diff --git a/packages/core/src/tools/ask-user.test.ts b/packages/core/src/tools/ask-user.test.ts
index d747ed1d16..969a4f7f15 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/tools/ask-user.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/tools/ask-user.test.ts
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ describe('AskUserTool', () => {
       const result = tool.validateToolParams({
         questions: [{ question: 'Test?', header: 'This is way too long' }],
       });
-      expect(result).toContain('must NOT have more than 12 characters');
+      expect(result).toContain('must NOT have more than 16 characters');
     });
 
     it('should return error if options has fewer than 2 items', () => {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/tools/ask-user.ts b/packages/core/src/tools/ask-user.ts
index 601d80178b..10677e5162 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/tools/ask-user.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/tools/ask-user.ts
@@ -50,9 +50,9 @@ export class AskUserTool extends BaseDeclarativeTool<
                 },
                 header: {
                   type: 'string',
-                  maxLength: 12,
+                  maxLength: 16,
                   description:
-                    'Very short label displayed as a chip/tag (max 12 chars). Examples: "Auth method", "Library", "Approach".',
+                    'Very short label displayed as a chip/tag (max 16 chars). Examples: "Auth method", "Library", "Approach".',
                 },
                 type: {
                   type: 'string',