diff --git a/tests/test_json_envelope_field_consistency.py b/tests/test_json_envelope_field_consistency.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b3a6426
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_json_envelope_field_consistency.py
@@ -0,0 +1,211 @@
+"""JSON envelope field consistency validation (ROADMAP #173 prep).
+
+This test suite validates that clawable-surface commands' JSON output
+follows the contract defined in SCHEMAS.md. Currently, commands emit
+command-specific envelopes without the canonical common fields
+(timestamp, command, exit_code, output_format, schema_version).
+
+This test documents the current gap and validates the consistency
+of what IS there, providing a baseline for #173 (common field wrapping).
+
+Phase 1 (this test): Validate consistency within each command's envelope.
+Phase 2 (future #173): Wrap all 13 commands with canonical common fields.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+import subprocess
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any
+
+import pytest
+
+sys.path.insert(0, str(Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent))
+
+from src.main import build_parser  # noqa: E402
+
+
+# Expected fields for each clawable command's JSON envelope.
+# These are the command-specific fields (not including common fields yet).
+# Entries are (command_name, required_fields, optional_fields).
+ENVELOPE_CONTRACTS = {
+    'list-sessions': (
+        {'count', 'sessions'},
+        set(),
+    ),
+    'delete-session': (
+        {'session_id', 'deleted', 'directory'},
+        set(),
+    ),
+    'load-session': (
+        {'session_id', 'loaded', 'directory', 'path'},
+        set(),
+    ),
+    'flush-transcript': (
+        {'session_id', 'path', 'flushed', 'messages_count', 'input_tokens', 'output_tokens'},
+        set(),
+    ),
+    'show-command': (
+        {'name', 'found', 'source_hint', 'responsibility'},
+        set(),
+    ),
+    'show-tool': (
+        {'name', 'found', 'source_hint'},
+        set(),
+    ),
+    'exec-command': (
+        {'name', 'prompt', 'handled', 'message', 'source_hint'},
+        set(),
+    ),
+    'exec-tool': (
+        {'name', 'payload', 'handled', 'message', 'source_hint'},
+        set(),
+    ),
+    'route': (
+        {'prompt', 'limit', 'match_count', 'matches'},
+        set(),
+    ),
+    'bootstrap': (
+        {'prompt', 'setup', 'routed_matches', 'turn', 'persisted_session_path'},
+        set(),
+    ),
+    'command-graph': (
+        {'builtins_count', 'plugin_like_count', 'skill_like_count', 'total_count', 'builtins', 'plugin_like', 'skill_like'},
+        set(),
+    ),
+    'tool-pool': (
+        {'simple_mode', 'include_mcp', 'tool_count', 'tools'},
+        set(),
+    ),
+    'bootstrap-graph': (
+        {'stages', 'note'},
+        set(),
+    ),
+}
+
+
+class TestJsonEnvelopeConsistency:
+    """Validate current command envelopes match their declared contracts.
+
+    This is a consistency check, not a conformance check. Once #173 adds
+    common fields to all commands, these tests will auto-pass the common
+    field assertions and verify command-specific fields stay consistent.
+    """
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize('cmd_name,contract', sorted(ENVELOPE_CONTRACTS.items()))
+    def test_command_json_fields_present(self, cmd_name: str, contract: tuple[set[str], set[str]]) -> None:
+        required, optional = contract
+        """Command's JSON envelope must include all required fields."""
+        # Get minimal invocation args for this command
+        test_invocations = {
+            'list-sessions': [],
+            'show-command': ['add-dir'],
+            'show-tool': ['BashTool'],
+            'exec-command': ['add-dir', 'hi'],
+            'exec-tool': ['BashTool', '{}'],
+            'route': ['review'],
+            'bootstrap': ['hello'],
+            'command-graph': [],
+            'tool-pool': [],
+            'bootstrap-graph': [],
+        }
+        
+        if cmd_name not in test_invocations:
+            pytest.skip(f'{cmd_name} requires session setup; skipped')
+        
+        cmd_args = test_invocations[cmd_name]
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            [sys.executable, '-m', 'src.main', cmd_name, *cmd_args, '--output-format', 'json'],
+            cwd=Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent,
+            capture_output=True,
+            text=True,
+        )
+        
+        if result.returncode not in (0, 1):
+            pytest.fail(f'{cmd_name}: unexpected exit {result.returncode}\nstderr: {result.stderr}')
+        
+        try:
+            envelope = json.loads(result.stdout)
+        except json.JSONDecodeError as e:
+            pytest.fail(f'{cmd_name}: invalid JSON: {e}\nOutput: {result.stdout[:200]}')
+        
+        # Check required fields (command-specific)
+        missing = required - set(envelope.keys())
+        if missing:
+            pytest.fail(
+                f'{cmd_name} envelope missing required fields: {missing}\n'
+                f'Expected: {required}\nGot: {set(envelope.keys())}'
+            )
+        
+        # Check that extra fields are accounted for (warn if unknown)
+        known = required | optional
+        extra = set(envelope.keys()) - known
+        if extra:
+            # Warn but don't fail — there may be new fields added
+            pytest.warns(UserWarning, match=f'extra fields in {cmd_name}: {extra}')
+
+    def test_envelope_field_value_types(self) -> None:
+        """Smoke test: envelope fields have expected types (bool, int, str, list, dict, null)."""
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            [sys.executable, '-m', 'src.main', 'list-sessions', '--output-format', 'json'],
+            cwd=Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent,
+            capture_output=True,
+            text=True,
+        )
+        
+        envelope = json.loads(result.stdout)
+        
+        # Spot check a few fields
+        assert isinstance(envelope.get('count'), int), 'count should be int'
+        assert isinstance(envelope.get('sessions'), list), 'sessions should be list'
+
+
+class TestJsonEnvelopeCommonFieldPrep:
+    """Validation stubs for common fields (part of #173 implementation).
+
+    These tests will activate once wrap_json_envelope() is applied to all
+    13 clawable commands. Currently they document the expected contract.
+    """
+
+    @pytest.mark.skip(reason='Common fields not yet wrapped (ROADMAP #173)')
+    def test_all_envelopes_include_timestamp(self) -> None:
+        """Every clawable envelope must include ISO 8601 UTC timestamp."""
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            [sys.executable, '-m', 'src.main', 'command-graph', '--output-format', 'json'],
+            cwd=Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent,
+            capture_output=True,
+            text=True,
+        )
+        envelope = json.loads(result.stdout)
+        assert 'timestamp' in envelope, 'Missing timestamp field'
+        # Verify ISO 8601 format (ends with Z for UTC)
+        assert envelope['timestamp'].endswith('Z'), f'Timestamp not UTC: {envelope["timestamp"]}'
+
+    @pytest.mark.skip(reason='Common fields not yet wrapped (ROADMAP #173)')
+    def test_all_envelopes_include_command(self) -> None:
+        """Every envelope must echo the command name."""
+        for cmd_name in ['list-sessions', 'command-graph', 'bootstrap']:
+            result = subprocess.run(
+                [sys.executable, '-m', 'src.main', cmd_name, '--output-format', 'json'],
+                cwd=Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent,
+                capture_output=True,
+                text=True,
+            )
+            envelope = json.loads(result.stdout)
+            assert envelope.get('command') == cmd_name, f'{cmd_name} envelope.command mismatch'
+
+    @pytest.mark.skip(reason='Common fields not yet wrapped (ROADMAP #173)')
+    def test_all_envelopes_include_exit_code_and_schema_version(self) -> None:
+        """Every envelope must include exit_code and schema_version."""
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            [sys.executable, '-m', 'src.main', 'tool-pool', '--output-format', 'json'],
+            cwd=Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent,
+            capture_output=True,
+            text=True,
+        )
+        envelope = json.loads(result.stdout)
+        assert 'exit_code' in envelope, 'Missing exit_code'
+        assert 'schema_version' in envelope, 'Missing schema_version'
+        assert envelope['schema_version'] == '1.0', 'Wrong schema_version'