diff --git a/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json b/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json
index ed192f2..9d02f3c 100644
--- a/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json
+++ b/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json
@@ -6,14 +6,14 @@
   },
   "metadata": {
     "description": "Token Pilot — save 60-90% tokens when AI reads code",
-    "version": "0.50.0"
+    "version": "0.50.1"
   },
   "plugins": [
     {
       "name": "token-pilot",
       "source": "./",
       "description": "Reduces token consumption by 60-90% via AST-aware lazy file reading, structural symbol navigation, and cross-session tool-usage analytics. 25 MCP tools + 25 subagents + budget watchdog hooks.",
-      "version": "0.50.0",
+      "version": "0.50.1",
       "author": {
         "name": "Digital-Threads"
       },
diff --git a/.claude-plugin/plugin.json b/.claude-plugin/plugin.json
index 65c9f22..917bbc7 100644
--- a/.claude-plugin/plugin.json
+++ b/.claude-plugin/plugin.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "token-pilot",
-  "version": "0.50.0",
+  "version": "0.50.1",
   "description": "Saves 60-90% tokens on AI code reading. AST-aware lazy reads, symbol navigation, find_usages, structural git diff/log, edit-safety guard, Task-routing matcher, cross-session telemetry (errors + diagnostics), 25 tp-* subagents tiered to haiku/sonnet/opus with budget watchdog.",
   "author": {
     "name": "Digital-Threads",
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9261d45..7cf07cd 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,26 @@ All notable changes to Token Pilot will be documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## [0.50.1] - 2026-07-26
+
+### Fixed — two guard-clause defects in dispatch routing
+
+Both found by tp-run agents auditing the 0.50.0 change, and both in the
+code that change introduced.
+
+**An empty description switched prompt-matching back off.** The
+blank-input guard tested `description` rather than the haystack built one
+line above it, so a dispatch carrying an empty description and a fully
+descriptive prompt returned early with soft advice — skipping escape
+detection, agent matching and blocking. That is exactly the case
+prompt-matching was added to catch. The guard now tests the haystack.
+
+**A non-string description threw.** `description` was read with `?? ""`
+while `prompt` was type-guarded. A number survives `!description`, has no
+`.length`, and reached `containsEscape` as a non-string, where
+`.toLowerCase()` throws. Hook input is external data; it is now
+type-guarded the same way the prompt is.
+
 ## [0.50.0] - 2026-07-26
 
 ### Fixed — dispatch routing now enforces instead of suggesting
diff --git a/agents/tp-api-surface-tracker.md b/agents/tp-api-surface-tracker.md
index 31123c8..31adbc4 100644
--- a/agents/tp-api-surface-tracker.md
+++ b/agents/tp-api-surface-tracker.md
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ tools:
   - mcp__token-pilot__read_symbol
   - Bash
 model: haiku
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: dd184501203fa7f3c73f419c4ffbe33c4be75400cb64a7a51733a3fe23f6e085
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-audit-scanner.md b/agents/tp-audit-scanner.md
index d7f72c1..29bfabe 100644
--- a/agents/tp-audit-scanner.md
+++ b/agents/tp-audit-scanner.md
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ tools:
   - Grep
   - Read
 model: sonnet
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: d172f600bf32277ea6eb4cbbee4542ddd698a986dcd96997d33930561964569b
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-commit-writer.md b/agents/tp-commit-writer.md
index e5285e7..9793d23 100644
--- a/agents/tp-commit-writer.md
+++ b/agents/tp-commit-writer.md
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ tools:
   - mcp__token-pilot__test_summary
   - mcp__token-pilot__outline
   - Bash
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: de64a406b5176de19f7422619c7de7949b1f28865f225402c9cea9255f377428
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-context-engineer.md b/agents/tp-context-engineer.md
index 1b642aa..818ecf9 100644
--- a/agents/tp-context-engineer.md
+++ b/agents/tp-context-engineer.md
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ tools:
   - Edit
   - Glob
 model: sonnet
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: 68b32af2dacd82ebe52c4eec93edb903d452688274c3065218270627c564d8b0
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-dead-code-finder.md b/agents/tp-dead-code-finder.md
index e4acfa9..d58ecfb 100644
--- a/agents/tp-dead-code-finder.md
+++ b/agents/tp-dead-code-finder.md
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ tools:
   - Grep
   - Read
 model: sonnet
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: d9b7f5b7ae6f4ae21305c775361bcab097cc774370a6d976c093571d46d55021
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-debugger.md b/agents/tp-debugger.md
index d7962f3..fcbbf3b 100644
--- a/agents/tp-debugger.md
+++ b/agents/tp-debugger.md
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ tools:
   - Read
   - Bash
 model: sonnet
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: 052413de8d92377edcde6ae5c823f5378db304baccfa29e8866467f42553a500
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-dep-health.md b/agents/tp-dep-health.md
index 16c6659..aabecb7 100644
--- a/agents/tp-dep-health.md
+++ b/agents/tp-dep-health.md
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ tools:
   - Bash
   - Read
 model: haiku
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: e14dc57493d816f8c2e017963e2ef5f66bea50fd0b805a80e8a0d97c968427e7
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-doc-writer.md b/agents/tp-doc-writer.md
index cc06bb2..879b81c 100644
--- a/agents/tp-doc-writer.md
+++ b/agents/tp-doc-writer.md
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ tools:
   - Edit
   - Glob
 model: haiku
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: 57d741794ab40e31a7ac49c68ea39a9088f5827cdef866ce81bfca1b7c9180cf
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-history-explorer.md b/agents/tp-history-explorer.md
index f587721..7591bf9 100644
--- a/agents/tp-history-explorer.md
+++ b/agents/tp-history-explorer.md
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ tools:
   - Bash
   - Read
 model: haiku
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: 7b70fa76a60e3c58a1de4f56c32c0f166424137e203a0cf1c8654e7c9235d904
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-impact-analyzer.md b/agents/tp-impact-analyzer.md
index fad3317..c2f009e 100644
--- a/agents/tp-impact-analyzer.md
+++ b/agents/tp-impact-analyzer.md
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ tools:
   - mcp__token-pilot__read_symbols
   - Read
 model: sonnet
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: 351a987e11eba63852f5431a16d8eb53104f4f689f82fdcc5a2bf4db948ba92f
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-incident-timeline.md b/agents/tp-incident-timeline.md
index d8bd4c0..1d754e3 100644
--- a/agents/tp-incident-timeline.md
+++ b/agents/tp-incident-timeline.md
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ tools:
   - mcp__token-pilot__read_symbol
   - Bash
 model: inherit
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: de5722bfea374eaab096c1ae635c37879e7a91370ee3cd0532f4240be03c91eb
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-incremental-builder.md b/agents/tp-incremental-builder.md
index 55f2a87..257f531 100644
--- a/agents/tp-incremental-builder.md
+++ b/agents/tp-incremental-builder.md
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ tools:
   - Edit
   - Bash
 model: sonnet
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: 375a824d0d847bb5453ec594c7a62ad566ee7e4d92717b0473f771f1a0477c60
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-migration-scout.md b/agents/tp-migration-scout.md
index f0aa91b..cf7e035 100644
--- a/agents/tp-migration-scout.md
+++ b/agents/tp-migration-scout.md
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ tools:
   - Grep
   - Glob
 model: sonnet
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: 0334de1bf99b431b65359637d125cda7c44c6f780eb92c57cc538715b1939536
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-onboard.md b/agents/tp-onboard.md
index 0bba0a4..8455633 100644
--- a/agents/tp-onboard.md
+++ b/agents/tp-onboard.md
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ tools:
   - mcp__token-pilot__smart_read
   - mcp__token-pilot__smart_read_many
   - mcp__token-pilot__read_section
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: 832e95633fbc8e9b0c10f3e540a327d4be062fb4b3f17a6cce6be13f414e2927
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-performance-profiler.md b/agents/tp-performance-profiler.md
index c53f2a5..b674340 100644
--- a/agents/tp-performance-profiler.md
+++ b/agents/tp-performance-profiler.md
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ tools:
   - Bash
   - Read
 model: sonnet
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: b61f06380d80798fa2e49d37bcba0653495bee04dd6bdbc1feff9a75607b0508
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-pr-reviewer.md b/agents/tp-pr-reviewer.md
index c1c7a34..660da8b 100644
--- a/agents/tp-pr-reviewer.md
+++ b/agents/tp-pr-reviewer.md
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ tools:
   - mcp__token-pilot__read_for_edit
   - Read
 model: sonnet
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: f83f50d05b4f70285ae7afed2b1a406fc436df56e61a0aedbfb31edc7f2b6e66
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-refactor-planner.md b/agents/tp-refactor-planner.md
index 6b5e930..5190949 100644
--- a/agents/tp-refactor-planner.md
+++ b/agents/tp-refactor-planner.md
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ tools:
   - mcp__token-pilot__outline
   - mcp__token-pilot__read_symbol
 model: sonnet
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: c5f6fc122c89e16e5cf774045f92169ee3468555320b898171ba13eca5323550
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-review-impact.md b/agents/tp-review-impact.md
index e77b745..2461884 100644
--- a/agents/tp-review-impact.md
+++ b/agents/tp-review-impact.md
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ tools:
   - mcp__token-pilot__module_info
   - Bash
 model: sonnet
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: 8ef3c3341cbfed4eb8dd130126a9683edc57e378c92ff0ca764d584fd941c55c
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-run.md b/agents/tp-run.md
index 8ebae82..d9e9a70 100644
--- a/agents/tp-run.md
+++ b/agents/tp-run.md
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ tools:
   - Glob
   - Bash
 model: haiku
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: 2b08618d34a61f00aafccbda9fed6d83243296dedb83440edbd2d5c28bb6dbc4
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-session-restorer.md b/agents/tp-session-restorer.md
index 2a4b732..136ecba 100644
--- a/agents/tp-session-restorer.md
+++ b/agents/tp-session-restorer.md
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ tools:
   - mcp__token-pilot__session_budget
   - Bash
   - Read
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: 529374ed728f5eed5b758b3be3da65624783c0bf0c1a253d7d661a843eb5f767
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-ship-coordinator.md b/agents/tp-ship-coordinator.md
index 73097b4..0a492fe 100644
--- a/agents/tp-ship-coordinator.md
+++ b/agents/tp-ship-coordinator.md
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ tools:
   - Read
   - Grep
 model: sonnet
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: a60f6ae110eb3138064bce074e8ba26fa0ce5f4659df1624a9d9d3646803391b
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-spec-writer.md b/agents/tp-spec-writer.md
index 4ee5547..c7715a3 100644
--- a/agents/tp-spec-writer.md
+++ b/agents/tp-spec-writer.md
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ tools:
   - Read
   - Write
 model: sonnet
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: c7a4e8b39228fd5158528f389c924c5ff2d98c4b9b05ee0106d54a26c5dc1350
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-test-coverage-gapper.md b/agents/tp-test-coverage-gapper.md
index 23b81c4..1f56881 100644
--- a/agents/tp-test-coverage-gapper.md
+++ b/agents/tp-test-coverage-gapper.md
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ tools:
   - mcp__token-pilot__test_summary
   - Glob
   - Grep
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: be81eed53a3720d146cf89e4a14a7a56577633f7c84c234c412ab70d64c05b11
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-test-triage.md b/agents/tp-test-triage.md
index 0a0117e..f75ea9a 100644
--- a/agents/tp-test-triage.md
+++ b/agents/tp-test-triage.md
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ tools:
   - mcp__token-pilot__find_usages
   - mcp__token-pilot__read_symbol
 model: sonnet
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: 362ecf4cb03b059421ea26933473700900073dc38b3a7fe271208dfb1ae14f90
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/agents/tp-test-writer.md b/agents/tp-test-writer.md
index c803159..a29a0af 100644
--- a/agents/tp-test-writer.md
+++ b/agents/tp-test-writer.md
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ tools:
   - Edit
   - Bash
 model: sonnet
-token_pilot_version: "0.50.0"
+token_pilot_version: "0.50.1"
 token_pilot_body_hash: 269f2fe22ff4517c277d3f56ca67d8a5527b93290ab21079a83ba7af22c1b5a9
 requiredMcpServers:
   - "token-pilot"
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index c9d18c8..a43db95 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "token-pilot",
-  "version": "0.50.0",
+  "version": "0.50.1",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "token-pilot",
-      "version": "0.50.0",
+      "version": "0.50.1",
       "hasInstallScript": true,
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 22f8dea..97b8b7a 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "token-pilot",
-  "version": "0.50.0",
+  "version": "0.50.1",
   "description": "Save up to 80% tokens when AI reads code \u2014 MCP server for token-efficient code navigation, AST-aware structural reading instead of dumping full files into context window",
   "type": "module",
   "main": "dist/index.js",
diff --git a/server.json b/server.json
index 59de379..191bc43 100644
--- a/server.json
+++ b/server.json
@@ -6,12 +6,12 @@
     "url": "https://github.com/Digital-Threads/token-pilot",
     "source": "github"
   },
-  "version": "0.50.0",
+  "version": "0.50.1",
   "packages": [
     {
       "registryType": "npm",
       "identifier": "token-pilot",
-      "version": "0.50.0",
+      "version": "0.50.1",
       "transport": {
         "type": "stdio"
       },
diff --git a/src/hooks/pre-task.ts b/src/hooks/pre-task.ts
index c5885e5..624351b 100644
--- a/src/hooks/pre-task.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/pre-task.ts
@@ -109,7 +109,13 @@ export function decidePreTask(
   if (input.tool_name !== "Task") return { kind: "allow" };
 
   const subagentType = input.tool_input?.subagent_type ?? "";
-  const description = input.tool_input?.description ?? "";
+  // Type-guarded, not just defaulted: a non-string description survives
+  // `!description`, has no `.length`, and reaches containsEscape as a
+  // non-string — which throws. Hook input is external data.
+  const description =
+    typeof input.tool_input?.description === "string"
+      ? input.tool_input.description
+      : "";
 
   // Already a tp-* — routing intent matches catalog. Let it run.
   if (typeof subagentType === "string" && subagentType.startsWith("tp-")) {
@@ -142,9 +148,12 @@ export function decidePreTask(
     typeof input.tool_input?.prompt === "string" ? input.tool_input.prompt : "";
   const haystack = prompt ? `${description} ${prompt}` : description;
 
-  // No description → nothing to match against. Inject the generic
-  // tool-guide so the subagent still picks tp-tools (B14).
-  if (!description || description.length === 0) {
+  // Nothing to match against at all. Tests the haystack, not the
+  // description: a dispatch can carry an empty description and a fully
+  // descriptive prompt, and that is precisely the case prompt-matching
+  // was added for. Guarding on description alone returned soft advice
+  // and skipped escape detection, matching and blocking entirely.
+  if (haystack.trim().length === 0) {
     return { kind: "advise", message: SUBAGENT_TOOL_GUIDE };
   }
 
diff --git a/tests/hooks/pre-task-guards.test.ts b/tests/hooks/pre-task-guards.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..31fa444
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/hooks/pre-task-guards.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+/**
+ * v0.50.1 — two defects in decidePreTask's guard clauses, both found by
+ * tp-run agents auditing the v0.50.0 change.
+ *
+ * 1. The blank-description guard tested `description` rather than the
+ *    haystack built one line above it. A dispatch with an empty
+ *    description but a substantive prompt therefore returned early with
+ *    soft advice, skipping escape detection, matching and blocking — the
+ *    exact case prompt-matching was added to catch.
+ *
+ * 2. `description` was read with `?? ""` while `prompt` was type-guarded.
+ *    A non-string description (say a number) survives `!description` and
+ *    has no `.length`, so it reached the matcher as a non-string.
+ */
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { decidePreTask, type PreTaskInput } from "../../src/hooks/pre-task.ts";
+import { parseAgent, type AgentIndex } from "../../src/core/agent-matcher.ts";
+
+const index: AgentIndex = {
+  agents: [
+    parseAgent(
+      "tp-pr-reviewer",
+      `---
+name: tp-pr-reviewer
+description: PROACTIVELY use this when the user asks to review a diff, PR, commit range, or changeset ("review these changes", "look at my PR", "is this safe to merge").
+---
+`,
+    )!,
+  ],
+};
+
+const ctx = { mode: "deny" as const, agentIndex: index, force: false };
+
+function task(tool_input: Record<string, unknown>): PreTaskInput {
+  return { tool_name: "Task", tool_input: tool_input as never };
+}
+
+describe("decidePreTask guard clauses", () => {
+  it("matches on the prompt when the description is empty", () => {
+    const d = decidePreTask(
+      task({
+        subagent_type: "general-purpose",
+        description: "",
+        prompt: "review these changes before merge",
+      }),
+      ctx,
+    );
+    expect(d.kind).toBe("deny");
+    if (d.kind === "deny") expect(d.reason).toContain("tp-pr-reviewer");
+  });
+
+  it("honours an escape phrase carried only by the prompt", () => {
+    const d = decidePreTask(
+      task({
+        subagent_type: "general-purpose",
+        description: "",
+        prompt: "ad-hoc: review these changes however you like",
+      }),
+      ctx,
+    );
+    expect(d.kind).toBe("advise");
+  });
+
+  it("still advises when both description and prompt are empty", () => {
+    const d = decidePreTask(
+      task({ subagent_type: "general-purpose", description: "", prompt: "" }),
+      ctx,
+    );
+    expect(d.kind).toBe("advise");
+  });
+
+  it("treats a non-string description as absent instead of matching on it", () => {
+    const d = decidePreTask(
+      task({ subagent_type: "general-purpose", description: 42 }),
+      ctx,
+    );
+    expect(d.kind).toBe("advise");
+  });
+
+  it("survives a non-string prompt", () => {
+    const d = decidePreTask(
+      task({
+        subagent_type: "general-purpose",
+        description: "review these changes",
+        prompt: { not: "a string" },
+      }),
+      ctx,
+    );
+    // The description alone still carries the match; the odd prompt is dropped.
+    expect(d.kind).toBe("deny");
+  });
+});