diff --git a/hermes_cli/main.py b/hermes_cli/main.py
index 4945a375cf4..5252663878c 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/main.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/main.py
@@ -262,18 +262,8 @@ from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Optional
 
 
-def _add_accept_hooks_flag(parser) -> None:
-    """Attach the ``--accept-hooks`` flag.  Shared across every agent
-    subparser so the flag works regardless of CLI position."""
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--accept-hooks",
-        action="store_true",
-        default=argparse.SUPPRESS,
-        help=(
-            "Auto-approve unseen shell hooks without a TTY prompt "
-            "(equivalent to HERMES_ACCEPT_HOOKS=1 / hooks_auto_accept: true)."
-        ),
-    )
+from hermes_cli.subcommands._shared import add_accept_hooks_flag as _add_accept_hooks_flag
+from hermes_cli.subcommands.cron import build_cron_parser
 
 
 def _require_tty(command_name: str) -> None:
@@ -13596,163 +13586,9 @@ def main():
     status_parser.set_defaults(func=cmd_status)
 
     # =========================================================================
-    # cron command
+    # cron command  (parser built in hermes_cli/subcommands/cron.py)
     # =========================================================================
-    cron_parser = subparsers.add_parser(
-        "cron", help="Cron job management", description="Manage scheduled tasks"
-    )
-    cron_subparsers = cron_parser.add_subparsers(dest="cron_command")
-
-    # cron list
-    cron_list = cron_subparsers.add_parser("list", help="List scheduled jobs")
-    cron_list.add_argument("--all", action="store_true", help="Include disabled jobs")
-
-    # cron create/add
-    cron_create = cron_subparsers.add_parser(
-        "create", aliases=["add"], help="Create a scheduled job"
-    )
-    cron_create.add_argument(
-        "schedule", help="Schedule like '30m', 'every 2h', or '0 9 * * *'"
-    )
-    cron_create.add_argument(
-        "prompt", nargs="?", help="Optional self-contained prompt or task instruction"
-    )
-    cron_create.add_argument("--name", help="Optional human-friendly job name")
-    cron_create.add_argument(
-        "--deliver",
-        help="Delivery target: origin, local, telegram, discord, signal, or platform:chat_id",
-    )
-    cron_create.add_argument("--repeat", type=int, help="Optional repeat count")
-    cron_create.add_argument(
-        "--skill",
-        dest="skills",
-        action="append",
-        help="Attach a skill. Repeat to add multiple skills.",
-    )
-    cron_create.add_argument(
-        "--script",
-        help=(
-            "Path to a script under ~/.hermes/scripts/. Default mode: "
-            "script stdout is injected into the agent's prompt each run. "
-            "With --no-agent: the script IS the job and its stdout is "
-            "delivered verbatim. .sh/.bash files run via bash, everything "
-            "else via Python."
-        ),
-    )
-    cron_create.add_argument(
-        "--no-agent",
-        dest="no_agent",
-        action="store_true",
-        default=False,
-        help=(
-            "Skip the LLM entirely — run --script on schedule and deliver "
-            "its stdout directly. Empty stdout = silent. Classic watchdog "
-            "pattern (memory alerts, disk alerts, CI pings)."
-        ),
-    )
-    cron_create.add_argument(
-        "--workdir",
-        help="Absolute path for the job to run from. Injects AGENTS.md / CLAUDE.md / .cursorrules from that directory and uses it as the cwd for terminal/file/code_exec tools. Omit to preserve old behaviour (no project context files).",
-    )
-    cron_create.add_argument(
-        "--profile",
-        help="Hermes profile name to run the job under. Use 'default' for the root profile. Named profiles must already exist. Omit to preserve the scheduler's existing profile.",
-    )
-
-    # cron edit
-    cron_edit = cron_subparsers.add_parser(
-        "edit", help="Edit an existing scheduled job"
-    )
-    cron_edit.add_argument("job_id", help="Job ID to edit")
-    cron_edit.add_argument("--schedule", help="New schedule")
-    cron_edit.add_argument("--prompt", help="New prompt/task instruction")
-    cron_edit.add_argument("--name", help="New job name")
-    cron_edit.add_argument("--deliver", help="New delivery target")
-    cron_edit.add_argument("--repeat", type=int, help="New repeat count")
-    cron_edit.add_argument(
-        "--skill",
-        dest="skills",
-        action="append",
-        help="Replace the job's skills with this set. Repeat to attach multiple skills.",
-    )
-    cron_edit.add_argument(
-        "--add-skill",
-        dest="add_skills",
-        action="append",
-        help="Append a skill without replacing the existing list. Repeatable.",
-    )
-    cron_edit.add_argument(
-        "--remove-skill",
-        dest="remove_skills",
-        action="append",
-        help="Remove a specific attached skill. Repeatable.",
-    )
-    cron_edit.add_argument(
-        "--clear-skills",
-        action="store_true",
-        help="Remove all attached skills from the job",
-    )
-    cron_edit.add_argument(
-        "--script",
-        help=(
-            "Path to a script under ~/.hermes/scripts/. Pass empty string to clear. "
-            "With --no-agent the script IS the job; otherwise its stdout is "
-            "injected into the agent's prompt each run."
-        ),
-    )
-    cron_edit.add_argument(
-        "--no-agent",
-        dest="no_agent",
-        action="store_const",
-        const=True,
-        default=None,
-        help=(
-            "Enable no-agent mode on this job (requires --script or an "
-            "existing script on the job)."
-        ),
-    )
-    cron_edit.add_argument(
-        "--agent",
-        dest="no_agent",
-        action="store_const",
-        const=False,
-        help="Disable no-agent mode on this job (reverts to LLM-driven execution).",
-    )
-    cron_edit.add_argument(
-        "--workdir",
-        help="Absolute path for the job to run from (injects AGENTS.md etc. and sets terminal cwd). Pass empty string to clear.",
-    )
-    cron_edit.add_argument(
-        "--profile",
-        help="Hermes profile name to run the job under. Use 'default' for the root profile. Pass empty string to clear.",
-    )
-
-    # lifecycle actions
-    cron_pause = cron_subparsers.add_parser("pause", help="Pause a scheduled job")
-    cron_pause.add_argument("job_id", help="Job ID to pause")
-
-    cron_resume = cron_subparsers.add_parser("resume", help="Resume a paused job")
-    cron_resume.add_argument("job_id", help="Job ID to resume")
-
-    cron_run = cron_subparsers.add_parser(
-        "run", help="Run a job on the next scheduler tick"
-    )
-    cron_run.add_argument("job_id", help="Job ID to trigger")
-    _add_accept_hooks_flag(cron_run)
-
-    cron_remove = cron_subparsers.add_parser(
-        "remove", aliases=["rm", "delete"], help="Remove a scheduled job"
-    )
-    cron_remove.add_argument("job_id", help="Job ID to remove")
-
-    # cron status
-    cron_subparsers.add_parser("status", help="Check if cron scheduler is running")
-
-    # cron tick (mostly for debugging)
-    cron_tick = cron_subparsers.add_parser("tick", help="Run due jobs once and exit")
-    _add_accept_hooks_flag(cron_tick)
-    _add_accept_hooks_flag(cron_parser)
-    cron_parser.set_defaults(func=cmd_cron)
+    build_cron_parser(subparsers, cmd_cron=cmd_cron)
 
     # =========================================================================
     # webhook command
diff --git a/hermes_cli/subcommands/__init__.py b/hermes_cli/subcommands/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3a39f3ce9cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hermes_cli/subcommands/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+"""CLI subcommand parser builders for ``hermes <subcommand>``.
+
+``hermes_cli/main.py:main()`` historically built the entire argparse tree
+inline — 179 ``add_parser`` calls across ~26 subcommand groups, all wedged
+into one 3,300-line function. This package breaks that tree apart: each
+subcommand group owns a ``build_<group>_parser(subparsers, ...)`` function in
+its own module, and ``main()`` calls those builders instead of inlining the
+argument definitions.
+
+Handlers (the ``cmd_*`` functions) still live in ``main.py`` for now and are
+dependency-injected into the builders so these modules never import ``main``
+(which would create a cycle). Shared parser helpers live in
+``_shared.py``.
+
+Part of the god-file decomposition plan (Phase 2).
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
diff --git a/hermes_cli/subcommands/_shared.py b/hermes_cli/subcommands/_shared.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c99178668c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hermes_cli/subcommands/_shared.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+"""Shared parser helpers used across multiple CLI subcommand builders.
+
+These were module-level helpers in ``hermes_cli/main.py``. They are pulled
+into a neutral module so both ``main.py`` and every
+``hermes_cli/subcommands/<group>.py`` builder can import them without an
+import cycle. ``main.py`` re-exports them for backwards compatibility, so
+existing references keep working.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import argparse
+
+
+def add_accept_hooks_flag(parser: argparse.ArgumentParser) -> None:
+    """Attach the ``--accept-hooks`` flag.
+
+    Shared across every agent subparser so the flag works regardless of CLI
+    position.
+    """
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--accept-hooks",
+        action="store_true",
+        default=argparse.SUPPRESS,
+        help=(
+            "Auto-approve unseen shell hooks without a TTY prompt "
+            "(equivalent to HERMES_ACCEPT_HOOKS=1 / hooks_auto_accept: true)."
+        ),
+    )
diff --git a/hermes_cli/subcommands/cron.py b/hermes_cli/subcommands/cron.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..33dd10158f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hermes_cli/subcommands/cron.py
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+"""``hermes cron`` subcommand parser.
+
+Extracted verbatim from ``hermes_cli/main.py:main()`` — same arguments, same
+``func=cmd_cron`` dispatch. The handler is injected so this module does not
+import ``main`` (cycle avoidance).
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from typing import Callable
+
+from hermes_cli.subcommands._shared import add_accept_hooks_flag
+
+
+def build_cron_parser(subparsers, *, cmd_cron: Callable) -> None:
+    """Attach the ``cron`` subcommand (and its sub-actions) to ``subparsers``."""
+    cron_parser = subparsers.add_parser(
+        "cron", help="Cron job management", description="Manage scheduled tasks"
+    )
+    cron_subparsers = cron_parser.add_subparsers(dest="cron_command")
+
+    # cron list
+    cron_list = cron_subparsers.add_parser("list", help="List scheduled jobs")
+    cron_list.add_argument("--all", action="store_true", help="Include disabled jobs")
+
+    # cron create/add
+    cron_create = cron_subparsers.add_parser(
+        "create", aliases=["add"], help="Create a scheduled job"
+    )
+    cron_create.add_argument(
+        "schedule", help="Schedule like '30m', 'every 2h', or '0 9 * * *'"
+    )
+    cron_create.add_argument(
+        "prompt", nargs="?", help="Optional self-contained prompt or task instruction"
+    )
+    cron_create.add_argument("--name", help="Optional human-friendly job name")
+    cron_create.add_argument(
+        "--deliver",
+        help="Delivery target: origin, local, telegram, discord, signal, or platform:chat_id",
+    )
+    cron_create.add_argument("--repeat", type=int, help="Optional repeat count")
+    cron_create.add_argument(
+        "--skill",
+        dest="skills",
+        action="append",
+        help="Attach a skill. Repeat to add multiple skills.",
+    )
+    cron_create.add_argument(
+        "--script",
+        help=(
+            "Path to a script under ~/.hermes/scripts/. Default mode: "
+            "script stdout is injected into the agent's prompt each run. "
+            "With --no-agent: the script IS the job and its stdout is "
+            "delivered verbatim. .sh/.bash files run via bash, everything "
+            "else via Python."
+        ),
+    )
+    cron_create.add_argument(
+        "--no-agent",
+        dest="no_agent",
+        action="store_true",
+        default=False,
+        help=(
+            "Skip the LLM entirely — run --script on schedule and deliver "
+            "its stdout directly. Empty stdout = silent. Classic watchdog "
+            "pattern (memory alerts, disk alerts, CI pings)."
+        ),
+    )
+    cron_create.add_argument(
+        "--workdir",
+        help="Absolute path for the job to run from. Injects AGENTS.md / CLAUDE.md / .cursorrules from that directory and uses it as the cwd for terminal/file/code_exec tools. Omit to preserve old behaviour (no project context files).",
+    )
+    cron_create.add_argument(
+        "--profile",
+        help="Hermes profile name to run the job under. Use 'default' for the root profile. Named profiles must already exist. Omit to preserve the scheduler's existing profile.",
+    )
+
+    # cron edit
+    cron_edit = cron_subparsers.add_parser(
+        "edit", help="Edit an existing scheduled job"
+    )
+    cron_edit.add_argument("job_id", help="Job ID to edit")
+    cron_edit.add_argument("--schedule", help="New schedule")
+    cron_edit.add_argument("--prompt", help="New prompt/task instruction")
+    cron_edit.add_argument("--name", help="New job name")
+    cron_edit.add_argument("--deliver", help="New delivery target")
+    cron_edit.add_argument("--repeat", type=int, help="New repeat count")
+    cron_edit.add_argument(
+        "--skill",
+        dest="skills",
+        action="append",
+        help="Replace the job's skills with this set. Repeat to attach multiple skills.",
+    )
+    cron_edit.add_argument(
+        "--add-skill",
+        dest="add_skills",
+        action="append",
+        help="Append a skill without replacing the existing list. Repeatable.",
+    )
+    cron_edit.add_argument(
+        "--remove-skill",
+        dest="remove_skills",
+        action="append",
+        help="Remove a specific attached skill. Repeatable.",
+    )
+    cron_edit.add_argument(
+        "--clear-skills",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Remove all attached skills from the job",
+    )
+    cron_edit.add_argument(
+        "--script",
+        help=(
+            "Path to a script under ~/.hermes/scripts/. Pass empty string to clear. "
+            "With --no-agent the script IS the job; otherwise its stdout is "
+            "injected into the agent's prompt each run."
+        ),
+    )
+    cron_edit.add_argument(
+        "--no-agent",
+        dest="no_agent",
+        action="store_const",
+        const=True,
+        default=None,
+        help=(
+            "Enable no-agent mode on this job (requires --script or an "
+            "existing script on the job)."
+        ),
+    )
+    cron_edit.add_argument(
+        "--agent",
+        dest="no_agent",
+        action="store_const",
+        const=False,
+        help="Disable no-agent mode on this job (reverts to LLM-driven execution).",
+    )
+    cron_edit.add_argument(
+        "--workdir",
+        help="Absolute path for the job to run from (injects AGENTS.md etc. and sets terminal cwd). Pass empty string to clear.",
+    )
+    cron_edit.add_argument(
+        "--profile",
+        help="Hermes profile name to run the job under. Use 'default' for the root profile. Pass empty string to clear.",
+    )
+
+    # lifecycle actions
+    cron_pause = cron_subparsers.add_parser("pause", help="Pause a scheduled job")
+    cron_pause.add_argument("job_id", help="Job ID to pause")
+
+    cron_resume = cron_subparsers.add_parser("resume", help="Resume a paused job")
+    cron_resume.add_argument("job_id", help="Job ID to resume")
+
+    cron_run = cron_subparsers.add_parser(
+        "run", help="Run a job on the next scheduler tick"
+    )
+    cron_run.add_argument("job_id", help="Job ID to trigger")
+    add_accept_hooks_flag(cron_run)
+
+    cron_remove = cron_subparsers.add_parser(
+        "remove", aliases=["rm", "delete"], help="Remove a scheduled job"
+    )
+    cron_remove.add_argument("job_id", help="Job ID to remove")
+
+    # cron status
+    cron_subparsers.add_parser("status", help="Check if cron scheduler is running")
+
+    # cron tick (mostly for debugging)
+    cron_tick = cron_subparsers.add_parser("tick", help="Run due jobs once and exit")
+    add_accept_hooks_flag(cron_tick)
+    add_accept_hooks_flag(cron_parser)
+    cron_parser.set_defaults(func=cmd_cron)
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_subcommands_cron.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_subcommands_cron.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e51a0bb6409
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_subcommands_cron.py
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+"""Unit tests for the extracted ``hermes cron`` parser builder.
+
+Confirms ``build_cron_parser`` wires up the same subactions, aliases, options,
+and ``func=cmd_cron`` dispatch that lived inline in ``main()`` before the
+god-file Phase 2 extraction.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import argparse
+
+from hermes_cli.subcommands.cron import build_cron_parser
+
+
+def _sentinel_handler(args):  # pragma: no cover - only identity is asserted
+    return "cron-handler"
+
+
+def _build():
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog="hermes")
+    subparsers = parser.add_subparsers(dest="command")
+    build_cron_parser(subparsers, cmd_cron=_sentinel_handler)
+    return parser
+
+
+def test_cron_subactions_present():
+    parser = _build()
+    for action in ("list", "create", "edit", "pause", "resume", "run", "remove", "status", "tick"):
+        ns = parser.parse_args(["cron", action] if action in ("list", "status", "tick")
+                               else ["cron", action, "jobid"] if action in ("pause", "resume", "run", "remove", "edit")
+                               else ["cron", "create", "30m"])
+        assert ns.command == "cron"
+        assert ns.cron_command == action
+
+
+def test_cron_aliases():
+    parser = _build()
+    # create has alias "add"
+    ns = parser.parse_args(["cron", "add", "30m"])
+    assert ns.cron_command == "add"
+    # remove has aliases rm / delete
+    for alias in ("rm", "delete"):
+        ns = parser.parse_args(["cron", alias, "jid"])
+        assert ns.cron_command == alias
+
+
+def test_cron_create_options():
+    parser = _build()
+    ns = parser.parse_args([
+        "cron", "create", "0 9 * * *", "do the thing",
+        "--name", "daily", "--deliver", "origin", "--repeat", "3",
+        "--skill", "a", "--skill", "b", "--no-agent",
+        "--workdir", "/tmp/x", "--profile", "work",
+    ])
+    assert ns.schedule == "0 9 * * *"
+    assert ns.prompt == "do the thing"
+    assert ns.name == "daily"
+    assert ns.deliver == "origin"
+    assert ns.repeat == 3
+    assert ns.skills == ["a", "b"]
+    assert ns.no_agent is True
+    assert ns.workdir == "/tmp/x"
+    assert ns.profile == "work"
+
+
+def test_cron_edit_no_agent_tristate():
+    parser = _build()
+    # --no-agent -> True, --agent -> False, neither -> None
+    assert parser.parse_args(["cron", "edit", "j", "--no-agent"]).no_agent is True
+    assert parser.parse_args(["cron", "edit", "j", "--agent"]).no_agent is False
+    assert parser.parse_args(["cron", "edit", "j"]).no_agent is None
+
+
+def test_cron_dispatch_func_is_injected_handler():
+    parser = _build()
+    ns = parser.parse_args(["cron", "list"])
+    assert ns.func is _sentinel_handler
+
+
+def test_cron_accept_hooks_flag_on_run_and_tick():
+    parser = _build()
+    # --accept-hooks is suppressed-default; present only when passed.
+    ns = parser.parse_args(["cron", "run", "jid", "--accept-hooks"])
+    assert ns.accept_hooks is True
+    ns2 = parser.parse_args(["cron", "tick", "--accept-hooks"])
+    assert ns2.accept_hooks is True