fix: only suggest brain notes after user correction

Clean first-turn answers stay quiet. A chip appears only when the user
corrects or teaches after a prior Agent reply. One unsaved chip at a
time; dismissed targets stay suppressed for the session.

Co-authored-by: Venkat SF <venkatesh.sakamuri@stayflexi.com>

Author: cursoragent

CLAUDE.md

@@ -275,9 +275,9 @@ The Agent tab must not inherit the admin MCP token. `/api/agent/session` mints a
    without `canManageContent` and then 403'd. `get_brain_context` now stamps
    `callerCapabilities`; if `doNotOffer` includes `save_brain_note`, the
    agent must not mention it. MCP `save_brain_note` also fail-closes before
-   the POST. Admins get a non-blocking suggestion bubble under the answer
-   (`POST /brain/notes/propose` + accept); overlaps with existing notes or
-   business rules merge into one intent.
+   the POST. Admins get a non-blocking suggestion bubble only after they
+   correct or teach the Agent (`POST /brain/notes/propose` + accept) — a
+   clean first answer stays quiet. Overlaps merge into one intent.
 
 ### Verification Anti-Patterns (do not repeat)
 

agent/SOUL.md

@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ After the answer you may offer **one short follow-up question** (a single line)
    action — especially `save_brain_note` — do not mention it, do not ask
    "should I save this", and do not render a Yes button. Answering a metric
    is not a request to persist it. The product UI may show a non-blocking
-   save bubble after your answer for admins; leave that to the UI.
+   save bubble after the user corrects or teaches a definition; leave that
+   to the UI. Never volunteer it yourself.
 
 ## Remembering things — two different places
 

backend/src/main/java/com/dbaagent/dto/BrainNoteProposalRequest.java

@@ -11,4 +11,6 @@ public class BrainNoteProposalRequest {
     private String connectionId;
     private String question;
     private String answer;
+    /** Previous assistant answer. Required for a proposal — clean first turns stay quiet. */
+    private String priorAnswer;
 }

backend/src/main/java/com/dbaagent/service/brain/core/BrainNoteIntentService.java

@@ -20,13 +20,23 @@
 public class BrainNoteIntentService {
 
     private static final Pattern BACKTICK_IDENT = Pattern.compile("`([^`]+)`");
-    private static final Pattern DEFINITION_CUE = Pattern.compile(
-        "\\b(metric|definition|means|pinned|use this|correct|from|count|always|filter|join)\\b",
-        Pattern.CASE_INSENSITIVE
-    );
     private static final Set<String> STOP_TABLES = Set.of(
         "information_schema", "pg_catalog", "mysql", "sys", "performance_schema"
     );
+    /**
+     * User follow-ups that teach or correct. Phrase contains() — not a fat
+     * regex — so a long Agent transcript cannot ReDoS the propose path.
+     */
+    private static final List<String> FEEDBACK_PHRASES = List.of(
+        "that's wrong", "that is wrong", "that's not", "that is not",
+        "incorrect", "actually ", "instead", "should be", "should use",
+        "you should", "don't use", "do not use", "never use",
+        "always use", "always filter", "always join", "always exclude",
+        "we use", "we always", "we never", "not that", "not the ",
+        "pin this", "pin that", "remember this", "remember:",
+        "save this", "save that", "use this", "use that",
+        "too high", "too low", "off by", "the right "
+    );
 
     public record ContextItem(
         String id,
@@ -50,15 +60,25 @@ public record Proposal(
     ) {}
 
     public Optional<Proposal> proposeFromTurn(String question, String answer, List<ContextItem> existing) {
-        if (answer == null || answer.isBlank()) {
-            return Optional.empty();
-        }
-        String cleaned = stripMarkdownNoise(answer);
-        if (cleaned.length() < 24) {
+        return proposeFromTurn(question, answer, existing, null);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Only draft a note when the user just corrected or taught after a prior
+     * Agent answer. A clean first-turn definition is not a recommendation.
+     */
+    public Optional<Proposal> proposeFromTurn(
+        String question,
+        String answer,
+        List<ContextItem> existing,
+        String priorAnswer
+    ) {
+        if (!isCorrectionTurn(question, priorAnswer)) {
             return Optional.empty();
         }
-        String combined = (question == null ? "" : question) + "\n" + cleaned;
-        if (!DEFINITION_CUE.matcher(combined).find() && !looksLikePinnedDefinition(cleaned)) {
+        String cleaned = stripMarkdownNoise(nvl(answer));
+        String combined = nvl(question) + "\n" + cleaned;
+        if (combined.trim().length() < 24) {
             return Optional.empty();
         }
 
@@ -68,13 +88,13 @@ public Optional<Proposal> proposeFromTurn(String question, String answer, List<C
         }
         String tableName = target.get()[0];
         String columnName = target.get()[1];
-        String excerpt = excerpt(cleaned);
+        String excerpt = excerpt(nvl(question) + (cleaned.isBlank() ? "" : " " + cleaned));
         String proposed = columnName != null
             ? "For " + tableName + "." + columnName + ": " + excerpt
             : "For " + tableName + ": " + excerpt;
         String label = columnName != null
-            ? "Save definition: " + columnName
-            : "Save definition: " + tableName;
+            ? "Save correction: " + columnName
+            : "Save correction: " + tableName;
 
         Proposal draft = new Proposal(
             columnName != null ? "COLUMN" : "TABLE",
@@ -91,6 +111,30 @@ public Optional<Proposal> proposeFromTurn(String question, String answer, List<C
         return Optional.of(resolveOverlap(draft, existing == null ? List.of() : existing));
     }
 
+    public boolean isCorrectionTurn(String question, String priorAnswer) {
+        if (priorAnswer == null || priorAnswer.isBlank()) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        return looksLikeUserFeedback(question);
+    }
+
+    public boolean looksLikeUserFeedback(String question) {
+        if (question == null || question.isBlank()) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        String q = question.toLowerCase(Locale.ROOT).trim();
+        if (q.startsWith("no,") || q.startsWith("no ") || q.startsWith("no-")
+            || q.startsWith("no—") || q.startsWith("nope")) {
+            return true;
+        }
+        for (String phrase : FEEDBACK_PHRASES) {
+            if (q.contains(phrase)) {
+                return true;
+            }
+        }
+        return false;
+    }
+
     public Proposal resolveOverlap(Proposal draft, List<ContextItem> existing) {
         if (draft == null) {
             return null;
@@ -333,9 +377,8 @@ private boolean tableMatches(String left, String right) {
         return false;
     }
 
-    private boolean looksLikePinnedDefinition(String answer) {
-        return answer.toLowerCase(Locale.ROOT).contains("pinned")
-            || answer.toLowerCase(Locale.ROOT).contains("correct");
+    private static String nvl(String value) {
+        return value == null ? "" : value;
     }
 
     private String excerpt(String text) {

backend/src/main/java/com/dbaagent/service/brain/core/BrainNoteProposalService.java

@@ -29,7 +29,12 @@ public Optional<BrainNoteProposalResponse> proposeFromTurn(BrainNoteProposalRequ
             return Optional.empty();
         }
         List<BrainNoteIntentService.ContextItem> context = loadContext(request.getConnectionId());
-        return intentService.proposeFromTurn(request.getQuestion(), request.getAnswer(), context)
+        return intentService.proposeFromTurn(
+                request.getQuestion(),
+                request.getAnswer(),
+                context,
+                request.getPriorAnswer()
+            )
             .filter(proposal -> !"SKIP".equals(proposal.action()))
             .map(this::toResponse);
     }

backend/src/test/java/com/dbaagent/service/brain/core/BrainNoteIntentServiceTest.java

@@ -9,34 +9,66 @@
 
 class BrainNoteIntentServiceTest {
 
+    private static final String PRIOR_WRONG =
+        "There are 12,004 people in dim_person.";
+    private static final String CORRECTION =
+        "No, that's wrong — the pinned metric is `meditator_count_current` from `marts.dim_person`.";
+    private static final String AGENT_AFTER = "290066 meditators on that pinned metric.";
+
     private final BrainNoteIntentService service = new BrainNoteIntentService();
 
     @Test
-    void proposeFromTurn_extractsQualifiedTableAndDefinition() {
+    void proposeFromTurn_staysQuietWhenTheFirstAnswerNeedsNoFeedback() {
         Optional<BrainNoteIntentService.Proposal> proposal = service.proposeFromTurn(
             "what is the meditator count?",
             "The correct pinned metric is `meditator_count_current` from `marts.dim_person`, totaling 290066 meditators.",
-            List.of()
+            List.of(),
+            null
+        );
+
+        assertThat(proposal).isEmpty();
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void proposeFromTurn_staysQuietWhenTheUserJustThanksTheAgent() {
+        Optional<BrainNoteIntentService.Proposal> proposal = service.proposeFromTurn(
+            "thanks, that's right",
+            "Glad it helped.",
+            List.of(),
+            "The correct pinned metric is `meditator_count_current` from `marts.dim_person`."
+        );
+
+        assertThat(proposal).isEmpty();
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void proposeFromTurn_offersAfterUserCorrectsTheAgent() {
+        Optional<BrainNoteIntentService.Proposal> proposal = service.proposeFromTurn(
+            CORRECTION,
+            AGENT_AFTER,
+            List.of(),
+            PRIOR_WRONG
         );
 
         assertThat(proposal).isPresent();
         assertThat(proposal.get().action()).isEqualTo("NEW");
         assertThat(proposal.get().tableName()).isEqualTo("marts.dim_person");
         assertThat(proposal.get().columnName()).isEqualTo("meditator_count_current");
-        assertThat(proposal.get().bubbleLabel()).contains("meditator_count_current");
-        assertThat(proposal.get().excerpt()).contains("pinned metric");
+        assertThat(proposal.get().bubbleLabel()).contains("correction");
+        assertThat(proposal.get().excerpt()).contains("meditator_count_current");
         assertThat(proposal.get().proposedNoteText()).contains("marts.dim_person");
     }
 
     @Test
     void proposeFromTurn_skipsWhenExistingNoteIsSameIntent() {
-        String existing = "For marts.dim_person.meditator_count_current: The correct pinned metric is meditator_count_current from marts.dim_person";
+        String existing = "For marts.dim_person.meditator_count_current: No, that's wrong — the pinned metric is meditator_count_current from marts.dim_person. 290066 meditators on that pinned metric.";
         Optional<BrainNoteIntentService.Proposal> proposal = service.proposeFromTurn(
-            "what is the meditator count?",
-            "The correct pinned metric is `meditator_count_current` from `marts.dim_person`.",
+            CORRECTION,
+            AGENT_AFTER,
             List.of(new BrainNoteIntentService.ContextItem(
                 "note-1", "marts.dim_person", "meditator_count_current", existing, "brain note"
-            ))
+            )),
+            PRIOR_WRONG
         );
 
         assertThat(proposal).isPresent();
@@ -47,15 +79,16 @@ void proposeFromTurn_skipsWhenExistingNoteIsSameIntent() {
     @Test
     void proposeFromTurn_mergesOverlappingContextIntoOneIntent() {
         Optional<BrainNoteIntentService.Proposal> proposal = service.proposeFromTurn(
-            "what is the meditator count?",
-            "The correct pinned metric is `meditator_count_current` from `marts.dim_person`, excluding ambiguous matches.",
+            "No, that's wrong — the pinned metric is `meditator_count_current` from `marts.dim_person`, excluding ambiguous matches.",
+            AGENT_AFTER,
             List.of(new BrainNoteIntentService.ContextItem(
                 "note-1",
                 "marts.dim_person",
                 "meditator_count_current",
                 "dim_person is the person dimension used for IRC region rollups.",
                 "brain note"
-            ))
+            )),
+            PRIOR_WRONG
         );
 
         assertThat(proposal).isPresent();
@@ -68,15 +101,16 @@ void proposeFromTurn_mergesOverlappingContextIntoOneIntent() {
     @Test
     void proposeFromTurn_matchesBareTableNameAgainstQualifiedContext() {
         Optional<BrainNoteIntentService.Proposal> proposal = service.proposeFromTurn(
-            "what is the meditator count?",
-            "The correct pinned metric is `meditator_count_current` from `marts.dim_person`, excluding ambiguous matches.",
+            "No, that's wrong — the pinned metric is `meditator_count_current` from `marts.dim_person`, excluding ambiguous matches.",
+            AGENT_AFTER,
             List.of(new BrainNoteIntentService.ContextItem(
                 "rule-1",
                 "dim_person",
                 "meditator_count_current",
                 "dim_person is the person dimension used for IRC region rollups.",
                 "business rule"
-            ))
+            )),
+            PRIOR_WRONG
         );
 
         assertThat(proposal).isPresent();

src/components/AgentChat/AgentChatPanel.jsx

@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@ import { brainAPI } from '@/lib/api/client'
 import AgentMarkdown from './AgentMarkdown'
 import AgentRecommendationBubbles from './AgentRecommendationBubbles'
 import { sanitizeAssistantAnswer } from './sanitizeAssistantAnswer'
+import {
+  isSuppressedProposal,
+  proposalTargetKey,
+  shouldOfferBrainSuggestion,
+} from './shouldOfferBrainSuggestion'
 import styles from './AgentChatPanel.module.css'
 
 function updateLast(messages, updater) {
@@ -16,6 +21,15 @@ function updateLast(messages, updater) {
   return copy
 }
 
+function findPriorAssistant(messages) {
+  for (let i = messages.length - 3; i >= 0; i--) {
+    if (messages[i]?.role === 'assistant' && messages[i].content) {
+      return messages[i]
+    }
+  }
+  return null
+}
+
 function toolLabel(d) {
   const name = (d?.name || '').replace(/^mcp_deepsql_/, '').replace(/^skill_view$/, 'skill')
   if (d?.args?.query) return `SQL · ${String(d.args.query).replace(/\s+/g, ' ').slice(0, 90)}`
@@ -60,6 +74,7 @@ export default function AgentChatPanel({ connectionId, connectionName, canManage
   const streamIdRef = useRef(null)
   const listRef = useRef(null)
   const firstMsgRef = useRef(true)
+  const suppressedTargetsRef = useRef(new Set())
   const profileRef = useRef(null)   // resolved agent profile (for new sessions)
   const convIdRef = useRef(null)    // backend conversation id (the per-user index row)
   const restoredRef = useRef(false) // guards the persist effect until boot finishes
@@ -170,8 +185,8 @@ export default function AgentChatPanel({ connectionId, connectionName, canManage
           setMessages((m) => updateLast(m, (a) => ({ ...a, streaming: false })))
           setSending(false)
           esRef.current = null
-          // Recommendation bubbles load after the turn so the composer is
-          // already free. Failures here must never block chat.
+          // Correction chips load after the turn so the composer is already
+          // free. Clean first answers stay quiet. Failures never block chat.
           if (canManageContent) {
             queueMicrotask(() => proposeFromLastTurn())
           }
@@ -187,15 +202,30 @@ export default function AgentChatPanel({ connectionId, connectionName, canManage
   const proposeFromLastTurn = () => {
     setMessages((current) => {
       const last = current[current.length - 1]
-      const prev = current[current.length - 2]
+      const user = current[current.length - 2]
       if (!last || last.role !== 'assistant' || last.error || last.proposal) {
         return current
       }
+      const priorAssistant = findPriorAssistant(current)
+      const hasUnsavedProposal = current.some((m) => m.proposal && !m.proposal.status)
+      if (!shouldOfferBrainSuggestion({
+        userText: user?.role === 'user' ? user.content : '',
+        priorAssistantText: priorAssistant?.content || '',
+        hasUnsavedProposal,
+      })) {
+        return current
+      }
       const answer = sanitizeAssistantAnswer(last.content || '')
-      const question = prev?.role === 'user' ? prev.content : ''
-      brainAPI.proposeNoteFromTurn({ connectionId, question, answer })
+      const question = user?.role === 'user' ? user.content : ''
+      brainAPI.proposeNoteFromTurn({
+        connectionId,
+        question,
+        answer,
+        priorAnswer: priorAssistant.content,
+      })
         .then((proposal) => {
           if (!proposal) return
+          if (isSuppressedProposal(proposal, [...suppressedTargetsRef.current])) return
           setMessages((msgs) => updateLast(msgs, (assistant) => (
             assistant.proposal ? assistant : { ...assistant, proposal }
           )))
@@ -205,7 +235,9 @@ export default function AgentChatPanel({ connectionId, connectionName, canManage
     })
   }
 
-  const patchLastProposal = (patch) => {
+  const suppressAndPatch = (proposal, patch) => {
+    const key = proposalTargetKey(proposal)
+    if (key) suppressedTargetsRef.current.add(key)
     setMessages((m) => updateLast(m, (a) => (
       a.proposal ? { ...a, proposal: { ...a.proposal, ...patch } } : a
     )))
@@ -290,8 +322,8 @@ export default function AgentChatPanel({ connectionId, connectionName, canManage
                   <AgentRecommendationBubbles
                     connectionId={connectionId}
                     proposal={m.proposal}
-                    onDismiss={() => patchLastProposal({ status: 'dismissed' })}
-                    onAccepted={() => patchLastProposal({ status: 'saved' })}
+                    onDismiss={() => suppressAndPatch(m.proposal, { status: 'dismissed' })}
+                    onAccepted={() => suppressAndPatch(m.proposal, { status: 'saved' })}
                   />
                 )}
               </div>

src/components/AgentChat/AgentRecommendationBubbles.jsx

@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ export default function AgentRecommendationBubbles({ connectionId, proposal, onD
           onClick={() => setOpen((value) => !value)}
         >
           <BookmarkPlus size={13} />
-          {proposal.bubbleLabel || 'Save definition'}
+          {proposal.bubbleLabel || 'Save correction'}
         </button>
       </div>
       {open && (