Initialize fresh Repo Assist memory

docs/repo-assist.md

@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ Every non-command-mode run that performs work, whether scheduled or manually dis
 
 Repo Assist uses one schema-validated `notes.json` file to carry concise, actionable state across runs. It records backlog cursors, unresolved issue interactions, fix attempts, the latest engineering checks, maintainer-completed monthly actions, and a short priority queue. The workflow verifies remembered facts against current repository state before acting, replaces superseded entries, and removes stale records rather than accumulating a run-by-run activity log.
 
-Repo Assist stores this file on the dedicated `memory/repo-assist-memory` branch. Repositories upgrading from an earlier Repo Assist version start with fresh memory on this branch; legacy memory branches are not migrated or modified.
+Repo Assist stores this file on the dedicated `memory/repo-assist-memory` branch. Repositories upgrading from an earlier Repo Assist version start with fresh memory on this branch; Repo Assist initializes a missing `notes.json`, while legacy memory branches are not migrated or modified.
 
 ### Guidelines Repo Assist Follows
 

workflows/repo-assist.md

@@ -219,6 +219,27 @@ safe-outputs:
     target: "*" 
 
 steps:
+  - name: Initialize Repo Assist memory
+    env:
+      MEMORY_DIR: /tmp/gh-aw/repo-memory/default
+    run: |
+      if [[ ! -f "$MEMORY_DIR/notes.json" ]]; then
+        cat > "$MEMORY_DIR/notes.json" <<'EOF'
+      {
+        "version": 1,
+        "cursors": {
+          "labelling_after": null,
+          "investigation_after": null
+        },
+        "issues": [],
+        "fixes": [],
+        "checks": [],
+        "completed_actions": [],
+        "priorities": []
+      }
+      EOF
+      fi
+
   - name: Fetch repo data for task weighting
     env:
       GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}