diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 12fb5c5c8..548d5a849 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -38,9 +38,11 @@ import {
 	setMessagingServiceWebhook as setMessagingServiceWebhookImpl,
 } from "./twilio/update-webhook.js";
 import {
-	findIncomingNumberSid as findIncomingNumberSid,
-	findMessagingServiceSid as findMessagingServiceSid,
-} from "./twilio/update-webhook.js";
+	listRecentMessages,
+	formatMessageLine,
+	uniqueBySid,
+	sortByDateDesc,
+} from "./twilio/messages.js";
 import { CLAUDE_BIN, parseClaudeJsonText } from "./auto-reply/claude.js";
 import {
 	applyTemplate,
@@ -817,98 +819,6 @@ async function performUp(
 	return { server, publicUrl, senderSid };
 }
 
-type ListedMessage = {
-	sid: string;
-	status: string | null;
-	direction: string | null;
-	dateCreated?: Date | null;
-	from?: string | null;
-	to?: string | null;
-	body?: string | null;
-	errorCode?: number | null;
-	errorMessage?: string | null;
-};
-
-function uniqueBySid(messages: ListedMessage[]): ListedMessage[] {
-	const seen = new Set<string>();
-	const deduped: ListedMessage[] = [];
-	for (const m of messages) {
-		if (seen.has(m.sid)) continue;
-		seen.add(m.sid);
-		deduped.push(m);
-	}
-	return deduped;
-}
-
-function sortByDateDesc(messages: ListedMessage[]): ListedMessage[] {
-	return [...messages].sort((a, b) => {
-		const da = a.dateCreated?.getTime() ?? 0;
-		const db = b.dateCreated?.getTime() ?? 0;
-		return db - da;
-	});
-}
-
-function formatMessageLine(m: ListedMessage): string {
-	const ts = m.dateCreated?.toISOString() ?? "unknown-time";
-	const dir =
-		m.direction === "inbound"
-			? "⬅️ "
-			: m.direction === "outbound-api" || m.direction === "outbound-reply"
-				? "➡️ "
-				: "↔️ ";
-	const status = m.status ?? "unknown";
-	const err =
-		m.errorCode != null
-			? ` error ${m.errorCode}${m.errorMessage ? ` (${m.errorMessage})` : ""}`
-			: "";
-	const body = (m.body ?? "").replace(/\s+/g, " ").trim();
-	const bodyPreview =
-		body.length > 140 ? `${body.slice(0, 137)}…` : body || "<empty>";
-	return `[${ts}] ${dir}${m.from ?? "?"} -> ${m.to ?? "?"} | ${status}${err} | ${bodyPreview} (sid ${m.sid})`;
-}
-
-async function listRecentMessages(
-	lookbackMinutes: number,
-	limit: number,
-	clientOverride?: ReturnType<typeof createClient>,
-): Promise<ListedMessage[]> {
-	const env = readEnv();
-	const client = clientOverride ?? createClient(env);
-	const from = withWhatsAppPrefix(env.whatsappFrom);
-	const since = new Date(Date.now() - lookbackMinutes * 60_000);
-
-	// Fetch inbound (to our WA number) and outbound (from our WA number), merge, sort, limit.
-	const fetchLimit = Math.min(Math.max(limit * 2, limit + 10), 100);
-	const inbound = await client.messages.list({
-		to: from,
-		dateSentAfter: since,
-		limit: fetchLimit,
-	});
-	const outbound = await client.messages.list({
-		from,
-		dateSentAfter: since,
-		limit: fetchLimit,
-	});
-
-	const inboundArr = Array.isArray(inbound) ? inbound : [];
-	const outboundArr = Array.isArray(outbound) ? outbound : [];
-	const combined = uniqueBySid(
-		[...inboundArr, ...outboundArr].map((m) => ({
-			sid: m.sid,
-			status: m.status ?? null,
-			direction: m.direction ?? null,
-			dateCreated: m.dateCreated,
-			from: m.from,
-			to: m.to,
-			body: m.body,
-			errorCode: m.errorCode ?? null,
-			errorMessage: m.errorMessage ?? null,
-		})),
-	);
-
-	return sortByDateDesc(combined).slice(0, limit);
-}
-
 export {
 	assertProvider,
 	autoReplyIfConfigured,
@@ -921,8 +831,8 @@ export {
 	ensureGoInstalled,
 	ensurePortAvailable,
 	ensureTailscaledInstalled,
-	findIncomingNumberSid,
-	findMessagingServiceSid,
+	findIncomingNumberSidImpl as findIncomingNumberSid,
+	findMessagingServiceSidImpl as findMessagingServiceSid,
 	findWhatsappSenderSid,
 	formatMessageLine,
 	formatTwilioError,
diff --git a/src/twilio/messages.ts b/src/twilio/messages.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2ffa742e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/twilio/messages.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+import { withWhatsAppPrefix } from "../utils.js";
+import { readEnv } from "../env.js";
+import { createClient } from "./client.js";
+
+export type ListedMessage = {
+  sid: string;
+  status: string | null;
+  direction: string | null;
+  dateCreated: Date | undefined;
+  from?: string | null;
+  to?: string | null;
+  body?: string | null;
+  errorCode: number | null;
+  errorMessage: string | null;
+};
+
+// Remove duplicates by SID while preserving order.
+export function uniqueBySid(messages: ListedMessage[]): ListedMessage[] {
+	const seen = new Set<string>();
+	const deduped: ListedMessage[] = [];
+	for (const m of messages) {
+		if (seen.has(m.sid)) continue;
+		seen.add(m.sid);
+		deduped.push(m);
+	}
+	return deduped;
+}
+
+// Sort messages newest -> oldest by dateCreated.
+export function sortByDateDesc(messages: ListedMessage[]): ListedMessage[] {
+	return [...messages].sort((a, b) => {
+		const da = a.dateCreated?.getTime() ?? 0;
+		const db = b.dateCreated?.getTime() ?? 0;
+		return db - da;
+	});
+}
+
+// Merge inbound/outbound messages (recent first) for status commands and tests.
+export async function listRecentMessages(
+  lookbackMinutes: number,
+  limit: number,
+  clientOverride?: ReturnType<typeof createClient>,
+): Promise<ListedMessage[]> {
+  const env = readEnv();
+  const client = clientOverride ?? createClient(env);
+  const from = withWhatsAppPrefix(env.whatsappFrom);
+  const since = new Date(Date.now() - lookbackMinutes * 60_000);
+
+  // Fetch inbound (to our WA number) and outbound (from our WA number), merge, sort, limit.
+  const fetchLimit = Math.min(Math.max(limit * 2, limit + 10), 100);
+  const inbound = await client.messages.list({ to: from, dateSentAfter: since, limit: fetchLimit });
+  const outbound = await client.messages.list({ from, dateSentAfter: since, limit: fetchLimit });
+
+  const inboundArr = Array.isArray(inbound) ? inbound : [];
+  const outboundArr = Array.isArray(outbound) ? outbound : [];
+  const combined = uniqueBySid(
+    [...inboundArr, ...outboundArr].map((m) => ({
+      sid: m.sid,
+      status: m.status ?? null,
+      direction: m.direction ?? null,
+      dateCreated: m.dateCreated,
+      from: m.from,
+      to: m.to,
+      body: m.body,
+      errorCode: m.errorCode ?? null,
+      errorMessage: m.errorMessage ?? null,
+    })),
+  );
+
+  return sortByDateDesc(combined).slice(0, limit);
+}
+
+// Human-friendly single-line formatter for recent messages.
+export function formatMessageLine(m: ListedMessage): string {
+  const ts = m.dateCreated?.toISOString() ?? "unknown-time";
+  const dir =
+    m.direction === "inbound"
+      ? "⬅️ "
+      : m.direction === "outbound-api" || m.direction === "outbound-reply"
+        ? "➡️ "
+        : "↔️ ";
+  const status = m.status ?? "unknown";
+  const err =
+    m.errorCode != null
+      ? ` error ${m.errorCode}${m.errorMessage ? ` (${m.errorMessage})` : ""}`
+      : "";
+  const body = (m.body ?? "").replace(/\s+/g, " ").trim();
+  const bodyPreview = body.length > 140 ? `${body.slice(0, 137)}…` : body || "<empty>";
+  return `[${ts}] ${dir}${m.from ?? "?"} -> ${m.to ?? "?"} | ${status}${err} | ${bodyPreview} (sid ${m.sid})`;
+}