diff --git a/src/agents/tools/nodes-utils.ts b/src/agents/tools/nodes-utils.ts
index 49f43c6000..6350294eb5 100644
--- a/src/agents/tools/nodes-utils.ts
+++ b/src/agents/tools/nodes-utils.ts
@@ -1,26 +1,10 @@
-import type {
-  NodeListNode,
-  PairedNode,
-  PairingList,
-  PendingRequest,
-} from "../../shared/node-list-types.js";
+import { parseNodeList, parsePairingList } from "../../shared/node-list-parse.js";
+import type { NodeListNode } from "../../shared/node-list-types.js";
 import { resolveNodeIdFromCandidates } from "../../shared/node-match.js";
 import { callGatewayTool, type GatewayCallOptions } from "./gateway.js";
 
 export type { NodeListNode };
 
-function parseNodeList(value: unknown): NodeListNode[] {
-  const obj = typeof value === "object" && value !== null ? (value as Record<string, unknown>) : {};
-  return Array.isArray(obj.nodes) ? (obj.nodes as NodeListNode[]) : [];
-}
-
-function parsePairingList(value: unknown): PairingList {
-  const obj = typeof value === "object" && value !== null ? (value as Record<string, unknown>) : {};
-  const pending = Array.isArray(obj.pending) ? (obj.pending as PendingRequest[]) : [];
-  const paired = Array.isArray(obj.paired) ? (obj.paired as PairedNode[]) : [];
-  return { pending, paired };
-}
-
 async function loadNodes(opts: GatewayCallOptions): Promise<NodeListNode[]> {
   try {
     const res = await callGatewayTool("node.list", opts, {});
diff --git a/src/cli/nodes-cli/format.ts b/src/cli/nodes-cli/format.ts
index 646c5ac4cc..9a28af7d61 100644
--- a/src/cli/nodes-cli/format.ts
+++ b/src/cli/nodes-cli/format.ts
@@ -1,16 +1,4 @@
-import type { NodeListNode, PairedNode, PairingList, PendingRequest } from "./types.js";
-
-export function parsePairingList(value: unknown): PairingList {
-  const obj = typeof value === "object" && value !== null ? (value as Record<string, unknown>) : {};
-  const pending = Array.isArray(obj.pending) ? (obj.pending as PendingRequest[]) : [];
-  const paired = Array.isArray(obj.paired) ? (obj.paired as PairedNode[]) : [];
-  return { pending, paired };
-}
-
-export function parseNodeList(value: unknown): NodeListNode[] {
-  const obj = typeof value === "object" && value !== null ? (value as Record<string, unknown>) : {};
-  return Array.isArray(obj.nodes) ? (obj.nodes as NodeListNode[]) : [];
-}
+export { parseNodeList, parsePairingList } from "../../shared/node-list-parse.js";
 
 export function formatPermissions(raw: unknown) {
   if (!raw || typeof raw !== "object" || Array.isArray(raw)) {
diff --git a/src/shared/node-list-parse.test.ts b/src/shared/node-list-parse.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..379f439505
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/node-list-parse.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { parseNodeList, parsePairingList } from "./node-list-parse.js";
+
+describe("shared/node-list-parse", () => {
+  it("parses node.list payloads", () => {
+    expect(parseNodeList({ nodes: [{ nodeId: "node-1" }] })).toEqual([{ nodeId: "node-1" }]);
+    expect(parseNodeList({ nodes: "nope" })).toEqual([]);
+    expect(parseNodeList(null)).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it("parses node.pair.list payloads", () => {
+    expect(
+      parsePairingList({
+        pending: [{ requestId: "r1", nodeId: "n1", ts: 1 }],
+        paired: [{ nodeId: "n1" }],
+      }),
+    ).toEqual({
+      pending: [{ requestId: "r1", nodeId: "n1", ts: 1 }],
+      paired: [{ nodeId: "n1" }],
+    });
+    expect(parsePairingList({ pending: 1, paired: "x" })).toEqual({ pending: [], paired: [] });
+    expect(parsePairingList(undefined)).toEqual({ pending: [], paired: [] });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/shared/node-list-parse.ts b/src/shared/node-list-parse.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..236bbe7364
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/node-list-parse.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+import type { NodeListNode, PairedNode, PairingList, PendingRequest } from "./node-list-types.js";
+
+function asRecord(value: unknown): Record<string, unknown> {
+  return typeof value === "object" && value !== null ? (value as Record<string, unknown>) : {};
+}
+
+export function parsePairingList(value: unknown): PairingList {
+  const obj = asRecord(value);
+  const pending = Array.isArray(obj.pending) ? (obj.pending as PendingRequest[]) : [];
+  const paired = Array.isArray(obj.paired) ? (obj.paired as PairedNode[]) : [];
+  return { pending, paired };
+}
+
+export function parseNodeList(value: unknown): NodeListNode[] {
+  const obj = asRecord(value);
+  return Array.isArray(obj.nodes) ? (obj.nodes as NodeListNode[]) : [];
+}