diff --git a/packages/cli-kit/src/private/node/plugin-hints.test.ts b/packages/cli-kit/src/private/node/plugin-hints.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5e6dad14163
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli-kit/src/private/node/plugin-hints.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+import {emitClaudeCodePluginHint, runningUnderClaudeCode, SHOPIFY_AI_TOOLKIT_PLUGIN_HINT} from './plugin-hints.js'
+import {beforeEach, describe, expect, test, vi} from 'vitest'
+
+describe('runningUnderClaudeCode', () => {
+  test.each(['1', 'true', 'TRUE', 'yes', 'YES'])('returns true for CLAUDECODE=%s', (value) => {
+    expect(runningUnderClaudeCode({CLAUDECODE: value})).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  test('returns true for a Claude Code child session', () => {
+    expect(runningUnderClaudeCode({CLAUDE_CODE_CHILD_SESSION: '1'})).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  test.each([
+    ['CLAUDECODE', ''],
+    ['CLAUDECODE', '0'],
+    ['CLAUDECODE', 'false'],
+    ['CLAUDE_CODE_CHILD_SESSION', ''],
+    ['CLAUDE_CODE_CHILD_SESSION', '0'],
+    ['CLAUDE_CODE_CHILD_SESSION', 'false'],
+  ])('returns false for %s=%s when the other marker is absent', (variable, value) => {
+    expect(runningUnderClaudeCode({[variable]: value})).toBe(false)
+  })
+})
+
+describe('emitClaudeCodePluginHint', () => {
+  let write: ReturnType<typeof vi.spyOn>
+  let stdout: ReturnType<typeof vi.spyOn>
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    write = vi.spyOn(process.stderr, 'write').mockImplementation(() => true)
+    stdout = vi.spyOn(process.stdout, 'write').mockImplementation(() => true)
+  })
+
+  test.each([
+    ['CLAUDECODE', '1'],
+    ['CLAUDECODE', 'true'],
+    ['CLAUDE_CODE_CHILD_SESSION', '1'],
+    ['CLAUDE_CODE_CHILD_SESSION', 'true'],
+  ])('writes the marker for %s=%s', (variable, value) => {
+    emitClaudeCodePluginHint({[variable]: value})
+
+    expect(write).toHaveBeenCalledWith(`${SHOPIFY_AI_TOOLKIT_PLUGIN_HINT}\n`)
+    expect(stdout).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  test.each([
+    ['CLAUDECODE', ''],
+    ['CLAUDECODE', '0'],
+    ['CLAUDECODE', 'false'],
+    ['CLAUDE_CODE_CHILD_SESSION', ''],
+    ['CLAUDE_CODE_CHILD_SESSION', '0'],
+    ['CLAUDE_CODE_CHILD_SESSION', 'false'],
+  ])('does not write for %s=%s', (variable, value) => {
+    emitClaudeCodePluginHint({[variable]: value})
+
+    expect(write).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  test('writes the exact marker on every command invocation under Claude Code', () => {
+    emitClaudeCodePluginHint({CLAUDECODE: '1'})
+    emitClaudeCodePluginHint({CLAUDECODE: '1'})
+
+    expect(write).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
+    expect(write).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(1, `${SHOPIFY_AI_TOOLKIT_PLUGIN_HINT}\n`)
+    expect(write).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(2, `${SHOPIFY_AI_TOOLKIT_PLUGIN_HINT}\n`)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/cli-kit/src/private/node/plugin-hints.ts b/packages/cli-kit/src/private/node/plugin-hints.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..cd6e7e20d5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli-kit/src/private/node/plugin-hints.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+// This module is imported statically from the prerun hook, which runs before the CLI's
+// heavy modules load. Keep it dependency-free (isTruthy has no imports) so it adds no
+// measurable startup cost.
+import {isTruthy} from '../../public/node/context/utilities.js'
+
+/** The Claude Code plugin hint protocol marker. */
+export const SHOPIFY_AI_TOOLKIT_PLUGIN_HINT =
+  '<claude-code-hint v="1" type="plugin" value="shopify-ai-toolkit@claude-plugins-official" />'
+
+/**
+ * Returns whether this process was launched by Claude Code.
+ *
+ * @param environment - Environment variables to inspect.
+ * @returns Whether Claude Code environment markers are truthy.
+ */
+export function runningUnderClaudeCode(environment: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env): boolean {
+  return isTruthy(environment.CLAUDECODE) || isTruthy(environment.CLAUDE_CODE_CHILD_SESSION)
+}
+
+/**
+ * Emits the Claude Code plugin hint on every command invocation under Claude Code.
+ * Claude Code handles deduplication and persistence.
+ *
+ * @param environment - Environment variables to inspect.
+ */
+export function emitClaudeCodePluginHint(environment: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env): void {
+  if (!runningUnderClaudeCode(environment)) return
+
+  // stderr.write doesn't throw synchronously on supported Node versions; stream failures
+  // surface as async 'error' events that a try/catch here couldn't intercept anyway.
+  process.stderr.write(`${SHOPIFY_AI_TOOLKIT_PLUGIN_HINT}\n`)
+}
diff --git a/packages/cli-kit/src/public/node/hooks/prerun.integration.test.ts b/packages/cli-kit/src/public/node/hooks/prerun.integration.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b8bddf77c5f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli-kit/src/public/node/hooks/prerun.integration.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+import {hook} from './prerun.js'
+import {SHOPIFY_AI_TOOLKIT_PLUGIN_HINT} from '../../../private/node/plugin-hints.js'
+import {afterEach, describe, expect, test, vi} from 'vitest'
+
+vi.mock('../output.js', () => ({outputDebug: vi.fn()}))
+vi.mock('../../../private/node/analytics.js', () => ({startAnalytics: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined)}))
+vi.mock('../notifications-system.js', () => ({fetchNotificationsInBackground: vi.fn()}))
+vi.mock('../../../common/version.js', () => ({CLI_KIT_VERSION: '1.0.0'}))
+vi.mock('../version.js', () => ({isPreReleaseVersion: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true)}))
+vi.mock('../node-package-manager.js', () => ({checkForNewVersion: vi.fn()}))
+
+const options = {
+  Command: {id: 'app:dev', aliases: [], plugin: {alias: '@shopify/cli'}},
+  argv: [],
+} as any
+
+describe('prerun hook plugin hint integration', () => {
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.unstubAllEnvs()
+  })
+
+  test('writes the marker to stderr and completes under Claude Code', async () => {
+    vi.stubEnv('CLAUDECODE', '1')
+    const stderr = vi.spyOn(process.stderr, 'write').mockImplementation(() => true)
+
+    await expect((hook as any)(options)).resolves.toBeUndefined()
+    expect(stderr).toHaveBeenCalledWith(`${SHOPIFY_AI_TOOLKIT_PLUGIN_HINT}\n`)
+  })
+
+  test('does not write the marker outside Claude Code', async () => {
+    vi.stubEnv('CLAUDECODE', '')
+    vi.stubEnv('CLAUDE_CODE_CHILD_SESSION', '')
+    const stderr = vi.spyOn(process.stderr, 'write').mockImplementation(() => true)
+
+    await expect((hook as any)(options)).resolves.toBeUndefined()
+    expect(stderr).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(`${SHOPIFY_AI_TOOLKIT_PLUGIN_HINT}\n`)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/cli-kit/src/public/node/hooks/prerun.ts b/packages/cli-kit/src/public/node/hooks/prerun.ts
index a974dfda724..e70533c7a9d 100644
--- a/packages/cli-kit/src/public/node/hooks/prerun.ts
+++ b/packages/cli-kit/src/public/node/hooks/prerun.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import {emitClaudeCodePluginHint} from '../../../private/node/plugin-hints.js'
 import {Hook} from '@oclif/core'
 
 export declare interface CommandContent {
@@ -15,6 +16,10 @@ export const hook: Hook.Prerun = async (options) => {
   })
   const args = options.argv
 
+  // Emit on every resolved command invocation; --help, --version, and parse errors exit before prerun.
+  // Claude Code owns deduplication and covers first-party and plugin commands.
+  emitClaudeCodePluginHint()
+
   // Load heavy modules in parallel
   const [{outputDebug}, analyticsMod, notificationsMod] = await Promise.all([
     import('../output.js'),