diff --git a/packages/memory-service/src/db/index.js b/packages/memory-service/src/db/index.js
index a12d951..c370ec9 100644
--- a/packages/memory-service/src/db/index.js
+++ b/packages/memory-service/src/db/index.js
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ function getDB() {
             db.exec(`ALTER TABLE projects ADD COLUMN notes TEXT`);  // ← add this
         } catch {}
 
+        try { 
+            db.exec(`ALTER TABLE projects ADD COLUMN system_prompt TEXT`); 
+        } catch {}
+
         // Sync FTS index with any existing episodes data
         db.exec(`INSERT OR REPLACE INTO episodes_fts(rowid, user_message, ai_response) 
             SELECT id, user_message, ai_response FROM episodes`);
diff --git a/packages/orchestration-service/src/chat/index.js b/packages/orchestration-service/src/chat/index.js
index fd4bd5d..d5ffbb2 100644
--- a/packages/orchestration-service/src/chat/index.js
+++ b/packages/orchestration-service/src/chat/index.js
@@ -4,10 +4,9 @@ const embedding = require("../services/embedding");
 const qdrant = require("../services/qdrant");
 const { ORCHESTRATION } = require("@nexusai/shared");
 const appSettings = require("../config/settings");
-const { SYSTEM_PROMPT } = ORCHESTRATION;
 
-function buildPrompt(recentEpisodes, semanticEpisodes, entities, userMessage) {
-  const parts = [SYSTEM_PROMPT];
+function buildPrompt(recentEpisodes, semanticEpisodes, entities, userMessage, systemPrompt) {
+    const parts = [systemPrompt ?? ORCHESTRATION.SYSTEM_PROMPT];
 
   if (entities.length > 0) {
     parts.push(
@@ -126,30 +125,21 @@ async function getRelevantEntities(userMessage, projectId=null) {
 }
 
 async function chat(externalId, userMessage, options = {}) {
-  const { recentEpisodeLimit, semanticLimit, scoreThreshold, temperature, repeatPenalty, topP, topK} =
+  const { recentEpisodeLimit, semanticLimit, scoreThreshold, temperature, repeatPenalty, topP, topK, systemPrompt} =
     appSettings.load();
   // 1. Resolve or create session
   let session = await memory.getSessionByExternalId(externalId);
   if (!session) session = await memory.createSession(externalId);
 
   let projectSessionIds = null;
+  let activeSystemPrompt = systemPrompt ?? ORCHESTRATION.SYSTEM_PROMPT;
   if (session.project_id) {
     try {
       const project = await memory.getProject(session.project_id);
       if (project) {
-        const projectSessions = await memory.getProjectSessions(
-          session.project_id,
-        );
+        const projectSessions = await memory.getProjectSessions(session.project_id);
+        if (project?.system_prompt) activeSystemPrompt = project.system_prompt;
         projectSessionIds = projectSessions.map((s) => s.id);
-        if (project.isolated === 1) {
-          console.log(
-            `[orchestration] Isolated project — restricting to ${projectSessionIds.length} sessions`,
-          );
-        } else {
-          console.log(
-            `[orchestration] Non-isolated project — expanding search to ${projectSessionIds.length} sessions`,
-          );
-        }
       }
     } catch (err) {
       console.warn(
@@ -184,6 +174,7 @@ async function chat(externalId, userMessage, options = {}) {
     semanticEpisodes,
     entities,
     userMessage,
+    activeSystemPrompt,
   );
 
   // 5. Run inference
@@ -218,11 +209,12 @@ async function chat(externalId, userMessage, options = {}) {
 
 async function chatStream(externalId, userMessage, onChunk, options = {}) {
   try {
-    const { recentEpisodeLimit, semanticLimit, scoreThreshold, temperature, repeatPenalty, topP, topK } = appSettings.load();
+    const { recentEpisodeLimit, semanticLimit, scoreThreshold, temperature, repeatPenalty, topP, topK, systemPrompt } = appSettings.load();
     let session = await memory.getSessionByExternalId(externalId);
     if (!session) session = await memory.createSession(externalId);
 
     let projectSessionIds = null;
+    let activeSystemPrompt = systemPrompt ?? ORCHESTRATION.SYSTEM_PROMPT;
     if (session.project_id) {
       try {
         const project = await memory.getProject(session.project_id);
@@ -231,16 +223,9 @@ async function chatStream(externalId, userMessage, onChunk, options = {}) {
             session.project_id,
           );
           projectSessionIds = projectSessions.map((s) => s.id);
-          if (project.isolated === 1) {
-            console.log(
-              `[orchestration] Isolated project — restricting to ${projectSessionIds.length} sessions`,
-            );
-          } else {
-            console.log(
-              `[orchestration] Non-isolated project — expanding search to ${projectSessionIds.length} sessions`,
-            );
-          }
+          if (project?.system_prompt) activeSystemPrompt = project.system_prompt;
         }
+        
       } catch (err) {
         console.warn(
           "[orchestration] Failed to resolve project context:",
@@ -270,6 +255,7 @@ async function chatStream(externalId, userMessage, onChunk, options = {}) {
       semanticEpisodes,
       entities,
       userMessage,
+      activeSystemPrompt,
     );
     const res = await inference.completeStream(prompt, {...options, temperature, repeatPenalty, topP, topK});
 
diff --git a/packages/orchestration-service/src/config/settings.js b/packages/orchestration-service/src/config/settings.js
index 045297d..6d3b5d4 100644
--- a/packages/orchestration-service/src/config/settings.js
+++ b/packages/orchestration-service/src/config/settings.js
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ const DEFAULTS = {
   temperature:          INFERENCE_DEFAULTS.TEMPERATURE,
   repeatPenalty:        INFERENCE_DEFAULTS.REPEAT_PENALTY,
   topP:                 INFERENCE_DEFAULTS.TOP_P,
-  topK:                 INFERENCE_DEFAULTS.TOP_K
+  topK:                 INFERENCE_DEFAULTS.TOP_K,
+  systemPrompt:         ORCHESTRATION.SYSTEM_PROMPT,
 };
 
 function load() {
diff --git a/packages/orchestration-service/src/routes/settings.js b/packages/orchestration-service/src/routes/settings.js
index 963a0a9..b2089cf 100644
--- a/packages/orchestration-service/src/routes/settings.js
+++ b/packages/orchestration-service/src/routes/settings.js
@@ -73,6 +73,13 @@ if (req.body.topK !== undefined) {
   updates.topK = val;
 }
 
+if (req.body.systemPrompt !== undefined) {
+  const val = req.body.systemPrompt;
+  if (typeof val !== 'string') 
+    return res.status(400).json({ error: 'systemPrompt must be a string' });
+  updates.systemPrompt = val.trim() || null; // null reverts to default
+}
+
   res.json(settings.save(updates));
 });