--- a/src/toolsProvider.ts
+++ b/src/toolsProvider.ts
@@ -383,11 +383,23 @@
   let currentSystemPrompt = "You are a helpful assistant.";
 
   // Load Instructions
-  const instructionsPath = join(currentWorkingDirectory, "SUB_AGENT_INSTRUCTIONS.md");
-  try {
-    const instructions = await readFile(instructionsPath, "utf-8");
-    if (instructions.trim()) currentSystemPrompt = instructions;
-  } catch (e) { }
+  // Prefer packaged plugin instructions, then workspace copies.
+  const subAgentInstructionCandidates = [
+    join(__dirname, "..", "instructions", "SUB_AGENT_INSTRUCTIONS.md"),
+    join(__dirname, "instructions", "SUB_AGENT_INSTRUCTIONS.md"),
+    join(dirname(__dirname), "instructions", "SUB_AGENT_INSTRUCTIONS.md"),
+    join(currentWorkingDirectory, "instructions", "SUB_AGENT_INSTRUCTIONS.md"),
+    join(currentWorkingDirectory, "SUB_AGENT_INSTRUCTIONS.md"),
+  ];
+  for (const instructionsPath of subAgentInstructionCandidates) {
+    try {
+      const instructions = await readFile(instructionsPath, "utf-8");
+      if (instructions.trim()) {
+        currentSystemPrompt = instructions;
+        break;
+      }
+    } catch (e) { /* try next */ }
+  }
 
   currentSystemPrompt += `\n\n## Current Workspace\nYour current working directory is: ${currentWorkingDirectory}\nAlways assume relative paths are from this directory.`;
 
@@ -687,21 +699,32 @@
   const neo4jConfig = {
-    uri: pluginConfig.get("neo4j.uri").trim(),
-    username: pluginConfig.get("neo4j.username").trim(),
-    password: pluginConfig.get("neo4j.password"),
+    uri: (pluginConfig.get("neo4j.uri") || "").trim(),
+    username: (pluginConfig.get("neo4j.username") || "neo4j").trim(),
+    password: pluginConfig.get("neo4j.password") ?? "",
   };
 
+  /** Prefer plugin settings; optional connection_string is an override only. */
   const resolveNeo4jConnection = (connectionString?: string) => {
-    const uri = connectionString?.trim() || neo4jConfig.uri;
+    const uri = (connectionString?.trim() || neo4jConfig.uri).trim();
     if (!uri) {
       throw new Error(
-        "Neo4j URI is not configured. Set neo4j.uri in plugin settings or provide connection_string.",
+        "Neo4j is not configured. Set neo4j.uri (and neo4j.password) in Timbers Toolbox plugin settings, or pass connection_string as an override.",
       );
     }
+    if (!connectionString?.trim() && !neo4jConfig.password) {
+      throw new Error(
+        "Neo4j password is empty. Set neo4j.password in Timbers Toolbox plugin settings.",
+      );
+    }
     return {
       connection_string: uri,
-      username: neo4jConfig.username || undefined,
-      password: neo4jConfig.password || undefined,
+      username: neo4jConfig.username || "neo4j",
+      password: neo4jConfig.password || undefined,
     };
   };

Also replace in tool group metadata strings:
  "neo4j_create_rel" -> "neo4j_create_relationship"
  "neo4j_delete_rel" -> "neo4j_delete_relationship"

Apply with:
  cd /path/to/timbers-toolbox && patch -p1 < patches/p0-toolsProvider.patch
Or apply the two hunks manually in src/toolsProvider.ts.

--- a/src/toolsProvider.ts
+++ b/src/toolsProvider.ts
@@ -383,11 +383,23 @@
   let currentSystemPrompt = "You are a helpful assistant.";
 
   // Load Instructions
-  const instructionsPath = join(currentWorkingDirectory, "SUB_AGENT_INSTRUCTIONS.md");
-  try {
-    const instructions = await readFile(instructionsPath, "utf-8");
-    if (instructions.trim()) currentSystemPrompt = instructions;
-  } catch (e) { }
+  // Prefer packaged plugin instructions, then workspace copies.
+  const subAgentInstructionCandidates = [
+    join(__dirname, "..", "instructions", "SUB_AGENT_INSTRUCTIONS.md"),
+    join(__dirname, "instructions", "SUB_AGENT_INSTRUCTIONS.md"),
+    join(dirname(__dirname), "instructions", "SUB_AGENT_INSTRUCTIONS.md"),
+    join(currentWorkingDirectory, "instructions", "SUB_AGENT_INSTRUCTIONS.md"),
+    join(currentWorkingDirectory, "SUB_AGENT_INSTRUCTIONS.md"),
+  ];
+  for (const instructionsPath of subAgentInstructionCandidates) {
+    try {
+      const instructions = await readFile(instructionsPath, "utf-8");
+      if (instructions.trim()) {
+        currentSystemPrompt = instructions;
+        break;
+      }
+    } catch (e) { /* try next */ }
+  }
 
   currentSystemPrompt += `\n\n## Current Workspace\nYour current working directory is: ${currentWorkingDirectory}\nAlways assume relative paths are from this directory.`;
 
@@ -687,21 +699,32 @@
   const neo4jConfig = {
-    uri: pluginConfig.get("neo4j.uri").trim(),
-    username: pluginConfig.get("neo4j.username").trim(),
-    password: pluginConfig.get("neo4j.password"),
+    uri: (pluginConfig.get("neo4j.uri") || "").trim(),
+    username: (pluginConfig.get("neo4j.username") || "neo4j").trim(),
+    password: pluginConfig.get("neo4j.password") ?? "",
   };
 
+  /** Prefer plugin settings; optional connection_string is an override only. */
   const resolveNeo4jConnection = (connectionString?: string) => {
-    const uri = connectionString?.trim() || neo4jConfig.uri;
+    const uri = (connectionString?.trim() || neo4jConfig.uri).trim();
     if (!uri) {
       throw new Error(
-        "Neo4j URI is not configured. Set neo4j.uri in plugin settings or provide connection_string.",
+        "Neo4j is not configured. Set neo4j.uri (and neo4j.password) in Timbers Toolbox plugin settings, or pass connection_string as an override.",
       );
     }
+    if (!connectionString?.trim() && !neo4jConfig.password) {
+      throw new Error(
+        "Neo4j password is empty. Set neo4j.password in Timbers Toolbox plugin settings.",
+      );
+    }
     return {
       connection_string: uri,
-      username: neo4jConfig.username || undefined,
-      password: neo4jConfig.password || undefined,
+      username: neo4jConfig.username || "neo4j",
+      password: neo4jConfig.password || undefined,
     };
   };

Also replace in tool group metadata strings:
  "neo4j_create_rel" -> "neo4j_create_relationship"
  "neo4j_delete_rel" -> "neo4j_delete_relationship"

Apply with:
  cd /path/to/timbers-toolbox && patch -p1 < patches/p0-toolsProvider.patch
Or apply the two hunks manually in src/toolsProvider.ts.