diff --git a/src/serena/agent.py b/src/serena/agent.py
index ef6e226..f2c740d 100644
--- a/src/serena/agent.py
+++ b/src/serena/agent.py
@@ -1744,16 +1744,16 @@ class InsertAfterSymbolTool(Tool, ToolMarkerCanEdit):
         Inserts the given body/content after the end of the definition of the given symbol (via the symbol's location).
         A typical use case is to insert a new class, function, method, field or variable assignment.
 
-        :param name_path: for finding the symbol to insert after, same logic as in the `find_symbol` tool.
+        :param name_path: name path of the symbol after which to insert content (definitions in the `find_symbol` tool apply)
         :param relative_path: the relative path to the file containing the symbol
-        :param body: the body/content to be inserted. Important: the inserted code will automatically have the
-            same indentation as the symbol's body, so you do not need to provide any additional indentation.
+        :param body: the body/content to be inserted. The inserted code shall begin with the next line after
+            the symbol.
         """
         self.symbol_manager.insert_after_symbol(
             name_path,
             relative_file_path=relative_path,
             body=body,
-            use_same_indentation=True,
+            use_same_indentation=False,
         )
         return SUCCESS_RESULT
 
@@ -1774,16 +1774,15 @@ class InsertBeforeSymbolTool(Tool, ToolMarkerCanEdit):
         A typical use case is to insert a new class, function, method, field or variable assignment.
         It also can be used to insert a new import statement before the first symbol in the file.
 
-        :param name_path: for finding the symbol to insert before, same logic as in the `find_symbol` tool.
+        :param name_path: name path of the symbol before which to insert content (definitions in the `find_symbol` tool apply)
         :param relative_path: the relative path to the file containing the symbol
-        :param body: the body/content to be inserted. Important: the inserted code will automatically have the
-            same indentation as the symbol's body, so you do not need to provide any additional indentation.
+        :param body: the body/content to be inserted before the line in which the referenced symbol is defined
         """
         self.symbol_manager.insert_before_symbol(
             name_path,
             relative_file_path=relative_path,
             body=body,
-            use_same_indentation=True,
+            use_same_indentation=False,
         )
         return SUCCESS_RESULT
 
diff --git a/src/serena/resources/config/modes/editing.yml b/src/serena/resources/config/modes/editing.yml
index b50d3a5..a0ba5f7 100644
--- a/src/serena/resources/config/modes/editing.yml
+++ b/src/serena/resources/config/modes/editing.yml
@@ -23,8 +23,7 @@ prompt: |
   use `find_symbol` with the name path `Foo/__init__` and `include_body=True`. If you don't know yet which methods in `Foo` you need to read or edit,
   you can use `find_symbol` with the name path `Foo`, `include_body=False` and `depth=1` to get all (top-level) methods of `Foo` before proceeding
   to read the desired methods with `include_body=True`.
-  Note that you never need to add additional indentation, as all symbol editing tools will automatically add the indentation of the symbol that
-  you are replacing or inserting above or below. In particular, keep in mind the description of the `replace_symbol_body` tool. If you want to add some new code at the end of the file, you should
+  In particular, keep in mind the description of the `replace_symbol_body` tool. If you want to add some new code at the end of the file, you should
   use the `insert_after_symbol` tool with the last top-level symbol in the file. If you want to add an import, often a good strategy is to use
   `insert_before_symbol` with the first top-level symbol in the file.
   You can understand relationships between symbols by using the `find_referencing_symbols` tool. If not explicitly requested otherwise by a user,
diff --git a/src/serena/symbol.py b/src/serena/symbol.py
index f7cb194..66df7aa 100644
--- a/src/serena/symbol.py
+++ b/src/serena/symbol.py
@@ -751,11 +751,16 @@ class SymbolManager:
             raise ValueError(f"Symbol at {location} does not have a defined end position.")
 
         line, col = pos["line"], pos["character"]
+
         if at_new_line:
-            line += 1
+            # start at beginning of next line
             col = 0
-            if not body.startswith("\n"):
-                body = "\n" + body
+            line += 1
+            # make sure there is one empty line before the new symbol
+            body = "\n" + body.lstrip("\n")
+            # make sure the one line break succeeding the original symbol, which we repurposed as prefix, is replaced
+            body = body.rstrip("\n") + "\n"
+
         if use_same_indentation:
             symbol_start_pos = symbol.body_start_position
             assert symbol_start_pos is not None, f"Symbol at {location=} does not have a defined start position."
@@ -822,16 +827,16 @@ class SymbolManager:
                 raise ValueError(f"Symbol at {location} does not have a defined start position.")
             line = symbol_start_pos["line"]
             col = symbol_start_pos["character"]
+
             if use_same_indentation:
                 indent = " " * (col)
                 body = "\n".join(indent + line for line in body.splitlines())
 
-            # similar problems as in insert_after_symbol_at_location, see comment there
             if at_new_line:
                 col = 0
-                line -= 1
-                if not body.endswith("\n"):
-                    body += "\n"
+                # ensure two newlines after inserted body (eol + empty line)
+                body = body.rstrip() + "\n\n"
+
             assert location.relative_path is not None
 
             self._lang_server.insert_text_at_position(location.relative_path, line=line, column=col, text_to_be_inserted=body)