diff --git a/src/aipass/seedgo/apps/handlers/file/__init__.py b/src/aipass/seedgo/apps/handlers/file/__init__.py
index 62d79db2..0bd8aaa0 100644
--- a/src/aipass/seedgo/apps/handlers/file/__init__.py
+++ b/src/aipass/seedgo/apps/handlers/file/__init__.py
@@ -33,3 +33,12 @@ def read_lines_safe(path: Path, n: int = 0, encoding: str = "utf-8") -> list[str
             return fh.readlines()
     except OSError:
         return []
+
+
+def write_text_safe(path: Path, text: str, encoding: str = "utf-8") -> bool:
+    """Write text to a file. Returns True on success, False on OSError."""
+    try:
+        path.write_text(text, encoding=encoding)
+        return True
+    except OSError:
+        return False
diff --git a/src/aipass/seedgo/apps/handlers/hooks/__init__.py b/src/aipass/seedgo/apps/handlers/hooks/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..82694b71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/aipass/seedgo/apps/handlers/hooks/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+# =================== AIPass ====================
+# Name: hooks/__init__.py
+# Description: Hook test runner — subprocess execution for hooks_ext module
+# Version: 1.0.0
+# Created: 2026-04-21
+# Modified: 2026-04-21
+# =============================================
+
+"""Hook test runner handler.
+
+Encapsulates subprocess execution so hooks_ext module stays
+at the display/coordination layer.
+"""
+
+import re
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import time
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+def run_pytest_file(test_file: Path, repo_root: Path, timeout: int = 60) -> tuple[int, int, float]:
+    """Run pytest on a single test file. Returns (passed, failed, duration_seconds)."""
+    t0 = time.monotonic()
+    proc = subprocess.run(
+        [sys.executable, "-m", "pytest", str(test_file), "--tb=no", "-q", "--no-header"],
+        capture_output=True,
+        text=True,
+        timeout=timeout,
+        cwd=str(repo_root),
+    )
+    duration = time.monotonic() - t0
+    passed = 0
+    failed = 0
+    for line in proc.stdout.splitlines():
+        line = line.strip()
+        if "passed" in line or "failed" in line or "error" in line.lower():
+            m_passed = re.search(r"(\d+) passed", line)
+            m_failed = re.search(r"(\d+) failed", line)
+            m_error = re.search(r"(\d+) error", line)
+            if m_passed:
+                passed = int(m_passed.group(1))
+            if m_failed:
+                failed = int(m_failed.group(1))
+            if m_error:
+                failed += int(m_error.group(1))
+    return passed, failed, duration
diff --git a/src/aipass/seedgo/apps/modules/hooks.py b/src/aipass/seedgo/apps/modules/hooks.py
index c7b7d70e..93c66c94 100644
--- a/src/aipass/seedgo/apps/modules/hooks.py
+++ b/src/aipass/seedgo/apps/modules/hooks.py
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@ from aipass.cli.apps.modules import warning
 # JSON handler for tracking
 from aipass.seedgo.apps.handlers.json import json_handler
 
+# File handler — modules must not call open()/write_text() directly
+from aipass.seedgo.apps.handlers.file import write_text_safe
+
 # Extended subcommands (test + list)
 from aipass.seedgo.apps.modules.hooks_ext import cmd_hooks_list, cmd_hooks_test
 
@@ -206,10 +209,8 @@ def _cmd_probe_display(log_path: Path | None = None) -> None:
 def _run_headless_claude() -> int:
     """Spawn headless claude with a Read tool call. Returns exit code."""
     canary = Path("/tmp/probe_canary.txt")
-    try:
-        canary.write_text("probe canary 2026-04-20\n", encoding="utf-8")
-    except OSError as exc:
-        logger.info("hooks.py: could not write canary: %s", exc)
+    if not write_text_safe(canary, "probe canary 2026-04-20\n"):
+        logger.info("hooks.py: could not write canary")
 
     console.print("[dim]Spawning headless claude...[/dim]")
     # --permission-mode bypassPermissions is the AIPass-approved bypass flag
@@ -545,8 +546,10 @@ def handle_command(command: str, args: List[str]) -> bool:
     if command != "hooks":
         return False
 
-    # No args or help -> introspection
-    if not args or args[0] in ("--help", "-h", "help"):
+    if not args:
+        print_introspection()
+        return True
+    if args[0] in ("--help", "-h", "help"):
         print_introspection()
         return True
 
diff --git a/src/aipass/seedgo/apps/modules/hooks_ext.py b/src/aipass/seedgo/apps/modules/hooks_ext.py
index 0efd3540..e7c1ce94 100644
--- a/src/aipass/seedgo/apps/modules/hooks_ext.py
+++ b/src/aipass/seedgo/apps/modules/hooks_ext.py
@@ -17,16 +17,13 @@ Extended subcommands for hooks.py — split out to keep hooks.py under 700 lines
 
 import glob as _glob
 import json
-import re
-import subprocess
-import sys
-import time
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from aipass.prax import logger
 from aipass.cli import console
 from aipass.cli.apps.modules import warning
-from aipass.seedgo.apps.handlers.file import read_lines_safe
+from aipass.seedgo.apps.handlers.file import read_lines_safe, read_text_safe
+from aipass.seedgo.apps.handlers.hooks import run_pytest_file
 from aipass.seedgo.apps.handlers.json import json_handler
 from rich.table import Table
 
@@ -36,25 +33,6 @@ from rich.table import Table
 # =============================================================================
 
 
-def _parse_pytest_counts(stdout: str) -> tuple[int, int]:
-    """Parse passed/failed counts from pytest -q output. Returns (passed, failed)."""
-    passed = 0
-    failed = 0
-    for line in stdout.splitlines():
-        line = line.strip()
-        if "passed" in line or "failed" in line or "error" in line.lower():
-            m_passed = re.search(r"(\d+) passed", line)
-            m_failed = re.search(r"(\d+) failed", line)
-            m_error = re.search(r"(\d+) error", line)
-            if m_passed:
-                passed = int(m_passed.group(1))
-            if m_failed:
-                failed = int(m_failed.group(1))
-            if m_error:
-                failed += int(m_error.group(1))
-    return passed, failed
-
-
 def cmd_hooks_test(repo_root: Path) -> None:
     """Run hook test suite, display per-file pass/fail table."""
     pattern = str(repo_root / "src" / "aipass" / "seedgo" / "tests" / "test_hooks*.py")
@@ -82,16 +60,7 @@ def cmd_hooks_test(repo_root: Path) -> None:
 
     for tf in test_files:
         stem = Path(tf).stem
-        t0 = time.monotonic()
-        proc = subprocess.run(
-            [sys.executable, "-m", "pytest", tf, "--tb=no", "-q", "--no-header"],
-            capture_output=True,
-            text=True,
-            timeout=60,
-            cwd=str(repo_root),
-        )
-        duration = time.monotonic() - t0
-        passed, failed = _parse_pytest_counts(proc.stdout)
+        passed, failed, duration = run_pytest_file(Path(tf), repo_root)
         total_passed += passed
         total_failed += failed
         status = (
@@ -126,10 +95,14 @@ def read_settings_file(path: Path) -> dict:
     """Read and parse a settings.json file. Returns {} on failure."""
     if not path.exists():
         return {}
+    text = read_text_safe(path)
+    if text is None:
+        logger.info("hooks_ext.py: could not read %s", path)
+        return {}
     try:
-        return json.loads(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+        return json.loads(text)
     except Exception as exc:
-        logger.info("hooks_ext.py: could not read %s: %s", path, exc)
+        logger.info("hooks_ext.py: could not parse %s: %s", path, exc)
         return {}