diff --git a/packages/client/src/effect/api/api.ts b/packages/client/src/effect/api/api.ts
index ce59c9c12b7..3a65e5812ca 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/effect/api/api.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/effect/api/api.ts
@@ -420,6 +420,7 @@ export type Endpoint5_26Output =
           readonly data: {
             readonly sessionID: Session.ID
             readonly delta: { readonly [x: string]: (string & Brand.Brand<"Instruction.Hash">) | "removed" }
+            readonly text?: string | undefined
           }
         }
       | {
diff --git a/packages/client/src/promise/generated/types.ts b/packages/client/src/promise/generated/types.ts
index a8f8d88b989..bb1da0aa2fe 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/promise/generated/types.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/promise/generated/types.ts
@@ -676,7 +676,7 @@ export type SessionInstructionsUpdated = {
   type: "session.instructions.updated"
   durable: { aggregateID: string; seq: number; version: 2 }
   location?: LocationRef
-  data: { sessionID: string; delta: { [x: string]: string | "removed" } }
+  data: { sessionID: string; delta: { [x: string]: string | "removed" }; text?: string }
 }
 
 export type SessionSynthetic = {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/session.ts b/packages/core/src/session.ts
index e438e67bb26..c7628ec799d 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/session.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/session.ts
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ const layer = Layer.effect(
       fork: Effect.fn("Session.fork")(function* (input) {
         const parent = yield* result.get(input.sessionID)
         const boundary = yield* db
-          .select({ id: SessionMessageTable.id, seq: SessionMessageTable.seq })
+          .select({ id: SessionMessageTable.id })
           .from(SessionMessageTable)
           .where(
             and(
@@ -429,13 +429,14 @@ const layer = Layer.effect(
           })
         if (!boundary) return yield* new ForkEmptyError({ sessionID: input.sessionID })
         const sessionID = SessionSchema.ID.create()
-        const instructionThrough =
-          input.boundary.type === "before" ? boundary.seq - 1 : yield* Bus.latestSequence(db, parent.id)
+        // The fork adopts the parent's newest instruction values rather than the
+        // values in effect at the boundary; copied history may contain frozen
+        // instruction-update text the initial baseline already reflects.
         yield* bus.publish(SessionEvent.Forked, {
           sessionID,
           parentID: parent.id,
           boundary: { ...input.boundary, messageID: boundary.id },
-          instructions: yield* InstructionState.valuesAt(db, parent.id, instructionThrough),
+          instructions: yield* InstructionState.current(db, parent.id),
         })
         return yield* result.get(sessionID).pipe(Effect.orDie)
       }),
diff --git a/packages/core/src/session/history.ts b/packages/core/src/session/history.ts
index 85114d35886..8aacf032af3 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/session/history.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/session/history.ts
@@ -80,10 +80,9 @@ export const entriesForRunner = Effect.fn("SessionHistory.entriesForRunner")(fun
     .transaction(() =>
       Effect.gen(function* () {
         const messages = yield* messageEntries(db, sessionID)
-        const assembled = yield* InstructionState.assemble(db, sessionID, instructions)
         return {
-          initial: assembled.initial,
-          entries: [...messages, ...assembled.updates].toSorted((a, b) => a.seq - b.seq),
+          initial: yield* InstructionState.initial(db, sessionID, instructions),
+          entries: messages,
         }
       }),
     )
@@ -106,10 +105,9 @@ export const preview = Effect.fn("SessionHistory.preview")(function* (
         )
         const settled = unsettled === -1 ? messages : messages.slice(0, unsettled)
         const assembled = yield* InstructionState.preview(db, sessionID, instructions, observed)
-        const entries = [...settled, ...assembled.updates].toSorted((a, b) => a.seq - b.seq)
         return {
           initial: assembled.initial,
-          messages: entries.map((entry) => entry.message),
+          messages: settled.map((entry) => entry.message),
           instructionUpdate: assembled.update,
         }
       }),
diff --git a/packages/core/src/session/instruction-state.ts b/packages/core/src/session/instruction-state.ts
index 119bff62cae..c366b592591 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/session/instruction-state.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/session/instruction-state.ts
@@ -1,25 +1,20 @@
 export * as InstructionState from "./instruction-state"
 
-import { and, asc, desc, eq, gt, inArray, lte, sql } from "drizzle-orm"
-import { DateTime, Effect, Option, Schema } from "effect"
+import { eq, inArray, sql } from "drizzle-orm"
+import { Effect, Option, Schema } from "effect"
 import type { Database } from "../database/database"
-import { Bus } from "../bus"
-import { EventTable } from "../event/sql"
+import type { Bus } from "../bus"
 import { Instructions } from "../instructions/index"
 import { SessionEvent } from "./event"
-import { SessionMessage } from "./message"
-import { Event } from "@opencode-ai/schema/event"
 import { SessionSchema } from "./schema"
 import { InstructionBlobTable, InstructionStateTable } from "./sql"
 
 type DatabaseService = Database.Interface["db"]
 
-const decodeInstructionsUpdated = Schema.decodeUnknownSync(SessionEvent.InstructionsUpdated.data)
-const decodeForked = Schema.decodeUnknownSync(SessionEvent.Forked.data)
-
 export interface Observation extends Instructions.Admission {
   readonly sessionID: SessionSchema.ID
   readonly initial: boolean
+  readonly previous: Instructions.Values
   readonly current: Instructions.Values
 }
 
@@ -28,13 +23,14 @@ export const observe = Effect.fn("InstructionState.observe")(function* (
   instructions: Instructions.Instructions,
   sessionID: SessionSchema.ID,
 ): Effect.fn.Return<Observation, Instructions.InitializationBlocked> {
-  const [observed, stored] = yield* Effect.all([Instructions.read(instructions), ensure(db, sessionID)], {
+  const [observed, stored] = yield* Effect.all([Instructions.read(instructions), find(db, sessionID)], {
     concurrency: "unbounded",
   })
   const result = yield* observeAgainst(observed, stored?.current_values)
   return {
     sessionID,
     initial: !stored,
+    previous: stored?.current_values ?? {},
     ...result,
   }
 })
@@ -42,12 +38,20 @@ export const observe = Effect.fn("InstructionState.observe")(function* (
 export const commit = Effect.fn("InstructionState.commit")(function* (
   db: DatabaseService,
   bus: Bus.Interface,
+  instructions: Instructions.Instructions,
   observation: Observation,
 ) {
   if (!observation.initial && Object.keys(observation.delta).length === 0) return
+  // The rendered text is frozen into the durable event: replaying it later would
+  // require the Location-scoped registry that produced it.
+  const text = observation.initial ? "" : yield* renderUpdateText(db, instructions, observation)
   yield* bus.publish(
     SessionEvent.InstructionsUpdated,
-    { sessionID: observation.sessionID, delta: observation.delta },
+    {
+      sessionID: observation.sessionID,
+      delta: observation.delta,
+      ...(text.length > 0 ? { text } : {}),
+    },
     {
       // Initial sync establishes the baseline; unlike later deltas it is not chronological history.
       ...(observation.initial ? { metadata: { instructions: { initial: true } } } : {}),
@@ -56,13 +60,27 @@ export const commit = Effect.fn("InstructionState.commit")(function* (
   )
 })
 
+const renderUpdateText = Effect.fnUntraced(function* (
+  db: DatabaseService,
+  instructions: Instructions.Instructions,
+  observation: Observation,
+) {
+  const replaced = Object.entries(observation.previous).filter(([key]) => Object.hasOwn(observation.delta, key))
+  const blobs = yield* loadBlobs(db, replaced.map(([, hash]) => hash))
+  const previous = Object.fromEntries(replaced.map(([key, hash]) => [key, requireBlob(blobs, hash)]))
+  const admitted = new Map(
+    Object.entries(observation.blobs).map(([hash, value]) => [Instructions.Hash.make(hash), value]),
+  )
+  return Instructions.renderUpdate(instructions, previous, dereferenceDelta(observation.delta, admitted))
+})
+
 export const prepare = Effect.fn("InstructionState.prepare")(function* (
   db: DatabaseService,
   bus: Bus.Interface,
   instructions: Instructions.Instructions,
   sessionID: SessionSchema.ID,
 ) {
-  yield* commit(db, bus, yield* observe(db, instructions, sessionID))
+  yield* commit(db, bus, instructions, yield* observe(db, instructions, sessionID))
 })
 
 export const apply = Effect.fn("InstructionState.apply")(function* (
@@ -140,79 +158,24 @@ export const reset = Effect.fn("InstructionState.reset")(function* (db: Database
     .pipe(Effect.orDie)
 })
 
-export const rebuild = Effect.fn("InstructionState.rebuild")(function* (
-  db: DatabaseService,
-  sessionID: SessionSchema.ID,
-) {
-  const state = yield* stateFromEvents(db, sessionID)
-  if (!state) {
-    yield* reset(db, sessionID)
-    return undefined
-  }
-  yield* db
-    .insert(InstructionStateTable)
-    .values(state)
-    .onConflictDoUpdate({
-      target: InstructionStateTable.session_id,
-      set: {
-        epoch_start: state.epoch_start,
-        through_seq: state.through_seq,
-        initial_values: state.initial_values,
-        current_values: state.current_values,
-      },
-    })
-    .run()
-    .pipe(Effect.orDie)
-  return state
-})
-
-const assembleState = Effect.fnUntraced(function* (
-  db: DatabaseService,
-  sessionID: SessionSchema.ID,
-  instructions: Instructions.Instructions,
-  state: typeof InstructionStateTable.$inferSelect,
-) {
-  const rows = yield* instructionUpdatesAfter(db, sessionID, state.epoch_start)
-  const updates = rows.map((row) => ({
-    row,
-    delta: decodeInstructionsUpdated(row.data).delta,
-  }))
-  const blobs = yield* loadBlobs(db, [
-    ...Object.values(state.initial_values),
-    ...updates.flatMap((update) =>
-      Object.values(update.delta).filter((hash): hash is Instructions.Hash => hash !== "removed"),
-    ),
-  ])
-  const valuesAtStart = dereference(state.initial_values, blobs)
-  let values = valuesAtStart
-  const result: Array<{ readonly seq: number; readonly message: SessionMessage.System }> = []
-  for (const update of updates) {
-    const delta = dereferenceDelta(update.delta, blobs)
-    const text = Instructions.renderUpdate(instructions, values, delta)
-    if (text.length > 0)
-      result.push({
-        seq: update.row.seq,
-        message: SessionMessage.System.make({
-          id: SessionMessage.ID.fromEvent(Event.ID.make(update.row.id)),
-          type: "system",
-          text,
-          time: { created: DateTime.makeUnsafe(update.row.created) },
-        }),
-      })
-    values = Instructions.applyDelta(values, delta)
-  }
-  return { initial: Instructions.renderInitial(instructions, valuesAtStart), updates: result, current: values }
-})
-
-export const assemble = Effect.fn("InstructionState.assemble")(function* (
+/** Renders the epoch baseline shown at the start of every model request. */
+export const initial = Effect.fn("InstructionState.initial")(function* (
   db: DatabaseService,
   sessionID: SessionSchema.ID,
   instructions: Instructions.Instructions,
 ) {
   const state = yield* find(db, sessionID)
   if (!state) return yield* Effect.die(new Error(`Instruction state not found during assembly: ${sessionID}`))
-  const assembled = yield* assembleState(db, sessionID, instructions, state)
-  return { initial: assembled.initial, updates: assembled.updates }
+  const blobs = yield* loadBlobs(db, Object.values(state.initial_values))
+  return Instructions.renderInitial(instructions, dereference(state.initial_values, blobs))
+})
+
+/** The current instruction values, used to seed a fork's baseline. */
+export const current = Effect.fn("InstructionState.current")(function* (
+  db: DatabaseService,
+  sessionID: SessionSchema.ID,
+) {
+  return (yield* find(db, sessionID))?.current_values
 })
 
 export const preview = Effect.fn("InstructionState.preview")(function* (
@@ -221,20 +184,26 @@ export const preview = Effect.fn("InstructionState.preview")(function* (
   instructions: Instructions.Instructions,
   observed: Instructions.ReadResult,
 ) {
-  const state = yield* readState(db, sessionID)
+  const state = yield* find(db, sessionID)
   const result = yield* observeAgainst(observed, state?.current_values)
-  const blobs = new Map<Instructions.Hash, Schema.Json>(
+  const observedBlobs = new Map<Instructions.Hash, Schema.Json>(
     Object.entries(result.blobs).map(([hash, value]) => [Instructions.Hash.make(hash), value]),
   )
   if (!state) {
-    const values = dereference(result.current, blobs)
-    return { initial: Instructions.renderInitial(instructions, values), updates: [], update: "" }
+    const values = dereference(result.current, observedBlobs)
+    return { initial: Instructions.renderInitial(instructions, values), update: "" }
   }
-  const assembled = yield* assembleState(db, sessionID, instructions, state)
+  const stored = yield* loadBlobs(db, [
+    ...Object.values(state.initial_values),
+    ...Object.values(state.current_values),
+  ])
   return {
-    initial: assembled.initial,
-    updates: assembled.updates,
-    update: Instructions.renderUpdate(instructions, assembled.current, dereferenceDelta(result.delta, blobs)),
+    initial: Instructions.renderInitial(instructions, dereference(state.initial_values, stored)),
+    update: Instructions.renderUpdate(
+      instructions,
+      dereference(state.current_values, stored),
+      dereferenceDelta(result.delta, new Map([...stored, ...observedBlobs])),
+    ),
   }
 })
 
@@ -255,46 +224,6 @@ const find = Effect.fnUntraced(function* (db: DatabaseService, sessionID: Sessio
     .pipe(Effect.orDie)
 })
 
-const ensure = Effect.fnUntraced(function* (db: DatabaseService, sessionID: SessionSchema.ID) {
-  const stored = yield* find(db, sessionID)
-  if (!stored) return yield* rebuild(db, sessionID)
-  const latest = yield* latestRelevantSequence(db, sessionID)
-  if (!latest || latest.seq <= stored.through_seq) return stored
-  return yield* rebuild(db, sessionID)
-})
-
-const readState = Effect.fnUntraced(function* (db: DatabaseService, sessionID: SessionSchema.ID) {
-  const stored = yield* find(db, sessionID)
-  if (!stored) return yield* stateFromEvents(db, sessionID)
-  const latest = yield* latestRelevantSequence(db, sessionID)
-  if (!latest || latest.seq <= stored.through_seq) return stored
-  return yield* stateFromEvents(db, sessionID)
-})
-
-const stateFromEvents = Effect.fnUntraced(function* (db: DatabaseService, sessionID: SessionSchema.ID) {
-  const folded = fold(yield* instructionEvents(db, sessionID))
-  return folded ? foldedState(sessionID, folded) : undefined
-})
-
-export const valuesAt = Effect.fn("InstructionState.valuesAt")(function* (
-  db: DatabaseService,
-  sessionID: SessionSchema.ID,
-  through: number,
-) {
-  return fold(yield* instructionEvents(db, sessionID, through))?.current
-})
-
-const latestRelevantSequence = Effect.fnUntraced(function* (db: DatabaseService, sessionID: SessionSchema.ID) {
-  return yield* db
-    .select({ seq: EventTable.seq })
-    .from(EventTable)
-    .where(and(eq(EventTable.aggregate_id, sessionID), inArray(EventTable.type, relevantEventTypes)))
-    .orderBy(desc(EventTable.seq))
-    .limit(1)
-    .get()
-    .pipe(Effect.orDie)
-})
-
 const insertBlobs = Effect.fnUntraced(function* (db: DatabaseService, blobs: Readonly<Record<string, Schema.Json>>) {
   const rows = Object.entries(blobs).map(([hash, value]) => ({ hash: Instructions.Hash.make(hash), value }))
   if (rows.length === 0) return
@@ -339,106 +268,3 @@ function requireBlob(blobs: ReadonlyMap<Instructions.Hash, Schema.Json>, hash: I
   if (value === undefined) throw new Error(`Instruction blob not found: ${hash}`)
   return value
 }
-
-const instructionEventType = Bus.versionedType(
-  SessionEvent.InstructionsUpdated.type,
-  SessionEvent.InstructionsUpdated.durable.version,
-)
-const compactionEventType = Bus.versionedType(
-  SessionEvent.Compaction.Ended.type,
-  SessionEvent.Compaction.Ended.durable.version,
-)
-const movedEventType = Bus.versionedType(SessionEvent.Moved.type, SessionEvent.Moved.durable.version)
-const revertedEventType = Bus.versionedType(
-  SessionEvent.RevertEvent.Committed.type,
-  SessionEvent.RevertEvent.Committed.durable.version,
-)
-const forkedEventType = Bus.versionedType(SessionEvent.Forked.type, SessionEvent.Forked.durable.version)
-const relevantEventTypes = [
-  forkedEventType,
-  instructionEventType,
-  compactionEventType,
-  movedEventType,
-  revertedEventType,
-]
-
-type InstructionEventRow = typeof EventTable.$inferSelect
-
-const instructionEvents = Effect.fnUntraced(function* (
-  db: DatabaseService,
-  sessionID: SessionSchema.ID,
-  through?: number,
-): Effect.fn.Return<ReadonlyArray<InstructionEventRow>> {
-  return yield* eventRows(db, sessionID, relevantEventTypes, undefined, through)
-})
-
-const instructionUpdatesAfter = Effect.fnUntraced(function* (
-  db: DatabaseService,
-  sessionID: SessionSchema.ID,
-  after: number,
-) {
-  return yield* eventRows(db, sessionID, [instructionEventType], after)
-})
-
-const eventRows = Effect.fnUntraced(function* (
-  db: DatabaseService,
-  sessionID: SessionSchema.ID,
-  types: ReadonlyArray<string>,
-  after?: number,
-  through?: number,
-): Effect.fn.Return<ReadonlyArray<InstructionEventRow>> {
-  return yield* db
-    .select()
-    .from(EventTable)
-    .where(
-      and(
-        eq(EventTable.aggregate_id, sessionID),
-        inArray(EventTable.type, types),
-        after === undefined ? undefined : gt(EventTable.seq, after),
-        through === undefined ? undefined : lte(EventTable.seq, through),
-      ),
-    )
-    .orderBy(asc(EventTable.seq))
-    .all()
-    .pipe(Effect.orDie)
-})
-
-function fold(rows: ReadonlyArray<InstructionEventRow>) {
-  return rows.reduce<
-    | {
-        readonly epochStart: number
-        readonly throughSeq: number
-        readonly initial: Instructions.Values
-        readonly current: Instructions.Values
-      }
-    | undefined
-  >((state, row) => {
-    if (row.type === forkedEventType) {
-      const instructions = decodeForked(row.data).instructions
-      return instructions
-        ? { epochStart: row.seq, throughSeq: row.seq, initial: instructions, current: instructions }
-        : undefined
-    }
-    if (row.type === movedEventType || row.type === revertedEventType) return undefined
-    if (row.type === compactionEventType)
-      return state
-        ? { epochStart: row.seq, throughSeq: row.seq, initial: state.current, current: state.current }
-        : undefined
-    if (row.type !== instructionEventType) return state
-    const delta = decodeInstructionsUpdated(row.data).delta
-    const current = Instructions.applyHashDelta(state?.current ?? {}, delta)
-    return state
-      ? { ...state, throughSeq: row.seq, current }
-      : { epochStart: row.seq, throughSeq: row.seq, initial: current, current }
-  }, undefined)
-}
-
-function foldedState(sessionID: SessionSchema.ID, folded: NonNullable<ReturnType<typeof fold>>) {
-  return {
-    session_id: sessionID,
-    epoch_start: folded.epochStart,
-    through_seq: folded.throughSeq,
-    initial_values: folded.initial,
-    current_values: folded.current,
-  }
-}
diff --git a/packages/core/src/session/message-updater.ts b/packages/core/src/session/message-updater.ts
index af1aa353365..95ca6298947 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/session/message-updater.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/session/message-updater.ts
@@ -179,7 +179,18 @@ export function update(adapter: Adapter, event: SessionEvent.Event) {
       "session.execution.succeeded": () => clearCurrentRetry,
       "session.execution.failed": () => clearCurrentRetry,
       "session.execution.interrupted": () => clearCurrentRetry,
-      "session.instructions.updated": () => Effect.void,
+      "session.instructions.updated": (event) => {
+        if (event.data.text === undefined) return Effect.void
+        return adapter.appendMessage(
+          SessionMessage.System.make({
+            id: SessionMessage.ID.fromEvent(event.id),
+            type: "system",
+            text: event.data.text,
+            metadata: event.metadata,
+            time: { created: event.created },
+          }),
+        )
+      },
       "session.synthetic": (event) => {
         return adapter.appendMessage(
           SessionMessage.Synthetic.make({
diff --git a/packages/core/src/session/projector.ts b/packages/core/src/session/projector.ts
index 1f738ca9fb3..7c5ea023967 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/session/projector.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/session/projector.ts
@@ -21,10 +21,7 @@ import { Money } from "@opencode-ai/schema/money"
 
 type DatabaseService = Database.Interface["db"]
 type CurrentDurableEvent = Extract<SessionEvent.Event, { readonly durable: object }>
-type MessageEvent = Exclude<
-  CurrentDurableEvent,
-  typeof SessionEvent.Forked.Type | typeof SessionEvent.Deleted.Type | typeof SessionEvent.InstructionsUpdated.Type
->
+type MessageEvent = Exclude<CurrentDurableEvent, typeof SessionEvent.Forked.Type | typeof SessionEvent.Deleted.Type>
 
 const decodeMessage = Schema.decodeUnknownSync(SessionMessage.Info)
 const encodeMessage = Schema.encodeSync(SessionMessage.Info)
@@ -638,7 +635,10 @@ const layer = Layer.effectDiscard(
     yield* bus.project(SessionEvent.Execution.Failed, (event) => run(db, event))
     yield* bus.project(SessionEvent.Execution.Interrupted, (event) => run(db, event))
     yield* bus.project(SessionEvent.InstructionsUpdated, (event) =>
-      InstructionState.apply(db, event.data.sessionID, event.durable.seq, event.data.delta),
+      Effect.gen(function* () {
+        yield* run(db, event)
+        yield* InstructionState.apply(db, event.data.sessionID, event.durable.seq, event.data.delta)
+      }),
     )
     yield* bus.project(SessionEvent.Synthetic, (event) => run(db, event))
     yield* bus.project(SessionEvent.Skill.Activated, (event) => run(db, event))
diff --git a/packages/core/test/instruction-state.test.ts b/packages/core/test/instruction-state.test.ts
index 4e75340d783..d63ea574973 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/instruction-state.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/instruction-state.test.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import { AbsolutePath } from "@opencode-ai/core/schema"
 import { InstructionState } from "@opencode-ai/core/session/instruction-state"
 import { SessionProjector } from "@opencode-ai/core/session/projector"
 import { SessionSchema } from "@opencode-ai/core/session/schema"
-import { InstructionBlobTable, InstructionStateTable, SessionTable } from "@opencode-ai/core/session/sql"
+import { InstructionBlobTable, InstructionStateTable, SessionMessageTable, SessionTable } from "@opencode-ai/core/session/sql"
 import { testEffect } from "./lib/effect"
 
 const it = testEffect(AppNodeBuilder.build(LayerNode.group([Database.node, Bus.node, SessionProjector.node])))
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ describe("InstructionState", () => {
       expect(observation).toEqual({
         sessionID,
         initial: true,
+        previous: {},
         current: {
           "test/first": Instructions.hash("first"),
           "test/second": Instructions.hash("second"),
@@ -156,7 +157,7 @@ describe("InstructionState", () => {
 
       const initial = yield* InstructionState.observe(db, instructions, sessionID)
       expect(reads).toBe(2)
-      yield* InstructionState.commit(db, events, initial)
+      yield* InstructionState.commit(db, events, instructions, initial)
       expect(reads).toBe(2)
 
       current = "changed"
@@ -166,6 +167,10 @@ describe("InstructionState", () => {
       expect(changed).toMatchObject({
         sessionID,
         initial: false,
+        previous: {
+          "test/current": Instructions.hash("initial"),
+          "test/retired": Instructions.hash("retired"),
+        },
         current: { "test/current": Instructions.hash("changed") },
         delta: {
           "test/current": Instructions.hash("changed"),
@@ -173,7 +178,7 @@ describe("InstructionState", () => {
         },
         blobs: { [Instructions.hash("changed")]: "changed" },
       })
-      yield* InstructionState.commit(db, events, changed)
+      yield* InstructionState.commit(db, events, instructions, changed)
       expect(reads).toBe(4)
       yield* unsubscribe
 
@@ -190,6 +195,11 @@ describe("InstructionState", () => {
           "test/retired": "removed",
         },
       ])
+      // The chronological update text is frozen into the event; the baseline has none.
+      expect((yield* instructionEvents(db, sessionID)).map((event) => event.data.text)).toEqual([
+        undefined,
+        "changed\n\nRemoved retired",
+      ])
       expect(yield* db.select().from(InstructionStateTable).get().pipe(Effect.orDie)).toMatchObject({
         initial_values: {
           "test/current": Instructions.hash("initial"),
@@ -222,18 +232,19 @@ describe("InstructionState", () => {
       expect(observation).toEqual({
         sessionID,
         initial: false,
+        previous: { "test/context": Instructions.hash("unchanged") },
         current: { "test/context": Instructions.hash("unchanged") },
         delta: {},
         blobs: {},
       })
-      yield* InstructionState.commit(db, events, observation)
+      yield* InstructionState.commit(db, events, instructions, observation)
 
       expect(yield* instructionEvents(db, sessionID)).toEqual(beforeEvents)
       expect(yield* db.select().from(InstructionBlobTable).all().pipe(Effect.orDie)).toEqual(beforeBlobs)
     }),
   )
 
-  it.effect("assembles a fresh private update without repairing a missing cache", () =>
+  it.effect("treats a missing state row as a fresh baseline without repairing it", () =>
     Effect.gen(function* () {
       const sessionID = SessionSchema.ID.make("ses_instruction_generate")
       const { db, events } = yield* setup(sessionID)
@@ -254,7 +265,7 @@ describe("InstructionState", () => {
 
       const assembled = yield* preview(db, sessionID, instructions)
 
-      expect(assembled).toEqual({ initial: "Initial context", updates: [], update: "Changed context" })
+      expect(assembled).toEqual({ initial: "Changed context", update: "" })
       expect(yield* instructionEvents(db, sessionID)).toEqual(beforeEvents)
       expect(yield* db.select().from(InstructionBlobTable).all().pipe(Effect.orDie)).toEqual(beforeBlobs)
       expect(
@@ -268,7 +279,7 @@ describe("InstructionState", () => {
     }),
   )
 
-  it.effect("reads through a stale cache without repairing it", () =>
+  it.effect("trusts the projected state without consulting durable events", () =>
     Effect.gen(function* () {
       const sessionID = SessionSchema.ID.make("ses_instruction_generate_stale")
       const { db, events } = yield* setup(sessionID)
@@ -280,6 +291,7 @@ describe("InstructionState", () => {
       yield* InstructionState.prepare(db, events, instructions, sessionID)
       value = "Committed update"
       yield* InstructionState.prepare(db, events, instructions, sessionID)
+      // Tamper with the projected state; the authoritative row wins over event history.
       yield* db
         .update(InstructionStateTable)
         .set({ through_seq: 0, current_values: { "test/context": Instructions.hash("Initial context") } })
@@ -294,7 +306,6 @@ describe("InstructionState", () => {
       const assembled = yield* preview(db, sessionID, instructions)
 
       expect(assembled.initial).toBe("Initial context")
-      expect(assembled.updates.map((entry) => entry.message.text)).toEqual(["Committed update"])
       expect(assembled.update).toBe("Private update")
       expect(yield* instructionEvents(db, sessionID)).toEqual(beforeEvents)
       expect(yield* db.select().from(InstructionBlobTable).all().pipe(Effect.orDie)).toEqual(beforeBlobs)
@@ -302,6 +313,41 @@ describe("InstructionState", () => {
     }),
   )
 
+  it.effect("persists chronological updates as system messages", () =>
+    Effect.gen(function* () {
+      const sessionID = SessionSchema.ID.make("ses_instruction_messages")
+      const { db, events } = yield* setup(sessionID)
+      let value = "Initial context"
+      const instructions = source(
+        "test/context",
+        Effect.sync(() => value),
+      )
+      const messages = () =>
+        db
+          .select()
+          .from(SessionMessageTable)
+          .where(and(eq(SessionMessageTable.session_id, sessionID), eq(SessionMessageTable.type, "system")))
+          .orderBy(asc(SessionMessageTable.seq))
+          .all()
+          .pipe(Effect.orDie)
+
+      // The initial baseline is not chronological history and produces no message.
+      yield* InstructionState.prepare(db, events, instructions, sessionID)
+      expect(yield* messages()).toEqual([])
+
+      value = "Changed context"
+      yield* InstructionState.prepare(db, events, instructions, sessionID)
+      const rows = yield* messages()
+      expect(rows).toHaveLength(1)
+      expect(rows[0]?.data).toMatchObject({ text: "Changed context" })
+      expect(rows.map((row) => row.seq)).toEqual([(yield* instructionEvents(db, sessionID)).at(-1)!.seq])
+
+      // A no-op observation adds nothing.
+      yield* InstructionState.prepare(db, events, instructions, sessionID)
+      expect(yield* messages()).toHaveLength(1)
+    }),
+  )
+
   it.effect("assembles initial instructions without persisting a baseline", () =>
     Effect.gen(function* () {
       const sessionID = SessionSchema.ID.make("ses_instruction_generate_initial")
@@ -310,7 +356,6 @@ describe("InstructionState", () => {
 
       expect(yield* preview(db, sessionID, instructions)).toEqual({
         initial: "Initial context",
-        updates: [],
         update: "",
       })
       expect(yield* instructionEvents(db, sessionID)).toEqual([])
@@ -336,7 +381,6 @@ describe("InstructionState", () => {
 
       expect(yield* preview(db, sessionID, instructions)).toEqual({
         initial: "Committed context",
-        updates: [],
         update: "",
       })
       expect(yield* instructionEvents(db, sessionID)).toEqual(beforeEvents)
@@ -388,7 +432,7 @@ describe("InstructionState", () => {
       for (const next of ["initial", "changed", "changed", Instructions.removed] as const) {
         value = next
         yield* InstructionState.observe(db, observedInstructions, observedSessionID).pipe(
-          Effect.flatMap((observation) => InstructionState.commit(db, events, observation)),
+          Effect.flatMap((observation) => InstructionState.commit(db, events, observedInstructions, observation)),
         )
         yield* InstructionState.prepare(db, events, preparedInstructions, preparedSessionID)
       }
diff --git a/packages/core/test/session-runner.test.ts b/packages/core/test/session-runner.test.ts
index 2567aa34c1b..5ac96a6def1 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/session-runner.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/session-runner.test.ts
@@ -1180,7 +1180,7 @@ describe("SessionRunnerLLM", () => {
     }),
   )
 
-  it.effect("forks instruction values at the selected message instead of the parent's latest state", () =>
+  it.effect("seeds a fork with the parent's newest instruction values", () =>
     Effect.gen(function* () {
       const session = yield* setup
       yield* runPrompt(session, "First")
@@ -1197,14 +1197,16 @@ describe("SessionRunnerLLM", () => {
           .where(eq(InstructionStateTable.session_id, forked.id))
           .get(),
       ).toMatchObject({
-        initial_values: { "test/context": Instructions.hash("Changed context") },
-        current_values: { "test/context": Instructions.hash("Changed context") },
+        initial_values: { "test/context": Instructions.hash("Latest context") },
+        current_values: { "test/context": Instructions.hash("Latest context") },
       })
       yield* session.prompt({ sessionID: forked.id, text: "Forked", resume: false })
       yield* session.resume(forked.id)
 
-      expect(requests.at(-1)?.system.map((part) => part.text)).toEqual([defaultSystem, "Changed context"])
-      expect(systemTexts(requests.at(-1)!)).toContain("Latest context")
+      expect(requests.at(-1)?.system.map((part) => part.text)).toEqual([defaultSystem, "Latest context"])
+      // Copied history keeps the frozen chronological update; no new update is emitted.
+      expect(systemTexts(requests.at(-1)!)).toContain("Changed context")
+      expect(systemTexts(requests.at(-1)!)).not.toContain("Latest context")
 
       const { db } = yield* Database.Service
       const bus = yield* Bus.Service
@@ -1263,7 +1265,7 @@ describe("SessionRunnerLLM", () => {
     }),
   )
 
-  it.effect("rebuilds a missing instruction cache without admitting another delta", () =>
+  it.effect("re-establishes a fresh baseline when instruction state is missing", () =>
     Effect.gen(function* () {
       const session = yield* setup
       const { db } = yield* Database.Service
@@ -1277,13 +1279,15 @@ describe("SessionRunnerLLM", () => {
       expect(requests).toHaveLength(1)
       expect(requests[0]?.system.map((part) => part.text)).toEqual([defaultSystem, "Initial context"])
       expect(messageRoles(requests[0])).toEqual(["user", "user"])
+      // The projected row is authoritative: a missing row admits a fresh baseline
+      // instead of rebuilding from durable events.
       expect(
         yield* db
-          .select({ id: EventTable.id })
+          .select({ data: EventTable.data })
           .from(EventTable)
           .where(eq(EventTable.type, "session.instructions.updated.2"))
           .all(),
-      ).toHaveLength(1)
+      ).toHaveLength(2)
       expect(yield* db.select().from(InstructionStateTable).get()).toMatchObject({
         initial_values: { "test/context": Instructions.hash("Initial context") },
         current_values: { "test/context": Instructions.hash("Initial context") },
@@ -1310,7 +1314,10 @@ describe("SessionRunnerLLM", () => {
       ])
       expect(messageRoles(requests[1])).toEqual(["user", "system", "user"])
       expect(requests[1]?.messages.at(1)?.content).toEqual([{ type: "text", text: "Changed context" }])
-      expect(yield* session.messages({ sessionID })).toHaveLength(2)
+      // The chronological update is a durable client-visible system message.
+      const messages = yield* session.messages({ sessionID })
+      expect(messages).toHaveLength(3)
+      expect(messages[1]).toMatchObject({ type: "system", text: "Changed context" })
       const { db } = yield* Database.Service
       const updates = yield* db
         .select({ data: EventTable.data })
@@ -1327,9 +1334,10 @@ describe("SessionRunnerLLM", () => {
       expect(updates[1]?.data).toEqual({
         sessionID,
         delta: { "test/context": Instructions.hash("Changed context") },
+        text: "Changed context",
       })
       yield* replaySessionProjection(sessionID)
-      expect(yield* session.messages({ sessionID })).toHaveLength(2)
+      expect(yield* session.messages({ sessionID })).toHaveLength(3)
     }),
   )
 
@@ -1596,7 +1604,7 @@ describe("SessionRunnerLLM", () => {
       expect(requests[1]?.messages.at(1)?.content).toEqual([
         { type: "text", text: "System context source removed: test/context" },
       ])
-      expect(yield* session.messages({ sessionID })).toHaveLength(2)
+      expect(yield* session.messages({ sessionID })).toHaveLength(3)
     }),
   )
 
@@ -1708,12 +1716,14 @@ describe("SessionRunnerLLM", () => {
       expect(requests[2]?.messages.filter((message) => message.role === "system")).toHaveLength(2)
       expect((yield* session.context(sessionID)).map((message) => message.type)).toEqual([
         "user",
+        "system",
         "user",
         "model-switched",
+        "system",
         "user",
       ])
       yield* replaySessionProjection(sessionID)
-      expect(yield* session.messages({ sessionID })).toHaveLength(4)
+      expect(yield* session.messages({ sessionID })).toHaveLength(6)
       yield* runPrompt(session, "Fourth")
     }),
   )
diff --git a/packages/schema/src/session-event.ts b/packages/schema/src/session-event.ts
index f9cad0d1121..a194604e0d9 100644
--- a/packages/schema/src/session-event.ts
+++ b/packages/schema/src/session-event.ts
@@ -186,6 +186,11 @@ export const InstructionsUpdated = Event.durable({
   schema: {
     ...Base,
     delta: Instruction.Delta,
+    /**
+     * The rendered chronological update shown to the model, frozen at emit time.
+     * Absent for the initial baseline observation and for deltas that render empty.
+     */
+    text: Schema.String.pipe(optional),
   },
 })
 export type InstructionsUpdated = typeof InstructionsUpdated.Type