diff --git a/honcho-cli/src/honcho_cli/commands/message.py b/honcho-cli/src/honcho_cli/commands/message.py
index 5b561374..13240503 100644
--- a/honcho-cli/src/honcho_cli/commands/message.py
+++ b/honcho-cli/src/honcho_cli/commands/message.py
@@ -38,11 +38,13 @@ def list_messages(
     sess = client.session(sid)
 
     try:
-        msgs = list(sess.messages())
+        # SDK returns most-recent-first. Default case (newest N) only needs
+        # the first page. --reverse (oldest N) still walks all pages until
+        # the SDK accepts order=asc on session.messages().
         if not reverse:
-            msgs = msgs[-last:]
+            msgs = sess.messages().items[:last]
         else:
-            msgs = msgs[:last]
+            msgs = list(sess.messages())[-last:]
 
         # Detect duplicate content
         content_hashes: dict[str, list[str]] = {}
diff --git a/honcho-cli/src/honcho_cli/commands/session.py b/honcho-cli/src/honcho_cli/commands/session.py
index efecc467..9df08db3 100644
--- a/honcho-cli/src/honcho_cli/commands/session.py
+++ b/honcho-cli/src/honcho_cli/commands/session.py
@@ -125,11 +125,13 @@ def messages(
     sess = client.session(sid)
 
     try:
-        msgs = list(sess.messages())
+        # SDK returns most-recent-first. Default case (newest N) only needs
+        # the first page. --reverse (oldest N) still walks all pages until
+        # the SDK accepts order=asc on session.messages().
         if not reverse:
-            msgs = msgs[-last:]
+            msgs = sess.messages().items[:last]
         else:
-            msgs = msgs[:last]
+            msgs = list(sess.messages())[-last:]
 
         items = [
             {
diff --git a/honcho-cli/src/honcho_cli/commands/workspace.py b/honcho-cli/src/honcho_cli/commands/workspace.py
index 53cf95cc..a5ad7a29 100644
--- a/honcho-cli/src/honcho_cli/commands/workspace.py
+++ b/honcho-cli/src/honcho_cli/commands/workspace.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ def list_workspaces(
     from honcho_cli.main import get_client
 
     handle_cmd_flags(json_output=json_output)
-    client, config = get_client()
+    client, config = get_client(require_workspace=False)
 
     try:
         workspaces = list(client.workspaces())
diff --git a/honcho-cli/src/honcho_cli/main.py b/honcho-cli/src/honcho_cli/main.py
index 687c714b..bf70f560 100644
--- a/honcho-cli/src/honcho_cli/main.py
+++ b/honcho-cli/src/honcho_cli/main.py
@@ -89,13 +89,28 @@ def get_resolved_config():
     return config
 
 
-def get_client():
-    """Create a Honcho client from resolved config."""
+def get_client(*, require_workspace: bool = True):
+    """Create a Honcho client from resolved config.
+
+    By default, refuses to build a client when no workspace is scoped — the
+    SDK's get-or-create semantics would otherwise silently operate on an empty
+    workspace. Commands that legitimately run without a workspace (e.g.
+    ``workspace list``) pass ``require_workspace=False``.
+    """
+    import typer
+
     from honcho import Honcho
 
     from honcho_cli.config import get_client_kwargs
+    from honcho_cli.output import print_error
 
     config = get_resolved_config()
+    if require_workspace and not config.workspace_id:
+        print_error(
+            "NO_WORKSPACE",
+            "No workspace scoped. Pass --workspace/-w or set HONCHO_WORKSPACE_ID.",
+        )
+        raise typer.Exit(1)
     return Honcho(**get_client_kwargs(config)), config