Troubleshooting
My Agent Replies to Everything
How to stop noisy over-reply behavior in Discord channels and make your agent act like a good group participant.
If your agent responds to every message in a busy channel, it can feel spammy fast. The fix is usually simple: tighten your behavior rules and make your trigger conditions explicit.
Short version: define exactly when to respond, when to stay silent, and how concise to be in group chats.
Why this happens
- Your SOUL.md says “be helpful” but doesn’t define silence rules.
- The agent treats all channel messages as opportunities to contribute.
- No guidance exists for mentions vs. ambient conversation.
- No “one response max” rule, so it fragments into multiple replies.
Fix it in 3 steps
1) Add explicit group-chat response rules
In AGENTS.md or SOUL.md, define hard rules for when to reply and when to return quiet status.
Respond when:
- Directly mentioned (@agent) or asked a direct question
- You can add unique value not already said
Stay quiet when:
- It is casual banter
- Someone already answered
- You would only add "+1" or "nice"
If no response is needed, return: HEARTBEAT_OK
2) Require concise single-message output
Prevent “triple-tap” behavior by forcing one complete answer.
In group chats:
- Send at most one message per user turn
- Keep replies under 5 short bullets unless asked for detail
- Prefer emoji reactions over text for simple acknowledgement
3) Add escalation logic
Tell your agent when interruption is justified (misinformation, safety, unanswered direct asks).
Speak up immediately if:
- Harmful misinformation appears
- User directly asks for help and no one responds
- You have critical corrective context
Copy/paste policy block
## Group Chat Behavior
You are a participant, not the center of the room.
- Do not respond to every message.
- Prefer silence over low-value chatter.
- Respond only when directly asked, mentioned, or genuinely helpful.
- Never send multiple fragmented replies to one message.
- If unsure whether to reply, stay silent.
Common mistake: “Be proactive” without boundaries can accidentally create spam. Pair proactivity with strict response gates.
How to test quickly
- Use a busy channel and watch 10–20 messages.
- Check whether the agent only speaks when mentioned or clearly needed.
- Confirm it sends one consolidated reply, not multiple fragments.
- If still noisy, tighten rules with stronger “stay silent” wording.
Bottom line: the best group-chat agents are selectively helpful. Clear silence rules make your agent feel smart, not loud.