diff --git a/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner/compact.ts b/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner/compact.ts
index 0ea79866f8d..7dbe5329569 100644
--- a/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner/compact.ts
+++ b/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner/compact.ts
@@ -835,6 +835,8 @@ export async function compactEmbeddedPiSessionDirect(
           extensionFactories,
         });
         await resourceLoader.reload();
+        // DefaultResourceLoader.reload() rehydrates settings from disk and can drop OpenClaw
+        // compaction overrides applied in createPreparedEmbeddedPiSettingsManager.
         applyPiCompactionSettingsFromConfig({
           settingsManager,
           cfg: params.config,
diff --git a/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner/run/attempt.ts b/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner/run/attempt.ts
index c74918cd6bb..9e0cfe69a9d 100644
--- a/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner/run/attempt.ts
+++ b/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner/run/attempt.ts
@@ -79,9 +79,11 @@ import {
   resolveBootstrapTotalMaxChars,
 } from "../../pi-embedded-helpers.js";
 import { subscribeEmbeddedPiSession } from "../../pi-embedded-subscribe.js";
-import { applyPiCompactionSettingsFromConfig } from "../../pi-settings.js";
+import {
+  applyPiAutoCompactionGuard,
+  applyPiCompactionSettingsFromConfig,
+} from "../../pi-settings.js";
 import { createPreparedEmbeddedPiSettingsManager } from "../../pi-project-settings.js";
-import { applyPiAutoCompactionGuard } from "../../pi-settings.js";
 import {
   createClientToolNameConflictError,
   findClientToolNameConflicts,