diff --git a/datasette/app.py b/datasette/app.py
index cf79df1f..e5d55b42 100644
--- a/datasette/app.py
+++ b/datasette/app.py
@@ -2890,8 +2890,7 @@ class Datasette:
         ``_suppress_background_tasks`` is set (the ``--get`` CLI path: its
         one-shot TestClient request flows through the full ASGI stack,
         including the first-request fallback, but must never launch
-        long-lived background work per decision #3 in
-        ``plans/first-request/04-core-plan.md``).
+        long-lived background work).
         """
         if self._suppress_background_tasks:
             return
diff --git a/datasette/background_tasks.py b/datasette/background_tasks.py
index f06bd9b3..71bca2ee 100644
--- a/datasette/background_tasks.py
+++ b/datasette/background_tasks.py
@@ -22,9 +22,6 @@ consumer, a scheduled job runner) register it with
 - **cancellation**: :meth:`BackgroundTaskSupervisor.cancel_all` cancels
   every task still running and waits (with a grace period) for them to
   actually stop.
-
-See ``plans/first-request/04-core-plan.md`` (decisions #2-#5) for the
-design rationale.
 """
 
 from __future__ import annotations
diff --git a/datasette/cli.py b/datasette/cli.py
index 7254fe2f..4363a28e 100644
--- a/datasette/cli.py
+++ b/datasette/cli.py
@@ -678,8 +678,7 @@ def serve(
         except StartupError as e:
             raise click.ClickException(e.args[0])
 
-        # --get never launches background tasks (decision #3 in
-        # plans/first-request/04-core-plan.md): TestClient's request below
+        # --get never launches background tasks: TestClient's request below
         # flows through the full ASGI stack, including the
         # AsgiRunOnFirstRequest fallback, which would otherwise launch them.
         ds._suppress_background_tasks = True
diff --git a/tests/test_background_tasks.py b/tests/test_background_tasks.py
index 39dba968..7be9ccbc 100644
--- a/tests/test_background_tasks.py
+++ b/tests/test_background_tasks.py
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 """
 Tests for datasette.add_background_task() / start_background_tasks() and the
 BackgroundTask / BackgroundTaskSupervisor machinery in
-datasette/background_tasks.py, per plans/first-request/04-core-plan.md
-(decisions #2-#5) and todos/first-request/03-background-tasks-api.md.
+datasette/background_tasks.py.
 """
 
 import asyncio
diff --git a/tests/test_cli_serve_get.py b/tests/test_cli_serve_get.py
index c4abcfdb..29532902 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli_serve_get.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli_serve_get.py
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ def test_serve_with_get(tmp_path_factory):
 
 
 def test_serve_with_get_does_not_launch_background_tasks(tmp_path_factory):
-    # Per decision #3 in plans/first-request/04-core-plan.md, --get must
-    # never launch background tasks, even though its TestClient request
+    # --get must never launch background tasks, even though its TestClient
+    # request
     # flows through the full ASGI stack (including the AsgiRunOnFirstRequest
     # fallback that would otherwise launch them). The plugin's startup hook
     # itself still runs (registration happens) - only the launch is