diff --git a/scripts/bot_cli.sh b/scripts/bot_cli.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..6528f79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/bot_cli.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Run the bot CLI in the local venv. With no args, drops into the TUI menu.
+# Requires: dev stack up (run scripts/dev.sh up first), .venv with deps.
+set -euo pipefail
+
+usage() {
+  cat <<'EOF'
+Run the bot CLI (app.bot_cli) in the local venv.
+
+Usage:
+  scripts/bot_cli.sh                      Drop into the TUI menu.
+  scripts/bot_cli.sh <subcommand> [args]  One-shot subcommand. Try --help.
+
+Examples:
+  scripts/bot_cli.sh register
+  scripts/bot_cli.sh credit 13c1234 abc12345
+  scripts/bot_cli.sh monitor-once --target 5
+
+Environment:
+  NO_SUDO=1     Skip 'sudo' when checking 'dev.sh status'.
+  PYTHON_BIN    Override the python interpreter (default: .venv/bin/python).
+EOF
+}
+
+if [[ "${1:-}" == "-h" || "${1:-}" == "--help" ]]; then
+  usage
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+ROOT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)"
+cd "${ROOT_DIR}"
+
+# E2: bail if the dev stack is not running.
+if ! NO_SUDO="${NO_SUDO:-0}" bash scripts/dev.sh status >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "ERROR: dev stack not running. Run 'scripts/dev.sh up' first." >&2
+  exit 2
+fi
+
+if [[ ! -f .env ]]; then
+  echo "ERROR: .env not found. cp envs/dev/.env.example .env (then edit)." >&2
+  exit 2
+fi
+
+# Load .env into the environment (export everything between 'set -a' and 'set +a').
+set -a
+# shellcheck disable=SC1091
+source .env
+set +a
+
+# Override DB host/port for the local CLI: docker mysql is published on
+# 127.0.0.1:3306, even though api-server in-network reaches it as mysql:3306.
+export DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
+export DB_PORT=3306
+
+PYTHON_BIN="${PYTHON_BIN:-${ROOT_DIR}/.venv/bin/python}"
+if [[ ! -x "${PYTHON_BIN}" ]]; then
+  echo "ERROR: ${PYTHON_BIN} not found." >&2
+  echo "Create the venv: python3 -m venv .venv && .venv/bin/pip install -r requirements.txt" >&2
+  exit 2
+fi
+
+exec "${PYTHON_BIN}" -m app.bot_cli "$@"
diff --git a/scripts/dev.sh b/scripts/dev.sh
index 41910ac..88cab5f 100755
--- a/scripts/dev.sh
+++ b/scripts/dev.sh
@@ -28,6 +28,18 @@ SUDO="sudo"
 # shellcheck disable=SC2206
 COMPOSE=(${SUDO} docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.override.yml)
 
+# Help and empty-arg cases don't need .env. Handle them first.
+case "${1:-}" in
+  -h|--help|help)
+    usage
+    exit 0
+    ;;
+  "")
+    usage >&2
+    exit 1
+    ;;
+esac
+
 if [[ ! -f .env ]]; then
   echo "ERROR: .env not found at repo root. Run: cp envs/dev/.env.example .env (then edit)." >&2
   exit 2
@@ -56,14 +68,6 @@ case "${1:-}" in
       exit 1
     fi
     ;;
-  -h|--help|help)
-    usage
-    exit 0
-    ;;
-  "")
-    usage >&2
-    exit 1
-    ;;
   *)
     echo "unknown command: $1" >&2
     usage >&2