diff --git a/docs/plans/2026-04-12-context-manager-implementation.md b/docs/plans/2026-04-12-context-manager-implementation.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f8655ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/plans/2026-04-12-context-manager-implementation.md
@@ -0,0 +1,180 @@
+# Context manager stronger pruning and compaction Implementation Plan
+
+> **For agentic workers:** REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: Use superpowers:subagent-driven-development (recommended) or superpowers:executing-plans to implement this plan task-by-task. Steps use checkbox (`- [ ]`) syntax for tracking.
+
+**Goal:** Keep live context flatter by pruning whole older turns, compacting earlier, and injecting only lean resume state.
+
+**Architecture:** Extend pruning at the context boundary, keep summary artifacts in snapshot/ledger only, and add an extension-managed early-compaction gate driven by observed context usage. Preserve existing commands and ledger semantics while removing footer status noise.
+
+**Tech Stack:** TypeScript, Node test runner (`tsx --test`), Pi extension hooks
+
+---
+
+### Task 1: Turn-aware pruning and lean resume rendering
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `src/prune.ts`
+- Modify: `src/prune.test.ts`
+- Modify: `src/summaries.ts`
+- Modify: `src/summaries.test.ts`
+- Modify: `src/runtime.ts`
+- Modify: `src/runtime.test.ts`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Write the failing prune and resume tests**
+
+```ts
+test("pruneContextMessages drops turns older than the kept suffix", () => {
+  const messages = [
+    { role: "user", content: "turn 1" },
+    { role: "assistant", content: "after turn 1" },
+    { role: "user", content: "turn 2" },
+    { role: "assistant", content: "after turn 2" },
+    { role: "user", content: "turn 3" },
+  ];
+
+  const pruned = pruneContextMessages(messages, buildPolicy(2));
+  assert.deepEqual(pruned.map((m) => m.content), ["turn 2", "after turn 2", "turn 3"]);
+});
+
+test("buildResumePacket keeps blocker text after raw handoff sections are removed", () => {
+  const runtime = createContextManagerRuntime({ mode: "balanced", contextWindow: 200_000 });
+  runtime.recordCompactionSummary("## Open questions and blockers\n- Verify /tree replaceInstructions behavior.");
+  assert.match(runtime.buildResumePacket(), /Verify \/tree replaceInstructions behavior/);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(runtime.buildResumePacket(), /## Latest compaction handoff/);
+});
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Run tests to verify they fail**
+
+Run: `cd /home/dev/pi-packages/pi-context-manager/.worktree/context-manager-prune-compact && npm test -- src/prune.test.ts src/runtime.test.ts src/summaries.test.ts`
+Expected: FAIL because pruning still keeps old turns and runtime still prepends raw handoff sections.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Write the minimal implementation**
+
+```ts
+// src/prune.ts
+// Keep only the last N user-anchored turns.
+// Distill bulky tool results only for kept older turns, never for the newest turn.
+
+// src/summaries.ts
+export function buildResumePacket(ledger: LedgerState): string {
+  return [
+    ...lines("Goal", getActiveItems(ledger, "goal").map((item) => item.text)),
+    ...lines("Current task", getActiveItems(ledger, "activeTask").map((item) => item.text)),
+    ...lines("Constraints", getActiveItems(ledger, "constraint").map((item) => item.text)),
+    ...lines("Key decisions", getActiveItems(ledger, "decision").map((item) => item.text)),
+    ...lines("Open questions / blockers", getActiveItems(ledger, "openQuestion").map((item) => item.text)),
+  ].join("\n").trim();
+}
+
+// src/runtime.ts
+function buildResumePacket() {
+  return renderResumePacket(snapshot.ledger).trim();
+}
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Run tests to verify they pass**
+
+Run: `cd /home/dev/pi-packages/pi-context-manager/.worktree/context-manager-prune-compact && npm test -- src/prune.test.ts src/runtime.test.ts src/summaries.test.ts`
+Expected: PASS for the new pruning and lean-resume assertions.
+
+- [ ] **Step 5: Commit**
+
+```bash
+cd /home/dev/pi-packages/pi-context-manager/.worktree/context-manager-prune-compact
+git add src/prune.ts src/prune.test.ts src/summaries.ts src/summaries.test.ts src/runtime.ts src/runtime.test.ts
+git commit -m "fix: prune turns and slim resume packets"
+```
+
+### Task 2: Context filtering, early compaction, and footer removal
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `index.ts`
+- Modify: `src/extension.test.ts`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Write the failing extension tests**
+
+```ts
+test("context filters raw compaction and branch summary messages", async () => {
+  const result = await harness.handlers.get("context")?.({
+    type: "context",
+    messages: [
+      { role: "compactionSummary", summary: "## Key Decisions\n- noisy raw handoff", timestamp: 1 },
+      { role: "branchSummary", summary: "# Handoff\n- noisy raw branch", timestamp: 2 },
+      createUserMessage("continue", 3),
+    ],
+  }, harness.ctx);
+
+  assert.ok(result.messages.every((message: any) => message.role !== "compactionSummary" && message.role !== "branchSummary"));
+});
+
+test("turn_end triggers early compaction at red zone without footer status writes", async () => {
+  const harness = createHarness([], { usageTokens: 150_000 });
+  await harness.handlers.get("session_start")?.({ type: "session_start" }, harness.ctx);
+  await harness.handlers.get("turn_end")?.({ type: "turn_end", turnIndex: 1, message: createAssistantMessage("done", 5), toolResults: [] }, harness.ctx);
+  assert.equal(harness.compactions.length, 1);
+  assert.equal(harness.statuses.length, 0);
+});
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Run tests to verify they fail**
+
+Run: `cd /home/dev/pi-packages/pi-context-manager/.worktree/context-manager-prune-compact && npm test -- src/extension.test.ts`
+Expected: FAIL because summary messages are still passed through, early compaction is absent, and status writes still occur.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Write the minimal implementation**
+
+```ts
+// index.ts
+// - Filter raw compactionSummary / branchSummary messages before pruning.
+// - Remove ctx.ui.setStatus(...) calls.
+// - After observeTokens on turn_end, call ctx.compact() once when snapshot.lastZone is red/compact.
+// - Reset the latch on session_compact or when usage drops below red.
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Run tests to verify they pass**
+
+Run: `cd /home/dev/pi-packages/pi-context-manager/.worktree/context-manager-prune-compact && npm test -- src/extension.test.ts`
+Expected: PASS for summary filtering, early compaction, and no-footer assertions.
+
+- [ ] **Step 5: Commit**
+
+```bash
+cd /home/dev/pi-packages/pi-context-manager/.worktree/context-manager-prune-compact
+git add index.ts src/extension.test.ts
+git commit -m "fix: compact earlier and drop status noise"
+```
+
+### Task 3: Full verification and cleanup
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `src/config.ts` (only if zone tightening needs a small recent-turn adjustment)
+- Modify: `src/config.test.ts` (only if policy values change)
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Run the full test suite**
+
+```bash
+cd /home/dev/pi-packages/pi-context-manager/.worktree/context-manager-prune-compact
+npm test
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: If any failures remain, make the minimal fix and rerun**
+
+```ts
+// Only patch the failing behavior surfaced by the full test run.
+// Do not broaden scope beyond pruning, lean resume injection, summary filtering,
+// early compaction, and footer removal.
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Verify the final green run**
+
+Run: `cd /home/dev/pi-packages/pi-context-manager/.worktree/context-manager-prune-compact && npm test`
+Expected: `# fail 0`
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Commit final cleanup if needed**
+
+```bash
+cd /home/dev/pi-packages/pi-context-manager/.worktree/context-manager-prune-compact
+git add index.ts src/*.ts docs/plans/2026-04-12-context-manager-implementation.md
+git commit -m "test: cover context pressure behavior"
+```
diff --git a/index.ts b/index.ts
index 376680d..0ce948d 100644
--- a/index.ts
+++ b/index.ts
@@ -71,6 +71,10 @@ function rewriteContextMessage(message: { role: string; content: string; origina
   } as AgentMessage;
 }
 
+function isRawSummaryArtifactMessage(message: AgentMessage): boolean {
+  return message.role === "compactionSummary" || message.role === "branchSummary";
+}
+
 function findLatestSnapshotState(branch: BranchEntry[]): { snapshot: RuntimeSnapshot; index: number } | undefined {
   for (let index = branch.length - 1; index >= 0; index -= 1) {
     const entry = branch[index]!;
@@ -147,6 +151,7 @@ export default function contextManager(pi: ExtensionAPI) {
     contextWindow: 200_000,
   });
   let pendingResumeInjection = false;
+  let earlyCompactionRequested = false;
 
   const syncContextWindow = (ctx: Pick<ExtensionContext, "model">) => {
     runtime.setContextWindow(ctx.model?.contextWindow ?? 200_000);
@@ -180,7 +185,7 @@ export default function contextManager(pi: ExtensionAPI) {
   };
 
   const rebuildRuntimeFromBranch = (
-    ctx: Pick<ExtensionContext, "model" | "sessionManager" | "ui">,
+    ctx: Pick<ExtensionContext, "model" | "sessionManager">,
     fallbackSnapshot: RuntimeSnapshot,
     options?: { preferRuntimeMode?: boolean },
   ) => {
@@ -202,9 +207,26 @@ export default function contextManager(pi: ExtensionAPI) {
     for (const entry of replayEntries) {
       replayBranchEntry(entry);
     }
+  };
 
-    const snapshot = runtime.getSnapshot();
-    ctx.ui.setStatus("context-manager", `ctx ${snapshot.lastZone}`);
+  const maybeTriggerEarlyCompaction = (ctx: Pick<ExtensionContext, "compact" | "getContextUsage">) => {
+    const usage = ctx.getContextUsage();
+    if (usage?.tokens === null || usage?.tokens === undefined) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const zone = runtime.getSnapshot().lastZone;
+    if (zone === "green" || zone === "yellow") {
+      earlyCompactionRequested = false;
+      return;
+    }
+
+    if (earlyCompactionRequested) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    earlyCompactionRequested = true;
+    ctx.compact();
   };
 
   registerContextCommands(pi, {
@@ -220,11 +242,13 @@ export default function contextManager(pi: ExtensionAPI) {
   });
 
   pi.on("session_start", async (_event, ctx) => {
+    earlyCompactionRequested = false;
     rebuildRuntimeFromBranch(ctx, createDefaultSnapshot());
     armResumeInjection();
   });
 
   pi.on("session_tree", async (event, ctx) => {
+    earlyCompactionRequested = false;
     rebuildRuntimeFromBranch(ctx, createDefaultSnapshot());
 
     if (
@@ -260,19 +284,21 @@ export default function contextManager(pi: ExtensionAPI) {
 
     const snapshot = runtime.getSnapshot();
     pi.appendEntry(SNAPSHOT_ENTRY_TYPE, serializeSnapshot(snapshot));
-    ctx.ui.setStatus("context-manager", `ctx ${snapshot.lastZone}`);
+    maybeTriggerEarlyCompaction(ctx);
   });
 
   pi.on("context", async (event, ctx) => {
     syncContextWindow(ctx);
     const snapshot = runtime.getSnapshot();
     const policy = adjustPolicyForZone(runtime.getPolicy(), snapshot.lastZone);
-    const normalized = event.messages.map((message) => ({
-      role: message.role,
-      content: getMessageContent(message),
-      toolName: getMessageToolName(message),
-      original: message,
-    }));
+    const normalized = event.messages
+      .filter((message) => !isRawSummaryArtifactMessage(message as AgentMessage))
+      .map((message) => ({
+        role: message.role,
+        content: getMessageContent(message),
+        toolName: getMessageToolName(message),
+        original: message,
+      }));
 
     const pruned = pruneContextMessages(normalized, policy);
     const nextMessages = pruned.map((message) =>
@@ -344,10 +370,10 @@ export default function contextManager(pi: ExtensionAPI) {
     };
   });
 
-  pi.on("session_compact", async (event, ctx) => {
+  pi.on("session_compact", async (event) => {
+    earlyCompactionRequested = false;
     runtime.recordCompactionSummary(event.compactionEntry.summary, event.compactionEntry.id, Date.parse(event.compactionEntry.timestamp));
     pi.appendEntry(SNAPSHOT_ENTRY_TYPE, serializeSnapshot(runtime.getSnapshot()));
     armResumeInjection();
-    ctx.ui.setStatus("context-manager", `ctx ${runtime.getSnapshot().lastZone}`);
   });
 }
diff --git a/src/extension.test.ts b/src/extension.test.ts
index 3ed6437..18a5b47 100644
--- a/src/extension.test.ts
+++ b/src/extension.test.ts
@@ -162,8 +162,10 @@ function createHarness(initialBranch: SessionEntry[], options?: { usageTokens?:
   const handlers = new Map<string, EventHandler>();
   const appendedEntries: Array<{ customType: string; data: unknown }> = [];
   const statuses: Array<{ key: string; value: string }> = [];
+  const compactions: any[] = [];
   let branch = [...initialBranch];
   let entries = [...initialBranch];
+  let usageTokens = options?.usageTokens;
 
   const ctx = {
     model: { contextWindow: 200_000 },
@@ -183,9 +185,11 @@ function createHarness(initialBranch: SessionEntry[], options?: { usageTokens?:
       editor: async () => {},
     },
     getContextUsage() {
-      return options?.usageTokens === undefined ? undefined : createUsage(options.usageTokens);
+      return usageTokens === undefined ? undefined : createUsage(usageTokens);
+    },
+    compact(options?: unknown) {
+      compactions.push(options);
     },
-    compact() {},
   };
 
   contextManagerExtension({
@@ -215,6 +219,7 @@ function createHarness(initialBranch: SessionEntry[], options?: { usageTokens?:
     handlers,
     appendedEntries,
     statuses,
+    compactions,
     ctx,
     setBranch(nextBranch: SessionEntry[]) {
       branch = [...nextBranch];
@@ -224,6 +229,9 @@ function createHarness(initialBranch: SessionEntry[], options?: { usageTokens?:
       }
       entries = [...byId.values()];
     },
+    setUsageTokens(nextUsageTokens: number | undefined) {
+      usageTokens = nextUsageTokens;
+    },
   };
 }
 
@@ -278,7 +286,7 @@ test("turn_end persists a rebuilt snapshot that includes branch user and assista
   assert.equal(snapshot.lastObservedTokens, 120_000);
   assert.equal(snapshot.lastZone, "yellow");
   assert.deepEqual(activeTexts, ["Stale snapshot fact", "Fix Task 6", "Prefer keeping the public API stable", "rebuild from ctx.sessionManager.getBranch()", "add integration tests", ".pi/agent/extensions/context-manager/index.ts"]);
-  assert.deepEqual(harness.statuses.at(-1), { key: "context-manager", value: "ctx yellow" });
+  assert.equal(harness.statuses.length, 0);
 });
 
 test("session_tree rebuilds runtime from snapshot-only branches before injecting the next packet", async () => {
@@ -347,7 +355,7 @@ test("session_tree rebuilds runtime from snapshot-only branches before injecting
   assert.match(result.messages[0]?.content, /Snapshot-only branch goal/);
   assert.match(result.messages[0]?.content, /Use the snapshot-backed branch state immediately/);
   assert.doesNotMatch(result.messages[0]?.content, /Old branch goal/);
-  assert.deepEqual(harness.statuses.at(-1), { key: "context-manager", value: "ctx red" });
+  assert.equal(harness.statuses.length, 0);
 });
 
 test("context keeps a distilled stale tool result visible after pruning bulky output", async () => {
@@ -365,9 +373,9 @@ test("context keeps a distilled stale tool result visible after pruning bulky ou
       type: "context",
       messages: [
         createUserMessage("turn 1", 1),
-        createToolResultMessage(bulkyFailure, 2),
-        createAssistantMessage("observed turn 1", 3),
-        createUserMessage("turn 2", 4),
+        createAssistantMessage("observed turn 1", 2),
+        createUserMessage("turn 2", 3),
+        createToolResultMessage(bulkyFailure, 4),
         createAssistantMessage("observed turn 2", 5),
         createUserMessage("turn 3", 6),
         createAssistantMessage("observed turn 3", 7),
@@ -385,6 +393,92 @@ test("context keeps a distilled stale tool result visible after pruning bulky ou
   assert.ok(toolResult.content[0].text.length < 320);
 });
 
+test("context filters raw summary artifact messages before injecting the packet", async () => {
+  const harness = createHarness([
+    createSnapshotEntry("snapshot-ctx-filter", null, {
+      text: "Ship the context manager extension",
+      lastCompactionSummary: "",
+      lastBranchSummary: "",
+    }),
+  ]);
+  await harness.handlers.get("session_start")?.({ type: "session_start" }, harness.ctx);
+
+  const result = await harness.handlers.get("context")?.(
+    {
+      type: "context",
+      messages: [
+        createUserMessage("turn 1", 1),
+        { role: "compactionSummary", summary: "## Key Decisions\n- noisy raw compaction", timestamp: 2 },
+        { role: "branchSummary", summary: "# Handoff\n\n## Key Decisions\n- noisy raw branch", timestamp: 3 },
+        createAssistantMessage("observed turn 1", 4),
+        createUserMessage("turn 2", 5),
+      ],
+    },
+    harness.ctx,
+  );
+
+  assert.equal(result.messages[0]?.customType, "context-manager.packet");
+  assert.ok(result.messages.every((message: any) => message.role !== "compactionSummary"));
+  assert.ok(result.messages.every((message: any) => message.role !== "branchSummary"));
+});
+
+test("turn_end triggers extension compaction at red zone once per pressure episode and never writes footer status", async () => {
+  const harness = createHarness([], { usageTokens: 150_000 });
+  await harness.handlers.get("session_start")?.({ type: "session_start" }, harness.ctx);
+
+  await harness.handlers.get("turn_end")?.(
+    {
+      type: "turn_end",
+      turnIndex: 1,
+      message: createAssistantMessage("done", 5),
+      toolResults: [],
+    },
+    harness.ctx,
+  );
+  await harness.handlers.get("turn_end")?.(
+    {
+      type: "turn_end",
+      turnIndex: 2,
+      message: createAssistantMessage("done again", 6),
+      toolResults: [],
+    },
+    harness.ctx,
+  );
+
+  assert.equal(harness.compactions.length, 1);
+  assert.equal(harness.statuses.length, 0);
+
+  await harness.handlers.get("session_compact")?.(
+    {
+      type: "session_compact",
+      fromExtension: true,
+      compactionEntry: {
+        type: "compaction",
+        id: "cmp-reset",
+        parentId: "prev",
+        timestamp: new Date(10).toISOString(),
+        summary: "## Key Decisions\n- Keep summaries deterministic.",
+        firstKeptEntryId: "keep-1",
+        tokensBefore: 140_000,
+      },
+    },
+    harness.ctx,
+  );
+
+  await harness.handlers.get("turn_end")?.(
+    {
+      type: "turn_end",
+      turnIndex: 3,
+      message: createAssistantMessage("done after compact", 7),
+      toolResults: [],
+    },
+    harness.ctx,
+  );
+
+  assert.equal(harness.compactions.length, 2);
+  assert.equal(harness.statuses.length, 0);
+});
+
 test("session_tree preserves session-scoped facts but drops stale branch handoff metadata on an empty destination branch", async () => {
   const sourceBranch: SessionEntry[] = [
     createSnapshotEntry("snapshot-session", null, {
diff --git a/src/prune.test.ts b/src/prune.test.ts
index 747a415..9afe303 100644
--- a/src/prune.test.ts
+++ b/src/prune.test.ts
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ function buildPolicy(recentUserTurns = 4) {
   };
 }
 
-test("pruneContextMessages replaces old bulky tool results with distilled summaries instead of deleting them", () => {
-  const policy = buildPolicy(2);
+test("pruneContextMessages replaces bulky tool results with distilled summaries inside older kept turns", () => {
+  const policy = buildPolicy(3);
   const bulkyFailure = [
     "Build failed while compiling focus parser",
     "Error: missing export createFocusMatcher from ./summary-focus.ts",
@@ -23,11 +23,13 @@ test("pruneContextMessages replaces old bulky tool results with distilled summar
   ].join("\n");
   const messages = [
     { role: "user", content: "turn 1" },
-    { role: "toolResult", toolName: "bash", content: bulkyFailure },
     { role: "assistant", content: "observed turn 1" },
     { role: "user", content: "turn 2" },
+    { role: "toolResult", toolName: "bash", content: bulkyFailure },
     { role: "assistant", content: "observed turn 2" },
     { role: "user", content: "turn 3" },
+    { role: "assistant", content: "observed turn 3" },
+    { role: "user", content: "turn 4" },
   ];
 
   const pruned = pruneContextMessages(messages, policy);
@@ -38,7 +40,7 @@ test("pruneContextMessages replaces old bulky tool results with distilled summar
   assert.doesNotMatch(distilled!.content, /stack frame\nstack frame\nstack frame/);
 });
 
-test("aggressive mode distills an older bulky tool result sooner than conservative mode", () => {
+test("aggressive mode drops older turns sooner than conservative mode", () => {
   const conservative = resolvePolicy({ mode: "conservative", contextWindow: 200_000 });
   const aggressive = resolvePolicy({ mode: "aggressive", contextWindow: 200_000 });
   const messages = [
@@ -50,17 +52,18 @@ test("aggressive mode distills an older bulky tool result sooner than conservati
     { role: "user", content: "turn 3" },
     { role: "assistant", content: "after turn 3" },
     { role: "user", content: "turn 4" },
+    { role: "assistant", content: "after turn 4" },
+    { role: "user", content: "turn 5" },
   ];
 
   const conservativePruned = pruneContextMessages(messages, conservative);
   const aggressivePruned = pruneContextMessages(messages, aggressive);
 
-  assert.equal(conservativePruned[1]?.content, bulky);
-  assert.notEqual(aggressivePruned[1]?.content, bulky);
-  assert.match(aggressivePruned[1]?.content ?? "", /^\[distilled read output\]/);
+  assert.ok(conservativePruned.some((message) => message.role === "toolResult"));
+  assert.ok(aggressivePruned.every((message) => message.role !== "toolResult"));
 });
 
-test("pruneContextMessages keeps recent bulky tool results inside the recent-turn window", () => {
+test("pruneContextMessages keeps newest-turn bulky tool results lossless", () => {
   const policy = buildPolicy(2);
   const messages = [
     { role: "user", content: "turn 1" },
@@ -68,7 +71,6 @@ test("pruneContextMessages keeps recent bulky tool results inside the recent-tur
     { role: "user", content: "turn 2" },
     { role: "toolResult", toolName: "read", content: bulky },
     { role: "assistant", content: "observed turn 2" },
-    { role: "user", content: "turn 3" },
   ];
 
   const pruned = pruneContextMessages(messages, policy);
@@ -76,7 +78,7 @@ test("pruneContextMessages keeps recent bulky tool results inside the recent-tur
   assert.deepEqual(pruned, messages);
 });
 
-test("pruneContextMessages keeps old non-bulky tool results outside the recent-turn window", () => {
+test("pruneContextMessages drops old non-bulky tool results outside the recent-turn window", () => {
   const policy = buildPolicy(2);
   const messages = [
     { role: "user", content: "turn 1" },
@@ -89,43 +91,67 @@ test("pruneContextMessages keeps old non-bulky tool results outside the recent-t
 
   const pruned = pruneContextMessages(messages, policy);
 
-  assert.deepEqual(pruned, messages);
-});
-
-test("pruneContextMessages keeps exactly-150-line tool results with a trailing newline", () => {
-  const policy = buildPolicy(2);
-  const messages = [
-    { role: "user", content: "turn 1" },
-    { role: "toolResult", toolName: "read", content: thresholdWithTrailingNewline },
-    { role: "assistant", content: "after threshold output" },
-    { role: "user", content: "turn 2" },
-    { role: "assistant", content: "after turn 2" },
-    { role: "user", content: "turn 3" },
-  ];
-
-  const pruned = pruneContextMessages(messages, policy);
-
-  assert.deepEqual(pruned, messages);
-});
-
-test("pruneContextMessages honors the recent-user-turn boundary", () => {
-  const policy = buildPolicy(2);
-  const messages = [
-    { role: "user", content: "turn 1" },
-    { role: "toolResult", toolName: "read", content: bulky },
-    { role: "assistant", content: "after turn 1" },
-    { role: "user", content: "turn 2" },
-    { role: "toolResult", toolName: "read", content: boundaryBulky },
-    { role: "assistant", content: "after turn 2" },
-    { role: "user", content: "turn 3" },
-  ];
-
-  const pruned = pruneContextMessages(messages, policy);
-
-  assert.equal(pruned[1]?.role, "toolResult");
-  assert.match(pruned[1]?.content ?? "", /^\[distilled read output\]/);
   assert.deepEqual(
     pruned.map((message) => message.content),
-    ["turn 1", pruned[1]!.content, "after turn 1", "turn 2", boundaryBulky, "after turn 2", "turn 3"]
+    ["turn 2", "observed turn 2", "turn 3"],
   );
 });
+
+test("pruneContextMessages keeps exactly-150-line tool results with a trailing newline inside a kept older turn", () => {
+  const policy = buildPolicy(3);
+  const messages = [
+    { role: "user", content: "turn 1" },
+    { role: "assistant", content: "after turn 1" },
+    { role: "user", content: "turn 2" },
+    { role: "toolResult", toolName: "read", content: thresholdWithTrailingNewline },
+    { role: "assistant", content: "after threshold output" },
+    { role: "user", content: "turn 3" },
+    { role: "assistant", content: "after turn 3" },
+    { role: "user", content: "turn 4" },
+  ];
+
+  const pruned = pruneContextMessages(messages, policy);
+
+  assert.equal(pruned[1]?.content, thresholdWithTrailingNewline);
+});
+
+test("pruneContextMessages drops turns older than the kept suffix", () => {
+  const policy = buildPolicy(2);
+  const messages = [
+    { role: "user", content: "turn 1" },
+    { role: "assistant", content: "after turn 1" },
+    { role: "user", content: "turn 2" },
+    { role: "assistant", content: "after turn 2" },
+    { role: "user", content: "turn 3" },
+  ];
+
+  const pruned = pruneContextMessages(messages, policy);
+
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    pruned.map((message) => message.content),
+    ["turn 2", "after turn 2", "turn 3"],
+  );
+});
+
+test("pruneContextMessages distills bulky tool results only inside older kept turns", () => {
+  const policy = buildPolicy(2);
+  const messages = [
+    { role: "user", content: "turn 1" },
+    { role: "assistant", content: "after turn 1" },
+    { role: "user", content: "turn 2" },
+    { role: "toolResult", toolName: "read", content: bulky },
+    { role: "assistant", content: "after turn 2" },
+    { role: "user", content: "turn 3" },
+    { role: "toolResult", toolName: "read", content: boundaryBulky },
+    { role: "assistant", content: "after turn 3" },
+  ];
+
+  const pruned = pruneContextMessages(messages, policy);
+
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    pruned.map((message) => message.role),
+    ["user", "toolResult", "assistant", "user", "toolResult", "assistant"],
+  );
+  assert.match(pruned[1]?.content ?? "", /^\[distilled read output\]/);
+  assert.equal(pruned[4]?.content, boundaryBulky);
+});
diff --git a/src/prune.ts b/src/prune.ts
index 768243e..66c105d 100644
--- a/src/prune.ts
+++ b/src/prune.ts
@@ -17,23 +17,38 @@ function isBulky(content: string, policy: Policy) {
 }
 
 export function pruneContextMessages(messages: ContextMessage[], policy: Policy): ContextMessage[] {
+  let earliestKeptTurnStart = 0;
+  let latestTurnStart = -1;
   let seenUserTurns = 0;
-  const keep = new Set<number>();
 
   for (let index = messages.length - 1; index >= 0; index -= 1) {
     const message = messages[index]!;
-    keep.add(index);
-    if (message.role === "user") {
-      seenUserTurns += 1;
-      if (seenUserTurns >= policy.recentUserTurns) {
-        break;
-      }
+    if (message.role !== "user") {
+      continue;
     }
+
+    if (latestTurnStart === -1) {
+      latestTurnStart = index;
+    }
+
+    seenUserTurns += 1;
+    earliestKeptTurnStart = index;
+    if (seenUserTurns >= policy.recentUserTurns) {
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (latestTurnStart === -1) {
+    latestTurnStart = 0;
   }
 
   const next: ContextMessage[] = [];
   for (const [index, message] of messages.entries()) {
-    if (keep.has(index) || message.role !== "toolResult" || !isBulky(message.content, policy)) {
+    if (index < earliestKeptTurnStart) {
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    if (index >= latestTurnStart || message.role !== "toolResult" || !isBulky(message.content, policy)) {
       next.push(message);
       continue;
     }
diff --git a/src/runtime.test.ts b/src/runtime.test.ts
index 7fe3a52..4371767 100644
--- a/src/runtime.test.ts
+++ b/src/runtime.test.ts
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ test("runtime keeps the session root goal while allowing later branch-local goal
   );
 });
 
-test("recordCompactionSummary and recordBranchSummary update snapshot state and resume output", () => {
+test("recordCompactionSummary and recordBranchSummary update snapshot state while keeping resume output lean", () => {
   const runtime = createContextManagerRuntime({ mode: "balanced", contextWindow: 200_000 });
 
   runtime.ingest({ entryId: "u-artifact-1", role: "user", text: "Goal: Ship the context manager extension.", timestamp: 20 });
@@ -41,10 +41,14 @@ test("recordCompactionSummary and recordBranchSummary update snapshot state and
   runtime.recordBranchSummary("# Handoff for branch\n\n## Key Decisions\n- Do not leak branch-local goals.");
 
   const snapshot = runtime.getSnapshot();
+  const resumePacket = runtime.buildResumePacket();
+
   assert.match(snapshot.lastCompactionSummary ?? "", /Keep summaries deterministic/);
   assert.match(snapshot.lastBranchSummary ?? "", /Do not leak branch-local goals/);
-  assert.match(runtime.buildResumePacket(), /Verify \/tree replaceInstructions behavior/);
-  assert.match(runtime.buildResumePacket(), /Do not leak branch-local goals/);
+  assert.match(resumePacket, /Verify \/tree replaceInstructions behavior/);
+  assert.match(resumePacket, /Do not leak branch-local goals/);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(resumePacket, /## Latest compaction handoff/);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(resumePacket, /## Latest branch handoff/);
 });
 
 test("buildPacket tightens the live packet after pressure reaches the compact zone", () => {
diff --git a/src/runtime.ts b/src/runtime.ts
index 9a4ef50..74597ca 100644
--- a/src/runtime.ts
+++ b/src/runtime.ts
@@ -76,22 +76,7 @@ export function createContextManagerRuntime(input: { mode?: ContextMode; context
   }
 
   function buildResumePacket() {
-    const lines: string[] = [];
-
-    if (snapshot.lastCompactionSummary) {
-      lines.push("## Latest compaction handoff", snapshot.lastCompactionSummary, "");
-    }
-
-    if (snapshot.lastBranchSummary) {
-      lines.push("## Latest branch handoff", snapshot.lastBranchSummary, "");
-    }
-
-    const livePacket = renderResumePacket(snapshot.ledger);
-    if (livePacket) {
-      lines.push(livePacket);
-    }
-
-    return lines.join("\n").trim();
+    return renderResumePacket(snapshot.ledger).trim();
   }
 
   function setContextWindow(nextContextWindow: number) {
diff --git a/src/summaries.test.ts b/src/summaries.test.ts
index ee76a5f..72a8661 100644
--- a/src/summaries.test.ts
+++ b/src/summaries.test.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ const ledger = mergeCandidates(createEmptyLedger(), [
   { kind: "decision", subject: "decision-a1-0", text: "Keep the MVP quiet.", scope: "branch", sourceEntryId: "a1", sourceType: "assistant", timestamp: 2, confidence: 0.9 },
   { kind: "activeTask", subject: "next-step-a2-0", text: "Wire hooks into pi.", scope: "branch", sourceEntryId: "a2", sourceType: "assistant", timestamp: 3, confidence: 0.8 },
   { kind: "relevantFile", subject: "runtime-ts", text: "src/runtime.ts", scope: "branch", sourceEntryId: "a3", sourceType: "assistant", timestamp: 4, confidence: 0.7 },
+  { kind: "openQuestion", subject: "blocked-a4-0", text: "Verify /tree replaceInstructions behavior.", scope: "branch", sourceEntryId: "a4", sourceType: "assistant", timestamp: 5, confidence: 0.8 },
 ]);
 
 test("buildCompactionSummary renders the exact section order and content", () => {
@@ -134,6 +135,9 @@ test("buildResumePacket renders restart guidance in the expected order", () => {
       "",
       "## Key decisions",
       "- Keep the MVP quiet.",
+      "",
+      "## Open questions / blockers",
+      "- Verify /tree replaceInstructions behavior.",
     ].join("\n")
   );
 });
diff --git a/src/summaries.ts b/src/summaries.ts
index b4a722b..d540c62 100644
--- a/src/summaries.ts
+++ b/src/summaries.ts
@@ -197,6 +197,7 @@ export function buildResumePacket(ledger: LedgerState): string {
     ...lines("Current task", getActiveItems(ledger, "activeTask").map((item) => item.text)),
     ...lines("Constraints", getActiveItems(ledger, "constraint").map((item) => item.text)),
     ...lines("Key decisions", getActiveItems(ledger, "decision").map((item) => item.text)),
+    ...lines("Open questions / blockers", getActiveItems(ledger, "openQuestion").map((item) => item.text)),
   ].join("\n").trim();
 }