diff --git a/poc-memory/src/cli/graph.rs b/poc-memory/src/cli/graph.rs
index 59f6111..6fceb2c 100644
--- a/poc-memory/src/cli/graph.rs
+++ b/poc-memory/src/cli/graph.rs
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ pub fn cmd_triangle_close(min_degree: usize, sim_threshold: f32, max_per_hub: us
 }
 
 pub fn cmd_link_add(source: &str, target: &str, reason: &[String]) -> Result<(), String> {
+    super::check_dry_run();
     let mut store = store::Store::load()?;
     let source = store.resolve_key(source)?;
     let target = store.resolve_key(target)?;
diff --git a/poc-memory/src/cli/journal.rs b/poc-memory/src/cli/journal.rs
index 182f331..b81ca22 100644
--- a/poc-memory/src/cli/journal.rs
+++ b/poc-memory/src/cli/journal.rs
@@ -176,6 +176,7 @@ pub fn cmd_journal_write(text: &[String]) -> Result<(), String> {
     if text.is_empty() {
         return Err("journal-write requires text".into());
     }
+    super::check_dry_run();
     let text = text.join(" ");
 
     let timestamp = crate::store::format_datetime(crate::store::now_epoch());
diff --git a/poc-memory/src/cli/mod.rs b/poc-memory/src/cli/mod.rs
index 4d111d8..2020e55 100644
--- a/poc-memory/src/cli/mod.rs
+++ b/poc-memory/src/cli/mod.rs
@@ -9,3 +9,10 @@ pub mod agent;
 pub mod admin;
 pub mod journal;
 pub mod misc;
+
+/// Exit silently if POC_MEMORY_DRY_RUN=1.
+pub fn check_dry_run() {
+    if std::env::var("POC_MEMORY_DRY_RUN").map_or(false, |v| v == "1" || v == "true") {
+        std::process::exit(0);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/poc-memory/src/cli/node.rs b/poc-memory/src/cli/node.rs
index a6ee1c4..697e2be 100644
--- a/poc-memory/src/cli/node.rs
+++ b/poc-memory/src/cli/node.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ pub fn cmd_used(key: &[String]) -> Result<(), String> {
     if key.is_empty() {
         return Err("used requires a key".into());
     }
+    super::check_dry_run();
     let key = key.join(" ");
     let mut store = store::Store::load()?;
     let resolved = store.resolve_key(&key)?;
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ pub fn cmd_used(key: &[String]) -> Result<(), String> {
 
 pub fn cmd_wrong(key: &str, context: &[String]) -> Result<(), String> {
     let ctx = if context.is_empty() { None } else { Some(context.join(" ")) };
+    super::check_dry_run();
     let mut store = store::Store::load()?;
     let resolved = store.resolve_key(key)?;
     store.mark_wrong(&resolved, ctx.as_deref());
@@ -71,6 +73,8 @@ pub fn cmd_not_relevant(key: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
 }
 
 pub fn cmd_not_useful(key: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
+    // no args to validate
+    super::check_dry_run();
     let mut store = store::Store::load()?;
     let resolved = store.resolve_key(key)?;
     // Same as wrong but with clearer semantics: node content is bad, edges are fine.
@@ -84,6 +88,7 @@ pub fn cmd_gap(description: &[String]) -> Result<(), String> {
     if description.is_empty() {
         return Err("gap requires a description".into());
     }
+    super::check_dry_run();
     let desc = description.join(" ");
     let mut store = store::Store::load()?;
     store.record_gap(&desc);
@@ -146,6 +151,7 @@ pub fn cmd_node_delete(key: &[String]) -> Result<(), String> {
     if key.is_empty() {
         return Err("node-delete requires a key".into());
     }
+    super::check_dry_run();
     let key = key.join(" ");
     let mut store = store::Store::load()?;
     let resolved = store.resolve_key(&key)?;
@@ -156,6 +162,8 @@ pub fn cmd_node_delete(key: &[String]) -> Result<(), String> {
 }
 
 pub fn cmd_node_rename(old_key: &str, new_key: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
+    // args are positional, always valid if present
+    super::check_dry_run();
     let mut store = store::Store::load()?;
     let old_resolved = store.resolve_key(old_key)?;
     store.rename_node(&old_resolved, new_key)?;
@@ -286,6 +294,7 @@ pub fn cmd_write(key: &[String]) -> Result<(), String> {
     if content.trim().is_empty() {
         return Err("No content on stdin".into());
     }
+    super::check_dry_run();
 
     let mut store = store::Store::load()?;
     let key = store.resolve_key(&raw_key).unwrap_or(raw_key);