diff --git a/crates/hook/src/hook.rs b/crates/hook/src/hook.rs
index e3b0b6e9c..c8bf501ed 100644
--- a/crates/hook/src/hook.rs
+++ b/crates/hook/src/hook.rs
@@ -756,39 +756,49 @@ pub fn run_stop_hook(rt: &Runtime, stdin: &str) -> RunResult {
         );
     }
     let short = footer_mode_short(&mut cache, &session_id);
-    let mut attribution_note = if fresh_groups.iter().any(|group| {
-        group.findings.iter().any(|f| f.name.starts_with("[attribution unknown]"))
-    }) {
+    let first_unknown = fresh_groups.iter().flat_map(|group| &group.findings)
+        .position(|f| f.name.starts_with("[attribution unknown]"));
+    let mut attribution_note = if first_unknown.is_some() {
         format!("{ENVELOPE_PREFIX} {}", stop_baseline::UNKNOWN_NOTE)
     } else {
         String::new()
     };
     // Findings and attribution take priority. Append the lower-priority stale
     // DESIGN.md notice only if it fits, without consuming its session flag.
-    let render = |note: &str| render_grouped_template(
+    let render = |note: &str, render_config: &HookConfig| render_grouped_template(
         rt,
         &fresh_groups,
-        &config,
+        render_config,
         &RenderOpts {
             cwd: Some(project_cwd.clone()),
             short_footer: short,
             reserve_chars: if note.is_empty() { 0.0 } else { (utf16_len(note) + 2) as f64 },
         },
     );
-    let mut rendered = render(&attribution_note);
+    let mut rendered = render(&attribution_note, &config);
     if !attribution_note.is_empty() && !rendered.lines().any(|line| {
         line.starts_with("- ") && (line.contains("[attribution unknown]") || line.contains("[new]"))
     }) {
         // At the minimum budget, a grouped header and policy footer may crowd
         // out even the first finding. Shorten the notice before losing it.
         attribution_note = format!("{ENVELOPE_PREFIX} {}", stop_baseline::COMPACT_UNKNOWN_NOTE);
-        rendered = render(&attribution_note);
+        rendered = render(&attribution_note, &config);
     }
     // maxFindings / maxChars may also remove all unknown findings. Do not
     // attach their guidance to an output that only shows confirmed new debt.
     let shows_unknown = rendered.lines().any(|line| {
         line.starts_with("- ") && line.contains("[attribution unknown]")
     });
+    if !shows_unknown {
+        if let Some(prefix @ 1..) = first_unknown {
+            // Reclaim the unused notice budget for the known-new prefix.
+            // Keep the unknown suffix omitted: simply expanding the budget
+            // could reveal an unknown finding without its required guidance.
+            let mut visible_config = config.clone();
+            visible_config.limits.max_findings = cap_of(&config).min(prefix) as f64;
+            rendered = render("", &visible_config);
+        }
+    }
     let text = if shows_unknown { format!("{attribution_note}\n\n{rendered}") } else { rendered };
     let text =
         append_design_system_note_once(rt, &text, &scan, &mut cache, &session_id, &config);
diff --git a/crates/hook/src/hook_lib.rs b/crates/hook/src/hook_lib.rs
index 866bd785d..0d57edc81 100644
--- a/crates/hook/src/hook_lib.rs
+++ b/crates/hook/src/hook_lib.rs
@@ -1314,7 +1314,7 @@ pub struct RenderOpts {
     pub reserve_chars: f64,
 }
 
-fn cap_of(config: &HookConfig) -> usize {
+pub(crate) fn cap_of(config: &HookConfig) -> usize {
     let mf = config.limits.max_findings;
     let mf = if mf == 0.0 || mf.is_nan() {
         DEFAULT_MAX_FINDINGS
diff --git a/crates/hook/tests/hook_tests.rs b/crates/hook/tests/hook_tests.rs
index f086b60d4..1a44d1b26 100644
--- a/crates/hook/tests/hook_tests.rs
+++ b/crates/hook/tests/hook_tests.rs
@@ -362,6 +362,39 @@ fn stop_baseline_small_grouped_output_keeps_finding_and_attribution() {
     assert!(text.contains("may predate this session"), "{text}");
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn stop_baseline_dropped_notice_reclaims_its_rendering_budget() {
+    for max_findings in [1, 5] {
+        let t = Tmp::new();
+        let cwd = t.path();
+        t.write("package.json", "{}");
+        t.write(".impeccable/config.json", &json!({"hook":{"limits":{"maxChars":500,"maxFindings":max_findings}}}).to_string());
+        let r = rt(&cwd);
+        let new = t.write("new/card.css", SIDE_TAB_CSS);
+        hook::run_hook(&r, &edit_with_original(&cwd, &new, "s1", ".card {}", ".card {}", SIDE_TAB_CSS));
+        let old = t.write("old/card.css", SIDE_TAB_CSS);
+        hook::run_hook(&r, &edit_event(&cwd, &old, "s1"));
+        let stop = hook::run_stop_hook(&r, &stop_event(&cwd, "s1"));
+        let output: Value = serde_json::from_str(&stop.stdout).unwrap();
+        let text = output["hookSpecificOutput"]["additionalContext"].as_str().unwrap();
+        let groups: Vec<Group> = [(new, "[new]"), (old, "[attribution unknown]")].into_iter().map(|(file_path, label)| {
+            let mut findings = detector_detect_text(SIDE_TAB_CSS, &file_path, &HookScanOptions::default());
+            for f in &mut findings { f.name = format!("{label} {}", f.name); }
+            Group { file_path, findings }
+        }).collect();
+        let mut config = read_config(&cwd);
+        // Unknown is not displayed at this budget. All available space goes
+        // to the known-new prefix, rather than a discarded notice.
+        config.limits.max_findings = 1.0;
+        let expected = render_grouped_template(&r, &groups, &config, &RenderOpts {
+            cwd: Some(cwd), short_footer: false, reserve_chars: 0.0,
+        });
+        assert_eq!(text, expected, "maxFindings={max_findings}");
+        assert!(text.contains("[new] Side-tab accent border"), "{text}");
+        assert!(!text.contains("may predate this session"), "{text}");
+    }
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn stop_baseline_uses_dirty_worktree_not_git_head() {
     let t = Tmp::new();