diff --git a/src/plyngent/tools/file/read.py b/src/plyngent/tools/file/read.py
index badb33b..42055c8 100644
--- a/src/plyngent/tools/file/read.py
+++ b/src/plyngent/tools/file/read.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 from plyngent.agent import ToolTag, mark_lineno_read, tool
+from plyngent.tools.truncate_token import truncate_with_token
 from plyngent.tools.workspace import resolve_path
 
 _LINENO_WIDTH = 6
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ async def read_file(
     offset: int = 0,
     limit: int | None = None,
     with_lineno: bool = False,
+    max_chars: int | None = None,
 ) -> str:
     """Read a text file under the workspace.
 
@@ -31,6 +33,9 @@ async def read_file(
     When ``with_lineno`` is true, each line is prefixed with its 1-based file line
     number (``     N|…``), matching ``edit_lineno`` numbering, and those lines are
     marked readable for ``edit_lineno`` this turn.
+
+    ``max_chars`` caps the returned slice; a ``TRUNCATE_TOKEN`` is appended so
+    ``get_truncated`` can continue reading the rest without a new request.
     """
     target = resolve_path(path)
     if not target.is_file():
@@ -46,5 +51,18 @@ async def read_file(
     slice_lines = lines[start:end]
     if with_lineno:
         mark_lineno_read(str(target), set(range(start + 1, end + 1)))
-        return _format_with_lineno(slice_lines, start_lineno=start + 1)
-    return "".join(slice_lines)
+        out = _format_with_lineno(slice_lines, start_lineno=start + 1)
+    else:
+        out = "".join(slice_lines)
+    if max_chars is not None and max_chars >= 1:
+        char_start = len("".join(lines[:start]))
+        out, _ = truncate_with_token(
+            out,
+            max_chars,
+            kind="file",
+            location=path,  # arg form: short token, resolves to the same file
+            offset=char_start,
+            limit=max_chars,
+            total_len=len(text),
+        )
+    return out
diff --git a/tests/test_tools/test_file.py b/tests/test_tools/test_file.py
index dff9796..9d62baf 100644
--- a/tests/test_tools/test_file.py
+++ b/tests/test_tools/test_file.py
@@ -1,8 +1,20 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import importlib
+from pathlib import Path
+
 from plyngent.tools.file import edit_replace, listdir, read_file, write_file
 from tests.test_tools.helpers import call_sync
 
+get_truncated_module = importlib.import_module("plyngent.tools.file.get_truncated")
+
+
+def _extract_token(out: str) -> str | None:
+    for line in out.splitlines():
+        if "TRUNCATE_TOKEN:" in line:
+            return line.split("[TRUNCATE_TOKEN: ", 1)[1].rstrip("]")
+    return None
+
 
 def test_write_read_listdir_edit(workspace: object) -> None:
     del workspace
@@ -16,6 +28,28 @@ def test_write_read_listdir_edit(workspace: object) -> None:
     assert call_sync(read_file, "notes/a.txt") == "hello there"
 
 
+def test_read_file_max_chars_embeds_token(workspace: Path) -> None:
+    (workspace / "big.txt").write_text("a" * 1000, encoding="utf-8")
+    out = call_sync(read_file, "big.txt", max_chars=200)
+    content, _, marker = out.partition("\n...[")
+    assert content == "a" * len(content)
+    assert len(content) < 200
+    assert "TRUNCATE_TOKEN:" in marker
+    token = _extract_token(out)
+    assert token is not None
+    parsed = get_truncated_module.decode_truncate_token(token)
+    assert parsed is not None
+    assert parsed.kind == "file"
+    assert parsed.offset == len(content)  # cursor lands exactly where content stops
+
+
+def test_read_file_max_chars_small_file_untouched(workspace: Path) -> None:
+    (workspace / "small.txt").write_text("tiny", encoding="utf-8")
+    out = call_sync(read_file, "small.txt", max_chars=200)
+    assert out == "tiny"
+    assert "TRUNCATE_TOKEN:" not in out
+
+
 def test_edit_replace_first_only(workspace: object) -> None:
     del workspace
     _ = call_sync(write_file, "t.txt", "aa aa")