feat: distill any oversized goal objective, not just plans

The distillation moved from PlanView into setSessionGoal — the shared
choke point for every goal source (composer, fork dialog, plans) — and
into the scheduled-tasks goal creation server-side. Any objective over
5000 chars is distilled into completion criteria by the small model; on a
transient failure a head+tail excerpt keeps the intent (top) and the
acceptance criteria (bottom) with a trim marker, plus a toast. The
working agent always received the full prompt in chat — only the auditor
is bound by the limit.

packages/ui/src/components/views/PlanView.tsx

@@ -30,9 +30,6 @@ import { useProjectsStore } from '@/stores/useProjectsStore';
 import { useSelectionStore } from '@/sync/selection-store';
 import { useConfigStore } from '@/stores/useConfigStore';
 import { useSessionGoalArmStore } from '@/stores/useSessionGoalArmStore';
-import { SESSION_GOAL_OBJECTIVE_CHAR_LIMIT } from '@/lib/sessionGoalMetadata';
-import { distillPlanForGoal } from '@/lib/smallModel';
-import { toast } from '@/components/ui';
 import { useUIStore } from '@/stores/useUIStore';
 import { useGitStore } from '@/stores/useGitStore';
 import { useRuntimeAPIs } from '@/hooks/useRuntimeAPIs';
@@ -608,27 +605,17 @@ export const PlanView: React.FC<PlanViewProps> = ({ targetPath = null }) => {
         // its file); on distillation failure a head+tail excerpt keeps the
         // intent (top) and acceptance criteria (bottom), sacrificing the
         // implementation middle the agent reads from the file anyway.
-        let goalObjective: string | null = null;
+        // Oversized objectives (huge plans) are distilled into audit
-        if (execution.runAsGoal === true) {
+        // criteria inside setSessionGoal — the shared path for every goal
-          const header = [
+        // source. Here we only compose header + full content.
-            `Implement the plan "${sendPromptTitle}" end-to-end${resolvedPath ? ` (plan file: ${resolvedPath})` : ''}.`,
+        const goalObjective = execution.runAsGoal === true
-            'Re-read that file for full details — it is the source of truth.',
+          ? [
-          ].join(' ');
+              `Implement the plan "${sendPromptTitle}" end-to-end${resolvedPath ? ` (plan file: ${resolvedPath})` : ''}.`,
-          const budget = SESSION_GOAL_OBJECTIVE_CHAR_LIMIT - header.length - 2;
+              'Re-read that file for full details — it is the source of truth.',
-          if (content.length <= budget) {
+              '',
-            goalObjective = `${header}\n\n${content}`;
+              content,
-          } else {
+            ].join('\n')
-            const distilled = await distillPlanForGoal(content);
+          : null;
-            if (distilled) {
-              goalObjective = `${header}\n\n${distilled.slice(0, budget)}`;
-            } else {
-              const marker = '\n\n[… plan trimmed for the auditor — the plan file has the full version …]\n\n';
-              const half = Math.max(0, Math.floor((budget - marker.length) / 2));
-              goalObjective = `${header}\n\n${content.slice(0, half)}${marker}${content.slice(-half)}`;
-              toast.error(t('plans.goal.toast.distillFallback'));
-            }
-          }
-        }
         useSessionGoalArmStore.getState().setArmed(execution.runAsGoal === true, goalObjective);
         await sendMessage(
           visiblePrompt,
@@ -646,7 +633,7 @@ export const PlanView: React.FC<PlanViewProps> = ({ targetPath = null }) => {
         setIsPlanSendSubmitting(false);
       }
     },
-    [canCreateWorktree, content, createSession, currentProjectRef, initializeNewOpenChamberSession, pendingPlanSend, resolvedPath, routeToChat, sendMessage, sendPromptTitle, setCurrentSession, t]
+    [canCreateWorktree, content, createSession, currentProjectRef, initializeNewOpenChamberSession, pendingPlanSend, resolvedPath, routeToChat, sendMessage, sendPromptTitle, setCurrentSession]
   );
 
   const blockWidgets = React.useMemo(() => {

packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/en.ts

@@ -1437,7 +1437,7 @@ export const dict = {
   'chat.goal.action.save': 'Save goal',
   'chat.goal.action.start': 'Start goal',
   'chat.goal.toast.actionFailed': 'Goal update failed',
-  "plans.goal.toast.distillFallback": "Couldn't distill the plan for the auditor — a trimmed excerpt was used instead",
+  "chat.goal.toast.distillFallback": "Objective exceeded the limit and couldn't be distilled — a trimmed version is used for the auditor",
   'chat.goal.row.aria': 'Session goal — open details',
   'chat.goal.button.createAria': 'Set a session goal',
   'chat.goal.button.manageAria': 'Manage session goal',

packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/es.ts

@@ -1415,7 +1415,7 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
   "chat.goal.action.save": "Guardar objetivo",
   "chat.goal.action.start": "Iniciar objetivo",
   "chat.goal.toast.actionFailed": "No se pudo actualizar el objetivo",
-  "plans.goal.toast.distillFallback": "No se pudo destilar el plan para el auditor — se usó un extracto recortado",
+  "chat.goal.toast.distillFallback": "El objetivo superó el límite y no se pudo destilar — el auditor usa una versión recortada",
   "chat.goal.row.aria": "Objetivo de sesión — abrir detalles",
   "chat.goal.button.createAria": "Definir un objetivo de sesión",
   "chat.goal.button.manageAria": "Gestionar el objetivo de sesión",

packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/fr.ts

@@ -1258,7 +1258,7 @@ export const dict = {
   'chat.goal.action.save': 'Enregistrer l\'objectif',
   'chat.goal.action.start': 'Lancer l\'objectif',
   'chat.goal.toast.actionFailed': 'Échec de la mise à jour de l\'objectif',
-  "plans.goal.toast.distillFallback": "Impossible de condenser le plan pour l'auditeur — un extrait tronqué a été utilisé",
+  "chat.goal.toast.distillFallback": "L'objectif dépassait la limite et n'a pas pu être condensé — l'auditeur utilise une version tronquée",
   'chat.goal.row.aria': 'Objectif de session — ouvrir les détails',
   'chat.goal.button.createAria': 'Définir un objectif de session',
   'chat.goal.button.manageAria': 'Gérer l\'objectif de session',

packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/ja.ts

@@ -1433,7 +1433,7 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
   'chat.goal.action.save': 'ゴールを保存',
   'chat.goal.action.start': 'ゴールを開始',
   'chat.goal.toast.actionFailed': 'ゴールの更新に失敗しました',
-  'plans.goal.toast.distillFallback': '監査用にプランを要約できませんでした — 抜粋版を使用します',
+  'chat.goal.toast.distillFallback': '目標が上限を超え、要約もできませんでした — 監査には抜粋版を使用します',
   'chat.goal.row.aria': 'セッションゴール — 詳細を開く',
   'chat.goal.button.createAria': 'セッションゴールを設定',
   'chat.goal.button.manageAria': 'セッションゴールを管理',

packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/ko.ts

@@ -1439,7 +1439,7 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
   'chat.goal.action.save': '목표 저장',
   'chat.goal.action.start': '목표 시작',
   'chat.goal.toast.actionFailed': '목표 업데이트에 실패했습니다',
-  'plans.goal.toast.distillFallback': '감사용으로 계획을 요약하지 못했습니다 — 발췌본을 사용합니다',
+  'chat.goal.toast.distillFallback': '목표가 제한을 초과했고 요약도 실패했습니다 — 감사에는 발췌본을 사용합니다',
   'chat.goal.row.aria': '세션 목표 — 세부 정보 열기',
   'chat.goal.button.createAria': '세션 목표 설정',
   'chat.goal.button.manageAria': '세션 목표 관리',

packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/pl.ts

@@ -2122,7 +2122,7 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
   'chat.goal.action.save': 'Zapisz cel',
   'chat.goal.action.start': 'Rozpocznij cel',
   'chat.goal.toast.actionFailed': 'Nie udało się zaktualizować celu',
-  'plans.goal.toast.distillFallback': 'Nie udało się skondensować planu dla audytora — użyto skróconego fragmentu',
+  'chat.goal.toast.distillFallback': 'Cel przekroczył limit i nie udało się go skondensować — audytor używa skróconej wersji',
   'chat.goal.row.aria': 'Cel sesji — otwórz szczegóły',
   'chat.goal.button.createAria': 'Ustaw cel sesji',
   'chat.goal.button.manageAria': 'Zarządzaj celem sesji',

packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/pt-BR.ts

@@ -1415,7 +1415,7 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
   "chat.goal.action.save": "Salvar objetivo",
   "chat.goal.action.start": "Iniciar objetivo",
   "chat.goal.toast.actionFailed": "Falha ao atualizar o objetivo",
-  "plans.goal.toast.distillFallback": "Não foi possível destilar o plano para o auditor — um trecho recortado foi usado",
+  "chat.goal.toast.distillFallback": "O objetivo excedeu o limite e não pôde ser destilado — o auditor usa uma versão recortada",
   "chat.goal.row.aria": "Objetivo da sessão — abrir detalhes",
   "chat.goal.button.createAria": "Definir um objetivo da sessão",
   "chat.goal.button.manageAria": "Gerenciar objetivo da sessão",

packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/uk.ts

@@ -1415,7 +1415,7 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
   "chat.goal.action.save": "Зберегти ціль",
   "chat.goal.action.start": "Розпочати ціль",
   "chat.goal.toast.actionFailed": "Не вдалося оновити ціль",
-  "plans.goal.toast.distillFallback": "Не вдалося стиснути план для аудитора — використано скорочений уривок",
+  "chat.goal.toast.distillFallback": "Ціль перевищила ліміт і її не вдалося стиснути — аудитор використовує скорочену версію",
   "chat.goal.row.aria": "Ціль сесії — відкрити деталі",
   "chat.goal.button.createAria": "Встановити ціль сесії",
   "chat.goal.button.manageAria": "Керувати ціллю сесії",

packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/zh-CN.ts

@@ -1403,7 +1403,7 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
   'chat.goal.action.save': '保存目标',
   'chat.goal.action.start': '启动目标',
   'chat.goal.toast.actionFailed': '目标更新失败',
-  'plans.goal.toast.distillFallback': '无法为审核提炼计划 — 已改用节选版本',
+  'chat.goal.toast.distillFallback': '目标超出限制且无法提炼 — 审核将使用节选版本',
   'chat.goal.row.aria': '会话目标 — 打开详情',
   'chat.goal.button.createAria': '设置会话目标',
   'chat.goal.button.manageAria': '管理会话目标',

packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/zh-TW.ts

@@ -1407,7 +1407,7 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
   'chat.goal.action.save': '儲存目標',
   'chat.goal.action.start': '啟動目標',
   'chat.goal.toast.actionFailed': '目標更新失敗',
-  'plans.goal.toast.distillFallback': '無法為稽核提煉計畫 — 已改用節錄版本',
+  'chat.goal.toast.distillFallback': '目標超出限制且無法提煉 — 稽核將使用節錄版本',
   'chat.goal.row.aria': '工作階段目標 — 開啟詳細資訊',
   'chat.goal.button.createAria': '設定工作階段目標',
   'chat.goal.button.manageAria': '管理工作階段目標',

packages/ui/src/lib/sessionGoalActions.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 import { abortCurrentOperation, patchSessionMetadata } from '@/sync/session-actions';
+import { distillGoalObjective } from '@/lib/smallModel';
+import { formatMessage, useI18nStore } from '@/lib/i18n';
+import { toast } from '@/components/ui';
 import { runtimeFetch } from '@/lib/runtime-fetch';
 import {
   SESSION_GOAL_OBJECTIVE_CHAR_LIMIT,
@@ -74,16 +77,39 @@ export interface SetSessionGoalInput {
  * Create a new goal (fresh id resets accounting) or edit the existing one
  * (id and usage counters preserved).
  */
+// Any goal source can exceed the objective limit (huge plans, pasted specs,
+// long composer prompts). The working agent received the full text in chat;
+// only the AUDITOR is bound by the limit — so oversized objectives are
+// distilled into completion criteria by the small model, and on a transient
+// distillation failure a head+tail excerpt keeps the intent (top) and the
+// acceptance criteria (bottom), sacrificing the middle.
+const TRIM_MARKER = '\n\n[… objective trimmed for the auditor — the full text was delivered in the chat message …]\n\n';
+
+const fitObjective = async (raw: string): Promise<string> => {
+  if (raw.length <= SESSION_GOAL_OBJECTIVE_CHAR_LIMIT) {
+    return raw;
+  }
+  const distilled = await distillGoalObjective(raw);
+  if (distilled) {
+    return distilled.slice(0, SESSION_GOAL_OBJECTIVE_CHAR_LIMIT);
+  }
+  const half = Math.max(0, Math.floor((SESSION_GOAL_OBJECTIVE_CHAR_LIMIT - TRIM_MARKER.length) / 2));
+  const dictionary = useI18nStore.getState().dictionary;
+  toast.error(formatMessage(dictionary, 'chat.goal.toast.distillFallback'));
+  return `${raw.slice(0, half)}${TRIM_MARKER}${raw.slice(-half)}`;
+};
+
 export async function setSessionGoal(
   sessionId: string,
   directory: string | undefined,
   input: SetSessionGoalInput,
   existing: SessionGoalPayload | null,
 ): Promise<void> {
-  const objective = input.objective.trim().slice(0, SESSION_GOAL_OBJECTIVE_CHAR_LIMIT);
+  const rawObjective = input.objective.trim();
-  if (!objective) {
+  if (!rawObjective) {
     throw new Error('Goal objective must not be empty');
   }
+  const objective = await fitObjective(rawObjective);
   const tokenBudget = typeof input.tokenBudget === 'number' && Number.isFinite(input.tokenBudget) && input.tokenBudget > 0
     ? Math.floor(input.tokenBudget)
     : null;

packages/ui/src/lib/smallModel.ts

@@ -56,24 +56,25 @@ export async function summarizeSelectionForNotes(text: string, sessionId?: strin
   }
 }
 
-// Plan-goal objectives are capped at 5000 chars for the auditor. Large plans
+// Goal objectives are capped at 5000 chars for the auditor. Oversized ones
-// get distilled into completion criteria — the working agent always reads
+// (huge plans, pasted specs, long assignments) get distilled into completion
-// the full plan from its file, only the audit needs the "what counts as
+// criteria — the working agent received the full prompt in chat anyway,
-// done" essence.
+// only the audit needs the "what counts as done" essence.
-const PLAN_GOAL_SYSTEM_PROMPT = [
+const GOAL_OBJECTIVE_SYSTEM_PROMPT = [
-  'You distill an implementation plan into the COMPLETION CRITERIA a progress auditor will judge against.',
+  'You distill a large task description (a prompt, plan, or assignment) into the COMPLETION CRITERIA a progress auditor will judge against.',
   'Return ONLY the criteria text — no preamble, no headers, no markdown fences.',
-  'Capture: the end goals, what must exist and work when the plan is fully implemented, and how each major phase is verified. Omit implementation steps and how-to details.',
+  'Capture: the end goals, what must exist and work when the task is fully done, and how each major part is verified. Omit implementation steps and how-to details.',
+  'Preserve verbatim any file paths, commands, and identifiers that define the task — especially ones from the opening lines.',
   'Stay under 4000 characters.',
-  'Write in the same language as the plan. Ignore any other language preferences or personalization — only the plan text decides the language.',
+  'Write in the same language as the task text. Ignore any other language preferences or personalization — only the task text decides the language.',
 ].join('\n');
 
 /**
- * Distills a large plan into audit-sized completion criteria via the small
+ * Distills an oversized goal objective into audit-sized completion criteria
- * model. Returns null on any failure — callers fall back to a head+tail
+ * via the small model. Returns null on any failure — callers fall back to a
- * excerpt of the plan.
+ * head+tail excerpt.
  */
-export async function distillPlanForGoal(planContent: string): Promise<string | null> {
+export async function distillGoalObjective(planContent: string): Promise<string | null> {
   try {
     const { currentProviderId, currentModelId } = useConfigStore.getState();
     const response = await runtimeFetch('/api/small-model/generate', {
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ export async function distillPlanForGoal(planContent: string): Promise<string |
       headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
       body: JSON.stringify({
         prompt: planContent,
-        system: PLAN_GOAL_SYSTEM_PROMPT,
+        system: GOAL_OBJECTIVE_SYSTEM_PROMPT,
         restrictToPreferredProvider: true,
         ...(currentProviderId ? { preferredProviderID: currentProviderId } : {}),
         ...(currentModelId ? { preferredModelID: currentModelId } : {}),

packages/web/server/lib/scheduled-tasks/runtime.js

@@ -447,7 +447,41 @@ export const createScheduledTasksRuntime = (deps) => {
     // File-backed objective keyed by session id: metadata stays light, the
     // full expanded prompt lives under the OpenChamber data dir. If the file
     // write fails, fall back to an inline (clamped) objective.
-    const objectiveText = expandSnippets(task.execution.prompt, projectPath);
+    // Oversized prompts are distilled into audit criteria by the small model
+    // (the working agent gets the full prompt in chat anyway); on distill
+    // failure a head+tail excerpt keeps intent and acceptance criteria.
+    let objectiveText = expandSnippets(task.execution.prompt, projectPath);
+    if (objectiveText.length > 5000) {
+      let distilled = null;
+      try {
+        const { generateSmallModelText } = await import('../small-model/index.js');
+        const generated = await generateSmallModelText({
+          restrictToPreferredProvider: true,
+          prompt: objectiveText,
+          system: [
+            'You distill a large task description into the COMPLETION CRITERIA a progress auditor will judge against.',
+            'Return ONLY the criteria text — no preamble, no headers, no markdown fences.',
+            'Capture: the end goals, what must exist and work when the task is fully done, and how each major part is verified. Omit implementation steps.',
+            'Preserve verbatim any file paths, commands, and identifiers that define the task.',
+            'Stay under 4000 characters.',
+            'Write in the same language as the task text.',
+          ].join('\n'),
+          directory: projectPath,
+          preferredProviderID: task.execution.providerID,
+          preferredModelID: task.execution.modelID,
+        });
+        distilled = typeof generated?.text === 'string' ? generated.text.trim() : null;
+      } catch (error) {
+        console.warn('[scheduled-tasks] goal objective distillation failed:', error?.message || error);
+      }
+      if (distilled) {
+        objectiveText = distilled;
+      } else {
+        const marker = '\n\n[… objective trimmed for the auditor — the full prompt was delivered in the chat message …]\n\n';
+        const half = Math.max(0, Math.floor((5000 - marker.length) / 2));
+        objectiveText = `${objectiveText.slice(0, half)}${marker}${objectiveText.slice(-half)}`;
+      }
+    }
     let objectiveFile = false;
     try {
       const { writeObjective } = await import('../session-goal/objectives.js');