diff --git a/crates/engine/src/batch_preflight.rs b/crates/engine/src/batch_preflight.rs
index 188f87cf52..f16aef3dad 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/batch_preflight.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/batch_preflight.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 use serde_json::{Value, json};
 
 use crate::schema::ParamCheck;
-use crate::{CommandSpec, EngineError, find_command};
+use crate::{EngineError, find_command};
 
 /// The first step a batch would refuse at its turn.
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
@@ -57,11 +57,11 @@ pub fn check(steps: &[Value], level: ParamCheck, host: &[&str]) -> Option<Refusa
         if host.contains(&id) {
             continue;
         }
-        let Some(spec) = find_command(id) else {
+        if find_command(id).is_none() {
             return Some(Refusal { index, command: Some(id.to_string()), error: EngineError::UnknownCommand(id.to_string()).to_string() });
-        };
+        }
         if level == ParamCheck::Strict
-            && let Some(refusal) = contract_refusal(index, id, spec, step)
+            && let Some(refusal) = contract_refusal(index, id, step)
         {
             return Some(refusal);
         }
@@ -76,13 +76,13 @@ pub fn check(steps: &[Value], level: ParamCheck, host: &[&str]) -> Option<Refusa
 pub fn contracts(steps: &[Value]) -> Option<Refusal> {
     steps.iter().enumerate().find_map(|(index, step)| {
         let id = step.get("command").or_else(|| step.get("id")).and_then(Value::as_str)?;
-        contract_refusal(index, id, find_command(id)?, step)
+        contract_refusal(index, id, step)
     })
 }
 
-/// Step `index`'s refusal when its parameters break `spec`'s typed contract.
-fn contract_refusal(index: usize, id: &str, spec: &CommandSpec, step: &Value) -> Option<Refusal> {
-    let first = spec.contract?.check(step.get("params").unwrap_or(&Value::Null)).into_iter().next()?;
+/// Step `index`'s refusal when its parameters break the typed contract of its command `id`.
+fn contract_refusal(index: usize, id: &str, step: &Value) -> Option<Refusal> {
+    let first = crate::schema::issues(id, step.get("params").unwrap_or(&Value::Null)).into_iter().next()?;
     Some(Refusal { index, command: Some(id.to_string()), error: crate::params::bad(id, first.message).to_string() })
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/schema/check.rs b/crates/engine/src/schema/check.rs
index 373f323a8f..4890a25bda 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/schema/check.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/schema/check.rs
@@ -285,6 +285,14 @@ pub(crate) fn parse_issue(e: &serde_path_to_error::Error<serde_json::Error>) ->
     Issue { path, message: truncate(&message, MAX_MESSAGE_LEN), suggestion: None }
 }
 
+/// What is wrong with `params` for the command `id` by its typed contract: the issues a call gets
+/// at [`ParamCheck::Warn`] (the first is the refusal at [`ParamCheck::Strict`]). None for a
+/// command without a contract, or an id the registry lacks (a runner in another process may be
+/// another version).
+pub fn issues(id: &str, params: &Value) -> Vec<Issue> {
+    crate::cmd::find_command(id).and_then(|c| c.contract).map(|c| c.check(params)).unwrap_or_default()
+}
+
 /// Run `handler` as the command `id`, checking the call against the contract `id` publishes
 /// (its [`CommandSpec::contract`](crate::cmd::CommandSpec::contract)), so the contract enforced is
 /// always the one described. With the level off and no audit recorder, this is exactly
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/schema/mod.rs b/crates/engine/src/schema/mod.rs
index cbbe5d87c9..7efaeae8ec 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/schema/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/schema/mod.rs
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ pub mod sketch_create;
 pub mod sketch_equation;
 pub mod view_navigation;
 
-pub use check::{Contract, Issue, ParamCheck, TypedContract, input_schema_for, output_schema_for, run_checked, run_checked_as};
+pub use check::{Contract, Issue, ParamCheck, TypedContract, input_schema_for, issues, output_schema_for, run_checked, run_checked_as};
 pub use types::*;
 
 /// A command's `run` that checks the call against the contract command `$id` publishes
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/schema/tests.rs b/crates/engine/src/schema/tests.rs
index bb698045f9..20492bf729 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/schema/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/schema/tests.rs
@@ -361,6 +361,16 @@ fn the_level_survives_a_new_design() {
     assert_eq!(s.scratch().param_check, ParamCheck::Strict);
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn issues_are_read_from_the_commands_own_contract() {
+    let issues = super::issues("solid.box", &json!({"length": 1, "width": 1, "height": 1, "operaton": "cut"}));
+    assert_eq!(messages(&issues), ["unknown key `operaton`; did you mean `operation`?"]);
+    assert_eq!(issues, box_contract().check(&json!({"length": 1, "width": 1, "height": 1, "operaton": "cut"})));
+    // No contract, or no such command: nothing to say.
+    assert!(super::issues("solid.fillet", &json!({"nonsense": 1})).is_empty());
+    assert!(super::issues("no.such", &json!({"nonsense": 1})).is_empty());
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn a_level_is_read_back_from_its_name() {
     for level in ParamCheck::ALL {
diff --git a/crates/mcp/src/backend.rs b/crates/mcp/src/backend.rs
index 937267ba96..2ad8d52eca 100644
--- a/crates/mcp/src/backend.rs
+++ b/crates/mcp/src/backend.rs
@@ -484,11 +484,10 @@ impl Remote {
     }
 }
 
-/// The issues `params` raise against the typed contract of `id` in this server's registry; none
-/// when it has no contract for `id` (the app may have commands this server lacks).
+/// What is wrong with `params` for `id` by this server's contracts, as messages; none when it has
+/// no contract for `id` (the app may have commands this server lacks).
 fn contract_issues(id: &str, params: &Value) -> Vec<String> {
-    let contract = solidcraft_engine::find_command(id).and_then(|c| c.contract);
-    contract.map(|c| c.check(params).into_iter().map(|i| i.message).collect()).unwrap_or_default()
+    solidcraft_engine::schema::issues(id, params).into_iter().map(|i| i.message).collect()
 }
 
 /// Give `reply` `issues` as its `param_warnings`, as a headless session at the warn level does; a
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/control.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/control.rs
index 1232654496..d4e44acb8d 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/control.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/control.rs
@@ -516,9 +516,7 @@ fn dispatch_checked(app: &mut SolveApp, ctx: &egui::Context, method: &str, p: &V
 /// app's own level, since the session it leaves and the one it brings in each keep theirs.
 fn switch_checked(app: &mut SolveApp, ctx: &egui::Context, method: &str, p: &Value, level: ParamCheck) -> Outcome {
     let id = command(p).unwrap_or_default();
-    let contract = solidcraft_engine::find_command(id).and_then(|c| c.contract);
-    let issues: Vec<String> =
-        contract.map(|c| c.check(p.get("params").unwrap_or(&Value::Null)).into_iter().map(|i| i.message).collect()).unwrap_or_default();
+    let issues: Vec<String> = solidcraft_engine::schema::issues(id, p.get("params").unwrap_or(&Value::Null)).into_iter().map(|i| i.message).collect();
     if level == ParamCheck::Strict
         && let Some(first) = issues.first()
     {