diff --git a/src/agent/tools/memory.rs b/src/agent/tools/memory.rs
index 7ea7f42..2be3860 100644
--- a/src/agent/tools/memory.rs
+++ b/src/agent/tools/memory.rs
@@ -56,11 +56,12 @@ pub fn definitions() -> Vec<ToolDef> {
                 "count":{"type":"integer","description":"Number of entries (default 1)"}
             }})),
         ToolDef::new("journal_new",
-            "Start a new journal entry with a ## heading and body.",
+            "Start a new journal entry.",
             json!({"type":"object","properties":{
-                "title":{"type":"string","description":"Entry title (becomes ## YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM — title)"},
+                "name":{"type":"string","description":"Short node name (becomes the key, e.g. 'morning-agent-breakthrough')"},
+                "title":{"type":"string","description":"Descriptive title for the heading (e.g. 'Morning intimacy and the agent breakthrough')"},
                 "body":{"type":"string","description":"Entry body (2-3 paragraphs)"}
-            },"required":["title","body"]})),
+            },"required":["name","title","body"]})),
         ToolDef::new("journal_update",
             "Append text to the most recent journal entry (same thread continuing).",
             json!({"type":"object","properties":{
@@ -169,23 +170,37 @@ pub fn dispatch(name: &str, args: &serde_json::Value, provenance: Option<&str>)
             }
         }
         "journal_new" => {
+            let name = get_str(args, "name")?;
             let title = get_str(args, "title")?;
             let body = get_str(args, "body")?;
             let ts = chrono::Local::now().format("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M");
             let content = format!("## {} — {}\n\n{}", ts, title, body);
 
-            // Key from title — the agent names things, not a placeholder slug
-            let key: String = title.split_whitespace()
+            let base_key: String = name.split_whitespace()
                 .map(|w| w.to_lowercase()
                     .chars().filter(|c| c.is_alphanumeric() || *c == '-')
                     .collect::<String>())
                 .filter(|s| !s.is_empty())
                 .collect::<Vec<_>>()
                 .join("-");
-            let key = if key.len() > 80 { &key[..80] } else { &key };
+            let base_key = if base_key.len() > 80 { &base_key[..80] } else { base_key.as_str() };
 
             let mut store = Store::load().map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("{}", e))?;
-            let mut node = crate::store::new_node(key, &content);
+
+            // Dedup: append -2, -3, etc. if the key already exists
+            let key = if store.nodes.contains_key(base_key) {
+                let mut n = 2;
+                loop {
+                    let candidate = format!("{}-{}", base_key, n);
+                    if !store.nodes.contains_key(&candidate) {
+                        break candidate;
+                    }
+                    n += 1;
+                }
+            } else {
+                base_key.to_string()
+            };
+            let mut node = crate::store::new_node(&key, &content);
             node.node_type = crate::store::NodeType::EpisodicSession;
             node.provenance = prov.to_string();
             store.upsert_node(node).map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("{}", e))?;
diff --git a/src/subconscious/agents/surface-observe.agent b/src/subconscious/agents/surface-observe.agent
index d782047..9e3c5d2 100644
--- a/src/subconscious/agents/surface-observe.agent
+++ b/src/subconscious/agents/surface-observe.agent
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ First, check the previous entry:
   journal_tail()
 
 To start a new entry when the subject has changed:
-  journal_new("title", "body")
+  journal_new("short-key-name", "Descriptive title for heading", "body")
 
 To continue the same thread, appending to the last entry:
   journal_update("additional text")