diff --git a/nanobot/agent/memory.py b/nanobot/agent/memory.py
index 263d77a9..e46d6cda 100644
--- a/nanobot/agent/memory.py
+++ b/nanobot/agent/memory.py
@@ -799,23 +799,22 @@ class Consolidator:
         messages: list[dict],
         *,
         session_key: str | None = None,
-        summary_context: list[dict] | None = None,
+        summary_messages: list[dict] | None = None,
     ) -> str | None:
         """Summarize messages via LLM and append to history.jsonl.
 
         ``messages`` are the messages being archived (removed from the live
         session); they are what gets raw-dumped if the LLM call fails.
-        ``summary_context``, when given, is fed to the summarizer in place of
-        ``messages`` so a caller can summarize over a wider window (e.g. the
-        full conversation tail) while still only archiving ``messages``.
+        ``summary_messages``, when given, lets callers include retained
+        messages in the summary without archiving them.
 
         Returns the summary text on success, None if nothing to archive.
         """
         if not messages:
             return None
-        context = summary_context if summary_context is not None else messages
+        messages_to_summarize = summary_messages if summary_messages is not None else messages
         try:
-            formatted = MemoryStore._format_messages(context)
+            formatted = MemoryStore._format_messages(messages_to_summarize)
             formatted = self._truncate_to_token_budget(formatted)
             response = await self.provider.chat_with_retry(
                 model=self.model,
@@ -972,42 +971,38 @@ class Consolidator:
             self.sessions.invalidate(session_key)
             session = self.sessions.get_or_create(session_key)
 
-            tail = list(session.messages[session.last_consolidated:])
-            if not tail:
+            messages_to_summarize = list(session.messages[session.last_consolidated:])
+            if not messages_to_summarize:
                 session.updated_at = datetime.now()
                 self.sessions.save(session)
                 return ""
 
             probe = Session(
                 key=session.key,
-                messages=tail.copy(),
+                messages=messages_to_summarize.copy(),
                 created_at=session.created_at,
                 updated_at=session.updated_at,
                 metadata={},
                 last_consolidated=0,
             )
             dropped, already_consolidated = probe.retain_recent_legal_suffix(max_suffix)
-            kept = probe.messages
-            archive_msgs = dropped[already_consolidated:]
+            messages_to_keep = probe.messages
+            messages_to_remove = dropped[already_consolidated:]
 
-            if not archive_msgs and not kept:
+            if not messages_to_remove and not messages_to_keep:
                 session.updated_at = datetime.now()
                 self.sessions.save(session)
                 return ""
 
             last_active = session.updated_at
             summary: str | None = ""
-            if archive_msgs:
-                # Summarize over the full unconsolidated tail — including the
-                # recent suffix we retain — not just the dropped prefix. Idle
-                # compaction usually runs on a finished conversation, so a late
-                # user correction or final result that landed in the kept suffix
-                # must still reach the persisted summary; otherwise history keeps
-                # the stale pre-correction conclusion that never gets fixed
-                # (#4264). Only archive_msgs are removed/raw-dumped; kept stays
-                # in the session.
+            if messages_to_remove:
+                # Summarize the retained suffix too, but only remove/raw-dump
+                # the messages that are no longer kept in the live session.
                 summary = await self.archive(
-                    archive_msgs, session_key=session_key, summary_context=tail
+                    messages_to_remove,
+                    session_key=session_key,
+                    summary_messages=messages_to_summarize,
                 )
 
             if summary and summary != "(nothing)":
@@ -1016,17 +1011,17 @@ class Consolidator:
                     "last_active": last_active.isoformat(),
                 }
 
-            session.messages = kept
+            session.messages = messages_to_keep
             session.last_consolidated = 0
             session.updated_at = datetime.now()
             self.sessions.save(session)
 
-            if archive_msgs:
+            if messages_to_remove:
                 logger.info(
                     "Idle-session compact for {}: archived={}, kept={}, summary={}",
                     session_key,
-                    len(archive_msgs),
-                    len(kept),
+                    len(messages_to_remove),
+                    len(messages_to_keep),
                     bool(summary),
                 )