diff --git a/hive-agent-mcp/src/mcp/mod.rs b/hive-agent-mcp/src/mcp/mod.rs
index 3a965227..e9ec17cb 100644
--- a/hive-agent-mcp/src/mcp/mod.rs
+++ b/hive-agent-mcp/src/mcp/mod.rs
@@ -392,8 +392,12 @@ impl AgentServer {
     async fn get_agent_meta(&self, Parameters(args): Parameters<GetAgentMetaArgs>) -> String {
         let log = args.name.clone().unwrap_or_else(|| "<self>".to_owned());
         run_tool_envelope("get_agent_meta", log, async move {
+            let name = match args.name.map(|n| hive_types::Ident::parse(&n)).transpose() {
+                Ok(name) => name,
+                Err(reason) => return format!("invalid agent name: {reason}"),
+            };
             let (resp, retries) = self
-                .dispatch(hive_core_agent_sock::Request::GetAgentMeta { name: args.name })
+                .dispatch(hive_core_agent_sock::Request::GetAgentMeta { name })
                 .await;
             annotate_retries(format_agent_meta(resp), retries)
         })
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/socket_server/mod.rs b/hive-c0re/src/socket_server/mod.rs
index d4e522da..27e14ae3 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/socket_server/mod.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/socket_server/mod.rs
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn dispatch_shared(
         } => handle_remind(coord, agent, message, timing, file_path.as_deref()),
         hive_core_agent_sock::Request::SetStatus { text } => handle_set_status(coord, text),
         hive_core_agent_sock::Request::GetAgentMeta { name } => {
-            handle_get_agent_meta(coord, agent, name.as_deref()).await
+            handle_get_agent_meta(coord, agent, name.as_ref()).await
         }
         hive_core_agent_sock::Request::CancelLooseEnd { kind, id } => {
             crate::questions::handle_cancel_loose_end(coord, agent, *kind, *id).map_or_else(
@@ -418,42 +418,43 @@ async fn handle_create_repo(agent: &str, repo: &str) -> hive_core_agent_sock::Re
 async fn handle_get_agent_meta(
     coord: &Arc<Coordinator>,
     agent: &str,
-    name: Option<&str>,
+    name: Option<&hive_types::Ident>,
 ) -> hive_core_agent_sock::Response {
-    let target = name.unwrap_or(agent);
-    // `name` is agent-supplied and flows into filesystem reads below
-    // (`read_agent_status_live`, `read_agent_matrix_identities` →
-    // `agent_notes_dir(target)`), where a `../` component would traverse at
-    // the OS level. Validate it before any path is built. The `None` default
-    // (`target == agent`) is the caller's own authenticated name, already
-    // valid — but validating unconditionally is simplest and harmless.
-    let target_id = match hive_types::Ident::parse(target) {
-        Ok(id) => id,
-        Err(reason) => {
-            return hive_core_agent_sock::Response::Err {
-                message: format!("get_agent_meta: invalid agent name {target:?}: {reason}"),
-            };
-        }
+    // `name` arrives pre-validated by serde (wire field is `Ident`). The
+    // `None` default (target == caller) still needs a parse since `agent`
+    // is a plain `&str` here — but it's the caller's own authenticated
+    // name, already valid in practice.
+    let target_id = match name {
+        Some(id) => id.clone(),
+        None => match hive_types::Ident::parse(agent) {
+            Ok(id) => id,
+            Err(reason) => {
+                return hive_core_agent_sock::Response::Err {
+                    message: format!("get_agent_meta: invalid agent name {agent:?}: {reason}"),
+                };
+            }
+        },
     };
     let (status_text, status_set_at, running) =
         crate::container_view::read_agent_status_live(&target_id).await;
     let (hive_name, swarm_name) = crate::container_view::hive_swarm_names();
+    // Matrix identities are public handles (`name` / `user_id`
+    // `@user:server` / `homeserver`) — the access token lives separately
+    // in the agent's `matrix-token` and is never part of this response.
+    // Peer visibility is intentional: it lets an agent verify/contact
+    // another on a public matrix instance. The `Ident::parse` gate
+    // above is what closes the real vector here (path traversal via `../`
+    // in an agent-supplied name).
+    let matrix_accounts = read_agent_matrix_identities(&target_id);
     hive_core_agent_sock::Response::AgentMeta {
-        name: target.to_owned(),
+        name: target_id.into_string(),
         running,
         hyperhive_rev: crate::auto_update::current_flake_rev(&coord.hyperhive_flake),
         status_text,
         status_set_at,
         hive_name,
         swarm_name,
-        // Matrix identities are public handles (`name` / `user_id`
-        // `@user:server` / `homeserver`) — the access token lives separately
-        // in the agent's `matrix-token` and is never part of this response.
-        // Peer visibility is intentional: it lets an agent verify/contact
-        // another on a public matrix instance. The `Ident::parse` gate
-        // above is what closes the real vector here (path traversal via `../`
-        // in an agent-supplied name).
-        matrix_accounts: read_agent_matrix_identities(&target_id),
+        matrix_accounts,
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/hive-core-agent-sock/src/lib.rs b/hive-core-agent-sock/src/lib.rs
index 6946b2a6..90e18c4d 100644
--- a/hive-core-agent-sock/src/lib.rs
+++ b/hive-core-agent-sock/src/lib.rs
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ pub enum Request {
     /// `docs/conventions.md::Agent metadata`.
     GetAgentMeta {
         #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
-        name: Option<String>,
+        name: Option<Ident>,
     },
     /// Cancel an open thread the agent owns. Authorisation +
     /// per-kind semantics in