diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index dcf80b64..03911b45 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ COPY libs/types/package*.json ./libs/types/
 COPY libs/utils/package*.json ./libs/utils/
 COPY libs/prompts/package*.json ./libs/prompts/
 COPY libs/platform/package*.json ./libs/platform/
+COPY libs/spec-parser/package*.json ./libs/spec-parser/
 COPY libs/model-resolver/package*.json ./libs/model-resolver/
 COPY libs/dependency-resolver/package*.json ./libs/dependency-resolver/
 COPY libs/git-utils/package*.json ./libs/git-utils/
diff --git a/apps/server/src/routes/ideation/routes/suggestions-generate.ts b/apps/server/src/routes/ideation/routes/suggestions-generate.ts
index 8add2af5..ffb4e8ac 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/routes/ideation/routes/suggestions-generate.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/routes/ideation/routes/suggestions-generate.ts
@@ -4,15 +4,21 @@
 
 import type { Request, Response } from 'express';
 import type { IdeationService } from '../../../services/ideation-service.js';
+import type { IdeationContextSources } from '@automaker/types';
 import { createLogger } from '@automaker/utils';
 import { getErrorMessage, logError } from '../common.js';
 
 const logger = createLogger('ideation:suggestions-generate');
 
+/**
+ * Creates an Express route handler for generating AI-powered ideation suggestions.
+ * Accepts a prompt, category, and optional context sources configuration,
+ * then returns structured suggestions that can be added to the board.
+ */
 export function createSuggestionsGenerateHandler(ideationService: IdeationService) {
   return async (req: Request, res: Response): Promise<void> => {
     try {
-      const { projectPath, promptId, category, count } = req.body;
+      const { projectPath, promptId, category, count, contextSources } = req.body;
 
       if (!projectPath) {
         res.status(400).json({ success: false, error: 'projectPath is required' });
@@ -38,7 +44,8 @@ export function createSuggestionsGenerateHandler(ideationService: IdeationServic
         projectPath,
         promptId,
         category,
-        suggestionCount
+        suggestionCount,
+        contextSources as IdeationContextSources | undefined
       );
 
       res.json({
diff --git a/apps/server/src/routes/worktree/routes/list.ts b/apps/server/src/routes/worktree/routes/list.ts
index f0d9c030..0f8021f1 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/routes/worktree/routes/list.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/routes/worktree/routes/list.ts
@@ -39,8 +39,15 @@ interface GitHubRemoteCacheEntry {
   checkedAt: number;
 }
 
+interface GitHubPRCacheEntry {
+  prs: Map<string, WorktreePRInfo>;
+  fetchedAt: number;
+}
+
 const githubRemoteCache = new Map<string, GitHubRemoteCacheEntry>();
+const githubPRCache = new Map<string, GitHubPRCacheEntry>();
 const GITHUB_REMOTE_CACHE_TTL_MS = 5 * 60 * 1000; // 5 minutes
+const GITHUB_PR_CACHE_TTL_MS = 2 * 60 * 1000; // 2 minutes - avoid hitting GitHub on every poll
 
 interface WorktreeInfo {
   path: string;
@@ -180,9 +187,21 @@ async function getGitHubRemoteStatus(projectPath: string): Promise<GitHubRemoteS
  * This also allows detecting PRs that were created outside the app.
  *
  * Uses cached GitHub remote status to avoid repeated warnings when the
- * project doesn't have a GitHub remote configured.
+ * project doesn't have a GitHub remote configured. Results are cached
+ * briefly to avoid hammering GitHub on frequent worktree polls.
  */
-async function fetchGitHubPRs(projectPath: string): Promise<Map<string, WorktreePRInfo>> {
+async function fetchGitHubPRs(
+  projectPath: string,
+  forceRefresh = false
+): Promise<Map<string, WorktreePRInfo>> {
+  const now = Date.now();
+  const cached = githubPRCache.get(projectPath);
+
+  // Return cached result if valid and not forcing refresh
+  if (!forceRefresh && cached && now - cached.fetchedAt < GITHUB_PR_CACHE_TTL_MS) {
+    return cached.prs;
+  }
+
   const prMap = new Map<string, WorktreePRInfo>();
 
   try {
@@ -225,8 +244,22 @@ async function fetchGitHubPRs(projectPath: string): Promise<Map<string, Worktree
         createdAt: pr.createdAt,
       });
     }
+
+    // Only update cache on successful fetch
+    githubPRCache.set(projectPath, {
+      prs: prMap,
+      fetchedAt: Date.now(),
+    });
   } catch (error) {
-    // Silently fail - PR detection is optional
+    // On fetch failure, return stale cached data if available to avoid
+    // repeated API calls during GitHub API flakiness or temporary outages
+    if (cached) {
+      logger.warn(`Failed to fetch GitHub PRs, returning stale cache: ${getErrorMessage(error)}`);
+      // Extend cache TTL to avoid repeated retries during outages
+      githubPRCache.set(projectPath, { prs: cached.prs, fetchedAt: Date.now() });
+      return cached.prs;
+    }
+    // No cache available, log warning and return empty map
     logger.warn(`Failed to fetch GitHub PRs: ${getErrorMessage(error)}`);
   }
 
@@ -364,7 +397,7 @@ export function createListHandler() {
       // Only fetch GitHub PRs if includeDetails is requested (performance optimization).
       // Uses --state all to detect merged/closed PRs, limited to 1000 recent PRs.
       const githubPRs = includeDetails
-        ? await fetchGitHubPRs(projectPath)
+        ? await fetchGitHubPRs(projectPath, forceRefreshGitHub)
         : new Map<string, WorktreePRInfo>();
 
       for (const worktree of worktrees) {
diff --git a/apps/server/src/services/ideation-service.ts b/apps/server/src/services/ideation-service.ts
index 990a4552..62edeaae 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/services/ideation-service.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/services/ideation-service.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,9 @@ import type {
   SendMessageOptions,
   PromptCategory,
   IdeationPrompt,
+  IdeationContextSources,
 } from '@automaker/types';
+import { DEFAULT_IDEATION_CONTEXT_SOURCES } from '@automaker/types';
 import {
   getIdeationDir,
   getIdeasDir,
@@ -32,8 +34,10 @@ import {
   getIdeationSessionsDir,
   getIdeationSessionPath,
   getIdeationAnalysisPath,
+  getAppSpecPath,
   ensureIdeationDir,
 } from '@automaker/platform';
+import { extractXmlElements, extractImplementedFeatures } from '../lib/xml-extractor.js';
 import { createLogger, loadContextFiles, isAbortError } from '@automaker/utils';
 import { ProviderFactory } from '../providers/provider-factory.js';
 import type { SettingsService } from './settings-service.js';
@@ -638,8 +642,12 @@ export class IdeationService {
     projectPath: string,
     promptId: string,
     category: IdeaCategory,
-    count: number = 10
+    count: number = 10,
+    contextSources?: IdeationContextSources
   ): Promise<AnalysisSuggestion[]> {
+    const suggestionCount = Math.min(Math.max(Math.floor(count ?? 10), 1), 20);
+    // Merge with defaults for backward compatibility
+    const sources = { ...DEFAULT_IDEATION_CONTEXT_SOURCES, ...contextSources };
     validateWorkingDirectory(projectPath);
 
     // Get the prompt
@@ -656,16 +664,26 @@ export class IdeationService {
     });
 
     try {
-      // Load context files
+      // Load context files (respecting toggle settings)
       const contextResult = await loadContextFiles({
         projectPath,
         fsModule: secureFs as Parameters<typeof loadContextFiles>[0]['fsModule'],
+        includeContextFiles: sources.useContextFiles,
+        includeMemory: sources.useMemoryFiles,
       });
 
       // Build context from multiple sources
       let contextPrompt = contextResult.formattedPrompt;
 
-      // If no context files, try to gather basic project info
+      // Add app spec context if enabled
+      if (sources.useAppSpec) {
+        const appSpecContext = await this.buildAppSpecContext(projectPath);
+        if (appSpecContext) {
+          contextPrompt = contextPrompt ? `${contextPrompt}\n\n${appSpecContext}` : appSpecContext;
+        }
+      }
+
+      // If no context was found, try to gather basic project info
       if (!contextPrompt) {
         const projectInfo = await this.gatherBasicProjectInfo(projectPath);
         if (projectInfo) {
@@ -673,8 +691,11 @@ export class IdeationService {
         }
       }
 
-      // Gather existing features and ideas to prevent duplicates
-      const existingWorkContext = await this.gatherExistingWorkContext(projectPath);
+      // Gather existing features and ideas to prevent duplicates (respecting toggle settings)
+      const existingWorkContext = await this.gatherExistingWorkContext(projectPath, {
+        includeFeatures: sources.useExistingFeatures,
+        includeIdeas: sources.useExistingIdeas,
+      });
 
       // Get customized prompts from settings
       const prompts = await getPromptCustomization(this.settingsService, '[IdeationService]');
@@ -684,7 +705,7 @@ export class IdeationService {
         prompts.ideation.suggestionsSystemPrompt,
         contextPrompt,
         category,
-        count,
+        suggestionCount,
         existingWorkContext
       );
 
@@ -751,7 +772,11 @@ export class IdeationService {
       }
 
       // Parse the response into structured suggestions
-      const suggestions = this.parseSuggestionsFromResponse(responseText, category);
+      const suggestions = this.parseSuggestionsFromResponse(
+        responseText,
+        category,
+        suggestionCount
+      );
 
       // Emit complete event
       this.events.emit('ideation:suggestions', {
@@ -814,40 +839,47 @@ ${contextSection}${existingWorkSection}`;
    */
   private parseSuggestionsFromResponse(
     response: string,
-    category: IdeaCategory
+    category: IdeaCategory,
+    count: number
   ): AnalysisSuggestion[] {
     try {
       // Try to extract JSON from the response
       const jsonMatch = response.match(/\[[\s\S]*\]/);
       if (!jsonMatch) {
         logger.warn('No JSON array found in response, falling back to text parsing');
-        return this.parseTextResponse(response, category);
+        return this.parseTextResponse(response, category, count);
       }
 
       const parsed = JSON.parse(jsonMatch[0]);
       if (!Array.isArray(parsed)) {
-        return this.parseTextResponse(response, category);
+        return this.parseTextResponse(response, category, count);
       }
 
-      return parsed.map((item: any, index: number) => ({
-        id: this.generateId('sug'),
-        category,
-        title: item.title || `Suggestion ${index + 1}`,
-        description: item.description || '',
-        rationale: item.rationale || '',
-        priority: item.priority || 'medium',
-        relatedFiles: item.relatedFiles || [],
-      }));
+      return parsed
+        .map((item: any, index: number) => ({
+          id: this.generateId('sug'),
+          category,
+          title: item.title || `Suggestion ${index + 1}`,
+          description: item.description || '',
+          rationale: item.rationale || '',
+          priority: item.priority || 'medium',
+          relatedFiles: item.relatedFiles || [],
+        }))
+        .slice(0, count);
     } catch (error) {
       logger.warn('Failed to parse JSON response:', error);
-      return this.parseTextResponse(response, category);
+      return this.parseTextResponse(response, category, count);
     }
   }
 
   /**
    * Fallback: parse text response into suggestions
    */
-  private parseTextResponse(response: string, category: IdeaCategory): AnalysisSuggestion[] {
+  private parseTextResponse(
+    response: string,
+    category: IdeaCategory,
+    count: number
+  ): AnalysisSuggestion[] {
     const suggestions: AnalysisSuggestion[] = [];
 
     // Try to find numbered items or headers
@@ -907,7 +939,7 @@ ${contextSection}${existingWorkSection}`;
       });
     }
 
-    return suggestions.slice(0, 5); // Max 5 suggestions
+    return suggestions.slice(0, count);
   }
 
   // ============================================================================
@@ -1345,6 +1377,68 @@ ${contextSection}${existingWorkSection}`;
     return descriptions[category] || '';
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Build context from app_spec.txt for suggestion generation
+   * Extracts project name, overview, capabilities, and implemented features
+   */
+  private async buildAppSpecContext(projectPath: string): Promise<string> {
+    try {
+      const specPath = getAppSpecPath(projectPath);
+      const specContent = (await secureFs.readFile(specPath, 'utf-8')) as string;
+
+      const parts: string[] = [];
+      parts.push('## App Specification');
+
+      // Extract project name
+      const projectNames = extractXmlElements(specContent, 'project_name');
+      if (projectNames.length > 0 && projectNames[0]) {
+        parts.push(`**Project:** ${projectNames[0]}`);
+      }
+
+      // Extract overview
+      const overviews = extractXmlElements(specContent, 'overview');
+      if (overviews.length > 0 && overviews[0]) {
+        parts.push(`**Overview:** ${overviews[0]}`);
+      }
+
+      // Extract core capabilities
+      const capabilities = extractXmlElements(specContent, 'capability');
+      if (capabilities.length > 0) {
+        parts.push('**Core Capabilities:**');
+        for (const cap of capabilities) {
+          parts.push(`- ${cap}`);
+        }
+      }
+
+      // Extract implemented features
+      const implementedFeatures = extractImplementedFeatures(specContent);
+      if (implementedFeatures.length > 0) {
+        parts.push('**Implemented Features:**');
+        for (const feature of implementedFeatures) {
+          if (feature.description) {
+            parts.push(`- ${feature.name}: ${feature.description}`);
+          } else {
+            parts.push(`- ${feature.name}`);
+          }
+        }
+      }
+
+      // Only return content if we extracted something meaningful
+      if (parts.length > 1) {
+        return parts.join('\n');
+      }
+      return '';
+    } catch (error) {
+      // If file doesn't exist, return empty string silently
+      if ((error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code === 'ENOENT') {
+        return '';
+      }
+      // For other errors, log and return empty string
+      logger.warn('Failed to build app spec context:', error);
+      return '';
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Gather basic project information for context when no context files exist
    */
@@ -1440,11 +1534,15 @@ ${contextSection}${existingWorkSection}`;
    * Gather existing features and ideas to prevent duplicate suggestions
    * Returns a concise list of titles grouped by status to avoid polluting context
    */
-  private async gatherExistingWorkContext(projectPath: string): Promise<string> {
+  private async gatherExistingWorkContext(
+    projectPath: string,
+    options?: { includeFeatures?: boolean; includeIdeas?: boolean }
+  ): Promise<string> {
+    const { includeFeatures = true, includeIdeas = true } = options ?? {};
     const parts: string[] = [];
 
     // Load existing features from the board
-    if (this.featureLoader) {
+    if (includeFeatures && this.featureLoader) {
       try {
         const features = await this.featureLoader.getAll(projectPath);
         if (features.length > 0) {
@@ -1492,34 +1590,36 @@ ${contextSection}${existingWorkSection}`;
     }
 
     // Load existing ideas
-    try {
-      const ideas = await this.getIdeas(projectPath);
-      // Filter out archived ideas
-      const activeIdeas = ideas.filter((idea) => idea.status !== 'archived');
+    if (includeIdeas) {
+      try {
+        const ideas = await this.getIdeas(projectPath);
+        // Filter out archived ideas
+        const activeIdeas = ideas.filter((idea) => idea.status !== 'archived');
 
-      if (activeIdeas.length > 0) {
-        parts.push('## Existing Ideas (Do NOT regenerate these)');
-        parts.push(
-          'The following ideas have already been captured. Do NOT suggest similar ideas:\n'
-        );
+        if (activeIdeas.length > 0) {
+          parts.push('## Existing Ideas (Do NOT regenerate these)');
+          parts.push(
+            'The following ideas have already been captured. Do NOT suggest similar ideas:\n'
+          );
 
-        // Group by category for organization
-        const byCategory: Record<string, string[]> = {};
-        for (const idea of activeIdeas) {
-          const cat = idea.category || 'feature';
-          if (!byCategory[cat]) {
-            byCategory[cat] = [];
+          // Group by category for organization
+          const byCategory: Record<string, string[]> = {};
+          for (const idea of activeIdeas) {
+            const cat = idea.category || 'feature';
+            if (!byCategory[cat]) {
+              byCategory[cat] = [];
+            }
+            byCategory[cat].push(idea.title);
           }
-          byCategory[cat].push(idea.title);
-        }
 
-        for (const [category, titles] of Object.entries(byCategory)) {
-          parts.push(`**${category}:** ${titles.join(', ')}`);
+          for (const [category, titles] of Object.entries(byCategory)) {
+            parts.push(`**${category}:** ${titles.join(', ')}`);
+          }
+          parts.push('');
         }
-        parts.push('');
+      } catch (error) {
+        logger.warn('Failed to load existing ideas:', error);
       }
-    } catch (error) {
-      logger.warn('Failed to load existing ideas:', error);
     }
 
     return parts.join('\n');
diff --git a/apps/server/tests/unit/services/ideation-service.test.ts b/apps/server/tests/unit/services/ideation-service.test.ts
index 6b862fa5..1be24cbe 100644
--- a/apps/server/tests/unit/services/ideation-service.test.ts
+++ b/apps/server/tests/unit/services/ideation-service.test.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import type {
 } from '@automaker/types';
 import { ProviderFactory } from '@/providers/provider-factory.js';
 
-// Create a shared mock logger instance for assertions using vi.hoisted
+// Create shared mock instances for assertions using vi.hoisted
 const mockLogger = vi.hoisted(() => ({
   info: vi.fn(),
   error: vi.fn(),
@@ -23,6 +23,13 @@ const mockLogger = vi.hoisted(() => ({
   debug: vi.fn(),
 }));
 
+const mockCreateChatOptions = vi.hoisted(() =>
+  vi.fn(() => ({
+    model: 'claude-sonnet-4-20250514',
+    systemPrompt: 'test prompt',
+  }))
+);
+
 // Mock dependencies
 vi.mock('@/lib/secure-fs.js');
 vi.mock('@automaker/platform');
@@ -37,10 +44,7 @@ vi.mock('@automaker/utils', async () => {
 });
 vi.mock('@/providers/provider-factory.js');
 vi.mock('@/lib/sdk-options.js', () => ({
-  createChatOptions: vi.fn(() => ({
-    model: 'claude-sonnet-4-20250514',
-    systemPrompt: 'test prompt',
-  })),
+  createChatOptions: mockCreateChatOptions,
   validateWorkingDirectory: vi.fn(),
 }));
 
@@ -786,6 +790,143 @@ describe('IdeationService', () => {
           service.generateSuggestions(testProjectPath, 'non-existent', 'features', 5)
         ).rejects.toThrow('Prompt non-existent not found');
       });
+
+      it('should include app spec context when useAppSpec is enabled', async () => {
+        const mockAppSpec = `
+          <project_specification>
+            <project_name>Test Project</project_name>
+            <overview>A test application for unit testing</overview>
+            <core_capabilities>
+              <capability>User authentication</capability>
+              <capability>Data visualization</capability>
+            </core_capabilities>
+            <implemented_features>
+              <feature>
+                <name>Login System</name>
+                <description>Basic auth with email/password</description>
+              </feature>
+            </implemented_features>
+          </project_specification>
+        `;
+
+        vi.mocked(platform.getAppSpecPath).mockReturnValue('/test/project/.automaker/app_spec.txt');
+
+        // First call returns app spec, subsequent calls return empty JSON
+        vi.mocked(secureFs.readFile)
+          .mockResolvedValueOnce(mockAppSpec)
+          .mockResolvedValue(JSON.stringify({}));
+
+        const mockProvider = {
+          executeQuery: vi.fn().mockReturnValue({
+            async *[Symbol.asyncIterator]() {
+              yield {
+                type: 'result',
+                subtype: 'success',
+                result: JSON.stringify([{ title: 'Test', description: 'Test' }]),
+              };
+            },
+          }),
+        };
+        vi.mocked(ProviderFactory.getProviderForModel).mockReturnValue(mockProvider as any);
+
+        const prompts = service.getAllPrompts();
+        await service.generateSuggestions(testProjectPath, prompts[0].id, 'feature', 5, {
+          useAppSpec: true,
+          useContextFiles: false,
+          useMemoryFiles: false,
+          useExistingFeatures: false,
+          useExistingIdeas: false,
+        });
+
+        // Verify createChatOptions was called with systemPrompt containing app spec info
+        expect(mockCreateChatOptions).toHaveBeenCalled();
+        const chatOptionsCall = mockCreateChatOptions.mock.calls[0][0];
+        expect(chatOptionsCall.systemPrompt).toContain('Test Project');
+        expect(chatOptionsCall.systemPrompt).toContain('A test application for unit testing');
+        expect(chatOptionsCall.systemPrompt).toContain('User authentication');
+        expect(chatOptionsCall.systemPrompt).toContain('Login System');
+      });
+
+      it('should exclude app spec context when useAppSpec is disabled', async () => {
+        const mockAppSpec = `
+          <project_specification>
+            <project_name>Hidden Project</project_name>
+            <overview>This should not appear</overview>
+          </project_specification>
+        `;
+
+        vi.mocked(platform.getAppSpecPath).mockReturnValue('/test/project/.automaker/app_spec.txt');
+        vi.mocked(secureFs.readFile).mockResolvedValue(mockAppSpec);
+
+        const mockProvider = {
+          executeQuery: vi.fn().mockReturnValue({
+            async *[Symbol.asyncIterator]() {
+              yield {
+                type: 'result',
+                subtype: 'success',
+                result: JSON.stringify([{ title: 'Test', description: 'Test' }]),
+              };
+            },
+          }),
+        };
+        vi.mocked(ProviderFactory.getProviderForModel).mockReturnValue(mockProvider as any);
+
+        const prompts = service.getAllPrompts();
+        await service.generateSuggestions(testProjectPath, prompts[0].id, 'feature', 5, {
+          useAppSpec: false,
+          useContextFiles: false,
+          useMemoryFiles: false,
+          useExistingFeatures: false,
+          useExistingIdeas: false,
+        });
+
+        // Verify createChatOptions was called with systemPrompt NOT containing app spec info
+        expect(mockCreateChatOptions).toHaveBeenCalled();
+        const chatOptionsCall = mockCreateChatOptions.mock.calls[0][0];
+        expect(chatOptionsCall.systemPrompt).not.toContain('Hidden Project');
+        expect(chatOptionsCall.systemPrompt).not.toContain('This should not appear');
+      });
+
+      it('should handle missing app spec file gracefully', async () => {
+        vi.mocked(platform.getAppSpecPath).mockReturnValue('/test/project/.automaker/app_spec.txt');
+
+        const enoentError = new Error('ENOENT: no such file or directory') as NodeJS.ErrnoException;
+        enoentError.code = 'ENOENT';
+
+        // First call fails with ENOENT for app spec, subsequent calls return empty JSON
+        vi.mocked(secureFs.readFile)
+          .mockRejectedValueOnce(enoentError)
+          .mockResolvedValue(JSON.stringify({}));
+
+        const mockProvider = {
+          executeQuery: vi.fn().mockReturnValue({
+            async *[Symbol.asyncIterator]() {
+              yield {
+                type: 'result',
+                subtype: 'success',
+                result: JSON.stringify([{ title: 'Test', description: 'Test' }]),
+              };
+            },
+          }),
+        };
+        vi.mocked(ProviderFactory.getProviderForModel).mockReturnValue(mockProvider as any);
+
+        const prompts = service.getAllPrompts();
+
+        // Should not throw
+        await expect(
+          service.generateSuggestions(testProjectPath, prompts[0].id, 'feature', 5, {
+            useAppSpec: true,
+            useContextFiles: false,
+            useMemoryFiles: false,
+            useExistingFeatures: false,
+            useExistingIdeas: false,
+          })
+        ).resolves.toBeDefined();
+
+        // Should not log warning for ENOENT
+        expect(mockLogger.warn).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      });
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/apps/ui/package.json b/apps/ui/package.json
index 49087048..32e2ebbd 100644
--- a/apps/ui/package.json
+++ b/apps/ui/package.json
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@
     "sonner": "2.0.7",
     "tailwind-merge": "3.4.0",
     "usehooks-ts": "3.1.1",
+    "zod": "^3.24.1 || ^4.0.0",
     "zustand": "5.0.9"
   },
   "optionalDependencies": {
diff --git a/apps/ui/src/components/views/board-view/worktree-panel/hooks/use-worktrees.ts b/apps/ui/src/components/views/board-view/worktree-panel/hooks/use-worktrees.ts
index 6a3276ec..ab3a87d0 100644
--- a/apps/ui/src/components/views/board-view/worktree-panel/hooks/use-worktrees.ts
+++ b/apps/ui/src/components/views/board-view/worktree-panel/hooks/use-worktrees.ts
@@ -95,12 +95,20 @@ export function useWorktrees({
   );
 
   // fetchWorktrees for backward compatibility - now just triggers a refetch
-  const fetchWorktrees = useCallback(async () => {
-    await queryClient.invalidateQueries({
-      queryKey: queryKeys.worktrees.all(projectPath),
-    });
-    return refetch();
-  }, [projectPath, queryClient, refetch]);
+  // The silent option is accepted but not used (React Query handles loading states)
+  // Returns removed worktrees array if any were detected, undefined otherwise
+  const fetchWorktrees = useCallback(
+    async (_options?: {
+      silent?: boolean;
+    }): Promise<Array<{ path: string; branch: string }> | undefined> => {
+      await queryClient.invalidateQueries({
+        queryKey: queryKeys.worktrees.all(projectPath),
+      });
+      const result = await refetch();
+      return result.data?.removedWorktrees;
+    },
+    [projectPath, queryClient, refetch]
+  );
 
   const currentWorktreePath = currentWorktree?.path ?? null;
   const selectedWorktree = currentWorktreePath
diff --git a/apps/ui/src/components/views/board-view/worktree-panel/worktree-panel.tsx b/apps/ui/src/components/views/board-view/worktree-panel/worktree-panel.tsx
index b1e800fe..6d376ea5 100644
--- a/apps/ui/src/components/views/board-view/worktree-panel/worktree-panel.tsx
+++ b/apps/ui/src/components/views/board-view/worktree-panel/worktree-panel.tsx
@@ -383,13 +383,13 @@ export function WorktreePanel({
 
   const isMobile = useIsMobile();
 
-  // Periodic interval check (5 seconds) to detect branch changes on disk
-  // Reduced from 1s to 5s to minimize GPU/CPU usage from frequent re-renders
+  // Periodic interval check (30 seconds) to detect branch changes on disk
+  // Reduced polling to lessen repeated worktree list calls while keeping UI reasonably fresh
   const intervalRef = useRef<NodeJS.Timeout | null>(null);
   useEffect(() => {
     intervalRef.current = setInterval(() => {
       fetchWorktrees({ silent: true });
-    }, 5000);
+    }, 30000);
 
     return () => {
       if (intervalRef.current) {
diff --git a/apps/ui/src/components/views/ideation-view/components/ideation-settings-popover.tsx b/apps/ui/src/components/views/ideation-view/components/ideation-settings-popover.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ac365051
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/ui/src/components/views/ideation-view/components/ideation-settings-popover.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+/**
+ * IdeationSettingsPopover - Configure context sources for idea generation
+ */
+
+import { useMemo } from 'react';
+import { Popover, PopoverContent, PopoverTrigger } from '@/components/ui/popover';
+import { Label } from '@/components/ui/label';
+import { Switch } from '@/components/ui/switch';
+import { Settings2, FileText, Brain, LayoutGrid, Lightbulb, ScrollText } from 'lucide-react';
+import { useShallow } from 'zustand/react/shallow';
+import { useIdeationStore } from '@/store/ideation-store';
+import { DEFAULT_IDEATION_CONTEXT_SOURCES, type IdeationContextSources } from '@automaker/types';
+
+interface IdeationSettingsPopoverProps {
+  projectPath: string;
+}
+
+const IDEATION_CONTEXT_OPTIONS: Array<{
+  key: keyof IdeationContextSources;
+  label: string;
+  description: string;
+  icon: typeof FileText;
+}> = [
+  {
+    key: 'useAppSpec',
+    label: 'App Specification',
+    description: 'Overview, capabilities, features',
+    icon: ScrollText,
+  },
+  {
+    key: 'useContextFiles',
+    label: 'Context Files',
+    description: '.automaker/context/*.md|.txt',
+    icon: FileText,
+  },
+  {
+    key: 'useMemoryFiles',
+    label: 'Memory Files',
+    description: '.automaker/memory/*.md',
+    icon: Brain,
+  },
+  {
+    key: 'useExistingFeatures',
+    label: 'Existing Features',
+    description: 'Board features list',
+    icon: LayoutGrid,
+  },
+  {
+    key: 'useExistingIdeas',
+    label: 'Existing Ideas',
+    description: 'Ideation ideas list',
+    icon: Lightbulb,
+  },
+];
+
+/**
+ * Renders a settings popover to toggle per-project ideation context sources.
+ * Merges defaults with stored overrides and persists changes via the ideation store.
+ */
+export function IdeationSettingsPopover({ projectPath }: IdeationSettingsPopoverProps) {
+  const { projectOverrides, setContextSource } = useIdeationStore(
+    useShallow((state) => ({
+      projectOverrides: state.contextSourcesByProject[projectPath],
+      setContextSource: state.setContextSource,
+    }))
+  );
+  const contextSources = useMemo(
+    () => ({ ...DEFAULT_IDEATION_CONTEXT_SOURCES, ...projectOverrides }),
+    [projectOverrides]
+  );
+
+  return (
+    <Popover>
+      <PopoverTrigger asChild>
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          className="p-1 border rounded hover:bg-accent/50 transition-colors"
+          title="Generation Settings"
+          aria-label="Generation settings"
+          data-testid="ideation-context-settings-button"
+        >
+          <Settings2 className="w-4 h-4 text-muted-foreground" />
+        </button>
+      </PopoverTrigger>
+      <PopoverContent className="w-80" align="end" sideOffset={8}>
+        <div className="space-y-3">
+          <div>
+            <h4 className="font-medium text-sm mb-1">Generation Settings</h4>
+            <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+              Configure which context sources are included when generating ideas.
+            </p>
+          </div>
+
+          <div className="space-y-2">
+            {IDEATION_CONTEXT_OPTIONS.map((option) => {
+              const Icon = option.icon;
+              return (
+                <div
+                  key={option.key}
+                  className="flex items-center justify-between gap-3 p-2 rounded-md bg-secondary/50"
+                >
+                  <div className="flex items-center gap-2 flex-1 min-w-0">
+                    <Icon className="w-4 h-4 text-brand-500 shrink-0" />
+                    <div className="min-w-0">
+                      <Label
+                        htmlFor={`ideation-context-toggle-${option.key}`}
+                        className="text-xs font-medium cursor-pointer block"
+                      >
+                        {option.label}
+                      </Label>
+                      <span className="text-[10px] text-muted-foreground truncate block">
+                        {option.description}
+                      </span>
+                    </div>
+                  </div>
+                  <Switch
+                    id={`ideation-context-toggle-${option.key}`}
+                    checked={contextSources[option.key]}
+                    onCheckedChange={(checked) =>
+                      setContextSource(projectPath, option.key, checked)
+                    }
+                    data-testid={`ideation-context-toggle-${option.key}`}
+                  />
+                </div>
+              );
+            })}
+          </div>
+
+          <p className="text-[10px] text-muted-foreground leading-relaxed">
+            Disable sources to generate more focused ideas or reduce context size.
+          </p>
+        </div>
+      </PopoverContent>
+    </Popover>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/apps/ui/src/components/views/ideation-view/index.tsx b/apps/ui/src/components/views/ideation-view/index.tsx
index 50cbd8d3..ec2e251c 100644
--- a/apps/ui/src/components/views/ideation-view/index.tsx
+++ b/apps/ui/src/components/views/ideation-view/index.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import { useGuidedPrompts } from '@/hooks/use-guided-prompts';
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
 import { ArrowLeft, ChevronRight, Lightbulb, CheckCheck, Trash2 } from 'lucide-react';
 import { Spinner } from '@/components/ui/spinner';
+import { IdeationSettingsPopover } from './components/ideation-settings-popover';
 import type { IdeaCategory } from '@automaker/types';
 import type { IdeationMode } from '@/store/ideation-store';
 
@@ -61,7 +62,10 @@ function IdeationBreadcrumbs({
   );
 }
 
-// Header shown on all pages - matches other view headers
+/**
+ * Header component for the ideation view with navigation, bulk actions, and settings.
+ * Displays breadcrumbs, accept/discard all buttons, and the generate ideas button with settings popover.
+ */
 function IdeationHeader({
   currentMode,
   selectedCategory,
@@ -75,6 +79,7 @@ function IdeationHeader({
   discardAllReady,
   discardAllCount,
   onDiscardAll,
+  projectPath,
 }: {
   currentMode: IdeationMode;
   selectedCategory: IdeaCategory | null;
@@ -88,6 +93,7 @@ function IdeationHeader({
   discardAllReady: boolean;
   discardAllCount: number;
   onDiscardAll: () => void;
+  projectPath: string;
 }) {
   const { getCategoryById } = useGuidedPrompts();
   const showBackButton = currentMode === 'prompts';
@@ -157,15 +163,23 @@ function IdeationHeader({
             Accept All ({acceptAllCount})
           </Button>
         )}
-        <Button onClick={onGenerateIdeas} className="gap-2">
-          <Lightbulb className="w-4 h-4" />
-          Generate Ideas
-        </Button>
+        <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
+          <Button onClick={onGenerateIdeas} className="gap-2">
+            <Lightbulb className="w-4 h-4" />
+            Generate Ideas
+          </Button>
+          <IdeationSettingsPopover projectPath={projectPath} />
+        </div>
       </div>
     </div>
   );
 }
 
+/**
+ * Main view for brainstorming and idea management.
+ * Provides a dashboard for reviewing generated ideas and a prompt selection flow
+ * for generating new ideas using AI-powered suggestions.
+ */
 export function IdeationView() {
   const currentProject = useAppStore((s) => s.currentProject);
   const { currentMode, selectedCategory, setMode, setCategory } = useIdeationStore();
@@ -282,6 +296,7 @@ export function IdeationView() {
         discardAllReady={discardAllReady}
         discardAllCount={discardAllCount}
         onDiscardAll={handleDiscardAll}
+        projectPath={currentProject.path}
       />
 
       {/* Dashboard - main view */}
diff --git a/apps/ui/src/components/views/project-settings-view/project-models-section.tsx b/apps/ui/src/components/views/project-settings-view/project-models-section.tsx
index 5102d243..1a150500 100644
--- a/apps/ui/src/components/views/project-settings-view/project-models-section.tsx
+++ b/apps/ui/src/components/views/project-settings-view/project-models-section.tsx
@@ -104,7 +104,10 @@ function FeatureDefaultModelOverrideSection({ project }: { project: Project }) {
   const hasOverride = !!projectOverride;
   const effectiveValue = projectOverride || globalValue;
 
-  // Get display name for a model
+  /**
+   * Formats a user-friendly model label using provider metadata when available,
+   * falling back to known Claude aliases or the raw model id.
+   */
   const getModelDisplayName = (entry: PhaseModelEntry): string => {
     if (entry.providerId) {
       const provider = (claudeCompatibleProviders || []).find((p) => p.id === entry.providerId);
@@ -127,10 +130,16 @@ function FeatureDefaultModelOverrideSection({ project }: { project: Project }) {
     return modelMap[entry.model] || entry.model;
   };
 
+  /**
+   * Clears the project-level model override for this scope.
+   */
   const handleClearOverride = () => {
     setProjectDefaultFeatureModel(project.id, null);
   };
 
+  /**
+   * Sets the project-level model override for this scope.
+   */
   const handleSetOverride = (entry: PhaseModelEntry) => {
     setProjectDefaultFeatureModel(project.id, entry);
   };
@@ -209,6 +218,10 @@ function FeatureDefaultModelOverrideSection({ project }: { project: Project }) {
   );
 }
 
+/**
+ * Renders a single phase override row, showing the effective model
+ * (project override or global default) and wiring selector/reset actions.
+ */
 function PhaseOverrideItem({
   phase,
   project,
@@ -225,7 +238,10 @@ function PhaseOverrideItem({
   const hasOverride = !!projectOverride;
   const effectiveValue = projectOverride || globalValue;
 
-  // Get display name for a model
+  /**
+   * Formats a user-friendly model label using provider metadata when available,
+   * falling back to known Claude aliases or the raw model id.
+   */
   const getModelDisplayName = (entry: PhaseModelEntry): string => {
     if (entry.providerId) {
       const provider = (claudeCompatibleProviders || []).find((p) => p.id === entry.providerId);
@@ -248,10 +264,16 @@ function PhaseOverrideItem({
     return modelMap[entry.model] || entry.model;
   };
 
+  /**
+   * Clears the project-level model override for this scope.
+   */
   const handleClearOverride = () => {
     setProjectPhaseModelOverride(project.id, phase.key, null);
   };
 
+  /**
+   * Sets the project-level model override for this scope.
+   */
   const handleSetOverride = (entry: PhaseModelEntry) => {
     setProjectPhaseModelOverride(project.id, phase.key, entry);
   };
@@ -315,6 +337,10 @@ function PhaseOverrideItem({
   );
 }
 
+/**
+ * Renders a titled group of phase override rows and resolves each phase's
+ * global default model with a fallback to DEFAULT_PHASE_MODELS.
+ */
 function PhaseGroup({
   title,
   subtitle,
@@ -350,9 +376,11 @@ function PhaseGroup({
   );
 }
 
+/**
+ * Renders the per-project model overrides UI for all phase models.
+ */
 export function ProjectModelsSection({ project }: ProjectModelsSectionProps) {
-  const { clearAllProjectPhaseModelOverrides, disabledProviders, claudeCompatibleProviders } =
-    useAppStore();
+  const { clearAllProjectPhaseModelOverrides, claudeCompatibleProviders } = useAppStore();
   const [showBulkReplace, setShowBulkReplace] = useState(false);
 
   // Count how many overrides are set (including defaultFeatureModel)
@@ -360,25 +388,13 @@ export function ProjectModelsSection({ project }: ProjectModelsSectionProps) {
   const hasDefaultFeatureModelOverride = !!project.defaultFeatureModel;
   const overrideCount = phaseOverrideCount + (hasDefaultFeatureModelOverride ? 1 : 0);
 
-  // Check if Claude is available
-  const isClaudeDisabled = disabledProviders.includes('claude');
-
   // Check if there are any enabled ClaudeCompatibleProviders
   const hasEnabledProviders =
     claudeCompatibleProviders && claudeCompatibleProviders.some((p) => p.enabled !== false);
 
-  if (isClaudeDisabled) {
-    return (
-      <div className="text-center py-12 text-muted-foreground">
-        <Workflow className="w-12 h-12 mx-auto mb-3 opacity-50" />
-        <p className="text-sm">Claude not configured</p>
-        <p className="text-xs mt-1">
-          Enable Claude in global settings to configure per-project model overrides.
-        </p>
-      </div>
-    );
-  }
-
+  /**
+   * Clears all project-level phase model overrides for this project.
+   */
   const handleClearAll = () => {
     clearAllProjectPhaseModelOverrides(project.id);
   };
diff --git a/apps/ui/src/hooks/mutations/use-ideation-mutations.ts b/apps/ui/src/hooks/mutations/use-ideation-mutations.ts
index 2c81b3ee..10cdfab7 100644
--- a/apps/ui/src/hooks/mutations/use-ideation-mutations.ts
+++ b/apps/ui/src/hooks/mutations/use-ideation-mutations.ts
@@ -68,7 +68,16 @@ export function useGenerateIdeationSuggestions(projectPath: string) {
         throw new Error('Ideation API not available');
       }
 
-      const result = await api.ideation.generateSuggestions(projectPath, promptId, category);
+      // Get context sources from store
+      const contextSources = useIdeationStore.getState().getContextSources(projectPath);
+
+      const result = await api.ideation.generateSuggestions(
+        projectPath,
+        promptId,
+        category,
+        undefined, // count - use default
+        contextSources
+      );
 
       if (!result.success) {
         throw new Error(result.error || 'Failed to generate suggestions');
diff --git a/apps/ui/src/lib/electron.ts b/apps/ui/src/lib/electron.ts
index b2065b2b..812def33 100644
--- a/apps/ui/src/lib/electron.ts
+++ b/apps/ui/src/lib/electron.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import type {
   CreateIdeaInput,
   UpdateIdeaInput,
   ConvertToFeatureOptions,
+  IdeationContextSources,
 } from '@automaker/types';
 import { DEFAULT_MAX_CONCURRENCY } from '@automaker/types';
 import { getJSON, setJSON, removeItem } from './storage';
@@ -114,7 +115,8 @@ export interface IdeationAPI {
     projectPath: string,
     promptId: string,
     category: IdeaCategory,
-    count?: number
+    count?: number,
+    contextSources?: IdeationContextSources
   ) => Promise<{ success: boolean; suggestions?: AnalysisSuggestion[]; error?: string }>;
 
   // Convert to feature
diff --git a/apps/ui/src/lib/http-api-client.ts b/apps/ui/src/lib/http-api-client.ts
index 1ef03fee..c78a8642 100644
--- a/apps/ui/src/lib/http-api-client.ts
+++ b/apps/ui/src/lib/http-api-client.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import type {
   NotificationsAPI,
   EventHistoryAPI,
 } from './electron';
+import type { IdeationContextSources } from '@automaker/types';
 import type { EventHistoryFilter } from '@automaker/types';
 import type { Message, SessionListItem } from '@/types/electron';
 import type { Feature, ClaudeUsageResponse, CodexUsageResponse } from '@/store/app-store';
@@ -2739,9 +2740,16 @@ export class HttpApiClient implements ElectronAPI {
       projectPath: string,
       promptId: string,
       category: IdeaCategory,
-      count?: number
+      count?: number,
+      contextSources?: IdeationContextSources
     ) =>
-      this.post('/api/ideation/suggestions/generate', { projectPath, promptId, category, count }),
+      this.post('/api/ideation/suggestions/generate', {
+        projectPath,
+        promptId,
+        category,
+        count,
+        contextSources,
+      }),
 
     convertToFeature: (projectPath: string, ideaId: string, options?: ConvertToFeatureOptions) =>
       this.post('/api/ideation/convert', { projectPath, ideaId, ...options }),
diff --git a/apps/ui/src/store/ideation-store.ts b/apps/ui/src/store/ideation-store.ts
index fd292299..9e4f135b 100644
--- a/apps/ui/src/store/ideation-store.ts
+++ b/apps/ui/src/store/ideation-store.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@ import type {
   IdeationPrompt,
   AnalysisSuggestion,
   ProjectAnalysisResult,
+  IdeationContextSources,
 } from '@automaker/types';
+import { DEFAULT_IDEATION_CONTEXT_SOURCES } from '@automaker/types';
 
 // ============================================================================
 // Generation Job Types
@@ -61,6 +63,9 @@ interface IdeationState {
   currentMode: IdeationMode;
   selectedCategory: IdeaCategory | null;
   filterStatus: IdeaStatus | 'all';
+
+  // Context sources per project
+  contextSourcesByProject: Record<string, Partial<IdeationContextSources>>;
 }
 
 // ============================================================================
@@ -110,6 +115,21 @@ interface IdeationActions {
   setCategory: (category: IdeaCategory | null) => void;
   setFilterStatus: (status: IdeaStatus | 'all') => void;
 
+  // Context sources
+  /**
+   * Returns the effective context-source settings for a project,
+   * merging defaults with any stored overrides.
+   */
+  getContextSources: (projectPath: string) => IdeationContextSources;
+  /**
+   * Updates a single context-source flag for a project.
+   */
+  setContextSource: (
+    projectPath: string,
+    key: keyof IdeationContextSources,
+    value: boolean
+  ) => void;
+
   // Reset
   reset: () => void;
   resetSuggestions: () => void;
@@ -135,6 +155,7 @@ const initialState: IdeationState = {
   currentMode: 'dashboard',
   selectedCategory: null,
   filterStatus: 'all',
+  contextSourcesByProject: {},
 };
 
 // ============================================================================
@@ -300,6 +321,24 @@ export const useIdeationStore = create<IdeationState & IdeationActions>()(
 
       setFilterStatus: (status) => set({ filterStatus: status }),
 
+      // Context sources
+      getContextSources: (projectPath) => {
+        const state = get();
+        const projectOverrides = state.contextSourcesByProject[projectPath] ?? {};
+        return { ...DEFAULT_IDEATION_CONTEXT_SOURCES, ...projectOverrides };
+      },
+
+      setContextSource: (projectPath, key, value) =>
+        set((state) => ({
+          contextSourcesByProject: {
+            ...state.contextSourcesByProject,
+            [projectPath]: {
+              ...state.contextSourcesByProject[projectPath],
+              [key]: value,
+            },
+          },
+        })),
+
       // Reset
       reset: () => set(initialState),
 
@@ -313,13 +352,14 @@ export const useIdeationStore = create<IdeationState & IdeationActions>()(
     }),
     {
       name: 'automaker-ideation-store',
-      version: 4,
+      version: 5,
       partialize: (state) => ({
         // Only persist these fields
         ideas: state.ideas,
         generationJobs: state.generationJobs,
         analysisResult: state.analysisResult,
         filterStatus: state.filterStatus,
+        contextSourcesByProject: state.contextSourcesByProject,
       }),
       migrate: (persistedState: unknown, version: number) => {
         const state = persistedState as Record<string, unknown>;
@@ -331,6 +371,13 @@ export const useIdeationStore = create<IdeationState & IdeationActions>()(
             generationJobs: jobs.filter((job) => job.projectPath !== undefined),
           };
         }
+        if (version < 5) {
+          // Initialize contextSourcesByProject if not present
+          return {
+            ...state,
+            contextSourcesByProject: state.contextSourcesByProject ?? {},
+          };
+        }
         return state;
       },
     }
diff --git a/libs/types/src/ideation.ts b/libs/types/src/ideation.ts
index c1c80903..be2c5228 100644
--- a/libs/types/src/ideation.ts
+++ b/libs/types/src/ideation.ts
@@ -228,3 +228,35 @@ export interface IdeationAnalysisEvent {
   result?: ProjectAnalysisResult;
   error?: string;
 }
+
+// ============================================================================
+// Context Sources Configuration
+// ============================================================================
+
+/**
+ * Configuration for which context sources to include when generating ideas.
+ * All values default to true for backward compatibility.
+ */
+export interface IdeationContextSources {
+  /** Include .automaker/context/*.md|.txt files */
+  useContextFiles: boolean;
+  /** Include .automaker/memory/*.md files */
+  useMemoryFiles: boolean;
+  /** Include existing features from the board */
+  useExistingFeatures: boolean;
+  /** Include existing ideas from ideation */
+  useExistingIdeas: boolean;
+  /** Include app specification (.automaker/app_spec.txt) */
+  useAppSpec: boolean;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Default context sources configuration - all enabled for backward compatibility
+ */
+export const DEFAULT_IDEATION_CONTEXT_SOURCES: IdeationContextSources = {
+  useContextFiles: true,
+  useMemoryFiles: true,
+  useExistingFeatures: true,
+  useExistingIdeas: true,
+  useAppSpec: true,
+};
diff --git a/libs/types/src/index.ts b/libs/types/src/index.ts
index 4f0d48e9..d6d305fe 100644
--- a/libs/types/src/index.ts
+++ b/libs/types/src/index.ts
@@ -328,7 +328,9 @@ export type {
   IdeationEventType,
   IdeationStreamEvent,
   IdeationAnalysisEvent,
+  IdeationContextSources,
 } from './ideation.js';
+export { DEFAULT_IDEATION_CONTEXT_SOURCES } from './ideation.js';
 
 // Notification types
 export type { NotificationType, Notification, NotificationsFile } from './notification.js';
diff --git a/libs/utils/src/context-loader.ts b/libs/utils/src/context-loader.ts
index 3a981990..9f68e23b 100644
--- a/libs/utils/src/context-loader.ts
+++ b/libs/utils/src/context-loader.ts
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ export interface LoadContextFilesOptions {
   projectPath: string;
   /** Optional custom secure fs module (for dependency injection) */
   fsModule?: ContextFsModule;
+  /** Whether to include context files from .automaker/context/ (default: true) */
+  includeContextFiles?: boolean;
   /** Whether to include memory files from .automaker/memory/ (default: true) */
   includeMemory?: boolean;
   /** Whether to initialize memory folder if it doesn't exist (default: true) */
@@ -210,6 +212,7 @@ export async function loadContextFiles(
   const {
     projectPath,
     fsModule = secureFs,
+    includeContextFiles = true,
     includeMemory = true,
     initializeMemory = true,
     taskContext,
@@ -220,42 +223,44 @@ export async function loadContextFiles(
   const files: ContextFileInfo[] = [];
   const memoryFiles: MemoryFileInfo[] = [];
 
-  // Load context files
-  try {
-    // Check if directory exists
-    await fsModule.access(contextDir);
+  // Load context files if enabled
+  if (includeContextFiles) {
+    try {
+      // Check if directory exists
+      await fsModule.access(contextDir);
 
-    // Read directory contents
-    const allFiles = await fsModule.readdir(contextDir);
+      // Read directory contents
+      const allFiles = await fsModule.readdir(contextDir);
 
-    // Filter for text-based context files (case-insensitive for cross-platform)
-    const textFiles = allFiles.filter((f) => {
-      const lower = f.toLowerCase();
-      return (lower.endsWith('.md') || lower.endsWith('.txt')) && f !== 'context-metadata.json';
-    });
+      // Filter for text-based context files (case-insensitive for cross-platform)
+      const textFiles = allFiles.filter((f) => {
+        const lower = f.toLowerCase();
+        return (lower.endsWith('.md') || lower.endsWith('.txt')) && f !== 'context-metadata.json';
+      });
 
-    if (textFiles.length > 0) {
-      // Load metadata for descriptions
-      const metadata = await loadContextMetadata(contextDir, fsModule);
+      if (textFiles.length > 0) {
+        // Load metadata for descriptions
+        const metadata = await loadContextMetadata(contextDir, fsModule);
 
-      // Load each file with its content and metadata
-      for (const fileName of textFiles) {
-        const filePath = path.join(contextDir, fileName);
-        try {
-          const content = await fsModule.readFile(filePath, 'utf-8');
-          files.push({
-            name: fileName,
-            path: filePath,
-            content: content as string,
-            description: metadata.files[fileName]?.description,
-          });
-        } catch (error) {
-          console.warn(`[ContextLoader] Failed to read context file ${fileName}:`, error);
+        // Load each file with its content and metadata
+        for (const fileName of textFiles) {
+          const filePath = path.join(contextDir, fileName);
+          try {
+            const content = await fsModule.readFile(filePath, 'utf-8');
+            files.push({
+              name: fileName,
+              path: filePath,
+              content: content as string,
+              description: metadata.files[fileName]?.description,
+            });
+          } catch (error) {
+            console.warn(`[ContextLoader] Failed to read context file ${fileName}:`, error);
+          }
         }
       }
+    } catch {
+      // Context directory doesn't exist or is inaccessible - that's fine
     }
-  } catch {
-    // Context directory doesn't exist or is inaccessible - that's fine
   }
 
   // Load memory files if enabled (with smart selection)