diff --git a/index.ts b/index.ts
index 52f1962e..6913afb7 100644
--- a/index.ts
+++ b/index.ts
@@ -2052,94 +2052,6 @@ const memoryLanceDBProPlugin = {
       }
     );
 
-    // ========================================================================
-    // Memory Compaction (Progressive Summarization)
-    // ========================================================================
-
-    if (config.enableManagementTools) {
-      api.registerTool({
-        name: "memory_compact",
-        description:
-          "Consolidate semantically similar old memories into refined single entries " +
-          "(progressive summarization). Reduces noise and improves retrieval quality over time. " +
-          "Use dry_run:true first to preview the compaction plan without making changes.",
-        inputSchema: {
-          type: "object" as const,
-          properties: {
-            dry_run: {
-              type: "boolean",
-              description: "Preview clusters without writing changes. Default: false.",
-            },
-            min_age_days: {
-              type: "number",
-              description: "Only compact memories at least this many days old. Default: 7.",
-            },
-            similarity_threshold: {
-              type: "number",
-              description: "Cosine similarity threshold for clustering [0-1]. Default: 0.88.",
-            },
-            scopes: {
-              type: "array",
-              items: { type: "string" },
-              description: "Scope filter. Omit to compact all scopes.",
-            },
-          },
-          required: [],
-        },
-        execute: async (args: Record<string, unknown>) => {
-          const compactionCfg: CompactionConfig = {
-            enabled: true,
-            minAgeDays:
-              typeof args.min_age_days === "number"
-                ? args.min_age_days
-                : (config.memoryCompaction?.minAgeDays ?? 7),
-            similarityThreshold:
-              typeof args.similarity_threshold === "number"
-                ? Math.max(0, Math.min(1, args.similarity_threshold))
-                : (config.memoryCompaction?.similarityThreshold ?? 0.88),
-            minClusterSize: config.memoryCompaction?.minClusterSize ?? 2,
-            maxMemoriesToScan: config.memoryCompaction?.maxMemoriesToScan ?? 200,
-            dryRun: args.dry_run === true,
-            cooldownHours: config.memoryCompaction?.cooldownHours ?? 24,
-          };
-          const scopes =
-            Array.isArray(args.scopes) && args.scopes.length > 0
-              ? (args.scopes as string[])
-              : undefined;
-
-          const result = await runCompaction(
-            store,
-            embedder,
-            compactionCfg,
-            scopes,
-            api.logger,
-          );
-
-          return {
-            content: [
-              {
-                type: "text",
-                text: JSON.stringify(
-                  {
-                    scanned: result.scanned,
-                    clustersFound: result.clustersFound,
-                    memoriesDeleted: result.memoriesDeleted,
-                    memoriesCreated: result.memoriesCreated,
-                    dryRun: result.dryRun,
-                    summary: result.dryRun
-                      ? `Dry run: found ${result.clustersFound} cluster(s) in ${result.scanned} memories — no changes made.`
-                      : `Compacted ${result.memoriesDeleted} memories into ${result.memoriesCreated} consolidated entries.`,
-                  },
-                  null,
-                  2,
-                ),
-              },
-            ],
-          };
-        },
-      });
-    }
-
     // Auto-compaction at gateway_start (if enabled, respects cooldown)
     if (config.memoryCompaction?.enabled) {
       api.on("gateway_start", () => {
diff --git a/test/plugin-manifest-regression.mjs b/test/plugin-manifest-regression.mjs
index 65e9ec23..41f88e9c 100644
--- a/test/plugin-manifest-regression.mjs
+++ b/test/plugin-manifest-regression.mjs
@@ -152,7 +152,17 @@ try {
   plugin.register(api);
   assert.equal(services.length, 1, "plugin should register its background service");
   assert.equal(typeof api.hooks.agent_end, "function", "autoCapture should remain enabled by default");
-  assert.equal(api.hooks["command:new"], undefined, "sessionMemory should stay disabled by default");
+  // selfImprovement defaults to enabled (#391), so command:new will have
+  // the appendSelfImprovementNote hook.  Verify sessionMemory's /new hook
+  // is NOT registered by checking that the hook (if any) is the
+  // self-improvement one, not the sessionMemory one.
+  if (api.hooks["command:new"] !== undefined) {
+    assert.equal(
+      api.hooks["command:new"].name,
+      "appendSelfImprovementNote",
+      "command:new hook should only be the self-improvement note, not sessionMemory",
+    );
+  }
   await assert.doesNotReject(
     services[0].stop(),
     "service stop should not throw when no access tracker is configured",
@@ -172,11 +182,16 @@ try {
     },
   });
   plugin.register(sessionDefaultApi);
-  assert.equal(
-    sessionDefaultApi.hooks["command:new"],
-    undefined,
-    "sessionMemory:{} should not implicitly enable the /new hook",
-  );
+  // selfImprovement defaults to enabled (#391), so command:new may carry the
+  // self-improvement hook.  The key invariant is that sessionMemory:{} does NOT
+  // add its own /new hook.
+  if (sessionDefaultApi.hooks["command:new"] !== undefined) {
+    assert.equal(
+      sessionDefaultApi.hooks["command:new"].name,
+      "appendSelfImprovementNote",
+      "sessionMemory:{} should not implicitly enable its own /new hook",
+    );
+  }
 
   const sessionEnabledApi = createMockApi({
     dbPath: path.join(workDir, "db-session-enabled"),
@@ -197,11 +212,14 @@ try {
     "function",
     "sessionMemory.enabled=true should register the async before_reset hook",
   );
-  assert.equal(
-    sessionEnabledApi.hooks["command:new"],
-    undefined,
-    "sessionMemory.enabled=true should not register the blocking command:new hook",
-  );
+  // Same as above: command:new may be the self-improvement hook, not sessionMemory's.
+  if (sessionEnabledApi.hooks["command:new"] !== undefined) {
+    assert.equal(
+      sessionEnabledApi.hooks["command:new"].name,
+      "appendSelfImprovementNote",
+      "sessionMemory.enabled=true should not register the blocking command:new hook",
+    );
+  }
 
   const longText = `${"Long embedding payload. ".repeat(420)}tail`;
   const threshold = 6000;
diff --git a/test/session-summary-before-reset.test.mjs b/test/session-summary-before-reset.test.mjs
index d3c7a1a4..20cc92ba 100644
--- a/test/session-summary-before-reset.test.mjs
+++ b/test/session-summary-before-reset.test.mjs
@@ -104,7 +104,15 @@ describe("systemSessionMemory before_reset", () => {
     memoryLanceDBProPlugin.register(api);
 
     assert.equal(typeof api.hooks.before_reset, "function");
-    assert.equal(api.hooks["command:new"], undefined);
+    // selfImprovement defaults to enabled (#391), so command:new may carry
+    // the self-improvement hook — verify sessionMemory didn't register its own.
+    if (api.hooks["command:new"] !== undefined) {
+      assert.equal(
+        api.hooks["command:new"].name,
+        "appendSelfImprovementNote",
+        "command:new hook should only be the self-improvement note, not sessionMemory",
+      );
+    }
 
     await api.hooks.before_reset(
       {