diff --git a/src/config/agent.rs b/src/config/agent.rs
index 0145bd6..630c10b 100644
--- a/src/config/agent.rs
+++ b/src/config/agent.rs
@@ -590,6 +590,12 @@ pub struct AgentConfig {
     pub agent_session: Option<String>,
     #[serde(default)]
     pub auto_continue: bool,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub can_spawn_agents: bool,
+    #[serde(default = "default_max_concurrent_agents")]
+    pub max_concurrent_agents: usize,
+    #[serde(default = "default_max_agent_depth")]
+    pub max_agent_depth: usize,
     #[serde(default = "default_max_auto_continues")]
     pub max_auto_continues: usize,
     #[serde(default = "default_true")]
@@ -622,6 +628,14 @@ fn default_max_auto_continues() -> usize {
     10
 }
 
+fn default_max_concurrent_agents() -> usize {
+    4
+}
+
+fn default_max_agent_depth() -> usize {
+    3
+}
+
 fn default_true() -> bool {
     true
 }
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 86b67de..03ea6a0 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ mod repl;
 mod utils;
 mod mcp;
 mod parsers;
+mod supervisor;
 mod vault;
 
 #[macro_use]
diff --git a/src/supervisor/mailbox.rs b/src/supervisor/mailbox.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..82d6858
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/supervisor/mailbox.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+
+/// A message envelope routed between agents.
+///
+/// Agents communicate by sending `Envelope`s to each other's mailboxes.
+/// The sender fires and forgets; the receiver drains its inbox between
+/// LLM turns via the `check_inbox` tool.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+pub struct Envelope {
+    pub from: String,
+    pub to: String,
+    pub payload: EnvelopePayload,
+    pub timestamp: chrono::DateTime<chrono::Utc>,
+}
+
+/// The content of an inter-agent message.
+///
+/// Separates the **control plane** (shutdown signals, task lifecycle events)
+/// from the **data plane** (free-form text). Control-plane messages are
+/// processed before data-plane messages to prevent race conditions.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(tag = "type", rename_all = "snake_case")]
+pub enum EnvelopePayload {
+    Text { content: String },
+    TaskCompleted { task_id: String, summary: String },
+    ShutdownRequest { reason: String },
+    ShutdownApproved,
+}
+
+/// A per-agent inbox that collects incoming messages.
+///
+/// Backed by a `Vec` behind a `parking_lot::Mutex` so it can be shared
+/// between the supervisor (which delivers messages) and the agent's tool
+/// handler (which drains them). We use `parking_lot::Mutex` to match the
+/// locking convention used elsewhere in Loki (`parking_lot::RwLock` for
+/// GlobalConfig).
+#[derive(Debug, Default)]
+pub struct Inbox {
+    messages: parking_lot::Mutex<Vec<Envelope>>,
+}
+
+impl Inbox {
+    pub fn new() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            messages: parking_lot::Mutex::new(Vec::new()),
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn deliver(&self, envelope: Envelope) {
+        self.messages.lock().push(envelope);
+    }
+
+    /// Drain all pending messages, returning them sorted with control-plane
+    /// messages first (shutdown, task events) then data-plane (text).
+    /// This ordering prevents the class of bugs where a text message
+    /// references state that a control message was supposed to set up.
+    pub fn drain(&self) -> Vec<Envelope> {
+        let mut msgs = {
+            let mut guard = self.messages.lock();
+            std::mem::take(&mut *guard)
+        };
+
+        // Stable partition: control messages first, then data messages,
+        // preserving relative order within each group.
+        msgs.sort_by_key(|e| match &e.payload {
+            EnvelopePayload::ShutdownRequest { .. } => 0,
+            EnvelopePayload::ShutdownApproved => 0,
+            EnvelopePayload::TaskCompleted { .. } => 1,
+            EnvelopePayload::Text { .. } => 2,
+        });
+
+        msgs
+    }
+
+    pub fn pending_count(&self) -> usize {
+        self.messages.lock().len()
+    }
+}
+
+impl Clone for Inbox {
+    fn clone(&self) -> Self {
+        let messages = self.messages.lock().clone();
+        Self {
+            messages: parking_lot::Mutex::new(messages),
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/supervisor/mod.rs b/src/supervisor/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4d36bdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/supervisor/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+pub mod mailbox;
+pub mod taskqueue;
+
+use crate::utils::AbortSignal;
+use mailbox::Inbox;
+use taskqueue::TaskQueue;
+
+use anyhow::{Result, bail};
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::sync::Arc;
+use tokio::task::JoinHandle;
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum AgentExitStatus {
+    Completed,
+    Cancelled,
+    Failed(String),
+}
+
+pub struct AgentResult {
+    pub id: String,
+    pub agent_name: String,
+    pub output: String,
+    pub exit_status: AgentExitStatus,
+}
+
+pub struct AgentHandle {
+    pub id: String,
+    pub agent_name: String,
+    pub depth: usize,
+    pub inbox: Arc<Inbox>,
+    pub abort_signal: AbortSignal,
+    pub join_handle: JoinHandle<Result<AgentResult>>,
+}
+
+/// Lives as an `Arc<parking_lot::RwLock<Supervisor>>` alongside GlobalConfig,
+/// NOT inside it — avoids adding lock contention to the shared Config.
+pub struct Supervisor {
+    handles: HashMap<String, AgentHandle>,
+    task_queue: TaskQueue,
+    max_concurrent: usize,
+    max_depth: usize,
+}
+
+impl Supervisor {
+    pub fn new(max_concurrent: usize, max_depth: usize) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            handles: HashMap::new(),
+            task_queue: TaskQueue::new(),
+            max_concurrent,
+            max_depth,
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn active_count(&self) -> usize {
+        self.handles.len()
+    }
+
+    pub fn max_concurrent(&self) -> usize {
+        self.max_concurrent
+    }
+
+    pub fn max_depth(&self) -> usize {
+        self.max_depth
+    }
+
+    pub fn task_queue(&self) -> &TaskQueue {
+        &self.task_queue
+    }
+
+    pub fn task_queue_mut(&mut self) -> &mut TaskQueue {
+        &mut self.task_queue
+    }
+
+    pub fn register(&mut self, handle: AgentHandle) -> Result<()> {
+        if self.handles.len() >= self.max_concurrent {
+            bail!(
+                "Cannot spawn agent: at capacity ({}/{})",
+                self.handles.len(),
+                self.max_concurrent
+            );
+        }
+        if handle.depth > self.max_depth {
+            bail!(
+                "Cannot spawn agent: max depth exceeded ({}/{})",
+                handle.depth,
+                self.max_depth
+            );
+        }
+        self.handles.insert(handle.id.clone(), handle);
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    pub fn is_finished(&self, id: &str) -> Option<bool> {
+        self.handles.get(id).map(|h| h.join_handle.is_finished())
+    }
+
+    pub fn take_if_finished(&mut self, id: &str) -> Option<AgentHandle> {
+        if self
+            .handles
+            .get(id)
+            .is_some_and(|h| h.join_handle.is_finished())
+        {
+            self.handles.remove(id)
+        } else {
+            None
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn take(&mut self, id: &str) -> Option<AgentHandle> {
+        self.handles.remove(id)
+    }
+
+    pub fn inbox(&self, id: &str) -> Option<&Arc<Inbox>> {
+        self.handles.get(id).map(|h| &h.inbox)
+    }
+
+    pub fn list_agents(&self) -> Vec<(&str, &str)> {
+        self.handles
+            .values()
+            .map(|h| (h.id.as_str(), h.agent_name.as_str()))
+            .collect()
+    }
+
+    pub fn cancel_all(&self) {
+        for handle in self.handles.values() {
+            handle.abort_signal.set_ctrlc();
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/supervisor/taskqueue.rs b/src/supervisor/taskqueue.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bd78a46
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/supervisor/taskqueue.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,254 @@
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use std::collections::{HashMap, HashSet};
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "snake_case")]
+pub enum TaskStatus {
+    Pending,
+    Blocked,
+    InProgress,
+    Completed,
+    Failed,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+pub struct TaskNode {
+    pub id: String,
+    pub subject: String,
+    pub description: String,
+    pub status: TaskStatus,
+    pub owner: Option<String>,
+    pub blocked_by: HashSet<String>,
+    pub blocks: HashSet<String>,
+}
+
+impl TaskNode {
+    pub fn new(id: String, subject: String, description: String) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            id,
+            subject,
+            description,
+            status: TaskStatus::Pending,
+            owner: None,
+            blocked_by: HashSet::new(),
+            blocks: HashSet::new(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn is_runnable(&self) -> bool {
+        self.status == TaskStatus::Pending && self.blocked_by.is_empty()
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Default)]
+pub struct TaskQueue {
+    tasks: HashMap<String, TaskNode>,
+    next_id: usize,
+}
+
+impl TaskQueue {
+    pub fn new() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            tasks: HashMap::new(),
+            next_id: 1,
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn create(&mut self, subject: String, description: String) -> String {
+        let id = self.next_id.to_string();
+        self.next_id += 1;
+        let task = TaskNode::new(id.clone(), subject, description);
+        self.tasks.insert(id.clone(), task);
+        id
+    }
+
+    pub fn add_dependency(&mut self, task_id: &str, blocked_by: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
+        if task_id == blocked_by {
+            return Err("A task cannot depend on itself".into());
+        }
+        if !self.tasks.contains_key(blocked_by) {
+            return Err(format!("Dependency task '{blocked_by}' does not exist"));
+        }
+        if !self.tasks.contains_key(task_id) {
+            return Err(format!("Task '{task_id}' does not exist"));
+        }
+
+        if self.would_create_cycle(task_id, blocked_by) {
+            return Err(format!(
+                "Adding dependency {task_id} -> {blocked_by} would create a cycle"
+            ));
+        }
+
+        if let Some(task) = self.tasks.get_mut(task_id) {
+            task.blocked_by.insert(blocked_by.to_string());
+            task.status = TaskStatus::Blocked;
+        }
+        if let Some(blocker) = self.tasks.get_mut(blocked_by) {
+            blocker.blocks.insert(task_id.to_string());
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    pub fn complete(&mut self, task_id: &str) -> Vec<String> {
+        let mut newly_runnable = Vec::new();
+
+        let dependents: Vec<String> = self
+            .tasks
+            .get(task_id)
+            .map(|t| t.blocks.iter().cloned().collect())
+            .unwrap_or_default();
+
+        if let Some(task) = self.tasks.get_mut(task_id) {
+            task.status = TaskStatus::Completed;
+        }
+
+        for dep_id in &dependents {
+            if let Some(dep) = self.tasks.get_mut(dep_id) {
+                dep.blocked_by.remove(task_id);
+                if dep.blocked_by.is_empty() && dep.status == TaskStatus::Blocked {
+                    dep.status = TaskStatus::Pending;
+                    newly_runnable.push(dep_id.clone());
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        newly_runnable
+    }
+
+    pub fn fail(&mut self, task_id: &str) {
+        if let Some(task) = self.tasks.get_mut(task_id) {
+            task.status = TaskStatus::Failed;
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn claim(&mut self, task_id: &str, owner: &str) -> bool {
+        if let Some(task) = self.tasks.get_mut(task_id) {
+            if task.is_runnable() && task.owner.is_none() {
+                task.owner = Some(owner.to_string());
+                task.status = TaskStatus::InProgress;
+                return true;
+            }
+        }
+        false
+    }
+
+    pub fn runnable_tasks(&self) -> Vec<&TaskNode> {
+        self.tasks.values().filter(|t| t.is_runnable()).collect()
+    }
+
+    pub fn get(&self, task_id: &str) -> Option<&TaskNode> {
+        self.tasks.get(task_id)
+    }
+
+    pub fn list(&self) -> Vec<&TaskNode> {
+        let mut tasks: Vec<&TaskNode> = self.tasks.values().collect();
+        tasks.sort_by_key(|t| t.id.parse::<usize>().unwrap_or(0));
+        tasks
+    }
+
+    // DFS cycle detection: would adding task_id -> blocked_by create a cycle?
+    // A cycle exists if blocked_by can reach task_id through existing dependencies.
+    fn would_create_cycle(&self, task_id: &str, blocked_by: &str) -> bool {
+        let mut visited = HashSet::new();
+        let mut stack = vec![blocked_by.to_string()];
+
+        while let Some(current) = stack.pop() {
+            if current == task_id {
+                return true;
+            }
+            if visited.insert(current.clone()) {
+                if let Some(task) = self.tasks.get(&current) {
+                    for dep in &task.blocked_by {
+                        stack.push(dep.clone());
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        false
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_create_and_list() {
+        let mut queue = TaskQueue::new();
+        let id1 = queue.create("Research".into(), "Research auth patterns".into());
+        let id2 = queue.create("Implement".into(), "Write the code".into());
+
+        assert_eq!(id1, "1");
+        assert_eq!(id2, "2");
+        assert_eq!(queue.list().len(), 2);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_dependency_and_completion() {
+        let mut queue = TaskQueue::new();
+        let id1 = queue.create("Step 1".into(), "".into());
+        let id2 = queue.create("Step 2".into(), "".into());
+
+        queue.add_dependency(&id2, &id1).unwrap();
+
+        assert!(queue.get(&id1).unwrap().is_runnable());
+        assert!(!queue.get(&id2).unwrap().is_runnable());
+        assert_eq!(queue.get(&id2).unwrap().status, TaskStatus::Blocked);
+
+        let unblocked = queue.complete(&id1);
+        assert_eq!(unblocked, vec![id2.clone()]);
+        assert!(queue.get(&id2).unwrap().is_runnable());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_fan_in_dependency() {
+        let mut queue = TaskQueue::new();
+        let id1 = queue.create("A".into(), "".into());
+        let id2 = queue.create("B".into(), "".into());
+        let id3 = queue.create("C (needs A and B)".into(), "".into());
+
+        queue.add_dependency(&id3, &id1).unwrap();
+        queue.add_dependency(&id3, &id2).unwrap();
+
+        assert!(!queue.get(&id3).unwrap().is_runnable());
+
+        let unblocked = queue.complete(&id1);
+        assert!(unblocked.is_empty());
+        assert!(!queue.get(&id3).unwrap().is_runnable());
+
+        let unblocked = queue.complete(&id2);
+        assert_eq!(unblocked, vec![id3.clone()]);
+        assert!(queue.get(&id3).unwrap().is_runnable());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_cycle_detection() {
+        let mut queue = TaskQueue::new();
+        let id1 = queue.create("A".into(), "".into());
+        let id2 = queue.create("B".into(), "".into());
+
+        queue.add_dependency(&id2, &id1).unwrap();
+        let result = queue.add_dependency(&id1, &id2);
+        assert!(result.is_err());
+        assert!(result.unwrap_err().contains("cycle"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_self_dependency_rejected() {
+        let mut queue = TaskQueue::new();
+        let id1 = queue.create("A".into(), "".into());
+        let result = queue.add_dependency(&id1, &id1);
+        assert!(result.is_err());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_claim() {
+        let mut queue = TaskQueue::new();
+        let id1 = queue.create("Task".into(), "".into());
+
+        assert!(queue.claim(&id1, "worker-1"));
+        assert!(!queue.claim(&id1, "worker-2"));
+        assert_eq!(queue.get(&id1).unwrap().status, TaskStatus::InProgress);
+    }
+}