diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/main_agent/system_prompt/builder/sections/registry_subagents.py b/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/main_agent/system_prompt/builder/sections/registry_subagents.py
index 90f4cc2d6..191e86d33 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/main_agent/system_prompt/builder/sections/registry_subagents.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/main_agent/system_prompt/builder/sections/registry_subagents.py
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ def build_registry_subagents_section(
         "\n<registry_subagents>\n"
         "These specialists are registered for **task** (routes without a matching connector are omitted).\n"
         f"{bullets}\n"
-        "The runtime may also offer a general-purpose **task** helper with your tools in a separate context.\n"
         "Pick the specialist by **name**. Put full instructions in the task prompt; they do not see this thread.\n"
         "</registry_subagents>\n"
     )
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/main_agent/system_prompt/markdown/main_agent_tool_routing.md b/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/main_agent/system_prompt/markdown/main_agent_tool_routing.md
index 5b0fbea89..a3f0f7305 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/main_agent/system_prompt/markdown/main_agent_tool_routing.md
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/main_agent/system_prompt/markdown/main_agent_tool_routing.md
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 <tool_routing>
-Use **task** for any work beyond your direct SurfSense tools. Two builtin
-specialists are always available:
+Use **task** for any work beyond your direct SurfSense tools. The
+**knowledge_base** specialist is always available:
 
 - **knowledge_base** — owns the user's workspace (documents and folders). Route
   here whenever the user wants to create, read, edit, search, organise, or
   remove a document or folder (e.g. *"save these notes to my KB"*, *"find my Q2
   roadmap"*, *"rename this folder"*).
-- **general_purpose** — ad-hoc multi-step work that doesn't fit any specialist.
 
 The connector specialists listed in `<registry_subagents>` (later in this
 prompt) cover calendar, mail, chat, tickets, third-party documents,
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/shared/file_intent.py b/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/shared/file_intent.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 5ff65aa12..000000000
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/shared/file_intent.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-"""File-intent classifier that gates strict write contracts."""
-
-from __future__ import annotations
-
-from langchain_core.language_models import BaseChatModel
-
-from app.agents.new_chat.middleware import FileIntentMiddleware
-
-
-def build_file_intent_mw(llm: BaseChatModel) -> FileIntentMiddleware:
-    return FileIntentMiddleware(llm=llm)
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/shared/permissions/__init__.py b/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/shared/permissions/__init__.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 4f2228170..000000000
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/shared/permissions/__init__.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-"""Permission rulesets fanned out to parent / general-purpose / subagent stacks."""
-
-from __future__ import annotations
-
-from .context import PermissionContext, build_permission_context
-from .middleware import build_full_permission_mw
-
-__all__ = [
-    "PermissionContext",
-    "build_full_permission_mw",
-    "build_permission_context",
-]
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/shared/permissions/context.py b/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/shared/permissions/context.py
deleted file mode 100644
index e121421a0..000000000
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/shared/permissions/context.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,107 +0,0 @@
-"""Derive shared permission context once; fan out to all three stack layers.
-
-The context carries:
-- ``rulesets``: full ask/deny/allow rules for the main-agent permission middleware.
-- ``general_purpose_interrupt_on``: ``ask`` rules mirrored as deepagents
-  ``interrupt_on`` so HITL still triggers from inside ``task`` runs (subagents
-  bypass the main-agent permission middleware).
-- ``subagent_deny_mw``: a deny-only ``PermissionMiddleware`` instance shared
-  across the general-purpose and registry subagent stacks.
-"""
-
-from __future__ import annotations
-
-from collections.abc import Sequence
-from dataclasses import dataclass
-
-from langchain_core.tools import BaseTool
-
-from app.agents.new_chat.feature_flags import AgentFeatureFlags
-from app.agents.new_chat.filesystem_selection import FilesystemMode
-from app.agents.new_chat.middleware import PermissionMiddleware
-from app.agents.new_chat.permissions import Rule, Ruleset
-from app.agents.new_chat.tools.registry import BUILTIN_TOOLS
-
-from ..flags import enabled
-
-
-@dataclass(frozen=True)
-class PermissionContext:
-    rulesets: list[Ruleset]
-    general_purpose_interrupt_on: dict[str, bool]
-    subagent_deny_mw: PermissionMiddleware | None
-
-
-def build_permission_context(
-    *,
-    flags: AgentFeatureFlags,
-    filesystem_mode: FilesystemMode,
-    tools: Sequence[BaseTool],
-    available_connectors: list[str] | None,
-) -> PermissionContext:
-    is_desktop_fs = filesystem_mode == FilesystemMode.DESKTOP_LOCAL_FOLDER
-    permission_enabled = enabled(flags, "enable_permission")
-
-    rulesets: list[Ruleset] = []
-    if permission_enabled or is_desktop_fs:
-        rulesets.append(
-            Ruleset(
-                rules=[Rule(permission="*", pattern="*", action="allow")],
-                origin="surfsense_defaults",
-            )
-        )
-        if is_desktop_fs:
-            rulesets.append(
-                Ruleset(
-                    rules=[
-                        Rule(permission="rm", pattern="*", action="ask"),
-                        Rule(permission="rmdir", pattern="*", action="ask"),
-                        Rule(permission="move_file", pattern="*", action="ask"),
-                        Rule(permission="edit_file", pattern="*", action="ask"),
-                        Rule(permission="write_file", pattern="*", action="ask"),
-                    ],
-                    origin="desktop_safety",
-                )
-            )
-
-    tool_names_in_use = {t.name for t in tools}
-
-    if permission_enabled:
-        available_set = set(available_connectors or [])
-        synthesized: list[Rule] = []
-        for tool_def in BUILTIN_TOOLS:
-            if tool_def.name not in tool_names_in_use:
-                continue
-            rc = tool_def.required_connector
-            if rc and rc not in available_set:
-                synthesized.append(
-                    Rule(permission=tool_def.name, pattern="*", action="deny")
-                )
-        if synthesized:
-            rulesets.append(Ruleset(rules=synthesized, origin="connector_synthesized"))
-
-    general_purpose_interrupt_on: dict[str, bool] = {
-        rule.permission: True
-        for rs in rulesets
-        for rule in rs.rules
-        if rule.action == "ask" and rule.permission in tool_names_in_use
-    }
-
-    deny_rulesets = [
-        Ruleset(
-            rules=[r for r in rs.rules if r.action == "deny"],
-            origin=rs.origin,
-        )
-        for rs in rulesets
-    ]
-    deny_rulesets = [rs for rs in deny_rulesets if rs.rules]
-
-    subagent_deny_mw: PermissionMiddleware | None = (
-        PermissionMiddleware(rulesets=deny_rulesets) if deny_rulesets else None
-    )
-
-    return PermissionContext(
-        rulesets=rulesets,
-        general_purpose_interrupt_on=general_purpose_interrupt_on,
-        subagent_deny_mw=subagent_deny_mw,
-    )
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/shared/permissions/middleware.py b/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/shared/permissions/middleware.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 704a26fb3..000000000
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/shared/permissions/middleware.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-"""Main-agent permission middleware (full ask/deny/allow rules)."""
-
-from __future__ import annotations
-
-from app.agents.new_chat.middleware import PermissionMiddleware
-from app.agents.new_chat.permissions import Ruleset
-
-
-def build_full_permission_mw(rulesets: list[Ruleset]) -> PermissionMiddleware | None:
-    return PermissionMiddleware(rulesets=rulesets) if rulesets else None
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/shared/resilience/__init__.py b/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/shared/resilience/__init__.py
index 92596b771..377f93964 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/shared/resilience/__init__.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/shared/resilience/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""Resilience middleware shared as the same instances across parent / general-purpose / registry."""
+"""Resilience middleware shared as the same instances across parent / registry."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/stack.py b/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/stack.py
index 754f4d1b8..dc9c27b68 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/stack.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/stack.py
@@ -23,9 +23,6 @@ from app.agents.multi_agent_chat.subagents import (
     build_subagents,
     get_subagents_to_exclude,
 )
-from app.agents.multi_agent_chat.subagents.builtins.general_purpose.agent import (
-    build_subagent as build_general_purpose_subagent,
-)
 from app.agents.multi_agent_chat.subagents.builtins.knowledge_base.agent import (
     build_subagent as build_knowledge_base_subagent,
 )
@@ -56,10 +53,6 @@ from .shared.compaction import build_compaction_mw
 from .shared.kb_context_projection import build_kb_context_projection_mw
 from .shared.memory import build_memory_mw
 from .shared.patch_tool_calls import build_patch_tool_calls_mw
-from .shared.permissions import (
-    build_full_permission_mw,
-    build_permission_context,
-)
 from .shared.resilience import build_resilience_bundle
 from .shared.todos import build_todos_mw
 from .subagent.extras import build_subagent_extras
@@ -87,34 +80,14 @@ def build_main_agent_deepagent_middleware(
     disabled_tools: list[str] | None = None,
 ) -> list[Any]:
     """Ordered middleware for ``create_agent`` (None entries already stripped)."""
-    permissions = build_permission_context(
-        flags=flags,
-        filesystem_mode=filesystem_mode,
-        tools=tools,
-        available_connectors=available_connectors,
-    )
     resilience = build_resilience_bundle(flags)
 
-    # Single instance threaded into both the main-agent stack and the general-purpose subagent.
     memory_mw = build_memory_mw(
         user_id=user_id,
         search_space_id=search_space_id,
         visibility=visibility,
     )
 
-    general_purpose_subagent = build_general_purpose_subagent(
-        llm=llm,
-        tools=tools,
-        backend_resolver=backend_resolver,
-        filesystem_mode=filesystem_mode,
-        search_space_id=search_space_id,
-        user_id=user_id,
-        thread_id=thread_id,
-        permissions=permissions,
-        resilience=resilience,
-        memory_mw=memory_mw,
-    )
-
     knowledge_base_subagent = build_knowledge_base_subagent(
         llm=llm,
         backend_resolver=backend_resolver,
@@ -122,14 +95,12 @@ def build_main_agent_deepagent_middleware(
         search_space_id=search_space_id,
         user_id=user_id,
         thread_id=thread_id,
-        permissions=permissions,
         resilience=resilience,
     )
 
     subagents_registry: list[SubAgent] = []
     try:
         subagent_extras = build_subagent_extras(
-            permissions=permissions,
             resilience=resilience,
         )
         subagents_registry = build_subagents(
@@ -145,15 +116,14 @@ def build_main_agent_deepagent_middleware(
             [s["name"] for s in subagents_registry],
         )
     except Exception:
-        # Degrade to general-purpose-only rather than aborting the turn:
+        # Degrade to KB-only rather than aborting the turn:
         # one bad subagent dep should not deny the user a response.
         logging.exception(
-            "Subagents registry build failed; falling back to general-purpose only"
+            "Subagents registry build failed; falling back to knowledge_base only"
         )
         subagents_registry = []
 
     subagents: list[SubAgent] = [
-        general_purpose_subagent,
         knowledge_base_subagent,
         *subagents_registry,
     ]
@@ -209,7 +179,6 @@ def build_main_agent_deepagent_middleware(
         resilience.retry,
         resilience.fallback,
         build_repair_mw(flags=flags, tools=tools),
-        build_full_permission_mw(permissions.rulesets),
         build_doom_loop_mw(flags),
         build_action_log_mw(
             flags=flags,
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/subagent/extras.py b/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/subagent/extras.py
index 46dca8a81..687f7d36c 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/subagent/extras.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/middleware/subagent/extras.py
@@ -2,27 +2,23 @@
 
 Registry subagents are scoped to one domain (deliverables, research, memory,
 connectors, MCP) and never read or write the SurfSense filesystem — that
-capability belongs to the main agent and is delegated to the general-purpose
-subagent as an escape hatch. Keeping FS off the registry stacks avoids
-polluting their tool surface with FS tools they never act on.
+capability belongs to the ``knowledge_base`` subagent. Keeping FS off the
+registry stacks avoids polluting their tool surface with FS tools they
+never act on.
 """
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 from typing import Any
 
-from ..shared.permissions import PermissionContext
 from ..shared.resilience import ResilienceBundle
 from ..shared.todos import build_todos_mw
 
 
 def build_subagent_extras(
     *,
-    permissions: PermissionContext,
     resilience: ResilienceBundle,
 ) -> list[Any]:
     extras: list[Any] = [build_todos_mw()]
-    if permissions.subagent_deny_mw is not None:
-        extras.append(permissions.subagent_deny_mw)
     extras.extend(resilience.as_list())
     return extras
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/subagents/builtins/general_purpose/__init__.py b/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/subagents/builtins/general_purpose/__init__.py
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29bb..000000000
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/subagents/builtins/general_purpose/agent.py b/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/subagents/builtins/general_purpose/agent.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 1c3c44f12..000000000
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/subagents/builtins/general_purpose/agent.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,105 +0,0 @@
-"""General-purpose subagent for the multi-agent main agent."""
-
-from __future__ import annotations
-
-from collections.abc import Sequence
-from typing import Any, cast
-
-from deepagents import SubAgent
-from deepagents.middleware.patch_tool_calls import PatchToolCallsMiddleware
-from deepagents.middleware.subagents import GENERAL_PURPOSE_SUBAGENT
-from langchain_anthropic.middleware import AnthropicPromptCachingMiddleware
-from langchain_core.language_models import BaseChatModel
-from langchain_core.tools import BaseTool
-
-from app.agents.multi_agent_chat.middleware.shared.anthropic_cache import (
-    build_anthropic_cache_mw,
-)
-from app.agents.multi_agent_chat.middleware.shared.compaction import (
-    build_compaction_mw,
-)
-from app.agents.multi_agent_chat.middleware.shared.file_intent import (
-    build_file_intent_mw,
-)
-from app.agents.multi_agent_chat.middleware.shared.filesystem import (
-    build_filesystem_mw,
-)
-from app.agents.multi_agent_chat.middleware.shared.patch_tool_calls import (
-    build_patch_tool_calls_mw,
-)
-from app.agents.multi_agent_chat.middleware.shared.permissions import (
-    PermissionContext,
-)
-from app.agents.multi_agent_chat.middleware.shared.resilience import (
-    ResilienceBundle,
-)
-from app.agents.multi_agent_chat.middleware.shared.todos import build_todos_mw
-from app.agents.new_chat.filesystem_selection import FilesystemMode
-from app.agents.new_chat.middleware import MemoryInjectionMiddleware
-
-NAME = "general-purpose"
-
-
-def build_subagent(
-    *,
-    llm: BaseChatModel,
-    tools: Sequence[BaseTool],
-    backend_resolver: Any,
-    filesystem_mode: FilesystemMode,
-    search_space_id: int,
-    user_id: str | None,
-    thread_id: int | None,
-    permissions: PermissionContext,
-    resilience: ResilienceBundle,
-    memory_mw: MemoryInjectionMiddleware,
-) -> SubAgent:
-    """Deny + resilience inserts encapsulated here so the orchestrator never mutates the list."""
-    middleware: list[Any] = [
-        build_todos_mw(),
-        memory_mw,
-        build_file_intent_mw(llm),
-        build_filesystem_mw(
-            backend_resolver=backend_resolver,
-            filesystem_mode=filesystem_mode,
-            search_space_id=search_space_id,
-            user_id=user_id,
-            thread_id=thread_id,
-        ),
-        build_compaction_mw(llm),
-        build_patch_tool_calls_mw(),
-        build_anthropic_cache_mw(),
-    ]
-
-    if permissions.subagent_deny_mw is not None:
-        patch_idx = next(
-            (
-                i
-                for i, m in enumerate(middleware)
-                if isinstance(m, PatchToolCallsMiddleware)
-            ),
-            len(middleware),
-        )
-        middleware.insert(patch_idx, permissions.subagent_deny_mw)
-
-    resilience_mws = resilience.as_list()
-    if resilience_mws:
-        cache_idx = next(
-            (
-                i
-                for i, m in enumerate(middleware)
-                if isinstance(m, AnthropicPromptCachingMiddleware)
-            ),
-            len(middleware),
-        )
-        for offset, mw in enumerate(resilience_mws):
-            middleware.insert(cache_idx + offset, mw)
-
-    spec: dict[str, Any] = {
-        **GENERAL_PURPOSE_SUBAGENT,
-        "model": llm,
-        "tools": tools,
-        "middleware": middleware,
-    }
-    if permissions.general_purpose_interrupt_on:
-        spec["interrupt_on"] = permissions.general_purpose_interrupt_on
-    return cast(SubAgent, spec)
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/subagents/builtins/knowledge_base/agent.py b/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/subagents/builtins/knowledge_base/agent.py
index 52b2c97c4..bf6ec6753 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/subagents/builtins/knowledge_base/agent.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/subagents/builtins/knowledge_base/agent.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 from typing import Any, cast
 
 from deepagents import SubAgent
-from deepagents.middleware.patch_tool_calls import PatchToolCallsMiddleware
 from langchain_anthropic.middleware import AnthropicPromptCachingMiddleware
 from langchain_core.language_models import BaseChatModel
 
@@ -30,9 +29,6 @@ from app.agents.multi_agent_chat.middleware.shared.kb_context_projection import
 from app.agents.multi_agent_chat.middleware.shared.patch_tool_calls import (
     build_patch_tool_calls_mw,
 )
-from app.agents.multi_agent_chat.middleware.shared.permissions import (
-    PermissionContext,
-)
 from app.agents.multi_agent_chat.middleware.shared.resilience import (
     ResilienceBundle,
 )
@@ -55,10 +51,9 @@ def build_subagent(
     search_space_id: int,
     user_id: str | None,
     thread_id: int | None,
-    permissions: PermissionContext,
     resilience: ResilienceBundle,
 ) -> SubAgent:
-    """Deny + resilience inserts encapsulated here so the orchestrator never mutates the list."""
+    """Resilience inserts encapsulated here so the orchestrator never mutates the list."""
     description = read_md_file(__package__, "description").strip()
     if not description:
         description = (
@@ -86,17 +81,6 @@ def build_subagent(
         build_anthropic_cache_mw(),
     ]
 
-    if permissions.subagent_deny_mw is not None:
-        patch_idx = next(
-            (
-                i
-                for i, m in enumerate(middleware)
-                if isinstance(m, PatchToolCallsMiddleware)
-            ),
-            len(middleware),
-        )
-        middleware.insert(patch_idx, permissions.subagent_deny_mw)
-
     resilience_mws = resilience.as_list()
     if resilience_mws:
         cache_idx = next(