diff --git a/src/granite_switch_decision/plugin.py b/src/granite_switch_decision/plugin.py
index b85c325..2b56b48 100644
--- a/src/granite_switch_decision/plugin.py
+++ b/src/granite_switch_decision/plugin.py
@@ -443,18 +443,20 @@ def _enforce_context_limits(
     )
     state_text = _text_of(state) if state not in ("", None, {}, []) else "(empty)"
     state_tokens = _count_tokens(tok, state_text)
-    total = 0
+    # jev: a request is the state plus all its questions; a question is the state plus that question.
+    total = state_tokens
     for name, q in questions.items():
         options = q.criteria.items() if isinstance(q.criteria, dict) else enumerate(q.criteria or [])
         option_text = "\n".join(f"{key} {_text_of(desc)}" for key, desc in options)
-        n = state_tokens + _count_tokens(tok, f"{_text_of(q.instructions)}\n{option_text}")
+        question_tokens = _count_tokens(tok, f"{_text_of(q.instructions)}\n{option_text}")
+        n = state_tokens + question_tokens
         if n > per_question_cap:
             raise ValueError(
                 f"question {name!r} is approximately {n} tokens, exceeding the "
                 f"{per_question_cap}-token maximum context length per question "
                 f"(max_tokens_exceeded)"
             )
-        total += n
+        total += question_tokens
     if total > total_cap:
         raise ValueError(
             f"request is approximately {total} tokens total, exceeding the "
diff --git a/tests/test_plugin.py b/tests/test_plugin.py
index 7377adf..550b8b5 100644
--- a/tests/test_plugin.py
+++ b/tests/test_plugin.py
@@ -430,6 +430,22 @@ def test_enforce_context_limits_total_message_matches_a_capacity_marker():
     assert any(marker in str(exc_info.value) for marker in _CAPACITY_MARKERS)
 
 
+def test_enforce_context_limits_counts_the_state_once_per_request():
+    """jev counts a request as the state plus all questions, not the state once per question.
+    37 short questions over a 5,000-token state are about 5,200 tokens, well under the 64k cap."""
+    tok = _FakeTok()
+    questions = {f"q{i}": sp.Question(type="noul", instructions="is it urgent now ok") for i in range(37)}
+    sp._enforce_context_limits(tok, 131072, False, "state " * 5000, questions)  # must not raise
+
+
+def test_enforce_context_limits_still_rejects_a_request_that_is_over_the_cap():
+    """Each question fits (20,000 + 10,000), but the state plus all five is 70,000 tokens."""
+    tok = _FakeTok()
+    questions = {f"q{i}": sp.Question(type="noul", instructions="word " * 10_000) for i in range(5)}
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="per request"):
+        sp._enforce_context_limits(tok, 131072, False, "state " * 20_000, questions)
+
+
 def test_enforce_context_limits_accepts_small_request():
     tok = _FakeTok()
     q = sp.Question(type="noul", instructions="a short question")