diff --git a/rust/crates/sift_mcp/CLAUDE.md b/rust/crates/sift_mcp/CLAUDE.md
index 6644dee492..f4e738e96a 100644
--- a/rust/crates/sift_mcp/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/rust/crates/sift_mcp/CLAUDE.md
@@ -277,6 +277,13 @@ pub async fn list_webhooks(&self, params: Parameters<ListParams>) -> error::McpR
   set both the structured `next_step` field and `result.content = vec![Content::text(next_step)]`
   so the calling agent sees it. `get_data` and `explore_url` are the reference patterns. Write
   tools use `next_step` to force a confirmation before the agent proceeds.
+- **Read tools keep their payload in `content`.** Clients such as Claude Code show the model
+  `content`, not `structuredContent`. Replacing `content` with `next_step` alone hides the payload
+  from the agent, so a read tool that returns data the agent must see (versions, summaries, dry-run
+  results) returns `read_result(body, next_step)` from `tool/common/`, which puts `next_step`
+  first and keeps the JSON body after it. Replace `content` with `next_step` only when
+  `next_step` itself carries everything the agent needs, such as the file path from `get_data` or
+  the URL from `explore_url`. `preview_rule` is the reference.
 
 ### Writing the description
 
diff --git a/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/calculated_channels/mod.rs b/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/calculated_channels/mod.rs
index 8b01db110c..be40e87ec9 100644
--- a/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/calculated_channels/mod.rs
+++ b/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/calculated_channels/mod.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ use crate::{
     service::calculated_channels::{
         CalculatedChannelUpdate, CalculatedChannelWrite, NewCalculatedChannel,
     },
-    tool::common::{ListParams, MetadataEntry, list_body, to_values},
+    tool::common::{ListParams, MetadataEntry, list_body, read_result, to_values},
 };
 
 #[cfg(test)]
@@ -252,9 +252,7 @@ impl SiftMcpServer {
         );
         body["next_step"] = serde_json::Value::String(next_step.clone());
 
-        let mut result = CallToolResult::structured(body);
-        result.content = vec![ContentBlock::text(next_step)];
-        Ok(result)
+        Ok(read_result(body, next_step))
     }
 
     #[tool(
diff --git a/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/calculated_channels/test.rs b/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/calculated_channels/test.rs
index ec893578a8..50254b05d0 100644
--- a/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/calculated_channels/test.rs
+++ b/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/calculated_channels/test.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ use super::{
 };
 use crate::{
     server::SiftMcpServer,
-    tool::common::test_support::{list_params, list_params_with_fields, structured},
+    tool::common::test_support::{content_texts, list_params, list_params_with_fields, structured},
 };
 
 const REFERENCES_JSON: &str = r#"[
@@ -185,6 +185,10 @@ async fn list_calculated_channel_versions_returns_versions() {
         .await
         .expect("list_calculated_channel_versions failed");
 
+    let texts = content_texts(&resp);
+    assert_eq!(texts.len(), 2);
+    assert!(texts[1].contains("calculated_channel_versions"));
+
     let body = structured(resp);
     let versions = body["calculated_channel_versions"]
         .as_array()
diff --git a/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/common/mod.rs b/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/common/mod.rs
index c59964d1bf..cbdd11bfcf 100644
--- a/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/common/mod.rs
+++ b/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/common/mod.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 use rmcp::ErrorData;
+use rmcp::model::{CallToolResult, ContentBlock};
 use rmcp::schemars::{self, JsonSchema};
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use serde_json::Value;
@@ -213,6 +214,18 @@ pub(crate) fn list_body(
     Value::Object(body)
 }
 
+/// Shape a read tool's result so the calling agent sees both `next_step` and
+/// the payload. `CallToolResult::structured` already mirrors `body` into a text
+/// content block; replacing `content` with `next_step` alone, as write tools
+/// do, leaves the payload only in `structuredContent`, which clients such as
+/// Claude Code do not show the model. `preview_rule` hit exactly this: agents
+/// saw an annotation count but none of the annotations.
+pub(crate) fn read_result(body: Value, next_step: String) -> CallToolResult {
+    let mut result = CallToolResult::structured(body);
+    result.content.insert(0, ContentBlock::text(next_step));
+    result
+}
+
 impl From<MetadataEntry> for MetadataValue {
     fn from(entry: MetadataEntry) -> Self {
         let (key_type, value) = match entry.value {
@@ -275,6 +288,22 @@ pub(crate) mod test_support {
             .expect("expected structured content")
     }
 
+    /// Collect the text of every content block, which is what clients such as
+    /// Claude Code show the model.
+    pub(crate) fn content_texts(result: &CallToolResult) -> Vec<String> {
+        result
+            .content
+            .iter()
+            .map(|block| {
+                block
+                    .as_text()
+                    .expect("expected a text content block")
+                    .text
+                    .clone()
+            })
+            .collect()
+    }
+
     /// Extract a single field from a tool result's structured JSON body.
     pub(crate) fn structured_field(result: CallToolResult, key: &str) -> Value {
         let mut value = structured(result);
diff --git a/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/common/test.rs b/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/common/test.rs
index f3bdf00200..c40ad6abf9 100644
--- a/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/common/test.rs
+++ b/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/common/test.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-use super::{ListParams, list_body, project_fields, url_clause};
+use super::{
+    ListParams, list_body, project_fields, read_result, test_support::content_texts, url_clause,
+};
 use serde_json::{Value, json};
 
 /// `filter` is deliberately required on list tools: the caller must choose a
@@ -259,3 +261,20 @@ fn list_body_omits_unmatched_fields_when_the_page_is_empty() {
         "an empty page must not look like a spelling problem: {body}"
     );
 }
+
+/// A read tool's payload must reach `content`, not only `structuredContent`:
+/// Claude Code shows the model `content`, so a payload left out of it is
+/// invisible to the agent.
+#[test]
+fn read_result_keeps_payload_in_content_after_next_step() {
+    let body = json!({ "items": [{ "id": "a" }], "next_step": "Listed 1 item." });
+
+    let result = read_result(body.clone(), "Listed 1 item.".to_string());
+
+    let texts = content_texts(&result);
+    assert_eq!(texts.len(), 2);
+    assert_eq!(texts[0], "Listed 1 item.");
+    let payload: Value = serde_json::from_str(&texts[1]).expect("payload should be JSON");
+    assert_eq!(payload, body);
+    assert_eq!(result.structured_content, Some(body));
+}
diff --git a/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/reports/mod.rs b/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/reports/mod.rs
index 4b73e3bc3e..c3f79f06b8 100644
--- a/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/reports/mod.rs
+++ b/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/reports/mod.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ use crate::{
     error::{self, from_anyhow},
     server::SiftMcpServer,
     service::reports::{ReportSource, RuleIdentifier},
-    tool::common::{MetadataEntry, url_clause, with_urls},
+    tool::common::{MetadataEntry, read_result, url_clause, with_urls},
 };
 
 #[cfg(test)]
@@ -185,13 +185,14 @@ impl SiftMcpServer {
             url_clause("report", None, report_url.as_deref()),
         );
 
-        let mut result = CallToolResult::structured(serde_json::json!({
-            "report_rule_summaries": summaries,
-            "report_url": report_url,
-            "next_step": next_step,
-        }));
-        result.content = vec![ContentBlock::text(next_step)];
-        Ok(result)
+        Ok(read_result(
+            serde_json::json!({
+                "report_rule_summaries": summaries,
+                "report_url": report_url,
+                "next_step": next_step,
+            }),
+            next_step,
+        ))
     }
 
     #[tool(
diff --git a/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/reports/test.rs b/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/reports/test.rs
index 5b48c77476..b67399b9cf 100644
--- a/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/reports/test.rs
+++ b/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/reports/test.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@ use tonic::{Response, Status, transport::Server};
 use super::{
     CreateReportParams, ReportListParams, ReportRuleSummaryListParams, UpdateReportParams,
 };
-use crate::{server::SiftMcpServer, tool::common::test_support::structured_field};
+use crate::{
+    server::SiftMcpServer,
+    tool::common::test_support::{content_texts, structured_field},
+};
 
 fn create_report_params() -> CreateReportParams {
     CreateReportParams {
@@ -320,6 +323,10 @@ async fn list_report_rule_summaries_returns_single_page() {
         .await
         .expect("list_report_rule_summaries failed");
 
+    let texts = content_texts(&resp);
+    assert_eq!(texts.len(), 2);
+    assert!(texts[1].contains("rule-1"));
+
     let summaries = structured_field(resp, "report_rule_summaries");
     assert_eq!(summaries.as_array().unwrap().len(), 1);
     assert_eq!(summaries[0]["ruleId"], "rule-1");
diff --git a/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/rule_evaluation/mod.rs b/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/rule_evaluation/mod.rs
index 6eef4bc4b5..cc285a62fe 100644
--- a/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/rule_evaluation/mod.rs
+++ b/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/rule_evaluation/mod.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 use rmcp::{
     ErrorData,
     handler::server::wrapper::Parameters,
-    model::{CallToolResult, ContentBlock},
     schemars::{self, JsonSchema},
     tool, tool_router,
 };
@@ -12,6 +11,7 @@ use crate::{
     error::{self, from_anyhow},
     server::SiftMcpServer,
     service::{common::cel_escape, rule_evaluation::PreviewRuleSource},
+    tool::common::read_result,
 };
 
 #[cfg(test)]
@@ -126,13 +126,14 @@ impl SiftMcpServer {
             result.created_annotation_count,
         );
 
-        let mut result = CallToolResult::structured(serde_json::json!({
-            "created_annotation_count": result.created_annotation_count,
-            "dry_run_annotations": result.dry_run_annotations,
-            "next_step": next_step,
-        }));
-        result.content = vec![ContentBlock::text(next_step)];
-        Ok(result)
+        Ok(read_result(
+            serde_json::json!({
+                "created_annotation_count": result.created_annotation_count,
+                "dry_run_annotations": result.dry_run_annotations,
+                "next_step": next_step,
+            }),
+            next_step,
+        ))
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/rule_evaluation/test.rs b/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/rule_evaluation/test.rs
index ac1034f9c7..3edfb44608 100644
--- a/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/rule_evaluation/test.rs
+++ b/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/rule_evaluation/test.rs
@@ -15,7 +15,10 @@ use tokio::task::JoinHandle;
 use tonic::{Response, Status, transport::Server};
 
 use super::PreviewRuleParams;
-use crate::{server::SiftMcpServer, tool::common::test_support::structured_field};
+use crate::{
+    server::SiftMcpServer,
+    tool::common::test_support::{content_texts, structured_field},
+};
 
 fn preview_rule_params() -> PreviewRuleParams {
     PreviewRuleParams {
@@ -102,6 +105,38 @@ async fn preview_rule_saved_by_id_happy_path() {
     assert_eq!(annotations.as_array().unwrap().len(), 1);
 }
 
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn preview_rule_shows_dry_run_annotations_in_content() {
+    let mut eval_mock = MockRuleEvaluationServiceImpl::new();
+    eval_mock.expect_evaluate_rules_preview().returning(|_| {
+        Ok(Response::new(EvaluateRulesPreviewResponse {
+            created_annotation_count: 1,
+            dry_run_annotations: vec![DryRunAnnotation {
+                condition_id: "cond-1".into(),
+                name: "overtemp".into(),
+                ..Default::default()
+            }],
+        }))
+    });
+
+    let (server, _h) = server_with_eval_mock(eval_mock).await;
+
+    let mut params = preview_rule_params();
+    params.rule_id = Some("rule-1".into());
+
+    let resp = server
+        .preview_rule(Parameters(params))
+        .await
+        .expect("preview_rule failed");
+
+    let texts = content_texts(&resp);
+    assert_eq!(texts.len(), 2);
+    assert!(texts[0].starts_with("Preview evaluated 1 annotation(s)"));
+    let payload: serde_json::Value =
+        serde_json::from_str(&texts[1]).expect("payload should be JSON");
+    assert_eq!(payload["dry_run_annotations"][0]["name"], "overtemp");
+}
+
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn preview_rule_saved_by_name_resolves_rule_id() {
     let mut rule_mock = MockRuleServiceImpl::new();
diff --git a/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/rules/mod.rs b/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/rules/mod.rs
index a82f632490..2d9902e324 100644
--- a/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/rules/mod.rs
+++ b/rust/crates/sift_mcp/src/tool/rules/mod.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ use crate::{
     error::{self, from_anyhow},
     server::SiftMcpServer,
     service::rules::RuleUpdate,
-    tool::common::{ListParams, list_body, url_clause, with_urls},
+    tool::common::{ListParams, list_body, read_result, url_clause, with_urls},
 };
 
 #[cfg(test)]
@@ -196,13 +196,14 @@ impl SiftMcpServer {
             url_clause("rule", None, rule_url.as_deref()),
         );
 
-        let mut result = CallToolResult::structured(serde_json::json!({
-            "rule_versions": rule_versions,
-            "rule_url": rule_url,
-            "next_step": next_step,
-        }));
-        result.content = vec![ContentBlock::text(next_step)];
-        Ok(result)
+        Ok(read_result(
+            serde_json::json!({
+                "rule_versions": rule_versions,
+                "rule_url": rule_url,
+                "next_step": next_step,
+            }),
+            next_step,
+        ))
     }
 
     #[tool(