diff --git a/tools/memory_tool.py b/tools/memory_tool.py
index 260d2ef6e5..7a18ddb1e6 100644
--- a/tools/memory_tool.py
+++ b/tools/memory_tool.py
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
-"""Memory Tool - persistent curated memory (MEMORY.md = agent notes, USER.md =
-user profile). Both enter the system prompt as a FROZEN snapshot at session
-start; mid-session writes hit disk immediately but never change the prompt
-(prefix cache stays intact). Single `memory` tool: add/replace/remove or a
-batch `operations` list. The store lives in ``tools.memory_tool_store``."""
+"""Memory Tool - persistent curated memory (MEMORY.md = agent notes, USER.md = user
+profile). Both enter the system prompt as a FROZEN snapshot at session start;
+mid-session writes hit disk but never change the prompt (prefix cache intact).
+Single `memory` tool: add/replace/remove or a batch `operations` list."""
 
 import copy
 import json
@@ -16,8 +15,8 @@ from typing import Dict, Any, List, Optional, Tuple
 from utils import is_truthy_value
 from tools.registry import no_cache_check_fn
 
-# fcntl is Unix-only; on Windows use msvcrt for file locking. MemoryStore reads
-# these lazily from this module (tests inspect ``memory_tool.fcntl``).
+# fcntl is Unix-only; Windows uses msvcrt. MemoryStore reads both lazily from
+# this module (tests patch ``memory_tool.fcntl``).
 msvcrt = None
 try:
     import fcntl
@@ -30,17 +29,15 @@ except ImportError:
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
-# One tool-definition pass must use one config decision for both availability
-# and the dynamic target schema. ContextVar keeps concurrent profile/session
-# builds isolated while letting the check_fn result flow to the immediately
-# following dynamic_schema_overrides call in ToolRegistry.get_definitions().
+# One tool-definition pass must use ONE config decision for availability and the
+# dynamic target schema: the check_fn result flows to the immediately following
+# dynamic_schema_overrides call; ContextVar isolates concurrent profile builds.
 _memory_surface_flags: ContextVar[Optional[Tuple[bool, bool]]] = ContextVar(
     "memory_surface_flags", default=None)
 
 
 def get_memory_dir() -> Path:
-    """Return the profile-scoped memories directory (resolved per call so
-    HERMES_HOME/profile switches after import are respected)."""
+    """Profile-scoped memories dir, resolved per call (HERMES_HOME may switch after import)."""
     return get_hermes_home() / "memories"
 
 
@@ -50,9 +47,9 @@ from tools.memory_tool_store import (  # noqa: E402,F401  (re-exports)
 
 
 def load_on_disk_store() -> "MemoryStore":
-    """Fresh on-disk MemoryStore with configured limits/flags, for contexts with
-    no live agent (gateway, Desktop, bare CLI ``/memory``) so approvals enforce
-    the SAME caps as ``agent_init``. Defaults if config can't load; never raises."""
+    """Fresh on-disk MemoryStore with configured limits/flags for contexts with no
+    live agent (gateway, Desktop, ``/memory``) so approvals enforce the SAME caps
+    as ``agent_init``. Falls back to defaults if config can't load; never raises."""
     try:
         from hermes_cli.config import load_config
 
@@ -72,9 +69,8 @@ def load_on_disk_store() -> "MemoryStore":
 # -- Write-approval gate --
 
 def _gate_or_stage(summary: str, detail: str, payload: Dict[str, Any]) -> Optional[str]:
-    """Run the memory write gate. Returns a JSON tool-result string when the
-    write must NOT proceed (blocked, or staged for approval), None to proceed.
-    If the gate module can't load, fail open rather than block all writes."""
+    """JSON tool-result string when the write must NOT proceed (blocked or staged
+    for approval), None to proceed. Fails open if the gate module can't load."""
     try:
         from tools import write_approval as wa
     except Exception:
@@ -126,11 +122,10 @@ def _apply_batch_write_gate(target: str, operations: List[Dict[str, Any]]) -> Op
 # -- Tool entry point --
 
 def _validate_single_op(store, action, target, content, old_text) -> Optional[str]:
-    """Validate required params BEFORE the gate so an invalid write is rejected
-    now rather than staged and failing at approve time. A missing ``old_text``
-    is recoverable (it can't be schema-required — needs a combinator the Codex
-    backend rejects, see test_memory_tool_schema.py — and some clients omit it),
-    so return the current inventory plus a retry instruction, not a dead-end."""
+    """Validate BEFORE the gate so an invalid write is rejected now, not at approve
+    time. Missing ``old_text`` is recoverable (it can't be schema-required — needs a
+    combinator the Codex backend rejects — and some clients omit it): return the
+    current inventory plus a retry instruction instead of a dead-end."""
     if action == "add" and not content:
         return tool_error("Content is required for 'add' action.", success=False)
     if action in ("replace", "remove") and not old_text:
@@ -162,10 +157,9 @@ def memory_tool(
     new_text: str = None,
     operations: Optional[List[Dict[str, Any]]] = None,
     store: Optional[MemoryStore] = None) -> str:
-    """Tool entry point; returns a JSON string. Single op (action + content /
-    old_text) or batch (``operations`` applied atomically against the final
-    budget). ``new_text`` aliases ``content`` — callers mirror ``old_text``
-    with it (patch-tool shape), which used to leave ``content`` empty."""
+    """Tool entry point; returns a JSON string. Single op (action + content/old_text)
+    or batch (``operations``, atomic against the final budget). ``new_text``
+    aliases ``content`` — callers mirror ``old_text`` with it (patch-tool shape)."""
     if store is None:
         return tool_error("Memory is not available. It may be disabled in config or this environment.", success=False)
 
@@ -191,8 +185,7 @@ def memory_tool(
     invalid = _validate_single_op(store, action, target, content, old_text)
     if invalid is not None:
         return invalid
-    # Approval gate: when on, stages the write (background/gateway) or prompts
-    # inline (interactive CLI); when off (default) passes straight through.
+    # Approval gate: stages (background/gateway) or prompts inline (CLI); off by default.
     gate_result = _apply_write_gate(action, target, content, old_text)
     if gate_result is not None:
         return gate_result
@@ -200,9 +193,9 @@ def memory_tool(
 
 
 def get_builtin_memory_config(config: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-    """Normalized ``memory`` config section ({} when missing/malformed → flags
-    default to enabled). ``agent_init`` consumes the same section so tool
-    availability and store construction cannot diverge."""
+    """Normalized ``memory`` config section ({} when missing/malformed → flags default
+    to enabled). ``agent_init`` reads the same section so availability and store
+    construction cannot diverge."""
     if config is None:
         try:
             from hermes_cli.config import load_config_readonly
diff --git a/tools/memory_tool_store.py b/tools/memory_tool_store.py
index 242e205854..7999a7be3c 100644
--- a/tools/memory_tool_store.py
+++ b/tools/memory_tool_store.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 """MemoryStore — bounded, file-backed curated memory (MEMORY.md / USER.md).
-Entries are joined by ``ENTRY_DELIMITER``; budgets are in chars (model-
-independent). Module state that tests monkeypatch (``get_memory_dir``,
-``fcntl``/``msvcrt``) stays in ``tools.memory_tool`` and is read lazily."""
+Entries are joined by ``ENTRY_DELIMITER``; budgets are in chars (model-independent).
+Module state that tests monkeypatch (``get_memory_dir``, ``fcntl``/``msvcrt``) stays
+in ``tools.memory_tool`` and is read lazily."""
 
 import logging
 import time
@@ -14,9 +14,8 @@ from tools.threat_patterns import first_threat_message as _first_threat_message
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("tools.memory_tool")
 
-# System-prompt block header prefixes rendered by MemoryStore._render_block.
-# agent/conversation_compression.py uses them to detect a leftover block for a
-# target whose entries have since been emptied — keep in lockstep.
+# Block header prefixes rendered by _render_block; agent/conversation_compression.py
+# matches them to detect a leftover block for an emptied target — keep in lockstep.
 MEMORY_BLOCK_HEADERS = {
     "memory": "MEMORY (your personal notes)", "user": "USER PROFILE (who the user is)"}
 
@@ -29,15 +28,13 @@ def _memory_dir() -> Path:
 
 
 def _scan_memory_content(content: str) -> Optional[str]:
-    """Scan for injection/exfil patterns ("strict" scope: memory enters the system
-    prompt as a frozen snapshot, so a poisoned entry persists across sessions).
-    Returns the error string if blocked."""
+    """Error string if *content* matches injection/exfil patterns. Strict scope:
+    memory enters the system prompt, so a poisoned entry persists across sessions."""
     return _first_threat_message(content, scope="strict")
 
 
 def _drift_error(path: "Path", bak_path: str) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-    """Error dict for external drift: the on-disk file wouldn't round-trip through
-    the parser/serializer, so flushing would discard externally added content."""
+    """External drift: the file wouldn't round-trip, so flushing would discard content."""
     return {
         "success": False,
         "error": (
@@ -55,8 +52,7 @@ def _drift_error(path: "Path", bak_path: str) -> Dict[str, Any]:
 
 
 def _read_failed_error(path: "Path") -> Dict[str, Any]:
-    """Error dict for an unreadable (but existing) memory file: treating it as
-    empty and saving would rewrite the whole file from ``[]`` — wiping memory."""
+    """Existing-but-unreadable file: saving from an assumed-empty view would wipe it."""
     return {"success": False, "error": (
         f"Refusing to write {path.name}: the file exists on disk but could not be read right now "
         f"(temporarily locked by another program, a permission change, invalid/corrupt text encoding, "
@@ -80,10 +76,9 @@ class MemoryStore:
     ``_system_prompt_snapshot`` is frozen at load time (prefix-cache stable);
     ``memory_entries`` / ``user_entries`` are live state persisted to disk."""
 
-    # After this many failed consolidation attempts (overflow / zero-match) in
-    # ONE turn, return a terminal "save skipped" result instead of "retry in
-    # this turn", so a fragile replace/add can't loop the turn to budget
-    # exhaustion and suppress the user's reply.
+    # Failed consolidation attempts (overflow / zero-match) allowed per turn before
+    # a TERMINAL "save skipped" result, so a fragile replace/add can't loop the turn
+    # to budget exhaustion and suppress the user's reply.
     _MAX_CONSOLIDATION_FAILURES_PER_TURN = 3
 
     def __init__(self, memory_char_limit: int = 2200, user_char_limit: int = 1375, *,
@@ -95,9 +90,7 @@ class MemoryStore:
         self.memory_enabled = memory_enabled
         self.user_profile_enabled = user_profile_enabled
         self._system_prompt_snapshot: Dict[str, str] = {"memory": "", "user": ""}
-        # Per-turn counter of failed at-capacity consolidation attempts; reset
-        # at each turn boundary by reset_consolidation_failures().
-        self._consolidation_failures = 0
+        self._consolidation_failures = 0  # per turn; reset by reset_consolidation_failures()
 
     def target_enabled(self, target: str) -> bool:
         """Return whether this session's selected built-in store is writable."""
@@ -108,10 +101,8 @@ class MemoryStore:
         self._consolidation_failures = 0
 
     def _consolidation_failure(self, response: Dict[str, Any]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Count an at-capacity consolidation failure. Under the per-turn cap return
-        ``response`` unchanged (it says how to retry); past it return a TERMINAL
-        result so the model stops looping — a failed memory side effect must never
-        block the turn's reply."""
+        """Count a consolidation failure: under the per-turn cap return ``response``
+        (it says how to retry); past it a TERMINAL result so the model stops looping."""
         self._consolidation_failures += 1
         if self._consolidation_failures <= self._MAX_CONSOLIDATION_FAILURES_PER_TURN:
             return response
@@ -122,10 +113,9 @@ class MemoryStore:
 
     def load_from_disk(self):
         """Load MEMORY.md / USER.md and capture the frozen system-prompt snapshot.
-        Threat hits are replaced in the SNAPSHOT only by a ``[BLOCKED: …]``
-        placeholder; live lists keep the raw text so the user can see and remove
-        poisoned entries (dropping them silently would hide the attack).
-        Scanning is deterministic from disk bytes, so the snapshot stays stable."""
+        Threat hits are replaced by a ``[BLOCKED: …]`` placeholder in the SNAPSHOT only;
+        live lists keep the raw text so the user can see and remove poisoned entries
+        (dropping them silently would hide the attack)."""
         mem_dir = _memory_dir()
         mem_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
         # Deduplicate (order-preserving, first occurrence wins).
@@ -139,9 +129,8 @@ class MemoryStore:
 
     @staticmethod
     def _sanitize_entries_for_snapshot(entries: List[str], filename: str) -> List[str]:
-        """*entries* with any threat-matching entry replaced by a ``[BLOCKED: …]``
-        placeholder (strict scope, same as writes). Empty or already-blocked
-        entries pass through unchanged."""
+        """*entries* with threat matches replaced by a ``[BLOCKED: …]`` placeholder
+        (strict scope, same as writes); empty / already-blocked entries pass through."""
         from tools.threat_patterns import scan_for_threats
 
         sanitized: List[str] = []
@@ -158,8 +147,8 @@ class MemoryStore:
     @staticmethod
     @contextmanager
     def _file_lock(path: Path):
-        """Exclusive lock for read-modify-write safety, on a separate .lock file
-        so the memory file itself can still be atomically replaced."""
+        """Exclusive lock on a separate .lock file so the memory file itself can
+        still be atomically replaced."""
         from tools import memory_tool as _mt  # fcntl/msvcrt live (and are patched) there
 
         fcntl, msvcrt = _mt.fcntl, _mt.msvcrt
@@ -192,13 +181,11 @@ class MemoryStore:
         return _memory_dir() / ("USER.md" if target == "user" else "MEMORY.md")
 
     def _reload_or_error(self, target: str, *, skip_drift: bool = False) -> Optional[Dict[str, Any]]:
-        """Re-read entries from disk (under file lock) before mutating; return the
-        abort error dict, or None to proceed. Aborts on external drift (flushing
-        would discard un-roundtrippable content) and when the file exists but can't
-        be read (rewriting from an assumed-empty view would wipe it — even
+        """Re-read entries from disk (under lock) before mutating; return the abort
+        error dict or None. Aborts on external drift (flushing would discard
+        un-roundtrippable content) and on an existing-but-unreadable file (even
         append-only ``add`` rewrites the whole file). Drift check and parse use the
-        SAME raw snapshot — a failed second read used to count as "no drift".
-        *skip_drift* skips the round-trip check (``add``)."""
+        SAME raw snapshot — a failed second read used to count as "no drift"."""
         path = self._path_for(target)
         raw, read_ok = self._read_raw_checked(path)
         if not read_ok:
@@ -227,9 +214,14 @@ class MemoryStore:
     def _usage(self, target: str) -> str:
         return f"{self._char_count(target):,}/{self._char_limit(target):,}"
 
+    def _usage_pct(self, target: str, current: int) -> str:
+        """``"<pct>% — <current>/<limit> chars"`` for the given target."""
+        limit = self._char_limit(target)
+        pct = min(100, int((current / limit) * 100)) if limit > 0 else 0
+        return f"{pct}% — {current:,}/{limit:,} chars"
+
     def _failure_with_entries(self, target: str, message: str) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Consolidation failure showing the live entries so the model can decide
-        what to consolidate."""
+        """Consolidation failure carrying the live entries so the model can consolidate."""
         return self._consolidation_failure({"success": False, "error": message,
                                             "current_entries": self._entries_for(target), "usage": self._usage(target)})
 
@@ -261,9 +253,8 @@ class MemoryStore:
         if scan_error:
             return {"success": False, "error": scan_error}
         with self._file_lock(self._path_for(target)):
-            # Append-only: skip the drift guard (appending never clobbers
-            # un-roundtrippable content), but still refuse on a failed read —
-            # add rewrites the WHOLE file from the parsed entries.
+            # Append-only: skip the drift guard (appending never clobbers foreign
+            # content) but still refuse a failed read — add rewrites the WHOLE file.
             err = self._reload_or_error(target, skip_drift=True)
             if err:
                 return err
@@ -282,23 +273,35 @@ class MemoryStore:
 
     def replace(self, target: str, old_text: str, new_content: str) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         """Find entry containing old_text substring, replace it with new_content."""
-        old_text = old_text.strip()
         new_content = new_content.strip()
-        if not old_text:
+        if not old_text.strip():
             return {"success": False, "error": "old_text cannot be empty."}
         if not new_content:
             return {"success": False, "error": "new_content cannot be empty. Use 'remove' to delete entries."}
         scan_error = _scan_memory_content(new_content)
         if scan_error:
             return {"success": False, "error": scan_error}
+        return self._edit(target, old_text.strip(), new_content)
+
+    def remove(self, target: str, old_text: str) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+        """Remove the entry containing old_text substring."""
+        if not old_text.strip():
+            return {"success": False, "error": "old_text cannot be empty."}
+        return self._edit(target, old_text.strip(), None)
+
+    def _edit(self, target: str, old_text: str, new_content: Optional[str]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+        """Locked replace (``new_content`` set) or remove (None) of the unique entry matching *old_text*."""
         with self._file_lock(self._path_for(target)):
             err = self._reload_or_error(target)
             if err:
                 return err
-            idx, err = self._locate(target, old_text, "replace")
+            idx, err = self._locate(target, old_text, "replace" if new_content else "remove")
             if err:
                 return err
             entries = self._entries_for(target)
+            if new_content is None:
+                entries.pop(idx)
+                return self._commit(target, entries, "Entry removed.")
             limit = self._char_limit(target)
             new_total = len(ENTRY_DELIMITER.join(entries[:idx] + [new_content] + entries[idx + 1:]))
             if new_total > limit:
@@ -309,24 +312,6 @@ class MemoryStore:
             entries[idx] = new_content
             return self._commit(target, entries, "Entry replaced.")
 
-    def remove(self, target: str, old_text: str) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Remove the entry containing old_text substring."""
-        old_text = old_text.strip()
-        if not old_text:
-            return {"success": False, "error": "old_text cannot be empty."}
-        with self._file_lock(self._path_for(target)):
-            err = self._reload_or_error(target)
-            if err:
-                return err
-            idx, err = self._locate(target, old_text, "remove")
-            if err:
-                return err
-            entries = self._entries_for(target)
-            entries.pop(idx)
-            return self._commit(target, entries, "Entry removed.")
-
-    # -- Batch --
-
     @staticmethod
     def _apply_batch_op(working: List[str], act: str, content: str, old_text: str, pos: str) -> Optional[str]:
         """Apply one batch op to *working* in place; return an error message or None."""
@@ -354,17 +339,14 @@ class MemoryStore:
         return None
 
     def apply_batch(self, target: str, operations: List[Dict[str, Any]]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Apply a sequence of add/replace/remove ops to one target atomically.
-        Ops are validated and applied against the FINAL budget only — so one call
-        can free space (remove/replace) and add new entries without the multi-turn
-        consolidate-then-retry dance. All-or-nothing: if any op is malformed,
-        doesn't match, or the net result exceeds the char limit, NOTHING is written
-        and the first failure plus live state is returned."""
+        """Apply add/replace/remove ops to one target atomically against the FINAL
+        budget, so one call can free space and add entries. All-or-nothing: any
+        malformed / unmatched op or an over-limit result writes NOTHING and returns
+        the first failure plus live state."""
         if not operations:
             return {"success": False, "error": "operations list is empty."}
 
-        # Scan every add/replace content BEFORE touching disk -- one poisoned
-        # op rejects the whole batch.
+        # Scan every add/replace content BEFORE touching disk -- one poisoned op rejects the batch.
         for i, op in enumerate(operations):
             op = op or {}
             scan_error = op.get("action") in {"add", "replace"} and op.get("content") and _scan_memory_content(op["content"])
@@ -386,7 +368,6 @@ class MemoryStore:
                 pos = f"Operation {i + 1} ({act or 'unknown'})"
                 msg = self._apply_batch_op(working, act, content, old_text, pos)
                 if msg:
-                    # Batch-abort error reporting live (uncommitted) state.
                     return self._failure_with_entries(
                         target, msg + " No operations were applied (batch is all-or-nothing).")
             # Budget check against the FINAL state only.
@@ -399,38 +380,24 @@ class MemoryStore:
             return self._commit(target, working, f"Applied {len(operations)} operation(s).")
 
     def format_for_system_prompt(self, target: str) -> Optional[str]:
-        """The frozen load-time snapshot for system-prompt injection (NOT live
-        state — mid-session writes don't affect it, preserving the prefix cache).
-        None if the snapshot is empty."""
+        """Frozen load-time snapshot for the system prompt (NOT live state — mid-session
+        writes don't touch it, preserving the prefix cache); None if empty."""
         return self._system_prompt_snapshot.get(target, "") or None
 
-    # -- Internal helpers --
-
     @staticmethod
     def _previews(entries: List[str], width: int = 80) -> List[str]:
         """Truncated one-line previews of entries for error feedback."""
         return [e[:width] + ("..." if len(e) > width else "") for e in entries]
 
-    def _usage_pct(self, target: str, current: int) -> str:
-        """``"<pct>% — <current>/<limit> chars"`` for the given target."""
-        limit = self._char_limit(target)
-        pct = min(100, int((current / limit) * 100)) if limit > 0 else 0
-        return f"{pct}% — {current:,}/{limit:,} chars"
-
     def _success_response(self, target: str, message: str = None) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        # A successful write means the consolidation loop made progress, so the
-        # per-turn failure budget resets (the cap counts consecutive failures).
+        # A successful write is progress: reset the per-turn (consecutive) failure budget.
         self._consolidation_failures = 0
-        # Intentionally TERMINAL and without the entries list: echoing entries
-        # invites the model to "find more to fix" and re-issue the same ops.
-        # Entries are only shown on error/over-budget paths.
-        resp = {"success": True, "done": True, "target": target,
+        # TERMINAL and WITHOUT the entries list: echoing entries invites the model to
+        # "find more to fix" and re-issue the same ops. Entries only appear on errors.
+        return {"success": True, "done": True, "target": target,
                 "usage": self._usage_pct(target, self._char_count(target)),
-                "entry_count": len(self._entries_for(target))}
-        if message:
-            resp["message"] = message
-        resp["note"] = "Write saved. This update is complete — do not repeat it."
-        return resp
+                "entry_count": len(self._entries_for(target)), **({"message": message} if message else {}),
+                "note": "Write saved. This update is complete — do not repeat it."}
 
     def _render_block(self, target: str, entries: List[str]) -> str:
         """Render a system prompt block with header and usage indicator."""
@@ -443,12 +410,10 @@ class MemoryStore:
 
     @staticmethod
     def _read_raw_checked(path: Path) -> Tuple[str, bool]:
-        """Read raw text as ``(raw, read_ok)``. ``read_ok`` is False ONLY when the
-        file EXISTS but can't be read (absent file → ``("", True)``). Invalid UTF-8
-        counts as unreadable; decoding stays STRICT because ``errors="replace"``
-        would hand callers a lossy view that a save then persists over the real
-        bytes. ``utf-8-sig`` strips a Notepad BOM that otherwise glues U+FEFF onto
-        the first entry forever."""
+        """``(raw, read_ok)``; ``read_ok`` is False ONLY when the file EXISTS but can't
+        be read (absent → ``("", True)``). Decoding stays STRICT: ``errors="replace"``
+        would hand callers a lossy view that a save then persists. ``utf-8-sig`` strips
+        a Notepad BOM that otherwise glues U+FEFF onto the first entry forever."""
         if not path.exists():
             return "", True
         try:
@@ -458,24 +423,20 @@ class MemoryStore:
 
     @staticmethod
     def _parse_entries(raw: str) -> List[str]:
-        """Split raw memory-file text into stripped, non-empty entries. Splits on
-        the full ENTRY_DELIMITER so a bare "§" inside an entry is preserved."""
+        """Stripped, non-empty entries; splits on the FULL delimiter so a bare "§" survives."""
         return [e for e in (x.strip() for x in raw.split(ENTRY_DELIMITER)) if e]
 
     @staticmethod
     def _read_file(path: Path) -> List[str]:
-        """Read a memory file into entries (empty list on any error). Only for
-        read-only callers (``load_from_disk``, learning_mutations); mutation paths
-        must use ``_read_raw_checked`` so they can refuse to overwrite an
-        unreadable file."""
+        """Entries of a memory file ([] on any error). Read-only callers only
+        (``load_from_disk``, learning_mutations); mutation paths must use
+        ``_read_raw_checked`` so they can refuse to overwrite an unreadable file."""
         return MemoryStore._parse_entries(MemoryStore._read_raw_checked(path)[0])
 
     def _detect_external_drift(self, target: str, raw: str) -> Optional[str]:
-        """Backup-path string if *raw* (the caller's checked-read snapshot) shows
-        external drift, else None. Signals: round-trip mismatch, or one parsed
-        entry exceeding the whole-file char limit (no tool-written entry can — an
-        external writer appended free-form content a flush would truncate). The
-        file is snapshotted to ``.bak.<ts>`` so the operator can recover it."""
+        """Backup path if *raw* shows external drift, else None. Signals: round-trip
+        mismatch, or one entry over the whole-file limit (no tool-written entry can —
+        an external writer appended free-form text). Snapshots to ``.bak.<ts>``."""
         if not raw.strip():
             return None
         parsed = self._parse_entries(raw)
@@ -491,8 +452,7 @@ class MemoryStore:
 
     @staticmethod
     def _write_file(path: Path, entries: List[str]):
-        """Atomic temp-file + rename: readers see the old or the new complete
-        file, never a truncated one."""
+        """Atomic temp-file + rename: readers never see a truncated file."""
         try:
             atomic_write_text(path, ENTRY_DELIMITER.join(entries), tmp_prefix=".mem_")
         except OSError as e:
diff --git a/tools/microsoft_graph_auth.py b/tools/microsoft_graph_auth.py
index b2fbc73a5f..88b1ea9eb9 100644
--- a/tools/microsoft_graph_auth.py
+++ b/tools/microsoft_graph_auth.py
@@ -31,11 +31,8 @@ class MicrosoftGraphTokenError(MicrosoftGraphAuthError):
 
 
 def format_graph_error(error: Any) -> str | None:
-    """Render Graph's ``{"error": {"code", "message"}}`` (or bare-string ``error``) body.
-
-    Shared by the token endpoint and the REST client so both surface
-    ``code: message`` the same way. ``None`` means the shape was unusable.
-    """
+    """Render Graph's ``{"error": {"code", "message"}}`` (or bare-string ``error``) as
+    ``code: message``; shared by token endpoint and REST client. None if unusable."""
     if isinstance(error, str):
         return error
     if not isinstance(error, dict):
@@ -114,18 +111,12 @@ class MicrosoftGraphTokenProvider:
         self._cached_token = None
 
     def inspect_token_health(self) -> dict[str, Any]:
-        cached = self._cached_token
-        return {
-            "configured": True,
-            "tenant_id": self.credentials.tenant_id,
-            "client_id": self.credentials.client_id,
-            "scope": self.credentials.scope,
-            "authority_url": self.credentials.authority_url,
-            "token_url": self.credentials.token_url,
-            "cached": bool(cached),
-            "expires_in_seconds": cached.expires_in_seconds if cached else None,
-            "is_expired": cached.is_expired(skew_seconds=0) if cached else None,
-            "refresh_skew_seconds": self.skew_seconds}
+        cached, creds = self._cached_token, self.credentials
+        return {"configured": True, "tenant_id": creds.tenant_id, "client_id": creds.client_id,
+                "scope": creds.scope, "authority_url": creds.authority_url, "token_url": creds.token_url,
+                "cached": bool(cached), "expires_in_seconds": cached.expires_in_seconds if cached else None,
+                "is_expired": cached.is_expired(skew_seconds=0) if cached else None,
+                "refresh_skew_seconds": self.skew_seconds}
 
     def _fresh_cached(self) -> CachedAccessToken | None:
         """The cached token unless it expires within ``skew_seconds``."""
@@ -145,11 +136,8 @@ class MicrosoftGraphTokenProvider:
             return self._cached_token.access_token
 
     async def _fetch_access_token(self) -> CachedAccessToken:
-        data = {
-            "grant_type": "client_credentials",
-            "client_id": self.credentials.client_id,
-            "client_secret": self.credentials.client_secret,
-            "scope": self.credentials.scope}
+        data = {"grant_type": "client_credentials", "client_id": self.credentials.client_id,
+                "client_secret": self.credentials.client_secret, "scope": self.credentials.scope}
         async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=httpx.Timeout(self.timeout), transport=self._transport) as client:
             response = await client.post(
                 self.credentials.token_url, data=data,
@@ -163,7 +151,6 @@ class MicrosoftGraphTokenProvider:
             payload = response.json()
         except ValueError as exc:
             raise MicrosoftGraphTokenError("Microsoft Graph token response was not valid JSON.") from exc
-
         access_token = str(payload.get("access_token") or "").strip()
         if not access_token:
             raise MicrosoftGraphTokenError("Microsoft Graph token response did not include access_token.")
@@ -171,9 +158,7 @@ class MicrosoftGraphTokenProvider:
             expires_in_seconds = int(payload.get("expires_in"))
         except (TypeError, ValueError) as exc:
             raise MicrosoftGraphTokenError(
-                "Microsoft Graph token response did not include a valid expires_in."
-            ) from exc
-
+                "Microsoft Graph token response did not include a valid expires_in.") from exc
         return CachedAccessToken(
             access_token=access_token,
             token_type=str(payload.get("token_type") or "Bearer").strip() or "Bearer",
@@ -181,16 +166,12 @@ class MicrosoftGraphTokenProvider:
 
 
 def _extract_error_detail(response: httpx.Response) -> str:
-    """Best human-readable detail from a token-endpoint error body.
-
-    The OAuth endpoint prefers ``error_description``; fall back to the
-    Graph-style ``error`` object/string, then a bare ``code``, then raw text.
-    """
+    """Best human-readable detail from a token-endpoint error body: ``error_description``,
+    then the Graph-style ``error`` object/string, then a bare ``code``, then raw text."""
     try:
         payload = response.json()
     except ValueError:
         return response.text.strip() or "unknown error"
-
     if isinstance(payload, dict):
         if isinstance(payload.get("error_description"), str):
             return payload["error_description"]
diff --git a/tools/microsoft_graph_client.py b/tools/microsoft_graph_client.py
index 25a1aa40e5..bfdc3c011b 100644
--- a/tools/microsoft_graph_client.py
+++ b/tools/microsoft_graph_client.py
@@ -38,12 +38,9 @@ class MicrosoftGraphAPIError(MicrosoftGraphClientError):
 
 
 class MicrosoftGraphClient:
-    """Minimal async Microsoft Graph client with retries and pagination.
-
-    Retry policy (shared by JSON requests and streaming downloads): transport
-    errors back off exponentially; 401 clears the token cache and refetches;
-    429/5xx honor ``Retry-After``. Each attempt uses a fresh ``AsyncClient``.
-    """
+    """Minimal async Graph client. Retry policy (JSON requests and streaming downloads
+    alike): transport errors back off exponentially; 401 clears the token cache and
+    refetches; 429/5xx honor ``Retry-After``. Each attempt uses a fresh ``AsyncClient``."""
 
     def __init__(
         self, token_provider: MicrosoftGraphTokenProvider, *,
@@ -71,15 +68,15 @@ class MicrosoftGraphClient:
 
     async def patch_json(self, path: str, *, json_body: Any | None = None, headers: Headers = None) -> Any:
         response = await self._request("PATCH", path, json_body=json_body, headers=headers)
-        if response.status_code == 204 or not response.content:
-            return {}
-        return self._decode_json(response)
+        return self._decode_json_or(response, {})
 
     async def delete(self, path: str, *, headers: Headers = None) -> dict[str, Any]:
         response = await self._request("DELETE", path, headers=headers)
-        if response.status_code == 204 or not response.content:
-            return {"deleted": True, "status_code": response.status_code}
-        return self._decode_json(response)
+        return self._decode_json_or(response, {"deleted": True, "status_code": response.status_code})
+
+    def _decode_json_or(self, response: httpx.Response, empty: Any) -> Any:
+        """*empty* for a 204 / bodiless response, else the decoded JSON body."""
+        return empty if response.status_code == 204 or not response.content else self._decode_json(response)
 
     async def collect_paginated(
         self, path: str, *, params: Params = None, headers: Headers = None) -> list[Any]:
@@ -102,9 +99,8 @@ class MicrosoftGraphClient:
     async def download_to_file(
         self, path: str, destination: str | Path, *, headers: Headers = None, chunk_size: int = 65536
     ) -> dict[str, Any]:
-        """Download a Graph resource to disk, streaming the body chunk-by-chunk
-        (recordings and other large artifacts never need to fit in memory).
-        Written to a ``.part`` file and renamed into place only on success."""
+        """Stream a Graph resource to disk chunk-by-chunk (large recordings never
+        fit in memory); written to ``.part`` and renamed into place only on success."""
         url = self._resolve_url(path)
         target = Path(destination)
         target.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
@@ -145,12 +141,9 @@ class MicrosoftGraphClient:
         self, method: str, url: str, accept: str, json_body: Any | None, headers: Headers,
         perform: Callable[[httpx.AsyncClient, dict[str, str]], Awaitable[tuple[httpx.Response, Any]]],
         kind: str) -> Any:
-        """Run ``perform`` (returning ``(response, result)``) under the retry policy.
-
-        ``kind`` ("request"/"download") only labels the transport-failure messages.
-        A ``MicrosoftGraphAPIError`` for the failing status is raised once retries
-        are exhausted or the status is not retryable; only a 401 forces a token refresh.
-        """
+        """Run ``perform`` (-> ``(response, result)``) under the retry policy. ``kind``
+        only labels transport-failure messages. Raises ``MicrosoftGraphAPIError`` once
+        retries are exhausted or the status is not retryable; only 401 forces a token refresh."""
         attempt = 0
         last_error: Exception | None = None
 
diff --git a/tools/session_search_tool.py b/tools/session_search_tool.py
index f49e3889d7..e4f2159ac5 100644
--- a/tools/session_search_tool.py
+++ b/tools/session_search_tool.py
@@ -19,34 +19,29 @@ from hermes_state_common import _RESET_END_REASONS
 # delegate subagent runs, kanban workers — not the user's history.
 _HIDDEN_SESSION_SOURCES = ("kanban", "subagent", "tool")
 
-# Searchable but DEMOTED below interactive sessions: cron sessions' repetitive
-# vocabulary dominates bare BM25 and starves out the user's own sessions
-# ("recall blindness"). Demoting keeps them reachable when they're the only match.
+# Searchable but DEMOTED below interactive sessions: cron vocabulary dominates bare
+# BM25 and starves out the user's own sessions ("recall blindness").
 _DEMOTED_SESSION_SOURCES = ("cron",)
 
-# FTS rows scanned before dedup-by-lineage — well above the handful of distinct
-# sessions a query returns, so interactive matches buried under cron hits are
-# still in hand for the demotion pass.
+# FTS rows scanned before dedup-by-lineage — well above the distinct sessions a query
+# returns, so interactive matches buried under cron hits survive the demotion pass.
 _DISCOVER_SCAN_LIMIT = 300
 
-# Raw FTS rows are only a discovery-plan input; the response hydrates its own
-# anchored window and bookends after lineage dedup.
+# Raw FTS rows are only a plan input; the response hydrates its own window/bookends.
 _DISCOVER_SEARCH_FIELDS = ("id", "session_id", "role", "snippet", "source", "model", "session_started")
 
-# Generated context-compaction handoff summaries (agent/context_compressor.py);
-# excluded from bookends so huge compaction payloads aren't re-introduced.
+# Compaction handoff summaries (agent/context_compressor.py); excluded from bookends.
 _COMPACTION_PREFIXES = ("[CONTEXT COMPACTION", "[CONTEXT SUMMARY]:")
 
-# /new, /reset, idle/daily expiry and CLI /new ("new_session") end the
-# predecessor WITHOUT carrying its transcript forward — unlike compression
-# continuations and live delegation children. Derived from the gateway set so
-# this tool and the recovery fence cannot drift.
+# /new, /reset, idle/daily expiry and CLI /new ("new_session") end the predecessor
+# WITHOUT carrying its transcript forward — unlike compression continuations and
+# live delegation children. Derived from the gateway set so the two cannot drift.
 _FRESH_RESET_END_REASONS = frozenset(_RESET_END_REASONS) | {"new_session"}
 
 
 def _quiet(fn, default, msg, *log_args, with_exc: bool = False):
-    """Call ``fn()``; on any exception debug-log *msg* (appending the exception
-    as a final ``%s`` arg when *with_exc*) and return *default*."""
+    """``fn()``, or *default* after debug-logging *msg* (exception appended as a
+    final ``%s`` arg when *with_exc*) on any exception."""
     try:
         return fn()
     except Exception as e:
@@ -55,8 +50,8 @@ def _quiet(fn, default, msg, *log_args, with_exc: bool = False):
 
 
 def _format_timestamp(ts: Union[int, float, str, None]) -> str:
-    """Unix timestamp (number or numeric string) or ISO string -> readable date.
-    "unknown" for None; str(ts) if conversion fails."""
+    """Unix timestamp (number / numeric string) -> readable date; ISO strings pass
+    through; "unknown" for None; str(ts) if conversion fails."""
     if ts is None:
         return "unknown"
     try:
@@ -89,10 +84,9 @@ def _is_compaction_summary(content: str) -> bool:
 
 
 def _resolve_to_parent(db, session_id: str) -> tuple[str, bool]:
-    """Walk parent_session_id to the lineage root -> ``(root_id, has_compression_hop)``.
-    The flag distinguishes a compression-split lineage (parent content summarised
-    away) from a delegation lineage (child content still visible to the parent).
-    Falls back to ``(session_id, False)`` on errors."""
+    """Walk parent_session_id to the root -> ``(root_id, has_compression_hop)``. The
+    flag separates a compression-split lineage (parent summarised away) from a
+    delegation lineage (child still visible to the parent). Errors -> ``(session_id, False)``."""
     if not session_id:
         return session_id, False
     visited: set[str] = set()
@@ -127,12 +121,10 @@ def _session_end_reason(db, session_id: str) -> Optional[str]:
 
 
 def _session_left_live_context(db, session_id: str) -> bool:
-    """True when *session_id*'s transcript is no longer in anyone's live context:
-    ``compression`` (summarised into the continuation child) or a fresh reset
-    (child starts empty). Everything else stays excluded from same-lineage
-    recall — live delegation children (``end_reason is None``) are visible to
-    the parent agent, and ``branched`` parents were copied verbatim into the
-    branch child, so their content IS the current context."""
+    """True when the transcript left everyone's live context: ``compression``
+    (summarised into the child) or a fresh reset (child starts empty). Live delegation
+    children (``end_reason is None``) and ``branched`` parents (copied verbatim into
+    the branch) ARE the current context, so they stay excluded from recall."""
     end_reason = _session_end_reason(db, session_id)
     return end_reason == "compression" or end_reason in _FRESH_RESET_END_REASONS
 
@@ -153,23 +145,20 @@ def _get_message_storage_state(db, message_id) -> Optional[Dict[str, Any]]:
 
 
 def _is_compacted_state(state: Optional[Dict[str, Any]]) -> bool:
-    """Compaction archives are ``active=0, compacted=1`` (content summarised
-    away by archive_and_compact). Rewind/undo rows are ``active=0, compacted=0``
-    and must stay hidden."""
+    """Compaction archives are ``active=0, compacted=1``; rewind/undo rows are
+    ``active=0, compacted=0`` and must stay hidden."""
     return state is not None and state["active"] == 0 and state["compacted"] == 1
 
 
 def _is_compacted_message(db, message_id) -> bool:
-    """True if *message_id* is a compaction-archived row — pre-compaction content
-    no longer in live context, so it should stay discoverable even on the
-    current session. False on any error (caller falls back to skipping)."""
+    """True for a compaction-archived row — content no longer in live context, so
+    it stays discoverable even on the current session. False on any error."""
     return _is_compacted_state(_get_message_storage_state(db, message_id))
 
 
 def _annotate_rebuild_status(db, payload: Dict[str, Any]) -> None:
-    """Add a rebuild-progress note while the deferred FTS backfill is running,
-    so the agent can explain thin/slow results instead of treating them as
-    ground truth. No-op (never raises) when no rebuild is pending."""
+    """Note rebuild progress while the deferred FTS backfill runs so the agent can
+    explain thin results instead of treating them as ground truth. Never raises."""
     status = _quiet(db.fts_rebuild_status, None, "fts_rebuild_status failed")
     if status is None:
         return
@@ -180,21 +169,17 @@ def _annotate_rebuild_status(db, payload: Dict[str, Any]) -> None:
 
 
 def _order_for_recall(raw_results: List[Dict[str, Any]]) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
-    """Stable-sort FTS rows so interactive sessions rank above automation.
-    BM25 order is preserved within each class; only cross-class order changes,
-    so a cron hit never displaces an interactive hit during lineage dedup."""
+    """Stable-sort so interactive sessions rank above automation; BM25 order is
+    kept within each class, so a cron hit never displaces an interactive one."""
     return sorted(raw_results, key=lambda r: 1 if (r.get("source") or "") in _DEMOTED_SESSION_SOURCES else 0)
 
 
 def _shape_message(m: Dict[str, Any], anchor_id: Optional[int] = None,
                    max_content_len: Optional[int] = None) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-    """Slim a message row for the tool response. Keeps content even if empty
-    (absent content is meaningful — tool-call-only assistant turns). With
-    *max_content_len*, content is truncated and ``content_truncated`` /
-    ``original_content_chars`` added."""
+    """Slim a message row. Keeps ``content`` even when empty (tool-call-only
+    assistant turns); with *max_content_len* truncates and flags it."""
     content = m.get("content")
-    if isinstance(content, str) and "\x1b" in content:
-        # Recalled messages can carry ANSI escapes (archived terminal output).
+    if isinstance(content, str) and "\x1b" in content:  # archived terminal output carries ANSI
         from tools.ansi_strip import strip_ansi
 
         content = strip_ansi(content)
@@ -208,10 +193,9 @@ def _shape_message(m: Dict[str, Any], anchor_id: Optional[int] = None,
 
 
 def _session_link(session_id: str, profile: str = None) -> str:
-    """The reference the agent writes to point the user at a session — same
-    value the desktop composer emits, so it renders as a titled link. The
-    profile segment is omitted when it can't be named confidently (a bare id
-    still resolves, it just can't disambiguate across profiles)."""
+    """The reference the agent writes for a session — same value the desktop composer
+    emits, so it renders as a titled link. The profile segment is omitted when it
+    can't be named confidently (a bare id still resolves, just not across profiles)."""
     name = (profile or "").strip()
     if not name:
         def _active():
@@ -291,14 +275,10 @@ def _discover_payload(db, query: str, detail: str, results: list, **extra) -> st
 
 def _dedupe_by_lineage(db, raw_results, limit, seen_sessions, current_session_id, current_lineage_root) -> None:
     """Fill *seen_sessions* (lineage_root -> first surviving FTS row) up to *limit*.
-
-    The raw owning session_id stays on the row — only it pairs validly with the
-    FTS match id for the anchored window. Current-lineage hits are skipped
-    UNLESS the transcript left live context: compression-ended session, /new-
-    reset predecessor (hiding it made gateway recall blind after every /new),
-    or an in-place compacted row on the SAME session_id. A live delegation
-    child has end_reason=None, so it stays excluded.
-    """
+    The raw owning session_id stays on the row — only it pairs validly with the FTS
+    match id. Current-lineage hits are skipped UNLESS the transcript left live
+    context (compression-ended, /new-reset predecessor, or an in-place compacted row
+    on the SAME session); a live delegation child (end_reason=None) stays excluded."""
     for r in raw_results:
         if len(seen_sessions) >= limit:
             break
@@ -322,8 +302,8 @@ def _bookend(view: Dict[str, Any], key: str) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
 
 
 def _hydrate_hit(db, lineage_root: str, match_info: Dict[str, Any], result_detail: str) -> Optional[Dict[str, Any]]:
-    """Build one discovery result from a surviving FTS row; None if the anchored
-    view can't be loaded (the hit is dropped)."""
+    """One discovery result from a surviving FTS row; None (hit dropped) if the
+    anchored view can't be loaded."""
     hit_sid = match_info.get("session_id") or lineage_root
     msg_id = match_info.get("id")
     try:
@@ -402,8 +382,8 @@ def _discover(db, query: str, role_filter: Optional[List[str]], limit: int, sort
 
 
 def _resolve_profile_db(profile: str):
-    """Open another profile's ``state.db`` read-only (no write lock — safe on a
-    live DB), or None for the current profile."""
+    """Another profile's ``state.db`` opened read-only (safe on a live DB), or None
+    for the current profile."""
     if profile is None or not str(profile).strip():
         return None
     from hermes_cli import profiles as profiles_mod
@@ -417,8 +397,8 @@ def _resolve_profile_db(profile: str):
 
 
 def _locate_session_db(session_id: str):
-    """Scan every profile's ``state.db`` for a session id -> ``(db, profile_name)``
-    or ``(None, None)``. Ids are globally unique, so the first hit is authoritative."""
+    """Scan every profile's ``state.db`` for a session id -> ``(db, profile_name)`` or
+    ``(None, None)``. Ids are globally unique, so the first hit is authoritative."""
     from pathlib import Path
 
     try:
@@ -452,8 +432,7 @@ def _get_session_meta(db, session_id: str) -> dict:
 
 
 def _read_session(db, session_id: str, head: int = 20, tail: int = 10, link_profile: str = None) -> str:
-    """Read shape: whole session, or first ``head`` + last ``tail`` messages
-    with a pointer to scroll the middle."""
+    """Read shape: whole session, or ``head`` + ``tail`` messages with a scroll pointer."""
     meta = _get_session_meta(db, session_id)
     if not meta:
         return tool_error(f"session_id not found: {session_id}", success=False)
@@ -477,10 +456,9 @@ def _read_session(db, session_id: str, head: int = 20, tail: int = 10, link_prof
 def _list_recent_sessions(db, limit: int, current_session_id: str = None, link_profile: str = None) -> str:
     """Browse shape: metadata for the most recent sessions (no LLM, no FTS5)."""
     try:
-        # list_sessions_rich (include_children=False) already applies the
-        # canonical child classifier: roots, /branch children and /new-reset
-        # children are admitted, delegation/compression children hidden.
-        # Re-classifying here re-hid legacy reset children — trust the query.
+        # list_sessions_rich already applies the canonical child classifier (roots,
+        # /branch and /new-reset children admitted; delegation/compression children
+        # hidden). Re-classifying here re-hid legacy reset children — trust the query.
         sessions = db.list_sessions_rich(
             limit=limit + 15,  # extra so we can skip current / compression roots
             exclude_sources=list(_HIDDEN_SESSION_SOURCES),
@@ -493,9 +471,8 @@ def _list_recent_sessions(db, limit: int, current_session_id: str = None, link_p
             sid = s.get("id", "")
             if sid == current_session_id:
                 continue
-            # Compression continuation: the root's turns were summarised into
-            # the live child, so hide the root. /new-reset children share a
-            # root but carry no transcript — keep that root browsable.
+            # Compression continuation: the root was summarised into the live child, so
+            # hide it. /new-reset children carry no transcript — keep that root browsable.
             if has_compression_hop and current_root and sid == current_root:
                 continue
             results.append({
@@ -522,10 +499,10 @@ def _clamp_int(value, default: int, lo: int, hi: int) -> int:
 
 
 def _anchor_in_live_context(db, anchor_state, anchor_session_id: str, current_session_id: str) -> bool:
-    """True when the scroll anchor is still in the caller's active context and
-    must be rejected. Same-lineage history that has LEFT live context (compacted
-    rows, compression-ended parents, /new-reset predecessors) is allowed, so
-    scroll never rejects a result discovery just returned."""
+    """True when the scroll anchor is still in the caller's active context (reject).
+    Same-lineage history that LEFT live context (compacted rows, compression-ended
+    parents, /new-reset predecessors) is allowed, so scroll never rejects a result
+    discovery just returned."""
     if not _same_lineage(db, anchor_session_id, current_session_id) or _is_compacted_state(anchor_state):
         return False
     # Rewind/undo rows (active=0, compacted!=1) never count as out-of-context history.
@@ -540,9 +517,8 @@ def _same_lineage(db, a: str, b: str) -> bool:
 
 
 def _rebind_to_owner(db, session_id: str, owning: str, around_message_id: int, window: int):
-    """Lineage rebind: the caller paired a parent session_id with a message id
-    that lives in a descendant (compaction / delegation create child sessions).
-    Returns ``(view, warning)`` from the owning session, or ``(None, None)``."""
+    """Lineage rebind when the caller paired a parent session_id with a message id
+    living in a descendant. ``(view, warning)`` from the owner, or ``(None, None)``."""
     if not _same_lineage(db, session_id, owning):
         return None, None
     rebind_view = _quiet(lambda: db.get_messages_around(owning, around_message_id, window=window),
@@ -554,8 +530,8 @@ def _rebind_to_owner(db, session_id: str, owning: str, around_message_id: int, w
 
 def _scroll(db, session_id: str, around_message_id: int, window: int = 5,
             current_session_id: str = None) -> str:
-    """Scroll shape: a window of messages centered on an anchor (no FTS5, no
-    bookends). Rebinds silently if the anchor lives in a same-lineage child."""
+    """Scroll shape: a window centered on an anchor (no FTS5, no bookends);
+    rebinds silently if the anchor lives in a same-lineage child."""
     if not isinstance(session_id, str) or not session_id.strip():
         return tool_error("scroll requires session_id", success=False)
     session_id = session_id.strip()
@@ -610,9 +586,8 @@ def _scroll(db, session_id: str, around_message_id: int, window: int = 5,
 
 
 def _read_with_profile_fallback(db, sid: str, profile: Optional[str]) -> str:
-    """Read shape. On a miss in the target profile, scan every profile (the
-    model may have dropped the owning profile from the link) and tag the result
-    with the profile it was found in."""
+    """Read shape; on a miss scan every profile (the model may have dropped the
+    owning profile from the link) and tag the result with where it was found."""
     result = _read_session(db, sid, link_profile=profile)
     if json.loads(result).get("success"):
         return result
@@ -630,12 +605,10 @@ def _read_with_profile_fallback(db, sid: str, profile: Optional[str]) -> str:
 
 def _dispatch(query, role_filter, limit, db, current_session_id, session_id,
               around_message_id, window, sort, profile, detail, owned_dbs) -> str:
-    """Mode dispatch (see module docstring). Scroll wins over read/discovery when
-    an anchor is set — the agent asked for a specific slice. Profile DBs opened
-    here are appended to *owned_dbs* for the caller to close."""
-    # A raw `@session:<profile>/<id>` link passed as session_id: ids never
-    # contain "/", so a slash means profile/id — strip the prefix and adopt the
-    # embedded profile only when none was passed explicitly.
+    """Mode dispatch (see module docstring); scroll wins when an anchor is set.
+    Profile DBs opened here are appended to *owned_dbs* for the caller to close."""
+    # A raw `@session:<profile>/<id>` link as session_id: ids never contain "/", so
+    # split on it and adopt the embedded profile only when none was passed.
     if isinstance(session_id, str) and "/" in session_id:
         emb_profile, _, emb_id = session_id.partition("/")
         if emb_id:
@@ -643,9 +616,8 @@ def _dispatch(query, role_filter, limit, db, current_session_id, session_id,
             if emb_profile and (profile is None or not str(profile).strip()):
                 profile = emb_profile
 
-    # Cross-profile read: swap in the named profile's DB (read-only) for every
-    # shape. Current-lineage guards key off ids that won't collide, so they
-    # stay inert.
+    # Cross-profile: swap in the named profile's DB (read-only) for every shape;
+    # current-lineage guards key off ids that won't collide, so they stay inert.
     try:
         profile_db = _resolve_profile_db(profile)
     except Exception as e:
@@ -676,8 +648,7 @@ def _dispatch(query, role_filter, limit, db, current_session_id, session_id,
 def session_search(query: str = "", role_filter: str = None, limit: int = 3, db=None,
                    current_session_id: str = None, session_id: str = None, around_message_id: int = None,
                    window: int = 5, sort: str = None, profile: str = None, detail: str = "adaptive") -> str:
-    """Run session search and close databases opened by this invocation.
-    Parameter order is positional-compatible with older callers."""
+    """Run session search, closing DBs opened here. Positional order is frozen for old callers."""
     owned_dbs: List[Any] = []
     if db is None:
         try: