diff --git a/src/commands/open/hook_ctx.rs b/src/commands/open/hook_ctx.rs
index 5fae932..f42782b 100644
--- a/src/commands/open/hook_ctx.rs
+++ b/src/commands/open/hook_ctx.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
+use anyhow::Result;
 use worktree_io::{
     config::Config,
-    hooks::HookContext,
+    hooks::{run_hook, HookContext},
     issue::IssueRef,
+    opener,
     repo_hooks::{combined_script, RepoConfig},
 };
 
@@ -69,3 +71,30 @@ pub(super) fn build_hook_context(issue: &IssueRef, worktree_path: &std::path::Pa
         worktree_path: worktree_path.to_string_lossy().into_owned(),
     }
 }
+
+pub(super) fn launch_editor(
+    workspace: &std::path::Path,
+    cmd: Option<&str>,
+    post_hook: Option<&str>,
+    background: bool,
+    ctx: &HookContext,
+) -> Result<()> {
+    match (cmd, post_hook) {
+        (Some(c), Some(s)) => {
+            let rendered = ctx.render(s);
+            if !opener::open_with_hook(workspace, c, &rendered, background)? {
+                eprintln!("Running post:open hook…");
+                run_hook(s, ctx)?;
+            }
+        }
+        (Some(c), None) => {
+            opener::open_editor_or_terminal(workspace, c, background)?;
+        }
+        (None, Some(s)) => {
+            eprintln!("Running post:open hook…");
+            run_hook(s, ctx)?;
+        }
+        (None, None) => {}
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/src/commands/open/mod.rs b/src/commands/open/mod.rs
index 021462e..c336be7 100644
--- a/src/commands/open/mod.rs
+++ b/src/commands/open/mod.rs
@@ -7,15 +7,19 @@ use worktree_io::{
     config::Config,
     hooks::run_hook,
     issue::{DeepLinkOptions, IssueRef},
-    opener,
     repo_hooks_scaffold::scaffold_if_missing,
     ttl::{self, WorkspaceRegistry},
     workspace::Workspace,
 };
 
-use hook_ctx::{build_hook_context, effective_hooks};
+use hook_ctx::{build_hook_context, effective_hooks, launch_editor};
 
-pub fn cmd_open(issue_ref: Option<&str>, force_editor: bool, no_hooks: bool) -> Result<()> {
+pub fn cmd_open(
+    issue_ref: Option<&str>,
+    force_editor: bool,
+    no_hooks: bool,
+    headless: bool,
+) -> Result<()> {
     let (issue, deep_link_opts) = match issue_ref {
         Some(r) => IssueRef::parse_with_options(r)?,
         None => (IssueRef::from_current_repo()?, DeepLinkOptions::default()),
@@ -63,6 +67,13 @@ pub fn cmd_open(issue_ref: Option<&str>, force_editor: bool, no_hooks: bool) ->
         run_hook(script, &hook_ctx)?;
     }
 
+    if headless {
+        if let Some(script) = &effective_post {
+            eprintln!("Running post:open hook…");
+            run_hook(script, &hook_ctx)?;
+        }
+        return Ok(());
+    }
     let editor_cmd: Option<String> = if let Some(editor_name) = deep_link_opts.editor {
         Some(editor::resolve_editor_command(&editor_name))
     } else if force_editor || config.open.editor {
@@ -73,25 +84,13 @@ pub fn cmd_open(issue_ref: Option<&str>, force_editor: bool, no_hooks: bool) ->
     } else {
         None
     };
-
-    match (editor_cmd.as_deref(), effective_post.as_deref()) {
-        (Some(cmd), Some(script)) => {
-            let rendered = hook_ctx.render(script);
-            if !opener::open_with_hook(&workspace.path, cmd, &rendered, config.editor.background)? {
-                eprintln!("Running post:open hook…");
-                run_hook(script, &hook_ctx)?;
-            }
-        }
-        (Some(cmd), None) => {
-            opener::open_editor_or_terminal(&workspace.path, cmd, config.editor.background)?;
-        }
-        (None, Some(script)) => {
-            eprintln!("Running post:open hook…");
-            run_hook(script, &hook_ctx)?;
-        }
-        (None, None) => {}
-    }
-
+    launch_editor(
+        &workspace.path,
+        editor_cmd.as_deref(),
+        effective_post.as_deref(),
+        config.editor.background,
+        &hook_ctx,
+    )?;
     Ok(())
 }
 
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 9a80bb3..1fcdc29 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 #![allow(missing_docs)] // binary crate; public API lives in the library
 use anyhow::Result;
 use clap::{Parser, Subcommand};
-
 mod commands;
 use commands::config::{cmd_config, ConfigAction};
 use commands::list::cmd_list;
@@ -12,7 +11,6 @@ use commands::prune::cmd_prune;
 use commands::restore::cmd_restore;
 use commands::scheme::{cmd_scheme, SchemeAction};
 use commands::setup::cmd_setup;
-
 #[derive(Parser)]
 #[command(
     name = "worktree",
@@ -23,7 +21,6 @@ struct Cli {
     #[command(subcommand)]
     command: Commands,
 }
-
 #[derive(Subcommand)]
 enum Commands {
     /// Parse an issue reference, create a worktree, and open it
@@ -37,6 +34,9 @@ enum Commands {
         /// Skip pre/post-open hooks
         #[arg(long)]
         no_hooks: bool,
+        /// Skip opening editor/terminal (hooks still run); useful for programmatic invocation
+        #[arg(long)]
+        headless: bool,
     },
     /// Open multiple repos as a unified workspace under ~/workspaces/<name>/
     #[command(name = "open-multi")]
@@ -85,7 +85,8 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
             issue_ref,
             editor,
             no_hooks,
-        } => cmd_open(issue_ref.as_deref(), editor, no_hooks)?,
+            headless,
+        } => cmd_open(issue_ref.as_deref(), editor, no_hooks, headless)?,
         Commands::OpenMulti { refs, no_hooks } => cmd_open_multi(&refs, no_hooks)?,
         Commands::Config { action } => cmd_config(action)?,
         Commands::List { json } => cmd_list(json)?,