diff --git a/pkg/agent/loop.go b/pkg/agent/loop.go
index 5bc7a328e..df8c392c7 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/loop.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/loop.go
@@ -233,7 +233,9 @@ func registerSharedTools(
 					return registry.CanSpawnSubagent(currentAgentID, targetAgentID)
 				})
 				agent.Tools.Register(spawnTool)
-				agent.Tools.Register(tools.NewSpawnStatusTool(subagentManager))
+				if cfg.Tools.IsToolEnabled("spawn_status") {
+					agent.Tools.Register(tools.NewSpawnStatusTool(subagentManager))
+				}
 			} else {
 				logger.WarnCF("agent", "spawn tool requires subagent to be enabled", nil)
 			}
diff --git a/pkg/config/config.go b/pkg/config/config.go
index 190341224..a57707391 100644
--- a/pkg/config/config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/config.go
@@ -748,6 +748,7 @@ type ToolsConfig struct {
 	ReadFile        ReadFileToolConfig `json:"read_file"                                                envPrefix:"PICOCLAW_TOOLS_READ_FILE_"`
 	SendFile        ToolConfig         `json:"send_file"                                                envPrefix:"PICOCLAW_TOOLS_SEND_FILE_"`
 	Spawn           ToolConfig         `json:"spawn"                                                    envPrefix:"PICOCLAW_TOOLS_SPAWN_"`
+	SpawnStatus     ToolConfig         `json:"spawn_status"                                             envPrefix:"PICOCLAW_TOOLS_SPAWN_STATUS_"`
 	SPI             ToolConfig         `json:"spi"                                                      envPrefix:"PICOCLAW_TOOLS_SPI_"`
 	Subagent        ToolConfig         `json:"subagent"                                                 envPrefix:"PICOCLAW_TOOLS_SUBAGENT_"`
 	WebFetch        ToolConfig         `json:"web_fetch"                                                envPrefix:"PICOCLAW_TOOLS_WEB_FETCH_"`
@@ -1043,6 +1044,8 @@ func (t *ToolsConfig) IsToolEnabled(name string) bool {
 		return t.ReadFile.Enabled
 	case "spawn":
 		return t.Spawn.Enabled
+	case "spawn_status":
+		return t.SpawnStatus.Enabled
 	case "spi":
 		return t.SPI.Enabled
 	case "subagent":
diff --git a/pkg/config/defaults.go b/pkg/config/defaults.go
index 189af0a84..3d656e611 100644
--- a/pkg/config/defaults.go
+++ b/pkg/config/defaults.go
@@ -512,6 +512,9 @@ func DefaultConfig() *Config {
 			Spawn: ToolConfig{
 				Enabled: true,
 			},
+			SpawnStatus: ToolConfig{
+				Enabled: true,
+			},
 			SPI: ToolConfig{
 				Enabled: false, // Hardware tool - Linux only
 			},
diff --git a/web/backend/api/tools.go b/web/backend/api/tools.go
index 373a3be12..9df4a7091 100644
--- a/web/backend/api/tools.go
+++ b/web/backend/api/tools.go
@@ -118,6 +118,12 @@ var toolCatalog = []toolCatalogEntry{
 		Category:    "agents",
 		ConfigKey:   "spawn",
 	},
+	{
+		Name:        "spawn_status",
+		Description: "Query the status of spawned subagents.",
+		Category:    "agents",
+		ConfigKey:   "spawn_status",
+	},
 	{
 		Name:        "i2c",
 		Description: "Interact with I2C hardware devices exposed on the host.",
@@ -205,7 +211,7 @@ func buildToolSupport(cfg *config.Config) []toolSupportItem {
 					reasonCode = "requires_skills"
 				}
 			}
-		case "spawn":
+		case "spawn", "spawn_status":
 			if cfg.Tools.IsToolEnabled(entry.ConfigKey) {
 				if cfg.Tools.IsToolEnabled("subagent") {
 					status = "enabled"
@@ -300,6 +306,12 @@ func applyToolState(cfg *config.Config, toolName string, enabled bool) error {
 		if enabled {
 			cfg.Tools.Subagent.Enabled = true
 		}
+	case "spawn_status":
+		cfg.Tools.SpawnStatus.Enabled = enabled
+		if enabled {
+			cfg.Tools.Spawn.Enabled = true
+			cfg.Tools.Subagent.Enabled = true
+		}
 	case "i2c":
 		cfg.Tools.I2C.Enabled = enabled
 	case "spi":