diff --git a/src/gateway/server-methods/tools-catalog.test.ts b/src/gateway/server-methods/tools-catalog.test.ts
index b806bbdd14d..79a60929760 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server-methods/tools-catalog.test.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server-methods/tools-catalog.test.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,12 @@ const pluginToolMetaState = new Map<string, { pluginId: string; optional: boolea
 vi.mock("../../plugins/tools.js", () => ({
   resolvePluginTools: vi.fn(() => [
     { name: "voice_call", label: "voice_call", description: "Plugin calling tool" },
-    { name: "matrix_room", label: "matrix_room", description: "Matrix room helper" },
+    {
+      name: "matrix_room",
+      label: "matrix_room",
+      displaySummary: "Summarized Matrix room helper.",
+      description: "Matrix room helper\n\nACTIONS:\n- join\n- leave",
+    },
   ]),
   getPluginToolMeta: vi.fn((tool: { name: string }) => pluginToolMetaState.get(tool.name)),
 }));
@@ -119,6 +124,29 @@ describe("tools.catalog handler", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("summarizes plugin tool descriptions the same way as the effective inventory", async () => {
+    const { respond, invoke } = createInvokeParams({});
+    await invoke();
+    const call = respond.mock.calls[0] as RespondCall | undefined;
+    expect(call?.[0]).toBe(true);
+    const payload = call?.[1] as
+      | {
+          groups: Array<{
+            source: "core" | "plugin";
+            tools: Array<{
+              id: string;
+              description: string;
+            }>;
+          }>;
+        }
+      | undefined;
+    const matrixRoom = (payload?.groups ?? [])
+      .filter((group) => group.source === "plugin")
+      .flatMap((group) => group.tools)
+      .find((tool) => tool.id === "matrix_room");
+    expect(matrixRoom?.description).toBe("Summarized Matrix room helper.");
+  });
+
   it("opts plugin tool catalog loads into gateway subagent binding", async () => {
     const { invoke } = createInvokeParams({});
 
diff --git a/src/gateway/server-methods/tools-catalog.ts b/src/gateway/server-methods/tools-catalog.ts
index 11462bdeaa2..98ccd13622c 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server-methods/tools-catalog.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server-methods/tools-catalog.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {
   PROFILE_OPTIONS,
   resolveCoreToolProfiles,
 } from "../../agents/tool-catalog.js";
+import { summarizeToolDescriptionText } from "../../agents/tool-description-summary.js";
 import { loadConfig } from "../../config/config.js";
 import { getPluginToolMeta, resolvePluginTools } from "../../plugins/tools.js";
 import {
@@ -105,10 +106,10 @@ function buildPluginGroups(params: {
     existing.tools.push({
       id: tool.name,
       label: typeof tool.label === "string" && tool.label.trim() ? tool.label.trim() : tool.name,
-      description:
-        typeof tool.description === "string" && tool.description.trim()
-          ? tool.description.trim()
-          : "Plugin tool",
+      description: summarizeToolDescriptionText({
+        rawDescription: typeof tool.description === "string" ? tool.description : undefined,
+        displaySummary: tool.displaySummary,
+      }),
       source: "plugin",
       pluginId,
       optional: meta?.optional,