diff --git a/python/obsidian_rag/embedder.py b/python/obsidian_rag/embedder.py
index 358bb95..c408fc4 100644
--- a/python/obsidian_rag/embedder.py
+++ b/python/obsidian_rag/embedder.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from obsidian_rag.config import ObsidianRagConfig
 
 DEFAULT_TIMEOUT = 120.0  # seconds
+MAX_CHUNK_CHARS = 8000  # safe default for most Ollama models
 
 
 class EmbeddingError(Exception):
@@ -42,9 +43,9 @@ class OllamaEmbedder:
         """Validate that embedding service is local when local_only is True."""
         if not self.local_only:
             return
-        
+
         parsed = urllib.parse.urlparse(self.base_url)
-        if parsed.hostname not in ['localhost', '127.0.0.1', '::1']:
+        if parsed.hostname not in ["localhost", "127.0.0.1", "::1"]:
             raise SecurityError(
                 f"Remote embedding service not allowed when local_only=True: {self.base_url}"
             )
@@ -84,23 +85,31 @@ class OllamaEmbedder:
         # For batch, call /api/embeddings multiple times sequentially
         if len(batch) == 1:
             endpoint = f"{self.base_url}/api/embeddings"
-            payload = {"model": self.model, "prompt": batch[0]}
+            prompt = batch[0][:MAX_CHUNK_CHARS]
+            payload = {"model": self.model, "prompt": prompt}
         else:
             # For batch, use /api/embeddings with "input" (multiple calls)
             results = []
             for text in batch:
+                truncated = text[:MAX_CHUNK_CHARS]
                 try:
                     resp = self._client.post(
                         f"{self.base_url}/api/embeddings",
-                        json={"model": self.model, "prompt": text},
+                        json={"model": self.model, "prompt": truncated},
                         timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT,
                     )
                 except httpx.ConnectError as e:
-                    raise OllamaUnavailableError(f"Cannot connect to Ollama at {self.base_url}") from e
+                    raise OllamaUnavailableError(
+                        f"Cannot connect to Ollama at {self.base_url}"
+                    ) from e
                 except httpx.TimeoutException as e:
-                    raise EmbeddingError(f"Embedding request timed out after {DEFAULT_TIMEOUT}s") from e
+                    raise EmbeddingError(
+                        f"Embedding request timed out after {DEFAULT_TIMEOUT}s"
+                    ) from e
                 if resp.status_code != 200:
-                    raise EmbeddingError(f"Ollama returned {resp.status_code}: {resp.text}")
+                    raise EmbeddingError(
+                        f"Ollama returned {resp.status_code}: {resp.text}"
+                    )
                 data = resp.json()
                 embedding = data.get("embedding", [])
                 if not embedding:
@@ -111,9 +120,13 @@ class OllamaEmbedder:
         try:
             resp = self._client.post(endpoint, json=payload, timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT)
         except httpx.ConnectError as e:
-            raise OllamaUnavailableError(f"Cannot connect to Ollama at {self.base_url}") from e
+            raise OllamaUnavailableError(
+                f"Cannot connect to Ollama at {self.base_url}"
+            ) from e
         except httpx.TimeoutException as e:
-            raise EmbeddingError(f"Embedding request timed out after {DEFAULT_TIMEOUT}s") from e
+            raise EmbeddingError(
+                f"Embedding request timed out after {DEFAULT_TIMEOUT}s"
+            ) from e
 
         if resp.status_code != 200:
             raise EmbeddingError(f"Ollama returned {resp.status_code}: {resp.text}")