diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/main/gitea.ts b/apps/desktop/src/main/gitea.ts
index eaf5670..1ea869e 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/main/gitea.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/main/gitea.ts
@@ -126,6 +126,36 @@ export async function reconcileSnapshot(
   return { issues, milestones, deps, timelines }
 }
 
+type Snapshot = Awaited<ReturnType<typeof reconcileSnapshot>>
+
+/**
+ * A single in-memory reconcile cache shared across the app. A full reconcile is
+ * ~2N gitea calls (deps + timelines per issue); without this, every agent tool
+ * call refetched the whole repo. Reads within `maxAgeMs` reuse the cache;
+ * `getSnapshot({ maxAgeMs: 0 })` forces a fresh pull (the explicit UI reconcile),
+ * and any write calls `invalidateSnapshot()` so the next read sees it. The cache
+ * is rebuildable — the durable truth stays in gitea (the purity split, D4).
+ */
+let snapshotCache: { snap: Snapshot; at: number } | null = null
+
+export async function getSnapshot(client: GiteaClient, opts?: { maxAgeMs?: number }): Promise<Snapshot> {
+  const maxAgeMs = opts?.maxAgeMs ?? 0
+  if (snapshotCache && maxAgeMs > 0 && Date.now() - snapshotCache.at <= maxAgeMs) {
+    return snapshotCache.snap
+  }
+  const snap = await reconcileSnapshot(client)
+  snapshotCache = { snap, at: Date.now() }
+  return snap
+}
+
+/** Drop the cache so the next read reflects a just-made write. */
+export function invalidateSnapshot(): void {
+  snapshotCache = null
+}
+
+/** Agent tool calls tolerate a slightly stale snapshot (seconds) to stay responsive. */
+export const AGENT_SNAPSHOT_TTL_MS = 30_000
+
 export function registerGiteaIpc(): void {
   const client = getGiteaClient()
   const repo = client ? `${process.env.GITEA_OWNER ?? 'christian'}/${process.env.GITEA_REPO ?? 'commitea'}` : null
@@ -134,7 +164,8 @@ export function registerGiteaIpc(): void {
 
   ipcMain.handle('gitea:reconcile', async () => {
     if (!client) return { configured: false, issues: [], milestones: [], deps: [], timelines: {} }
-    const snap = await reconcileSnapshot(client)
+    // explicit UI sync — force fresh, and warm the cache for agent tool calls
+    const snap = await getSnapshot(client, { maxAgeMs: 0 })
     return { configured: true, ...snap }
   })
 
@@ -167,6 +198,7 @@ export function registerGiteaIpc(): void {
     const ids = await resolveLabelIds(plan.labels)
     await client.setIssueLabels(change.issue, ids)
     const issue = await client.getIssue(change.issue)
+    invalidateSnapshot() // the board + forecast must reflect the label change
     return { ok: true as const, plan, issue }
   })
 
@@ -183,6 +215,7 @@ export function registerGiteaIpc(): void {
         const issue = await client.createIssue({ title: it.title, body: it.body, labelIds })
         created.push({ number: issue.number, title: issue.title })
       }
+      if (created.length) invalidateSnapshot() // new issues enter the board/scope
       return { ok: true as const, created }
     },
   )
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/main/model.ts b/apps/desktop/src/main/model.ts
index 686a8a3..2859397 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/main/model.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/main/model.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,13 @@ import {
 } from '@commitea/core'
 import { ipcMain } from 'electron'
 
-import { appendDirectiveEntry, getGiteaClient, getPmStateClient, reconcileSnapshot } from './gitea.js'
+import {
+  AGENT_SNAPSHOT_TTL_MS,
+  appendDirectiveEntry,
+  getGiteaClient,
+  getPmStateClient,
+  getSnapshot,
+} from './gitea.js'
 
 /** Small local model for prose + the read tool; big model reserved for later decomposition. */
 function resolveModelRouter(): ModelRouter | null {
@@ -93,7 +99,8 @@ export function registerModelIpc(): void {
     const execute = async (name: string, args: unknown) => {
       if (!client) return { error: 'gitea is not configured' }
       if (name === 'query_project') {
-        const snap = await reconcileSnapshot(client)
+        // reuse a recent reconcile — a multi-tool turn shouldn't refetch the repo each call
+        const snap = await getSnapshot(client, { maxAgeMs: AGENT_SNAPSHOT_TTL_MS })
         const a = (args ?? {}) as { view: ProjectView; filters?: QueryFilters }
         return buildProjectView(a.view, a.filters, snap, new Date())
       }