diff --git a/pkg/agent/core.go b/pkg/agent/core.go
index 408b803..24bf290 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/core.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/core.go
@@ -47,18 +47,22 @@ type AgentEnv struct {
 func BuildAgentEnv(cfg *config.Config, d tools.Dispatcher, cwd string) AgentEnv {
 	var messages []string
 
-	allToolInfos, listErr := d.ListTools()
-	if listErr != nil {
-		messages = append(messages, fmt.Sprintf("list tools: %v", listErr))
-	}
+	var allToolInfos []tools.ToolInfo
+	var allTools []backend.Tool
+	serverOf := make(map[string]string)
 
-	serverOf := make(map[string]string, len(allToolInfos))
-	for _, t := range allToolInfos {
-		serverOf[t.Name] = t.Server
+	if cfg == nil || cfg.ToolsEnabled() {
+		var listErr error
+		allToolInfos, listErr = d.ListTools()
+		if listErr != nil {
+			messages = append(messages, fmt.Sprintf("list tools: %v", listErr))
+		}
+		for _, t := range allToolInfos {
+			serverOf[t.Name] = t.Server
+		}
+		allTools = toolInfosToBackend(allToolInfos)
 	}
 
-	allTools := toolInfosToBackend(allToolInfos)
-
 	hooks := Hooks{}
 	var preamble string
 	var genParams backend.GenerationParams
diff --git a/pkg/agent/core_test.go b/pkg/agent/core_test.go
index ed1ccbf..beb7fd8 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/core_test.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/core_test.go
@@ -2335,6 +2335,19 @@ func TestBuildAgentEnv_ToolsPopulated(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestBuildAgentEnv_ToolsDisabled(t *testing.T) {
+	setupCfgDir(t)
+	d := &mockDispatcher{
+		tools: []tools.ToolInfo{{Server: "s1", Name: "mytool", Description: "desc", InputSchema: json.RawMessage(`{}`)}},
+	}
+	f := false
+	cfg := &config.Config{Tools: &f}
+	env := BuildAgentEnv(cfg, d, t.TempDir())
+	if len(env.tools) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("expected no tools when disabled; got %+v", env.tools)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestBuildAgentEnv_TrustedTools(t *testing.T) {
 	setupCfgDir(t)
 	setter := &mockTrustedSetter{}
diff --git a/pkg/config/config.go b/pkg/config/config.go
index c3bcc3f..608af02 100644
--- a/pkg/config/config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/config.go
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ func (p Prompt) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
 type Config struct {
 	Hooks            map[string]HookCmds     `json:"hooks,omitempty"`
 	Prompt           Prompt                  `json:"prompt,omitempty"`
+	Tools            *bool                   `json:"tools,omitempty"`
 	TrustedTools     []string                `json:"trustedTools,omitempty"`
 	MaxTokens        int                     `json:"maxTokens,omitempty"`
 	Temperature      *float64                `json:"temperature,omitempty"`
@@ -76,3 +77,9 @@ func Load(r io.Reader) (*Config, error) {
 	}
 	return &cfg, nil
 }
+
+// ToolsEnabled reports whether tool use is enabled. Defaults to true when
+// the field is omitted from the config.
+func (c *Config) ToolsEnabled() bool {
+	return c.Tools == nil || *c.Tools
+}
diff --git a/pkg/config/config_test.go b/pkg/config/config_test.go
index 62f54f4..3a0b449 100644
--- a/pkg/config/config_test.go
+++ b/pkg/config/config_test.go
@@ -121,3 +121,21 @@ func TestLoadAllFields(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("PresencePenalty = %v", cfg.PresencePenalty)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestToolsEnabled(t *testing.T) {
+	// Omitted: defaults to true.
+	cfg, _ := Load(strings.NewReader(`{}`))
+	if !cfg.ToolsEnabled() {
+		t.Error("expected ToolsEnabled()=true when omitted")
+	}
+	// Explicit false.
+	cfg, _ = Load(strings.NewReader(`{"tools": false}`))
+	if cfg.ToolsEnabled() {
+		t.Error("expected ToolsEnabled()=false")
+	}
+	// Explicit true.
+	cfg, _ = Load(strings.NewReader(`{"tools": true}`))
+	if !cfg.ToolsEnabled() {
+		t.Error("expected ToolsEnabled()=true")
+	}
+}
\ No newline at end of file