diff --git a/packages/pi-notifications/src/index.ts b/packages/pi-notifications/src/index.ts
index 3fa5a42..38ab608 100644
--- a/packages/pi-notifications/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/pi-notifications/src/index.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ function notify(body: string, subtitle?: string): void {
   if (!enabled) return;
   try {
     const sub = subtitle ? `subtitle "${subtitle}"` : "";
-    const snd = sound ? `sound "${sound}"` : "";
+    // "default" is a reserved word in AppleScript, so only add sound param if it's a custom sound
+    const snd = sound && sound !== "default" ? `sound "${sound}"` : "";
     execSync(
       `osascript -e 'display notification "${body}" with title "${title}" ${sub} ${snd}'`.trim(),
       { stdio: "ignore" }
diff --git a/packages/pi-notifications/src/test-notify.ts b/packages/pi-notifications/src/test-notify.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6d320b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/pi-notifications/src/test-notify.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+// Standalone notification tester — run from bash to verify osascript works
+// Usage: npx jiti packages/pi-notifications/src/test-notify.ts
+//
+// This is completely decoupled from the agent loop.
+// Use it to verify that the extension's notification machinery works
+// before debugging event handler wiring.
+
+import { execSync } from "node:child_process";
+
+const title = process.env.PI_NOTIFICATION_TITLE || "pi";
+const sound = process.env.PI_NOTIFICATION_SOUND || "default";
+
+// "default" is a reserved word in AppleScript, so only add sound param if it's a custom sound
+const soundArg = sound && sound !== "default" ? `sound "${sound}"` : "";
+
+try {
+  const cmd = `osascript -e 'display notification "Test notification from pi-notifications" with title "${title}" ${soundArg}'`.trim();
+  console.log("[test-notify] running:", cmd);
+  execSync(cmd, { stdio: ["ignore", "pipe", "pipe"] });
+  console.log("[test-notify] ✅ Notification sent — check your Notification Center");
+} catch (e: any) {
+  console.error("[test-notify] ❌ Failed:", e.message);
+  console.error("[test-notify] Try running the command directly in bash to verify osascript works.");
+  process.exit(1);
+}