diff --git a/crates/openpencil-shell-core/src/mcp.rs b/crates/openpencil-shell-core/src/mcp.rs
index 1ca53bf06..7078cf623 100644
--- a/crates/openpencil-shell-core/src/mcp.rs
+++ b/crates/openpencil-shell-core/src/mcp.rs
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@ pub mod tools;
 pub use parser::parse_tool_call;
 pub use tools::{
     document_info_snapshot, get_active_theme_snapshot, get_node_snapshot, list_pages_snapshot,
-    list_variables_snapshot, selection_snapshot, set_variable_color_snapshot, GetActiveTheme,
-    GetDocumentInfo, GetNode, GetSelection, ListPages, ListVariables, NodeRecord,
-    SetVariableColor, VariableRecord,
+    list_variables_snapshot, selection_snapshot, set_active_axis_value_snapshot,
+    set_variable_color_snapshot, GetActiveTheme, GetDocumentInfo, GetNode, GetSelection,
+    ListPages, ListVariables, NodeRecord, SetActiveAxisValue, SetVariableColor, VariableRecord,
 };
 
 /// JSON-RPC-style request id. Strings + integers both supported by
diff --git a/crates/openpencil-shell-core/src/mcp/tools.rs b/crates/openpencil-shell-core/src/mcp/tools.rs
index 23f402b0c..2ba276cd5 100644
--- a/crates/openpencil-shell-core/src/mcp/tools.rs
+++ b/crates/openpencil-shell-core/src/mcp/tools.rs
@@ -568,6 +568,83 @@ impl McpTool for SetVariableColor {
     }
 }
 
+/// First-party `set_active_axis_value` tool — programmatic
+/// counterpart to the VariablesPanel chip-cycle interaction. LLM
+/// clients use this when they want to pin an axis to a specific
+/// value rather than advance through the cycle (e.g. "set mode to
+/// dark" instead of "cycle mode"). Validates that the axis exists
+/// AND the value is in `themes[axis].values`; the host's applier
+/// (`VariableTable::apply_mcp_command`) re-validates against live
+/// state and rejects on drift.
+///
+/// Wire shape:
+///   args   — { "axis": "<axis>", "value": "<value>" }
+///   result — { "wrote": "true" } when queued
+///   command — `McpCommand::SetActiveAxisValue { axis, value }`
+pub struct SetActiveAxisValue {
+    /// Snapshot of axis → allowed-values, mirroring
+    /// `VariableTable::themes`. Validation only — the host re-runs
+    /// the same check at apply time so a stale snapshot can't slip
+    /// an unauthorized value through.
+    pub axes: BTreeMap<String, Vec<String>>,
+}
+
+impl McpTool for SetActiveAxisValue {
+    fn name(&self) -> &str {
+        "set_active_axis_value"
+    }
+    fn call(&self, args: &BTreeMap<String, String>) -> ToolOutcome {
+        let Some(axis) = args.get("axis") else {
+            return ToolOutcome::Err(
+                ToolErrorCode::MissingArgument,
+                "axis is required".into(),
+            );
+        };
+        let Some(value) = args.get("value") else {
+            return ToolOutcome::Err(
+                ToolErrorCode::MissingArgument,
+                "value is required".into(),
+            );
+        };
+        let Some(allowed) = self.axes.get(axis) else {
+            return ToolOutcome::Err(
+                ToolErrorCode::ToolFailed,
+                format!("axis {axis:?} not defined in themes"),
+            );
+        };
+        if !allowed.iter().any(|v| v == value) {
+            return ToolOutcome::Err(
+                ToolErrorCode::InvalidArgument,
+                format!(
+                    "value {value:?} not in axis {axis:?}; allowed: {}",
+                    allowed.join(", ")
+                ),
+            );
+        }
+        let mut out = BTreeMap::new();
+        out.insert("wrote".into(), "true".into());
+        ToolOutcome::OkWithCommand(
+            out,
+            McpCommand::SetActiveAxisValue {
+                axis: axis.clone(),
+                value: value.clone(),
+            },
+        )
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn set_active_axis_value_snapshot(
+    doc: &crate::document::Document,
+) -> SetActiveAxisValue {
+    let axes = doc
+        .var_table
+        .themes
+        .iter()
+        .map(|t| (t.name.clone(), t.values.clone()))
+        .collect();
+    SetActiveAxisValue { axes }
+}
+
 pub fn set_variable_color_snapshot(
     doc: &crate::document::Document,
 ) -> SetVariableColor {
diff --git a/crates/openpencil-shell-core/src/mcp/tools_tests.rs b/crates/openpencil-shell-core/src/mcp/tools_tests.rs
index e23d62fa6..1d457f524 100644
--- a/crates/openpencil-shell-core/src/mcp/tools_tests.rs
+++ b/crates/openpencil-shell-core/src/mcp/tools_tests.rs
@@ -477,3 +477,105 @@ fn apply_mcp_command_routes_set_variable_color_to_var_table() {
     assert!((c.g - 0xcc as f32 / 255.0).abs() < 0.01);
     assert!((c.b - 0xaa as f32 / 255.0).abs() < 0.01);
 }
+
+fn doc_with_theme_axis(name: &str, values: &[&str]) -> crate::document::Document {
+    use crate::document::{Document, ThemeAxis};
+    let mut doc = Document::empty();
+    doc.var_table.themes.push(ThemeAxis {
+        name: name.into(),
+        values: values.iter().map(|s| s.to_string()).collect(),
+    });
+    doc
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn set_active_axis_value_validates_args_and_returns_command() {
+    let doc = doc_with_theme_axis("mode", &["light", "dark"]);
+    let tool = set_active_axis_value_snapshot(&doc);
+    let mut args = BTreeMap::new();
+    args.insert("axis".into(), "mode".into());
+    args.insert("value".into(), "dark".into());
+    match tool.call(&args) {
+        ToolOutcome::OkWithCommand(out, cmd) => {
+            assert_eq!(out.get("wrote"), Some(&"true".to_string()));
+            match cmd {
+                McpCommand::SetActiveAxisValue { axis, value } => {
+                    assert_eq!(axis, "mode");
+                    assert_eq!(value, "dark");
+                }
+                other => panic!("expected SetActiveAxisValue, got {other:?}"),
+            }
+        }
+        other => panic!("expected OkWithCommand, got {other:?}"),
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn set_active_axis_value_errors_on_missing_args() {
+    let doc = doc_with_theme_axis("mode", &["light", "dark"]);
+    let tool = set_active_axis_value_snapshot(&doc);
+    match tool.call(&BTreeMap::new()) {
+        ToolOutcome::Err(code, _) => assert_eq!(code, ToolErrorCode::MissingArgument),
+        _ => panic!(),
+    }
+    let mut args = BTreeMap::new();
+    args.insert("axis".into(), "mode".into());
+    match tool.call(&args) {
+        ToolOutcome::Err(code, msg) => {
+            assert_eq!(code, ToolErrorCode::MissingArgument);
+            assert!(msg.contains("value"));
+        }
+        _ => panic!(),
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn set_active_axis_value_errors_on_unknown_axis() {
+    let doc = doc_with_theme_axis("mode", &["light", "dark"]);
+    let tool = set_active_axis_value_snapshot(&doc);
+    let mut args = BTreeMap::new();
+    args.insert("axis".into(), "density".into());
+    args.insert("value".into(), "compact".into());
+    match tool.call(&args) {
+        ToolOutcome::Err(code, msg) => {
+            assert_eq!(code, ToolErrorCode::ToolFailed);
+            assert!(msg.contains("density"));
+        }
+        _ => panic!(),
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn set_active_axis_value_errors_on_value_not_in_axis() {
+    let doc = doc_with_theme_axis("mode", &["light", "dark"]);
+    let tool = set_active_axis_value_snapshot(&doc);
+    let mut args = BTreeMap::new();
+    args.insert("axis".into(), "mode".into());
+    args.insert("value".into(), "sepia".into());
+    match tool.call(&args) {
+        ToolOutcome::Err(code, msg) => {
+            assert_eq!(code, ToolErrorCode::InvalidArgument);
+            assert!(msg.contains("light"));
+            assert!(msg.contains("dark"));
+        }
+        _ => panic!(),
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn apply_mcp_command_routes_set_active_axis_value() {
+    let mut doc = doc_with_theme_axis("mode", &["light", "dark"]);
+    let cmd = McpCommand::SetActiveAxisValue {
+        axis: "mode".into(),
+        value: "dark".into(),
+    };
+    assert!(doc.var_table.apply_mcp_command(&cmd));
+    assert_eq!(doc.var_table.active_theme.get("mode"), Some(&"dark".to_string()));
+
+    // Invalid value rejected at apply time too (host re-validates).
+    let bad = McpCommand::SetActiveAxisValue {
+        axis: "mode".into(),
+        value: "sepia".into(),
+    };
+    assert!(!doc.var_table.apply_mcp_command(&bad));
+}