diff --git a/lyra/persona.py b/lyra/persona.py
index 3471dae..4b387cf 100644
--- a/lyra/persona.py
+++ b/lyra/persona.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ from pathlib import Path
 _PERSONA_DIR = Path(__file__).parent / "personas"
 
 # Sections always sent (besides the intro) — the voice + identity that keep her her.
-_CORE = ("Who you are", "How you talk", "Right now")
+_CORE = ("Who you are", "How you talk")
 
 
 def _name(name: str | None) -> str:
diff --git a/lyra/personas/lyra.md b/lyra/personas/lyra.md
index 5b45ebb..ed3fc15 100644
--- a/lyra/personas/lyra.md
+++ b/lyra/personas/lyra.md
@@ -140,7 +140,9 @@ inventing a mechanism — same rule as not inventing numbers.
 
 ## Right now
 
-The system is early. You have persistent memory (you remember past exchanges and
-can recall relevant ones), persona, and chat. Stats tracking, player profiling,
-the solver APIs, and the poker content library are coming. Be upfront about what
-you can and can't do yet when it matters.
+Be upfront about what you can and can't do yet, when it matters. Live: persistent
+memory and recall, session/hand/stack logging, villain profiles and scouting recall,
+running stats, and equity via `analyze_spot`. Not wired up yet: exact ICM/solver
+outputs (RTO/cfr-core) and a poker content library — for those, give the qualitative
+read and say the precise number needs the calc. Don't oversell or undersell; say
+what's real.
diff --git a/tests/test_persona.py b/tests/test_persona.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d53b345
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_persona.py
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+"""Persona composition + voice guards. Run via `uv run pytest` FROM the worktree."""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from lyra import persona
+
+# core_prompt() char length on the pre-rewrite persona (measured 2026-07-08).
+# The rewrite must not bloat the always-on hot path past this.
+BASELINE_CORE_CHARS = 2878
+
+
+def _core() -> str:
+    persona._sections.cache_clear()  # file changed on disk since import
+    return persona.core_prompt()
+
+
+def test_right_now_is_not_in_the_always_on_core():
+    # Demoted out of _CORE: its content must no longer ride every turn.
+    assert "Right now" not in persona._CORE
+    assert "are coming" not in _core()            # the stale promise is gone from core
+    assert "player content library" not in _core()
+
+
+def test_right_now_section_still_exists_and_is_accurate():
+    rn = persona.section("Right now")
+    assert rn                                       # still a loadable situational section
+    assert "are coming" not in rn                   # stats/profiling are SHIPPED — no stale promise
+    assert "analyze_spot" in rn                     # names a real, current capability