diff --git a/py2mcp/__init__.py b/py2mcp/__init__.py
index f1a1dd1..290c6ef 100644
--- a/py2mcp/__init__.py
+++ b/py2mcp/__init__.py
@@ -16,10 +16,27 @@
 """
 
 from py2mcp.main import mk_mcp_server, mk_mcp_from_store, mk_mcp_from_refs
+from py2mcp.serve import serve_stdio, resolve_server_config, load_server_config
 from py2mcp.trans import mk_input_trans
 from py2mcp.util import import_object
 
-__version__ = "0.1.0"
+
+def _resolve_version() -> str:
+    """Read the installed distribution version (SSOT = pyproject), else a sentinel.
+
+    Sourcing ``__version__`` from installed metadata keeps it in step with
+    ``pyproject.toml`` (which wads bumps on release) instead of a hand-edited
+    literal that silently drifts.
+    """
+    from importlib.metadata import PackageNotFoundError, version
+
+    try:
+        return version("py2mcp")
+    except PackageNotFoundError:  # pragma: no cover - only in an uninstalled tree
+        return "0.0.0+unknown"
+
+
+__version__ = _resolve_version()
 
 __all__ = [
     "mk_mcp_server",
@@ -27,4 +44,7 @@
     "mk_mcp_from_refs",
     "mk_input_trans",
     "import_object",
+    "serve_stdio",
+    "resolve_server_config",
+    "load_server_config",
 ]
diff --git a/py2mcp/__main__.py b/py2mcp/__main__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..14a3c8a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/py2mcp/__main__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+"""``python -m py2mcp`` — serve an MCP server over stdio from refs/config.
+
+See :mod:`py2mcp.serve`. This is the command a packaged integration (e.g. a
+Claude Desktop ``.mcpb`` bundle) launches to run the server.
+"""
+
+from py2mcp.serve import main
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/py2mcp/serve.py b/py2mcp/serve.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bcdb008
--- /dev/null
+++ b/py2mcp/serve.py
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+"""Serve a py2mcp ``FastMCP`` server over **stdio** — the runner a packaged
+integration launches.
+
+:func:`py2mcp.mk_mcp_server` / :func:`py2mcp.mk_mcp_from_refs` build a server
+*object* but deliberately leave *running* it to the caller (the only run hint in
+``main`` is a comment). This module adds the thin "actually serve it over stdio"
+layer plus a small JSON-config loader, so a one-click bundle (e.g. a Claude
+Desktop ``.mcpb`` Desktop Extension) can point its ``manifest.json`` at::
+
+    python -m py2mcp --config ${__dirname}/server/py2mcp_config.json
+
+and get a live MCP server. The config is just ``{"name": ..., "refs": [...]}``
+where each ref is a ``'module:function'`` string resolved by
+:func:`py2mcp.util.import_object`.
+
+stdio note: an MCP stdio server speaks newline-delimited JSON-RPC on
+stdout, so nothing else may be written there. ``FastMCP``'s ``run`` handles this;
+keep application logging on stderr.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import argparse
+import json
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any, Callable, Iterable, Optional
+
+from py2mcp.main import mk_mcp_from_refs
+
+#: Default server name when neither a config nor ``--name`` supplies one.
+DFLT_SERVER_NAME = "py2mcp Server"
+
+
+def load_server_config(path: str | Path) -> dict:
+    """Load a server config JSON of the form ``{"name": str, "refs": [str, ...]}``.
+
+    Raises ``ValueError`` if the file is not a JSON object carrying a ``refs``
+    list — an actionable error beats a server that starts with no tools.
+    """
+    data = json.loads(Path(path).read_text())
+    if not isinstance(data, dict) or not isinstance(data.get("refs"), list):
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"py2mcp server config {str(path)!r} must be a JSON object with a "
+            '"refs" list, e.g. {"name": "My Tools", "refs": ["pkg.mod:func"]}.'
+        )
+    return data
+
+
+def resolve_server_config(
+    *,
+    config: Optional[str | Path] = None,
+    refs: Iterable[str] = (),
+    name: Optional[str] = None,
+) -> tuple[list[str], str]:
+    """Merge a config file and explicit ``refs``/``name`` into ``(refs, name)``.
+
+    Refs from ``--ref`` are appended after any from the config file; an explicit
+    ``name`` wins over the config's. Pure (no I/O beyond reading ``config``), so
+    it is unit-testable without standing up a server.
+
+    >>> resolve_server_config(refs=['os.path:basename'], name='Paths')
+    (['os.path:basename'], 'Paths')
+    """
+    cfg_refs: list[str] = []
+    cfg_name: Optional[str] = None
+    if config is not None:
+        cfg = load_server_config(config)
+        cfg_refs = list(cfg.get("refs") or [])
+        cfg_name = cfg.get("name")
+    merged_refs = cfg_refs + list(refs)
+    if not merged_refs:
+        raise ValueError(
+            "No tool references to serve. Provide a --config file with a 'refs' "
+            "list and/or one or more --ref 'module:function' arguments."
+        )
+    return merged_refs, (name or cfg_name or DFLT_SERVER_NAME)
+
+
+def serve_stdio(
+    refs: Iterable[str],
+    *,
+    name: str = DFLT_SERVER_NAME,
+    input_trans: Optional[Callable[[dict], dict]] = None,
+) -> None:
+    """Build an MCP server from ``'module:function'`` refs and run it over stdio.
+
+    Blocks, serving the MCP protocol on stdin/stdout until the host disconnects.
+    Thin wrapper over :func:`py2mcp.mk_mcp_from_refs` + ``FastMCP.run`` so that
+    packaged integrations have one command to launch.
+    """
+    server = mk_mcp_from_refs(refs, name=name, input_trans=input_trans)
+    server.run(transport="stdio")
+
+
+def main(argv: Optional[list[str]] = None) -> None:
+    """CLI: ``python -m py2mcp --config cfg.json`` (or ``--ref mod:func ...``)."""
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        prog="py2mcp",
+        description="Serve an MCP server over stdio from 'module:function' refs.",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--config",
+        help="Path to a JSON config: {\"name\": str, \"refs\": [\"module:function\", ...]}.",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--ref",
+        action="append",
+        dest="refs",
+        default=[],
+        metavar="module:function",
+        help="A tool reference to expose (repeatable; merged after --config refs).",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--name", default=None, help="Server name (overrides the config's name)."
+    )
+    args = parser.parse_args(argv)
+    try:
+        refs, name = resolve_server_config(
+            config=args.config, refs=args.refs, name=args.name
+        )
+    except (ValueError, OSError) as e:
+        parser.error(str(e))
+    serve_stdio(refs, name=name)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index e07ccdd..d526ef5 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ Homepage = "https://github.com/i2mint/py2mcp"
 Repository = "https://github.com/i2mint/py2mcp"
 Documentation = "https://i2mint.github.io/py2mcp"
 
+[project.scripts]
+py2mcp = "py2mcp.serve:main"
+
 [project.optional-dependencies]
 dev = [
     "pytest>=7.0",
diff --git a/tests/test_serve.py b/tests/test_serve.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c0c78a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_serve.py
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+"""Tests for the stdio serve runner's pure config-resolution helpers.
+
+The blocking ``serve_stdio`` (which runs a live server) is not exercised here;
+the unit-testable surface is ``resolve_server_config`` / ``load_server_config``.
+"""
+
+import json
+
+import pytest
+
+from py2mcp.serve import load_server_config, resolve_server_config
+
+
+def test_resolve_explicit_refs():
+    refs, name = resolve_server_config(refs=["os.path:basename"], name="Paths")
+    assert refs == ["os.path:basename"]
+    assert name == "Paths"
+
+
+def test_resolve_default_name():
+    refs, name = resolve_server_config(refs=["a:b"])
+    assert refs == ["a:b"]
+    assert name == "py2mcp Server"
+
+
+def test_resolve_from_config(tmp_path):
+    cfg = tmp_path / "c.json"
+    cfg.write_text(json.dumps({"name": "Cfg", "refs": ["a:b"]}))
+    refs, name = resolve_server_config(config=str(cfg))
+    assert refs == ["a:b"]
+    assert name == "Cfg"
+
+
+def test_config_refs_then_cli_refs_and_name_override(tmp_path):
+    cfg = tmp_path / "c.json"
+    cfg.write_text(json.dumps({"name": "Cfg", "refs": ["a:b"]}))
+    refs, name = resolve_server_config(config=str(cfg), refs=["c:d"], name="Override")
+    assert refs == ["a:b", "c:d"]
+    assert name == "Override"
+
+
+def test_no_refs_raises():
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        resolve_server_config()
+
+
+def test_load_bad_config_raises(tmp_path):
+    cfg = tmp_path / "bad.json"
+    cfg.write_text(json.dumps({"name": "x"}))  # missing the 'refs' list
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        load_server_config(str(cfg))
+
+
+def test_main_missing_config_is_clean_error():
+    # a missing/unreadable bundled config must exit cleanly (argparse error),
+    # not dump a raw OSError traceback (the .mcpb launches this command).
+    from py2mcp.serve import main
+
+    with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
+        main(["--config", "/nonexistent/py2mcp_config.json"])