diff --git a/scripts/hooks/suggest-compact.js b/scripts/hooks/suggest-compact.js
index be3f2e79..0e9d5e66 100644
--- a/scripts/hooks/suggest-compact.js
+++ b/scripts/hooks/suggest-compact.js
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ const {
   getTempDir,
   writeFile,
   readStdinJson,
-  log
+  log,
+  output
 } = require('../lib/utils');
 
 async function resolveSessionId() {
@@ -77,14 +78,25 @@ async function main() {
     writeFile(counterFile, String(count));
   }
 
-  // Suggest compact after threshold tool calls
+  // Suggest compact after threshold tool calls.
+  //
+  // log() writes to stderr (debug log). Per the Claude Code hooks guide,
+  // non-blocking PreToolUse stderr (exit 0) is only written to the debug log;
+  // it does not reach the model. To inject a user-facing suggestion without
+  // blocking the tool call, emit structured JSON to stdout with
+  // hookSpecificOutput.additionalContext — the documented mechanism for
+  // PreToolUse hooks to add context to the next model turn.
   if (count === threshold) {
-    log(`[StrategicCompact] ${threshold} tool calls reached - consider /compact if transitioning phases`);
+    const msg = `[StrategicCompact] ${threshold} tool calls reached - consider /compact if transitioning phases`;
+    log(msg);
+    output({ hookSpecificOutput: { hookEventName: 'PreToolUse', additionalContext: msg } });
   }
 
   // Suggest at regular intervals after threshold (every 25 calls from threshold)
   if (count > threshold && (count - threshold) % 25 === 0) {
-    log(`[StrategicCompact] ${count} tool calls - good checkpoint for /compact if context is stale`);
+    const msg = `[StrategicCompact] ${count} tool calls - good checkpoint for /compact if context is stale`;
+    log(msg);
+    output({ hookSpecificOutput: { hookEventName: 'PreToolUse', additionalContext: msg } });
   }
 
   process.exit(0);
diff --git a/tests/hooks/suggest-compact.test.js b/tests/hooks/suggest-compact.test.js
index 217304b4..dc3c5c23 100644
--- a/tests/hooks/suggest-compact.test.js
+++ b/tests/hooks/suggest-compact.test.js
@@ -366,6 +366,66 @@ function runTests() {
   })) passed++;
   else failed++;
 
+  // ── hookSpecificOutput JSON on stdout ──
+  // Claude Code 2.1+ drops non-blocking PreToolUse stderr; the suggestion has
+  // to ride on stdout as { hookSpecificOutput: { additionalContext } } to reach
+  // the model. These tests pin that contract.
+  console.log('\nhookSpecificOutput stdout JSON:');
+
+  if (test('emits hookSpecificOutput.additionalContext on stdout at threshold', () => {
+    const { sessionId, counterFile, cleanup } = createCounterContext();
+    cleanup();
+    fs.writeFileSync(counterFile, '49');
+    const result = runCompact({ CLAUDE_SESSION_ID: sessionId });
+    assert.strictEqual(result.code, 0, 'Should exit 0');
+    assert.ok(result.stdout.trim().length > 0, `Expected stdout payload at threshold. Got: "${result.stdout}"`);
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(result.stdout);
+    assert.strictEqual(parsed.hookSpecificOutput.hookEventName, 'PreToolUse',
+      `hookEventName should be PreToolUse. Got: ${JSON.stringify(parsed)}`);
+    assert.ok(parsed.hookSpecificOutput.additionalContext.includes('50 tool calls reached'),
+      `additionalContext should include threshold text. Got: ${parsed.hookSpecificOutput.additionalContext}`);
+    cleanup();
+  })) passed++;
+  else failed++;
+
+  if (test('emits hookSpecificOutput.additionalContext on stdout at +25 interval', () => {
+    const { sessionId, counterFile, cleanup } = createCounterContext();
+    cleanup();
+    // threshold=3, set counter to 27 → next run = 28 → 28-3=25 → interval hit
+    fs.writeFileSync(counterFile, '27');
+    const result = runCompact({ CLAUDE_SESSION_ID: sessionId, COMPACT_THRESHOLD: '3' });
+    assert.strictEqual(result.code, 0, 'Should exit 0');
+    assert.ok(result.stdout.trim().length > 0, `Expected stdout payload at interval. Got: "${result.stdout}"`);
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(result.stdout);
+    assert.strictEqual(parsed.hookSpecificOutput.hookEventName, 'PreToolUse');
+    assert.ok(parsed.hookSpecificOutput.additionalContext.includes('28 tool calls'),
+      `additionalContext should include count. Got: ${parsed.hookSpecificOutput.additionalContext}`);
+    cleanup();
+  })) passed++;
+  else failed++;
+
+  if (test('emits no stdout below threshold (silent)', () => {
+    const { sessionId, cleanup } = createCounterContext();
+    cleanup();
+    const result = runCompact({ CLAUDE_SESSION_ID: sessionId, COMPACT_THRESHOLD: '5' });
+    assert.strictEqual(result.code, 0);
+    assert.strictEqual(result.stdout.trim(), '',
+      `Expected empty stdout below threshold. Got: "${result.stdout}"`);
+    cleanup();
+  })) passed++;
+  else failed++;
+
+  if (test('still writes [StrategicCompact] to stderr (debug log retained)', () => {
+    const { sessionId, counterFile, cleanup } = createCounterContext();
+    cleanup();
+    fs.writeFileSync(counterFile, '49');
+    const result = runCompact({ CLAUDE_SESSION_ID: sessionId });
+    assert.ok(result.stderr.includes('[StrategicCompact]'),
+      `stderr should retain [StrategicCompact] for debug log capture. Got: "${result.stderr}"`);
+    cleanup();
+  })) passed++;
+  else failed++;
+
   // ── Round 64: default session ID fallback ──
   console.log('\nDefault session ID fallback (Round 64):');