diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 253cf285..3a4e1f4c 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ This project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.htm
 
 ### Fixed
 
+- Compaction preserves the previous summary when the history bucket is empty,
+  including mid-turn cuts that only summarize the current turn prefix. Inherited
+  file-operation lists are refreshed once instead of accumulating duplicate blocks.
 - Picker hints (`/` commands, `@` files, `?` shortcuts) now start in one shared
   column instead of trailing each label's own length.
 
diff --git a/internal/session/compaction/compact.go b/internal/session/compaction/compact.go
index 05259d64..b071c1f2 100644
--- a/internal/session/compaction/compact.go
+++ b/internal/session/compaction/compact.go
@@ -15,12 +15,13 @@ import (
 // summarize and the file operations captured from the summarized history.
 // Recent messages stay in the session tree via FirstKeptEntryId.
 type CompactionPreparation struct {
-	FirstKeptEntryId    string
-	MessagesToSummarize []llm.Message
-	TurnPrefixMessages  []llm.Message
-	IsMidTurnCut        bool
-	TokensBefore        int
-	PreviousSummary     string
+	FirstKeptEntryId       string
+	MessagesToSummarize    []llm.Message
+	TurnPrefixMessages     []llm.Message
+	IsMidTurnCut           bool
+	TokensBefore           int
+	PreviousSummary        string
+	PreviousFileOperations string
 	// ReserveTokens is the headroom compaction keeps from the context window;
 	// summaries are capped at a fraction of it.
 	ReserveTokens int
@@ -98,10 +99,15 @@ func PrepareCompact(
 	}
 
 	previousSummary := ""
+	previousFileOperations := ""
 	var previousPreserveData map[string]any
 	if preCompactionIndex >= 0 {
 		prevCompaction := pathEntries[preCompactionIndex].(session.CompactionEntry)
 		previousSummary = prevCompaction.Compaction.Summary
+		previousFileOperations = formatFileOperations(
+			prevCompaction.Compaction.Details.ReadFiles,
+			prevCompaction.Compaction.Details.ModifiedFiles,
+		)
 		previousPreserveData = prevCompaction.Compaction.PreserveData
 	}
 
@@ -121,15 +127,16 @@ func PrepareCompact(
 	tokenBefore := lastUsage.ContextTokens()
 
 	return &CompactionPreparation{
-		FirstKeptEntryId:     firstKeptEntryID,
-		MessagesToSummarize:  messagesToSummarize,
-		TurnPrefixMessages:   turnPrefixMessages,
-		TokensBefore:         tokenBefore,
-		PreviousSummary:      previousSummary,
-		PreviousPreserveData: previousPreserveData,
-		FileOps:              *fileOps,
-		IsMidTurnCut:         cutPoint.isMidTurnCut,
-		ReserveTokens:        settings.reverseTokens,
+		FirstKeptEntryId:       firstKeptEntryID,
+		MessagesToSummarize:    messagesToSummarize,
+		TurnPrefixMessages:     turnPrefixMessages,
+		TokensBefore:           tokenBefore,
+		PreviousSummary:        previousSummary,
+		PreviousFileOperations: previousFileOperations,
+		PreviousPreserveData:   previousPreserveData,
+		FileOps:                *fileOps,
+		IsMidTurnCut:           cutPoint.isMidTurnCut,
+		ReserveTokens:          settings.reverseTokens,
 	}, nil
 }
 
@@ -189,17 +196,7 @@ func summarizeMidTurnCut(
 
 	go func() {
 		defer wg.Done()
-		if len(preparation.MessagesToSummarize) == 0 {
-			historySummary = "No prior history."
-			return
-		}
-		historySummary, historySummaryErr = generateSummary(
-			ctx,
-			llm,
-			preparation.MessagesToSummarize,
-			preparation.PreviousSummary,
-			summarizationCap(preparation.ReserveTokens, historySummaryRatio),
-		)
+		historySummary, historySummaryErr = summarizeHistory(ctx, preparation, llm)
 	}()
 
 	go func() {
@@ -231,6 +228,10 @@ func summarizeHistory(
 	llm llm.Compactor,
 ) (string, error) {
 	if len(preparation.MessagesToSummarize) == 0 {
+		// An empty history bucket can still have context from an earlier compaction.
+		if preparation.PreviousSummary != "" {
+			return stripFileOperations(preparation.PreviousSummary, preparation.PreviousFileOperations), nil
+		}
 		return "No prior history.", nil
 	}
 	return generateSummary(
diff --git a/internal/session/compaction/compact_test.go b/internal/session/compaction/compact_test.go
index d4f2585c..e9aa54a3 100644
--- a/internal/session/compaction/compact_test.go
+++ b/internal/session/compaction/compact_test.go
@@ -200,6 +200,66 @@ func TestCompact_TruncatedSummary_ReturnsError(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, []int{13107}, c.maxTokens, "0.8 * reserveTokens")
 }
 
+func TestCompact_EmptyHistoryRefreshesFileOperations(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, midTurn := range []bool{false, true} {
+		name := "history"
+		if midTurn {
+			name = "mid-turn"
+		}
+		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			previous := session.Compaction{
+				Summary: "Keep the public API unchanged.\n\n<read-files>\na.go\nnotes.md\n</read-files>" +
+					"\n\n<modified-files>\nold.go\n</modified-files>",
+				Details: session.CompactionDetails{
+					ReadFiles:     []string{"a.go", "notes.md"},
+					ModifiedFiles: []string{"old.go"},
+				},
+			}
+			c := &captureCompactor{text: "Current turn context."}
+			for range 3 {
+				messages := []llm.Message{{Role: llm.RoleAssistant, ToolCalls: []llm.ToolCall{
+					{Function: llm.Function{Name: "edit", Arguments: `{"path":"a.go"}`}},
+					{Function: llm.Function{Name: "edit", Arguments: `{"path":"b.go"}`}},
+				}}}
+				fileOps := extractFileOperations(messages, []session.MessageEntry{
+					session.CompactionEntry{Compaction: previous},
+				}, 0)
+				prep := CompactionPreparation{
+					PreviousSummary: previous.Summary,
+					PreviousFileOperations: formatFileOperations(
+						previous.Details.ReadFiles,
+						previous.Details.ModifiedFiles,
+					),
+					FileOps: *fileOps,
+				}
+				if midTurn {
+					prep.IsMidTurnCut = true
+					prep.TurnPrefixMessages = messages
+				}
+
+				comp, err := Compact(t.Context(), prep, c)
+
+				require.NoError(t, err)
+				assert.Contains(t, comp.Summary, "Keep the public API unchanged.")
+				assert.Equal(t, 1, strings.Count(comp.Summary, "<read-files>"))
+				assert.Equal(t, 1, strings.Count(comp.Summary, "<modified-files>"))
+				assert.True(t, strings.HasSuffix(
+					comp.Summary,
+					"\n\n<read-files>\nnotes.md\n</read-files>\n\n<modified-files>\na.go\nb.go\nold.go\n</modified-files>",
+				))
+				assert.Equal(t, []string{"notes.md"}, comp.Details.ReadFiles)
+				assert.Equal(t, []string{"a.go", "b.go", "old.go"}, comp.Details.ModifiedFiles)
+				previous = comp
+			}
+			wantCalls := 0
+			if midTurn {
+				wantCalls = 3
+			}
+			assert.Len(t, c.prompts, wantCalls)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 // A mid-turn cut drops the turn prefix as well as the history, and both buckets
 // are summarized away. Every file touched in either bucket has to reach the
 // file-operation lists: missing the prefix listed the edited files of the cut
diff --git a/internal/session/compaction/fileops.go b/internal/session/compaction/fileops.go
index e4103551..4863a7ec 100644
--- a/internal/session/compaction/fileops.go
+++ b/internal/session/compaction/fileops.go
@@ -96,6 +96,15 @@ func formatFileOperations(readFiles, modifiedFiles []string) string {
 	return "\n\n" + strings.Join(sections, "\n\n")
 }
 
+// Match the suffix reconstructed from the previous Details so similar text
+// in older summaries is not mistaken for an appended file-operation block.
+func stripFileOperations(summary, previousFileOperations string) string {
+	if previousFileOperations != "" && strings.HasSuffix(summary, previousFileOperations) {
+		return strings.TrimSuffix(summary, previousFileOperations)
+	}
+	return summary
+}
+
 func computeFileLists(fileOps *FileOperation) ([]string, []string) {
 	modifiedSet := make(map[string]struct{})
 	readFiles := []string{}
diff --git a/internal/session/compaction/fileops_test.go b/internal/session/compaction/fileops_test.go
index dbb4b912..6a3a80d4 100644
--- a/internal/session/compaction/fileops_test.go
+++ b/internal/session/compaction/fileops_test.go
@@ -255,3 +255,33 @@ func TestComputeFileLists(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Empty(t, modifiedFiles)
 	})
 }
+
+func TestStripFileOperations(t *testing.T) {
+	const readBlock = "\n\n<read-files>\na.go\n</read-files>"
+	const modifiedBlock = "\n\n<modified-files>\nb.go\n</modified-files>"
+	for _, tt := range []struct {
+		name                   string
+		summary                string
+		previousFileOperations string
+		want                   string
+	}{
+		{"no files", "summary\n", "", "summary\n"},
+		{"read only", "summary" + readBlock, readBlock, "summary"},
+		{"modified only", "summary" + modifiedBlock, modifiedBlock, "summary"},
+		{"both", "summary" + readBlock + modifiedBlock, readBlock + modifiedBlock, "summary"},
+		{
+			"embedded example", "example" + readBlock + "\nmore context" + modifiedBlock, modifiedBlock,
+			"example" + readBlock + "\nmore context",
+		},
+		{"unknown suffix", "summary" + readBlock, modifiedBlock, "summary" + readBlock},
+		{"no details", "summary" + readBlock, "", "summary" + readBlock},
+		{
+			"incomplete block", "summary\n\n<read-files>\na.go", readBlock,
+			"summary\n\n<read-files>\na.go",
+		},
+	} {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			assert.Equal(t, tt.want, stripFileOperations(tt.summary, tt.previousFileOperations))
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/session/compaction/reload_test.go b/internal/session/compaction/reload_test.go
index f2023a59..fa8c8051 100644
--- a/internal/session/compaction/reload_test.go
+++ b/internal/session/compaction/reload_test.go
@@ -78,3 +78,49 @@ func TestFindCutIndex_ReloadedEntriesRespectTokenBudget(t *testing.T) {
 	cutIndex := findCutIndex(entries, 0, len(entries), 25, cutPoints)
 	assert.NotEqual(t, cutPoints[0], cutIndex)
 }
+
+func TestCompact_EmptyHistoryPreservesSummaryAfterReload(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	m, err := session.NewSessionManager(dir, session.WithSessionDir(dir), session.WithShouldFlush(true))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	const previousSummary = "Keep the public API unchanged."
+	const fileOperations = "\n\n<read-files>\nnotes.md\n</read-files>\n\n<modified-files>\na.go\n</modified-files>"
+	_, err = m.AppendCompaction(session.Compaction{
+		Summary: previousSummary + fileOperations,
+		Details: session.CompactionDetails{ReadFiles: []string{"notes.md"}, ModifiedFiles: []string{"a.go"}},
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	_, err = m.Append(llm.Message{Role: llm.RoleUser, Content: "fix the parser"})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	keptID, err := m.Append(llm.Message{Role: llm.RoleAssistant, Content: sizedContent(30)})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	m, err = session.OpenSession(m.File())
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	prep, err := PrepareCompact(m.BuildContext(), Settings{keepRecentTokens: 20})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.True(t, prep.IsMidTurnCut)
+	require.Empty(t, prep.MessagesToSummarize)
+	require.NotEmpty(t, prep.TurnPrefixMessages)
+	require.Equal(t, keptID, prep.FirstKeptEntryId)
+
+	c := &captureCompactor{text: "Current turn context."}
+	comp, err := Compact(t.Context(), *prep, c)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	want := previousSummary + "\n\n---\n\n**Turn Context (mid-turn cut):**\n\nCurrent turn context." + fileOperations
+	assert.Equal(t, want, comp.Summary)
+	assert.Len(t, c.prompts, 1, "only the turn-prefix summary needs a model request")
+	_, err = m.AppendCompaction(comp)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	m, err = session.OpenSession(m.File())
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	entries := m.BuildContext()
+	require.Len(t, entries, 2)
+	restored, ok := entries[0].(session.CompactionEntry)
+	require.True(t, ok)
+	assert.Equal(t, want, restored.Compaction.Summary)
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{"notes.md"}, restored.Compaction.Details.ReadFiles)
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{"a.go"}, restored.Compaction.Details.ModifiedFiles)
+	assert.Equal(t, keptID, entries[1].GetID())
+}
diff --git a/internal/session/compaction/summary_test.go b/internal/session/compaction/summary_test.go
index f9f77931..f85ba045 100644
--- a/internal/session/compaction/summary_test.go
+++ b/internal/session/compaction/summary_test.go
@@ -115,3 +115,39 @@ func TestSummarizeMidTurnCut_CapsEachSummary(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Contains(t, summary, "Turn Context (mid-turn cut)")
 	assert.ElementsMatch(t, []int{13107, 8192}, c.maxTokens)
 }
+
+func TestCompact_EmptyHistory(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, midTurn := range []bool{false, true} {
+		for _, previousSummary := range []string{"", "Keep the public API unchanged.\nPreserve exact error messages."} {
+			name := "history"
+			if midTurn {
+				name = "mid-turn"
+			}
+			if previousSummary != "" {
+				name += "/previous-summary"
+			} else {
+				name += "/no-previous-summary"
+			}
+			t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
+				c := &captureCompactor{text: "Current turn context."}
+				prep := CompactionPreparation{PreviousSummary: previousSummary, IsMidTurnCut: midTurn}
+				want := previousSummary
+				if want == "" {
+					want = "No prior history."
+				}
+				wantCalls := 0
+				if midTurn {
+					prep.TurnPrefixMessages = []llm.Message{{Role: llm.RoleUser, Content: "fix the parser"}}
+					want += "\n\n---\n\n**Turn Context (mid-turn cut):**\n\nCurrent turn context."
+					wantCalls = 1
+				}
+
+				comp, err := Compact(t.Context(), prep, c)
+
+				require.NoError(t, err)
+				assert.Equal(t, want, comp.Summary)
+				assert.Len(t, c.prompts, wantCalls, "an empty history must not trigger a model request")
+			})
+		}
+	}
+}