diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 4d6ac86..60b2954 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -138,7 +138,10 @@ The server sets these on each app process: `PORT`, `APPS_DIR`, `TOES_URL`, `TOES
 
 ### SSE Streaming
 
-`/api/apps/stream` pushes the full app list on every state change. Client reconnects automatically. The `onChange()` callback system in `apps.ts` notifies listeners.
+Two SSE endpoints serve different consumers:
+
+- `/api/apps/stream` -- Full app state snapshots on every change. Used by the dashboard UI. Driven by `onChange()` in `apps.ts`.
+- `/api/events/stream` -- Discrete lifecycle events (`app:start`, `app:stop`, `app:activate`, `app:create`, `app:delete`). Used by app processes to react to other apps' lifecycle changes. Driven by `emit()`/`onEvent()` in `apps.ts`. Apps subscribe via `on()` from `@because/toes/tools`.
 
 ## Coding Guidelines
 
diff --git a/src/server/api/apps.ts b/src/server/api/apps.ts
index c951513..f1e99f2 100644
--- a/src/server/api/apps.ts
+++ b/src/server/api/apps.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ function convert(app: BackendApp): SharedApp {
   return { ...rest, pid: proc?.pid }
 }
 
-// SSE endpoint for real-time app state updates
+// SSE: full app state snapshots for the dashboard UI (every state change)
+// For discrete lifecycle events consumed by app processes, see /api/events/stream
 router.sse('/stream', (send) => {
   const broadcast = () => {
     const apps: SharedApp[] = allApps().map(({
diff --git a/src/server/api/events.ts b/src/server/api/events.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..526039c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/server/api/events.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import { onEvent } from '$apps'
+import { Hype } from '@because/hype'
+
+const router = Hype.router()
+
+// SSE: discrete lifecycle events for app processes (start, stop, deploy, etc.)
+// Unlike /api/apps/stream (full state snapshots for the dashboard), this sends
+// individual events so apps can react to specific lifecycle changes.
+router.sse('/stream', (send) => {
+  const unsub = onEvent(event => send(event))
+  return unsub
+})
+
+export default router
diff --git a/src/server/api/sync.ts b/src/server/api/sync.ts
index 4ba269e..09c0b45 100644
--- a/src/server/api/sync.ts
+++ b/src/server/api/sync.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { APPS_DIR, allApps, registerApp, removeApp, restartApp, startApp } from '$apps'
+import { APPS_DIR, allApps, emit, registerApp, removeApp, restartApp, startApp } from '$apps'
 import { computeHash, generateManifest } from '../sync'
 import { loadGitignore } from '@gitignore'
 import { cpSync, existsSync, mkdirSync, readdirSync, readFileSync, realpathSync, renameSync, rmSync, symlinkSync, unlinkSync, watch, writeFileSync } from 'fs'
@@ -330,6 +330,8 @@ router.post('/apps/:app/activate', async c => {
       console.error(`Failed to clean up old versions: ${e}`)
     }
 
+    emit({ type: 'app:activate', app: appName, version })
+
     // Register new app or restart existing
     const app = allApps().find(a => a.name === appName)
     if (!app) {
diff --git a/src/server/apps.ts b/src/server/apps.ts
index 1224134..22a10c8 100644
--- a/src/server/apps.ts
+++ b/src/server/apps.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import type { App as SharedApp, AppState } from '@types'
+import type { ToesEvent, ToesEventInput, ToesEventType } from '../shared/events'
 import type { Subprocess } from 'bun'
 import { DEFAULT_EMOJI } from '@types'
 import { appendFileSync, existsSync, mkdirSync, readdirSync, readFileSync, realpathSync, renameSync, symlinkSync, unlinkSync, writeFileSync } from 'fs'
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ const STARTUP_TIMEOUT = 30000
 const _appPorts = new Map<string, number>()
 const _apps = new Map<string, App>()
 const _availablePorts: number[] = []
+const _eventListeners = new Set<(event: ToesEvent) => void>()
 const _listeners = new Set<() => void>()
 
 let _shuttingDown = false
@@ -106,11 +108,22 @@ export async function initApps() {
   runApps()
 }
 
+export function emit(event: ToesEventInput) {
+  // Cast: ToesEventInput is DistributiveOmit<ToesEvent, 'time'>, so adding time
+  // back produces ToesEvent. TS can't prove this because spreads don't distribute.
+  _eventListeners.forEach(cb => cb({ ...event, time: Date.now() } as ToesEvent))
+}
+
 export function onChange(cb: () => void) {
   _listeners.add(cb)
   return () => _listeners.delete(cb)
 }
 
+export function onEvent(cb: (event: ToesEvent) => void) {
+  _eventListeners.add(cb)
+  return () => _eventListeners.delete(cb)
+}
+
 export function removeApp(dir: string) {
   const app = _apps.get(dir)
   if (!app) return
@@ -130,6 +143,7 @@ export function removeApp(dir: string) {
 
   _apps.delete(dir)
   update()
+  emit({ type: 'app:delete', app: dir })
 }
 
 export function registerApp(dir: string) {
@@ -141,6 +155,7 @@ export function registerApp(dir: string) {
   const tool = pkg.toes?.tool
   _apps.set(dir, { name: dir, state, icon, error, tool })
   update()
+  emit({ type: 'app:create', app: dir })
   if (!error) {
     runApp(dir, getPort(dir))
   }
@@ -502,6 +517,7 @@ function markAsRunning(app: App, port: number, isHttpApp: boolean) {
   app.started = Date.now()
   app.isHttpApp = isHttpApp
   update()
+  emit({ type: 'app:start', app: app.name })
   openTunnelIfEnabled(app.name, port)
 
   if (isHttpApp) {
@@ -737,6 +753,7 @@ async function runApp(dir: string, port: number) {
     app.port = undefined
     app.started = undefined
     update()
+    if (!_shuttingDown) emit({ type: 'app:stop', app: dir })
 
     // Schedule restart if appropriate
     if (shouldAutoRestart(app, code)) {
diff --git a/src/server/index.tsx b/src/server/index.tsx
index 248cb78..a2d0b20 100644
--- a/src/server/index.tsx
+++ b/src/server/index.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { allApps, initApps, TOES_URL } from '$apps'
 import appsRouter from './api/apps'
+import eventsRouter from './api/events'
 import syncRouter from './api/sync'
 import systemRouter from './api/system'
 import { Hype } from '@because/hype'
@@ -7,6 +8,7 @@ import { Hype } from '@because/hype'
 const app = new Hype({ layout: false, logging: !!process.env.DEBUG })
 
 app.route('/api/apps', appsRouter)
+app.route('/api/events', eventsRouter)
 app.route('/api/sync', syncRouter)
 app.route('/api/system', systemRouter)
 
diff --git a/src/shared/events.ts b/src/shared/events.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..744caee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/events.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+export type ToesEventType = 'app:activate' | 'app:create' | 'app:delete' | 'app:start' | 'app:stop'
+
+interface BaseEvent {
+  app: string
+  time: number
+}
+
+export type ToesEvent =
+  | BaseEvent & { type: 'app:activate'; version: string }
+  | BaseEvent & { type: 'app:create' }
+  | BaseEvent & { type: 'app:delete' }
+  | BaseEvent & { type: 'app:start' }
+  | BaseEvent & { type: 'app:stop' }
+
+type DistributiveOmit<T, K extends keyof any> = T extends any ? Omit<T, K> : never
+
+export type ToesEventInput = DistributiveOmit<ToesEvent, 'time'>
diff --git a/src/tools/events.ts b/src/tools/events.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..30e6f0b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tools/events.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+import type { ToesEvent, ToesEventType } from '../shared/events'
+
+export type { ToesEvent, ToesEventType }
+
+type EventCallback = (event: ToesEvent) => void
+
+interface Listener {
+  types: ToesEventType[]
+  callback: EventCallback
+}
+
+const _listeners = new Set<Listener>()
+
+let _es: EventSource | undefined
+
+function ensureConnection() {
+  if (_es && _es.readyState !== EventSource.CLOSED) return
+  if (_es) _es.close()
+  const url = `${process.env.TOES_URL}/api/events/stream`
+  _es = new EventSource(url)
+
+  _es.onerror = () => {
+    if (_es?.readyState === EventSource.CLOSED) {
+      console.warn('[toes] Event stream closed, reconnecting...')
+      _es = undefined
+      if (_listeners.size > 0) ensureConnection()
+    }
+  }
+
+  _es.onmessage = (msg) => {
+    try {
+      const event: ToesEvent = JSON.parse(msg.data)
+      _listeners.forEach(l => {
+        if (l.types.includes(event.type)) l.callback(event)
+      })
+    } catch (e) {
+      console.warn('[toes] Failed to parse event:', e)
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+export function on(type: ToesEventType | ToesEventType[], callback: EventCallback): () => void {
+  const listener: Listener = {
+    types: Array.isArray(type) ? type : [type],
+    callback,
+  }
+  _listeners.add(listener)
+  ensureConnection()
+
+  return () => {
+    _listeners.delete(listener)
+    if (_listeners.size === 0 && _es) {
+      _es.close()
+      _es = undefined
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/tools/index.ts b/src/tools/index.ts
index 3057967..d2a98e2 100644
--- a/src/tools/index.ts
+++ b/src/tools/index.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 export { theme } from '../client/themes'
 export { loadAppEnv } from './env'
+export type { ToesEvent, ToesEventType } from './events'
+export { on } from './events'
 export { baseStyles, ToolScript } from './scripts.tsx'