diff --git a/lib/compress/message.ts b/lib/compress/message.ts
index d759b9f..8d46791 100644
--- a/lib/compress/message.ts
+++ b/lib/compress/message.ts
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ export function createCompressMessageTool(ctx: ToolContext): ReturnType<typeof t
             for (const entry of input.content) {
                 if (entry.summary.length > maxSummaryLengthHard) {
                     throw new Error(
-                        `Summary too long (${entry.summary.length} chars, hard ceiling ${maxSummaryLengthHard}). Aim for <=${ctx.config.compress.maxSummaryLength}; exceed only when strictly necessary. Rewrite more concisely.`,
+                        `Summary too long (${entry.summary.length} chars; limit ${maxSummaryLengthHard}). Rewrite to under ${maxSummaryLengthHard} chars — keep only the most essential details (conclusions, file paths, decisions, exact values) and drop verbose narration or raw dumps.`,
                     )
                 }
             }
diff --git a/lib/compress/range.ts b/lib/compress/range.ts
index f434c52..76699ef 100644
--- a/lib/compress/range.ts
+++ b/lib/compress/range.ts
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ export function createCompressRangeTool(ctx: ToolContext): ReturnType<typeof too
             for (const entry of input.content) {
                 if (entry.summary.length > maxSummaryLengthHard) {
                     throw new Error(
-                        `Summary too long (${entry.summary.length} chars, hard ceiling ${maxSummaryLengthHard}). Aim for <=${ctx.config.compress.maxSummaryLength}; exceed only when strictly necessary. Rewrite more concisely.`,
+                        `Summary too long (${entry.summary.length} chars; limit ${maxSummaryLengthHard}). Rewrite to under ${maxSummaryLengthHard} chars — keep only the most essential details (conclusions, file paths, decisions, exact values) and drop verbose narration or raw dumps.`,
                     )
                 }
             }
diff --git a/lib/config.ts b/lib/config.ts
index 4c7af04..c926780 100644
--- a/lib/config.ts
+++ b/lib/config.ts
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ const defaultConfig: PluginConfig = {
         protectTags: false,
         protectUserMessages: false,
         maxSummaryLength: 200,
-        maxSummaryLengthHard: 800,
+        maxSummaryLengthHard: 3000,
         minCompressRange: 2000,
     },
     strategies: {