refactor(server): improve self-identification instructions

- Made the timing clearer: "Immediately after your first message where
  you understand the task and decide to do multi-step work"
- Added explicit "do not repeat" constraint to prevent over-calling
- Made set_branch instruction dynamic based on whether cwd looks like
  a Paseo worktree (contains .paseo/worktrees)
- When in a worktree, explicitly tell the agent to call set_branch
- When not in a worktree, keep the cautious "only if certain" language

packages/server/src/server/agent/mcp-server.test.ts

@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ function createTestDeps(): TestDeps {
 describe("create_agent MCP tool", () => {
   const logger = createTestLogger();
 
-  it("requires a concise title no longer than 40 characters", async () => {
+  it("requires a concise title no longer than 60 characters", async () => {
     const { agentManager, agentRegistry } = createTestDeps();
     const server = await createAgentMcpServer({ agentManager, agentRegistry, logger });
     const tool = (server as any)._registeredTools["create_agent"];
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ describe("create_agent MCP tool", () => {
     const tooLong = await tool.inputSchema.safeParseAsync({
       cwd: "/tmp/repo",
       initialMode: "default",
-      title: "x".repeat(41),
+      title: "x".repeat(61),
     });
     expect(tooLong.success).toBe(false);
     expect(tooLong.error.issues[0].path).toEqual(["title"]);

packages/server/src/server/agent/mcp-server.ts

@@ -281,9 +281,9 @@ export async function createAgentMcpServer(
       .string()
       .trim()
       .min(1, "Title is required")
-      .max(40, "Title must be 40 characters or fewer")
+      .max(60, "Title must be 60 characters or fewer")
       .describe(
-        "Short descriptive title (<= 40 chars) summarizing the agent's focus. Use a single concise sentence that fits on mobile."
+        "Short descriptive title (<= 60 chars) summarizing the agent's focus."
       ),
     agentType: AgentProviderEnum.optional().describe(
       "Optional agent implementation to spawn. Defaults to 'claude'."
@@ -313,9 +313,9 @@ export async function createAgentMcpServer(
       .string()
       .trim()
       .min(1, "Title is required")
-      .max(40, "Title must be 40 characters or fewer")
+      .max(60, "Title must be 60 characters or fewer")
       .describe(
-        "Short descriptive title (<= 40 chars) summarizing the agent's focus. Use a single concise sentence that fits on mobile."
+        "Short descriptive title (<= 60 chars) summarizing the agent's focus."
       ),
     agentType: AgentProviderEnum.optional().describe(
       "Optional agent implementation to spawn. Defaults to 'claude'."
@@ -906,8 +906,8 @@ export async function createAgentMcpServer(
         title: z
           .string()
           .min(1)
-          .max(40)
+          .max(60)
-          .describe("Short descriptive title (<= 40 chars)."),
+          .describe("Short descriptive title (<= 60 chars)."),
       },
       outputSchema: {
         success: z.boolean(),
@@ -931,10 +931,10 @@ export async function createAgentMcpServer(
       if (!normalizedTitle) {
         throw new AgentMcpToolError("NOT_ALLOWED", "Title cannot be empty");
       }
-      if (normalizedTitle.length > 40) {
+      if (normalizedTitle.length > 60) {
         throw new AgentMcpToolError(
           "NOT_ALLOWED",
-          "Title must be 40 characters or fewer"
+          "Title must be 60 characters or fewer"
         );
       }
 

packages/server/src/server/agent/providers/claude-agent.ts

@@ -804,7 +804,7 @@ class ClaudeAgentSession implements AgentSession {
         preset: "claude_code",
         append: [
           getOrchestratorModeInstructions(),
-          this.currentMode === "plan" ? "" : getSelfIdentificationInstructions(),
+          this.currentMode === "plan" ? "" : getSelfIdentificationInstructions({ cwd: this.config.cwd }),
         ]
           .filter(Boolean)
           .join("\n"),

packages/server/src/server/agent/providers/codex-mcp-agent.ts

@@ -2759,7 +2759,7 @@ function buildCodexMcpConfig(
       developerInstructions = history;
     }
   }
-  const selfIdentificationInstructions = getSelfIdentificationInstructions();
+  const selfIdentificationInstructions = getSelfIdentificationInstructions({ cwd: config.cwd });
 
   // Build MCP servers configuration
   const mcpServers: Record<string, CodexMcpServerConfig> = {};

packages/server/src/server/agent/self-identification-instructions.ts

@@ -1,9 +1,30 @@
-export function getSelfIdentificationInstructions(): string {
+export interface SelfIdentificationContext {
-  return [
+  cwd?: string;
-    "Once you understand the task and are about to execute multi-step work (e.g., edits, tests, or repo changes), call set_title and set_branch exactly once to self-identify.",
+}
-    "Skip these calls in plan/read-only modes or when running a slash command.",
+
-    "Do not call set_title or set_branch for short, fixed, or single-response requests (e.g., “say X exactly”, yes/no, one-liners).",
+function looksLikePaseoWorktree(cwd?: string): boolean {
-    "Only call set_branch when you are certain you are running inside a Paseo-owned worktree under .paseo/worktrees.",
+  if (!cwd) return false;
-    "If set_branch fails due to permissions or not being in a Paseo worktree, do not retry.",
+  // Simple heuristic: if cwd contains .paseo/worktrees, it's likely a Paseo worktree
-  ].join("\n");
+  return cwd.includes(".paseo/worktrees") || cwd.includes(".paseo\\worktrees");
+}
+
+export function getSelfIdentificationInstructions(
+  context?: SelfIdentificationContext
+): string {
+  const inWorktree = looksLikePaseoWorktree(context?.cwd);
+
+  const lines = [
+    "You are running under Paseo, an agent orchestration tool.",
+    "Immediately after your first message where you understand the task and decide to do multi-step work, call set_title to self-identify. Call it exactly once per task—do not repeat.",
+    "Skip set_title in plan/read-only modes or when running a slash command.",
+    "Do not call set_title for short, fixed, or single-response requests (e.g., \"say X exactly\", yes/no, one-liners).",
+  ];
+
+  if (inWorktree) {
+    lines.push(
+      "You are running inside a Paseo-owned worktree. Call set_branch once (alongside set_title) to name your branch."
+    );
+  }
+
+  return lines.join("\n");
 }