feat(869-c4): enforcement/activation version-coupling assertion

Part of #869 (Point-1 C4). Locks the lease broker's ENFORCEMENT half
(launch-runtime.py) and ACTIVATION half (execLeaseGatedRuntime, C1's
LEASE_ACTIVATION_CAPABILITY) as one versioned unit, closing the #828
version-skew gap C1 only made observable.

- New packages/mosaic/framework/tools/lease-broker/activation_version_gate.py:
  EXPECTED_ACTIVATION_CAPABILITY (enforcement-owned, mirrors but is
  independent from C1's LEASE_ACTIVATION_CAPABILITY), a fail-closed
  subprocess probe of the CLI's hidden `mosaic __lease-capability`
  command, and an assertion that FAILS LOUD (VersionCouplingError with
  an actionable #869 remediation message) on mismatch OR absence —
  never a silent pass, never a dead gate.
- launch-runtime.py now runs this assertion first, before any broker
  registration, and denies with a dedicated exit code (65) distinct
  from its existing usage (64) and registration-failure (1) codes.
- Red-first tests: src/mutator-gate/version_coupling_unittest.py
  (module-level match/mismatch/name-mismatch/absent-capability cases,
  and seam-level LAUNCHER.main() cases proving the gate runs before
  broker registration and never silently passes).
- Existing fail-closed-on-absent-identity lock
  (runtime_tools_unittest.py) stays green: matching-capability fakes
  were injected into its pre-existing LAUNCHER.main() calls so the new
  gate runs alongside, not in place of, identity enforcement.
- mutator-gate.acceptance.spec.ts updated to supply a fake CLI-capability
  probe (matching the existing fake-broker/fake-runtime-binary test
  doubles already in that suite) everywhere it drives launch-runtime.py
  as a real subprocess.

launch.ts and lease-activation-probe.ts are untouched (C2/C5 avoidance,
C1 read-only).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>

packages/mosaic/framework/tools/lease-broker/activation_version_gate.py

@@ -0,0 +1,180 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Enforcement-side version-coupling gate (issue #869, Point-1 card C4).
+
+Root cause this exists to guard against (#828 version skew, restated from
+the C1 activation probe in ``lease-activation-probe.ts``): the lease
+broker's ENFORCEMENT half (this toolkit — ``launch-runtime.py``,
+``mutator-gate.py``, ``revoke-lease.py``) and its ACTIVATION half
+(``execLeaseGatedRuntime()`` in ``launch.ts``, which chains the gated
+runtime through ``launch-runtime.py`` and injects ``MOSAIC_LEASE_*``) ship
+on different channels — an npm package and a framework/CLI reseed. C1 gave
+the activation half a versioned, machine-checkable identity
+(``LEASE_ACTIVATION_CAPABILITY``, printed by the CLI's hidden
+``mosaic __lease-capability`` subcommand). That identity is inert on its
+own: nothing yet asserted that ENFORCEMENT actually requires the version
+ACTIVATION advertises. This module is that assertion, owned by the
+enforcement side.
+
+``EXPECTED_ACTIVATION_CAPABILITY`` below is this toolkit's own contract
+declaration — bump it only when this toolkit's launch/gate seam starts
+requiring a different activation contract (new env vars it depends on,
+changed chaining behavior, etc.), independent of any package semver, for
+the same reason C1's constant is: #828 happened precisely because a
+version number that should have moved did not.
+
+This module never talks to a real broker or a real installed CLI in its
+own tests — both the probe's command resolution and its ``run`` transport
+are injectable so tests can drive every branch with fakes/stubs (see
+``version_coupling_unittest.py``).
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+import os
+import shlex
+import shutil
+import subprocess
+from collections.abc import Callable, Mapping
+from typing import Final, TypedDict
+
+
+class ActivationCapability(TypedDict):
+    name: str
+    version: int
+
+
+# ENFORCEMENT-side expected activation contract. OWNED by this toolkit (the
+# enforcement half). Mirrors — but is deliberately a SEPARATE constant from
+# — `LEASE_ACTIVATION_CAPABILITY` in
+# `packages/mosaic/src/commands/lease-activation-probe.ts` (the activation
+# half's own declaration of what it implements). The two are compared at
+# runtime by `assert_activation_capability_matches()`; drift between them is
+# exactly the version-skew failure mode #828/#869 exist to catch, and must
+# FAIL LOUD, never a silent pass and never a dead (always-true) gate.
+EXPECTED_ACTIVATION_CAPABILITY: Final[ActivationCapability] = {
+    "name": "lease-runtime-activation",
+    "version": 1,
+}
+
+# Matches `LEASE_CAPABILITY_PROBE_COMMAND` in lease-activation-probe.ts —
+# the hidden CLI subcommand that prints the activation half's advertised
+# capability as compact JSON.
+LEASE_CAPABILITY_PROBE_COMMAND: Final = "__lease-capability"
+
+PROBE_TIMEOUT_SECONDS: Final = 2.0
+
+# Override hook: a full shell-style command line (parsed with `shlex.split`)
+# to run INSTEAD of resolving `mosaic` on PATH and appending the probe
+# subcommand. Real deployments should never need this — `mosaic` is on PATH
+# whenever a runtime was launched via `mosaic <cmd>` in the first place, the
+# only real caller of this seam. It exists for integration tests that spawn
+# `launch-runtime.py` directly (never through the real CLI) to supply a
+# fake/stub CLI probe, matching the existing convention of those tests
+# supplying a fake broker and a fake runtime binary rather than depending on
+# host state.
+MOSAIC_COMMAND_OVERRIDE_VAR: Final = "MOSAIC_LEASE_VERSION_PROBE_COMMAND"
+
+
+class VersionCouplingError(Exception):
+    """Raised when the activation capability is absent, unreadable, or does
+    not match what enforcement expects. Callers MUST fail loud on this
+    (non-zero exit, clear actionable stderr) — never swallow it into a
+    silent pass, and never let its absence be treated as compatible."""
+
+
+def _resolve_probe_command(environ: Mapping[str, str]) -> list[str] | None:
+    override = environ.get(MOSAIC_COMMAND_OVERRIDE_VAR)
+    if override:
+        parsed = shlex.split(override)
+        return parsed or None
+    resolved = shutil.which("mosaic")
+    if resolved is None:
+        return None
+    return [resolved, LEASE_CAPABILITY_PROBE_COMMAND]
+
+
+def default_probe_activation_capability(
+    environ: Mapping[str, str] | None = None,
+    *,
+    run: Callable[..., subprocess.CompletedProcess[str]] = subprocess.run,
+) -> ActivationCapability | None:
+    """Real capability lookup: resolves and executes the CLI's hidden
+    ``__lease-capability`` probe subcommand out-of-process (the same
+    mechanism `defaultCapabilityProbe()` in lease-activation-probe.ts uses
+    from the activation side) and parses its JSON stdout. Any failure to
+    resolve a command, spawn it, have it exit zero, or produce a well-shaped
+    ``{name, version}`` JSON object is treated as NO capability (``None``)
+    — fail-closed, never a fabricated/guessed capability.
+    """
+    source_environment = os.environ if environ is None else environ
+    command = _resolve_probe_command(source_environment)
+    if command is None:
+        return None
+    try:
+        completed = run(
+            command,
+            capture_output=True,
+            text=True,
+            timeout=PROBE_TIMEOUT_SECONDS,
+            check=False,
+        )
+    except (OSError, subprocess.TimeoutExpired, ValueError):
+        return None
+    if completed.returncode != 0:
+        return None
+    try:
+        parsed = json.loads(completed.stdout)
+    except json.JSONDecodeError:
+        return None
+    if (
+        not isinstance(parsed, dict)
+        or not isinstance(parsed.get("name"), str)
+        or not isinstance(parsed.get("version"), int)
+        or isinstance(parsed.get("version"), bool)
+    ):
+        return None
+    return {"name": parsed["name"], "version": parsed["version"]}
+
+
+def format_mismatch_message(
+    activation: ActivationCapability | None,
+    expected: ActivationCapability,
+) -> str:
+    """Actionable, non-silent remediation message for either failure shape:
+    absent/unreadable capability, or a present-but-incompatible one."""
+    if activation is None:
+        return (
+            "Mosaic lease activation capability unreadable: enforcement "
+            f"expects '{expected['name']}' v{expected['version']} but the "
+            f"CLI's `mosaic {LEASE_CAPABILITY_PROBE_COMMAND}` probe produced "
+            "no usable result (mosaic not on PATH, non-zero exit, or "
+            "malformed output) — framework/CLI version skew; upgrade both "
+            "as one unit; see #869."
+        )
+    if activation["name"] != expected["name"]:
+        return (
+            f"activation capability name '{activation['name']}' != "
+            f"enforcement expects '{expected['name']}' — framework/CLI "
+            "version skew; upgrade both as one unit; see #869"
+        )
+    return (
+        f"activation capability v{activation['version']} != enforcement "
+        f"expects v{expected['version']} — framework/CLI version skew; "
+        "upgrade both as one unit; see #869"
+    )
+
+
+def assert_activation_capability_matches(
+    activation: ActivationCapability | None,
+    expected: ActivationCapability = EXPECTED_ACTIVATION_CAPABILITY,
+) -> None:
+    """Raise `VersionCouplingError` unless `activation` is present AND its
+    `name`/`version` exactly match `expected`. Absence is treated the same
+    as a mismatch — never a silent pass."""
+    if (
+        activation is None
+        or activation.get("name") != expected["name"]
+        or activation.get("version") != expected["version"]
+    ):
+        raise VersionCouplingError(format_mismatch_message(activation, expected))

packages/mosaic/framework/tools/lease-broker/launch-runtime.py

@@ -12,11 +12,24 @@ from collections.abc import Callable, Mapping, Sequence
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Final
 
+from activation_version_gate import (
+    EXPECTED_ACTIVATION_CAPABILITY,
+    ActivationCapability,
+    VersionCouplingError,
+    assert_activation_capability_matches,
+    default_probe_activation_capability,
+)
 from lease_generation import initialize_runtime_generation
 
 MAX_FRAME: Final = 64 * 1024
 BROKER_TIMEOUT_SECONDS: Final = 1.5
 CLAUDE_DANGEROUS_FLAG: Final = "--dangerously-skip-permissions"
+# Distinct, non-overlapping exit code for the C4 version-coupling gate (see
+# `activation_version_gate.py`) — deliberately different from the `1`
+# (broker registration failed closed) and `64` (usage error) codes already
+# owned by this script, so a version-skew denial is unambiguous in caller
+# logs/tests and is never confused with a broker-availability failure.
+EXIT_VERSION_SKEW: Final = 65
 
 
 def broker_request(socket_path: Path, request: dict[str, object]) -> dict[str, object]:
@@ -47,6 +60,10 @@ def main(
     request: Callable[[Path, dict[str, object]], dict[str, object]] = broker_request,
     execute: Callable[[str, list[str], dict[str, str]], object] = os.execvpe,
     initialize_generation: Callable[[Path, int], None] = initialize_runtime_generation,
+    probe_activation_capability: Callable[
+        [Mapping[str, str]], ActivationCapability | None
+    ] = default_probe_activation_capability,
+    expected_activation_capability: ActivationCapability = EXPECTED_ACTIVATION_CAPABILITY,
 ) -> int:
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
     parser.add_argument("--runtime", required=True, choices=("claude", "pi"))
@@ -66,6 +83,25 @@ def main(
         command = [command[0], CLAUDE_DANGEROUS_FLAG, *command[1:]]
 
     source_environment = os.environ if environ is None else environ
+
+    # C4 version-coupling gate (#869 Point-1): before this ENFORCEMENT half
+    # chains into anything, assert that the ACTIVATION contract it is about
+    # to rely on (MOSAIC_LEASE_* injection, broker chaining) matches what
+    # this enforcement build expects. This is a build/deploy-defect check,
+    # not a broker-availability question, so it runs before — and
+    # independently of — broker registration below, and it FAILS LOUD: a
+    # clear stderr message plus a dedicated non-zero exit code, never a
+    # silent pass and never folded into the generic registration-failure
+    # branch.
+    try:
+        assert_activation_capability_matches(
+            probe_activation_capability(source_environment),
+            expected_activation_capability,
+        )
+    except VersionCouplingError as version_error:
+        print(str(version_error), file=sys.stderr)
+        return EXIT_VERSION_SKEW
+
     try:
         socket_path = Path(source_environment["MOSAIC_LEASE_BROKER_SOCKET"])
         generation = int(source_environment.get("MOSAIC_RUNTIME_GENERATION", "1"))

packages/mosaic/package.json

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
     "lint": "eslint src",
     "typecheck": "tsc --noEmit",
     "test": "vitest run --passWithNoTests && pnpm run test:framework-shell",
-    "test:framework-shell": "python3 src/lease-broker/daemon_deadline_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/normative_fragments_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/receipt_challenge_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/context_recovery_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/recovery_runtime_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/recovery_b1_adversarial_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/framework_skill_portability_unittest.py && python3 src/mutator-gate/runtime_tools_unittest.py && python3 src/mutator-gate/runtime_launch_guard_unittest.py && python3 framework/tools/lease-broker/check-runtime-launches.py --root ../.. && bash framework/tools/codex/test-pr-diff-context.sh && bash framework/tools/qa/test-deps-preflight.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-review-gitea-comment.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-ci-queue-wait-branch-absent.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-git-credential-mosaic.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-gitea-token-identity.sh && bash framework/tools/_scripts/test-install-ordering-guard.sh"
+    "test:framework-shell": "python3 src/lease-broker/daemon_deadline_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/normative_fragments_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/receipt_challenge_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/context_recovery_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/recovery_runtime_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/recovery_b1_adversarial_unittest.py && python3 src/lease-broker/framework_skill_portability_unittest.py && python3 src/mutator-gate/runtime_tools_unittest.py && python3 src/mutator-gate/runtime_launch_guard_unittest.py && python3 src/mutator-gate/version_coupling_unittest.py && python3 framework/tools/lease-broker/check-runtime-launches.py --root ../.. && bash framework/tools/codex/test-pr-diff-context.sh && bash framework/tools/qa/test-deps-preflight.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-pr-review-gitea-comment.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-ci-queue-wait-branch-absent.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-git-credential-mosaic.sh && bash framework/tools/git/test-gitea-token-identity.sh && bash framework/tools/_scripts/test-install-ordering-guard.sh"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@mosaicstack/brain": "workspace:*",

packages/mosaic/src/commands/launch.ts

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import { readRegularFileSecure } from '../fleet/secure-file.js';
 import { readPersonaContractBlock } from '../fleet/persona-contract.js';
 import { canonicalizeRoleClass } from './fleet-personas.js';
 import { launchClaudex, type ClaudexHarnessAdapter } from './claudex.js';
+import { runLeaseEnforcementDoctorCheck } from './lease-doctor-check.js';
 
 const MOSAIC_HOME = process.env['MOSAIC_HOME'] ?? join(homedir(), '.config', 'mosaic');
 const MAX_INSTALLED_TOOLS_BYTES = 256 * 1024;
@@ -1237,7 +1238,6 @@ export function registerLaunchCommands(program: Command): void {
   // Direct framework script delegates
   const directCommands: Record<string, { desc: string; script: string }> = {
     init: { desc: 'Generate SOUL.md (agent identity contract)', script: 'mosaic-init' },
-    doctor: { desc: 'Health audit — detect drift and missing files', script: 'mosaic-doctor' },
     sync: { desc: 'Sync skills from canonical source', script: 'mosaic-sync-skills' },
     bootstrap: {
       desc: 'Bootstrap a repo with Mosaic standards',
@@ -1256,4 +1256,67 @@ export function registerLaunchCommands(program: Command): void {
         delegateToScript(fwScript(script), cmd.args);
       });
   }
+
+  // `doctor` — the framework drift audit (bash script) PLUS the #869
+  // Point-1 C5 lease-enforcement activation check (TS, reusing C1's
+  // `leaseEnforcementActivatable()` and C3's `checkBrokerSupervisorHealth()`).
+  // Kept out of the generic `directCommands` loop above because this check
+  // must run and report BEFORE the bash script's own exit, and must be able
+  // to force a non-zero exit on its own — a silent pass on "enforcement
+  // hooks wired but activation absent" would leave a bricked host
+  // undiagnosed (see lease-doctor-check.ts docstring).
+  program
+    .command('doctor')
+    .description('Health audit — detect drift, missing files, and #869 lease-activation gaps')
+    .allowUnknownOption(true)
+    .allowExcessArguments(true)
+    .action(async (_opts: unknown, cmd: Command) => {
+      checkMosaicHome();
+      const leaseCheck = await runLeaseEnforcementDoctorCheck();
+      const leaseCheckFailed = printLeaseDoctorCheck(leaseCheck);
+      runDoctorScriptAndExit(fwScript('mosaic-doctor'), cmd.args, leaseCheckFailed);
+    });
+}
+
+/**
+ * Print the #869 C5 lease-enforcement doctor result using the same
+ * `[mosaic-doctor]` prefix the bash audit script uses, but with a distinct
+ * `[ERROR]` severity token (louder than the script's own `[WARN]`) — this is
+ * a hard, actionable brick warning, not a soft drift warning, and must never
+ * read as just one more line among the script's routine warnings. Silent on
+ * an `ok` result, matching this file's other pre-flight checks
+ * (`checkMosaicHome`, `checkFile`, `checkRuntime`) which only print on
+ * failure. Returns whether the check failed, so the caller can force a
+ * non-zero exit regardless of the bash script's own exit code.
+ */
+function printLeaseDoctorCheck(
+  result: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof runLeaseEnforcementDoctorCheck>>,
+): boolean {
+  if (result.status === 'error') {
+    console.error(`[mosaic-doctor] [ERROR] ${result.message}`);
+    return true;
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Run the bash `mosaic-doctor` audit script (inheriting stdio, same as
+ * {@link delegateToScript}) and exit with a non-zero code if EITHER the
+ * script itself reported failure OR the lease-enforcement check above did —
+ * so `--fail-on-warn` and other script-level exit semantics are preserved,
+ * but the lease-enforcement ERROR can never be masked by an otherwise-green
+ * script run.
+ */
+function runDoctorScriptAndExit(scriptPath: string, args: string[], forceFailure: boolean): never {
+  if (!existsSync(scriptPath)) {
+    console.error(`[mosaic] Script not found: ${scriptPath}`);
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+  let scriptExitCode = 0;
+  try {
+    execFileSync('bash', [scriptPath, ...args], { stdio: 'inherit', env: process.env });
+  } catch (err) {
+    scriptExitCode = (err as { status?: number }).status ?? 1;
+  }
+  process.exit(forceFailure ? 1 : scriptExitCode);
 }

packages/mosaic/src/commands/lease-doctor-check.spec.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,196 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import {
+  detectEnforcementHooksWired,
+  runLeaseEnforcementDoctorCheck,
+} from './lease-doctor-check.js';
+
+/**
+ * Red-first tests for issue #869 Point-1 C5 — the `mosaic doctor`
+ * lease-enforcement surfacing check.
+ *
+ * Root cause under test: enforcement hooks (`mutator-gate.py`,
+ * `receipt-observer-client.py`) can be wired into `~/.claude/settings.json`
+ * on a host where C1's `leaseEnforcementActivatable()` is false and/or C3's
+ * `checkBrokerSupervisorHealth()` reports unhealthy. That combination fails
+ * closed correctly, but must be surfaced LOUDLY by `mosaic doctor` rather
+ * than silently passing — this test suite exercises the three primary
+ * branches (wired+not-activatable, wired+healthy, not-wired) plus the
+ * broker-unhealthy variant.
+ *
+ * Every dependency is injected — no real `~/.claude/settings.json` and no
+ * real broker are ever touched.
+ */
+
+const WIRED_SETTINGS_JSON = JSON.stringify({
+  hooks: {
+    PreToolUse: [
+      {
+        matcher: '.*',
+        hooks: [
+          {
+            type: 'command',
+            command: 'python3 ~/.config/mosaic/tools/lease-broker/mutator-gate.py --runtime claude',
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    ],
+    Stop: [
+      {
+        hooks: [
+          {
+            type: 'command',
+            command:
+              'python3 ~/.config/mosaic/tools/lease-broker/receipt-observer-client.py --runtime claude --latest-entry',
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    ],
+  },
+});
+
+const UNWIRED_SETTINGS_JSON = JSON.stringify({
+  hooks: {
+    PostToolUse: [
+      {
+        matcher: 'Edit|MultiEdit|Write',
+        hooks: [{ type: 'command', command: '~/.config/mosaic/tools/qa/qa-hook-stdin.sh' }],
+      },
+    ],
+  },
+});
+
+describe('detectEnforcementHooksWired', () => {
+  it('detects the mutator-gate + receipt-observer markers when wired', () => {
+    const result = detectEnforcementHooksWired(JSON.parse(WIRED_SETTINGS_JSON));
+    expect(result.wired).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.matchedMarkers).toEqual(
+      expect.arrayContaining(['mutator-gate.py', 'receipt-observer-client.py']),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('reports not wired when no enforcement markers are present', () => {
+    const result = detectEnforcementHooksWired(JSON.parse(UNWIRED_SETTINGS_JSON));
+    expect(result.wired).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.matchedMarkers).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it('reports not wired for an empty settings object', () => {
+    expect(detectEnforcementHooksWired({}).wired).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('detects wiring from just ONE marker (partial wiring is still dangerous)', () => {
+    const onlyMutatorGate = JSON.stringify({
+      hooks: {
+        PreToolUse: [
+          {
+            hooks: [{ type: 'command', command: 'python3 .../mutator-gate.py --runtime claude' }],
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    });
+    const result = detectEnforcementHooksWired(JSON.parse(onlyMutatorGate));
+    expect(result.wired).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.matchedMarkers).toEqual(['mutator-gate.py']);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('runLeaseEnforcementDoctorCheck', () => {
+  it('RED: wired + not-activatable ⇒ LOUD error (not a silent pass)', async () => {
+    const result = await runLeaseEnforcementDoctorCheck({
+      readSettingsRaw: () => WIRED_SETTINGS_JSON,
+      isActivatable: () => false,
+      isBrokerHealthy: async () => true,
+    });
+
+    expect(result.status).toBe('error');
+    expect(result.wired).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.activatable).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.message).toMatch(/activation absent/);
+    expect(result.message).toMatch(/#869/);
+    expect(result.message.toLowerCase()).toMatch(/brick/);
+  });
+
+  it('wired + activatable + broker-unhealthy ⇒ LOUD error', async () => {
+    const result = await runLeaseEnforcementDoctorCheck({
+      readSettingsRaw: () => WIRED_SETTINGS_JSON,
+      isActivatable: () => true,
+      isBrokerHealthy: async () => false,
+    });
+
+    expect(result.status).toBe('error');
+    expect(result.wired).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.brokerHealthy).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.message).toMatch(/broker not healthy/);
+  });
+
+  it('wired + not-activatable + broker-unhealthy ⇒ LOUD error citing both reasons', async () => {
+    const result = await runLeaseEnforcementDoctorCheck({
+      readSettingsRaw: () => WIRED_SETTINGS_JSON,
+      isActivatable: () => false,
+      isBrokerHealthy: async () => false,
+    });
+
+    expect(result.status).toBe('error');
+    expect(result.message).toMatch(/activation absent/);
+    expect(result.message).toMatch(/broker not healthy/);
+  });
+
+  it('GREEN: wired + activatable + broker-healthy ⇒ ok', async () => {
+    const result = await runLeaseEnforcementDoctorCheck({
+      readSettingsRaw: () => WIRED_SETTINGS_JSON,
+      isActivatable: () => true,
+      isBrokerHealthy: async () => true,
+    });
+
+    expect(result.status).toBe('ok');
+    expect(result.wired).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.activatable).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.brokerHealthy).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('GREEN: not-wired ⇒ ok, no false alarm (activation/broker never probed)', async () => {
+    let activatableCalled = false;
+    let brokerCalled = false;
+
+    const result = await runLeaseEnforcementDoctorCheck({
+      readSettingsRaw: () => UNWIRED_SETTINGS_JSON,
+      isActivatable: () => {
+        activatableCalled = true;
+        return false;
+      },
+      isBrokerHealthy: async () => {
+        brokerCalled = true;
+        return false;
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(result.status).toBe('ok');
+    expect(result.wired).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.activatable).toBeNull();
+    expect(result.brokerHealthy).toBeNull();
+    // Not wired must short-circuit — never even consult activation/broker.
+    expect(activatableCalled).toBe(false);
+    expect(brokerCalled).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('GREEN: settings.json absent ⇒ ok (never touches a real file — readSettingsRaw is injected)', async () => {
+    const result = await runLeaseEnforcementDoctorCheck({
+      readSettingsRaw: () => null,
+      isActivatable: () => false,
+      isBrokerHealthy: async () => false,
+    });
+
+    expect(result.status).toBe('ok');
+    expect(result.wired).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('GREEN: malformed settings.json ⇒ ok (parse errors are not this card’s failure class)', async () => {
+    const result = await runLeaseEnforcementDoctorCheck({
+      readSettingsRaw: () => '{ not valid json',
+      isActivatable: () => false,
+      isBrokerHealthy: async () => false,
+    });
+
+    expect(result.status).toBe('ok');
+  });
+});

packages/mosaic/src/commands/lease-doctor-check.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,210 @@
+/**
+ * Lease-enforcement doctor check (issue #869, Point-1 card C5).
+ *
+ * Root cause this guards against (#828 version skew, the same one C1/C3
+ * exist for): the Claude Code enforcement hooks (`mutator-gate.py` gating
+ * PreToolUse, `receipt-observer-client.py` observing Stop) can be WIRED into
+ * `~/.claude/settings.json` on a host where the ACTIVATION half is absent —
+ * no compatible CLI build (C1's `leaseEnforcementActivatable()`), or no
+ * healthy broker supervisor (C3's `checkBrokerSupervisorHealth()`). That
+ * combination is a silent brick: every gated tool call denies with
+ * GATE_UNAVAILABLE, and the fail-closed behavior is *correct* — but nothing
+ * surfaces it to an operator running `mosaic doctor` on an already-bricked
+ * host.
+ *
+ * This module answers one question — "if I ran right now, would I be
+ * bricked?" — by combining:
+ *
+ *   1. wiring detection: does `~/.claude/settings.json` reference either
+ *      enforcement-hook marker (`mutator-gate.py` / `receipt-observer-client.py`)?
+ *   2. C1's `leaseEnforcementActivatable()` — could activation satisfy
+ *      enforcement if it were exercised right now?
+ *   3. C3's `checkBrokerSupervisorHealth()` — is the broker supervisor
+ *      actually healthy?
+ *
+ * Not wired ⇒ ok (nothing to activate, no false alarm). Wired AND activatable
+ * AND broker-healthy ⇒ ok. Wired AND (NOT activatable OR broker unhealthy) ⇒
+ * a LOUD, actionable error — this module never silently passes that state.
+ *
+ * Every dependency (settings read, activation probe, broker-health check) is
+ * injectable so tests can drive every branch without ever touching a real
+ * `~/.claude/settings.json` or a real broker.
+ */
+
+import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { homedir } from 'node:os';
+import { join } from 'node:path';
+import { leaseEnforcementActivatable, type ActivationProbeDeps } from './lease-activation-probe.js';
+import {
+  checkBrokerSupervisorHealth,
+  resolveBrokerSupervisorPaths,
+} from '../lease-broker/broker-supervisor.js';
+import { DEFAULT_MOSAIC_HOME } from '../constants.js';
+
+/** Markers identifying the two enforcement-hook halves wired via the
+ * framework reseed. Either marker's presence in `settings.json` means
+ * enforcement is wired — a host can be bricked with just one half present. */
+const ENFORCEMENT_HOOK_MARKERS = ['mutator-gate.py', 'receipt-observer-client.py'] as const;
+
+export interface EnforcementHooksWiredResult {
+  readonly wired: boolean;
+  readonly matchedMarkers: readonly string[];
+}
+
+/**
+ * Detect whether the Claude Code enforcement hooks (mutator-gate /
+ * receipt-observer) are wired into an already-parsed `settings.json`.
+ * Pure/testable — takes parsed JSON, never touches the filesystem itself.
+ */
+export function detectEnforcementHooksWired(settings: unknown): EnforcementHooksWiredResult {
+  const serialized = JSON.stringify(settings ?? {});
+  const matchedMarkers = ENFORCEMENT_HOOK_MARKERS.filter((marker) => serialized.includes(marker));
+  return { wired: matchedMarkers.length > 0, matchedMarkers };
+}
+
+export interface LeaseDoctorCheckDeps {
+  /**
+   * Read raw `settings.json` text; return `null` if the file is absent.
+   * Defaults to reading the real `~/.claude/settings.json`. ALWAYS inject a
+   * fake in tests — never point this at a real host's settings file.
+   */
+  readSettingsRaw?: () => string | null;
+  /** Defaults to {@link leaseEnforcementActivatable} (C1). Inject for tests. */
+  isActivatable?: (deps?: ActivationProbeDeps) => boolean;
+  /**
+   * Defaults to a real broker-supervisor health check (C3) rooted at
+   * `mosaicHome`. Inject for tests — never point this at a real broker.
+   */
+  isBrokerHealthy?: () => Promise<boolean>;
+  /** Mosaic home used to resolve default broker-supervisor paths. Defaults to
+   * `$MOSAIC_HOME` or `~/.config/mosaic`. */
+  mosaicHome?: string;
+}
+
+export type LeaseDoctorCheckStatus = 'ok' | 'error';
+
+export interface LeaseDoctorCheckResult {
+  readonly status: LeaseDoctorCheckStatus;
+  readonly wired: boolean;
+  /** `null` when hooks are not wired (activation/broker were never probed). */
+  readonly activatable: boolean | null;
+  /** `null` when hooks are not wired (activation/broker were never probed). */
+  readonly brokerHealthy: boolean | null;
+  readonly message: string;
+}
+
+function defaultReadSettingsRaw(): string | null {
+  const settingsPath = join(homedir(), '.claude', 'settings.json');
+  try {
+    return readFileSync(settingsPath, 'utf8');
+  } catch (error) {
+    if (isEnoent(error)) return null;
+    throw error;
+  }
+}
+
+function isEnoent(error: unknown): boolean {
+  return (
+    typeof error === 'object' &&
+    error !== null &&
+    'code' in error &&
+    (error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code === 'ENOENT'
+  );
+}
+
+function defaultMosaicHome(): string {
+  return process.env['MOSAIC_HOME'] ?? DEFAULT_MOSAIC_HOME;
+}
+
+async function defaultIsBrokerHealthy(mosaicHome: string): Promise<boolean> {
+  // `frameworkRoot` only feeds SOURCE paths (unit/wrapper/daemon file
+  // locations for `applyBrokerSupervisor`); the health check only reads
+  // TARGET paths (`unitTargetPath`, `socketPath`), both derived from
+  // `mosaicHome`/`homeDir`/`env` alone. Passing `mosaicHome` again here is
+  // therefore safe and never resolves or touches a framework checkout.
+  const paths = resolveBrokerSupervisorPaths({ mosaicHome, frameworkRoot: mosaicHome });
+  return (await checkBrokerSupervisorHealth(paths)).healthy;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Surface the #869 fail-closed brick scenario as a LOUD `mosaic doctor`
+ * error. See module docstring for the full decision table.
+ */
+export async function runLeaseEnforcementDoctorCheck(
+  deps: LeaseDoctorCheckDeps = {},
+): Promise<LeaseDoctorCheckResult> {
+  const readSettingsRaw = deps.readSettingsRaw ?? defaultReadSettingsRaw;
+  const mosaicHome = deps.mosaicHome ?? defaultMosaicHome();
+  const isActivatable = deps.isActivatable ?? leaseEnforcementActivatable;
+  const isBrokerHealthy = deps.isBrokerHealthy ?? (() => defaultIsBrokerHealthy(mosaicHome));
+
+  const raw = readSettingsRaw();
+  if (raw === null) {
+    return {
+      status: 'ok',
+      wired: false,
+      activatable: null,
+      brokerHealthy: null,
+      message: 'Claude Code settings.json not found — lease-enforcement hooks not wired.',
+    };
+  }
+
+  let parsed: unknown;
+  try {
+    parsed = JSON.parse(raw);
+  } catch {
+    // Malformed settings.json is a different failure class than this card
+    // owns (C2 guards install-time writes); report ok rather than
+    // misattributing a parse error to the #869 activation gap.
+    return {
+      status: 'ok',
+      wired: false,
+      activatable: null,
+      brokerHealthy: null,
+      message:
+        'Claude Code settings.json could not be parsed — skipping lease-enforcement wiring check.',
+    };
+  }
+
+  const { wired, matchedMarkers } = detectEnforcementHooksWired(parsed);
+  if (!wired) {
+    return {
+      status: 'ok',
+      wired: false,
+      activatable: null,
+      brokerHealthy: null,
+      message:
+        'Lease-enforcement hooks not wired in ~/.claude/settings.json — nothing to activate.',
+    };
+  }
+
+  const activatable = isActivatable();
+  const brokerHealthy = await isBrokerHealthy();
+
+  if (activatable && brokerHealthy) {
+    return {
+      status: 'ok',
+      wired: true,
+      activatable,
+      brokerHealthy,
+      message: `Lease-enforcement hooks wired (${matchedMarkers.join(', ')}) — activation capability present and broker healthy.`,
+    };
+  }
+
+  const reasons: string[] = [];
+  if (!activatable) reasons.push('activation absent (leaseEnforcementActivatable() is false)');
+  if (!brokerHealthy) {
+    reasons.push('broker not healthy (checkBrokerSupervisorHealth() reports unhealthy)');
+  }
+
+  return {
+    status: 'error',
+    wired: true,
+    activatable,
+    brokerHealthy,
+    message:
+      `Lease-enforcement hooks (${matchedMarkers.join(', ')}) are wired in ~/.claude/settings.json, but ${reasons.join(' and ')}. ` +
+      'Every gated tool call will fail closed and BRICK this agent (see #869). ' +
+      'Remediate by activating the lease-broker supervisor (systemd unit + socket) or by removing the enforcement hooks from ~/.claude/settings.json.',
+  };
+}

packages/mosaic/src/mutator-gate/mutator-gate.acceptance.spec.ts

@@ -47,6 +47,22 @@ const piLifecyclePath = join(frameworkRoot, 'runtime/pi/lease-lifecycle.ts');
 const prdyInitPath = join(frameworkRoot, 'tools/prdy/prdy-init.sh');
 const prdyUpdatePath = join(frameworkRoot, 'tools/prdy/prdy-update.sh');
 const remediationHandlerPath = join(frameworkRoot, 'tools/qa/remediation-hook-handler.sh');
+
+// C4 (#869 Point-1): launch-runtime.py now asserts, before anything else,
+// that the CLI's advertised lease-activation capability (normally read via
+// the hidden `mosaic __lease-capability` subcommand) matches what
+// enforcement expects — see framework/tools/lease-broker/
+// activation_version_gate.py. This suite drives launch-runtime.py directly
+// as a subprocess (never through the real `mosaic` CLI), so — exactly like
+// the fake broker (daemon.py) and fake `claude` binaries already used
+// below — it must supply a fake activation-capability probe rather than
+// depend on a real `mosaic` binary being on PATH. `MOSAIC_LEASE_VERSION_PROBE_COMMAND`
+// is launch-runtime.py's injection point for that fake; this literal
+// {name, version} pair must be kept in sync with
+// `EXPECTED_ACTIVATION_CAPABILITY` (activation_version_gate.py) and
+// `LEASE_ACTIVATION_CAPABILITY` (lease-activation-probe.ts) — all three
+// currently agree on v1.
+const leaseCapabilityProbeStub = `python3 -c "import json; print(json.dumps({'name': 'lease-runtime-activation', 'version': 1}))"`;
 const children: ChildProcess[] = [];
 const temporaryRoots: string[] = [];
 
@@ -184,6 +200,7 @@ raise SystemExit(0 if len(session_id) == 64 and denied else 1)
       MOSAIC_PRDY_RUNTIME: 'claude',
       MOSAIC_LEASE_BROKER_SOCKET: socket,
       MOSAIC_RUNTIME_GENERATION: '1',
+      MOSAIC_LEASE_VERSION_PROBE_COMMAND: leaseCapabilityProbeStub,
     },
   });
 }
@@ -743,6 +760,7 @@ describe('whole mutator-class lease gate', () => {
           ...process.env,
           MOSAIC_LEASE_BROKER_SOCKET: socket,
           MOSAIC_RUNTIME_GENERATION: '1',
+          MOSAIC_LEASE_VERSION_PROBE_COMMAND: leaseCapabilityProbeStub,
         },
       },
     );
@@ -761,6 +779,7 @@ describe('whole mutator-class lease gate', () => {
           ...process.env,
           MOSAIC_LEASE_BROKER_SOCKET: join(tmpdir(), 'missing-mosaic-broker.sock'),
           MOSAIC_RUNTIME_GENERATION: '1',
+          MOSAIC_LEASE_VERSION_PROBE_COMMAND: leaseCapabilityProbeStub,
         },
       },
     );
@@ -878,6 +897,7 @@ raise SystemExit(0 if len(session_id) == 64 and hook_present and observers_prese
           PATH: `${binDir}:${process.env.PATH ?? ''}`,
           MOSAIC_LEASE_BROKER_SOCKET: socket,
           MOSAIC_RUNTIME_GENERATION: '1',
+          MOSAIC_LEASE_VERSION_PROBE_COMMAND: leaseCapabilityProbeStub,
         },
         proxyGate: () =>
           Promise.resolve({

packages/mosaic/src/mutator-gate/runtime_tools_unittest.py

@@ -39,6 +39,18 @@ LAUNCHER = load_tool("lease_runtime_launcher", "launch-runtime.py")
 GATE = load_tool("lease_mutator_gate", "mutator-gate.py")
 
 
+def matching_activation_probe(*_args: object, **_kwargs: object) -> dict[str, object]:
+    """Fake activation-capability probe matching what enforcement expects
+    (C4, #869 Point-1). Injected into `LAUNCHER.main()` calls below that are
+    exercising OTHER branches (registration, exec, generation init, ...) so
+    the new version-coupling gate — which runs before those — never blocks
+    on host state (no real `mosaic` CLI on PATH in a test sandbox). The
+    version-coupling gate's OWN behavior (match/mismatch/absent) is covered
+    by its dedicated red-first tests in `version_coupling_unittest.py`."""
+
+    return dict(LAUNCHER.EXPECTED_ACTIVATION_CAPABILITY)
+
+
 class FakeSocket:
     def __init__(self, *chunks: bytes):
         self.chunks = list(chunks)
@@ -95,6 +107,7 @@ class LaunchRuntimeTest(unittest.TestCase):
             request=request,
             execute=execute,
             initialize_generation=initialize_generation,
+            probe_activation_capability=matching_activation_probe,
         )
 
         self.assertEqual(result, 0)
@@ -127,6 +140,7 @@ class LaunchRuntimeTest(unittest.TestCase):
             request=lambda *_args: {"ok": True, "session_id": "e" * 64},
             execute=lambda *args: executed.append(args),
             initialize_generation=lambda *_args: None,
+            probe_activation_capability=matching_activation_probe,
         )
         self.assertEqual(result, 0)
         self.assertEqual(
@@ -153,6 +167,7 @@ class LaunchRuntimeTest(unittest.TestCase):
             request=lambda *_args: {"ok": True, "session_id": "f" * 64},
             execute=lambda *args: executed.append(args),
             initialize_generation=lambda *_args: None,
+            probe_activation_capability=matching_activation_probe,
         )
         self.assertEqual(result, 0)
         self.assertEqual(executed[0][0:2], ("pi", ["pi", "--print", "hello"]))
@@ -188,6 +203,7 @@ class LaunchRuntimeTest(unittest.TestCase):
                     environ=environment,
                     request=lambda *_args, value=reply: value,
                     execute=lambda *args: executed.append(args),
+                    probe_activation_capability=matching_activation_probe,
                 )
                 self.assertEqual(result, 1)
                 self.assertEqual(executed, [])
@@ -203,6 +219,7 @@ class LaunchRuntimeTest(unittest.TestCase):
                     initialize_generation=lambda *_args: (_ for _ in ()).throw(
                         OSError("unsafe state")
                     ),
+                    probe_activation_capability=matching_activation_probe,
                 ),
                 1,
             )
@@ -220,6 +237,7 @@ class LaunchRuntimeTest(unittest.TestCase):
                         environ={"MOSAIC_LEASE_BROKER_SOCKET": "/x"},
                         request=request,
                         execute=lambda *_args: self.fail("must not execute"),
+                        probe_activation_capability=matching_activation_probe,
                     ),
                     1,
                 )
@@ -233,6 +251,7 @@ class LaunchRuntimeTest(unittest.TestCase):
                     request=lambda *_args: {"ok": True, "session_id": "c" * 64},
                     execute=lambda *_args: (_ for _ in ()).throw(OSError("missing")),
                     initialize_generation=lambda *_args: None,
+                    probe_activation_capability=matching_activation_probe,
                 ),
                 1,
             )

packages/mosaic/src/mutator-gate/version_coupling_unittest.py

@@ -0,0 +1,287 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Red-first tests for issue #869 Point-1 C4 — the enforcement/activation
+version-coupling assertion at the `launch-runtime.py` seam.
+
+Root cause under test (#828 restated): the lease broker's ENFORCEMENT half
+(this toolkit) and its ACTIVATION half (`execLeaseGatedRuntime()` in
+`launch.ts`, chained through `launch-runtime.py`) shipped on different
+channels and drifted. C1 (`lease-activation-probe.ts`) gave the activation
+half a versioned, machine-checkable identity
+(`LEASE_ACTIVATION_CAPABILITY`, printed via the hidden CLI subcommand
+`mosaic __lease-capability`). C4 (this module + `activation_version_gate.py`)
+is the assertion that actually USES that identity: enforcement must refuse
+to proceed — loudly, with an actionable remediation message, never a
+silent pass — unless the activation capability it observes exactly matches
+what enforcement expects.
+
+Every case here drives the seam with injected fakes/stubs (a fake
+`probe_activation_capability` callable at the `launch-runtime.py` level, or
+a fake `run` transport at the `activation_version_gate` level) — never a
+real broker, a real installed CLI, or a real `mosaic` binary on PATH.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import importlib.util
+import io
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import unittest
+from contextlib import redirect_stderr
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+TOOLS_DIR = Path(__file__).parents[2] / "framework/tools/lease-broker"
+if str(TOOLS_DIR) not in sys.path:
+    sys.path.insert(0, str(TOOLS_DIR))
+
+
+def load_tool(module_name: str, filename: str):
+    spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(module_name, TOOLS_DIR / filename)
+    if spec is None or spec.loader is None:
+        raise RuntimeError(f"unable to load {filename}")
+    module = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+    spec.loader.exec_module(module)
+    return module
+
+
+# Loaded under distinct module names from runtime_tools_unittest.py's own
+# LAUNCHER/GATE loads — importlib.util.module_from_spec() gives each load a
+# fresh module object regardless of name collisions, but distinct names keep
+# tracebacks/debugging unambiguous when both files run in the same process.
+LAUNCHER = load_tool("lease_runtime_launcher_version_coupling", "launch-runtime.py")
+VERSION_GATE = load_tool("lease_activation_version_gate_test", "activation_version_gate.py")
+
+
+def matching_capability() -> dict[str, object]:
+    return dict(VERSION_GATE.EXPECTED_ACTIVATION_CAPABILITY)
+
+
+class AssertActivationCapabilityMatchesTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Unit-level coverage of `activation_version_gate.py`'s own assertion,
+    isolated from the launch-runtime.py seam it is wired into below."""
+
+    def test_matching_capability_passes_silently(self) -> None:
+        VERSION_GATE.assert_activation_capability_matches(matching_capability())
+        # No exception is the assertion; nothing further to check.
+
+    def test_absent_capability_fails_closed_not_silent_pass(self) -> None:
+        with self.assertRaises(VERSION_GATE.VersionCouplingError) as raised:
+            VERSION_GATE.assert_activation_capability_matches(None)
+        message = str(raised.exception)
+        self.assertIn("#869", message)
+        self.assertIn("upgrade", message.lower())
+
+    def test_version_mismatch_message_is_actionable(self) -> None:
+        expected = {"name": "lease-runtime-activation", "version": 1}
+        mismatched = {"name": "lease-runtime-activation", "version": 2}
+        with self.assertRaises(VERSION_GATE.VersionCouplingError) as raised:
+            VERSION_GATE.assert_activation_capability_matches(mismatched, expected)
+        message = str(raised.exception)
+        self.assertIn("v2", message)
+        self.assertIn("v1", message)
+        self.assertIn("#869", message)
+        self.assertIn("upgrade", message.lower())
+        self.assertIn("version skew", message.lower())
+
+    def test_name_mismatch_fails_loud(self) -> None:
+        expected = {"name": "lease-runtime-activation", "version": 1}
+        mismatched = {"name": "some-other-capability", "version": 1}
+        with self.assertRaises(VERSION_GATE.VersionCouplingError) as raised:
+            VERSION_GATE.assert_activation_capability_matches(mismatched, expected)
+        message = str(raised.exception)
+        self.assertIn("some-other-capability", message)
+        self.assertIn("lease-runtime-activation", message)
+        self.assertIn("#869", message)
+
+    def test_reversed_drift_newer_activation_than_enforcement_expects_also_fails(self) -> None:
+        # A build/deploy where ACTIVATION shipped ahead of ENFORCEMENT is
+        # exactly as much version skew as the reverse (#828's actual shape
+        # was enforcement ahead of activation) — the assertion must not special
+        # case direction.
+        expected = {"name": "lease-runtime-activation", "version": 1}
+        newer_activation = {"name": "lease-runtime-activation", "version": 2}
+        with self.assertRaises(VERSION_GATE.VersionCouplingError):
+            VERSION_GATE.assert_activation_capability_matches(newer_activation, expected)
+
+
+class ProbeActivationCapabilityTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Coverage of the probe's command resolution and fail-closed transport
+    handling — never spawns a real `mosaic` process."""
+
+    def test_returns_none_when_mosaic_is_not_resolvable_on_path(self) -> None:
+        result = VERSION_GATE.default_probe_activation_capability(
+            {"PATH": "/nonexistent-bin-dir-for-869-c4-test"}
+        )
+        self.assertIsNone(result)
+
+    def test_override_command_is_parsed_and_the_probe_subcommand_is_not_double_appended(
+        self,
+    ) -> None:
+        captured: list[list[str]] = []
+
+        class FakeCompleted:
+            returncode = 0
+            stdout = '{"name": "lease-runtime-activation", "version": 1}'
+
+        def fake_run(argv: list[str], **_kwargs: object) -> FakeCompleted:
+            captured.append(argv)
+            return FakeCompleted()
+
+        result = VERSION_GATE.default_probe_activation_capability(
+            {VERSION_GATE.MOSAIC_COMMAND_OVERRIDE_VAR: "/fake/mosaic __lease-capability"},
+            run=fake_run,
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(result, {"name": "lease-runtime-activation", "version": 1})
+        self.assertEqual(captured, [["/fake/mosaic", "__lease-capability"]])
+
+    def test_fails_closed_on_nonzero_exit_malformed_json_and_missing_fields(self) -> None:
+        class NonZeroExit:
+            returncode = 1
+            stdout = '{"name": "lease-runtime-activation", "version": 1}'
+
+        class MalformedOutput:
+            returncode = 0
+            stdout = "not-json"
+
+        class MissingVersion:
+            returncode = 0
+            stdout = '{"name": "lease-runtime-activation"}'
+
+        class WrongShapeVersion:
+            returncode = 0
+            stdout = '{"name": "lease-runtime-activation", "version": "1"}'
+
+        class BooleanVersion:
+            # bool is a subclass of int in Python; must not be accepted as
+            # a version number.
+            returncode = 0
+            stdout = '{"name": "lease-runtime-activation", "version": true}'
+
+        for fake in (
+            NonZeroExit(),
+            MalformedOutput(),
+            MissingVersion(),
+            WrongShapeVersion(),
+            BooleanVersion(),
+        ):
+            with self.subTest(stdout=fake.stdout, returncode=fake.returncode):
+                result = VERSION_GATE.default_probe_activation_capability(
+                    {VERSION_GATE.MOSAIC_COMMAND_OVERRIDE_VAR: "/fake/mosaic"},
+                    run=lambda *_a, fake=fake, **_kw: fake,
+                )
+                self.assertIsNone(result)
+
+    def test_fails_closed_on_timeout_and_transport_error(self) -> None:
+        def timeout_run(*_args: object, **_kwargs: object) -> None:
+            raise subprocess.TimeoutExpired(cmd="mosaic", timeout=2.0)
+
+        def oserror_run(*_args: object, **_kwargs: object) -> None:
+            raise OSError("no such file or directory")
+
+        for run_fake in (timeout_run, oserror_run):
+            with self.subTest(run=run_fake.__name__):
+                result = VERSION_GATE.default_probe_activation_capability(
+                    {VERSION_GATE.MOSAIC_COMMAND_OVERRIDE_VAR: "/fake/mosaic"},
+                    run=run_fake,
+                )
+                self.assertIsNone(result)
+
+
+class LaunchRuntimeVersionCouplingSeamTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    """End-to-end (still fully faked) coverage of the seam as wired into
+    `launch-runtime.py`'s `main()` — the strongest natural enforcement point
+    per the C4 card, run before any broker registration."""
+
+    def _run(self, *, probe):
+        calls: dict[str, object] = {}
+
+        def request(_path: Path, payload: dict[str, object]) -> dict[str, object]:
+            calls["registered"] = True
+            calls["request"] = payload
+            return {"ok": True, "session_id": "a" * 64}
+
+        def execute(command: str, argv: list[str], environment: dict[str, str]) -> None:
+            calls["executed"] = (command, argv, environment)
+
+        def initialize_generation(_path: Path, _generation: int) -> None:
+            calls["generation_initialized"] = True
+
+        stderr = io.StringIO()
+        with redirect_stderr(stderr):
+            result = LAUNCHER.main(
+                ["--runtime", "claude", "--", "claude", "--print", "hello"],
+                environ={"MOSAIC_LEASE_BROKER_SOCKET": "/run/test/broker.sock"},
+                request=request,
+                execute=execute,
+                initialize_generation=initialize_generation,
+                probe_activation_capability=probe,
+            )
+        return result, stderr.getvalue(), calls
+
+    def test_matching_activation_version_passes_and_the_gate_proceeds(self) -> None:
+        result, stderr_text, calls = self._run(probe=lambda *_a, **_kw: matching_capability())
+        self.assertEqual(result, 0)
+        self.assertEqual(stderr_text, "")
+        self.assertTrue(calls.get("registered"))
+        self.assertIn("executed", calls)
+
+    def test_version_mismatch_fails_loud_denies_and_never_registers_or_execs(self) -> None:
+        expected = LAUNCHER.EXPECTED_ACTIVATION_CAPABILITY
+        mismatched = {"name": expected["name"], "version": expected["version"] + 1}
+        result, stderr_text, calls = self._run(probe=lambda *_a, **_kw: mismatched)
+
+        self.assertEqual(result, LAUNCHER.EXIT_VERSION_SKEW)
+        self.assertNotEqual(result, 0)
+        self.assertIn("#869", stderr_text)
+        self.assertIn(f"v{mismatched['version']}", stderr_text)
+        self.assertIn(f"v{expected['version']}", stderr_text)
+        self.assertIn("upgrade", stderr_text.lower())
+        # Never reaches broker registration or exec — the version gate is a
+        # hard stop, not advisory.
+        self.assertNotIn("registered", calls)
+        self.assertNotIn("executed", calls)
+
+    def test_name_mismatch_fails_loud(self) -> None:
+        expected = LAUNCHER.EXPECTED_ACTIVATION_CAPABILITY
+        mismatched = {"name": "some-other-capability", "version": expected["version"]}
+        result, stderr_text, calls = self._run(probe=lambda *_a, **_kw: mismatched)
+
+        self.assertEqual(result, LAUNCHER.EXIT_VERSION_SKEW)
+        self.assertIn("#869", stderr_text)
+        self.assertIn("some-other-capability", stderr_text)
+        self.assertNotIn("registered", calls)
+        self.assertNotIn("executed", calls)
+
+    def test_absent_activation_capability_fails_closed_not_a_silent_pass(self) -> None:
+        result, stderr_text, calls = self._run(probe=lambda *_a, **_kw: None)
+
+        self.assertEqual(result, LAUNCHER.EXIT_VERSION_SKEW)
+        self.assertNotEqual(result, 0)
+        self.assertIn("#869", stderr_text)
+        self.assertNotIn("registered", calls)
+        self.assertNotIn("executed", calls)
+
+    def test_version_gate_runs_before_and_independently_of_broker_registration(self) -> None:
+        def request_must_not_be_called(*_args: object, **_kwargs: object) -> dict[str, object]:
+            self.fail("broker must not be contacted when activation version is mismatched")
+
+        stderr = io.StringIO()
+        with redirect_stderr(stderr):
+            result = LAUNCHER.main(
+                ["--runtime", "claude", "--", "claude"],
+                environ={"MOSAIC_LEASE_BROKER_SOCKET": "/run/test/broker.sock"},
+                request=request_must_not_be_called,
+                probe_activation_capability=lambda *_a, **_kw: None,
+            )
+        self.assertEqual(result, LAUNCHER.EXIT_VERSION_SKEW)
+
+    def test_dedicated_exit_code_never_collides_with_usage_or_registration_codes(self) -> None:
+        # Distinctness guard: a version-skew denial must never be mistaken
+        # for the pre-existing usage error (64) or registration/exec
+        # fail-closed code (1) this script already owns.
+        self.assertNotIn(LAUNCHER.EXIT_VERSION_SKEW, (0, 1, 64))
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()