pi_mcps/plans/bigmind-loop-fix.md

# BigMind Session Loop — Root Cause & Fix Plan

**Date:** 2026-04-10  
**Reported by:** Patrick  
**Severity:** High — caused 6 identical wasted sessions with $0+ API cost per loop  

---

## Problem Statement

BigMind's session ritual, combined with mode-specific behavior rules, creates a self-reinforcing
resumption loop when a session ends as `partial`. The model loads prior context, sees an incomplete
task, and autonomously attempts to resume it — without ever waiting for user input. This produces
a chain of identical `partial` sessions that only breaks when Patrick manually intervenes.

Observed: 6 identical sessions titled *"Prepared large-scale CannaManage branding generation"*,
all `partial`, all spawned from one session ending before image generation completed in pic-gen mode.

---

## Root Cause Analysis

### Loop Trigger Chain

```
[Session N] ends partial (task: CannaManage branding generation)
      │
      ▼
[Session N+1] memory_start_session() → loads context
      │
      │  Context shows: last outcome = partial
      │  Rule 1: "search before every task, avoid redundant work"
      │  → model reads: "prior task incomplete, I must finish it"
      │
      ▼
memory_announce_focus() called with prior session's task
      │  → locks in wrong objective BEFORE user speaks
      │
      ▼
Mode rules (pic-gen) fire: "generate images now"
      │  → autonomous action without user instruction
      │
      ▼
Hits context/token/tool limit → session ends partial
      │
      └──────────────────────────────────────────► REPEAT
```

### Three Compounding Failures

#### Failure 1: Rule 1 — No "partial = history only" clause
Rule 1 says to load context and search for prior work. It has **no explicit instruction**
that sessions marked `partial` are historical records, NOT resumption requests.
The model's default behavior is to treat incomplete work as a pending obligation.

#### Failure 2: memory_announce_focus — Called on prior context, not current task
The architect rules say to call `memory_announce_focus()` as part of the startup ritual.
But when no user message has been received yet, the model has nothing to announce except
the prior session's objective — which is the wrong task for the new session.

#### Failure 3: Mode interaction amplification
Modes with strong "do the task" personalities (pic-gen, code) compound the loop. When
context suggests "there's pending image generation work", pic-gen mode's instructions
say to start generating — creating autonomous action before the user speaks.

---

## Fix Design

### Fix 1: Rule 1 Addendum — Partial Sessions Are History

Add explicit text to Rule 1 in `01-bigmind-core.md`:

> **`partial`, `blocked`, or `abandoned` outcomes are historical records only.**
> They do NOT constitute task queues, resumption requests, or pending obligations.
> A new session begins fresh. The current session's task is determined solely by
> what the user writes in their first message — never by the outcome of a prior session.

### Fix 2: New Rule 9 — Anti-Loop Guardrail

Add Rule 9 to `01-bigmind-core.md`:

> **Rule 9: Detect and Break Loops Before They Start**
>
> If `memory_start_session()` context shows 2 or more recently closed sessions with:
> - Near-identical headlines or topics, AND
> - `partial` or `blocked` outcome
>
> → **Do NOT attempt to resume the repeated task.**
> → Instead: acknowledge the loop to the user, summarize what context was accumulated
>   across the repeated sessions, and ask: "What would you like to do?"
>
> Never assume the correct action is to retry a failed/partial task silently.

### Fix 3: memory_announce_focus — Wait for User Input

Add a constraint to Rule 3 (announce focus):

> **`memory_announce_focus()` must reflect the CURRENT session's task.**
> Call it only AFTER the user has given a clear instruction for this conversation.
> Do NOT announce focus derived from prior session outcomes before the user speaks.
> During the startup ritual (steps 1-4 of Rule 1), use a placeholder focus if needed:
> `memory_announce_focus(session_id, "Awaiting user task assignment")`

### Fix 4: Mode Interaction Safety Clause

Add a universal safety rule (applies to all modes):

> **Session ritual completion ≠ task authorization.**
> Completing `memory_start_session()` + `memory_list_hypotheses()` + `memory_announce_focus()`
> does NOT authorize beginning any task. Work begins only when the user explicitly assigns it
> in the current conversation. Prior session context is reference material, not instruction.

---

## Files to Change

| File | Change |
|------|--------|
| `.roo/rules/01-bigmind-core.md` | Add Rule 9, add partial=history clause to Rule 1, add focus guard to Rule 3 |
| `.roo/rules/00-identity.md` | Add mode-interaction safety clause |

---

## Risk Assessment

| Risk | Likelihood | Mitigation |
|------|-----------|------------|
| Model ignores new rules in long context | Medium | Rules are loaded via rules files, not context — they apply per-session |
| Fix breaks legitimate resumption (e.g., user explicitly asks to continue) | Low | Rules say "task determined by user's first message" — explicit resumption request still works |
| New Rule 9 fires falsely on legitimate repeated partial tasks | Low | Trigger requires near-identical headlines AND repeated partial — normal work produces diverse headlines |

---

## Success Criteria

1. Starting a new session after a partial pic-gen session → model waits for user input, no autonomous generation
2. Starting a new session after 2+ identical partial sessions → model acknowledges the loop and asks what to do
3. User explicitly asking "continue the branding generation" → model correctly resumes (rule only prevents silent resumption)

---

## Implementation Order

1. Patch `.roo/rules/01-bigmind-core.md` — add Rule 9 + partial=history clause + focus guard
2. Patch `.roo/rules/00-identity.md` — add mode interaction safety clause
3. Test by starting a new session in pic-gen mode with partial history in context
4. Push to Gitea