diff --git a/internal/session/lease_inspect.go b/internal/session/lease_inspect.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..71beaca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/session/lease_inspect.go
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+package session
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"os"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// LeaseState classifies the lease found at a workspace's session.json. It is
+// the input to the persistent-mode dispatcher: missing/stale/remote -> adopt;
+// fresh local -> passive reattach.
+type LeaseState int
+
+const (
+	// LeaseStateNone: lease file missing or unparseable.
+	LeaseStateNone LeaseState = iota
+	// LeaseStateFreshLocal: lease parses, last_heartbeat_at < StaleLeaseAfter,
+	// hostname matches the current host.
+	LeaseStateFreshLocal
+	// LeaseStateStale: lease parses, last_heartbeat_at >= StaleLeaseAfter.
+	LeaseStateStale
+	// LeaseStateFreshRemote: lease parses, last_heartbeat_at < StaleLeaseAfter,
+	// hostname differs from the current host.
+	LeaseStateFreshRemote
+)
+
+func (s LeaseState) String() string {
+	switch s {
+	case LeaseStateNone:
+		return "none"
+	case LeaseStateFreshLocal:
+		return "fresh_local"
+	case LeaseStateStale:
+		return "stale"
+	case LeaseStateFreshRemote:
+		return "fresh_remote"
+	default:
+		return "unknown"
+	}
+}
+
+// InspectLease reads <wsDir>/.ctask/session.json and classifies the result.
+// Reuses the existing 60-second freshness threshold (StaleLeaseAfter) — the
+// persistent-mode dispatcher must agree with v0.4 lease semantics.
+func InspectLease(wsDir string) LeaseState {
+	l, err := ReadLease(LeasePath(wsDir))
+	if err != nil {
+		// Missing or corrupt -> none. (CleanupStaleLease handles removal of
+		// corrupt files when sessions actually start; for a read-only
+		// inspection we just classify and return.)
+		if errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+			return LeaseStateNone
+		}
+		return LeaseStateNone
+	}
+	if l == nil {
+		return LeaseStateNone
+	}
+	if !IsFresh(l, time.Now(), StaleLeaseAfter) {
+		return LeaseStateStale
+	}
+	if l.Hostname != currentHostname() {
+		return LeaseStateFreshRemote
+	}
+	return LeaseStateFreshLocal
+}
diff --git a/internal/session/lease_inspect_test.go b/internal/session/lease_inspect_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..caa08a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/session/lease_inspect_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+package session
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func writeLeaseAt(t *testing.T, wsDir string, l *Lease) {
+	t.Helper()
+	if err := WriteLease(LeasePath(wsDir), l); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("WriteLease: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestInspectLeaseNoneWhenMissing(t *testing.T) {
+	ws := t.TempDir()
+	if got := InspectLease(ws); got != LeaseStateNone {
+		t.Errorf("missing: got %v, want %v", got, LeaseStateNone)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestInspectLeaseNoneWhenCorrupt(t *testing.T) {
+	ws := t.TempDir()
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(ws, ".ctask"), 0755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("mkdir: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := os.WriteFile(LeasePath(ws), []byte("not json"), 0644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write: %v", err)
+	}
+	if got := InspectLease(ws); got != LeaseStateNone {
+		t.Errorf("corrupt: got %v, want %v", got, LeaseStateNone)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestInspectLeaseFreshLocal(t *testing.T) {
+	ws := t.TempDir()
+	host := currentHostname()
+	l := &Lease{
+		SessionID:       "test",
+		PID:             os.Getpid(),
+		Hostname:        host,
+		Username:        "u",
+		Agent:           "claude",
+		Mode:            "local",
+		StartedAt:       time.Now().UTC(),
+		LastHeartbeatAt: time.Now().UTC(),
+		Terminal:        "test",
+	}
+	writeLeaseAt(t, ws, l)
+	if got := InspectLease(ws); got != LeaseStateFreshLocal {
+		t.Errorf("fresh local: got %v, want %v", got, LeaseStateFreshLocal)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestInspectLeaseStale(t *testing.T) {
+	ws := t.TempDir()
+	host := currentHostname()
+	l := &Lease{
+		SessionID:       "test",
+		PID:             os.Getpid(),
+		Hostname:        host,
+		Username:        "u",
+		Agent:           "claude",
+		Mode:            "local",
+		StartedAt:       time.Now().UTC().Add(-10 * time.Minute),
+		LastHeartbeatAt: time.Now().UTC().Add(-10 * time.Minute),
+		Terminal:        "test",
+	}
+	writeLeaseAt(t, ws, l)
+	if got := InspectLease(ws); got != LeaseStateStale {
+		t.Errorf("stale: got %v, want %v", got, LeaseStateStale)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestInspectLeaseFreshRemote(t *testing.T) {
+	ws := t.TempDir()
+	other := "some-other-host-that-is-not-this-one"
+	if other == currentHostname() {
+		other = "different-" + other
+	}
+	l := &Lease{
+		SessionID:       "test",
+		PID:             1,
+		Hostname:        other,
+		Username:        "u",
+		Agent:           "claude",
+		Mode:            "local",
+		StartedAt:       time.Now().UTC(),
+		LastHeartbeatAt: time.Now().UTC(),
+		Terminal:        "test",
+	}
+	writeLeaseAt(t, ws, l)
+	if got := InspectLease(ws); got != LeaseStateFreshRemote {
+		t.Errorf("fresh remote: got %v, want %v", got, LeaseStateFreshRemote)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestInspectLeaseStringerCoverage(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, s := range []LeaseState{LeaseStateNone, LeaseStateFreshLocal, LeaseStateStale, LeaseStateFreshRemote} {
+		if s.String() == "" {
+			t.Errorf("LeaseState %d has empty String()", s)
+		}
+	}
+}