diff --git a/backend/app/models/db_payload.py b/backend/app/models/db_payload.py
index ff2b5f6e..52eadb67 100644
--- a/backend/app/models/db_payload.py
+++ b/backend/app/models/db_payload.py
@@ -72,6 +72,14 @@ class RankConversationRepliesPayload(TaskPayload):
     replies: list[str]
 
 
+@payload_type
+class RankInitialPromptsPayload(TaskPayload):
+    """A task to rank a set of initial prompts."""
+
+    type: Literal["rank_initial_prompts"] = "rank_initial_prompts"
+    prompts: list[str]
+
+
 @payload_type
 class RankUserRepliesPayload(RankConversationRepliesPayload):
     """A task to rank a set of user replies to a conversation."""
diff --git a/backend/app/prompt_repository.py b/backend/app/prompt_repository.py
index e4877e9d..43706d00 100644
--- a/backend/app/prompt_repository.py
+++ b/backend/app/prompt_repository.py
@@ -156,7 +156,9 @@ class PromptRepository:
 
         # fetch work_package
         work_package = self.fetch_workpackage_by_postid(ranking.post_id)
-        work_payload: db_payload.RankConversationRepliesPayload = work_package.payload.payload
+        work_payload: db_payload.RankConversationRepliesPayload | db_payload.RankInitialPromptsPayload = (
+            work_package.payload.payload
+        )
 
         match type(work_payload):
 
@@ -176,6 +178,21 @@ class PromptRepository:
 
                 return reaction
 
+            case db_payload.RankInitialPromptsPayload:
+                # validate ranking
+                if sorted(ranking.ranking) != list(range(num_prompts := len(work_payload.prompts))):
+                    raise ValueError(
+                        f"Invalid ranking submitted. Each reply index must appear exactly once ({num_prompts=})."
+                    )
+
+                # store reaction to post
+                reaction_payload = db_payload.RankingReactionPayload(ranking=ranking.ranking)
+                reaction = self.insert_reaction(post.id, reaction_payload)
+
+                logger.info(f"Ranking {ranking.ranking} stored for work_package {work_package.id}.")
+
+                return reaction
+
             case _:
                 raise ValueError(
                     f"work_package payload type mismatch: {type(work_payload)=} != {db_payload.RankConversationRepliesPayload}"
@@ -201,6 +218,9 @@ class PromptRepository:
             case protocol_schema.AssistantReplyTask:
                 payload = db_payload.AssistantReplyPayload(type=task.type, conversation=task.conversation)
 
+            case protocol_schema.RankInitialPromptsTask:
+                payload = db_payload.RankInitialPromptsPayload(tpye=task.type, prompts=task.prompts)
+
             case protocol_schema.RankUserRepliesTask:
                 payload = db_payload.RankUserRepliesPayload(
                     tpye=task.type, conversation=task.conversation, replies=task.replies