diff --git a/.github/actions/plugin-validate/action.yml b/.github/actions/plugin-validate/action.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5484aaf56c25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/actions/plugin-validate/action.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+name: Hermes Plugin Validate
+description: >-
+  Validate a Hermes Agent plugin (plugin.yaml manifest schema AND
+  declared-vs-actually-registered capabilities) using
+  `hermes plugins validate`. Drop this into your plugin repo's CI:
+
+    - uses: actions/checkout@<sha>
+    - uses: NousResearch/hermes-agent/.github/actions/plugin-validate@main
+      with:
+        path: .
+
+  The caller's job owns checkout; this action installs Python + hermes-agent
+  (git install — a supported CI-context install route) and runs the
+  validator against your plugin directory.
+
+inputs:
+  path:
+    description: Path to the plugin directory (containing plugin.yaml).
+    default: "."
+  hermes-ref:
+    description: hermes-agent git ref (branch/tag/sha) to install and validate with.
+    default: "main"
+
+runs:
+  using: composite
+  steps:
+    - name: Set up Python
+      uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405 # v6.2.0
+      with:
+        python-version: "3.11"
+
+    - name: Install hermes-agent
+      shell: bash
+      env:
+        _HERMES_REF: ${{ inputs.hermes-ref }}
+      run: |
+        set -euo pipefail
+        # CI-context install from git; the ref lets plugin authors validate
+        # against a pinned hermes release instead of main.
+        pip install "git+https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent@${_HERMES_REF}"
+
+    - name: Validate plugin
+      shell: bash
+      env:
+        _PLUGIN_PATH: ${{ inputs.path }}
+      run: |
+        set -uo pipefail
+        # `hermes plugins validate` checks the plugin.yaml manifest schema
+        # and loads the plugin in a scratch subprocess to verify that the
+        # capabilities it DECLARES match what it actually registers.
+        if hermes plugins validate "$_PLUGIN_PATH"; then
+          echo "✅ PASS: plugin at '$_PLUGIN_PATH' validated cleanly"
+        else
+          echo "❌ FAIL: plugin at '$_PLUGIN_PATH' failed validation (see output above)"
+          exit 1
+        fi
diff --git a/.github/workflows/plugin-catalog-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/plugin-catalog-ci.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..32fb597c1681
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/plugin-catalog-ci.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+name: Plugin Catalog CI
+
+# Admission gate for plugin-catalog entries. Fires ONLY on PRs touching
+# plugin-catalog/** so it can never go red on unrelated PRs.
+#
+# Two gates:
+#   structural            — cheap schema check, no hermes install needed
+#   pinned-source-validate — supply-chain gate: the pinned sha MUST be
+#                            reachable in the entry's repo, and the plugin
+#                            at that exact commit must pass
+#                            `hermes plugins validate`.
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    paths:
+      - "plugin-catalog/**"
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+jobs:
+  structural:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 10
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@de0fac2e4500dabe0009e67214ff5f5447ce83dd # v6.0.2
+
+      - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405 # v6.2.0
+        with:
+          python-version: "3.11"
+
+      - name: Install PyYAML
+        uses: ./.github/actions/retry
+        with:
+          command: pip install pyyaml==6.0.2
+
+      - name: Validate catalog files (structural)
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          # Validating the whole directory is simpler than diffing and keeps
+          # the invariant that EVERYTHING in plugin-catalog/ stays valid.
+          python3 scripts/validate_plugin_catalog.py plugin-catalog/
+
+  pinned-source-validate:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 30
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@de0fac2e4500dabe0009e67214ff5f5447ce83dd # v6.0.2
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0 # need the merge-base to diff changed catalog files
+
+      - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405 # v6.2.0
+        with:
+          python-version: "3.11"
+
+      - name: Find changed catalog entries
+        id: changed
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          MERGE_BASE=$(git merge-base "origin/${{ github.base_ref }}" HEAD)
+          # Added + modified entry files only; deletions and removed.yaml
+          # have nothing to clone.
+          CHANGED=$(git diff --name-only --diff-filter=AM "$MERGE_BASE"...HEAD \
+            -- 'plugin-catalog/*.yaml' 'plugin-catalog/*.yml' \
+            | grep -v '/removed\.yaml$' || true)
+          echo "Changed catalog entries:"
+          echo "${CHANGED:-<none>}"
+          {
+            echo 'files<<__EOF__'
+            echo "$CHANGED"
+            echo '__EOF__'
+          } >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
+      - name: Install hermes-agent from the PR's own checkout
+        if: steps.changed.outputs.files != ''
+        uses: ./.github/actions/retry
+        with:
+          command: pip install -e .
+
+      - name: Clone each entry at its pinned sha and validate
+        if: steps.changed.outputs.files != ''
+        env:
+          CHANGED_FILES: ${{ steps.changed.outputs.files }}
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          FAILED=0
+          while IFS= read -r entry; do
+            [ -z "$entry" ] && continue
+            echo "::group::validate $entry"
+
+            # Parse repo / sha / subdir from the entry yaml.
+            eval "$(python3 - "$entry" <<'PYEOF'
+          import shlex
+          import sys
+
+          import yaml
+
+          with open(sys.argv[1], encoding="utf-8") as fh:
+              data = yaml.safe_load(fh) or {}
+          print(f"REPO={shlex.quote(str(data.get('repo', '')))}")
+          print(f"SHA={shlex.quote(str(data.get('sha', '')))}")
+          print(f"SUBDIR={shlex.quote(str(data.get('subdir', '') or ''))}")
+          PYEOF
+          )"
+            echo "repo=$REPO sha=$SHA subdir=$SUBDIR"
+
+            CLONE_DIR=$(mktemp -d)
+            # Full clone (no --depth 1): the pinned sha may not be the branch tip.
+            if ! git clone "$REPO" "$CLONE_DIR"; then
+              echo "::error file=$entry::clone failed for $REPO"
+              FAILED=1; echo "::endgroup::"; continue
+            fi
+
+            # SUPPLY-CHAIN GATE: the pinned sha must be reachable in the repo.
+            if ! git -C "$CLONE_DIR" checkout --detach "$SHA"; then
+              echo "::error file=$entry::pinned sha $SHA is not reachable in $REPO"
+              FAILED=1; echo "::endgroup::"; continue
+            fi
+
+            PLUGIN_DIR="$CLONE_DIR${SUBDIR:+/$SUBDIR}"
+            if [ ! -f "$PLUGIN_DIR/plugin.yaml" ]; then
+              echo "::error file=$entry::no plugin.yaml at subdir '$SUBDIR' of $REPO@$SHA"
+              FAILED=1; echo "::endgroup::"; continue
+            fi
+
+            # Manifest schema + declared-vs-registered capability check.
+            if hermes plugins validate "$PLUGIN_DIR"; then
+              echo "✅ PASS: $entry"
+            else
+              echo "::error file=$entry::hermes plugins validate failed"
+              FAILED=1
+            fi
+            echo "::endgroup::"
+          done <<< "$CHANGED_FILES"
+
+          if [ "$FAILED" -ne 0 ]; then
+            echo "❌ FAIL: one or more catalog entries failed pinned-source validation"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "✅ PASS: all changed catalog entries validated at their pinned shas"
diff --git a/scripts/validate_plugin_catalog.py b/scripts/validate_plugin_catalog.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..eb0078c7c0fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/validate_plugin_catalog.py
@@ -0,0 +1,271 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Standalone structural validator for plugin-catalog entry files.
+
+Validates ``plugin-catalog/*.yaml`` catalog entries and
+``plugin-catalog/removed.yaml`` against the catalog contract schema, using
+only stdlib + PyYAML so the admission CI (and third-party repos) can run it
+WITHOUT installing hermes-agent.
+
+NOTE: this script intentionally duplicates the schema rules instead of
+importing ``hermes_cli`` — the whole point is the no-install requirement for
+cheap cross-repo CI use. The runtime twin of this schema lives in
+``hermes_cli/plugin_catalog.py``; if the contract changes there, update the
+rules here in lockstep.
+
+Usage:
+    python3 scripts/validate_plugin_catalog.py plugin-catalog/
+    python3 scripts/validate_plugin_catalog.py entry.yaml removed.yaml
+    python3 scripts/validate_plugin_catalog.py --json plugin-catalog/
+
+Exit codes: 0 = all files valid (warnings allowed), 1 = at least one error.
+Human output is one ``<file>: ERROR: ...`` / ``<file>: warning: ...`` line
+per finding; ``--json`` emits a machine-readable report on stdout instead.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import argparse
+import json
+import re
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+try:
+    import yaml
+except ImportError:  # pragma: no cover - dependency guidance only
+    print(
+        "ERROR: PyYAML is required (pip install pyyaml)",
+        file=sys.stderr,
+    )
+    sys.exit(2)
+
+NAME_RE = re.compile(r"^[a-z0-9_-]{1,64}$")
+SHA_RE = re.compile(r"^[0-9a-f]{40}$")
+TIERS = ("official", "community")
+PLATFORMS = ("linux", "macos", "windows")
+CAPABILITY_KEYS = (
+    "provides_tools",
+    "provides_hooks",
+    "provides_middleware",
+    "requires_env",
+)
+# Top-level keys the contract knows about. Unknown keys WARN (forward
+# compatibility: newer catalogs must stay valid under older validators).
+KNOWN_KEYS = {
+    "name",
+    "repo",
+    "sha",
+    "subdir",
+    "description",
+    "maintainer",
+    "tier",
+    "requires_hermes",
+    "docs_url",
+    "platforms",
+    "capabilities",
+}
+REQUIRED_KEYS = ("name", "repo", "sha", "description", "maintainer")
+
+# One comparator clause of a requires_hermes spec, e.g. ">=0.19" or "!=1.2.3".
+_COMPARATOR_RE = re.compile(r"^(>=|<=|==|!=|>|<)\s*\d+(\.\d+)*$")
+
+
+def _is_nonempty_str(value: object) -> bool:
+    return isinstance(value, str) and value.strip() != ""
+
+
+def _check_requires_hermes(spec: object, errors: list[str]) -> None:
+    if not isinstance(spec, str):
+        errors.append(f"requires_hermes must be a string, got {type(spec).__name__}")
+        return
+    if spec.strip() == "":
+        return  # empty = no constraint
+    for clause in spec.split(","):
+        if not _COMPARATOR_RE.match(clause.strip()):
+            errors.append(
+                f"requires_hermes clause {clause.strip()!r} is not a valid "
+                "comparator spec (expected e.g. '>=0.19')"
+            )
+
+
+def validate_entry(data: object) -> tuple[list[str], list[str]]:
+    """Validate one catalog entry document. Returns (errors, warnings)."""
+    errors: list[str] = []
+    warnings: list[str] = []
+
+    if not isinstance(data, dict):
+        return ["top-level document must be a YAML mapping"], warnings
+
+    for key in REQUIRED_KEYS:
+        if key not in data:
+            errors.append(f"missing required key: {key}")
+
+    for key in sorted(set(data) - KNOWN_KEYS):
+        warnings.append(f"unknown top-level key {key!r} (ignored by this validator)")
+
+    name = data.get("name")
+    if "name" in data and (not isinstance(name, str) or not NAME_RE.match(name)):
+        errors.append(f"name {name!r} must match [a-z0-9_-]{{1,64}}")
+
+    repo = data.get("repo")
+    if "repo" in data and (
+        not isinstance(repo, str) or not repo.startswith("https://")
+    ):
+        errors.append(f"repo {repo!r} must be an https:// URL")
+
+    sha = data.get("sha")
+    if "sha" in data and (not isinstance(sha, str) or not SHA_RE.match(sha)):
+        errors.append(f"sha {sha!r} must be exactly 40 lowercase hex characters")
+
+    for key in ("description", "maintainer"):
+        if key in data and not _is_nonempty_str(data[key]):
+            errors.append(f"{key} must be a non-empty string")
+
+    tier = data.get("tier", "community")
+    if tier not in TIERS:
+        errors.append(f"tier {tier!r} must be one of {list(TIERS)}")
+
+    if "requires_hermes" in data:
+        _check_requires_hermes(data["requires_hermes"], errors)
+
+    platforms = data.get("platforms", [])
+    if platforms is None:
+        platforms = []
+    if not isinstance(platforms, list):
+        errors.append("platforms must be a list")
+    else:
+        bad = [p for p in platforms if p not in PLATFORMS]
+        if bad:
+            errors.append(f"platforms {bad!r} not in allowed set {list(PLATFORMS)}")
+
+    caps = data.get("capabilities", {})
+    if caps is None:
+        caps = {}
+    if not isinstance(caps, dict):
+        errors.append("capabilities must be a mapping")
+    else:
+        for key in sorted(set(caps) - set(CAPABILITY_KEYS)):
+            warnings.append(f"unknown capabilities key {key!r}")
+        for key in CAPABILITY_KEYS:
+            if key not in caps:
+                continue
+            value = caps[key]
+            if not isinstance(value, list) or not all(
+                isinstance(item, str) for item in value
+            ):
+                errors.append(f"capabilities.{key} must be a list of strings")
+
+    return errors, warnings
+
+
+def validate_removed(data: object) -> tuple[list[str], list[str]]:
+    """Validate the removed.yaml document. Returns (errors, warnings)."""
+    errors: list[str] = []
+    warnings: list[str] = []
+
+    if not isinstance(data, dict):
+        return ["top-level document must be a YAML mapping"], warnings
+
+    removed = data.get("removed")
+    if removed is None:
+        errors.append("missing required key: removed")
+        return errors, warnings
+    if not isinstance(removed, list):
+        errors.append("removed must be a list")
+        return errors, warnings
+
+    for i, item in enumerate(removed):
+        if not isinstance(item, dict):
+            errors.append(f"removed[{i}] must be a mapping")
+            continue
+        if not _is_nonempty_str(item.get("name")):
+            errors.append(f"removed[{i}] missing non-empty 'name'")
+        for key in ("repo", "reason", "date"):
+            if key in item and not isinstance(item[key], str):
+                errors.append(f"removed[{i}].{key} must be a string")
+
+    return errors, warnings
+
+
+def validate_file(path: Path) -> tuple[list[str], list[str]]:
+    """Validate one YAML file (dispatching on filename). Returns (errors, warnings)."""
+    try:
+        with open(path, encoding="utf-8") as fh:
+            data = yaml.safe_load(fh)
+    except OSError as exc:
+        return [f"cannot read file: {exc}"], []
+    except yaml.YAMLError as exc:
+        return [f"invalid YAML: {exc}"], []
+
+    if path.name == "removed.yaml":
+        return validate_removed(data)
+    return validate_entry(data)
+
+
+def collect_paths(args: list[str]) -> list[Path]:
+    paths: list[Path] = []
+    for arg in args:
+        p = Path(arg)
+        if p.is_dir():
+            paths.extend(sorted(p.glob("*.yaml")))
+            paths.extend(sorted(p.glob("*.yml")))
+        else:
+            paths.append(p)
+    return paths
+
+
+def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        description="Standalone structural validator for plugin-catalog entry files."
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "paths",
+        nargs="+",
+        help="catalog entry files, removed.yaml, or a directory of them",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--json",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="emit a machine-readable JSON report on stdout",
+    )
+    opts = parser.parse_args(argv)
+
+    files = collect_paths(opts.paths)
+    if not files:
+        print("ERROR: no YAML files found", file=sys.stderr)
+        return 1
+
+    report = []
+    any_errors = False
+    for path in files:
+        errors, warnings = validate_file(path)
+        any_errors = any_errors or bool(errors)
+        report.append(
+            {
+                "path": str(path),
+                "ok": not errors,
+                "errors": errors,
+                "warnings": warnings,
+            }
+        )
+
+    if opts.json:
+        print(json.dumps({"ok": not any_errors, "files": report}, indent=2))
+    else:
+        for entry in report:
+            for err in entry["errors"]:
+                print(f"{entry['path']}: ERROR: {err}")
+            for warn in entry["warnings"]:
+                print(f"{entry['path']}: warning: {warn}")
+        checked = len(report)
+        bad = sum(1 for e in report if not e["ok"])
+        if any_errors:
+            print(f"FAIL: {bad}/{checked} file(s) invalid")
+        else:
+            print(f"OK: {checked} file(s) valid")
+
+    return 1 if any_errors else 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    sys.exit(main())
diff --git a/tests/scripts/test_validate_plugin_catalog.py b/tests/scripts/test_validate_plugin_catalog.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..7b369c96ec4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/scripts/test_validate_plugin_catalog.py
@@ -0,0 +1,273 @@
+"""Behavior tests for scripts/validate_plugin_catalog.py.
+
+The script is the no-install structural validator used by the plugin-catalog
+admission CI: it must run with only stdlib + pyyaml, take file paths or a
+directory, exit 0/1, and support --json machine output. These tests exercise
+the CLI contract via subprocess (the same way CI invokes it).
+"""
+
+import json
+import subprocess
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import yaml
+
+REPO_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2]
+SCRIPT = REPO_ROOT / "scripts" / "validate_plugin_catalog.py"
+
+VALID_ENTRY = {
+    "name": "example-plugin",
+    "repo": "https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-example-plugins",
+    "sha": "38fe0fb53eff98d477f807432e965429e665ca33",
+    "subdir": "",
+    "description": "One-line description.",
+    "maintainer": "NousResearch",
+    "tier": "official",
+    "requires_hermes": ">=0.19",
+    "docs_url": "",
+    "platforms": [],
+    "capabilities": {
+        "provides_tools": ["example_tool"],
+        "provides_hooks": [],
+        "provides_middleware": [],
+        "requires_env": [],
+    },
+}
+
+
+def write_entry(tmp_path: Path, data: dict, filename: str | None = None) -> Path:
+    name = filename or f"{data.get('name', 'entry')}.yaml"
+    path = tmp_path / name
+    path.write_text(yaml.safe_dump(data), encoding="utf-8")
+    return path
+
+
+def run_validator(*args: str) -> subprocess.CompletedProcess:
+    return subprocess.run(
+        [sys.executable, str(SCRIPT), *args],
+        capture_output=True,
+        text=True,
+    )
+
+
+# ── valid input ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def test_valid_entry_passes(tmp_path):
+    path = write_entry(tmp_path, VALID_ENTRY)
+    result = run_validator(str(path))
+    assert result.returncode == 0, result.stdout + result.stderr
+
+
+def test_valid_entry_without_optional_fields_passes(tmp_path):
+    entry = {
+        "name": "minimal-plugin",
+        "repo": "https://github.com/example/minimal",
+        "sha": "a" * 40,
+        "description": "Minimal.",
+        "maintainer": "someone",
+    }
+    path = write_entry(tmp_path, entry)
+    result = run_validator(str(path))
+    assert result.returncode == 0, result.stdout + result.stderr
+
+
+# ── each malformed field fails with a pointed error ────────────────────
+
+
+def _expect_error(tmp_path, mutation: dict, expected_substring: str, drop: str = ""):
+    entry = {**VALID_ENTRY, **mutation}
+    if drop:
+        entry.pop(drop, None)
+    path = write_entry(tmp_path, entry, filename="entry.yaml")
+    result = run_validator(str(path))
+    combined = result.stdout + result.stderr
+    assert result.returncode == 1, combined
+    assert expected_substring in combined, combined
+    assert "entry.yaml" in combined, combined
+
+
+def test_bad_name_fails(tmp_path):
+    _expect_error(tmp_path, {"name": "Bad Name!"}, "name")
+
+
+def test_name_too_long_fails(tmp_path):
+    _expect_error(tmp_path, {"name": "x" * 65}, "name")
+
+
+def test_non_https_repo_fails(tmp_path):
+    _expect_error(tmp_path, {"repo": "git@github.com:evil/x.git"}, "repo")
+
+
+def test_short_sha_fails(tmp_path):
+    _expect_error(tmp_path, {"sha": "abc123"}, "sha")
+
+
+def test_non_hex_sha_fails(tmp_path):
+    _expect_error(tmp_path, {"sha": "z" * 40}, "sha")
+
+
+def test_bad_tier_fails(tmp_path):
+    _expect_error(tmp_path, {"tier": "platinum"}, "tier")
+
+
+def test_empty_description_fails(tmp_path):
+    _expect_error(tmp_path, {"description": ""}, "description")
+
+
+def test_empty_maintainer_fails(tmp_path):
+    _expect_error(tmp_path, {"maintainer": ""}, "maintainer")
+
+
+def test_missing_required_field_fails(tmp_path):
+    _expect_error(tmp_path, {}, "sha", drop="sha")
+
+
+def test_capabilities_value_not_a_list_fails(tmp_path):
+    _expect_error(
+        tmp_path,
+        {"capabilities": {"provides_tools": "not-a-list"}},
+        "provides_tools",
+    )
+
+
+def test_capabilities_list_of_non_strings_fails(tmp_path):
+    _expect_error(
+        tmp_path,
+        {"capabilities": {"requires_env": [1, 2]}},
+        "requires_env",
+    )
+
+
+def test_bad_requires_hermes_spec_fails(tmp_path):
+    _expect_error(tmp_path, {"requires_hermes": "banana"}, "requires_hermes")
+
+
+def test_comma_separated_requires_hermes_passes(tmp_path):
+    entry = {**VALID_ENTRY, "requires_hermes": ">=0.19, <2.0"}
+    path = write_entry(tmp_path, entry)
+    result = run_validator(str(path))
+    assert result.returncode == 0, result.stdout + result.stderr
+
+
+def test_unknown_platform_fails(tmp_path):
+    _expect_error(tmp_path, {"platforms": ["linux", "amiga"]}, "platforms")
+
+
+def test_entry_not_a_mapping_fails(tmp_path):
+    path = tmp_path / "entry.yaml"
+    path.write_text("- just\n- a\n- list\n", encoding="utf-8")
+    result = run_validator(str(path))
+    assert result.returncode == 1
+    assert "mapping" in (result.stdout + result.stderr)
+
+
+# ── unknown top-level keys warn but do not fail ────────────────────────
+
+
+def test_unknown_key_warns_but_passes(tmp_path):
+    entry = {**VALID_ENTRY, "future_field": "hello"}
+    path = write_entry(tmp_path, entry)
+    result = run_validator(str(path))
+    combined = result.stdout + result.stderr
+    assert result.returncode == 0, combined
+    assert "future_field" in combined
+    assert "warning" in combined.lower()
+
+
+# ── removed.yaml shape ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def test_valid_removed_yaml_passes(tmp_path):
+    path = tmp_path / "removed.yaml"
+    path.write_text(
+        yaml.safe_dump(
+            {
+                "removed": [
+                    {
+                        "name": "some-plugin",
+                        "repo": "https://github.com/evil/some-plugin",
+                        "reason": "Exfiltrated env vars",
+                        "date": "2026-07-02",
+                    }
+                ]
+            }
+        ),
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+    result = run_validator(str(path))
+    assert result.returncode == 0, result.stdout + result.stderr
+
+
+def test_removed_yaml_not_a_list_fails(tmp_path):
+    path = tmp_path / "removed.yaml"
+    path.write_text(yaml.safe_dump({"removed": "nope"}), encoding="utf-8")
+    result = run_validator(str(path))
+    assert result.returncode == 1
+    assert "removed" in (result.stdout + result.stderr)
+
+
+def test_removed_item_missing_name_fails(tmp_path):
+    path = tmp_path / "removed.yaml"
+    path.write_text(
+        yaml.safe_dump({"removed": [{"reason": "bad", "date": "2026-01-01"}]}),
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+    result = run_validator(str(path))
+    assert result.returncode == 1
+    assert "name" in (result.stdout + result.stderr)
+
+
+# ── --json machine output ──────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def test_json_output_shape_on_failure(tmp_path):
+    bad = write_entry(tmp_path, {**VALID_ENTRY, "sha": "short"}, filename="bad.yaml")
+    result = run_validator("--json", str(bad))
+    assert result.returncode == 1
+    payload = json.loads(result.stdout)
+    assert payload["ok"] is False
+    assert isinstance(payload["files"], list)
+    entry = next(f for f in payload["files"] if f["path"].endswith("bad.yaml"))
+    assert entry["ok"] is False
+    assert any("sha" in e for e in entry["errors"])
+
+
+def test_json_output_shape_on_success_with_warning(tmp_path):
+    good = write_entry(tmp_path, {**VALID_ENTRY, "future_field": 1})
+    result = run_validator("--json", str(good))
+    assert result.returncode == 0
+    payload = json.loads(result.stdout)
+    assert payload["ok"] is True
+    (entry,) = payload["files"]
+    assert entry["ok"] is True
+    assert entry["errors"] == []
+    assert any("future_field" in w for w in entry["warnings"])
+
+
+# ── directory mode ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def test_directory_mode_validates_all_entries_and_removed(tmp_path):
+    write_entry(tmp_path, VALID_ENTRY)
+    write_entry(tmp_path, {**VALID_ENTRY, "name": "bad-one", "sha": "nope"})
+    (tmp_path / "removed.yaml").write_text(
+        yaml.safe_dump({"removed": [{"name": "gone", "reason": "test"}]}),
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+    result = run_validator(str(tmp_path))
+    combined = result.stdout + result.stderr
+    assert result.returncode == 1
+    assert "bad-one.yaml" in combined
+    # the valid entry and removed.yaml must not produce errors
+    assert combined.count("ERROR") == combined.count("bad-one.yaml: ERROR")
+
+
+def test_directory_mode_all_valid_exits_zero(tmp_path):
+    write_entry(tmp_path, VALID_ENTRY)
+    (tmp_path / "removed.yaml").write_text(
+        yaml.safe_dump({"removed": []}), encoding="utf-8"
+    )
+    result = run_validator(str(tmp_path))
+    assert result.returncode == 0, result.stdout + result.stderr