diff --git a/packages/core/src/messaging/do-command.test.ts b/packages/core/src/messaging/do-command.test.ts
index bde3184..99e0a0e 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/messaging/do-command.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/messaging/do-command.test.ts
@@ -183,4 +183,46 @@ describe('makeDoCommandHandler — happy paths', () => {
     expect(conv?.closedAt).toBeNull();
     t.dispose();
   });
+
+  it('free-form args + project snapshot → uses snapshot project + args as goal', async () => {
+    const t = harness();
+    seedActiveConversationWith(t, { sessionId: 'sess-1', projectId: PROJECT_A.id });
+    const reply = await t.handler(
+      { name: 'do', scope: SCOPE, userId: 'u1', args: 'fix the panic in the login flow' },
+      'trace-1',
+    );
+    expect(reply).toMatch(/Promoting to task/);
+    const cmd = t.orch.created[0];
+    expect(cmd?.projectSlugOrPath).toBe(PROJECT_A.slug);
+    expect(cmd?.prompt).toBe('fix the panic in the login flow');
+    expect(cmd?.branchRef).toBeUndefined();
+    t.dispose();
+  });
+
+  it('free-form args with trailing branch tail → snapshot project + branchRef extracted', async () => {
+    const t = harness();
+    seedActiveConversationWith(t, { sessionId: 'sess-1', projectId: PROJECT_A.id });
+    const reply = await t.handler(
+      { name: 'do', scope: SCOPE, userId: 'u1', args: 'rewrite the readme, branch off feat/x' },
+      'trace-1',
+    );
+    expect(reply).toMatch(/Promoting to task/);
+    const cmd = t.orch.created[0];
+    expect(cmd?.projectSlugOrPath).toBe(PROJECT_A.slug);
+    expect(cmd?.prompt).toBe('rewrite the readme');
+    expect(cmd?.branchRef).toBe('feat/x');
+    t.dispose();
+  });
+
+  it('free-form args + no project snapshot → REPLY_DO_NO_PROJECT', async () => {
+    const t = harness();
+    seedActiveConversationWith(t, { sessionId: 'sess-1' });
+    const reply = await t.handler(
+      { name: 'do', scope: SCOPE, userId: 'u1', args: 'fix the panic' },
+      'trace-1',
+    );
+    expect(reply).toBe(REPLY_DO_NO_PROJECT);
+    expect(t.orch.created).toHaveLength(0);
+    t.dispose();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/core/src/messaging/do-command.ts b/packages/core/src/messaging/do-command.ts
index 16bbeaa..0eb37c9 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/messaging/do-command.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/messaging/do-command.ts
@@ -7,9 +7,11 @@
  *   1. No active conversation in scope                     → "send a message first" (E2 sibling)
  *   2. Conversation has no `last_session_id` yet           → "send a message first" (E2)
  *   3. RunCoordinator says a chat or task is in flight     → "wait or /new" (E1, E4)
- *   4. Args supplied (`/do work on X in Y`) but slug bad   → "unknown project: <slug>" hard-reject (E9)
+ *   4. Args supplied as `work on <goal> in <slug>` but slug bad → "unknown project: <slug>" hard-reject (E9)
  *   5. Args omitted: snapshot project_id; missing snapshot → "no project for this conversation" hint
- *   6. Otherwise: build CreateTaskCommand whose orchestrator path resumes
+ *   6. Args supplied as free-form `/do <goal>`             → use snapshot project + args as goal.
+ *      Same missing-snapshot hint as case 5.
+ *   7. Otherwise: build CreateTaskCommand whose orchestrator path resumes
  *      `lastSessionId`. Conversation is NOT closed; chat lane lives on so the
  *      user can continue brainstorming after the task lands.
  *
@@ -21,7 +23,7 @@ import { truncate } from '../agent/format.js';
 import type { ConversationsRepo } from '../datastore/repos/conversations.js';
 import type { TaskOrchestrator } from '../orchestrator/orchestrator.js';
 import type { CreateTaskCommand } from '../orchestrator/types.js';
-import { parseDiscordCommand } from '../parser/index.js';
+import { parseDiscordCommand, parseRoutedMessage } from '../parser/index.js';
 import type { Project } from '../types/index.js';
 import type { DoCommandHandler } from './dispatcher.js';
 import type { RunCoordinator } from './run-coordinator.js';
@@ -36,6 +38,8 @@ export const REPLY_DO_RUN_IN_FLIGHT =
   'A run is currently active on this conversation. Wait for it to finish or run `/new`.';
 export const REPLY_DO_NO_PROJECT =
   'This conversation has no project context. Use `/do work on <goal> in <project>` to specify one.';
+export const REPLY_DO_EMPTY_GOAL =
+  'Could not parse `/do` arguments. Try: `/do <goal>` or `/do work on <goal> in <project>`.';
 
 export interface DoCommandOpts {
   conversations: Pick<ConversationsRepo, 'getActive' | 'getById'>;
@@ -59,22 +63,33 @@ export function makeDoCommandHandler(opts: DoCommandOpts): DoCommandHandler {
     let goal: string;
     let branchRef: string | undefined;
 
-    if (args.length > 0) {
-      const parsed = parseDiscordCommand(args);
-      if (!parsed) {
-        return 'Could not parse `/do` arguments. Try: `/do work on <goal> in <project>`.';
-      }
-      const resolved = opts.resolveProject(parsed.projectHint);
-      if (!resolved) return `unknown project: ${parsed.projectHint}`;
-      project = resolved;
-      goal = parsed.goal;
-      branchRef = parsed.branchRef;
-    } else {
+    if (args.length === 0) {
       if (!conversation.projectId) return REPLY_DO_NO_PROJECT;
       const snapshot = opts.resolveProjectById(conversation.projectId);
       if (!snapshot) return `unknown project: ${conversation.projectId}`;
       project = snapshot;
       goal = RESUME_PROMPT;
+    } else {
+      // Try the strict `work on <goal> in <project>` grammar first — it lets the
+      // user explicitly override the conversation's snapshot project.
+      const explicit = parseDiscordCommand(args);
+      if (explicit) {
+        const resolved = opts.resolveProject(explicit.projectHint);
+        if (!resolved) return `unknown project: ${explicit.projectHint}`;
+        project = resolved;
+        goal = explicit.goal;
+        branchRef = explicit.branchRef;
+      } else {
+        // Free-form `/do <anything>` — infer project from conversation snapshot.
+        if (!conversation.projectId) return REPLY_DO_NO_PROJECT;
+        const snapshot = opts.resolveProjectById(conversation.projectId);
+        if (!snapshot) return `unknown project: ${conversation.projectId}`;
+        const routed = parseRoutedMessage(args);
+        if (!routed) return REPLY_DO_EMPTY_GOAL;
+        project = snapshot;
+        goal = routed.goal;
+        branchRef = routed.branchRef;
+      }
     }
 
     const ctc: CreateTaskCommand = {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/messaging/index.ts b/packages/core/src/messaging/index.ts
index 752ee90..c855e73 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/messaging/index.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/messaging/index.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ export {
 export type { DoCommandOpts } from './do-command.js';
 export {
   makeDoCommandHandler,
+  REPLY_DO_EMPTY_GOAL,
   REPLY_DO_NO_CONVERSATION,
   REPLY_DO_NO_PROJECT,
   REPLY_DO_NO_SESSION,