diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/agents/chat/multi_agent_chat/shared/middleware/filesystem/backends/numbered_document.py b/surfsense_backend/app/agents/chat/multi_agent_chat/shared/middleware/filesystem/backends/numbered_document.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ced77096f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/agents/chat/multi_agent_chat/shared/middleware/filesystem/backends/numbered_document.py
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+"""Read preamble for canonical (numbered ``source_markdown``) KB reads.
+
+The KB read tool numbers the body lines ``cat -n`` style, so serving the raw
+``source_markdown`` makes those line numbers line up exactly with the chunk
+char spans and the editor highlight. This module renders the small header the
+agent sees above that body: document identity plus the matched line ranges to
+seek to, and a concrete reminder of the line-citation token shape.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from collections.abc import Iterable
+
+from app.utils.text_spans import char_span_to_line_range
+
+
+def _format_range(start: int, end: int) -> str:
+    return f"{start}" if start == end else f"{start}-{end}"
+
+
+def compute_matched_line_ranges(
+    source_markdown: str,
+    chunks: Iterable[tuple[int, int | None, int | None]],
+    matched_chunk_ids: set[int],
+) -> list[tuple[int, int]]:
+    """Map matched chunks to sorted, de-duplicated 1-based line ranges.
+
+    ``chunks`` are ``(chunk_id, start_char, end_char)`` triples. Chunks without
+    spans (legacy rows) are skipped — they have no resolvable location.
+    """
+    ranges: set[tuple[int, int]] = set()
+    for chunk_id, start_char, end_char in chunks:
+        if chunk_id not in matched_chunk_ids:
+            continue
+        if start_char is None or end_char is None:
+            continue
+        ranges.add(char_span_to_line_range(source_markdown, start_char, end_char))
+    return sorted(ranges)
+
+
+def build_read_preamble(
+    *,
+    document_id: int,
+    document_type: str,
+    title: str,
+    url: str,
+    matched_line_ranges: list[tuple[int, int]],
+) -> str:
+    """Render the metadata header shown above a numbered ``source_markdown`` body.
+
+    ``matched_line_ranges`` are 1-based inclusive line ranges (already derived
+    from chunk char spans) to point the agent at the relevant lines.
+    """
+    lines = [
+        "<document_metadata>",
+        f"  <document_id>{document_id}</document_id>",
+        f"  <document_type>{document_type}</document_type>",
+        f"  <title><![CDATA[{title}]]></title>",
+        f"  <url><![CDATA[{url}]]></url>",
+    ]
+    if matched_line_ranges:
+        ranges = ", ".join(_format_range(s, e) for s, e in matched_line_ranges)
+        lines.append(f"  <matched_lines>{ranges}</matched_lines>")
+    lines.append("</document_metadata>")
+    lines.append(
+        f"Cite lines from this document as [citation:d{document_id}#L<start>-<end>] "
+        "using the line numbers shown below."
+    )
+    lines.append("")
+    return "\n".join(lines)
+
+
+__all__ = ["build_read_preamble", "compute_matched_line_ranges"]