diff --git a/src/basic_memory/api/routers/resource_router.py b/src/basic_memory/api/routers/resource_router.py
index 28b4e87cb..7fd3b4045 100644
--- a/src/basic_memory/api/routers/resource_router.py
+++ b/src/basic_memory/api/routers/resource_router.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ def get_entity_ids(item: SearchIndexRow) -> list[int]:
             from_entity = item.from_id
             to_entity = item.to_id  # pyright: ignore [reportReturnType]
             return [from_entity, to_entity] if to_entity else [from_entity]  # pyright: ignore [reportReturnType]
-        case _:
+        case _:  # pragma: no cover
             raise ValueError(f"Unexpected type: {item.type}")
 
 
diff --git a/src/basic_memory/mcp/tools/notes.py b/src/basic_memory/mcp/tools/notes.py
index 1d24a4012..21affe0b5 100644
--- a/src/basic_memory/mcp/tools/notes.py
+++ b/src/basic_memory/mcp/tools/notes.py
@@ -17,15 +17,14 @@
 
 
 @mcp.tool(
-    description="Create or update a markdown note. Returns the permalink for referencing.",
+    description="Create or update a markdown note. Returns a markdown formatted summary of the semantic content.",
 )
 async def write_note(
     title: str,
     content: str,
     folder: str,
     tags: Optional[List[str]] = None,
-    verbose: bool = False,
-) -> EntityResponse | str:
+) -> str:
     """Write a markdown note to the knowledge base.
 
     The content can include semantic observations and relations using markdown syntax.
@@ -53,14 +52,16 @@ async def write_note(
         content: Markdown content for the note, can include observations and relations
         folder: the folder where the file should be saved
         tags: Optional list of tags to categorize the note
-        verbose: If True, returns full EntityResponse with semantic info
 
     Returns:
-        If verbose=False: Permalink that can be used to reference the note
-        If verbose=True: EntityResponse with full semantic details
+        A markdown formatted summary of the semantic content, including:
+        - Creation/update status
+        - File path and checksum
+        - Observation counts by category
+        - Relation counts (resolved/unresolved)
+        - Tags if present
 
     Examples:
-        # Note with both explicit and inline relations
         write_note(
             title="Search Implementation",
             content="# Search Component\\n\\n"
@@ -73,20 +74,6 @@ async def write_note(
                    "- depends_on [[Database Schema]]",
             folder="docs/components"
         )
-
-        # Note with tags
-        write_note(
-            title="Error Handling Design",
-            content="# Error Handling\\n\\n"
-                   "This design builds on [[Reliability Design]].\\n\\n"
-                   "## Approach\\n"
-                   "- [design] Use error codes #architecture\\n"
-                   "- [tech] Implement retry logic #implementation\\n\\n"
-                   "## Relations\\n"
-                   "- extends [[Base Error Handling]]",
-            folder="docs/design",
-            tags=["architecture", "reliability"]
-        )
     """
     logger.info(f"Writing note folder:'{folder}' title: '{title}'")
 
@@ -101,12 +88,43 @@ async def write_note(
         entity_metadata=metadata,
     )
 
-    # Use existing knowledge tool
+    # Create or update via knowledge API
     logger.info(f"Creating {entity.permalink}")
     url = f"/knowledge/entities/{entity.permalink}"
     response = await call_put(client, url, json=entity.model_dump())
     result = EntityResponse.model_validate(response.json())
-    return result if verbose else result.permalink
+
+    # Format semantic summary based on status code
+    action = "Created" if response.status_code == 201 else "Updated"
+    assert result.checksum is not None
+    summary = [
+        f"# {action} {result.file_path} ({result.checksum[:8]})",
+        f"permalink: {result.permalink}",
+    ]
+
+    if result.observations:
+        categories = {}
+        for obs in result.observations:
+            categories[obs.category] = categories.get(obs.category, 0) + 1
+
+        summary.append("\n## Observations")
+        for category, count in sorted(categories.items()):
+            summary.append(f"- {category}: {count}")
+
+    if result.relations:
+        unresolved = sum(1 for r in result.relations if not r.to_id)
+        resolved = len(result.relations) - unresolved
+
+        summary.append("\n## Relations")
+        summary.append(f"- Resolved: {resolved}")
+        if unresolved:
+            summary.append(f"- Unresolved: {unresolved}")
+            summary.append("\nUnresolved relations will be retried on next sync.")
+
+    if tags:
+        summary.append(f"\n## Tags\n- {', '.join(tags)}")
+
+    return "\n".join(summary)
 
 
 @mcp.tool(description="Read note content by title, permalink, relation, or pattern")
diff --git a/tests/api/test_resource_router.py b/tests/api/test_resource_router.py
index 6a7689a9f..4daa823a9 100644
--- a/tests/api/test_resource_router.py
+++ b/tests/api/test_resource_router.py
@@ -158,7 +158,6 @@ async def test_get_resource_entities(client, test_config, entity_repository):
     entity2 = EntityResponse(**entity_response)
 
     assert len(entity2.relations) == 1
-    relation = entity2.relations[0]
 
     # Test getting the content via the relation
     response = await client.get("/resource/test/*")
diff --git a/tests/mcp/test_tool_get_entity.py b/tests/mcp/test_tool_get_entity.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 233bf4c72..000000000
--- a/tests/mcp/test_tool_get_entity.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,45 +0,0 @@
-"""Tests for get_entity MCP tool."""
-
-import pytest
-from mcp.server.fastmcp.exceptions import ToolError
-
-from basic_memory.mcp.tools import notes
-from basic_memory.mcp.tools.knowledge import get_entity
-
-
-@pytest.mark.asyncio
-async def test_get_basic_entity(client):
-    """Test retrieving a basic entity."""
-    # First create an entity
-    permalink = await notes.write_note(
-        title="Test Note",
-        folder="test",
-        content="""
-# Test\nThis is a test note
-- [note] First observation
-""",
-        tags=["test", "documentation"],
-    )
-
-    assert permalink  # Got a valid permalink
-
-    # Get the entity without content
-    entity = await get_entity(permalink)
-
-    # Verify entity details
-    assert entity.file_path == "test/Test Note.md"
-    assert entity.entity_type == "note"
-    assert entity.permalink == "test/test-note"
-
-    # Check observations
-    assert len(entity.observations) == 1
-    obs = entity.observations[0]
-    assert obs.content == "First observation"
-    assert obs.category == "note"
-
-
-@pytest.mark.asyncio
-async def test_get_nonexistent_entity(client):
-    """Test attempting to get a non-existent entity."""
-    with pytest.raises(ToolError):
-        await get_entity("test/nonexistent")
diff --git a/tests/mcp/test_tool_knowledge.py b/tests/mcp/test_tool_knowledge.py
index 040a2eedf..085bba6f5 100644
--- a/tests/mcp/test_tool_knowledge.py
+++ b/tests/mcp/test_tool_knowledge.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 async def test_get_single_entity(client):
     """Test retrieving a single entity."""
     # First create an entity
-    permalink = await notes.write_note(
+    result = await notes.write_note(
         title="Test Note",
         folder="test",
         content="""
@@ -22,9 +22,10 @@ async def test_get_single_entity(client):
 """,
         tags=["test", "documentation"],
     )
+    assert result
 
     # Get the entity
-    entity = await get_entity(permalink)
+    entity = await get_entity("test/test-note")
 
     # Verify entity details
     assert entity.title == "Test Note"
@@ -36,40 +37,40 @@ async def test_get_single_entity(client):
 async def test_get_multiple_entities(client):
     """Test retrieving multiple entities."""
     # Create two test entities
-    permalink1 = await notes.write_note(
+    await notes.write_note(
         title="Test Note 1",
         folder="test",
         content="# Test 1",
     )
-    permalink2 = await notes.write_note(
+    await notes.write_note(
         title="Test Note 2",
         folder="test",
         content="# Test 2",
     )
 
     # Get both entities
-    request = GetEntitiesRequest(permalinks=[permalink1, permalink2])
+    request = GetEntitiesRequest(permalinks=["test/test-note-1", "test/test-note-2"])
     response = await get_entities(request)
 
     # Verify we got both entities
     assert len(response.entities) == 2
     permalinks = {e.permalink for e in response.entities}
-    assert permalink1 in permalinks
-    assert permalink2 in permalinks
+    assert "test/test-note-1" in permalinks
+    assert "test/test-note-2" in permalinks
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_delete_entities(client):
     """Test deleting entities."""
     # Create a test entity
-    permalink = await notes.write_note(
+    await notes.write_note(
         title="Test Note",
         folder="test",
         content="# Test Note to Delete",
     )
 
     # Delete the entity
-    request = DeleteEntitiesRequest(permalinks=[permalink])
+    request = DeleteEntitiesRequest(permalinks=["test/test-note"])
     response = await delete_entities(request)
 
     # Verify deletion
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ async def test_delete_entities(client):
 
     # Verify entity no longer exists
     with pytest.raises(ToolError):
-        await get_entity(permalink)
+        await get_entity("test/test-note")
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
diff --git a/tests/mcp/test_tool_notes.py b/tests/mcp/test_tool_notes.py
index f31e92882..24be8faf4 100644
--- a/tests/mcp/test_tool_notes.py
+++ b/tests/mcp/test_tool_notes.py
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 """Tests for note tools that exercise the full stack with SQLite."""
 
+from textwrap import dedent
+
 import pytest
 from mcp.server.fastmcp.exceptions import ToolError
 
 from basic_memory.mcp.tools import notes
-from basic_memory.schemas import EntityResponse
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
@@ -17,31 +18,41 @@ async def test_write_note(app):
     - Handle tags correctly
     - Return valid permalink
     """
-    permalink = await notes.write_note(
+    result = await notes.write_note(
         title="Test Note",
         folder="test",
         content="# Test\nThis is a test note",
         tags=["test", "documentation"],
     )
 
-    assert permalink  # Got a valid permalink
+    assert result
+    assert (
+        dedent("""
+        # Created test/Test Note.md (159f2168)
+        permalink: test/test-note
+        
+        ## Tags
+        - test, documentation
+        """).strip()
+        in result
+    )
 
     # Try reading it back via permalink
-    content = await notes.read_note(permalink)
+    content = await notes.read_note("test/test-note")
     assert (
-        """
----
-title: Test Note
-type: note
-permalink: test/test-note
-tags:
-- '#test'
-- '#documentation'
----
-
-# Test
-This is a test note
-""".strip()
+        dedent("""
+        ---
+        title: Test Note
+        type: note
+        permalink: test/test-note
+        tags:
+        - '#test'
+        - '#documentation'
+        ---
+        
+        # Test
+        This is a test note
+        """).strip()
         in content
     )
 
@@ -49,20 +60,28 @@ async def test_write_note(app):
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_write_note_no_tags(app):
     """Test creating a note without tags."""
-    permalink = await notes.write_note(title="Simple Note", folder="test", content="Just some text")
+    result = await notes.write_note(title="Simple Note", folder="test", content="Just some text")
 
+    assert result
+    assert (
+        dedent("""
+        # Created test/Simple Note.md (9a1ff079)
+        permalink: test/simple-note
+        """).strip()
+        in result
+    )
     # Should be able to read it back
-    content = await notes.read_note(permalink)
+    content = await notes.read_note("test/simple-note")
     assert (
-        """
---
-title: Simple Note
-type: note
-permalink: test/simple-note
----
-
-Just some text
-""".strip()
+        dedent("""
+        --
+        title: Simple Note
+        type: note
+        permalink: test/simple-note
+        ---
+        
+        Just some text
+        """).strip()
         in content
     )
 
@@ -84,24 +103,44 @@ async def test_write_note_update_existing(app):
     - Handle tags correctly
     - Return valid permalink
     """
-    permalink = await notes.write_note(
+    result = await notes.write_note(
         title="Test Note",
         folder="test",
         content="# Test\nThis is a test note",
         tags=["test", "documentation"],
     )
 
-    assert permalink  # Got a valid permalink
+    assert result  # Got a valid permalink
+    assert (
+        dedent("""
+        # Created test/Test Note.md (159f2168)
+        permalink: test/test-note
+        
+        ## Tags
+        - test, documentation
+        """).strip()
+        in result
+    )
 
-    permalink = await notes.write_note(
+    result = await notes.write_note(
         title="Test Note",
         folder="test",
         content="# Test\nThis is an updated note",
         tags=["test", "documentation"],
     )
+    assert (
+        dedent("""
+        # Updated test/Test Note.md (131b5662)
+        permalink: test/test-note
+        
+        ## Tags
+        - test, documentation
+        """).strip()
+        in result
+    )
 
     # Try reading it back
-    content = await notes.read_note(permalink)
+    content = await notes.read_note("test/test-note")
     assert (
         """
 ---
@@ -135,10 +174,18 @@ async def test_read_note_by_title(app):
 async def test_note_unicode_content(app):
     """Test handling of unicode content in notes."""
     content = "# Test 🚀\nThis note has emoji 🎉 and unicode ♠♣♥♦"
-    permalink = await notes.write_note(title="Unicode Test", folder="test", content=content)
+    result = await notes.write_note(title="Unicode Test", folder="test", content=content)
+
+    assert (
+        dedent("""
+        # Created test/Unicode Test.md (272389cd)
+        permalink: test/unicode-test
+        """).strip()
+        in result
+    )
 
     # Read back should preserve unicode
-    result = await notes.read_note(permalink)
+    result = await notes.read_note("test/unicode-test")
     assert content in result
 
 
@@ -147,20 +194,32 @@ async def test_multiple_notes(app):
     """Test creating and managing multiple notes."""
     # Create several notes
     notes_data = [
-        ("Note 1", "test", "Content 1", ["tag1"]),
-        ("Note 2", "test", "Content 2", ["tag1", "tag2"]),
-        ("Note 3", "test", "Content 3", []),
+        ("test/note-1", "Note 1", "test", "Content 1", ["tag1"]),
+        ("test/note-2", "Note 2", "test", "Content 2", ["tag1", "tag2"]),
+        ("test/note-3", "Note 3", "test", "Content 3", []),
     ]
 
-    permalinks = []
-    for title, folder, content, tags in notes_data:
-        permalink = await notes.write_note(title=title, folder=folder, content=content, tags=tags)
-        permalinks.append(permalink)
+    for _, title, folder, content, tags in notes_data:
+        await notes.write_note(title=title, folder=folder, content=content, tags=tags)
 
     # Should be able to read each one
-    for i, permalink in enumerate(permalinks):
-        content = await notes.read_note(permalink)
-        assert f"Content {i + 1}" in content
+    for permalink, title, folder, content, _ in notes_data:
+        note = await notes.read_note(permalink)
+        assert content in note
+
+    # read multiple notes at once
+
+    result = await notes.read_note("test/*")
+
+    # note we can't compare times
+    assert "--- memory://test/note-1" in result
+    assert "Content 1" in result
+
+    assert "--- memory://test/note-2" in result
+    assert "Content 2" in result
+
+    assert "--- memory://test/note-3" in result
+    assert "Content 3" in result
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
@@ -172,16 +231,16 @@ async def test_delete_note_existing(app):
     - Return valid permalink
     - Delete the note
     """
-    permalink = await notes.write_note(
+    result = await notes.write_note(
         title="Test Note",
         folder="test",
         content="# Test\nThis is a test note",
         tags=["test", "documentation"],
     )
 
-    assert permalink  # Got a valid permalink
+    assert result
 
-    deleted = await notes.delete_note(permalink)
+    deleted = await notes.delete_note("test/test-note")
     assert deleted is True
 
 
@@ -207,7 +266,7 @@ async def test_write_note_verbose(app):
     - Handle tags correctly
     - Return valid permalink
     """
-    entity = await notes.write_note(
+    result = await notes.write_note(
         title="Test Note",
         folder="test",
         content="""
@@ -218,24 +277,27 @@ async def test_write_note_verbose(app):
 
 """,
         tags=["test", "documentation"],
-        verbose=True,
     )
 
-    assert isinstance(entity, EntityResponse)
-
-    assert entity.title == "Test Note"
-    assert entity.file_path == "test/Test Note.md"
-    assert entity.entity_type == "note"
-    assert entity.permalink == "test/test-note"
-
-    assert len(entity.observations) == 1
-    assert entity.observations[0].content == "First observation"
-
-    assert len(entity.relations) == 1
-    assert entity.relations[0].relation_type == "relates to"
-    assert entity.relations[0].from_id == "test/test-note"
-    assert entity.relations[0].to_id is None
-    assert entity.relations[0].to_name == "Knowledge"
+    assert (
+        dedent("""
+        # Created test/Test Note.md (06873a7a)
+        permalink: test/test-note
+        
+        ## Observations
+        - note: 1
+        
+        ## Relations
+        - Resolved: 0
+        - Unresolved: 1
+        
+        Unresolved relations will be retried on next sync.
+        
+        ## Tags
+        - test, documentation
+        """).strip()
+        in result
+    )
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
@@ -248,13 +310,14 @@ async def test_read_note_memory_url(app):
     - Return the note content
     """
     # First create a note
-    permalink = await notes.write_note(
+    result = await notes.write_note(
         title="Memory URL Test",
         folder="test",
         content="Testing memory:// URL handling",
     )
+    assert result
 
     # Should be able to read it with a memory:// URL
-    memory_url = f"memory://{permalink}"
+    memory_url = "memory://test/memory-url-test"
     content = await notes.read_note(memory_url)
     assert "Testing memory:// URL handling" in content
diff --git a/tests/mcp/test_tool_search.py b/tests/mcp/test_tool_search.py
index 94b9d8118..a2b398be1 100644
--- a/tests/mcp/test_tool_search.py
+++ b/tests/mcp/test_tool_search.py
@@ -12,12 +12,13 @@
 async def test_search_basic(client):
     """Test basic search functionality."""
     # Create a test note
-    permalink = await notes.write_note(
+    result = await notes.write_note(
         title="Test Search Note",
         folder="test",
         content="# Test\nThis is a searchable test note",
         tags=["test", "search"],
     )
+    assert result
 
     # Search for it
     query = SearchQuery(text="searchable")
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ async def test_search_basic(client):
 
     # Verify results
     assert len(response.results) > 0
-    assert any(r.permalink == permalink for r in response.results)
+    assert any(r.permalink == "test/test-search-note" for r in response.results)
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index 8f708d383..7d4c8b5d1 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ wheels = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "basic-memory"
-version = "0.4.2"
+version = "0.4.3"
 source = { editable = "." }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "aiosqlite" },