diff --git a/src/models/config.rs b/src/models/config.rs
index da629fb..27bf596 100644
--- a/src/models/config.rs
+++ b/src/models/config.rs
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ pub struct Config {
     pub backtest_timeout: Option<u32>,
     pub opt_log_dir: Option<String>,
     pub opt_min_agents: Option<u32>,
+    pub opt_max_agents: Option<u32>,
     pub reports_dir: Option<String>,
     pub backtest_login: Option<String>,
     pub backtest_server: Option<String>,
@@ -121,6 +122,7 @@ impl Default for Config {
             backtest_timeout: None,
             opt_log_dir: None,
             opt_min_agents: None,
+            opt_max_agents: None,
             reports_dir: None,
             backtest_login: None,
             backtest_server: None,
@@ -241,6 +243,7 @@ impl Config {
         cfg.backtest_timeout  = Some(900);
         cfg.opt_log_dir       = Some("/tmp".into());
         cfg.opt_min_agents    = Some(1);
+        cfg.opt_max_agents    = Some(20);
 
         cfg
     }
@@ -339,7 +342,8 @@ impl Config {
              backtest_timeout: {to}\n\
              \n\
              opt_log_dir: {opt_log}\n\
-             opt_min_agents: {opt_agents}\n",
+             opt_min_agents: {opt_agents}\n\
+             opt_max_agents: {max_agents}\n",
             wine      = s(&self.wine_executable),
             term      = s(&self.terminal_dir),
             exp       = s(&self.experts_dir),
@@ -357,6 +361,7 @@ impl Config {
             to        = u(self.backtest_timeout),
             opt_log   = s(&self.opt_log_dir),
             opt_agents = u(self.opt_min_agents),
+            max_agents = u(self.opt_max_agents),
         );
 
         fs::write(&path, content)?;
@@ -405,6 +410,7 @@ impl Config {
             backtest_timeout:     map.get("backtest_timeout").and_then(|s| s.parse().ok()),
             opt_log_dir:          map.get("opt_log_dir").cloned(),
             opt_min_agents:       map.get("opt_min_agents").and_then(|s| s.parse().ok()),
+            opt_max_agents:       map.get("opt_max_agents").and_then(|s| s.parse().ok()),
             reports_dir:          map.get("reports_dir").cloned(),
             backtest_login:       map.get("backtest_login").cloned(),
             backtest_server:      map.get("backtest_server").cloned(),
@@ -432,6 +438,7 @@ impl Config {
             "backtest_timeout"   => self.backtest_timeout.unwrap_or(900).to_string(),
             "opt_log_dir"        => self.opt_log_dir.clone().unwrap_or_else(|| "/tmp".to_string()),
             "opt_min_agents"     => self.opt_min_agents.unwrap_or(1).to_string(),
+            "opt_max_agents"     => self.opt_max_agents.unwrap_or(0).to_string(),
             "reports_dir"        => self.reports_dir.clone().unwrap_or_else(|| "reports".to_string()),
             "backtest_login"     => self.backtest_login.clone().unwrap_or_default(),
             "backtest_server"    => self.backtest_server.clone().unwrap_or_default(),
diff --git a/src/optimization/optimizer.rs b/src/optimization/optimizer.rs
index 7bf0354..0492926 100644
--- a/src/optimization/optimizer.rs
+++ b/src/optimization/optimizer.rs
@@ -105,6 +105,11 @@ impl OptimizationRunner {
         let job_id = format!("opt_{}", timestamp);
         let log_file = PathBuf::from(format!("/tmp/mt5opt_{}.log", timestamp));
 
+        // Calculate agent count: 75% of available CPUs, or configured value
+        let cpu_count = std::thread::available_parallelism().map(|n| n.get()).unwrap_or(1);
+        let default_agents = ((cpu_count as f64 * 0.75).ceil() as u32).max(1);
+        let max_agents = self.config.opt_max_agents.unwrap_or(default_agents).max(1);
+
         // Count combinations
         let combinations = self.count_combinations(&params.set_file)
             .map_err(|e| anyhow!("count_combinations failed: {}", e))?;
@@ -115,11 +120,22 @@ impl OptimizationRunner {
         let wine_exe = self.config.wine_executable.as_ref()
             .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("wine_executable not configured"))?;
         
+        // Resolve the .set filename MT5 will actually load: basename of set_file,
+        // else "{expert}.set". Must match the name told to MT5 below (ExpertParameters).
+        let set_param = if !params.set_file.is_empty() && params.set_file != format!("{}.set", params.expert) {
+            std::path::Path::new(&params.set_file).file_name()
+                .and_then(|n| n.to_str())
+                .unwrap_or(&format!("{}.set", params.expert))
+                .to_string()
+        } else {
+            format!("{}.set", params.expert)
+        };
+
         // Write .set file as UTF-16LE with BOM directly to MT5 tester directory
         let wine_prefix_dir = self.get_wine_prefix_dir(mt5_dir)?;
         let tester_dir = wine_prefix_dir.join("drive_c/Program Files/MetaTrader 5/MQL5/Profiles/Tester");
         fs::create_dir_all(&tester_dir).map_err(|e| anyhow!("create_dir_all({}) failed: {}", tester_dir.display(), e))?;
-        let dst_set_file = tester_dir.join(format!("{}.set", params.expert));
+        let dst_set_file = tester_dir.join(&set_param);
         self.write_utf16le_set(&params.set_file, &dst_set_file)
             .map_err(|e| anyhow!("write_utf16le_set({}) failed: {}", dst_set_file.display(), e))?;
 
@@ -145,24 +161,13 @@ impl OptimizationRunner {
         } else {
             format!("Experts\\{}.ex5", params.expert)
         };
-        let set_param = {
-            let base = if !params.set_file.is_empty() && params.set_file != format!("{}.set", params.expert) {
-                // Extract just the filename from the set file path
-                std::path::Path::new(&params.set_file).file_name()
-                    .and_then(|n| n.to_str())
-                    .unwrap_or(&format!("{}.set", params.expert))
-                    .to_string()
-            } else {
-                format!("{}.set", params.expert)
-            };
-            base
-        };
         let mut tester_section = format!(
             "[Tester]\n\
              Expert={}\n\
              ExpertParameters={}\n\
              Symbol={}\n\
              Period=M1\n\
+             LocalAgents={}\n\
              Model=1\n\
              FromDate={}\n\
              ToDate={}\n\
@@ -177,7 +182,7 @@ impl OptimizationRunner {
                Report=..\\..\\mt5mcp_opt_report.htm\n\
                ReplaceReport=1\n\
                 ShutdownTerminal=1",
-            expert_path, set_param, params.symbol,
+            expert_path, set_param, params.symbol, max_agents,
             params.from_date, params.to_date, params.deposit, params.currency, params.leverage,
         );
         if let Some(mp) = params.max_passes {
@@ -211,8 +216,9 @@ impl OptimizationRunner {
         opt_ini.push_str(&format!("Expert={}.ex5\n", params.expert));
         opt_ini.push_str(&format!("ExpertParameters={}\n", set_param));
         opt_ini.push_str(&format!("Symbol={}\n", params.symbol));
-        opt_ini.push_str("Period=M1\n");
-        opt_ini.push_str("Model=1\n");
+        opt_ini.push_str(&format!("Period={}\n", "M1"));
+        opt_ini.push_str(&format!("LocalAgents={}\n", max_agents));
+        opt_ini.push_str(&format!("Model={}\n", "0"));
         opt_ini.push_str("Optimization=2\n");
         opt_ini.push_str(&format!("FromDate={}\n", params.from_date));
         opt_ini.push_str(&format!("ToDate={}\n", params.to_date));
@@ -249,12 +255,13 @@ impl OptimizationRunner {
              export DYLD_FALLBACK_LIBRARY_PATH='{dyld}'\n\
              export WINEPREFIX='{prefix}'\n\
              export WINEDEBUG='-all'\n\
-             nohup '{wine}' '{terminal}' '/config:{config}' >/dev/null 2>&1 &\n",
+             nohup taskset -c 0-$(( {max_agents} - 1 )) '{wine}' '{terminal}' '/config:{config}' >/dev/null 2>&1 &\n",
             dyld     = dyld,
             prefix   = wine_prefix_dir.display(),
             wine     = wine_exe,
             terminal = terminal_host.display(),
             config   = opt_config_win,
+            max_agents = max_agents,
         );
 
         let script_path = std::env::temp_dir().join("mt5opt_launch.sh");
@@ -368,8 +375,8 @@ impl OptimizationRunner {
         combinations: u64,
         wine_prefix: &Path,
     ) -> Result<()> {
-        let jobs_dir = Path::new(".mt5mcp_jobs");
-        fs::create_dir_all(jobs_dir)?;
+        let jobs_dir = std::env::temp_dir().join(".mt5mcp_jobs");
+        fs::create_dir_all(&jobs_dir)?;
 
         let meta_path = jobs_dir.join(format!("{}.json", job_id));
         let started_at = Utc::now().to_rfc3339();
@@ -462,7 +469,7 @@ impl OptimizationRunner {
     }
 
     pub fn get_job_status(&self, job_id: &str) -> Result<serde_json::Value> {
-        let jobs_dir = Path::new(".mt5mcp_jobs");
+        let jobs_dir = std::env::temp_dir().join(".mt5mcp_jobs");
         let meta_path = jobs_dir.join(format!("{}.json", job_id));
 
         if !meta_path.exists() {
@@ -538,7 +545,7 @@ impl OptimizationRunner {
     }
 
     pub fn list_jobs(&self) -> Result<Vec<serde_json::Value>> {
-        let jobs_dir = Path::new(".mt5mcp_jobs");
+        let jobs_dir = std::env::temp_dir().join(".mt5mcp_jobs");
         let mut jobs = Vec::new();
 
         if jobs_dir.exists() {
diff --git a/src/optimization/parser.rs b/src/optimization/parser.rs
index ab4943d..0c0cbbb 100644
--- a/src/optimization/parser.rs
+++ b/src/optimization/parser.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ impl OptimizationParser {
     }
 
     pub fn parse_job(&self, job_id: &str) -> Result<Vec<OptimizationPass>> {
-        let jobs_dir = Path::new(".mt5mcp_jobs");
+        let jobs_dir = std::env::temp_dir().join(".mt5mcp_jobs");
         let meta_path = jobs_dir.join(format!("{}.json", job_id));
 
         if !meta_path.exists() {
@@ -188,14 +188,13 @@ impl OptimizationParser {
         for node in doc.descendants() {
             if node.has_tag_name(("urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:spreadsheet", "Row")) || 
                node.has_tag_name("Row") {
-                let cells: Vec<String> = node.children()
+                let cells: Vec<String> = node.descendants()
                     .filter(|n: &roxmltree::Node<'_, '_>| {
-                        n.has_tag_name(("urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:spreadsheet", "Cell")) ||
-                        n.has_tag_name("Cell") ||
                         n.has_tag_name(("urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:spreadsheet", "Data")) ||
                         n.has_tag_name("Data")
                     })
-                    .map(|n| n.text().unwrap_or("").trim().to_string().replace(',', ""))
+                    .filter_map(|n| n.text())
+                    .map(|t| t.trim().to_string().replace(',', ""))
                     .collect();
                 
                 if cells.is_empty() {
diff --git a/src/tools/handlers/optimization.rs b/src/tools/handlers/optimization.rs
index 21b9933..dced176 100644
--- a/src/tools/handlers/optimization.rs
+++ b/src/tools/handlers/optimization.rs
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ pub async fn handle_get_optimization_status(config: &Config, args: &Value) -> Re
 
     // Store completion results back to metadata for persistence
     if status.get("status").and_then(|v| v.as_str()) == Some("completed") {
-        let jobs_dir = Path::new(".mt5mcp_jobs");
+        let jobs_dir = std::env::temp_dir().join(".mt5mcp_jobs");
         let meta_path = jobs_dir.join(format!("{}.json", job_id));
         if let Ok(meta_str) = fs::read_to_string(&meta_path) {
             if let Ok(mut meta) = serde_json::from_str::<serde_json::Value>(&meta_str) {
diff --git a/src/tools/handlers/reports.rs b/src/tools/handlers/reports.rs
index 7519862..ed479d1 100644
--- a/src/tools/handlers/reports.rs
+++ b/src/tools/handlers/reports.rs
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ pub async fn handle_tail_log(_config: &Config, args: &Value) -> Result<Value> {
     let lines = args.get("lines").and_then(|v| v.as_u64()).unwrap_or(50) as usize;
 
     let log_path = if let Some(jid) = job_id {
-        let jobs_dir = Path::new(".mt5mcp_jobs");
+        let jobs_dir = std::env::temp_dir().join(".mt5mcp_jobs");
         let meta_path = jobs_dir.join(format!("{}.json", jid));
         let meta: Value = serde_json::from_str(&fs::read_to_string(meta_path)?)?;
         meta.get("log_file").and_then(|v| v.as_str()).map(|s| s.to_string())