diff --git a/src/timmy/agentic_loop.py b/src/timmy/agentic_loop.py
index df27c5dd..16f6aa48 100644
--- a/src/timmy/agentic_loop.py
+++ b/src/timmy/agentic_loop.py
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ class AgenticResult:
 # Agent factory
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+_loop_agent = None
+
 
 def _get_loop_agent():
     """Create a fresh agent for the agentic loop.
@@ -65,9 +67,12 @@ def _get_loop_agent():
     Returns the same type of agent as `create_timmy()` but with a
     dedicated session so it doesn't pollute the main chat history.
     """
-    from timmy.agent import create_timmy
+    global _loop_agent
+    if _loop_agent is None:
+        from timmy.agent import create_timmy
 
-    return create_timmy()
+        _loop_agent = create_timmy()
+    return _loop_agent
 
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -168,11 +173,11 @@ async def run_agentic_loop(
     for i, step_desc in enumerate(steps, 1):
         step_start = time.monotonic()
 
+        recent = completed_results[-2:] if completed_results else []
         context = (
             f"Task: {task}\n"
-            f"Plan: {plan_text}\n"
-            f"Completed so far: {completed_results}\n\n"
-            f"Now do step {i}: {step_desc}\n"
+            f"Step {i}/{total_steps}: {step_desc}\n"
+            f"Recent progress: {recent}\n\n"
             f"Execute this step and report what you did."
         )
 
@@ -273,27 +278,15 @@ async def run_agentic_loop(
                 completed_results.append(f"Step {i}: FAILED")
 
     # ── Phase 3: Summary ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
-    summary_prompt = (
-        f"Task: {task}\n"
-        f"Results:\n" + "\n".join(completed_results) + "\n\n"
-        "Summarise what was accomplished in 2-3 sentences."
-    )
-    try:
-        summary_run = await asyncio.to_thread(
-            agent.run,
-            summary_prompt,
-            stream=False,
-            session_id=f"{session_id}_summary",
-        )
-        result.summary = (
-            summary_run.content if hasattr(summary_run, "content") else str(summary_run)
-        )
-        from timmy.session import _clean_response
-
-        result.summary = _clean_response(result.summary)
-    except Exception as exc:
-        logger.error("Agentic loop summary failed: %s", exc)
-        result.summary = f"Completed {len(result.steps)} steps."
+    completed_count = sum(1 for s in result.steps if s.status == "completed")
+    adapted_count = sum(1 for s in result.steps if s.status == "adapted")
+    failed_count = sum(1 for s in result.steps if s.status == "failed")
+    parts = [f"Completed {completed_count}/{total_steps} steps"]
+    if adapted_count:
+        parts.append(f"{adapted_count} adapted")
+    if failed_count:
+        parts.append(f"{failed_count} failed")
+    result.summary = f"{task}: {', '.join(parts)}."
 
     # Determine final status
     if was_truncated:
diff --git a/tests/e2e/test_agentic_chain.py b/tests/e2e/test_agentic_chain.py
index debdfe42..4abe2c1e 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/test_agentic_chain.py
+++ b/tests/e2e/test_agentic_chain.py
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ async def test_multistep_chain_completes_all_steps():
             _mock_run("Found 5 articles about AI in March 2026."),
             _mock_run("Wrote summary to /tmp/ai_news.md"),
             _mock_run("File exists, 15 lines."),
-            _mock_run("Searched, wrote, verified."),
         ]
     )
 
@@ -40,7 +39,7 @@ async def test_multistep_chain_completes_all_steps():
 
     assert result.status == "completed"
     assert len(result.steps) == 3
-    assert mock_agent.run.call_count == 5  # plan + 3 steps + summary
+    assert mock_agent.run.call_count == 4  # plan + 3 steps
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
@@ -54,7 +53,6 @@ async def test_multistep_chain_adapts_on_failure():
             Exception("Permission denied"),
             _mock_run("Adapted: wrote to ~/config.yaml instead"),
             _mock_run("Verified: timeout=60"),
-            _mock_run("Updated config. Used ~/config.yaml due to permissions."),
         ]
     )
 
@@ -77,7 +75,6 @@ async def test_max_steps_enforced():
             _mock_run("1. A\n2. B\n3. C\n4. D\n5. E"),
             _mock_run("A done"),
             _mock_run("B done"),
-            _mock_run("Completed 2 of 5 steps."),
         ]
     )
 
@@ -105,7 +102,6 @@ async def test_progress_events_fire():
             _mock_run("1. Do A\n2. Do B"),
             _mock_run("A done"),
             _mock_run("B done"),
-            _mock_run("All done"),
         ]
     )
 
diff --git a/tests/test_agentic_loop.py b/tests/test_agentic_loop.py
index 8cd9a6a1..929252bf 100644
--- a/tests/test_agentic_loop.py
+++ b/tests/test_agentic_loop.py
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@ async def test_planning_phase_produces_steps():
             _mock_run("Found 5 articles about AI."),
             _mock_run("Wrote summary to /tmp/ai_news.md"),
             _mock_run("File verified, 15 lines."),
-            _mock_run("Searched, wrote, verified."),
         ]
     )
 
@@ -82,7 +81,6 @@ async def test_loop_executes_all_steps():
             _mock_run("1. Do A\n2. Do B"),
             _mock_run("A done"),
             _mock_run("B done"),
-            _mock_run("All done"),
         ]
     )
 
@@ -92,8 +90,8 @@ async def test_loop_executes_all_steps():
     ):
         result = await run_agentic_loop("Do A and B")
 
-    # plan + 2 steps + summary = 4 calls
-    assert mock_agent.run.call_count == 4
+    # plan + 2 steps = 3 calls
+    assert mock_agent.run.call_count == 3
     assert len(result.steps) == 2
 
 
@@ -106,7 +104,6 @@ async def test_loop_respects_max_steps():
             _mock_run("1. A\n2. B\n3. C\n4. D\n5. E"),
             _mock_run("A done"),
             _mock_run("B done"),
-            _mock_run("Completed 2 of 5 steps."),
         ]
     )
 
@@ -131,7 +128,6 @@ async def test_failure_triggers_adaptation():
             Exception("Permission denied"),
             _mock_run("Adapted: wrote to ~/config.yaml instead"),
             _mock_run("Verified: timeout=60"),
-            _mock_run("Updated config via alternative path."),
         ]
     )
 
@@ -159,7 +155,6 @@ async def test_progress_callback_fires():
             _mock_run("1. Do A\n2. Do B"),
             _mock_run("A done"),
             _mock_run("B done"),
-            _mock_run("All done"),
         ]
     )
 
@@ -183,7 +178,6 @@ async def test_result_contains_step_metadata():
             _mock_run("1. Search\n2. Write"),
             _mock_run("Found results"),
             _mock_run("Written to file"),
-            _mock_run("Done"),
         ]
     )
 
@@ -207,10 +201,9 @@ async def test_config_default_used():
     # Return more steps than default config allows (10)
     steps_text = "\n".join(f"{i}. Step {i}" for i in range(1, 15))
     side_effects = [_mock_run(steps_text)]
-    # 10 step results + summary
+    # 10 step results
     for i in range(1, 11):
         side_effects.append(_mock_run(f"Step {i} done"))
-    side_effects.append(_mock_run("Summary"))
 
     mock_agent.run = MagicMock(side_effect=side_effects)
 
diff --git a/tests/timmy/test_cli.py b/tests/timmy/test_cli.py
index bafbfdfe..83c5240a 100644
--- a/tests/timmy/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/timmy/test_cli.py
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ def test_chat_stdin_empty_exits_with_error():
 def test_repl_exits_on_ctrl_c():
     """repl should exit gracefully on Ctrl+C (KeyboardInterrupt)."""
     with patch("builtins.input", side_effect=KeyboardInterrupt):
-        runner.invoke(app, ["repl"])
+        result = runner.invoke(app, ["repl"])
 
     assert result.exit_code == 0
     assert "Goodbye" in result.output
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ def test_repl_exits_on_ctrl_c():
 def test_repl_exits_on_ctrl_d():
     """repl should exit gracefully on Ctrl+D (EOFError)."""
     with patch("builtins.input", side_effect=EOFError):
-        runner.invoke(app, ["repl"])
+        result = runner.invoke(app, ["repl"])
 
     assert result.exit_code == 0
     assert "Goodbye" in result.output
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ def test_repl_exits_on_ctrl_d():
 def test_repl_exits_on_quit_command():
     """repl should exit when user types 'quit'."""
     with patch("builtins.input", return_value="quit"):
-        runner.invoke(app, ["repl"])
+        result = runner.invoke(app, ["repl"])
 
     assert result.exit_code == 0
     assert "Goodbye" in result.output
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ def test_repl_exits_on_quit_command():
 def test_repl_exits_on_exit_command():
     """repl should exit when user types 'exit'."""
     with patch("builtins.input", return_value="exit"):
-        runner.invoke(app, ["repl"])
+        result = runner.invoke(app, ["repl"])
 
     assert result.exit_code == 0
     assert "Goodbye" in result.output
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ def test_repl_sends_message_to_chat():
         patch("timmy.session.chat") as mock_chat,
     ):
         mock_chat.return_value = "Hi there!"
-        runner.invoke(app, ["repl"])
+        result = runner.invoke(app, ["repl"])
 
     mock_chat.assert_called()
     assert result.exit_code == 0
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ def test_repl_handles_chat_errors():
         patch("timmy.session.chat") as mock_chat,
     ):
         mock_chat.side_effect = Exception("Chat error")
-        runner.invoke(app, ["repl"])
+        result = runner.invoke(app, ["repl"])
 
     assert result.exit_code == 0
     assert "Error" in result.output