@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ See [website documentation for more details](https://noteplan.co/plugins/jgclark
 - Change: default **Project start string** is now `started` (new installs / missing setting only).
 - Fix: completing/cancelling outside the current Perspective, or when the note is already gone from `allProjectsList`, no longer blanks or needlessly rebuilds the Rich list; Space names show in the rebuild progress dialog; metadata-term rename is quieter and migrates legacy `#paused` from `project:` to `status:` when status is on.
 - dev: Rich list status toggles were empty for `#started` because `allProjectsList` rows lacked `statusHashtag` (so every active project was treated as `#notstarted`). List load backfills `statusHashtag` from notes; finish-review refreshes the note cache before updating the list row.
+- Fix: a settings save that does not change project-list scope (including the log regex or log timer, and the first save after a plugin update) no longer rebuilds the project list.
 
 ## [2.3.3] - 2026-10-17
 - Change: Increase the time between full rebuilds of the Project cache, up to 5 days. (There are quicker refreshes every day.)
 
@@ -1,9 +1,17 @@
 // @flow
-/* globals describe, expect, test */
+/* globals describe, expect, test, jest, afterEach */
+/* eslint-disable import/first */
 
+jest.mock('../../../jgclark.Dashboard/src/perspectiveHelpers', () => ({
+  getActivePerspectiveDef: jest.fn(),
+  loadPerspectiveDefsFromPluginSettings: jest.fn(() => Promise.resolve([])),
+}))
+
+import { getActivePerspectiveDef, loadPerspectiveDefsFromPluginSettings } from '../../../jgclark.Dashboard/src/perspectiveHelpers'
 import { METADATA_TERM_SETTINGS_FOR_RENAME } from '../projectStatus'
 import {
   getChangedSettingKeys,
+  getReviewSettings,
   getSettingsUpdateAction,
   settingsChangeIsOnlyMetadataTermRenames,
 } from '../reviewSettings'
@@ -93,6 +101,21 @@ describe('getSettingsUpdateAction', () => {
     expect(getSettingsUpdateAction(previous, current)).toBe('none')
   })
 
+  test('does nothing when only the log regex changes', () => {
+    const { previous, current } = settingsPair({}, { _logFunctionRE: 'onSettingsUpdated' })
+    expect(getSettingsUpdateAction(previous, current)).toBe('none')
+  })
+
+  test('does nothing when only the log timer changes', () => {
+    const { previous, current } = settingsPair({}, { _logTimer: true })
+    expect(getSettingsUpdateAction(previous, current)).toBe('none')
+  })
+
+  test('rebuilds when a metadata-term setting changes alongside the log regex and timer', () => {
+    const { previous, current } = settingsPair({}, { startMentionStr: 'begun', _logFunctionRE: '.*', _logTimer: false })
+    expect(getSettingsUpdateAction(previous, current)).toBe('rebuild')
+  })
+
   test('does nothing when only another command setting changes', () => {
     const { previous, current } = settingsPair({}, {
       weeklyProjectProgressBulletSummary: 'Table by sub-folder',
@@ -138,3 +161,111 @@ describe('settingsChangeIsOnlyMetadataTermRenames', () => {
     expect(settingsChangeIsOnlyMetadataTermRenames(previous, current, METADATA_TERM_SETTINGS_FOR_RENAME)).toBe(false)
   })
 })
+
+describe('getReviewSettings', () => {
+  const store: any = DataStore
+  const originalLoadJSON = store.loadJSON
+  const originalSetPreference = store.setPreference
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    store.loadJSON = originalLoadJSON
+    store.setPreference = originalSetPreference
+  })
+
+  /**
+   * @param {Object} overrides
+   * @returns {Object}
+   */
+  function rawSettings(overrides: Object = {}): { [string]: mixed } {
+    return {
+      usePerspectives: false,
+      foldersToInclude: ['Projects'],
+      foldersToIgnore: ['Archive'],
+      includedTeamspaces: ['private'],
+      startMentionStr: 'started',
+      completedMentionStr: 'completed',
+      cancelledMentionStr: 'cancelled',
+      dueMentionStr: 'due',
+      reviewIntervalMentionStr: 'review',
+      reviewedMentionStr: 'reviewed',
+      nextReviewMentionStr: 'nextReview',
+      progressStr: 'progress',
+      projectTypeTags: ['#project'],
+      ...overrides,
+    }
+  }
+
+  test('does not mutate the object loadJSON returned when overlaying a perspective and filling defaults', async () => {
+    const loaded = rawSettings({
+      usePerspectives: true,
+      useProjectStatus: true,
+    })
+    delete loaded.projectMetadataFrontmatterKey
+    delete loaded.FFlag_UseCacheOfAllPerspectives
+    delete loaded.notstartedMentionStr
+    delete loaded.pausedMentionStr
+    delete loaded.hiddenStatusTags
+    delete loaded.displayPaused
+    delete loaded.autoUpdateAfterIdleTime
+    delete loaded.reviewsTheme
+    delete loaded.hiddenProjectTypeTags
+    const before = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(loaded))
+    const loadPerspectives: any = loadPerspectiveDefsFromPluginSettings
+    const getActive: any = getActivePerspectiveDef
+    loadPerspectives.mockResolvedValue([{ name: 'Work' }])
+    getActive.mockReturnValue({
+      name: 'Work',
+      dashboardSettings: {
+        includedFolders: 'Work,Home',
+        excludedFolders: 'Archive',
+        includedTeamspaces: ['team-1'],
+      },
+    })
+    store.loadJSON = jest.fn(() => Promise.resolve(loaded))
+    store.setPreference = jest.fn()
+
+    const config = await getReviewSettings()
+    if (config == null) {
+      throw new Error('getReviewSettings returned null')
+    }
+
+    expect(loaded).toEqual(before)
+    expect(config).not.toBe(loaded)
+    expect(config.foldersToInclude).toEqual(['Work', 'Home'])
+    expect(config.foldersToIgnore).toEqual(['Archive'])
+    expect(config.includedTeamspaces).toEqual(['team-1'])
+    expect(config.perspectiveName).toBe('Work')
+    expect(config.projectMetadataFrontmatterKey).toBe('project')
+    expect(config.FFlag_UseCacheOfAllPerspectives).toBe(false)
+    expect(config.notstartedMentionStr).toBe('notstarted')
+    expect(config.pausedMentionStr).toBe('paused')
+    expect(config.hiddenStatusTags).toEqual(['#completed', '#cancelled'])
+    expect(config.displayPaused).toBe(true)
+    expect(config.hiddenProjectTypeTags).toEqual([])
+    expect(config.autoUpdateAfterIdleTime).toBe(0)
+    expect(config.reviewsTheme).toBe('')
+    expect(store.setPreference).toHaveBeenCalledWith('projectMetadataFrontmatterKey', 'project')
+    expect(store.setPreference).toHaveBeenCalledWith('useProjectStatus', true)
+  })
+
+  test('does not mutate the object loadJSON returned when perspectives are off', async () => {
+    const loaded = rawSettings({
+      usePerspectives: false,
+      includedTeamspaces: ['team-x'],
+    })
+    const before = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(loaded))
+    store.loadJSON = jest.fn(() => Promise.resolve(loaded))
+    store.setPreference = jest.fn()
+
+    const config = await getReviewSettings()
+    if (config == null) {
+      throw new Error('getReviewSettings returned null')
+    }
+
+    expect(loaded).toEqual(before)
+    expect(config).not.toBe(loaded)
+    expect(config.includedTeamspaces).toEqual(['private'])
+    expect(config.foldersToInclude).toEqual(['Projects'])
+    expect(loaded.includedTeamspaces).toEqual(['team-x'])
+  })
+})
@@ -3,25 +3,26 @@
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Index for Reviews plugin
 // by Jonathan Clark
-// Last updated 2026-10-16 for v2.4.0 by @jgclark + @CursorAI
+// Last updated 2026-10-26 for v2.4.0 by @jgclark + @CursorAI
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 // allow changes in plugin.json to trigger recompilation
 import pluginJson from '../plugin.json'
 import { generateAllProjectsList, recalculateAllProjectsListItems } from './allProjectsListHelpers'
 import { migrateAllProjects } from './migration'
 import { renderProjectListsIfOpen } from './reviews'
-import { METADATA_TERM_SETTINGS_FOR_RENAME } from './projectStatus'
+import { getMetadataTermRenames, METADATA_TERM_SETTINGS_FOR_RENAME } from './projectStatus'
 import { offerAndRunMetadataTermRenames } from './projectStatusMigrate'
 import {
+  cloneRawSettings,
   getLastSettingsSnapshot,
+  getProjectListRelevantChangedKeys,
   getReviewSettings,
   getSettingsUpdateAction,
   persistLastSettingsSnapshot,
-  seedLastSettingsSnapshotIfMissing,
   settingsChangeIsOnlyMetadataTermRenames,
 } from './reviewSettings'
-import { JSP, compareObjects, logDebug, logError, logInfo } from '@helpers/dev'
+import { JSP, compareObjects, logDebug, logError, logInfo, logWarn } from '@helpers/dev'
 import { backupSettings, pluginUpdated, saveSettings, updateSettingData } from '@helpers/NPConfiguration'
 import { showMessage, showMessageYesNo } from '@helpers/userInput'
 
@@ -137,14 +138,18 @@ export async function onSettingsUpdated(): Promise<void> {
   // - otherwise do neither
   // Only refresh the project list window if it is already open; do not open it from saving settings alone.
   try {
-    const rawSettings: { [string]: any } = await DataStore.loadJSON(`../${pluginID}/settings.json`)
-    if (rawSettings == null || Object.keys(rawSettings).length === 0) {
+    const loadedRaw: { [string]: any } = await DataStore.loadJSON(`../${pluginID}/settings.json`)
+    if (loadedRaw == null || Object.keys(loadedRaw).length === 0) {
       throw new Error(`Can't get Review settings. Stopping.`)
     }
+    // Copy before getReviewSettings(), which fills defaults and may overlay perspective
+    // folders on the object DataStore.loadJSON returned when that object is cached.
+    const rawSettings: { [string]: any } = cloneRawSettings(loadedRaw)
 
     const previousRaw = getLastSettingsSnapshot()
     const action = getSettingsUpdateAction(previousRaw, rawSettings)
-    logInfo(pluginJson, `Have updated Review settings; action='${action}' (previous snapshot ${previousRaw == null ? 'missing' : 'present'})`)
+    const changed = getProjectListRelevantChangedKeys(previousRaw, rawSettings)
+    logInfo(pluginJson, `Have updated Review settings; action='${action}' (previous snapshot ${previousRaw == null ? 'missing' : 'present'}) changed=[${changed.join(',')}]`)
 
     const config = await getReviewSettings()
     if (!config) throw new Error(`Can't get Review settings. Stopping.`)
@@ -191,8 +196,24 @@ export async function onUpdateOrInstall(): Promise<void> {
     const updateSettingsResult = updateSettingData(pluginJson)
     logInfo(pluginID, `- updateSettingData returned code: ${updateSettingsResult}`)
 
-    const settingsAfterUpdate = (await DataStore.loadJSON(`../${pluginID}/settings.json`)) || migratedSettings
-    seedLastSettingsSnapshotIfMissing(settingsAfterUpdate)
+    const loadedAfterUpdate: { [string]: any } = (await DataStore.loadJSON(`../${pluginID}/settings.json`)) || migratedSettings
+    // Snapshot a copy of the post-update file. getReviewSettings() may overlay perspective
+    // folders on a cached loadJSON object, and a pre-update snapshot must not survive
+    // or the next settings-pane save replays that diff as a rebuild.
+    const settingsAfterUpdate = cloneRawSettings(loadedAfterUpdate)
+    const previousRaw = getLastSettingsSnapshot()
+    if (previousRaw != null) {
+      const renames = getMetadataTermRenames(previousRaw, settingsAfterUpdate)
+      if (renames.length > 0) {
+        const config = await getReviewSettings()
+        if (config) {
+          await offerAndRunMetadataTermRenames(previousRaw, settingsAfterUpdate, config)
+        } else {
+          logWarn(pluginID, `onUpdateOrInstall: metadata terms changed but Review settings could not be loaded, so no rename was offered`)
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    persistLastSettingsSnapshot(settingsAfterUpdate)
 
     // Tell user the plugin has been updated
     await pluginUpdated(pluginJson, { code: updateSettingsResult, message: 'Plugin Installed or Updated.' })
 
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 // Settings for the Reviews plugin: load/normalise config, heading-setting parse,
 // and what a settings-pane save should do to the project list.
 // by @jgclark
-// Last updated 2026-10-05 for v2.3.1 by @jgclark + @CursorAI
+// Last updated 2026-10-26 for v2.4.0 by @jgclark + @CursorAI
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 import { getActivePerspectiveDef, loadPerspectiveDefsFromPluginSettings } from '../../jgclark.Dashboard/src/perspectiveHelpers'
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ export const SETTINGS_THAT_REQUIRE_RECALCULATE: $ReadOnlyArray<string> = [
 ]
 
 /**
- * Settings for commands other than the project list (weekly progress, complete/cancel, pause, next review, progress lines, log level). 
+ * Settings for commands other than the project list (weekly progress, complete/cancel, pause, next review, progress lines, log level, log regex, and log timer).
  * Changing only these must not rebuild, recalculate, or redisplay allProjectsList.
  */
 export const SETTINGS_FOR_OTHER_COMMANDS: $ReadOnlyArray<string> = [
@@ -133,6 +133,8 @@ export const SETTINGS_FOR_OTHER_COMMANDS: $ReadOnlyArray<string> = [
   'weeklyProjectProgressBulletSummary',
   'weeklyProjectProgressShowEmptyFolders',
   '_logLevel',
+  '_logFunctionRE',
+  '_logTimer',
 ]
 
 /**
@@ -226,11 +228,11 @@ export async function getReviewSettings(externalCall: boolean = false): Promise<
       logInfo(pluginJson, `getReviewSettings() Starting from a different plugin ...`)
     }
     // Get settings
-    const config: ReviewConfig = await DataStore.loadJSON('../jgclark.Reviews/settings.json')
+    const loaded: ReviewConfig = await DataStore.loadJSON('../jgclark.Reviews/settings.json')
 
     // If an external call allow silent return of null if no settings found.
     // Otherwise complain, as there should be settings.
-    if (config == null || Object.keys(config).length === 0) {
+    if (loaded == null || Object.keys(loaded).length === 0) {
       if (externalCall) {
         // Fail silently
         return null
@@ -239,6 +241,10 @@ export async function getReviewSettings(externalCall: boolean = false): Promise<
       throw new Error('No Reviews settings found')
     }
     // clo(config, `Review settings for '${pluginJson['plugin.version']}' version:`)
+    // Clone before any default fill or perspective overlay. DataStore.loadJSON may
+    // return a cached object; mutating it makes the next settings-pane save look
+    // like a folder or scope change.
+    const config: ReviewConfig = (cloneRawSettings((loaded: any)): any)
 
     // Need to store some things in the Preferences API mechanism, in order to pass things to the Project class
     DataStore.setPreference('startMentionStr', config.startMentionStr)
@@ -376,6 +382,27 @@ export function getChangedSettingKeys(previous: ?{ [string]: any }, current: ?{
   return changed
 }
 
+/**
+ * Deep-copy a plain settings object so later default fills and perspective overlays
+ * cannot mutate the object DataStore.loadJSON returned.
+ * @param {{ [string]: any }} settings
+ * @returns {{ [string]: any }}
+ */
+export function cloneRawSettings(settings: { [string]: any }): { [string]: any } {
+  return (JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(settings)): any)
+}
+
+/**
+ * Keys that differ, ignoring SETTINGS_FOR_OTHER_COMMANDS (log level, log regex, log timer, and other non-list commands).
+ * Empty when either side is missing.
+ * @param {?{ [string]: any }} previous
+ * @param {?{ [string]: any }} current
+ * @returns {Array<string>}
+ */
+export function getProjectListRelevantChangedKeys(previous: ?{ [string]: any }, current: ?{ [string]: any }): Array<string> {
+  return getChangedSettingKeys(previous, current).filter((key) => !SETTINGS_FOR_OTHER_COMMANDS.includes(key))
+}
+
 /**
  * Decide what a settings-pane save should do to the project list.
  * Priority: rebuild (membership/metadata) > recalculate (existing rows) > redisplay (render only) > none.
@@ -388,7 +415,7 @@ export function getSettingsUpdateAction(previous: ?{ [string]: any }, current: ?
   if (previous == null || current == null) {
     return 'rebuild'
   }
-  const changed = getChangedSettingKeys(previous, current).filter((key) => !SETTINGS_FOR_OTHER_COMMANDS.includes(key))
+  const changed = getProjectListRelevantChangedKeys(previous, current)
   if (changed.some((key) => SETTINGS_THAT_REQUIRE_REBUILD.includes(key))) {
     return 'rebuild'
   }
@@ -416,7 +443,7 @@ export function settingsChangeIsOnlyMetadataTermRenames(
   metadataTermSettingKeys: $ReadOnlyArray<string>,
 ): boolean {
   if (previous == null || current == null) return false
-  const changed = getChangedSettingKeys(previous, current).filter((key) => !SETTINGS_FOR_OTHER_COMMANDS.includes(key))
+  const changed = getProjectListRelevantChangedKeys(previous, current)
   if (changed.length === 0) return false
   return changed.every((key) => metadataTermSettingKeys.includes(key))
 }