diff --git a/packages/adapter-utils/src/paperclip-api-launcher.test.ts b/packages/adapter-utils/src/paperclip-api-launcher.test.ts
index 7db5694d87a..c68664fef3a 100644
--- a/packages/adapter-utils/src/paperclip-api-launcher.test.ts
+++ b/packages/adapter-utils/src/paperclip-api-launcher.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { execFile } from "node:child_process";
 import { createServer, type IncomingMessage, type Server } from "node:http";
-import { mkdtemp, writeFile, rm } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { mkdtemp, writeFile, readFile, rm } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { randomBytes } from "node:crypto";
 import os from "node:os";
 import path from "node:path";
 import { promisify } from "node:util";
@@ -10,7 +11,19 @@ import { paperclipApiHelperSource } from "./paperclip-api-launcher.js";
 const exec = promisify(execFile);
 const SENTINEL_BEARER = "sentinel-bearer-must-never-leave-the-configured-origin";
 
-type RecordedRequest = { method: string; url: string; headers: IncomingMessage["headers"]; body: string };
+type RecordedRequest = { method: string; url: string; headers: IncomingMessage["headers"]; body: string; rawBody: Buffer };
+
+function countOccurrences(buffer: Buffer, marker: Buffer): number {
+  let count = 0;
+  let from = 0;
+  for (;;) {
+    const index = buffer.indexOf(marker, from);
+    if (index === -1) break;
+    count++;
+    from = index + marker.length;
+  }
+  return count;
+}
 
 async function startRecordingServer(
   respond: (req: IncomingMessage) => { status: number; body: string },
@@ -20,7 +33,8 @@ async function startRecordingServer(
     const chunks: Buffer[] = [];
     req.on("data", (chunk) => chunks.push(chunk));
     req.on("end", () => {
-      requests.push({ method: req.method ?? "", url: req.url ?? "", headers: req.headers, body: Buffer.concat(chunks).toString("utf8") });
+      const rawBody = Buffer.concat(chunks);
+      requests.push({ method: req.method ?? "", url: req.url ?? "", headers: req.headers, body: rawBody.toString("utf8"), rawBody });
       const { status, body } = respond(req);
       res.writeHead(status, { "content-type": "application/json" });
       res.end(body);
@@ -114,7 +128,7 @@ describe("paperclip-api helper", () => {
   it("does not follow a redirect to another origin", async () => {
     await new Promise<void>((resolve) => configured.server.close(() => resolve()));
     configured.server = createServer((req, res) => {
-      configured.requests.push({ method: req.method ?? "", url: req.url ?? "", headers: req.headers, body: "" });
+      configured.requests.push({ method: req.method ?? "", url: req.url ?? "", headers: req.headers, body: "", rawBody: Buffer.alloc(0) });
       res.writeHead(302, { location: `http://127.0.0.1:${nonconfigured.port}/api/x` });
       res.end();
     });
@@ -248,4 +262,254 @@ describe("paperclip-api helper", () => {
       30_000,
     );
   });
+
+  function execWithStdin(args: string[], env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv, input: Buffer) {
+    const result = exec(bin, args, { env, maxBuffer: 64 * 1024 * 1024 });
+    result.child.stdin!.end(input);
+    return result;
+  }
+
+  describe("a request body from a file or from standard input", () => {
+    it("sends a body piped through standard input, byte for byte", async () => {
+      const payload = randomBytes(4096);
+      const result = await execWithStdin(["POST", "/api/issues/PAP-1/comments", "-d", "@-"], runEnv(), payload);
+      expect(JSON.parse(result.stdout)).toEqual({ ok: true });
+      expect(configured.requests[0]!.rawBody.equals(payload)).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it("sends a body read from a named file, byte for byte", async () => {
+      const payload = randomBytes(4096);
+      const filePath = path.join(root, "body.bin");
+      await writeFile(filePath, payload);
+      const result = await exec(bin, ["POST", "/api/issues/PAP-1/comments", "-d", `@${filePath}`], { env: runEnv() });
+      expect(JSON.parse(result.stdout)).toEqual({ ok: true });
+      expect(configured.requests[0]!.rawBody.equals(payload)).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it("keeps sending a literal -d argument as a body", async () => {
+      await exec(bin, ["POST", "/api/issues/PAP-1/comments", "-d", '{"body":"literal"}'], { env: runEnv() });
+      expect(configured.requests[0]!.body).toBe('{"body":"literal"}');
+    });
+
+    it("fails without making a request when the named body file does not exist", async () => {
+      const filePath = path.join(root, "missing.bin");
+      await expect(exec(bin, ["POST", "/api/issues/PAP-1/comments", "-d", `@${filePath}`], { env: runEnv() })).rejects.toMatchObject({
+        code: 2,
+      });
+      expect(configured.requests).toHaveLength(0);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("a multipart file upload", () => {
+    function multipartBoundary(request: RecordedRequest): string {
+      const match = /boundary=(.+)$/.exec(request.headers["content-type"] ?? "");
+      expect(match).toBeTruthy();
+      return match![1]!;
+    }
+
+    it("uploads one file part, with the file content unchanged, and Content-Type set once", async () => {
+      const payload = randomBytes(2048);
+      const filePath = path.join(root, "output.webm");
+      await writeFile(filePath, payload);
+      const result = await exec(
+        bin,
+        ["POST", "/api/issues/PAP-1/attachments", "-F", `file=@${filePath};type=video/webm`],
+        { env: runEnv() },
+      );
+      expect(JSON.parse(result.stdout)).toEqual({ ok: true });
+      const request = configured.requests[0]!;
+      expect(request.headers["content-type"]).toMatch(/^multipart\/form-data; boundary=/);
+      const boundary = multipartBoundary(request);
+      expect(countOccurrences(request.rawBody, Buffer.from(`--${boundary}`, "utf8"))).toBe(2);
+      expect(countOccurrences(request.rawBody, Buffer.from("Content-Disposition: form-data", "utf8"))).toBe(1);
+      const headEnd = request.rawBody.indexOf("\r\n\r\n") + 4;
+      const tailStart = request.rawBody.lastIndexOf(`\r\n--${boundary}--`);
+      expect(request.rawBody.subarray(headEnd, tailStart).equals(payload)).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it("rejects a caller-supplied Content-Type header in multipart mode", async () => {
+      const filePath = path.join(root, "output.webm");
+      await writeFile(filePath, "content");
+      await expect(
+        exec(
+          bin,
+          ["POST", "/api/issues/PAP-1/attachments", "-F", `file=@${filePath};type=video/webm`, "-H", "Content-Type: text/plain"],
+          { env: runEnv() },
+        ),
+      ).rejects.toMatchObject({ code: 2 });
+      expect(configured.requests).toHaveLength(0);
+    });
+
+    it("rejects more than one -F file part", async () => {
+      const filePath = path.join(root, "output.webm");
+      await writeFile(filePath, "content");
+      await expect(
+        exec(
+          bin,
+          [
+            "POST",
+            "/api/issues/PAP-1/attachments",
+            "-F",
+            `file=@${filePath};type=video/webm`,
+            "-F",
+            `second=@${filePath};type=video/webm`,
+          ],
+          { env: runEnv() },
+        ),
+      ).rejects.toMatchObject({ code: 2 });
+      expect(configured.requests).toHaveLength(0);
+    });
+
+    it("fails without making a request when the multipart file does not exist", async () => {
+      const filePath = path.join(root, "missing.webm");
+      await expect(
+        exec(bin, ["POST", "/api/issues/PAP-1/attachments", "-F", `file=@${filePath};type=video/webm`], { env: runEnv() }),
+      ).rejects.toMatchObject({ code: 2 });
+      expect(configured.requests).toHaveLength(0);
+    });
+
+    // This character set holds a carriage return, a line feed, a double
+    // quote, and a backslash. Each of these can inject a header, end a body
+    // early, or collide with the boundary. The set also holds the
+    // letters, digits, and hyphen the boundary itself uses.
+    const MULTIPART_TEST_CHARSET = 'PaperclipFormBoundary0123456789abcdefABCDEF-_\r\n"\\';
+    const HAS_FORBIDDEN_MULTIPART_CHAR = /[\r\n"\\]/;
+    const FIXED_UPLOAD_CONTENT = Buffer.from("sample file content, unchanged");
+
+    function randomMultipartTestString(minLength: number, maxLength: number): string {
+      const length = minLength + Math.floor(Math.random() * (maxLength - minLength + 1));
+      let value = "";
+      for (let i = 0; i < length; i++) {
+        value += MULTIPART_TEST_CHARSET[Math.floor(Math.random() * MULTIPART_TEST_CHARSET.length)];
+      }
+      return value;
+    }
+
+    async function runMultipartCase(fieldName: string, fileNameSeed: string, contentType: string) {
+      const filePath = path.join(root, `upload-${fileNameSeed}`);
+      await writeFile(filePath, FIXED_UPLOAD_CONTENT);
+      try {
+        const outcome = await exec(
+          bin,
+          ["POST", "/api/issues/PAP-1/attachments", "-F", `${fieldName}=@${filePath};type=${contentType}`],
+          { env: runEnv() },
+        );
+        return { accepted: true as const, result: outcome };
+      } catch (error) {
+        return { accepted: false as const, error: error as { code?: number } };
+      }
+    }
+
+    // This is the one invariant the program's boundary handling must keep.
+    // Either the program rejects the caller's field name, file name, or
+    // content type. Or it sends a request with the boundary in exactly the
+    // two places the multipart format needs, and with the original file
+    // bytes and nothing else. This same check also catches an injected
+    // header line: an injected carriage return or line feed moves the "end
+    // of headers" marker, so the extracted content no longer matches the
+    // original bytes.
+    function assertRequestHasOneSafePart(request: RecordedRequest) {
+      const boundary = multipartBoundary(request);
+      expect(countOccurrences(request.rawBody, Buffer.from(`--${boundary}`, "utf8"))).toBe(2);
+      const headersEnd = request.rawBody.indexOf("\r\n\r\n");
+      const tailStart = request.rawBody.lastIndexOf(`\r\n--${boundary}--`);
+      expect(headersEnd).toBeGreaterThan(-1);
+      expect(tailStart).toBeGreaterThan(headersEnd);
+      const content = request.rawBody.subarray(headersEnd + 4, tailStart);
+      expect(content.equals(FIXED_UPLOAD_CONTENT)).toBe(true);
+    }
+
+    const NAMED_MULTIPART_CASES: Array<{ name: string; fieldName: string; fileName: string; contentType: string }> = [
+      { name: "a carriage return in the field name", fieldName: "file\rname", fileName: "plain", contentType: "text/plain" },
+      { name: "a line feed in the file name", fieldName: "file", fileName: "plain\nname", contentType: "text/plain" },
+      { name: "a double quote in the content type", fieldName: "file", fileName: "plain", contentType: 'text/plain"x' },
+      { name: "a backslash in the field name", fieldName: "fi\\le", fileName: "plain", contentType: "text/plain" },
+      { name: "a header-ending double CRLF in the field name", fieldName: "file\r\n\r\ninjected", fileName: "plain", contentType: "text/plain" },
+      { name: "the boundary's own characters in the content type (accepted, still one safe part)", fieldName: "file", fileName: "plain", contentType: "PaperclipFormBoundaryabc123" },
+    ];
+
+    it.each(NAMED_MULTIPART_CASES)("$name", async ({ fieldName, fileName, contentType }) => {
+      configured.requests.length = 0;
+      const outcome = await runMultipartCase(fieldName, fileName, contentType);
+      const dangerous = HAS_FORBIDDEN_MULTIPART_CHAR.test(fieldName) || HAS_FORBIDDEN_MULTIPART_CHAR.test(fileName) || HAS_FORBIDDEN_MULTIPART_CHAR.test(contentType);
+      if (dangerous) {
+        expect(outcome.accepted).toBe(false);
+        expect(!outcome.accepted && outcome.error.code).toBe(2);
+        expect(configured.requests).toHaveLength(0);
+        return;
+      }
+      expect(outcome.accepted).toBe(true);
+      assertRequestHasOneSafePart(configured.requests[0]!);
+    });
+
+    it(
+      "either rejects a dangerous field/file/content-type, or sends exactly one safe part, for 200 generated inputs (property test)",
+      async () => {
+        for (let trial = 0; trial < 200; trial++) {
+          configured.requests.length = 0;
+          const fieldName = randomMultipartTestString(1, 12);
+          const fileNameSeed = `${trial}-${randomMultipartTestString(1, 12)}`;
+          const contentType = randomMultipartTestString(1, 24);
+          const outcome = await runMultipartCase(fieldName, fileNameSeed, contentType);
+          const dangerous =
+            HAS_FORBIDDEN_MULTIPART_CHAR.test(fieldName)
+            || HAS_FORBIDDEN_MULTIPART_CHAR.test(fileNameSeed)
+            || HAS_FORBIDDEN_MULTIPART_CHAR.test(contentType);
+          if (dangerous) {
+            expect(outcome.accepted, `trial ${trial} accepted a dangerous field/file/content-type`).toBe(false);
+            expect(!outcome.accepted && outcome.error.code, `trial ${trial} rejected with an unexpected exit code`).toBe(2);
+            expect(configured.requests, `trial ${trial} sent a request despite rejecting`).toHaveLength(0);
+            continue;
+          }
+          expect(outcome.accepted, `trial ${trial} rejected a safe field/file/content-type`).toBe(true);
+          assertRequestHasOneSafePart(configured.requests[0]!);
+        }
+      },
+      60_000,
+    );
+  });
+
+  describe("the response status code and output file", () => {
+    it("writes the numeric status code and nothing else for a 200 response", async () => {
+      const result = await exec(bin, ["GET", "/api/agents/me", "--status"], { env: runEnv() });
+      expect(result.stdout).toBe("200");
+    });
+
+    it("writes the numeric status code and nothing else for a 404 response", async () => {
+      await new Promise<void>((resolve) => configured.server.close(() => resolve()));
+      configured.server = createServer((req, res) => {
+        res.writeHead(404, { "content-type": "application/json" });
+        res.end('{"error":"not found"}');
+      });
+      await new Promise<void>((resolve) => configured.server.listen(configured.port, "127.0.0.1", resolve));
+      const result = await exec(bin, ["GET", "/api/agents/me", "--status"], { env: runEnv() });
+      expect(result.stdout).toBe("404");
+    });
+
+    it("does not fail the process on a non-2xx status when --status is given", async () => {
+      await new Promise<void>((resolve) => configured.server.close(() => resolve()));
+      configured.server = createServer((req, res) => {
+        res.writeHead(404, { "content-type": "application/json" });
+        res.end('{"error":"not found"}');
+      });
+      await new Promise<void>((resolve) => configured.server.listen(configured.port, "127.0.0.1", resolve));
+      await expect(exec(bin, ["GET", "/api/agents/me", "--status"], { env: runEnv() })).resolves.toMatchObject({ stdout: "404" });
+    });
+
+    it("writes the response body to -o instead of standard output", async () => {
+      const outputPath = path.join(root, "response.json");
+      const result = await exec(bin, ["GET", "/api/agents/me", "-o", outputPath], { env: runEnv() });
+      expect(result.stdout).toBe("");
+      const written = await readFile(outputPath, "utf8");
+      expect(JSON.parse(written)).toEqual({ ok: true });
+    });
+
+    it("combines -o and --status the way a status-then-body curl call would", async () => {
+      const outputPath = path.join(root, "response.json");
+      const result = await exec(bin, ["GET", "/api/agents/me", "-o", outputPath, "--status"], { env: runEnv() });
+      expect(result.stdout).toBe("200");
+      const written = await readFile(outputPath, "utf8");
+      expect(JSON.parse(written)).toEqual({ ok: true });
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/adapter-utils/src/paperclip-api-launcher.ts b/packages/adapter-utils/src/paperclip-api-launcher.ts
index 55cf1a3694a..c9c265e1a6d 100644
--- a/packages/adapter-utils/src/paperclip-api-launcher.ts
+++ b/packages/adapter-utils/src/paperclip-api-launcher.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,13 @@ export function paperclipApiHelperSource(): string {
 // paperclip-api: call the Paperclip API without putting the bearer token on a
 // command line. The token stays in the process environment; this program
 // reads it there and adds it to the request itself.
+const fsPromises = require('node:fs/promises');
+const pathModule = require('node:path');
+const cryptoModule = require('node:crypto');
+
+const USAGE = 'usage: paperclip-api <METHOD> </api/path> [-H "Name: Value"]... '
+  + '[-d <body>|-d @-|-d @<path>] [-F \'field=@<path>;type=<mime>\'] [-o <path>] [--status]';
+
 const FORBIDDEN_HEADER_NAMES = new Set([
   'authorization', 'host', 'proxy-authorization', 'proxy-connection', 'forwarded',
   'x-forwarded-for', 'x-forwarded-host', 'x-forwarded-proto', 'x-forwarded-port', 'x-real-ip', 'via',
@@ -14,13 +21,37 @@ function usageError(message) {
   process.exit(2);
 }
 
+function hasHeaderNamed(headers, name) {
+  return Object.keys(headers).some((key) => key.toLowerCase() === name.toLowerCase());
+}
+
+// Parse "<fieldName>=@<filePath>;type=<mimeType>", the one multipart shape
+// this program accepts. The field name and the content type must not carry
+// the literal text "=@" or ";type=". Keep these two character sequences out
+// of any generated test data for this parser.
+function parseMultipartArg(raw) {
+  const marker = raw.indexOf('=@');
+  if (marker < 0) usageError('-F needs a "field=@path;type=mime" argument');
+  const fieldName = raw.slice(0, marker);
+  const rest = raw.slice(marker + 2);
+  const typeMarker = rest.indexOf(';type=');
+  if (typeMarker < 0) usageError('-F needs a ";type=<mime>" suffix');
+  const filePath = rest.slice(0, typeMarker);
+  const contentType = rest.slice(typeMarker + ';type='.length);
+  if (!fieldName || !filePath || !contentType) usageError('-F needs a non-empty field name, file path, and content type');
+  return { fieldName, filePath, contentType };
+}
+
 function parseArgs(argv) {
   const method = argv[0];
   const relativePath = argv[1];
-  if (!method || !relativePath) usageError('usage: paperclip-api <METHOD> </api/path> [-H "Name: Value"]... [-d <body>]');
+  if (!method || !relativePath) usageError(USAGE);
   if (!/^[A-Z]+$/.test(method)) usageError('the method must be an uppercase HTTP verb');
   const headers = {};
-  let body;
+  let bodySpec;
+  let multipartSpec;
+  let outputPath;
+  let wantStatus = false;
   for (let i = 2; i < argv.length; i++) {
     const arg = argv[i];
     if (arg === '-H') {
@@ -32,13 +63,24 @@ function parseArgs(argv) {
       if (FORBIDDEN_HEADER_NAMES.has(name.toLowerCase())) usageError('this program sets the "' + name + '" header itself; the caller must not set it');
       headers[name] = value;
     } else if (arg === '-d') {
-      body = argv[++i];
-      if (body === undefined) usageError('-d needs a body argument');
+      bodySpec = argv[++i];
+      if (bodySpec === undefined) usageError('-d needs a body argument');
+    } else if (arg === '-F') {
+      const raw = argv[++i];
+      if (raw === undefined) usageError('-F needs a "field=@path;type=mime" argument');
+      if (multipartSpec) usageError('this program accepts at most one -F file part');
+      multipartSpec = parseMultipartArg(raw);
+    } else if (arg === '-o') {
+      outputPath = argv[++i];
+      if (outputPath === undefined) usageError('-o needs a file path argument');
+    } else if (arg === '--status') {
+      wantStatus = true;
     } else {
       usageError('unknown argument "' + arg + '"');
     }
   }
-  return { method, relativePath, headers, body };
+  if (bodySpec !== undefined && multipartSpec) usageError('-d and -F cannot be used together');
+  return { method, relativePath, headers, bodySpec, multipartSpec, outputPath, wantStatus };
 }
 
 // Accept only a path relative to the configured Paperclip API. Reject an
@@ -81,17 +123,107 @@ function buildRequestUrl(base, relativePath) {
   return url;
 }
 
+function readStdinBytes() {
+  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    const chunks = [];
+    process.stdin.on('data', (chunk) => chunks.push(chunk));
+    process.stdin.on('end', () => resolve(Buffer.concat(chunks)));
+    process.stdin.on('error', reject);
+  });
+}
+
+// Resolve the -d argument to a byte body. "@-" reads standard input.
+// "@<path>" reads the named file. Anything else keeps its current meaning:
+// a literal body. Read the file or the stream as bytes. Do not assume it is
+// text. This way a binary attachment or a large comment body survives
+// unchanged.
+async function resolveBodySpec(bodySpec) {
+  if (bodySpec === '@-') return readStdinBytes();
+  if (bodySpec.startsWith('@')) {
+    const filePath = bodySpec.slice(1);
+    try { return await fsPromises.readFile(filePath); }
+    catch { usageError('could not read the body file "' + filePath + '"'); }
+  }
+  return bodySpec;
+}
+
+function countOccurrences(buffer, marker) {
+  let count = 0;
+  let from = 0;
+  for (;;) {
+    const index = buffer.indexOf(marker, from);
+    if (index === -1) break;
+    count++;
+    from = index + marker.length;
+  }
+  return count;
+}
+
+// A caller controls the field name, the file name, and the content type of a
+// multipart upload. Each value enters the assembled request as a header
+// line. Reject a carriage return, a line feed, a double quote, and a
+// backslash. This stops a caller from adding a header, changing a header, or
+// ending the body early.
+function assertSafeMultipartValue(value, label) {
+  if (/[\r\n"\\]/.test(value)) usageError('a multipart ' + label + ' must not contain a carriage return, a line feed, a double quote, or a backslash');
+}
+
+// Build one multipart/form-data body holding exactly one file part. The
+// boundary comes from a cryptographic random source. It never derives from
+// caller input, so a caller cannot predict it. After assembly, count the
+// boundary marker in the finished body. It must appear exactly twice: once
+// opening the part, once closing it. A third occurrence means a
+// caller-controlled value, most plausibly the file content, collided with
+// the boundary. Do not send that request.
+async function buildMultipartBody(spec) {
+  const { fieldName, filePath, contentType } = spec;
+  const fileName = pathModule.basename(filePath);
+  assertSafeMultipartValue(fieldName, 'field name');
+  assertSafeMultipartValue(fileName, 'file name');
+  assertSafeMultipartValue(contentType, 'content type');
+  let fileBytes;
+  try { fileBytes = await fsPromises.readFile(filePath); }
+  catch { usageError('could not read the multipart file "' + filePath + '"'); }
+  const boundary = 'PaperclipFormBoundary' + cryptoModule.randomBytes(24).toString('hex');
+  const head = Buffer.from(
+    '--' + boundary + '\r\n'
+    + 'Content-Disposition: form-data; name="' + fieldName + '"; filename="' + fileName + '"\r\n'
+    + 'Content-Type: ' + contentType + '\r\n\r\n',
+    'utf8',
+  );
+  const tail = Buffer.from('\r\n--' + boundary + '--\r\n', 'utf8');
+  const assembled = Buffer.concat([head, fileBytes, tail]);
+  const occurrences = countOccurrences(assembled, Buffer.from('--' + boundary, 'utf8'));
+  if (occurrences !== 2) usageError('a multipart file part could not be assembled safely');
+  return { body: assembled, contentType: 'multipart/form-data; boundary=' + boundary };
+}
+
 async function main() {
-  const { method, relativePath, headers, body } = parseArgs(process.argv.slice(2));
+  const parsed = parseArgs(process.argv.slice(2));
+  const { method, relativePath, headers, outputPath, wantStatus } = parsed;
   assertSafeRelativeApiPath(relativePath);
   const base = readConfiguredBase();
   const url = buildRequestUrl(base, relativePath);
   const bearer = process.env.PAPERCLIP_API_KEY;
   if (!bearer) usageError('PAPERCLIP_API_KEY is not set');
-  if (body !== undefined && !('Content-Type' in headers)) headers['Content-Type'] = 'application/json';
+
+  let body;
+  if (parsed.multipartSpec) {
+    // The program owns the multipart Content-Type header, the same way it
+    // owns Authorization. This header carries the boundary. A caller value
+    // here can smuggle in a different boundary.
+    if (hasHeaderNamed(headers, 'content-type')) usageError('this program sets the multipart Content-Type header itself; the caller must not set it');
+    const multipart = await buildMultipartBody(parsed.multipartSpec);
+    body = multipart.body;
+    headers['Content-Type'] = multipart.contentType;
+  } else if (parsed.bodySpec !== undefined) {
+    body = await resolveBodySpec(parsed.bodySpec);
+    if (!('Content-Type' in headers)) headers['Content-Type'] = 'application/json';
+  }
   if (process.env.PAPERCLIP_RUN_ID && !('X-Paperclip-Run-Id' in headers)) headers['X-Paperclip-Run-Id'] = process.env.PAPERCLIP_RUN_ID;
   // Set once, here. Nothing above this line can add or change this header.
   headers['Authorization'] = 'Bearer ' + bearer;
+
   let response;
   try {
     response = await fetch(url, { method, headers, body, redirect: 'error', signal: AbortSignal.timeout(30000) });
@@ -100,9 +232,21 @@ async function main() {
     process.exitCode = 1;
     return;
   }
-  const text = await response.text();
-  process.stdout.write(text);
-  if (!response.ok) process.exitCode = 1;
+  const responseBytes = Buffer.from(await response.arrayBuffer());
+  if (outputPath) {
+    await fsPromises.writeFile(outputPath, responseBytes);
+  } else if (!wantStatus) {
+    process.stdout.write(responseBytes);
+  }
+  if (wantStatus) {
+    // The caller reads the numeric status and decides what to do next, the
+    // same way it already reads a response body written to -o. Do not fail
+    // the process here on a non-2xx status. That decision belongs to the
+    // caller, not to this program.
+    process.stdout.write(String(response.status));
+  } else if (!response.ok) {
+    process.exitCode = 1;
+  }
 }
 main().catch(() => { process.stderr.write('paperclip-api: an unexpected error stopped the request.\n'); process.exitCode = 1; });
 `;