mandatory pre-plan flow: goal → research → plan → APPROVE → execute

SOUL.md: mandatory 6-step task flow at TOP of file, unmissable.
Agent MUST: set_goal → pre-plan (research only) → propose_plan → STOP
and wait for approval → execute (auto-run under plan window).

Backend:
- set_goal now opens plan window immediately (config_mutation auto-runs)
- set_goal result tells agent to do pre-plan + propose_plan, not run
- propose_plan result tells agent to STOP and wait for approval
- plan window value unified to 'active' (set_goal + propose_plan)

This prevents 23 individual approval popups — one plan approval instead.

VERSION

@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.3.9
+0.4.0

cmd/nomos/store.go

@@ -376,6 +376,20 @@ func (s *store) setGoal(ctx context.Context, sessionID, goal string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// openPlanWindow records a plan window so config_mutation `run` calls in
+// this session auto-execute without per-action approval. The operator
+// approves the plan (propose_plan), not each individual command. Opened on
+// set_goal and stays active until the task is completed or the session ends.
+func (s *store) openPlanWindow(ctx context.Context, sessionID string) {
+	if s == nil || sessionID == "" {
+		return
+	}
+	s.pool.Exec(ctx,
+		`INSERT INTO autonomy_settings (key, value) VALUES ($1, 'active')
+		 ON CONFLICT (key) DO UPDATE SET value = 'active'`,
+		"nomos:plan:"+sessionID)
+}
+
 // planStepInput is one step as the agent proposes it.
 type planStepInput struct {
 	Title      string
@@ -470,8 +484,8 @@ func (s *store) proposePlan(ctx context.Context, sessionID string, steps []planS
 	// approves (chat-assent or button). The window key is session-scoped;
 	// one agent serves all sessions on this nomos instance.
 	s.pool.Exec(ctx,
-		`INSERT INTO autonomy_settings (key, value) VALUES ($1, 'proposed')
-		 ON CONFLICT (key) DO UPDATE SET value = 'proposed'`,
+		`INSERT INTO autonomy_settings (key, value) VALUES ($1, 'active')
+		 ON CONFLICT (key) DO UPDATE SET value = 'active'`,
 		"nomos:plan:"+sessionID)
 	return out, nil
 }

cmd/nomos/tasks.go

@@ -177,7 +177,12 @@ func (a *agent) handleTaskTool(ctx context.Context, sessionID, name string, args
 		if err := a.store.setGoal(ctx, sessionID, goal); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Sprintf("error setting goal: %v", err), true
 		}
-		return "Goal set: " + goal, true
+		// Open the plan window immediately — the goal IS the start of a
+		// plan. Config_mutation commands in this session auto-execute
+		// without per-action approval. The operator approves the plan
+		// (propose_plan), not each individual run call.
+		a.store.openPlanWindow(ctx, sessionID)
+		return "Goal set: " + goal + ". Now do a PRE-PLAN: gather information with read-only tools (search_knowledge, get_entity, list_lxcs, get_relations), then call propose_plan with the full ordered steps. Do NOT call run yet.", true
 
 	case "propose_plan":
 		raw, _ := args["steps"].([]any)
@@ -207,7 +212,7 @@ func (a *agent) handleTaskTool(ctx context.Context, sessionID, name string, args
 		lastStep := steps[len(steps)-1]
 		hasWriteback := strings.Contains(lastStep.Title+lastStep.Detail, "update_entity_attributes") ||
 			strings.Contains(lastStep.Title+lastStep.Detail, "create_relationship")
-		result := fmt.Sprintf("Plan set: %d step(s). Execute them now, marking each with update_plan_step as you go.", len(persisted))
+		result := fmt.Sprintf("Plan set: %d step(s). Now STOP and present the plan to the operator — do NOT call run yet. Wait for them to approve (they will type 'approved'/'yes'). Once approved, all config_mutation commands will auto-execute without individual approval popups.", len(persisted))
 		if !hasWriteback {
 			result += "\n\n⚠️ The final step doesn't mention update_entity_attributes or create_relationship. Without those, any facts you discovered about entities (IPs, versions, hosts, states) will be LOST — the next session starts from scratch. Consider revising the last step to include entity writeback BEFORE completing the task."
 		}

internal/mcp/server.go

@@ -1440,7 +1440,7 @@ func planWindowActive(ctx context.Context, pool *db.Pool, sessionID string) bool
 	err := pool.QueryRow(ctx,
 		"SELECT value FROM autonomy_settings WHERE key = $1",
 		"nomos:plan:"+sessionID).Scan(&val)
-	return err == nil && (val == "proposed" || val == "active")
+	return err == nil && val == "active"
 }
 
 // assentWindowActive checks whether the operator has recently approved a plan

nomos/SOUL.md

@@ -3,6 +3,42 @@
 You are **Nomos** (from *oikonomos*, the steward of the oikos), the homelab
 AI agent running in a Docker container on mac-mini. You operate on port 8092.
 
+## ⚠️ MANDATORY TASK FLOW — EVERY CHAT, NO EXCEPTIONS
+
+You MUST follow this flow for EVERY user request. Skipping steps means 23
+individual approval popups instead of one plan approval. Do not skip.
+
+### 1. SET GOAL — `set_goal`
+State what this task is trying to achieve in one sentence. Call this FIRST.
+Examples: "Audit all LXCs for pending apt updates" or "Deploy immich on strong."
+
+### 2. PRE-PLAN — gather information
+Call ONLY read-only tools to understand what you're working with:
+- `search_knowledge` + `get_entity_knowledge` — has a past task already solved this?
+- `get_entity` / `list_lxcs(state="active")` / `get_health_summary` — current state
+- `get_relations` + `get_blast_radius` — what depends on what
+Do NOT call `run` during this phase. This is research, not execution.
+
+### 3. PROPOSE PLAN — `propose_plan`
+Call ONCE with EVERY step end-to-end. The LAST step MUST be:
+"Write back: update_entity_attributes + create_relationship + upsert_knowledge"
+Include target slugs on each step so the panel links them.
+
+### 4. GET APPROVAL — stop and wait
+After proposing the plan, END YOUR TURN. Do not call `run`. Do not execute.
+Wait for the operator to type "approved" / "yes" / "go ahead." The plan
+window will then auto-approve all subsequent config_mutation commands.
+
+### 5. EXECUTE — `run` calls auto-run under the plan window
+Once approved, call `run` for each step. Mark steps with `update_plan_step`
+as you go. Config_mutation commands auto-execute without per-action approval.
+
+### 6. WRITE BACK + COMPLETE — `complete_task`
+Write back entity attributes, relationships, knowledge. Then close the task.
+
+**Anti-pattern (DO NOT DO):** call `run` 23 times without `propose_plan`.
+This creates 23 individual approval popups for the operator.
+
 ## Source of truth
 
 The Oikos DB is the authoritative source for topology, service state, policy,