diff --git a/.jules/bolt.md b/.jules/bolt.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7eb9fd64
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.jules/bolt.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+## 2024-08-02 - [Cow Optimization for String Processing]
+**Learning:** In Rust CLI applications processing potentially mixed-case arguments, `str::to_lowercase()` always eagerly allocates a `String` heap buffer. If the expected valid inputs are short and typically lowercase (like known agent names), this represents a 100% redundant allocation penalty.
+**Action:** Use `std::borrow::Cow` combined with `.chars().any(|c| c.is_uppercase())` to skip allocation entirely for already-lowercase input, and return `Cow::Borrowed` literals when mapping to known values.
diff --git a/crates/forktty-ui-gtk/src/socket_cli/hooks.rs b/crates/forktty-ui-gtk/src/socket_cli/hooks.rs
index 6092e761..05c82e9b 100644
--- a/crates/forktty-ui-gtk/src/socket_cli/hooks.rs
+++ b/crates/forktty-ui-gtk/src/socket_cli/hooks.rs
@@ -930,7 +930,7 @@ pub(super) fn single_agent_command(
     let Some(agent) = args.first() else {
         return Err(CliError::new(format!("{command} requires an agent")));
     };
-    let normalized = normalize_agent_name(agent);
+    let normalized = normalize_agent_name(agent).into_owned();
     let spec = agent_spec(&normalized)
         .ok_or_else(|| CliError::new(format!("Unsupported {command} agent: {agent}")))?;
     Ok((spec, args[1..].to_vec()))
diff --git a/crates/forktty-ui-gtk/src/socket_cli/hooks/event.rs b/crates/forktty-ui-gtk/src/socket_cli/hooks/event.rs
index 24915361..cb0e0a2d 100644
--- a/crates/forktty-ui-gtk/src/socket_cli/hooks/event.rs
+++ b/crates/forktty-ui-gtk/src/socket_cli/hooks/event.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ pub(in crate::socket_cli) fn handle_hook_event(
 ) -> CliResult<()> {
     let agent_name = args
         .first()
-        .map(|value| normalize_agent_name(value))
+        .map(|value| normalize_agent_name(value).into_owned())
         .unwrap_or_default();
     let event = args
         .get(1)
diff --git a/crates/forktty-ui-gtk/src/socket_cli/hooks/install.rs b/crates/forktty-ui-gtk/src/socket_cli/hooks/install.rs
index 9dee75d3..ddcf4e92 100644
--- a/crates/forktty-ui-gtk/src/socket_cli/hooks/install.rs
+++ b/crates/forktty-ui-gtk/src/socket_cli/hooks/install.rs
@@ -270,12 +270,19 @@ pub(in crate::socket_cli) fn agent_spec(agent: &str) -> Option<&'static AgentSpe
     AGENTS.iter().find(|spec| spec.key == agent)
 }
 
-pub(in crate::socket_cli) fn normalize_agent_name(agent: &str) -> String {
-    match agent.to_lowercase().as_str() {
-        "claude-code" | "claude_code" => "claude".to_string(),
-        "open-code" | "open_code" => "opencode".to_string(),
-        "agy" => "antigravity".to_string(),
-        other => other.to_string(),
+pub(in crate::socket_cli) fn normalize_agent_name(agent: &str) -> std::borrow::Cow<'_, str> {
+    // Optimization: Avoid eager allocation by checking if the string is already lowercase.
+    let lowercased = if agent.chars().any(|c| c.is_uppercase()) {
+        std::borrow::Cow::Owned(agent.to_lowercase())
+    } else {
+        std::borrow::Cow::Borrowed(agent)
+    };
+
+    match lowercased.as_ref() {
+        "claude-code" | "claude_code" => std::borrow::Cow::Borrowed("claude"),
+        "open-code" | "open_code" => std::borrow::Cow::Borrowed("opencode"),
+        "agy" => std::borrow::Cow::Borrowed("antigravity"),
+        _ => lowercased,
     }
 }