diff --git a/decnet/swarm/client.py b/decnet/swarm/client.py
index ad67123b..0c9a4c4d 100644
--- a/decnet/swarm/client.py
+++ b/decnet/swarm/client.py
@@ -16,7 +16,10 @@ The ``host`` is a SwarmHost dict returned by the repository.
 """
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import asyncio
+import hashlib
 import pathlib
+import socket
 import ssl
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from typing import Any, Optional
@@ -29,6 +32,24 @@ from decnet.swarm import pki
 
 log = get_logger("swarm.client")
 
+
+class FingerprintMismatchError(RuntimeError):
+    """Raised when the worker presents a cert whose SHA-256 fingerprint
+    does not match ``SwarmHost.client_cert_fingerprint``.
+
+    Existence of this error class is the contract that lets the deployer
+    distinguish "wrong worker on the wire" (security event, fail loud)
+    from generic transport errors (retryable, mark slice failed)."""
+
+    def __init__(self, host: str, expected: str, actual: str) -> None:
+        super().__init__(
+            f"agent {host}: cert fingerprint mismatch "
+            f"(expected={expected[:16]}…, got={actual[:16]}…)"
+        )
+        self.host = host
+        self.expected = expected
+        self.actual = actual
+
 # How long a single HTTP operation can take.  Deploy is the long pole —
 # docker compose up pulls images, builds contexts, etc.  Tune via env in a
 # later iteration if the default proves too short.
@@ -99,6 +120,8 @@ class AgentClient:
             self._port = int(host.get("agent_port") or 8765)
             self._host_uuid = host.get("uuid")
             self._host_name = host.get("name")
+            fp = host.get("client_cert_fingerprint")
+            self._expected_fingerprint = fp.lower() if isinstance(fp, str) else None
         else:
             if address is None or agent_port is None:
                 raise ValueError(
@@ -108,6 +131,7 @@ class AgentClient:
             self._port = int(agent_port)
             self._host_uuid = None
             self._host_name = None
+            self._expected_fingerprint = None
 
         self._identity = identity or ensure_master_identity()
         self._verify_hostname = verify_hostname
@@ -135,8 +159,52 @@ class AgentClient:
             timeout=timeout,
         )
 
+    def _fetch_peer_fingerprint(self) -> str:
+        ctx = ssl.SSLContext(ssl.PROTOCOL_TLS_CLIENT)
+        ctx.load_cert_chain(
+            str(self._identity.cert_path), str(self._identity.key_path)
+        )
+        ctx.load_verify_locations(cafile=str(self._identity.ca_cert_path))
+        ctx.verify_mode = ssl.CERT_REQUIRED
+        ctx.check_hostname = self._verify_hostname
+        sock = socket.create_connection((self._address, self._port), timeout=10.0)
+        try:
+            server_hostname = self._address if self._verify_hostname else None
+            with ctx.wrap_socket(sock, server_hostname=server_hostname) as ssock:
+                der = ssock.getpeercert(binary_form=True)
+        finally:
+            try:
+                sock.close()
+            except OSError:
+                pass
+        if not der:
+            raise FingerprintMismatchError(
+                f"{self._address}:{self._port}", self._expected_fingerprint or "", ""
+            )
+        return hashlib.sha256(der).hexdigest().lower()
+
+    async def _verify_pin(self) -> None:
+        if not self._expected_fingerprint:
+            # No pin known for this host (legacy enrollments / explicit address ctor).
+            # Fall through to CA-only validation. Enrollment writes the fingerprint,
+            # so any production host added via `swarm enroll` will have one.
+            return
+        actual = await asyncio.to_thread(self._fetch_peer_fingerprint)
+        if actual != self._expected_fingerprint:
+            raise FingerprintMismatchError(
+                f"{self._address}:{self._port}",
+                self._expected_fingerprint,
+                actual,
+            )
+
     async def __aenter__(self) -> "AgentClient":
         self._client = self._build_client(_TIMEOUT_CONTROL)
+        try:
+            await self._verify_pin()
+        except BaseException:
+            await self._client.aclose()
+            self._client = None
+            raise
         return self
 
     async def __aexit__(self, *exc: Any) -> None:
diff --git a/tests/swarm/test_client_agent_roundtrip.py b/tests/swarm/test_client_agent_roundtrip.py
index 59216c7c..4b351bac 100644
--- a/tests/swarm/test_client_agent_roundtrip.py
+++ b/tests/swarm/test_client_agent_roundtrip.py
@@ -99,6 +99,49 @@ async def test_client_health_roundtrip(tmp_path: pathlib.Path) -> None:
         thread.join(timeout=5)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_fingerprint_pin_accepts_matching_cert(tmp_path: pathlib.Path) -> None:
+    """AgentClient with the correct expected fingerprint connects normally."""
+    port = _free_port()
+    server, thread, master_id = _start_agent(tmp_path, port)
+    try:
+        worker_cert_pem = (tmp_path / "agent" / "worker.crt").read_bytes()
+        expected = pki.fingerprint(worker_cert_pem)
+        host = {
+            "uuid": "h1",
+            "name": "worker-test",
+            "address": "127.0.0.1",
+            "agent_port": port,
+            "client_cert_fingerprint": expected,
+        }
+        async with swarm_client.AgentClient(host=host, identity=master_id) as agent:
+            assert await agent.health() == {"status": "ok"}
+    finally:
+        server.should_exit = True
+        thread.join(timeout=5)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_fingerprint_pin_rejects_mismatch(tmp_path: pathlib.Path) -> None:
+    """A wrong expected fingerprint must raise FingerprintMismatchError."""
+    port = _free_port()
+    server, thread, master_id = _start_agent(tmp_path, port)
+    try:
+        host = {
+            "uuid": "h1",
+            "name": "worker-test",
+            "address": "127.0.0.1",
+            "agent_port": port,
+            "client_cert_fingerprint": "0" * 64,
+        }
+        with pytest.raises(swarm_client.FingerprintMismatchError):
+            async with swarm_client.AgentClient(host=host, identity=master_id):
+                pass
+    finally:
+        server.should_exit = True
+        thread.join(timeout=5)
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_impostor_client_cannot_connect(tmp_path: pathlib.Path) -> None:
     """A client whose cert was issued by a DIFFERENT CA must be rejected."""