diff --git a/apps/agent-test-cli/package.json b/apps/agent-test-cli/package.json
index 720ea37..5a7dee6 100644
--- a/apps/agent-test-cli/package.json
+++ b/apps/agent-test-cli/package.json
@@ -7,5 +7,9 @@
 		"format": "oxfmt --write .",
 		"start": "bun run src/agent-test-cli.ts",
 		"typecheck": "bun tsc --noEmit"
+	},
+	"dependencies": {
+		"@freya/agent-protocol": "workspace:*",
+		"@nym.sh/jrpc": "^0.1.0"
 	}
 }
diff --git a/apps/agent-test-cli/src/agent-test-cli.ts b/apps/agent-test-cli/src/agent-test-cli.ts
index d0dd1f7..173856d 100644
--- a/apps/agent-test-cli/src/agent-test-cli.ts
+++ b/apps/agent-test-cli/src/agent-test-cli.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,13 @@
+import type {
+	AgentClientApi,
+	AgentEvent,
+	AgentServerApi,
+	SendMessageResult,
+} from "@freya/agent-protocol"
+import type { JrpcChannel, JrpcMessage, JsonRpcMessage } from "@nym.sh/jrpc"
+
+import { JsonRpcClient, JsonRpcServer } from "@nym.sh/jrpc"
+
 type JsonObject = Record<string, unknown>
 
 interface AuthUser {
@@ -15,10 +25,6 @@ interface AuthSession {
 	}
 }
 
-interface QueryResponse {
-	message: string
-}
-
 interface QueryToolDefinition {
 	name: string
 	label: string
@@ -60,6 +66,219 @@ class CookieJar {
 	}
 }
 
+class AgentWebSocketSession implements AgentClientApi {
+	private readonly channel: WebSocketJrpcChannel
+	private readonly client: JsonRpcClient<AgentServerApi>
+	private readonly server: JsonRpcServer<AgentClientApi>
+	private conversationId: string | undefined
+	private responseHadText = false
+
+	private constructor(channel: WebSocketJrpcChannel) {
+		this.channel = channel
+		this.client = new JsonRpcClient<AgentServerApi>(channel)
+		this.server = new JsonRpcServer<AgentClientApi>(
+			{
+				notify: this.notify.bind(this),
+			},
+			channel,
+		)
+	}
+
+	static async connect(backendUrl: string, cookies: CookieJar): Promise<AgentWebSocketSession> {
+		const channel = new WebSocketJrpcChannel(agentWebSocketUrl(backendUrl), cookies.header())
+		const session = new AgentWebSocketSession(channel)
+
+		try {
+			await channel.waitUntilOpen()
+			void session.server.start().catch((err: unknown) => {
+				if (!channel.isClosed()) {
+					console.error(`\nWebSocket JSON-RPC failed: ${formatError(err)}\n`)
+				}
+			})
+			await session.client.call("ping")
+		} catch (err) {
+			channel.close()
+			throw err
+		}
+
+		return session
+	}
+
+	async ask(message: string): Promise<void> {
+		this.responseHadText = false
+
+		const result = await this.sendMessage(message)
+		if (result.conversationId) {
+			this.conversationId = result.conversationId
+		}
+
+		if (!this.responseHadText) {
+			console.log(`\nagent> ${result.message || "(no message)"}`)
+		}
+		console.log("")
+	}
+
+	notify(event: AgentEvent): void {
+		switch (event.type) {
+			case "conversation_started":
+				this.conversationId = event.conversationId
+				break
+			case "message_created":
+				this.printMessage(event.text)
+				break
+			case "tool_started":
+				console.log(`\ntool> ${event.toolName} started`)
+				break
+			case "tool_finished":
+				console.log(`tool> ${event.toolName} ${event.ok ? "finished" : "failed"}`)
+				break
+			case "message_finished":
+				break
+			case "message_failed":
+				console.log(`\nagent! ${event.error}`)
+				break
+		}
+	}
+
+	describeConversation(): string {
+		return this.conversationId ? `Conversation: ${this.conversationId}` : "No conversation yet."
+	}
+
+	close(): void {
+		this.channel.close()
+	}
+
+	private async sendMessage(message: string): Promise<SendMessageResult> {
+		return this.client.call("sendMessage", message)
+	}
+
+	private printMessage(text: string): void {
+		if (text === "") return
+
+		console.log(`\nagent> ${text}`)
+		this.responseHadText = true
+	}
+}
+
+class WebSocketJrpcChannel implements JrpcChannel {
+	private readonly ws: WebSocket
+	private readonly opened: Promise<void>
+	private closed = false
+	private openedOnce = false
+	private queue: JrpcMessage[] = []
+	private waiters: Array<(result: IteratorResult<JrpcMessage, void>) => void> = []
+
+	constructor(url: string, cookieHeader?: string) {
+		this.ws = new WebSocket(url, createWebSocketOptions(cookieHeader))
+		this.opened = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+			this.ws.onopen = () => {
+				this.openedOnce = true
+				resolve()
+			}
+			this.ws.onerror = () => {
+				if (!this.openedOnce) {
+					reject(new Error(`Could not connect to ${url}`))
+				}
+			}
+			this.ws.onclose = (event) => {
+				if (!this.openedOnce) {
+					reject(new Error(formatWebSocketClose(url, event)))
+				}
+				this.close()
+			}
+		})
+		this.ws.onmessage = (event) => {
+			this.receive(event.data)
+		}
+	}
+
+	waitUntilOpen(): Promise<void> {
+		return this.opened
+	}
+
+	isClosed(): boolean {
+		return this.closed
+	}
+
+	async send(msg: JsonRpcMessage): Promise<void> {
+		await this.opened
+		if (this.closed || this.ws.readyState !== WebSocket.OPEN) {
+			throw new Error("JSON-RPC WebSocket channel is closed")
+		}
+
+		this.ws.send(JSON.stringify(msg))
+	}
+
+	async next(): Promise<IteratorResult<JrpcMessage, void>> {
+		const msg = this.queue.shift()
+		if (msg) {
+			return { done: false, value: msg }
+		}
+
+		if (this.closed) {
+			return { done: true, value: undefined }
+		}
+
+		return new Promise((resolve) => {
+			this.waiters.push(resolve)
+		})
+	}
+
+	async return(): Promise<IteratorResult<JrpcMessage, void>> {
+		this.close()
+		return { done: true, value: undefined }
+	}
+
+	async throw(error?: unknown): Promise<IteratorResult<JrpcMessage, void>> {
+		this.close()
+		throw error
+	}
+
+	async [Symbol.asyncDispose](): Promise<void> {
+		await this.return()
+	}
+
+	close(): void {
+		if (this.closed) return
+
+		this.closed = true
+		for (const resolve of this.waiters.splice(0)) {
+			resolve({ done: true, value: undefined })
+		}
+
+		if (this.ws.readyState === WebSocket.CONNECTING || this.ws.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) {
+			this.ws.close()
+		}
+	}
+
+	[Symbol.asyncIterator](): AsyncGenerator<JrpcMessage, void, unknown> {
+		return this
+	}
+
+	private receive(message: unknown): void {
+		const parsed = parseJrpcMessage(message)
+		if (!parsed) {
+			this.ws.close(1003, "Invalid JSON-RPC message")
+			this.close()
+			return
+		}
+
+		this.push(parsed)
+	}
+
+	private push(msg: JrpcMessage): void {
+		if (this.closed) return
+
+		const resolve = this.waiters.shift()
+		if (resolve) {
+			resolve({ done: false, value: msg })
+			return
+		}
+
+		this.queue.push(msg)
+	}
+}
+
 async function main(): Promise<void> {
 	if (wantsHelp()) {
 		printUsage()
@@ -111,73 +330,72 @@ async function runChatLoop(
 	cookies: CookieJar,
 	session: AuthSession,
 ): Promise<void> {
+	const agent = await AgentWebSocketSession.connect(backendUrl, cookies)
+	console.log("Connected to /api/agent/ws")
 	printHelp()
 
-	for (;;) {
-		const input = askOptional("you> ")?.trim()
-		if (!input) continue
+	try {
+		for (;;) {
+			const input = askOptional("you> ")?.trim()
+			if (!input) continue
 
-		if (input === "/quit" || input === "/exit") {
-			console.log("Bye.")
-			return
-		}
+			if (input === "/quit" || input === "/exit") {
+				console.log("Bye.")
+				return
+			}
 
-		if (input === "/help") {
-			printHelp()
-			continue
-		}
+			if (input === "/help") {
+				printHelp()
+				continue
+			}
 
-		if (input === "/session") {
-			console.log(`${session.user.name || session.user.email} (${session.user.id})`)
-			continue
-		}
+			if (input === "/session") {
+				console.log(`${session.user.name || session.user.email} (${session.user.id})`)
+				continue
+			}
 
-		if (input === "/tools") {
-			await runCliCommand(() => listQueryTools(backendUrl, cookies))
-			continue
-		}
+			if (input === "/conversation") {
+				console.log(agent.describeConversation())
+				continue
+			}
 
-		if (input.startsWith("/tool ")) {
-			await runCliCommand(() => executeQueryTool(backendUrl, cookies, input.slice("/tool ".length)))
-			continue
-		}
+			if (input === "/tools") {
+				await runCliCommand(() => listQueryTools(backendUrl, cookies))
+				continue
+			}
 
-		if (input.startsWith("/actions ")) {
-			await runCliCommand(() =>
-				listSourceActions(backendUrl, cookies, input.slice("/actions ".length)),
-			)
-			continue
-		}
+			if (input.startsWith("/tool ")) {
+				await runCliCommand(() =>
+					executeQueryTool(backendUrl, cookies, input.slice("/tool ".length)),
+				)
+				continue
+			}
 
-		if (input.startsWith("/action ")) {
-			await runCliCommand(() =>
-				executeSourceAction(backendUrl, cookies, input.slice("/action ".length)),
-			)
-			continue
-		}
+			if (input.startsWith("/actions ")) {
+				await runCliCommand(() =>
+					listSourceActions(backendUrl, cookies, input.slice("/actions ".length)),
+				)
+				continue
+			}
 
-		try {
-			await askAgent(backendUrl, cookies, input)
-		} catch (err) {
-			console.error(`\n${formatError(err)}\n`)
+			if (input.startsWith("/action ")) {
+				await runCliCommand(() =>
+					executeSourceAction(backendUrl, cookies, input.slice("/action ".length)),
+				)
+				continue
+			}
+
+			try {
+				await agent.ask(input)
+			} catch (err) {
+				console.error(`\n${formatError(err)}\n`)
+			}
 		}
+	} finally {
+		agent.close()
 	}
 }
 
-async function askAgent(backendUrl: string, cookies: CookieJar, message: string): Promise<void> {
-	const data = await requestJson(backendUrl, cookies, "/api/agent", {
-		method: "POST",
-		body: { message },
-	})
-
-	if (!isQueryResponse(data)) {
-		throw new Error("Query returned an unexpected response shape")
-	}
-
-	console.log(`\nagent> ${data.message || "(no message)"}`)
-	console.log("")
-}
-
 async function runCliCommand(command: () => Promise<void>): Promise<void> {
 	try {
 		await command()
@@ -327,7 +545,7 @@ async function requestJson(
 
 function printIntro(): void {
 	console.log("FREYA agent test CLI")
-	console.log("Connect to a backend, sign in, then send test messages to /api/agent.\n")
+	console.log("Connect to a backend, sign in, then send test messages to /api/agent/ws.\n")
 }
 
 function printUsage(): void {
@@ -348,6 +566,7 @@ function printHelp(): void {
 	console.log("  /tool        Execute an agent debug tool with JSON params")
 	console.log("  /actions     List source actions: /actions <source-id>")
 	console.log("  /action      Execute source action: /action <source-id> <action-id> <json-params>")
+	console.log("  /conversation  Show the current websocket conversation")
 	console.log("  /session     Show the signed-in user")
 	console.log("  /help        Show commands")
 	console.log("  /quit        Exit\n")
@@ -417,6 +636,33 @@ function normalizeBackendUrl(value: string): string {
 	}
 }
 
+function agentWebSocketUrl(backendUrl: string): string {
+	const url = new URL(backendUrl)
+	url.protocol = url.protocol === "https:" ? "wss:" : "ws:"
+	url.pathname = "/api/agent/ws"
+	url.search = ""
+	url.hash = ""
+	return url.toString()
+}
+
+function createWebSocketOptions(cookieHeader?: string): Bun.WebSocketOptions | undefined {
+	if (!cookieHeader) return undefined
+
+	return {
+		headers: {
+			Cookie: cookieHeader,
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+function formatWebSocketClose(
+	url: string,
+	event: { code: number; reason: string; wasClean: boolean },
+): string {
+	const reason = event.reason ? `: ${event.reason}` : ""
+	return `Could not connect to ${url} (${event.code}${reason})`
+}
+
 function formatPromptLabel(label: string, defaultValue?: string): string {
 	return defaultValue ? `${label} (${defaultValue}): ` : `${label}: `
 }
@@ -511,6 +757,25 @@ function splitSetCookieHeader(header: string): string[] {
 	return parts.filter(Boolean)
 }
 
+function parseJrpcMessage(message: unknown): JrpcMessage | null {
+	const text = webSocketMessageText(message)
+	if (!text) return null
+
+	try {
+		const value: unknown = JSON.parse(text)
+		return isJrpcMessage(value) ? value : null
+	} catch {
+		return null
+	}
+}
+
+function webSocketMessageText(message: unknown): string | null {
+	if (typeof message === "string") return message
+	if (message instanceof Uint8Array) return Buffer.from(message).toString("utf8")
+	if (message instanceof ArrayBuffer) return Buffer.from(message).toString("utf8")
+	return null
+}
+
 async function readResponseError(response: Response, path: string): Promise<string> {
 	const text = await response.text()
 	if (response.status === 404 && path === "/api/agent") {
@@ -548,11 +813,6 @@ function isAuthSession(value: unknown): value is AuthSession {
 	)
 }
 
-function isQueryResponse(value: unknown): value is QueryResponse {
-	if (!isJsonObject(value)) return false
-	return typeof value.message === "string"
-}
-
 function isQueryToolsResponse(value: unknown): value is QueryToolsResponse {
 	if (!isJsonObject(value) || !Array.isArray(value.tools)) return false
 	return value.tools.every(isQueryToolDefinition)
@@ -585,6 +845,33 @@ function isSourceActionDefinition(value: unknown): value is { id: string; descri
 	)
 }
 
+function isJrpcMessage(value: unknown): value is JrpcMessage {
+	if (!isJsonObject(value) || value.jsonrpc !== "2.0" || typeof value.id !== "number") {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	if ("method" in value) {
+		return (
+			typeof value.method === "string" &&
+			(value.params === undefined || Array.isArray(value.params))
+		)
+	}
+
+	if ("result" in value) {
+		return true
+	}
+
+	if ("error" in value) {
+		return isJsonRpcErrorObject(value.error)
+	}
+
+	return false
+}
+
+function isJsonRpcErrorObject(value: unknown): boolean {
+	return isJsonObject(value) && typeof value.code === "number" && typeof value.message === "string"
+}
+
 function isJsonObject(value: unknown): value is JsonObject {
 	return typeof value === "object" && value !== null && !Array.isArray(value)
 }
diff --git a/bun.lock b/bun.lock
index 6ea5778..e59f8ca 100644
--- a/bun.lock
+++ b/bun.lock
@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@
     "apps/agent-test-cli": {
       "name": "@freya/agent-test-cli",
       "version": "0.0.0",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "@freya/agent-protocol": "workspace:*",
+        "@nym.sh/jrpc": "^0.1.0",
+      },
     },
     "apps/freya-backend": {
       "name": "@freya/backend",