diff --git a/pkg/agentic/commands.go b/pkg/agentic/commands.go
index 73ef660..312ca7f 100644
--- a/pkg/agentic/commands.go
+++ b/pkg/agentic/commands.go
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ func (s *PrepSubsystem) registerCommands(ctx context.Context) {
 	c.Command("run/task", core.Command{Description: "Run a single task end-to-end", Action: s.cmdRunTask})
 	c.Command("run/orchestrator", core.Command{Description: "Run the queue orchestrator (standalone, no MCP)", Action: s.cmdOrchestrator})
 	c.Command("dispatch", core.Command{Description: "Dispatch queued agents", Action: s.cmdDispatch})
+	c.Command("dispatch/start", core.Command{Description: "Start the dispatch queue runner", Action: s.cmdDispatchStart})
+	c.Command("dispatch/shutdown", core.Command{Description: "Freeze the dispatch queue gracefully", Action: s.cmdDispatchShutdown})
+	c.Command("dispatch/shutdown-now", core.Command{Description: "Hard stop the dispatch queue and kill running agents", Action: s.cmdDispatchShutdownNow})
 	c.Command("prep", core.Command{Description: "Prepare a workspace: clone repo, build prompt", Action: s.cmdPrep})
 	c.Command("prep-workspace", core.Command{Description: "Prepare a workspace: clone repo, build prompt", Action: s.cmdPrep})
 	c.Command("generate", core.Command{Description: "Generate content from a prompt using the platform content pipeline", Action: s.cmdGenerate})
@@ -110,6 +113,49 @@ func (s *PrepSubsystem) cmdDispatch(_ core.Options) core.Result {
 	return s.runDispatchLoop("dispatch")
 }
 
+func (s *PrepSubsystem) cmdDispatchStart(_ core.Options) core.Result {
+	_, output, err := s.dispatchStart(s.commandContext(), nil, ShutdownInput{})
+	if err != nil {
+		core.Print(nil, "error: %v", err)
+		return core.Result{Value: err, OK: false}
+	}
+
+	if output.Message != "" {
+		core.Print(nil, "%s", output.Message)
+	}
+	return core.Result{Value: output, OK: true}
+}
+
+func (s *PrepSubsystem) cmdDispatchShutdown(_ core.Options) core.Result {
+	_, output, err := s.shutdownGraceful(s.commandContext(), nil, ShutdownInput{})
+	if err != nil {
+		core.Print(nil, "error: %v", err)
+		return core.Result{Value: err, OK: false}
+	}
+
+	if output.Message != "" {
+		core.Print(nil, "%s", output.Message)
+	}
+	return core.Result{Value: output, OK: true}
+}
+
+func (s *PrepSubsystem) cmdDispatchShutdownNow(_ core.Options) core.Result {
+	_, output, err := s.shutdownNow(s.commandContext(), nil, ShutdownInput{})
+	if err != nil {
+		core.Print(nil, "error: %v", err)
+		return core.Result{Value: err, OK: false}
+	}
+
+	if output.Message != "" {
+		core.Print(nil, "%s", output.Message)
+	}
+	if output.Running > 0 || output.Queued > 0 {
+		core.Print(nil, "running: %d", output.Running)
+		core.Print(nil, "queued:  %d", output.Queued)
+	}
+	return core.Result{Value: output, OK: true}
+}
+
 func (s *PrepSubsystem) runDispatchLoop(label string) core.Result {
 	ctx := s.commandContext()
 	core.Print(nil, "core-agent %s running (pid %s)", label, core.Env("PID"))
diff --git a/pkg/agentic/commands_test.go b/pkg/agentic/commands_test.go
index 96df5d9..a521958 100644
--- a/pkg/agentic/commands_test.go
+++ b/pkg/agentic/commands_test.go
@@ -1146,6 +1146,57 @@ func TestCommands_CmdDispatch_Good_CancelledCtx(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.True(t, r.OK)
 }
 
+func TestCommands_CmdDispatchStart_Good(t *testing.T) {
+	s, c := testPrepWithCore(t, nil)
+	called := false
+	c.Action("runner.start", func(_ context.Context, _ core.Options) core.Result {
+		called = true
+		return core.Result{OK: true}
+	})
+
+	output := captureStdout(t, func() {
+		r := s.cmdDispatchStart(core.NewOptions())
+		assert.True(t, r.OK)
+	})
+
+	assert.True(t, called)
+	assert.Contains(t, output, "dispatch started")
+}
+
+func TestCommands_CmdDispatchShutdown_Good(t *testing.T) {
+	s, c := testPrepWithCore(t, nil)
+	called := false
+	c.Action("runner.stop", func(_ context.Context, _ core.Options) core.Result {
+		called = true
+		return core.Result{OK: true}
+	})
+
+	output := captureStdout(t, func() {
+		r := s.cmdDispatchShutdown(core.NewOptions())
+		assert.True(t, r.OK)
+	})
+
+	assert.True(t, called)
+	assert.Contains(t, output, "queue frozen")
+}
+
+func TestCommands_CmdDispatchShutdownNow_Good(t *testing.T) {
+	s, c := testPrepWithCore(t, nil)
+	called := false
+	c.Action("runner.kill", func(_ context.Context, _ core.Options) core.Result {
+		called = true
+		return core.Result{OK: true}
+	})
+
+	output := captureStdout(t, func() {
+		r := s.cmdDispatchShutdownNow(core.NewOptions())
+		assert.True(t, r.OK)
+	})
+
+	assert.True(t, called)
+	assert.Contains(t, output, "killed all agents")
+}
+
 func TestCommands_ParseIntStr_Good(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, 42, parseIntString("42"))
 	assert.Equal(t, 123, parseIntString("issue-123"))
@@ -1166,6 +1217,9 @@ func TestCommands_RegisterCommands_Good_AllRegistered(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Contains(t, cmds, "run/task")
 	assert.Contains(t, cmds, "run/orchestrator")
 	assert.Contains(t, cmds, "dispatch")
+	assert.Contains(t, cmds, "dispatch/start")
+	assert.Contains(t, cmds, "dispatch/shutdown")
+	assert.Contains(t, cmds, "dispatch/shutdown-now")
 	assert.Contains(t, cmds, "prep")
 	assert.Contains(t, cmds, "complete")
 	assert.Contains(t, cmds, "scan")