diff --git a/convex/agents/taskExtractor.ts b/convex/agents/taskExtractor.ts
index 74a4901..ceccc39 100644
--- a/convex/agents/taskExtractor.ts
+++ b/convex/agents/taskExtractor.ts
@@ -130,9 +130,18 @@ You will be provided with a JSON context including \`workspaceId\`, \`userId\`,
 
 ## Conversational Rules
 - **Thread Context:** Read the FULL history including \`[Norbot]:\` messages. If the user says "create a task for this", create it based on the thread above.
+- **Thread-Reference Task Creation (IMPORTANT):** When a user says things like "add this task", "create a task for this", "füge diesen task hinzu", "erstelle einen task dafür", or similar phrases that reference "this" — the task content comes from the **thread context** (the messages above), NOT from the user's current message. The user's message may contain corrections or additional details (like correct dates, priorities, etc.) that should be incorporated. **Always create the task immediately** from the thread content.
 - **URL Check:** If it's a BUG and a URL is missing, create the task anyway if the report is reasonable, then ask for the URL or steps to reproduce (ONE question). Only ask before creating if the report is too vague.
 - **Attachments:** Pass any provided attachment metadata to \`createTask\`.
 
+## Example: Thread-Reference Task Creation
+Thread context:
+  <@U456>: The date display on the PDF is wrong, both on the title page and in the header. It should be 22.03. to 04.04.
+
+User message: @norbot add this as a task. Correct would be 22 Mar - 4 Apr 2026
+
+→ Create the task immediately! Title: "Fix date display on PDF title page and header". Description from thread context + user's correction. Do NOT ask "what task?" — the thread tells you.
+
 ## Example: Answering Questions
 Thread context:
   <@U123>: There's a bug
diff --git a/convex/slack.ts b/convex/slack.ts
index fc4c975..e7cf672 100644
--- a/convex/slack.ts
+++ b/convex/slack.ts
@@ -469,6 +469,31 @@ export const handleAppMention = internalAction({
       return;
     }
 
+    // Handle stop command — stop following this thread
+    if (/^(stop|stopp|halt)$/i.test(cleanText)) {
+      const existingConvo = await ctx.runQuery(internal.slack.getAgentConversation, {
+        workspaceId: workspace._id,
+        slackChannelId: args.channelId,
+        slackThreadTs: args.threadTs,
+      });
+      if (existingConvo) {
+        await ctx.runMutation(internal.slack.upsertAgentConversation, {
+          workspaceId: workspace._id,
+          slackChannelId: args.channelId,
+          slackThreadTs: args.threadTs,
+          agentThreadId: existingConvo.agentThreadId,
+          status: "stopped",
+        });
+      }
+      await sendSlackMessage({
+        token: workspace.slackBotToken ?? "",
+        channelId: args.channelId,
+        threadTs: args.threadTs,
+        text: "Ok, I'll stop following this thread. Mention me again to resume.",
+      });
+      return;
+    }
+
     // Download any attached files from Slack
     let attachments: Array<{
       storageId: string;
@@ -585,14 +610,29 @@ export const handleAppMention = internalAction({
       };
 
       // Build context for the agent with all required parameters for tools
-      const contextInfo = `Context (use these values when calling tools):
+      const contextInfo = `## Tool parameters
 - source: ${JSON.stringify(sourceContext)}
-- channelName: ${channelMapping?.slackChannelName || "unknown"}${channelProjectInfo}${repoInfo}${attachmentsInfo}${projectsInfo}${threadContext}
-
-User message: ${cleanText}
+- channelName: ${channelMapping?.slackChannelName || "unknown"}${channelProjectInfo}${repoInfo}${attachmentsInfo}${projectsInfo}
+${threadContext}
+## User message
+${cleanText}
 
 Original text for task creation: ${originalText}`;
 
+      // Save conversation BEFORE agent call so follow-ups work even if the agent fails
+      await ctx.runMutation(internal.slack.upsertAgentConversation, {
+        workspaceId: workspace._id,
+        slackChannelId: args.channelId,
+        slackThreadTs: args.threadTs,
+        agentThreadId: threadId,
+        status: "active",
+        originalText,
+        originalMessageTs,
+        originalAttachments: storedAttachments,
+        lastUserText: cleanText,
+        lastUserMessageTs: args.ts,
+      });
+
       // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
       const result = await norbotAgent.generateText(ctx, { threadId }, {
         messages: [{ role: "user" as const, content: contextInfo }],
@@ -605,10 +645,7 @@ Original text for task creation: ${originalText}`;
       });
 
       // Send the agent's response directly
-      // The agent handles everything: greetings, summaries, status updates, assignments, task creation
-      const responseText =
-        result.text ||
-        "I didn't quite understand that. Could you provide more details?\n• What were you trying to do?\n• What happened instead?\n• Any error messages?";
+      const responseText = result.text || getFallbackMessage();
 
       await sendSlackMessage({
         token: workspace.slackBotToken ?? "",
@@ -616,20 +653,6 @@ Original text for task creation: ${originalText}`;
         threadTs: args.threadTs,
         text: responseText,
       });
-
-      // Save conversation for thread continuity (so we can respond to follow-ups)
-      await ctx.runMutation(internal.slack.upsertAgentConversation, {
-        workspaceId: workspace._id,
-        slackChannelId: args.channelId,
-        slackThreadTs: args.threadTs,
-        agentThreadId: threadId,
-        status: "active",
-        originalText,
-        originalMessageTs,
-        originalAttachments: storedAttachments,
-        lastUserText: cleanText,
-        lastUserMessageTs: args.ts,
-      });
     } catch (error) {
       console.error("Agent error:", error);
       await sendSlackMessage({
@@ -654,6 +677,18 @@ export const handleThreadReply = internalAction({
     threadTs: v.string(),
   },
   handler: async (ctx, args) => {
+    // Deduplication: Check if we already processed this event
+    const alreadyProcessed = await ctx.runQuery(internal.slack.isEventProcessed, {
+      eventTs: args.ts,
+    });
+    if (alreadyProcessed) return;
+
+    const marked = await ctx.runMutation(internal.slack.markEventProcessed, {
+      eventTs: args.ts,
+      eventType: "thread_reply",
+    });
+    if (!marked) return;
+
     // Get workspace
     const workspace = await ctx.runQuery(internal.slack.getWorkspaceBySlackTeam, {
       slackTeamId: args.teamId,
@@ -668,8 +703,8 @@ export const handleThreadReply = internalAction({
       slackThreadTs: args.threadTs,
     });
 
-    if (conversation && conversation.status === "active") {
-      // Continue the agent conversation
+    if (conversation && conversation.status !== "stopped") {
+      // Continue the agent conversation (reuse thread if active, create new if not)
       try {
         // Check AI usage limits
         const usageCheck = await ctx.runQuery(internal.ai.checkUsageInternal, {
@@ -773,19 +808,24 @@ export const handleThreadReply = internalAction({
         }
 
         // Build context for follow-up with full context
-        const contextInfo = `Context (use these values when calling tools):
+        const contextInfo = `## Tool parameters
 - source: ${JSON.stringify(sourceContext)}
-- channelName: ${channelMapping?.slackChannelName || "unknown"}${channelProjectInfo}${repoInfo}${attachmentsInfo}${projectsInfo}${threadContext}
-
-User follow-up message: ${args.text}
+- channelName: ${channelMapping?.slackChannelName || "unknown"}${channelProjectInfo}${repoInfo}${attachmentsInfo}${projectsInfo}
+${threadContext}
+## User follow-up message
+${args.text}
 
 Original text for task creation: ${originalText}`;
 
-        // Continue on the existing agent thread
+        // Reuse agent thread if active, otherwise create new one
+        const threadId = conversation.status === "active"
+          ? conversation.agentThreadId
+          : (await norbotAgent.createThread(ctx, {})).threadId;
+
         // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
         const result = await norbotAgent.generateText(
           ctx,
-          { threadId: conversation.agentThreadId },
+          { threadId },
           {
             messages: [{ role: "user" as const, content: contextInfo }],
             maxSteps: 5,
@@ -798,7 +838,7 @@ Original text for task creation: ${originalText}`;
         });
 
         const responseText =
-          result.text || "I'm not sure how to help with that. Could you clarify?";
+          result.text || getFallbackMessage();
 
         await sendSlackMessage({
           token: workspace.slackBotToken ?? "",
@@ -812,7 +852,7 @@ Original text for task creation: ${originalText}`;
           workspaceId: workspace._id,
           slackChannelId: args.channelId,
           slackThreadTs: args.threadTs,
-          agentThreadId: conversation.agentThreadId,
+          agentThreadId: threadId,
           status: "active",
           originalText,
           originalMessageTs,
@@ -953,6 +993,11 @@ async function sendSlackMessage(params: {
   return data;
 }
 
+// Fallback when agent returns empty response
+function getFallbackMessage(): string {
+  return "I didn't quite understand that. Could you describe what you'd like me to do in a bit more detail?";
+}
+
 // Fetch all replies in a thread from Slack
 interface SlackThreadMessage {
   ts: string;
@@ -996,9 +1041,7 @@ function formatThreadForContext(
   currentTs: string
 ): string {
   // Filter out the current message, keep bot messages for conversation context
-  const relevantMessages = messages
-    .filter((m) => m.ts !== currentTs)
-    .slice(-15);
+  const relevantMessages = messages.filter((m) => m.ts !== currentTs);
 
   if (relevantMessages.length === 0) {
     return "";
@@ -1011,11 +1054,7 @@ function formatThreadForContext(
       : `<@${m.user}>: ${m.text}`)
     .join("\n");
 
-  // Cap at ~2000 chars to avoid token bloat
-  const truncated =
-    formatted.length > 2000 ? formatted.slice(-2000) + "\n[...truncated]" : formatted;
-
-  return `\n\nThread context (previous messages in this thread):\n${truncated}`;
+  return `\n## Thread context (previous messages in this thread — use this to understand what the user is referring to)\n${formatted}`;
 }
 
 // ===========================================
@@ -1457,7 +1496,7 @@ export const upsertAgentConversation = internalMutation({
     slackChannelId: v.string(),
     slackThreadTs: v.string(),
     agentThreadId: v.string(),
-    status: v.union(v.literal("active"), v.literal("completed")),
+    status: v.union(v.literal("active"), v.literal("completed"), v.literal("stopped")),
     originalText: v.optional(v.string()),
     originalMessageTs: v.optional(v.string()),
     originalAttachments: v.optional(
@@ -1689,6 +1728,18 @@ export const handleAssistantMessage = internalAction({
     threadTs: v.optional(v.string()),
   },
   handler: async (ctx, args) => {
+    // Deduplication: Check if we already processed this event
+    const alreadyProcessed = await ctx.runQuery(internal.slack.isEventProcessed, {
+      eventTs: args.ts,
+    });
+    if (alreadyProcessed) return;
+
+    const marked = await ctx.runMutation(internal.slack.markEventProcessed, {
+      eventTs: args.ts,
+      eventType: "assistant_message",
+    });
+    if (!marked) return;
+
     const workspace = await ctx.runQuery(internal.slack.getWorkspaceBySlackTeam, {
       slackTeamId: args.teamId,
     });
@@ -1814,11 +1865,12 @@ export const handleAssistantMessage = internalAction({
         channelProjectInfo = "\n- channelDefaultProject: none - Use keyword matching or ask which project";
       }
 
-      const contextInfo = `Context (use these values when calling tools):
+      const contextInfo = `## Tool parameters
 - source: ${JSON.stringify(sourceContext)}
-- channelName: ${channelMapping?.slackChannelName || "unknown"}${channelProjectInfo}${repoInfo}${projectsInfo}${threadContext}
-
-User message: ${args.text}
+- channelName: ${channelMapping?.slackChannelName || "unknown"}${channelProjectInfo}${repoInfo}${projectsInfo}
+${threadContext}
+## User message
+${args.text}
 
 Original text for task creation: ${originalText}`;
 
@@ -1833,7 +1885,7 @@ Original text for task creation: ${originalText}`;
       });
 
       const responseText =
-        result.text || "I'm not sure how to help with that. Could you clarify?";
+        result.text || getFallbackMessage();
 
       await sendSlackMessage({
         token: workspace.slackBotToken ?? "",