diff --git a/clients/terminal/tui/renderers/recall.py b/clients/terminal/tui/renderers/recall.py
index 66907b7..c3f9df6 100644
--- a/clients/terminal/tui/renderers/recall.py
+++ b/clients/terminal/tui/renderers/recall.py
@@ -38,6 +38,23 @@
     return trigger_at.replace("T", " ").split(".")[0]
 
 
+def _preview_message(message: str | None, max_len: int = 80) -> str | None:
+    """First line of the self-instruction plus a ``(+N lines)`` hint, capped.
+
+    Returns ``None`` when there is nothing to show.
+    """
+    if not message:
+        return None
+    lines = message.splitlines()
+    first = lines[0].strip()
+    if len(first) > max_len:
+        first = first[: max_len - 1].rstrip() + "…"
+    more = len(lines) - 1
+    if more > 0:
+        return f"{first} …(+{more} lines)"
+    return first
+
+
 class RecallRenderer(ContentRenderer):
     """Render a ``recall_update`` lifecycle event as a compact card."""
 
@@ -64,6 +81,7 @@
     def _body(self, msg: dict, theme) -> RenderableType:
         call_type = msg.get("call_type") or ""
         trigger = _format_trigger(msg.get("trigger_at"))
+        message = _preview_message(msg.get("message"))
         dim = theme.text_dim.hex
 
         body = Text()
@@ -75,4 +93,9 @@
                 body.append("\n")
             body.append("trigger: ", style=dim)
             body.append(trigger, style=theme.text.hex)
+        if message:
+            if body.plain:
+                body.append("\n")
+            body.append("msg: ", style=dim)
+            body.append(message, style=theme.text.hex)
         return body
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/navi/core/events.py b/navi/core/events.py
index a83f509..e31fc71 100644
--- a/navi/core/events.py
+++ b/navi/core/events.py
@@ -315,6 +315,7 @@
     trigger_at: str | None = None
     status: str | None = None
     action: str | None = None  # scheduled | cancelled | skipped | fired | rescheduled
+    message: str | None = None  # the recall's self-instruction (additional_context_message)
 
     def to_wire(self) -> dict:
         return {
@@ -325,6 +326,7 @@
             "trigger_at": self.trigger_at,
             "status": self.status,
             "action": self.action,
+            "message": self.message,
         }
 
 
diff --git a/navi/core/orchestrator.py b/navi/core/orchestrator.py
index 651619c..0fa8b4c 100644
--- a/navi/core/orchestrator.py
+++ b/navi/core/orchestrator.py
@@ -345,6 +345,7 @@
                 trigger_at=next_trigger.isoformat(),
                 status="pending",
                 action="rescheduled",
+                message=recall.additional_context_message,
             )
             return
 
@@ -358,6 +359,7 @@
                 trigger_at=recall.trigger_at.isoformat(),
                 status="fired",
                 action="fired",
+                message=recall.additional_context_message,
             )
         elif outcome == "failed":
             await scheduler.mark_cancelled(recall.id)
@@ -368,6 +370,7 @@
                 trigger_at=recall.trigger_at.isoformat(),
                 status="cancelled",
                 action="cancelled",
+                message=recall.additional_context_message,
             )
         else:
             # max_iterations for one-time -> mark_fired (preserving existing behaviour)
@@ -379,6 +382,7 @@
                 trigger_at=recall.trigger_at.isoformat(),
                 status="fired",
                 action="fired",
+                message=recall.additional_context_message,
             )
 
     async def run_recall(
diff --git a/navi/core/scheduler.py b/navi/core/scheduler.py
index 96a1923..2333bf1 100644
--- a/navi/core/scheduler.py
+++ b/navi/core/scheduler.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
     trigger_at: str | None = None,
     status: str | None = None,
     action: str | None = None,
+    message: str | None = None,
 ) -> None:
     from navi.core.event_bus import get_event_bus
     from navi.core.events import RecallUpdate
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@
             trigger_at=trigger_at,
             status=status,
             action=action,
+            message=message,
         )
     )
 
diff --git a/navi/tools/schedule_recall.py b/navi/tools/schedule_recall.py
index 21e3e56..3034622 100644
--- a/navi/tools/schedule_recall.py
+++ b/navi/tools/schedule_recall.py
@@ -213,6 +213,7 @@
                     trigger_at=recall.trigger_at.isoformat(),
                     status="pending",
                     action="scheduled",
+                    message=recall.additional_context_message,
                 )
             )
         except Exception:
diff --git a/tests/clients/test_recall_renderer.py b/tests/clients/test_recall_renderer.py
index 1231a97..4879860 100644
--- a/tests/clients/test_recall_renderer.py
+++ b/tests/clients/test_recall_renderer.py
@@ -6,7 +6,11 @@
 from rich.panel import Panel
 from rich.text import Text
 
-from clients.terminal.tui.renderers.recall import RecallRenderer, _format_trigger
+from clients.terminal.tui.renderers.recall import (
+    RecallRenderer,
+    _format_trigger,
+    _preview_message,
+)
 from clients.terminal.tui.themes import get_active_theme, set_active_theme
 
 
@@ -110,6 +114,59 @@
     assert panel.renderable.plain == ""
 
 
+# ── self-instruction (message) ────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def test_preview_message_single_line() -> None:
+    assert _preview_message("Read /tmp/build.log and report errors.") == (
+        "Read /tmp/build.log and report errors."
+    )
+
+
+def test_preview_message_multiline_appends_hint() -> None:
+    msg = "Read /tmp/build.log.\nIf errors, tail -50 and report.\nThen mark done."
+    out = _preview_message(msg)
+    assert out is not None
+    assert out.startswith("Read /tmp/build.log.")
+    assert "(+2 lines)" in out
+
+
+def test_preview_message_truncates_long_line() -> None:
+    long = "x" * 200
+    out = _preview_message(long, max_len=40)
+    assert out is not None
+    assert out.endswith("…")
+    assert len(out) <= 40
+
+
+def test_preview_message_none_when_empty() -> None:
+    assert _preview_message(None) is None
+    assert _preview_message("") is None
+
+
+def test_scheduled_card_renders_message() -> None:
+    set_active_theme("gnexus-dark")
+    renderer = RecallRenderer()
+    msg = {
+        "type": "recall_update",
+        "action": "scheduled",
+        "call_type": "once",
+        "trigger_at": "2026-07-12T18:45:00",
+        "message": "Read /tmp/build.log and report errors.",
+    }
+    text = _render_text(renderer.render(msg))
+    assert "msg:" in text
+    assert "Read /tmp/build.log and report errors." in text
+
+
+def test_card_without_message_has_no_msg_line() -> None:
+    set_active_theme("gnexus-dark")
+    renderer = RecallRenderer()
+    msg = {"type": "recall_update", "action": "fired", "call_type": "immediate"}
+    text = _render_text(renderer.render(msg))
+    assert "msg:" not in text
+
+
 # ── chat-model mapping ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/core/test_events.py b/tests/unit/core/test_events.py
index e4fbb4b..702bbfa 100644
--- a/tests/unit/core/test_events.py
+++ b/tests/unit/core/test_events.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
     PlanningDebugData,
     PlanningStatus,
     ProfileSwitched,
+    RecallUpdate,
     StreamEnd,
     StreamStopped,
     SubagentComplete,
@@ -190,3 +191,32 @@
         assert wire["session_id"] == "sess1"
         assert wire["tasks"] == tasks
         assert len(wire["tasks"]) == 2
+
+
+class TestRecallUpdate:
+    def test_to_wire_defaults_message_none(self):
+        ev = RecallUpdate(session_id="s1", action="scheduled")
+        wire = ev.to_wire()
+        assert wire["type"] == "recall_update"
+        assert wire["session_id"] == "s1"
+        assert wire["action"] == "scheduled"
+        assert wire["message"] is None
+
+    def test_to_wire_carries_message(self):
+        ev = RecallUpdate(
+            session_id="s1",
+            recall_id="r1",
+            call_type="once",
+            trigger_at="2026-07-12T18:45:00",
+            status="pending",
+            action="scheduled",
+            message="Read /tmp/build.log and report errors.",
+        )
+        wire = ev.to_wire()
+        assert wire["type"] == "recall_update"
+        assert wire["recall_id"] == "r1"
+        assert wire["call_type"] == "once"
+        assert wire["trigger_at"] == "2026-07-12T18:45:00"
+        assert wire["status"] == "pending"
+        assert wire["action"] == "scheduled"
+        assert wire["message"] == "Read /tmp/build.log and report errors."