diff --git a/headroom/proxy/memory_query_policy.py b/headroom/proxy/memory_query_policy.py
index 8d765e247..1480a5f15 100644
--- a/headroom/proxy/memory_query_policy.py
+++ b/headroom/proxy/memory_query_policy.py
@@ -63,11 +63,18 @@ def extract_memory_query_sources(
                     # Anthropic user turns carry the actual prompt as text blocks
                     # ({"type":"text","text":...}), not a plain string. Capture it
                     # so the memory retrieval query keys on the user's question and
-                    # not just any tool_result blocks in the same turn.
+                    # not just any tool_result blocks in the same turn. Skip Claude
+                    # Code's <system-reminder> harness blocks: they are appended to
+                    # the same turn and, concatenated into the embedding input,
+                    # dilute the user's question below the similarity floor so
+                    # nothing is retrieved (#2195). Filtering them keeps the query
+                    # on the substantive question.
                     user_text = "\n".join(
-                        b.get("text", "")
+                        text
                         for b in content
                         if isinstance(b, dict) and b.get("type") == "text"
+                        for text in (str(b.get("text", "")).strip(),)
+                        if text and not text.startswith("<system-reminder")
                     ).strip()
                     if user_text:
                         latest_user = user_text
diff --git a/tests/test_memory_query_policy.py b/tests/test_memory_query_policy.py
index cc80d6a62..0397f685d 100644
--- a/tests/test_memory_query_policy.py
+++ b/tests/test_memory_query_policy.py
@@ -69,6 +69,42 @@ def test_extract_sources_captures_anthropic_user_text_blocks() -> None:
     assert user_text == "help me refactor auth"
 
 
+def test_extract_sources_skips_system_reminder_blocks() -> None:
+    """Claude Code appends <system-reminder> harness blocks to the user turn.
+    Concatenated into the embedding input they dilute the real question below the
+    similarity floor so nothing is retrieved (#2195); they must be filtered out."""
+    messages = [
+        {
+            "role": "user",
+            "content": [
+                {"type": "text", "text": "how do I add caching to the auth handler?"},
+                {
+                    "type": "text",
+                    "text": "<system-reminder>\nThe user opened file x.\n</system-reminder>",
+                },
+            ],
+        },
+    ]
+
+    user_text, _tool_outputs, _assistant_turns = extract_memory_query_sources(messages)
+
+    assert user_text == "how do I add caching to the auth handler?"
+    assert "system-reminder" not in user_text
+
+
+def test_extract_sources_reminder_only_turn_yields_no_user_text() -> None:
+    messages = [
+        {
+            "role": "user",
+            "content": [{"type": "text", "text": "<system-reminder>x</system-reminder>"}],
+        },
+    ]
+
+    user_text, _tool_outputs, _assistant_turns = extract_memory_query_sources(messages)
+
+    assert user_text == ""
+
+
 def test_extract_sources_captures_user_text_alongside_tool_result() -> None:
     """A user turn mixing a tool_result and a text block yields both: the text as
     the user query and the tool output as context."""