diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ff547c61..618a3d7d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ This repo is the raw code only. The guides explain everything.
 - **Media and launch tooling** — `manim-video`, `remotion-video-creation`, and upgraded social publishing surfaces make technical explainers and launch content part of the same system.
 - **Framework and product surface growth** — `nestjs-patterns`, richer Codex/OpenCode install surfaces, and expanded cross-harness packaging keep the repo usable beyond Claude Code alone.
 - **ECC 2.0 alpha is in-tree** — the Rust control-plane prototype in `ecc2/` now builds locally and exposes `dashboard`, `start`, `sessions`, `status`, `stop`, `resume`, and `daemon` commands. It is usable as an alpha, not yet a general release.
-- **Operator status snapshots** — `ecc status --markdown --write status.md` turns the local state store into a portable handoff covering readiness, active sessions, skill-run health, install health, pending governance events, and linked work items from Linear/GitHub/handoffs. Use `ecc work-items upsert ...` to add or update those linked work items from the CLI.
+- **Operator status snapshots** — `ecc status --markdown --write status.md` turns the local state store into a portable handoff covering readiness, active sessions, skill-run health, install health, pending governance events, and linked work items from Linear/GitHub/handoffs. Use `ecc work-items upsert ...` to add or update those linked work items from the CLI, and `ecc status --exit-code` to fail automation when readiness needs attention.
 - **Ecosystem hardening** — AgentShield, ECC Tools cost controls, billing portal work, and website refreshes continue to ship around the core plugin instead of drifting into separate silos.
 
 ### v1.9.0 — Selective Install & Language Expansion (Mar 2026)
diff --git a/scripts/ecc.js b/scripts/ecc.js
index fecfadea..ce15736a 100755
--- a/scripts/ecc.js
+++ b/scripts/ecc.js
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ Examples:
   ecc repair --dry-run
   ecc auto-update --dry-run
   ecc status --json
+  ecc status --exit-code
   ecc status --markdown --write status.md
   ecc sessions
   ecc sessions session-active --json
diff --git a/scripts/status.js b/scripts/status.js
index c6c9514a..e97b8d38 100644
--- a/scripts/status.js
+++ b/scripts/status.js
@@ -8,10 +8,12 @@ const { createStateStore } = require('./lib/state-store');
 
 function showHelp(exitCode = 0) {
   console.log(`
-Usage: node scripts/status.js [--db <path>] [--json|--markdown] [--write <path>] [--limit <n>]
+Usage: node scripts/status.js [--db <path>] [--json|--markdown] [--write <path>] [--limit <n>] [--exit-code]
 
 Query the ECC SQLite state store for active sessions, recent skill runs,
 install health, pending governance events, and linked work items.
+
+Use --exit-code to return 2 when readiness needs attention.
 `);
   process.exit(exitCode);
 }
@@ -23,6 +25,7 @@ function parseArgs(argv) {
     json: false,
     markdown: false,
     writePath: null,
+    exitCode: false,
     help: false,
     limit: 5,
   };
@@ -37,6 +40,8 @@ function parseArgs(argv) {
       parsed.json = true;
     } else if (arg === '--markdown') {
       parsed.markdown = true;
+    } else if (arg === '--exit-code') {
+      parsed.exitCode = true;
     } else if (arg === '--write') {
       parsed.writePath = args[index + 1] || null;
       index += 1;
@@ -364,6 +369,10 @@ async function main() {
       }
       printHuman(payload);
     }
+
+    if (options.exitCode && payload.readiness.status !== 'ok') {
+      process.exitCode = 2;
+    }
   } catch (error) {
     console.error(`Error: ${error.message}`);
     process.exit(1);
diff --git a/tests/lib/state-store.test.js b/tests/lib/state-store.test.js
index 9c9ee940..79fea25b 100644
--- a/tests/lib/state-store.test.js
+++ b/tests/lib/state-store.test.js
@@ -667,6 +667,34 @@ async function runTests() {
     }
   })) passed += 1; else failed += 1;
 
+  if (await test('status CLI --exit-code reports attention without suppressing output', async () => {
+    const attentionDir = createTempDir('ecc-state-attention-');
+    const okDir = createTempDir('ecc-state-ok-');
+    const attentionDbPath = path.join(attentionDir, 'state.db');
+    const okDbPath = path.join(okDir, 'state.db');
+
+    try {
+      await seedStore(attentionDbPath);
+
+      const attentionResult = runNode(STATUS_SCRIPT, ['--db', attentionDbPath, '--json', '--exit-code']);
+      assert.strictEqual(attentionResult.status, 2, attentionResult.stderr);
+      const attentionPayload = parseJson(attentionResult.stdout);
+      assert.strictEqual(attentionPayload.readiness.status, 'attention');
+      assert.strictEqual(attentionPayload.readiness.attentionCount, 2);
+
+      const okStore = await createStateStore({ dbPath: okDbPath });
+      okStore.close();
+
+      const okResult = runNode(STATUS_SCRIPT, ['--db', okDbPath, '--json', '--exit-code']);
+      assert.strictEqual(okResult.status, 0, okResult.stderr);
+      const okPayload = parseJson(okResult.stdout);
+      assert.strictEqual(okPayload.readiness.status, 'ok');
+    } finally {
+      cleanupTempDir(attentionDir);
+      cleanupTempDir(okDir);
+    }
+  })) passed += 1; else failed += 1;
+
   if (await test('status CLI can emit and write markdown operator snapshots', async () => {
     const testDir = createTempDir('ecc-state-cli-');
     const dbPath = path.join(testDir, 'state.db');