diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e4f70b622..526d422aa 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1295,7 +1295,7 @@ The following sets of tools are available:
   - `order`: Sort order for results (string, optional)
   - `page`: Page number for pagination (min 1) (number, optional)
   - `perPage`: Results per page for pagination (min 1, max 100) (number, optional)
-  - `query`: Search query using GitHub's powerful code search syntax. Examples: 'content:Skill language:Java org:github', 'NOT is:archived language:Python OR language:go', 'repo:github/github-mcp-server'. Supports exact matching, language filters, path filters, and more. (string, required)
+  - `query`: Search query (GitHub code search REST). Implicit AND between terms; supports `OR`, `NOT`, and `"quoted phrase"` for exact match. Qualifiers: `repo:owner/repo`, `org:`, `user:`, `language:`, `path:dir` (prefix match), `filename:exact.ext`, `extension:`, `in:file`, `in:path`, `size:`, `is:archived`, `is:fork`. Max 256 chars. Examples: `WithContext language:go org:github`; `"package main" repo:o/r`; `func extension:go path:cmd repo:o/r`; `NOT TODO language:go repo:o/r`. (string, required)
   - `sort`: Sort field ('indexed' only) (string, optional)
 
 - **search_repositories** - Search repositories
diff --git a/pkg/github/__toolsnaps__/search_code.snap b/pkg/github/__toolsnaps__/search_code.snap
index 8b5510aa6..79cbbf04e 100644
--- a/pkg/github/__toolsnaps__/search_code.snap
+++ b/pkg/github/__toolsnaps__/search_code.snap
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
         "type": "number"
       },
       "query": {
-        "description": "Search query using GitHub's powerful code search syntax. Examples: 'content:Skill language:Java org:github', 'NOT is:archived language:Python OR language:go', 'repo:github/github-mcp-server'. Supports exact matching, language filters, path filters, and more.",
+        "description": "Search query (GitHub code search REST). Implicit AND between terms; supports `OR`, `NOT`, and `\"quoted phrase\"` for exact match. Qualifiers: `repo:owner/repo`, `org:`, `user:`, `language:`, `path:dir` (prefix match), `filename:exact.ext`, `extension:`, `in:file`, `in:path`, `size:`, `is:archived`, `is:fork`. Max 256 chars. Examples: `WithContext language:go org:github`; `\"package main\" repo:o/r`; `func extension:go path:cmd repo:o/r`; `NOT TODO language:go repo:o/r`.",
         "type": "string"
       },
       "sort": {
diff --git a/pkg/github/search.go b/pkg/github/search.go
index a4acc4448..e360f08f8 100644
--- a/pkg/github/search.go
+++ b/pkg/github/search.go
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ func SearchCode(t translations.TranslationHelperFunc) inventory.ServerTool {
 		Properties: map[string]*jsonschema.Schema{
 			"query": {
 				Type:        "string",
-				Description: "Search query using GitHub's powerful code search syntax. Examples: 'content:Skill language:Java org:github', 'NOT is:archived language:Python OR language:go', 'repo:github/github-mcp-server'. Supports exact matching, language filters, path filters, and more.",
+				Description: "Search query (GitHub code search REST). Implicit AND between terms; supports `OR`, `NOT`, and `\"quoted phrase\"` for exact match. Qualifiers: `repo:owner/repo`, `org:`, `user:`, `language:`, `path:dir` (prefix match), `filename:exact.ext`, `extension:`, `in:file`, `in:path`, `size:`, `is:archived`, `is:fork`. Max 256 chars. Examples: `WithContext language:go org:github`; `\"package main\" repo:o/r`; `func extension:go path:cmd repo:o/r`; `NOT TODO language:go repo:o/r`.",
 			},
 			"sort": {
 				Type:        "string",