diff --git a/packages/core/src/mcp/guidance.ts b/packages/core/src/mcp/guidance.ts
index b647bda4bf..89f48bf219 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/mcp/guidance.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/mcp/guidance.ts
@@ -31,23 +31,10 @@ const update = (previous: ReadonlyArray<Summary>, current: ReadonlyArray<Summary
     (server) => server.server,
     (before, after) => before.instructions !== after.instructions,
   )
-  const items = [
-    ...diff.added.map((server) => ({
-      key: server.server,
-      description: "MCP server instructions",
-      action: "added" as const,
-    })),
-    ...diff.removed.map((server) => ({
-      key: server.server,
-      description: "MCP server instructions",
-      action: "removed" as const,
-    })),
-    ...diff.changed.map((server) => ({
-      key: server.current.server,
-      description: "MCP server instructions",
-      action: "updated" as const,
-    })),
-  ]
+  const items = SystemContext.diffItems(diff, (server) => ({
+    key: server.server,
+    description: "MCP server instructions",
+  }))
   // Additions and removals render as small deltas; anything else restates the full list.
   if (diff.changed.length > 0 || (diff.added.length === 0 && diff.removed.length === 0))
     return {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/reference/guidance.ts b/packages/core/src/reference/guidance.ts
index 84458cf0da..3632a9060b 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/reference/guidance.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/reference/guidance.ts
@@ -35,23 +35,10 @@ const update = (previous: ReadonlyArray<typeof Summary.Type>, current: ReadonlyA
     (reference) => reference.name,
     (before, after) => before.path !== after.path || before.description !== after.description,
   )
-  const items = [
-    ...diff.added.map((reference) => ({
-      key: reference.name,
-      description: reference.description ?? reference.path,
-      action: "added" as const,
-    })),
-    ...diff.removed.map((reference) => ({
-      key: reference.name,
-      description: reference.description ?? reference.path,
-      action: "removed" as const,
-    })),
-    ...diff.changed.map((reference) => ({
-      key: reference.current.name,
-      description: reference.current.description ?? reference.current.path,
-      action: "updated" as const,
-    })),
-  ]
+  const items = SystemContext.diffItems(diff, (reference) => ({
+    key: reference.name,
+    description: reference.description ?? reference.path,
+  }))
   // Additions and removals render as small deltas; anything else restates the full list.
   if (diff.changed.length > 0 || (diff.added.length === 0 && diff.removed.length === 0))
     return {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/skill/guidance.ts b/packages/core/src/skill/guidance.ts
index 5ff1918e2d..d249b101d2 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/skill/guidance.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/skill/guidance.ts
@@ -37,15 +37,7 @@ const update = (previous: ReadonlyArray<Summary>, current: ReadonlyArray<Summary
     (skill) => skill.name,
     (before, after) => before.description !== after.description,
   )
-  const items = [
-    ...diff.added.map((skill) => ({ key: skill.name, description: skill.description, action: "added" as const })),
-    ...diff.removed.map((skill) => ({ key: skill.name, description: skill.description, action: "removed" as const })),
-    ...diff.changed.map((skill) => ({
-      key: skill.current.name,
-      description: skill.current.description,
-      action: "updated" as const,
-    })),
-  ]
+  const items = SystemContext.diffItems(diff, (skill) => ({ key: skill.name, description: skill.description }))
   // Additions and removals render as small deltas; anything else restates the full list.
   if (diff.changed.length > 0 || (diff.added.length === 0 && diff.removed.length === 0))
     return {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/system-context/index.ts b/packages/core/src/system-context/index.ts
index 0b486f705f..a9b3a60a44 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/system-context/index.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/system-context/index.ts
@@ -117,7 +117,6 @@ export class DuplicateKeyError extends Schema.TaggedErrorClass<DuplicateKeyError
 
 interface PackedSource {
   readonly key: Key
-  readonly description: string
   readonly load: Effect.Effect<Observed | Unavailable>
   /** Restates the model's belief from a last-applied value when the source cannot be observed. */
   readonly recall: (stored: AppliedSource) => string | undefined
@@ -150,7 +149,6 @@ export function make<A>(source: Source<A>): SystemContext {
   return context([
     {
       key: source.key,
-      description,
       recall: (stored) =>
         Option.match(decode(stored.value), {
           onNone: () => undefined,
@@ -163,8 +161,9 @@ export function make<A>(source: Source<A>): SystemContext {
             description,
             applied: {
               value: encode(value),
-              description,
-              ...(source.removed ? { removed: requireText(source.key, "removal", source.removed(value)) } : {}),
+              ...(source.removed
+                ? { description, removed: requireText(source.key, "removal", source.removed(value)) }
+                : {}),
             },
             baseline: () => baseline(value),
             update: (previous) =>
@@ -206,6 +205,17 @@ export function diffByKey<A>(
   }
 }
 
+export function diffItems<A>(
+  diff: ReturnType<typeof diffByKey<A>>,
+  item: (value: A) => { readonly key: string; readonly description: string },
+): ReadonlyArray<ReconcileItemUpdate> {
+  return [
+    ...diff.added.map((value) => ({ ...item(value), action: "added" as const })),
+    ...diff.removed.map((value) => ({ ...item(value), action: "removed" as const })),
+    ...diff.changed.map((value) => ({ ...item(value.current), action: "updated" as const })),
+  ]
+}
+
 /** Combines contexts in order and rejects duplicate source keys immediately. */
 export function combine(values: ReadonlyArray<SystemContext>): SystemContext {
   const sources = values.flatMap((value) => value[ContextTypeId])
diff --git a/packages/core/test/system-context/index.test.ts b/packages/core/test/system-context/index.test.ts
index c0409ce464..3d1d003eee 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/system-context/index.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/system-context/index.test.ts
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ describe("SystemContext", () => {
         text: "Today's date is 2026-06-03.\n\nDirectory: /repo",
         applied: {
           "core/date": { value: "2026-06-03", description: "Current date", removed: "The date was removed." },
-          "core/location": { value: "/repo", description: "Description for core/location" },
+          "core/location": { value: "/repo" },
         },
       })
       expect(loads).toBe(1)
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ describe("SystemContext", () => {
         _tag: "Updated",
         text: "Available skill: effect",
         updates: [{ key: key("core/skills"), description: "Description for core/skills", action: "added" }],
-        applied: { "core/skills": { value: "effect", description: "Description for core/skills" } },
+        applied: { "core/skills": { value: "effect" } },
       })
     }),
   )
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ describe("SystemContext", () => {
         text: "effect",
         updates: [{ key: key("core/skills"), description: "Description for core/skills", action: "added" }],
         applied: {
-          "core/skills": { value: "effect", description: "Description for core/skills" },
+          "core/skills": { value: "effect" },
           "core/date": { value: "2026-06-04" },
         },
       })
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ describe("SystemContext", () => {
         _tag: "Updated",
         text: "2026-06-04",
         updates: [{ key: key("core/date"), description: "Description for core/date", action: "updated" }],
-        applied: { "core/date": { value: "2026-06-04", description: "Description for core/date" } },
+        applied: { "core/date": { value: "2026-06-04" } },
       })
     }),
   )
@@ -250,8 +250,8 @@ describe("SystemContext", () => {
           { key: key("core/location"), description: "Description for core/location", action: "updated" },
         ],
         applied: {
-          "core/date": { value: "2026-06-04", description: "Description for core/date" },
-          "core/location": { value: "/repo", description: "Description for core/location" },
+          "core/date": { value: "2026-06-04" },
+          "core/location": { value: "/repo" },
         },
       })
     }),
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ describe("SystemContext", () => {
 
       expect(yield* SystemContext.rebaseline(context, { "core/date": { value: "2026-06-03" } })).toEqual({
         text: "2026-06-04",
-        applied: { "core/date": { value: "2026-06-04", description: "Current date" } },
+        applied: { "core/date": { value: "2026-06-04" } },
       })
       expect(loads).toBe(1)
     }),
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ describe("SystemContext", () => {
       ).toEqual({
         text: "2026-06-04\n\nInstructions: contents",
         applied: {
-          "core/date": { value: "2026-06-04", description: "Description for core/date" },
+          "core/date": { value: "2026-06-04" },
           "core/remote": { value: "contents", removed: "Instructions removed" },
         },
       })
@@ -349,6 +349,21 @@ describe("SystemContext", () => {
           },
         ],
       })
+      expect(
+        SystemContext.diffItems(
+          SystemContext.diffByKey(
+            previous,
+            current,
+            (value) => value.name,
+            (before, after) => before.description !== after.description,
+          ),
+          (value) => ({ key: value.name, description: value.description }),
+        ),
+      ).toEqual([
+        { key: "writing", description: "Write prose", action: "added" },
+        { key: "retired", description: "Old", action: "removed" },
+        { key: "effect", description: "Build with Effect v4", action: "updated" },
+      ])
     }),
   )
 
@@ -375,7 +390,7 @@ describe("SystemContext", () => {
             items: [{ key: "effect", description: "Build with Effect", action: "updated" }],
           },
         ],
-        applied: { "core/skills": { value: "new", description: "Available skills" } },
+        applied: { "core/skills": { value: "new" } },
       })
     }),
   )