diff --git a/run b/run
index a3ecebd..17871c1 100755
--- a/run
+++ b/run
@@ -31,7 +31,9 @@ usage() {
     echo "  app                      Launch API + panel, open as Chrome app window."
     echo "  app --build              Rebuild first, then launch."
     echo "  stop                     Stop the detached app (API + panel)."
-    echo "  tray                     Build the menu-bar tray app (~/Applications)."
+    echo "  tray                     Build the menu-bar tray app (~/Applications). The bundle's"
+    echo "                           MacOS/Prospector bin now has built-in features (launch/stop/help)"
+    echo "                           in addition to starting the ❖ tray UI on double-click/open."
     echo "  db:migrate               Apply pending SQL migrations (ledger-tracked)."
     echo ""
     echo -e "${YELLOW}MCP (agent / Claude Desktop + global claude)${NC}"
diff --git a/scripts/README.md b/scripts/README.md
index 2e3e4ae..1580d94 100644
--- a/scripts/README.md
+++ b/scripts/README.md
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ All are reachable through `./run` (preferred) or by direct execution.
 | `install.sh` | `./run install` | Deps → env files → DB + migrations → build API + web → tray app → MCP. Idempotent. `--launch` opens the app after. Skip steps with `SKIP_DB`/`SKIP_TRAY`/`SKIP_MCP`. |
 | `app.sh` | `./run app` | Start API + the vite-preview front door, health-check, open Chrome as an app window. `--build` rebuilds first; `--detach` runs in the background (used by the tray). Reuses an already-running instance. |
 | `stop.sh` | `./run stop` | Stop the detached app — kills only the PIDs in `.run/app.pids`, never a blanket node kill. |
-| `make-tray.sh` | `./run tray` | Build the `Prospector.app` menu-bar tray (~/Applications): ❖ status icon with Open / Stop / Quit. AppleScript-ObjC + built-in icon tooling, no Swift/deps. |
+| `make-tray.sh` | `./run tray` | Build the `Prospector.app` menu-bar tray (~/Applications): ❖ status icon with Open / Stop / Quit. The `MacOS/Prospector` bin (formerly a dumb stub) now supports CLI features directly (default=tray UI; `launch`/`open`, `stop`, `help`). AppleScript-ObjC + built-in icon tooling, no Swift/deps. |
 | `migrate.sh` | `./run db:migrate` | Apply pending `migrations/*.sql`, tracked in a `_prospector_migrations` ledger (each file runs once). |
 | `lib.sh` | — | Shared helpers (logging, `.env.local` loading, psql locating). Sourced, not run. |
 | `mcp/install-mcp.sh` | `./run install:mcp` | Register the agent/coworker MCP ("prospector") into Claude Desktop + global `~/.claude/mcp-config.json` (for Claude Code / desktop coworker). Builds the mcp package, handles secrets from .env or vault, safe edits. |
diff --git a/scripts/make-tray.sh b/scripts/make-tray.sh
index 0393394..f428d2f 100755
--- a/scripts/make-tray.sh
+++ b/scripts/make-tray.sh
@@ -63,11 +63,55 @@ cat > "$DEST/Contents/Info.plist" <<'PLIST'
 </plist>
 PLIST
 
-# 5. Executable stub — runs the tray AppleScript, passing it its Resources dir.
+# 5. Executable (with features) — default launches tray UI; subcommands provide
+#    CLI features for the services (matching menu actions). Replaces the prior
+#    dumb stub with a small dispatcher so the bin itself has features.
 cat > "$DEST/Contents/MacOS/Prospector" <<'STUB'
 #!/bin/bash
+set -euo pipefail
 RES="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")/../Resources" && pwd)"
-exec /usr/bin/osascript "$RES/tray.applescript" "$RES"
+
+cmd="${1:-}"
+
+case "$cmd" in
+    ""|tray|menu|default)
+        # Launch the tray UI (AppleScript-ObjC status item + menu). This is the
+        # default when the .app bundle is opened/double-clicked.
+        exec /usr/bin/osascript "$RES/tray.applescript" "$RES"
+        ;;
+    open|launch|app|open-prospector)
+        # Feature: start the services (web + API) detached, like the "Open Prospector" menu item.
+        exec "$RES/launch.sh"
+        ;;
+    stop|stop-services)
+        # Feature: stop the running services, like the "Stop services" menu item.
+        exec "$RES/stop.sh"
+        ;;
+    help|--help|-h)
+        cat <<EOF
+Prospector tray (MacOS/Prospector bin with features)
+
+Usage: $(basename "$0") [feature]
+
+Features (CLI subcommands):
+  (no arg)   Start tray UI / menu bar (default for bundle)
+  tray       Same as default
+  launch     Start services (API + panel) — same as menu "Open Prospector"
+  open       Alias for launch
+  stop       Stop services — same as menu "Stop services"
+  help       This message
+
+The tray process (when running) provides the persistent ❖ menu.
+You can also invoke this bin directly for the above features.
+EOF
+        exit 0
+        ;;
+    *)
+        echo "Unknown feature: $cmd" >&2
+        echo "Try: $(basename "$0") help" >&2
+        exit 1
+        ;;
+esac
 STUB
 chmod +x "$DEST/Contents/MacOS/Prospector"
 
@@ -93,3 +137,8 @@ osacompile -o "$WORK/syntax-check.scpt" "$RES/tray.applescript" >/dev/null || di
 ok "tray app built → $DEST"
 echo "   Open it once (double-click in ~/Applications or 'open \"$DEST\"') to put the"
 echo "   ❖ icon in your menu bar. It survives logout via Login Items if you add it."
+echo "   The bin now supports features directly:"
+echo "     $DEST/Contents/MacOS/Prospector          # start tray UI (default)"
+echo "     $DEST/Contents/MacOS/Prospector launch   # start services (like menu Open)"
+echo "     $DEST/Contents/MacOS/Prospector stop     # stop services (like menu Stop)"
+echo "     $DEST/Contents/MacOS/Prospector help     # list features"
diff --git a/scripts/tray.applescript b/scripts/tray.applescript
index 62022ef..0210c09 100644
--- a/scripts/tray.applescript
+++ b/scripts/tray.applescript
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
--- Prospector menu-bar (tray) app. Run via osascript by the app bundle's stub,
--- which passes the bundle Resources dir as the first argument. Creates a status
--- item with a small menu (Open / Stop / Quit) and keeps the run loop alive.
+-- Prospector menu-bar (tray) app. Run via osascript by the app bundle's bin
+-- (MacOS/Prospector, a small featureful dispatcher; default = tray UI).
+-- The bin passes the bundle Resources dir as the first argument to the script.
+-- Creates a status item with a small menu (Open / Stop / Quit) and keeps the
+-- run loop alive. The bin also supports CLI features: launch/stop/help.
 use framework "Foundation"
 use framework "AppKit"
 use scripting additions