diff --git a/src/plyngent/tools/file/edit_lineno.py b/src/plyngent/tools/file/edit_lineno.py
index 6dad80d..6860a77 100644
--- a/src/plyngent/tools/file/edit_lineno.py
+++ b/src/plyngent/tools/file/edit_lineno.py
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ if TYPE_CHECKING:
 # How many unread line numbers to preview in the error message.
 _UNREAD_PREVIEW = 8
 
+# Lines of context a suggested read covers on each side of the edit range.
+_READ_HINT_MARGIN = 3
+
 
 def _detect_newline(lines: list[str]) -> str:
     for sample in lines:
@@ -68,6 +71,19 @@ def _unread_lines_in_range(
     return sorted(set(range(start_line, end_line + 1)) - read_lines)
 
 
+def _read_hint(path: str, start_line: int, end_line: int, n: int) -> str:
+    """A ready-to-copy ``read_file`` call covering the edit range plus a margin.
+
+    ``read_file`` counts ``offset`` from 0 while ``edit_lineno`` counts lines
+    from 1, so the call is spelled out instead of asking the model to convert.
+    The window is clipped to the file (``_validate_range`` already accepted the
+    edit) and the margin keeps neighbouring lines editable too.
+    """
+    first = max(1, start_line - _READ_HINT_MARGIN)
+    last = max(first, min(n, end_line + _READ_HINT_MARGIN))
+    return f"read_file(path={path!r}, offset={first - 1}, limit={last - first + 1}, with_lineno=true)"
+
+
 def _append_after(target: Path, path: str, text: str, lines: list[str], new_content: str) -> str:
     n = len(lines)
     newline = _detect_newline(lines[-1:] if lines else [])
@@ -135,8 +151,9 @@ async def edit_lineno(path: str, start_line: int, end_line: int, new_content: st
         if read_lines:
             window = f" (this turn read lines {min(read_lines)}-{max(read_lines)})"
         return (
-            f"error: lines {head} not read{window}; call read_file(path, with_lineno=true) "
-            "first — read with a small margin around the lines you plan to edit"
+            f"error: lines {head} not read{window}; re-read with "
+            f"{_read_hint(path, start_line, end_line, len(lines))} "
+            "— offset is 0-based; the window keeps a margin around the edit"
         )
 
     recorded_mtime = lineno_read_mtime(str(target))
@@ -148,7 +165,8 @@ async def edit_lineno(path: str, start_line: int, end_line: int, new_content: st
         if current_mtime is not None and current_mtime != recorded_mtime:
             return (
                 f"error: {path} changed since it was read (line numbers may be stale); "
-                "re-read with read_file(path, with_lineno=true)"
+                f"re-read with {_read_hint(path, start_line, end_line, len(lines))} "
+                "— offset is 0-based"
             )
 
     if start_line == len(lines) + 1:
diff --git a/tests/test_tools/test_edit_lineno.py b/tests/test_tools/test_edit_lineno.py
index 6bd95e3..946f063 100644
--- a/tests/test_tools/test_edit_lineno.py
+++ b/tests/test_tools/test_edit_lineno.py
@@ -49,6 +49,24 @@ def test_edit_lineno_error_shows_read_window(workspace: object) -> None:
     assert "not read" in out
     assert "read lines 2-3" in out
     assert "margin" in out
+    # Ready to copy: 1-based line 1 is offset 0, and n=4 clamps the limit.
+    assert "read_file(path='j.txt', offset=0, limit=4, with_lineno=true)" in out
+
+
+def test_edit_lineno_error_suggests_the_read_file_call(workspace: object) -> None:
+    """Both rejections hand back a ready-to-copy call with a 0-based ``offset``."""
+    del workspace
+    _ = call_sync(write_file, "s.txt", "".join(f"line {i}\n" for i in range(1, 21)))
+    _ = reset_lineno_tracker()
+    _ = call_sync(read_file, "s.txt", offset=0, limit=10, with_lineno=True)  # lines 1-10
+    # Line 15 was never shown; the hint reads it back with a margin (line 12 → offset 11).
+    out = call_sync(edit_lineno, "s.txt", 15, 15, "X\n")
+    assert "read_file(path='s.txt', offset=11, limit=7, with_lineno=true)" in out
+    # A stale read gets a fresh call for the same range after an external write.
+    _ = call_sync(write_file, "s.txt", "changed\n")
+    out = call_sync(edit_lineno, "s.txt", 1, 1, "X\n")
+    assert "changed since it was read" in out
+    assert "read_file(path='s.txt', offset=0, limit=1, with_lineno=true)" in out
 
 
 def test_edit_lineno_requires_all_lines_read(workspace: object) -> None:
@@ -84,6 +102,8 @@ def test_edit_lineno_append_requires_last_line_read(workspace: object) -> None:
     _ = call_sync(read_file, "ap.txt", offset=0, limit=2, with_lineno=True)
     out = call_sync(edit_lineno, "ap.txt", 4, 4, "d\n")
     assert "not read" in out and "3" in out
+    # Appending needs the last line, so the suggested window ends at n.
+    assert "read_file(path='ap.txt', offset=0, limit=3, with_lineno=true)" in out
     # Read the last line, then append succeeds.
     _ = call_sync(read_file, "ap.txt", offset=2, limit=1, with_lineno=True)
     out = call_sync(edit_lineno, "ap.txt", 4, 4, "d\n")