diff --git a/src/socrates120x/decide.py b/src/socrates120x/decide.py
index c246e9a..4e17445 100644
--- a/src/socrates120x/decide.py
+++ b/src/socrates120x/decide.py
@@ -31,7 +31,11 @@ def record_decision(project: Path, text: str) -> int:
         )
         return 2
 
-    cleaned = text.strip()
+    # Collapse internal whitespace runs (including newlines, tabs) to single
+    # spaces. A multi-line decision (`socrates decide $'foo\nbar'`) would
+    # otherwise produce a bullet whose closing `**` lands on a different
+    # line, breaking markdown bold rendering and terminating the list item.
+    cleaned = " ".join(text.split())
     if not cleaned:
         print("error: decision text is empty", file=sys.stderr)
         return 2
diff --git a/tests/test_decide.py b/tests/test_decide.py
index 28887b8..9bb4834 100644
--- a/tests/test_decide.py
+++ b/tests/test_decide.py
@@ -79,6 +79,25 @@ def test_decide_errors_when_no_decisions_md(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     assert code == 2
 
 
+def test_decide_collapses_internal_whitespace_to_keep_bullet_single_line(
+    project: Path,
+) -> None:
+    """A multi-line decision text would otherwise leave the closing `**`
+    on a different line, breaking the markdown bullet. Collapse all
+    runs of whitespace to a single space."""
+    code = record_decision(
+        project,
+        "first line\n  second line\t\twith tabs\n\n\nthird line",
+    )
+    assert code == 0
+    body = (project / "planning" / "DECISIONS.md").read_text()
+    today = _dt.date.today().isoformat()
+    expected_bullet = f"- **first line second line with tabs third line ({today})**"
+    assert expected_bullet in body
+    # And the literal multi-line form must NOT appear:
+    assert "\n  second line" not in body
+
+
 def test_decide_timeline_picks_up_new_decision(project: Path) -> None:
     """End-to-end: the date stamp `socrates decide` writes is the one
     `socrates timeline` reads."""