diff --git a/harness/.pi/extensions/gate/__tests__/fake_pi_runtime.js b/harness/.pi/extensions/gate/__tests__/fake_pi_runtime.js
index c5268da0..a4c037b5 100644
--- a/harness/.pi/extensions/gate/__tests__/fake_pi_runtime.js
+++ b/harness/.pi/extensions/gate/__tests__/fake_pi_runtime.js
@@ -17,18 +17,20 @@ function createFakePi() {
       confirm: async (title, message, opts) => { ctx.uiCalls.push({ method: "confirm", title, message, opts }); return ctx.uiQueue.shift(); },
     },
   };
+  const commands = new Map();
   const pi = {
     on: (event, handler) => {
       if (!handlers.has(event)) handlers.set(event, []);
       handlers.get(event).push(handler);
     },
     registerTool: (def, fn) => tools.set(def?.name ?? def, { def, fn }),
+    registerCommand: (name, def) => commands.set(name, def),
     emit: async (event, payload) => {
       let result;
       for (const h of handlers.get(event) ?? []) result = await h(payload, ctx);
       return result;
     },
   };
-  return { pi, ctx, tools, emit: pi.emit, enqueueUi: (v) => ctx.uiQueue.push(v) };
+  return { pi, ctx, tools, commands, emit: pi.emit, enqueueUi: (v) => ctx.uiQueue.push(v) };
 }
 module.exports = { createFakePi };
diff --git a/harness/.pi/extensions/gate/__tests__/gate_entry.test.js b/harness/.pi/extensions/gate/__tests__/gate_entry.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7a2e71d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/harness/.pi/extensions/gate/__tests__/gate_entry.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+const test = require("node:test");
+const assert = require("node:assert");
+const { createFakePi } = require("./fake_pi_runtime.js");
+
+// The gate is ESM; resolve it once via dynamic import (Global Constraints: use await import()
+// if require() of ESM misbehaves on this Node version).
+const installGatePromise = import("../../tht-gate.js").then((m) => m.default);
+
+test("avvio workflow via input non-interattivo attiva il lock (free text bloccato)", async () => {
+  const installGate = await installGatePromise;
+  const { pi } = createFakePi();
+  installGate(pi);
+  // entry del workflow con source 'rpc' (come un comando prompt RPC)
+  await pi.emit("input", { source: "rpc", text: '/nuova-domanda "x"' });
+  // dopo l'entry, un testo libero senza '!' deve essere bloccato (lock attivo)
+  const res = await pi.emit("input", { source: "rpc", text: "promuovi la tabella pazienti" });
+  assert.equal(res.action, "handled");
+});
+
+test("testo con '!' passa al modello (steer) anche con lock attivo", async () => {
+  const installGate = await installGatePromise;
+  const { pi } = createFakePi();
+  installGate(pi);
+  await pi.emit("input", { source: "rpc", text: '/nuova-domanda "x"' });
+  const res = await pi.emit("input", { source: "rpc", text: "!considera solo il 2024" });
+  assert.deepEqual(res, { action: "transform", text: "considera solo il 2024" });
+});
diff --git a/harness/.pi/extensions/tht-gate.js b/harness/.pi/extensions/tht-gate.js
index f6d54838..c190472e 100644
--- a/harness/.pi/extensions/tht-gate.js
+++ b/harness/.pi/extensions/tht-gate.js
@@ -217,10 +217,8 @@ export default function (pi) {
 	// 2) INPUT hook: workflow entry detection + free-input block + `!` steer channel.
 	pi.on("input", async (event, ctx) => {
 		const raw = (event.text ?? "").trimStart();
-		if (
-			event.source === "interactive" &&
-			/^\/(nuova-domanda|riprendi-sessione)\b/.test(raw)
-		) {
+		// entry detection: workflow-start funziona sia da TUI sia da comando RPC `prompt`.
+		if (/^\/(nuova-domanda|riprendi-sessione)\b/.test(raw)) {
 			// NOTE: the source runs an ollama preflight here; ThothII defers embeddings
 			// readiness to the session's first vector op. Entry detection only:
 			lockActive = true;
@@ -229,7 +227,8 @@ export default function (pi) {
 				? NUOVA_DOMANDA_KICKOFF
 				: RIPRENDI_KICKOFF;
 		}
-		if (!lockActive || event.source !== "interactive") return { action: "continue" };
+		// free-input block: attivo quando il lock è su, per qualsiasi input utente (non solo interattivo).
+		if (!lockActive) return { action: "continue" };
 		const trimmed = (event.text ?? "").trimStart();
 		if (trimmed.length === 0) return { action: "continue" };
 		if (trimmed.startsWith("/")) return { action: "continue" };
diff --git a/harness/package-lock.json b/harness/package-lock.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..78474fc8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/harness/package-lock.json
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+{
+  "name": "thothii-harness-gate",
+  "version": "0.1.0",
+  "lockfileVersion": 3,
+  "requires": true,
+  "packages": {
+    "": {
+      "name": "thothii-harness-gate",
+      "version": "0.1.0",
+      "devDependencies": {
+        "typebox": "1.1.38"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/typebox": {
+      "version": "1.1.38",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/typebox/-/typebox-1.1.38.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-pZ0aQPmMmXoUvSbeuWf/Hzsc+avNw/Zd6VeE8CFgkVGWyuHPJvqeJJDeJqLve+K70LvjYIoleGcoJHPT17cWoA==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "MIT"
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/harness/package.json b/harness/package.json
index 2d3df32c..105174b1 100644
--- a/harness/package.json
+++ b/harness/package.json
@@ -5,5 +5,8 @@
   "description": "Pi gate extension for the ThothII NL->SQL harness (widget-descriptor builders + glue)",
   "scripts": {
     "test": "node --test .pi/extensions/gate/__tests__/*.test.js"
+  },
+  "devDependencies": {
+    "typebox": "1.1.38"
   }
 }