diff --git a/src/audit/logger.ts b/src/audit/logger.ts
index a6d8f35..442cbb9 100644
--- a/src/audit/logger.ts
+++ b/src/audit/logger.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import type {
   UserActionEvent,
   QueuePreemptEvent,
   BackendRouteEvent,
+  BackendSuccessEvent,
   BackendFallbackEvent,
   CronTriggerEvent,
   WebhookReceiveEvent,
@@ -215,6 +216,11 @@ export class AuditLogger {
     this.write({ level: 'info', event_type: 'backend.route', event: event as unknown as Record<string, unknown> });
   }
 
+  backendSuccess(event: BackendSuccessEvent): void {
+    if (!this.shouldLog('sessions', 'info')) {return;}
+    this.write({ level: 'info', event_type: 'backend.success', event: event as unknown as Record<string, unknown> });
+  }
+
   backendFallback(event: BackendFallbackEvent): void {
     if (!this.shouldLog('sessions', 'warn')) {return;}
     this.write({ level: 'warn', event_type: 'backend.fallback', event: event as unknown as Record<string, unknown> });
diff --git a/src/audit/types.ts b/src/audit/types.ts
index d06df43..fab5008 100644
--- a/src/audit/types.ts
+++ b/src/audit/types.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ export type AuditEventType =
   // Session lifecycle
   | 'session.create' | 'session.message' | 'session.delete' | 'session.transfer' | 'session.compact' | 'session.checkpoint' | 'session.auto_compact' | 'user.action'
   | 'queue.preempt'
-  | 'backend.route' | 'backend.fallback'
+  | 'backend.route' | 'backend.success' | 'backend.fallback'
   // Automation - Cron
   | 'cron.trigger' | 'cron.sent' | 'cron.add' | 'cron.remove'
   // Automation - Webhook
@@ -236,17 +236,28 @@ export interface BackendRouteEvent {
   session_id: string;
   channel: string;
   sender: string;
-  selected_backend: 'native' | 'claude_code' | 'opencode' | 'codex' | 'gemini';
-  source: 'agent_override' | 'default_external' | 'native';
+  selected_backend: 'native' | 'claude_code' | 'opencode' | 'codex' | 'gemini' | 'pi_embedded';
+  source: 'agent_override' | 'default_external' | 'native' | 'forced_native_guard';
+  guard_reason?: 'capability_query' | 'pi_no_tools_mode' | 'attachments_present';
+}
+
+export interface BackendSuccessEvent {
+  session_id: string;
+  channel: string;
+  sender: string;
+  backend: 'claude_code' | 'opencode' | 'codex' | 'gemini' | 'pi_embedded';
+  duration_ms: number;
+  response_length: number;
 }
 
 export interface BackendFallbackEvent {
   session_id: string;
   channel: string;
   sender: string;
-  from_backend: 'claude_code' | 'opencode' | 'codex' | 'gemini';
-  to_backend: 'native' | 'claude_code' | 'opencode' | 'codex' | 'gemini';
+  from_backend: 'claude_code' | 'opencode' | 'codex' | 'gemini' | 'pi_embedded';
+  to_backend: 'native' | 'claude_code' | 'opencode' | 'codex' | 'gemini' | 'pi_embedded';
   reason: string;
+  duration_ms?: number;
 }
 
 export interface CronTriggerEvent {
diff --git a/src/daemon/routing.test.ts b/src/daemon/routing.test.ts
index 51501d2..b688455 100644
--- a/src/daemon/routing.test.ts
+++ b/src/daemon/routing.test.ts
@@ -1279,6 +1279,151 @@ describe('daemon external backend integration', () => {
     expect(processSpy).toHaveBeenCalled();
     expect(reply).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.objectContaining({ text: 'native fallback response' }));
   });
+
+  it('uses pi_embedded backend for plain text canary turns', async () => {
+    const processSpy = vi.spyOn(AgentOrchestrator.prototype, 'process');
+    const history: Array<{ role: 'user' | 'assistant'; content: string }> = [];
+    const session = {
+      id: 'telegram:pi-canary',
+      addMessage: vi.fn((msg: { role: 'user' | 'assistant'; content: string }) => {
+        history.push(msg);
+        return msg;
+      }),
+      getHistory: vi.fn(() => [...history]),
+      clear: vi.fn(),
+      replaceHistory: vi.fn(),
+      getConfig: vi.fn(() => undefined),
+      setConfig: vi.fn(),
+      deleteConfig: vi.fn(),
+    };
+
+    const piBackend = {
+      name: 'pi_embedded',
+      process: vi.fn(async () => 'pi embedded response'),
+    };
+
+    const router = createMessageRouter({
+      sessionManager: { getSession: vi.fn(() => session) } as unknown as MessageRouterDeps['sessionManager'],
+      modelRouter: {
+        getAvailableTiers: () => ['fast', 'default', 'complex', 'local'],
+        getAllLabels: () => ({ fast: 'fast', default: 'default', complex: 'complex', local: 'local' }),
+        getLabel: (tier: string) => tier,
+      } as unknown as MessageRouterDeps['modelRouter'],
+      systemPrompt: 'test prompt',
+      toolRegistry: {
+        clone() { return this; },
+        register: vi.fn(),
+      } as unknown as MessageRouterDeps['toolRegistry'],
+      toolExecutor: {} as unknown as MessageRouterDeps['toolExecutor'],
+      config: {
+        agents: {
+          primary_tier: 'default',
+          delegation: {
+            compaction: 'fast',
+            memory_extraction: 'fast',
+            classification: 'fast',
+            tool_summarisation: 'fast',
+            complex_reasoning: 'complex',
+          },
+          max_delegation_depth: 3,
+          max_iterations: 10,
+        },
+        backends: {
+          pi_embedded: { no_tools_mode: false },
+        },
+        compaction: { enabled: false },
+        models: { default: { provider: 'anthropic', model: 'claude' } },
+      } as unknown as MessageRouterDeps['config'],
+      externalBackends: { pi_embedded: piBackend } as unknown as MessageRouterDeps['externalBackends'],
+      defaultName: 'pi_embedded',
+    });
+
+    const reply = vi.fn(async (_message: OutboundMessage) => {});
+    await router.handler({
+      id: 'm-pi-canary',
+      channel: 'telegram',
+      senderId: 'pi-canary',
+      text: 'just chat with me',
+      timestamp: Date.now(),
+    } as MessageRouterInput, reply);
+
+    expect(piBackend.process).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(processSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(reply).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.objectContaining({ text: 'pi embedded response' }));
+  });
+
+  it('forces native processing for pi_embedded no-tools mode when prompt appears tool-oriented', async () => {
+    const processSpy = vi.spyOn(AgentOrchestrator.prototype, 'process')
+      .mockResolvedValue('native guarded response');
+    const history: Array<{ role: 'user' | 'assistant'; content: string }> = [];
+    const session = {
+      id: 'telegram:pi-no-tools',
+      addMessage: vi.fn((msg: { role: 'user' | 'assistant'; content: string }) => {
+        history.push(msg);
+        return msg;
+      }),
+      getHistory: vi.fn(() => [...history]),
+      clear: vi.fn(),
+      replaceHistory: vi.fn(),
+      getConfig: vi.fn(() => undefined),
+      setConfig: vi.fn(),
+      deleteConfig: vi.fn(),
+    };
+
+    const piBackend = {
+      name: 'pi_embedded',
+      process: vi.fn(async () => 'pi embedded response'),
+    };
+
+    const router = createMessageRouter({
+      sessionManager: { getSession: vi.fn(() => session) } as unknown as MessageRouterDeps['sessionManager'],
+      modelRouter: {
+        getAvailableTiers: () => ['fast', 'default', 'complex', 'local'],
+        getAllLabels: () => ({ fast: 'fast', default: 'default', complex: 'complex', local: 'local' }),
+        getLabel: (tier: string) => tier,
+      } as unknown as MessageRouterDeps['modelRouter'],
+      systemPrompt: 'test prompt',
+      toolRegistry: {
+        clone() { return this; },
+        register: vi.fn(),
+      } as unknown as MessageRouterDeps['toolRegistry'],
+      toolExecutor: {} as unknown as MessageRouterDeps['toolExecutor'],
+      config: {
+        agents: {
+          primary_tier: 'default',
+          delegation: {
+            compaction: 'fast',
+            memory_extraction: 'fast',
+            classification: 'fast',
+            tool_summarisation: 'fast',
+            complex_reasoning: 'complex',
+          },
+          max_delegation_depth: 3,
+          max_iterations: 10,
+        },
+        backends: {
+          pi_embedded: { no_tools_mode: true },
+        },
+        compaction: { enabled: false },
+        models: { default: { provider: 'anthropic', model: 'claude' } },
+      } as unknown as MessageRouterDeps['config'],
+      externalBackends: { pi_embedded: piBackend } as unknown as MessageRouterDeps['externalBackends'],
+      defaultName: 'pi_embedded',
+    });
+
+    const reply = vi.fn(async (_message: OutboundMessage) => {});
+    await router.handler({
+      id: 'm-pi-no-tools',
+      channel: 'telegram',
+      senderId: 'pi-no-tools',
+      text: 'please read the file and run a shell command',
+      timestamp: Date.now(),
+    } as MessageRouterInput, reply);
+
+    expect(piBackend.process).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(processSpy).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(reply).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.objectContaining({ text: 'native guarded response' }));
+  });
 });
 
 describe('daemon audio routing integration', () => {
diff --git a/src/daemon/routing.ts b/src/daemon/routing.ts
index 0b103e2..c2bd1dd 100644
--- a/src/daemon/routing.ts
+++ b/src/daemon/routing.ts
@@ -164,6 +164,27 @@ function shouldForceNativeForCapabilityQuery(text: string): boolean {
   );
 }
 
+function shouldForceNativeForPiNoTools(text: string): boolean {
+  const normalized = text.trim().toLowerCase();
+  if (!normalized) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  if (
+    /`(?:shell\.exec|file\.(?:read|write|edit|patch|list)|web\.(?:fetch|search)|browser\.)/.test(normalized)
+    || /\b(?:gmail|calendar|docs|drive|tasks|k8s|docker|minio)\b/.test(normalized)
+  ) {
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  return (
+    /\b(?:run|execute)\s+(?:a\s+)?(?:shell|bash|command)\b/.test(normalized)
+    || /\b(?:read|open|show|edit|write|patch|delete|list)\s+(?:the\s+)?(?:file|files|directory|repo|code)\b/.test(normalized)
+    || /\b(?:search|fetch|browse|scrape)\s+(?:the\s+)?(?:web|internet|url|site)\b/.test(normalized)
+    || /\b(?:use|call)\s+(?:a\s+)?tool\b/.test(normalized)
+  );
+}
+
 function providerAcceptsNativeAudioContentParts(provider: string): boolean {
   return (
     provider === 'openai'
@@ -1390,11 +1411,26 @@ export function createMessageRouter(deps: {
 
       const requestedBackend = agentConfig?.backend ?? deps.defaultName;
       const forceNativeForCapabilityQuery = shouldForceNativeForCapabilityQuery(messageText);
-      const sessionIdForAudit = `${msg.channel}:${msg.senderId}`;
+      const hasAttachmentsForExternalBackend = Boolean(attachments && attachments.length > 0);
       const selectedBackend = requestedBackend && requestedBackend !== 'native'
         ? deps.externalBackends?.[requestedBackend]
         : undefined;
-      const selectedBackendForAudit: 'native' | ExternalBackendName = selectedBackend && requestedBackend && !forceNativeForCapabilityQuery
+      const externalBackendRequested = Boolean(selectedBackend && requestedBackend && requestedBackend !== 'native');
+      const forceNativeForPiNoTools = requestedBackend === 'pi_embedded'
+        && deps.config.backends.pi_embedded.no_tools_mode
+        && shouldForceNativeForPiNoTools(messageText);
+      let forcedNativeGuardReason: 'capability_query' | 'pi_no_tools_mode' | 'attachments_present' | undefined;
+      if (externalBackendRequested) {
+        if (forceNativeForCapabilityQuery) {
+          forcedNativeGuardReason = 'capability_query';
+        } else if (forceNativeForPiNoTools) {
+          forcedNativeGuardReason = 'pi_no_tools_mode';
+        } else if (hasAttachmentsForExternalBackend) {
+          forcedNativeGuardReason = 'attachments_present';
+        }
+      }
+      const sessionIdForAudit = `${msg.channel}:${msg.senderId}`;
+      const selectedBackendForAudit: 'native' | ExternalBackendName = selectedBackend && requestedBackend && !forcedNativeGuardReason
         ? requestedBackend
         : 'native';
 
@@ -1403,14 +1439,18 @@ export function createMessageRouter(deps: {
         channel: msg.channel,
         sender: msg.senderId,
         selected_backend: selectedBackendForAudit,
-        source: agentConfig?.backend
-          ? 'agent_override'
-          : selectedBackend
-            ? 'default_external'
-            : 'native',
+        source: forcedNativeGuardReason
+          ? 'forced_native_guard'
+          : agentConfig?.backend
+            ? 'agent_override'
+            : selectedBackend
+              ? 'default_external'
+              : 'native',
+        ...(forcedNativeGuardReason ? { guard_reason: forcedNativeGuardReason } : {}),
       });
 
-      if (selectedBackend && (!attachments || attachments.length === 0) && !forceNativeForCapabilityQuery) {
+      if (selectedBackend && !hasAttachmentsForExternalBackend && !forceNativeForCapabilityQuery && !forceNativeForPiNoTools) {
+        const backendStartedAt = Date.now();
         try {
           const history = toExternalHistory(session.getHistory());
           session.addMessage({ role: 'user', content: messageText });
@@ -1418,6 +1458,14 @@ export function createMessageRouter(deps: {
             prompt: messageText,
             history,
           });
+          auditLogger?.backendSuccess?.({
+            session_id: sessionIdForAudit,
+            channel: msg.channel,
+            sender: msg.senderId,
+            backend: selectedBackend.name,
+            duration_ms: Date.now() - backendStartedAt,
+            response_length: response.length,
+          });
           session.addMessage({ role: 'assistant', content: response });
           const ttsAttachment = await maybeBuildTtsAttachment(response, msg.channel);
           await reply({
@@ -1438,6 +1486,7 @@ export function createMessageRouter(deps: {
               : (selectedBackend.name as ExternalBackendName),
             to_backend: 'native',
             reason: detail,
+            duration_ms: Date.now() - backendStartedAt,
           });
         }
       }