diff --git a/apps/x/packages/core/src/turns/context-elision.test.ts b/apps/x/packages/core/src/turns/context-elision.test.ts
index 0864d206..19f9c5ef 100644
--- a/apps/x/packages/core/src/turns/context-elision.test.ts
+++ b/apps/x/packages/core/src/turns/context-elision.test.ts
@@ -179,6 +179,18 @@ describe("elideHistoricToolResults", () => {
         expect(elided[0].content).toContain("101");
     });
 
+    it("keeps a head preview ahead of the placeholder", () => {
+        const content = `SKILL GUIDE${"y".repeat(5000)}`;
+        const [elided] = elideHistoricToolResults([toolMsg(content)], 2500);
+        // Starts with the first 400 chars verbatim, then the marker.
+        expect(elided.content.startsWith(content.slice(0, 400))).toBe(true);
+        expect(elided.content).toContain("Rest of tool result elided");
+        expect(elided.content.length).toBeLessThan(700);
+        // Preview never exceeds a tiny threshold.
+        const [tiny] = elideHistoricToolResults([toolMsg(content)], 50);
+        expect(tiny.content.startsWith(`${content.slice(0, 50)}\n[Rest`)).toBe(true);
+    });
+
     it("keeps tool results at or below the threshold verbatim", () => {
         const exact = toolMsg("x".repeat(100));
         expect(elideHistoricToolResults([exact], 100)).toEqual([exact]);
diff --git a/apps/x/packages/core/src/turns/context-elision.ts b/apps/x/packages/core/src/turns/context-elision.ts
index 05fbfb43..22ff2d6f 100644
--- a/apps/x/packages/core/src/turns/context-elision.ts
+++ b/apps/x/packages/core/src/turns/context-elision.ts
@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@ export const DEFAULT_ELISION_POLICY: ElisionPolicy = {
 // placeholder saves nothing and a short note may carry useful context.
 const MIDDLE_PANE_CONTENT_FLOOR_CHARS = 500;
 
+// Head of an elided tool result kept verbatim ahead of the placeholder.
+const TOOL_RESULT_PREVIEW_CHARS = 400;
+
 const ContextConfig = z.object({
     elideHistoricToolResults: z.boolean().optional(),
     elideHistoricToolResultsThresholdChars: z.number().int().min(0).optional(),
@@ -102,9 +105,16 @@ export function elideHistoricToolResults(
         ) {
             return message;
         }
+        // Keep a head preview so the model knows what it is declining to
+        // re-fetch (a skill body reads very differently from a web page).
+        // Capped at the threshold so tiny thresholds still shrink content.
+        const preview = message.content.slice(
+            0,
+            Math.min(TOOL_RESULT_PREVIEW_CHARS, thresholdChars),
+        );
         return {
             ...message,
-            content: `[Tool result elided to save context: "${message.toolName}" returned ${message.content.length} characters in an earlier turn. Call the tool again if you need this output now.]`,
+            content: `${preview}\n[Rest of tool result elided to save context: "${message.toolName}" returned ${message.content.length} characters in an earlier turn. Call the tool again if you need the full output now.]`,
         };
     });
 }