diff --git a/agent/agent.py b/agent/agent.py
index 106bbd4..b6f6c54 100644
--- a/agent/agent.py
+++ b/agent/agent.py
@@ -365,11 +365,22 @@ def build_messages(question, channel):
 
 
 def should_trigger(text):
-    """Check if this message should trigger a response."""
+    """Check if this message should trigger a response.
+    Only triggers when nick is at the start of the message (e.g. 'worker: hello')
+    not when nick appears elsewhere (e.g. 'coder: say hi to worker')."""
     if RUNTIME["trigger"] == "all":
         return True
     lower = text.lower()
-    return NICK.lower() in lower or text.startswith("!ask ")
+    nick = NICK.lower()
+    # Match: "nick: ...", "nick, ...", "nick ...", "@nick ..."
+    return (
+        lower.startswith(f"{nick}:") or
+        lower.startswith(f"{nick},") or
+        lower.startswith(f"{nick} ") or
+        lower.startswith(f"@{nick}") or
+        lower == nick or
+        text.startswith("!ask ")
+    )
 
 
 def extract_question(text):
diff --git a/src/agent-manager.ts b/src/agent-manager.ts
index 65bd5b6..bded8fe 100644
--- a/src/agent-manager.ts
+++ b/src/agent-manager.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ import {
   createTap,
   deleteTap,
   macFromOctet,
+  applyNetworkPolicy,
+  removeNetworkPolicy,
+  type NetworkPolicy,
 } from "./network.js";
 import * as api from "./firecracker-api.js";
 
@@ -42,6 +45,7 @@ interface AgentTemplate {
   model: string;
   trigger: string;
   persona: string;
+  network?: NetworkPolicy;
 }
 
 const AGENTS_FILE = join(CONFIG.baseDir, "agents.json");
@@ -299,6 +303,10 @@ export async function startAgent(
   );
   await api.startInstance(socketPath);
 
+  // Apply network policy
+  const networkPolicy: NetworkPolicy = template.network ?? "full";
+  applyNetworkPolicy(ip, networkPolicy);
+
   const info: AgentInfo = {
     name,
     nick,
@@ -366,10 +374,11 @@ export async function stopAgent(name: string) {
   // Small delay to let kernel release the tap device
   await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 500));
 
-  // Cleanup with retry for tap
+  // Cleanup
   try {
     unlinkSync(info.socketPath);
   } catch {}
+  removeNetworkPolicy(info.ip);
   for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 3; attempt++) {
     try {
       deleteTap(info.tapDevice);
diff --git a/src/network.ts b/src/network.ts
index b6fd1d7..c3878fb 100644
--- a/src/network.ts
+++ b/src/network.ts
@@ -111,6 +111,74 @@ export function deleteTap(tapName: string) {
   }
 }
 
+export type NetworkPolicy = "full" | "local" | "none";
+
+export function applyNetworkPolicy(ip: string, policy: NetworkPolicy) {
+  if (policy === "full") return; // Default, no restrictions
+
+  // Block outbound internet — only allow LAN, bridge, Ollama, IRC
+  const allowedDests = [
+    CONFIG.bridge.subnet,   // bridge network (other VMs, IRC, Ollama)
+    "192.168.0.0/16",       // LAN
+  ];
+
+  if (policy === "none") {
+    // Only allow bridge subnet (IRC + Ollama)
+    allowedDests.length = 1; // keep only bridge subnet
+  }
+
+  // Allow established connections back
+  sudo([
+    "iptables", "-I", "FORWARD",
+    "-s", ip,
+    "-m", "state", "--state", "ESTABLISHED,RELATED",
+    "-j", "ACCEPT",
+  ]);
+
+  // Allow specific destinations
+  for (const dest of allowedDests) {
+    sudo([
+      "iptables", "-I", "FORWARD",
+      "-s", ip, "-d", dest,
+      "-j", "ACCEPT",
+    ]);
+  }
+
+  // Drop everything else from this IP
+  sudo([
+    "iptables", "-A", "FORWARD",
+    "-s", ip,
+    "-j", "DROP",
+  ]);
+}
+
+export function removeNetworkPolicy(ip: string) {
+  // Remove all FORWARD rules mentioning this IP
+  // Run in a loop since there may be multiple rules
+  for (let i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
+    try {
+      sudo([
+        "iptables", "-D", "FORWARD",
+        "-s", ip,
+        "-j", "DROP",
+      ]);
+    } catch {
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+  for (let i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
+    try {
+      sudo([
+        "iptables", "-D", "FORWARD",
+        "-s", ip,
+        "-j", "ACCEPT",
+      ]);
+    } catch {
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 export function macFromOctet(octet: number): string {
   return `AA:FC:00:00:00:${octet.toString(16).padStart(2, "0").toUpperCase()}`;
 }