diff --git a/pkg/agent/agent_media.go b/pkg/agent/agent_media.go
index a773d2ebb..84f386f2d 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/agent_media.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/agent_media.go
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ func resolveMediaRefs(messages []providers.Message, store media.MediaStore, maxS
 			}
 
 			mime := detectMIME(localPath, meta)
+			pathTags = append(pathTags, buildPathTag(mime, localPath))
 
 			if strings.HasPrefix(mime, "image/") {
 				dataURL := encodeImageToDataURL(localPath, mime, info, maxSize)
@@ -74,8 +75,6 @@ func resolveMediaRefs(messages []providers.Message, store media.MediaStore, maxS
 				}
 				continue
 			}
-
-			pathTags = append(pathTags, buildPathTag(mime, localPath))
 		}
 
 		result[i].Media = resolved
@@ -182,6 +181,8 @@ func encodeImageToDataURL(localPath, mime string, info os.FileInfo, maxSize int)
 // Tag type is derived from MIME: [audio:/path], [video:/path], or [file:/path].
 func buildPathTag(mime, localPath string) string {
 	switch {
+	case strings.HasPrefix(mime, "image/"):
+		return "[image:" + localPath + "]"
 	case strings.HasPrefix(mime, "audio/"):
 		return "[audio:" + localPath + "]"
 	case strings.HasPrefix(mime, "video/"):
@@ -197,6 +198,8 @@ func injectPathTags(content string, tags []string) string {
 	for _, tag := range tags {
 		var generic string
 		switch {
+		case strings.HasPrefix(tag, "[image:"):
+			generic = "[image: photo]"
 		case strings.HasPrefix(tag, "[audio:"):
 			generic = "[audio]"
 		case strings.HasPrefix(tag, "[video:"):
diff --git a/pkg/agent/agent_test.go b/pkg/agent/agent_test.go
index 4047ab74d..14136aa38 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/agent_test.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/agent_test.go
@@ -1781,17 +1781,22 @@ func (m *artifactThenSendProvider) Chat(
 		if messages[i].Role != "tool" {
 			continue
 		}
-		start := strings.Index(messages[i].Content, "[file:")
-		if start < 0 {
-			continue
+		for _, prefix := range []string{"[image:", "[file:", "[audio:", "[video:"} {
+			start := strings.Index(messages[i].Content, prefix)
+			if start < 0 {
+				continue
+			}
+			rest := messages[i].Content[start+len(prefix):]
+			end := strings.Index(rest, "]")
+			if end < 0 {
+				continue
+			}
+			artifactPath = rest[:end]
+			break
 		}
-		rest := messages[i].Content[start+len("[file:"):]
-		end := strings.Index(rest, "]")
-		if end < 0 {
-			continue
+		if artifactPath != "" {
+			break
 		}
-		artifactPath = rest[:end]
-		break
 	}
 	if artifactPath == "" {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("provider did not receive artifact path in tool result")
@@ -4656,7 +4661,7 @@ func TestRun_PicoToolFeedbackSuppressesDuplicateInterimAssistantContent(t *testi
 	}
 }
 
-func TestResolveMediaRefs_ResolvesToBase64(t *testing.T) {
+func TestResolveMediaRefs_ImageBase64AndPathTag(t *testing.T) {
 	store := media.NewFileMediaStore()
 	dir := t.TempDir()
 
@@ -4690,9 +4695,14 @@ func TestResolveMediaRefs_ResolvesToBase64(t *testing.T) {
 	if !strings.HasPrefix(result[0].Media[0], "data:image/png;base64,") {
 		t.Fatalf("expected data:image/png;base64, prefix, got %q", result[0].Media[0][:40])
 	}
+	localPath, _, _ := store.ResolveWithMeta(ref)
+	expectedContent := "describe this [image:" + localPath + "]"
+	if result[0].Content != expectedContent {
+		t.Fatalf("expected content %q, got %q", expectedContent, result[0].Content)
+	}
 }
 
-func TestResolveMediaRefs_SkipsOversizedFile(t *testing.T) {
+func TestResolveMediaRefs_OversizedImageSkipsBase64KeepsPathTag(t *testing.T) {
 	store := media.NewFileMediaStore()
 	dir := t.TempDir()
 
@@ -4714,6 +4724,11 @@ func TestResolveMediaRefs_SkipsOversizedFile(t *testing.T) {
 	if len(result[0].Media) != 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("expected 0 media (oversized), got %d", len(result[0].Media))
 	}
+	localPath, _, _ := store.ResolveWithMeta(ref)
+	expected := "hi [image:" + localPath + "]"
+	if result[0].Content != expected {
+		t.Fatalf("expected content %q, got %q", expected, result[0].Content)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestResolveMediaRefs_UnknownTypeInjectsPath(t *testing.T) {
@@ -4797,6 +4812,11 @@ func TestResolveMediaRefs_UsesMetaContentType(t *testing.T) {
 	if !strings.HasPrefix(result[0].Media[0], "data:image/jpeg;base64,") {
 		t.Fatalf("expected jpeg prefix, got %q", result[0].Media[0][:30])
 	}
+	localPath, _, _ := store.ResolveWithMeta(ref)
+	expectedContent := "hi [image:" + localPath + "]"
+	if result[0].Content != expectedContent {
+		t.Fatalf("expected content %q, got %q", expectedContent, result[0].Content)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestResolveMediaRefs_PDFInjectsFilePath(t *testing.T) {
@@ -4929,12 +4949,14 @@ func TestResolveMediaRefs_MixedImageAndFile(t *testing.T) {
 	result := resolveMediaRefs(messages, store, config.DefaultMaxMediaSize)
 
 	if len(result[0].Media) != 1 {
-		t.Fatalf("expected 1 media (image only), got %d", len(result[0].Media))
+		t.Fatalf("expected 1 media (image base64 only), got %d", len(result[0].Media))
 	}
 	if !strings.HasPrefix(result[0].Media[0], "data:image/png;base64,") {
 		t.Fatal("expected image to be base64 encoded")
 	}
-	expectedContent := "check these [file:" + pdfPath + "]"
+	imgLocalPath, _, _ := store.ResolveWithMeta(imgRef)
+	pdfLocalPath, _, _ := store.ResolveWithMeta(fileRef)
+	expectedContent := "check these [file:" + pdfLocalPath + "] [image:" + imgLocalPath + "]"
 	if result[0].Content != expectedContent {
 		t.Fatalf("expected content %q, got %q", expectedContent, result[0].Content)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/agent/steering_test.go b/pkg/agent/steering_test.go
index bba988672..9330ec238 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/steering_test.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/steering_test.go
@@ -1051,16 +1051,18 @@ func TestAgentLoop_Continue_PreservesSteeringMedia(t *testing.T) {
 
 	foundResolvedMedia := false
 	for _, msg := range msgs {
-		if msg.Role != "user" || msg.Content != "describe this image" || len(msg.Media) != 1 {
+		if msg.Role != "user" {
 			continue
 		}
-		if strings.HasPrefix(msg.Media[0], "data:image/png;base64,") {
+		hasBase64 := len(msg.Media) > 0 && strings.HasPrefix(msg.Media[0], "data:image/png;base64,")
+		hasPathTag := strings.Contains(msg.Content, "[image:")
+		if hasBase64 && hasPathTag {
 			foundResolvedMedia = true
 			break
 		}
 	}
 	if !foundResolvedMedia {
-		t.Fatal("expected continue path to inject steering media into the provider request")
+		t.Fatal("expected continue path to inject both base64 media and image path tag")
 	}
 
 	defaultAgent := al.registry.GetDefaultAgent()