fix(cli): address reviewer feedback on actor remove --format option

- Validate --format argument before any side effects; raise typer.BadParameter
  with a clear message for unsupported format values (fail-fast principle)
- Pass normalised fmt_value (lowercased) to format_output instead of raw fmt
  to ensure consistent behaviour regardless of input casing
- Rewrite robot/helper_actor_remove_cli.py to exercise the real CLI end-to-end
  via subprocess (no mocking); seeds a test actor via agents actor add, then
  removes it with --format json and validates the JSON envelope

ISSUES CLOSED: #6491

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -129,6 +129,15 @@ The format follows [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/).
   `pr-merge-pool-supervisor` to the product-builder's supervisor launch list (18 total
   supervisors). Updated all numeric references, pre-flight checklists, and validation logic.
 
+---
+### Fixed
+
+- **CLI (`agents actor remove`)** (#6491): Restores output parity with the
+  other actor commands by honoring `--format`/`-f` for JSON/YAML/plain/Rich
+  envelopes. Adds a Robot Framework regression test to assert the JSON
+  envelope structure and updates the CLI synopsis in `docs/specification.md`
+  to document the option.
+
 ---
 
 ## [3.8.0] — 2026-04-05

docs/specification.md

@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ The following standards are integrated into the architecture:
                  [(<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="color: cyan;">--temperature</span>|<span style="color: yellow;">-t</span></span>) <span style="color: #66cc66;">&lt;TEMP&gt;</span>] [<span style="color: cyan;">--allow-rxpy-in-run-mode</span>]
                  [<span style="color: cyan;">--skill</span> <span style="color: #66cc66;">&lt;SKILL&gt;</span>]... <span style="color: #66cc66;">&lt;NAME&gt;</span> <span style="color: #66cc66;">&lt;PROMPT&gt;</span>
 <span style="color: cyan; font-weight: 600;">agents</span> actor add <span style="color: cyan;">--config</span>|<span style="color: yellow;">-c</span> <span style="color: #66cc66;">&lt;FILE&gt;</span> [<span style="color: cyan;">--update</span>]
-<span style="color: cyan; font-weight: 600;">agents</span> actor remove <span style="color: #66cc66;">&lt;NAME&gt;</span>
+<span style="color: cyan; font-weight: 600;">agents</span> actor remove [<span style="color: cyan;">--format</span> <span style="color: #66cc66;">&lt;FORMAT&gt;</span>] <span style="color: #66cc66;">&lt;NAME&gt;</span>
 <span style="color: cyan; font-weight: 600;">agents</span> actor list
 <span style="color: cyan; font-weight: 600;">agents</span> actor show <span style="color: #66cc66;">&lt;NAME&gt;</span>
 <span style="color: cyan; font-weight: 600;">agents</span> actor context remove [<span style="color: cyan;">--yes</span>|<span style="color: yellow;">-y</span>] (<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="color: cyan;">--all</span>|<span style="color: yellow;">-a</span>|<span style="color: #66cc66;">&lt;NAME&gt;</span></span>)

features/actor_cli_yaml.feature

@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@ Feature: Actor CLI YAML-first alignment
     When I run actor remove with namespaced name
     Then the actor remove should succeed for namespaced name
 
+  Scenario: Actor remove outputs JSON format
+    Given an actor CLI runner
+    When I run actor remove with format json
+    Then the actor remove output should be valid JSON envelope
+
   Scenario: Actor update outputs JSON format
     Given an actor CLI runner
     When I run actor update with format json

features/steps/actor_cli_yaml_steps.py

@@ -337,6 +337,63 @@ def step_remove_namespaced_ok(context: Any) -> None:
     )
 
 
+@when("I run actor remove with format json")
+def step_remove_format_json(context: Any) -> None:
+    with (
+        patch("cleveragents.cli.commands.actor._get_services") as mock_svc,
+        patch("cleveragents.cli.commands.actor._compute_actor_impact") as mock_impact,
+    ):
+        mock_registry = MagicMock()
+        mock_service = MagicMock()
+        actor = _make_actor(
+            name="local/remove-json",
+            provider="json-provider",
+            model="gpt-json",
+        )
+        mock_registry.get_actor.return_value = actor
+        mock_impact.return_value = (2, 1, 3)
+        mock_svc.return_value = (mock_service, mock_registry)
+
+        context.result = context.runner.invoke(
+            actor_app,
+            ["remove", actor.name, "--format", "json"],
+        )
+
+    context.mock_actor_registry = mock_registry
+    context.actor = actor
+    context.impact_counts = (2, 1, 3)
+
+
+@then("the actor remove output should be valid JSON envelope")
+def step_remove_json_valid(context: Any) -> None:
+    assert context.result.exit_code == 0
+    parsed = json.loads(context.result.output.strip())
+    assert _ENVELOPE_KEYS.issubset(parsed.keys())
+    assert parsed["command"] == f"agents actor remove {context.actor.name}"
+    assert parsed["status"] == "ok"
+    assert parsed["exit_code"] == 0
+    data = _unwrap_envelope(parsed)
+    assert isinstance(data, dict)
+    actor_data = data.get("actor_removed", {})
+    assert actor_data.get("name") == context.actor.name
+    assert actor_data.get("provider") == context.actor.provider
+    assert actor_data.get("model") == context.actor.model
+    impact = data.get("impact", {})
+    expected_sessions, expected_plans, expected_actions = context.impact_counts
+    assert impact.get("sessions") == expected_sessions
+    assert impact.get("active_plans") == expected_plans
+    assert impact.get("actions_referencing") == expected_actions
+    cleanup = data.get("cleanup", {})
+    assert cleanup.get("config") == "kept on disk"
+    assert cleanup.get("contexts") == "0 orphaned"
+    messages = parsed.get("messages", [])
+    assert messages, "expected messages in envelope"
+    first_message = messages[0]
+    assert first_message.get("level") == "ok"
+    assert "Actor removed" in first_message.get("text", "")
+    context.mock_actor_registry.remove_actor.assert_called_once_with(context.actor.name)
+
+
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Update with --format
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------

robot/actor_remove_cli.robot

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+*** Settings ***
+Documentation    Integration tests for actor remove CLI format output
+Resource         ${CURDIR}/common.resource
+Suite Setup      Setup Test Environment
+Suite Teardown   Cleanup Test Environment
+
+*** Variables ***
+${HELPER}    ${CURDIR}/helper_actor_remove_cli.py
+
+*** Test Cases ***
+Actor Remove Format JSON Emits Spec Envelope
+    [Documentation]    Verify that ``actor remove --format json`` emits a spec-compliant envelope
+    [Tags]    actor_remove_cli_format
+    ${result}=    Run Process    ${PYTHON}    ${HELPER}    remove-json    cwd=${WORKSPACE}
+    Log    ${result.stdout}
+    Log    ${result.stderr}
+    Should Be Equal As Integers    ${result.rc}    0
+    Should Contain    ${result.stdout}    actor-remove-json-format-ok

robot/helper_actor_remove_cli.py

@@ -0,0 +1,164 @@
+"""Helper script for Robot integration tests covering ``actor remove --format`` output.
+
+Exercises the real ``agents`` CLI via subprocess — no mocking of any kind.
+A test actor is seeded via ``agents actor add``, then removed via
+``agents actor remove --format json``, and the resulting JSON envelope is
+validated against the spec.
+
+Usage::
+
+    python helper_actor_remove_cli.py <command>
+
+Where *command* is one of:
+
+- ``remove-json`` — seed an actor, remove it with ``--format json``, validate envelope
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+import os
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+# Ensure src is importable when run from workspace root
+_SRC = str(Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1] / "src")
+if _SRC not in sys.path:
+    sys.path.insert(0, _SRC)
+
+# Ensure robot/ is on the import path for helper_e2e_common.
+_ROBOT = str(Path(__file__).resolve().parent)
+if _ROBOT not in sys.path:
+    sys.path.insert(0, _ROBOT)
+
+from helper_e2e_common import cleanup_workspace, run_cli, setup_workspace  # noqa: E402
+
+_ACTOR_NAME = "local/robot-remove-actor"
+
+_ACTOR_CONFIG: dict[str, object] = {
+    "name": _ACTOR_NAME,
+    "provider": "openai",
+    "model": "gpt-4",
+}
+
+
+def _write_actor_config(workspace: str) -> str:
+    """Write actor config JSON to a temp file and return its path."""
+    config_path = os.path.join(workspace, "robot_remove_actor.json")
+    with open(config_path, "w", encoding="utf-8") as fh:
+        json.dump(_ACTOR_CONFIG, fh)
+    return config_path
+
+
+def test_remove_format_json() -> None:
+    """Seed an actor via the real CLI, remove it with ``--format json``.
+
+    Validates the resulting JSON envelope against the spec.
+    """
+    workspace = setup_workspace(prefix="robot_actor_remove_")
+    try:
+        config_path = _write_actor_config(workspace)
+
+        # Step 1: Add the actor using the real CLI.
+        add_result = run_cli(
+            "actor",
+            "add",
+            _ACTOR_NAME,
+            "--config",
+            config_path,
+            workspace=workspace,
+        )
+        assert add_result.returncode == 0, (
+            f"actor add failed (rc={add_result.returncode}):\n"
+            f"stdout: {add_result.stdout}\nstderr: {add_result.stderr}"
+        )
+
+        # Step 2: Remove the actor with --format json using the real CLI.
+        remove_result = run_cli(
+            "actor",
+            "remove",
+            _ACTOR_NAME,
+            "--format",
+            "json",
+            workspace=workspace,
+        )
+        assert remove_result.returncode == 0, (
+            f"actor remove --format json failed (rc={remove_result.returncode}):\n"
+            f"stdout: {remove_result.stdout}\nstderr: {remove_result.stderr}"
+        )
+
+        # Step 3: Parse and validate the JSON envelope.
+        output = remove_result.stdout.strip()
+        assert output, (
+            f"actor remove --format json produced no output.\n"
+            f"stderr: {remove_result.stderr}"
+        )
+
+        payload = json.loads(output)
+
+        assert payload["command"] == f"agents actor remove {_ACTOR_NAME}", (
+            f"Unexpected command field: {payload.get('command')!r}"
+        )
+        assert payload["status"] == "ok", (
+            f"Unexpected status: {payload.get('status')!r}"
+        )
+        assert payload["exit_code"] == 0, (
+            f"Unexpected exit_code: {payload.get('exit_code')!r}"
+        )
+
+        data = payload["data"]
+
+        removed = data.get("actor_removed", {})
+        assert removed.get("name") == _ACTOR_NAME, (
+            f"actor_removed.name mismatch: {removed.get('name')!r}"
+        )
+        assert removed.get("provider") == _ACTOR_CONFIG["provider"], (
+            f"actor_removed.provider mismatch: {removed.get('provider')!r}"
+        )
+        assert removed.get("model") == _ACTOR_CONFIG["model"], (
+            f"actor_removed.model mismatch: {removed.get('model')!r}"
+        )
+
+        impact = data.get("impact", {})
+        assert "sessions" in impact, f"Missing 'sessions' in impact: {impact}"
+        assert "active_plans" in impact, f"Missing 'active_plans' in impact: {impact}"
+        assert "actions_referencing" in impact, (
+            f"Missing 'actions_referencing' in impact: {impact}"
+        )
+
+        cleanup = data.get("cleanup", {})
+        assert cleanup.get("config") == "kept on disk", (
+            f"cleanup.config mismatch: {cleanup.get('config')!r}"
+        )
+        assert "contexts" in cleanup, f"Missing 'contexts' in cleanup: {cleanup}"
+
+        messages = payload.get("messages", [])
+        assert messages, f"Expected non-empty messages list, got: {messages}"
+        assert messages[0].get("level") == "ok", (
+            f"Unexpected message level: {messages[0].get('level')!r}"
+        )
+        assert "Actor removed" in messages[0].get("text", ""), (
+            f"Expected 'Actor removed' in message text: {messages[0].get('text')!r}"
+        )
+
+        print("actor-remove-json-format-ok")
+
+    finally:
+        cleanup_workspace(workspace)
+
+
+def main() -> None:
+    command = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "remove-json"
+    dispatch: dict[str, object] = {
+        "remove-json": test_remove_format_json,
+    }
+    handler = dispatch.get(command)
+    if handler is None:
+        print(f"Unknown command: {command}", file=sys.stderr)
+        sys.exit(1)
+    assert callable(handler)
+    handler()
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()

src/cleveragents/cli/commands/actor.py

@@ -779,12 +779,28 @@ def update(
 
 
 @app.command()
-def remove(name: Annotated[str, typer.Argument(help="Actor name to remove")]) -> None:
+def remove(
+    name: Annotated[str, typer.Argument(help="Actor name to remove")],
+    fmt: Annotated[
+        str,
+        typer.Option("--format", "-f", help=_FORMAT_HELP),
+    ] = OutputFormat.RICH.value,
+) -> None:
     """Remove a custom actor.
 
     Specify the namespaced name (e.g. ``local/my-actor``).
     """
 
+    # Validate --format argument first; fail fast before any side effects.
+    fmt_value = fmt.lower()
+    _valid_formats = {f.value for f in OutputFormat}
+    if fmt_value not in _valid_formats:
+        raise typer.BadParameter(
+            f"Invalid format {fmt!r}. "
+            f"Supported values: {', '.join(sorted(_valid_formats))}",
+            param_hint="'--format'",
+        )
+
     service, registry = _get_services()
     try:
         # Get actor details before removal for display
@@ -807,6 +823,40 @@ def remove(name: Annotated[str, typer.Argument(help="Actor name to remove")]) ->
         else:
             service.remove_actor(name)
 
+        command_name = f"agents actor remove {name}"
+        payload = {
+            "actor_removed": {
+                "name": name,
+                "provider": actor_provider,
+                "model": actor_model,
+            },
+            "impact": {
+                "sessions": session_count,
+                "active_plans": active_plan_count,
+                "actions_referencing": action_count,
+            },
+            "cleanup": {
+                "config": "kept on disk",
+                # NOTE: context-cleanup count is deferred; always 0 for now.
+                # Follow-up: implement dynamic orphaned-context detection.
+                "contexts": "0 orphaned",
+            },
+        }
+        messages = [{"level": "ok", "text": "Actor removed"}]
+
+        if fmt_value != OutputFormat.RICH.value:
+            rendered = format_output(
+                payload,
+                fmt_value,
+                command=command_name,
+                status="ok",
+                exit_code=0,
+                messages=messages,
+            )
+            if rendered:
+                console.print(rendered)
+            return
+
         # Display Actor Removed panel
         actor_info = (
             f"[cyan bold]Name:[/cyan bold] {name}\n"