diff --git a/internal/cmd/root.go b/internal/cmd/root.go
index 2a95bdb0..83c9aab2 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/root.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/root.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
-	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/keepalive"
 )
 
 var rootCmd = &cobra.Command{
@@ -17,16 +16,6 @@ var rootCmd = &cobra.Command{
 
 It coordinates agent spawning, work distribution, and communication
 across distributed teams of AI agents working on shared codebases.`,
-	PersistentPreRun: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-		// Signal agent activity by touching keepalive file
-		// Build command path: gt status, gt mail send, etc.
-		cmdPath := buildCommandPath(cmd)
-		keepalive.TouchWithArgs(cmdPath, args)
-
-		// Also signal town-level activity for daemon exponential backoff
-		// This resets the backoff when any gt command runs
-		keepalive.TouchTownActivity(cmdPath)
-	},
 }
 
 // Execute runs the root command and returns an exit code.
diff --git a/internal/daemon/daemon.go b/internal/daemon/daemon.go
index 497d7a6c..9aca3b6e 100644
--- a/internal/daemon/daemon.go
+++ b/internal/daemon/daemon.go
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/boot"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/constants"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/feed"
-	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/keepalive"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/polecat"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/tmux"
 )
@@ -85,13 +84,12 @@ func (d *Daemon) Run() error {
 	sigChan := make(chan os.Signal, 1)
 	signal.Notify(sigChan, syscall.SIGINT, syscall.SIGTERM, syscall.SIGUSR1)
 
-	// Dynamic heartbeat timer with exponential backoff based on activity
-	// Start with base interval
-	nextInterval := d.config.HeartbeatInterval
-	timer := time.NewTimer(nextInterval)
+	// Fixed recovery-focused heartbeat (no activity-based backoff)
+	// Normal wake is handled by feed subscription (bd activity --follow)
+	timer := time.NewTimer(recoveryHeartbeatInterval)
 	defer timer.Stop()
 
-	d.logger.Printf("Daemon running, initial heartbeat interval %v", nextInterval)
+	d.logger.Printf("Daemon running, recovery heartbeat interval %v", recoveryHeartbeatInterval)
 
 	// Start feed curator goroutine
 	d.curator = feed.NewCurator(d.config.TownRoot)
@@ -123,62 +121,17 @@ func (d *Daemon) Run() error {
 		case <-timer.C:
 			d.heartbeat(state)
 
-			// Calculate next interval based on activity
-			nextInterval = d.calculateHeartbeatInterval()
-			timer.Reset(nextInterval)
-			d.logger.Printf("Next heartbeat in %v", nextInterval)
+			// Fixed recovery interval (no activity-based backoff)
+			timer.Reset(recoveryHeartbeatInterval)
 		}
 	}
 }
 
-// Backoff thresholds for exponential slowdown when idle
-const (
-	// Base interval when there's recent activity
-	baseInterval = 5 * time.Minute
-
-	// Tier thresholds for backoff
-	tier1Threshold = 5 * time.Minute  // 0-5 min idle → 5 min interval
-	tier2Threshold = 15 * time.Minute // 5-15 min idle → 10 min interval
-	tier3Threshold = 45 * time.Minute // 15-45 min idle → 30 min interval
-	// 45+ min idle → 60 min interval (max)
-
-	// Corresponding intervals
-	tier1Interval = 5 * time.Minute
-	tier2Interval = 10 * time.Minute
-	tier3Interval = 30 * time.Minute
-	tier4Interval = 60 * time.Minute // max
-)
-
-// calculateHeartbeatInterval determines the next heartbeat interval based on activity.
-// Reads ~/gt/daemon/activity.json to determine how long since the last gt/bd command.
-// Returns exponentially increasing intervals as idle time grows.
-//
-// | Idle Duration | Next Heartbeat |
-// |---------------|----------------|
-// | 0-5 min       | 5 min (base)   |
-// | 5-15 min      | 10 min         |
-// | 15-45 min     | 30 min         |
-// | 45+ min       | 60 min (max)   |
-func (d *Daemon) calculateHeartbeatInterval() time.Duration {
-	activity := keepalive.ReadTownActivity()
-	if activity == nil {
-		// No activity file - assume recent activity (might be first run)
-		return baseInterval
-	}
-
-	idleDuration := activity.Age()
-
-	switch {
-	case idleDuration < tier1Threshold:
-		return tier1Interval
-	case idleDuration < tier2Threshold:
-		return tier2Interval
-	case idleDuration < tier3Threshold:
-		return tier3Interval
-	default:
-		return tier4Interval
-	}
-}
+// recoveryHeartbeatInterval is the fixed interval for recovery-focused daemon.
+// Normal wake is handled by feed subscription (bd activity --follow).
+// The daemon is a safety net for dead sessions, GUPP violations, and orphaned work.
+// 10 minutes is long enough to avoid unnecessary overhead, short enough to catch issues.
+const recoveryHeartbeatInterval = 10 * time.Minute
 
 // heartbeat performs one heartbeat cycle.
 // The daemon is recovery-focused: it ensures agents are running and detects failures.
diff --git a/internal/keepalive/keepalive.go b/internal/keepalive/keepalive.go
index a9bec16f..69d79716 100644
--- a/internal/keepalive/keepalive.go
+++ b/internal/keepalive/keepalive.go
@@ -75,69 +75,6 @@ func TouchInWorkspace(workspaceRoot, command string) {
 	_ = os.WriteFile(keepalivePath, data, 0644) // non-fatal: status file for debugging
 }
 
-// TouchTownActivity writes a town-level activity signal to ~/gt/daemon/activity.json.
-// This is used by the daemon to implement exponential backoff when the town is idle.
-// Any gt command activity resets the backoff to the base heartbeat interval.
-// It silently ignores errors (best-effort signaling).
-func TouchTownActivity(command string) {
-	// Get town root from GT_TOWN_ROOT or default to ~/gt
-	townRoot := os.Getenv("GT_TOWN_ROOT")
-	if townRoot == "" {
-		home, err := os.UserHomeDir()
-		if err != nil {
-			return
-		}
-		townRoot = filepath.Join(home, "gt")
-	}
-
-	daemonDir := filepath.Join(townRoot, "daemon")
-
-	// Ensure daemon directory exists
-	if err := os.MkdirAll(daemonDir, 0755); err != nil {
-		return
-	}
-
-	state := State{
-		LastCommand: command,
-		Timestamp:   time.Now().UTC(),
-	}
-
-	data, err := json.Marshal(state)
-	if err != nil {
-		return
-	}
-
-	activityPath := filepath.Join(daemonDir, "activity.json")
-	_ = os.WriteFile(activityPath, data, 0644) // non-fatal: activity signal for daemon
-}
-
-// ReadTownActivity returns the current town-level activity state.
-// Returns nil if the file doesn't exist or can't be read.
-func ReadTownActivity() *State {
-	townRoot := os.Getenv("GT_TOWN_ROOT")
-	if townRoot == "" {
-		home, err := os.UserHomeDir()
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil
-		}
-		townRoot = filepath.Join(home, "gt")
-	}
-
-	activityPath := filepath.Join(townRoot, "daemon", "activity.json")
-
-	data, err := os.ReadFile(activityPath)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	var state State
-	if err := json.Unmarshal(data, &state); err != nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	return &state
-}
-
 // Read returns the current keepalive state for the workspace.
 // Returns nil if the file doesn't exist or can't be read.
 func Read(workspaceRoot string) *State {