Cap mention auto-replies at 15 comments / 30m; escalate floods to Mira.

Human mentions always reply; agent→agent uses a decide gate; over the limit Kaya asks Mira to bring a human.

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

internal/inference/core.go

@@ -53,6 +53,11 @@ func (r *CoreRunner) RunAgent(ctx context.Context, req RunRequest) (RunResult, e
 		msgs = append(msgs, &corepb.StatelessMessage{Role: m.Role, Content: m.Content})
 	}
 
+	format := corepb.AgentOutputFormat_AGENT_OUTPUT_FORMAT_TEXT
+	if req.JSONSchema != "" {
+		format = corepb.AgentOutputFormat_AGENT_OUTPUT_FORMAT_JSON_SCHEMA
+	}
+
 	toolsEnabled := req.ToolsEnabled
 	maxIters := uint32(1)
 	maxCalls := uint32(0)
@@ -72,7 +77,9 @@ func (r *CoreRunner) RunAgent(ctx context.Context, req RunRequest) (RunResult, e
 			TotalTimeoutSeconds: req.TimeoutSeconds,
 		},
 		ResponseContract: &corepb.AgentResponseContract{
-			Format: corepb.AgentOutputFormat_AGENT_OUTPUT_FORMAT_TEXT,
+			Format:              format,
+			JsonSchema:          req.JSONSchema,
+			RepairInvalidOutput: req.Repair,
 		},
 		RequestId:        req.RequestID,
 		IdempotencyKey:   req.IdempotencyKey,

internal/inference/types.go

@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ type RunRequest struct {
 	AgentID        string
 	RequestID      string
 	IdempotencyKey string
+	JSONSchema     string
+	Repair         bool
 	TimeoutSeconds uint32
 	Metadata       map[string]string
 	ToolsEnabled   bool

internal/tasksboard/loop.go

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package tasksboard
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"log/slog"
 	"strings"
@@ -13,7 +14,13 @@ import (
 	"l-ai-agent-kaya/internal/tasksws"
 )
 
-const agentID = "kaya"
+const (
+	agentID = "kaya"
+
+	floodMaxComments = 15
+	floodWindow      = 30 * time.Minute
+	floodMarker      = "[tasks-flood]"
+)
 
 // Loop listens to Tasks board WS and replies to @kaya mentions.
 type Loop struct {
@@ -26,9 +33,9 @@ type Loop struct {
 	ResponseTimeout time.Duration
 	Log             *slog.Logger
 
-	mu     sync.Mutex
-	seen   map[string]struct{}
-	seenQ  []string
+	mu      sync.Mutex
+	seen    map[string]struct{}
+	seenQ   []string
 	maxSeen int
 }
 
@@ -82,7 +89,7 @@ func (l *Loop) handle(ctx context.Context, ev tasksws.Event) error {
 	}
 
 	taskID := ev.Task.ID
-	l.log().Info("mention reply", "comment_id", commentID, "task_id", taskID, "author", ev.Comment.AuthorID)
+	l.log().Info("mention reply", "comment_id", commentID, "task_id", taskID, "author", ev.Comment.AuthorID, "author_type", ev.Comment.AuthorType)
 
 	replyCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, l.ResponseTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
@@ -96,6 +103,42 @@ func (l *Loop) handle(ctx context.Context, ev tasksws.Event) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("list comments: %w", err)
 	}
 
+	mentionBody := ev.Comment.Body
+	if mentionBody == "" {
+		for _, c := range comments {
+			if c.ID == commentID {
+				mentionBody = c.Body
+				break
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	if strings.Contains(mentionBody, floodMarker) {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	if recentCommentCount(comments, floodWindow) >= floodMaxComments {
+		l.log().Warn("tasks board flood limit", "task_id", taskID, "window", floodWindow, "max", floodMaxComments)
+		body := fmt.Sprintf(
+			"@mira %s flood: ≥%d comments in %s on this task — please tag the human to intervene. Agents are pausing auto-replies.",
+			floodMarker, floodMaxComments, floodWindow,
+		)
+		_, err := l.REST.PostComment(replyCtx, taskID, body, "flood-escalate:"+taskID)
+		return err
+	}
+
+	authorType := strings.ToLower(ev.Comment.AuthorType)
+	if authorType == "agent" {
+		ok, err := l.shouldReplyToAgentMention(replyCtx, task, commentID, mentionBody)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if !ok {
+			l.log().Info("tasks board skip agent→agent mention", "task_id", taskID, "comment_id", commentID)
+			return nil
+		}
+	}
+
 	userPrompt := buildUserPrompt(task, comments, commentID)
 	timeoutSec := uint32(l.ResponseTimeout.Seconds())
 	if timeoutSec < 30 {
@@ -109,9 +152,15 @@ func (l *Loop) handle(ctx context.Context, ev tasksws.Event) error {
 		model = "deepseek-v4-flash"
 	}
 
+	sys := l.Profile.SystemPrompt()
+	sys += " Avoid @mentioning other agents unless you need a concrete action — never @mention just to acknowledge."
+	if authorType == "human" {
+		sys += " A human mentioned you — always give a real reply."
+	}
+
 	res, err := l.Core.RunAgent(replyCtx, inference.RunRequest{
 		Messages: []inference.ChatMessage{
-			{Role: "system", Content: l.Profile.SystemPrompt()},
+			{Role: "system", Content: sys},
 			{Role: "user", Content: userPrompt},
 		},
 		Model:          model,
@@ -138,6 +187,54 @@ func (l *Loop) handle(ctx context.Context, ev tasksws.Event) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func recentCommentCount(comments []Comment, window time.Duration) int {
+	cutoff := time.Now().UTC().Add(-window)
+	n := 0
+	for _, c := range comments {
+		if c.CreatedAt.IsZero() || !c.CreatedAt.Before(cutoff) {
+			n++
+		}
+	}
+	return n
+}
+
+const decideSchema = `{"type":"object","required":["reply"],"properties":{"reply":{"type":"boolean"},"reason":{"type":"string"}}}`
+
+func (l *Loop) shouldReplyToAgentMention(ctx context.Context, task Task, mentionID, mentionBody string) (bool, error) {
+	model := l.Model
+	if model == "" {
+		model = "deepseek-v4-flash"
+	}
+	user := "Task: " + task.Title + "\nTrigger comment from another agent:\n" + trimRunes(mentionBody, 800) +
+		"\n\nReply true only if you must add new substance. Reply false for acknowledgements/thanks/repeats."
+	res, err := l.Core.RunAgent(ctx, inference.RunRequest{
+		Messages: []inference.ChatMessage{
+			{Role: "system", Content: "You gate Kaya's board replies to agent @mentions. Output JSON only."},
+			{Role: "user", Content: user},
+		},
+		Model:          model,
+		AgentID:        agentID,
+		RequestID:      "mention-decide:" + mentionID,
+		IdempotencyKey: "mention-decide:" + mentionID,
+		JSONSchema:     decideSchema,
+		Repair:         true,
+		TimeoutSeconds: 45,
+		ToolsEnabled:   false,
+		Metadata:       map[string]string{"trace_reason": "kaya_tasks_mention_decide"},
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	var out struct {
+		Reply bool `json:"reply"`
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(strings.TrimSpace(res.Content)), &out); err != nil {
+		l.log().Warn("tasks board decide parse failed; skipping", "error", err)
+		return false, nil
+	}
+	return out.Reply, nil
+}
+
 func (l *Loop) markSeen(id string) bool {
 	l.mu.Lock()
 	defer l.mu.Unlock()