diff --git a/.codex/config.toml b/.codex/config.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1b58f8f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.codex/config.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+[features]
+codex_hooks = true
diff --git a/.codex/hooks.json b/.codex/hooks.json
index 63366df..4bbedc0 100644
--- a/.codex/hooks.json
+++ b/.codex/hooks.json
@@ -2,8 +2,15 @@
   "hooks": {
     "SessionStart": [
       {
-        "type": "command",
-        "command": "echo 'CAVEMAN MODE ACTIVE. Rules: Drop articles/filler/pleasantries/hedging. Fragments OK. Short synonyms. Pattern: [thing] [action] [reason]. [next step]. Not: Sure! I would be happy to help you with that. Yes: Bug in auth middleware. Fix: Code/commits/security: write normal. User says stop caveman or normal mode to deactivate.'"
+        "matcher": "startup|resume",
+        "hooks": [
+          {
+            "type": "command",
+            "command": "echo 'CAVEMAN MODE ACTIVE. Rules: Drop articles/filler/pleasantries/hedging. Fragments OK. Short synonyms. Pattern: [thing] [action] [reason]. [next step]. Not: Sure! I would be happy to help you with that. Yes: Bug in auth middleware. Fix: Code/commits/security: write normal. User says stop caveman or normal mode to deactivate.'",
+            "timeout": 5,
+            "statusMessage": "Loading caveman mode"
+          }
+        ]
       }
     ]
   }
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index d61ccb6..fdf686a 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ How caveman reaches each agent type:
 | Agent | Mechanism | Auto-activates? |
 |-------|-----------|----------------|
 | Claude Code | Plugin (hooks + skills) or standalone hooks | Yes — SessionStart hook injects rules |
-| Codex | Plugin in `plugins/caveman/` with `hooks.json` | Yes — SessionStart hook |
+| Codex | Plugin in `plugins/caveman/` plus repo `.codex/hooks.json` and `.codex/config.toml` | Yes on macOS/Linux — SessionStart hook |
 | Gemini CLI | Extension with `GEMINI.md` context file | Yes — context file loads every session |
 | Cursor | `.cursor/rules/caveman.mdc` with `alwaysApply: true` | Yes — always-on rule |
 | Windsurf | `.windsurf/rules/caveman.md` with `trigger: always_on` | Yes — always-on rule |
@@ -196,4 +196,4 @@ To reproduce: `uv run python benchmarks/run.py` (needs `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` in `.
 - README most important file for user-facing impact. Optimize for non-technical readers. Preserve caveman voice.
 - Benchmark and eval numbers must be real. Never fabricate or estimate.
 - CI workflow commits back to main after merge. Account for when checking branch state.
-- Hook files must silent-fail on all filesystem errors. Never let hook crash block session start.
\ No newline at end of file
+- Hook files must silent-fail on all filesystem errors. Never let hook crash block session start.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c7cc226..c8ef707 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -197,12 +197,19 @@ Uninstall: `bash hooks/uninstall.sh` or `powershell -File hooks\uninstall.ps1`
 
 **macOS / Linux:**
 1. Clone repo → Open Codex in the repo directory → `/plugins` → Search "Caveman" → Install
+2. Repo-local auto-start is already wired by `.codex/hooks.json` + `.codex/config.toml`
 
 **Windows:**
 1. Enable symlinks first: `git config --global core.symlinks true` (requires Developer Mode or admin)
 2. Clone repo → Open VS Code → Codex Settings → Plugins → find "Caveman" under local marketplace → Install → Reload Window
+3. Codex hooks are currently disabled on Windows, so use `$caveman` to start manually
 
-This repo also ships `.codex/hooks.json`, so caveman auto-activates while you run Codex inside this repo. The installed plugin gives you `$caveman`; if you want always-on behavior in other repos too, add the same SessionStart hook there.
+This repo also ships `.codex/hooks.json` and enables hooks in `.codex/config.toml`, so caveman auto-activates while you run Codex inside this repo on macOS/Linux. The installed plugin gives you `$caveman`; if you want always-on behavior in other repos too, copy the same `SessionStart` hook there and enable:
+
+```toml
+[features]
+codex_hooks = true
+```
 
 </details>