diff --git a/pxy_agents_coral/formatters.py b/pxy_agents_coral/formatters.py
index d25422a..674a1bd 100644
--- a/pxy_agents_coral/formatters.py
+++ b/pxy_agents_coral/formatters.py
@@ -1,84 +1,117 @@
-from __future__ import annotations
+from __future__ import annotations #
 import json
+import re
 import requests
+from typing import Any, Dict, Tuple
 from django.http import JsonResponse, HttpRequest
 from django.views.decorators.csrf import csrf_exempt
 from django.views.decorators.http import require_http_methods
 
-def _post_json(url: str, payload: dict, timeout: float = 60.0) -> dict:
-    r = requests.post(url, json=payload, timeout=timeout)
-    r.raise_for_status()
-    return r.json()
-
+# ---------- helpers ----------
 def _base(request: HttpRequest) -> str:
     return request.build_absolute_uri("/")[:-1]
 
+def _load_body(request: HttpRequest) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+    try:
+        raw = (request.body or b"").decode("utf-8")
+        return json.loads(raw or "{}")
+    except Exception:
+        return {}
+
+def _extract_payload(body: Dict[str, Any]) -> Tuple[Dict[str, Any], str]:
+    """
+    Returns (payload, src) where src is 'payload', 'args_raw', or 'empty'.
+    Accepts:
+      1) {"payload": {...}}
+      2) full canonical envelope with .input.args_raw="/sami {...}"
+    """
+    # 1) direct payload
+    if isinstance(body.get("payload"), dict):
+        return body["payload"], "payload"
+
+    # 2) canonical envelope: parse JSON after the command in args_raw
+    args_raw = (body.get("input", {}) or {}).get("args_raw") or ""
+    # strip leading "/sami " or "/sites "
+    cleaned = re.sub(r"^/\w+\s*", "", args_raw).strip()
+    if cleaned:
+        try:
+            return json.loads(cleaned), "args_raw"
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+
+    return {}, "empty"
+
+def _post_execute(request: HttpRequest, agent: str, payload: Dict[str, Any], timeout: float = 30.0):
+    url = f"{_base(request)}/api/agents/execute"
+    try:
+        r = requests.post(url, json={"agent": agent, "payload": payload}, timeout=timeout)
+        # try parse json regardless of status
+        try:
+            data = r.json()
+        except Exception:
+            data = {"code": "NON_JSON", "message": r.text[:2000]}
+        return r.status_code, data
+    except requests.Timeout:
+        return 504, {"code": "UPSTREAM_TIMEOUT", "message": "agent upstream timed out"}
+    except Exception as e:
+        return 500, {"code": "EXEC_ERROR", "message": str(e)}
+
+# ---------- text builders ----------
+def _text_sami(data: Dict[str, Any]) -> str:
+    if "beta" in data and "r2" in data:
+        lines = [f"SAMI run: β={data['beta']:.3f}, R²={data['r2']:.3f}"]
+        resid = data.get("residuals") or []
+        top = sorted(resid, key=lambda x: x.get("rank", 1e9))[:3]
+        for c in top:
+            lines.append(f"{c.get('rank')}. {c.get('city')}: {c.get('sami',0):+0.2f}")
+        if data.get("share_url"):
+            lines += ["", data["share_url"]]
+        return "\n".join(lines)
+    if data.get("code"):
+        return f"⚠️ {data.get('code')}: {data.get('message','')}"
+    return "SAMI results ready."
+
+def _text_sites(data: Dict[str, Any]) -> str:
+    if isinstance(data.get("candidates"), list):
+        city = data.get("city", "?")
+        business = data.get("business", "?")
+        lines = [f"Top sites for {business} in {city}:"]
+        for i, c in enumerate(data["candidates"][:3], 1):
+            lat = c.get("lat", 0); lon = c.get("lon", 0); sc = c.get("score", 0)
+            lines.append(f"{i}. score={sc:.2f} @ ({lat:.5f},{lon:.5f})")
+        for k in ("share_url", "isochrones_geojson_url", "candidates_geojson_url"):
+            if data.get(k): lines.append(data[k])
+        return "\n".join(lines)
+    if data.get("code"):
+        return f"⚠️ {data.get('code')}: {data.get('message','')}"
+    return "Site scoring ready."
+
+# ---------- views ----------
 @csrf_exempt
 @require_http_methods(["GET", "POST"])
 def format_sami(request: HttpRequest):
-    """
-    Body: {"payload": {...}} where payload matches SAMI RunRequest.
-    Calls /api/agents/execute and returns {"text": "...", ...original...}
-    """
+    body = _load_body(request)
+    payload, src = _extract_payload(body)
+    status, data = _post_execute(request, "sami", payload, timeout=30.0)
+    # add echo + text
+    data = data if isinstance(data, dict) else {"result": data}
+    data.setdefault("_echo", {"src": src, "payload_keys": list(payload.keys())})
     try:
-        body = json.loads(request.body.decode("utf-8") or "{}")
-    except Exception:
-        body = {}
-    payload = body.get("payload") or {}
-
-    data = _post_json(f"{_base(request)}/api/agents/execute",
-                      {"agent": "sami", "payload": payload})
-
-    # Build text
-    try:
-        beta = data.get("beta"); r2 = data.get("r2")
-        resid = data.get("residuals") or []
-        top = sorted(resid, key=lambda x: x.get("rank", 1e9))[:3]
-        lines = []
-        if beta is not None and r2 is not None:
-            lines.append(f"SAMI run: β={beta:.3f}, R²={r2:.3f}")
-        for c in top:
-            lines.append(f"{c.get('rank')}. {c.get('city')}: {c.get('sami', 0):+0.2f}")
-        if data.get("share_url"):
-            lines.append("")
-            lines.append(data["share_url"])
-        text = "\n".join(lines) if lines else "SAMI results ready."
-        data["text"] = text
+        data["text"] = _text_sami(data)
     except Exception:
         pass
-
-    return JsonResponse(data, safe=False)
+    return JsonResponse(data, status=status, safe=False)
 
 @csrf_exempt
 @require_http_methods(["GET", "POST"])
 def format_sites(request: HttpRequest):
-    """
-    Body: {"payload": {...}} where payload matches SiteSearchRequest.
-    Calls /api/agents/execute and returns {"text": "...", ...original...}
-    """
+    body = _load_body(request)
+    payload, src = _extract_payload(body)
+    status, data = _post_execute(request, "sites", payload, timeout=30.0)
+    data = data if isinstance(data, dict) else {"result": data}
+    data.setdefault("_echo", {"src": src, "payload_keys": list(payload.keys())})
     try:
-        body = json.loads(request.body.decode("utf-8") or "{}")
-    except Exception:
-        body = {}
-    payload = body.get("payload") or {}
-
-    data = _post_json(f"{_base(request)}/api/agents/execute",
-                      {"agent": "sites", "payload": payload})
-
-    # Build text
-    try:
-        city = data.get("city"); business = data.get("business")
-        cands = data.get("candidates") or []
-        top = cands[:3]
-        lines = [f"Top sites for {business} in {city}:"]
-        for i, c in enumerate(top, 1):
-            lines.append(f"{i}. score={c.get('score',0):.2f} @ ({c.get('lat',0):.5f},{c.get('lon',0):.5f})")
-        # include useful links if present
-        for k in ("share_url", "isochrones_geojson_url", "candidates_geojson_url"):
-            if data.get(k):
-                lines.append(data[k])
-        data["text"] = "\n".join(lines)
+        data["text"] = _text_sites(data)
     except Exception:
         pass
-
-    return JsonResponse(data, safe=False)
+    return JsonResponse(data, status=status, safe=False)