diff --git a/src/auto-reply/reply/post-compaction-context.test.ts b/src/auto-reply/reply/post-compaction-context.test.ts
index 0c97df4d50b..b601ff94e08 100644
--- a/src/auto-reply/reply/post-compaction-context.test.ts
+++ b/src/auto-reply/reply/post-compaction-context.test.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import fs from "node:fs";
 import path from "node:path";
 import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach } from "vitest";
 import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../../config/config.js";
-import { readPostCompactionContext } from "./post-compaction-context.js";
+import { extractSections, readPostCompactionContext } from "./post-compaction-context.js";
 
 describe("readPostCompactionContext", () => {
   const tmpDir = path.join("/tmp", "test-post-compaction-" + Date.now());
@@ -20,152 +20,37 @@ describe("readPostCompactionContext", () => {
     expect(result).toBeNull();
   });
 
-  it("returns null when AGENTS.md has no relevant sections", async () => {
-    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"), "# My Agent\n\nSome content.\n");
+  it("returns a concise refresh reminder when startup sections exist", async () => {
+    fs.writeFileSync(
+      path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"),
+      "## Session Startup\n\nRead AGENTS.md and USER.md.\n\n## Red Lines\n\nNever exfiltrate secrets.\n",
+    );
+
     const result = await readPostCompactionContext(tmpDir);
+    expect(result).toBe(
+      "[Post-compaction context refresh]\n\nSession was compacted. Re-read your startup files, AGENTS.md, SOUL.md, USER.md, and today's memory log, before responding.",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("respects explicit disable via postCompactionSections=[]", async () => {
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"), "## Session Startup\n\nRead files.\n");
+
+    const cfg = {
+      agents: { defaults: { compaction: { postCompactionSections: [] } } },
+    } as OpenClawConfig;
+
+    const result = await readPostCompactionContext(tmpDir, cfg);
     expect(result).toBeNull();
   });
 
-  it("extracts Session Startup section", async () => {
-    const content = `# Agent Rules
+  it("falls back to legacy section names for default configs", async () => {
+    fs.writeFileSync(
+      path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"),
+      "## Every Session\n\nDo the startup sequence.\n\n## Safety\n\nStay safe.\n",
+    );
 
-## Session Startup
-
-Read these files:
-1. WORKFLOW_AUTO.md
-2. memory/today.md
-
-## Other Section
-
-Not relevant.
-`;
-    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"), content);
     const result = await readPostCompactionContext(tmpDir);
-    expect(result).not.toBeNull();
-    expect(result).toContain("Session Startup");
-    expect(result).toContain("WORKFLOW_AUTO.md");
-    expect(result).toContain("Post-compaction context refresh");
-    expect(result).not.toContain("Other Section");
-  });
-
-  it("extracts Red Lines section", async () => {
-    const content = `# Rules
-
-## Red Lines
-
-Never do X.
-Never do Y.
-
-## Other
-
-Stuff.
-`;
-    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"), content);
-    const result = await readPostCompactionContext(tmpDir);
-    expect(result).not.toBeNull();
-    expect(result).toContain("Red Lines");
-    expect(result).toContain("Never do X");
-  });
-
-  it("extracts both sections", async () => {
-    const content = `# Rules
-
-## Session Startup
-
-Do startup things.
-
-## Red Lines
-
-Never break things.
-
-## Other
-
-Ignore this.
-`;
-    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"), content);
-    const result = await readPostCompactionContext(tmpDir);
-    expect(result).not.toBeNull();
-    expect(result).toContain("Session Startup");
-    expect(result).toContain("Red Lines");
-    expect(result).not.toContain("Other");
-  });
-
-  it("truncates when content exceeds limit", async () => {
-    const longContent = "## Session Startup\n\n" + "A".repeat(4000) + "\n\n## Other\n\nStuff.";
-    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"), longContent);
-    const result = await readPostCompactionContext(tmpDir);
-    expect(result).not.toBeNull();
-    expect(result).toContain("[truncated]");
-  });
-
-  it("matches section names case-insensitively", async () => {
-    const content = `# Rules
-
-## session startup
-
-Read WORKFLOW_AUTO.md
-
-## Other
-`;
-    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"), content);
-    const result = await readPostCompactionContext(tmpDir);
-    expect(result).not.toBeNull();
-    expect(result).toContain("WORKFLOW_AUTO.md");
-  });
-
-  it("matches H3 headings", async () => {
-    const content = `# Rules
-
-### Session Startup
-
-Read these files.
-
-### Other
-`;
-    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"), content);
-    const result = await readPostCompactionContext(tmpDir);
-    expect(result).not.toBeNull();
-    expect(result).toContain("Read these files");
-  });
-
-  it("skips sections inside code blocks", async () => {
-    const content = `# Rules
-
-\`\`\`markdown
-## Session Startup
-This is inside a code block and should NOT be extracted.
-\`\`\`
-
-## Red Lines
-
-Real red lines here.
-
-## Other
-`;
-    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"), content);
-    const result = await readPostCompactionContext(tmpDir);
-    expect(result).not.toBeNull();
-    expect(result).toContain("Real red lines here");
-    expect(result).not.toContain("inside a code block");
-  });
-
-  it("includes sub-headings within a section", async () => {
-    const content = `## Red Lines
-
-### Rule 1
-Never do X.
-
-### Rule 2
-Never do Y.
-
-## Other Section
-`;
-    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"), content);
-    const result = await readPostCompactionContext(tmpDir);
-    expect(result).not.toBeNull();
-    expect(result).toContain("Rule 1");
-    expect(result).toContain("Rule 2");
-    expect(result).not.toContain("Other Section");
+    expect(result).toContain("Session was compacted.");
   });
 
   it.runIf(process.platform !== "win32")(
@@ -179,211 +64,36 @@ Never do Y.
       expect(result).toBeNull();
     },
   );
+});
 
-  it.runIf(process.platform !== "win32")(
-    "returns null when AGENTS.md is a hardlink alias",
-    async () => {
-      const outside = path.join(tmpDir, "outside-secret.txt");
-      fs.writeFileSync(outside, "secret");
-      fs.linkSync(outside, path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"));
+describe("extractSections", () => {
+  it("matches headings case insensitively and keeps nested headings", () => {
+    const content = `## session startup
 
-      const result = await readPostCompactionContext(tmpDir);
-      expect(result).toBeNull();
-    },
-  );
+Read files.
 
-  it("substitutes YYYY-MM-DD with the actual date in extracted sections", async () => {
-    const content = `## Session Startup
+### Checklist
 
-Read memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md and memory/yesterday.md.
+Do the thing.
+
+## Other`;
+
+    expect(extractSections(content, ["Session Startup"])).toEqual([
+      "## session startup\n\nRead files.\n\n### Checklist\n\nDo the thing.",
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it("skips headings inside fenced code blocks", () => {
+    const content = `\
+\`\`\`md
+## Session Startup
+Ignore this.
+\`\`\`
 
 ## Red Lines
+Real section.`;
 
-Never modify memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md destructively.
-`;
-    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"), content);
-    const cfg = {
-      agents: { defaults: { userTimezone: "America/New_York", timeFormat: "12" } },
-    } as OpenClawConfig;
-    // 2026-03-03 14:00 UTC = 2026-03-03 09:00 EST
-    const nowMs = Date.UTC(2026, 2, 3, 14, 0, 0);
-    const result = await readPostCompactionContext(tmpDir, cfg, nowMs);
-    expect(result).not.toBeNull();
-    expect(result).toContain("memory/2026-03-03.md");
-    expect(result).not.toContain("memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md");
-    expect(result).toContain(
-      "Current time: Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 — 9:00 AM (America/New_York) / 2026-03-03 14:00 UTC",
-    );
-  });
-
-  it("appends current time line even when no YYYY-MM-DD placeholder is present", async () => {
-    const content = `## Session Startup
-
-Read WORKFLOW.md on startup.
-`;
-    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"), content);
-    const nowMs = Date.UTC(2026, 2, 3, 14, 0, 0);
-    const result = await readPostCompactionContext(tmpDir, undefined, nowMs);
-    expect(result).not.toBeNull();
-    expect(result).toContain("Current time:");
-  });
-
-  // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
-  // postCompactionSections config
-  // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
-  describe("agents.defaults.compaction.postCompactionSections", () => {
-    it("uses default sections (Session Startup + Red Lines) when config is not set", async () => {
-      const content = `## Session Startup\n\nDo startup.\n\n## Red Lines\n\nDo not break.\n\n## Other\n\nIgnore.\n`;
-      fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"), content);
-      const result = await readPostCompactionContext(tmpDir);
-      expect(result).toContain("Session Startup");
-      expect(result).toContain("Red Lines");
-      expect(result).not.toContain("Other");
-    });
-
-    it("uses custom section names from config instead of defaults", async () => {
-      const content = `## Session Startup\n\nDo startup.\n\n## Critical Rules\n\nMy custom rules.\n\n## Red Lines\n\nDefault section.\n`;
-      fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"), content);
-      const cfg = {
-        agents: {
-          defaults: {
-            compaction: { postCompactionSections: ["Critical Rules"] },
-          },
-        },
-      } as OpenClawConfig;
-      const result = await readPostCompactionContext(tmpDir, cfg);
-      expect(result).not.toBeNull();
-      expect(result).toContain("Critical Rules");
-      expect(result).toContain("My custom rules");
-      // Default sections must not be included when overridden
-      expect(result).not.toContain("Do startup");
-      expect(result).not.toContain("Default section");
-    });
-
-    it("supports multiple custom section names", async () => {
-      const content = `## Onboarding\n\nOnboard things.\n\n## Safety\n\nSafe things.\n\n## Noise\n\nIgnore.\n`;
-      fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"), content);
-      const cfg = {
-        agents: {
-          defaults: {
-            compaction: { postCompactionSections: ["Onboarding", "Safety"] },
-          },
-        },
-      } as OpenClawConfig;
-      const result = await readPostCompactionContext(tmpDir, cfg);
-      expect(result).not.toBeNull();
-      expect(result).toContain("Onboard things");
-      expect(result).toContain("Safe things");
-      expect(result).not.toContain("Ignore");
-    });
-
-    it("returns null when postCompactionSections is explicitly set to [] (opt-out)", async () => {
-      const content = `## Session Startup\n\nDo startup.\n\n## Red Lines\n\nDo not break.\n`;
-      fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"), content);
-      const cfg = {
-        agents: {
-          defaults: {
-            compaction: { postCompactionSections: [] },
-          },
-        },
-      } as OpenClawConfig;
-      const result = await readPostCompactionContext(tmpDir, cfg);
-      // Empty array = opt-out: no post-compaction context injection
-      expect(result).toBeNull();
-    });
-
-    it("returns null when custom sections are configured but none found in AGENTS.md", async () => {
-      const content = `## Session Startup\n\nDo startup.\n`;
-      fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"), content);
-      const cfg = {
-        agents: {
-          defaults: {
-            compaction: { postCompactionSections: ["Nonexistent Section"] },
-          },
-        },
-      } as OpenClawConfig;
-      const result = await readPostCompactionContext(tmpDir, cfg);
-      expect(result).toBeNull();
-    });
-
-    it("does NOT reference 'Session Startup' in prose when custom sections are configured", async () => {
-      // Greptile review finding: hardcoded prose mentioned "Execute your Session Startup
-      // sequence now" even when custom section names were configured, causing agents to
-      // look for a non-existent section. Prose must adapt to the configured section names.
-      const content = `## Boot Sequence\n\nDo custom boot things.\n`;
-      fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"), content);
-      const cfg = {
-        agents: {
-          defaults: {
-            compaction: { postCompactionSections: ["Boot Sequence"] },
-          },
-        },
-      } as OpenClawConfig;
-      const result = await readPostCompactionContext(tmpDir, cfg);
-      expect(result).not.toBeNull();
-      // Must not reference the hardcoded default section name
-      expect(result).not.toContain("Session Startup");
-      // Must reference the actual configured section names
-      expect(result).toContain("Boot Sequence");
-    });
-
-    it("uses default 'Session Startup' prose when default sections are active", async () => {
-      const content = `## Session Startup\n\nDo startup.\n`;
-      fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"), content);
-      const result = await readPostCompactionContext(tmpDir);
-      expect(result).not.toBeNull();
-      expect(result).toContain("Execute your Session Startup sequence now");
-    });
-
-    it("falls back to legacy sections when defaults are explicitly configured", async () => {
-      // Older AGENTS.md templates use "Every Session" / "Safety" instead of
-      // "Session Startup" / "Red Lines". Explicitly setting the defaults should
-      // still trigger the legacy fallback — same behavior as leaving the field unset.
-      const content = `## Every Session\n\nDo startup things.\n\n## Safety\n\nBe safe.\n`;
-      fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"), content);
-      const cfg = {
-        agents: {
-          defaults: {
-            compaction: { postCompactionSections: ["Session Startup", "Red Lines"] },
-          },
-        },
-      } as OpenClawConfig;
-      const result = await readPostCompactionContext(tmpDir, cfg);
-      expect(result).not.toBeNull();
-      expect(result).toContain("Do startup things");
-      expect(result).toContain("Be safe");
-    });
-
-    it("falls back to legacy sections when default sections are configured in a different order", async () => {
-      const content = `## Every Session\n\nDo startup things.\n\n## Safety\n\nBe safe.\n`;
-      fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"), content);
-      const cfg = {
-        agents: {
-          defaults: {
-            compaction: { postCompactionSections: ["Red Lines", "Session Startup"] },
-          },
-        },
-      } as OpenClawConfig;
-      const result = await readPostCompactionContext(tmpDir, cfg);
-      expect(result).not.toBeNull();
-      expect(result).toContain("Do startup things");
-      expect(result).toContain("Be safe");
-      expect(result).toContain("Execute your Session Startup sequence now");
-    });
-
-    it("custom section names are matched case-insensitively", async () => {
-      const content = `## WORKFLOW INIT\n\nInit things.\n`;
-      fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, "AGENTS.md"), content);
-      const cfg = {
-        agents: {
-          defaults: {
-            compaction: { postCompactionSections: ["workflow init"] },
-          },
-        },
-      } as OpenClawConfig;
-      const result = await readPostCompactionContext(tmpDir, cfg);
-      expect(result).not.toBeNull();
-      expect(result).toContain("Init things");
-    });
+    expect(extractSections(content, ["Session Startup"])).toEqual([]);
+    expect(extractSections(content, ["Red Lines"])).toEqual(["## Red Lines\nReal section."]);
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/auto-reply/reply/post-compaction-context.ts b/src/auto-reply/reply/post-compaction-context.ts
index 316ac3c29b1..1b7dfc2dd28 100644
--- a/src/auto-reply/reply/post-compaction-context.ts
+++ b/src/auto-reply/reply/post-compaction-context.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,8 @@
 import fs from "node:fs";
 import path from "node:path";
-import { resolveCronStyleNow } from "../../agents/current-time.js";
-import { resolveUserTimezone } from "../../agents/date-time.js";
 import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../../config/config.js";
 import { openBoundaryFile } from "../../infra/boundary-file-read.js";
 
-const MAX_CONTEXT_CHARS = 3000;
 const DEFAULT_POST_COMPACTION_SECTIONS = ["Session Startup", "Red Lines"];
 const LEGACY_POST_COMPACTION_SECTIONS = ["Every Session", "Safety"];
 
@@ -38,32 +35,15 @@ function matchesSectionSet(sectionNames: string[], expectedSections: string[]):
   return counts.size === 0;
 }
 
-function formatDateStamp(nowMs: number, timezone: string): string {
-  const parts = new Intl.DateTimeFormat("en-US", {
-    timeZone: timezone,
-    year: "numeric",
-    month: "2-digit",
-    day: "2-digit",
-  }).formatToParts(new Date(nowMs));
-  const year = parts.find((p) => p.type === "year")?.value;
-  const month = parts.find((p) => p.type === "month")?.value;
-  const day = parts.find((p) => p.type === "day")?.value;
-  if (year && month && day) {
-    return `${year}-${month}-${day}`;
-  }
-  return new Date(nowMs).toISOString().slice(0, 10);
-}
-
 /**
- * Read critical sections from workspace AGENTS.md for post-compaction injection.
- * Returns formatted system event text, or null if no AGENTS.md or no relevant sections.
- * Substitutes YYYY-MM-DD placeholders with the real date so agents read the correct
- * daily memory files instead of guessing based on training cutoff.
+ * Read workspace AGENTS.md for post-compaction injection.
+ * Returns a concise reminder to re-read startup files, or null when the
+ * workspace has no relevant startup sections configured.
  */
 export async function readPostCompactionContext(
   workspaceDir: string,
   cfg?: OpenClawConfig,
-  nowMs?: number,
+  _nowMs?: number,
 ): Promise<string | null> {
   const agentsPath = path.join(workspaceDir, "AGENTS.md");
 
@@ -76,6 +56,7 @@ export async function readPostCompactionContext(
     if (!opened.ok) {
       return null;
     }
+
     const content = (() => {
       try {
         return fs.readFileSync(opened.fd, "utf-8");
@@ -84,8 +65,6 @@ export async function readPostCompactionContext(
       }
     })();
 
-    // Extract configured sections from AGENTS.md (default: Session Startup + Red Lines).
-    // An explicit empty array disables post-compaction context injection entirely.
     const configuredSections = cfg?.agents?.defaults?.compaction?.postCompactionSections;
     const sectionNames = Array.isArray(configuredSections)
       ? configuredSections
@@ -95,59 +74,22 @@ export async function readPostCompactionContext(
       return null;
     }
 
-    const foundSectionNames: string[] = [];
-    let sections = extractSections(content, sectionNames, foundSectionNames);
-
-    // Fall back to legacy section names ("Every Session" / "Safety") when using
-    // defaults and the current headings aren't found — preserves compatibility
-    // with older AGENTS.md templates. The fallback also applies when the user
-    // explicitly configures the default pair, so that pinning the documented
-    // defaults never silently changes behavior vs. leaving the field unset.
+    let sections = extractSections(content, sectionNames);
     const isDefaultSections =
       !Array.isArray(configuredSections) ||
       matchesSectionSet(configuredSections, DEFAULT_POST_COMPACTION_SECTIONS);
+
     if (sections.length === 0 && isDefaultSections) {
-      sections = extractSections(content, LEGACY_POST_COMPACTION_SECTIONS, foundSectionNames);
+      sections = extractSections(content, LEGACY_POST_COMPACTION_SECTIONS);
     }
 
     if (sections.length === 0) {
       return null;
     }
 
-    // Only reference section names that were actually found and injected.
-    const displayNames = foundSectionNames.length > 0 ? foundSectionNames : sectionNames;
-
-    const resolvedNowMs = nowMs ?? Date.now();
-    const timezone = resolveUserTimezone(cfg?.agents?.defaults?.userTimezone);
-    const dateStamp = formatDateStamp(resolvedNowMs, timezone);
-    // Always append the real runtime timestamp — AGENTS.md content may itself contain
-    // "Current time:" as user-authored text, so we must not gate on that substring.
-    const { timeLine } = resolveCronStyleNow(cfg ?? {}, resolvedNowMs);
-
-    const combined = sections.join("\n\n").replaceAll("YYYY-MM-DD", dateStamp);
-    const safeContent =
-      combined.length > MAX_CONTEXT_CHARS
-        ? combined.slice(0, MAX_CONTEXT_CHARS) + "\n...[truncated]..."
-        : combined;
-
-    // When using the default section set, use precise prose that names the
-    // "Session Startup" sequence explicitly. When custom sections are configured,
-    // use generic prose — referencing a hardcoded "Session Startup" sequence
-    // would be misleading for deployments that use different section names.
-    const prose = isDefaultSections
-      ? "Session was just compacted. The conversation summary above is a hint, NOT a substitute for your startup sequence. " +
-        "Execute your Session Startup sequence now — read the required files before responding to the user."
-      : `Session was just compacted. The conversation summary above is a hint, NOT a substitute for your full startup sequence. ` +
-        `Re-read the sections injected below (${displayNames.join(", ")}) and follow your configured startup procedure before responding to the user.`;
-
-    const sectionLabel = isDefaultSections
-      ? "Critical rules from AGENTS.md:"
-      : `Injected sections from AGENTS.md (${displayNames.join(", ")}):`;
-
     return (
       "[Post-compaction context refresh]\n\n" +
-      `${prose}\n\n` +
-      `${sectionLabel}\n\n${safeContent}\n\n${timeLine}`
+      "Session was compacted. Re-read your startup files, AGENTS.md, SOUL.md, USER.md, and today's memory log, before responding."
     );
   } catch {
     return null;
@@ -208,11 +150,11 @@ export function extractSections(
             continue;
           }
         } else {
-          // We're in section — stop if we hit a heading of same or higher level
+          // We're in section, stop if we hit a heading of same or higher level
           if (level <= sectionLevel) {
             break;
           }
-          // Lower-level heading (e.g., ### inside ##) — include it
+          // Lower-level heading (e.g., ### inside ##), include it
           sectionLines.push(line);
           continue;
         }