diff --git a/src/tools/item-get.ts b/src/tools/item-get.ts
index 502138c..6c4e7fc 100644
--- a/src/tools/item-get.ts
+++ b/src/tools/item-get.ts
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ function summarizeField(
 export function registerItemGet(server: McpServer): void {
   server.tool(
     "item_get",
-    "Retrieve a full 1Password item — title, category, tags, notes, and all fields (id, title, type, section). Concealed field values are hidden unless reveal is true. Accepts a secret reference (op://vault/item/field) or vault ID + item ID.",
+    "Retrieve a full 1Password item — title, category, tags, notes, and all fields (id, title, type, section). Concealed field values are hidden unless reveal is true. Accepts a secret reference (op://vault/item/field) or vault ID + item ID. Revealing a secret puts it in the model context/transcript — to USE a secret in a command or API call, prefer op_run with op:// references instead.",
     {
       secretReference: z
         .string()
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ export function registerItemGet(server: McpServer): void {
         .boolean()
         .optional()
         .describe(
-          "If true, include concealed field values in plaintext. Defaults to false for security.",
+          "If true, include concealed field values in plaintext — this puts the secret in the model context/transcript. Defaults to false; prefer op_run to use a secret without revealing it.",
         ),
     },
     async ({ secretReference, vaultId, itemId, reveal }) => {
diff --git a/src/tools/password-read.ts b/src/tools/password-read.ts
index 51c13b2..718a8bd 100644
--- a/src/tools/password-read.ts
+++ b/src/tools/password-read.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { jsonResult, errorResult } from "../utils.js";
 export function registerPasswordRead(server: McpServer): void {
   server.tool(
     "password_read",
-    "Retrieve a secret from 1Password using either a secret reference (op://vault/item/field) or vault ID + item ID. Supports field selection and optional value reveal.",
+    "Retrieve a secret from 1Password using either a secret reference (op://vault/item/field) or vault ID + item ID. Supports field selection and optional value reveal (defaults to metadata-only). Revealing a secret puts it in the model context/transcript — to USE a secret in a command or API call, prefer op_run with op:// references instead.",
     {
       secretReference: z
         .string()
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ export function registerPasswordRead(server: McpServer): void {
         .boolean()
         .optional()
         .describe(
-          "If false, return metadata only without the secret value. Defaults to true.",
+          "If true, include the secret value in plaintext in the response — this puts the secret in the model context/transcript. Defaults to false; prefer op_run to use a secret without revealing it.",
         ),
     },
     async ({ secretReference, vaultId, itemId, field, reveal }) => {
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ export function registerPasswordRead(server: McpServer): void {
           reveal,
         });
         const client = await getClient();
+        const shouldReveal = reveal === true;
 
         if (secretReference) {
           if (!client?.secrets?.resolve) {
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ export function registerPasswordRead(server: McpServer): void {
             );
           }
           const value = await client.secrets.resolve(secretReference);
-          if (reveal === false) {
+          if (!shouldReveal) {
             return jsonResult({ resolved: true });
           }
           return jsonResult({ value });
@@ -88,7 +89,7 @@ export function registerPasswordRead(server: McpServer): void {
           throw new Error(`Field '${desiredField}' not found on item.`);
         }
 
-        if (reveal === false) {
+        if (!shouldReveal) {
           return jsonResult({
             id: item.id,
             title: item.title,
diff --git a/tests/tools.test.ts b/tests/tools.test.ts
index 3d9e60b..c24aab0 100644
--- a/tests/tools.test.ts
+++ b/tests/tools.test.ts
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ describe("MCP Tools", () => {
   });
 
   describe("password_read", () => {
-    it("resolves a secret reference", async () => {
+    it("resolves a secret reference and returns the value when reveal is true", async () => {
       mockedGetClient.mockResolvedValue({
         secrets: {
           resolve: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue("my-secret-value"),
@@ -221,12 +221,30 @@ describe("MCP Tools", () => {
       const handler = registeredTools.get("password_read")!.handler;
       const result = await handler({
         secretReference: "op://vault/item/password",
+        reveal: true,
       });
       const data = JSON.parse(result.content[0].text);
 
       expect(data.value).toBe("my-secret-value");
     });
 
+    it("returns metadata only by default (reveal omitted)", async () => {
+      mockedGetClient.mockResolvedValue({
+        secrets: {
+          resolve: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue("my-secret-value"),
+        },
+      } as any);
+
+      const handler = registeredTools.get("password_read")!.handler;
+      const result = await handler({
+        secretReference: "op://vault/item/password",
+      });
+      const data = JSON.parse(result.content[0].text);
+
+      expect(data.resolved).toBe(true);
+      expect(data.value).toBeUndefined();
+    });
+
     it("returns metadata only when reveal is false", async () => {
       mockedGetClient.mockResolvedValue({
         secrets: {