel-danger));
+          margin-left: 0.125rem;
+          flex-shrink: 0;
+        }
         .meta-link-icon {
           width: 0.75rem;
           height: 0.75rem;
diff --git a/packages/software-factory/realm/issue-tracker.test.gts b/packages/software-factory/realm/issue-tracker.test.gts
index f8ed884c29..5b4c399cdc 100644
--- a/packages/software-factory/realm/issue-tracker.test.gts
+++ b/packages/software-factory/realm/issue-tracker.test.gts
@@ -52,15 +52,19 @@ async function selectGroupBy(key: string) {
 
 function makeIssueWithFields(
   issueId: string,
-  attrs: Record<string, string | null | undefined>,
+  attrs: Record<string, unknown>,
   filename: string,
+  extraRelationships: Record<string, unknown> = {},
 ): Record<string, Record<string, unknown>> {
   return {
     [filename]: {
       data: {
         type: 'card',
         attributes: { issueId, summary: `${issueId} issue`, ...attrs },
-        relationships: { project: { links: { self: projectId } } },
+        relationships: {
+          project: { links: { self: projectId } },
+          ...extraRelationships,
+        },
         meta: { adoptsFrom: { module: issueTrackerModule, name: 'Issue' } },
       },
     },
@@ -130,6 +134,127 @@ function makeBoard(
 }
 
 export function runTests() {
+  module('Issue Tracker | issue formats', function (hooks) {
+    setupApplicationTest(hooks);
+    setupLocalIndexing(hooks);
+    setupOnSave(hooks);
+
+    let mockMatrixUtils = setupMockMatrix(hooks, {
+      loggedInAs: '@testuser:localhost',
+      activeRealms: [testRealmURL],
+    });
+
+    hooks.beforeEach(async function () {
+      await setupAcceptanceTestRealm({
+        realmURL: testRealmURL,
+        mockMatrixUtils,
+        contents: {
+          ...SYSTEM_CARD_FIXTURE_CONTENTS,
+          ...makeProject(),
+          ...makeIssueWithFields(
+            'IT-1',
+            { status: 'done' },
+            'Issues/done-dependency.json',
+          ),
+          ...makeIssueWithFields(
+            'IT-2',
+            {
+              status: 'in_progress',
+              comments: [
+                {
+                  author: 'Test User',
+                  body: 'A visible comment by default.',
+                },
+              ],
+            },
+            'Issues/sequenced-issue.json',
+            {
+              'blockedBy.0': {
+                links: { self: `${testRealmURL}Issues/done-dependency` },
+              },
+            },
+          ),
+          ...makeIssueWithFields(
+            'IT-3',
+            { status: 'blocked' },
+            'Issues/blocked-dependency.json',
+          ),
+          ...makeIssueWithFields(
+            'IT-4',
+            { status: 'backlog' },
+            'Issues/blocked-consumer.json',
+            {
+              'blockedBy.0': {
+                links: { self: `${testRealmURL}Issues/blocked-dependency` },
+              },
+            },
+          ),
+          ...makeBoard(),
+        },
+      });
+    });
+
+    test('comments and dependency details are expanded and labeled clearly by default', async function (assert) {
+      let issueId = `${testRealmURL}Issues/sequenced-issue`;
+
+      await visitOperatorMode({
+        stacks: [[{ id: issueId, format: 'isolated' }]],
+      });
+      await waitFor('#comments');
+
+      assert
+        .dom('#comments')
+        .hasAttribute('aria-expanded', 'true', 'isolated comments are open');
+      assert
+        .dom('#section-comments')
+        .hasAttribute('aria-hidden', 'false', 'isolated comments are visible');
+      assert
+        .dom('[data-test-dependencies-heading]')
+        .hasText('Depends On', 'isolated view describes normal dependencies');
+
+      await visitOperatorMode({
+        stacks: [[{ id: issueId, format: 'edit' }]],
+      });
+      await waitFor('[data-test-issue-edit]');
+
+      assert
+        .dom('#comments')
+        .hasAttribute('aria-expanded', 'true', 'edit comments are open');
+      assert
+        .dom('#section-comments')
+        .hasAttribute('aria-hidden', 'false', 'edit comments are visible');
+      assert
+        .dom('[data-test-dependencies-heading]')
+        .hasText('Depends On', 'edit view describes normal dependencies');
+    });
+
+    test('fitted cards distinguish dependencies from blocked dependencies', async function (assert) {
+      await visitOperatorMode({
+        stacks: [[{ id: boardId, format: 'isolated' }]],
+      });
+      await waitFor('[data-test-dependency-label="IT-4"]');
+
+      assert
+        .dom('[data-test-dependency-label="IT-2"]')
+        .hasText(
+          'Depends on IT-1',
+          'completed dependency is normal sequencing',
+        );
+      assert
+        .dom('[data-test-blocked-dependency-dot="IT-2"]')
+        .doesNotExist('normal dependency has no blocked warning');
+      assert
+        .dom('[data-test-dependency-label="IT-4"]')
+        .hasText(
+          'Blocked by IT-3',
+          'a directly blocked dependency prevents the issue from proceeding',
+        );
+      assert
+        .dom('[data-test-blocked-dependency-dot="IT-4"]')
+        .exists('blocked dependency has a warning indicator');
+    });
+  });
+
   module('Issue Tracker | board interactions', function (hooks) {
     setupApplicationTest(hooks);
     setupLocalIndexing(hooks);