diff --git a/.claude-plugin/plugin.json b/.claude-plugin/plugin.json
index 47d4989..7971e3b 100644
--- a/.claude-plugin/plugin.json
+++ b/.claude-plugin/plugin.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "agentsmd",
-  "version": "17.4.3",
+  "version": "17.4.4",
   "description": "Portable agent rules, Project Direction, Delivery System profiles, owned workflow Skills, and deterministic version control.",
   "author": {
     "name": "lukaszmaj"
diff --git a/.codex-plugin/plugin.json b/.codex-plugin/plugin.json
index 5772072..2dbab5b 100644
--- a/.codex-plugin/plugin.json
+++ b/.codex-plugin/plugin.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "agentsmd",
-  "version": "17.4.3",
+  "version": "17.4.4",
   "description": "Portable agent rules, Project Direction, Delivery System profiles, owned workflow Skills, and deterministic version control.",
   "author": {
     "name": "lukaszmaj",
diff --git a/.grok-plugin/plugin.json b/.grok-plugin/plugin.json
index 509a80d..4959b4a 100644
--- a/.grok-plugin/plugin.json
+++ b/.grok-plugin/plugin.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "agentsmd",
-  "version": "17.4.3",
+  "version": "17.4.4",
   "description": "Portable agent rules, Project Direction, Delivery System profiles, owned workflow Skills, and deterministic version control.",
   "author": {
     "name": "lukaszmaj"
diff --git a/.muse-plugin/plugin.json b/.muse-plugin/plugin.json
index 8442ca5..2ca3f16 100644
--- a/.muse-plugin/plugin.json
+++ b/.muse-plugin/plugin.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   "schemaVersion": 1,
   "name": "agentsmd",
   "displayName": "AgentsMD",
-  "version": "17.4.3",
+  "version": "17.4.4",
   "description": "Portable agent rules, Project Direction, Delivery System profiles, owned workflow Skills, and deterministic version control.",
   "compat": {
     "source": "native",
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2eb7897..5bf7cd6 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@
 All completed repository versions are recorded here. Release entries follow
 SemVer and identify one user-consumable repository state.
 
+## [17.4.4] - 2026-10-20
+
+### Changed
+
+- Reply reminder asks for the Elon method in reasoning, not a pasted record (#258)
+
 ## [17.4.3] - 2026-10-19
 
 ### Changed
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d84ab37..1a8f770 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -290,8 +290,8 @@ compaction.
 block, or alone when the block is unchanged:
 
 > Reply rules: result first, at most three sentences unless asked or a risk
-> needs more. Give the Elon record (Requirements, Deleted, Bottleneck,
-> Checked) before any design recommendation.
+> needs more. Apply the Elon method in your reasoning before any design
+> recommendation; don't paste the record into chat.
 
 The text lives once, in `bin/project-direction`, and reaches each harness
 through the hook that already runs there:
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 5982d2d..57e56e3 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-17.4.3
+17.4.4
diff --git a/bin/project-direction b/bin/project-direction
index 6b5bc6c..dc58ef6 100755
--- a/bin/project-direction
+++ b/bin/project-direction
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ PREFERENCES_CAP_CHARACTERS = 4000
 # output, and delivering it on PreToolUse would repeat it on every tool call.
 CONVERSATION_REMINDER = (
     "Reply rules: result first, at most three sentences unless asked or a risk "
-    "needs more. Give the Elon record (Requirements, Deleted, Bottleneck, "
-    "Checked) before any design recommendation."
+    "needs more. Apply the Elon method in your reasoning before any design "
+    "recommendation; don't paste the record into chat."
 )
 
 
diff --git a/tests/direction_block.py b/tests/direction_block.py
index 72b2b9f..0c7b3e8 100644
--- a/tests/direction_block.py
+++ b/tests/direction_block.py
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@
 # The user's exact wording (#201), so the oracle does not come from the loader.
 REMINDER = (
     "Reply rules: result first, at most three sentences unless asked or a risk "
-    "needs more. Give the Elon record (Requirements, Deleted, Bottleneck, "
-    "Checked) before any design recommendation."
+    "needs more. Apply the Elon method in your reasoning before any design "
+    "recommendation; don't paste the record into chat."
 )
 
 
diff --git a/tools/versionctl/pyproject.toml b/tools/versionctl/pyproject.toml
index b278431..794088c 100644
--- a/tools/versionctl/pyproject.toml
+++ b/tools/versionctl/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
 
 [project]
 name = "toolboxmd-versionctl"
-version = "17.4.3"
+version = "17.4.4"
 description = "Deterministic repository version mechanics for coding agents"
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.11"