diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index bf2de97..01270db 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -282,10 +282,11 @@ dispatch notes
 dispatch notes --json
 dispatch notes get 0a1b2c3d
 dispatch notes set 0a1b2c3d "follow up after review"
+printf 'line one\nline two\n' | dispatch notes set 0a1b2c3d --stdin
 dispatch notes clear 0a1b2c3d
 ```
 
-`dispatch notes` lists notes for sessions that still exist in the session store. `set`, `get`, and `clear` operate on one session ID and use the same notes shown in the TUI preview.
+`dispatch notes` lists notes for sessions that still exist in the session store. `set`, `get`, and `clear` operate on one session ID and use the same notes shown in the TUI preview. Use `--stdin` to set a multiline note without shell quoting.
 
 ### Named Views
 
diff --git a/cmd/dispatch/main.go b/cmd/dispatch/main.go
index 8931a16..26ab82b 100644
--- a/cmd/dispatch/main.go
+++ b/cmd/dispatch/main.go
@@ -204,7 +204,8 @@ Config commands:
 Notes commands:
   notes [list] [--json]    List notes attached to current sessions
   notes get <id>           Print one session note
-  notes set <id> <text>    Set one session note
+  notes set <id> <text...> Set one session note
+  notes set <id> --stdin   Read one session note from stdin
   notes clear <id>         Clear one session note
 
 Export flags:
diff --git a/cmd/dispatch/notes.go b/cmd/dispatch/notes.go
index 3694f85..125ef04 100644
--- a/cmd/dispatch/notes.go
+++ b/cmd/dispatch/notes.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
+	"os"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -15,6 +16,10 @@ import (
 // variable so tests can substitute a fixed set of sessions.
 var notesListSessionsFn = defaultStatsListSessions
 
+// notesStdin is the input stream used by `notes set --stdin`. Tests swap it
+// for an in-memory reader.
+var notesStdin io.Reader = os.Stdin
+
 type noteEntry struct {
 	ID      string `json:"id"`
 	Summary string `json:"summary"`
@@ -96,14 +101,17 @@ func runNotesGet(w io.Writer, args []string) error {
 }
 
 func runNotesSet(w io.Writer, args []string) error {
-	if len(args) < 2 {
+	if len(args) < 1 {
 		return fmt.Errorf("notes set requires a session ID and note text")
 	}
 	sessionID := args[0]
-	note := strings.Join(args[1:], " ")
 	if strings.TrimSpace(sessionID) == "" {
 		return fmt.Errorf("notes set requires a session ID")
 	}
+	note, err := parseNoteText(args[1:])
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	cfg, err := configLoadFn()
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("loading config: %w", err)
@@ -116,6 +124,32 @@ func runNotesSet(w io.Writer, args []string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func parseNoteText(args []string) (string, error) {
+	if len(args) == 0 {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("notes set requires a session ID and note text")
+	}
+	readStdin := false
+	var textParts []string
+	for _, arg := range args {
+		if arg == "--stdin" {
+			readStdin = true
+			continue
+		}
+		textParts = append(textParts, arg)
+	}
+	if readStdin {
+		if len(textParts) > 0 {
+			return "", fmt.Errorf("notes set --stdin cannot be combined with note text")
+		}
+		b, err := io.ReadAll(notesStdin)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", fmt.Errorf("reading note from stdin: %w", err)
+		}
+		return string(b), nil
+	}
+	return strings.Join(textParts, " "), nil
+}
+
 func runNotesClear(w io.Writer, args []string) error {
 	if len(args) != 1 {
 		return fmt.Errorf("notes clear requires a session ID")
diff --git a/cmd/dispatch/notes_test.go b/cmd/dispatch/notes_test.go
index 1d2c0d6..4ef3272 100644
--- a/cmd/dispatch/notes_test.go
+++ b/cmd/dispatch/notes_test.go
@@ -110,6 +110,29 @@ func TestRunNotesGetSetClear(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestRunNotesSetFromStdin(t *testing.T) {
+	cfg := withConfigSeams(t, config.Default())
+	prev := notesStdin
+	notesStdin = strings.NewReader("line one\nline two\n")
+	t.Cleanup(func() { notesStdin = prev })
+
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	if err := runNotes(&buf, []string{"notes", "set", "ses-1", "--stdin"}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("set note from stdin: %v", err)
+	}
+	if got := cfg.SessionNotes["ses-1"]; got != "line one\nline two\n" {
+		t.Fatalf("stored note = %q", got)
+	}
+
+	buf.Reset()
+	if err := runNotes(&buf, []string{"notes", "get", "ses-1"}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("get note: %v", err)
+	}
+	if buf.String() != "line one\nline two\n\n" {
+		t.Fatalf("get output = %q", buf.String())
+	}
+}
+
 func TestRunNotesErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	withConfigSeams(t, config.Default())
 	withNotesList(t, func(data.FilterOptions) ([]data.Session, error) { return nil, errors.New("boom") })
@@ -117,6 +140,7 @@ func TestRunNotesErrors(t *testing.T) {
 		{"notes", "bogus"},
 		{"notes", "get"},
 		{"notes", "set", "ses-1"},
+		{"notes", "set", "ses-1", "--stdin", "extra"},
 		{"notes", "clear"},
 		{"notes", "list", "extra"},
 	} {