diff --git a/apps/soundcraft-cli/src/main.rs b/apps/soundcraft-cli/src/main.rs
index 26d3cf6..5840b6d 100644
--- a/apps/soundcraft-cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/apps/soundcraft-cli/src/main.rs
@@ -295,6 +295,39 @@ fn describe(args: &[String]) -> ExitCode {
     }
 }
 
+/// Control-channel methods. Every other dotted id is an engine command.
+fn is_control_method(method: &str) -> bool {
+    matches!(
+        method,
+        "engine.execute"
+            | "command"
+            | "engine.commands"
+            | "engine.parity"
+            | "session.inspect"
+            | "document.inspect"
+            | "ui.inspect"
+            | "ui.menu.list"
+            | "ui.menu.invoke"
+            | "ui.set"
+            | "ui.move"
+            | "ui.click"
+            | "ui.drag"
+            | "ui.key"
+            | "ui.text"
+            | "ui.screenshot"
+            | "app.quit"
+    )
+}
+
+/// A command id is shorthand for `engine.execute`. Documented control methods stay methods.
+fn app_request(method: &str, params: Value) -> (String, Value) {
+    if is_control_method(method) || !method.contains('.') {
+        (method.to_string(), params)
+    } else {
+        ("engine.execute".to_string(), json!({"command": method, "params": params}))
+    }
+}
+
 fn app(args: &[String]) -> ExitCode {
     let port = arg_value(args, "--port").or_else(|| std::env::var("SOUNDCRAFT_CONTROL_PORT").ok()).unwrap_or_else(|| "7979".into());
     let positional: Vec<&String> = args
@@ -312,17 +345,8 @@ fn app(args: &[String]) -> ExitCode {
         None => json!({}),
     };
     let mut r = Remote::new(&port);
-    // A bare command id is shorthand for engine.execute.
-    let (m, p) = if method.contains('.')
-        && !method.starts_with("ui.")
-        && !method.starts_with("engine.")
-        && !method.starts_with("session.")
-        && !method.starts_with("app.")
-    {
-        ("engine.execute".to_string(), json!({"command": method, "params": params}))
-    } else {
-        (method.to_string(), params)
-    };
+    // A bare command id is shorthand for engine.execute. Control-channel methods stay methods.
+    let (m, p) = app_request(method, params);
     match r.call(&m, p) {
         Ok(v) => {
             outln!("{}", serde_json::to_string_pretty(&v).unwrap_or_default());
@@ -381,6 +405,23 @@ fn parity(args: &[String]) -> ExitCode {
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
 
+    #[test]
+    fn command_ids_are_execute_shorthand_and_control_methods_stay_methods() {
+        let (m, p) = app_request("engine.history", json!({}));
+        assert_eq!(m, "engine.execute");
+        assert_eq!(p["command"], "engine.history");
+        let (m, p) = app_request("ui.theme", json!({"mode": "light"}));
+        assert_eq!(m, "engine.execute");
+        assert_eq!(p["params"]["mode"], "light");
+        let (m, _) = app_request("session.new", json!({"name": "Session A"}));
+        assert_eq!(m, "engine.execute");
+        let (m, _) = app_request("track.new", json!({}));
+        assert_eq!(m, "engine.execute");
+        for method in ["session.inspect", "engine.commands", "engine.parity", "ui.screenshot", "app.quit"] {
+            assert_eq!(app_request(method, json!({})).0, method);
+        }
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn missing_media_gets_one_warning_each() {
         assert!(missing_warnings(&[]).is_empty());