diff --git a/packages/adapter-cursor/src/index.ts b/packages/adapter-cursor/src/index.ts
index dd436fe..649e65d 100644
--- a/packages/adapter-cursor/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/adapter-cursor/src/index.ts
@@ -84,16 +84,22 @@ function throwCursorSpawnError(error: SpawnError): never {
 /** Default adapter config: model auto-selection and 300s wall-clock cap (milliseconds). */
 const CURSOR_ADAPTER_DEFAULT_MS = 300_000;
 
+export type CursorAdapterConfig = AgentConfig & {
+  /** When set, passes `--mode=ask` or `--mode=plan` to `cursor-agent` (default runs without extra mode). */
+  mode?: CursorAgentMode;
+};
+
 /**
  * Builds a Cursor CLI `AgentFn` from adapter config (model, timeout).
  */
-export function createCursorAdapter(config: AgentConfig): AgentFn {
+export function createCursorAdapter(config: CursorAdapterConfig): AgentFn {
   const timeoutMs = config.timeout;
+  const mode = config.mode ?? "default";
 
   return async (prompt: string, context: WorkflowContext): Promise<string> => {
     const run = await cursorAgent({
       prompt,
-      mode: "default",
+      mode,
       model: config.model,
       cwd: context.workdir,
       env: null,
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/__tests__/validate-workflow-agents.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/__tests__/validate-workflow-agents.test.ts
index 1bb599c..fd02ee0 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/__tests__/validate-workflow-agents.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/__tests__/validate-workflow-agents.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /**
- * RFC-003 Phase 5: nerve validate — WorkflowSpec adapter usage and extract.
+ * RFC-003 Phase 5: nerve validate — workflow adapter usage and extract.
  */
 
 import { mkdirSync, mkdtempSync, rmSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
@@ -38,9 +38,8 @@ describe("validateAgentConfigurationLayer", () => {
     writeFileSync(
       join(nerveRoot, "workflows", "demo", "src", "index.ts"),
       `
-import type { WorkflowSpec } from "@uncaged/nerve-core";
 const adapter = async () => "";
-const spec: WorkflowSpec<{ r: { x: number } }> = {
+const spec = {
   name: "demo",
   roles: {
     r: { adapter: adapter, prompt: "p", meta: {} as never },
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/workflow-agent-validation.ts b/packages/cli/src/workflow-agent-validation.ts
index 4a90b5c..049b155 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/workflow-agent-validation.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/workflow-agent-validation.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { join } from "node:path";
 import type { NerveConfig } from "@uncaged/nerve-core";
 
 /**
- * Detects RoleSpec `adapter:` usage in workflow TypeScript sources.
+ * Detects `adapter:` usage in workflow TypeScript sources (e.g. createRole wiring).
  * NOTE: This regex can match occurrences inside comments.
  */
 const WORKFLOW_SPEC_ADAPTER_PATTERN = /adapter:\s*[a-zA-Z_$]/;
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ function collectTsSourceFiles(dir: string, acc: string[]): void {
 }
 
 /**
- * Returns true when any workflow `src` tree appears to use WorkflowSpec roles with adapters.
+ * Returns true when any workflow `src` tree appears to use roles with adapters.
  */
 export function workflowSourcesDeclareAdapterRoles(nerveRoot: string): boolean {
   const workflowsRoot = join(nerveRoot, "workflows");
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ export function validateAgentConfigurationLayer(
     return {
       ok: false,
       message:
-        "extract: required when WorkflowSpec roles use adapters (configure extract.provider and extract.model)",
+        "extract: required when workflow roles use adapters (configure extract.provider and extract.model)",
     };
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/core/src/index.ts b/packages/core/src/index.ts
index 7145aa9..727cfad 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/index.ts
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ export type {
   WorkflowDefinition,
 } from "./workflow.js";
 export { START, END, DEFAULT_ENGINE_MAX_ROUNDS } from "./workflow.js";
-export type { PromptInput, RoleSpec, WorkflowSpec } from "./workflow-spec.js";
 export { parseDurationStringToMs } from "./duration.js";
 export type { Schema, ExtractFn } from "./extract-layer.js";
 export { ExtractError } from "./extract-layer.js";
diff --git a/packages/core/src/parse-nerve-config.ts b/packages/core/src/parse-nerve-config.ts
index 10ddd01..8a614c6 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/parse-nerve-config.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/parse-nerve-config.ts
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ export function parseNerveConfig(raw: string): Result<NerveConfig> {
   if (Object.hasOwn(obj, "agents")) {
     return err(
       new Error(
-        "agents: key is no longer supported — declare adapters on WorkflowSpec roles (RFC-003)",
+        "agents: key is no longer supported — declare adapters on workflow roles (RFC-003)",
       ),
     );
   }
diff --git a/packages/core/src/workflow-spec.ts b/packages/core/src/workflow-spec.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 056ee63..0000000
--- a/packages/core/src/workflow-spec.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,24 +0,0 @@
-import type { Schema } from "./extract-layer.js";
-import type { AgentFn, Moderator, RoleMeta, StartStep, WorkflowMessage } from "./workflow.js";
-
-/** Static string or async prompt built from thread context (RFC-003 dynamic prompts). */
-export type PromptInput =
-  | string
-  | ((start: StartStep, messages: WorkflowMessage[]) => Promise<string>);
-
-/**
- * Authoring-time role: adapter function, prompt, extract schema (RFC-003).
- * Compiles to runtime `Role<Meta>` via `compileWorkflowSpec`.
- */
-export type RoleSpec<Meta extends Record<string, unknown>> = {
-  adapter: AgentFn;
-  prompt: PromptInput;
-  meta: Schema<Meta>;
-};
-
-/** User-facing workflow authoring shape; compiles to `WorkflowDefinition`. */
-export type WorkflowSpec<M extends RoleMeta> = {
-  name: string;
-  roles: { [K in keyof M]: RoleSpec<M[K]> };
-  moderator: Moderator<M>;
-};
diff --git a/packages/daemon/src/__tests__/compile-workflow-spec.test.ts b/packages/daemon/src/__tests__/compile-workflow-spec.test.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 2ebeee1..0000000
--- a/packages/daemon/src/__tests__/compile-workflow-spec.test.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,188 +0,0 @@
-import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
-
-import type {
-  AgentFn,
-  ModeratorContext,
-  RoleMeta,
-  Schema,
-  StartStep,
-  WorkflowContext,
-  WorkflowDefinition,
-  WorkflowMessage,
-  WorkflowSpec,
-} from "@uncaged/nerve-core";
-import { END, START } from "@uncaged/nerve-core";
-
-import { compileWorkflowSpec } from "../compile-workflow-spec.js";
-
-type DemoMeta = { n: number };
-
-function echoAdapter(): AgentFn {
-  return async (prompt: string, _ctx: WorkflowContext) => prompt;
-}
-
-function makeStart(threadId = "t1"): StartStep {
-  return {
-    role: START,
-    content: "",
-    meta: { maxRounds: 10, dryRun: false, threadId },
-    timestamp: Date.now(),
-  };
-}
-
-function makeContext(start: StartStep, messages: WorkflowMessage[]): WorkflowContext {
-  return {
-    start,
-    messages,
-    workdir: "/tmp/repo",
-    signal: new AbortController().signal,
-  };
-}
-
-describe("compileWorkflowSpec", () => {
-  it("compiles WorkflowSpec to WorkflowDefinition shape", () => {
-    const witness: DemoMeta | null = null;
-    const schema: Schema<DemoMeta> = { witness };
-
-    const spec: WorkflowSpec<{ main: DemoMeta }> = {
-      name: "demo",
-      roles: {
-        main: {
-          adapter: echoAdapter(),
-          prompt: "hello",
-          meta: schema,
-        },
-      },
-      moderator: (_ctx: ModeratorContext<{ main: DemoMeta }>) => END,
-    };
-
-    const def = compileWorkflowSpec(spec, {
-      extractFn: async <T>(raw: string, _s: Schema<T>) => ({ n: raw.length }) as T,
-      createContext: makeContext,
-    });
-
-    expect(def.name).toBe("demo");
-    expect(typeof def.roles.main).toBe("function");
-    expect(def.moderator).toBe(spec.moderator);
-  });
-
-  it("runs AgentFn then ExtractFn in order", async () => {
-    const witness: DemoMeta | null = null;
-    const schema: Schema<DemoMeta> = { witness };
-
-    const order: string[] = [];
-
-    const baseEcho = echoAdapter();
-    const spyAgent: AgentFn = async (prompt, ctx) => {
-      order.push("agent");
-      return baseEcho(prompt, ctx);
-    };
-
-    const spec: WorkflowSpec<{ main: DemoMeta }> = {
-      name: "order-test",
-      roles: {
-        main: {
-          adapter: spyAgent,
-          prompt: "ping",
-          meta: schema,
-        },
-      },
-      moderator: () => END,
-    };
-
-    const def = compileWorkflowSpec(spec, {
-      extractFn: async <T>(raw: string, _sch: Schema<T>) => {
-        order.push("extract");
-        return { n: raw.length } as T;
-      },
-      createContext: makeContext,
-    });
-
-    const start = makeStart();
-    await def.roles.main(start, []);
-
-    expect(order).toEqual(["agent", "extract"]);
-  });
-
-  it("passes WorkflowContext from createContext to AgentFn (adapter owns timeout)", async () => {
-    const witness: DemoMeta | null = null;
-    const schema: Schema<DemoMeta> = { witness };
-
-    const seenCtx: WorkflowContext[] = [];
-
-    const adapter: AgentFn = async (_prompt, ctx) => {
-      seenCtx.push(ctx);
-      return "x";
-    };
-
-    const spec: WorkflowSpec<{ main: DemoMeta }> = {
-      name: "ctx",
-      roles: {
-        main: {
-          adapter,
-          prompt: "x",
-          meta: schema,
-        },
-      },
-      moderator: () => END,
-    };
-
-    await compileWorkflowSpec(spec, {
-      extractFn: async <T>(_raw: string, _s: Schema<T>) => ({ n: 0 }) as T,
-      createContext: makeContext,
-    }).roles.main(makeStart(), []);
-
-    expect(seenCtx).toHaveLength(1);
-    expect(seenCtx[0].workdir).toBe("/tmp/repo");
-  });
-
-  it("resolves dynamic prompt functions before AgentFn", async () => {
-    const witness: DemoMeta | null = null;
-    const schema: Schema<DemoMeta> = { witness };
-
-    const spec: WorkflowSpec<{ main: DemoMeta }> = {
-      name: "dyn",
-      roles: {
-        main: {
-          adapter: echoAdapter(),
-          prompt: async (start, messages) => `tid=${start.meta.threadId} n=${messages.length}`,
-          meta: schema,
-        },
-      },
-      moderator: () => END,
-    };
-
-    const def = compileWorkflowSpec(spec, {
-      extractFn: async <T>(raw: string, _s: Schema<T>) => ({ n: raw.length }) as T,
-      createContext: makeContext,
-    });
-
-    const start = makeStart("thread-x");
-    const msgs: WorkflowMessage[] = [{ role: "a", content: "m", meta: {}, timestamp: 1 }];
-    const out = await def.roles.main(start, msgs);
-    expect(out.content).toBe("tid=thread-x n=1");
-    expect(out.meta.n).toBe(out.content.length);
-  });
-});
-
-describe("backward compatibility", () => {
-  it("hand-written Role-based WorkflowDefinition remains valid", async () => {
-    type M = RoleMeta & { legacy: { id: string } };
-
-    const manual: WorkflowDefinition<M> = {
-      name: "legacy",
-      roles: {
-        legacy: async (_start, _messages) => ({
-          content: "hi",
-          meta: { id: "a" },
-        }),
-      },
-      moderator: (_ctx: ModeratorContext<M>) => END,
-    };
-
-    const start = makeStart();
-    const out = await manual.roles.legacy(start, []);
-    expect(out.content).toBe("hi");
-    expect(out.meta.id).toBe("a");
-  });
-});
diff --git a/packages/daemon/src/compile-workflow-spec.ts b/packages/daemon/src/compile-workflow-spec.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index eb7e570..0000000
--- a/packages/daemon/src/compile-workflow-spec.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,59 +0,0 @@
-import type {
-  Role,
-  RoleMeta,
-  RoleSpec,
-  Schema,
-  StartStep,
-  WorkflowContext,
-  WorkflowDefinition,
-  WorkflowMessage,
-  WorkflowSpec,
-} from "@uncaged/nerve-core";
-
-export type CompileWorkflowSpecDeps = {
-  /**
-   * Typed extraction for agent raw output (global/role merge applied before compile).
-   */
-  extractFn: <T>(raw: string, schema: Schema<T>) => Promise<T>;
-  /** Builds thread context for each role invocation (workdir, cancellation, etc.). */
-  createContext: (start: StartStep, messages: WorkflowMessage[]) => WorkflowContext;
-};
-
-function compileRoleForSpec<Meta extends Record<string, unknown>>(
-  roleSpec: RoleSpec<Meta>,
-  deps: CompileWorkflowSpecDeps,
-): Role<Meta> {
-  return async (start: StartStep, messages: WorkflowMessage[]) => {
-    const ctx = deps.createContext(start, messages);
-
-    const promptText =
-      typeof roleSpec.prompt === "string"
-        ? roleSpec.prompt
-        : await roleSpec.prompt(start, messages);
-
-    const raw = await roleSpec.adapter(promptText, ctx);
-    const meta = await deps.extractFn(raw, roleSpec.meta);
-    return { content: raw, meta };
-  };
-}
-
-/**
- * Turns RFC-003 `WorkflowSpec` into engine `WorkflowDefinition`: wires adapters and extract per role.
- */
-export function compileWorkflowSpec<M extends RoleMeta>(
-  spec: WorkflowSpec<M>,
-  deps: CompileWorkflowSpecDeps,
-): WorkflowDefinition<M> {
-  const roleKeys = Object.keys(spec.roles) as Array<keyof M & string>;
-  const roles = {} as WorkflowDefinition<M>["roles"];
-
-  for (const key of roleKeys) {
-    roles[key] = compileRoleForSpec(spec.roles[key], deps);
-  }
-
-  return {
-    name: spec.name,
-    roles,
-    moderator: spec.moderator,
-  };
-}
diff --git a/packages/daemon/src/index.ts b/packages/daemon/src/index.ts
index 6ef1fad..b1b38c3 100644
--- a/packages/daemon/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/daemon/src/index.ts
@@ -58,6 +58,4 @@ export type {
 export { createWorkflowManager } from "./workflow-manager.js";
 export type { WorkflowManager } from "./workflow-manager.js";
 
-export { compileWorkflowSpec } from "./compile-workflow-spec.js";
-export type { CompileWorkflowSpecDeps } from "./compile-workflow-spec.js";
 export { createEchoAgent } from "./agent-adapters/echo.js";
diff --git a/packages/workflow-utils/src/__tests__/create-role.test.ts b/packages/workflow-utils/src/__tests__/create-role.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6b16c1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/workflow-utils/src/__tests__/create-role.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,180 @@
+import type {
+  AgentFn,
+  ModeratorContext,
+  RoleMeta,
+  WorkflowContext,
+  WorkflowDefinition,
+  WorkflowMessage,
+} from "@uncaged/nerve-core";
+import { END, START } from "@uncaged/nerve-core";
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { z } from "zod";
+
+import { createRole } from "../create-role.js";
+import * as extractFn from "../shared/extract-fn.js";
+
+const provider = {
+  baseUrl: "https://example.com/v1",
+  apiKey: "k",
+  model: "m",
+};
+
+function toolCallResponse(argsJson: string): {
+  ok: boolean;
+  status: number;
+  text: () => Promise<string>;
+} {
+  return {
+    ok: true,
+    status: 200,
+    text: async () =>
+      JSON.stringify({
+        choices: [
+          {
+            message: {
+              tool_calls: [
+                {
+                  function: {
+                    name: "extract",
+                    arguments: argsJson,
+                  },
+                },
+              ],
+            },
+          },
+        ],
+      }),
+  };
+}
+
+function makeStart(threadId: string): {
+  role: typeof START;
+  content: string;
+  meta: { maxRounds: number; dryRun: boolean; threadId: string };
+  timestamp: number;
+} {
+  return {
+    role: START,
+    content: "",
+    meta: { maxRounds: 10, dryRun: false, threadId },
+    timestamp: Date.now(),
+  };
+}
+
+describe("createRole", () => {
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.unstubAllGlobals();
+    vi.restoreAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  it("runs AgentFn then structured extract", async () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal("fetch", vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(toolCallResponse(JSON.stringify({ n: 3 }))));
+
+    const schema = z.object({ n: z.number() });
+    const adapter: AgentFn = async (prompt) => prompt;
+    const role = createRole(adapter, "hello", schema, { provider });
+
+    const out = await role(makeStart("t1"), []);
+    expect(out.content).toBe("hello");
+    expect(out.meta).toEqual({ n: 3 });
+  });
+
+  it("passes WorkflowContext with workdir defaulting to process.cwd()", async () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal("fetch", vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(toolCallResponse(JSON.stringify({ n: 0 }))));
+
+    const seen: WorkflowContext[] = [];
+    const adapter: AgentFn = async (_prompt, ctx) => {
+      seen.push(ctx);
+      return "x";
+    };
+    const role = createRole(adapter, "p", z.object({ n: z.number() }), { provider });
+    await role(makeStart("t1"), []);
+
+    expect(seen).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(seen[0].workdir).toBe(process.cwd());
+  });
+
+  it("resolves dynamic prompt functions before AgentFn", async () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal("fetch", vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(toolCallResponse(JSON.stringify({ n: 99 }))));
+
+    const schema = z.object({ n: z.number() });
+    const adapter: AgentFn = async (prompt) => prompt;
+    const role = createRole(
+      adapter,
+      async (start, messages) => `tid=${start.meta.threadId} n=${messages.length}`,
+      schema,
+      { provider },
+    );
+
+    const start = makeStart("thread-x");
+    const msgs: WorkflowMessage[] = [{ role: "a", content: "m", meta: {}, timestamp: 1 }];
+    const out = await role(start, msgs);
+    expect(out.content).toBe("tid=thread-x n=1");
+    expect(out.meta).toEqual({ n: 99 });
+  });
+
+  it("uses start.meta.dryRun when extract.dryRun is omitted", async () => {
+    const spy = vi.spyOn(extractFn, "extractMetaOrThrow").mockResolvedValue({ n: 0 });
+
+    const adapter: AgentFn = async () => "raw";
+    const role = createRole(adapter, "p", z.object({ n: z.number() }), { provider });
+    const start = {
+      role: START,
+      content: "",
+      meta: { maxRounds: 10, dryRun: true, threadId: "x" },
+      timestamp: 1,
+    };
+    await role(start, []);
+
+    expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      "raw",
+      expect.anything(),
+      expect.objectContaining({ provider, dryRun: true }),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("prefers extract.dryRun over start.meta.dryRun", async () => {
+    const spy = vi.spyOn(extractFn, "extractMetaOrThrow").mockResolvedValue({ n: 0 });
+
+    const adapter: AgentFn = async () => "raw";
+    const role = createRole(adapter, "p", z.object({ n: z.number() }), {
+      provider,
+      dryRun: false,
+    });
+    const start = {
+      role: START,
+      content: "",
+      meta: { maxRounds: 10, dryRun: true, threadId: "x" },
+      timestamp: 1,
+    };
+    await role(start, []);
+
+    expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      "raw",
+      expect.anything(),
+      expect.objectContaining({ dryRun: false }),
+    );
+  });
+});
+
+describe("WorkflowDefinition compatibility", () => {
+  it("hand-written Role-based WorkflowDefinition remains valid", async () => {
+    type M = RoleMeta & { legacy: { id: string } };
+
+    const manual: WorkflowDefinition<M> = {
+      name: "legacy",
+      roles: {
+        legacy: async (_start, _messages) => ({
+          content: "hi",
+          meta: { id: "a" },
+        }),
+      },
+      moderator: (_ctx: ModeratorContext<M>) => END,
+    };
+
+    const start = makeStart("t1");
+    const out = await manual.roles.legacy(start, []);
+    expect(out.content).toBe("hi");
+    expect(out.meta.id).toBe("a");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/workflow-utils/src/create-role.ts b/packages/workflow-utils/src/create-role.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c938c44
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/workflow-utils/src/create-role.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+import type {
+  AgentFn,
+  Role,
+  StartStep,
+  WorkflowContext,
+  WorkflowMessage,
+} from "@uncaged/nerve-core";
+import type { z } from "zod";
+
+import { extractMetaOrThrow } from "./shared/extract-fn.js";
+import type { LlmProvider } from "./shared/llm-extract.js";
+
+type PromptInput = string | ((start: StartStep, messages: WorkflowMessage[]) => Promise<string>);
+
+export type LlmExtractorConfig = {
+  provider: LlmProvider;
+  /** When omitted, uses `start.meta.dryRun` at runtime. */
+  dryRun?: boolean;
+};
+
+type StartMetaWithWorkdir = StartStep["meta"] & { workdir?: string | null };
+
+function resolveWorkdir(start: StartStep): string {
+  const m = start.meta as StartMetaWithWorkdir;
+  return m.workdir ?? process.cwd();
+}
+
+function resolveDryRun(extract: LlmExtractorConfig, start: StartStep): boolean {
+  return extract.dryRun ?? start.meta.dryRun;
+}
+
+/** Builds a Role from an AgentFn, prompt, Zod meta schema, and LLM extract config. */
+export function createRole<M extends Record<string, unknown>>(
+  adapter: AgentFn,
+  prompt: PromptInput,
+  meta: z.ZodType<M>,
+  extract: LlmExtractorConfig,
+): Role<M> {
+  return async (start: StartStep, messages: WorkflowMessage[]) => {
+    const ctx: WorkflowContext = {
+      start,
+      messages,
+      workdir: resolveWorkdir(start),
+      signal: new AbortController().signal,
+    };
+
+    const promptText = typeof prompt === "string" ? prompt : await prompt(start, messages);
+    const raw = await adapter(promptText, ctx);
+    const result = await extractMetaOrThrow(raw, meta, {
+      provider: extract.provider,
+      dryRun: resolveDryRun(extract, start),
+    });
+    return { content: raw, meta: result };
+  };
+}
diff --git a/packages/workflow-utils/src/index.ts b/packages/workflow-utils/src/index.ts
index 6df3169..376b25f 100644
--- a/packages/workflow-utils/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/workflow-utils/src/index.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 // Primary API — role factory templates
+export { createRole, type LlmExtractorConfig } from "./create-role.js";
 export { createCursorRole } from "./role-cursor.js";
 export { createHermesRole } from "./role-hermes.js";
 export { createLlmRole } from "./role-llm.js";
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@ export {
   assertZodMetaSchemas,
   createLlmExtractFn,
   extractMetaOrThrow,
+  zodMeta,
   type ZodMetaSchema,
 } from "./shared/extract-fn.js";
 export {
diff --git a/packages/workflow-utils/src/shared/extract-fn.ts b/packages/workflow-utils/src/shared/extract-fn.ts
index f8471d5..b66dbbf 100644
--- a/packages/workflow-utils/src/shared/extract-fn.ts
+++ b/packages/workflow-utils/src/shared/extract-fn.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ import { llmErrorToCause, llmExtractWithRetry } from "./llm-extract.js";
  */
 export type ZodMetaSchema<T> = Schema<T> & { readonly zod: z.ZodType<T> };
 
+/** Builds a core `Schema<T>` plus Zod parser for `createRole` meta / `createLlmExtractFn`. */
+export function zodMeta<T>(zod: z.ZodType<T>): ZodMetaSchema<T> {
+  return { witness: null, zod };
+}
+
 export async function extractMetaOrThrow<T>(
   raw: string,
   zodSchema: z.ZodType<T>,
@@ -45,8 +50,8 @@ export function createLlmExtractFn<T>(deps: {
 }
 
 /**
- * Validate that all schemas in a WorkflowSpec are ZodMetaSchema at compile time,
- * before any role is ever invoked. Call this once at daemon startup / hot-reload.
+ * Validate that all schemas are ZodMetaSchema before any role is invoked.
+ * Call this once at daemon startup / hot-reload when wiring roles manually.
  */
 export function assertZodMetaSchemas(schemas: Record<string, Schema<unknown>>): void {
   for (const [roleName, schema] of Object.entries(schemas)) {