fix: address code review findings from crossfire review

Review surfaced 10 findings across 5 independent sources (3 Claude
specialists + Codex + Gemini). Key changes:

- Fix incorrect CLI syntax in base_prompt.md (missing --channel flag,
  positional arg that should be named) and stale nest_agents.md reference
- Apply line-start validation to END_MARKER in find_managed_markers,
  matching the BEGIN_MARKER contract documented in the function comment
- Extract prepend_base_prompt helper to deduplicate [Base] injection
  across format_prompt, dispatch_heartbeat, and initial_message paths
- Move base_prompt_file read from main.rs panic to Config::from_cli
  with proper ConfigError propagation and 1 MB size guard
- Extract try_regenerate_nest helper to consolidate 11 identical
  error-handling blocks across command files
- Sanitize relay_url before AGENTS.md injection (strip CR/LF)
- Fix greedy newline strip in strip_orphan_begin_marker
- Add doc comments for PromptContext.base_prompt lifetime constraint

Author: wpfleger96

crates/sprout-acp/src/base_prompt.md

@@ -26,12 +26,12 @@ MCP tools (via `sprout-mcp`) are also available but the CLI is preferred for bat
 
 - Address agents and humans with plain `@name` — do NOT bold or italicize mention text (formatting prevents alert delivery).
 - Use `sprout messages thread` or MCP `get_thread()` when responding in-thread; post new messages for new topics.
-- No push notifications — poll with `sprout messages get --since=<unix_ts>` or MCP `get_messages(since=<ts>)`. When `since` is set without `before`, results are oldest-first (chronological).
+- No push notifications — poll with `sprout messages get --channel <UUID> --since <ts>` or MCP `get_messages(channel_id, since=<ts>)`. When `since` is set without `before`, results are oldest-first (chronological).
 
 ## Startup Recovery
 
 1. `sprout feed get` (or MCP `get_feed()`) — surface pending mentions and action items. Filter by type: `mentions`, `needs_action`, `activity`, `agent_activity`.
-2. `sprout messages get <channel_id>` on assigned channels — catch up on recent history.
+2. `sprout messages get --channel <UUID>` on assigned channels — catch up on recent history.
 3. Check `AGENTS.md` in your working directory for team context.
 4. Check `RESEARCH/`, `GUIDES/`, `PLANS/` before searching externally. Use `sprout messages search --query "..."` for cross-channel keyword lookups.
 
@@ -49,4 +49,4 @@ Your persistent workspace is in your working directory:
 | `REPOS/` | Checked-out source repositories |
 | `.scratch/` | Ephemeral working files |
 
-Knowledge files use `ALL_CAPS_WITH_UNDERSCORES.md` naming. `AGENTS.md` lists active agents and roles. See `nest_agents.md` in your working directory for full workspace conventions.
+Knowledge files use `ALL_CAPS_WITH_UNDERSCORES.md` naming. `AGENTS.md` lists active agents and roles. See `AGENTS.md` in your working directory for full workspace conventions.

crates/sprout-acp/src/config.rs

@@ -448,8 +448,10 @@ pub struct Config {
     pub agent_owner: Option<String>,
     /// Disable the [Base] platform-context section prepended to every prompt.
     pub no_base_prompt: bool,
-    /// Path to a custom base prompt file that overrides the compiled-in default.
-    pub base_prompt_file: Option<PathBuf>,
+    /// Resolved content from `--base-prompt-file`, read and validated in
+    /// `from_cli()`. `None` when using the compiled-in default or when
+    /// `--no-base-prompt` is set.
+    pub base_prompt_content: Option<String>,
 }
 
 /// Validate and deduplicate allowlist entries: each must be exactly 64 hex chars.
@@ -579,6 +581,22 @@ impl Config {
             None
         };
 
+        let base_prompt_content = if args.no_base_prompt {
+            None
+        } else if let Some(ref path) = args.base_prompt_file {
+            let content = std::fs::read_to_string(path)?;
+            if content.len() > 1_048_576 {
+                return Err(ConfigError::ConfigFile(format!(
+                    "base prompt file {} exceeds 1 MB limit ({} bytes)",
+                    path.display(),
+                    content.len()
+                )));
+            }
+            Some(content)
+        } else {
+            None
+        };
+
         if matches!(args.subscribe, SubscribeMode::Config) {
             if args.kinds.is_some() {
                 tracing::warn!("--kinds is ignored in config mode");
@@ -787,7 +805,7 @@ impl Config {
             relay_observer: args.relay_observer,
             agent_owner: args.agent_owner.map(|s| s.trim().to_ascii_lowercase()),
             no_base_prompt: args.no_base_prompt,
-            base_prompt_file: args.base_prompt_file,
+            base_prompt_content,
         };
 
         Ok(config)
@@ -1150,7 +1168,7 @@ mod tests {
             relay_observer: false,
             agent_owner: None,
             no_base_prompt: false,
-            base_prompt_file: None,
+            base_prompt_content: None,
         }
     }
 

crates/sprout-acp/src/lib.rs

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ use pool::{
     AgentPool, CancelMode, OwnedAgent, PromptContext, PromptOutcome, PromptResult, PromptSource,
     SessionState,
 };
-use queue::{EventQueue, QueuedEvent, ThreadTags};
+use queue::{prepend_base_prompt, EventQueue, QueuedEvent, ThreadTags};
 use relay::{HarnessRelay, RelayEventPublisher};
 use sprout_core::kind::{
     KIND_MEMBER_ADDED_NOTIFICATION, KIND_MEMBER_REMOVED_NOTIFICATION, KIND_STREAM_MESSAGE,
@@ -792,7 +792,7 @@ async fn tokio_main() -> Result<()> {
         .compact()
         .init();
 
-    let config = Config::from_cli().map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("configuration error: {e}"))?;
+    let mut config = Config::from_cli().map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("configuration error: {e}"))?;
     tracing::info!("sprout-acp starting: {}", config.summary());
 
     let observer = config
@@ -1067,6 +1067,7 @@ async fn tokio_main() -> Result<()> {
     let dedup_mode = config.dedup_mode;
     let mut queue = EventQueue::new(dedup_mode);
 
+    let base_prompt_content = config.base_prompt_content.take();
     let ctx = Arc::new(PromptContext {
         mcp_servers: build_mcp_servers(&config),
         initial_message: config.initial_message.clone(),
@@ -1076,10 +1077,7 @@ async fn tokio_main() -> Result<()> {
         system_prompt: config.system_prompt.clone(),
         base_prompt: if config.no_base_prompt {
             None
-        } else if let Some(ref path) = config.base_prompt_file {
-            let content = std::fs::read_to_string(path).unwrap_or_else(|e| {
-                panic!("failed to read base prompt file {}: {e}", path.display())
-            });
+        } else if let Some(content) = base_prompt_content {
             Some(Box::leak(content.into_boxed_str()))
         } else {
             Some(include_str!("base_prompt.md"))
@@ -2273,7 +2271,7 @@ fn dispatch_heartbeat(
         .clone()
         .unwrap_or_else(default_heartbeat_prompt);
     let prompt_text = match ctx.base_prompt {
-        Some(bp) => format!("[Base]\n{}\n\n{prompt_text}", bp.trim_end()),
+        Some(bp) => prepend_base_prompt(bp, &prompt_text),
         None => prompt_text,
     };
     let result_tx = pool.result_tx();
@@ -2770,7 +2768,7 @@ mod build_mcp_servers_tests {
             relay_observer: false,
             agent_owner: None,
             no_base_prompt: false,
-            base_prompt_file: None,
+            base_prompt_content: None,
         }
     }
 

crates/sprout-acp/src/pool.rs

@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ use crate::acp::{
 use crate::config::{DedupMode, PermissionMode};
 use crate::observer;
 use crate::queue::{
-    ContextMessage, ConversationContext, FlushBatch, PromptChannelInfo, PromptProfile,
-    PromptProfileLookup,
+    prepend_base_prompt, ContextMessage, ConversationContext, FlushBatch, PromptChannelInfo,
+    PromptProfile, PromptProfileLookup,
 };
 use crate::relay::{ChannelInfo, RestClient};
 
@@ -187,6 +187,12 @@ pub struct PromptContext {
     pub dedup_mode: DedupMode,
     pub system_prompt: Option<String>,
     pub heartbeat_prompt: Option<String>,
+    /// Base prompt content, or `None` if `--no-base-prompt` was passed.
+    ///
+    /// `'static` because `PromptContext` is `Arc`-shared across async tasks.
+    /// Content from `--base-prompt-file` is promoted via `Box::leak` in `main.rs`
+    /// after validated file read in `Config::from_cli()`. The compiled-in default
+    /// (`include_str!`) is inherently `'static`.
     pub base_prompt: Option<&'static str>,
     pub cwd: String,
     /// REST client for pre-prompt context fetches (thread/DM history).
@@ -749,7 +755,7 @@ pub async fn run_prompt_task(
             );
             // Prepend base prompt to initial_message for platform orientation.
             let init_msg = match ctx.base_prompt {
-                Some(bp) => format!("[Base]\n{}\n\n{initial_msg}", bp.trim_end()),
+                Some(bp) => prepend_base_prompt(bp, initial_msg),
                 None => initial_msg.to_string(),
             };
             let init_result = agent

crates/sprout-acp/src/queue.rs

@@ -952,6 +952,15 @@ pub struct FormatPromptArgs<'a> {
     pub profile_lookup: Option<&'a PromptProfileLookup>,
 }
 
+/// Prepend the `[Base]` platform-context section to a prompt body.
+///
+/// Used by the heartbeat and initial-message paths so the `[Base]` format
+/// is defined in exactly one place. (`format_prompt` uses a sections-vec
+/// approach instead, but the resulting `[Base]\n{content}` format is identical.)
+pub fn prepend_base_prompt(base: &str, body: &str) -> String {
+    format!("[Base]\n{}\n\n{body}", base.trim_end())
+}
+
 /// Format a [`FlushBatch`] into a prompt string for the agent.
 ///
 /// Produces a stable prompt with these sections (in order):

desktop/src-tauri/src/commands/agent_models.rs

@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@ use crate::{
     managed_agents::{
         build_managed_agent_summary, default_agent_workdir, find_managed_agent_mut,
         load_managed_agents, managed_agent_avatar_url, missing_command_message,
-        normalize_agent_args, regenerate_nest_context, resolve_command, save_managed_agents,
-        sync_managed_agent_processes, AgentModelInfo, AgentModelsResponse,
-        UpdateManagedAgentRequest, UpdateManagedAgentResponse,
+        normalize_agent_args, resolve_command, save_managed_agents, sync_managed_agent_processes,
+        try_regenerate_nest, AgentModelInfo, AgentModelsResponse, UpdateManagedAgentRequest,
+        UpdateManagedAgentResponse,
     },
     relay::{relay_ws_url_with_override, sync_managed_agent_profile},
     util::now_iso,
@@ -247,9 +247,7 @@ pub async fn update_managed_agent(
         (summary, sync_params)
     }; // lock dropped here
 
-    if let Err(error) = regenerate_nest_context(&app) {
-        eprintln!("sprout-desktop: nest context regeneration failed: {error}");
-    }
+    try_regenerate_nest(&app);
 
     // Phase 2: relay profile sync (async, best-effort, outside lock)
     let profile_sync_error =

desktop/src-tauri/src/commands/agents.rs

@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@ use crate::{
         build_managed_agent_summary, discover_provider_candidates, ensure_persona_is_active,
         find_managed_agent_mut, invoke_provider, load_managed_agents, load_personas,
         managed_agent_avatar_url, managed_agent_log_path, managed_agents_base_dir,
-        normalize_agent_args, provider_deploy, read_log_tail, regenerate_nest_context,
-        resolve_provider_binary, save_managed_agents, start_managed_agent_process,
-        stop_managed_agent_process, sync_managed_agent_processes, validate_provider_config,
-        BackendKind, BackendProviderInfo, CreateManagedAgentRequest, CreateManagedAgentResponse,
+        normalize_agent_args, provider_deploy, read_log_tail, resolve_provider_binary,
+        save_managed_agents, start_managed_agent_process, stop_managed_agent_process,
+        sync_managed_agent_processes, try_regenerate_nest, validate_provider_config, BackendKind,
+        BackendProviderInfo, CreateManagedAgentRequest, CreateManagedAgentResponse,
         ManagedAgentLogResponse, ManagedAgentRecord, ManagedAgentSummary, DEFAULT_ACP_COMMAND,
         DEFAULT_AGENT_COMMAND, DEFAULT_AGENT_PARALLELISM, DEFAULT_AGENT_TURN_TIMEOUT_SECONDS,
         DEFAULT_MCP_COMMAND,
@@ -454,9 +454,7 @@ pub async fn create_managed_agent(
         (agent, spawn_error)
     };
 
-    if let Err(error) = regenerate_nest_context(&app) {
-        eprintln!("sprout-desktop: nest context regeneration failed: {error}");
-    }
+    try_regenerate_nest(&app);
 
     // ── Phase 4: sync agent profile on relay (async, outside lock) ───────────
     let avatar_url = input
@@ -722,9 +720,7 @@ pub fn delete_managed_agent(
         }
         save_managed_agents(&app, &records)?;
     }
-    if let Err(error) = regenerate_nest_context(&app) {
-        eprintln!("sprout-desktop: nest context regeneration failed: {error}");
-    }
+    try_regenerate_nest(&app);
     Ok(())
 }
 

desktop/src-tauri/src/commands/personas.rs

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use crate::{
     managed_agents::{
         encode_persona_json, import_persona_pack, list_installed_packs, load_managed_agents,
         load_personas, load_teams, parse_json_persona, parse_md_persona, parse_png_persona,
-        parse_zip_personas, regenerate_nest_context, save_managed_agents, save_personas,
+        parse_zip_personas, save_managed_agents, save_personas, try_regenerate_nest,
         uninstall_persona_pack as do_uninstall_persona_pack, validate_persona_activation_change,
         validate_persona_deletion, CreatePersonaRequest, PackSummary, ParsePersonaFilesResult,
         PersonaRecord, UpdatePersonaRequest,
@@ -85,9 +85,7 @@ pub fn create_persona(
     };
     personas.push(persona.clone());
     save_personas(&app, &personas)?;
-    if let Err(error) = regenerate_nest_context(&app) {
-        eprintln!("sprout-desktop: nest context regeneration failed: {error}");
-    }
+    try_regenerate_nest(&app);
     Ok(persona)
 }
 
@@ -138,9 +136,7 @@ pub fn update_persona(
         .into_iter()
         .find(|record| record.id == input.id)
         .ok_or_else(|| format!("persona {} disappeared unexpectedly", input.id))?;
-    if let Err(error) = regenerate_nest_context(&app) {
-        eprintln!("sprout-desktop: nest context regeneration failed: {error}");
-    }
+    try_regenerate_nest(&app);
     Ok(result)
 }
 
@@ -186,9 +182,7 @@ pub fn delete_persona(
     if changed_agents {
         save_managed_agents(&app, &agents)?;
     }
-    if let Err(error) = regenerate_nest_context(&app) {
-        eprintln!("sprout-desktop: nest context regeneration failed: {error}");
-    }
+    try_regenerate_nest(&app);
 
     Ok(())
 }
@@ -237,9 +231,7 @@ pub fn set_persona_active(
 
     let updated = persona.clone();
     save_personas(&app, &personas)?;
-    if let Err(error) = regenerate_nest_context(&app) {
-        eprintln!("sprout-desktop: nest context regeneration failed: {error}");
-    }
+    try_regenerate_nest(&app);
     Ok(updated)
 }
 
@@ -394,9 +386,7 @@ pub fn install_persona_pack(
         return Err(format!("pack path is not a directory: {path}"));
     }
     let result = import_persona_pack(&app, &source)?;
-    if let Err(error) = regenerate_nest_context(&app) {
-        eprintln!("sprout-desktop: nest context regeneration failed: {error}");
-    }
+    try_regenerate_nest(&app);
     Ok(result)
 }
 
@@ -411,9 +401,7 @@ pub fn uninstall_persona_pack(
         .lock()
         .map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
     do_uninstall_persona_pack(&app, &pack_id)?;
-    if let Err(error) = regenerate_nest_context(&app) {
-        eprintln!("sprout-desktop: nest context regeneration failed: {error}");
-    }
+    try_regenerate_nest(&app);
     Ok(())
 }
 

desktop/src-tauri/src/commands/workspace.rs

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ use serde::Serialize;
 use tauri::{AppHandle, State};
 
 use crate::app_state::AppState;
-use crate::managed_agents::regenerate_nest_context;
+use crate::managed_agents::try_regenerate_nest;
 use crate::relay;
 
 #[derive(Serialize)]
@@ -53,11 +53,7 @@ pub fn apply_workspace(
         *keys_guard = keys;
     }
 
-    if let Err(error) = regenerate_nest_context(&app) {
-        eprintln!(
-            "sprout-desktop: failed to regenerate nest context after workspace switch: {error}"
-        );
-    }
+    try_regenerate_nest(&app);
 
     Ok(())
 }

desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs

@@ -24,9 +24,9 @@ use huddle::{
     speak_agent_message, start_huddle, start_stt_pipeline,
 };
 use managed_agents::{
-    ensure_nest, kill_stale_tracked_processes, load_managed_agents, regenerate_nest_context,
+    ensure_nest, kill_stale_tracked_processes, load_managed_agents,
     restore_managed_agents_on_launch, save_managed_agents, sync_managed_agent_processes,
-    BackendKind, ManagedAgentProcess,
+    try_regenerate_nest, BackendKind, ManagedAgentProcess,
 };
 use std::sync::{
     atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering},
@@ -393,9 +393,7 @@ pub fn run() {
                 eprintln!("sprout-desktop: failed to create nest: {error}");
             }
 
-            if let Err(error) = regenerate_nest_context(&app_handle) {
-                eprintln!("sprout-desktop: failed to regenerate nest context: {error}");
-            }
+            try_regenerate_nest(&app_handle);
 
             // Pre-download voice models in the background so they're ready
             // when the user starts their first huddle. Idempotent — no-op if