diff --git a/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/SKILL.md b/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/SKILL.md
index db86cee..fa4db68 100644
--- a/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/SKILL.md
+++ b/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/SKILL.md
@@ -28,12 +28,13 @@ npm install
 
 ```bash
 scripts/ai-cli-dispatch list --json
-scripts/ai-cli-dispatch exec --client codex --prompt "refactor this function"
-scripts/ai-cli-dispatch exec --client claude --prompt "add tests for auth middleware"
-scripts/ai-cli-dispatch exec --client opencode --prompt "migrate to ESM"
+scripts/ai-cli-dispatch run --client codex --prompt "refactor this function"
+scripts/ai-cli-dispatch run --client claude --prompt "add tests for auth middleware"
+scripts/ai-cli-dispatch run --client opencode --prompt "migrate to ESM"
+scripts/ai-cli-dispatch dispatch "use codex to write tests"
 ```
 
-Use `--json` for machine-readable command output.
+Use `--json` for machine-readable command output. Use `--sync` with `run` or `dispatch` to block until the client returns; the default is async (starts a background job and returns the job ID immediately).
 
 ## Client Discovery
 
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ Run `list` to see which clients are installed and their resolved versions.
 
 ## Background Jobs
 
-For long-running or fire-and-forget tasks, use the programmatic job API instead of `exec`:
+For long-running or fire-and-forget tasks, use the programmatic job API or invoke `run` / `dispatch` without `--sync`:
 
 ```typescript
 import { startJob, getJob, cancelJob, listJobs, cleanupJobs } from "./src/jobs.js";
diff --git a/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/src/cli-helpers.ts b/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/src/cli-helpers.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e04da2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/src/cli-helpers.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+import type { ClientName, ExecResult, DebugInfo, Job } from "./types.js";
+
+export interface RunContext {
+  jsonMode: boolean;
+  stdoutWrite: (chunk: string) => void;
+  stderrWrite: (chunk: string) => void;
+}
+
+export function reportError(err: unknown, jsonMode: boolean): number {
+  const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
+  if (jsonMode) {
+    console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
+  } else {
+    console.error(message);
+  }
+  return 1;
+}
+
+export function reportCliError(message: string, jsonMode: boolean): number {
+  if (jsonMode) {
+    console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
+  } else {
+    console.error(`Error: ${message}`);
+  }
+  return 1;
+}
+
+export async function handleSyncRun(
+  executePrompt: (
+    client: ClientName,
+    prompt: string,
+    options?: { timeoutMs?: number; debug?: boolean; onDebug?: (info: DebugInfo) => void }
+  ) => Promise<ExecResult>,
+  client: ClientName,
+  prompt: string,
+  timeoutMs: number | undefined,
+  debug: boolean,
+  ctx: RunContext
+): Promise<number> {
+  try {
+    const result = await executePrompt(client, prompt, {
+      timeoutMs,
+      debug,
+      onDebug: debug ? (info) => ctx.stderrWrite(JSON.stringify(info) + "\n") : undefined,
+    });
+    if (ctx.jsonMode) {
+      console.log(JSON.stringify(result, null, 2));
+    } else {
+      if (result.stdout) ctx.stdoutWrite(result.stdout);
+      if (result.stderr) ctx.stderrWrite(result.stderr);
+    }
+    return 0;
+  } catch (err) {
+    return reportError(err, ctx.jsonMode);
+  }
+}
+
+export async function handleAsyncRun(
+  startJob: (
+    client: ClientName,
+    prompt: string,
+    options?: { timeoutMs?: number; debug?: boolean; onDebug?: (info: DebugInfo) => void }
+  ) => Promise<Job>,
+  client: ClientName,
+  prompt: string,
+  timeoutMs: number | undefined,
+  debug: boolean,
+  ctx: RunContext
+): Promise<number> {
+  try {
+    const job = await startJob(client, prompt, {
+      timeoutMs,
+      debug,
+      onDebug: debug ? (info) => ctx.stderrWrite(JSON.stringify(info) + "\n") : undefined,
+    });
+    if (ctx.jsonMode) {
+      console.log(JSON.stringify({ jobId: job.id, client: job.client, status: job.status }, null, 2));
+    } else {
+      console.log(`Job ${job.id} started (${job.client}): ${job.status}`);
+    }
+    return 0;
+  } catch (err) {
+    return reportError(err, ctx.jsonMode);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/src/cli.ts b/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/src/cli.ts
index b04dae2..b3ddcb5 100644
--- a/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/src/cli.ts
+++ b/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/src/cli.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,12 @@ import {
   type JobStatus,
   ClientNotFoundError,
 } from "./types.js";
+import {
+  reportError,
+  reportCliError,
+  handleSyncRun,
+  handleAsyncRun,
+} from "./cli-helpers.js";
 
 export interface CliDeps {
   detectClients?: () => ClientInfo[];
@@ -85,7 +91,7 @@ Flags:
   --sync          Run synchronously and block until the client returns (default is async)
   --timeout       Timeout in milliseconds (or override via config)
   --debug         Emit diagnostic JSON to stderr
-  --max-age       Maximum age for cleanup (default unit: hours)
+  --max-age       Maximum age for cleanup (default unit: hours, e.g. 24h or 30m)
   --status        Filter jobs by status (running, completed, failed)
   --json          Output JSON (default)
   --text          Output plain text
@@ -155,25 +161,14 @@ export async function main(
     const prompt = args.prompt as string | undefined;
 
     if (!client || !CLIENT_NAMES.includes(client)) {
-      const message = !client
-        ? "--client is required"
-        : `Unknown client: ${client}`;
-      if (jsonMode) {
-        console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
-      } else {
-        console.error(`Error: ${message}`);
-      }
-      return 1;
+      return reportCliError(
+        !client ? "--client is required" : `Unknown client: ${client}`,
+        jsonMode
+      );
     }
 
     if (!prompt) {
-      const message = "--prompt is required";
-      if (jsonMode) {
-        console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
-      } else {
-        console.error(`Error: ${message}`);
-      }
-      return 1;
+      return reportCliError("--prompt is required", jsonMode);
     }
 
     const config = resolveConfig();
@@ -182,52 +177,11 @@ export async function main(
     const timeoutMs =
       Number.isFinite(parsedTimeout) ? parsedTimeout : config.timeout;
 
+    const ctx = { jsonMode, stdoutWrite, stderrWrite };
     if (args.sync) {
-      try {
-        const result = await executePrompt(client, prompt, {
-          timeoutMs,
-          debug,
-          onDebug: debug ? (info) => stderrWrite(JSON.stringify(info) + "\n") : undefined,
-        });
-        if (jsonMode) {
-          console.log(JSON.stringify(result, null, 2));
-        } else {
-          if (result.stdout) stdoutWrite(result.stdout);
-          if (result.stderr) stderrWrite(result.stderr);
-        }
-        return 0;
-      } catch (err) {
-        const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
-        if (jsonMode) {
-          console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
-        } else {
-          console.error(message);
-        }
-        return 1;
-      }
-    } else {
-      try {
-        const job = await startJob(client, prompt, {
-          timeoutMs,
-          debug,
-          onDebug: debug ? (info) => stderrWrite(JSON.stringify(info) + "\n") : undefined,
-        });
-        if (jsonMode) {
-          console.log(JSON.stringify({ jobId: job.id, client: job.client, status: job.status }, null, 2));
-        } else {
-          console.log(`Job ${job.id} started (${job.client}): ${job.status}`);
-        }
-        return 0;
-      } catch (err) {
-        const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
-        if (jsonMode) {
-          console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
-        } else {
-          console.error(message);
-        }
-        return 1;
-      }
+      return await handleSyncRun(executePrompt, client, prompt, timeoutMs, debug, ctx);
     }
+    return await handleAsyncRun(startJob, client, prompt, timeoutMs, debug, ctx);
   }
 
   if (command === "dispatch") {
@@ -237,13 +191,7 @@ export async function main(
     }
 
     if (!prompt) {
-      const message = "prompt is required";
-      if (jsonMode) {
-        console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
-      } else {
-        console.error(`Error: ${message}`);
-      }
-      return 1;
+      return reportCliError("prompt is required", jsonMode);
     }
 
     const config = resolveConfig();
@@ -254,13 +202,7 @@ export async function main(
     });
 
     if (!client) {
-      const message = "Could not resolve client from prompt";
-      if (jsonMode) {
-        console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
-      } else {
-        console.error(`Error: ${message}`);
-      }
-      return 1;
+      return reportCliError("Could not resolve client from prompt", jsonMode);
     }
 
     const parsedTimeout =
@@ -268,52 +210,11 @@ export async function main(
     const timeoutMs =
       Number.isFinite(parsedTimeout) ? parsedTimeout : config.timeout;
 
+    const ctx = { jsonMode, stdoutWrite, stderrWrite };
     if (args.sync) {
-      try {
-        const result = await executePrompt(client, prompt, {
-          timeoutMs,
-          debug,
-          onDebug: debug ? (info) => stderrWrite(JSON.stringify(info) + "\n") : undefined,
-        });
-        if (jsonMode) {
-          console.log(JSON.stringify(result, null, 2));
-        } else {
-          if (result.stdout) stdoutWrite(result.stdout);
-          if (result.stderr) stderrWrite(result.stderr);
-        }
-        return 0;
-      } catch (err) {
-        const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
-        if (jsonMode) {
-          console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
-        } else {
-          console.error(message);
-        }
-        return 1;
-      }
-    } else {
-      try {
-        const job = await startJob(client, prompt, {
-          timeoutMs,
-          debug,
-          onDebug: debug ? (info) => stderrWrite(JSON.stringify(info) + "\n") : undefined,
-        });
-        if (jsonMode) {
-          console.log(JSON.stringify({ jobId: job.id, client: job.client, status: job.status }, null, 2));
-        } else {
-          console.log(`Job ${job.id} started (${job.client}): ${job.status}`);
-        }
-        return 0;
-      } catch (err) {
-        const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
-        if (jsonMode) {
-          console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
-        } else {
-          console.error(message);
-        }
-        return 1;
-      }
+      return await handleSyncRun(executePrompt, client, prompt, timeoutMs, debug, ctx);
     }
+    return await handleAsyncRun(startJob, client, prompt, timeoutMs, debug, ctx);
   }
 
   if (command === "start") {
@@ -321,25 +222,14 @@ export async function main(
     const prompt = args.prompt as string | undefined;
 
     if (!client || !CLIENT_NAMES.includes(client)) {
-      const message = !client
-        ? "--client is required"
-        : `Unknown client: ${client}`;
-      if (jsonMode) {
-        console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
-      } else {
-        console.error(`Error: ${message}`);
-      }
-      return 1;
+      return reportCliError(
+        !client ? "--client is required" : `Unknown client: ${client}`,
+        jsonMode
+      );
     }
 
     if (!prompt) {
-      const message = "--prompt is required";
-      if (jsonMode) {
-        console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
-      } else {
-        console.error(`Error: ${message}`);
-      }
-      return 1;
+      return reportCliError("--prompt is required", jsonMode);
     }
 
     const config = resolveConfig();
@@ -361,26 +251,14 @@ export async function main(
       }
       return 0;
     } catch (err) {
-      const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
-      if (jsonMode) {
-        console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
-      } else {
-        console.error(message);
-      }
-      return 1;
+      return reportError(err, jsonMode);
     }
   }
 
   if (command === "status") {
     const jobId = args._[1];
     if (!jobId) {
-      const message = "job-id is required";
-      if (jsonMode) {
-        console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
-      } else {
-        console.error(`Error: ${message}`);
-      }
-      return 1;
+      return reportCliError("job-id is required", jsonMode);
     }
 
     try {
@@ -392,26 +270,14 @@ export async function main(
       }
       return 0;
     } catch (err) {
-      const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
-      if (jsonMode) {
-        console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
-      } else {
-        console.error(message);
-      }
-      return 1;
+      return reportError(err, jsonMode);
     }
   }
 
   if (command === "results") {
     const jobId = args._[1];
     if (!jobId) {
-      const message = "job-id is required";
-      if (jsonMode) {
-        console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
-      } else {
-        console.error(`Error: ${message}`);
-      }
-      return 1;
+      return reportCliError("job-id is required", jsonMode);
     }
 
     try {
@@ -424,38 +290,23 @@ export async function main(
       }
       return 0;
     } catch (err) {
-      const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
-      if (jsonMode) {
-        console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
-      } else {
-        console.error(message);
-      }
-      return 1;
+      return reportError(err, jsonMode);
     }
   }
 
   if (command === "cancel") {
     const jobId = args._[1];
     if (!jobId) {
-      const message = "job-id is required";
-      if (jsonMode) {
-        console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
-      } else {
-        console.error(`Error: ${message}`);
-      }
-      return 1;
+      return reportCliError("job-id is required", jsonMode);
     }
 
     try {
       const job = getJob(jobId);
       if (job.status !== "running") {
-        const message = `Job is not running (status: ${job.status})`;
-        if (jsonMode) {
-          console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
-        } else {
-          console.error(`Error: ${message}`);
-        }
-        return 1;
+        return reportCliError(
+          `Job is not running (status: ${job.status})`,
+          jsonMode
+        );
       }
       cancelJob(jobId);
       if (jsonMode) {
@@ -465,13 +316,7 @@ export async function main(
       }
       return 0;
     } catch (err) {
-      const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
-      if (jsonMode) {
-        console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
-      } else {
-        console.error(message);
-      }
-      return 1;
+      return reportError(err, jsonMode);
     }
   }
 
@@ -488,13 +333,7 @@ export async function main(
       }
       return 0;
     } catch (err) {
-      const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
-      if (jsonMode) {
-        console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
-      } else {
-        console.error(message);
-      }
-      return 1;
+      return reportError(err, jsonMode);
     }
   }
 
@@ -504,13 +343,10 @@ export async function main(
     if (maxAgeRaw !== undefined) {
       const parsed = parseMaxAge(maxAgeRaw);
       if (parsed === null) {
-        const message = "Invalid --max-age format. Use: <number>[h|m|s|d], e.g. 24h";
-        if (jsonMode) {
-          console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
-        } else {
-          console.error(`Error: ${message}`);
-        }
-        return 1;
+        return reportCliError(
+          "Invalid --max-age format. Use: <number>[h|m|s|d], e.g. 24h",
+          jsonMode
+        );
       }
       maxAgeMs = parsed;
     }
@@ -527,23 +363,11 @@ export async function main(
       }
       return 0;
     } catch (err) {
-      const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
-      if (jsonMode) {
-        console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
-      } else {
-        console.error(message);
-      }
-      return 1;
+      return reportError(err, jsonMode);
     }
   }
 
-  const message = `Unknown command: ${command}`;
-  if (jsonMode) {
-    console.error(JSON.stringify({ error: message }, null, 2));
-  } else {
-    console.error(message);
-  }
-  return 1;
+  return reportError(`Unknown command: ${command}`, jsonMode);
 }
 
 const isMain =
diff --git a/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/tests/cli-helpers.test.ts b/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/tests/cli-helpers.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5272c1a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/tests/cli-helpers.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,278 @@
+import { describe, it } from "node:test";
+import assert from "node:assert";
+import {
+  reportError,
+  reportCliError,
+  handleSyncRun,
+  handleAsyncRun,
+} from "../src/cli-helpers.js";
+import type { ExecResult, Job } from "../src/types.js";
+
+function captureConsole() {
+  const logs: string[] = [];
+  const errors: string[] = [];
+  const origLog = console.log;
+  const origError = console.error;
+  console.log = (...args: unknown[]) => logs.push(args.map(String).join(" "));
+  console.error = (...args: unknown[]) => errors.push(args.map(String).join(" "));
+  return {
+    logs,
+    errors,
+    restore() {
+      console.log = origLog;
+      console.error = origError;
+    },
+  };
+}
+
+describe("reportError", () => {
+  it("prints JSON error for Error instance when jsonMode=true", () => {
+    const out = captureConsole();
+    try {
+      const code = reportError(new Error("boom"), true);
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 1);
+      assert.strictEqual(out.errors.length, 1);
+      const parsed = JSON.parse(out.errors[0]);
+      assert.strictEqual(parsed.error, "boom");
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("prints plain text error for Error instance when jsonMode=false", () => {
+    const out = captureConsole();
+    try {
+      const code = reportError(new Error("boom"), false);
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 1);
+      assert.strictEqual(out.errors.length, 1);
+      assert.strictEqual(out.errors[0], "boom");
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("prints JSON error for non-Error value when jsonMode=true", () => {
+    const out = captureConsole();
+    try {
+      const code = reportError("plain string", true);
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 1);
+      const parsed = JSON.parse(out.errors[0]);
+      assert.strictEqual(parsed.error, "plain string");
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+});
+
+describe("reportCliError", () => {
+  it("prints JSON error with jsonMode=true", () => {
+    const out = captureConsole();
+    try {
+      const code = reportCliError("missing arg", true);
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 1);
+      const parsed = JSON.parse(out.errors[0]);
+      assert.strictEqual(parsed.error, "missing arg");
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("prints prefixed text error with jsonMode=false", () => {
+    const out = captureConsole();
+    try {
+      const code = reportCliError("missing arg", false);
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 1);
+      assert.strictEqual(out.errors[0], "Error: missing arg");
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+});
+
+describe("handleSyncRun", () => {
+  it("returns 0 and prints JSON result in jsonMode", async () => {
+    const out = captureConsole();
+    try {
+      const result: ExecResult = {
+        stdout: "out",
+        stderr: "err",
+        exitCode: 0,
+        client: "codex",
+        durationMs: 10,
+      };
+      const code = await handleSyncRun(
+        async () => result,
+        "codex",
+        "hello",
+        5000,
+        false,
+        { jsonMode: true, stdoutWrite: () => {}, stderrWrite: () => {} }
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
+      assert.strictEqual(out.logs.length, 1);
+      const parsed = JSON.parse(out.logs[0]);
+      assert.strictEqual(parsed.stdout, "out");
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("returns 0 and writes stdout/stderr in text mode", async () => {
+    const out = captureConsole();
+    const stdout: string[] = [];
+    const stderr: string[] = [];
+    try {
+      const result: ExecResult = {
+        stdout: "out",
+        stderr: "err",
+        exitCode: 0,
+        client: "codex",
+        durationMs: 10,
+      };
+      const code = await handleSyncRun(
+        async () => result,
+        "codex",
+        "hello",
+        5000,
+        false,
+        {
+          jsonMode: false,
+          stdoutWrite: (c) => stdout.push(c),
+          stderrWrite: (c) => stderr.push(c),
+        }
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
+      assert.strictEqual(stdout.join(""), "out");
+      assert.strictEqual(stderr.join(""), "err");
+      assert.strictEqual(out.logs.length, 0);
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("passes timeoutMs and debug to executePrompt", async () => {
+    const out = captureConsole();
+    try {
+      let received: any;
+      const code = await handleSyncRun(
+        async (_c, _p, opts) => {
+          received = opts;
+          return {
+            stdout: "",
+            stderr: "",
+            exitCode: 0,
+            client: "codex",
+            durationMs: 1,
+          };
+        },
+        "codex",
+        "hello",
+        12345,
+        true,
+        { jsonMode: true, stdoutWrite: () => {}, stderrWrite: () => {} }
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
+      assert.strictEqual(received?.timeoutMs, 12345);
+      assert.strictEqual(received?.debug, true);
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("returns 1 and prints error JSON when executePrompt throws", async () => {
+    const out = captureConsole();
+    try {
+      const code = await handleSyncRun(
+        async () => {
+          throw new Error("fail");
+        },
+        "codex",
+        "hello",
+        undefined,
+        false,
+        { jsonMode: true, stdoutWrite: () => {}, stderrWrite: () => {} }
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 1);
+      const parsed = JSON.parse(out.errors[0]);
+      assert.strictEqual(parsed.error, "fail");
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+});
+
+describe("handleAsyncRun", () => {
+  it("returns 0 and prints JSON job in jsonMode", async () => {
+    const out = captureConsole();
+    try {
+      const job: Job = {
+        id: "j1",
+        client: "codex",
+        prompt: "hi",
+        status: "running",
+        startedAt: "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z",
+      };
+      const code = await handleAsyncRun(
+        async () => job,
+        "codex",
+        "hi",
+        undefined,
+        false,
+        { jsonMode: true, stdoutWrite: () => {}, stderrWrite: () => {} }
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
+      const parsed = JSON.parse(out.logs[0]);
+      assert.strictEqual(parsed.jobId, "j1");
+      assert.strictEqual(parsed.status, "running");
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("returns 0 and prints text job info", async () => {
+    const out = captureConsole();
+    try {
+      const job: Job = {
+        id: "j1",
+        client: "codex",
+        prompt: "hi",
+        status: "running",
+        startedAt: "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z",
+      };
+      const code = await handleAsyncRun(
+        async () => job,
+        "codex",
+        "hi",
+        undefined,
+        false,
+        { jsonMode: false, stdoutWrite: () => {}, stderrWrite: () => {} }
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
+      assert.ok(out.logs[0].includes("j1"));
+      assert.ok(out.logs[0].includes("running"));
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("returns 1 and prints error JSON when startJob throws", async () => {
+    const out = captureConsole();
+    try {
+      const code = await handleAsyncRun(
+        async () => {
+          throw new Error("fail");
+        },
+        "codex",
+        "hi",
+        undefined,
+        false,
+        { jsonMode: true, stdoutWrite: () => {}, stderrWrite: () => {} }
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 1);
+      const parsed = JSON.parse(out.errors[0]);
+      assert.strictEqual(parsed.error, "fail");
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+});
diff --git a/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/tests/cli.test.ts b/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/tests/cli.test.ts
index 107613c..f4ce386 100644
--- a/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/tests/cli.test.ts
+++ b/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/tests/cli.test.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,16 @@ import { describe, it } from "node:test";
 import assert from "node:assert";
 import { main } from "../src/cli.js";
 import { ClientNotFoundError } from "../src/types.js";
-import type { ClientInfo, ExecResult, ClientName } from "../src/types.js";
+import type { ClientInfo, ExecResult, ClientName, Job, JobStatus, DebugInfo } from "../src/types.js";
+
+function mockJob(overrides: Partial<Job> & { id: string; status: JobStatus }): Job {
+  return {
+    client: "codex",
+    prompt: "hello",
+    startedAt: "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z",
+    ...overrides,
+  } as Job;
+}
 
 function captureOutput() {
   const logs: string[] = [];
@@ -426,7 +435,8 @@ describe("main", () => {
               durationMs: 42,
               stderrLength: 0,
               stdoutLength: 6,
-            } as any);
+              noisySuccess: false,
+            } satisfies DebugInfo);
             return {
               stdout: "output",
               stderr: "",
@@ -516,7 +526,8 @@ describe("main", () => {
               durationMs: 42,
               stderrLength: 0,
               stdoutLength: 6,
-            } as any);
+              noisySuccess: false,
+            } satisfies DebugInfo);
             return {
               stdout: "output",
               stderr: "",
@@ -705,7 +716,8 @@ describe("main", () => {
               durationMs: 42,
               stderrLength: 0,
               stdoutLength: 6,
-            } as any);
+              noisySuccess: false,
+            } satisfies DebugInfo);
             return { id: "job-def", client: "codex", prompt: "hello", status: "running", startedAt: new Date().toISOString() };
           },
           stderrWrite: (chunk) => stderrChunks.push(chunk),
@@ -871,7 +883,8 @@ describe("main", () => {
               durationMs: 42,
               stderrLength: 0,
               stdoutLength: 6,
-            } as any);
+              noisySuccess: false,
+            } satisfies DebugInfo);
             return { id: "job-ghi", client: "codex", prompt: "do something", status: "running", startedAt: new Date().toISOString() };
           },
           resolveClient: () => "codex",
@@ -953,13 +966,7 @@ describe("main", () => {
         ["node", "cli.ts", "status", "job-123"],
         {
           detectClients: () => mockClients,
-          getJob: (jobId) => ({
-            id: jobId,
-            client: "codex",
-            prompt: "hello",
-            status: "running",
-            startedAt: "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z",
-          } as any),
+          getJob: (jobId) => mockJob({ id: jobId, status: "running" }),
         }
       );
       assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
@@ -979,15 +986,14 @@ describe("main", () => {
         ["node", "cli.ts", "status", "job-456"],
         {
           detectClients: () => mockClients,
-          getJob: (jobId) => ({
+          getJob: (jobId) => mockJob({
             id: jobId,
             client: "claude",
             prompt: "write tests",
             status: "completed",
-            startedAt: "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z",
             completedAt: "2024-01-01T00:01:00Z",
             result: { stdout: "ok", stderr: "", exitCode: 0, client: "claude", durationMs: 100 },
-          } as any),
+          }),
         }
       );
       assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
@@ -1040,13 +1046,7 @@ describe("main", () => {
         ["node", "cli.ts", "status", "job-123", "--text"],
         {
           detectClients: () => mockClients,
-          getJob: (jobId) => ({
-            id: jobId,
-            client: "codex",
-            prompt: "hello",
-            status: "running",
-            startedAt: "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z",
-          } as any),
+          getJob: (jobId) => mockJob({ id: jobId, status: "running" }),
         }
       );
       assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
@@ -1169,13 +1169,7 @@ describe("main", () => {
         ["node", "cli.ts", "cancel", "job-abc"],
         {
           detectClients: () => mockClients,
-          getJob: (jobId) => ({
-            id: jobId,
-            client: "codex",
-            prompt: "hello",
-            status: "running",
-            startedAt: "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z",
-          } as any),
+          getJob: (jobId) => mockJob({ id: jobId, status: "running" }),
           cancelJob: (jobId) => {
             cancelledJobId = jobId;
           },
@@ -1198,14 +1192,7 @@ describe("main", () => {
         ["node", "cli.ts", "cancel", "job-done"],
         {
           detectClients: () => mockClients,
-          getJob: (jobId) => ({
-            id: jobId,
-            client: "codex",
-            prompt: "hello",
-            status: "completed",
-            startedAt: "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z",
-            completedAt: "2024-01-01T00:01:00Z",
-          } as any),
+          getJob: (jobId) => mockJob({ id: jobId, status: "completed", completedAt: "2024-01-01T00:01:00Z" }),
         }
       );
       assert.strictEqual(code, 1);
@@ -1257,13 +1244,7 @@ describe("main", () => {
         ["node", "cli.ts", "cancel", "job-abc", "--text"],
         {
           detectClients: () => mockClients,
-          getJob: (jobId) => ({
-            id: jobId,
-            client: "codex",
-            prompt: "hello",
-            status: "running",
-            startedAt: "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z",
-          } as any),
+          getJob: (jobId) => mockJob({ id: jobId, status: "running" }),
           cancelJob: () => {},
         }
       );
@@ -1285,7 +1266,7 @@ describe("main", () => {
           listJobs: () => [
             { id: "job-1", client: "codex", prompt: "p1", status: "running", startedAt: "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z" },
             { id: "job-2", client: "claude", prompt: "p2", status: "completed", startedAt: "2024-01-01T00:01:00Z" },
-          ] as any[],
+          ],
         }
       );
       assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
@@ -1310,7 +1291,7 @@ describe("main", () => {
             receivedFilter = options?.filter;
             return [
               { id: "job-1", client: "codex", prompt: "p1", status: "running", startedAt: "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z" },
-            ] as any[];
+            ];
           },
         }
       );
@@ -1333,7 +1314,7 @@ describe("main", () => {
           detectClients: () => mockClients,
           listJobs: () => [
             { id: "job-1", client: "codex", prompt: "p1", status: "running", startedAt: "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z" },
-          ] as any[],
+          ],
         }
       );
       assert.strictEqual(code, 0);