diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 05e94cf..d64214f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -215,6 +215,27 @@ python3 ~/.automaton/scripts/status.py --install-schedule my-loop \
   --interval 3600 --project /path/to/project
 ```
 
+### Using Pi Dev with automaton
+Pi Dev has the `automaton-guard-pi` plugin (installed by `register-guards.sh`) which blocks edits outside allowed phases. However, Pi Dev does **not** auto-load automaton's system prompt (unlike opencode). For the agent to understand tasks and phases, provide context manually.
+
+**Before starting a Pi Dev session**, run the context printer:
+```bash
+bash ~/.automaton/scripts/pi-automaton.sh
+```
+Or if symlinked to `~/bin/`:
+```bash
+pi-automaton
+```
+
+Copy the output and paste it as your first message to the Pi Dev agent. This tells the agent about:
+- The automaton workflow framework and phase lifecycle
+- Active tasks in the current project
+- The default model and VRAM configuration
+- Project-specific rules from `AGENTS.md`
+- Which commands to use for transitions and task creation
+
+The `automaton-guard-pi` plugin still blocks edits outside `implement`/`doc_review` even without this context — the context printer just makes the agent *aware* of why it's being blocked and how to use the framework correctly.
+
 ---
 
 ## The Autopilot Workflow
diff --git a/scripts/automaton-cleanup.sh b/scripts/automaton-cleanup.sh
index 7819a21..18c4115 100755
--- a/scripts/automaton-cleanup.sh
+++ b/scripts/automaton-cleanup.sh
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
-python3 "/Users/laptran/.automaton/scripts/status.py" --cleanup-done --days 7 --project "/private/var/folders/f5/yv0dzbnx47x3yp8sc_2519gh0000gn/T/pytest-of-laptran/pytest-129/test_uninstall_via_disabled_re0"
+python3 "/Users/laptran/.automaton/scripts/status.py" --cleanup-done --days 7 --project "/private/var/folders/f5/yv0dzbnx47x3yp8sc_2519gh0000gn/T/pytest-of-laptran/pytest-130/test_uninstall_via_disabled_re0"
diff --git a/scripts/pi-automaton.sh b/scripts/pi-automaton.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..305a83a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/pi-automaton.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,174 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# pi-automaton.sh — Pi Dev automaton context printer.
+#
+# Prints automaton project/framework context for the user to paste as their
+# first message to a Pi Dev agent. Does NOT launch pi.
+#
+# Usage:
+#   cd /path/to/project
+#   bash ~/.automaton/scripts/pi-automaton.sh
+#
+# Copy the output and paste it as your first message in Pi Dev.
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+FRAMEWORK_DIR="$HOME/.automaton"
+STATUS_PY="$FRAMEWORK_DIR/scripts/status.py"
+
+# Colors
+BOLD='\033[1m'
+DIM='\033[2m'
+NC='\033[0m'
+
+info()  { echo -e "  $1"; }
+dim()   { echo -e "  ${DIM}$1${NC}"; }
+dim_nl(){ echo -e "${DIM}$1${NC}"; }
+
+# --- Scope detection ---
+CWD="$(pwd)"
+if [ "$CWD" = "$FRAMEWORK_DIR" ] || [ "${CWD##"$FRAMEWORK_DIR"}" != "$CWD" ]; then
+  SCOPE="framework"
+  SCOPE_LABEL="framework mode (automaton itself)"
+  PROJECT_DIR="$FRAMEWORK_DIR"
+elif [ -d "$CWD/.automaton" ]; then
+  SCOPE="project"
+  SCOPE_LABEL="project mode ($(basename "$CWD"))"
+  PROJECT_DIR="$CWD"
+else
+  echo ""
+  echo "No automaton project detected in $CWD"
+  echo ""
+  echo "To onboard this project:"
+  echo "  bash $FRAMEWORK_DIR/scripts/onboard-project.sh ."
+  echo ""
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+TASKS_DIR="$PROJECT_DIR/.automaton/tasks"
+MODELS_FILE="$PROJECT_DIR/.automaton/models.json"
+CONFIG_FILE="$PROJECT_DIR/.automaton/config.md"
+AGENTS_FILE="$PROJECT_DIR/.automaton/AGENTS.md"
+
+# --- Collect data ---
+
+# Active tasks via status.py --audit --json
+TASKS_JSON=""
+if [ -f "$STATUS_PY" ] && [ -d "$TASKS_DIR" ]; then
+  TASKS_JSON=$(python3 "$STATUS_PY" --audit --json --project "$PROJECT_DIR" 2>/dev/null || true)
+fi
+
+# Default model
+DEFAULT_MODEL=""
+if [ -f "$MODELS_FILE" ]; then
+  DEFAULT_MODEL=$(python3 -c "
+import json
+with open('$MODELS_FILE') as f:
+    m = json.load(f)
+print(m.get('default', ''))
+" 2>/dev/null || echo "")
+fi
+
+# VRAM context snippet from config.md
+CONFIG_SNIPPET=""
+if [ -f "$CONFIG_FILE" ]; then
+  CONFIG_SNIPPET=$(grep -i 'context\|headroom\|target' "$CONFIG_FILE" 2>/dev/null | head -3 | sed 's/^/  /')
+fi
+
+# Project rules from AGENTS.md
+RULES_TEXT=""
+if [ -f "$AGENTS_FILE" ]; then
+  RULES_TEXT=$(grep -v -E '^#|^$' "$AGENTS_FILE" 2>/dev/null | head -10)
+fi
+
+# Can-edit status
+CAN_EDIT_OUTPUT=""
+if [ -f "$STATUS_PY" ]; then
+  CAN_EDIT_OUTPUT=$(python3 "$STATUS_PY" --can-edit --json --project "$PROJECT_DIR" 2>/dev/null || true)
+fi
+
+# --- Build task list ---
+TASK_LINES=""
+TASK_COUNT=0
+if [ -n "$TASKS_JSON" ]; then
+  while IFS=$'\t' read -r name state edit_phase; do
+    if [ -n "$name" ]; then
+      FLAG=""
+      if [ "$edit_phase" = "true" ]; then
+        FLAG=" (edit allowed)"
+      elif [ "$state" != "backlog" ] && [ "$state" != "done" ] && [ "$state" != "blocked" ]; then
+        FLAG=" (read-only)"
+      fi
+      TASK_LINES+="  * $name\t\t$state$FLAG\n"
+      TASK_COUNT=$((TASK_COUNT + 1))
+    fi
+  done < <(echo "$TASKS_JSON" | python3 -c "
+import json, sys
+data = json.load(sys.stdin)
+tasks = []
+for t in data.get('tasks', []):
+    tasks.append((t['name'], t['state']))
+# Map edit-eligible phases
+EDIT_PHASES = {'implement', 'doc_review'}
+for name, state in tasks:
+    ep = 'true' if state in EDIT_PHASES else 'false'
+    print(f'{name}\t{state}\t{ep}')
+" 2>/dev/null || true)
+fi
+
+# --- Render ---
+LINE="══════════════════════════════════════════════════"
+SEP="──────────────────────────────────────────────────"
+
+echo ""
+echo -e "${BOLD}${LINE}${NC}"
+echo -e "${BOLD}  Automaton Context — $SCOPE_LABEL${NC}"
+echo -e "${BOLD}${LINE}${NC}"
+echo ""
+
+echo -e "${BOLD}This project uses the automaton workflow framework.${NC}"
+info "Tasks are tracked in $(basename "$PROJECT_DIR")/.automaton/tasks/"
+info "and flow through phases:"
+  info "backlog → research → implement → code_review → bug_find → ... → complete"
+echo ""
+
+if [ -n "$TASK_LINES" ]; then
+  echo -e "${BOLD}Active tasks:${NC}"
+  echo -e "$TASK_LINES"
+  echo ""
+fi
+
+if [ -n "$DEFAULT_MODEL" ]; then
+  echo -e "${BOLD}Default model:${NC} $DEFAULT_MODEL"
+  echo ""
+fi
+
+if [ -n "$CONFIG_SNIPPET" ]; then
+  echo -e "${BOLD}Configuration:${NC}"
+  echo "$CONFIG_SNIPPET"
+  echo ""
+fi
+
+echo -e "${BOLD}To work on a task:${NC}"
+info "python3 ~/.automaton/scripts/status.py --transition <phase> --task <name>"
+echo ""
+echo -e "${BOLD}To create a new task:${NC}"
+info "python3 ~/.automaton/scripts/status.py --create-task <name>"
+echo ""
+
+if [ -n "$RULES_TEXT" ]; then
+  echo -e "${BOLD}Project rules (from AGENTS.md):${NC}"
+  echo "$RULES_TEXT" | head -5
+  echo ""
+fi
+
+echo -e "${BOLD}Important:${NC}"
+info "Only modify files when a task is in ${BOLD}implement${NC} or ${BOLD}doc_review${NC} phase"
+info "All phase transitions go through status.py"
+info "The automaton-guard-pi plugin blocks edits outside allowed phases"
+echo ""
+
+echo -e "${DIM}$SEP${NC}"
+dim_nl "Copy this entire block and paste it as your first message"
+dim_nl "to the Pi Dev agent to provide automaton context."
+echo -e "${DIM}$SEP${NC}"
+echo ""
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/register-guards.sh b/scripts/register-guards.sh
index 9103023..49d7a84 100755
--- a/scripts/register-guards.sh
+++ b/scripts/register-guards.sh
@@ -66,6 +66,31 @@ if command -v pi &>/dev/null; then
         INSTALLED_PI=true
         echo "Pi Dev: installed"
     fi
+    # Offer pi-automaton startup wrapper
+    PI_WRAPPER="$FRAMEWORK_DIR/scripts/pi-automaton.sh"
+    if [ -f "$PI_WRAPPER" ]; then
+        echo ""
+        echo "Pi Dev context wrapper available at:"
+        echo "  $PI_WRAPPER"
+        echo ""
+        echo "Before starting a Pi Dev session, run this script to print"
+        echo "automaton project context that you can paste as your first message."
+        echo ""
+        echo "  bash ~/.automaton/scripts/pi-automaton.sh"
+        echo ""
+        # Only prompt interactively if stdin is a terminal
+        BIN_DIR="$HOME/bin"
+        if [ -t 0 ] && [ ! -f "$BIN_DIR/pi-automaton" ]; then
+            echo -n "Symlink to ~/bin/pi-automaton for easier access? [Y/n] "
+            read -r REPLY
+            if [ -z "$REPLY" ] || [ "$REPLY" = "y" ] || [ "$REPLY" = "Y" ]; then
+                mkdir -p "$BIN_DIR"
+                ln -sf "$PI_WRAPPER" "$BIN_DIR/pi-automaton"
+                echo "  Created $BIN_DIR/pi-automaton → $PI_WRAPPER"
+                echo "  (ensure ~/bin is in your PATH)"
+            fi
+        fi
+    fi
 else
     echo "Pi Dev: not detected (pi not in PATH)"
 fi