diff --git a/app/core/deep_agent.py b/app/core/deep_agent.py
index 61c3c7f..fb48499 100644
--- a/app/core/deep_agent.py
+++ b/app/core/deep_agent.py
@@ -127,14 +127,22 @@ async def build_brief_multi_project_manifest() -> str:
     if not projects:
         return ""
     blocks: list[str] = ["<linked_folders>"]
+    any_entry = False
     for p in projects:
-        files = sorted(p.get("files", []), key=lambda f: f.get("mtimeMs", 0), reverse=True)[:5]
-        if not files:
-            continue
+        all_files = p.get("files", []) or []
+        files = sorted(all_files, key=lambda f: f.get("mtimeMs", 0), reverse=True)[:5]
         blocks.append(f"project: {p.get('projectName','?')} [{p.get('projectId','?')}]")
         blocks.append(f"  path: {p.get('folderPath','?')}  (scanned {p.get('lastScannedAt','?')})")
-        for f in files:
-            blocks.append(f"  - /{f['relPath']}  [{f.get('kind','text')}]  {f.get('summary','')}")
+        if not all_files:
+            blocks.append("  (no indexed files yet — folder is linked but empty or unscanned)")
+        else:
+            for f in files:
+                blocks.append(f"  - /{f['relPath']}  [{f.get('kind','text')}]  {f.get('summary','')}")
+            if len(all_files) > 5:
+                blocks.append(f"  … {len(all_files) - 5} more files (use read_project_folder_file by relPath)")
+        any_entry = True
+    if not any_entry:
+        return ""
     blocks.append("</linked_folders>")
     return "\n".join(blocks)