diff --git a/src/agent/tools/channels.rs b/src/agent/tools/channels.rs
index c26555c..10b0575 100644
--- a/src/agent/tools/channels.rs
+++ b/src/agent/tools/channels.rs
@@ -7,78 +7,58 @@ use anyhow::{Context, Result};
 use serde::Deserialize;
 use serde_json::json;
 
-use super::ToolDef;
+use super::{Tool, ToolDef};
 
-// ── Definitions ────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// ── Tool registry ──────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-pub fn definitions() -> Vec<ToolDef> {
+pub fn tools() -> Vec<Tool> {
     vec![
-        ToolDef::new(
-            "channel_list",
-            "List all available channels and their status (connected, unread count).",
-            json!({"type": "object", "properties": {}}),
-        ),
-        ToolDef::new(
-            "channel_recv",
-            "Read messages from a channel.",
-            json!({
-                "type": "object",
-                "properties": {
+        Tool {
+            def: ToolDef::new("channel_list",
+                "List all available channels and their status (connected, unread count).",
+                json!({"type": "object", "properties": {}})),
+            handler: |_a, _v| Box::pin(async { channel_list().await }),
+        },
+        Tool {
+            def: ToolDef::new("channel_recv",
+                "Read messages from a channel.",
+                json!({"type": "object", "properties": {
                     "channel": {"type": "string", "description": "Channel path (e.g. irc.#bcachefs, telegram.kent)"},
                     "all_new": {"type": "boolean", "description": "If true, return all unconsumed messages. If false, return scrollback.", "default": true},
                     "min_count": {"type": "integer", "description": "Minimum number of lines to return", "default": 20}
-                },
-                "required": ["channel"]
-            }),
-        ),
-        ToolDef::new(
-            "channel_send",
-            "Send a message to a channel.",
-            json!({
-                "type": "object",
-                "properties": {
+                }, "required": ["channel"]})),
+            handler: |_a, v| Box::pin(async move { channel_recv(&v).await }),
+        },
+        Tool {
+            def: ToolDef::new("channel_send",
+                "Send a message to a channel.",
+                json!({"type": "object", "properties": {
                     "channel": {"type": "string", "description": "Channel path (e.g. irc.#bcachefs, irc.pm.nick, telegram.kent)"},
                     "message": {"type": "string", "description": "Message to send"}
-                },
-                "required": ["channel", "message"]
-            }),
-        ),
-        ToolDef::new(
-            "channel_notifications",
-            "Get pending channel notifications (unread signals). Does not consume messages — use channel_recv for that.",
-            json!({"type": "object", "properties": {}}),
-        ),
-    ]
-}
-
-pub fn tools() -> Vec<super::Tool> {
-    use super::Tool;
-    let defs = definitions();
-    vec![
-        Tool { def: defs[0].clone(), handler: |_a, _v| Box::pin(async move { channel_list().await }) },
-        Tool { def: defs[1].clone(), handler: |_a, v| Box::pin(async move { channel_recv(&v).await }) },
-        Tool { def: defs[2].clone(), handler: |_a, v| Box::pin(async move { channel_send(&v).await }) },
-        Tool { def: defs[3].clone(), handler: |_a, _v| Box::pin(async move { channel_notifications().await }) },
+                }, "required": ["channel", "message"]})),
+            handler: |_a, v| Box::pin(async move { channel_send(&v).await }),
+        },
+        Tool {
+            def: ToolDef::new("channel_notifications",
+                "Get pending channel notifications (unread signals). Does not consume messages — use channel_recv for that.",
+                json!({"type": "object", "properties": {}})),
+            handler: |_a, _v| Box::pin(async { channel_notifications().await }),
+        },
     ]
 }
 
 // ── Tool implementations ───────────────────────────────────────
 
-pub async fn channel_list() -> Result<String> {
+async fn channel_list() -> Result<String> {
     let result = fetch_all_channels().await;
-    Ok(format_channel_list(&result))
-}
-
-
-fn format_channel_list(channels: &[(String, bool, u32)]) -> String {
-    if channels.is_empty() {
-        return "No channels configured.".into();
+    if result.is_empty() {
+        return Ok("No channels configured.".into());
     }
-    channels.iter().map(|(name, connected, unread)| {
+    Ok(result.iter().map(|(name, connected, unread)| {
         let status = if *connected { "connected" } else { "disconnected" };
         let unread_str = if *unread > 0 { format!(" ({} unread)", unread) } else { String::new() };
         format!("{} — {}{}", name, status, unread_str)
-    }).collect::<Vec<_>>().join("\n")
+    }).collect::<Vec<_>>().join("\n"))
 }
 
 #[derive(Deserialize)]
@@ -92,17 +72,19 @@ struct RecvArgs {
 fn default_true() -> bool { true }
 fn default_min_count() -> u32 { 20 }
 
-pub async fn channel_recv(args: &serde_json::Value) -> Result<String> {
+async fn channel_recv(args: &serde_json::Value) -> Result<String> {
     let a: RecvArgs = serde_json::from_value(args.clone())
         .context("invalid channel_recv arguments")?;
     let sock = daemon_sock(&a.channel)?;
     let channel = a.channel;
     let all_new = a.all_new;
     let min_count = a.min_count;
+    // capnp-rpc needs LocalSet — bridge to it via spawn_blocking
     tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || {
-        rpc_blocking(|local, rt| {
-            local.block_on(rt, rpc_recv(&sock, &channel, all_new, min_count))
-        })
+        let rt = tokio::runtime::Builder::new_current_thread()
+            .enable_all().build().unwrap();
+        let local = tokio::task::LocalSet::new();
+        local.block_on(&rt, rpc_recv(&sock, &channel, all_new, min_count))
     }).await?
         .map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("{}", e))
 }
@@ -113,35 +95,31 @@ struct SendArgs {
     message: String,
 }
 
-pub async fn channel_send(args: &serde_json::Value) -> Result<String> {
+async fn channel_send(args: &serde_json::Value) -> Result<String> {
     let a: SendArgs = serde_json::from_value(args.clone())
         .context("invalid channel_send arguments")?;
     let sock = daemon_sock(&a.channel)?;
     let channel = a.channel;
     let message = a.message;
     tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || {
-        rpc_blocking(|local, rt| {
-            local.block_on(rt, rpc_send(&sock, &channel, &message))
-        })
+        let rt = tokio::runtime::Builder::new_current_thread()
+            .enable_all().build().unwrap();
+        let local = tokio::task::LocalSet::new();
+        local.block_on(&rt, rpc_send(&sock, &channel, &message))
     }).await?
         .map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("{}", e))
 }
 
-pub async fn channel_notifications() -> Result<String> {
+async fn channel_notifications() -> Result<String> {
     let result = fetch_all_channels().await;
-    Ok(format_notifications(&result))
-}
-
-
-fn format_notifications(channels: &[(String, bool, u32)]) -> String {
-    let unread: Vec<_> = channels.iter().filter(|(_, _, u)| *u > 0).collect();
+    let unread: Vec<_> = result.iter().filter(|(_, _, u)| *u > 0).collect();
     if unread.is_empty() {
-        "No pending notifications.".into()
+        Ok("No pending notifications.".into())
     } else {
-        unread.iter()
+        Ok(unread.iter()
             .map(|(name, _, count)| format!("{}: {} unread", name, count))
             .collect::<Vec<_>>()
-            .join("\n")
+            .join("\n"))
     }
 }
 
@@ -164,21 +142,6 @@ fn daemon_sock(channel: &str) -> Result<std::path::PathBuf> {
 
 // ── Channel RPC ────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-/// Create a tokio runtime + LocalSet for capnp RPC calls.
-/// capnp-rpc uses Rc so futures aren't Send — this must run
-/// on a dedicated thread via spawn_blocking.
-fn rpc_blocking<F, T>(f: F) -> T
-where
-    F: FnOnce(&tokio::task::LocalSet, &tokio::runtime::Runtime) -> T,
-{
-    let rt = tokio::runtime::Builder::new_current_thread()
-        .enable_all()
-        .build()
-        .unwrap();
-    let local = tokio::task::LocalSet::new();
-    f(&local, &rt)
-}
-
 use capnp_rpc::{rpc_twoparty_capnp, twoparty, RpcSystem};
 use futures::AsyncReadExt;
 use tokio_util::compat::TokioAsyncReadCompatExt;
@@ -202,48 +165,28 @@ async fn rpc_connect(sock: &std::path::Path) -> Result<channel_server::Client, S
 }
 
 async fn rpc_recv(
-    sock: &std::path::Path,
-    channel: &str,
-    all_new: bool,
-    min_count: u32,
+    sock: &std::path::Path, channel: &str, all_new: bool, min_count: u32,
 ) -> Result<String, String> {
     let client = rpc_connect(sock).await?;
-
     let mut req = client.recv_request();
     req.get().set_channel(channel);
     req.get().set_all_new(all_new);
     req.get().set_min_count(min_count);
-
-    let reply = req.send().promise.await
-        .map_err(|e| format!("recv failed: {e}"))?;
-    let text = reply.get()
-        .map_err(|e| format!("reply error: {e}"))?
-        .get_text()
-        .map_err(|e| format!("text error: {e}"))?
-        .to_str()
-        .map_err(|e| format!("utf8 error: {e}"))?;
-
-    if text.is_empty() {
-        Ok("(no messages)".into())
-    } else {
-        Ok(text.to_string())
-    }
+    let reply = req.send().promise.await.map_err(|e| format!("recv failed: {e}"))?;
+    let text = reply.get().map_err(|e| format!("{e}"))?
+        .get_text().map_err(|e| format!("{e}"))?
+        .to_str().map_err(|e| format!("{e}"))?;
+    if text.is_empty() { Ok("(no messages)".into()) } else { Ok(text.to_string()) }
 }
 
 async fn rpc_send(
-    sock: &std::path::Path,
-    channel: &str,
-    message: &str,
+    sock: &std::path::Path, channel: &str, message: &str,
 ) -> Result<String, String> {
     let client = rpc_connect(sock).await?;
-
     let mut req = client.send_request();
     req.get().set_channel(channel);
     req.get().set_message(message);
-
-    req.send().promise.await
-        .map_err(|e| format!("send failed: {e}"))?;
-
+    req.send().promise.await.map_err(|e| format!("send failed: {e}"))?;
     Ok(format!("sent to {}", channel))
 }
 
@@ -271,25 +214,20 @@ async fn rpc_list(sock: &std::path::Path) -> Option<Vec<(String, bool, u32)>> {
 // ── Fetch all channels ─────────────────────────────────────────
 
 /// Fetch channel status from all daemon sockets.
-/// Runs on a dedicated thread because capnp-rpc uses Rc (not Send).
+/// Runs on a dedicated thread with LocalSet because capnp-rpc
+/// uses Rc (not Send). This is the boundary between the
+/// multi-thread runtime and the capnp world.
 pub async fn fetch_all_channels() -> Vec<(String, bool, u32)> {
     tokio::task::spawn_blocking(|| {
-        fetch_all_channels_blocking()
+        let rt = tokio::runtime::Builder::new_current_thread()
+            .enable_all().build().unwrap();
+        let local = tokio::task::LocalSet::new();
+        local.block_on(&rt, fetch_all_channels_inner())
     })
     .await
     .unwrap_or_default()
 }
 
-/// Blocking version for synchronous contexts.
-pub fn fetch_all_channels_blocking() -> Vec<(String, bool, u32)> {
-    let rt = tokio::runtime::Builder::new_current_thread()
-        .enable_all()
-        .build()
-        .unwrap();
-    let local = tokio::task::LocalSet::new();
-    local.block_on(&rt, fetch_all_channels_inner())
-}
-
 async fn fetch_all_channels_inner() -> Vec<(String, bool, u32)> {
     let channels_dir = channels_dir();