diff --git a/internal/actions/registry.go b/internal/actions/registry.go
index a0fe7db..f17c8ef 100644
--- a/internal/actions/registry.go
+++ b/internal/actions/registry.go
@@ -512,21 +512,24 @@ func allActions() []Action {
 		{
 			Name:        "list_by_state",
 			Category:    "reactions",
-			Description: "List messages in a channel filtered by workflow state. Use to find actionable work: list_by_state with state='approved' finds work ready to be claimed. States: proposed (new, awaiting approval), approved (ready for work), in_progress (claimed by agent), rejected, done, published.",
+			Description: "List messages in a channel filtered by workflow state. Paginated — use limit and offset for large channels. States: proposed (new), approved (ready for work), in_progress (claimed), rejected, done, published.",
 			Params: []Param{
 				{Name: "channel", Type: "string", Description: "Channel name", Required: true},
 				{Name: "state", Type: "string", Description: "Workflow state to filter by: proposed, approved, in_progress, rejected, done, published", Required: true},
-				{Name: "include_messages", Type: "boolean", Description: "If true, include full message bodies in the response (default: false)"},
+				{Name: "limit", Type: "number", Description: "Max messages to return (default 20, max 100)"},
+				{Name: "offset", Type: "number", Description: "Skip first N messages for pagination (default 0)"},
+				{Name: "include_messages", Type: "boolean", Description: "Include message bodies (default false). Bodies truncated to max_body_length chars."},
+				{Name: "max_body_length", Type: "number", Description: "Max chars per message body when include_messages=true (default 500). Use lower values for channels with long messages."},
 			},
-			Returns: "JSON with message_ids array, count, and optionally messages array with id, from_agent, body, priority, created_at, reply_to",
+			Returns: "JSON with message_ids, count (this page), total (all matching), limit, offset, and optionally messages array",
 			Examples: []Example{
 				{
-					Description: "List approved messages in a channel",
-					Code:        `call("list_by_state", {"channel": "approvals", "state": "approved"})`,
+					Description: "List first 10 approved messages with content",
+					Code:        `call("list_by_state", {"channel": "approvals", "state": "approved", "limit": 10, "include_messages": true})`,
 				},
 				{
-					Description: "List approved messages with full content",
-					Code:        `call("list_by_state", {"channel": "approvals", "state": "approved", "include_messages": true})`,
+					Description: "Paginate — get next page",
+					Code:        `call("list_by_state", {"channel": "approvals", "state": "proposed", "limit": 10, "offset": 10})`,
 				},
 			},
 		},
diff --git a/internal/mcp/bridge.go b/internal/mcp/bridge.go
index 3063c4c..2683aa7 100644
--- a/internal/mcp/bridge.go
+++ b/internal/mcp/bridge.go
@@ -1080,25 +1080,59 @@ func (b *ServiceBridge) callListByState(ctx context.Context, args map[string]any
 		messageIDs = []int64{}
 	}
 
+	totalCount := len(messageIDs)
+
+	// Apply limit and offset for pagination
+	limit := getInt(args, "limit", 20)
+	if limit <= 0 {
+		limit = 20
+	}
+	if limit > 100 {
+		limit = 100
+	}
+	offset := getInt(args, "offset", 0)
+	if offset < 0 {
+		offset = 0
+	}
+	if offset > len(messageIDs) {
+		offset = len(messageIDs)
+	}
+	end := offset + limit
+	if end > len(messageIDs) {
+		end = len(messageIDs)
+	}
+	pageIDs := messageIDs[offset:end]
+
 	resp := map[string]any{
-		"message_ids": messageIDs,
-		"count":       len(messageIDs),
+		"message_ids": pageIDs,
+		"count":       len(pageIDs),
+		"total":       totalCount,
 		"channel":     channelName,
 		"state":       state,
+		"limit":       limit,
+		"offset":      offset,
 	}
 
 	includeMessages := getBool(args, "include_messages", false)
-	if includeMessages && len(messageIDs) > 0 && b.msgService != nil {
+	if includeMessages && len(pageIDs) > 0 && b.msgService != nil {
+		maxBodyLen := getInt(args, "max_body_length", 500)
+		if maxBodyLen <= 0 {
+			maxBodyLen = 500
+		}
 		var messages []map[string]any
-		for _, id := range messageIDs {
+		for _, id := range pageIDs {
 			msg, err := b.msgService.GetMessageByID(ctx, id)
 			if err != nil {
-				continue // skip messages that can't be fetched
+				continue
+			}
+			body := msg.Body
+			if len(body) > maxBodyLen {
+				body = body[:maxBodyLen] + "..."
 			}
 			messages = append(messages, map[string]any{
 				"id":         msg.ID,
 				"from_agent": msg.FromAgent,
-				"body":       msg.Body,
+				"body":       body,
 				"priority":   msg.Priority,
 				"created_at": msg.CreatedAt,
 				"reply_to":   msg.ReplyTo,