diff --git a/src/cli/program.ts b/src/cli/program.ts
index e5521ca46..424d81dbc 100644
--- a/src/cli/program.ts
+++ b/src/cli/program.ts
@@ -1,17 +1,13 @@
 import chalk from "chalk";
 import { Command } from "commander";
 import { agentCommand } from "../commands/agent.js";
-import { getHealthSnapshot, healthCommand, type HealthSummary } from "../commands/health.js";
+import { healthCommand } from "../commands/health.js";
 import { sendCommand } from "../commands/send.js";
 import { sessionsCommand } from "../commands/sessions.js";
-import { getStatusSummary, statusCommand, type StatusSummary } from "../commands/status.js";
+import { statusCommand } from "../commands/status.js";
 import { loadConfig } from "../config/config.js";
 import { danger, info, setVerbose } from "../globals.js";
 import { startControlChannel } from "../infra/control-channel.js";
-import {
-  getLastHeartbeatEvent,
-  onHeartbeatEvent,
-} from "../infra/heartbeat-events.js";
 import { getResolvedLoggerSettings } from "../logging.js";
 import {
   loginWeb,
@@ -22,7 +18,8 @@ import {
   setHeartbeatsEnabled,
   type WebMonitorTuning,
 } from "../provider-web.js";
-import { defaultRuntime, type RuntimeEnv } from "../runtime.js";
+import { runRpcLoop } from "../rpc/loop.js";
+import { defaultRuntime } from "../runtime.js";
 import { VERSION } from "../version.js";
 import {
   resolveHeartbeatSeconds,
@@ -33,12 +30,6 @@ import {
   startWebChatServer,
 } from "../webchat/server.js";
 import { createDefaultDeps, logWebSelfId } from "./deps.js";
-import { onAgentEvent } from "../infra/agent-events.js";
-import { enqueueSystemEvent } from "../infra/system-events.js";
-import {
-  listSystemPresence,
-  updateSystemPresence,
-} from "../infra/system-presence.js";
 
 export function buildProgram() {
   const program = new Command();
@@ -241,148 +232,8 @@ Examples:
     .command("rpc")
     .description("Run stdin/stdout JSON RPC loop for agent sends")
     .action(async () => {
-      const { createInterface } = await import("node:readline");
-      const rl = createInterface({ input: process.stdin, crlfDelay: Infinity });
-
-      const respond = (obj: unknown) => {
-        try {
-          console.log(JSON.stringify(obj));
-        } catch (err) {
-          console.error(JSON.stringify({ type: "error", error: String(err) }));
-        }
-      };
-
-      const forwardHeartbeat = (payload: unknown) => {
-        respond({ type: "event", event: "heartbeat", payload });
-      };
-      const forwardAgent = (payload: unknown) => {
-        respond({ type: "event", event: "agent", payload });
-      };
-
-      const latest = getLastHeartbeatEvent();
-      if (latest) forwardHeartbeat(latest);
-      const stopBus = onHeartbeatEvent(forwardHeartbeat);
-      const stopAgentBus = onAgentEvent(forwardAgent);
-
-      rl.on("line", async (line: string) => {
-        if (!line.trim()) return;
-        try {
-          const cmd = JSON.parse(line);
-          if (cmd.type === "status") {
-            respond({ type: "result", ok: true });
-            return;
-          }
-          if (cmd.type === "set-heartbeats") {
-            setHeartbeatsEnabled(Boolean(cmd.enabled));
-            respond({ type: "result", ok: true });
-            return;
-          }
-          if (cmd.type === "control-request" && cmd.id && cmd.method) {
-            const id = String(cmd.id);
-            const method = String(cmd.method);
-            const params = (cmd.params ?? {}) as Record<string, unknown>;
-            const controlRespond = (ok: boolean, payload?: unknown, error?: string) =>
-              respond({ type: "control-response", id, ok, payload, error });
-            try {
-              if (method === "health") {
-                const timeoutMs = typeof params.timeoutMs === "number" ? params.timeoutMs : undefined;
-                const payload = await getHealthSnapshot(timeoutMs);
-                controlRespond(true, payload satisfies HealthSummary);
-                return;
-              }
-              if (method === "status") {
-                const payload = await getStatusSummary();
-                controlRespond(true, payload satisfies StatusSummary);
-                return;
-              }
-              if (method === "last-heartbeat") {
-                controlRespond(true, getLastHeartbeatEvent());
-                return;
-              }
-              if (method === "set-heartbeats") {
-                setHeartbeatsEnabled(Boolean(params.enabled));
-                controlRespond(true, { ok: true });
-                return;
-              }
-              if (method === "system-event") {
-                const text = String(params.text ?? "").trim();
-                if (text) {
-                  enqueueSystemEvent(text);
-                  updateSystemPresence(text);
-                }
-                controlRespond(true, { ok: true });
-                return;
-              }
-              if (method === "system-presence") {
-                controlRespond(true, listSystemPresence());
-                return;
-              }
-              controlRespond(false, undefined, `unknown control method: ${method}`);
-            } catch (err) {
-              controlRespond(false, undefined, String(err));
-            }
-            return;
-          }
-          if (cmd.type !== "send" || !cmd.text) {
-            respond({ type: "error", error: "unsupported command" });
-            return;
-          }
-
-          const logs: string[] = [];
-          const runtime: RuntimeEnv = {
-            log: (msg: string) => logs.push(String(msg)),
-            error: (msg: string) => logs.push(String(msg)),
-            exit: (_code: number): never => {
-              throw new Error("agentCommand requested exit");
-            },
-          };
-
-          const opts: {
-            message: string;
-            to?: string;
-            sessionId?: string;
-            thinking?: string;
-            deliver?: boolean;
-            json: boolean;
-          } = {
-            message: String(cmd.text),
-            to: cmd.to ? String(cmd.to) : undefined,
-            sessionId: cmd.session ? String(cmd.session) : undefined,
-            thinking: cmd.thinking ? String(cmd.thinking) : undefined,
-            deliver: Boolean(cmd.deliver),
-            json: true,
-          };
-
-          try {
-            await agentCommand(opts, runtime, createDefaultDeps());
-            const payload = extractPayload(logs);
-            respond({ type: "result", ok: true, payload });
-          } catch (err) {
-            respond({ type: "error", error: String(err) });
-          }
-        } catch (err) {
-          respond({ type: "error", error: `parse error: ${String(err)}` });
-        }
-      });
-
-      const extractPayload = (logs: string[]) => {
-        for (const entry of logs.slice().reverse()) {
-          try {
-            const parsed = JSON.parse(entry);
-            if (parsed && typeof parsed === "object" && "payloads" in parsed) {
-              return parsed;
-            }
-          } catch {
-            // non-JSON log, ignore
-          }
-        }
-        return null;
-      };
-
-      await new Promise(() => {});
-
-      stopBus();
-      stopAgentBus();
+      await runRpcLoop({ input: process.stdin, output: process.stdout });
+      await new Promise<never>(() => {});
     });
 
   program
diff --git a/src/rpc/loop.test.ts b/src/rpc/loop.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3880e4cae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/rpc/loop.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+import { PassThrough } from "node:stream";
+
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+import { runRpcLoop } from "./loop.js";
+
+vi.mock("../commands/health.js", () => ({
+  getHealthSnapshot: vi.fn(async () => ({ heartbeatSeconds: 42 })),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../commands/status.js", () => ({
+  getStatusSummary: vi.fn(async () => ({ providerSummary: "ok" })),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../infra/heartbeat-events.js", () => ({
+  getLastHeartbeatEvent: vi.fn(() => ({ ts: 1, status: "sent" })),
+  onHeartbeatEvent: vi.fn((cb: (p: unknown) => void) => {
+    // return stopper
+    return () => void cb({});
+  }),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../infra/agent-events.js", () => ({
+  onAgentEvent: vi.fn((_cb: (p: unknown) => void) => () => {}),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../infra/system-presence.js", () => ({
+  enqueueSystemEvent: vi.fn(),
+  updateSystemPresence: vi.fn(),
+  listSystemPresence: vi.fn(() => [{ text: "hi" }]),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../commands/agent.js", () => ({
+  agentCommand: vi.fn(
+    async (_opts, runtime: { log: (msg: string) => void }) => {
+      // Emit a fake payload log entry the loop will pick up
+      runtime.log(JSON.stringify({ payloads: [{ text: "ok" }] }));
+    },
+  ),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../cli/deps.js", () => ({
+  createDefaultDeps: vi.fn(() => ({})),
+}));
+
+describe("runRpcLoop", () => {
+  let input: PassThrough;
+  let output: PassThrough;
+  let lines: unknown[];
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    input = new PassThrough();
+    output = new PassThrough();
+    lines = [];
+    output.on("data", (chunk) => {
+      const str = chunk.toString();
+      for (const line of str.split("\n").filter(Boolean)) {
+        lines.push(JSON.parse(line));
+      }
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("responds to control-request health", async () => {
+    const loop = await runRpcLoop({ input, output });
+    input.write('{"type":"control-request","id":"1","method":"health"}\n');
+    await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 50));
+    loop.close();
+    expect(
+      lines.find((l) => l.type === "control-response" && l.id === "1"),
+    ).toMatchObject({
+      ok: true,
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("forwards initial heartbeat event", async () => {
+    const loop = await runRpcLoop({ input, output });
+    await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 20));
+    loop.close();
+    expect(lines[0]).toMatchObject({ type: "event", event: "heartbeat" });
+  });
+
+  it("handles send via agentCommand", async () => {
+    const loop = await runRpcLoop({ input, output });
+    input.write('{"type":"send","text":"hi"}\n');
+    await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 50));
+    loop.close();
+    expect(lines.find((l) => l.type === "result" && l.ok)).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+
+  it("routes system-event", async () => {
+    const loop = await runRpcLoop({ input, output });
+    input.write(
+      '{"type":"control-request","id":"sys","method":"system-event","params":{"text":"ping"}}\n',
+    );
+    await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 50));
+    loop.close();
+    const resp = lines.find((l) => l.id === "sys");
+    expect(resp).toMatchObject({ ok: true, type: "control-response" });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/rpc/loop.ts b/src/rpc/loop.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a0dfb24df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/rpc/loop.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,182 @@
+import { createInterface } from "node:readline";
+import type { Readable, Writable } from "node:stream";
+
+import { createDefaultDeps } from "../cli/deps.js";
+import { agentCommand } from "../commands/agent.js";
+import { getHealthSnapshot, type HealthSummary } from "../commands/health.js";
+import { getStatusSummary, type StatusSummary } from "../commands/status.js";
+import { onAgentEvent } from "../infra/agent-events.js";
+import {
+  getLastHeartbeatEvent,
+  onHeartbeatEvent,
+} from "../infra/heartbeat-events.js";
+import {
+  enqueueSystemEvent,
+  listSystemPresence,
+  updateSystemPresence,
+} from "../infra/system-presence.js";
+import { setHeartbeatsEnabled } from "../provider-web.js";
+
+export type RpcLoopHandles = { close: () => void };
+
+/**
+ * Run the stdin/stdout RPC loop used by `clawdis rpc`.
+ * Exposed for testing and reuse.
+ */
+export async function runRpcLoop(io: {
+  input: Readable;
+  output: Writable;
+}): Promise<RpcLoopHandles> {
+  const rl = createInterface({ input: io.input, crlfDelay: Infinity });
+
+  const respond = (obj: unknown) => {
+    try {
+      io.output.write(`${JSON.stringify(obj)}\n`);
+    } catch (err) {
+      io.output.write(
+        `${JSON.stringify({ type: "error", error: String(err) })}\n`,
+      );
+    }
+  };
+
+  const forwardHeartbeat = (payload: unknown) => {
+    respond({ type: "event", event: "heartbeat", payload });
+  };
+  const forwardAgent = (payload: unknown) => {
+    respond({ type: "event", event: "agent", payload });
+  };
+
+  const latest = getLastHeartbeatEvent();
+  if (latest) forwardHeartbeat(latest);
+  const stopHeartbeat = onHeartbeatEvent(forwardHeartbeat);
+  const stopAgent = onAgentEvent(forwardAgent);
+
+  rl.on("line", async (line: string) => {
+    if (!line.trim()) return;
+    try {
+      const cmd = JSON.parse(line);
+      if (cmd.type === "status") {
+        respond({ type: "result", ok: true });
+        return;
+      }
+      if (cmd.type === "set-heartbeats") {
+        setHeartbeatsEnabled(Boolean(cmd.enabled));
+        respond({ type: "result", ok: true });
+        return;
+      }
+      if (cmd.type === "control-request" && cmd.id && cmd.method) {
+        const id = String(cmd.id);
+        const method = String(cmd.method);
+        const params = (cmd.params ?? {}) as Record<string, unknown>;
+        const controlRespond = (
+          ok: boolean,
+          payload?: unknown,
+          error?: string,
+        ) => respond({ type: "control-response", id, ok, payload, error });
+        try {
+          if (method === "health") {
+            const timeoutMs =
+              typeof params.timeoutMs === "number"
+                ? params.timeoutMs
+                : undefined;
+            const payload = await getHealthSnapshot(timeoutMs);
+            controlRespond(true, payload satisfies HealthSummary);
+            return;
+          }
+          if (method === "status") {
+            const payload = await getStatusSummary();
+            controlRespond(true, payload satisfies StatusSummary);
+            return;
+          }
+          if (method === "last-heartbeat") {
+            controlRespond(true, getLastHeartbeatEvent());
+            return;
+          }
+          if (method === "set-heartbeats") {
+            setHeartbeatsEnabled(Boolean(params.enabled));
+            controlRespond(true, { ok: true });
+            return;
+          }
+          if (method === "system-event") {
+            const text = String(params.text ?? "").trim();
+            if (text) {
+              enqueueSystemEvent(text);
+              updateSystemPresence(text);
+            }
+            controlRespond(true, { ok: true });
+            return;
+          }
+          if (method === "system-presence") {
+            controlRespond(true, listSystemPresence());
+            return;
+          }
+          controlRespond(false, undefined, `unknown control method: ${method}`);
+        } catch (err) {
+          controlRespond(false, undefined, String(err));
+        }
+        return;
+      }
+      if (cmd.type !== "send" || !cmd.text) {
+        respond({ type: "error", error: "unsupported command" });
+        return;
+      }
+
+      const logs: string[] = [];
+      const runtime: RuntimeEnv = {
+        log: (msg: string) => logs.push(String(msg)),
+        error: (msg: string) => logs.push(String(msg)),
+        exit: (_code: number): never => {
+          throw new Error("agentCommand requested exit");
+        },
+      };
+
+      const opts: {
+        message: string;
+        to?: string;
+        sessionId?: string;
+        thinking?: string;
+        deliver?: boolean;
+        json: boolean;
+      } = {
+        message: String(cmd.text),
+        to: cmd.to ? String(cmd.to) : undefined,
+        sessionId: cmd.session ? String(cmd.session) : undefined,
+        thinking: cmd.thinking ? String(cmd.thinking) : undefined,
+        deliver: Boolean(cmd.deliver),
+        json: true,
+      };
+
+      try {
+        await agentCommand(opts, runtime, createDefaultDeps());
+        const payload = extractPayload(logs);
+        respond({ type: "result", ok: true, payload });
+      } catch (err) {
+        respond({ type: "error", error: String(err) });
+      }
+    } catch (err) {
+      respond({ type: "error", error: `parse error: ${String(err)}` });
+    }
+  });
+
+  const extractPayload = (logs: string[]) => {
+    for (const entry of logs.slice().reverse()) {
+      try {
+        const parsed = JSON.parse(entry);
+        if (parsed && typeof parsed === "object" && "payloads" in parsed) {
+          return parsed;
+        }
+      } catch {
+        // non-JSON log, ignore
+      }
+    }
+    return null;
+  };
+
+  const close = () => {
+    stopHeartbeat();
+    stopAgent();
+    rl.close();
+  };
+
+  return { close };
+}