diff --git a/AgentCompany-New/src/main/services/agent-read-messages.ts b/AgentCompany-New/src/main/services/agent-read-messages.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9814a21e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/AgentCompany-New/src/main/services/agent-read-messages.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+import type { AgentToolContext, AgentToolDeps } from "./agent-tools";
+import type { JsonRecord } from "./provider-http";
+
+export function readMessagesTool(deps: AgentToolDeps, ctx: AgentToolContext, args: JsonRecord): string {
+  const channel = optionalString(args.channel);
+  const limit = Math.min(Math.max(Number(args.limit) || 10, 1), 30);
+  if (channel) {
+    const space = deps.db.prepare(
+      "select id from chat_spaces where org_id = ? and lower(name) = lower(?) and space_type <> 'direct' limit 1",
+    ).get(ctx.orgId, channel) as { id: string } | undefined;
+    if (!space) throw new Error(`No channel named "${channel}".`);
+    const rows = deps.db.prepare(`
+      select m.body_md,
+             coalesce(a.name, e.display_name, m.sender_type) as sender_name,
+             m.thread_id
+      from chat_messages m
+      left join agents a on a.id = m.sender_id and m.sender_type = 'agent'
+      left join employees e on e.id = m.sender_id and m.sender_type = 'employee'
+      where m.space_id = ? and m.org_id = ? and m.deleted_at is null
+      order by m.created_at desc
+      limit ?
+    `).all(space.id, ctx.orgId, limit) as Array<{ body_md: string; sender_name: string; thread_id: string }>;
+    if (rows.length === 0) return `No recent messages in #${channel}.`;
+    return rows.reverse().map((m) => `[${m.sender_name}] (thread=${m.thread_id}): ${m.body_md}`).join("\n");
+  }
+  const rows = deps.db.prepare(`
+    select m.body_md,
+           coalesce(a.name, e.display_name, m.sender_type) as sender_name,
+           m.thread_id, s.name as channel_name
+    from chat_mentions cm
+    join chat_messages m on m.id = cm.message_id
+    join chat_spaces s on s.id = m.space_id
+    left join agents a on a.id = m.sender_id and m.sender_type = 'agent'
+    left join employees e on e.id = m.sender_id and m.sender_type = 'employee'
+    where cm.target_type = 'agent' and cm.target_id = ? and m.org_id = ? and m.deleted_at is null
+    order by m.created_at desc
+    limit ?
+  `).all(ctx.agent.id, ctx.orgId, limit) as Array<{ body_md: string; sender_name: string; thread_id: string; channel_name: string }>;
+  if (rows.length === 0) return "No recent mentions.";
+  return rows.reverse().map((m) => `[${m.sender_name} in #${m.channel_name}] (thread=${m.thread_id}): ${m.body_md}`).join("\n");
+}
+
+function optionalString(value: unknown): string | null {
+  return typeof value === "string" && value.trim() ? value.trim() : null;
+}
diff --git a/AgentCompany-New/src/main/services/agent-tools.ts b/AgentCompany-New/src/main/services/agent-tools.ts
index 2f6d084a..83bb2b2a 100644
--- a/AgentCompany-New/src/main/services/agent-tools.ts
+++ b/AgentCompany-New/src/main/services/agent-tools.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { writeDeliverable } from "./deliverable-writer";
 import { DocumentService } from "./document-service";
 import { recordWorkspaceFile } from "./files/file-object-store";
 import { canonicalMentionHandle } from "../../shared/mention-handles";
+import { readMessagesTool } from "./agent-read-messages";
 import type { JsonRecord } from "./provider-http";
 import type { ToolCall, ToolDefinition } from "./provider-tool-turn";
 
@@ -349,45 +350,6 @@ function joinNames(names: string[]): string {
   return `${names.slice(0, -1).join(", ")}, and ${names[names.length - 1]}`;
 }
 
-function readMessagesTool(deps: AgentToolDeps, ctx: AgentToolContext, args: JsonRecord): string {
-  const channel = optionalString(args.channel);
-  const limit = Math.min(Math.max(Number(args.limit) || 10, 1), 30);
-  if (channel) {
-    const space = deps.db.prepare(
-      "select id from chat_spaces where org_id = ? and lower(name) = lower(?) and space_type <> 'direct' limit 1",
-    ).get(ctx.orgId, channel) as { id: string } | undefined;
-    if (!space) throw new Error(`No channel named "${channel}".`);
-    const rows = deps.db.prepare(`
-      select m.body_md,
-             coalesce(a.name, e.display_name, m.sender_type) as sender_name,
-             m.thread_id
-      from chat_messages m
-      left join agents a on a.id = m.sender_id and m.sender_type = 'agent'
-      left join employees e on e.id = m.sender_id and m.sender_type = 'employee'
-      where m.space_id = ? and m.org_id = ? and m.deleted_at is null
-      order by m.created_at desc
-      limit ?
-    `).all(space.id, ctx.orgId, limit) as Array<{ body_md: string; sender_name: string; thread_id: string }>;
-    if (rows.length === 0) return `No recent messages in #${channel}.`;
-    return rows.reverse().map((m) => `[${m.sender_name}] (thread=${m.thread_id}): ${m.body_md}`).join("\n");
-  }
-  const rows = deps.db.prepare(`
-    select m.body_md,
-           coalesce(a.name, e.display_name, m.sender_type) as sender_name,
-           m.thread_id, s.name as channel_name
-    from chat_mentions cm
-    join chat_messages m on m.id = cm.message_id
-    join chat_spaces s on s.id = m.space_id
-    left join agents a on a.id = m.sender_id and m.sender_type = 'agent'
-    left join employees e on e.id = m.sender_id and m.sender_type = 'employee'
-    where cm.target_type = 'agent' and cm.target_id = ? and m.org_id = ? and m.deleted_at is null
-    order by m.created_at desc
-    limit ?
-  `).all(ctx.agent.id, ctx.orgId, limit) as Array<{ body_md: string; sender_name: string; thread_id: string; channel_name: string }>;
-  if (rows.length === 0) return "No recent mentions.";
-  return rows.reverse().map((m) => `[${m.sender_name} in #${m.channel_name}] (thread=${m.thread_id}): ${m.body_md}`).join("\n");
-}
-
 function createDocumentTool(deps: AgentToolDeps, ctx: AgentToolContext, args: JsonRecord): string {
   const title = requireString(args.title, "title");
   const docType = requireString(args.doc_type, "doc_type");