diff --git a/memgpt/agent.py b/memgpt/agent.py
index b880845d53..567e440761 100644
--- a/memgpt/agent.py
+++ b/memgpt/agent.py
@@ -36,19 +36,19 @@ def initialize_memory(ai_notes, human_notes):
     return memory
 
 
-def construct_system_with_memory(system, memory, memory_edit_timestamp, archival_memory=None, recall_memory=None):
+def construct_system_with_memory(system, memory, memory_edit_timestamp, archival_memory=None, recall_memory=None, include_char_count=True):
     full_system_message = "\n".join(
         [
             system,
             "\n",
-            f"### Memory [last modified: {memory_edit_timestamp}]",
+            f"### Memory [last modified: {memory_edit_timestamp.strip()}]",
             f"{len(recall_memory) if recall_memory else 0} previous messages between you and the user are stored in recall memory (use functions to access them)",
             f"{len(archival_memory) if archival_memory else 0} total memories you created are stored in archival memory (use functions to access them)",
             "\nCore memory shown below (limited in size, additional information stored in archival / recall memory):",
-            "<persona>",
+            f'<persona characters="{len(memory.persona)}/{memory.persona_char_limit}">' if include_char_count else "<persona>",
             memory.persona,
             "</persona>",
-            "<human>",
+            f'<human characters="{len(memory.human)}/{memory.human_char_limit}">' if include_char_count else "<human>",
             memory.human,
             "</human>",
         ]