diff --git a/apps/backend/ideation/generator.py b/apps/backend/ideation/generator.py
index 3068a68e..b03a097e 100644
--- a/apps/backend/ideation/generator.py
+++ b/apps/backend/ideation/generator.py
@@ -91,11 +91,14 @@ class IdeationGenerator:
             prompt += f"\n{additional_context}\n"
 
         # Create client with thinking budget
+        # Use agent_type="ideation" to avoid loading unnecessary MCP servers
+        # which can cause 60-second timeout delays
         client = create_client(
             self.project_dir,
             self.output_dir,
             resolve_model_id(self.model),
             max_thinking_tokens=self.thinking_budget,
+            agent_type="ideation",
         )
 
         try:
@@ -184,11 +187,13 @@ Common fixes:
 Write the fixed JSON to the file now.
 """
 
+        # Use agent_type="ideation" for recovery agent as well
         client = create_client(
             self.project_dir,
             self.output_dir,
             resolve_model_id(self.model),
             max_thinking_tokens=self.thinking_budget,
+            agent_type="ideation",
         )
 
         try:
diff --git a/apps/backend/ideation/runner.py b/apps/backend/ideation/runner.py
index dfe1e81e..70fb2fbc 100644
--- a/apps/backend/ideation/runner.py
+++ b/apps/backend/ideation/runner.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ from .types import IdeationPhaseResult
 
 # Configuration
 MAX_RETRIES = 3
+IDEATION_TIMEOUT_SECONDS = 5 * 60  # 5 minutes max for all ideation types
 
 
 class IdeationOrchestrator:
@@ -173,16 +174,45 @@ class IdeationOrchestrator:
             "progress",
         )
 
-        # Create tasks for all enabled types
-        ideation_tasks = [
-            self.output_streamer.stream_ideation_result(
-                ideation_type, self.phase_executor, MAX_RETRIES
+        # Create tasks explicitly so we can cancel them on timeout
+        ideation_task_objs = [
+            asyncio.create_task(
+                self.output_streamer.stream_ideation_result(
+                    ideation_type, self.phase_executor, MAX_RETRIES
+                )
             )
             for ideation_type in self.enabled_types
         ]
 
-        # Run all ideation types concurrently
-        ideation_results = await asyncio.gather(*ideation_tasks, return_exceptions=True)
+        # Run all ideation types concurrently with timeout protection
+        # 5 minute timeout prevents infinite hangs if one type stalls
+        try:
+            ideation_results = await asyncio.wait_for(
+                asyncio.gather(*ideation_task_objs, return_exceptions=True),
+                timeout=IDEATION_TIMEOUT_SECONDS,
+            )
+        except asyncio.TimeoutError:
+            print_status(
+                "Ideation generation timed out after 5 minutes",
+                "error",
+            )
+            # Cancel all pending tasks to prevent resource leaks
+            for task in ideation_task_objs:
+                if not task.done():
+                    task.cancel()
+            # Wait for cancellation to complete and preserve results from completed tasks
+            # Tasks that finished before timeout will return their results;
+            # cancelled tasks will return CancelledError
+            results_after_cancel = await asyncio.gather(
+                *ideation_task_objs, return_exceptions=True
+            )
+            # Convert CancelledError to timeout exception, preserve completed results
+            ideation_results = [
+                Exception("Ideation timed out")
+                if isinstance(res, asyncio.CancelledError)
+                else res
+                for res in results_after_cancel
+            ]
 
         # Process results
         for i, result in enumerate(ideation_results):
diff --git a/apps/frontend/src/main/agent/agent-queue.ts b/apps/frontend/src/main/agent/agent-queue.ts
index 0dcad18d..fc9233ca 100644
--- a/apps/frontend/src/main/agent/agent-queue.ts
+++ b/apps/frontend/src/main/agent/agent-queue.ts
@@ -417,7 +417,12 @@ export class AgentQueueManager {
 
     // Track completed types for progress calculation
     const completedTypes = new Set<string>();
-    const totalTypes = 7; // Default all types
+    // Derive totalTypes from --types argument instead of hardcoding
+    const typesArgIndex = args.findIndex((arg) => arg === '--types');
+    const totalTypes =
+      typesArgIndex > -1 && args[typesArgIndex + 1]
+        ? args[typesArgIndex + 1].split(',').length
+        : 6; // Default to 6 if not specified
 
     // Handle stdout - explicitly decode as UTF-8 for cross-platform Unicode support
     childProcess.stdout?.on('data', (data: Buffer) => {
diff --git a/apps/frontend/src/renderer/stores/ideation-store.ts b/apps/frontend/src/renderer/stores/ideation-store.ts
index f29232e1..dadefb7f 100644
--- a/apps/frontend/src/renderer/stores/ideation-store.ts
+++ b/apps/frontend/src/renderer/stores/ideation-store.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ import type {
 import { DEFAULT_IDEATION_CONFIG } from '../../shared/constants';
 
 const GENERATION_TIMEOUT_MS = 5 * 60 * 1000;
+/** Maximum number of log entries to retain in memory for debugging */
+const MAX_LOG_ENTRIES = 500;
 
 const generationTimeoutIds = new Map<string, ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>>();
 
@@ -266,7 +268,7 @@ export const useIdeationStore = create<IdeationState>((set) => ({
 
   addLog: (log) =>
     set((state) => ({
-      logs: [...state.logs, log].slice(-100) // Keep last 100 logs
+      logs: [...state.logs, log].slice(-MAX_LOG_ENTRIES)
     })),
 
   clearLogs: () => set({ logs: [] }),