Give every 1:1 its own direct conversation instead of piling into #general

Agents could only post to named public channels - the messaging tool even
excluded direct spaces - so assignments, reports, and questions all crowded
into general. Now ChatService.ensureDirectSpace finds or creates the private
two-member conversation for any agent/employee pair; send_message takes
to="Name" for 1:1 traffic (exactly one of to/channel), read_messages reads a
conversation by teammate name, and task assignments land in the manager's DM
with the assignee. In a direct conversation the counterpart agent wakes on
every message without needing an @mention - same social contract as any
messenger - still bounded by the autonomous-turn budget, and wake task
briefings tell agents to reply with to= in kind. Covered by six new
direct-message contract tests; the assignment-thread test now encodes the
DM routing contract.

AgentCompany-New/src/main/services/agent-read-messages.ts

@@ -3,30 +3,39 @@ import type { JsonRecord } from "./provider-http";
 
 export function readMessagesTool(deps: AgentToolDeps, ctx: AgentToolContext, args: JsonRecord): string {
   const channel = optionalString(args.channel);
+  const withTeammate = optionalString(args.with);
   const limit = Math.min(Math.max(Number(args.limit) || 10, 1), 30);
+  if (channel && withTeammate) throw new Error('Pass either "channel" or "with", not both.');
+  if (withTeammate) {
+    const counterpart = deps.db.prepare(`
+      select id, name, 'agent' as kind from agents where org_id = ? and lower(name) = lower(?) and lifecycle = 'active'
+      union all
+      select id, display_name as name, 'employee' as kind from employees where org_id = ? and lower(display_name) = lower(?)
+      limit 1
+    `).get(ctx.orgId, withTeammate, ctx.orgId, withTeammate) as { id: string; name: string; kind: "agent" | "employee" } | undefined;
+    if (!counterpart) throw new Error(`No teammate named "${withTeammate}".`);
+    const spaceId = deps.chat.ensureDirectSpace(
+      ctx.orgId,
+      { type: "agent", id: ctx.agent.id },
+      { type: counterpart.kind, id: counterpart.id },
+    );
+    const rows = recentMessagesIn(deps, ctx.orgId, spaceId, limit);
+    if (rows.length === 0) return `No messages yet in your direct conversation with ${counterpart.name}.`;
+    return rows.map((m) => `[${m.sender_name}] (thread=${m.thread_id}): ${m.body_md}`).join("\n");
+  }
   if (channel) {
     const space = deps.db.prepare(
       "select id from chat_spaces where org_id = ? and lower(name) = lower(?) and space_type <> 'direct' limit 1",
     ).get(ctx.orgId, channel) as { id: string } | undefined;
     if (!space) throw new Error(`No channel named "${channel}".`);
-    const rows = deps.db.prepare(`
+    const rows = recentMessagesIn(deps, ctx.orgId, space.id, limit);
-      select m.body_md,
-             coalesce(a.name, e.display_name, m.sender_type) as sender_name,
-             m.thread_id
-      from chat_messages m
-      left join agents a on a.id = m.sender_id and m.sender_type = 'agent'
-      left join employees e on e.id = m.sender_id and m.sender_type = 'employee'
-      where m.space_id = ? and m.org_id = ? and m.deleted_at is null
-      order by m.created_at desc
-      limit ?
-    `).all(space.id, ctx.orgId, limit) as Array<{ body_md: string; sender_name: string; thread_id: string }>;
     if (rows.length === 0) return `No recent messages in #${channel}.`;
-    return rows.reverse().map((m) => `[${m.sender_name}] (thread=${m.thread_id}): ${m.body_md}`).join("\n");
+    return rows.map((m) => `[${m.sender_name}] (thread=${m.thread_id}): ${m.body_md}`).join("\n");
   }
   const rows = deps.db.prepare(`
     select m.body_md,
            coalesce(a.name, e.display_name, m.sender_type) as sender_name,
-           m.thread_id, s.name as channel_name
+           m.thread_id, s.name as channel_name, s.space_type
     from chat_mentions cm
     join chat_messages m on m.id = cm.message_id
     join chat_spaces s on s.id = m.space_id
@@ -35,9 +44,32 @@ export function readMessagesTool(deps: AgentToolDeps, ctx: AgentToolContext, arg
     where cm.target_type = 'agent' and cm.target_id = ? and m.org_id = ? and m.deleted_at is null
     order by m.created_at desc
     limit ?
-  `).all(ctx.agent.id, ctx.orgId, limit) as Array<{ body_md: string; sender_name: string; thread_id: string; channel_name: string }>;
+  `).all(ctx.agent.id, ctx.orgId, limit) as Array<{ body_md: string; sender_name: string; thread_id: string; channel_name: string; space_type: string }>;
   if (rows.length === 0) return "No recent mentions.";
-  return rows.reverse().map((m) => `[${m.sender_name} in #${m.channel_name}] (thread=${m.thread_id}): ${m.body_md}`).join("\n");
+  return rows.reverse().map((m) => {
+    const where = m.space_type === "direct" ? "in your direct conversation" : `in #${m.channel_name}`;
+    return `[${m.sender_name} ${where}] (thread=${m.thread_id}): ${m.body_md}`;
+  }).join("\n");
+}
+
+function recentMessagesIn(
+  deps: AgentToolDeps,
+  orgId: string,
+  spaceId: string,
+  limit: number,
+): Array<{ body_md: string; sender_name: string; thread_id: string }> {
+  const rows = deps.db.prepare(`
+    select m.body_md,
+           coalesce(a.name, e.display_name, m.sender_type) as sender_name,
+           m.thread_id
+    from chat_messages m
+    left join agents a on a.id = m.sender_id and m.sender_type = 'agent'
+    left join employees e on e.id = m.sender_id and m.sender_type = 'employee'
+    where m.space_id = ? and m.org_id = ? and m.deleted_at is null
+    order by m.created_at desc
+    limit ?
+  `).all(spaceId, orgId, limit) as Array<{ body_md: string; sender_name: string; thread_id: string }>;
+  return rows.reverse();
 }
 
 function optionalString(value: unknown): string | null {

AgentCompany-New/src/main/services/agent-tools.ts

@@ -94,12 +94,13 @@ export const AGENT_TOOLS: ToolDefinition[] = [
   },
   {
     name: "send_message",
-    description: "Talk to your teammates in a channel — ask, answer, decide together, or hand off work, the way colleagues do. @mention the people you are addressing, attach deliverable file ids with attachment_file_ids, and use /handoff @Name when passing a file. Use the channel that matches the work: 'engineering' for engineering, 'product' for product/design, otherwise 'general'. Reply inside a thread by passing its thread_id to keep one conversation together.",
+    description: "Talk to your teammates the way colleagues do. For anything meant for one person — task updates, questions, reports to your manager, hand-offs — send a direct message with `to` so each conversation stays separate. Use a `channel` only for genuinely team-wide topics: 'engineering' for engineering, 'product' for product/design, 'general' for company-wide. Pass exactly one of `to` or `channel`. @mention people you address in channels, attach deliverable file ids with attachment_file_ids, and use /handoff @Name when passing a file. Reply inside a thread by passing its thread_id to keep one conversation together.",
     parameters: {
       type: "object",
       additionalProperties: false,
       properties: {
-        channel: { type: "string", description: "Channel: 'engineering', 'product', or 'general'." },
+        to: { type: "string", description: "Teammate name for a direct 1:1 message, e.g. 'CEO' or 'Ava Patel'. Preferred for anything addressed to one person." },
+        channel: { type: "string", description: "Channel for team-wide topics: 'engineering', 'product', or 'general'." },
         body: { type: "string", description: "The message. Use @mentions for teammates and slash commands such as /handoff @Name when passing files." },
         thread_id: { type: "string", description: "Reply inside an existing thread — pass the thread_id a prior send_message returned. Omit to start a new thread." },
         attachment_file_ids: {
@@ -108,17 +109,18 @@ export const AGENT_TOOLS: ToolDefinition[] = [
           description: "Approved file object ids to attach to this chat message.",
         },
       },
-      required: ["channel", "body"],
+      required: ["body"],
     },
   },
   {
     name: "read_messages",
-    description: "Read recent messages from a channel or your direct mentions. Check what your teammates have been saying before you respond or start work.",
+    description: "Read recent messages from a channel, a direct conversation, or your direct mentions. Check what your teammates have been saying before you respond or start work.",
     parameters: {
       type: "object",
       additionalProperties: false,
       properties: {
-        channel: { type: "string", description: "Channel name: 'engineering', 'product', 'general'. Omit to read your recent @mentions across all channels." },
+        channel: { type: "string", description: "Channel name: 'engineering', 'product', 'general'." },
+        with: { type: "string", description: "Teammate name to read your direct conversation with, e.g. 'CEO'." },
         limit: { type: "number", description: "Number of recent messages (default 10, max 30)." },
       },
       required: [],
@@ -244,18 +246,21 @@ function writeDeliverableTool(deps: AgentToolDeps, ctx: AgentToolContext, args:
 }
 
 function sendMessageTool(deps: AgentToolDeps, ctx: AgentToolContext, args: JsonRecord): string {
-  const channel = requireString(args.channel, "channel");
+  const channel = optionalString(args.channel);
+  const to = optionalString(args.to);
   const body = requireString(args.body, "body");
   const threadId = optionalString(args.thread_id);
   const attachmentFileIds = optionalStringArray(args.attachment_file_ids, "attachment_file_ids");
-  const space = deps.db.prepare(
+  if (Boolean(channel) === Boolean(to)) throw new Error('Pass exactly one of "to" (direct message) or "channel".');
-    "select id from chat_spaces where org_id = ? and lower(name) = lower(?) and space_type <> 'direct' limit 1",
+
-  ).get(ctx.orgId, channel) as { id: string } | undefined;
+  const destination = to
-  if (!space) throw new Error(`No channel named "${channel}".`);
+    ? directSpaceWith(deps, ctx, to)
+    : channelSpace(deps.db, ctx.orgId, channel!);
+
   const sent = withSavepoint(deps.db, "agent_send_message", () => {
     const messageId = deps.chat.sendMessage({
       orgId: ctx.orgId,
-      spaceId: space.id,
+      spaceId: destination.spaceId,
       threadId,
       senderType: "agent",
       senderId: ctx.agent.id,
@@ -265,7 +270,63 @@ function sendMessageTool(deps: AgentToolDeps, ctx: AgentToolContext, args: JsonR
     const row = deps.db.prepare("select thread_id from chat_messages where id = ?").get(messageId) as { thread_id: string };
     return { messageId, threadId: row.thread_id };
   });
-  return describeSend(deps.db, ctx.agent.id, channel, space.id, sent.messageId, sent.threadId);
+  if (destination.kind === "direct") {
+    return [
+      `Your direct message to ${destination.counterpartName} is delivered; they can see it and reply in your conversation.`,
+      `To stay in this conversation, reply with to="${destination.counterpartName}" and thread_id="${sent.threadId}".`,
+    ].join(" ");
+  }
+  return describeSend(deps.db, ctx.agent.id, destination.label, destination.spaceId, sent.messageId, sent.threadId);
+}
+
+interface ChannelDestination {
+  kind: "channel";
+  spaceId: string;
+  label: string;
+}
+
+interface DirectDestination {
+  kind: "direct";
+  spaceId: string;
+  counterpartName: string;
+}
+
+function channelSpace(db: DatabaseSync, orgId: string, channel: string): ChannelDestination {
+  const space = db.prepare(
+    "select id from chat_spaces where org_id = ? and lower(name) = lower(?) and space_type <> 'direct' limit 1",
+  ).get(orgId, channel) as { id: string } | undefined;
+  if (!space) throw new Error(`No channel named "${channel}".`);
+  return { kind: "channel", spaceId: space.id, label: channel };
+}
+
+function directSpaceWith(deps: AgentToolDeps, ctx: AgentToolContext, teammateName: string): DirectDestination {
+  const counterpart = resolveTeammateByName(deps.db, ctx.orgId, teammateName);
+  if (counterpart.type === "agent" && counterpart.id === ctx.agent.id) {
+    throw new Error("You cannot open a direct conversation with yourself.");
+  }
+  const spaceId = deps.chat.ensureDirectSpace(
+    ctx.orgId,
+    { type: "agent", id: ctx.agent.id },
+    { type: counterpart.type, id: counterpart.id },
+  );
+  return { kind: "direct", spaceId, counterpartName: counterpart.name };
+}
+
+function resolveTeammateByName(
+  db: DatabaseSync,
+  orgId: string,
+  name: string,
+): { type: "agent" | "employee"; id: string; name: string } {
+  const trimmed = name.trim();
+  const agent = db.prepare(
+    "select id, name from agents where org_id = ? and lower(name) = lower(?) and lifecycle = 'active' limit 1",
+  ).get(orgId, trimmed) as { id: string; name: string } | undefined;
+  if (agent) return { type: "agent", id: agent.id, name: agent.name };
+  const employee = db.prepare(
+    "select id, display_name from employees where org_id = ? and lower(display_name) = lower(?) limit 1",
+  ).get(orgId, trimmed) as { id: string; display_name: string } | undefined;
+  if (employee) return { type: "employee", id: employee.id, name: employee.display_name };
+  throw new Error(`No teammate named "${name}".`);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -396,18 +457,18 @@ function postAssignmentMessage(
   ctx: AgentToolContext,
   input: { taskId: string; title: string; description: string; assignee: RunnableAssignmentAgent },
 ): string {
-  const channel = assignmentChannel(input.assignee.department);
+  const spaceId = deps.chat.ensureDirectSpace(
+    ctx.orgId,
+    { type: "agent", id: ctx.agent.id },
+    { type: "agent", id: input.assignee.id },
+  );
   const body = [
     `@${canonicalMentionHandle(input.assignee.name)} take task_id=${input.taskId}: ${input.title}.`,
     input.description,
   ].join(" ");
-  const space = deps.db.prepare(
-    "select id from chat_spaces where org_id = ? and lower(name) = lower(?) and space_type <> 'direct' limit 1",
-  ).get(ctx.orgId, channel) as { id: string } | undefined;
-  if (!space) throw new Error(`No channel named "${channel}".`);
   const messageId = deps.chat.sendMessage({
     orgId: ctx.orgId,
-    spaceId: space.id,
+    spaceId,
     threadId: null,
     senderType: "agent",
     senderId: ctx.agent.id,
@@ -418,12 +479,6 @@ function postAssignmentMessage(
   return row.thread_id;
 }
 
-function assignmentChannel(department: string): string {
-  const normalized = department.trim().toLowerCase();
-  if (normalized === "engineering" || normalized === "product") return normalized;
-  return "general";
-}
-
 function withSavepoint<T>(db: DatabaseSync, name: string, operation: () => T): T {
   db.exec(`savepoint ${name}`);
   try {

AgentCompany-New/src/main/services/chat-agent-wake-service.ts

@@ -39,11 +39,12 @@ export class ChatAgentWakeService {
     const agent = this.requireRunnableAgent(input.orgId, agentId, "Agent mention");
     const workspace = this.workspaceForAgent(input.orgId, agent.workspace_id);
     const from = this.principalName(input.orgId, input.senderType, input.senderId);
-    const channel = this.channelName(input.orgId, input.spaceId);
+    const space = this.spaceRow(input.orgId, input.spaceId);
+    const direct = space.space_type === "direct";
     const taskId = this.organization.createTask({
       orgId: input.orgId,
-      title: `Reply to ${from} in #${channel}`,
+      title: direct ? `Reply to ${from}` : `Reply to ${from} in #${space.name}`,
-      description: this.mentionTaskDescription(input, from, channel),
+      description: this.mentionTaskDescription(input, from, space.name, direct),
       status: TASK_STATUS.BACKLOG,
       assigneeAgentId: agent.id,
       risk: RISK_LEVEL.LOW,
@@ -193,13 +194,17 @@ export class ChatAgentWakeService {
     return `Chat mention: ${title.length > 64 ? `${title.slice(0, 61)}...` : title}`;
   }
 
-  private mentionTaskDescription(input: SendMessageInput, from: string, channel: string): string {
+  private mentionTaskDescription(input: SendMessageInput, from: string, channel: string, direct: boolean): string {
     const said = input.bodyMd.trim();
+    const where = direct ? `${from} messaged you directly:` : `${from} addressed you in #${channel}:`;
+    const how = direct
+      ? `Reply to ${from} in your direct conversation: call send_message with to="${from}" and this thread_id.`
+      : `Reply to ${from} in this thread.`;
     return [
-      `${from} addressed you in #${channel}:`,
+      where,
       `"${said.length > 400 ? `${said.slice(0, 397)}...` : said}"`,
       "",
-      `Reply to ${from} in this thread. Answer what they asked, give your honest take, push back if you disagree, or hand work over — speak as yourself, the way a colleague would, not as a status report.`,
+      `${how} Answer what they asked, give your honest take, push back if you disagree, or hand work over — speak as yourself, the way a colleague would, not as a status report.`,
     ].join("\n");
   }
 
@@ -215,10 +220,11 @@ export class ChatAgentWakeService {
     return senderType === "board" ? "The board" : "A teammate";
   }
 
-  private channelName(orgId: string, spaceId: string): string {
+  private spaceRow(orgId: string, spaceId: string): { name: string; space_type: string } {
-    const row = this.db.prepare("select name from chat_spaces where id = ? and org_id = ?").get(spaceId, orgId) as { name: string } | undefined;
+    const row = this.db.prepare("select name, space_type from chat_spaces where id = ? and org_id = ?")
+      .get(spaceId, orgId) as { name: string; space_type: string } | undefined;
     if (!row) throw new Error("Chat space was not found.");
-    return row.name;
+    return row;
   }
 
   private taskDescription(input: SendMessageInput, slash: SlashInvocation, messageId: string, threadId: string): string {

AgentCompany-New/src/main/services/chat-service.ts

@@ -89,6 +89,34 @@ export class ChatService {
     return id;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Finds or creates the private direct conversation between two principals,
+   * so 1:1 traffic (task hand-offs, questions, reports) lives in its own
+   * WeChat-style conversation instead of piling into shared channels.
+   */
+  ensureDirectSpace(orgId: string, a: PrincipalRef, b: PrincipalRef): string {
+    if (a.type === b.type && a.id === b.id) throw new Error("A direct conversation needs two different principals.");
+    const existing = this.db.prepare(`
+      select cs.id
+      from chat_spaces cs
+      where cs.org_id = ? and cs.space_type = 'direct'
+        and exists (select 1 from chat_memberships m where m.space_id = cs.id and m.principal_type = ? and m.principal_id = ?)
+        and exists (select 1 from chat_memberships m where m.space_id = cs.id and m.principal_type = ? and m.principal_id = ?)
+        and (select count(*) from chat_memberships m where m.space_id = cs.id) = 2
+      limit 1
+    `).get(orgId, a.type, a.id, b.type, b.id) as { id: string } | undefined;
+    if (existing) return existing.id;
+    return this.createSpace({
+      orgId,
+      spaceType: "direct",
+      name: `${this.principalDisplayName(orgId, a)} · ${this.principalDisplayName(orgId, b)}`,
+      topic: "Direct conversation",
+      visibility: "restricted",
+      memberEmployeeIds: [a, b].filter((p) => p.type === "employee").map((p) => p.id),
+      memberAgentIds: [a, b].filter((p) => p.type === "agent").map((p) => p.id),
+    });
+  }
+
   sendMessage(input: SendMessageInput): string {
     const body = input.bodyMd.trim();
     if (!body) throw new Error("Message body is required.");
@@ -140,6 +168,7 @@ export class ChatService {
     if (slash) this.slashRouter.recordInvocation(id, slash, slashResultRef, now);
     if (!slash || slash.command !== "agent") {
       this.wakeAgentMentions(input, mentions, id, threadId, now);
+      if (space.space_type === "direct") this.wakeDirectCounterparts(input, mentions, id, threadId, now);
     }
     if (input.senderType === "employee" || input.senderType === "board") {
       this.wakeThreadParticipants(input, mentions, id, threadId, now);
@@ -247,6 +276,31 @@ export class ChatService {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * In a direct conversation the counterpart is addressed by definition, so
+   * agent members wake on every message without needing an explicit @mention
+   * — the same social contract as any messenger. Mentioned agents were
+   * already woken; the autonomous turn budget still bounds agent↔agent runs.
+   */
+  private wakeDirectCounterparts(input: SendMessageInput, mentions: ResolvedMention[], messageId: string, threadId: string, now: string): void {
+    if (input.senderType === "agent" && this.autonomousThreadTurnsExhausted(input.orgId, threadId)) return;
+    const mentionedAgentIds = new Set(mentions.filter((m) => m.target.type === "agent").map((m) => m.target.id));
+    const members = this.db.prepare(`
+      select principal_id as agent_id
+      from chat_memberships
+      where space_id = ? and principal_type = 'agent'
+    `).all(input.spaceId) as Array<{ agent_id: string }>;
+    for (const member of members) {
+      if (mentionedAgentIds.has(member.agent_id)) continue;
+      if (input.senderType === "agent" && input.senderId === member.agent_id) continue;
+      try {
+        this.agentWake.wakeFromMention(input, member.agent_id, messageId, threadId, now);
+      } catch {
+        // Agent may not have an enabled provider.
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * True once a thread holds MAX_AUTONOMOUS_THREAD_AGENT_TURNS agent messages
    * since the last human or board message — the point past which agent↔agent
@@ -266,6 +320,20 @@ export class ChatService {
     return row.turns >= MAX_AUTONOMOUS_THREAD_AGENT_TURNS;
   }
 
+  private principalDisplayName(orgId: string, principal: PrincipalRef): string {
+    if (principal.type === "agent") {
+      const row = this.db.prepare("select name from agents where id = ? and org_id = ?")
+        .get(principal.id, orgId) as { name: string } | undefined;
+      if (row) return row.name;
+    }
+    if (principal.type === "employee") {
+      const row = this.db.prepare("select display_name from employees where id = ? and org_id = ?")
+        .get(principal.id, orgId) as { display_name: string } | undefined;
+      if (row) return row.display_name;
+    }
+    throw new Error("Direct conversation principal was not found.");
+  }
+
   private requireSpace(orgId: string, spaceId: string): SpaceRow {
     const space = this.db.prepare("select id, org_id, visibility, space_type from chat_spaces where id = ? and org_id = ?")
       .get(spaceId, orgId) as SpaceRow | undefined;

AgentCompany-New/tests/unit/agent-direct-messages.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+import { randomUUID } from "node:crypto";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+import { describe, expect, test } from "vitest";
+import { DatabaseConnection } from "../../src/main/database/connection";
+import { OrganizationService } from "../../src/main/services/organization-service";
+import { ChatService } from "../../src/main/services/chat-service";
+import { dispatchAgentTool, type AgentToolContext } from "../../src/main/services/agent-tools";
+
+function call(name: string, args: Record<string, unknown>) {
+  return { id: `call_${randomUUID()}`, name, arguments: args };
+}
+
+interface Harness {
+  connection: DatabaseConnection;
+  organization: OrganizationService;
+  chat: ChatService;
+  orgId: string;
+  employeeId: string;
+  ceoId: string;
+  danaId: string;
+  ctx: AgentToolContext;
+}
+
+function harness(options: { enableProvider: boolean }): Harness {
+  const connection = new DatabaseConnection(join(tmpdir(), `ac-dm-${randomUUID()}.db`));
+  const organization = new OrganizationService(connection.db);
+  let orgId = "";
+  let ceoId = "";
+  let danaId = "";
+  connection.transaction(() => {
+    orgId = organization.createOrganization({ organizationName: "OrbitOps", employeeName: "Yang", mission: "m", goal: "g" });
+    const providerId = (connection.db.prepare("select id from providers where org_id = ? and provider_key = 'openai'").get(orgId) as { id: string }).id;
+    if (options.enableProvider) {
+      connection.db.prepare("update providers set enabled = 1 where id = ? and org_id = ?").run(providerId, orgId);
+    }
+    ceoId = organization.createAgent({
+      orgId, name: "CEO", role: "CEO", department: "Executive",
+      modelProviderId: providerId, modelId: "gpt-5.4", budgetCents: 25000, managerAgentId: null,
+    });
+    danaId = organization.createAgent({
+      orgId, name: "Dana", role: "Engineer", department: "Engineering",
+      modelProviderId: providerId, modelId: "gpt-5.4", budgetCents: 1000, managerAgentId: ceoId,
+    });
+  });
+  const employeeId = (connection.db.prepare("select id from employees where org_id = ?").get(orgId) as { id: string }).id;
+  const chat = new ChatService(connection.db);
+  return {
+    connection,
+    organization,
+    chat,
+    orgId,
+    employeeId,
+    ceoId,
+    danaId,
+    ctx: {
+      orgId,
+      agent: { id: ceoId, modelProviderId: null, modelId: null },
+      taskProjectId: null,
+      taskGoalId: null,
+      workspace: null,
+    },
+  };
+}
+
+function directSpaces(h: Harness): Array<{ id: string }> {
+  return h.connection.db.prepare("select id from chat_spaces where org_id = ? and space_type = 'direct'")
+    .all(h.orgId) as Array<{ id: string }>;
+}
+
+describe("agent direct messages", () => {
+  test("a DM gets its own conversation and later messages reuse it", () => {
+    const h = harness({ enableProvider: false });
+    const deps = { db: h.connection.db, organization: h.organization, chat: h.chat };
+
+    const first = dispatchAgentTool(deps, h.ctx, call("send_message", { to: "Dana", body: "How is the booking API going?" }));
+    expect(first).toContain("direct message to Dana");
+    const threadId = /thread_id="([^"]+)"/.exec(first)?.[1];
+    expect(threadId).toBeTruthy();
+
+    dispatchAgentTool(deps, h.ctx, call("send_message", { to: "Dana", body: "Also, ping me when the spec lands.", thread_id: threadId }));
+
+    const spaces = directSpaces(h);
+    expect(spaces).toHaveLength(1);
+    const members = h.connection.db.prepare("select principal_type, principal_id from chat_memberships where space_id = ?")
+      .all(spaces[0].id) as Array<{ principal_type: string; principal_id: string }>;
+    expect(members).toHaveLength(2);
+    expect(members.map((m) => m.principal_id).sort()).toEqual([h.ceoId, h.danaId].sort());
+
+    const messages = h.connection.db.prepare("select space_id from chat_messages where org_id = ?").all(h.orgId) as Array<{ space_id: string }>;
+    expect(messages).toHaveLength(2);
+    expect(messages.every((m) => m.space_id === spaces[0].id)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  test("a direct message wakes the counterpart agent without an @mention", () => {
+    const h = harness({ enableProvider: true });
+    const deps = { db: h.connection.db, organization: h.organization, chat: h.chat };
+
+    dispatchAgentTool(deps, h.ctx, call("send_message", { to: "Dana", body: "Take a look at the failing deploy when you can." }));
+
+    const runs = h.connection.db.prepare(
+      "select count(*) as count from task_runs where org_id = ? and agent_id = ? and trigger = 'chat_mention'",
+    ).get(h.orgId, h.danaId) as { count: number };
+    expect(runs.count).toBe(1);
+  });
+
+  test("an employee DM wakes the agent like any messenger would", () => {
+    const h = harness({ enableProvider: true });
+    const spaceId = h.chat.ensureDirectSpace(h.orgId, { type: "employee", id: h.employeeId }, { type: "agent", id: h.danaId });
+    h.chat.sendMessage({
+      orgId: h.orgId,
+      spaceId,
+      threadId: null,
+      senderType: "employee",
+      senderId: h.employeeId,
+      bodyMd: "Dana, what is the launch status?",
+      attachmentFileIds: [],
+    });
+    const runs = h.connection.db.prepare(
+      "select count(*) as count from task_runs where org_id = ? and agent_id = ? and trigger = 'chat_mention'",
+    ).get(h.orgId, h.danaId) as { count: number };
+    expect(runs.count).toBe(1);
+  });
+
+  test("task assignments go to the manager's direct conversation with the assignee", () => {
+    const h = harness({ enableProvider: true });
+    const deps = { db: h.connection.db, organization: h.organization, chat: h.chat };
+
+    const result = dispatchAgentTool(deps, h.ctx, call("create_task", {
+      title: "Ship booking API",
+      description: "Design and ship the booking API v1.",
+      assignee_agent_name: "Dana",
+    }));
+    expect(result).toContain("assigned to Dana");
+
+    const spaces = directSpaces(h);
+    expect(spaces).toHaveLength(1);
+    const assignment = h.connection.db.prepare("select space_id, body_md from chat_messages where org_id = ?").get(h.orgId) as { space_id: string; body_md: string };
+    expect(assignment.space_id).toBe(spaces[0].id);
+    expect(assignment.body_md).toContain("take task_id=");
+  });
+
+  test("send_message requires exactly one destination", () => {
+    const h = harness({ enableProvider: false });
+    const deps = { db: h.connection.db, organization: h.organization, chat: h.chat };
+    expect(dispatchAgentTool(deps, h.ctx, call("send_message", { body: "hello" }))).toContain("ERROR");
+    expect(dispatchAgentTool(deps, h.ctx, call("send_message", { to: "Dana", channel: "general", body: "hello" }))).toContain("ERROR");
+  });
+
+  test("read_messages can read a direct conversation by teammate name", () => {
+    const h = harness({ enableProvider: false });
+    const deps = { db: h.connection.db, organization: h.organization, chat: h.chat };
+    dispatchAgentTool(deps, h.ctx, call("send_message", { to: "Dana", body: "Morning - priorities for today are in the doc." }));
+    const readBack = dispatchAgentTool(deps, h.ctx, call("read_messages", { with: "Dana" }));
+    expect(readBack).toContain("priorities for today");
+    expect(readBack).toContain("[CEO]");
+  });
+});

AgentCompany-New/tests/unit/agent-run-loop.test.ts

@@ -186,12 +186,17 @@ describe("agent run loop (real tool dispatch)", () => {
 
     const alex = connection.db.prepare("select id from agents where org_id = ? and name = 'Alex Rivera'").get(orgId) as { id: string };
     const assignment = connection.db.prepare(`
-      select m.body_md, m.thread_id, s.name as space_name
+      select m.body_md, m.thread_id, s.id as space_id, s.space_type
       from chat_messages m
       join chat_spaces s on s.id = m.space_id
       where m.org_id = ?
-    `).get(orgId) as { body_md: string; thread_id: string; space_name: string } | undefined;
+    `).get(orgId) as { body_md: string; thread_id: string; space_id: string; space_type: string } | undefined;
-    expect(assignment).toMatchObject({ space_name: "engineering" });
+    // Assignments are 1:1 hand-offs, so they live in the manager's direct
+    // conversation with the assignee instead of a shared channel.
+    expect(assignment).toMatchObject({ space_type: "direct" });
+    const dmMembers = connection.db.prepare("select principal_id from chat_memberships where space_id = ?")
+      .all(assignment?.space_id ?? "") as Array<{ principal_id: string }>;
+    expect(dmMembers.map((m) => m.principal_id).sort()).toEqual([ceoId, alex.id].sort());
     expect(assignment?.body_md).toContain(`@${canonicalMentionHandle("Alex Rivera")}`);
     expect(assignment?.body_md).toContain("Build the booking API");