diff --git a/scripts/dream.py b/scripts/dream.py
index 612b1ab..373a3f3 100644
--- a/scripts/dream.py
+++ b/scripts/dream.py
@@ -490,12 +490,12 @@ def dream_pipeline():
     print(f"Dreamer pipeline starting — {datetime.now().strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M')}")
 
     state = load_dreamer_state()
-    previously_retrieved = set(state.get("retrieved_sources", []))
+    state.pop("retrieved_sources", None)  # legacy key; session-scoped novelty now
     session_retrieved = set()
 
     delta = observe_corpus()
     print(f"Corpus: {delta['new_chunks']} new chunks, {delta['days_since_dream']:.1f} days since last dream")
-    print(f"Excluding {len(previously_retrieved)} previously retrieved sources")
+    print("Novelty: session-scoped (no across-night exclusion)")
 
     # ── Stage 1: NREM ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
     print("\n[NREM] Retrieving...")
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@ def dream_pipeline():
     print("\n[Early REM] Retrieving...")
     # Early REM excludes previously retrieved + NREM high-scorers only (not full session_retrieved)
     # Sources that scored in Early REM band during NREM remain available
-    early_chunks = retrieve("early-rem", excluded_sources=previously_retrieved | nrem_high_sources)
+    early_chunks = retrieve("early-rem", excluded_sources=nrem_high_sources)
     session_retrieved.update(c["source"] for c in early_chunks)
     if not early_chunks:
         print("[Early REM] No suitable chunks — skipping")
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ def dream_pipeline():
 
     # ── Stage 3: Late REM — informed by NREM + Early REM ──────────────────
     print("\n[Late REM] Retrieving...")
-    late_chunks = retrieve("late-rem", excluded_sources=previously_retrieved | session_retrieved)
+    late_chunks = retrieve("late-rem", excluded_sources=session_retrieved)
     session_retrieved.update(c["source"] for c in late_chunks)
     if not late_chunks:
         print("[Late REM] No suitable chunks — skipping")
@@ -616,18 +616,11 @@ def dream_pipeline():
     }
     write_manifest(datetime.now().strftime("%Y-%m-%d"), stage_data, corpus_data)
 
-    # Update state and notify
-    state = load_dreamer_state()
+    # Update state and notify (reuse state from start of pipeline; legacy key already popped)
     state["last_dream_timestamp"] = datetime.now().timestamp()
     state["last_dream_mode"] = "pipeline"
     state["last_dream_file"] = synthesis_file
 
-    # Accumulate retrieved sources across nights. Cap at 500, trim to 400 on overflow.
-    all_retrieved = list(previously_retrieved | session_retrieved)
-    if len(all_retrieved) > 500:
-        all_retrieved = all_retrieved[-400:]
-    state["retrieved_sources"] = all_retrieved
-
     save_dreamer_state(state)
 
     notify_sse("synthesis", synthesis_file.split("/")[-1])