diff --git a/agent.ts b/agent.ts
index 739a1a6..e3f4974 100644
--- a/agent.ts
+++ b/agent.ts
@@ -12,10 +12,23 @@ import { sendMessage, type Response } from "./client"
 import { findTool } from "./tools"
 import type { ChatCompletionMessageParam } from "openai/resources/chat/completions"
 
+class ToolApprovalRejectedError extends Error {
+  constructor(toolName: string) {
+    super(`Approval rejected for tool: ${toolName}`)
+    this.name = "ToolApprovalRejectedError"
+  }
+}
+
 const bold = (s: string) => `\x1b[1m${s}\x1b[0m`
 const dim = (s: string) => `\x1b[2m${s}\x1b[0m`
 const cyan = (s: string) => `\x1b[36m${s}\x1b[0m`
 
+const approvalRequiredTools = new Set([
+  "write_file",
+  "edit_file",
+  "bash",
+])
+
 const conversation: ChatCompletionMessageParam[] = []
 
 console.log(cyan(`
@@ -28,11 +41,37 @@ while (true) {
   const input = prompt(bold("you> "))
   if (!input) continue
 
+  if (input.trim().startsWith("run ")) {
+  const command = input.trim().slice(4)
+
+  console.log(dim(`\n  Agent wants to use tool: ${cyan("bash")}`))
+  console.log(dim(`  Input: ${JSON.stringify({ command }, null, 2)}`))
+
+  const approved = prompt(bold("approve? (y/n) "))
+
+  if (approved?.toLowerCase() !== "y") {
+    console.log(dim("\n  Approval rejected. No changes were made."))
+    continue
+  }
+
+  const tool = findTool("bash")
+  const result = tool
+    ? await tool.call({ command })
+    : "Error: bash tool not found"
+
+  console.log(dim(`  [${cyan("bash")}] ${JSON.stringify({ command })}`))
+  console.log(String(result) || dim("  <no output>"))
+  continue
+}
+
   conversation.push({ role: "user", content: input })
 
   try {
     process.stdout.write("\n" + bold("agent> "))
     let response: Response = await sendMessage(conversation)
+    if (!response.wantsToUseTools && response.content) {
+      process.stdout.write(response.content)
+    }
 
     // The inference loop — keep going while the model wants to use tools
     while (response.wantsToUseTools) {
@@ -41,13 +80,31 @@ while (true) {
       // Execute all requested tools in parallel
       const toolResults = await Promise.all(
         response.toolCalls.map(async (tc) => {
-          const tool = findTool(tc.function.name)
+          const toolName = tc.function.name
+          const tool = findTool(toolName)
           const input = JSON.parse(tc.function.arguments)
+
+          if (approvalRequiredTools.has(toolName)) {
+            console.log(dim(`\n  Agent wants to use tool: ${cyan(toolName)}`))
+            console.log(dim(`  Input: ${JSON.stringify(input, null, 2)}`))
+
+            const approved = prompt(bold("approve? (y/n) "))
+
+            if (approved?.toLowerCase() !== "y") {
+              throw new ToolApprovalRejectedError(toolName)
+            }
+          }
+
           const result = tool
             ? await tool.call(input)
-            : `Error: unknown tool '${tc.function.name}'`
+            : `Error: unknown tool '${toolName}'`
+
+          console.log(dim(`  [${cyan(toolName)}] ${JSON.stringify(input)}`))
 
-          console.log(dim(`  [${cyan(tc.function.name)}] ${JSON.stringify(input)}`))
+          if (toolName === "bash") {
+            console.log(dim("\n  Command output:"))
+            console.log(String(result) || dim("  <no output>"))
+          }
 
           return {
             role: "tool" as const,
@@ -64,6 +121,9 @@ while (true) {
       // Ask the model again — it now has the tool results
       process.stdout.write("\n" + bold("agent> "))
       response = await sendMessage(conversation)
+      if (!response.wantsToUseTools && response.content) {
+        process.stdout.write(response.content)
+      }
     }
 
     // Text was already streamed, just record it
@@ -73,6 +133,11 @@ while (true) {
     // Remove the user message we just pushed — the turn failed
     conversation.pop()
 
+    if (e instanceof ToolApprovalRejectedError) {
+    console.log(dim("\n  Approval rejected. No changes were made."))
+    continue
+  }
+
     const code = e?.error?.code || e?.code
     if (code === "ConnectionRefused" || code === "ECONNREFUSED") {
       console.log(dim("\n  Connection refused — is LM Studio running on localhost:1234?"))
diff --git a/client.ts b/client.ts
index 9b28e36..5a3a38c 100644
--- a/client.ts
+++ b/client.ts
@@ -5,11 +5,39 @@ import type { ChatCompletionMessageParam } from "openai/resources/chat/completio
 const MODEL = "qwen2.5-coder-14b-instruct"
 
 const SYSTEM_PROMPT = `You are a helpful coding agent. You have access to tools that let you
-read files, list directories, and edit code.
+read files, list directories, edit code, and run shell commands.
+
+IMPORTANT RULES:
+
+- If the user asks to create, edit, delete, move, or inspect files:
+  ALWAYS use tools.
+  NEVER only describe how to do it manually.
+
+- If the user asks to run terminal commands:
+  ALWAYS use the bash tool.
+  NEVER simulate command output.
+
+- If a request requires a tool:
+  USE THE TOOL.
+  DO NOT explain how to do it manually instead.
+
+- Do not pretend commands were executed if they were not.
+
+- Do not provide hypothetical shell commands instead of using tools.
+
+- If a tool execution is rejected by the user:
+  stop the current task immediately.
+  do not attempt workarounds.
+  do not retry automatically.
+  do not explain alternative manual steps unless explicitly asked.
 
-Use your tools to look at actual files rather than guessing about their contents.
 When you're done, respond with a clear summary of what you did or found.
 
+RULE:
+If a request requires a tool,
+DO NOT explain how to do it manually.
+USE THE TOOL.
+
 ## Environment
 - User: ${Bun.spawnSync(["whoami"]).stdout.toString().trim()}
 - OS: ${Bun.spawnSync(["uname", "-s"]).stdout.toString().trim()} ${Bun.spawnSync(["uname", "-r"]).stdout.toString().trim()}
@@ -48,6 +76,7 @@ export async function sendMessage(
     model: MODEL,
     messages,
     tools: tools.map((t) => t.definition),
+    tool_choice: "auto",
     max_tokens: 4096,
     stream: true,
   })
@@ -64,7 +93,6 @@ export async function sendMessage(
 
     if (choice.delta.content) {
       content += choice.delta.content
-      process.stdout.write(choice.delta.content)
     }
 
     if (choice.delta.tool_calls) {