diff --git a/api/routers/tasks.py b/api/routers/tasks.py
index c332bfa..27dbd1a 100644
--- a/api/routers/tasks.py
+++ b/api/routers/tasks.py
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ async def update_task(
         raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="Task not found")
 
     # Separate token fields from task fields
-    token_field_names = {"tokens_in", "tokens_out", "workplan_tokens_in", "workplan_tokens_out", "model", "agent", "session_id"}
+    token_field_names = {"tokens_in", "tokens_out", "workplan_tokens_in", "workplan_tokens_out", "token_note", "model", "agent", "session_id"}
     update_data = body.model_dump(exclude_unset=True)
     token_data = {k: update_data.pop(k) for k in list(update_data.keys()) if k in token_field_names}
 
@@ -87,8 +87,10 @@ async def update_task(
     # Token event — three-tier logic, only when marking done
     if update_data.get("status") == "done":
         if "tokens_in" in token_data and "tokens_out" in token_data:
-            # Tier 1: exact counts provided
-            tin, tout, tnote = token_data["tokens_in"], token_data["tokens_out"], None
+            # Tier 1: exact counts — default note "measured"; caller may override with token_note
+            tin = token_data["tokens_in"]
+            tout = token_data["tokens_out"]
+            tnote = token_data.get("token_note") or "measured"
         elif "workplan_tokens_in" in token_data and "workplan_tokens_out" in token_data:
             # Tier 2: prorate workplan total across task count
             count_result = await session.execute(
diff --git a/api/schemas/task.py b/api/schemas/task.py
index 65df601..048dba5 100644
--- a/api/schemas/task.py
+++ b/api/schemas/task.py
@@ -39,13 +39,15 @@ class TaskUpdate(BaseModel):
     intervention_note: str | None = None
     parent_task_id: uuid.UUID | None = None
     # Token passthrough — three tiers (highest precision wins):
-    # 1. tokens_in + tokens_out  → exact counts (best practice)
+    # 1. tokens_in + tokens_out  → exact counts; note defaults to "measured"
     # 2. workplan_tokens_in + workplan_tokens_out  → prorated across task count (note="workplan")
     # 3. neither provided, status=done  → heuristic 1000/500 (note="heuristic")
+    # token_note overrides the auto-assigned note for Tier 1 only (e.g. "userbased")
     tokens_in: int | None = None
     tokens_out: int | None = None
     workplan_tokens_in: int | None = None
     workplan_tokens_out: int | None = None
+    token_note: str | None = None
     model: str | None = None
     agent: str | None = None
     session_id: str | None = None
diff --git a/mcp_server/TOOLS.md b/mcp_server/TOOLS.md
index 6505fd1..721e8e7 100644
--- a/mcp_server/TOOLS.md
+++ b/mcp_server/TOOLS.md
@@ -83,6 +83,16 @@ Agents should call `record_token_event` (or pass `tokens_in`/`tokens_out` via
 |------|----------|-------|
 | `record_token_event(tokens_in, tokens_out, ...)` | `task_id`?, `workstream_id`?, `repo_id`?, `model`?, `agent`?, `ref_type`?, `ref_id`?, `note`?, `session_id`? | POSTs to `/token-events/`. `workstream_id` auto-filled from task. Returns event id + running total. |
 | `get_token_summary(scope, id)` | `scope`: task\|workstream\|repo\|commit\|release\|session; `id`: UUID or ref string | Returns formatted table of tokens_in/out/total, event_count, by_model, by_agent. |
+| `record_interactive_task(title, repo_slug, ...)` | `tokens_in`?, `tokens_out`?, `note`?, `model`?, `agent`?, `description`?, `session_id`? | Find-or-create `interactive-<repo>` workstream, create task, mark done, record token event. |
+
+**Token note taxonomy:**
+
+| note | meaning |
+|------|---------|
+| `"measured"` | Exact counts read from Claude Code status bar — default when `tokens_in`/`tokens_out` provided |
+| `"userbased"` | Counts provided by a human (pass `note="userbased"` explicitly) |
+| `"workplan"` | Prorated from workplan total across task count |
+| `"heuristic"` | Server fallback — 1 000 in / 500 out, no agent input |
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/mcp_server/server.py b/mcp_server/server.py
index a0edc32..77ee8d7 100644
--- a/mcp_server/server.py
+++ b/mcp_server/server.py
@@ -430,6 +430,7 @@ def update_task_status(
     tokens_out: Optional[int] = None,
     workplan_tokens_in: Optional[int] = None,
     workplan_tokens_out: Optional[int] = None,
+    note: Optional[str] = None,
     model: Optional[str] = None,
     agent: Optional[str] = None,
     session_id: Optional[str] = None,
@@ -438,6 +439,8 @@ def update_task_status(
 
     When status='done', always records a token event using the best available data:
       Tier 1 (best):   pass tokens_in + tokens_out — exact counts from the session
+                       note defaults to "measured"; pass note="userbased" if the
+                       numbers were provided by a human rather than read from the bar
       Tier 2:          pass workplan_tokens_in + workplan_tokens_out — total workplan
                        effort prorated across task count (note="workplan")
       Tier 3 (fallback): no token args — heuristic 1000 in / 500 out (note="heuristic")
@@ -452,6 +455,8 @@ def update_task_status(
         tokens_out: exact output token count for this task (Tier 1)
         workplan_tokens_in: total input tokens for the whole workplan (Tier 2)
         workplan_tokens_out: total output tokens for the whole workplan (Tier 2)
+        note: override the auto note — use "userbased" when counts came from a human;
+              omit to get the default ("measured" for Tier 1, "workplan"/"heuristic" otherwise)
         model: model identifier, e.g. 'claude-sonnet-4-6'
         agent: agent name, e.g. 'custodian', 'ralph'
         session_id: agent session identifier
@@ -472,6 +477,8 @@ def update_task_status(
         body["workplan_tokens_in"] = workplan_tokens_in
     if workplan_tokens_out is not None:
         body["workplan_tokens_out"] = workplan_tokens_out
+    if note is not None:
+        body["token_note"] = note
 
     task = _patch(f"/tasks/{task_id}", body)
     _post("/progress", {
@@ -2233,6 +2240,7 @@ def record_interactive_task(
     repo_slug: str,
     tokens_in: Optional[int] = None,
     tokens_out: Optional[int] = None,
+    note: Optional[str] = None,
     model: Optional[str] = None,
     agent: Optional[str] = None,
     description: Optional[str] = None,
@@ -2241,8 +2249,13 @@ def record_interactive_task(
     """Record ad-hoc interactive work as a task with token consumption.
 
     Finds or creates a persistent 'interactive-<repo>' workstream for the repo,
-    creates the task, marks it done immediately, and records a token event using
-    the three-tier logic (exact > heuristic).
+    creates the task, marks it done immediately, and records a token event.
+
+    Token note convention:
+      "measured"  — exact counts read from the Claude Code status bar (default when
+                    tokens_in/tokens_out provided and note omitted)
+      "userbased" — counts provided by a human (pass note="userbased" explicitly)
+      "heuristic" — server fallback when no counts given (automatic)
 
     Use this for work done outside a formal workplan: quick fixes, config changes,
     code reviews, one-off investigations, or any session work worth tracking.
@@ -2250,8 +2263,9 @@ def record_interactive_task(
     Args:
         title: Short description of the work done
         repo_slug: Registered repo slug, e.g. 'the-custodian', 'inter-hub'
-        tokens_in: Exact input token count for this task (Tier 1 — best practice)
-        tokens_out: Exact output token count for this task (Tier 1)
+        tokens_in: Input token count (Tier 1 — read from Claude Code status bar)
+        tokens_out: Output token count (Tier 1)
+        note: Override token note — use "userbased" when counts came from a human
         model: Model identifier, e.g. 'claude-sonnet-4-6'
         agent: Agent name, e.g. 'custodian', 'ralph'
         description: Optional longer description of what was done
@@ -2316,16 +2330,18 @@ def record_interactive_task(
         body["tokens_in"] = tokens_in
     if tokens_out is not None:
         body["tokens_out"] = tokens_out
+    if note is not None:
+        body["token_note"] = note
 
     _patch(f"/tasks/{task['id']}", body)
 
-    tier = "exact" if tokens_in is not None else "heuristic"
+    effective_note = note or ("measured" if tokens_in is not None else "heuristic")
     return json.dumps({
         "task_id": task["id"],
         "workstream_id": ws["id"],
         "workstream_slug": ws_slug,
         "title": title,
-        "token_tier": tier,
+        "token_note": effective_note,
     }, indent=2)
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_token_passthrough.py b/tests/test_token_passthrough.py
index c7bec5f..5220a50 100644
--- a/tests/test_token_passthrough.py
+++ b/tests/test_token_passthrough.py
@@ -65,7 +65,25 @@ class TestTokenPassthrough:
         assert ev["model"] == "claude-sonnet-4-6"
         assert ev["agent"] == "custodian"
         assert ev["workstream_id"] == ws["id"]
-        assert ev["note"] is None
+        assert ev["note"] == "measured"
+
+    async def test_tier1_userbased_note_override(self, client):
+        """Tier 1 with note='userbased' records that note instead of 'measured'."""
+        await _create_domain(client)
+        topic = await _create_topic(client)
+        ws = await _create_workstream(client, topic["id"])
+        task = await _create_task(client, ws["id"])
+
+        r = await client.patch(f"/tasks/{task['id']}", json={
+            "status": "done",
+            "tokens_in": 500,
+            "tokens_out": 200,
+            "token_note": "userbased",
+        })
+        assert r.status_code == 200
+
+        events = (await client.get("/token-events/", params={"task_id": task["id"]})).json()
+        assert events[0]["note"] == "userbased"
 
     async def test_tier2_workplan_prorated(self, client):
         """Tier 2: workplan totals prorated across 4 tasks → 250/125 each, note='workplan'."""