diff --git a/decnet/realism/__init__.py b/decnet/realism/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..61be3052
--- /dev/null
+++ b/decnet/realism/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+"""Realism library — synthetic content + scheduling primitives.
+
+A shared, importable library that produces *plausible* artifacts (file
+names, file bodies, email content) and the diurnal/persona machinery
+that decides *when* and *for whom* to produce them.
+
+Workers (orchestrator, canary cultivator, future-emailgen-equivalents)
+import from here.  This package owns:
+
+* :mod:`decnet.realism.taxonomy` — :class:`ContentClass` enum and the
+  :class:`Plan` dataclass that planners emit.
+* :mod:`decnet.realism.diurnal` — work-hours gating and a backdated
+  ``mtime`` sampler so planted files don't all stamp at wall-clock-now.
+* :mod:`decnet.realism.planner` — picks ``(decky, persona, class,
+  action, mtime)`` tuples for the orchestrator's tick loop.
+* :mod:`decnet.realism.personas` — persona schema (lifted from
+  ``orchestrator.emailgen.personas`` in stage 2 of the migration).
+* :mod:`decnet.realism.prompts` — prompt builders, one per content
+  class, sharing an em-dash-suppression style helper.
+* :mod:`decnet.realism.llm` — :class:`LLMBackend` ABC + factory + impl
+  subpackage; pluggable text-generation backend.
+
+The library has **no worker, no systemd unit, no CLI of its own** —
+it's plain Python that consumers import.  The CLI surface that does
+exist (``decnet realism import-personas``) is registered by
+:mod:`decnet.cli.realism` after stage 5 of the migration.
+"""
diff --git a/decnet/realism/diurnal.py b/decnet/realism/diurnal.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c81a3318
--- /dev/null
+++ b/decnet/realism/diurnal.py
@@ -0,0 +1,153 @@
+"""Work-hours gating and backdated mtime sampling.
+
+The current orchestrator stamps every planted file at wall-clock-now,
+which is one of the realism failures driving this migration: a `cron.log`
+that says it was last touched at 03:14:22 UTC on a workstation
+attributed to a 9-to-5 admin reads as fake on first glance.
+
+Two helpers:
+
+* :func:`in_work_hours` — gate planner ticks so a persona's files only
+  appear inside the persona's ``active_hours`` window.  Wrap-around
+  windows (``"22:00-06:00"``) are supported.
+* :func:`sample_mtime` — return a backdated datetime whose hour-of-day
+  falls inside the persona's window, biased toward "recent but not
+  now".  Drivers pass this to ``touch -d``.
+
+Clock and RNG are injectable so tests don't need to ``freeze_time`` or
+patch :mod:`secrets`.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import secrets
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta
+from typing import Protocol
+
+
+class _ClockLike(Protocol):
+    def __call__(self) -> datetime: ...
+
+
+class _RandLike(Protocol):
+    def random(self) -> float: ...
+    def randint(self, a: int, b: int) -> int: ...
+
+
+def _parse_window(window: str) -> tuple[int, int, int, int] | None:
+    """Parse ``"HH:MM-HH:MM"`` into ``(start_h, start_m, end_h, end_m)``.
+
+    Returns ``None`` for malformed input — callers treat that as
+    "always-on" so a single config typo never silences the whole fleet
+    (mirrors :func:`decnet.orchestrator.emailgen.personas.in_active_hours`
+    semantics).
+    """
+    try:
+        start_s, end_s = window.split("-")
+        start_h, start_m = (int(p) for p in start_s.split(":"))
+        end_h, end_m = (int(p) for p in end_s.split(":"))
+    except (ValueError, IndexError):
+        return None
+    if not (0 <= start_h < 24 and 0 <= end_h < 24):
+        return None
+    if not (0 <= start_m < 60 and 0 <= end_m < 60):
+        return None
+    return start_h, start_m, end_h, end_m
+
+
+def in_work_hours(window: str, now: datetime) -> bool:
+    """Return ``True`` when *now* falls inside the persona window.
+
+    *window* is ``"HH:MM-HH:MM"``.  Wrap-around (``start > end``) means
+    "spans midnight."  Equal ``start`` and ``end`` means always-on.
+    Malformed windows return ``True`` — fail-open so a typo doesn't
+    silence the fleet.
+    """
+    parsed = _parse_window(window)
+    if parsed is None:
+        return True
+    start_h, start_m, end_h, end_m = parsed
+    if (start_h, start_m) == (end_h, end_m):
+        return True
+    cur = now.hour * 60 + now.minute
+    start = start_h * 60 + start_m
+    end = end_h * 60 + end_m
+    if start < end:
+        return start <= cur < end
+    # Wrap-around (e.g. 22:00-06:00).
+    return cur >= start or cur < end
+
+
+def sample_mtime(
+    window: str,
+    now: datetime,
+    *,
+    rand: _RandLike | None = None,
+    backdate_min_hours: float = 0.5,
+    backdate_max_days: float = 14.0,
+) -> datetime:
+    """Return a backdated ``datetime`` for ``touch -d`` after a write.
+
+    The sampled time is in the past relative to *now*, capped at
+    *backdate_max_days* days ago and at least *backdate_min_hours* ago.
+    Weighted toward recent — half-life roughly 2 days — so most planted
+    files look "edited recently" without all clustering at +30min.
+
+    The hour-of-day of the result is forced into *window* so an
+    `admin` persona's `TODO.md` doesn't carry an mtime of 03:14:22.
+    Wrap-around windows are honoured.
+
+    Falls back to a uniform 0.5h–14d backdate if *window* is malformed.
+    """
+    rng = rand or secrets.SystemRandom()
+    parsed = _parse_window(window)
+
+    # Exponential-ish backdate via -ln(u): heavier mass near "recent".
+    # Cap by clipping; cheap and good enough for realism.
+    u = max(rng.random(), 1e-6)  # avoid log(0)
+    import math
+    span_hours = max(backdate_min_hours, min(backdate_max_days * 24, -math.log(u) * 12.0))
+    candidate = now - timedelta(hours=span_hours)
+
+    if parsed is None:
+        return candidate
+
+    start_h, start_m, end_h, end_m = parsed
+    if (start_h, start_m) == (end_h, end_m):
+        return candidate
+
+    # If the candidate's hour-of-day is outside the window, snap it into
+    # the window on the same calendar date — preserves the "this many
+    # days ago" feel while making the clock-face credible.
+    cur = candidate.hour * 60 + candidate.minute
+    start = start_h * 60 + start_m
+    end = end_h * 60 + end_m
+    if start < end:
+        in_window = start <= cur < end
+        snap_minutes = rng.randint(start, max(start, end - 1))
+    else:
+        # Wrap-around: in-window if cur is in either segment.
+        in_window = cur >= start or cur < end
+        # Snap into the larger of the two segments by total length.
+        before_midnight = (24 * 60) - start
+        after_midnight = end
+        if before_midnight >= after_midnight:
+            snap_minutes = rng.randint(start, 24 * 60 - 1)
+        else:
+            snap_minutes = rng.randint(0, max(0, end - 1))
+
+    if in_window:
+        return candidate
+    snapped = candidate.replace(
+        hour=snap_minutes // 60,
+        minute=snap_minutes % 60,
+        second=rng.randint(0, 59),
+        microsecond=0,
+    )
+    # If the hour-snap pushed us too close to *now* (candidate was
+    # earlier today but the random in-window minute landed near or
+    # later than the current clock), shift back a full day so the
+    # result honours the min-backdate floor.
+    floor = now - timedelta(hours=backdate_min_hours)
+    while snapped > floor:
+        snapped -= timedelta(days=1)
+    return snapped
diff --git a/decnet/realism/llm/__init__.py b/decnet/realism/llm/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..887e3348
--- /dev/null
+++ b/decnet/realism/llm/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+"""LLM backend ABC + factory + impls.
+
+Populated in stage 2 of the realism migration: lifts the existing
+``orchestrator.emailgen.llm`` subpackage as-is (``base``, ``factory``,
+``impl/ollama``, ``impl/fake``).  Stage 6 adds ``circuit.py`` for
+cross-call breaker behaviour.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
diff --git a/decnet/realism/personas.py b/decnet/realism/personas.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..13fce94b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/decnet/realism/personas.py
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+"""Persona schema — placeholder for stage 2.
+
+In stage 2 of the realism migration, this module receives the real
+persona schema currently living at
+``decnet.orchestrator.emailgen.personas`` (``EmailPersona``,
+``parse_personas``, ``in_active_hours``).  Stage 1 keeps it empty so
+the import path is reserved without behaviour.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
diff --git a/decnet/realism/planner.py b/decnet/realism/planner.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3d22e92f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/decnet/realism/planner.py
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+"""Realism planner — picks the next ``(decky, persona, class, action)`` tuple.
+
+Stage-1 stub: the public signature is in place so the orchestrator
+worker (stage 3) can import it, but the body returns ``None`` ("nothing
+to do this tick") until stage 3 wires the synthetic_files table and
+naming/body generators.
+
+The eventual policy lives entirely in :func:`pick`; downstream
+consumers should not branch on ``ContentClass`` themselves — let the
+planner decide weights and rate-limits in one place.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import secrets
+from datetime import datetime
+from typing import Any, Optional, Sequence
+
+from decnet.realism.taxonomy import Plan
+
+
+def pick(
+    deckies: Sequence[dict[str, Any]],
+    now: datetime,
+    *,
+    repo: Any = None,
+    rand: Optional[secrets.SystemRandom] = None,
+) -> Optional[Plan]:
+    """Return the next :class:`Plan` for the orchestrator's tick.
+
+    Stage-1 stub returns ``None`` unconditionally so the orchestrator
+    can import this function before the real implementation lands.  The
+    full policy (diurnal gate, action distribution 60/30/10
+    create/edit/leave, content-class weights, canary rate-limit) lands
+    in stage 3 of the realism migration.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    deckies :
+        Output of :meth:`BaseRepository.list_running_deckies`.  Each
+        entry must carry ``uuid``, ``name``, ``services``,
+        ``email_personas`` (topology-pool JSON or list).
+    now :
+        Tick timestamp.  Injected so tests don't need to monkey-patch
+        :func:`datetime.utcnow`.
+    repo :
+        :class:`BaseRepository` for synthetic_files lookup (edit
+        action).  Optional in stage 1; required from stage 3 onward.
+    rand :
+        RNG for sampling.  Defaults to a fresh
+        :class:`secrets.SystemRandom`.
+    """
+    _ = (deckies, now, repo, rand)  # silence unused-arg until stage 3
+    return None
diff --git a/decnet/realism/prompts/__init__.py b/decnet/realism/prompts/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..301a05b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/decnet/realism/prompts/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+"""Prompt builders for LLM-enriched content.
+
+Populated in stage 2 (``email.py`` lifted from
+``orchestrator.emailgen.prompt``) and stage 6 (``filebody.py``,
+``filename.py``, ``_style.py`` for em-dash suppression).
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
diff --git a/decnet/realism/taxonomy.py b/decnet/realism/taxonomy.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..703e4ae0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/decnet/realism/taxonomy.py
@@ -0,0 +1,150 @@
+"""Content classes and the :class:`Plan` dataclass.
+
+The planner emits :class:`Plan` instances; drivers consume them.  Every
+planted artifact (inert noise file, email, callback-bearing canary)
+maps to exactly one :class:`ContentClass` member, which is what the
+realism engine uses to dispatch to the right namer / body generator /
+prompt template.
+
+Categories:
+
+* **User content** (LLM-eligible): ``note``, ``todo``, ``draft``,
+  ``script``.  Created by humans on workstations; LLM enrichment makes
+  them feel lived-in.
+* **System content** (deterministic only): ``log_cron``, ``log_daemon``,
+  ``cache_tmp``.  These are *supposed* to look formulaic — that's how
+  cron/journald actually write them.  LLM here would harm realism.
+* **Email** (LLM-eligible): one persona writing to another.  Owned by
+  the email driver, not the file driver.
+* **Canary** (deterministic, callback-bearing): one ``canary_*`` member
+  per :mod:`decnet.canary.factory.KNOWN_GENERATORS` entry.  Picked
+  rarely and rate-limited per-decky by the planner.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+from datetime import datetime
+from enum import StrEnum
+from typing import Literal, Optional
+
+
+class ContentClass(StrEnum):
+    """The kind of artifact a planner has decided to produce.
+
+    Values are stable over the wire — they're persisted on
+    ``synthetic_files.content_class`` and used as bus-event discriminants
+    so renaming a member is a schema change.  Add new members at the
+    bottom; never reorder.
+    """
+
+    # User-generated, LLM-enrichable
+    NOTE = "note"
+    TODO = "todo"
+    DRAFT = "draft"
+    SCRIPT = "script"
+
+    # System-generated, template-only (LLM would harm realism)
+    LOG_CRON = "log_cron"
+    LOG_DAEMON = "log_daemon"
+    CACHE_TMP = "cache_tmp"
+
+    # Email — owned by the email driver, planner picks the action shape
+    EMAIL = "email"
+
+    # Callback-bearing — provided by decnet.canary.cultivator at
+    # dispatch time, not by realism.bodies.  One member per generator
+    # in decnet.canary.factory.KNOWN_GENERATORS.
+    CANARY_AWS_CREDS = "canary_aws_creds"
+    CANARY_ENV_FILE = "canary_env_file"
+    CANARY_GIT_CONFIG = "canary_git_config"
+    CANARY_SSH_KEY = "canary_ssh_key"
+    CANARY_HONEYDOC = "canary_honeydoc"
+    CANARY_HONEYDOC_DOCX = "canary_honeydoc_docx"
+    CANARY_HONEYDOC_PDF = "canary_honeydoc_pdf"
+    CANARY_MYSQL_DUMP = "canary_mysql_dump"
+
+    def is_canary(self) -> bool:
+        return self.value.startswith("canary_")
+
+    def is_user_class(self) -> bool:
+        return self in (
+            ContentClass.NOTE,
+            ContentClass.TODO,
+            ContentClass.DRAFT,
+            ContentClass.SCRIPT,
+        )
+
+    def is_system_class(self) -> bool:
+        return self in (
+            ContentClass.LOG_CRON,
+            ContentClass.LOG_DAEMON,
+            ContentClass.CACHE_TMP,
+        )
+
+
+PlanAction = Literal["create", "edit", "rotate"]
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class Plan:
+    """One realism decision: what to do, where, as whom, when.
+
+    Frozen so the planner can return the same instance to multiple
+    consumers (e.g. orchestrator dispatcher + canary cultivator) without
+    them stomping each other's view of the schedule.
+
+    Attributes
+    ----------
+    decky_uuid, decky_name :
+        Target decky.  Both carried so drivers don't need a repo
+        round-trip to map UUID → container name.
+    persona :
+        Persona name (``EmailPersona.name``) — this is the user the
+        action is "performed by."  Sampled from the topology's persona
+        pool at plan time.
+    content_class :
+        :class:`ContentClass` member.  Drives namer/body dispatch.
+    action :
+        ``"create"`` mints a new artifact; ``"edit"`` mutates a
+        previously-planted one (read-modify-write — requires
+        :attr:`previous_body`); ``"rotate"`` is the log-rotation shape
+        (``cron.log`` → ``cron.log.1``).
+    target_path :
+        Absolute container-side path the driver should write.  Already
+        persona-aware (e.g. ``/home/admin/TODO.md`` not
+        ``/home/{user}/TODO.md``).
+    mtime :
+        Backdated wall-clock the driver should ``touch -d`` after
+        writing.  Sampled by :func:`decnet.realism.diurnal.sample_mtime`
+        so files don't all stamp at the moment they were created.
+    body_hint :
+        Deterministic body the engine has *already* committed to.  LLM
+        enrichment, when enabled, may replace it but on timeout/failure
+        the driver falls back to this — so the tick never blocks
+        unboundedly.
+    previous_body :
+        Required for ``action="edit"``.  The bytes the driver read back
+        from the decky before mutating; passed to
+        :func:`decnet.realism.bodies.next_iteration`.
+    """
+
+    decky_uuid: str
+    decky_name: str
+    persona: str
+    content_class: ContentClass
+    action: PlanAction
+    target_path: str
+    mtime: datetime
+    body_hint: Optional[str] = None
+    previous_body: Optional[str] = None
+    notes: tuple[str, ...] = field(default_factory=tuple)
+
+    def __post_init__(self) -> None:
+        if self.action == "edit" and self.previous_body is None:
+            # Belt-and-braces: the planner produced an edit Plan without
+            # the prior body. The driver would either have to make a
+            # second docker exec to re-read or silently degrade to
+            # create. Both bad. Fail loudly at construction.
+            raise ValueError(
+                "Plan.action='edit' requires previous_body; got None"
+            )
diff --git a/tests/realism/__init__.py b/tests/realism/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/tests/realism/test_diurnal.py b/tests/realism/test_diurnal.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..77c4bfc7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/realism/test_diurnal.py
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+"""Coverage for :mod:`decnet.realism.diurnal`.
+
+Two functions to exercise:
+
+* :func:`in_work_hours` — straightforward window membership including
+  the wrap-around (``22:00-06:00``) case and the fail-open behaviour
+  on malformed windows.
+* :func:`sample_mtime` — must (a) return a ``datetime`` strictly in
+  the past, (b) clip to the configured backdate cap, and (c) snap the
+  hour-of-day into the persona's window when the unconstrained
+  candidate would land outside.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import random
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
+
+import pytest
+
+from decnet.realism.diurnal import in_work_hours, sample_mtime
+
+
+# Fixed 'now' for reproducible tests — Monday 2026-04-27 14:00 UTC.
+_NOW = datetime(2026, 4, 27, 14, 0, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+
+
+# ---- in_work_hours -----------------------------------------------------
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "now_hour,now_min,window,expected",
+    [
+        (10, 0, "09:00-18:00", True),
+        (8, 59, "09:00-18:00", False),
+        (9, 0, "09:00-18:00", True),
+        (18, 0, "09:00-18:00", False),       # exclusive end
+        (17, 59, "09:00-18:00", True),
+        (23, 30, "22:00-06:00", True),       # wrap-around: late
+        (3, 0, "22:00-06:00", True),         # wrap-around: early
+        (12, 0, "22:00-06:00", False),       # wrap-around: middle of day
+    ],
+)
+def test_in_work_hours_window_membership(
+    now_hour: int, now_min: int, window: str, expected: bool,
+) -> None:
+    now = _NOW.replace(hour=now_hour, minute=now_min)
+    assert in_work_hours(window, now) is expected
+
+
+def test_in_work_hours_equal_start_end_means_always_on() -> None:
+    # A persona pegged "00:00-00:00" should never be silenced by the
+    # diurnal gate — interpreted as "no schedule".
+    assert in_work_hours("00:00-00:00", _NOW) is True
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "garbage",
+    ["not-a-window", "9-18", "09:00", "25:00-26:00", "09:00-18:99", ""],
+)
+def test_malformed_window_fails_open(garbage: str) -> None:
+    # The fleet must not silence on a typo — same fail-open semantics
+    # as decnet.orchestrator.emailgen.personas.in_active_hours.
+    assert in_work_hours(garbage, _NOW) is True
+
+
+# ---- sample_mtime ------------------------------------------------------
+
+def test_sample_mtime_is_in_the_past() -> None:
+    rng = random.Random(0)
+    for _ in range(20):
+        mt = sample_mtime("09:00-18:00", _NOW, rand=rng)
+        assert mt < _NOW, f"sample_mtime returned future: {mt} >= {_NOW}"
+
+
+def test_sample_mtime_respects_backdate_cap() -> None:
+    rng = random.Random(0)
+    cap_days = 7.0
+    for _ in range(50):
+        mt = sample_mtime(
+            "09:00-18:00", _NOW, rand=rng,
+            backdate_max_days=cap_days, backdate_min_hours=0.5,
+        )
+        assert _NOW - mt <= timedelta(days=cap_days) + timedelta(hours=1)
+        assert _NOW - mt >= timedelta(hours=0.5) - timedelta(seconds=1)
+
+
+def test_sample_mtime_snaps_hour_into_window() -> None:
+    # Force a tight window then assert the hour-of-day is always in it.
+    rng = random.Random(42)
+    window = "09:00-18:00"
+    for _ in range(60):
+        mt = sample_mtime(window, _NOW, rand=rng)
+        assert 9 <= mt.hour < 18, (
+            f"hour {mt.hour} fell outside {window} on {mt.isoformat()}"
+        )
+
+
+def test_sample_mtime_handles_wrap_around_window() -> None:
+    rng = random.Random(123)
+    for _ in range(40):
+        mt = sample_mtime("22:00-06:00", _NOW, rand=rng)
+        assert mt.hour >= 22 or mt.hour < 6, (
+            f"hour {mt.hour} fell outside wrap window on {mt.isoformat()}"
+        )
+
+
+def test_sample_mtime_malformed_window_does_not_snap() -> None:
+    # When the window can't be parsed, just return the unconstrained
+    # backdate. Belt-and-braces: shouldn't crash, shouldn't future-stamp.
+    rng = random.Random(0)
+    mt = sample_mtime("garbage", _NOW, rand=rng)
+    assert mt < _NOW
+
+
+def test_sample_mtime_is_deterministic_per_seed() -> None:
+    # The diurnal sampler accepts a Random — pinning the seed must
+    # produce stable output, otherwise tests can't assert anything
+    # tighter than "returns a datetime in the past."
+    a = sample_mtime("09:00-18:00", _NOW, rand=random.Random(7))
+    b = sample_mtime("09:00-18:00", _NOW, rand=random.Random(7))
+    assert a == b
diff --git a/tests/realism/test_taxonomy.py b/tests/realism/test_taxonomy.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..34fcb0f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/realism/test_taxonomy.py
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+"""Coverage for :mod:`decnet.realism.taxonomy`.
+
+The enum values are persisted on ``synthetic_files.content_class`` and
+flow through bus topics — renaming a member is a schema change, so the
+stable-list test pins the wire format.  ``Plan`` invariants (frozen,
+edit requires previous_body) are tested too because the planner relies
+on construction-time validation rather than a separate validator pass.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
+
+import pytest
+
+from decnet.realism.taxonomy import ContentClass, Plan
+
+
+def test_content_class_values_are_stable() -> None:
+    # If anyone renames or reorders, the assertion explodes — the
+    # enum is wire-visible (synthetic_files.content_class column,
+    # bus event payloads) so changes need a schema bump elsewhere.
+    assert {c.value for c in ContentClass} == {
+        "note", "todo", "draft", "script",
+        "log_cron", "log_daemon", "cache_tmp",
+        "email",
+        "canary_aws_creds", "canary_env_file", "canary_git_config",
+        "canary_ssh_key", "canary_honeydoc", "canary_honeydoc_docx",
+        "canary_honeydoc_pdf", "canary_mysql_dump",
+    }
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("name", ["NOTE", "TODO", "DRAFT", "SCRIPT"])
+def test_user_classes_classified(name: str) -> None:
+    cls = ContentClass[name]
+    assert cls.is_user_class()
+    assert not cls.is_system_class()
+    assert not cls.is_canary()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("name", ["LOG_CRON", "LOG_DAEMON", "CACHE_TMP"])
+def test_system_classes_classified(name: str) -> None:
+    cls = ContentClass[name]
+    assert cls.is_system_class()
+    assert not cls.is_user_class()
+    assert not cls.is_canary()
+
+
+def test_canary_members_all_classified() -> None:
+    canaries = [c for c in ContentClass if c.value.startswith("canary_")]
+    assert canaries, "expected at least one canary content_class"
+    for c in canaries:
+        assert c.is_canary()
+        assert not c.is_user_class()
+        assert not c.is_system_class()
+
+
+def test_email_is_neither_user_nor_system_nor_canary() -> None:
+    # Email lives on its own track — same content engine but a
+    # different driver and a different table. Classification helpers
+    # must not falsely group it into file-class buckets.
+    assert ContentClass.EMAIL.value == "email"
+    assert not ContentClass.EMAIL.is_user_class()
+    assert not ContentClass.EMAIL.is_system_class()
+    assert not ContentClass.EMAIL.is_canary()
+
+
+def _plan(**kw):
+    defaults = dict(
+        decky_uuid="d-1",
+        decky_name="alpha",
+        persona="admin",
+        content_class=ContentClass.NOTE,
+        action="create",
+        target_path="/home/admin/notes.txt",
+        mtime=datetime(2026, 4, 25, 11, 30, tzinfo=timezone.utc),
+        body_hint="todo: rotate keys",
+    )
+    defaults.update(kw)
+    return Plan(**defaults)
+
+
+def test_plan_is_frozen() -> None:
+    p = _plan()
+    with pytest.raises(Exception):  # FrozenInstanceError or AttributeError
+        p.persona = "ubuntu"  # type: ignore[misc]
+
+
+def test_edit_plan_requires_previous_body() -> None:
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="previous_body"):
+        _plan(action="edit", previous_body=None)
+
+
+def test_edit_plan_with_previous_body_succeeds() -> None:
+    p = _plan(action="edit", previous_body="- [ ] rotate keys\n")
+    assert p.action == "edit"
+    assert p.previous_body == "- [ ] rotate keys\n"
+
+
+def test_create_plan_does_not_need_previous_body() -> None:
+    p = _plan(action="create", previous_body=None)
+    assert p.action == "create"
+    assert p.previous_body is None