diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 9203a2e..da8790f 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -37,3 +37,7 @@ coverage/
 
 # Secrets vault
 .psst/
+
+# Memory / durable state
+MEMORY.md
+.MEMORY.md
diff --git a/.hardno/ignore b/.hardno/ignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0ecdd0a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.hardno/ignore
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# Files to skip from pi-hard-no review
+
+# Agent session state (not code to review)
+MEMORY.md
+.MEMORY.md
+
+# Auto-generated / user-specific
+.env
+.env.*
+.vscode/settings.json
+.idea/
+
+# Build artifacts
+dist/
+node_modules/
+*.js.map
+coverage/
diff --git a/default-review-rules.md b/default-review-rules.md
index c337d21..b64015c 100644
--- a/default-review-rules.md
+++ b/default-review-rules.md
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+## Files to Skip
+
+- `MEMORY.md`, `.MEMORY.md` — agent durable session state (not code under review)
+- Configuration files that are auto-generated or user-specific (e.g., `.env`, `.vscode/settings.json`)
+- Lock files and dist directories (auto-generated, not code to review)
+
+---
+
 ## Correctness & Bugs
 
 - **Off-by-one errors**: wrong loop bounds (< vs <=, 0-indexed vs 1-indexed), fence-post errors in slicing/substring, incorrect range endpoints