diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d044e47..72aa63b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -53,5 +53,18 @@ For backward compatibility, discovery still supports legacy module-level
 4. the first registered agent
 
 Registered greetings are generated after `ctx.connect()`, and advanced
-`AgentSession` options can be passed per agent with `session_kwargs`.
+`AgentSession` options can be passed either with `session_kwargs` or directly as
+keyword arguments to `add()`. Direct keyword arguments take precedence when the
+same option is provided both ways.
+
+```python
+pool.add(
+    "restaurant",
+    RestaurantAgent,
+    greeting="Welcome to reservations.",
+    session_kwargs={"allow_interruptions": False},
+    max_tool_steps=4,
+    preemptive_generation=True,
+)
+```
 
diff --git a/src/openrtc/pool.py b/src/openrtc/pool.py
index 23e1328..391df8c 100644
--- a/src/openrtc/pool.py
+++ b/src/openrtc/pool.py
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@ def add(
         tts: Any = None,
         greeting: str | None = None,
         session_kwargs: Mapping[str, Any] | None = None,
+        **session_options: Any,
     ) -> AgentConfig:
         """Register an agent in the pool.
 
@@ -157,6 +158,10 @@ def add(
                 Common examples include ``preemptive_generation``,
                 ``allow_interruptions``, ``min_endpointing_delay``,
                 ``max_endpointing_delay``, and ``max_tool_steps``.
+            **session_options: Additional ``AgentSession`` options passed
+                directly to ``add()``. When the same option appears in both
+                ``session_kwargs`` and direct keyword arguments, the direct
+                keyword argument takes precedence.
 
         Returns:
             The created agent configuration.
@@ -180,7 +185,10 @@ def add(
             llm=self._resolve_provider(llm, self._default_llm),
             tts=self._resolve_provider(tts, self._default_tts),
             greeting=self._resolve_greeting(greeting),
-            session_kwargs=self._copy_session_kwargs(session_kwargs),
+            session_kwargs=self._merge_session_kwargs(
+                session_kwargs=session_kwargs,
+                direct_session_kwargs=session_options,
+            ),
         )
         self._agents[normalized_name] = config
         logger.debug("Registered agent '%s'.", normalized_name)
@@ -394,12 +402,17 @@ def _resolve_provider(self, value: Any, default_value: Any) -> Any:
     def _resolve_greeting(self, greeting: str | None) -> str | None:
         return self._default_greeting if greeting is None else greeting
 
-    def _copy_session_kwargs(
-        self, session_kwargs: Mapping[str, Any] | None
+    def _merge_session_kwargs(
+        self,
+        session_kwargs: Mapping[str, Any] | None,
+        direct_session_kwargs: Mapping[str, Any] | None = None,
     ) -> dict[str, Any]:
-        if session_kwargs is None:
-            return {}
-        return dict(session_kwargs)
+        merged_kwargs: dict[str, Any] = {}
+        if session_kwargs is not None:
+            merged_kwargs.update(session_kwargs)
+        if direct_session_kwargs is not None:
+            merged_kwargs.update(direct_session_kwargs)
+        return merged_kwargs
 
     def _resolve_discovery_metadata(
         self,
diff --git a/tests/test_pool.py b/tests/test_pool.py
index 308a5fe..50f4b56 100644
--- a/tests/test_pool.py
+++ b/tests/test_pool.py
@@ -58,6 +58,29 @@ def test_add_stores_session_kwargs_copy() -> None:
     }
 
 
+def test_add_merges_direct_session_kwargs_with_mapping() -> None:
+    pool = AgentPool()
+    session_kwargs = {
+        "preemptive_generation": False,
+        "allow_interruptions": False,
+    }
+
+    config = pool.add(
+        "test",
+        DemoAgent,
+        session_kwargs=session_kwargs,
+        preemptive_generation=True,
+        max_tool_steps=3,
+    )
+    session_kwargs["allow_interruptions"] = True
+
+    assert config.session_kwargs == {
+        "preemptive_generation": True,
+        "allow_interruptions": False,
+        "max_tool_steps": 3,
+    }
+
+
 def test_add_duplicate_name_raises() -> None:
     pool = AgentPool()
     pool.add("test", DemoAgent)
diff --git a/tests/test_routing.py b/tests/test_routing.py
index 14dba6f..debd1d8 100644
--- a/tests/test_routing.py
+++ b/tests/test_routing.py
@@ -194,6 +194,27 @@ def test_handle_session_passes_session_kwargs_and_provider_objects(
     assert session.kwargs["turn_detection"] is ctx.proc.userdata["turn_detection"]
 
 
+def test_handle_session_supports_direct_session_kwargs(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+) -> None:
+    monkeypatch.setattr("openrtc.pool.AgentSession", FakeSession)
+    pool = AgentPool()
+    pool.add(
+        "dental",
+        DentalAgent,
+        session_kwargs={"allow_interruptions": False},
+        allow_interruptions=True,
+        max_tool_steps=6,
+    )
+    ctx = FakeJobContext(job_metadata={"agent": "dental"})
+
+    asyncio.run(pool._handle_session(ctx))
+
+    session = FakeSession.instances[0]
+    assert session.kwargs["allow_interruptions"] is True
+    assert session.kwargs["max_tool_steps"] == 6
+
+
 def test_handle_session_generates_greeting_after_connect(
     monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
     pool: AgentPool,