diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 923f652..d54dd8a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ A2A_HOST=127.0.0.1 \
 A2A_PORT=8000 \
 A2A_PUBLIC_URL=http://127.0.0.1:8000 \
 OPENCODE_WORKSPACE_ROOT=/abs/path/to/workspace \
-opencode-a2a serve
+opencode-a2a
 ```
 
 Verify that the service is up:
diff --git a/docs/guide.md b/docs/guide.md
index 60dfba6..300014c 100644
--- a/docs/guide.md
+++ b/docs/guide.md
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ A2A_HOST=127.0.0.1 \
 A2A_PORT=8000 \
 A2A_PUBLIC_URL=http://127.0.0.1:8000 \
 OPENCODE_WORKSPACE_ROOT=/abs/path/to/workspace \
-opencode-a2a serve
+opencode-a2a
 ```
 
 ## Troubleshooting Provider Auth State
diff --git a/src/opencode_a2a/cli.py b/src/opencode_a2a/cli.py
index 68147d3..097bc51 100644
--- a/src/opencode_a2a/cli.py
+++ b/src/opencode_a2a/cli.py
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@ def build_parser() -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
         prog="opencode-a2a",
         description=(
-            "OpenCode A2A runtime. Deployment supervision is intentionally left to the operator."
+            "OpenCode A2A runtime. Run without a subcommand to start the service."
+            " Deployment supervision is intentionally left to the operator."
         ),
         formatter_class=argparse.ArgumentDefaultsHelpFormatter,
     )
@@ -64,11 +65,6 @@ def build_parser() -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
     )
 
     subparsers = parser.add_subparsers(dest="command")
-    subparsers.add_parser(
-        "serve",
-        help="Start the OpenCode A2A runtime using environment-based settings.",
-        description="Start the OpenCode A2A runtime using environment-based settings.",
-    )
 
     call_parser = subparsers.add_parser(
         "call",
@@ -95,10 +91,6 @@ def main(argv: Sequence[str] | None = None) -> int:
         return 0
 
     namespace = parser.parse_args(args)
-    if namespace.command == "serve":
-        serve_main()
-        return 0
-
     if namespace.command == "call":
         return asyncio.run(run_call(namespace.agent_url, namespace.text, namespace.token))
 
diff --git a/tests/server/test_cli.py b/tests/server/test_cli.py
index 614bd81..13ffd02 100644
--- a/tests/server/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/server/test_cli.py
@@ -14,22 +14,20 @@ def test_cli_help_does_not_require_runtime_settings(capsys: pytest.CaptureFixtur
 
     assert excinfo.value.code == 0
     help_text = capsys.readouterr().out
-    assert "serve" in help_text
+    assert "Run without a subcommand to start the service." in help_text
+    assert "{call}" in help_text
+    assert "serve" not in help_text
     assert "deploy-release" not in help_text
     assert "init-release-system" not in help_text
     assert "uninstall-instance" not in help_text
     serve_mock.assert_not_called()
 
 
-def test_cli_serve_help_exposes_runtime_contract(
-    capsys: pytest.CaptureFixture[str],
-) -> None:
+def test_cli_serve_subcommand_is_rejected() -> None:
     with pytest.raises(SystemExit) as excinfo:
-        cli.main(["serve", "--help"])
+        cli.main(["serve"])
 
-    assert excinfo.value.code == 0
-    help_text = capsys.readouterr().out
-    assert "Start the OpenCode A2A runtime using environment-based settings." in help_text
+    assert excinfo.value.code == 2
 
 
 def test_cli_version_does_not_require_runtime_settings(
@@ -51,13 +49,6 @@ def test_cli_defaults_to_serve_when_no_subcommand() -> None:
     serve_mock.assert_called_once_with()
 
 
-def test_cli_serve_subcommand_invokes_runtime() -> None:
-    with mock.patch("opencode_a2a.cli.serve_main") as serve_mock:
-        assert cli.main(["serve"]) == 0
-
-    serve_mock.assert_called_once_with()
-
-
 def test_cli_call_uses_outbound_bearer_env_default() -> None:
     with mock.patch.dict(
         "os.environ",