diff --git a/src/agent/profile/types.ts b/src/agent/profile/types.ts
index f03f7d11..44e3f066 100644
--- a/src/agent/profile/types.ts
+++ b/src/agent/profile/types.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
  */
 
 import type { ToolsConfig } from "../tools/policy.js";
+import type { ExecApprovalConfig } from "../tools/exec-approval-types.js";
 
 /** Profile filename constants */
 export const PROFILE_FILES = {
@@ -39,6 +40,8 @@ export interface ProfileConfig {
   thinkingLevel?: string;
   /** Reasoning mode: off, on, stream */
   reasoningMode?: "off" | "on" | "stream" | undefined;
+  /** Exec approval configuration (security level, ask mode, allowlist) */
+  execApproval?: ExecApprovalConfig | undefined;
 }
 
 /** Agent Profile configuration */
diff --git a/src/agent/tools.ts b/src/agent/tools.ts
index ea9d16de..4019a34d 100644
--- a/src/agent/tools.ts
+++ b/src/agent/tools.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { createMemoryTools } from "./tools/memory/index.js";
 import { createSessionsSpawnTool } from "./tools/sessions-spawn.js";
 import { filterTools } from "./tools/policy.js";
 import { isMulticaError, isRetryableError } from "../shared/errors.js";
+import type { ExecApprovalCallback } from "./tools/exec-approval-types.js";
 
 // Re-export resolveModel from providers for backwards compatibility
 export { resolveModel } from "./providers/index.js";
@@ -25,6 +26,8 @@ export interface CreateToolsOptions {
   isSubagent?: boolean | undefined;
   /** Session ID of the agent (passed to sessions_spawn tool) */
   sessionId?: string | undefined;
+  /** Callback invoked when exec tool needs approval before running a command */
+  onExecApprovalNeeded?: ExecApprovalCallback | undefined;
 }
 
 type ToolErrorPayload = {
@@ -100,7 +103,7 @@ export function createAllTools(options: CreateToolsOptions | string): AgentTool<
     (tool) => tool.name !== "bash",
   ) as AgentTool<any>[];
 
-  const execTool = createExecTool(cwd);
+  const execTool = createExecTool(cwd, opts.onExecApprovalNeeded);
   const processTool = createProcessTool(cwd);
   const globTool = createGlobTool(cwd);
   const webFetchTool = createWebFetchTool();
@@ -153,6 +156,7 @@ export function resolveTools(options: AgentOptions): AgentTool<any>[] {
     profileBaseDir: options.profileBaseDir,
     isSubagent: options.isSubagent,
     sessionId: options.sessionId,
+    onExecApprovalNeeded: options.onExecApprovalNeeded,
   });
 
   // Apply policy filtering
diff --git a/src/agent/tools/exec-approval-cli.ts b/src/agent/tools/exec-approval-cli.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e62cc01e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/agent/tools/exec-approval-cli.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,187 @@
+/**
+ * CLI Terminal Approval — readline-based approval for CLI mode (no Hub/Gateway)
+ */
+
+import readline from "readline";
+import type {
+  ExecApprovalCallback,
+  ExecApprovalConfig,
+  ApprovalDecision,
+  ApprovalResult,
+} from "./exec-approval-types.js";
+import { DEFAULT_APPROVAL_TIMEOUT_MS } from "./exec-approval-types.js";
+import { evaluateCommandSafety, requiresApproval } from "./exec-safety.js";
+import { matchAllowlist, addAllowlistEntry, recordAllowlistUse } from "./exec-allowlist.js";
+
+/** ANSI color helpers */
+const red = (s: string) => `\x1b[31m${s}\x1b[0m`;
+const yellow = (s: string) => `\x1b[33m${s}\x1b[0m`;
+const green = (s: string) => `\x1b[32m${s}\x1b[0m`;
+const bold = (s: string) => `\x1b[1m${s}\x1b[0m`;
+const dim = (s: string) => `\x1b[2m${s}\x1b[0m`;
+
+/** Risk level color mapping */
+function colorRisk(level: string): string {
+  switch (level) {
+    case "dangerous": return red(level);
+    case "needs-review": return yellow(level);
+    case "safe": return green(level);
+    default: return level;
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Callback for persisting allowlist changes.
+ * The Hub mode uses ProfileManager; CLI callers provide their own persistence.
+ */
+export type AllowlistPersister = (updatedConfig: ExecApprovalConfig) => void;
+
+/**
+ * Create a CLI-based approval callback that prompts the user in the terminal.
+ *
+ * @param config - Exec approval configuration (security, ask, allowlist, etc.)
+ * @param onConfigUpdate - Optional callback to persist config changes (e.g., allowlist updates)
+ */
+export function createCliApprovalCallback(
+  config: ExecApprovalConfig,
+  onConfigUpdate?: AllowlistPersister,
+): ExecApprovalCallback {
+  // Mutable copy of config for runtime allowlist updates
+  const runtimeConfig = { ...config, allowlist: [...(config.allowlist ?? [])] };
+
+  return async (command: string, cwd: string | undefined): Promise<ApprovalResult> => {
+    const security = runtimeConfig.security ?? "allowlist";
+    const ask = runtimeConfig.ask ?? "on-miss";
+    const timeoutMs = runtimeConfig.timeoutMs ?? DEFAULT_APPROVAL_TIMEOUT_MS;
+
+    // Security: deny blocks everything
+    if (security === "deny") {
+      return { approved: false, decision: "deny" };
+    }
+
+    // Security: full allows everything
+    if (security === "full") {
+      return { approved: true, decision: "allow-once" };
+    }
+
+    // Evaluate safety
+    const evaluation = evaluateCommandSafety(command, runtimeConfig);
+
+    // Check if approval is needed
+    const needsApproval = requiresApproval({
+      ask,
+      security,
+      analysisOk: evaluation.analysisOk,
+      allowlistSatisfied: evaluation.allowlistSatisfied,
+    });
+
+    if (!needsApproval) {
+      // Auto-approved: record allowlist usage if it was an allowlist match
+      if (evaluation.allowlistSatisfied) {
+        const match = matchAllowlist(runtimeConfig.allowlist ?? [], command);
+        if (match) {
+          runtimeConfig.allowlist = recordAllowlistUse(runtimeConfig.allowlist ?? [], match, command);
+          onConfigUpdate?.(runtimeConfig);
+        }
+      }
+      return { approved: true, decision: "allow-once" };
+    }
+
+    // Prompt user in terminal
+    const decision = await promptTerminal(command, cwd, evaluation.riskLevel, evaluation.reasons, timeoutMs);
+
+    if (decision === "allow-always") {
+      // Extract binary or full command as allowlist pattern
+      const pattern = extractAllowlistPattern(command);
+      runtimeConfig.allowlist = addAllowlistEntry(runtimeConfig.allowlist ?? [], pattern);
+      onConfigUpdate?.(runtimeConfig);
+    }
+
+    return {
+      approved: decision !== "deny",
+      decision,
+    };
+  };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Extract an allowlist pattern from a command.
+ * Uses the binary name + "**" for broad matching.
+ */
+function extractAllowlistPattern(command: string): string {
+  const trimmed = command.trim();
+  const binary = trimmed.split(/\s+/)[0];
+  return binary ? `${binary} **` : trimmed;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Prompt the user for an approval decision via readline.
+ */
+function promptTerminal(
+  command: string,
+  cwd: string | undefined,
+  riskLevel: string,
+  reasons: string[],
+  timeoutMs: number,
+): Promise<ApprovalDecision> {
+  return new Promise((resolve) => {
+    const rl = readline.createInterface({
+      input: process.stdin,
+      output: process.stderr, // Use stderr to avoid mixing with stdout piping
+    });
+
+    let resolved = false;
+    const cleanup = () => {
+      if (resolved) return;
+      resolved = true;
+      rl.close();
+    };
+
+    // Timeout: auto-deny
+    const timer = setTimeout(() => {
+      if (resolved) return;
+      process.stderr.write(dim(`\n  Approval timed out (${timeoutMs / 1000}s). Denying.\n\n`));
+      cleanup();
+      resolve("deny");
+    }, timeoutMs);
+
+    // Display approval prompt
+    process.stderr.write("\n");
+    process.stderr.write(bold("  Exec approval required\n"));
+    process.stderr.write(`  ${dim("Command:")} ${command}\n`);
+    if (cwd) process.stderr.write(`  ${dim("CWD:")}     ${cwd}\n`);
+    process.stderr.write(`  ${dim("Risk:")}    ${colorRisk(riskLevel)}\n`);
+    if (reasons.length > 0) {
+      for (const reason of reasons) {
+        process.stderr.write(`  ${dim("  -")} ${reason}\n`);
+      }
+    }
+    process.stderr.write("\n");
+
+    rl.question(
+      `  ${bold("[a]")}llow once / ${bold("[A]")}llow always / ${bold("[d]")}eny (default: deny): `,
+      (answer) => {
+        clearTimeout(timer);
+        cleanup();
+
+        const trimmed = answer.trim();
+        if (trimmed === "a" || trimmed === "allow-once") {
+          resolve("allow-once");
+        } else if (trimmed === "A" || trimmed === "allow-always") {
+          resolve("allow-always");
+        } else {
+          resolve("deny");
+        }
+      },
+    );
+
+    // Handle Ctrl+C gracefully
+    rl.on("close", () => {
+      clearTimeout(timer);
+      if (!resolved) {
+        resolved = true;
+        resolve("deny");
+      }
+    });
+  });
+}
diff --git a/src/agent/tools/exec.ts b/src/agent/tools/exec.ts
index cf77d83f..826795f6 100644
--- a/src/agent/tools/exec.ts
+++ b/src/agent/tools/exec.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import {
   getFullOutput,
   PROCESS_REGISTRY,
 } from "./process-registry.js";
+import type { ExecApprovalCallback } from "./exec-approval-types.js";
 
 const ExecSchema = Type.Object({
   command: Type.String({ description: "Shell command to execute." }),
@@ -40,7 +41,10 @@ export type ExecResult = {
 
 const DEFAULT_YIELD_MS = 10000; // Changed from 5000 to 10000
 
-export function createExecTool(defaultCwd?: string): AgentTool<typeof ExecSchema, ExecResult> {
+export function createExecTool(
+  defaultCwd?: string,
+  onApprovalNeeded?: ExecApprovalCallback,
+): AgentTool<typeof ExecSchema, ExecResult> {
   return {
     name: "exec",
     label: "Exec",
@@ -51,6 +55,21 @@ export function createExecTool(defaultCwd?: string): AgentTool<typeof ExecSchema
       const { command, cwd, timeoutMs, yieldMs = DEFAULT_YIELD_MS } = args as ExecArgs;
       const effectiveCwd = cwd || defaultCwd;
 
+      // Exec approval: ask for permission before executing
+      if (onApprovalNeeded) {
+        const approvalResult = await onApprovalNeeded(command, effectiveCwd);
+        if (!approvalResult.approved) {
+          return {
+            content: [{ type: "text", text: "Command execution denied by user." }],
+            details: {
+              output: "Command execution denied by user.",
+              exitCode: 1,
+              truncated: false,
+            },
+          };
+        }
+      }
+
       return new Promise((resolve) => {
         const child = spawn(command, {
           shell: true,
diff --git a/src/agent/tools/index.ts b/src/agent/tools/index.ts
index 1e6f6334..700b365d 100644
--- a/src/agent/tools/index.ts
+++ b/src/agent/tools/index.ts
@@ -32,3 +32,20 @@ export {
   getSubagentPolicy,
   wouldToolBeAllowed,
 } from "./policy.js";
+
+// Exec approval system
+export type {
+  ExecSecurity,
+  ExecAsk,
+  ApprovalDecision,
+  ExecApprovalRequest,
+  ExecApprovalConfig,
+  ExecAllowlistEntry,
+  ExecApprovalCallback,
+  ApprovalResult,
+  SafetyEvaluation,
+} from "./exec-approval-types.js";
+export { DEFAULT_APPROVAL_TIMEOUT_MS } from "./exec-approval-types.js";
+export { evaluateCommandSafety, requiresApproval, minSecurity, maxAsk, DEFAULT_SAFE_BINS } from "./exec-safety.js";
+export { matchAllowlist, addAllowlistEntry, recordAllowlistUse, removeAllowlistEntry, normalizeAllowlist } from "./exec-allowlist.js";
+export { createCliApprovalCallback } from "./exec-approval-cli.js";
diff --git a/src/agent/types.ts b/src/agent/types.ts
index 6f7b7806..14d7a676 100644
--- a/src/agent/types.ts
+++ b/src/agent/types.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import type { ThinkingLevel } from "@mariozechner/pi-agent-core";
 import type { SkillsConfig } from "./skills/types.js";
 import type { ToolsConfig } from "./tools/policy.js";
+import type { ExecApprovalCallback, ExecApprovalConfig } from "./tools/exec-approval-types.js";
 
 /** Controls how reasoning/thinking content blocks are handled */
 export type ReasoningMode = "off" | "on" | "stream";
@@ -75,6 +76,12 @@ export type AgentOptions = {
   tools?: ToolsConfig | undefined;
   /** Whether this is a subagent (applies restricted tool set) */
   isSubagent?: boolean | undefined;
+
+  // === Exec Approval Configuration ===
+  /** Callback invoked when exec tool needs approval before running a command */
+  onExecApprovalNeeded?: ExecApprovalCallback | undefined;
+  /** Exec approval configuration (security level, ask mode, allowlist) */
+  execApproval?: ExecApprovalConfig | undefined;
 };
 
 export interface Message {