diff --git a/src/commands.ts b/src/commands.ts
index f0fc6675a..98abcc23b 100644
--- a/src/commands.ts
+++ b/src/commands.ts
@@ -155,6 +155,11 @@ const buddy = feature('BUDDY')
       require('./commands/buddy/index.js') as typeof import('./commands/buddy/index.js')
     ).default
   : null
+const pokemonBattle = feature('BUDDY')
+  ? (
+      require('./commands/pokemon-battle/index.js') as typeof import('./commands/pokemon-battle/index.js')
+    ).default
+  : null
 const poor = feature('POOR')
   ? (
       require('./commands/poor/index.js') as typeof import('./commands/poor/index.js')
@@ -364,6 +369,7 @@ const COMMANDS = memoize((): Command[] => [
   ...(webCmd ? [webCmd] : []),
   ...(forkCmd ? [forkCmd] : []),
   ...(buddy ? [buddy] : []),
+  ...(pokemonBattle ? [pokemonBattle] : []),
   ...(poor ? [poor] : []),
   ...(proactive ? [proactive] : []),
   ...(monitorCmd ? [monitorCmd] : []),
diff --git a/src/commands/buddy/BuddyPanel.tsx b/src/commands/buddy/BuddyPanel.tsx
index 962fdeb6a..3438215bf 100644
--- a/src/commands/buddy/BuddyPanel.tsx
+++ b/src/commands/buddy/BuddyPanel.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import * as React from 'react';
-import { useState, useRef } from 'react';
+import { useState } from 'react';
 import { Box, Text, Pane, Tab, Tabs, useInput, type Color } from '@anthropic/ink';
 import { useSetAppState } from '../../state/AppState.js';
 import { useKeybinding } from '../../keybindings/useKeybinding.js';
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@ import { getXpProgress } from '@claude-code-best/pokemon';
 
 import { getGenderSymbol } from '@claude-code-best/pokemon';
 import { StatBar, SpriteAnimator, getFallbackSprite, loadSprite } from '@claude-code-best/pokemon';
-import { BattleFlow, loadBuddyData } from '@claude-code-best/pokemon';
-import type { BattleFlowHandle } from '@claude-code-best/pokemon';
 import type { LocalJSXCommandOnDone } from '../../types/command.js';
 
 const CYAN: Color = 'ansi:cyan';
@@ -93,13 +91,6 @@ export function BuddyPanel({ buddyData, spriteLines, onClose }: BuddyPanelProps)
         onClose={() => onClose('buddy panel closed')}
       />
     </Tab>,
-    <Tab key="battle" title="Battle">
-      <BattleTab
-        buddyData={data}
-        isActive={selectedTab === 'Battle'}
-        onUpdate={updateData}
-      />
-    </Tab>,
     <Tab key="egg" title="Egg">
       <EggTab buddyData={data} />
     </Tab>,
@@ -622,43 +613,6 @@ function DexTab({
   );
 }
 
-// ─── Battle Tab ──────────────────────────────────────────
-
-function BattleTab({
-  buddyData,
-  isActive,
-  onUpdate,
-}: {
-  buddyData: BuddyData;
-  isActive: boolean;
-  onUpdate: (data: BuddyData) => void;
-}) {
-  const [battleKey, setBattleKey] = useState(0);
-  const inputRef = useRef<BattleFlowHandle | null>(null);
-
-  // Handle input here (in main app's Ink context) and forward to BattleFlow via ref
-  useInput((input, key) => {
-    if (!isActive) return;
-    inputRef.current?.handleInput(input, key);
-  });
-
-  const handleClose = async () => {
-    const updated = await loadBuddyData();
-    onUpdate(updated);
-    setBattleKey(k => k + 1);
-  };
-
-  return (
-    <BattleFlow
-      key={battleKey}
-      buddyData={buddyData}
-      onClose={handleClose}
-      isActive={isActive}
-      inputRef={inputRef}
-    />
-  );
-}
-
 // ─── Egg Tab ──────────────────────────────────────────
 
 function EggTab({ buddyData }: { buddyData: BuddyData }) {
diff --git a/src/commands/pokemon-battle/index.ts b/src/commands/pokemon-battle/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d2acd7662
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/commands/pokemon-battle/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import type { Command } from '../../commands.js'
+import { isBuddyLive } from '../../buddy/useBuddyNotification.js'
+
+const pokemonBattle = {
+  type: 'local-jsx',
+  name: 'pokemon-battle',
+  description: 'Start a Pokémon battle',
+  immediate: true,
+  get isHidden() {
+    return !isBuddyLive()
+  },
+  load: () => import('./pokemon-battle.js'),
+} satisfies Command
+
+export default pokemonBattle
diff --git a/src/commands/pokemon-battle/pokemon-battle.ts b/src/commands/pokemon-battle/pokemon-battle.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d4cddbadc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/commands/pokemon-battle/pokemon-battle.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+import React, { useState, useRef } from 'react'
+import { useInput } from '@anthropic/ink'
+import {
+  loadBuddyData,
+  saveBuddyData,
+  getActiveCreature,
+  BattleFlow,
+  type BuddyData,
+  type BattleFlowHandle,
+} from '@claude-code-best/pokemon'
+import type { ToolUseContext } from '../../Tool.js'
+import type {
+  LocalJSXCommandContext,
+  LocalJSXCommandOnDone,
+} from '../../types/command.js'
+
+async function getOrInitBuddyData(): Promise<BuddyData> {
+  let data = await loadBuddyData()
+  if (!getActiveCreature(data)) {
+    data = await loadBuddyData()
+  }
+  return data
+}
+
+export async function call(
+  onDone: LocalJSXCommandOnDone,
+  _context: ToolUseContext & LocalJSXCommandContext,
+  _args: string,
+): Promise<React.ReactNode> {
+  const data = await getOrInitBuddyData()
+
+  if (!getActiveCreature(data)) {
+    onDone('No companion yet · run /buddy first', { display: 'system' })
+    return null
+  }
+
+  return React.createElement(BattlePanel, {
+    buddyData: data,
+    onClose: () => {
+      onDone('battle closed', { display: 'system' })
+    },
+  })
+}
+
+function BattlePanel({
+  buddyData,
+  onClose,
+}: {
+  buddyData: BuddyData
+  onClose: () => void
+}) {
+  const [battleKey, setBattleKey] = useState(0)
+  const inputRef = useRef<BattleFlowHandle | null>(null)
+
+  useInput((input, key) => {
+    inputRef.current?.handleInput(input, key)
+  })
+
+  const handleClose = async () => {
+    const updated = await loadBuddyData()
+    setBattleKey(k => k + 1)
+  }
+
+  return React.createElement(BattleFlow, {
+    key: battleKey,
+    buddyData,
+    onClose,
+    isActive: true,
+    inputRef,
+  })
+}