diff --git a/crates/gyandoot-agent/src/agent_loop.rs b/crates/gyandoot-agent/src/agent_loop.rs
index 12ebd00..052a714 100644
--- a/crates/gyandoot-agent/src/agent_loop.rs
+++ b/crates/gyandoot-agent/src/agent_loop.rs
@@ -163,25 +163,33 @@ impl AgentLoop {
         let (agent_name, agent_role, user_name, user_role) = {
             let memory = self.memory.lock().await;
             let (l0, _) = memory.identity_get().unwrap_or_default();
-            if !l0.is_empty() && !self.config.identity.agent_name.is_empty() {
-                (
-                    self.config.identity.agent_name.clone(),
-                    self.config.identity.agent_role.clone(),
-                    self.config.identity.user_name.clone(),
-                    self.config.identity.user_role.clone(),
-                )
-            } else if !l0.is_empty() {
-                // Parse from L0: "name: X\nrole: Y\nuser: Z (W)\n"
-                let mut parts = l0.lines().filter_map(|l| l.split_once(": ").map(|(_, v)| v.to_string())).collect::<Vec<_>>();
-                (
-                    parts.get(0).cloned().unwrap_or_default(),
-                    parts.get(1).cloned().unwrap_or_default(),
-                    parts.get(2).and_then(|u| u.split_once(" (").map(|(n, _)| n.to_string())).unwrap_or_default(),
-                    parts.get(2).and_then(|u| u.split_once(" (").and_then(|(_, r)| r.trim_end_matches(')').to_string().into())).unwrap_or_default(),
-                )
+
+            // Priority: config identity > L0 file > config.agent.name > defaults
+            let a_name = if !self.config.identity.agent_name.is_empty() {
+                self.config.identity.agent_name.clone()
             } else {
-                (String::new(), String::new(), String::new(), String::new())
-            }
+                self.config.name.clone() // fallback to agent name from config
+            };
+
+            let a_role = if !self.config.identity.agent_role.is_empty() {
+                self.config.identity.agent_role.clone()
+            } else {
+                "AI Assistant built by Gyannetra".to_string()
+            };
+
+            let u_name = if !self.config.identity.user_name.is_empty() {
+                self.config.identity.user_name.clone()
+            } else {
+                "the User".to_string()
+            };
+
+            let u_role = if !self.config.identity.user_role.is_empty() {
+                self.config.identity.user_role.clone()
+            } else {
+                "User".to_string()
+            };
+
+            (a_name, a_role, u_name, u_role)
         };
 
         // Build system prompt with identity + dialogue memory