diff --git a/src/scitex/notify/README.md b/src/scitex/notify/README.md
index 5f7d56c3..138f725c 100644
--- a/src/scitex/notify/README.md
+++ b/src/scitex/notify/README.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # scitex.notify
 
-Multi-backend notification system for SciTeX. Sends alerts via audio (TTS), phone calls (Twilio), email, desktop notifications, Emacs, browser popups, and webhooks.
+Multi-backend notification system for SciTeX. Sends alerts via audio (TTS), phone calls (Twilio), SMS, email, desktop notifications, Emacs, browser popups, and webhooks.
 
 ## Quick Start
 
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ scitex.notify.alert("Task complete!")
 # Phone call via Twilio
 scitex.notify.call("Wake up! Your experiment finished.")
 
+# SMS via Twilio
+scitex.notify.sms("Build finished!")
+
 # Specify backend explicitly
 scitex.notify.alert("Error in pipeline", backend="email", level="error")
 
@@ -29,7 +32,7 @@ scitex.notify.available_backends()
 | Backend | Description | Requirements |
 |---------|-------------|--------------|
 | `audio` | Text-to-Speech | `scitex-audio` package |
-| `twilio` | Phone call | Twilio account + env vars |
+| `twilio` | Phone call / SMS | Twilio account + env vars |
 | `email` | SMTP email | SMTP server config |
 | `emacs` | Minibuffer message | Running Emacs server |
 | `desktop` | System notification | Windows/macOS |
@@ -71,6 +74,31 @@ To receive calls while in Do Not Disturb / silent mode:
 2. **Settings -> Focus -> Do Not Disturb -> Allow Repeated Calls** -> ON
 3. Use `repeat=2` -- the second call within 3 minutes bypasses silent mode
 
+## SMS (Twilio)
+
+Uses the same Twilio env vars as phone calls.
+
+```python
+import scitex
+
+# Simple SMS
+scitex.notify.sms("Build finished!")
+
+# With title prefix
+scitex.notify.sms("Pipeline error on node 3", title="SciTeX Alert")
+
+# Override destination
+scitex.notify.sms("Urgent!", to_number="+61400000000")
+```
+
+CLI:
+
+```bash
+scitex notify sms "Build finished!"
+scitex notify sms "Alert!" --to +61400000000
+scitex notify sms "Error" --title "SciTeX"
+```
+
 ## Configuration
 
 ### Environment Variables
@@ -135,22 +163,43 @@ scitex.notify.call(
     **kwargs,
 ) -> bool
 
+# Send SMS (no fallback)
+scitex.notify.sms(
+    message: str,
+    title: str = None,          # Prepended to message
+    to_number: str = None,      # Override default
+    **kwargs,
+) -> bool
+
 # Async versions
 await scitex.notify.alert_async(...)
 await scitex.notify.call_async(...)
+await scitex.notify.sms_async(...)
 
 # List available backends
 scitex.notify.available_backends() -> list[str]
 ```
 
+## CLI Commands
+
+```bash
+scitex notify send "Task complete!"                      # Auto-fallback
+scitex notify send "Error" --backend email --level error  # Specific backend
+scitex notify call "Wake up!" --repeat 2                  # Phone call
+scitex notify sms "Build finished!"                       # SMS
+scitex notify backends                                    # List backends
+scitex notify config                                      # Show config
+scitex notify --help-recursive                            # All help
+```
+
 ## MCP Tools
 
 Available via `scitex mcp serve`:
 
 | Tool | Description |
 |------|-------------|
-| `notify` | Send notification via backend(s) |
-| `notify_by_level` | Send using level-configured backends |
-| `list_notification_backends` | List all backends and status |
-| `available_notification_backends` | List working backends |
-| `get_notification_config` | Get current configuration |
+| `notify_send` | Send notification via backend(s) |
+| `notify_call` | Make a phone call via Twilio |
+| `notify_sms` | Send an SMS via Twilio |
+| `notify_backends` | List all backends and availability |
+| `notify_config` | Get current configuration |
diff --git a/src/scitex/notify/__init__.py b/src/scitex/notify/__init__.py
index b3e864fe..41c3076a 100755
--- a/src/scitex/notify/__init__.py
+++ b/src/scitex/notify/__init__.py
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ async def alert_async(
         if name not in available:
             continue
         try:
-            b = _get_backend(name, **kwargs)
+            b = _get_backend(name)
             result = await b.send(message, title=title, level=lvl, **kwargs)
             if result.success:
                 return True
diff --git a/src/scitex/notify/_backends/_twilio.py b/src/scitex/notify/_backends/_twilio.py
index d61446af..da101bf6 100755
--- a/src/scitex/notify/_backends/_twilio.py
+++ b/src/scitex/notify/_backends/_twilio.py
@@ -58,10 +58,10 @@ async def send(
         **kwargs,
     ) -> NotifyResult:
         try:
-            to_number = kwargs.get("to_number", self.to_number)
-            from_number = kwargs.get("from_number", self.from_number)
-            flow_sid = kwargs.get("flow_sid", self.flow_sid)
-            repeat = kwargs.get("repeat", self.repeat)
+            to_number = kwargs.get("to_number") or self.to_number
+            from_number = kwargs.get("from_number") or self.from_number
+            flow_sid = kwargs.get("flow_sid") or self.flow_sid
+            repeat = kwargs.get("repeat") or self.repeat
 
             if not all([self.account_sid, self.auth_token, from_number, to_number]):
                 raise ValueError(