diff --git a/daemon/proxy.py b/daemon/proxy.py
index 6bccc69..72f9dfe 100644
--- a/daemon/proxy.py
+++ b/daemon/proxy.py
@@ -202,3 +202,23 @@ async def history(
                 "as_of": as_of,
             },
         )
+
+    async def usage_summary(
+        self,
+        *,
+        repo_id: str,
+        days: int = 7,
+    ) -> dict[str, Any]:
+        """Invoke ``read.usage_summary`` on the daemon and return the raw payload.
+
+        The MCP-side ``handle_usage_summary`` facade is responsible for
+        round-tripping this dict through ``UsageSummaryResult.model_validate``
+        to enforce the wire shape before returning to the agent.
+        """
+        return await self._call_with_retry(
+            "read.usage_summary",
+            {
+                "repo_id": repo_id,
+                "days": days,
+            },
+        )
diff --git a/handlers/usage_summary.py b/handlers/usage_summary.py
index d8e98c3..fd17883 100644
--- a/handlers/usage_summary.py
+++ b/handlers/usage_summary.py
@@ -21,7 +21,34 @@
 
 @read_tool("read.usage_summary")
 async def handle_usage_summary(ctx, days: int = 7) -> dict:
-    """Aggregate usage stats over the last `days` days.
+    """MCP-side facade for ``read.usage_summary``.
+
+    Phase 2c-5 — mirror of 2c-4's pattern for handle_history. The body is
+    now a thin wrapper that delegates to the daemon via
+    ``ctx.daemon.usage_summary``; the real read logic lives in
+    ``_handle_usage_summary_impl`` (which the daemon's protocol handler
+    invokes on its end).
+    """
+    daemon = getattr(ctx, "daemon", None)
+    if daemon is None:
+        # Test contexts that mock-construct BicameralContext without going
+        # through ``from_env`` won't have a daemon proxy. Fall through to
+        # the in-process implementation so handler-level tests stay
+        # sociable. Production paths always go through ``from_env`` →
+        # ``DaemonProxy``.
+        return await _handle_usage_summary_impl(ctx, days=days)
+
+    raw = await daemon.usage_summary(repo_id="local", days=days)
+    from protocol.contracts import UsageSummaryResult
+
+    return UsageSummaryResult.model_validate(raw).model_dump()
+
+
+async def _handle_usage_summary_impl(ctx, days: int = 7) -> dict:
+    """Core usage_summary logic — pure ledger read + transformation.
+
+    Invoked by the daemon's ``read.usage_summary`` protocol handler. Does
+    NOT route through the daemon — that would create an infinite RPC loop.
 
     Returns the schema specified in #42:
         period_days, ingest_calls, bind_calls_total, decisions_ingested,
diff --git a/protocol/handlers/reads.py b/protocol/handlers/reads.py
index dbd3a8a..a7fe882 100644
--- a/protocol/handlers/reads.py
+++ b/protocol/handlers/reads.py
@@ -71,11 +71,14 @@ async def handle_read_usage_summary(
 ) -> dict[str, Any]:
     req = UsageSummaryRequest.model_validate(params)
     bctx = _resolve_context(ctx, req.repo_id)
-    from handlers.usage_summary import handle_usage_summary
+    # Phase 2c-5: call the core impl, NOT the facade. The facade routes
+    # through ``ctx.daemon.usage_summary(...)``; invoking it from inside the
+    # daemon's own protocol handler would create an infinite RPC loop.
+    from handlers.usage_summary import _handle_usage_summary_impl
 
-    raw = await handle_usage_summary(bctx, days=req.days)
-    # ``handle_usage_summary`` returns a plain dict; round-trip it through the
-    # typed result so the wire shape is enforced.
+    raw = await _handle_usage_summary_impl(bctx, days=req.days)
+    # ``_handle_usage_summary_impl`` returns a plain dict; round-trip it through
+    # the typed result so the wire shape is enforced.
     return UsageSummaryResult.model_validate(raw).model_dump()
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_usage_summary.py b/tests/test_usage_summary.py
index 783a6d5..c6347ed 100644
--- a/tests/test_usage_summary.py
+++ b/tests/test_usage_summary.py
@@ -8,7 +8,12 @@
 
 import pytest
 
-from handlers.usage_summary import handle_usage_summary
+# Phase 2c-5: existing usage_summary tests exercise the core read logic against
+# a mock ledger — that's sociable handler-level testing and should NOT require
+# a running daemon. Alias the impl so the test bodies stay identical; new
+# boundary tests live in ``tests/test_usage_summary_via_daemon.py`` and go
+# through the facade + a per-test daemon fixture.
+from handlers.usage_summary import _handle_usage_summary_impl as handle_usage_summary
 
 
 def _ctx_with_decisions(
diff --git a/tests/test_usage_summary_via_daemon.py b/tests/test_usage_summary_via_daemon.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a55f9d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_usage_summary_via_daemon.py
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+"""Phase 2c-5 boundary tests: handle_usage_summary through a real daemon subprocess.
+
+Mirrors ``tests/test_history_via_daemon.py`` — same structure, same fixture,
+same Fowler boundary-test rationale. Each test exercises the full call chain
+across the IPC boundary:
+
+    handle_usage_summary (facade in MCP process)
+        → ctx.daemon.usage_summary (DaemonProxy)
+            → ProtocolClient over UDS
+                → daemon subprocess
+                    → protocol/handlers/reads.handle_read_usage_summary
+                        → _handle_usage_summary_impl (in daemon's ledger)
+
+Three things these tests verify that no in-process test can:
+
+1. **Wire serialization** — UsageSummaryResult round-trips through JSON.
+2. **Connection lifecycle** — descriptor missing / daemon dead → clear
+   ``DaemonUnreachableError``; reconnect after daemon restart succeeds.
+3. **Same-shape contract** — the facade returns equivalent dict shape to
+   what ``_handle_usage_summary_impl`` returns in-process.
+
+Cost: ~8s per test (daemon subprocess spawn). Per the plan, this is acceptable
+for boundary tests. When per-test cost becomes painful, swap the fixture body
+for an ObjectPool of pre-warmed daemons without touching any test.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import os
+import subprocess
+from types import SimpleNamespace
+
+import pytest
+
+from daemon.process import spawn, stop
+from daemon.proxy import DaemonProxy, DaemonUnreachableError
+from tests._daemon_fixture import daemon_subprocess, short_state_dir  # noqa: F401
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def fresh_ledger_repo(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    """A bare git repo + memory:// ledger env. The daemon picks these up
+    via ``REPO_PATH`` / ``SURREAL_URL`` when ``BicameralContext.from_env``
+    runs inside it.
+    """
+    monkeypatch.setenv("SURREAL_URL", "memory://")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("REPO_PATH", str(tmp_path))
+    subprocess.run(["git", "init", "-q"], cwd=tmp_path, check=True)
+    subprocess.run(
+        ["git", "commit", "--allow-empty", "-q", "-m", "init"],
+        cwd=tmp_path,
+        check=True,
+        env={
+            **os.environ,
+            "GIT_AUTHOR_NAME": "t",
+            "GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL": "t@t",
+            "GIT_COMMITTER_NAME": "t",
+            "GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL": "t@t",
+        },
+    )
+    return tmp_path
+
+
+# ── Daemon unreachable ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+async def test_proxy_raises_when_no_descriptor(tmp_path):
+    """No ``daemon.json`` and no ``auth.json`` → ``DaemonUnreachableError``
+    with the wizard-pointing message."""
+    proxy = DaemonProxy(
+        descriptor_path=tmp_path / "daemon.json",
+        auth_path=tmp_path / "auth.json",
+    )
+    with pytest.raises(DaemonUnreachableError) as exc_info:
+        await proxy.usage_summary(repo_id="local")
+    msg = str(exc_info.value)
+    assert "bicameral-mcp setup" in msg
+    assert "bicameral-mcp daemon start" in msg
+
+
+# ── Daemon-routed happy path ────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+async def test_usage_summary_through_daemon_returns_baseline(
+    daemon_subprocess, fresh_ledger_repo, tmp_path
+):
+    """End-to-end: spawned daemon, DaemonProxy, real RPC, empty ledger
+    returns the zero-count baseline UsageSummaryResult."""
+    proxy = DaemonProxy(
+        descriptor_path=daemon_subprocess.socket_path.parent / "daemon.json",
+        auth_path=tmp_path / "no-auth.json",  # absent
+    )
+    try:
+        result = await proxy.usage_summary(repo_id="local", days=7)
+        # All numeric fields must be present with zero-count baseline values.
+        assert "period_days" in result
+        assert "decisions_ingested" in result
+        assert result["period_days"] == 7
+        assert result["decisions_ingested"] == 0
+        assert result["reflected_pct"] == 0.0
+        assert result["drift_pct"] == 0.0
+    finally:
+        await proxy.close()
+
+
+async def test_usage_summary_facade_routes_through_daemon(
+    daemon_subprocess, fresh_ledger_repo, tmp_path
+):
+    """The MCP-side facade ``handle_usage_summary`` calls
+    ``ctx.daemon.usage_summary`` and returns a dict with the correct shape.
+    Asserts the daemon path is exercised (not the in-process fallback for
+    daemon=None contexts)."""
+    from handlers.usage_summary import handle_usage_summary
+
+    proxy = DaemonProxy(
+        descriptor_path=daemon_subprocess.socket_path.parent / "daemon.json",
+        auth_path=tmp_path / "no-auth.json",
+    )
+    # Minimal ctx — usage_summary does not call ensure_ledger_synced,
+    # so we only need repo_path + daemon on the context object.
+    ctx = SimpleNamespace(
+        repo_path=str(fresh_ledger_repo),
+        daemon=proxy,
+    )
+    try:
+        result = await handle_usage_summary(ctx, days=7)
+        assert isinstance(result, dict)
+        assert result["period_days"] == 7
+        assert result["decisions_ingested"] == 0
+        assert "reflected_pct" in result
+        assert "drift_pct" in result
+    finally:
+        await proxy.close()
+
+
+# ── Reconnect after daemon restart ──────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+async def test_proxy_reconnects_after_daemon_restart(short_state_dir, fresh_ledger_repo):
+    """First call → daemon dies → daemon restarts → second call succeeds.
+
+    Contract: the proxy detects the dropped connection on the failing
+    call, clears its cached client, re-resolves the descriptor, opens
+    a new connection, and retries. ONE retry max — if the second open
+    also fails, raise ``DaemonUnreachableError``.
+    """
+    socket_path = short_state_dir / "daemon.sock"
+    descriptor_path = short_state_dir / "daemon.json"
+
+    # Spawn the first daemon and make a successful call.
+    spawn(socket_path=socket_path, descriptor_path=descriptor_path)
+    proxy = DaemonProxy(
+        descriptor_path=descriptor_path,
+        auth_path=short_state_dir / "no-auth.json",
+    )
+    result1 = await proxy.usage_summary(repo_id="local")
+    assert "period_days" in result1
+
+    # Kill the daemon. The proxy's cached client now points at a dead socket.
+    stop(descriptor_path=descriptor_path)
+
+    # Respawn — same paths, different PID.
+    spawn(socket_path=socket_path, descriptor_path=descriptor_path)
+
+    try:
+        # Next call should detect the broken connection, reconnect, succeed.
+        result2 = await proxy.usage_summary(repo_id="local")
+        assert "period_days" in result2
+    finally:
+        await proxy.close()
+        stop(descriptor_path=descriptor_path)