diff --git a/src/tools/__tests__/registry.test.ts b/src/tools/__tests__/registry.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..27c7e53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tools/__tests__/registry.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+/**
+ * Tests for tools.json registry integrity during push and delete
+ */
+
+import * as fs from "fs-extra";
+import * as path from "path";
+import * as os from "os";
+import {
+  writeToolsConfig,
+  readToolsConfig,
+  writeToolConfig,
+  type Tool,
+} from "../../shared/tools";
+import * as elevenLabsApi from "../../shared/elevenlabs-api";
+import { pushTools, deleteTool } from "../commands/impl";
+import { ElevenLabs, ElevenLabsClient } from "@elevenlabs/elevenlabs-js";
+
+// Mock the entire elevenlabs-api module
+jest.mock("../../shared/elevenlabs-api");
+const mockedElevenLabsApi = elevenLabsApi as jest.Mocked<typeof elevenLabsApi>;
+
+describe("tools.json registry integrity", () => {
+  let tempDir: string;
+  let originalCwd: string;
+  let logSpy: jest.SpyInstance;
+
+  beforeEach(async () => {
+    tempDir = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "tools-registry-test-"));
+    originalCwd = process.cwd();
+    // pushTools/deleteTool resolve tools.json against the working directory
+    process.chdir(tempDir);
+    logSpy = jest.spyOn(console, "log").mockImplementation(() => {});
+    mockedElevenLabsApi.getElevenLabsClient.mockResolvedValue({} as ElevenLabsClient);
+  });
+
+  afterEach(async () => {
+    process.chdir(originalCwd);
+    logSpy.mockRestore();
+    await fs.remove(tempDir);
+    jest.clearAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  it("pushTools stores the tool ID from the API response when creating a tool", async () => {
+    const configPath = path.join(tempDir, "tool_configs", "lookup.json");
+    await writeToolConfig(configPath, { name: "lookup", type: "webhook" } as unknown as Tool);
+    await writeToolsConfig(path.join(tempDir, "tools.json"), {
+      tools: [{ type: "webhook", config: configPath }],
+    });
+
+    mockedElevenLabsApi.createToolApi.mockResolvedValue({
+      id: "tool_real_123",
+    } as ElevenLabs.ToolResponseModel);
+
+    await pushTools();
+
+    const saved = await readToolsConfig(path.join(tempDir, "tools.json"));
+    expect(saved.tools).toHaveLength(1);
+    // The real API ID must be saved, not a locally fabricated one
+    expect(saved.tools[0].id).toBe("tool_real_123");
+  });
+
+  it("deleteTool removes exactly one entry from tools.json", async () => {
+    const configA = path.join(tempDir, "tool_configs", "alpha.json");
+    const configB = path.join(tempDir, "tool_configs", "beta.json");
+    await writeToolConfig(configA, { name: "alpha", type: "webhook" } as unknown as Tool);
+    await writeToolConfig(configB, { name: "beta", type: "webhook" } as unknown as Tool);
+    await writeToolsConfig(path.join(tempDir, "tools.json"), {
+      tools: [
+        { type: "webhook", config: configA, id: "tool_a" },
+        { type: "webhook", config: configB, id: "tool_b" },
+      ],
+    });
+
+    mockedElevenLabsApi.deleteToolApi.mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+
+    await deleteTool("tool_a");
+
+    const saved = await readToolsConfig(path.join(tempDir, "tools.json"));
+    // Deleting one tool must not drop other entries from the registry
+    expect(saved.tools).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(saved.tools[0].id).toBe("tool_b");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/tools/commands/impl.ts b/src/tools/commands/impl.ts
index 7db8c4d..aecc878 100644
--- a/src/tools/commands/impl.ts
+++ b/src/tools/commands/impl.ts
@@ -210,7 +210,11 @@ async function pushTools(toolId?: string, dryRun = false): Promise<void> {
       if (!toolId) {
         // Create new tool
         const response = await createToolApi(client, toolConfig);
-        const newToolId = (response as { toolId?: string }).toolId || `tool_${Date.now()}`;
+        const newToolId = response.id;
+        if (!newToolId) {
+          console.log(`Error: no tool ID in the API response for ${toolDefName}; not saving to ${TOOLS_CONFIG_FILE}`);
+          continue;
+        }
         console.log(`Created tool ${toolDefName} (ID: ${newToolId})`);
 
         // Store tool ID in index file
@@ -496,12 +500,6 @@ async function deleteTool(toolId: string): Promise<void> {
     console.log('Continuing with local deletion...');
   }
   
-  // Remove from local tools.json
-  toolsConfig.tools.splice(toolIndex, 1);
-  await writeToolsConfig(toolsConfigPath, toolsConfig);
-  console.log(`✓ Removed '${toolName}' from ${TOOLS_CONFIG_FILE}`);
-  
-
   // Remove from local tools.json
   toolsConfig.tools.splice(toolIndex, 1);
   await writeToolsConfig(toolsConfigPath, toolsConfig);