diff --git a/scripts/agent/run-scheduler-cycle.mjs b/scripts/agent/run-scheduler-cycle.mjs
index b89b054..b5a65cf 100644
--- a/scripts/agent/run-scheduler-cycle.mjs
+++ b/scripts/agent/run-scheduler-cycle.mjs
@@ -691,7 +691,7 @@ async function main() {
       }
     }
 
-    const checkResult = await runCommand('npm', ['run', `lock:check:${cadence}`]);
+    const checkResult = await runCommand('npm', ['run', `lock:check:${cadence}`, '--', '--json', '--quiet']);
     const checkPayload = parseJsonFromOutput(`${checkResult.stdout}\n${checkResult.stderr}`) || {};
     const excluded = Array.isArray(checkPayload.excluded)
       ? checkPayload.excluded
diff --git a/src/cli-parser.mjs b/src/cli-parser.mjs
index e9d9c8a..f768a00 100644
--- a/src/cli-parser.mjs
+++ b/src/cli-parser.mjs
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ export function parseArgs(argv) {
     command: null,
     agent: null,
     cadence: null,
+    json: false,
+    jsonFile: null,
+    quiet: false,
     dryRun: false,
     force: false,
     port: DEFAULT_DASHBOARD_PORT,
@@ -42,6 +45,14 @@ export function parseArgs(argv) {
       args.agent = argv[++i];
     } else if (arg === '--cadence' || arg === '-c') {
       args.cadence = argv[++i];
+    } else if (arg === '--json') {
+      args.json = true;
+    } else if (arg === '--json-file') {
+      args.jsonFile = argv[++i];
+    } else if (arg.startsWith('--json-file=')) {
+      args.jsonFile = arg.split('=')[1];
+    } else if (arg === '--quiet') {
+      args.quiet = true;
     } else if (arg.startsWith('--agent=')) {
       args.agent = arg.split('=')[1];
     } else if (arg.startsWith('--cadence=')) {
diff --git a/src/docs/TORCH.md b/src/docs/TORCH.md
index 6a2a362..fbe3018 100644
--- a/src/docs/TORCH.md
+++ b/src/docs/TORCH.md
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ To follow in any Nostr client, subscribe to kind 30078 with `#t = torch-agent-lo
 # Check active locks
 node bin/torch-lock.mjs check --cadence daily
 
+# Machine-readable lock output (recommended for automation)
+node bin/torch-lock.mjs check --cadence daily --json --quiet --json-file /tmp/torch-lock-check.json
+
 # Claim a task
 AGENT_PLATFORM=codex node bin/torch-lock.mjs lock --agent docs-agent --cadence daily
 
diff --git a/src/lib.mjs b/src/lib.mjs
index 9541615..96e8315 100644
--- a/src/lib.mjs
+++ b/src/lib.mjs
@@ -114,6 +114,9 @@ export async function cmdCheck(cadence, deps = {}) {
     error = console.error,
     logDir = 'task-logs',
     ignoreLogs = false,
+    json = false,
+    jsonFile = null,
+    quiet = false,
   } = deps;
 
   const relays = getRelays();
@@ -122,16 +125,18 @@ export async function cmdCheck(cadence, deps = {}) {
   const config = loadTorchConfig();
   const pausedAgents = config.scheduler.paused[cadence] || [];
 
-  error(`Checking locks: namespace=${namespace}, cadence=${cadence}, date=${dateStr}`);
-  error(`Relays: ${relays.join(', ')}`);
-  if (pausedAgents.length > 0) {
-    error(`Paused agents: ${pausedAgents.join(', ')}`);
+  if (!quiet) {
+    error(`Checking locks: namespace=${namespace}, cadence=${cadence}, date=${dateStr}`);
+    error(`Relays: ${relays.join(', ')}`);
+    if (pausedAgents.length > 0) {
+      error(`Paused agents: ${pausedAgents.join(', ')}`);
+    }
   }
 
   let completedAgents = new Set();
   if (!ignoreLogs) {
     completedAgents = await getCompletedAgents(cadence, logDir, deps);
-    if (completedAgents.size > 0) {
+    if (!quiet && completedAgents.size > 0) {
       error(`Completed agents (logs): ${[...completedAgents].join(', ')}`);
     }
   }
@@ -166,7 +171,18 @@ export async function cmdCheck(cadence, deps = {}) {
     })),
   };
 
-  log(JSON.stringify(result, null, 2));
+  const output = json ? JSON.stringify(result) : JSON.stringify(result, null, 2);
+
+  if (jsonFile) {
+    const resolvedPath = path.resolve(process.cwd(), jsonFile);
+    await fs.mkdir(path.dirname(resolvedPath), { recursive: true });
+    await fs.writeFile(resolvedPath, `${output}\n`, 'utf8');
+  }
+
+  if (json || !quiet) {
+    log(output);
+  }
+
   return result;
 }
 
@@ -530,6 +546,9 @@ Options:
   --force         Overwrite existing files (for init) or all files (for update)
   --log-dir       Path to task logs directory (default: task-logs)
   --ignore-logs   Skip checking local logs for completed tasks
+  --json          Emit compact single-line JSON
+  --json-file     Write JSON output to a file path
+  --quiet         Suppress stderr progress logs (pairs well with --json)
 
 Environment:
   NOSTR_LOCK_NAMESPACE      Namespace prefix for lock tags (default: torch)
@@ -569,7 +588,13 @@ export async function main(argv) {
           console.error(`ERROR: --cadence <${[...VALID_CADENCES].join('|')}> is required for check`);
           throw new ExitError(1, 'Missing cadence');
         }
-        await cmdCheck(args.cadence, { logDir: args.logDir, ignoreLogs: args.ignoreLogs });
+        await cmdCheck(args.cadence, {
+          logDir: args.logDir,
+          ignoreLogs: args.ignoreLogs,
+          json: args.json,
+          jsonFile: args.jsonFile,
+          quiet: args.quiet,
+        });
         break;
       }
 
diff --git a/src/prompts/META_PROMPTS.md b/src/prompts/META_PROMPTS.md
index 61e219d..3dd3070 100644
--- a/src/prompts/META_PROMPTS.md
+++ b/src/prompts/META_PROMPTS.md
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ MUST 1: Set cadence config to:
 
 MUST 2: Run preflight to get the exclusion set:
 
-npm run lock:check:daily
+npm run lock:check:daily -- --json --quiet
 
 Use `excluded` from the JSON output as the canonical exclusion set.
 If `excluded` is unavailable, fallback to the union of `locked`, `paused`, and `completed`.
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ MUST 1: Set cadence config to:
 
 MUST 2: Run preflight to get the exclusion set:
 
-npm run lock:check:weekly
+npm run lock:check:weekly -- --json --quiet
 
 Use `excluded` from the JSON output as the canonical exclusion set.
 If `excluded` is unavailable, fallback to the union of `locked`, `paused`, and `completed`.
diff --git a/src/prompts/scheduler-flow.md b/src/prompts/scheduler-flow.md
index 8e9a292..56f48e2 100644
--- a/src/prompts/scheduler-flow.md
+++ b/src/prompts/scheduler-flow.md
@@ -59,13 +59,15 @@ Every agent prompt invoked by the schedulers (daily/weekly) MUST enforce this co
 2. Run preflight to build the exclusion set:
 
    ```bash
-   if daily: `npm run lock:check:daily`; if weekly: `npm run lock:check:weekly`
+   if daily: `npm run lock:check:daily -- --json --quiet`; if weekly: `npm run lock:check:weekly -- --json --quiet`
    ```
 
    Canonical exclusion rule:
    - Use `excluded` from the `npm run lock:check:<cadence>` JSON output.
    - If `excluded` is unavailable, fallback to the union of `locked`, `paused`, and `completed` from that same JSON payload.
 
+   Goose Desktop note: `npm run lock:check:<cadence>` can emit large hermit wrapper logs. Use `--json --quiet` (as documented above). If the command still fails due to Goose hermit issues, apply the PATH workaround in `KNOWN_ISSUES.md` before rerunning.
+
 3. Read policy file(s) once before the run loop. This step is conditional: if `AGENTS.md` is missing, continue without failing.
 
    ```bash