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+---
+id: 42c9a09c-1049-4628-9bbd-1a2f03769c2f
+type: decision
+title: "Removed CORE.md auto-loading from sessions — rely on MCP recall instead"
+tags: ["[\"cognitive-memory\"", "core-md", "optimization", "architecture", "\"claude-code\"]"]
+importance: 0.8
+confidence: 0.8
+created: "2026-02-28T20:56:21.791535+00:00"
+updated: "2026-02-28T20:56:21.791535+00:00"
+---
+
+# CORE.md Auto-Loading Removed (MCP-First Approach)
+
+Removed the MEMORY.md symlink mechanism that auto-loaded CORE.md (~3K tokens) into every Claude Code session.
+
+## Rationale
+At 670 memories, CORE.md was a blunt instrument — every session paid the token tax regardless of relevance. Most entries were project-specific (Proxmox upgrades, PD card fixes, SBA Scout phases) with no universal value.
+
+## New Approach
+CLAUDE.md Memory Protocol section instructs Claude to use MCP `memory_recall` for on-demand context.
+
+## Changes
+- Removed 20 MEMORY.md symlinks
+- Removed `ensure-symlinks` step from daily systemd service
+- Updated CLAUDE.md to emphasize MCP recall over passive loading
+- CORE.md still generated daily for manual browsing via `claude-memory core`