diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 16588d9..fa1d0d4 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -10,3 +10,6 @@ build/
 
 # Screenshots used in the README are committed on purpose.
 !docs/screenshots/*.png
+
+# Plan documents from the plan skill: local working notes.
+.hermes/
diff --git a/tools/test_uvk5_qmp.py b/tools/test_uvk5_qmp.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9c51fa5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/test_uvk5_qmp.py
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Unit tests for the QMP client. Uses a fake server, so no emulator needed."""
+import json
+import os
+import socket
+import tempfile
+import threading
+import unittest
+
+from uvk5_qmp import QmpClient
+
+
+def fake_server(path, script):
+    """Minimal QMP server: greets, then replies to each command from `script`."""
+    srv = socket.socket(socket.AF_UNIX, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
+    srv.bind(path)
+    srv.listen(1)
+
+    def run():
+        conn, _ = srv.accept()
+        conn.sendall(json.dumps({"QMP": {"version": {}}}).encode() + b"\n")
+        buf = b""
+        for reply in script:
+            while b"\n" not in buf:
+                chunk = conn.recv(4096)
+                if not chunk:
+                    return
+                buf += chunk
+            _, buf = buf.split(b"\n", 1)
+            conn.sendall(json.dumps(reply).encode() + b"\n")
+        conn.close()
+        srv.close()
+
+    threading.Thread(target=run, daemon=True).start()
+    return srv
+
+
+class TestQmpClient(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_negotiates_and_returns_command_result(self):
+        path = os.path.join(tempfile.mkdtemp(), "qmp.sock")
+        # reply 1 = qmp_capabilities, reply 2 = our command
+        fake_server(path, [{"return": {}}, {"return": {"status": "running"}}])
+
+        client = QmpClient(path)
+        self.addCleanup(client.close)
+        self.assertEqual(client.command("query-status"), {"status": "running"})
+
+    def test_raises_on_qmp_error(self):
+        path = os.path.join(tempfile.mkdtemp(), "qmp.sock")
+        fake_server(path, [{"return": {}},
+                           {"error": {"class": "GenericError", "desc": "nope"}}])
+        client = QmpClient(path)
+        self.addCleanup(client.close)
+        with self.assertRaises(RuntimeError) as ctx:
+            client.command("bogus")
+        self.assertIn("nope", str(ctx.exception))
+
+    def test_skips_interleaved_events(self):
+        """Events arrive unsolicited and must not be mistaken for a result.
+
+        The fake server answers one command with an event followed by the real
+        return, so a client that stopped at the first message would hand back the
+        event instead.
+        """
+        path = os.path.join(tempfile.mkdtemp(), "qmp.sock")
+        srv = socket.socket(socket.AF_UNIX, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
+        srv.bind(path)
+        srv.listen(1)
+
+        def run():
+            conn, _ = srv.accept()
+            conn.sendall(json.dumps({"QMP": {"version": {}}}).encode() + b"\n")
+            buf = b""
+
+            def next_command():
+                nonlocal buf
+                while b"\n" not in buf:
+                    buf += conn.recv(4096)
+                line, buf = buf.split(b"\n", 1)
+                return json.loads(line)
+
+            next_command()                                  # qmp_capabilities
+            conn.sendall(json.dumps({"return": {}}).encode() + b"\n")
+            next_command()                                  # query-status
+            # An event first, then the actual return.
+            conn.sendall(json.dumps({"event": "RESUME"}).encode() + b"\n")
+            conn.sendall(json.dumps({"return": {"status": "running"}}).encode() + b"\n")
+
+        threading.Thread(target=run, daemon=True).start()
+
+        client = QmpClient(path)
+        self.addCleanup(client.close)
+        self.assertEqual(client.command("query-status"), {"status": "running"})
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()
diff --git a/tools/uvk5_qmp.py b/tools/uvk5_qmp.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7e28812
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/uvk5_qmp.py
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Minimal QMP client for the UV-K5 emulator.
+
+Deliberately not shared with tools/key.py: that script is standalone on purpose,
+so it runs with nothing but the stdlib and no sys.path juggling.
+
+Only one client can hold the QMP socket at a time -- the emulator is started with
+server=on,wait=off, which accepts a single connection. A long-lived server owns
+it and callers serialise through the lock.
+"""
+import json
+import socket
+import threading
+
+
+class QmpClient:
+    def __init__(self, path: str, timeout: float = 5.0):
+        self._lock = threading.Lock()
+        self._sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_UNIX, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
+        self._sock.settimeout(timeout)
+        try:
+            self._sock.connect(path)
+        except OSError as exc:
+            raise RuntimeError(
+                f"cannot reach the emulator at {path}: {exc}\n"
+                "Start it with tools/run.sh first. Note the QMP socket takes a "
+                "single client, so tools/key.py cannot be connected at the same "
+                "time."
+            ) from exc
+        self._buf = b""
+        self._read_json()                       # greeting
+        self.command("qmp_capabilities")
+
+    def _read_json(self) -> dict:
+        while b"\n" not in self._buf:
+            chunk = self._sock.recv(65536)
+            if not chunk:
+                raise RuntimeError("QMP connection closed")
+            self._buf += chunk
+        line, self._buf = self._buf.split(b"\n", 1)
+        return json.loads(line)
+
+    def command(self, name: str, **args):
+        payload = {"execute": name}
+        if args:
+            payload["arguments"] = args
+        with self._lock:
+            self._sock.sendall(json.dumps(payload).encode() + b"\n")
+            while True:
+                msg = self._read_json()
+                if "error" in msg:
+                    raise RuntimeError(
+                        f"QMP {name} failed: "
+                        f"{msg['error'].get('desc', msg['error'])}")
+                if "return" in msg:
+                    return msg["return"]
+                # Events (STOP, RESET, RESUME, ...) interleave with replies;
+                # keep reading until the matching return arrives.
+
+    def close(self):
+        try:
+            self._sock.close()
+        except OSError:
+            pass