diff --git a/apps/client/src/translations/en/translation.json b/apps/client/src/translations/en/translation.json
index 392efae3e7..85093a475b 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/translations/en/translation.json
+++ b/apps/client/src/translations/en/translation.json
@@ -2341,7 +2341,8 @@
     "mcp_enabled_description": "Expose a Model Context Protocol (MCP) endpoint so that AI coding assistants (e.g. Claude Code, GitHub Copilot) can read and modify your notes. The endpoint is only accessible from localhost.",
     "tools": {
       "search_notes": "Search notes",
-      "read_note": "Read note",
+      "get_note": "Get note",
+      "get_note_content": "Get note content",
       "update_note_content": "Update note content",
       "append_to_note": "Append to note",
       "create_note": "Create note",
diff --git a/apps/server/spec/etapi/mcp.spec.ts b/apps/server/spec/etapi/mcp.spec.ts
index 2663934b54..d2cb4fee23 100644
--- a/apps/server/spec/etapi/mcp.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/server/spec/etapi/mcp.spec.ts
@@ -113,7 +113,8 @@ describe("mcp", () => {
             const body = parseSseResponse(response.text);
             const toolNames: string[] = body.result.tools.map((t: { name: string }) => t.name);
             expect(toolNames).toContain("search_notes");
-            expect(toolNames).toContain("read_note");
+            expect(toolNames).toContain("get_note");
+            expect(toolNames).toContain("get_note_content");
             expect(toolNames).toContain("create_note");
             expect(toolNames).not.toContain("get_current_note");
         });
@@ -142,10 +143,26 @@ describe("mcp", () => {
             expect(content[0].text).toContain(noteId);
         });
 
-        it("reads a note by ID", async () => {
+        it("gets note metadata by ID", async () => {
             const response = await mcpPost(app)
                 .send(jsonRpc("tools/call", {
-                    name: "read_note",
+                    name: "get_note",
+                    arguments: { noteId }
+                }))
+                .expect(200);
+
+            const body = parseSseResponse(response.text);
+            expect(body.result).toBeDefined();
+            const parsed = JSON.parse(body.result.content[0].text);
+            expect(parsed.noteId).toBe(noteId);
+            expect(parsed.type).toBeDefined();
+            expect(parsed.attributes).toBeDefined();
+        });
+
+        it("reads note content by ID", async () => {
+            const response = await mcpPost(app)
+                .send(jsonRpc("tools/call", {
+                    name: "get_note_content",
                     arguments: { noteId }
                 }))
                 .expect(200);
diff --git a/apps/server/src/services/llm/tools/note_tools.ts b/apps/server/src/services/llm/tools/note_tools.ts
index 9fb0fb8a5d..0ee1d0110f 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/services/llm/tools/note_tools.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/services/llm/tools/note_tools.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import { z } from "zod";
 
 import becca from "../../../becca/becca.js";
+import mappers from "../../../etapi/mappers.js";
 import markdownExport from "../../export/markdown.js";
 import markdownImport from "../../import/markdown.js";
 import noteService from "../../notes.js";
@@ -84,7 +85,22 @@ export const noteTools = defineTools({
         }
     },
 
-    read_note: {
+    get_note: {
+        description: "Get a note's metadata by its ID. Returns title, type, mime, dates, parent/child relationships, and attributes. Does NOT return the note's content — use get_note_content for that.",
+        inputSchema: z.object({
+            noteId: z.string().describe("The ID of the note to retrieve")
+        }),
+        execute: async ({ noteId }) => {
+            const note = becca.getNote(noteId);
+            if (!note) {
+                return { error: "Note not found" };
+            }
+
+            return mappers.mapNoteToPojo(note);
+        }
+    },
+
+    get_note_content: {
         description: "Read the full content of a note by its ID. Use search_notes first to find relevant note IDs. Text notes are returned as Markdown.",
         inputSchema: z.object({
             noteId: z.string().describe("The ID of the note to read")
@@ -100,8 +116,6 @@ export const noteTools = defineTools({
 
             return {
                 noteId: note.noteId,
-                title: note.getTitleOrProtected(),
-                type: note.type,
                 content: getNoteContentForLlm(note)
             };
         }