diff --git a/mempalace/config.py b/mempalace/config.py
index fcfb2c8afe..91851b1112 100644
--- a/mempalace/config.py
+++ b/mempalace/config.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 # in file paths, SQLite, or ChromaDB metadata.
 
 MAX_NAME_LENGTH = 128
-_SAFE_NAME_RE = re.compile(r"^[a-zA-Z0-9][a-zA-Z0-9_ .'-]{0,126}[a-zA-Z0-9]?$")
+_SAFE_NAME_RE = re.compile(r"^[\w][\w .'-]{0,126}[\w]?$")
 
 
 def sanitize_name(value: str, field_name: str = "name") -> str:
diff --git a/mempalace/convo_miner.py b/mempalace/convo_miner.py
index 3bb4a895bf..aca8f3a3a0 100644
--- a/mempalace/convo_miner.py
+++ b/mempalace/convo_miner.py
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ def mine_convos(
                     raise
 
         total_drawers += drawers_added
-        print(f"  ✓ [{i:4}/{len(files)}] {filepath.name[:50]:50} +{drawers_added}")
+        print(f"  + [{i:4}/{len(files)}] {filepath.name[:50]:50} +{drawers_added}")
 
     print(f"\n{'=' * 55}")
     print("  Done.")
diff --git a/mempalace/general_extractor.py b/mempalace/general_extractor.py
index e849d7cf13..0a05cf46ca 100644
--- a/mempalace/general_extractor.py
+++ b/mempalace/general_extractor.py
@@ -157,7 +157,6 @@
     r"i need",
     r"never told anyone",
     r"nobody knows",
-    r"\*[^*]+\*",
 ]
 
 ALL_MARKERS = {
diff --git a/mempalace/instructions/init.md b/mempalace/instructions/init.md
index 40fe8fcaaa..40f0c20dd7 100644
--- a/mempalace/instructions/init.md
+++ b/mempalace/instructions/init.md
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ before continuing.
 
 ## Step 5: Initialize the palace
 
-Run `mempalace init <dir>` where `<dir>` is the directory from Step 4.
+Run `mempalace init --yes <dir>` where `<dir>` is the directory from Step 4.
 
 If this fails, report the error and stop.
 
diff --git a/mempalace/knowledge_graph.py b/mempalace/knowledge_graph.py
index b094f06f7c..2199628823 100644
--- a/mempalace/knowledge_graph.py
+++ b/mempalace/knowledge_graph.py
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ def invalidate(self, subject: str, predicate: str, obj: str, ended: str = None):
 
     # ── Query operations ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-    def query_entity(self, name: str, as_of: str = None, direction: str = "outgoing"):
+    def query_entity(self, name: str, as_of: str = None, direction: str = "both"):
         """
         Get all relationships for an entity.
 
diff --git a/mempalace/mcp_server.py b/mempalace/mcp_server.py
index 09203b6b58..2d46ae41c1 100644
--- a/mempalace/mcp_server.py
+++ b/mempalace/mcp_server.py
@@ -984,6 +984,9 @@ def handle_request(request):
                 tool_args[key] = int(value)
             elif declared_type == "number" and not isinstance(value, (int, float)):
                 tool_args[key] = float(value)
+        # Strip unexpected kwargs — some MCP clients send extra params
+        # like top_k that the handler doesn't accept (#572).
+        tool_args = {k: v for k, v in tool_args.items() if k in schema_props}
         try:
             result = TOOLS[tool_name]["handler"](**tool_args)
             return {
diff --git a/mempalace/spellcheck.py b/mempalace/spellcheck.py
index fe8da38cdb..0368d33e8a 100644
--- a/mempalace/spellcheck.py
+++ b/mempalace/spellcheck.py
@@ -119,8 +119,8 @@ def _load_known_names() -> set:
 
         reg = EntityRegistry.load()
         names = set()
-        for entity in reg._data.get("entities", {}).values():
-            names.add(entity.get("canonical", "").lower())
+        for name, entity in reg._data.get("people", {}).items():
+            names.add(name.lower())
             for alias in entity.get("aliases", []):
                 names.add(alias.lower())
         return names
diff --git a/mempalace/split_mega_files.py b/mempalace/split_mega_files.py
index 24b59569c8..8552627a8e 100644
--- a/mempalace/split_mega_files.py
+++ b/mempalace/split_mega_files.py
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ def split_file(filepath, output_dir, dry_run=False):
             print(f"  [{i + 1}/{len(boundaries) - 1}] {name}  ({len(chunk)} lines)")
         else:
             out_path.write_text("".join(chunk), encoding="utf-8")
-            print(f"  ✓ {name}  ({len(chunk)} lines)")
+            print(f"  + {name}  ({len(chunk)} lines)")
 
         written.append(out_path)