diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9748df9..2a24093 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ and versions are tracked in the repo-root `VERSION` file.
 
 ### Added
 
+- Added the `base-bash` launcher for standalone scripts that want the
+  base-bash-libs stdlib preloaded from a shebang.
 - Added `std_run --timeout`, `--max-attempts`, and `--retry-delay` execution
   policy options for timeout-only, retry-only, and timeout-plus-retry command
   execution.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f847385..4708086 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -62,6 +62,22 @@ source "$base_bash_libs_prefix/libexec/lib/bash/std/lib_std.sh"
 printf 'base-bash-libs version: %s\n' "$BASE_BASH_LIBS_VERSION"
 ```
 
+Homebrew installs the standalone `base-bash` launcher on `PATH`. Use it when a
+script should run with the stdlib preloaded from its shebang:
+
+```bash
+#!/usr/bin/env base-bash
+
+import_base_bash_lib str/lib_str.sh
+
+main() {
+    local name="  Example  "
+    str_trim name
+    log_info "Running with base-bash-libs $BASE_BASH_LIBS_VERSION"
+    std_run echo "$name"
+}
+```
+
 Load companion libraries with absolute imports from the same package:
 
 ```bash
@@ -100,6 +116,12 @@ import "$base_bash_libs_dir/lib/bash/arg/lib_arg.sh"
 import "$base_bash_libs_dir/lib/bash/list/lib_list.sh"
 ```
 
+You can also run source-checkout scripts through the launcher:
+
+```bash
+vendor/base-bash-libs/bin/base-bash ./scripts/tool.sh
+```
+
 ### Vendored or Submodule Layout
 
 For projects that vendor dependencies or use git submodules, place this
diff --git a/bin/base-bash b/bin/base-bash
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..d978dbc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/base-bash
@@ -0,0 +1,223 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+#
+# base-bash
+#     Standalone launcher for Bash scripts that use base-bash-libs.
+#
+# Responsibilities:
+#     - run a Bash script with lib/bash/std/lib_std.sh preloaded
+#     - preserve stdlib wrapper-flag behavior for the target script
+#     - provide package-relative imports without establishing Base runtime state
+#
+
+base_bash_die() {
+    printf 'ERROR: %s\n' "$*" >&2
+    exit 1
+}
+
+base_bash_resolve_path() {
+    local source_path="${1:-}"
+    local link_dir
+    local target
+
+    [[ -n "$source_path" ]] || return 1
+
+    if [[ "$source_path" != */* ]]; then
+        if [[ -e "$source_path" ]]; then
+            source_path="./$source_path"
+        else
+            source_path="$(command -v -- "$source_path" 2>/dev/null || true)"
+            [[ -n "$source_path" ]] || return 1
+        fi
+    fi
+
+    while [[ -L "$source_path" ]]; do
+        link_dir="$(cd -- "$(dirname -- "$source_path")" && pwd -P)" || return 1
+        target="$(readlink "$source_path")" || return 1
+        if [[ "$target" == /* ]]; then
+            source_path="$target"
+        else
+            source_path="$link_dir/$target"
+        fi
+    done
+
+    link_dir="$(cd -- "$(dirname -- "$source_path")" && pwd -P)" || return 1
+    printf '%s/%s\n' "$link_dir" "$(basename -- "$source_path")"
+}
+
+base_bash_package_root() {
+    local source_path
+    local bin_dir
+
+    source_path="$(base_bash_resolve_path "$0")" || return 1
+    bin_dir="$(cd -- "$(dirname -- "$source_path")" && pwd -P)" || return 1
+    cd -- "$bin_dir/.." && pwd -P
+}
+
+base_bash_ensure_supported_bash() {
+    local candidate
+    local candidates=()
+    local current_version
+    local display_version
+
+    current_version="${BASE_BASH_LIBS_TEST_BASH_VERSION:-${BASH_VERSINFO[0]}${BASH_VERSINFO[1]}}"
+    ((current_version >= 42)) && return 0
+
+    if [[ -n "${BASE_BASH_LIBS_TEST_BASH_CANDIDATES:-}" ]]; then
+        IFS=: read -r -a candidates <<<"$BASE_BASH_LIBS_TEST_BASH_CANDIDATES"
+    else
+        candidates=(/opt/homebrew/bin/bash /usr/local/bin/bash)
+    fi
+
+    for candidate in "${candidates[@]}"; do
+        [[ -x "$candidate" ]] || continue
+        [[ "$candidate" == "${BASH:-}" ]] && continue
+        exec "$candidate" "$0" "$@"
+    done
+
+    if [[ -n "${BASE_BASH_LIBS_TEST_BASH_VERSION:-}" ]]; then
+        display_version="${BASE_BASH_LIBS_TEST_BASH_VERSION:0:1}.${BASE_BASH_LIBS_TEST_BASH_VERSION:1}"
+    else
+        display_version="${BASH_VERSINFO[0]}.${BASH_VERSINFO[1]}"
+    fi
+
+    {
+        printf 'ERROR: base-bash requires Bash 4.2 or newer; current version is %s.\n' "$display_version"
+        printf 'A supported Bash was not found at /opt/homebrew/bin/bash or /usr/local/bin/bash.\n'
+    } >&2
+    exit 1
+}
+
+base_bash_lib_dir_is_usable() {
+    local candidate="${1:-}"
+
+    [[ -n "$candidate" ]] || return 1
+    [[ -f "$candidate/std/lib_std.sh" ]]
+}
+
+base_bash_resolve_lib_dir() {
+    local package_root="$1"
+    local explicit_dir="${BASE_BASH_LIBS_DIR:-}"
+    local candidate
+
+    if [[ -n "$explicit_dir" ]]; then
+        base_bash_lib_dir_is_usable "$explicit_dir" || {
+            base_bash_die "BASE_BASH_LIBS_DIR '$explicit_dir' does not contain std/lib_std.sh."
+        }
+        cd -L -- "$explicit_dir" && pwd -L
+        return $?
+    fi
+
+    for candidate in "$package_root/lib/bash" "$package_root/libexec/lib/bash"; do
+        if base_bash_lib_dir_is_usable "$candidate"; then
+            cd -L -- "$candidate" && pwd -L
+            return $?
+        fi
+    done
+
+    base_bash_die "Unable to find base-bash-libs under '$package_root'. Set BASE_BASH_LIBS_DIR to a compatible lib/bash directory."
+}
+
+base_bash_source_stdlib() {
+    local script_path="$1"
+    local stdlib_path="$BASE_BASH_LIBS_DIR/std/lib_std.sh"
+    shift
+
+    BASE_BASH_BOOTSTRAP_SOURCE="$script_path"
+    # shellcheck source=/dev/null
+    source "$stdlib_path" "$@" || exit $?
+    unset BASE_BASH_BOOTSTRAP_SOURCE
+}
+
+base_bash_filter_runtime_args() {
+    base_bash_runtime_args=()
+
+    while (($#)); do
+        case "$1" in
+            --debug-wrapper|--verbose-wrapper|--utc-wrapper|--color)
+                ;;
+            *)
+                base_bash_runtime_args+=("$1")
+                ;;
+        esac
+        shift
+    done
+}
+
+import_base_bash_lib() {
+    local relative_path="${1:-}"
+    local lib_path
+
+    [[ -n "$relative_path" ]] || fatal_error "import_base_bash_lib: no library path provided."
+    [[ "$relative_path" != /* ]] || fatal_error "import_base_bash_lib: expected a path relative to '$BASE_BASH_LIBS_DIR', got '$relative_path'."
+
+    case "$relative_path" in
+        ..|../*|*/..|*/../*)
+            fatal_error "import_base_bash_lib: refusing path outside base-bash-libs root: '$relative_path'."
+            ;;
+    esac
+
+    lib_path="$BASE_BASH_LIBS_DIR/$relative_path"
+    [[ -f "$lib_path" ]] || fatal_error "base-bash-libs library '$relative_path' was not found at '$lib_path'."
+
+    # shellcheck source=/dev/null
+    source "$lib_path" || fatal_error "Failed to import base-bash-libs library '$lib_path'."
+}
+
+base_bash_run_script() {
+    local script_path="$1"
+    local package_root="$2"
+    local -a runtime_args=()
+    shift 2
+
+    [[ -f "$script_path" ]] || base_bash_die "Script '$script_path' was not found."
+
+    BASE_BASH_LIBS_DIR="$(base_bash_resolve_lib_dir "$package_root")" || exit $?
+    export BASE_BASH_LIBS_DIR
+
+    base_bash_filter_runtime_args "$@"
+    base_bash_source_stdlib "$script_path" "$@"
+    runtime_args=("${base_bash_runtime_args[@]}")
+
+    unset -f main
+
+    # shellcheck source=/dev/null
+    source "$script_path" "${runtime_args[@]}" || exit $?
+
+    if ! declare -F main >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        fatal_error "Script '$script_path' did not define main()."
+    fi
+
+    main "${runtime_args[@]}"
+}
+
+base_bash_usage() {
+    cat >&2 <<'EOF'
+Usage:
+  base-bash <script> [args...]
+
+Run a Bash script with base-bash-libs stdlib preloaded.
+EOF
+}
+
+main() {
+    local package_root
+    local script_path
+
+    base_bash_ensure_supported_bash "$@"
+    package_root="$(base_bash_package_root)" || base_bash_die "Unable to resolve base-bash-libs package root."
+
+    case "${1:-}" in
+        ""|-h|--help|help)
+            base_bash_usage
+            return 2
+            ;;
+    esac
+
+    script_path="$(base_bash_resolve_path "$1")" || base_bash_die "Script '$1' was not found."
+    shift
+
+    base_bash_run_script "$script_path" "$package_root" "$@"
+}
+
+main "$@"
diff --git a/lib/bash/std/README.md b/lib/bash/std/README.md
index e7d07e4..721e805 100644
--- a/lib/bash/std/README.md
+++ b/lib/bash/std/README.md
@@ -49,10 +49,26 @@ Standalone scripts can source the library directly:
 source "/absolute/path/to/lib/bash/std/lib_std.sh"
 ```
 
-Base entrypoints preload this library through Base's own runtime bootstrap.
-Standalone scripts should source it explicitly. Callers should run on Bash 4.2
-or newer; the library has passive Bash version helpers, but sourcing it does not
-prompt, install packages, or re-exec the caller.
+Standalone scripts can also use the `base-bash` launcher when it is installed on
+`PATH`:
+
+```bash
+#!/usr/bin/env base-bash
+
+import_base_bash_lib str/lib_str.sh
+
+main() {
+    local name="  Example  "
+    str_trim name
+    std_run echo "$name"
+}
+```
+
+Base entrypoints preload this library through Base's own runtime bootstrap. The
+`base-bash` launcher provides the same stdlib preload pattern without Base
+runtime state. Callers should run on Bash 4.2 or newer; the library has passive
+Bash version helpers, but sourcing it does not prompt, install packages, or
+re-exec the caller.
 
 ## Initialization Contract
 
diff --git a/tests/launcher.bats b/tests/launcher.bats
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..98bf155
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/launcher.bats
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bats
+
+load ../lib/bash/tests/test_helper.sh
+
+setup() {
+    setup_test_tmpdir
+    PATH="$BASE_REPO_ROOT/bin:$BASE_TEST_ORIG_PATH"
+    unset DRY_RUN dry_run LOG_DEBUG LOG_UTC NO_COLOR BASE_BASH_BOOTSTRAP_SOURCE
+}
+
+create_script() {
+    local script_path="$1"
+    shift
+
+    cat > "$script_path"
+    chmod +x "$script_path"
+}
+
+@test "base-bash shebang preloads stdlib and calls main with filtered args" {
+    local script_dir="$TEST_TMPDIR/scripts"
+    local script="$script_dir/tool"
+
+    mkdir -p "$script_dir"
+    script_dir="$(cd "$script_dir" && pwd -P)"
+    create_script "$script" <<'SCRIPT'
+#!/usr/bin/env base-bash
+# shellcheck shell=bash
+
+import_base_bash_lib str/lib_str.sh
+
+main() {
+    local value="$1"
+    str_trim value
+
+    printf 'argc=%s\n' "$#"
+    printf 'first=<%s>\n' "$1"
+    printf 'second=<%s>\n' "${2-}"
+    printf 'trimmed=<%s>\n' "$value"
+    printf 'script-dir=%s\n' "$__SCRIPT_DIR__"
+    printf 'loaded=%s\n' "${BASE_BASH_LIBS_STDLIB_LOADED:-}"
+    printf 'base-home=%s\n' "${BASE_HOME-unset}"
+    printf 'str-trim=%s\n' "$(type -t str_trim)"
+}
+SCRIPT
+
+    bats_run "$script" --verbose-wrapper --color "  alpha  " beta
+
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [[ "$output" == *"argc=2"* ]]
+    [[ "$output" == *"first=<  alpha  >"* ]]
+    [[ "$output" == *"second=<beta>"* ]]
+    [[ "$output" == *"trimmed=<alpha>"* ]]
+    [[ "$output" == *"script-dir=$script_dir"* ]]
+    [[ "$output" == *"loaded=1"* ]]
+    [[ "$output" == *"base-home=unset"* ]]
+    [[ "$output" == *"str-trim=function"* ]]
+}
+
+@test "base-bash reports a missing main function" {
+    local script="$TEST_TMPDIR/no-main"
+
+    create_script "$script" <<'SCRIPT'
+#!/usr/bin/env base-bash
+# shellcheck shell=bash
+
+printf 'body sourced\n'
+SCRIPT
+
+    bats_run "$script"
+
+    [ "$status" -ne 0 ]
+    [[ "$output" == *"body sourced"* ]]
+    [[ "$output" == *"did not define main()"* ]]
+}
+
+@test "base-bash resolves Homebrew-style libexec layout" {
+    local prefix="$TEST_TMPDIR/homebrew-prefix"
+    local script="$TEST_TMPDIR/brew-tool"
+
+    mkdir -p "$prefix/bin" "$prefix/libexec"
+    prefix="$(cd "$prefix" && pwd -P)"
+    cp "$BASE_REPO_ROOT/bin/base-bash" "$prefix/bin/base-bash"
+    chmod +x "$prefix/bin/base-bash"
+    cp "$BASE_REPO_ROOT/VERSION" "$prefix/libexec/VERSION"
+    cp -R "$BASE_REPO_ROOT/lib" "$prefix/libexec/lib"
+
+    PATH="$prefix/bin:$BASE_TEST_ORIG_PATH"
+
+    create_script "$script" <<'SCRIPT'
+#!/usr/bin/env base-bash
+# shellcheck shell=bash
+
+main() {
+    printf 'version=%s\n' "$BASE_BASH_LIBS_VERSION"
+    printf 'lib-dir=%s\n' "$BASE_BASH_LIBS_DIR"
+}
+SCRIPT
+
+    bats_run "$script"
+
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [[ "$output" == *"version=$(<"$BASE_REPO_ROOT/VERSION")"* ]]
+    [[ "$output" == *"lib-dir=$prefix/libexec/lib/bash"* ]]
+}
diff --git a/tests/validate.sh b/tests/validate.sh
index 33787bc..b9972f9 100755
--- a/tests/validate.sh
+++ b/tests/validate.sh
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ required_files=(
   base_manifest.yaml
   .github/workflows/project-intake.yml
   .github/workflows/tests.yml
+  bin/base-bash
   examples/std-usage.sh
   examples/cookbook-cleanup-temp.sh
   examples/cookbook-args-lists-strings.sh
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ required_files=(
   lib/bash/list/lib_list.sh
   lib/bash/list/tests/lib_list.bats
   lib/bash/tests/test_helper.sh
+  tests/launcher.bats
 )
 
 cd "$repo_root" || exit 1
@@ -90,6 +92,7 @@ for command in shellcheck bats; do
 done
 
 shellcheck --severity=error \
+  bin/base-bash \
   tests/validate.sh \
   examples/std-usage.sh \
   examples/cookbook-cleanup-temp.sh \
@@ -100,9 +103,11 @@ shellcheck --severity=error \
   lib/bash/str/lib_str.sh \
   lib/bash/arg/lib_arg.sh \
   lib/bash/list/lib_list.sh \
-  lib/bash/tests/test_helper.sh
+  lib/bash/tests/test_helper.sh \
+  tests/launcher.bats
 
 bats \
+  tests/launcher.bats \
   lib/bash/std/tests/lib_std.bats \
   lib/bash/file/tests/lib_file.bats \
   lib/bash/git/tests/lib_git.bats \