diff --git a/internal/todo/context_test.go b/internal/todo/context_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4edfadd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/todo/context_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+package todo
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"syscall"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func writeOpenTask(t *testing.T, dir, id string) {
+	t.Helper()
+	body := "---\nid: " + id + "\nstatus: open\n---\n\n# " + id + "\n"
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(dir, id+".md"), []byte(body), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+}
+
+// The body may be passed as trailing arguments instead of on stdin — the way an
+// agent invokes it inline — and must be stored, not silently dropped.
+func TestContextBodyFromArgs(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	writeOpenTask(t, dir, "0001-task")
+	var out bytes.Buffer
+	c := &cli{dir: dir, project: "p", stdout: &out, stderr: &out, stdin: strings.NewReader("")}
+	if code := c.context([]string{"0001-task", "first finding;", "second finding"}); code != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("context with body args = %d, want 0: %s", code, out.String())
+	}
+	b, _ := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(dir, "0001-task.md"))
+	if !strings.Contains(string(b), "## Context (synthesized ") || !strings.Contains(string(b), "first finding; second finding") {
+		t.Errorf("body args were not stored:\n%s", b)
+	}
+}
+
+// A socket on stdin — a tool harness that never closes it — must be refused the
+// way a tty is, not read until the end of time.
+func TestContextRefusesSocketStdin(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	writeOpenTask(t, dir, "0002-task")
+	fds, err := syscall.Socketpair(syscall.AF_UNIX, syscall.SOCK_STREAM, 0)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Skip("socketpair unavailable:", err)
+	}
+	rd := os.NewFile(uintptr(fds[0]), "stdin-socket")
+	peer := os.NewFile(uintptr(fds[1]), "stdin-socket-peer")
+	defer rd.Close()
+	defer peer.Close() // stays open for the whole test: nothing ever ends stdin
+	var out bytes.Buffer
+	c := &cli{dir: dir, project: "p", stdout: &out, stderr: &out, stdin: rd}
+	done := make(chan int, 1)
+	go func() { done <- c.context([]string{"0002-task"}) }()
+	select {
+	case code := <-done:
+		if code != 1 || !strings.Contains(out.String(), "stdin") {
+			t.Errorf("socket stdin: code=%d stderr=%q, want 1 and a stdin hint", code, out.String())
+		}
+	case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("context blocked on an unclosed socket stdin instead of refusing it")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/todo/todo.go b/internal/todo/todo.go
index f30ed80..e9e90af 100644
--- a/internal/todo/todo.go
+++ b/internal/todo/todo.go
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ Tasks are created by /distill and worked by /continue — this CLI is the substr
   todo self-heal [status...]              close open/taken tasks whose recorded PR has merged (zombie sweep)
   todo release <id>                       taken/review/held -> open (un-claim / un-hold)
   todo reopen <id> [reason]               FORCE done -> open (work verified absent; regenerate)
-  todo context <id>                       attach a synthesized "## Context" body section (reads stdin)
+  todo context <id>                       attach a synthesized "## Context" body section (body on stdin or as trailing args)
 `
 
 // cli holds one invocation's state: identity, streams, and the once-per-process
@@ -974,15 +974,22 @@ func (c *cli) context(args []string) int {
 	if !ok {
 		return c.die("no such todo: " + id)
 	}
-	if f, isFile := c.stdin.(*os.File); isFile {
-		if fi, err := f.Stat(); err == nil && fi.Mode()&os.ModeCharDevice != 0 {
-			return c.die("context reads the body on stdin (pipe or heredoc it)") // don't hang on a tty
+	// The body is either the trailing arguments (an agent calling inline) or,
+	// when there are none, stdin — which must be something that ends. A tty, or
+	// a socket a tool harness keeps open for the life of the process, would
+	// block here forever, so both are refused up front.
+	ctx := strings.TrimSpace(strings.Join(args[1:], " "))
+	if ctx == "" {
+		if f, isFile := c.stdin.(*os.File); isFile {
+			if fi, err := f.Stat(); err == nil && fi.Mode()&(os.ModeCharDevice|os.ModeSocket) != 0 {
+				return c.die("context reads the body on stdin (pipe or heredoc it) or as trailing arguments")
+			}
 		}
+		data, _ := io.ReadAll(c.stdin)
+		ctx = strings.TrimRight(string(data), "\n") // $(cat)
 	}
-	data, _ := io.ReadAll(c.stdin)
-	ctx := strings.TrimRight(string(data), "\n") // $(cat)
 	if ctx == "" {
-		return c.die("context needs the body on stdin")
+		return c.die("context needs the body on stdin or as trailing arguments")
 	}
 	// task minus any prior block; trailing blank lines stripped like $(awk …)
 	var kept []string