diff --git a/apps/ai/src/mcp/dispatcher.test.ts b/apps/ai/src/mcp/dispatcher.test.ts
index ee8cfe55cf..9edf9b2ffc 100644
--- a/apps/ai/src/mcp/dispatcher.test.ts
+++ b/apps/ai/src/mcp/dispatcher.test.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import type { McpToolNotFoundError } from "@maple/domain/mcp-tool-contract"
 import { ActorId } from "@maple/domain/primitives"
 import { McpToolExecutor } from "./dispatcher"
 import { listMcpTools } from "./tool-catalog"
-import { MCP_ANTICIPATED_ERROR_IDENTIFIERS } from "./expected-failures"
+import { MCP_ANTICIPATED_ERROR_IDENTIFIERS, recordExpectedMcpFailure } from "./expected-failures"
 import { mapleToolCatalog, mapleToolCatalogFor, toInputSchema, toOutputSchema } from "./tools/registry"
 import type { McpToolRuntimeRequirements } from "./tools/runtime-requirements"
 import type { TenantContext } from "@maple/backend/services/auth/tenant-context"
@@ -256,6 +256,24 @@ describe("MCP dispatcher", () => {
 			}),
 		)
 
+		// A failure message can quote a whole SQL statement; the span keeps a bounded prefix.
+		it.effect("caps the failure message it puts on the span", () =>
+			Effect.gen(function* () {
+				const { spans, tracer } = makeRecordingTracer()
+				const message = `SQL rejected: ${"x".repeat(5_000)}`
+				yield* recordExpectedMcpFailure(
+					{ _tag: "@maple/mcp/errors/McpInvalidInputError", message },
+					"Invalid tool input",
+				).pipe(Effect.withSpan("probe"), Effect.withTracer(tracer))
+
+				const recorded = String(
+					spans.find((s) => s.name === "probe")?.attributes.get("maple.mcp.error.message"),
+				)
+				expect(recorded.length).toBeLessThan(message.length)
+				expect(message.startsWith(recorded)).toBe(true)
+			}),
+		)
+
 		// Expected 4xx (bad parameters, bad credentials) must not be Error spans —
 		// only 5xx is, per CLAUDE.md. Prod was recording `@maple/mcp/decode-error`
 		// and `McpAuthInvalidError` as Error status + exception events.
@@ -270,6 +288,7 @@ describe("MCP dispatcher", () => {
 				assert.isDefined(dispatchSpan)
 				expect(dispatchSpan.attributes.get("error.type")).toBe("@maple/mcp/errors/McpDecodeError")
 				expect(dispatchSpan.attributes.get("http.response.status_code")).toBe(400)
+				expect(dispatchSpan.attributes.get("maple.mcp.error.message")).toContain("inspect_trace")
 
 				// The inner registry span still FAILS with the decode error (the typed
 				// error stays in the error channel); the SDK exporter is what turns it
diff --git a/apps/ai/src/mcp/expected-failures.ts b/apps/ai/src/mcp/expected-failures.ts
index e88dc25cd8..adaa56e1af 100644
--- a/apps/ai/src/mcp/expected-failures.ts
+++ b/apps/ai/src/mcp/expected-failures.ts
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ const expectedStatusByTag = new Map<string, number>(Object.entries(MCP_EXPECTED_
 /** Spread into `anticipatedErrorIdentifiers` next to `ANTICIPATED_ERROR_IDENTIFIERS`. */
 export const MCP_ANTICIPATED_ERROR_IDENTIFIERS: ReadonlyArray<string> = [...expectedStatusByTag.keys()]
 
+const MAX_SPAN_MESSAGE_CHARS = 500
+
 /**
  * Record an expected MCP 4xx on the current span and log it at Warn.
  *
@@ -54,6 +56,8 @@ export const recordExpectedMcpFailure = (
 	return Effect.annotateCurrentSpan({
 		"error.type": error._tag,
 		"http.response.status_code": status,
+		// On the span too, so a tool's failure reasons are one query rather than a join to logs.
+		"maple.mcp.error.message": error.message.slice(0, MAX_SPAN_MESSAGE_CHARS),
 	}).pipe(
 		Effect.andThen(
 			Effect.logWarning(logMessage).pipe(