diff --git a/amplifier_module_context_simple/__init__.py b/amplifier_module_context_simple/__init__.py
index 767a1a5..d23f941 100644
--- a/amplifier_module_context_simple/__init__.py
+++ b/amplifier_module_context_simple/__init__.py
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@
 from amplifier_core import ModuleCoordinator, TextBlock
 from amplifier_core.llm_errors import ContextLengthError
 
+from ._text_estimate import estimate_messages
+
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 DEFAULT_MAX_TOOL_RESULT_BYTES = 128 * 1024
@@ -1640,6 +1642,11 @@ async def get_messages_for_request(
             "source": meter_source,
             "used_tokens": token_count,
             "estimated_tokens": estimated_tokens,
+            "estimate_scope": (
+                "text_only"
+                if estimate_messages(sticky_view).has_unmeasured_images
+                else "all_text"
+            ),
             "measured_tokens": self._last_measured_prompt_tokens,
             "foreground_usage_stale": self._foreground_usage_stale,
             "budget": effective_budget,
@@ -1907,7 +1914,7 @@ def _measure_working_tokens(
         """Return (token_count, source, estimated_tokens) used to evaluate
         the compaction trigger this call.
 
-        `estimated_tokens` is ALWAYS the len(str)//4 heuristic over
+        `estimated_tokens` is ALWAYS the text-only chars/4 heuristic over
         `working_messages` (see _estimate_tokens) -- computed unconditionally
         so the estimator-vs-real-usage drift this meter exists to close is
         observable via `_last_token_meter_stats` regardless of mode.
@@ -1917,7 +1924,7 @@ def _measure_working_tokens(
         - token_meter == "estimate" (default): ALWAYS `estimated_tokens`,
           source "estimate" -- regardless of whether a real measurement is
           available. This is what keeps the default mode's behavior
-          byte-identical to before this meter existed.
+          independent of prior provider measurements.
         - token_meter == "actual": the last real usage recorded from
           `llm:response` (input_tokens + cache_write_tokens -- see
           `_on_llm_response`), source "measured", if one has arrived this
@@ -2642,9 +2649,9 @@ def _truncate_tool_wave(
                     # total-vs-total after this first mutation replaces the
                     # caller-supplied (already total) seed value.
                     true_total = self._estimate_tokens(messages) + system_tokens
-                old_len = len(str(msg)) // 4
+                old_len = self._estimate_tokens([msg])
                 messages[i] = self._truncate_tool_result(msg)
-                new_len = len(str(messages[i])) // 4
+                new_len = self._estimate_tokens([messages[i]])
                 true_total += new_len - old_len
                 truncated += 1
                 current_tokens = true_total
@@ -2758,7 +2765,7 @@ def _remove_messages_with_protection(
         # `messages` is constant here, the base total only needs computing
         # once, and the removed-token total only needs an O(1) delta per
         # newly-removed index.
-        token_lens = [len(str(msg)) // 4 for msg in messages]
+        token_lens = [self._estimate_tokens([msg]) for msg in messages]
         tool_call_id_to_indices: dict[str, list[int]] = {}
         for idx, m in enumerate(messages):
             tcid = m.get("tool_call_id")
@@ -3337,8 +3344,8 @@ def _derive_budget(self, token_budget: int | None, provider: Any | None) -> int:
         return self.max_tokens_fallback
 
     def _estimate_tokens(self, messages: list[dict[str, Any]]) -> int:
-        """Rough token estimation (chars / 4)."""
-        return sum(len(str(msg)) // 4 for msg in messages)
+        """Text estimate; image cost is unknown without a provider count."""
+        return estimate_messages(messages).tokens
 
 
 class _MeasuredViewTransaction:
diff --git a/amplifier_module_context_simple/_text_estimate.py b/amplifier_module_context_simple/_text_estimate.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8d3cd7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/amplifier_module_context_simple/_text_estimate.py
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+"""Text-only size hints for structured messages, never image token counts.
+
+Keep this small helper local: runtime modules must not depend on a host or on
+another context/loop implementation. Image cost requires the selected provider.
+Only actual content-block positions are inspected; quoted data and tool arguments
+remain ordinary text. The original messages and image payloads are never changed.
+"""
+
+from typing import Any, NamedTuple
+
+
+class TextEstimate(NamedTuple):
+    tokens: int
+    has_unmeasured_images: bool
+
+
+def estimate_messages(messages: list[dict[str, Any]]) -> TextEstimate:
+    tokens = 0
+    has_images = False
+    for message in messages:
+        content = message.get("content")
+        if isinstance(content, list):
+            content, found = _content_without_image_payloads(content)
+            message = {**message, "content": content}
+            has_images |= found
+        tokens += len(str(message)) // 4
+    return TextEstimate(tokens, has_images)
+
+
+def _content_without_image_payloads(content: list[Any]) -> tuple[list[Any], bool]:
+    result = []
+    has_images = False
+    for block in content:
+        if not isinstance(block, dict):
+            # Core content blocks may remain typed in an in-memory view.
+            if callable(getattr(block, "model_dump", None)):
+                block = block.model_dump(exclude_none=True)
+            else:
+                result.append(block)
+                continue
+        kind = block.get("type")
+        if kind in {"image", "image_url", "input_image"}:
+            # Count the textual envelope, not encoded pixels or URL transport.
+            # This is explicitly a partial estimate, not a zero-cost image.
+            block = {
+                k: v
+                for k, v in block.items()
+                if k not in {"source", "image_url", "url", "data", "file_id"}
+            }
+            has_images = True
+        elif kind == "tool_result" and isinstance(block.get("content"), list):
+            nested, found = _content_without_image_payloads(block["content"])
+            block = {**block, "content": nested}
+            has_images |= found
+        result.append(block)
+    return result, has_images
diff --git a/tests/test_typed_image_estimation.py b/tests/test_typed_image_estimation.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e3d7e4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_typed_image_estimation.py
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+"""Typed pixels must not become text tokens or change the request body."""
+
+import copy
+
+import pytest
+
+from amplifier_module_context_simple._text_estimate import estimate_messages
+
+
+def test_typed_image_size_is_unknown_and_transport_size_does_not_drive_text_budget():
+    small = {
+        "role": "user",
+        "content": [
+            {"type": "text", "text": "Describe it"},
+            {
+                "type": "image",
+                "source": {"type": "base64", "media_type": "image/png", "data": "x"},
+            },
+        ],
+    }
+    large = copy.deepcopy(small)
+    large["content"][1]["source"]["data"] = "x" * 8_500_000
+    before = copy.deepcopy(large)
+    assert estimate_messages([large]) == estimate_messages([small])
+    assert estimate_messages([large]).has_unmeasured_images
+    assert large == before
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "content",
+    [
+        "data:image/png;base64," + "x" * 10000,
+        [
+            {
+                "type": "text",
+                "text": '{"type":"image","source":{"data":"' + "x" * 10000 + '"}}',
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            {
+                "type": "tool_call",
+                "name": "test",
+                "arguments": {"type": "image", "data": "x" * 10000},
+            }
+        ],
+    ],
+)
+def test_quoted_images_and_tool_arguments_still_count_as_text(content):
+    message = {"role": "user", "content": content}
+    estimate = estimate_messages([message])
+    assert estimate.tokens == len(str(message)) // 4
+    assert not estimate.has_unmeasured_images
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "image",
+    [
+        {
+            "type": "image",
+            "source": {"type": "url", "url": "https://example.test/" + "x" * 10000},
+        },
+        {
+            "type": "image_url",
+            "image_url": {"url": "data:image/png;base64," + "x" * 10000},
+        },
+        {"type": "input_image", "image_url": "data:image/png;base64," + "x" * 10000},
+    ],
+)
+def test_multiple_tool_screenshots_have_unknown_pixel_cost(image):
+    message = {
+        "role": "tool",
+        "content": [{"type": "tool_result", "content": [image, image]}],
+    }
+    before = copy.deepcopy(message)
+    estimate = estimate_messages([message])
+    assert estimate.tokens < 100
+    assert estimate.has_unmeasured_images
+    assert message == before
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_protected_image_survives_hard_fit_while_real_text_overflow_still_fails():
+    from amplifier_core import ContextLengthError
+
+    from amplifier_module_context_simple import SimpleContextManager
+
+    context = SimpleContextManager(max_tokens=1000, compaction_notice_enabled=False)
+    image = {
+        "type": "image",
+        "source": {
+            "type": "base64",
+            "media_type": "image/png",
+            "data": "x" * 8_500_000,
+        },
+    }
+    await context.add_message(
+        {"role": "user", "content": [{"type": "text", "text": "CURRENT"}, image]}
+    )
+    view = await context.get_messages_for_request_retaining(
+        retain_contents=[], hard_fit=True, token_budget=1000
+    )
+    assert view[0]["content"][1] == image
+    assert context._last_token_meter_stats["estimate_scope"] == "text_only"
+    assert context._last_token_meter_stats["measured_tokens"] is None
+    await context.add_message({"role": "user", "content": "LARGE-TEXT" * 1000})
+    with pytest.raises(ContextLengthError):
+        await context.get_messages_for_request_retaining(
+            retain_contents=[], hard_fit=True, token_budget=1000
+        )
+    assert (await context.get_messages())[0]["content"][1] == image