diff --git a/src/utils/ai-context.test.ts b/src/utils/ai-context.test.ts
index a317fe3a..e27e5b8c 100644
--- a/src/utils/ai-context.test.ts
+++ b/src/utils/ai-context.test.ts
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ describe('buildContextSnapshot', () => {
     expect(json.noteList).toBeUndefined()
   })
 
-  it('uses activeNoteContent for body when allContent is empty (Tauri mode)', () => {
+  it('strips frontmatter from activeNoteContent before setting body', () => {
     const emptyAllContent: Record<string, string> = {}
     const result = buildContextSnapshot({
       activeEntry: active,
@@ -341,14 +341,27 @@ describe('buildContextSnapshot', () => {
     })
     const json = JSON.parse(result.split('```json\n')[1].split('\n```')[0])
     expect(json.activeNote.body).toContain('Project content from tab.')
+    expect(json.activeNote.body).not.toContain('---')
+    expect(json.activeNote.body).not.toContain('title: Alpha')
   })
 
-  it('prefers activeNoteContent over allContent when both present', () => {
+  it('returns empty body when raw content is frontmatter-only (bug case)', () => {
+    const result = buildContextSnapshot({
+      activeEntry: active,
+      allContent: {},
+      entries,
+      activeNoteContent: '---\ntitle: Alpha\nis_a: Project\nstatus: active\n---\n',
+    })
+    const json = JSON.parse(result.split('```json\n')[1].split('\n```')[0])
+    expect(json.activeNote.body).toBe('')
+  })
+
+  it('prefers activeNoteContent body over allContent when both present', () => {
     const result = buildContextSnapshot({
       activeEntry: active,
       allContent,
       entries,
-      activeNoteContent: 'Fresh editor content',
+      activeNoteContent: '---\ntitle: Alpha\n---\nFresh editor content',
     })
     const json = JSON.parse(result.split('```json\n')[1].split('\n```')[0])
     expect(json.activeNote.body).toBe('Fresh editor content')
@@ -360,6 +373,24 @@ describe('buildContextSnapshot', () => {
     expect(json.activeNote.body).toBe('# Alpha\nProject content.')
   })
 
+  it('includes wordCount in activeNote', () => {
+    const entryWithWords = makeEntry({ path: '/vault/a.md', title: 'Alpha', wordCount: 206 })
+    const result = buildContextSnapshot({ activeEntry: entryWithWords, allContent, entries })
+    const json = JSON.parse(result.split('```json\n')[1].split('\n```')[0])
+    expect(json.activeNote.wordCount).toBe(206)
+  })
+
+  it('handles content with no frontmatter (plain markdown)', () => {
+    const result = buildContextSnapshot({
+      activeEntry: active,
+      allContent: {},
+      entries,
+      activeNoteContent: '# Just a heading\n\nSome plain content.',
+    })
+    const json = JSON.parse(result.split('```json\n')[1].split('\n```')[0])
+    expect(json.activeNote.body).toBe('# Just a heading\n\nSome plain content.')
+  })
+
   it('includes wikilink instruction in preamble', () => {
     const result = buildContextSnapshot({ activeEntry: active, allContent, entries })
     expect(result).toContain('[[Note Title]]')
diff --git a/src/utils/ai-context.ts b/src/utils/ai-context.ts
index f14ed22b..4b673a3e 100644
--- a/src/utils/ai-context.ts
+++ b/src/utils/ai-context.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,13 @@
 
 import type { VaultEntry } from '../types'
 import { wikilinkTarget } from './wikilink'
+import { splitFrontmatter } from './wikilinks'
+
+/** Extract only the body text from raw file content (strips YAML frontmatter). */
+function extractBody(rawContent: string): string {
+  const [, body] = splitFrontmatter(rawContent)
+  return body.trim()
+}
 
 /** Resolve a link target string to a VaultEntry by matching title, aliases, or filename stem. */
 export function resolveTarget(target: string, entries: VaultEntry[]): VaultEntry | undefined {
@@ -98,13 +105,17 @@ const MAX_NOTE_LIST_ITEMS = 100
 export function buildContextSnapshot(params: ContextSnapshotParams): string {
   const { activeEntry, allContent, activeNoteContent, openTabs, noteList, noteListFilter, entries, references } = params
 
+  const rawContent = activeNoteContent ?? allContent[activeEntry.path] ?? ''
+  const body = extractBody(rawContent)
+
   const snapshot: Record<string, unknown> = {
     activeNote: {
       path: activeEntry.path,
       title: activeEntry.title,
       type: activeEntry.isA ?? 'Note',
       frontmatter: entryFrontmatter(activeEntry),
-      body: activeNoteContent ?? allContent[activeEntry.path] ?? '',
+      body,
+      wordCount: activeEntry.wordCount,
     },
   }
 
@@ -146,7 +157,7 @@ export function buildContextSnapshot(params: ContextSnapshotParams): string {
         path: ref.path,
         title: ref.title,
         type: ref.type ?? 'Note',
-        body: allContent[ref.path] ?? '',
+        body: extractBody(allContent[ref.path] ?? ''),
       }))
   }
 
@@ -154,6 +165,7 @@ export function buildContextSnapshot(params: ContextSnapshotParams): string {
     'You are an AI assistant integrated into Laputa, a personal knowledge management app.',
     'The user is viewing a specific note. Use the structured context below to answer questions accurately.',
     'You can also use MCP tools to search, read, create, or edit notes in the vault.',
+    'If the body field is empty but wordCount is > 0, the content may be stale — use get_note to read the full note from disk.',
     'When you mention or reference a note by name, always use [[Note Title]] wikilink syntax so the user can click to open it.',
   ].join('\n')