diff --git a/mcp/README.md b/mcp/README.md
index 3bd24217..21f345db 100644
--- a/mcp/README.md
+++ b/mcp/README.md
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ Every workspace-scoped tool takes a `workspace_id` argument. If you set `X-Honch
 ```
 src/
   index.ts              # Worker entry point — parse config, delegate to MCP handler
+  stdio.ts              # Local stdio host (bun run stdio)
   server.ts             # createServer() — registers all tools on an McpServer
   config.ts             # HonchoConfig, parseConfig(), createClientFactory()
   types.ts              # ToolContext, result helpers
@@ -84,6 +85,25 @@ wrangler secret put HONCHO_API_URL
 When `HONCHO_API_URL` is unset the Worker routes to `https://api.honcho.dev`,
 so this change is backward-compatible.
 
+## Local stdio
+
+For a local Honcho instance, or any MCP client that spawns a process, run the
+stdio host instead of the Worker. Point the client at `src/stdio.ts` directly
+— `bun run stdio` writes lifecycle output to stdout and breaks the protocol.
+
+```bash
+cd mcp && bun install
+
+claude mcp add honcho -- \
+  -e HONCHO_API_KEY=hch-your-key-here \
+  -e HONCHO_API_URL=http://127.0.0.1:28000 \
+  -e HONCHO_WORKSPACE_ID=my-workspace \
+  bun "$(pwd)/src/stdio.ts"
+```
+
+`HONCHO_API_URL` defaults to `https://api.honcho.dev`. `HONCHO_WORKSPACE_ID` is
+optional; without it, pass `workspace_id` on each tool call.
+
 ## Development
 
 ### Setup
diff --git a/mcp/bunfig.toml b/mcp/bunfig.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5c44f0c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mcp/bunfig.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+[loader]
+".md" = "text"
diff --git a/mcp/package.json b/mcp/package.json
index 900df5cf..7f24e94e 100644
--- a/mcp/package.json
+++ b/mcp/package.json
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
   "scripts": {
     "preinstall": "node -e \"const ua=process.env.npm_config_user_agent||'';if(ua.includes('npm')&&!ua.includes('bun')){console.error('❌ Please use bun instead of npm!\\n📦 Run: bun install\\n🌐 Install bun: https://bun.sh/');process.exit(1)}\"",
     "dev": "wrangler dev",
+    "stdio": "bun src/stdio.ts",
     "deploy": "wrangler deploy",
     "deploy:staging": "wrangler deploy --env staging"
   },
diff --git a/mcp/src/config.ts b/mcp/src/config.ts
index ed70bbc1..ea15c135 100644
--- a/mcp/src/config.ts
+++ b/mcp/src/config.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { Honcho } from "@honcho-ai/sdk";
 export interface HonchoConfig {
   apiKey: string;
   baseUrl: string;
-  /** From X-Honcho-Workspace-ID when set. */
+  /** From X-Honcho-Workspace-ID (HTTP) or HONCHO_WORKSPACE_ID (stdio). */
   workspaceId?: string;
 }
 
@@ -12,6 +12,12 @@ export interface Env {
   ALERT_WEBHOOK_URL?: string;
 }
 
+export interface EnvConfig {
+  HONCHO_API_KEY?: string;
+  HONCHO_API_URL?: string;
+  HONCHO_WORKSPACE_ID?: string;
+}
+
 /**
  * Parse configuration from request headers and Worker env bindings.
  * Throws only when the Authorization bearer token is missing/empty.
@@ -48,8 +54,23 @@ export function parseConfig(request: Request, env: Env = {}): HonchoConfig {
   };
 }
 
+/** Parse configuration from process env for the stdio host. */
+export function parseEnvConfig(env: EnvConfig): HonchoConfig {
+  const apiKey = env.HONCHO_API_KEY?.trim();
+  if (!apiKey) {
+    throw new Error(
+      "Missing HONCHO_API_KEY. Set HONCHO_API_KEY to your Honcho API key.",
+    );
+  }
+  return {
+    apiKey,
+    baseUrl: env.HONCHO_API_URL?.trim() || "https://api.honcho.dev",
+    workspaceId: env.HONCHO_WORKSPACE_ID?.trim() || undefined,
+  };
+}
+
 export const MISSING_WORKSPACE_ID_MESSAGE =
-  "Missing workspace_id. Pass workspace_id on the next tool call, or set the X-Honcho-Workspace-ID header on the connection so it is used automatically.";
+  "Missing workspace_id. Pass workspace_id on the next tool call, or set X-Honcho-Workspace-ID (HTTP) / HONCHO_WORKSPACE_ID (stdio).";
 
 export function resolveWorkspaceId(
   config: HonchoConfig,
diff --git a/mcp/src/stdio.ts b/mcp/src/stdio.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3a351651
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mcp/src/stdio.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import { StdioServerTransport } from "@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/server/stdio.js";
+import {
+  createClientFactory,
+  createUnscopedClient,
+  parseEnvConfig,
+} from "./config.js";
+import { createServer } from "./server.js";
+
+declare const process: {
+  env: Record<string, string | undefined>;
+  exit(code?: number): never;
+};
+
+try {
+  const config = parseEnvConfig({
+    HONCHO_API_KEY: process.env.HONCHO_API_KEY,
+    HONCHO_API_URL: process.env.HONCHO_API_URL,
+    HONCHO_WORKSPACE_ID: process.env.HONCHO_WORKSPACE_ID,
+  });
+  const server = createServer({
+    config,
+    clientFor: createClientFactory(config),
+    unscoped: createUnscopedClient(config),
+  });
+  await server.connect(new StdioServerTransport());
+} catch (e) {
+  const message = e instanceof Error ? e.message : String(e);
+  console.error(message);
+  process.exit(1);
+}