diff --git a/src-tauri/src/commands/chat.rs b/src-tauri/src/commands/chat.rs
index a25ddad..2800106 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/commands/chat.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/commands/chat.rs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ use serde_json::Value;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use tauri::{AppHandle, State};
 
-const MAX_HOPS: usize = 8;
+const MAX_HOPS: usize = 10;
 /// Number of MOST RECENT run_query tool_results that get full sample-rows in
 /// LLM history. Older ones are reduced to a marker so very long threads stay
 /// within model context budget.
@@ -246,12 +246,14 @@ WORKFLOW
 
 RULES
   - Use ONLY identifiers visible to you (overview / list_tables / get_columns output). Don't pluralize, translate, or guess.
+  - **After get_columns, your next run_query must use ONLY column names that appear verbatim in that output.** Do not assume conventions like `name`, `id`, `title`. If get_columns shows a table has `company_name` and `legal_name` but no `name`, then `name` does NOT exist on that table.
   - LIMIT on ad-hoc SELECTs unless aggregating.
   - When run_query fails, READ the error carefully — especially any `HINT:` line, which often spells out the fix. Common PostgreSQL fixes:
       * `operator does not exist: X = Y` (e.g. `character varying = uuid`) → cast one side, e.g. `a.id::uuid = b.id` or `a.id = b.id::text`. If unsure of types, call get_columns on both tables.
-      * `column "X" does not exist` → call get_columns on the table you're querying; the column is named differently.
+      * `column "X" does not exist` → call get_columns on the table you're querying; the column is named differently. The error message lists which alias the column was attached to (e.g. `column le.name` means it's missing on the table aliased as `le`).
       * `relation "X" does not exist` → check the OVERVIEW table list; the table may be in a different schema or database.
   - On SQL error retry at most ONCE with a corrected query. On the second consecutive failure, STOP and respond with `final` explaining what's missing — do not loop. The harness will force-stop after 2 consecutive errors regardless.
+  - You have a hop budget of 10 tool calls per user turn. Spend them deliberately: don't burn hops re-running the same query — investigate (get_columns) when in doubt.
   - `remember` is for durable facts, not transient observations. Don't memorise query results — only insights about the schema/data model that aren't already in the OVERVIEW.
 
 ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
@@ -678,12 +680,20 @@ pub async fn chat_send(
         }
     }
 
-    let msg = ChatMessage::Assistant {
-        id: new_id("asst"),
-        text: format!(
-            "Stopped after {} tool calls without a final answer. Try rephrasing or simplifying the question.",
+    // Last-chance synthesis: model is out of tool calls but may have collected
+    // enough data on the last hop to answer. One extra LLM call, no JSON
+    // protocol, just plain text.
+    let synthesis = force_final_synthesis(&app, &state, &working).await;
+    let text = match synthesis {
+        Some(t) => format!("{}\n\n_(Tool-call limit reached; answer synthesised from collected results.)_", t),
+        None => format!(
+            "Stopped after {} tool calls without a final answer. Try rephrasing the question, splitting it into smaller parts, or running the SQL manually in Advanced mode.",
             MAX_HOPS
         ),
+    };
+    let msg = ChatMessage::Assistant {
+        id: new_id("asst"),
+        text,
         created_at: now_ms(),
     };
     new_messages.push(msg.clone());
@@ -834,6 +844,55 @@ fn last_run_query_error(messages: &[ChatMessage]) -> Option<String> {
     None
 }
 
+/// Last-chance LLM call after MAX_HOPS is exhausted: nudge the model to
+/// produce a `final` answer based on whatever data and tool results the
+/// thread already contains. Without this, a thread that succeeded on its
+/// last run_query would end with "Stopped after N tool calls" and waste
+/// the result. Returns None if the LLM call fails.
+async fn force_final_synthesis(
+    app: &AppHandle,
+    state: &AppState,
+    working: &[ChatMessage],
+) -> Option<String> {
+    if working.is_empty() {
+        return None;
+    }
+    let convo = render_thread_for_summary(working);
+    let system = "The agent loop has reached the tool-call limit. The user is waiting for an answer right now. \
+                  Based ONLY on the conversation below, write a SHORT plain-text answer for the user. \
+                  Reply in the SAME language the user used. \
+                  If a query produced results, summarise what those results show. \
+                  If queries kept failing, explain what went wrong and what the user could do (provide the missing piece, switch to Advanced mode, etc.). \
+                  Be concrete with numbers and identifiers from the results.\n\
+                  \n\
+                  OUTPUT FORMAT: PLAIN TEXT ONLY. \
+                  DO NOT output JSON, markdown fences, or field names. \
+                  DO NOT call any tools. DO NOT use the action protocol. \
+                  Just the answer text.";
+
+    let llm_messages = vec![
+        OllamaChatMessage {
+            role: "system".to_string(),
+            content: system.to_string(),
+        },
+        OllamaChatMessage {
+            role: "user".to_string(),
+            content: convo,
+        },
+    ];
+    match call_ollama_chat_messages(app, state, llm_messages, None).await {
+        Ok(s) => {
+            let cleaned = clean_summary(&s);
+            if cleaned.trim().is_empty() {
+                None
+            } else {
+                Some(cleaned)
+            }
+        }
+        Err(_) => None,
+    }
+}
+
 /// Strip JSON envelopes, markdown fences, and known field-extraction patterns
 /// that the agent-trained model tends to emit even for non-agent prompts.
 /// Returns the underlying summary text.