diff --git a/.claude/sessions/2026-04-09.md b/.claude/sessions/2026-04-09.md
index e5d079d..d00be16 100644
--- a/.claude/sessions/2026-04-09.md
+++ b/.claude/sessions/2026-04-09.md
@@ -386,3 +386,125 @@ Picked `cloneForRequest()` over the other candidates (`snapshotForRequest()`, `c
 Held the line on PR 1's narrow scope. The following are all deferred to later PRs and still accurate as planned: `AnthropicClient` extraction, `AnthropicAgent` reshape with `configure(partial)` / `run({ systemReminder? })`, deletion of `ConversationStore` from the SDK, removal of `historyFile` from `AnthropicAgentOptions`, CLI-side persistence layer, collapse of `apps/claude-sdk-cli/src/runAgent.ts`, session management, audit path derivation.
 
 What's notable: the refactor turned out to be smaller than expected. The `AgentRun` call-site change was a single line; `RequestBuilder` simplifications were mostly deletion; all the behavioural weight sat in `Conversation.ts`. That is itself evidence the old design was wrong — the cache-control spread dance and the on-load trim and the compaction clear were all symptoms of the same confused ownership boundary. Separating stored state from API view eliminates all three at once.
+
+---
+
+## Post-PR-231: plan resequenced into issue #232
+
+Context: PR #231 shipped (squash-merge as `31de154` on `main`). After it landed, the
+"PR 2 = one big reshape" framing captured in the "SDK refactor planning" section
+above was superseded by issue #232
+(https://github.com/shellicar/claude-cli/issues/232).
+
+Issue #232 breaks the remaining work into six numbered steps, each explicitly
+required to land as its own PR so reviews stay small and the refactor can pause at
+any clean state:
+
+1. Extract `AnthropicClient` from `AnthropicAgent` (auth, token refresh, HTTP transport).
+2. Reshape `AnthropicAgent` public API: `configure(partial)` + `run({ systemReminder? })`.
+3. Remove `ConversationStore` from the SDK; drop `historyFile` from `AnthropicAgentOptions`.
+4. CLI grows its own file-backed persistence helper.
+5. Collapse `apps/claude-sdk-cli/src/runAgent.ts`.
+6. First-class audit output (separate audit writer from the history file).
+
+**Issue #232 is the authoritative plan going forward.** The "PR 2 = one PR" note
+above is a historical snapshot of the pre-work plan and should not be used to drive
+new work. The log was not updated immediately after PR 231 landed, which is the
+gap this section closes.
+
+### Branch naming convention (issue #232 series)
+
+Branches in this series use `feature/sdk-refactor-N-<slug>` where N is the step
+number from issue #232. This keeps the series visibly grouped and makes ordering
+obvious from the branch list alone. Step 1 will be
+`feature/sdk-refactor-1-extract-client`.
+
+### Why record this now
+
+The session log is how future sessions (and this one, after compaction) reconstruct
+current state. Leaving the "PR 2 = one PR" framing uncontested means the next
+session reads it as current intent and either works against the wrong scope or has
+to re-derive the resequencing from scratch. Cheaper to write this paragraph once
+than to pay that cost repeatedly.
+
+---
+
+## Issue #232 step 1: Extract `AnthropicClient` from `AnthropicAgent`
+
+Branch: `feature/sdk-refactor-1-extract-client` (cut from `main` after PR #231 merged).
+
+### What step 1 is
+
+The first of six PRs tracked by issue #232. Move auth, token refresh, and HTTP
+transport out of `AnthropicAgent` into a dedicated `AnthropicClient` class.
+`AnthropicAgent` becomes a thin composer that holds a client and a conversation.
+
+### Decisions locked in
+
+**Merge the paper-thin streamer into the client.** `AnthropicClient extends
+IMessageStreamer`. The previous `AnthropicMessageStreamer` class (which just
+delegated `.stream()` to `Anthropic.beta.messages.stream`) goes away. One class,
+one identity: the client is the thing you stream from.
+
+**`AnthropicAgent` depends on `IMessageStreamer`, not `AnthropicClient`.** The
+agent never sees the concrete class. Composition, not inheritance. This preserves
+the test contract (`FakeMessageStreamer extends IMessageStreamer` in
+`AgentRun.spec.ts`) without change.
+
+**`IMessageStreamer` stays in `MessageStreamer.ts` for this PR.** The file keeps
+only the abstract class; the concrete class is removed. No filename churn, no
+test import changes. Moving it into a shared `interfaces.ts` (Stephen's usual
+pattern) is acknowledged but deferred as a separate cleanup.
+
+**Interface naming is deferred.** `IMessageStreamer` could use a better name but
+that is a separate concern, not step 1's scope.
+
+### Steps (planned)
+
+1. Create `packages/claude-sdk/src/private/AnthropicClient.ts`. Extends
+   `IMessageStreamer`. Constructor takes `{ authToken, logger }`. Internally
+   builds `defaultHeaders` (user-agent with version), constructs
+   `TokenRefreshingAnthropic` with `customFetch(logger)`, holds the raw
+   `Anthropic` instance. `stream(body, options)` delegates to
+   `#raw.beta.messages.stream(body, options)`.
+2. Remove `AnthropicMessageStreamer` from `MessageStreamer.ts`. Leave only the
+   abstract `IMessageStreamer` in that file.
+3. Update `AnthropicAgent.ts`: drop imports of `TokenRefreshingAnthropic`,
+   `customFetch`, `AnthropicMessageStreamer`, `versionJson`. Add
+   `AnthropicClient` import. Replace inline construction with
+   `new AnthropicClient({ authToken, logger })`. Field becomes `#client` typed
+   as `IMessageStreamer` (composition over inheritance). `runAgent` passes
+   `this.#client` where `this.#streamer` used to go; `AgentRun`'s signature does
+   not change.
+4. `pnpm --filter @shellicar/claude-sdk type-check` clean.
+5. `pnpm test` all workspace suites green.
+6. `pnpm build` all packages build.
+7. `pnpm biome check --diagnostic-level=error` clean.
+8. Add a `changed` entry to `packages/claude-sdk/changes.jsonl`.
+9. Validate with `pnpm tsx scripts/src/validate-changes.ts
+   packages/claude-sdk/changes.jsonl`.
+10. Single commit: session log edits + the three source changes + changelog
+    entry. Message explains the why.
+11. Push and open PR. Labels: `enhancement`, `pkg: claude-sdk`. Milestone
+    `1.0`. Reviewer `bananabot9000`. Assignee `shellicar`. Auto-merge squash.
+    Body references #232, notes step 1 of 6.
+
+### What step 1 does NOT touch
+
+- Public API (`createAnthropicAgent`, `IAnthropicAgent`, `AnthropicAgentOptions`,
+  `RunAgentQuery`, `RunAgentResult`): unchanged.
+- `AgentRun`, `Conversation`, `ConversationStore`, `RequestBuilder`,
+  `MessageStream`: untouched.
+- CLI (`apps/claude-sdk-cli`): untouched.
+- `historyFile` removal from `AnthropicAgentOptions`: step 3, not step 1.
+- `configure(partial)` / `run({ systemReminder? })` API reshape: step 2, not
+  step 1.
+- Interface naming and relocation: out of scope, flagged for later.
+
+### Why record the plan here
+
+If context compacts mid-PR, the next session needs enough to resume without
+re-deriving decisions. This block is the resumable artifact: branch name, target,
+shape decisions (with rationale), step list, and explicit non-goals. The earlier
+lesson from not updating the log after PR 231 landed is the reason this is being
+written before code rather than after.
diff --git a/packages/claude-sdk/changes.jsonl b/packages/claude-sdk/changes.jsonl
index f5272d9..370ebc0 100644
--- a/packages/claude-sdk/changes.jsonl
+++ b/packages/claude-sdk/changes.jsonl
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 {"description":"Package now publishes CJS alongside ESM with working sourcemaps","category":"fixed"}
 {"description":"Conversation retains full message history across compaction; adds internal `cloneForRequest()` that returns a deep-cloned post-compaction slice for API requests","category":"changed"}
+{"description":"Extract `AnthropicClient` from `AnthropicAgent`: auth, token refresh, and HTTP transport now live in a dedicated private class. `AnthropicAgent` becomes a thin composer that holds a client and a conversation. The previous `AnthropicMessageStreamer` wrapper is removed; `AnthropicClient` extends `IMessageStreamer` directly.","category":"changed"}
diff --git a/packages/claude-sdk/src/private/AnthropicAgent.ts b/packages/claude-sdk/src/private/AnthropicAgent.ts
index 72ee9ad..5267c02 100644
--- a/packages/claude-sdk/src/private/AnthropicAgent.ts
+++ b/packages/claude-sdk/src/private/AnthropicAgent.ts
@@ -1,16 +1,14 @@
 import type { BetaMessageParam } from '@anthropic-ai/sdk/resources/beta.js';
-import versionJson from '@shellicar/build-version/version';
 import { IAnthropicAgent } from '../public/interfaces';
 import type { AnthropicAgentOptions, ILogger, RunAgentQuery, RunAgentResult } from '../public/types';
 import { AgentChannelFactory } from './AgentChannel';
 import { AgentRun } from './AgentRun';
+import { AnthropicClient } from './AnthropicClient';
 import { ConversationStore } from './ConversationStore';
-import { customFetch } from './http/customFetch';
-import { TokenRefreshingAnthropic } from './http/TokenRefreshingAnthropic';
-import { AnthropicMessageStreamer } from './MessageStreamer';
+import type { IMessageStreamer } from './MessageStreamer';
 
 export class AnthropicAgent extends IAnthropicAgent {
-  readonly #streamer: AnthropicMessageStreamer;
+  readonly #client: IMessageStreamer;
   readonly #channelFactory: AgentChannelFactory;
   readonly #logger: ILogger | undefined;
   readonly #history: ConversationStore;
@@ -18,22 +16,16 @@ export class AnthropicAgent extends IAnthropicAgent {
   public constructor(options: AnthropicAgentOptions) {
     super();
     this.#logger = options.logger;
-    const defaultHeaders = {
-      'user-agent': `@shellicar/claude-sdk/${versionJson.version}`,
-    };
-    const client = new TokenRefreshingAnthropic({
+    this.#client = new AnthropicClient({
       authToken: options.authToken,
-      fetch: customFetch(options.logger),
       logger: options.logger,
-      defaultHeaders,
     });
-    this.#streamer = new AnthropicMessageStreamer(client);
     this.#channelFactory = new AgentChannelFactory();
     this.#history = new ConversationStore(options.historyFile);
   }
 
   public runAgent(options: RunAgentQuery): RunAgentResult {
-    const run = new AgentRun(this.#streamer, this.#channelFactory, this.#logger, options, this.#history);
+    const run = new AgentRun(this.#client, this.#channelFactory, this.#logger, options, this.#history);
     return { port: run.port, done: run.execute() };
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/claude-sdk/src/private/AnthropicClient.ts b/packages/claude-sdk/src/private/AnthropicClient.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f552d3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/claude-sdk/src/private/AnthropicClient.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import type { Anthropic } from '@anthropic-ai/sdk';
+import type { BetaMessageStreamParams } from '@anthropic-ai/sdk/resources/beta/messages.js';
+import type { BetaRawMessageStreamEvent } from '@anthropic-ai/sdk/resources/beta.mjs';
+import versionJson from '@shellicar/build-version/version';
+import type { ILogger } from '../public/types';
+import { customFetch } from './http/customFetch';
+import { TokenRefreshingAnthropic } from './http/TokenRefreshingAnthropic';
+import { IMessageStreamer } from './MessageStreamer';
+
+export type AnthropicClientOptions = {
+  authToken: () => Promise<string>;
+  logger?: ILogger;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Anthropic API client: owns auth, token refresh, HTTP transport, and streaming.
+ *
+ * Extracted from `AnthropicAgent` so the agent can compose an API client with a
+ * conversation (first step of the refactor series in issue #232). Extends
+ * `IMessageStreamer` directly because streaming is this client's primary
+ * (currently only) job; the previous paper-thin `AnthropicMessageStreamer`
+ * wrapper has been removed as part of the same change.
+ */
+export class AnthropicClient extends IMessageStreamer {
+  readonly #raw: TokenRefreshingAnthropic;
+
+  public constructor(options: AnthropicClientOptions) {
+    super();
+    const defaultHeaders = {
+      'user-agent': `@shellicar/claude-sdk/${versionJson.version}`,
+    };
+    this.#raw = new TokenRefreshingAnthropic({
+      authToken: options.authToken,
+      fetch: customFetch(options.logger),
+      logger: options.logger,
+      defaultHeaders,
+    });
+  }
+
+  public stream(body: BetaMessageStreamParams, options: Anthropic.RequestOptions): AsyncIterable<BetaRawMessageStreamEvent> {
+    return this.#raw.beta.messages.stream(body, options);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/claude-sdk/src/private/MessageStreamer.ts b/packages/claude-sdk/src/private/MessageStreamer.ts
index e96a566..260b017 100644
--- a/packages/claude-sdk/src/private/MessageStreamer.ts
+++ b/packages/claude-sdk/src/private/MessageStreamer.ts
@@ -5,16 +5,3 @@ import type { BetaRawMessageStreamEvent } from '@anthropic-ai/sdk/resources/beta
 export abstract class IMessageStreamer {
   public abstract stream(body: BetaMessageStreamParams, options: Anthropic.RequestOptions): AsyncIterable<BetaRawMessageStreamEvent>;
 }
-
-export class AnthropicMessageStreamer extends IMessageStreamer {
-  readonly #client: Anthropic;
-
-  public constructor(client: Anthropic) {
-    super();
-    this.#client = client;
-  }
-
-  public stream(body: BetaMessageStreamParams, options: Anthropic.RequestOptions): AsyncIterable<BetaRawMessageStreamEvent> {
-    return this.#client.beta.messages.stream(body, options);
-  }
-}