diff --git a/chat/config.py b/chat/config.py
index fa08803..8d633b3 100644
--- a/chat/config.py
+++ b/chat/config.py
@@ -23,9 +23,13 @@ class Settings(BaseModel):
     retrieval_k: int = 4
     narrative_budget_hard: int = 8000
     narrative_budget_soft: int = 6000
-    # Cap on each generated bot response. ~400 tokens ≈ 1–2 short paragraphs.
-    # Bump if you want longer scenes; drop to 200 for terse banter.
-    narrative_max_tokens: int = 400
+    # Cap on each generated bot response. The asterisk-action format
+    # (see ``_closing_instruction`` in chat/services/prompt.py) targets
+    # 2-4 short interleaved action+dialogue beats; ~250 tokens fits that
+    # without leaving room for the model to drift into multi-paragraph
+    # inner-monologue prose. Bump back up if you want longer scenes;
+    # drop to 150 for very terse banter.
+    narrative_max_tokens: int = 250
     # Sampling temperature for narrative generation. 0.7 = grounded /
     # consistent; 0.85 = creative-but-in-character (default); 1.0 = wide
     # variety, can drift; >1.0 = often off-the-rails.
diff --git a/chat/services/prompt.py b/chat/services/prompt.py
index d27d23c..cae9fee 100644
--- a/chat/services/prompt.py
+++ b/chat/services/prompt.py
@@ -327,12 +327,23 @@ def _build_open_threads_block(threads: list[dict]) -> str | None:
 
 def _closing_instruction(speaker_name: str, addressee_name: str) -> str:
     return (
-        f"Continue the scene as {speaker_name}, in their voice, responding "
-        "naturally. Use *asterisks* for actions and quotes for dialogue. "
-        f"Stay in character. Do not narrate {addressee_name}'s actions or "
-        "thoughts. "
-        "Keep your response to a single beat — one or two short paragraphs "
-        "at most. Don't monologue; leave room for the other person to react."
+        f"Continue as {speaker_name}. Format strictly:\n"
+        f"- Wrap actions and gestures in *asterisks*, third person "
+        f"({speaker_name}/she/he/they) — never first person, never inner "
+        "thoughts inside asterisks.\n"
+        "- Speak dialogue as plain text between action beats, no quote "
+        "marks. Keep speech fragmented, not paragraphs.\n"
+        "- Interleave 2-4 short beats (action, brief speech, action, brief "
+        "speech). Each beat is one concrete gesture or sensory image — no "
+        "explanation, no inner monologue, no stage-direction adverbs.\n"
+        "- Trailing ellipses (...) are fine for emotional weight.\n"
+        "Example: *She turns with soapy hands to cup your face* That's how "
+        "I know it's real... *She kisses you softly* You love me when I'm "
+        "messy... *She rests her forehead against yours* ...and every "
+        "moment in between.\n"
+        f"Show only what {addressee_name} could externally observe of "
+        f"{speaker_name}; never narrate {addressee_name}'s actions or "
+        "thoughts. One response — leave room to react."
     )
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_prompt.py b/tests/test_prompt.py
index 471d5b4..be12271 100644
--- a/tests/test_prompt.py
+++ b/tests/test_prompt.py
@@ -565,8 +565,12 @@ def test_tight_budget_drops_guest_activity_bullet_first(tmp_path):
             speaker_bot_id="bot_a",
             recent_dialogue=dialogue,
             retrieved_memory_summaries=[],
-            budget_soft=250,
-            budget_hard=340,
+            # Closing instruction grew with the asterisk-format spec
+            # (Phase 4.6 narrative-style fix). Budget bumped enough to
+            # accommodate the larger MUST floor while still exercising
+            # the SHOULD-tier trim path.
+            budget_soft=440,
+            budget_hard=460,
         )
     body = msgs[0].content
     # Speaker bullet survives (MUST-tier floor).
@@ -696,13 +700,15 @@ def test_nice_trim_order_documented(tmp_path):
         # Soft tuned so the all-NICE config (with the heavy previous
         # scene summary) overflows, but dropping just previous-scene
         # fits comfortably. Hard set high so SHOULD-tier never trims.
+        # Soft bumped (was 400) to make room for the larger closing
+        # instruction shipped with the asterisk-format spec.
         msgs = assemble_narrative_prompt(
             conn,
             chat_id="chat_bot_a",
             speaker_bot_id="bot_a",
             recent_dialogue=dialogue,
             retrieved_memory_summaries=memories,
-            budget_soft=400,
+            budget_soft=540,
             budget_hard=8000,
         )
     body = msgs[0].content
@@ -748,8 +754,12 @@ def test_assemble_with_tight_budget_drops_guest_activity_first(tmp_path):
             # group node + other edges) push it well over 380. budget_hard
             # is set just above MUST core so SHOULD-tier blocks must be
             # trimmed away.
-            budget_soft=250,
-            budget_hard=340,
+            # Closing instruction grew with the asterisk-format spec
+            # (Phase 4.6 narrative-style fix). Budget bumped enough to
+            # accommodate the larger MUST floor while still exercising
+            # the SHOULD-tier trim path.
+            budget_soft=440,
+            budget_hard=460,
         )
     body = msgs[0].content
     # MUST: speaker identity, edge to addressee, last 4 dialogue turns.
@@ -759,10 +769,11 @@ def test_assemble_with_tight_budget_drops_guest_activity_first(tmp_path):
         assert f"line-{i:02d}" in body
     # Guest activity (SHOULD-tier) must be dropped under tight budget.
     assert "smirking-distinctively" not in body
-    # Token budget honoured.
+    # Token budget honoured. Bumped (was 340) for the larger closing
+    # instruction that ships the asterisk-format spec.
     import tiktoken
     enc = tiktoken.get_encoding("cl100k_base")
-    assert len(enc.encode(body)) <= 340
+    assert len(enc.encode(body)) <= 460
 
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------