diff --git a/poc-memory/src/transcript.rs b/poc-memory/src/transcript.rs
index 3fe3679..3855768 100644
--- a/poc-memory/src/transcript.rs
+++ b/poc-memory/src/transcript.rs
@@ -158,20 +158,11 @@ pub fn tail_messages(path: &str, max_tokens: usize) -> Vec<(String, String, Stri
     for obj_bytes in JsonlBackwardIter::new(&mmap) {
         if token_count >= max_tokens { break; }
 
-        // Stop at compaction boundary
-        if contains_bytes(obj_bytes, compaction_marker) {
-            let obj: Value = match serde_json::from_slice(obj_bytes) {
-                Ok(v) => v,
-                Err(_) => continue,
-            };
-            if obj.get("type").and_then(|v| v.as_str()) == Some("user") {
-                if let Some(c) = obj.get("message")
-                    .and_then(|m| m.get("content"))
-                    .and_then(|c| c.as_str())
-                    && c.starts_with("This session is being continued") {
-                        break;
-                    }
-            }
+        // Quick byte check: skip objects that aren't user/assistant
+        // (avoids parsing large tool_result / system objects)
+        if !contains_bytes(obj_bytes, b"\"user\"")
+            && !contains_bytes(obj_bytes, b"\"assistant\"") {
+            continue;
         }
 
         let obj: Value = match serde_json::from_slice(obj_bytes) {
@@ -196,6 +187,11 @@ pub fn tail_messages(path: &str, max_tokens: usize) -> Vec<(String, String, Stri
         };
         if text.is_empty() { continue; }
 
+        // Stop at compaction boundary
+        if msg_type == "user" && text.starts_with("This session is being continued") {
+            break;
+        }
+
         let timestamp = obj.get("timestamp")
             .and_then(|v| v.as_str())
             .unwrap_or("")