diff --git a/vite.config.ts b/vite.config.ts
index 97855ace..8796512d 100644
--- a/vite.config.ts
+++ b/vite.config.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
 import { defineConfig } from 'vite';
 
 // Relative base so the build works under any path (the public site serves it at /misaligned/).
-export default defineConfig({ base: './' });
+// The dev server watches only the game: other agents' worktrees and build output in the checkout
+// (.Codex, .letta, .agents, site) hold enough files to run out of the system's file watchers.
+export default defineConfig({
+  base: './',
+  server: { watch: { ignored: ['**/.Codex/**', '**/.letta/**', '**/.agents/**', '**/.claude/**', '**/site/**', '**/reference/**', '**/e2e/results/**'] } },
+});