diff --git a/tests/timmy/test_tools_unit.py b/tests/timmy/test_tools_unit.py
new file mode 100644
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+++ b/tests/timmy/test_tools_unit.py
@@ -0,0 +1,255 @@
+"""Unit tests for timmy.tools — coverage gaps.
+
+Tests _make_smart_read_file, _safe_eval edge cases, consult_grok,
+_create_stub_toolkit, get_tools_for_agent, and AiderTool edge cases.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import ast
+import math
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+
+import pytest
+
+from timmy.tools import (
+    _create_stub_toolkit,
+    _safe_eval,
+    consult_grok,
+    create_aider_tool,
+    get_tools_for_agent,
+)
+
+# ── _safe_eval edge cases ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+class TestSafeEval:
+    """Edge cases for the AST-based safe evaluator."""
+
+    def _eval(self, expr: str):
+        allowed = {k: getattr(math, k) for k in dir(math) if not k.startswith("_")}
+        allowed["math"] = math
+        allowed["abs"] = abs
+        allowed["round"] = round
+        allowed["min"] = min
+        allowed["max"] = max
+        tree = ast.parse(expr, mode="eval")
+        return _safe_eval(tree, allowed)
+
+    def test_unsupported_constant_type(self):
+        """String constants should be rejected."""
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Unsupported constant"):
+            self._eval("'hello'")
+
+    def test_unsupported_binary_op(self):
+        """Bitwise ops are not in the allowlist."""
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Unsupported"):
+            self._eval("3 & 5")
+
+    def test_unsupported_unary_op(self):
+        """Bitwise inversion is not supported."""
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Unsupported"):
+            self._eval("~5")
+
+    def test_unknown_name(self):
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Unknown name"):
+            self._eval("foo")
+
+    def test_attribute_on_non_math(self):
+        """Attribute access on anything except the math module is blocked."""
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Attribute access not allowed"):
+            self._eval("abs.__class__")
+
+    def test_call_non_callable(self):
+        """Calling a non-callable (like a number) should fail."""
+        with pytest.raises((ValueError, TypeError)):
+            self._eval("(42)()")
+
+    def test_unsupported_syntax_subscript(self):
+        """Subscript syntax (a[0]) is not supported."""
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Unsupported syntax"):
+            self._eval("[1, 2][0]")
+
+    def test_kwargs_in_call(self):
+        """math.log with keyword arg should work through the evaluator."""
+        result = self._eval("round(3.14159)")
+        assert result == 3
+
+    def test_math_attr_valid(self):
+        """Accessing a valid math attribute should work."""
+        result = self._eval("math.pi")
+        assert result == math.pi
+
+    def test_math_attr_invalid(self):
+        """Accessing a nonexistent math attribute should fail."""
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Attribute access not allowed"):
+            self._eval("math.__builtins__")
+
+
+# ── _make_smart_read_file ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+class TestMakeSmartReadFile:
+    """Test the smart_read_file wrapper for directory detection."""
+
+    def test_directory_returns_listing(self, tmp_path):
+        """When given a directory, should list its contents."""
+        (tmp_path / "alpha.txt").touch()
+        (tmp_path / "beta.py").touch()
+        (tmp_path / ".hidden").touch()  # should be excluded
+
+        from timmy.tools import _make_smart_read_file
+
+        file_tools = MagicMock()
+        file_tools.check_escape.return_value = (True, tmp_path)
+        smart_read = _make_smart_read_file(file_tools)
+
+        result = smart_read(file_name=str(tmp_path))
+        assert "is a directory" in result
+        assert "alpha.txt" in result
+        assert "beta.py" in result
+        assert ".hidden" not in result
+
+    def test_empty_directory(self, tmp_path):
+        """Empty directory should show placeholder."""
+        from timmy.tools import _make_smart_read_file
+
+        empty_dir = tmp_path / "empty"
+        empty_dir.mkdir()
+
+        file_tools = MagicMock()
+        file_tools.check_escape.return_value = (True, empty_dir)
+        smart_read = _make_smart_read_file(file_tools)
+
+        result = smart_read(file_name=str(empty_dir))
+        assert "empty directory" in result
+
+    def test_no_file_name_uses_path_kwarg(self):
+        """When file_name is empty, should fall back to path= kwarg."""
+        from timmy.tools import _make_smart_read_file
+
+        file_tools = MagicMock()
+        file_tools.check_escape.return_value = (True, MagicMock(is_dir=lambda: False))
+        file_tools.read_file.return_value = "file content"
+        smart_read = _make_smart_read_file(file_tools)
+
+        smart_read(path="/some/file.txt")
+        file_tools.read_file.assert_called_once()
+
+    def test_no_file_name_no_path(self):
+        """When neither file_name nor path is given, return error."""
+        from timmy.tools import _make_smart_read_file
+
+        file_tools = MagicMock()
+        smart_read = _make_smart_read_file(file_tools)
+
+        result = smart_read()
+        assert "Error" in result
+
+    def test_file_delegates_to_original(self, tmp_path):
+        """Regular files should delegate to original read_file."""
+        from timmy.tools import _make_smart_read_file
+
+        f = tmp_path / "hello.txt"
+        f.write_text("hello world")
+
+        file_tools = MagicMock()
+        file_tools.check_escape.return_value = (True, f)
+        file_tools.read_file.return_value = "hello world"
+        smart_read = _make_smart_read_file(file_tools)
+
+        result = smart_read(file_name=str(f))
+        assert result == "hello world"
+
+    def test_preserves_docstring(self):
+        """smart_read_file should copy the original's docstring."""
+        from timmy.tools import _make_smart_read_file
+
+        file_tools = MagicMock()
+        file_tools.read_file.__doc__ = "Original docstring."
+        smart_read = _make_smart_read_file(file_tools)
+        assert smart_read.__doc__ == "Original docstring."
+
+
+# ── consult_grok ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+class TestConsultGrok:
+    """Test the Grok consultation tool."""
+
+    @patch("timmy.tools.settings")
+    def test_grok_unavailable(self, mock_settings):
+        """When Grok is disabled, should return a helpful message."""
+        with patch("timmy.backends.grok_available", return_value=False):
+            result = consult_grok("What is 2+2?")
+        assert "not available" in result.lower()
+
+
+# ── _create_stub_toolkit ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+class TestCreateStubToolkit:
+    """Test stub toolkit creation for creative agents."""
+
+    def test_stub_has_correct_name(self):
+        toolkit = _create_stub_toolkit("pixel")
+        if toolkit is None:
+            pytest.skip("Agno tools not available")
+        assert toolkit.name == "pixel"
+
+    def test_stub_for_different_agent(self):
+        toolkit = _create_stub_toolkit("lyra")
+        if toolkit is None:
+            pytest.skip("Agno tools not available")
+        assert toolkit.name == "lyra"
+
+
+# ── get_tools_for_agent ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+class TestGetToolsForAgent:
+    """Test get_tools_for_agent (not just the alias)."""
+
+    def test_known_agent_returns_toolkit(self):
+        result = get_tools_for_agent("echo")
+        assert result is not None
+
+    def test_unknown_agent_returns_none(self):
+        result = get_tools_for_agent("nonexistent")
+        assert result is None
+
+    def test_custom_base_dir(self, tmp_path):
+        result = get_tools_for_agent("echo", base_dir=tmp_path)
+        assert result is not None
+
+
+# ── AiderTool edge cases ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+class TestAiderToolEdgeCases:
+    """Additional edge cases for the AiderTool."""
+
+    @patch("subprocess.run")
+    def test_aider_success_empty_stdout(self, mock_run, tmp_path):
+        """When stdout is empty, should return fallback message."""
+        mock_run.return_value = MagicMock(returncode=0, stdout="")
+        tool = create_aider_tool(tmp_path)
+        result = tool.run_aider("do something")
+        assert "successfully" in result.lower()
+
+    @patch("subprocess.run")
+    def test_aider_custom_model(self, mock_run, tmp_path):
+        """Custom model parameter should be passed to subprocess."""
+        mock_run.return_value = MagicMock(returncode=0, stdout="done")
+        tool = create_aider_tool(tmp_path)
+        tool.run_aider("task", model="deepseek-coder:6.7b")
+        args = mock_run.call_args[0][0]
+        assert "ollama/deepseek-coder:6.7b" in args
+
+    @patch("subprocess.run")
+    def test_aider_os_error(self, mock_run, tmp_path):
+        """OSError should be caught gracefully."""
+        mock_run.side_effect = OSError("Permission denied")
+        tool = create_aider_tool(tmp_path)
+        result = tool.run_aider("task")
+        assert "error" in result.lower()