diff --git a/decnet/__init__.py b/decnet/__init__.py
index e69de29..999a57b 100644
--- a/decnet/__init__.py
+++ b/decnet/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+"""DECNET — honeypot deception-network framework.
+
+This __init__ runs once, on the first `import decnet.*`. It seeds
+os.environ from /etc/decnet/decnet.ini (if present) so that later
+module-level reads in decnet.env pick up the INI values as if they had
+been exported by the shell. Real env vars always win via setdefault().
+
+Kept minimal on purpose — any heavier work belongs in a submodule.
+"""
+from decnet.config_ini import load_ini_config as _load_ini_config
+
+_load_ini_config()
diff --git a/decnet/env.py b/decnet/env.py
index 08556ca..488e776 100644
--- a/decnet/env.py
+++ b/decnet/env.py
@@ -103,6 +103,17 @@ DECNET_ADMIN_USER: str = os.environ.get("DECNET_ADMIN_USER", "admin")
 DECNET_ADMIN_PASSWORD: str = os.environ.get("DECNET_ADMIN_PASSWORD", "admin")
 DECNET_DEVELOPER: bool = os.environ.get("DECNET_DEVELOPER", "False").lower() == "true"
 
+# Host role — seeded by /etc/decnet/decnet.ini or exported directly.
+# "master" = the central server (api, web, swarmctl, listener).
+# "agent"  = a worker node (agent, forwarder, updater). Workers gate their
+#            Typer CLI to hide master-only commands (see decnet/cli.py).
+DECNET_MODE: str = os.environ.get("DECNET_MODE", "master").lower()
+# When mode=agent, hide master-only Typer commands. Set to "false" for dual-
+# role dev hosts where a single machine plays both sides.
+DECNET_DISALLOW_MASTER: bool = (
+    os.environ.get("DECNET_DISALLOW_MASTER", "true").lower() == "true"
+)
+
 # Tracing — set to "true" to enable OpenTelemetry distributed tracing.
 # Separate from DECNET_DEVELOPER so tracing can be toggled independently.
 DECNET_DEVELOPER_TRACING: bool = os.environ.get("DECNET_DEVELOPER_TRACING", "").lower() == "true"