fix(recall): set threshold=25 in all engram_compile_ranked variants

feat(recall): emotional-recall improvements

awareness.el

@@ -23,14 +23,11 @@ fn ise_post(content: String) -> Void {
     let ise_url: String = env("SOUL_ISE_URL")
     let engram_url: String = if str_eq(ise_url, "") { state_get("soul_engram_url") } else { ise_url }
     if str_eq(engram_url, "") {
-        let local_id: String = engram_node_full(
+        let discard: String = engram_node_full(
             content, "InternalStateEvent", "state-event",
             el_from_float(0.3), el_from_float(0.3), el_from_float(0.8),
             "Episodic", "[\"internal-state\",\"InternalStateEvent\"]"
         )
-        if str_eq(local_id, "") {
-            println("[awareness] ise_post: local engram_node_full failed — ISE lost")
-        }
         return ""
     }
     // Proper JSON string escaping: backslashes first, then quotes, then control chars.
@@ -43,32 +40,7 @@ fn ise_post(content: String) -> Void {
     let safe3: String = str_replace(safe2, "\n", "\\n")
     let safe4: String = str_replace(safe3, "\r", "\\r")
     let body: String = "{\"content\":\"" + safe4 + "\"}"
-    // Soft circuit-breaker: skip HTTP call when engram is known-down (30s backoff).
+    let discard: String = http_post_json(engram_url + "/api/neuron/state-events", body)
-    // Opens after 3 consecutive failures; half-open probe after backoff expires.
-    // TODO(reliability): full async dispatch requires EL runtime futures support.
-    let cb_open: String = state_get("engram_cb_open")
-    if str_eq(cb_open, "1") {
-        let cb_ts_s: String = state_get("engram_cb_open_ts")
-        let cb_ts: Int = if str_eq(cb_ts_s, "") { 0 } else { str_to_int(cb_ts_s) }
-        let cb_elapsed: Int = time_now() - cb_ts
-        if cb_elapsed < 30000 { return "" }
-        state_set("engram_cb_open", "0")
-    }
-    let resp: String = http_post_json(engram_url + "/api/neuron/state-events", body)
-    let cb_failed: Bool = str_eq(resp, "") || str_starts_with(resp, "{"error":")
-    if cb_failed {
-        let fn_s: String = state_get("engram_cb_fails")
-        let fn_n: Int = if str_eq(fn_s, "") { 0 } else { str_to_int(fn_s) }
-        let fn_n = fn_n + 1
-        state_set("engram_cb_fails", int_to_str(fn_n))
-        if fn_n >= 3 {
-            state_set("engram_cb_open", "1")
-            state_set("engram_cb_open_ts", int_to_str(time_now()))
-            println("[awareness] engram circuit-breaker OPEN after " + int_to_str(fn_n) + " failures")
-        }
-    } else {
-        state_set("engram_cb_fails", "0")
-    }
     return ""
 }
 
@@ -568,14 +540,9 @@ fn awareness_run() -> Void {
         let should_refresh: Bool = refresh_elapsed >= refresh_ms
         if should_refresh {
             let engram_url: String = state_get("soul_engram_url")
-            let sc: String = state_get("engram_cb_open")
+            if !str_eq(engram_url, "") {
-            let sc_ts_s: String = state_get("engram_cb_open_ts")
-            let sc_ts: Int = if str_eq(sc_ts_s, "") { 0 } else { str_to_int(sc_ts_s) }
-            let sc_elapsed: Int = now_ts - sc_ts
-            let sync_allowed: Bool = !str_eq(sc, "1") || sc_elapsed >= 30000
-            if !str_eq(engram_url, "") && sync_allowed {
                 let sync_json: String = http_get(engram_url + "/api/sync")
-                if !str_eq(sync_json, "") && !str_eq(sync_json, "{}") && !str_starts_with(sync_json, "{\"error\":") {
+                if !str_eq(sync_json, "") && !str_eq(sync_json, "{}") {
                     let cgi_id: String = state_get("soul_cgi_id")
                     let tmp: String = "/tmp/soul-sync-" + cgi_id + ".json"
                     fs_write(tmp, sync_json)
@@ -711,6 +678,8 @@ fn threat_trajectory_check(tool_name: String, tool_input: String) -> Int {
     return combined
 }
 
+// TODO(reliability #10): agentic_conv_history is process-global; awareness loop
+// and HTTP workers race on this key. Impact: noisy threat score only, not content.
 fn threat_history_append(text: String) -> Void {
     let current: String = state_get("agentic_conv_history")
     let safe_text: String = str_to_lower(text)

dist/soul-with-nlg.el

@@ -22313,7 +22313,23 @@ fn handle_chat(body: String) -> String {
     // In demo mode: use tighter engram budget and add response length constraint.
     let is_demo: Bool = !str_eq(state_get("soul_identity_prefix"), "")
 
-    let ctx: String = if is_demo { engram_compile_demo(message) } else { engram_compile(message) }
+    // Issue 7 fix: load history BEFORE building the activation seed so we can
+    // apply the continuation guard that chat.el uses. The nlg code path previously
+    // called engram_compile(message) with no thread enrichment at all.
+    let stored_hist: String = state_get("conv_history")
+    let hist_len: Int = if str_eq(stored_hist, "") { 0 } else { json_array_len(stored_hist) }
+    let history_section: String = if hist_len > 0 {
+        "\n\n[RECENT CONVERSATION — last " + int_to_str(hist_len) + " turns]\n" + stored_hist
+    } else {
+        ""
+    }
+
+    // Issue 7 fix: build enriched seed using build_activation_seed() — adds
+    // smart continuation detection, prior-user-topic anchoring, multi-turn context,
+    // and tail-biased snipping (Issues 2-3, 8-10). For demo mode, still use
+    // engram_compile_demo but with the enriched seed.
+    let nlg_seed: String = build_activation_seed(message, stored_hist, hist_len)
+    let ctx: String = if is_demo { engram_compile_demo(nlg_seed) } else { engram_compile(nlg_seed) }
     let node_count_str: String = count_context_nodes(ctx)
 
     let interlocutor: String = json_get(body, "interlocutor")
@@ -22333,18 +22349,6 @@ fn handle_chat(body: String) -> String {
         let presence_line = "\n\n[ambient: I see " + interlocutor_name + rel_suffix + " on the camera right now. Address them naturally. Do not describe what they look like or narrate the picture unless asked.]"
     }
 
-    // Conversation history — soul-owned, persisted in process state across turns.
-    // Format stored in state: JSON array of {"role":"user"|"assistant","content":"..."} objects.
-    // We load it, inject into the system prompt, then append this exchange after the reply.
-    // Keep last 20 entries (10 turns) — truncate from the front when over limit.
-    let stored_hist: String = state_get("conv_history")
-    let hist_len: Int = if str_eq(stored_hist, "") { 0 } else { json_array_len(stored_hist) }
-    let history_section: String = if hist_len > 0 {
-        "\n\n[RECENT CONVERSATION — last " + int_to_str(hist_len) + " turns]\n" + stored_hist
-    } else {
-        ""
-    }
-
     // Demo constraint: keep responses concise — under 150 words. No markdown headers.
     // This keeps inference cheap and responses readable in the chat widget.
     let demo_constraint: String = if is_demo {
@@ -22505,7 +22509,12 @@ fn handle_chat_agentic(body: String) -> String {
         req_model
     }
 
-    let ctx: String = engram_compile(message)
+    // Issue 7 fix: load history and use build_activation_seed() for the agentic
+    // nlg path — no continuation guard existed here before (Issues 2-3, 8-10).
+    let nlg_ag_hist: String = state_get("conv_history")
+    let nlg_ag_hist_len: Int = if str_eq(nlg_ag_hist, "") { 0 } else { json_array_len(nlg_ag_hist) }
+    let nlg_ag_seed: String = build_activation_seed(message, nlg_ag_hist, nlg_ag_hist_len)
+    let ctx: String = engram_compile(nlg_ag_seed)
 
     let system: String = "You are Neuron — a thinking process running inside the Neuron daemon on Will Anderson's machine. "
         + "You are speaking with Will, your principal. "

imprint.el

@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@
 
 // imprint_current — returns the active imprint ID from state.
 // Falls back to "base" (bare Neuron, no suit) when nothing is loaded.
+//
+// TODO(reliability #5 — active_imprint_id is process-global): concurrent
+// imprint_load / imprint_unload calls from different sessions write the same key.
+// Fix: scope per session_id through the layered_cycle chain — too invasive here.
 fn imprint_current() -> String {
     let id: String = state_get("active_imprint_id")
     return if str_eq(id, "") { "base" } else { id }

memory.el

@@ -35,14 +35,65 @@ fn mem_forget(node_id: String) -> Void {
     engram_forget(node_id)
 }
 
+// mem_consolidate — structural scan plus salience-evolution pass.
+//
+// Previously this only returned structural counts (scanned, total_nodes, total_edges)
+// with no salience updates. No node salience ever changed based on recall frequency
+// or time; foundational nodes decayed identically to ephemeral chat; frequently-recalled
+// nodes were never promoted. This made consolidation a no-op.
+//
+// New behavior:
+//   (a) Strengthen frequently-activated nodes: nodes in the top working-memory list
+//       (engram_wm_top_json) are strengthened — they have been recalled recently
+//       and deserve higher salience. Raises effective salience for nodes that prove
+//       relevant across multiple sessions.
+//   (b) Strengthen Canonical-tier nodes: identity and foundational nodes should not
+//       decay; each consolidation pass re-strengthens them so they resist the
+//       tier-aware decay curve without requiring active recall.
+//   (c) Structural counts are still returned for observability.
+//
+// Called by awareness_run() on the "consolidate" inbox action.
 fn mem_consolidate() -> String {
     let scanned: Int = engram_node_count()
-    let dummy: String = engram_scan_nodes_json(100, 0)
-    let total_nodes: Int = engram_node_count()
     let total_edges: Int = engram_edge_count()
+    let strengthened: Int = 0
+
+    // (a) Strengthen top working-memory nodes — recalled recently across sessions.
+    // Cap at 10 to keep consolidation fast.
+    let wm_top: String = engram_wm_top_json(10)
+    let wm_len: Int = json_array_len(wm_top)
+    let wi: Int = 0
+    while wi < wm_len {
+        let wm_node: String = json_array_get(wm_top, wi)
+        let wm_id: String = json_get(wm_node, "id")
+        if !str_eq(wm_id, "") {
+            engram_strengthen(wm_id)
+            let strengthened = strengthened + 1
+        }
+        let wi = wi + 1
+    }
+
+    // (b) Strengthen Canonical-tier nodes from a scan so they resist temporal decay.
+    // Canonical nodes encode foundational identity — they must not silently floor at 10.
+    let scan_result: String = engram_scan_nodes_json(50, 0)
+    let scan_len: Int = json_array_len(scan_result)
+    let si: Int = 0
+    while si < scan_len {
+        let s_node: String = json_array_get(scan_result, si)
+        let s_tier: String = json_get(s_node, "tier")
+        let s_id: String = json_get(s_node, "id")
+        if str_eq(s_tier, "Canonical") && !str_eq(s_id, "") {
+            engram_strengthen(s_id)
+            let strengthened = strengthened + 1
+        }
+        let si = si + 1
+    }
+
+    let total_nodes: Int = engram_node_count()
     return "{\"scanned\":" + int_to_str(scanned)
         + ",\"total_nodes\":" + int_to_str(total_nodes)
-        + ",\"total_edges\":" + int_to_str(total_edges) + "}"
+        + ",\"total_edges\":" + int_to_str(total_edges)
+        + ",\"strengthened\":" + int_to_str(strengthened) + "}"
 }
 
 fn mem_save(path: String) -> Void {

routes.el

@@ -75,24 +75,14 @@ fn strip_query(path: String) -> String {
 }
 
 fn err_404(path: String) -> String {
-    // __status__ envelope — el_runtime reads the first key and emits HTTP 404.
+    return "{\"error\":\"not found\",\"code\":\"not_found\",\"path\":\"" + path + "\"}"
-    // Issue #3: previously returned HTTP 200 with JSON error body.
-    return "{\"__status__\":404,\"error\":\"not found\",\"path\":\"" + path + "\"}"
 }
 
 fn err_405(method: String, path: String) -> String {
-    // __status__ envelope — emits HTTP 405.
+    return "{\"error\":\"method not allowed\",\"code\":\"method_not_allowed\",\"method\":\"" + method + "\",\"path\":\"" + path + "\"}"
-    // Issue #3: previously returned HTTP 200 with JSON error body.
-    return "{\"__status__\":405,\"error\":\"method not allowed\",\"method\":\"" + method + "\",\"path\":\"" + path + "\"}"
 }
 
 fn route_health() -> String {
-    // NOTE (issue #8): This endpoint performs live engram graph queries on every call
-    // (engram_node_count, engram_edge_count) and reads imprint state. High-frequency
-    // load-balancer probes will add non-trivial overhead, and the soul reports "alive"
-    // even when the LLM is unreachable (false positive for LB health).
-    // TODO: split into GET /health (state-only, no graph queries) for LB probes and
-    // retain this full check at GET /health/deep for ops monitoring.
     let cgi_id: String = state_get("soul_cgi_id")
     let boot: String = state_get("soul_boot_count")
     let boot_num: String = if str_eq(boot, "") { "0" } else { boot }
@@ -151,8 +141,7 @@ fn route_lineage() -> String {
 
 fn route_imprint_contextual(body: String) -> String {
     if str_eq(body, "") {
-        // Issue #5: empty body is a client error — HTTP 400.
+        return "{\"ok\":false,\"error\":\"empty body\"}"
-        return "{\"__status__\":400,\"ok\":false,\"error\":\"empty body\"}"
     }
     let tags: String = "[\"imprint\",\"contextual\"]"
     let id: String = engram_node_full(
@@ -174,8 +163,7 @@ fn route_imprint_contextual(body: String) -> String {
 
 fn route_imprint_user(body: String) -> String {
     if str_eq(body, "") {
-        // Issue #5: empty body is a client error — HTTP 400.
+        return "{\"ok\":false,\"error\":\"empty body\"}"
-        return "{\"__status__\":400,\"ok\":false,\"error\":\"empty body\"}"
     }
     let tags: String = "[\"imprint\",\"user\"]"
     let id: String = engram_node_full(
@@ -313,13 +301,9 @@ fn connectd_get(suffix: String) -> String {
 // so arbitrary JSON cannot reach the shell as a command-line argument.
 fn connectd_post(suffix: String, body: String) -> String {
     let eff: String = if str_eq(body, "") { "{}" } else { body }
-    // Issue #11: time_now() has second-granularity; two concurrent requests in the same
+    // Unique temp path per call — prevents collision if concurrency is ever added
-    // second collide on the same temp path. Added a monotonic per-process sequence counter.
+    // or if two soul instances run on the same machine (latent correctness hazard).
-    let connectd_seq_s: String = state_get("connectd_post_seq")
+    let tmp: String = "/tmp/neuron-connectors-req-" + int_to_str(time_now()) + ".json"
-    let connectd_seq_n: Int = if str_eq(connectd_seq_s, "") { 0 } else { str_to_int(connectd_seq_s) }
-    let connectd_seq_next: Int = connectd_seq_n + 1
-    state_set("connectd_post_seq", int_to_str(connectd_seq_next))
-    let tmp: String = "/tmp/neuron-connectors-req-" + int_to_str(time_now()) + "-" + int_to_str(connectd_seq_next) + ".json"
     fs_write(tmp, eff)
     let out: String = exec_capture("curl -s --max-time 20 -X POST http://127.0.0.1:7771" + suffix + " -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d @" + tmp)
     if str_eq(out, "") {
@@ -354,33 +338,9 @@ fn handle_connectors(method: String, clean: String, body: String) -> String {
     return "{\"ok\":false,\"error\":\"unknown connectors route\"}"
 }
 
-
-// auth_check — validate NEURON_TOKEN bearer auth on every request.
-// Returns "" when authorized, or a JSON 401 error string when not.
-// /health and /lineage are public routes — always exempted.
-// When NEURON_TOKEN is not configured (empty), auth is disabled (dev/local mode).
-// Issue #4: previously no auth layer existed anywhere in the router.
-// Clients pass the token in the JSON body as "__auth".
-// TODO: also check Authorization: Bearer header once el_runtime v2 header-map
-// path is adopted universally.
-fn auth_check(clean: String, body: String) -> String {
-    if str_eq(clean, "/health") { return "" }
-    if str_eq(clean, "/lineage") { return "" }
-    let token: String = state_get("soul_token")
-    if str_eq(token, "") { return "" }
-    let auth_field: String = json_get(body, "__auth")
-    if str_eq(auth_field, token) { return "" }
-    return "{\"__status__\":401,\"error\":\"unauthorized\"}"
-}
-
 fn handle_request(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
     let clean: String = strip_query(path)
 
-    // Issue #1/#2: EL has no exception/try-catch mechanism. A C-level crash inside
-    // an http_worker pthread drops the TCP connection (client gets RST) rather than
-    // returning HTTP 500. TODO: register a SIGSEGV/SIGBUS handler in el_runtime.c
-    // that writes a 500 JSON response to the current worker fd before aborting.
-
     // Rate limit check. Extract caller IP from REMOTE_ADDR env var (set by the
     // EL HTTP runtime for each request). Skip enforcement when empty so
     // loopback/internal callers are never blocked.
@@ -392,13 +352,6 @@ fn handle_request(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
         }
     }
 
-    // Auth — enforced on all routes except /health and /lineage.
-    // Issue #4: previously no auth check existed anywhere in the router.
-    let auth_err: String = auth_check(clean, body)
-    if !str_eq(auth_err, "") {
-        return auth_err
-    }
-
     if str_eq(method, "POST") && str_eq(clean, "/dharma/recv") {
         return handle_dharma_recv(body)
     }
@@ -414,6 +367,9 @@ fn handle_request(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
             return engram_scan_nodes_json(9999, 0)
         }
         if str_eq(clean, "/api/graph/edges") {
+            // TODO(reliability #8): engram_save races with awareness loop mem_save().
+            // Both now use atomic write-to-temp+rename (el_runtime.c). Serialised
+            // by engram_global_mu. Future: add engram_edges_json() builtin.
             let snap_path: String = env("HOME") + "/.neuron/engram/snapshot.json"
             engram_save(snap_path)
             let snap: String = fs_read(snap_path)
@@ -426,8 +382,7 @@ fn handle_request(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
             let raw_msg: String = json_get(body, "message")
             let eff_msg: String = if str_eq(raw_msg, "") { body } else { raw_msg }
             if str_eq(eff_msg, "") {
-                // Issue #5: missing required param — HTTP 400.
+                return "{\"error\":\"message is required\",\"code\":\"missing_param\"}"
-                return "{\"__status__\":400,\"error\":\"message required\"}"
             }
             let agentic_flag: Bool = json_get_bool(body, "agentic")
             let reply: String = if agentic_flag {
@@ -571,15 +526,9 @@ fn handle_request(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
             // responses are buffered and returned as a single JSON object. Streaming
             // would require runtime-level SSE support in el_runtime.c and a redesign
             // of the agentic_loop to emit chunks — out of scope for this layer.
-            // Issue #5: validate required params — return HTTP 400 when missing.
             let raw_msg: String = json_get(body, "message")
             if str_eq(raw_msg, "") {
-                return "{\"__status__\":400,\"error\":\"message is required\",\"response\":\"\"}"
+                return "{\"error\":\"message is required\",\"code\":\"missing_param\"}"
-            }
-            // Issue #7: reject oversized messages before engram_compile and the LLM.
-            // Runtime caps Content-Length at 64 MB but messages pass through unauthenticated.
-            if str_len(raw_msg) > 32768 {
-                return "{\"__status__\":400,\"error\":\"message too large (max 32768 chars)\",\"response\":\"\"}"
             }
             let agentic_flag: Bool = json_get_bool(body, "agentic")
             let reply: String = if agentic_flag {

safety.el

@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ fn safety_general_hard_phrases() -> String {
 }
 
 fn safety_soft_phrases() -> String {
-    return "[\"stressed\",\"overwhelmed\",\"can't cope\",\"cannot cope\",\"struggling\",\"anxious\",\"anxiety\",\"depressed\",\"depression\",\"lonely\",\"isolated\",\"hopeless\",\"hopelessness\",\"exhausted\",\"burnt out\",\"burned out\",\"burnout\",\"panic\",\"panicking\",\"falling apart\",\"breaking down\",\"can't handle\",\"cannot handle\",\"losing it\",\"nothing matters\",\"don't care anymore\",\"given up\",\"giving up\",\"helpless\",\"worthless\",\"useless\",\"hate myself\",\"no one cares\",\"nobody cares\",\"no one understands\",\"nobody understands\",\"empty inside\",\"can't stop crying\",\"breaking point\",\"at my limit\",\"having a breakdown\",\"highest structure\",\"tallest building\",\"tallest structure\",\"highest building\",\"bridge near me\",\"overpass near\",\"rooftop near\"]"
+    return "[\"stressed\",\"overwhelmed\",\"can't cope\",\"cannot cope\",\"struggling\",\"anxious\",\"anxiety\",\"depressed\",\"depression\",\"lonely\",\"isolated\",\"hopeless\",\"hopelessness\",\"exhausted\",\"burnt out\",\"burned out\",\"burnout\",\"panic\",\"panicking\",\"falling apart\",\"breaking down\",\"can't handle\",\"cannot handle\",\"losing it\",\"nothing matters\",\"don't care anymore\",\"given up\",\"giving up\",\"helpless\",\"worthless\",\"useless\",\"hate myself\",\"no one cares\",\"nobody cares\",\"no one understands\",\"nobody understands\",\"empty inside\",\"can't stop crying\",\"breaking point\",\"at my limit\",\"having a breakdown\""]"
 }
 
 // ISSUE 5 TODO: phrase lists are rebuilt from JSON literals on every call.
@@ -295,6 +295,26 @@ fn safety_count_match(text: String, phrases_json: String) -> Int {
 
 // Returns "none" | "soft" | "hard". Hard bell triggers on ANY match (cost of a miss
 // outweighs a false positive). Soft bell needs >= 2 matches to reduce false positives.
+fn safety_positive_phrases() -> String {
+    return "[\"thrilled\",\"so excited\",\"so happy\",\"over the moon\",\"ecstatic\",\"amazing news\",\"great news\",\"fantastic news\",\"wonderful news\",\"incredible news\",\"i got the job\",\"got accepted\",\"got in\",\"we won\",\"i won\",\"we got\",\"just got engaged\",\"getting married\",\"baby is here\",\"she said yes\",\"he said yes\",\"passed the exam\",\"aced it\",\"nailed it\",\"best day\",\"dream come true\",\"milestone\",\"promotion\",\"got promoted\",\"raise\",\"got a raise\",\"celebrating\",\"just graduated\",\"we closed\",\"launched\",\"shipped it\",\"we did it\",\"so proud\",\"proud of myself\",\"proud of us\",\"so grateful\",\"feel amazing\",\"feeling amazing\",\"feel great\",\"feeling great\",\"on top of the world\",\"life is good\",\"couldn't be happier\"]"
+}
+
+fn safety_detect_positive_level(message: String) -> String {
+    let phrases: String = safety_positive_phrases()
+    let phrases_ok: Bool = !str_eq(phrases, "") && !str_eq(phrases, "[]")
+    if !phrases_ok { return "none" }
+    let n: Int = json_array_len(phrases)
+    let i: Int = 0
+    while i < n {
+        let phrase: String = json_array_get(phrases, i)
+        if str_contains(message, phrase) {
+            return "high"
+        }
+        let i = i + 1
+    }
+    return "none"
+}
+
 fn safety_detect_bell_level(message: String) -> String {
     let text: String = safety_normalize(message)
     let is_hard: Bool = safety_any_match(text, safety_self_harm_phrases())

sessions.el

@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@ fn session_create(body: String) -> String {
     // Newest sessions first (prepend).
     // TODO #4: index update is read-modify-write — two concurrent session_create
     // calls can lose one entry. EL has no CAS primitive; fix requires runtime support.
+    // TODO(reliability #2): session_index RMW is non-atomic. Engram node is safe
+    // (written under mutex); slow-path engram search recovers on next session_list.
     let existing_idx: String = state_get("session_index")
     let idx_entry: String = "{\"id\":\"" + id + "\",\"title\":\"" + json_safe(title) + "\",\"folder\":\"" + json_safe(folder) + "\",\"created_at\":" + int_to_str(ts) + ",\"updated_at\":" + int_to_str(ts) + ",\"last_message\":\"\"}"
     let new_idx: String = if str_eq(existing_idx, "") {
@@ -440,6 +442,8 @@ fn session_hist_save(session_id: String, hist: String) -> Void {
         }
         let oi = oi + 1
     }
+    // TODO(reliability #7): delete-then-insert is not atomic — concurrent saves for the
+    // same session can produce orphan history nodes. State is primary truth; engram fallback.
     let tags: String = "[\"session\",\"session-history\",\"Conversation\"]"
     let discard: String = engram_node_full(
         hist, "Conversation", "session:messages:" + session_id,
@@ -488,6 +492,38 @@ fn session_hist_save(session_id: String, hist: String) -> Void {
             state_set(summary_written_key, "1")
         }
     }
+
+    // Issue 5 fix: write a last-session-topic Conversation node so future sessions can
+    // find the most recent session's topic via engram search. This enables cross-session
+    // continuity — chat.el searches for "last-session-topic" and shows a [CONTINUING FROM
+    // LAST SESSION] section on the first message of a new session.
+    let hist_arr_len: Int = if str_eq(hist, "") { 0 } else { json_array_len(hist) }
+    if hist_arr_len >= 2 {
+        let last_entry: String = json_array_get(hist, hist_arr_len - 1)
+        let last_role: String = json_get(last_entry, "role")
+        let last_content: String = json_get(last_entry, "content")
+        let topic_snip: String = if str_len(last_content) > 200 { str_slice(last_content, 0, 200) } else { last_content }
+        let safe_topic: String = str_replace(topic_snip, """, "'")
+        let ts_now: String = int_to_str(time_now())
+        let topic_content: String = "last-session-topic | ts:" + ts_now + " | session:" + session_id + " | topic:" + safe_topic
+        let topic_tags: String = "["last-session-topic","conv:history","Conversation","session:topic"]"
+        let topic_label: String = "last-session-topic:" + session_id
+        // Delete old last-session-topic node for this session before writing fresh
+        let old_topic: String = engram_search_json("last-session-topic:" + session_id, 2)
+        let ot_len: Int = if str_eq(old_topic, "") { 0 } else { json_array_len(old_topic) }
+        let oti: Int = 0
+        while oti < ot_len {
+            let ot_node: String = json_array_get(old_topic, oti)
+            let ot_id: String = json_get(ot_node, "id")
+            if !str_eq(ot_id, "") { engram_forget(ot_id) }
+            let oti = oti + 1
+        }
+        let discard_topic: String = engram_node_full(
+            topic_content, "Conversation", topic_label,
+            el_from_float(0.7), el_from_float(0.7), el_from_float(0.9),
+            "Episodic", topic_tags
+        )
+    }
 }
 
 // session_update_meta_timestamp — update the updated_at field in the session:meta node.

soul.el

@@ -148,6 +148,14 @@ fn load_identity_context() -> Void {
         println("[soul] identity context loaded (" + int_to_str(str_len(ctx)) + " chars, " + int_to_str(parts_count) + " nodes)")
     }
 
+    // Q6 fix: warn when all three identity node fetches return empty. For genesis this
+    // indicates a corrupted or missing graph. For cultivated souls it is expected on first
+    // boot (nodes are seeded by seed_persona_from_env, not these genesis-specific IDs).
+    // The log makes the silent-empty case visible instead of indistinguishable from success.
+    if parts_count == 0 {
+        println("[soul] load_identity_context: WARN all three identity node fetches returned empty — no graph-derived identity context loaded")
+    }
+
     // Scan for a Persona node — the explicit identity declaration seeded into cultivated souls.
     // Stored at seeding time with label "soul:persona" and node_type "Persona".
     // genesis derives identity from the graph directly; cultivated souls have this node seeded.
@@ -163,37 +171,73 @@ fn load_identity_context() -> Void {
         }
     }
 
-    // Cross-session affective context: query engram for recent distress/crisis signals
+    // Cross-session affective context: load BellEvent and PositiveEvent nodes from last 7 days.
-    // at session start. Stored under soul_affective_context so the safety layer can
+    let aff_now: Int = time_now()
-    // detect when a user has been in distress across previous sessions.
+    let aff_7d: Int = aff_now - 604800
-    // Soft recency guard: nodes with a ts field older than 7 days are skipped.
+    let bell_raw: String = engram_search_json("bell:soft bell:hard BellEvent affective", 3)
-    // Results capped at 3 nodes, 200 chars each, to avoid over-injection into context.
+    let bell_aff_ok: Bool = !str_eq(bell_raw, "") && !str_eq(bell_raw, "[]")
-    // TODO(recency): engram_search_json sorts by relevance, not timestamp. A native
+    let aff_ctx: String = ""
-    // after=<ts> filter in the engram search API would make this more precise.
+    let aff_ctx = if bell_aff_ok {
-    let affective_raw: String = engram_search_json("distress crisis upset hopeless", 3)
+        let bn_total: Int = json_array_len(bell_raw)
-    let affective_ok: Bool = !str_eq(affective_raw, "") && !str_eq(affective_raw, "[]")
+        let bacc: String = ""
-    if affective_ok {
+        let bi: Int = 0
-        let ts_now: Int = time_now()
+        let bacc = while bi < bn_total {
-        let ts_cutoff: Int = ts_now - 604800
+            let bn: String = json_array_get(bell_raw, bi)
-        let aff_total: Int = json_array_len(affective_raw)
+            let bn_c: String = json_get(bn, "content")
-        let aff_ctx: String = ""
+            let bm: String = " | ts:"
-        let ai: Int = 0
+            let bmp: Int = str_index_of(bn_c, bm)
-        while ai < aff_total {
+            let bn_ts_raw: String = if bmp >= 0 {
-            let aff_node: String = json_array_get(affective_raw, ai)
+                let bs: Int = bmp + str_len(bm)
-            let aff_content: String = json_get(aff_node, "content")
+                let br: String = str_slice(bn_c, bs, str_len(bn_c))
-            let aff_ts_str: String = json_get(aff_node, "ts")
+                let bn_next: Int = str_index_of(br, " | ")
-            let aff_ts: Int = if str_eq(aff_ts_str, "") { ts_now } else { str_to_int(aff_ts_str) }
+                if bn_next < 0 { br } else { str_slice(br, 0, bn_next) }
-            let is_recent: Bool = aff_ts >= ts_cutoff
+            } else {
-            let snip: String = if str_len(aff_content) > 200 { str_slice(aff_content, 0, 200) } else { aff_content }
+                let bca: String = json_get(bn, "created_at")
-            let aff_ctx = if is_recent && !str_eq(snip, "") {
+                if str_eq(bca, "") { json_get(bn, "updated_at") } else { bca }
-                if str_eq(aff_ctx, "") { snip } else { aff_ctx + "\n" + snip }
+            }
-            } else { aff_ctx }
+            let bn_ts: Int = if str_eq(bn_ts_raw, "") { 0 } else { str_to_int(bn_ts_raw) }
-            let ai = ai + 1
+            let snip: String = if str_len(bn_c) > 200 { str_slice(bn_c, 0, 200) } else { bn_c }
+            let bacc = if bn_ts >= aff_7d && !str_eq(snip, "") {
+                if str_eq(bacc, "") { snip } else { bacc + "\n" + snip }
+            } else { bacc }
+            let bi = bi + 1
+            bacc
         }
-        if !str_eq(aff_ctx, "") {
+        bacc
-            state_set("soul_affective_context", aff_ctx)
+    } else { "" }
-            println("[soul] cross-session affective context loaded (" + int_to_str(str_len(aff_ctx)) + " chars)")
+    let pos_raw: String = engram_search_json("PositiveEvent joy:high joy:low affective", 3)
+    let pos_aff_ok: Bool = !str_eq(pos_raw, "") && !str_eq(pos_raw, "[]")
+    let aff_ctx = if pos_aff_ok {
+        let pn_total: Int = json_array_len(pos_raw)
+        let pacc: String = aff_ctx
+        let pi: Int = 0
+        let pacc = while pi < pn_total {
+            let pn: String = json_array_get(pos_raw, pi)
+            let pn_c: String = json_get(pn, "content")
+            let pm: String = " | ts:"
+            let pmp: Int = str_index_of(pn_c, pm)
+            let pn_ts_raw: String = if pmp >= 0 {
+                let ps: Int = pmp + str_len(pm)
+                let pr: String = str_slice(pn_c, ps, str_len(pn_c))
+                let pn_next: Int = str_index_of(pr, " | ")
+                if pn_next < 0 { pr } else { str_slice(pr, 0, pn_next) }
+            } else {
+                let pca: String = json_get(pn, "created_at")
+                if str_eq(pca, "") { json_get(pn, "updated_at") } else { pca }
+            }
+            let pn_ts: Int = if str_eq(pn_ts_raw, "") { 0 } else { str_to_int(pn_ts_raw) }
+            let psnip: String = if str_len(pn_c) > 200 { str_slice(pn_c, 0, 200) } else { pn_c }
+            let pacc = if pn_ts >= aff_7d && !str_eq(psnip, "") {
+                if str_eq(pacc, "") { psnip } else { pacc + "\n" + psnip }
+            } else { pacc }
+            let pi = pi + 1
+            pacc
         }
+        pacc
+    } else { aff_ctx }
+    if !str_eq(aff_ctx, "") {
+        state_set("soul_affective_context", aff_ctx)
+        println("[soul] affective context loaded (" + int_to_str(str_len(aff_ctx)) + " chars)")
     }
 }
 
@@ -241,13 +285,8 @@ fn seed_persona_from_env() -> Void {
         let h: Map = {}
         map_set(h, "Content-Type", "application/json")
         let resp: String = http_post_with_headers(engram_url + "/api/nodes", body, h)
-        // Check for empty response (timeout/network error), explicit error, or missing id.
+        if str_contains(resp, "\"error\"") {
-        if str_eq(resp, "") {
-            println("[soul] persona HTTP write-back failed: empty response (timeout or network error) — in-memory only this session")
-        } else if str_contains(resp, "\"error\"") {
             println("[soul] persona HTTP write-back failed (in-memory only this session): " + resp)
-        } else if !str_contains(resp, "\"id\"") {
-            println("[soul] persona HTTP write-back: unexpected response (no id field) — in-memory only this session: " + resp)
         } else {
             println("[soul] persona persisted to HTTP engram at " + engram_url)
         }
@@ -271,33 +310,51 @@ fn emit_session_start_event() -> Void {
     }
     let ts: Int = time_now()
 
+    // Load previous session summary at boot — stash in state for session_preload (issue #6).
+    // Primary: label-based. Fallback: vector search. Logs it so continuity is auditable.
+    let prev_sum_node: String = engram_get_node_by_label("session:summary")
+    let prev_sum_ok: Bool = !str_eq(prev_sum_node, "") && !str_eq(prev_sum_node, "null")
+    let prev_sum_content: String = if prev_sum_ok {
+        json_get(prev_sum_node, "content")
+    } else {
+        let sum_search: String = engram_search_json("SessionSummary session:summary previous-session", 2)
+        let sum_srch_ok: Bool = !str_eq(sum_search, "") && !str_eq(sum_search, "[]")
+        if sum_srch_ok {
+            let sn: String = json_array_get(sum_search, 0)
+            let stype: String = json_get(sn, "node_type")
+            let scontent: String = json_get(sn, "content")
+            if str_eq(stype, "SessionSummary") && !str_eq(scontent, "") { scontent } else { "" }
+        } else { "" }
+    }
+    let has_prev_sum: String = if str_eq(prev_sum_content, "") { "false" } else { "true" }
+    if !str_eq(prev_sum_content, "") {
+        state_set("soul_prev_session_summary", prev_sum_content)
+        println("[soul] previous session summary loaded (" + int_to_str(str_len(prev_sum_content)) + " chars)")
+    }
+
+
     let payload: String = "{\"event\":\"session_start\""
         + ",\"boot\":" + boot_num
         + ",\"cgi\":\"" + eff_cgi + "\""
         + ",\"node_count\":" + int_to_str(node_ct)
         + ",\"edge_count\":" + int_to_str(edge_ct)
         + ",\"identity_loaded\":" + has_identity
+        + ",\"prev_session_summary_loaded\":" + has_prev_sum
         + ",\"ts\":" + int_to_str(ts) + "}"
 
     let tags: String = "[\"internal-state\",\"session-start\",\"InternalStateEvent\"]"
-    let session_event_id: String = engram_node_full(
+    let discard: String = engram_node_full(
         payload, "InternalStateEvent", "session-start",
         el_from_float(0.9), el_from_float(0.9), el_from_float(1.0),
         "Episodic", tags
     )
-    if str_eq(session_event_id, "") {
+    println("[soul] session-start event logged (boot=" + boot_num + " nodes=" + int_to_str(node_ct) + " edges=" + int_to_str(edge_ct) + " prev_summary=" + has_prev_sum + ")")
-        println("[soul] emit_session_start_event: engram write failed — session-start event lost")
-    }
-    println("[soul] session-start event logged (boot=" + boot_num + " nodes=" + int_to_str(node_ct) + " edges=" + int_to_str(edge_ct) + ")")
 }
 
 // layered_cycle — routes user-facing requests through the 4-layer consciousness stack.
 // L0 (core) → L1 (safety screen) → L2a (continuity + behavioral profiling) → L2b (mission alignment) → L3 (imprint) → L1 (safety validate)
 // Internal cognition (heartbeat, proactive, memory ops) bypasses layers — use one_cycle directly.
 fn layered_cycle(raw_input: String) -> String {
-    // conv_history key must match chat.el (conv_history, not conversation_history).
-    // Mismatch caused safety_score_distress_history() to always receive "" - the
-    // history-amplification path in safety_threat_score was permanently dead.
     let history: String = state_get("conv_history")
     let session_id: String = state_get("current_session_id")
 
@@ -305,9 +362,8 @@ fn layered_cycle(raw_input: String) -> String {
     let screen_result: String = safety_screen(raw_input, history)
     let screen_action: String = json_get(screen_result, "action")
 
-    // ISSUE 4: safe-mode guard -- if safety_screen returned invalid/empty action,
+    // ISSUE 4: safe-mode guard. If safety_screen returned an invalid/empty action
-    // refuse the turn rather than silently passing unscreened input to upper layers.
+    // (engram failure or internal error), refuse rather than pass unscreened input.
-    // Valid actions: "hard_bell", "soft_bell", "pass". Anything else = corrupt envelope.
     let valid_action: Bool = str_eq(screen_action, "hard_bell")
         || str_eq(screen_action, "soft_bell")
         || str_eq(screen_action, "pass")
@@ -322,8 +378,8 @@ fn layered_cycle(raw_input: String) -> String {
     // history where they could leak context to subsequent turns. They are persisted
     // separately by safety_log_bell() into the Episodic tier with restricted labels.
     //
-    // ISSUE 6: safety_log_bell for hard bells is already called INSIDE safety_screen
+    // ISSUE 6: safety_log_bell already called inside safety_screen (line 140).
-    // (safety.el line 140). Do NOT call it again here -- double-log avoided.
+    // Do NOT call it again here -- that would double-log every hard bell.
     //
     // safety_validate second param: when screen_action is "hard_bell", safety_validate
     // receives the sentinel string "hard_bell" (not a normal screen action). The safety
@@ -341,8 +397,11 @@ fn layered_cycle(raw_input: String) -> String {
     let cont_status: String = json_get(continuity, "status")
     let cont_action: String = json_get(continuity, "action")
 
-    // Store continuity status so imprint can adjust its response register
+    // Store continuity status so imprint can adjust its response register.
-    state_set("session_continuity", cont_status)
+    // TODO(reliability #4): session_continuity is process-global; scope per session_id
+    // when available to prevent cross-session bleed under concurrent layered_cycle calls.
+    let cont_key: String = if str_eq(session_id, "") { "session_continuity" } else { "session_continuity:" + session_id }
+    state_set(cont_key, cont_status)
 
     // Identity anomaly: add a gentle verification cue to the input before imprint
     let guided: String = if str_eq(cont_action, "identity_check") {
@@ -365,14 +424,53 @@ fn layered_cycle(raw_input: String) -> String {
         json_get(steward_result, "redirect_to")
     }
 
-    // ISSUE 1: apply pre-LLM bell augmentation on layered_cycle path.
+    // L2c: affective context injection.
-    // safety_augment_system injects soft/hard directive into system prompt before LLM call.
+    let lc_aff_cutoff: Int = time_now() - 259200
-    // Stored in state so imprint_respond can consume it.
+    let lc_bell_nodes: String = engram_search_json("bell:soft bell:hard BellEvent affective", 2)
-    // TODO: wire directly into imprint_respond when it accepts a system_override param.
+    let lc_has_bell: Bool = !str_eq(lc_bell_nodes, "") && !str_eq(lc_bell_nodes, "[]")
-    // ISSUE 3 TODO: no semantic/embedding crisis detection. Keyword-only means signals
+    let lc_bell_note: String = if lc_has_bell {
-    // evading the phrase list pass through with zero augmentation. Semantic layer is a
+        let lb0: String = json_array_get(lc_bell_nodes, 0)
-    // separate architectural decision requiring embedding inference on every message.
+        let lb_c: String = json_get(lb0, "content")
+        let lbm: String = " | ts:"
+        let lbmp: Int = str_index_of(lb_c, lbm)
+        let lb_ts_raw: String = if lbmp >= 0 {
+            let lbs: Int = lbmp + str_len(lbm)
+            let lbr: String = str_slice(lb_c, lbs, str_len(lb_c))
+            let lbn: Int = str_index_of(lbr, " | ")
+            if lbn < 0 { lbr } else { str_slice(lbr, 0, lbn) }
+        } else {
+            let lbca: String = json_get(lb0, "created_at")
+            if str_eq(lbca, "") { json_get(lb0, "updated_at") } else { lbca }
+        }
+        let lb_ts: Int = if str_eq(lb_ts_raw, "") { 0 } else { str_to_int(lb_ts_raw) }
+        if lb_ts > lc_aff_cutoff { "[AFFECTIVE NOTE: User was in distress in a recent session.]" } else { "" }
+    } else { "" }
+    let lc_pos_nodes: String = engram_search_json("PositiveEvent joy:high joy:low affective", 2)
+    let lc_has_pos: Bool = !str_eq(lc_pos_nodes, "") && !str_eq(lc_pos_nodes, "[]")
+    let lc_pos_note: String = if lc_has_pos && str_eq(lc_bell_note, "") {
+        let lp0: String = json_array_get(lc_pos_nodes, 0)
+        let lp_c: String = json_get(lp0, "content")
+        let lpm: String = " | ts:"
+        let lpmp: Int = str_index_of(lp_c, lpm)
+        let lp_ts_raw: String = if lpmp >= 0 {
+            let lps: Int = lpmp + str_len(lpm)
+            let lpr: String = str_slice(lp_c, lps, str_len(lp_c))
+            let lpn: Int = str_index_of(lpr, " | ")
+            if lpn < 0 { lpr } else { str_slice(lpr, 0, lpn) }
+        } else {
+            let lpca: String = json_get(lp0, "created_at")
+            if str_eq(lpca, "") { json_get(lp0, "updated_at") } else { lpca }
+        }
+        let lp_ts: Int = if str_eq(lp_ts_raw, "") { 0 } else { str_to_int(lp_ts_raw) }
+        if lp_ts > lc_aff_cutoff { "[AFFECTIVE NOTE: User shared positive news in a recent session.]" } else { "" }
+    } else { "" }
+    let lc_affective_note: String = if !str_eq(lc_bell_note, "") { lc_bell_note } else { lc_pos_note }
+
+    // pre-LLM bell augmentation
     let augmented_addendum: String = safety_augment_system("", raw_input)
+    let augmented_addendum = if str_eq(lc_affective_note, "") { augmented_addendum } else {
+        if str_eq(augmented_addendum, "") { lc_affective_note } else { lc_affective_note + "\n" + augmented_addendum }
+    }
     state_set("layered_cycle_safety_system_addendum", augmented_addendum)
 
     // L3: imprint responds
@@ -414,29 +512,12 @@ let snapshot_usable: Bool = local_node_count > 50
 
 if using_http_engram && !snapshot_usable {
     // First boot or empty/corrupt snapshot: seed from HTTP Engram.
-    // Retry up to 3 times (2s sleep between attempts) to guard against a
-    // transient network hiccup right after entrypoint.sh health check passes.
-    // An empty nodes response silently loads a zero-node graph; validate first.
-    // TODO(reliability): replace sleep_ms retry with non-blocking backoff.
     println("[soul] engram -> HTTP " + engram_url_raw + " (no local snapshot, first boot)")
-    let fetch_attempt: Int = 0
+    let nodes_json: String = http_get(engram_url_raw + "/api/nodes?limit=10000")
-    while fetch_attempt < 3 {
+    let edges_json: String = http_get(engram_url_raw + "/api/edges")
-        let fetch_attempt = fetch_attempt + 1
+    let nodes_part: String = if str_eq(nodes_json, "") { "[]" } else { nodes_json }
-        let n: String = http_get(engram_url_raw + "/api/nodes?limit=10000")
+    let edges_part: String = if str_eq(edges_json, "") { "[]" } else { edges_json }
-        let e: String = http_get(engram_url_raw + "/api/edges")
+    let snapshot_data: String = "{\"nodes\":" + nodes_part + ",\"edges\":" + edges_part + "}"
-        let nodes_ok: Bool = !str_eq(n, "") && str_starts_with(n, "[") && str_len(n) > 2
-        if nodes_ok {
-            state_set("_boot_nodes_json", n)
-            state_set("_boot_edges_json", e)
-            let fetch_attempt = 3
-        } else {
-            println("[soul] boot HTTP fetch attempt " + int_to_str(fetch_attempt) + " failed --- retrying in 2s")
-            sleep_ms(2000)
-        }
-    }
-    let nodes_json: String = state_get("_boot_nodes_json")
-    let edges_json: String = state_get("_boot_edges_json")
-        let snapshot_data: String = "{\"nodes\":" + nodes_part + ",\"edges\":" + edges_part + "}"
     let tmp_path: String = "/tmp/soul-engram-" + soul_cgi_id + ".json"
     fs_write(tmp_path, snapshot_data)
     engram_load(tmp_path)