diff --git a/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/src/cli.ts b/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/src/cli.ts
index 5be1ef3..328e714 100644
--- a/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/src/cli.ts
+++ b/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/src/cli.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import minimist from "minimist";
 import { detectClients as realDetectClients } from "./detect.js";
 import { executePrompt as realExecutePrompt } from "./execute.js";
+import { startJob as realStartJob } from "./jobs.js";
 import { resolveClient as realResolveClient } from "./dispatch.js";
 import { resolveConfig as realResolveConfig } from "./config.js";
 import { CLIENT_NAMES } from "./constants.js";
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@ import {
   type ClientInfo,
   type ExecResult,
   type DebugInfo,
+  type Job,
   ClientNotFoundError,
 } from "./types.js";
 
@@ -19,6 +21,11 @@ export interface CliDeps {
     prompt: string,
     options?: { timeoutMs?: number; debug?: boolean; onDebug?: (info: DebugInfo) => void }
   ) => Promise<ExecResult>;
+  startJob?: (
+    client: ClientName,
+    prompt: string,
+    options?: { timeoutMs?: number; debug?: boolean; onDebug?: (info: DebugInfo) => void }
+  ) => Promise<Job>;
   resolveClient?: (
     prompt: string,
     config?: { client?: ClientName; defaultClient?: ClientName }
@@ -46,6 +53,7 @@ export async function main(
 ): Promise<number> {
   const detectClients = deps.detectClients ?? realDetectClients;
   const executePrompt = deps.executePrompt ?? realExecutePrompt;
+  const startJob = deps.startJob ?? realStartJob;
   const resolveClient = deps.resolveClient ?? realResolveClient;
   const resolveConfig = deps.resolveConfig ?? realResolveConfig;
   const stdoutWrite = deps.stdoutWrite ?? ((c: string) => process.stdout.write(c));
@@ -57,7 +65,7 @@ export async function main(
 
   const args = minimist(parseArgs, {
     string: ["client", "prompt", "timeout"],
-    boolean: ["json", "text", "help", "debug"],
+    boolean: ["json", "text", "help", "debug", "sync"],
     alias: { h: "help" },
   });
 
@@ -123,27 +131,51 @@ export async function main(
     const timeoutMs =
       Number.isFinite(parsedTimeout) ? parsedTimeout : config.timeout;
 
-    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);
+    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;
       }
-      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);
+    } 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 1;
     }
   }
 
@@ -185,27 +217,51 @@ export async function main(
     const timeoutMs =
       Number.isFinite(parsedTimeout) ? parsedTimeout : config.timeout;
 
-    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);
+    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;
       }
-      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);
+    } 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 1;
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/tests/cli.test.ts b/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/tests/cli.test.ts
index 5d0d846..4c9ec39 100644
--- a/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/tests/cli.test.ts
+++ b/tools/ai-cli-dispatch/tests/cli.test.ts
@@ -107,12 +107,12 @@ describe("main", () => {
     }
   });
 
-  it("run executes client with prompt and prints JSON result", async () => {
+  it("run executes client with prompt and prints JSON result with --sync", async () => {
     const out = captureOutput();
     try {
       const executed: { client: ClientName; prompt: string }[] = [];
       const code = await main(
-        ["node", "cli.ts", "run", "--client", "codex", "--prompt", "hello"],
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "run", "--client", "codex", "--prompt", "hello", "--sync"],
         {
           detectClients: () => mockClients,
           executePrompt: async (client, prompt) => {
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ describe("main", () => {
     }
   });
 
-  it("run prints text output with --text", async () => {
+  it("run prints text output with --text and --sync", async () => {
     const out = captureOutput();
     const stdoutChunks: string[] = [];
     const stderrChunks: string[] = [];
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ describe("main", () => {
           "--prompt",
           "hello",
           "--text",
+          "--sync",
         ],
         {
           detectClients: () => mockClients,
@@ -230,11 +231,11 @@ describe("main", () => {
     }
   });
 
-  it("run returns 1 and prints error JSON when client not found", async () => {
+  it("run returns 1 and prints error JSON when client not found with --sync", async () => {
     const out = captureOutput();
     try {
       const code = await main(
-        ["node", "cli.ts", "run", "--client", "codex", "--prompt", "hello"],
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "run", "--client", "codex", "--prompt", "hello", "--sync"],
         {
           detectClients: () => mockClients,
           executePrompt: async () => {
@@ -250,12 +251,12 @@ describe("main", () => {
     }
   });
 
-  it("dispatch routes positional prompt and prints JSON result", async () => {
+  it("dispatch routes positional prompt and prints JSON result with --sync", async () => {
     const out = captureOutput();
     try {
       const executed: { client: ClientName; prompt: string }[] = [];
       const code = await main(
-        ["node", "cli.ts", "dispatch", "use claude to write tests"],
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "dispatch", "use claude to write tests", "--sync"],
         {
           detectClients: () => mockClients,
           executePrompt: async (client, prompt) => {
@@ -277,12 +278,12 @@ describe("main", () => {
     }
   });
 
-  it("dispatch routes --prompt flag and prints JSON result", async () => {
+  it("dispatch routes --prompt flag and prints JSON result with --sync", async () => {
     const out = captureOutput();
     try {
       const executed: { client: ClientName; prompt: string }[] = [];
       const code = await main(
-        ["node", "cli.ts", "dispatch", "--prompt", "use codex to refactor"],
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "dispatch", "--prompt", "use codex to refactor", "--sync"],
         {
           detectClients: () => mockClients,
           executePrompt: async (client, prompt) => {
@@ -301,12 +302,12 @@ describe("main", () => {
     }
   });
 
-  it("dispatch respects --client override", async () => {
+  it("dispatch respects --client override with --sync", async () => {
     const out = captureOutput();
     try {
       const executed: { client: ClientName; prompt: string }[] = [];
       const code = await main(
-        ["node", "cli.ts", "dispatch", "do something", "--client", "opencode"],
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "dispatch", "do something", "--client", "opencode", "--sync"],
         {
           detectClients: () => mockClients,
           executePrompt: async (client, prompt) => {
@@ -344,11 +345,11 @@ describe("main", () => {
     }
   });
 
-  it("dispatch returns 1 when resolved client is not found", async () => {
+  it("dispatch returns 1 when resolved client is not found with --sync", async () => {
     const out = captureOutput();
     try {
       const code = await main(
-        ["node", "cli.ts", "dispatch", "do something"],
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "dispatch", "do something", "--sync"],
         {
           detectClients: () => mockClients,
           executePrompt: async () => {
@@ -380,12 +381,12 @@ describe("main", () => {
     }
   });
 
-  it("dispatch prints text output with --text", async () => {
+  it("dispatch prints text output with --text and --sync", async () => {
     const out = captureOutput();
     const stdoutChunks: string[] = [];
     try {
       const code = await main(
-        ["node", "cli.ts", "dispatch", "do something", "--text"],
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "dispatch", "do something", "--text", "--sync"],
         {
           detectClients: () => mockClients,
           executePrompt: async () => ({
@@ -407,12 +408,12 @@ describe("main", () => {
     }
   });
 
-  it("run prints debug diagnostic JSON to stderr with --debug", async () => {
+  it("run prints debug diagnostic JSON to stderr with --debug and --sync", async () => {
     const out = captureOutput();
     const stderrChunks: string[] = [];
     try {
       const code = await main(
-        ["node", "cli.ts", "run", "--client", "codex", "--prompt", "hello", "--debug"],
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "run", "--client", "codex", "--prompt", "hello", "--debug", "--sync"],
         {
           detectClients: () => mockClients,
           executePrompt: async (_client, _prompt, options?) => {
@@ -452,12 +453,12 @@ describe("main", () => {
     }
   });
 
-  it("run ignores non-numeric --timeout and falls back to config timeout", async () => {
+  it("run ignores non-numeric --timeout and falls back to config timeout with --sync", async () => {
     const out = captureOutput();
     try {
       let receivedTimeout: number | undefined;
       const code = await main(
-        ["node", "cli.ts", "run", "--client", "codex", "--prompt", "hello", "--timeout", "not-a-number"],
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "run", "--client", "codex", "--prompt", "hello", "--timeout", "not-a-number", "--sync"],
         {
           detectClients: () => mockClients,
           executePrompt: async (_client, _prompt, options?) => {
@@ -474,12 +475,12 @@ describe("main", () => {
     }
   });
 
-  it("dispatch ignores non-numeric --timeout and falls back to config timeout", async () => {
+  it("dispatch ignores non-numeric --timeout and falls back to config timeout with --sync", async () => {
     const out = captureOutput();
     try {
       let receivedTimeout: number | undefined;
       const code = await main(
-        ["node", "cli.ts", "dispatch", "do something", "--timeout", "bad"],
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "dispatch", "do something", "--timeout", "bad", "--sync"],
         {
           detectClients: () => mockClients,
           executePrompt: async (_client, _prompt, options?) => {
@@ -497,12 +498,12 @@ describe("main", () => {
     }
   });
 
-  it("dispatch prints debug diagnostic JSON to stderr with --debug", async () => {
+  it("dispatch prints debug diagnostic JSON to stderr with --debug and --sync", async () => {
     const out = captureOutput();
     const stderrChunks: string[] = [];
     try {
       const code = await main(
-        ["node", "cli.ts", "dispatch", "do something", "--debug"],
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "dispatch", "do something", "--debug", "--sync"],
         {
           detectClients: () => mockClients,
           executePrompt: async (_client, _prompt, options?) => {
@@ -538,4 +539,353 @@ describe("main", () => {
       out.restore();
     }
   });
+
+  // Async default tests (S-301)
+
+  it("run async default starts job and returns job ID JSON immediately", async () => {
+    const out = captureOutput();
+    try {
+      const started: { client: ClientName; prompt: string; options?: any }[] = [];
+      const code = await main(
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "run", "--client", "codex", "--prompt", "hello"],
+        {
+          detectClients: () => mockClients,
+          startJob: async (client, prompt, options) => {
+            started.push({ client, prompt, options });
+            return { id: "job-123", client, prompt, status: "running", startedAt: new Date().toISOString() };
+          },
+        }
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
+      assert.strictEqual(started.length, 1);
+      assert.strictEqual(started[0].client, "codex");
+      assert.strictEqual(started[0].prompt, "hello");
+      const parsed = JSON.parse(out.logs[0]);
+      assert.strictEqual(parsed.jobId, "job-123");
+      assert.strictEqual(parsed.client, "codex");
+      assert.strictEqual(parsed.status, "running");
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("dispatch async default starts job and returns job ID JSON immediately", async () => {
+    const out = captureOutput();
+    try {
+      const started: { client: ClientName; prompt: string; options?: any }[] = [];
+      const code = await main(
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "dispatch", "use claude to write tests"],
+        {
+          detectClients: () => mockClients,
+          startJob: async (client, prompt, options) => {
+            started.push({ client, prompt, options });
+            return { id: "job-456", client, prompt, status: "running", startedAt: new Date().toISOString() };
+          },
+          resolveClient: () => "claude",
+          resolveConfig: () => ({ paths: {}, timeout: 600_000 }),
+        }
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
+      assert.strictEqual(started.length, 1);
+      assert.strictEqual(started[0].client, "claude");
+      assert.strictEqual(started[0].prompt, "use claude to write tests");
+      const parsed = JSON.parse(out.logs[0]);
+      assert.strictEqual(parsed.jobId, "job-456");
+      assert.strictEqual(parsed.client, "claude");
+      assert.strictEqual(parsed.status, "running");
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("run async passes --timeout to startJob", async () => {
+    const out = captureOutput();
+    try {
+      let receivedTimeout: number | undefined;
+      const code = await main(
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "run", "--client", "codex", "--prompt", "hello", "--timeout", "30000"],
+        {
+          detectClients: () => mockClients,
+          startJob: async (_client, _prompt, options) => {
+            receivedTimeout = options?.timeoutMs;
+            return { id: "job-789", client: "codex", prompt: "hello", status: "running", startedAt: new Date().toISOString() };
+          },
+        }
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
+      assert.strictEqual(receivedTimeout, 30000);
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("run async ignores non-numeric --timeout and falls back to config timeout", async () => {
+    const out = captureOutput();
+    try {
+      let receivedTimeout: number | undefined;
+      const code = await main(
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "run", "--client", "codex", "--prompt", "hello", "--timeout", "not-a-number"],
+        {
+          detectClients: () => mockClients,
+          startJob: async (_client, _prompt, options) => {
+            receivedTimeout = options?.timeoutMs;
+            return { id: "job-t1", client: "codex", prompt: "hello", status: "running", startedAt: new Date().toISOString() };
+          },
+          resolveConfig: () => ({ paths: {}, timeout: 600_000 }),
+        }
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
+      assert.strictEqual(receivedTimeout, 600_000);
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("dispatch async passes --timeout to startJob", async () => {
+    const out = captureOutput();
+    try {
+      let receivedTimeout: number | undefined;
+      const code = await main(
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "dispatch", "do something", "--timeout", "45000"],
+        {
+          detectClients: () => mockClients,
+          startJob: async (_client, _prompt, options) => {
+            receivedTimeout = options?.timeoutMs;
+            return { id: "job-abc", client: "codex", prompt: "do something", status: "running", startedAt: new Date().toISOString() };
+          },
+          resolveClient: () => "codex",
+          resolveConfig: () => ({ paths: {}, timeout: 600_000 }),
+        }
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
+      assert.strictEqual(receivedTimeout, 45000);
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("dispatch async ignores non-numeric --timeout and falls back to config timeout", async () => {
+    const out = captureOutput();
+    try {
+      let receivedTimeout: number | undefined;
+      const code = await main(
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "dispatch", "do something", "--timeout", "bad"],
+        {
+          detectClients: () => mockClients,
+          startJob: async (_client, _prompt, options) => {
+            receivedTimeout = options?.timeoutMs;
+            return { id: "job-t2", client: "codex", prompt: "do something", status: "running", startedAt: new Date().toISOString() };
+          },
+          resolveClient: () => "codex",
+          resolveConfig: () => ({ paths: {}, timeout: 600_000 }),
+        }
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
+      assert.strictEqual(receivedTimeout, 600_000);
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("run async passes --debug to startJob", async () => {
+    const out = captureOutput();
+    const stderrChunks: string[] = [];
+    try {
+      const code = await main(
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "run", "--client", "codex", "--prompt", "hello", "--debug"],
+        {
+          detectClients: () => mockClients,
+          startJob: async (_client, _prompt, options) => {
+            options?.onDebug?.({
+              command: "codex",
+              args: ["exec", "--yolo", "hello"],
+              pid: 12345,
+              exitCode: 0,
+              exitSignal: null,
+              durationMs: 42,
+              stderrLength: 0,
+              stdoutLength: 6,
+            } as any);
+            return { id: "job-def", client: "codex", prompt: "hello", status: "running", startedAt: new Date().toISOString() };
+          },
+          stderrWrite: (chunk) => stderrChunks.push(chunk),
+        }
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
+      assert.strictEqual(stderrChunks.length, 1);
+      const diag = JSON.parse(stderrChunks[0]);
+      assert.strictEqual(diag.command, "codex");
+      assert.deepStrictEqual(diag.args, ["exec", "--yolo", "hello"]);
+      assert.strictEqual(diag.pid, 12345);
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("run async returns 1 and prints error JSON when startJob throws", async () => {
+    const out = captureOutput();
+    try {
+      const code = await main(
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "run", "--client", "codex", "--prompt", "hello"],
+        {
+          detectClients: () => mockClients,
+          startJob: async () => {
+            throw new Error("spawn ENOENT");
+          },
+        }
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 1);
+      const parsed = JSON.parse(out.errors[0]);
+      assert.ok(parsed.error.includes("ENOENT"));
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("dispatch async returns 1 and prints error JSON when startJob throws", async () => {
+    const out = captureOutput();
+    try {
+      const code = await main(
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "dispatch", "do something"],
+        {
+          detectClients: () => mockClients,
+          startJob: async () => {
+            throw new Error("spawn ENOENT");
+          },
+          resolveClient: () => "claude",
+          resolveConfig: () => ({ paths: {}, timeout: 600_000 }),
+        }
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 1);
+      const parsed = JSON.parse(out.errors[0]);
+      assert.ok(parsed.error.includes("ENOENT"));
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("run async uses config timeout when --timeout is not provided", async () => {
+    const out = captureOutput();
+    try {
+      let receivedTimeout: number | undefined;
+      const code = await main(
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "run", "--client", "codex", "--prompt", "hello"],
+        {
+          detectClients: () => mockClients,
+          startJob: async (_client, _prompt, options) => {
+            receivedTimeout = options?.timeoutMs;
+            return { id: "job-nt1", client: "codex", prompt: "hello", status: "running", startedAt: new Date().toISOString() };
+          },
+          resolveConfig: () => ({ paths: {}, timeout: 300_000 }),
+        }
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
+      assert.strictEqual(receivedTimeout, 300_000);
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("dispatch async uses config timeout when --timeout is not provided", async () => {
+    const out = captureOutput();
+    try {
+      let receivedTimeout: number | undefined;
+      const code = await main(
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "dispatch", "do something"],
+        {
+          detectClients: () => mockClients,
+          startJob: async (_client, _prompt, options) => {
+            receivedTimeout = options?.timeoutMs;
+            return { id: "job-nt2", client: "codex", prompt: "do something", status: "running", startedAt: new Date().toISOString() };
+          },
+          resolveClient: () => "codex",
+          resolveConfig: () => ({ paths: {}, timeout: 300_000 }),
+        }
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
+      assert.strictEqual(receivedTimeout, 300_000);
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("run async without --debug does not pass onDebug to startJob", async () => {
+    const out = captureOutput();
+    let receivedOptions: any;
+    try {
+      const code = await main(
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "run", "--client", "codex", "--prompt", "hello"],
+        {
+          detectClients: () => mockClients,
+          startJob: async (_client, _prompt, options) => {
+            receivedOptions = options;
+            return { id: "job-nd1", client: "codex", prompt: "hello", status: "running", startedAt: new Date().toISOString() };
+          },
+        }
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
+      assert.strictEqual(receivedOptions.onDebug, undefined);
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("dispatch async without --debug does not pass onDebug to startJob", async () => {
+    const out = captureOutput();
+    let receivedOptions: any;
+    try {
+      const code = await main(
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "dispatch", "do something"],
+        {
+          detectClients: () => mockClients,
+          startJob: async (_client, _prompt, options) => {
+            receivedOptions = options;
+            return { id: "job-nd2", client: "codex", prompt: "do something", status: "running", startedAt: new Date().toISOString() };
+          },
+          resolveClient: () => "codex",
+          resolveConfig: () => ({ paths: {}, timeout: 600_000 }),
+        }
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
+      assert.strictEqual(receivedOptions.onDebug, undefined);
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("dispatch async passes --debug to startJob", async () => {
+    const out = captureOutput();
+    const stderrChunks: string[] = [];
+    try {
+      const code = await main(
+        ["node", "cli.ts", "dispatch", "do something", "--debug"],
+        {
+          detectClients: () => mockClients,
+          startJob: async (_client, _prompt, options) => {
+            options?.onDebug?.({
+              command: "codex",
+              args: ["exec", "--yolo", "do something"],
+              pid: 12345,
+              exitCode: 0,
+              exitSignal: null,
+              durationMs: 42,
+              stderrLength: 0,
+              stdoutLength: 6,
+            } as any);
+            return { id: "job-ghi", client: "codex", prompt: "do something", status: "running", startedAt: new Date().toISOString() };
+          },
+          resolveClient: () => "codex",
+          resolveConfig: () => ({ paths: {}, timeout: 600_000 }),
+          stderrWrite: (chunk) => stderrChunks.push(chunk),
+        }
+      );
+      assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
+      assert.strictEqual(stderrChunks.length, 1);
+      const diag = JSON.parse(stderrChunks[0]);
+      assert.strictEqual(diag.command, "codex");
+      assert.strictEqual(diag.durationMs, 42);
+    } finally {
+      out.restore();
+    }
+  });
 });