diff --git a/ra_aid/agents/key_facts_gc_agent.py b/ra_aid/agents/key_facts_gc_agent.py
index d158c64..e8fbd38 100644
--- a/ra_aid/agents/key_facts_gc_agent.py
+++ b/ra_aid/agents/key_facts_gc_agent.py
@@ -48,9 +48,7 @@ def delete_key_facts(fact_ids: List[int]) -> str:
     # Try to get the current human input to protect its facts
     current_human_input_id = None
     try:
-        recent_inputs = get_human_input_repository().get_recent(1)
-        if recent_inputs and len(recent_inputs) > 0:
-            current_human_input_id = recent_inputs[0].id
+        current_human_input_id = get_human_input_repository().get_most_recent_id()
     except Exception as e:
         console.print(f"Warning: Could not retrieve current human input: {str(e)}")
     
@@ -133,9 +131,7 @@ def run_key_facts_gc_agent() -> None:
         # Try to get the current human input ID to exclude its facts
         current_human_input_id = None
         try:
-            recent_inputs = get_human_input_repository().get_recent(1)
-            if recent_inputs and len(recent_inputs) > 0:
-                current_human_input_id = recent_inputs[0].id
+            current_human_input_id = get_human_input_repository().get_most_recent_id()
         except Exception as e:
             console.print(f"Warning: Could not retrieve current human input: {str(e)}")
         
diff --git a/ra_aid/agents/key_snippets_gc_agent.py b/ra_aid/agents/key_snippets_gc_agent.py
index b9d55ef..6fb86fa 100644
--- a/ra_aid/agents/key_snippets_gc_agent.py
+++ b/ra_aid/agents/key_snippets_gc_agent.py
@@ -46,9 +46,7 @@ def delete_key_snippets(snippet_ids: List[int]) -> str:
     # Try to get the current human input to protect its snippets
     current_human_input_id = None
     try:
-        recent_inputs = get_human_input_repository().get_recent(1)
-        if recent_inputs and len(recent_inputs) > 0:
-            current_human_input_id = recent_inputs[0].id
+        current_human_input_id = get_human_input_repository().get_most_recent_id()
     except Exception as e:
         console.print(f"Warning: Could not retrieve current human input: {str(e)}")
     
@@ -125,9 +123,7 @@ def run_key_snippets_gc_agent() -> None:
         # Try to get the current human input ID to exclude its snippets
         current_human_input_id = None
         try:
-            recent_inputs = get_human_input_repository().get_recent(1)
-            if recent_inputs and len(recent_inputs) > 0:
-                current_human_input_id = recent_inputs[0].id
+            current_human_input_id = get_human_input_repository().get_most_recent_id()
         except Exception as e:
             console.print(f"Warning: Could not retrieve current human input: {str(e)}")
         
diff --git a/ra_aid/agents/research_agent.py b/ra_aid/agents/research_agent.py
index 4acde08..966321f 100644
--- a/ra_aid/agents/research_agent.py
+++ b/ra_aid/agents/research_agent.py
@@ -109,12 +109,14 @@ def run_research_agent(
     base_task = base_task_or_query
     try:
         human_input_repository = get_human_input_repository()
-        recent_inputs = human_input_repository.get_recent(1)
-        if recent_inputs and len(recent_inputs) > 0 and recent_inputs[0].content != base_task_or_query:
-            last_human_input = recent_inputs[0].content
-            base_task = (
-                f"<last human input>{last_human_input}</last human input>\n{base_task}"
-            )
+        most_recent_id = human_input_repository.get_most_recent_id()
+        if most_recent_id is not None:
+            recent_input = human_input_repository.get(most_recent_id)
+            if recent_input and recent_input.content != base_task_or_query:
+                last_human_input = recent_input.content
+                base_task = (
+                    f"<last human input>{last_human_input}</last human input>\n{base_task}"
+                )
     except RuntimeError as e:
         logger.error(f"Failed to access human input repository: {str(e)}")
         # Continue without appending last human input
diff --git a/ra_aid/agents/research_notes_gc_agent.py b/ra_aid/agents/research_notes_gc_agent.py
index 70bb91f..fbc0d60 100644
--- a/ra_aid/agents/research_notes_gc_agent.py
+++ b/ra_aid/agents/research_notes_gc_agent.py
@@ -48,9 +48,7 @@ def delete_research_notes(note_ids: List[int]) -> str:
     # Try to get the current human input to protect its notes
     current_human_input_id = None
     try:
-        recent_inputs = get_human_input_repository().get_recent(1)
-        if recent_inputs and len(recent_inputs) > 0:
-            current_human_input_id = recent_inputs[0].id
+        current_human_input_id = get_human_input_repository().get_most_recent_id()
     except Exception as e:
         console.print(f"Warning: Could not retrieve current human input: {str(e)}")
     
@@ -138,9 +136,7 @@ def run_research_notes_gc_agent(threshold: int = 30) -> None:
         # Try to get the current human input ID to exclude its notes
         current_human_input_id = None
         try:
-            recent_inputs = get_human_input_repository().get_recent(1)
-            if recent_inputs and len(recent_inputs) > 0:
-                current_human_input_id = recent_inputs[0].id
+            current_human_input_id = get_human_input_repository().get_most_recent_id()
         except Exception as e:
             console.print(f"Warning: Could not retrieve current human input: {str(e)}")
         
diff --git a/ra_aid/database/repositories/human_input_repository.py b/ra_aid/database/repositories/human_input_repository.py
index f8f89ff..f20853d 100644
--- a/ra_aid/database/repositories/human_input_repository.py
+++ b/ra_aid/database/repositories/human_input_repository.py
@@ -257,6 +257,25 @@ class HumanInputRepository:
         except peewee.DatabaseError as e:
             logger.error(f"Failed to fetch recent human inputs: {str(e)}")
             raise
+
+    def get_most_recent_id(self) -> Optional[int]:
+        """
+        Get the ID of the most recent human input record.
+        
+        Returns:
+            Optional[int]: The ID of the most recent human input, or None if no records exist
+            
+        Raises:
+            peewee.DatabaseError: If there's an error accessing the database
+        """
+        try:
+            recent_inputs = self.get_recent(1)
+            if recent_inputs and len(recent_inputs) > 0:
+                return recent_inputs[0].id
+            return None
+        except peewee.DatabaseError as e:
+            logger.error(f"Failed to fetch most recent human input ID: {str(e)}")
+            raise
     
     def get_by_source(self, source: str) -> List[HumanInput]:
         """
diff --git a/ra_aid/tools/memory.py b/ra_aid/tools/memory.py
index c768638..96b402c 100644
--- a/ra_aid/tools/memory.py
+++ b/ra_aid/tools/memory.py
@@ -54,9 +54,7 @@ def emit_research_notes(notes: str) -> str:
     human_input_id = None
     try:
         human_input_repo = get_human_input_repository()
-        recent_inputs = human_input_repo.get_recent(1)
-        if recent_inputs and len(recent_inputs) > 0:
-            human_input_id = recent_inputs[0].id
+        human_input_id = human_input_repo.get_most_recent_id()
     except RuntimeError as e:
         logger.warning(f"No HumanInputRepository available: {str(e)}")
     except Exception as e:
@@ -109,9 +107,7 @@ def emit_key_facts(facts: List[str]) -> str:
     human_input_id = None
     try:
         human_input_repo = get_human_input_repository()
-        recent_inputs = human_input_repo.get_recent(1)
-        if recent_inputs and len(recent_inputs) > 0:
-            human_input_id = recent_inputs[0].id
+        human_input_id = human_input_repo.get_most_recent_id()
     except RuntimeError as e:
         logger.warning(f"No HumanInputRepository available: {str(e)}")
     except Exception as e:
@@ -186,9 +182,7 @@ def emit_key_snippet(snippet_info: SnippetInfo) -> str:
     human_input_id = None
     try:
         human_input_repo = get_human_input_repository()
-        recent_inputs = human_input_repo.get_recent(1)
-        if recent_inputs and len(recent_inputs) > 0:
-            human_input_id = recent_inputs[0].id
+        human_input_id = human_input_repo.get_most_recent_id()
     except RuntimeError as e:
         logger.warning(f"No HumanInputRepository available: {str(e)}")
     except Exception as e: