diff --git a/reme/steps/file_io/stat.py b/reme/steps/file_io/stat.py
index f82203b5..5c87c794 100644
--- a/reme/steps/file_io/stat.py
+++ b/reme/steps/file_io/stat.py
@@ -1,11 +1,8 @@
 """``file_stat`` — peek at file metadata under the workspace without copying it.
 
-Cheap inspection alternative to ``file_download``. The answer carries the
-path, type, size and mtime, and the answer is all an MCP caller receives:
-MCP returns only ``response.answer``. ``mime`` and, for markdown files,
-the parsed frontmatter stay in ``metadata`` with the rest of the envelope,
-so they reach direct ``Response`` consumers but never an MCP caller — an
-agent that needs the frontmatter must read the file, not stat it.
+Cheap inspection alternative to ``file_download``. The answer carries path,
+type, size and mtime; MCP returns only this answer. MIME type and Markdown
+frontmatter remain in ``metadata`` for direct ``Response`` consumers.
 
 Returns a uniform envelope:
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_crud_steps.py b/tests/unit/test_crud_steps.py
index 5d3a3184..3ee620b5 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_crud_steps.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_crud_steps.py
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ def _seed_md(workspace_dir: Path, rel: str, body: str) -> Path:
 
 
 def test_stat_indexed_file():
-    """stat returns size, mime, and frontmatter for an indexed .md file."""
+    """stat reports size and mtime in its answer, plus metadata for an indexed file."""
 
     async def run():
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp, temp_chdir(tmp):
@@ -123,7 +123,10 @@ def test_stat_indexed_file():
             payload = _metadata(step)
             assert payload["exists"] is True
             assert payload["type"] == "file"
-            assert "size" in payload and payload["size"] > 0
+            assert payload["size"] == (Path(tmp) / "topics/n.md").stat().st_size
+            assert step.context.response.answer == (
+                f"stat: topics/n.md (file, {payload['size']} bytes, mtime {payload['mtime']})"
+            )
             assert payload["mime"].startswith("text/")
             assert payload["frontmatter"] == {"name": "T"}
             await store.close()
@@ -144,41 +147,13 @@ def test_stat_directory_fallback():
             payload = _metadata(step)
             assert payload["exists"] is True
             assert payload["type"] == "dir"
+            assert step.context.response.answer == f"stat: topics (dir, mtime {payload['mtime']})"
             await store.close()
         print("✓ test_stat_directory_fallback passed")
 
     asyncio.run(run())
 
 
-def test_stat_answer_reports_size_and_mtime():
-    """The answer carries size and mtime, not just the path and type.
-
-    The ``stat`` job description advertises "size, mtime, exists, is_dir,
-    is_file", but only ``answer`` reaches an MCP caller — mtime used to live
-    solely in metadata, so an agent could not tell how fresh a file was.
-    """
-
-    async def run():
-        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp, temp_chdir(tmp):
-            store = await _make_store({"topics/n.md": "---\nname: T\n---\nbody"})
-            step = crud_stat.StatStep(file_store=store)
-            await step(path="topics/n.md")
-            answer = step.context.response.answer
-            mtime = _metadata(step)["mtime"]
-            assert answer.startswith("stat: topics/n.md (file, ")
-            assert "bytes, mtime " in answer
-            assert answer.endswith(f"{mtime})")
-
-            (Path(tmp) / "topics").mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
-            step = crud_stat.StatStep(file_store=store)
-            await step(path="topics")
-            answer = step.context.response.answer
-            assert answer == f"stat: topics (dir, mtime {_metadata(step)['mtime']})"
-            await store.close()
-
-    asyncio.run(run())
-
-
 def test_stat_directory_wins_over_same_name_index():
     """stat prefers an existing directory over its same-name ``.md`` index.