agents: read the memory cap at boot, not from the build

An agent's memory cap was rendered into its flake (`memoryMaxBytes` →
`services.hyperhive.agent.claudeMemoryMaxBytes`), so the closure depended
on it and a changed cap reached the JSC heap ceiling and the subagent
`MemoryHigh=` only after a rebuild.

hive-c0re now writes the effective `MemoryMax=` in bytes to the agent's
runtime dir (`/run/hive/memory-max-bytes` inside) in `write_dropins`,
from the same value the drop-in gets. The file is removed for
`infinity` or a RAM percentage, and left alone when the drop-in is kept.

Inside the container, `nix/agent-modules/memory-cap.nix` reads it at
boot: an environment generator sets `BUN_JSC_forceRAMSize` (75%) for
every unit and `machinectl shell`, `/etc/set-environment` exports it in
login shells, and a unit generator writes `MemoryHigh=` (2/3) as a
drop-in for `hive-subagent-daemon`.

The render drops `memoryMaxBytes`, the agent option is removed (both
spellings fail eval with a removal message), and
`effective_memory_bytes_from` goes with its only caller.

Part of #5081 (slice S0-2).

docs/agent-lifecycle/persistence.md

@@ -403,7 +403,8 @@ Contents:
   Written by `resource_limits::set_limits`; read where
   `lifecycle::write_dropins` generates the systemd drop-in, **not** injected
   into the container — these are host-side caps on the container, so
-  the capped party never sees or sets them. Fallback is per *field*:
+  the capped party never sets them. It sees only the resulting memory cap,
+  as a byte count in its runtime dir (below). Fallback is per *field*:
   an absent file, absent agent, or absent field falls back to the
   hive-wide `services.hyperhive.c0re.agentCpuQuota` / `agentMemoryMax`,
   so an agent can override only its memory and still track the hive
@@ -508,6 +509,11 @@ containers can't start.
 - `/run/hyperhive/host.sock` — admin socket (host-side CLI).
 - `/run/hyperhive/agents/<name>/mcp.sock` — per-agent socket
   (bind-mounted into the container as `/run/hive/mcp.sock`).
+- `/run/hyperhive/agents/<name>/memory-max-bytes` — the agent's effective
+  `MemoryMax=` in bytes, written by `lifecycle::write_dropins` before every
+  start (absent when the cap is `infinity` or a RAM percentage). The
+  container reads it at boot as `/run/hive/memory-max-bytes`
+  (`nix/agent-modules/memory-cap.nix`).
 
 On startup, `Coordinator::register_agent` drops any prior socket
 task before rebinding — idempotent so a hive-c0re restart followed

docs/scheduler/coordinator.md

@@ -452,6 +452,14 @@ regardless.
 rebuild, so changes take effect on the next lifecycle op without
 requiring a host rebuild.
 
+The container can't read its own cap, so `write_dropins` also writes the
+effective `MemoryMax=` in bytes into the agent's runtime dir
+(`/run/hive/memory-max-bytes` inside). At boot the container derives two
+values from it: `BUN_JSC_forceRAMSize` (75%, claude-code's heap ceiling)
+and `MemoryHigh=` on `hive-subagent-daemon` (two thirds). Neither is in the
+agent's build, so a changed cap reaches them at the next container start
+without a rebuild. A cap of `infinity` or a RAM percentage sets neither.
+
 The same drop-in carries `CPUWeight=` / `IOWeight=` from
 `agentCpuWeight` / `agentIoWeight`. Those are a different kind of
 setting: the quota and the memory max are **hard caps** that throttle

hive-c0re/src/agent_config/resource_limits.rs

@@ -122,55 +122,6 @@ fn resolve(limits: &AgentLimits, hive_cpu_quota: &str, hive_memory_max: &str) ->
     (cpu, mem)
 }
 
-/// Effective `MemoryMax=` string for `name` against an already-loaded
-/// map — the memory-only half of [`effective_from`], split out because
-/// [`effective_memory_bytes_from`] doesn't have a CPU quota to pass.
-/// No single-agent convenience wrapper (unlike [`effective`] /
-/// [`effective_from`]): every current caller already has a loaded map
-/// in hand, so one would just be dead code.
-#[must_use]
-fn effective_memory_max_from(
-    limits: &BTreeMap<String, AgentLimits>,
-    name: &str,
-    hive_memory_max: &str,
-) -> String {
-    limits
-        .get(name)
-        .and_then(|l| l.memory_max.clone())
-        .unwrap_or_else(|| hive_memory_max.to_owned())
-}
-
-/// Effective `MemoryMax=` for `name`, as a raw byte count, against an
-/// already-loaded map — the form `render_flake_with_lookup` uses so it
-/// doesn't re-read `resource-limits.json` once per agent (same
-/// reasoning as [`effective_from`] / `container_view::build_all`). No
-/// single-agent convenience wrapper, for the same reason as
-/// [`effective_memory_max_from`] — every current caller already has a
-/// loaded map in hand.
-///
-/// Logs a `warn!` naming `name` when the effective value is a RAM
-/// percentage: unlike `"infinity"`, a percentage IS a real, resolvable
-/// cap — resolving one just needs host `MemTotal`, which this module
-/// doesn't track — so today it degrades to `None` (no derived heap
-/// ceiling) rather than silently guessing wrong against `MemTotal`.
-#[must_use]
-pub fn effective_memory_bytes_from(
-    limits: &BTreeMap<String, AgentLimits>,
-    name: &str,
-    hive_memory_max: &str,
-) -> Option<u64> {
-    let mem = effective_memory_max_from(limits, name, hive_memory_max);
-    if mem.ends_with('%') {
-        tracing::warn!(
-            agent = name,
-            memory_max = %mem,
-            "effective MemoryMax= is a RAM percentage; can't derive a JSC heap ceiling from it \
-             without host MemTotal — leaving BUN_JSC_forceRAMSize unset for this agent"
-        );
-    }
-    parse_bytes(&mem)
-}
-
 /// Parse a systemd `MemoryMax=`-style byte-size value (`"4G"`, `"512M"`,
 /// a bare byte count, optionally with a decimal like `"1.5G"`) into a
 /// raw byte count. systemd's `K`/`M`/`G`/`T` suffixes are IEC binary
@@ -179,9 +130,8 @@ pub fn effective_memory_bytes_from(
 /// value is always a small non-negative decimal (enforced by
 /// [`is_plain_number`] upstream in [`validate_memory_max`]), so floats
 /// would only add rounding / sign-loss risk for no benefit. Returns
-/// `None` for `"infinity"` and percentages; see
+/// `None` for `"infinity"` and for percentages, which need the host's
-/// [`effective_memory_bytes_from`] for why those can't be turned into a
+/// `MemTotal` to resolve.
-/// byte count here.
 #[must_use]
 pub fn parse_bytes(value: &str) -> Option<u64> {
     if value == "infinity" || value.ends_with('%') {
@@ -532,46 +482,4 @@ mod tests {
             assert_eq!(parse_bytes(v), None, "{v} should not parse");
         }
     }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn effective_memory_bytes_falls_back_to_hive_default() {
-        // Empty map, i.e. no per-agent override — exercises the
-        // "use the hive-wide default" arm end to end.
-        let empty = BTreeMap::new();
-        assert_eq!(
-            effective_memory_bytes_from(&empty, "nobody-configured-this-agent", "4G"),
-            Some(4 * 1024 * 1024 * 1024)
-        );
-        assert_eq!(
-            effective_memory_bytes_from(&empty, "nobody-configured-this-agent", "infinity"),
-            None
-        );
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn effective_memory_bytes_from_prefers_per_agent_override() {
-        let map = BTreeMap::from([("sock".to_owned(), limits(None, Some("8G")))]);
-        assert_eq!(
-            effective_memory_bytes_from(&map, "sock", HIVE_MEM),
-            Some(8 * 1024 * 1024 * 1024)
-        );
-        // A different agent not in the map still falls back to the
-        // hive-wide default from the same loaded map (no re-read).
-        assert_eq!(
-            effective_memory_bytes_from(&map, "iris", HIVE_MEM),
-            Some(4 * 1024 * 1024 * 1024)
-        );
-    }
-
-    /// A percentage cap is real and resolvable in principle, but this
-    /// module has no host `MemTotal` to resolve it against — must
-    /// degrade to `None` (no derived heap ceiling) rather than silently
-    /// treating it as unbounded or guessing a number. `warn!` firing is
-    /// exercised for coverage but not asserted on (no tracing test
-    /// subscriber wired up here) — the `None` return is the contract.
-    #[test]
-    fn effective_memory_bytes_from_returns_none_for_percentage() {
-        let map = BTreeMap::from([("sock".to_owned(), limits(None, Some("50%")))]);
-        assert_eq!(effective_memory_bytes_from(&map, "sock", HIVE_MEM), None);
-    }
 }

hive-c0re/src/lifecycle/host_config.rs

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 //! Per-container host-side config: the nspawn conf rewrite (bind mounts,
 //! network isolation, forwarded credentials), the systemd resource-limits
-//! drop-in, and the `write_dropins` verb that re-applies both.
+//! drop-in, the agent's copy of its memory cap, and the `write_dropins` verb
+//! that re-applies them.
 
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 
@@ -16,20 +17,21 @@ use super::{
 };
 
 /// Re-apply the per-container host-side config: nspawn flags (bind
-/// mounts etc.), the systemd resource-limits drop-in, and a daemon
+/// mounts etc.), the systemd resource-limits drop-in, the agent's copy of
-/// reload so both take effect on the next unit (re)start. Idempotent —
+/// its memory cap, and a daemon reload so all of it takes effect on the next
-/// the job queue's `WriteDropin` node, also folded into every `Swap`
+/// unit (re)start. Idempotent — the job queue's `WriteDropin` node, also
-/// (rebuild is the reconcile verb).
+/// folded into every `Swap` (rebuild is the reconcile verb).
 pub async fn write_dropins(name: &str, hive: &HiveEnv, paths: &AgentPaths) -> Result<()> {
     validate(name)?;
     let container = container_name(name);
     set_nspawn_flags(&container, &paths.agent, &paths.claude, &paths.notes).await?;
-    if let Some((cpu_quota, memory_max)) = limits_to_apply(
+    if let Some((cpu_quota, memory_max)) = stage_limits(
         name,
         &crate::resource_limits::resource_limits_path(),
         &limits_dropin_path(&container),
+        &paths.agent,
         hive,
-    ) {
+    )? {
         set_resource_limits(
             &container,
             &cpu_quota,
@@ -51,6 +53,60 @@ fn limits_dropin_path(container: &str) -> PathBuf {
     ))
 }
 
+/// File in the agent's runtime dir, `/run/hive/` in the container, holding the
+/// byte count of the `MemoryMax=` its drop-in carries.
+/// `nix/agent-modules/memory-cap.nix` reads it at boot under this name.
+const MEMORY_CAP_FILE: &str = "memory-max-bytes";
+
+/// [`limits_to_apply`], plus handing the memory cap to the agent through
+/// [`MEMORY_CAP_FILE`] in `runtime_dir`. The container cannot read the cap
+/// systemd enforces on it, so this file is how it learns the value it sizes
+/// its heap and its subagents against. When the drop-in is kept as it is, so is
+/// the file.
+fn stage_limits(
+    agent_name: &str,
+    limits_path: &Path,
+    dropin_path: &Path,
+    runtime_dir: &Path,
+    hive: &HiveEnv,
+) -> Result<Option<(String, String)>> {
+    let limits = limits_to_apply(agent_name, limits_path, dropin_path, hive);
+    if let Some((_, memory_max)) = &limits {
+        write_memory_cap(runtime_dir, agent_name, memory_max)?;
+    }
+    Ok(limits)
+}
+
+/// Write `memory_max` into [`MEMORY_CAP_FILE`] as a byte count, or remove the
+/// file when the value has none: `infinity`, or a RAM percentage, which needs
+/// the host's `MemTotal` to resolve. With no file the agent sets no heap or
+/// subagent ceiling.
+fn write_memory_cap(runtime_dir: &Path, agent_name: &str, memory_max: &str) -> Result<()> {
+    let path = runtime_dir.join(MEMORY_CAP_FILE);
+    let Some(bytes) = crate::resource_limits::parse_bytes(memory_max) else {
+        if memory_max.ends_with('%') {
+            tracing::warn!(
+                agent = agent_name,
+                memory_max,
+                "effective MemoryMax= is a RAM percentage; the agent gets no byte count, so \
+                 no JSC heap ceiling and no subagent MemoryHigh="
+            );
+        }
+        return match std::fs::remove_file(&path) {
+            Err(e) if e.kind() != std::io::ErrorKind::NotFound => {
+                Err(e).with_context(|| format!("remove {}", path.display()))
+            }
+            _ => Ok(()),
+        };
+    };
+    std::fs::create_dir_all(runtime_dir)
+        .with_context(|| format!("create agent runtime dir {}", runtime_dir.display()))?;
+    let tmp = runtime_dir.join(format!(".{MEMORY_CAP_FILE}.tmp"));
+    std::fs::write(&tmp, format!("{bytes}\n"))
+        .with_context(|| format!("write {}", tmp.display()))?;
+    std::fs::rename(&tmp, &path).with_context(|| format!("rename onto {}", path.display()))
+}
+
 /// The `(CPUQuota, MemoryMax)` to write into `agent_name`'s limits
 /// drop-in, or `None` to leave the drop-in at `dropin_path` as it is.
 ///
@@ -489,8 +545,9 @@ async fn set_nspawn_flags(
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::{
-        BindMount, QUEUE_CLIENT_ID_CREDENTIAL, QUEUE_SECRET_CREDENTIAL, bind_child_agent_dirs,
+        BindMount, MEMORY_CAP_FILE, QUEUE_CLIENT_ID_CREDENTIAL, QUEUE_SECRET_CREDENTIAL,
-        bind_own_agent_dirs, holds_manage_root_agent, limits_to_apply, queue_agent_credentials,
+        bind_child_agent_dirs, bind_own_agent_dirs, holds_manage_root_agent, limits_to_apply,
+        queue_agent_credentials, stage_limits,
     };
     use crate::coordinator::HiveEnv;
 
@@ -707,4 +764,66 @@ mod tests {
         let applied = limits_to_apply("sock", &limits, &dropin, &HiveEnv::default());
         assert_eq!(applied, Some(("200%".to_owned(), "1G".to_owned())));
     }
+
+    /// Runs [`stage_limits`] against the files in `dir` and returns the
+    /// drop-in's `MemoryMax=` and the agent's copy of it, `None` when absent.
+    fn stage(dir: &tempfile::TempDir) -> (Option<String>, Option<String>) {
+        let runtime = dir.path().join("runtime");
+        let applied = stage_limits(
+            "sock",
+            &dir.path().join("resource-limits.json"),
+            &dir.path().join("hyperhive-limits.conf"),
+            &runtime,
+            &HiveEnv::default(),
+        )
+        .expect("stage limits");
+        let copy = std::fs::read_to_string(runtime.join(MEMORY_CAP_FILE)).ok();
+        (applied.map(|(_, mem)| mem), copy)
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn the_agent_reads_the_cap_its_dropin_carries() {
+        let dir = tempfile::tempdir().expect("tempdir");
+        let limits = dir.path().join("resource-limits.json");
+
+        // No overrides anywhere: the hive-wide default, 4G.
+        assert_eq!(
+            stage(&dir),
+            (Some("4G".to_owned()), Some("4294967296\n".to_owned()))
+        );
+
+        std::fs::write(&limits, r#"{"sock": {"memory_max": "16G"}}"#).expect("seed limits");
+        assert_eq!(
+            stage(&dir),
+            (Some("16G".to_owned()), Some("17179869184\n".to_owned()))
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn a_cap_with_no_byte_count_removes_the_agents_copy() {
+        let dir = tempfile::tempdir().expect("tempdir");
+        let limits = dir.path().join("resource-limits.json");
+        assert_eq!(stage(&dir).1, Some("4294967296\n".to_owned()));
+
+        std::fs::write(&limits, r#"{"sock": {"memory_max": "infinity"}}"#).expect("seed limits");
+        assert_eq!(stage(&dir), (Some("infinity".to_owned()), None));
+
+        assert_eq!(stage(&dir).1, None, "an absent copy stays absent");
+
+        std::fs::write(&limits, r#"{"sock": {"memory_max": "50%"}}"#).expect("seed limits");
+        assert_eq!(stage(&dir), (Some("50%".to_owned()), None));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn a_kept_dropin_keeps_the_agents_copy() {
+        let dir = tempfile::tempdir().expect("tempdir");
+        let limits = dir.path().join("resource-limits.json");
+        std::fs::write(&limits, r#"{"sock": {"memory_max": "1G"}}"#).expect("seed limits");
+        assert_eq!(stage(&dir).1, Some("1073741824\n".to_owned()));
+
+        std::fs::write(&limits, TRUNCATED_LIMITS).expect("seed limits");
+        std::fs::write(dir.path().join("hyperhive-limits.conf"), "MemoryMax=1G\n")
+            .expect("seed drop-in");
+        assert_eq!(stage(&dir), (None, Some("1073741824\n".to_owned())));
+    }
 }

hive-c0re/src/meta.rs

@@ -88,17 +88,7 @@ pub async fn sync_agents(hive: &HiveEnv, agents: &[AgentSpec]) -> Result<()> {
     let dir = crate::paths::meta_root();
     std::fs::create_dir_all(&dir).with_context(|| format!("create {}", dir.display()))?;
 
-    let new_flake = render_flake(
+    let new_flake = render_hive_flake(hive, agents)?;
-        &hive.hyperhive_flake,
-        &hive.hyperhive_docs_flake,
-        &hive.nixpkgs_flake,
-        hive.claude_code_path.as_deref(),
-        hive.dashboard_port,
-        &hive.operator_pronouns,
-        &hive.context_window_tokens,
-        &hive.agent_memory_max,
-        agents,
-    )?;
     let flake_path = dir.join("flake.nix");
     let on_disk = std::fs::read_to_string(&flake_path).unwrap_or_default();
     let initial = !dir.join(".git").exists();
@@ -444,6 +434,21 @@ pub async fn commit_perms(
     Ok(())
 }
 
+/// [`render_flake`] with its inputs taken from `hive`, as [`sync_agents`]
+/// renders it.
+fn render_hive_flake(hive: &HiveEnv, agents: &[AgentSpec]) -> Result<String> {
+    render_flake(
+        &hive.hyperhive_flake,
+        &hive.hyperhive_docs_flake,
+        &hive.nixpkgs_flake,
+        hive.claude_code_path.as_deref(),
+        hive.dashboard_port,
+        &hive.operator_pronouns,
+        &hive.context_window_tokens,
+        agents,
+    )
+}
+
 #[allow(
     clippy::too_many_arguments,
     reason = "many genuine flake inputs (source flakes, port, pronouns, tokens, \
@@ -457,7 +462,6 @@ fn render_flake(
     dashboard_port: u16,
     operator_pronouns: &str,
     context_window_tokens: &std::collections::HashMap<String, u64>,
-    hive_memory_max: &str,
     agents: &[AgentSpec],
 ) -> Result<String> {
     render_flake_with_lookup(
@@ -468,7 +472,6 @@ fn render_flake(
         dashboard_port,
         operator_pronouns,
         context_window_tokens,
-        hive_memory_max,
         agents,
         agent_canonical_inputs,
     )
@@ -861,7 +864,6 @@ fn render_flake_with_lookup<F>(
     dashboard_port: u16,
     operator_pronouns: &str,
     context_window_tokens: &std::collections::HashMap<String, u64>,
-    hive_memory_max: &str,
     agents: &[AgentSpec],
     lookup: F,
 ) -> Result<String>
@@ -943,7 +945,7 @@ where
     let pronouns_escaped = operator_pronouns.replace('\\', "\\\\").replace('"', "\\\"");
     let _ = writeln!(
         out,
-        "      dashboardPort = {dashboard_port};\n      operatorPronouns = \"{pronouns_escaped}\";\n      mkAgent = {{ name, isManager, port, toolGroups ? null, capabilities ? null, memoryMaxBytes ? null }}:"
+        "      dashboardPort = {dashboard_port};\n      operatorPronouns = \"{pronouns_escaped}\";\n      mkAgent = {{ name, isManager, port, toolGroups ? null, capabilities ? null }}:"
     );
     out.push_str(
         r#"        let
@@ -1094,7 +1096,6 @@ where
               # nspawn itself already call this container, so logs join to
               # both without a prefix transform.
               networking.hostName = "h-${name}";
-              services.hyperhive.agent.claudeMemoryMaxBytes = memoryMaxBytes;
               programs.git.config.user = {
                 name = name;
                 email = "${name}@hyperhive.local";
@@ -1177,12 +1178,9 @@ where
     );
     // Propagated, never read as empty: an agent with no tool-groups entry
     // renders `toolGroups = null` and gets `AGENT_DEFAULT`, which fails
-    // open for any agent whose explicit entry is narrower. Likewise an
+    // open for any agent whose explicit entry is narrower.
-    // agent with no resource-limits entry gets the hive `memoryMaxBytes`,
-    // a larger heap ceiling than a tighter override.
     let tool_groups_map = crate::tool_groups::read()?;
     let capabilities_map = crate::capabilities::read()?;
-    let resource_limits_map = crate::resource_limits::read()?;
     for spec in agents {
         // Emit `toolGroups = "group1,group2"` when the operator has
         // explicitly configured groups for this agent. Absent entry = null
@@ -1208,29 +1206,15 @@ where
             let joined = caps.join(",");
             format!("\"{joined}\"")
         };
-        // Effective `MemoryMax=` for this agent (per-agent override, else
-        // the hive-wide default), turned into a raw byte count so
-        // the agent's claude-settings module can derive a JSC heap ceiling
-        // (see `services.hyperhive.agent.claudeMemoryMaxBytes`). `null` when the
-        // effective value is `"infinity"` or a RAM percentage — no
-        // byte count to derive, dependent env var stays unset, same as
-        // today's no-cap behavior.
-        let memory_max_attr = crate::resource_limits::effective_memory_bytes_from(
-            &resource_limits_map,
-            &spec.name,
-            hive_memory_max,
-        )
-        .map_or_else(|| "null".to_owned(), |b| b.to_string());
         let _ = writeln!(
             out,
-            "        {} = mkAgent {{ name = \"{}\"; isManager = {}; port = {}; toolGroups = {}; capabilities = {}; memoryMaxBytes = {}; }};",
+            "        {} = mkAgent {{ name = \"{}\"; isManager = {}; port = {}; toolGroups = {}; capabilities = {}; }};",
             spec.name,
             spec.name,
             if spec.is_manager { "true" } else { "false" },
             spec.port,
             tool_groups_attr,
             capabilities_attr,
-            memory_max_attr,
         );
     }
     out.push_str("      };\n    };\n}\n");
@@ -1468,7 +1452,6 @@ mod tests {
             8000,
             "she/her",
             &std::collections::HashMap::new(),
-            "4G",
             &[sample_spec("alice", false, 9001)],
         )
         .expect("render flake");
@@ -1516,7 +1499,6 @@ mod tests {
             8000,
             "she/her",
             &std::collections::HashMap::new(),
-            "4G",
             &[sample_spec("alice", false, 9001)],
         )
         .expect("render flake");
@@ -1536,7 +1518,6 @@ mod tests {
             8000,
             "she/her",
             &std::collections::HashMap::new(),
-            "4G",
             &[sample_spec("alice", false, 9001)],
         )
         .expect("render flake");
@@ -1578,7 +1559,6 @@ mod tests {
             8000,
             "she/her",
             &std::collections::HashMap::new(),
-            "4G",
             &[sample_spec("alice", false, 9001)],
         )
         .expect("render flake");
@@ -1608,7 +1588,6 @@ mod tests {
             8000,
             "she/her",
             &std::collections::HashMap::new(),
-            "4G",
             &[sample_spec("alice", false, 9001)],
         )
         .expect("render flake");
@@ -1630,7 +1609,6 @@ mod tests {
             8000,
             "she/her",
             &std::collections::HashMap::new(),
-            "4G",
             &[sample_spec("alice", false, 9001)],
         )
         .expect("render flake");
@@ -1662,7 +1640,6 @@ mod tests {
             8000,
             "she/her",
             &std::collections::HashMap::new(),
-            "4G",
             &[
                 sample_spec("argus", false, 9001),
                 sample_spec("bitburner", false, 9002),
@@ -1697,7 +1674,6 @@ mod tests {
             8000,
             "she/her",
             &std::collections::HashMap::new(),
-            "4G",
             &[sample_spec("alice", false, 9001)],
             |_| Vec::new(),
         )
@@ -1737,7 +1713,6 @@ mod tests {
             8000,
             "she/her",
             &std::collections::HashMap::new(),
-            "4G",
             &[sample_spec("alice", false, 9001)],
         )
         .expect("render flake");
@@ -1784,7 +1759,6 @@ mod tests {
                 8000,
                 "she/her",
                 &std::collections::HashMap::new(),
-                "4G",
                 &[sample_spec("alice", false, 9001)],
             )
             .expect("render flake")
@@ -1966,7 +1940,6 @@ mod tests {
             8000,
             "she/her",
             &std::collections::HashMap::new(),
-            "4G",
             &[sample_spec("alice", false, 9001)],
         )
         .expect("render flake");
@@ -2004,7 +1977,6 @@ mod tests {
             8000,
             "she/her",
             &std::collections::HashMap::new(),
-            "4G",
             &[sample_spec("alice", false, 9001)],
         )
         .expect("render flake");
@@ -2050,7 +2022,6 @@ mod tests {
                 8000,
                 "she/her",
                 &std::collections::HashMap::new(),
-                "4G",
                 &[sample_spec("alice", false, 9001)],
             )
             .expect("render flake")
@@ -2144,7 +2115,6 @@ mod tests {
                 8000,
                 "she/her",
                 &std::collections::HashMap::new(),
-                "4G",
                 &[sample_spec("alice", false, 9001)],
             )
             .expect("render flake")
@@ -2220,7 +2190,6 @@ mod tests {
                 8000,
                 "she/her",
                 &std::collections::HashMap::new(),
-                "4G",
                 &[sample_spec("alice", false, 9001)],
             )
             .expect("render flake")
@@ -2246,32 +2215,20 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
-    /// The JSC-heap-ceiling fix needs the effective per-agent memory cap
+    /// The agent reads its memory cap at boot from the copy
-    /// threaded into the flake as raw bytes, since nspawn hides the real
+    /// `lifecycle::write_dropins` hands it, so the cap is no build input.
-    /// cgroup cap from inside the container. An
-    /// agent with no `resource-limits.json` override falls back to the
-    /// hive-wide default passed to `render_flake` (`"4G"` in every test
-    /// in this module) — this locks in the byte-count conversion end to
-    /// end through the actual render path (not just `parse_bytes`
-    /// in isolation).
     #[test]
-    fn render_flake_derives_memory_max_bytes_from_hive_default() {
+    fn render_hive_flake_is_identical_across_memory_caps() {
-        let out = render_flake(
+        let hive = |cap: &str| HiveEnv {
-            "github:example/hyperhive",
+            agent_memory_max: cap.to_owned(),
-            "path:/nix/store/bbbb-hyperhive-docs-source",
+            ..HiveEnv::default()
-            "path:/nix/store/aaaa-nixpkgs-source",
+        };
-            None,
+        let agents = [sample_spec("alice", false, 9001)];
-            8000,
+        let small = render_hive_flake(&hive("4G"), &agents).expect("render 4G");
-            "she/her",
+        let large = render_hive_flake(&hive("16G"), &agents).expect("render 16G");
-            &std::collections::HashMap::new(),
+        assert_eq!(
-            "4G",
+            small, large,
-            &[sample_spec("alice", false, 9001)],
+            "the rendered flake must not depend on the memory cap"
-        )
-        .expect("render flake");
-        let want_bytes = 4u64 * 1024 * 1024 * 1024;
-        assert!(
-            out.contains(&format!("memoryMaxBytes = {want_bytes};")),
-            "memoryMaxBytes must reflect the hive-wide default in bytes:\n{out}"
         );
     }
 }

hive-c0re/src/server.rs

@@ -433,10 +433,9 @@ async fn handle_set_resource_limits(
         &hive.agent_memory_max,
     )?;
     Ok(HostResponse::messages(vec![format!(
-        "{name}: CPUQuota={cpu} MemoryMax={mem} — the cgroup cap itself is live now (restart \
+        "{name}: CPUQuota={cpu} MemoryMax={mem} — the cgroup cap itself is live now; the \
-         the container if it's running and needs the new cap immediately), but the derived \
+         Claude/JSC heap ceiling and the subagent MemoryHigh= derived from it follow at the \
-         Claude/JSC heap ceiling is baked in at build time, so it needs a REBUILD \
+         container's next start (restart it if it's running and needs them now)"
-         (`hivectl agent {name} rebuild`) to actually track this change"
     )]))
 }
 

nix/agent-modules/claude-settings.nix

@@ -19,11 +19,6 @@ let
   # meta.rs `otel_config`). Options declared in `otel.nix`, which also
   # exports the generic OTLP environment this container's producers read.
   otelCfg = config.services.hyperhive.agent.otel;
-  # Effective per-agent MemoryMax=, in bytes, injected by meta.rs's
-  # per-agent flake render (`services.hyperhive.agent.claudeMemoryMaxBytes`). `null`
-  # when the effective cap is unbounded ("infinity") or a RAM
-  # percentage — see `resource_limits::effective_memory_bytes`.
-  memoryMaxBytes = config.services.hyperhive.agent.claudeMemoryMaxBytes;
   # Base claude-code environment applied to every agent regardless of OTEL.
   # Shipped via the managed settings `env` block so claude and `hivectl
   # choom` both inherit them without a launch wrapper.
@@ -47,19 +42,6 @@ let
     CLAUDE_CODE_RESUME_INTERRUPTED_TURN = "1";
     # Use the simpler system prompt variant suited to headless operation.
     CLAUDE_CODE_SIMPLE_SYSTEM_PROMPT = "1";
-  }
-  # Bun/JavaScriptCore (the runtime under claude-code's `.claude-wrapped`
-  # binary) sizes its default heap ceiling off the container's visible
-  # `/proc/meminfo`, which under nspawn is the *host's* physical RAM, not
-  # the systemd `MemoryMax=` cgroup cap actually enforced on this
-  # container — the cap lives on the host's outer cgroup and is invisible
-  # from inside (confirmed: `/sys/fs/cgroup/memory.max` reads `max` at
-  # every level from in here). That mismatch lets JSC's heap grow well
-  # past the real wall before GC kicks in hard, causing choom sessions to
-  # hang. Pin JSC's ceiling to 75% of the *actual* effective cap instead,
-  # once it's known at build time.
-  // lib.optionalAttrs (memoryMaxBytes != null) {
-    BUN_JSC_forceRAMSize = toString (memoryMaxBytes * 75 / 100);
   };
   # Claude Code's own telemetry switches — what it emits, and whether it
   # emits at all. Everything an OTEL SDK reads generically (endpoint,
@@ -99,31 +81,6 @@ in
     '';
   };
 
-  # Build-time implementation surface for the JSC-heap-ceiling fix:
-  # meta.rs's per-agent flake render injects this from the effective
-  # `MemoryMax=` (per-agent `resource-limits.json` override, else the
-  # hive-wide `services.hyperhive.agentMemoryMax`) — see
-  # `resource_limits::effective_memory_bytes_from`. Not meant to be set
-  # directly in an agent.nix, same convention as `services.hyperhive.agent.otel.*`
-  # above; the host option (or `hivectl agent <name> set-limits`) is
-  # the real operator knob, and this only reflects the value baked in at
-  # the agent's *last rebuild* — `set-limits` still applies the
-  # cgroup cap live via a drop-in reload, but this derived heap ceiling
-  # needs a rebuild to pick up a new value.
-  options.services.hyperhive.agent.claudeMemoryMaxBytes = lib.mkOption {
-    type = lib.types.nullOr lib.types.ints.positive;
-    default = null;
-    internal = true;
-    description = ''
-      Effective per-agent memory cap in bytes, when it's a plain
-      byte-size value (null for an unbounded or percentage-based cap).
-      This is the whole container's cap, not claude's share of it —
-      the name records its first consumer, `BUN_JSC_forceRAMSize` in
-      `baseClaudeEnv`. `mcp.nix` reads it too, to size the subagent
-      daemon's `MemoryHigh=` against the container it runs in.
-    '';
-  };
-
   options.services.hyperhive.agent.claudeMarketplaces = lib.mkOption {
     type = lib.types.listOf lib.types.str;
     default = [
@@ -257,9 +214,7 @@ in
     environment.etc."claude-code/managed-settings.json".source =
       let
         baseSettings = "${config.services.hyperhive.agent.packages.assets}/share/hyperhive/prompts/claude-settings.json";
-        # Merge base env (always) with OTEL env (when enabled). jq is always
+        # Merge base env (always) with OTEL env (when enabled).
-        # run — `baseClaudeEnv` can carry per-agent values (e.g.
-        # BUN_JSC_forceRAMSize) that can't live in the static store asset.
         allEnv =
           baseClaudeEnv
           // lib.optionalAttrs otelCfg.enable otelSettingsEnv

nix/agent-modules/default.nix

@@ -41,6 +41,11 @@ let
     which the hive writes into every container, so no agent build sets it.
     Remove the setting.
   '';
+  memoryMaxBytesRemoved = ''
+    An agent reads its memory cap at boot from /run/hive/memory-max-bytes,
+    which the hive writes before every start, so no agent build sets it.
+    Remove the setting.
+  '';
 in
 {
   imports = [
@@ -60,6 +65,7 @@ in
     ./logs.nix
     ./matrix.nix
     ./mcp.nix
+    ./memory-cap.nix
     ./network.nix
     ./otel.nix
     ./packages.nix
@@ -94,6 +100,13 @@ in
     # Both spellings, for the reason given above.
     (lib.mkRemovedOptionModule [ "hyperhive" "hiveName" ] hiveNameRemoved)
     (lib.mkRemovedOptionModule [ "services" "hyperhive" "agent" "hiveName" ] hiveNameRemoved)
+    (lib.mkRemovedOptionModule [ "hyperhive" "claudeMemoryMaxBytes" ] memoryMaxBytesRemoved)
+    (lib.mkRemovedOptionModule [
+      "services"
+      "hyperhive"
+      "agent"
+      "claudeMemoryMaxBytes"
+    ] memoryMaxBytesRemoved)
   ];
 
   options.services.hyperhive.agent.icon = lib.mkOption {

nix/agent-modules/mcp.nix

@@ -11,25 +11,6 @@
 }:
 let
   userName = config.services.hyperhive.agent.user.name;
-  # This container's own effective `MemoryMax=` in bytes, baked in per
-  # agent by meta.rs's flake render — see
-  # `services.hyperhive.agent.claudeMemoryMaxBytes` in ./claude-settings.nix. `null`
-  # when the cap is `infinity` or a RAM percentage, i.e. when the module
-  # has no byte count to size anything against.
-  containerMemoryMaxBytes = config.services.hyperhive.agent.claudeMemoryMaxBytes;
-  # Two thirds of the container's cap, as the soft ceiling on everything
-  # the subagent daemon runs. The daemon spawns nested `claude` sessions
-  # as plain children, so its cgroup already *is* the "all subagents"
-  # cgroup and a unit-level ceiling bounds the set without a slice.
-  #
-  # `MemoryHigh=` and not `MemoryMax=`: this throttles rather than walls.
-  # Past it the kernel reclaims aggressively and the cgroup stalls, so a
-  # subagent that overshoots gets visibly slow and the remaining third
-  # stays available for the agent's own turn — but a subagent that
-  # genuinely needs more than two thirds still gets it when the container
-  # has the memory to spare, which is what keeps overprovisioning
-  # (several agents that rarely compile at the same time) working.
-  subagentMemoryHigh = containerMemoryMaxBytes * 2 / 3;
   # Set on the harness only for an ACP agent on the opencode preset
   # (./agent-service.nix).
   acpApiKeyEnv = config.systemd.services.hive-agent.environment.HIVE_ACP_API_KEY_ENV or null;
@@ -475,12 +456,11 @@ in
         # actually chose and leaves the daemon serving, which is also what
         # lets it report the kill rather than vanish and be restarted.
         OOMPolicy = "continue";
+        # `MemoryHigh=` is a drop-in from ./memory-cap.nix, sized at boot from
+        # the container's cap.
         User = userName;
         Group = userName;
       }
-      // lib.optionalAttrs (containerMemoryMaxBytes != null) {
-        MemoryHigh = toString subagentMemoryHigh;
-      }
       // lib.optionalAttrs subagentReadsStore {
         # Bare id: inherits the credential the container manager passed in,
         # the same form ./queue-identity.nix uses.

nix/agent-modules/memory-cap.nix

@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+# The container's memory cap, read at boot rather than built in, so a changed
+# cap needs no rebuild.
+#
+# The cap is `MemoryMax=` on the host's `container@` unit, which nothing in
+# here can read: `/sys/fs/cgroup/memory.max` reads `max` at every level from
+# inside. hive-c0re writes its byte count to `/run/hive/memory-max-bytes`
+# before every start (`lifecycle::host_config`), and removes the file when the
+# cap is `infinity` or a RAM percentage. Two values are derived from it, and
+# neither is set without the file:
+#
+# - `BUN_JSC_forceRAMSize`, 75% of the cap. Bun/JavaScriptCore, the runtime
+#   under claude-code, sizes its heap ceiling off `/proc/meminfo`, which under
+#   nspawn is the host's RAM, so without it the heap grows well past the real
+#   wall before GC kicks in hard and choom sessions hang. An environment
+#   generator hands it to every unit of the container's systemd, `machinectl
+#   shell` sessions (`hivectl choom`) included; `/etc/set-environment` exports
+#   it in login shells that no unit starts (`nixos-container root-login`).
+# - `MemoryHigh=` on `hive-subagent-daemon`, two thirds of the cap, as a
+#   generator drop-in. The daemon spawns nested `claude` sessions as plain
+#   children, so its cgroup already is the "all subagents" cgroup. `High`, not
+#   `Max`: past it the kernel reclaims hard and the subagents slow down, so the
+#   last third stays free for the agent's own turn, but a subagent that needs
+#   more still gets it when the container has memory to spare.
+#
+# Tested by `checks.script-test-agent-memory-cap`.
+{ pkgs, ... }:
+let
+  # Sets `bytes`, or exits when there is no file or its first line is not a
+  # plain byte count. A leading zero would read as octal, and 16 digits or
+  # more could overflow `bytes * 75`. Shell builtins only.
+  readCap = ''
+    bytes=
+    [ -r /run/hive/memory-max-bytes ] && read -r bytes < /run/hive/memory-max-bytes
+    case "$bytes" in
+      "" | 0* | *[!0-9]* | ????????????????*) exit 0 ;;
+    esac
+  '';
+
+  envGenerator = pkgs.writeShellScript "hyperhive-memory-cap-env" ''
+    ${readCap}
+    printf 'BUN_JSC_forceRAMSize=%s\n' "$((bytes * 75 / 100))"
+  '';
+
+  # `$1` is the generator's normal-priority output dir. A drop-in there merges
+  # with the unit's own file in /etc.
+  unitGenerator = pkgs.writeShellScript "hyperhive-memory-cap" ''
+    ${readCap}
+    dir="$1/hive-subagent-daemon.service.d"
+    ${pkgs.coreutils}/bin/mkdir -p "$dir"
+    printf '[Service]\nMemoryHigh=%s\n' "$((bytes * 2 / 3))" > "$dir/50-memory-high.conf"
+  '';
+
+  # Sourced by every shell's `/etc/set-environment`, so POSIX sh only.
+  profile = pkgs.writeText "hyperhive-memory-cap.sh" ''
+    __hyperhive_cap=$(${envGenerator})
+    case "$__hyperhive_cap" in
+      BUN_JSC_forceRAMSize=?*) export "$__hyperhive_cap" ;;
+    esac
+    unset __hyperhive_cap
+  '';
+in
+{
+  environment.etc."systemd/system-environment-generators/50-hyperhive-memory-cap".source =
+    envGenerator;
+  systemd.generators.hyperhive-memory-cap = unitGenerator;
+  environment.etc."hyperhive/memory-cap.sh".source = profile;
+  environment.extraInit = ". /etc/hyperhive/memory-cap.sh";
+}

nix/agent-modules/renamed-options.nix

@@ -45,10 +45,6 @@
       [ "hyperhive" "claudeMarketplaces" ]
       [ "services" "hyperhive" "agent" "claudeMarketplaces" ]
     )
-    (lib.mkRenamedOptionModule
-      [ "hyperhive" "claudeMemoryMaxBytes" ]
-      [ "services" "hyperhive" "agent" "claudeMemoryMaxBytes" ]
-    )
     (lib.mkRenamedOptionModule
       [ "hyperhive" "claudePlugins" ]
       [ "services" "hyperhive" "agent" "claudePlugins" ]

nix/checks.nix

@@ -138,6 +138,12 @@ in
     inherit pkgs self nixosSystem;
     inherit (pkgs) lib;
   };
+  # Runs ./agent-modules/memory-cap.nix's generators and login-shell snippet
+  # against sample cap files.
+  script-test-agent-memory-cap = import ./script-tests/agent-memory-cap.nix {
+    inherit pkgs self nixosSystem;
+    inherit (pkgs) lib;
+  };
   module-eval-agent-github-bao = import ./module-eval/agent-github-bao.nix {
     inherit pkgs self nixosSystem;
     inherit (pkgs) lib;

nix/module-eval/agent-memory.nix

@@ -22,39 +22,17 @@ let
     agentHarness
     ;
 
-  # The memory-pressure pair. `claudeMemoryMaxBytes` is the container's own
+  agentDefault = agent { };
-  # cap, rendered per agent by meta.rs — the capped arm is the one every
-  # real deploy gets, the uncapped arm is a hive that set `infinity` or a
-  # RAM percentage and so hands the module no byte count to size against.
-  agentCapped = agent { claudeMemoryMaxBytes = 8589934592; };
-
-  agentUncapped = agent { };
 
   agentBashDaemon = machine: machine.systemd.services.hive-bash-daemon;
   agentSubagentDaemon = machine: machine.systemd.services.hive-subagent-daemon;
   cases = [
     {
-      # Two thirds of the container's cap, and a SOFT ceiling: the daemon's
+      # The ceiling is sized at boot from the container's cap
-      # cgroup holds every nested claude, so `MemoryHigh=` throttles the
+      # (../agent-modules/memory-cap.nix). One in the unit would be the cap at
-      # subagent set as a whole before the kernel picks a victim, while the
+      # the last rebuild, and every agent would carry its own hive's number.
-      # absent `MemoryMax=` is what still lets one subagent use more than
+      name = "the subagent daemon's memory ceiling is not built into its unit";
-      # its share on a container that has the memory free. A hard cap here
+      ok = !((agentSubagentDaemon agentDefault).serviceConfig ? MemoryHigh);
-      # would trade the silent kill for a guaranteed wall, which is the
-      # shape this deliberately does not have.
-      name = "the subagent daemon throttles at two thirds of the container's memory";
-      ok =
-        let
-          c = (agentSubagentDaemon agentCapped).serviceConfig;
-        in
-        c.MemoryHigh == "5726623061" && !(c ? MemoryMax);
-    }
-    {
-      # What makes the case above able to fail. With no byte count for the
-      # container there is no fraction to take, and a hardcoded fallback
-      # would be a number about some other hive's machine — so the unit
-      # renders no ceiling at all rather than a fabricated one.
-      name = "an agent with no byte-valued memory cap renders no subagent ceiling";
-      ok = !((agentSubagentDaemon agentUncapped).serviceConfig ? MemoryHigh);
     }
     {
       # The sign is the whole property, and it is easy to write backwards:
@@ -68,8 +46,8 @@ let
       name = "the OOM killer prefers a subagent over the agent's own session";
       ok =
         let
-          sub = (agentSubagentDaemon agentUncapped).serviceConfig.OOMScoreAdjust;
+          sub = (agentSubagentDaemon agentDefault).serviceConfig.OOMScoreAdjust;
-          own = (agentHarness agentUncapped).serviceConfig.OOMScoreAdjust;
+          own = (agentHarness agentDefault).serviceConfig.OOMScoreAdjust;
         in
         sub > 0 && own < 0 && sub > own;
     }
@@ -81,13 +59,13 @@ let
       # chose, which is the blast radius that made the preference a bad
       # trade in the first place.
       name = "one subagent losing the OOM draw does not stop the daemon";
-      ok = (agentSubagentDaemon agentUncapped).serviceConfig.OOMPolicy == "continue";
+      ok = (agentSubagentDaemon agentDefault).serviceConfig.OOMPolicy == "continue";
     }
     {
       # Each bash task is a process in the daemon's cgroup; under `stop` one
       # OOM-killed task would end every running sibling task.
       name = "one bash task losing the OOM draw does not stop the daemon";
-      ok = (agentBashDaemon agentUncapped).serviceConfig.OOMPolicy or null == "continue";
+      ok = (agentBashDaemon agentDefault).serviceConfig.OOMPolicy or null == "continue";
     }
   ];
 in

nix/script-tests/agent-memory-cap.nix

@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+# `checks.script-test-agent-memory-cap` — runs the three readers of
+# `/run/hive/memory-max-bytes` in ../agent-modules/memory-cap.nix: the
+# environment generator, the unit generator, and the login-shell snippet
+# `/etc/set-environment` sources. The cases are in ./agent-memory-cap.sh.
+#
+# What runs is the rendered scripts. The one edit is the cap file's path, moved
+# under the build directory, and the snippet's reference to the environment
+# generator, pointed at that edited copy.
+{
+  pkgs,
+  lib,
+  self,
+  nixosSystem,
+}:
+let
+  inherit
+    (import ../module-eval/lib.nix {
+      inherit
+        pkgs
+        lib
+        self
+        nixosSystem
+        ;
+    })
+    agentWith
+    ;
+
+  machine = agentWith { };
+in
+pkgs.runCommand "hyperhive-script-test-agent-memory-cap"
+  {
+    ENV_GENERATOR =
+      machine.environment.etc."systemd/system-environment-generators/50-hyperhive-memory-cap".source;
+    UNIT_GENERATOR = machine.systemd.generators.hyperhive-memory-cap;
+    PROFILE = machine.environment.etc."hyperhive/memory-cap.sh".source;
+    EXTRA_INIT = machine.environment.extraInit;
+    SHELLS = "${pkgs.dash}/bin/dash ${pkgs.bash}/bin/sh";
+  }
+  ''
+    ${pkgs.bash}/bin/bash ${./agent-memory-cap.sh}
+    touch "$out"
+  ''

nix/script-tests/agent-memory-cap.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+# Cases for ./agent-memory-cap.nix. Each case writes a cap file (or none), runs
+# both generators with a clean environment and compares what they produced,
+# then sources the login-shell snippet under each POSIX shell and compares what
+# a child process sees.
+set -uo pipefail
+
+failures=0
+count=0
+
+fail() {
+  echo "FAILED: $case: $*" >&2
+  failures=$((failures + 1))
+}
+
+dir=$(mktemp -d)
+cap=$dir/memory-max-bytes
+sed "s|/run/hive/memory-max-bytes|$cap|g" "$ENV_GENERATOR" >"$dir/env-generator"
+sed "s|/run/hive/memory-max-bytes|$cap|g" "$UNIT_GENERATOR" >"$dir/unit-generator"
+chmod +x "$dir/env-generator" "$dir/unit-generator"
+sed "s|$ENV_GENERATOR|$dir/env-generator|g" "$PROFILE" >"$dir/profile"
+envbin=$(command -v env)
+
+case="setup"
+for g in env-generator unit-generator; do
+  if grep -q '/run/hive/memory-max-bytes' "$dir/$g"; then fail "$g still names /run/hive after the rewrite"; fi
+  if ! grep -qF "$cap" "$dir/$g"; then fail "the rewrite did not reach $g's read"; fi
+done
+if ! grep -qF "$dir/env-generator" "$dir/profile"; then fail "the snippet does not call the rewritten generator"; fi
+if ! printf '%s\n' "$EXTRA_INIT" | grep -qxF '. /etc/hyperhive/memory-cap.sh'; then
+  fail "/etc/set-environment does not source the snippet"
+fi
+
+# check <description> <expected BUN_JSC_forceRAMSize or ""> <expected MemoryHigh or "">
+check() {
+  case=$1
+  count=$((count + 1))
+  local want_env=${2:+BUN_JSC_forceRAMSize=$2} want_high=$3 got
+  got=$(env -i "$dir/env-generator")
+  if [ "$got" != "$want_env" ]; then
+    fail "environment generator printed:"$'\n'"$got"$'\n'"wanted:"$'\n'"$want_env"
+  fi
+
+  local out=$dir/generator-out
+  rm -rf "$out"
+  mkdir -p "$out/normal" "$out/early" "$out/late"
+  env -i "$dir/unit-generator" "$out/normal" "$out/early" "$out/late"
+  local dropin=$out/normal/hive-subagent-daemon.service.d/50-memory-high.conf
+  if [ -z "$want_high" ]; then
+    got=$(find "$out" -type f)
+    if [ -n "$got" ]; then fail "unit generator wrote:"$'\n'"$got"; fi
+  else
+    got=$(cat "$dropin" 2>&1)
+    if [ "$got" != "[Service]"$'\n'"MemoryHigh=$want_high" ]; then
+      fail "unit generator's drop-in:"$'\n'"$got"
+    fi
+  fi
+
+  local sh
+  for sh in $SHELLS; do
+    # Only what the snippet exported reaches the child's environment. No PATH:
+    # the snippet must not need one.
+    got=$(env -i "$sh" -c ". '$dir/profile'; exec '$envbin'" | grep -E '^(BUN_|LD_PRELOAD=|__hyperhive)')
+    if [ "$got" != "$want_env" ]; then
+      fail "$sh: a child of the sourcing shell saw:"$'\n'"$got"
+    fi
+  done
+}
+
+printf '8589934592\n' >"$cap"
+check "an 8G cap" 6442450944 5726623061
+
+printf '4294967296' >"$cap"
+check "a line without a newline is kept" 3221225472 2863311530
+
+printf '4294967296\nLD_PRELOAD=/x\n' >"$cap"
+check "only the first line is read" 3221225472 2863311530
+
+printf '8G\n' >"$cap"
+check "a size with a suffix is ignored" "" ""
+
+printf '0123\n' >"$cap"
+check "a leading zero is ignored" "" ""
+
+printf '1234567890123456\n' >"$cap"
+check "sixteen digits are ignored" "" ""
+
+: >"$cap"
+check "an empty file" "" ""
+
+rm -f "$cap"
+check "no file" "" ""
+
+echo "$count cases, $failures failed"
+[ "$failures" -eq 0 ]