diff --git a/src/agent/mod.rs b/src/agent/mod.rs
index 328ff26..69a65e5 100644
--- a/src/agent/mod.rs
+++ b/src/agent/mod.rs
@@ -602,7 +602,7 @@ impl Agent {
         if call.function.name == "working_stack" {
             let mut me = agent.lock().await;
             let result = tools::working_stack::handle(&args, &mut me.context.working_stack);
-            let output = tools::ToolOutput::text(result.clone());
+            let output = result.clone();
             me.apply_tool_result(call, output, ui_tx, ds);
             if !result.starts_with("Error:") {
                 me.refresh_context_state();
@@ -643,7 +643,7 @@ impl Agent {
     fn apply_tool_result(
         &mut self,
         call: &ToolCall,
-        output: tools::ToolOutput,
+        output: String,
         ui_tx: &UiSender,
         ds: &mut DispatchState,
     ) {
@@ -651,20 +651,20 @@ impl Agent {
             serde_json::from_str(&call.function.arguments).unwrap_or_default();
 
         ds.had_tool_calls = true;
-        if output.text.starts_with("Error:") {
+        if output.starts_with("Error:") {
             ds.tool_errors += 1;
         }
 
         let _ = ui_tx.send(UiMessage::ToolResult {
             name: call.function.name.clone(),
-            result: output.text.clone(),
+            result: output.clone(),
         });
         self.active_tools.lock().unwrap().retain(|t| t.id != call.id);
 
         // Tag memory_render results for context deduplication
-        if call.function.name == "memory_render" && !output.text.starts_with("Error:") {
+        if call.function.name == "memory_render" && !output.starts_with("Error:") {
             if let Some(key) = args.get("key").and_then(|v| v.as_str()) {
-                let mut msg = Message::tool_result(&call.id, &output.text);
+                let mut msg = Message::tool_result(&call.id, &output);
                 msg.stamp();
                 self.push_entry(ConversationEntry::Memory { key: key.to_string(), message: msg });
                 self.publish_context_state();
@@ -672,7 +672,7 @@ impl Agent {
             }
         }
 
-        self.push_message(Message::tool_result(&call.id, &output.text));
+        self.push_message(Message::tool_result(&call.id, &output));
     }
 
     /// Build context state summary for the debug screen.
diff --git a/src/agent/tools/mod.rs b/src/agent/tools/mod.rs
index 9ff8088..d324916 100644
--- a/src/agent/tools/mod.rs
+++ b/src/agent/tools/mod.rs
@@ -134,20 +134,6 @@ pub struct ToolCallDelta {
     pub function: Option<FunctionCallDelta>,
 }
 
-/// Result of dispatching a tool call.
-pub struct ToolOutput {
-    pub text: String,
-}
-
-impl ToolOutput {
-    pub fn error(e: impl std::fmt::Display) -> Self {
-        Self { text: format!("Error: {}", e) }
-    }
-
-    pub fn text(s: String) -> Self {
-        Self { text: s }
-    }
-}
 
 /// A tool call in flight — metadata for TUI + JoinHandle for
 /// result collection and cancellation.
@@ -157,7 +143,7 @@ pub struct ActiveToolCall {
     pub detail: String,
     pub started: Instant,
     pub background: bool,
-    pub handle: tokio::task::JoinHandle<(ToolCall, ToolOutput)>,
+    pub handle: tokio::task::JoinHandle<(ToolCall, String)>,
 }
 
 /// Truncate output if it exceeds max length, appending a truncation notice.
@@ -170,10 +156,12 @@ pub fn truncate_output(mut s: String, max: usize) -> String {
 }
 
 /// Dispatch a tool call by name through the registry.
+/// Dispatch a tool call by name. Returns the result text,
+/// or an error string prefixed with "Error: ".
 pub async fn dispatch(
     name: &str,
     args: &serde_json::Value,
-) -> ToolOutput {
+) -> String {
     dispatch_with_agent(name, args, None).await
 }
 
@@ -182,16 +170,16 @@ pub async fn dispatch_with_agent(
     name: &str,
     args: &serde_json::Value,
     agent: Option<std::sync::Arc<tokio::sync::Mutex<super::Agent>>>,
-) -> ToolOutput {
+) -> String {
     for tool in tools() {
         if tool.name == name {
             return match (tool.handler)(agent, args.clone()).await {
-                Ok(s) => ToolOutput::text(s),
-                Err(e) => ToolOutput::error(e),
+                Ok(s) => s,
+                Err(e) => format!("Error: {}", e),
             };
         }
     }
-    ToolOutput::error(format!("Unknown tool: {}", name))
+    format!("Error: Unknown tool: {}", name)
 }
 
 /// Dispatch shared tools — used by subconscious agents.
@@ -199,12 +187,12 @@ pub async fn dispatch_shared(
     name: &str,
     args: &serde_json::Value,
     _provenance: Option<&str>,
-) -> Option<ToolOutput> {
+) -> Option<String> {
     for tool in tools() {
         if tool.name == name {
             return Some(match (tool.handler)(None, args.clone()).await {
-                Ok(s) => ToolOutput::text(s),
-                Err(e) => ToolOutput::error(e),
+                Ok(s) => s,
+                Err(e) => format!("Error: {}", e),
             });
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/subconscious/api.rs b/src/subconscious/api.rs
index b9d5be9..38ceece 100644
--- a/src/subconscious/api.rs
+++ b/src/subconscious/api.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 use crate::agent::api::ApiClient;
 use crate::agent::api::types::*;
-use crate::agent::tools::{self as agent_tools, ToolOutput};
+use crate::agent::tools::{self as agent_tools};
 
 use std::sync::OnceLock;
 
@@ -181,17 +181,17 @@ pub async fn call_api_with_tools(
                 let prov = provenance.borrow().clone();
                 let output = match agent_tools::dispatch_shared(&call.function.name, &args, Some(&prov)).await {
                     Some(out) => out,
-                    None => ToolOutput::error(format!("Unknown tool: {}", call.function.name)),
+                    None => format!("Error: Unknown tool: {}", call.function.name),
                 };
 
                 if std::env::var("POC_AGENT_VERBOSE").is_ok() {
-                    log(&format!("TOOL RESULT ({} chars):\n{}", output.text.len(), output.text));
+                    log(&format!("TOOL RESULT ({} chars):\n{}", output.len(), output));
                 } else {
-                    let preview: String = output.text.lines().next().unwrap_or("").chars().take(100).collect();
+                    let preview: String = output.lines().next().unwrap_or("").chars().take(100).collect();
                     log(&format!("Result: {}", preview));
                 }
 
-                messages.push(Message::tool_result(&call.id, &output.text));
+                messages.push(Message::tool_result(&call.id, &output));
             }
             continue;
         }