From df7f968581c460b702f95f0d39bc7e6f2ca1a8da Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Frank Yang <frank.ekn@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2026 13:20:13 +0800
Subject: [PATCH] fix(memory-core): align prompt with available tools

---
 extensions/memory-core/index.test.ts | 19 ++++++++++++++++---
 extensions/memory-core/index.ts      | 23 ++++++++++++++++++-----
 2 files changed, 34 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/extensions/memory-core/index.test.ts b/extensions/memory-core/index.test.ts
index b1855aa7f3f..27e7eacbcc5 100644
--- a/extensions/memory-core/index.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/memory-core/index.test.ts
@@ -6,18 +6,31 @@ describe("buildPromptSection", () => {
     expect(buildPromptSection({ availableTools: new Set() })).toEqual([]);
   });
 
-  it("returns Memory Recall section when memory_search is available", () => {
-    const result = buildPromptSection({ availableTools: new Set(["memory_search"]) });
+  it("describes the two-step flow when both memory tools are available", () => {
+    const result = buildPromptSection({
+      availableTools: new Set(["memory_search", "memory_get"]),
+    });
     expect(result[0]).toBe("## Memory Recall");
+    expect(result[1]).toContain("run memory_search");
+    expect(result[1]).toContain("then use memory_get");
     expect(result).toContain(
       "Citations: include Source: <path#line> when it helps the user verify memory snippets.",
     );
     expect(result.at(-1)).toBe("");
   });
 
-  it("returns Memory Recall section when memory_get is available", () => {
+  it("limits the guidance to memory_search when only search is available", () => {
+    const result = buildPromptSection({ availableTools: new Set(["memory_search"]) });
+    expect(result[0]).toBe("## Memory Recall");
+    expect(result[1]).toContain("run memory_search");
+    expect(result[1]).not.toContain("then use memory_get");
+  });
+
+  it("limits the guidance to memory_get when only get is available", () => {
     const result = buildPromptSection({ availableTools: new Set(["memory_get"]) });
     expect(result[0]).toBe("## Memory Recall");
+    expect(result[1]).toContain("run memory_get");
+    expect(result[1]).not.toContain("run memory_search");
   });
 
   it("includes citations-off instruction when citationsMode is off", () => {
diff --git a/extensions/memory-core/index.ts b/extensions/memory-core/index.ts
index 3a785201c71..4d215d4a2e2 100644
--- a/extensions/memory-core/index.ts
+++ b/extensions/memory-core/index.ts
@@ -5,13 +5,26 @@ export const buildPromptSection: MemoryPromptSectionBuilder = ({
   availableTools,
   citationsMode,
 }) => {
-  if (!availableTools.has("memory_search") && !availableTools.has("memory_get")) {
+  const hasMemorySearch = availableTools.has("memory_search");
+  const hasMemoryGet = availableTools.has("memory_get");
+
+  if (!hasMemorySearch && !hasMemoryGet) {
     return [];
   }
-  const lines = [
-    "## Memory Recall",
-    "Before answering anything about prior work, decisions, dates, people, preferences, or todos: run memory_search on MEMORY.md + memory/*.md; then use memory_get to pull only the needed lines. If low confidence after search, say you checked.",
-  ];
+
+  let toolGuidance: string;
+  if (hasMemorySearch && hasMemoryGet) {
+    toolGuidance =
+      "Before answering anything about prior work, decisions, dates, people, preferences, or todos: run memory_search on MEMORY.md + memory/*.md; then use memory_get to pull only the needed lines. If low confidence after search, say you checked.";
+  } else if (hasMemorySearch) {
+    toolGuidance =
+      "Before answering anything about prior work, decisions, dates, people, preferences, or todos: run memory_search on MEMORY.md + memory/*.md and answer from the matching results. If low confidence after search, say you checked.";
+  } else {
+    toolGuidance =
+      "Before answering anything about prior work, decisions, dates, people, preferences, or todos that already point to a specific memory file or note: run memory_get to pull only the needed lines. If low confidence after reading them, say you checked.";
+  }
+
+  const lines = ["## Memory Recall", toolGuidance];
   if (citationsMode === "off") {
     lines.push(
       "Citations are disabled: do not mention file paths or line numbers in replies unless the user explicitly asks.",