diff --git a/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs b/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs
index 92f816084..2bd34c619 100755
--- a/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs
+++ b/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
  * Replaces repetitive inline bash patterns across ~50 GSD command/workflow/agent files.
  * Centralizes: config parsing, model resolution, phase lookup, git commits, summary verification.
  *
- * Usage: node gsd-tools.cjs <command> [args] [--raw]
+ * Usage: node gsd-tools.cjs <command> [args] [--raw] [--pick <field>]
  *
  * Atomic Commands:
  *   state load                         Load project config + state
@@ -189,10 +189,21 @@ async function main() {
   const raw = rawIndex !== -1;
   if (rawIndex !== -1) args.splice(rawIndex, 1);
 
+  // --pick <name>: extract a single field from JSON output (replaces jq dependency).
+  // Supports dot-notation (e.g., --pick workflow.research) and bracket notation
+  // for arrays (e.g., --pick directories[-1]).
+  const pickIdx = args.indexOf('--pick');
+  let pickField = null;
+  if (pickIdx !== -1) {
+    pickField = args[pickIdx + 1];
+    if (!pickField || pickField.startsWith('--')) error('Missing value for --pick');
+    args.splice(pickIdx, 2);
+  }
+
   const command = args[0];
 
   if (!command) {
-    error('Usage: gsd-tools <command> [args] [--raw] [--cwd <path>]\nCommands: state, resolve-model, find-phase, commit, verify-summary, verify, frontmatter, template, generate-slug, current-timestamp, list-todos, verify-path-exists, config-ensure-section, config-new-project, init');
+    error('Usage: gsd-tools <command> [args] [--raw] [--pick <field>] [--cwd <path>]\nCommands: state, resolve-model, find-phase, commit, verify-summary, verify, frontmatter, template, generate-slug, current-timestamp, list-todos, verify-path-exists, config-ensure-section, config-new-project, init');
   }
 
   // Multi-repo guard: resolve project root for commands that read/write .planning/.
@@ -206,6 +217,67 @@ async function main() {
     cwd = findProjectRoot(cwd);
   }
 
+  // When --pick is active, intercept stdout to extract the requested field.
+  if (pickField) {
+    const origWriteSync = fs.writeSync;
+    const chunks = [];
+    fs.writeSync = function (fd, data, ...rest) {
+      if (fd === 1) { chunks.push(String(data)); return; }
+      return origWriteSync.call(fs, fd, data, ...rest);
+    };
+    const cleanup = () => {
+      fs.writeSync = origWriteSync;
+      const captured = chunks.join('');
+      let jsonStr = captured;
+      if (jsonStr.startsWith('@file:')) {
+        jsonStr = fs.readFileSync(jsonStr.slice(6), 'utf-8');
+      }
+      try {
+        const obj = JSON.parse(jsonStr);
+        const value = extractField(obj, pickField);
+        const result = value === null || value === undefined ? '' : String(value);
+        origWriteSync.call(fs, 1, result);
+      } catch {
+        origWriteSync.call(fs, 1, captured);
+      }
+    };
+    try {
+      await runCommand(command, args, cwd, raw);
+      cleanup();
+    } catch (e) {
+      fs.writeSync = origWriteSync;
+      throw e;
+    }
+    return;
+  }
+
+  await runCommand(command, args, cwd, raw);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Extract a field from an object using dot-notation and bracket syntax.
+ * Supports: 'field', 'parent.child', 'arr[-1]', 'arr[0]'
+ */
+function extractField(obj, fieldPath) {
+  const parts = fieldPath.split('.');
+  let current = obj;
+  for (const part of parts) {
+    if (current === null || current === undefined) return undefined;
+    const bracketMatch = part.match(/^(.+?)\[(-?\d+)]$/);
+    if (bracketMatch) {
+      const key = bracketMatch[1];
+      const index = parseInt(bracketMatch[2], 10);
+      current = current[key];
+      if (!Array.isArray(current)) return undefined;
+      current = index < 0 ? current[current.length + index] : current[index];
+    } else {
+      current = current[part];
+    }
+  }
+  return current;
+}
+
+async function runCommand(command, args, cwd, raw) {
   switch (command) {
     case 'state': {
       const subcommand = args[1];
diff --git a/get-shit-done/references/decimal-phase-calculation.md b/get-shit-done/references/decimal-phase-calculation.md
index dd1b57230..ba5c5cbdc 100644
--- a/get-shit-done/references/decimal-phase-calculation.md
+++ b/get-shit-done/references/decimal-phase-calculation.md
@@ -32,9 +32,8 @@ With existing decimals:
 ## Extract Values
 
 ```bash
-DECIMAL_INFO=$(node "$HOME/.claude/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs" phase next-decimal "${AFTER_PHASE}")
-DECIMAL_PHASE=$(printf '%s\n' "$DECIMAL_INFO" | jq -r '.next')
-BASE_PHASE=$(printf '%s\n' "$DECIMAL_INFO" | jq -r '.base_phase')
+DECIMAL_PHASE=$(node "$HOME/.claude/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs" phase next-decimal "${AFTER_PHASE}" --pick next)
+BASE_PHASE=$(node "$HOME/.claude/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs" phase next-decimal "${AFTER_PHASE}" --pick base_phase)
 ```
 
 Or with --raw flag:
diff --git a/get-shit-done/references/phase-argument-parsing.md b/get-shit-done/references/phase-argument-parsing.md
index ee483fcf3..193ab14c4 100644
--- a/get-shit-done/references/phase-argument-parsing.md
+++ b/get-shit-done/references/phase-argument-parsing.md
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ fi
 Use `roadmap get-phase` to validate phase exists:
 
 ```bash
-PHASE_CHECK=$(node "$HOME/.claude/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs" roadmap get-phase "${PHASE}")
-if [ "$(printf '%s\n' "$PHASE_CHECK" | jq -r '.found')" = "false" ]; then
+PHASE_CHECK=$(node "$HOME/.claude/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs" roadmap get-phase "${PHASE}" --pick found)
+if [ "$PHASE_CHECK" = "false" ]; then
   echo "ERROR: Phase ${PHASE} not found in roadmap"
   exit 1
 fi
diff --git a/get-shit-done/workflows/audit-milestone.md b/get-shit-done/workflows/audit-milestone.md
index 7aff0145c..5d9787d97 100644
--- a/get-shit-done/workflows/audit-milestone.md
+++ b/get-shit-done/workflows/audit-milestone.md
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ For each phase's VERIFICATION.md, extract the expanded requirements table:
 For each phase's SUMMARY.md, extract `requirements-completed` from YAML frontmatter:
 ```bash
 for summary in .planning/phases/*-*/*-SUMMARY.md; do
-  node "$HOME/.claude/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs" summary-extract "$summary" --fields requirements_completed | jq -r '.requirements_completed'
+  node "$HOME/.claude/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs" summary-extract "$summary" --fields requirements_completed --pick requirements_completed
 done
 ```
 
diff --git a/get-shit-done/workflows/complete-milestone.md b/get-shit-done/workflows/complete-milestone.md
index a3b7f77db..67824029c 100644
--- a/get-shit-done/workflows/complete-milestone.md
+++ b/get-shit-done/workflows/complete-milestone.md
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ Extract one-liners from SUMMARY.md files using summary-extract:
 ```bash
 # For each phase in milestone, extract one-liner
 for summary in .planning/phases/*-*/*-SUMMARY.md; do
-  node "$HOME/.claude/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs" summary-extract "$summary" --fields one_liner | jq -r '.one_liner'
+  node "$HOME/.claude/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs" summary-extract "$summary" --fields one_liner --pick one_liner
 done
 ```
 
diff --git a/get-shit-done/workflows/plan-milestone-gaps.md b/get-shit-done/workflows/plan-milestone-gaps.md
index 7fa760866..5913cb927 100644
--- a/get-shit-done/workflows/plan-milestone-gaps.md
+++ b/get-shit-done/workflows/plan-milestone-gaps.md
@@ -65,8 +65,7 @@ Gap: Flow "View dashboard" broken at data fetch
 Find highest existing phase:
 ```bash
 # Get sorted phase list, extract last one
-PHASES=$(node "$HOME/.claude/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs" phases list)
-HIGHEST=$(printf '%s\n' "$PHASES" | jq -r '.directories[-1]')
+HIGHEST=$(node "$HOME/.claude/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs" phases list --pick directories[-1])
 ```
 
 New phases continue from there:
diff --git a/get-shit-done/workflows/plan-phase.md b/get-shit-done/workflows/plan-phase.md
index f30140e5a..9569a2a27 100644
--- a/get-shit-done/workflows/plan-phase.md
+++ b/get-shit-done/workflows/plan-phase.md
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ Display banner:
 ### Spawn gsd-phase-researcher
 
 ```bash
-PHASE_DESC=$(node "$HOME/.claude/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs" roadmap get-phase "${PHASE}" | jq -r '.section')
+PHASE_DESC=$(node "$HOME/.claude/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs" roadmap get-phase "${PHASE}" --pick section)
 ```
 
 Research prompt:
@@ -384,14 +384,15 @@ ls "${PHASE_DIR}"/*-PLAN.md 2>/dev/null
 Extract from INIT JSON:
 
 ```bash
-STATE_PATH=$(printf '%s\n' "$INIT" | jq -r '.state_path // empty')
-ROADMAP_PATH=$(printf '%s\n' "$INIT" | jq -r '.roadmap_path // empty')
-REQUIREMENTS_PATH=$(printf '%s\n' "$INIT" | jq -r '.requirements_path // empty')
-RESEARCH_PATH=$(printf '%s\n' "$INIT" | jq -r '.research_path // empty')
-VERIFICATION_PATH=$(printf '%s\n' "$INIT" | jq -r '.verification_path // empty')
-UAT_PATH=$(printf '%s\n' "$INIT" | jq -r '.uat_path // empty')
-CONTEXT_PATH=$(printf '%s\n' "$INIT" | jq -r '.context_path // empty')
-REVIEWS_PATH=$(printf '%s\n' "$INIT" | jq -r '.reviews_path // empty')
+_gsd_field() { node -e "const o=JSON.parse(process.argv[1]); const v=o[process.argv[2]]; process.stdout.write(v==null?'':String(v))" "$1" "$2"; }
+STATE_PATH=$(_gsd_field "$INIT" state_path)
+ROADMAP_PATH=$(_gsd_field "$INIT" roadmap_path)
+REQUIREMENTS_PATH=$(_gsd_field "$INIT" requirements_path)
+RESEARCH_PATH=$(_gsd_field "$INIT" research_path)
+VERIFICATION_PATH=$(_gsd_field "$INIT" verification_path)
+UAT_PATH=$(_gsd_field "$INIT" uat_path)
+CONTEXT_PATH=$(_gsd_field "$INIT" context_path)
+REVIEWS_PATH=$(_gsd_field "$INIT" reviews_path)
 ```
 
 ## 7.5. Verify Nyquist Artifacts
diff --git a/tests/pick-flag.test.cjs b/tests/pick-flag.test.cjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c2ca57be4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/pick-flag.test.cjs
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+/**
+ * GSD Tools Tests - --pick flag
+ *
+ * Regression tests for the --pick CLI flag that extracts a single field
+ * from JSON output, replacing the need for jq as an external dependency.
+ */
+
+const { test, describe } = require('node:test');
+const assert = require('node:assert');
+const { runGsdTools } = require('./helpers.cjs');
+
+// ─── --pick flag ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+describe('--pick flag', () => {
+  test('extracts a top-level field from JSON output', () => {
+    const result = runGsdTools('generate-slug "hello world" --pick slug');
+    assert.strictEqual(result.success, true);
+    assert.strictEqual(result.output, 'hello-world');
+  });
+
+  test('extracts a top-level field using array args', () => {
+    const result = runGsdTools(['generate-slug', 'hello world', '--pick', 'slug']);
+    assert.strictEqual(result.success, true);
+    assert.strictEqual(result.output, 'hello-world');
+  });
+
+  test('returns empty string for missing field', () => {
+    const result = runGsdTools('generate-slug "test" --pick nonexistent');
+    assert.strictEqual(result.success, true);
+    assert.strictEqual(result.output, '');
+  });
+
+  test('errors when --pick has no value', () => {
+    const result = runGsdTools('generate-slug "test" --pick');
+    assert.strictEqual(result.success, false);
+    assert.match(result.error, /Missing value for --pick/);
+  });
+
+  test('errors when --pick value starts with --', () => {
+    const result = runGsdTools(['generate-slug', 'test', '--pick', '--raw']);
+    assert.strictEqual(result.success, false);
+    assert.match(result.error, /Missing value for --pick/);
+  });
+
+  test('does not collide with frontmatter --field flag', () => {
+    // frontmatter subcommand uses --field internally; --pick should not interfere
+    const result = runGsdTools('generate-slug "test-value" --pick slug');
+    assert.strictEqual(result.success, true);
+    assert.strictEqual(result.output, 'test-value');
+  });
+
+  test('works with current-timestamp command', () => {
+    const result = runGsdTools('current-timestamp --pick timestamp');
+    assert.strictEqual(result.success, true);
+    assert.ok(result.output.length > 0, 'timestamp should not be empty');
+    assert.match(result.output, /^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}T/);
+  });
+});