diff --git a/hw/dixie/default.nix b/hw/dixie/default.nix
index a82736b..1bc6367 100644
--- a/hw/dixie/default.nix
+++ b/hw/dixie/default.nix
@@ -41,10 +41,11 @@ let
     [ornith-1.5-9b-uncensored]
     model = ${modelsDir}/ornith-1.5-9b-uncensored/Ornith-1.5-9B-uncensored.Q4_K_M.gguf
     ; serves the deriver, all dialectic levels and three agents' approval guardians at once:
-    ; 6 slots over one 64k pool (at 2 x 16k, concurrent deriver + dialectic hit "failed to find
+    ; 8 slots over one 96k pool so tiny guardian/title calls still find a slot while Honcho
+    ; catch-up (deriver + dreams + dialectic) holds 6 (at 2 x 16k, concurrent calls hit "failed to find
     ; free space in the KV cache" and stalled)
-    ctx-size = 65536
-    parallel = 6
+    ctx-size = 98304
+    parallel = 8
     ; Runaway guard carried over from straylight: helper tasks need short answers.
     reasoning-budget = 2048
     n-predict = 4096