diff --git a/tests/test_cli_smoke.py b/tests/test_cli_smoke.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..31426e8189
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_cli_smoke.py
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+import re
+import unittest
+from pathlib import Path
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+from click.testing import CliRunner
+
+try:
+    from importlib import metadata
+except ImportError:  # pragma: no cover - python <3.8 fallback
+    import importlib_metadata as metadata
+
+
+def _load_console_script(name: str):
+    entry_points = metadata.entry_points()
+    if hasattr(entry_points, "select"):
+        matches = entry_points.select(group="console_scripts", name=name)
+    else:
+        matches = [
+            entry_point
+            for entry_point in entry_points.get("console_scripts", [])
+            if entry_point.name == name
+        ]
+    if not matches:
+        raise AssertionError(f"Console script '{name}' was not found in entry points.")
+    return matches[0].load()
+
+
+def _extract_run_id(output: str):
+    match = re.search(r"run[_-]?id\s*[:=]?\s*([A-Za-z0-9_-]+)", output, re.IGNORECASE)
+    return match.group(1) if match else None
+
+
+class TestCliSmoke(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_hc_agent_run_demo_preview(self):
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        command = _load_console_script("hc-agent")
+        with runner.isolated_filesystem():
+            config_path = Path("config.json")
+            config_path.write_text("{}\n", encoding="utf-8")
+            with patch(
+                "requests.request",
+                side_effect=AssertionError("requests.request should not be called"),
+            ):
+                result = runner.invoke(
+                    command,
+                    [
+                        "run",
+                        "demo",
+                        "--mode",
+                        "preview",
+                        "--region",
+                        "us-central1",
+                        "--config",
+                        str(config_path),
+                    ],
+                    catch_exceptions=False,
+                )
+
+            self.assertEqual(result.exit_code, 0, msg=result.output)
+            output = result.output
+            run_id = _extract_run_id(output)
+            self.assertTrue(
+                run_id or "summary" in output.lower(),
+                msg=f"Expected run_id or summary in output; got: {output}",
+            )
+            if run_id:
+                report_path = Path("runs") / run_id / "report.md"
+                self.assertTrue(
+                    report_path.is_file(),
+                    msg=f"Expected report at {report_path} to exist.",
+                )
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()