diff --git a/REFACTOR-PLAN.md b/REFACTOR-PLAN.md
index 69fb3efb..3514d18c 100644
--- a/REFACTOR-PLAN.md
+++ b/REFACTOR-PLAN.md
@@ -938,3 +938,48 @@ This refactor plan has been updated to align with the official Agent SDK documen
 3. **Better session recovery** - Use SDK resumption for interrupted sessions
 
 These corrections ensure our implementation follows Agent SDK best practices and avoids reinventing functionality the SDK already provides.
+
+---
+
+## Architecture Validation Summary
+
+This plan has been validated against the official Agent SDK documentation and confirmed to be architecturally sound.
+
+### ✅ Validated Design Decisions
+
+1. **Hook System Usage** - Correctly uses Claude Code external command hooks for observation; SDK programmatic hooks reserved for future enhancement
+2. **Query Function Interface** - Properly implements AsyncIterable<UserMessage> for streaming input mode
+3. **Session Management** - Leverages SDK's built-in session resumption instead of manual state reconstruction
+4. **Tool Filtering** - Uses SDK's `disallowedTools` option for efficiency
+5. **Error Handling** - Implements AbortController and interrupt() for graceful cancellation
+6. **Separation of Concerns** - Clean isolation between main Claude Code session and background SDK worker
+
+### 🎯 Architecture Strengths
+
+- **Non-blocking** - Hooks are fast database operations; complex logic happens in background
+- **Queue-based** - Handles parallel hook execution correctly via observation_queue table
+- **Fault-tolerant** - Failed observations stay in queue for retry; graceful degradation
+- **Platform-agnostic** - No dependency on systemd/launchd; works everywhere
+- **Type-safe** - Uses official SDK TypeScript types throughout
+
+### 📋 Pre-Implementation Checklist
+
+Before starting implementation, verify:
+
+1. [ ] Agent SDK installed and accessible: `@anthropic-ai/agent-sdk`
+2. [ ] Verify SDK exports match expected structure (query, Query, UserMessage types)
+3. [ ] SQLite database location decided: `~/.claude-mem/db.sqlite`
+4. [ ] Claude Code settings.json hook configuration tested
+5. [ ] Background process spawning works on target platform (test detached process)
+
+### 🚀 Ready for Implementation
+
+The architecture is validated and ready for implementation. Follow the phased approach:
+
+1. Database setup first (get schema working with bun:sqlite)
+2. Implement hooks one at a time (start with `context`, then `save`)
+3. Build SDK worker with simple message generator
+4. Test end-to-end with a real Claude Code session
+5. Iterate and refine based on real-world usage
+
+**Remember:** Start simple, get one piece working, then build on it. Don't try to implement everything at once.