diff --git a/cmd/anvilsrv/main.go b/cmd/anvilsrv/main.go
index 6d614ad..2c531ad 100644
--- a/cmd/anvilsrv/main.go
+++ b/cmd/anvilsrv/main.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 	"anvillm/internal/maildir"
 	"anvillm/internal/p9"
 	"anvillm/internal/session"
-	"anvillm/internal/supervisor"
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
@@ -229,11 +228,6 @@ func start(daemonize bool) {
 	mdWriter := maildir.New(mailDir, srv.Events())
 	defer mdWriter.Close()
 
-	// Start supervisor
-	ctx := context.Background()
-	sup := supervisor.New(mgr, p9.NewRolesFS())
-	go sup.Run(ctx)
-
 	logging.Logger().Info("anvilsrv started successfully", zap.String("socket", srv.SocketPath()))
 
 	// Start background monitor for self-healing
diff --git a/internal/p9/roles.go b/internal/p9/roles.go
index 4b2fae5..22eb387 100644
--- a/internal/p9/roles.go
+++ b/internal/p9/roles.go
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ type RolesFS struct {
 type RoleMeta struct {
 	Name        string
 	Description string
-	Worker      bool   // true if role should run the work polling loop
 	Path        string // file path
 }
 
@@ -88,9 +87,6 @@ func parseRoleFrontMatter(rolePath string) (*RoleMeta, error) {
 			meta.Description = strings.TrimSpace(desc)
 			hasDescription = true
 		}
-		if worker, ok := strings.CutPrefix(line, "worker:"); ok {
-			meta.Worker = strings.TrimSpace(worker) == "true"
-		}
 	}
 
 	// If missing description, exclude from list
@@ -185,20 +181,6 @@ func (r *RolesFS) Read(path string) ([]byte, error) {
 	return nil, fmt.Errorf("not found")
 }
 
-// IsWorker reports whether the named role has worker: true in its front-matter.
-func (r *RolesFS) IsWorker(roleName string) bool {
-	roles, err := r.listAllRoles()
-	if err != nil {
-		return false
-	}
-	for _, role := range roles {
-		if role.Name == roleName {
-			return role.Worker
-		}
-	}
-	return false
-}
-
 // ReadRole reads a role by name, searching all roles directories.
 func (r *RolesFS) ReadRole(roleName string) (string, error) {
 	roles, err := r.listAllRoles()
diff --git a/internal/supervisor/supervisor.go b/internal/supervisor/supervisor.go
deleted file mode 100644
index adce65b..0000000
--- a/internal/supervisor/supervisor.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,72 +0,0 @@
-package supervisor
-
-import (
-	"context"
-	"time"
-
-	"anvillm/internal/backend/tmux"
-	"anvillm/internal/logging"
-	"anvillm/internal/p9"
-	"anvillm/internal/session"
-	"go.uber.org/zap"
-)
-
-const idleThreshold = 15 * time.Second
-
-type Supervisor struct {
-	sessions *session.Manager
-	roles    *p9.RolesFS
-}
-
-func New(s *session.Manager, r *p9.RolesFS) *Supervisor {
-	return &Supervisor{sessions: s, roles: r}
-}
-
-// nudgeIdleWorkers sends a prompt to any worker-role session that has been
-// idle for longer than idleThreshold, reminding it to run its polling loop.
-func (s *Supervisor) nudgeIdleWorkers() {
-	for _, botID := range s.sessions.List() {
-		sess := s.sessions.Get(botID)
-		if sess == nil || sess.State() != "idle" {
-			continue
-		}
-
-		tmuxSess, ok := sess.(*tmux.Session)
-		if !ok {
-			continue
-		}
-
-		if tmuxSess.IdleDuration() < idleThreshold {
-			continue
-		}
-
-		role := tmuxSess.GetRole()
-		if role == "" || !s.roles.IsWorker(role) {
-			continue
-		}
-
-		ctx := context.Background()
-		if _, err := sess.Send(ctx, "You are idle. Run your work polling loop to check for available tasks."); err != nil {
-			logging.Logger().Warn("supervisor: failed to nudge idle worker",
-				zap.String("session", botID), zap.Error(err))
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-func (s *Supervisor) Run(ctx context.Context) {
-	defer func() {
-		if r := recover(); r != nil {
-			logging.Logger().Error("supervisor panic", zap.Any("panic", r))
-		}
-	}()
-	ticker := time.NewTicker(15 * time.Second)
-	defer ticker.Stop()
-	for {
-		select {
-		case <-ctx.Done():
-			return
-		case <-ticker.C:
-			s.nudgeIdleWorkers()
-		}
-	}
-}
diff --git a/mkfile b/mkfile
index 2154b69..4399189 100644
--- a/mkfile
+++ b/mkfile
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ build:V:
 	chmod 0755 $INSTALL_PATH/9p-read-inbox
 	cp scripts/anvilspawn $INSTALL_PATH/anvilspawn
 	chmod 0755 $INSTALL_PATH/anvilspawn
-	cp scripts/anvillm-orphan-check $INSTALL_PATH/anvillm-orphan-check
-	chmod 0755 $INSTALL_PATH/anvillm-orphan-check
+	cp scripts/anvillm-supervisor $INSTALL_PATH/anvillm-supervisor
+	chmod 0755 $INSTALL_PATH/anvillm-supervisor
 	mkdir -p $INSTALL_PATH/Teams
 	cp -f team-templates/* $INSTALL_PATH/Teams/
 	chmod 0755 $INSTALL_PATH/Teams/*
@@ -58,12 +58,14 @@ install:V: build
 
 cron-install:V:
 	mkdir -p $HOME/.local/share/anvillm
-	(crontab -l 2>/dev/null | grep -v 'anvillm-orphan-check'; echo "*/5 * * * * $INSTALL_PATH/anvillm-orphan-check >>$HOME/.local/share/anvillm/orphan-check.log 2>&1") | crontab -
-	echo "cron installed: anvillm-orphan-check (every 5 minutes)"
+	(crontab -l 2>/dev/null | grep -v 'anvillm-supervisor'; \
+		echo "*/5 * * * * $INSTALL_PATH/anvillm-supervisor --orphans >>$HOME/.local/share/anvillm/worker-check.log 2>&1"; \
+		echo "*/1 * * * * $INSTALL_PATH/anvillm-supervisor --nudge >>$HOME/.local/share/anvillm/worker-check.log 2>&1") | crontab -
+	echo "cron installed: anvillm-supervisor (orphans: every 5m, nudge: every 1m)"
 
 cron-remove:V:
-	(crontab -l 2>/dev/null | grep -v 'anvillm-orphan-check') | crontab -
-	echo "cron removed: anvillm-orphan-check"
+	(crontab -l 2>/dev/null | grep -v 'anvillm-supervisor') | crontab -
+	echo "cron removed: anvillm-supervisor"
 
 clean:V:
 	rm -f $INSTALL_PATH/anvilsrv
diff --git a/scripts/anvillm-orphan-check b/scripts/anvillm-orphan-check
deleted file mode 100644
index 8527734..0000000
--- a/scripts/anvillm-orphan-check
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,45 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-# Orphan bead recovery: find in_progress beads whose assignee session has died
-# and unclaim them. BeadReady fires automatically; waiting bots claim via event.
-# Intended to run from cron every 5 minutes.
-set -euo pipefail
-
-LOG_PREFIX="[orphan-check $(date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')]"
-log() { echo "$LOG_PREFIX $*"; }
-
-# Get live session IDs
-LIVE_SESSIONS=$(9p read anvillm/list 2>/dev/null | awk -F'\t' '{print $1}' || true)
-
-# Get all mounts
-MTAB=$(9p read anvillm/beads/mtab 2>/dev/null || true)
-if [ -z "$MTAB" ]; then
-    log "no mounts, nothing to do"
-    exit 0
-fi
-
-while IFS=$'\t' read -r MOUNT CWD; do
-    [ -z "$MOUNT" ] && continue
-
-    IN_PROGRESS=$(9p read "anvillm/beads/$MOUNT/list" 2>/dev/null \
-        | jq -r '.[] | select(.status == "in_progress") | [.id, (.assignee // "")] | @tsv' \
-        2>/dev/null || true)
-
-    [ -z "$IN_PROGRESS" ] && continue
-
-    while IFS=$'\t' read -r BEAD_ID ASSIGNEE; do
-        [ -z "$BEAD_ID" ] && continue
-
-        # Skip if claimed by user (human in the loop — not an orphan)
-        [ "$ASSIGNEE" = "user" ] && continue
-
-        # Skip if assignee session is still alive
-        if [ -n "$ASSIGNEE" ] && echo "$LIVE_SESSIONS" | grep -qx "$ASSIGNEE"; then
-            continue
-        fi
-
-        log "orphan: $BEAD_ID (was: ${ASSIGNEE:-unassigned}) mount=$MOUNT — unclaiming"
-        echo "unclaim $BEAD_ID" | 9p write "anvillm/beads/$MOUNT/ctl" 2>/dev/null || \
-            log "WARNING: unclaim failed for $BEAD_ID"
-
-    done <<< "$IN_PROGRESS"
-done <<< "$MTAB"
diff --git a/scripts/anvillm-supervisor b/scripts/anvillm-supervisor
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..93ea994
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/anvillm-supervisor
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Periodic worker health check: orphan bead recovery and idle worker nudging.
+# Usage: anvillm-worker-check [--orphans] [--nudge]
+set -euo pipefail
+
+LOG_PREFIX="[worker-check $(date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')]"
+log() { echo "$LOG_PREFIX $*"; }
+
+DO_ORPHANS=0
+DO_NUDGE=0
+
+while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
+    case "$1" in
+        --orphans) DO_ORPHANS=1; shift ;;
+        --nudge)   DO_NUDGE=1;   shift ;;
+        *) echo "unknown argument: $1" >&2; exit 1 ;;
+    esac
+done
+
+if [ "$DO_ORPHANS" -eq 0 ] && [ "$DO_NUDGE" -eq 0 ]; then
+    echo "usage: anvillm-worker-check [--orphans] [--nudge]" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+SESSIONS=$(9p read anvillm/list 2>/dev/null || true)
+
+# --- Orphan recovery ---
+if [ "$DO_ORPHANS" -eq 1 ]; then
+    LIVE_SESSIONS=$(echo "$SESSIONS" | awk -F'\t' '{print $1}' || true)
+
+    MTAB=$(9p read anvillm/beads/mtab 2>/dev/null || true)
+    if [ -z "$MTAB" ]; then
+        log "orphans: no mounts, nothing to do"
+    else
+        while IFS=$'\t' read -r MOUNT CWD; do
+            [ -z "$MOUNT" ] && continue
+
+            IN_PROGRESS=$(9p read "anvillm/beads/$MOUNT/list" 2>/dev/null \
+                | jq -r '.[] | select(.status == "in_progress") | [.id, (.assignee // "")] | @tsv' \
+                2>/dev/null || true)
+
+            [ -z "$IN_PROGRESS" ] && continue
+
+            while IFS=$'\t' read -r BEAD_ID ASSIGNEE; do
+                [ -z "$BEAD_ID" ] && continue
+                [ "$ASSIGNEE" = "user" ] && continue
+                if [ -n "$ASSIGNEE" ] && echo "$LIVE_SESSIONS" | grep -qx "$ASSIGNEE"; then
+                    continue
+                fi
+                log "orphan: $BEAD_ID (was: ${ASSIGNEE:-unassigned}) mount=$MOUNT — unclaiming"
+                echo "unclaim $BEAD_ID" | 9p write "anvillm/beads/$MOUNT/ctl" 2>/dev/null || \
+                    log "WARNING: unclaim failed for $BEAD_ID"
+            done <<< "$IN_PROGRESS"
+        done <<< "$MTAB"
+    fi
+fi
+
+# --- Nudge idle workers ---
+if [ "$DO_NUDGE" -eq 1 ]; then
+    [ -z "$SESSIONS" ] && { log "nudge: no sessions"; exit 0; }
+
+    BODY='Use the execute_code tool to run wait_for_bead.sh and check for available work.'
+
+    while IFS=$'\t' read -r ID BACKEND STATE ALIAS ROLE CWD; do
+        [ -z "$ID" ] && continue
+        [ "$STATE" != "idle" ] && continue
+        [ "$ROLE" = "-" ] || [ -z "$ROLE" ] && continue
+
+        ROLE_CONTENT=$(9p read "anvillm/roles/${ROLE}.md" 2>/dev/null || true)
+        echo "$ROLE_CONTENT" | grep -q '^worker: true' || continue
+
+        log "nudge: $ID (role=$ROLE)"
+        AGENT_ID=user send_message.sh \
+            --to "$ID" \
+            --type prompt_request \
+            --subject work \
+            --body "$BODY" || \
+            log "WARNING: nudge failed for $ID"
+    done <<< "$SESSIONS"
+fi