diff --git a/crates/aft/src/bash_rewrite/rules.rs b/crates/aft/src/bash_rewrite/rules.rs
index 1fa09aa1..7f6817a7 100644
--- a/crates/aft/src/bash_rewrite/rules.rs
+++ b/crates/aft/src/bash_rewrite/rules.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 use serde_json::{json, Value};
+use std::path::Path;
+use std::time::{Duration, SystemTime};
 
 const REGEX_SIZE_LIMIT: usize = 10 * 1024 * 1024;
+const GREP_FOOTER_FRESHNESS_WINDOW: Duration = Duration::from_secs(60);
 
 use crate::bash_rewrite::footer::{add_footer, add_grep_footer};
 use crate::bash_rewrite::parser::parse;
@@ -32,9 +35,14 @@ impl RewriteRule for GrepRule {
         ctx: &AppContext,
     ) -> Result<Response, String> {
         let params = grep_request(command, "grep").ok_or("not a grep rewrite")?;
+        let path = params
+            .get("path")
+            .and_then(Value::as_str)
+            .map(str::to_owned);
         try_call_and_grep_footer(
             crate::commands::grep::handle_grep(&request("grep", params, session_id), ctx),
             ctx,
+            path.as_deref(),
         )
     }
 }
@@ -55,9 +63,14 @@ impl RewriteRule for RgRule {
         ctx: &AppContext,
     ) -> Result<Response, String> {
         let params = grep_request(command, "rg").ok_or("not an rg rewrite")?;
+        let path = params
+            .get("path")
+            .and_then(Value::as_str)
+            .map(str::to_owned);
         try_call_and_grep_footer(
             crate::commands::grep::handle_grep(&request("grep", params, session_id), ctx),
             ctx,
+            path.as_deref(),
         )
     }
 }
@@ -204,15 +217,62 @@ fn try_call_and_footer(response: Response, replacement_tool: &str) -> Result<Res
 
 /// Grep/rg variant: same decline handling, but the footer is the enforced
 /// code-search redirect, steering to `aft_search` when it's registered.
-fn try_call_and_grep_footer(response: Response, ctx: &AppContext) -> Result<Response, String> {
+fn try_call_and_grep_footer(
+    response: Response,
+    ctx: &AppContext,
+    path: Option<&str>,
+) -> Result<Response, String> {
     if let Some(err) = declined_error(&response, "grep") {
         return Err(err);
     }
     let output = response_output(&response.data);
-    let footered = add_grep_footer(&output, ctx.config().aft_search_registered);
+    let footered = if should_suppress_grep_footer(path, &grep_project_root(ctx)) {
+        output
+    } else {
+        add_grep_footer(&output, ctx.config().aft_search_registered)
+    };
     Ok(apply_footer(response, footered))
 }
 
+fn grep_project_root(ctx: &AppContext) -> std::path::PathBuf {
+    let configured = ctx
+        .config()
+        .project_root
+        .clone()
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| std::env::current_dir().unwrap_or_default());
+    std::fs::canonicalize(&configured).unwrap_or(configured)
+}
+
+fn should_suppress_grep_footer(path: Option<&str>, project_root: &Path) -> bool {
+    let Some(path) = path else {
+        return false;
+    };
+    let target = Path::new(path);
+    let target = if target.is_absolute() {
+        target.to_path_buf()
+    } else {
+        project_root.join(target)
+    };
+    let Ok(target) = std::fs::canonicalize(target) else {
+        return false;
+    };
+    if !target.starts_with(project_root) {
+        return true;
+    }
+    let Ok(metadata) = std::fs::metadata(&target) else {
+        return false;
+    };
+    if metadata.is_file() {
+        return true;
+    }
+    let Ok(modified) = metadata.modified() else {
+        return false;
+    };
+    SystemTime::now()
+        .duration_since(modified)
+        .is_ok_and(|age| age < GREP_FOOTER_FRESHNESS_WINDOW)
+}
+
 fn declined_error(response: &Response, replacement_tool: &str) -> Option<String> {
     if response.success {
         return None;
@@ -502,9 +562,84 @@ fn ls_request(command: &str) -> Option<Value> {
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
+    use std::fs;
+    use std::time::{Duration, SystemTime};
+
     use serde_json::json;
 
-    use super::find_request;
+    use super::{find_request, should_suppress_grep_footer};
+
+    fn fixture() -> tempfile::TempDir {
+        let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        fs::create_dir(dir.path().join("src")).unwrap();
+        fs::write(dir.path().join("src/app.ts"), "foo\n").unwrap();
+        dir
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn single_named_file_suppresses_grep_footer() {
+        let dir = fixture();
+        assert!(should_suppress_grep_footer(Some("src/app.ts"), dir.path()));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn directory_path_keeps_grep_footer() {
+        let dir = fixture();
+        filetime::set_file_mtime(
+            dir.path().join("src"),
+            filetime::FileTime::from_system_time(SystemTime::now() - Duration::from_secs(61)),
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        assert!(!should_suppress_grep_footer(Some("src"), dir.path()));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn no_path_keeps_grep_footer() {
+        let dir = fixture();
+        assert!(!should_suppress_grep_footer(None, dir.path()));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn external_file_suppresses_grep_footer() {
+        let dir = fixture();
+        let external = tempfile::NamedTempFile::new().unwrap();
+        assert!(should_suppress_grep_footer(
+            external.path().to_str(),
+            dir.path()
+        ));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn freshly_modified_file_suppresses_grep_footer() {
+        let dir = fixture();
+        let file = dir.path().join("src/app.ts");
+        fs::write(&file, "foo\nbar\n").unwrap();
+        assert!(should_suppress_grep_footer(file.to_str(), dir.path()));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn old_directory_inside_project_root_keeps_grep_footer() {
+        let dir = fixture();
+        let directory = dir.path().join("src");
+        filetime::set_file_mtime(
+            &directory,
+            filetime::FileTime::from_system_time(SystemTime::now() - Duration::from_secs(61)),
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        assert!(!should_suppress_grep_footer(Some("src"), dir.path()));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn old_file_inside_project_root_suppresses_grep_footer() {
+        let dir = fixture();
+        let file = dir.path().join("src/app.ts");
+        filetime::set_file_mtime(
+            &file,
+            filetime::FileTime::from_system_time(SystemTime::now() - Duration::from_secs(61)),
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        assert!(should_suppress_grep_footer(Some("src/app.ts"), dir.path()));
+    }
 
     #[test]
     fn find_absolute_path_uses_glob_path_arg() {
diff --git a/crates/aft/tests/integration/bash_rewrite_test.rs b/crates/aft/tests/integration/bash_rewrite_test.rs
index 4a36b51a..4ec3993f 100644
--- a/crates/aft/tests/integration/bash_rewrite_test.rs
+++ b/crates/aft/tests/integration/bash_rewrite_test.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #![cfg(unix)]
 
 use std::fs;
+use std::time::{Duration, SystemTime};
 
 use aft::bash_rewrite::{parser, try_rewrite};
 use aft::commands::edit_match::handle_edit_match;
@@ -104,6 +105,11 @@ fn rewrites_grep_and_rejects_pipes() {
     let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
     fs::create_dir_all(dir.path().join("src")).unwrap();
     fs::write(dir.path().join("src/lib.rs"), "fn Needle() {}\n").unwrap();
+    filetime::set_file_mtime(
+        dir.path().join("src"),
+        filetime::FileTime::from_system_time(SystemTime::now() - Duration::from_secs(61)),
+    )
+    .unwrap();
     let ctx = context(dir.path(), true);
 
     let data = rewrite(
@@ -127,6 +133,16 @@ fn grep_footer_steers_to_aft_search_when_registered() {
     let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
     fs::create_dir_all(dir.path().join("src")).unwrap();
     fs::write(dir.path().join("src/lib.rs"), "fn needle() {}\n").unwrap();
+    filetime::set_file_mtime(
+        dir.path(),
+        filetime::FileTime::from_system_time(SystemTime::now() - Duration::from_secs(61)),
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+    filetime::set_file_mtime(
+        dir.path().join("src"),
+        filetime::FileTime::from_system_time(SystemTime::now() - Duration::from_secs(61)),
+    )
+    .unwrap();
     let target = format!("grep -ni needle {}", dir.path().join("src").display());
 
     // Registered → footer names `aft_search`, not the grep tool.
@@ -158,6 +174,11 @@ fn grep_rewrite_rejects_oversized_regex_programs() {
 fn rewrites_rg_and_rejects_chains() {
     let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
     fs::write(dir.path().join("notes.txt"), "alpha beta\n").unwrap();
+    filetime::set_file_mtime(
+        dir.path(),
+        filetime::FileTime::from_system_time(SystemTime::now() - Duration::from_secs(61)),
+    )
+    .unwrap();
     let ctx = context(dir.path(), true);
 
     let data =
diff --git a/packages/aft-bridge/src/__tests__/bash-hints.test.ts b/packages/aft-bridge/src/__tests__/bash-hints.test.ts
index 6542bfca..b55692f0 100644
--- a/packages/aft-bridge/src/__tests__/bash-hints.test.ts
+++ b/packages/aft-bridge/src/__tests__/bash-hints.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 import { describe, expect, test } from "bun:test";
+import * as fs from "node:fs";
+import * as os from "node:os";
+import * as path from "node:path";
 import {
   commandInvokesCodeSearch,
   maybeAppendConflictsHint,
@@ -232,6 +235,78 @@ describe("maybeAppendGrepSearchHint", () => {
       `${output}\n\n${AFT_SEARCH_HINT}`,
     );
   });
+
+  test("suppresses a piped grep targeting an in-project file", () => {
+    const root = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "aft-bash-hints-"));
+    try {
+      fs.mkdirSync(path.join(root, "src"));
+      const file = path.join(root, "src/app.ts");
+      fs.writeFileSync(file, "foo\n");
+      const old = new Date(Date.now() - 61_000);
+      fs.utimesSync(file, old, old);
+      expect(maybeAppendGrepSearchHint("hit", "grep -n foo src/app.ts | head -5", true, root)).toBe(
+        "hit",
+      );
+    } finally {
+      fs.rmSync(root, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  test("keeps the lecture for a piped old in-project directory search", () => {
+    const root = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "aft-bash-hints-"));
+    try {
+      const src = path.join(root, "src");
+      fs.mkdirSync(src);
+      fs.writeFileSync(path.join(src, "app.ts"), "foo\n");
+      const old = new Date(Date.now() - 61_000);
+      fs.utimesSync(src, old, old);
+      expect(maybeAppendGrepSearchHint("hit", "grep -n foo src | head -5", true, root)).toContain(
+        AFT_SEARCH_HINT,
+      );
+    } finally {
+      fs.rmSync(root, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  test("suppresses a piped grep targeting a fresh in-project file", () => {
+    const root = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "aft-bash-hints-"));
+    try {
+      fs.mkdirSync(path.join(root, "src"));
+      fs.writeFileSync(path.join(root, "src/app.ts"), "foo\n");
+      expect(maybeAppendGrepSearchHint("hit", "grep -n foo src/app.ts | head -5", true, root)).toBe(
+        "hit",
+      );
+    } finally {
+      fs.rmSync(root, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  test("keeps the lecture for a piped grep targeting a nonexistent path", () => {
+    const root = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "aft-bash-hints-"));
+    try {
+      expect(
+        maybeAppendGrepSearchHint("hit", "grep -n foo src/missing.ts | head -5", true, root),
+      ).toContain(AFT_SEARCH_HINT);
+    } finally {
+      fs.rmSync(root, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  test("suppresses a multi-operand grep when any operand is an existing file", () => {
+    const root = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "aft-bash-hints-"));
+    try {
+      const src = path.join(root, "src");
+      fs.mkdirSync(src);
+      fs.writeFileSync(path.join(src, "app.ts"), "foo\n");
+      const old = new Date(Date.now() - 61_000);
+      fs.utimesSync(src, old, old);
+      expect(
+        maybeAppendGrepSearchHint("hit", "grep -n foo src/app.ts src/ | head -5", true, root),
+      ).toBe("hit");
+    } finally {
+      fs.rmSync(root, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
 });
 
 describe("maybeAppendGrepSearchHint — redirection operand scan terminates", () => {
diff --git a/packages/aft-bridge/src/bash-hints.ts b/packages/aft-bridge/src/bash-hints.ts
index ee5f2ae7..50fa33ed 100644
--- a/packages/aft-bridge/src/bash-hints.ts
+++ b/packages/aft-bridge/src/bash-hints.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
+import * as fs from "node:fs";
 import * as os from "node:os";
 import * as path from "node:path";
 
-// Pure helpers for the bash-output hint nudges appended to bash tool results.
+// Helpers for the bash-output hint nudges appended to bash tool results.
 //
 // Shared across harnesses (OpenCode applies it in `tool.execute.after`; Pi
 // applies it inside its hoisted bash tool). Returns the new output string (or
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@ const GREP_SEARCH_GREP_HINT =
   "DO NOT search code by running grep/rg in bash — it is unindexed, unranked, and serial. Use the `grep` tool instead (indexed and ranked).";
 
 const GREP_SEARCH_HINT_PREFIX = "DO NOT search code by running grep/rg in bash —";
+const GREP_SEARCH_FRESHNESS_WINDOW_MS = 60_000;
 
 type Quote = "none" | "single" | "double";
 
@@ -133,11 +135,16 @@ function shouldSuppressGrepSearchHint(command: string, projectRoot: string | und
     const operands = collectPathOperands(firstStage, firstToken.end);
     // No path operands → grep reads stdin or searches the (in-project) cwd.
     if (operands.length === 0) return false;
+    let sawInProjectOperand = false;
     for (const operand of operands) {
       if (isDynamicPathOperand(operand)) continue;
-      if (isPathInsideProject(resolvedRoot, effectiveCwd, operand)) return false;
+      const resolvedOperand = resolvePathOperand(effectiveCwd, operand);
+      if (!isPathInsideProject(resolvedRoot, effectiveCwd, operand)) continue;
+      sawInProjectOperand = true;
+      if (shouldSuppressResolvedPath(resolvedOperand)) return true;
     }
     // All operands resolve outside the project → this grep is external.
+    if (sawInProjectOperand) return false;
   }
 
   return sawCodeSearchStatement;
@@ -255,6 +262,17 @@ function isPathInsideProject(resolvedRoot: string, baseCwd: string, operand: str
   return rel === "" || (!rel.startsWith("..") && !path.isAbsolute(rel));
 }
 
+function shouldSuppressResolvedPath(resolved: string): boolean {
+  try {
+    const stats = fs.statSync(resolved);
+    if (stats.isFile()) return true;
+    const ageMs = Date.now() - stats.mtimeMs;
+    return ageMs >= 0 && ageMs < GREP_SEARCH_FRESHNESS_WINDOW_MS;
+  } catch {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
 /**
  * Split a command into top-level statements, breaking on `&&`, `||`, `;`, `&`,
  * and newlines while respecting quotes, escapes, backticks, and parentheses
diff --git a/packages/opencode-plugin/src/__tests__/e2e/bash.test.ts b/packages/opencode-plugin/src/__tests__/e2e/bash.test.ts
index 43d4366b..fee8de22 100644
--- a/packages/opencode-plugin/src/__tests__/e2e/bash.test.ts
+++ b/packages/opencode-plugin/src/__tests__/e2e/bash.test.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /// <reference path="../../bun-test.d.ts" />
 
 import { afterEach, beforeAll, describe, expect, mock, test } from "bun:test";
-import { mkdir, readFile, writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { mkdir, readFile, utimes, writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 import { type BinaryBridge, BridgePool } from "@cortexkit/aft-bridge";
 import type { ToolContext } from "@opencode-ai/plugin";
@@ -344,6 +344,8 @@ maybeDescribe("e2e bash command (OpenCode adapter + bridge + Rust)", () => {
     const h = await harness({ experimental_bash_rewrite: true });
     await mkdir(h.path("src"));
     await writeFile(h.path("src", "lib.ts"), "needle\nhaystack\n", "utf8");
+    const old = new Date(Date.now() - 61_000);
+    await utimes(h.path("src"), old, old);
 
     const response = await h.bridge.send("bash", {
       command: `grep -r needle ${h.path("src")}`,
diff --git a/packages/pi-plugin/src/__tests__/e2e/bash.test.ts b/packages/pi-plugin/src/__tests__/e2e/bash.test.ts
index ea1fa3f4..ece29f99 100644
--- a/packages/pi-plugin/src/__tests__/e2e/bash.test.ts
+++ b/packages/pi-plugin/src/__tests__/e2e/bash.test.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 /// <reference path="../../bun-test.d.ts" />
 
 import { afterEach, beforeAll, describe, expect, test } from "bun:test";
-import { mkdir, realpath, writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { mkdir, realpath, utimes, writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 import { type BinaryBridge, BridgePool } from "@cortexkit/aft-bridge";
 import { withEnv } from "../../../../aft-bridge/src/__tests__/test-utils/env-guard.js";
@@ -306,6 +306,8 @@ maybeDescribe("e2e bash command (Pi adapter + bridge + Rust)", () => {
     const h = await harness({ rewrite: true });
     await mkdir(h.path("src"));
     await writeFile(h.path("src", "lib.ts"), "needle\nhaystack\n", "utf8");
+    const old = new Date(Date.now() - 61_000);
+    await utimes(h.path("src"), old, old);
 
     const response = await h.bridge.send("bash", {
       command: `grep -r needle ${h.path("src")}`,