diff --git a/integration-tests/hooks-system.test.ts b/integration-tests/hooks-system.test.ts
index 032c1f5c3a..0114514c7f 100644
--- a/integration-tests/hooks-system.test.ts
+++ b/integration-tests/hooks-system.test.ts
@@ -521,7 +521,7 @@ console.log(JSON.stringify({
       // 1. Initial setup to establish test directory
       rig.setup('BeforeToolSelection Hooks');
 
-      const toolConfigJson = JSON.stringify({
+      const toolConfigJson = {
         hookSpecificOutput: {
           hookEventName: 'BeforeToolSelection',
           toolConfig: {
@@ -529,10 +529,12 @@ console.log(JSON.stringify({
             allowedFunctionNames: ['read_file'],
           },
         },
-      });
+      };
 
-      // Use node -e to avoid file system and PTY overhead
-      const nodeCmd = `node -e "console.log(JSON.stringify(${toolConfigJson.replace(/"/g, '\\"')}))"`;
+      const scriptPath = rig.createScript(
+        'before_tool_selection_hook.cjs',
+        `console.log(JSON.stringify(${JSON.stringify(toolConfigJson)}));`,
+      );
 
       rig.setup('BeforeToolSelection Hooks', {
         fakeResponsesPath: join(
@@ -548,8 +550,8 @@ console.log(JSON.stringify({
                 hooks: [
                   {
                     type: 'command',
-                    command: nodeCmd,
-                    timeout: 15000,
+                    command: normalizePath(`node "${scriptPath}"`)!,
+                    timeout: 30000,
                   },
                 ],
               },
@@ -1770,18 +1772,18 @@ console.log(JSON.stringify({
       const enabledMsg = 'EXECUTION_ALLOWED_BY_HOOK_A';
       const disabledMsg = 'EXECUTION_BLOCKED_BY_HOOK_B';
 
-      const enabledJson = JSON.stringify({
-        decision: 'allow',
-        systemMessage: enabledMsg,
-      });
-      const disabledJson = JSON.stringify({
-        decision: 'block',
-        reason: disabledMsg,
-      });
+      const enabledPath = rig.createScript(
+        'enabled_hook.cjs',
+        `console.log(JSON.stringify({decision: "allow", systemMessage: "${enabledMsg}"}));`,
+      );
 
-      // Use node -e to avoid file system and PTY overhead
-      const enabledCmd = `node -e "console.log(JSON.stringify(${enabledJson.replace(/"/g, '\\"')}))"`;
-      const disabledCmd = `node -e "console.log(JSON.stringify(${disabledJson.replace(/"/g, '\\"')}))"`;
+      const disabledPath = rig.createScript(
+        'disabled_hook.cjs',
+        `console.log(JSON.stringify({decision: "block", reason: "${disabledMsg}"}));`,
+      );
+
+      const normalizedDisabledCmd = normalizePath(`node "${disabledPath}"`);
+      const normalizedEnabledCmd = normalizePath(`node "${enabledPath}"`);
 
       // 3. Final setup with full settings
       rig.setup('Hook Disabling', {
@@ -1791,20 +1793,20 @@ console.log(JSON.stringify({
         ),
         settings: {
           enableHooks: true,
-          disabledHooks: [disabledCmd],
+          disabledHooks: [normalizedDisabledCmd!],
           hooks: {
             BeforeTool: [
               {
                 hooks: [
                   {
                     type: 'command',
-                    command: enabledCmd,
-                    timeout: 15000,
+                    command: normalizedEnabledCmd!,
+                    timeout: 30000,
                   },
                   {
                     type: 'command',
-                    command: disabledCmd,
-                    timeout: 15000,
+                    command: normalizedDisabledCmd!,
+                    timeout: 30000,
                   },
                 ],
               },
@@ -1835,43 +1837,41 @@ console.log(JSON.stringify({
     });
 
     it.only('should respect disabled hooks across multiple operations', async () => {
-      // 1. Initial setup to establish test directory
       rig.setup('Hook Disabling');
 
       const activeMsg = 'MULTIPLE_OPS_ENABLED_HOOK';
       const disabledMsg = 'MULTIPLE_OPS_DISABLED_HOOK';
 
-      const activeJson = JSON.stringify({
-        decision: 'allow',
-        systemMessage: activeMsg,
-      });
-      const disabledJson = JSON.stringify({
-        decision: 'block',
-        reason: disabledMsg,
-      });
+      const activePath = rig.createScript(
+        'active_hook.cjs',
+        `console.log(JSON.stringify({decision: "allow", systemMessage: "${activeMsg}"}));`,
+      );
+      const disabledPath = rig.createScript(
+        'disabled_hook.cjs',
+        `console.log(JSON.stringify({decision: "block", reason: "${disabledMsg}"}));`,
+      );
 
-      // Use node -e to avoid file system and PTY overhead
-      const activeCmd = `node -e "console.log(JSON.stringify(${activeJson.replace(/"/g, '\\"')}))"`;
-      const disabledCmd = `node -e "console.log(JSON.stringify(${disabledJson.replace(/"/g, '\\"')}))"`;
+      const normalizedDisabledCmd = normalizePath(`node "${disabledPath}"`);
+      const normalizedActiveCmd = normalizePath(`node "${activePath}"`);
 
       // 3. Final setup with full settings
       rig.setup('Hook Disabling', {
         settings: {
           enableHooks: true,
-          disabledHooks: [disabledCmd],
+          disabledHooks: [normalizedDisabledCmd!],
           hooks: {
             BeforeTool: [
               {
                 hooks: [
                   {
                     type: 'command',
-                    command: activeCmd,
-                    timeout: 15000,
+                    command: normalizedActiveCmd!,
+                    timeout: 30000,
                   },
                   {
                     type: 'command',
-                    command: disabledCmd,
-                    timeout: 15000,
+                    command: normalizedDisabledCmd!,
+                    timeout: 30000,
                   },
                 ],
               },
diff --git a/packages/core/src/core/coreToolScheduler.ts b/packages/core/src/core/coreToolScheduler.ts
index ec566da0fe..3ea97c8adf 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/core/coreToolScheduler.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/core/coreToolScheduler.ts
@@ -966,6 +966,10 @@ export class CoreToolScheduler {
       // The active tool is finished. Move it to the completed batch.
       const completedCall = activeCall as CompletedToolCall;
 
+      if (process.env['CI'] === 'true' || process.env['VERBOSE'] === 'true') {
+        console.log(`[CoreToolScheduler] Completed tool call: ${completedCall.request.name}, status: ${completedCall.status}`);
+      }
+
       this.completedToolCallsForBatch.push(completedCall);
       logToolCall(this.config, new ToolCallEvent(completedCall));
 
diff --git a/packages/core/src/hooks/hookRegistry.ts b/packages/core/src/hooks/hookRegistry.ts
index 1e5515a6a0..e90c60f4b5 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/hooks/hookRegistry.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/hooks/hookRegistry.ts
@@ -233,6 +233,16 @@ please review the project settings (.gemini/settings.json) and remove them.`;
         } as HookRegistryEntry);
         const isDisabled = disabledHooks.includes(hookName);
 
+        if (process.env['CI'] === 'true' || process.env['VERBOSE'] === 'true') {
+          console.log(`[HookRegistry] Processing hook: "${hookName}"`);
+          if (isDisabled) {
+            console.log(`[HookRegistry] Hook is DISABLED (found in disabledHooks list)`);
+          }
+          if (disabledHooks.length > 0) {
+            console.log(`[HookRegistry] Current disabledHooks: ${JSON.stringify(disabledHooks)}`);
+          }
+        }
+
         // Add source to hook config
         hookConfig.source = source;
 
diff --git a/packages/core/src/hooks/hookRunner.ts b/packages/core/src/hooks/hookRunner.ts
index b5a3325f4d..4a1926f79d 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/hooks/hookRunner.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/hooks/hookRunner.ts
@@ -268,6 +268,12 @@ export class HookRunner {
         shellConfig.shell,
       );
 
+      if (process.env['CI'] === 'true' || process.env['VERBOSE'] === 'true') {
+        console.log(`[HookRunner] shellConfig: ${JSON.stringify(shellConfig)}`);
+        console.log(`[HookRunner] command: ${command}`);
+        console.log(`[HookRunner] cwd: ${input.cwd}`);
+      }
+
       // Set up environment variables
       const env = {
         ...sanitizeEnvironment(process.env, this.config.sanitizationConfig),
@@ -333,6 +339,9 @@ export class HookRunner {
       });
 
       child.on('exit', (code, signal) => {
+        if (process.env['CI'] === 'true' || process.env['VERBOSE'] === 'true') {
+          console.log(`[HookRunner] Hook exit. code: ${code}, signal: ${signal}`);
+        }
       });
 
       // Handle process exit
@@ -340,6 +349,12 @@ export class HookRunner {
         clearTimeout(timeoutHandle);
         const duration = Date.now() - startTime;
 
+        if (process.env['CI'] === 'true' || process.env['VERBOSE'] === 'true') {
+          console.log(`[HookRunner] Hook closed. exitCode: ${exitCode}, duration: ${duration}ms`);
+          console.log(`[HookRunner] stdout: ${stdout}`);
+          console.log(`[HookRunner] stderr: ${stderr}`);
+        }
+
         if (timedOut) {
           resolve({
             hookConfig,
@@ -428,6 +443,9 @@ export class HookRunner {
     text: string,
     exitCode: number,
   ): HookOutput {
+    if (process.env['CI'] === 'true' || process.env['VERBOSE'] === 'true') {
+      console.log(`[HookRunner] convertPlainTextToHookOutput: exitCode=${exitCode}, text="${text}"`);
+    }
     if (exitCode === EXIT_CODE_SUCCESS) {
       // Success - treat as system message or additional context
       return {
diff --git a/packages/test-utils/src/test-rig.ts b/packages/test-utils/src/test-rig.ts
index 87983ba0e3..5caeccdcda 100644
--- a/packages/test-utils/src/test-rig.ts
+++ b/packages/test-utils/src/test-rig.ts
@@ -361,10 +361,19 @@ export class TestRig {
     this.testDir = join(testFileDir, sanitizedName);
     this.homeDir = join(testFileDir, sanitizedName + '-home');
 
+    if (env['VERBOSE'] === 'true' || env['CI'] === 'true') {
+      console.log(`[TestRig] Setting up test: ${this.testName}`);
+      console.log(`[TestRig] testDir: ${this.testDir}`);
+      console.log(`[TestRig] homeDir: ${this.homeDir}`);
+    }
+
     if (!this._initialized) {
       // Clean up existing directories from previous runs (e.g. retries)
       const cleanDir = (dir: string) => {
         if (fs.existsSync(dir)) {
+          if (env['VERBOSE'] === 'true' || env['CI'] === 'true') {
+            console.log(`[TestRig] Cleaning up existing directory: ${dir}`);
+          }
           for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
             try {
               fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
@@ -762,6 +771,11 @@ export class TestRig {
     });
     this._spawnedProcesses.push(child);
 
+    if (env['VERBOSE'] === 'true' || env['CI'] === 'true') {
+      console.log(`[TestRig] Running: ${command} ${commandArgs.join(' ')}`);
+      console.log(`[TestRig] CWD: ${this.testDir}`);
+    }
+
     let stdout = '';
     let stderr = '';
 
@@ -1245,6 +1259,11 @@ export class TestRig {
     }[] = [];
 
     for (const logData of parsedLogs) {
+      if (env['VERBOSE'] === 'true' || env['CI'] === 'true') {
+        if (logData.attributes?.['event.name']?.includes('tool')) {
+          console.log(`[TestRig] Found tool-related log: ${JSON.stringify(logData.attributes)}`);
+        }
+      }
       // Look for tool call logs
       if (
         logData.attributes &&
@@ -1397,6 +1416,11 @@ export class TestRig {
     }[] = [];
 
     for (const logData of parsedLogs) {
+      if (env['VERBOSE'] === 'true' || env['CI'] === 'true') {
+        if (logData.attributes?.['event.name']?.includes('hook')) {
+          console.log(`[TestRig] Found hook-related log: ${JSON.stringify(logData.attributes)}`);
+        }
+      }
       // Look for tool call logs
       if (
         logData.attributes &&