diff --git a/crates/qbzd/src/api/mod.rs b/crates/qbzd/src/api/mod.rs
index a8c09716c..8ebbb2f81 100644
--- a/crates/qbzd/src/api/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/qbzd/src/api/mod.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,383 @@
-// crates/qbzd/src/api/mod.rs — HTTP surface (stub). Route handlers and the
-// server itself land in T6/T7/T8; this module currently only carries the
-// `/api/status` response contract (T2, 02-cli-and-api.md §3.3.3).
+// crates/qbzd/src/api/mod.rs — the HTTP control plane (02-cli-and-api.md §3).
+//
+// tiny_http 0.12, single listener, thread-per-connection collapsed to ONE
+// serving thread (requests are handled inline, serialized — a control plane
+// sees a handful of clients, never a load). Two mechanisms qualify the
+// otherwise-open surface (§3.1.2):
+//   - Origin shield (ALWAYS on): any request carrying an `Origin` header is
+//     refused `403 origin_forbidden` before routing — CLI/curl/scripts send no
+//     `Origin`, browsers do (CSRF / DNS-rebinding guard at zero UX cost).
+//   - Opt-in `[server] token`: when set, `Authorization: Bearer <token>` is
+//     required on every route EXCEPT `GET /api/ping`; a mismatch is
+//     `401 invalid_token`. Unset = no auth machinery exists at runtime.
+//
+// The two-call split — `bind` at boot step 5 (stateless, so the foreign-occupant
+// diagnosis runs BEFORE the stores/runtime exist), `serve` at boot step 11 — is
+// what keeps the 01-architecture.md §8.1 boot order honest.
 pub mod status;
+
+use std::io::Cursor;
+use std::net::SocketAddr;
+use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
+use std::time::Instant;
+
+use tiny_http::{Header, Request, Response};
+
+use crate::adapter::DaemonAdapter;
+use crate::paths::ProfileRoots;
+use crate::state::DaemonShared;
+use qbz_app::shell::AppRuntime;
+use qbz_audio::settings::AudioSettingsStore;
+
+/// The counted P0 route table (02 §3.2). A route exists only iff a shipped
+/// client calls it (§3.1.4). This task lands **3**; T7 adds the 9 playback +
+/// now-playing routes, T8 the 4 queue routes, T11 `/api/settings/reload` — the
+/// inline `route_table_matches_spec_count` test pins the number so the
+/// 68-routes failure shape (a route with no caller) cannot creep back in.
+pub const P0_ROUTES: &[(&str, &str)] = &[
+    ("GET", "/api/ping"),
+    ("GET", "/api/info"),
+    ("GET", "/api/status"),
+];
+
+/// A socket bound at boot step 5, not yet serving. Wraps the tiny_http server
+/// in an `Arc` so the serving thread and the shutdown handle can both hold it
+/// (`unblock` from the handle terminates the thread's `incoming_requests`).
+pub struct BoundServer {
+    server: Arc<tiny_http::Server>,
+}
+
+/// Everything the route handlers read. Owned by the single serving thread
+/// (moved into it by [`serve`]), so it only needs `Send`, never `Sync` — which
+/// is why a plain `AudioSettingsStore` (rusqlite `Connection`: Send, not Sync)
+/// can live here directly. `token` is the opt-in `[server] token`, read once at
+/// boot (`None` = open).
+pub struct ApiState {
+    pub runtime: Arc<AppRuntime<DaemonAdapter>>,
+    pub shared: Arc<Mutex<DaemonShared>>,
+    pub roots: ProfileRoots,
+    pub token: Option<String>,
+    /// The bound address, echoed verbatim by `/api/info`.
+    pub bind: String,
+    /// Handle to the daemon's tokio runtime — the serving thread is a plain
+    /// `std::thread`, so async core calls (`get_queue_state`) run via
+    /// `Handle::block_on` (never called from a runtime worker → no panic).
+    pub rt: tokio::runtime::Handle,
+    /// Second read-only connection to the daemon-root audio settings DB (WAL
+    /// allows it alongside the Player's). Supplies `configured_device`/`backend`.
+    pub audio: AudioSettingsStore,
+    /// Cached device enumeration for `device_present` (refreshed on a TTL so a
+    /// `status` poll never re-enumerates CPAL on every call).
+    pub devices: Mutex<DeviceCache>,
+}
+
+/// TTL-cached output-device names for the `device_present` check.
+#[derive(Default)]
+pub struct DeviceCache {
+    pub at: Option<Instant>,
+    pub names: Vec<String>,
+}
+
+/// Live serving handle. [`ApiHandle::shutdown`] unblocks the serving thread and
+/// joins it — dropping the thread's `ApiState` (and with it the `Arc<AppRuntime>`
+/// clone) BEFORE the daemon drops the runtime, preserving the §8.2 audio
+/// clock-release ordering (the API thread is one more `Arc<AppRuntime>` holder,
+/// exactly like the driver and auth-retry tasks).
+pub struct ApiHandle {
+    server: Arc<tiny_http::Server>,
+    thread: Option<std::thread::JoinHandle<()>>,
+}
+
+impl ApiHandle {
+    pub fn shutdown(mut self) {
+        self.server.unblock();
+        if let Some(t) = self.thread.take() {
+            let _ = t.join();
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Why a bind failed — `AddrInUse` is the case the boot step-5 diagnosis probes
+/// (foreign qbzd vs another process); everything else is a generic fatal.
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub enum BindError {
+    AddrInUse(SocketAddr),
+    Other(String),
+}
+
+/// Boot step 5 (01 §8.1): bind only — stateless, so the foreign-occupant
+/// diagnosis (in `daemon.rs`) runs BEFORE stores (6) and runtime composition (7).
+pub fn bind(addr: SocketAddr) -> Result<BoundServer, BindError> {
+    match tiny_http::Server::http(addr) {
+        Ok(server) => Ok(BoundServer {
+            server: Arc::new(server),
+        }),
+        Err(e) => Err(classify_bind_error(e, addr)),
+    }
+}
+
+fn classify_bind_error(
+    e: Box<dyn std::error::Error + Send + Sync + 'static>,
+    addr: SocketAddr,
+) -> BindError {
+    if let Some(io) = e.downcast_ref::<std::io::Error>() {
+        if io.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::AddrInUse {
+            return BindError::AddrInUse(addr);
+        }
+    }
+    BindError::Other(e.to_string())
+}
+
+/// Best-effort occupant probe for the step-5 diagnosis: `GET /api/ping` and
+/// check the response identifies as qbzd (`"app":"qbzd"`). Loopback, short
+/// timeout, no dependency on reqwest (the CLI's async client is not built here).
+pub fn probe_is_qbzd(addr: SocketAddr) -> bool {
+    use std::io::{Read, Write};
+    use std::net::TcpStream;
+    use std::time::Duration;
+    let mut stream = match TcpStream::connect_timeout(&addr, Duration::from_millis(500)) {
+        Ok(s) => s,
+        Err(_) => return false,
+    };
+    let _ = stream.set_read_timeout(Some(Duration::from_secs(1)));
+    let _ = stream.set_write_timeout(Some(Duration::from_secs(1)));
+    let req = format!(
+        "GET /api/ping HTTP/1.1\r\nHost: {addr}\r\nConnection: close\r\n\r\n"
+    );
+    if stream.write_all(req.as_bytes()).is_err() {
+        return false;
+    }
+    let _ = stream.flush();
+    let mut buf = Vec::new();
+    let _ = stream.take(4096).read_to_end(&mut buf);
+    let text = String::from_utf8_lossy(&buf);
+    text.contains("\"app\":\"qbzd\"")
+}
+
+/// Boot step 11 (01 §8.1): start serving on the already-bound socket. Requests
+/// are handled inline on one thread (serialized). `unblock` (from the handle)
+/// ends `incoming_requests` for graceful shutdown.
+pub fn serve(server: BoundServer, state: ApiState) -> ApiHandle {
+    // The counted P0 surface — logged at boot so an operator sees exactly how
+    // many routes this build exposes (and it anchors the const to production).
+    log::info!("control plane serving {} P0 route(s)", P0_ROUTES.len());
+    let srv = server.server;
+    let srv_handle = srv.clone();
+    let thread = std::thread::Builder::new()
+        .name("qbzd-api".into())
+        .spawn(move || {
+            for mut req in srv.incoming_requests() {
+                let resp = route(&state, &mut req);
+                let _ = req.respond(resp);
+            }
+        })
+        .expect("failed to spawn qbzd api thread");
+    ApiHandle {
+        server: srv_handle,
+        thread: Some(thread),
+    }
+}
+
+fn route(state: &ApiState, req: &mut Request) -> Response<Cursor<Vec<u8>>> {
+    let method = req.method().as_str().to_owned();
+    let path = req.url().split('?').next().unwrap_or("").to_owned();
+    let has_origin = req.headers().iter().any(|h| h.field.equiv("Origin"));
+    let auth_header = req
+        .headers()
+        .iter()
+        .find(|h| h.field.equiv("Authorization"))
+        .map(|h| h.value.as_str());
+
+    // Origin shield (ALWAYS on) + opt-in [server] token — one pre-routing gate,
+    // /api/ping exempt from the token only (§3.1.2).
+    if let Some(reject) = access_gate(has_origin, &method, &path, auth_header, state.token.as_deref())
+    {
+        return reject.response();
+    }
+
+    match (method.as_str(), path.as_str()) {
+        ("GET", "/api/ping") => json(
+            200,
+            serde_json::json!({"ok": true, "app": "qbzd", "api_version": crate::API_VERSION}),
+        ),
+        ("GET", "/api/info") => status::info(state),
+        ("GET", "/api/status") => status::status(state),
+        // T7: /api/now-playing + 8 playback routes · T8: 4 queue routes ·
+        // T11: /api/settings/reload.
+        _ => err_json(404, "not_found", "unknown route", "see qbzd --help"),
+    }
+}
+
+/// A pre-routing rejection. Carried as a small enum so [`access_gate`] stays a
+/// pure decision (unit-testable without a tiny_http `Request`, which has no
+/// public constructor) while `route` renders the normative envelope.
+enum GateReject {
+    OriginForbidden,
+    InvalidToken,
+}
+
+impl GateReject {
+    fn response(&self) -> Response<Cursor<Vec<u8>>> {
+        match self {
+            GateReject::OriginForbidden => err_json(
+                403,
+                "origin_forbidden",
+                "requests with an Origin header are refused",
+                "the control plane is not a browser API",
+            ),
+            GateReject::InvalidToken => err_json(
+                401,
+                "invalid_token",
+                "missing or wrong bearer token",
+                "set QBZD_TOKEN or check [server] token in qbzd.toml",
+            ),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// The pre-routing access decision (02 §3.1.2): Origin shield always on; the
+/// opt-in Bearer required on every route except `GET /api/ping` when `token`
+/// is `Some`. `None` = open (no auth machinery). Returns `Some(_)` to reject.
+fn access_gate(
+    has_origin: bool,
+    method: &str,
+    path: &str,
+    auth_header: Option<&str>,
+    token: Option<&str>,
+) -> Option<GateReject> {
+    if has_origin {
+        return Some(GateReject::OriginForbidden);
+    }
+    if let Some(secret) = token {
+        let is_ping = method == "GET" && path == "/api/ping";
+        let expected = format!("Bearer {secret}");
+        let ok = auth_header
+            .map(|v| constant_time_eq(v.as_bytes(), expected.as_bytes()))
+            .unwrap_or(false);
+        if !is_ping && !ok {
+            return Some(GateReject::InvalidToken);
+        }
+    }
+    None
+}
+
+fn constant_time_eq(a: &[u8], b: &[u8]) -> bool {
+    if a.len() != b.len() {
+        return false;
+    }
+    let mut diff = 0u8;
+    for (x, y) in a.iter().zip(b.iter()) {
+        diff |= x ^ y;
+    }
+    diff == 0
+}
+
+/// A 2xx JSON response. `pub(crate)` so the per-route handlers in `status.rs`
+/// share the exact same envelope framing.
+pub(crate) fn json(status: u16, body: serde_json::Value) -> Response<Cursor<Vec<u8>>> {
+    let bytes = serde_json::to_vec(&body).unwrap_or_else(|_| b"{}".to_vec());
+    let header = Header::from_bytes(&b"Content-Type"[..], &b"application/json"[..])
+        .expect("static content-type header");
+    Response::from_data(bytes)
+        .with_status_code(status)
+        .with_header(header)
+}
+
+/// The normative error envelope (02 §3.1.3): `{"error":{"code","message","hint"}}`.
+/// The CLI keys its exit code off `code` (never raw HTTP status), and every hint
+/// names the fix (§1.4 error voice). The G0 addendum's shorthand
+/// `{"error":"origin_forbidden"}` is this same nested envelope — the uniform
+/// §3.1.3 shape the CLI's `error_from_envelope` reads via `error.code`.
+pub(crate) fn err_json(
+    status: u16,
+    code: &str,
+    message: &str,
+    hint: &str,
+) -> Response<Cursor<Vec<u8>>> {
+    json(status, error_body(code, message, hint))
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn error_body(code: &str, message: &str, hint: &str) -> serde_json::Value {
+    serde_json::json!({"error": {"code": code, "message": message, "hint": hint}})
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn route_table_matches_spec_count() {
+        // 02-cli-and-api.md §3.2 — P0 = exactly 17 routes; grows ONLY with a
+        // shipped client. This task lands 3; T7 +9; T8 +4; T11 +1.
+        assert_eq!(P0_ROUTES.len(), 3);
+        assert!(P0_ROUTES.contains(&("GET", "/api/ping")));
+        assert!(P0_ROUTES.contains(&("GET", "/api/info")));
+        assert!(P0_ROUTES.contains(&("GET", "/api/status")));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn constant_time_eq_matches_only_identical_slices() {
+        assert!(constant_time_eq(b"Bearer s3cret", b"Bearer s3cret"));
+        assert!(!constant_time_eq(b"Bearer s3cret", b"Bearer wrong"));
+        assert!(!constant_time_eq(b"Bearer s3cret", b"Bearer s3cret-extra"));
+        assert!(!constant_time_eq(b"", b"x"));
+    }
+
+    fn code(r: Option<GateReject>) -> Option<&'static str> {
+        r.map(|r| match r {
+            GateReject::OriginForbidden => "origin_forbidden",
+            GateReject::InvalidToken => "invalid_token",
+        })
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn origin_header_is_refused_on_every_route_including_ping() {
+        // Step 4(a): an Origin header → 403 origin_forbidden everywhere, even
+        // /api/ping, and even in the open (token=None) default.
+        for (m, p) in P0_ROUTES {
+            assert_eq!(
+                code(access_gate(true, m, p, None, None)),
+                Some("origin_forbidden"),
+                "{m} {p} with Origin must be refused"
+            );
+        }
+        // ...and the Origin shield wins even when a valid Bearer is present.
+        assert_eq!(
+            code(access_gate(true, "GET", "/api/ping", Some("Bearer s3cret"), Some("s3cret"))),
+            Some("origin_forbidden")
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn open_mode_answers_every_route_without_auth() {
+        // Step 4(b): token=None → no auth machinery; nothing is rejected.
+        for (m, p) in P0_ROUTES {
+            assert!(access_gate(false, m, p, None, None).is_none(), "{m} {p} must be open");
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn opt_in_token_rejects_missing_or_wrong_bearer_but_never_ping() {
+        // Step 4(c): token=Some → missing/wrong bearer is 401 on non-ping routes;
+        // /api/ping stays 200 (exempt); the correct bearer passes.
+        let tok = Some("s3cret");
+        assert_eq!(code(access_gate(false, "GET", "/api/status", None, tok)), Some("invalid_token"));
+        assert_eq!(
+            code(access_gate(false, "GET", "/api/status", Some("Bearer nope"), tok)),
+            Some("invalid_token")
+        );
+        assert!(access_gate(false, "GET", "/api/status", Some("Bearer s3cret"), tok).is_none());
+        // /api/ping answers even with no/ wrong bearer.
+        assert!(access_gate(false, "GET", "/api/ping", None, tok).is_none());
+        assert!(access_gate(false, "GET", "/api/ping", Some("Bearer nope"), tok).is_none());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn error_envelope_is_the_nested_shape_with_code() {
+        // 02 §3.1.3 — the on-the-wire shape the CLI reads via `error.code`.
+        let body = error_body("origin_forbidden", "refused", "not a browser API");
+        assert_eq!(body["error"]["code"], "origin_forbidden");
+        assert_eq!(body["error"]["message"], "refused");
+        assert_eq!(body["error"]["hint"], "not a browser API");
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/qbzd/src/api/status.rs b/crates/qbzd/src/api/status.rs
index 3090d8d69..937b8a244 100644
--- a/crates/qbzd/src/api/status.rs
+++ b/crates/qbzd/src/api/status.rs
@@ -4,9 +4,12 @@
 // `audio`/`playback`/`network` are placeholders wired by T3 (audio/playback
 // driver), T6 (HTTP server + network reachability) and T10 (qconnect report
 // tick, already flowing through `DaemonShared::qconnect`).
-use serde::Serialize;
+use std::io::Cursor;
 
-use crate::state::{AuthState, DaemonShared, LatchedErrors, QconnectStatus};
+use serde::Serialize;
+use tiny_http::Response;
+
+use crate::state::{AuthState, LatchedErrors, QconnectStatus};
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize)]
 pub struct StatusDoc {
@@ -62,77 +65,256 @@ pub struct NetworkStatus {
     pub online: bool,
 }
 
-/// Stub assembler: fills what T2 has (process facts + the `DaemonShared`
-/// snapshot); `audio`/`playback`/`network` stay placeholders until their
-/// producing tasks land.
-pub fn assemble(shared: &DaemonShared, version: &str, data_root: &str) -> StatusDoc {
+// ============================ live handlers (T6) ============================
+
+/// `GET /api/info` (02 §3.3.2) — identity for the CLI's version-skew diagnosis
+/// (§1.6, the single sanctioned second request). Deliberately minimal.
+pub fn info(state: &super::ApiState) -> Response<Cursor<Vec<u8>>> {
+    let uptime = state
+        .shared
+        .lock()
+        .ok()
+        .map(|s| s.started_at.elapsed().as_secs())
+        .unwrap_or(0);
+    super::json(
+        200,
+        serde_json::json!({
+            "app": "qbzd",
+            "version": env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION"),
+            "api_version": crate::API_VERSION,
+            "bind": state.bind,
+            "uptime_secs": uptime,
+            "data_root": state.roots.data.display().to_string(),
+        }),
+    )
+}
+
+/// `GET /api/status` (02 §3.3.3) — the composite daemon status. ALWAYS 200;
+/// the CLI maps degradation (needs_auth, missing device) to exit codes.
+pub fn status(state: &super::ApiState) -> Response<Cursor<Vec<u8>>> {
+    let doc = assemble_live(state);
+    super::json(
+        200,
+        serde_json::to_value(&doc).unwrap_or_else(|_| serde_json::json!({})),
+    )
+}
+
+/// Compose [`StatusDoc`] from live sources: `DaemonShared` (auth/qconnect/latched
+/// errors/tick age), the Player's sync getters via `get_playback_event`, the
+/// queue via an async core call (`block_on` on the daemon runtime — this is a
+/// plain serving thread, never a tokio worker, so no panic), and the audio
+/// store + TTL device cache for the audio block.
+fn assemble_live(state: &super::ApiState) -> StatusDoc {
+    // 1. snapshot DaemonShared, then DROP the guard before any block_on so the
+    //    mutex is never held across an await point.
+    let (auth, user_id, subscription, last_errors, qconnect, tick_age, muted, uptime) =
+        match state.shared.lock() {
+            Ok(s) => (
+                s.auth,
+                s.user_id,
+                s.subscription.clone(),
+                s.last_errors.clone(),
+                s.qconnect.clone(),
+                s.driver_last_tick.map(|t| t.elapsed().as_millis() as u64),
+                s.muted,
+                s.started_at.elapsed().as_secs(),
+            ),
+            Err(_) => (
+                AuthState::Restoring,
+                None,
+                None,
+                LatchedErrors::default(),
+                QconnectStatus::default(),
+                None,
+                false,
+                0,
+            ),
+        };
+
+    // 2. live player snapshot (all sync atomics, folded into one PlaybackEvent).
+    let player = state.runtime.core().player();
+    let ev = player.get_playback_event();
+    let device_open = player.state.current_device().is_some();
+
+    // 3. queue — async core read, driven from this non-worker thread.
+    let queue = state.rt.block_on(state.runtime.core().get_queue_state());
+
+    // 4. audio config from the store; device_present from the TTL cache.
+    let settings = state.audio.get_settings().ok();
+    let backend = settings.as_ref().and_then(|s| backend_label(s.backend_type));
+    let configured_device = settings.as_ref().and_then(|s| s.output_device.clone());
+    let device_present = match &configured_device {
+        None => true, // system default is always "present"
+        Some(dev) => device_is_present(state, dev),
+    };
+
+    // 5. playback block. `stopped` when nothing is loaded and the queue has no
+    //    current track; otherwise `playing`/`paused`.
+    let has_track = queue.current_track.is_some();
+    let pstate = if ev.is_playing {
+        "playing"
+    } else if has_track || player.has_loaded_audio() {
+        "paused"
+    } else {
+        "stopped"
+    };
+    let stopped = pstate == "stopped";
+    let (title, artist, track_id) = match &queue.current_track {
+        Some(t) => (Some(t.title.clone()), Some(t.artist.clone()), Some(t.id)),
+        None if ev.track_id != 0 => (None, None, Some(ev.track_id)),
+        None => (None, None, None),
+    };
+
     StatusDoc {
-        version: version.to_string(),
+        version: env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION").to_string(),
         api_version: crate::API_VERSION,
-        uptime_secs: shared.started_at.elapsed().as_secs(),
-        data_root: data_root.to_string(),
-        driver_tick_age_ms: shared
-            .driver_last_tick
-            .map(|t| t.elapsed().as_millis() as u64),
+        uptime_secs: uptime,
+        data_root: state.roots.data.display().to_string(),
+        driver_tick_age_ms: tick_age,
         auth: AuthStatus {
-            state: shared.auth,
-            user_id: shared.user_id,
-            subscription: shared.subscription.clone(),
+            state: auth,
+            user_id,
+            subscription,
         },
         audio: AudioStatus {
-            backend: None,
-            configured_device: None,
-            device_present: false,
-            device_open: false,
-            bit_perfect: None,
-            sample_rate: None,
-            bit_depth: None,
+            backend,
+            configured_device,
+            device_present,
+            device_open,
+            bit_perfect: bitperfect_label(ev.bit_perfect_mode),
+            sample_rate: ev.sample_rate,
+            bit_depth: ev.bit_depth,
         },
         playback: PlaybackStatus {
-            state: "stopped".to_string(),
-            track_id: None,
-            title: None,
-            artist: None,
-            position: None,
-            duration: None,
-            volume: 0.0,
-            muted: shared.muted,
-            queue_len: 0,
+            state: pstate.to_string(),
+            track_id: if stopped { None } else { track_id },
+            title: if stopped { None } else { title },
+            artist: if stopped { None } else { artist },
+            position: if stopped { None } else { Some(ev.position) },
+            duration: if stopped { None } else { Some(ev.duration) },
+            volume: ev.volume,
+            muted,
+            queue_len: queue.total_tracks,
         },
-        qconnect: shared.qconnect.clone(),
+        qconnect,
         network: NetworkStatus { online: true },
-        last_errors: shared.last_errors.clone(),
+        last_errors,
     }
 }
 
+/// `BitPerfectMode` → its serde variant string (02 §3.3.3:
+/// `"DirectHardware"|"PluginFallback"|"Disabled"`). `None` = no active stream.
+fn bitperfect_label(m: Option<qbz_audio::BitPerfectMode>) -> Option<String> {
+    use qbz_audio::BitPerfectMode as M;
+    m.map(|m| {
+        match m {
+            M::DirectHardware => "DirectHardware",
+            M::PluginFallback => "PluginFallback",
+            M::Disabled => "Disabled",
+        }
+        .to_string()
+    })
+}
+
+/// Configured backend → the lowercase label the status block shows. `None`
+/// (auto-detect) stays `null` until a stream picks a concrete backend.
+fn backend_label(b: Option<qbz_audio::AudioBackendType>) -> Option<String> {
+    use qbz_audio::AudioBackendType as B;
+    b.map(|b| {
+        match b {
+            B::PipeWire => "pipewire",
+            B::Alsa => "alsa",
+            B::Pulse => "pulse",
+            B::Jack => "jack",
+            B::SystemDefault => "system",
+        }
+        .to_string()
+    })
+}
+
+/// Best-effort presence check against the TTL-cached device enumeration. Exact
+/// device identity is refined in T10; here a substring match on either side
+/// tolerates the CPAL-name vs `hw:` mismatch without false negatives on a match.
+fn device_is_present(state: &super::ApiState, dev: &str) -> bool {
+    cached_device_names(state)
+        .iter()
+        .any(|n| n == dev || n.contains(dev) || dev.contains(n.as_str()))
+}
+
+/// Device names, re-enumerated at most every 5 s (a `status` poll must not
+/// re-scan CPAL on every call). On enumeration failure the timestamp is still
+/// bumped so a broken audio stack is not hammered.
+fn cached_device_names(state: &super::ApiState) -> Vec<String> {
+    use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
+    let mut cache = match state.devices.lock() {
+        Ok(c) => c,
+        Err(_) => return Vec::new(),
+    };
+    let fresh = cache
+        .at
+        .map(|t| t.elapsed() < Duration::from_secs(5))
+        .unwrap_or(false);
+    if !fresh {
+        if let Ok(sinks) = qbz_audio::output_sinks::list_output_sinks() {
+            cache.names = sinks.into_iter().map(|s| s.name).collect();
+        }
+        cache.at = Some(Instant::now());
+    }
+    cache.names.clone()
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
 
-    fn shared_fixture() -> DaemonShared {
-        DaemonShared {
-            auth: AuthState::NeedsAuth,
-            user_id: None,
-            subscription: None,
+    /// A NeedsAuth [`StatusDoc`] built directly (no live runtime), matching the
+    /// 02 §3.3.3 NeedsAuth fragment — the serde-shape contract these tests pin.
+    fn needs_auth_doc() -> StatusDoc {
+        StatusDoc {
+            version: "2.1.0".into(),
+            api_version: crate::API_VERSION,
+            uptime_secs: 261_360,
+            data_root: "/home/pi/.local/share/qbzd".into(),
+            driver_tick_age_ms: Some(210),
+            auth: AuthStatus {
+                state: AuthState::NeedsAuth,
+                user_id: None,
+                subscription: None,
+            },
+            audio: AudioStatus {
+                backend: Some("alsa".into()),
+                configured_device: None,
+                device_present: true,
+                device_open: false,
+                bit_perfect: None,
+                sample_rate: None,
+                bit_depth: None,
+            },
+            playback: PlaybackStatus {
+                state: "stopped".into(),
+                track_id: None,
+                title: None,
+                artist: None,
+                position: None,
+                duration: None,
+                volume: 0.0,
+                muted: false,
+                queue_len: 0,
+            },
+            qconnect: QconnectStatus::default(),
+            network: NetworkStatus { online: true },
             last_errors: LatchedErrors {
                 stream: None,
                 auth: Some("token rejected by Qobuz (401) — cleared".into()),
                 transport: None,
             },
-            driver_last_tick: None,
-            muted: false,
-            premute_volume: 1.0,
-            started_at: std::time::Instant::now(),
-            startup_warnings: 0,
-            qconnect: QconnectStatus::default(),
         }
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn assemble_mirrors_the_top_level_status_contract_keys() {
+    fn status_doc_mirrors_the_top_level_contract_keys() {
         // 02-cli-and-api.md §3.3.3 top-level keys, exactly.
-        let doc = assemble(&shared_fixture(), "2.1.0", "/home/pi/.local/share/qbzd");
-        let json = serde_json::to_value(&doc).unwrap();
+        let json = serde_json::to_value(needs_auth_doc()).unwrap();
         let obj = json.as_object().unwrap();
         for key in [
             "version",
@@ -152,9 +334,9 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn assemble_needs_auth_fragment_matches_spec_example() {
-        // 02 §3.3.3 NeedsAuth example fragment.
-        let doc = assemble(&shared_fixture(), "2.1.0", "/home/pi/.local/share/qbzd");
+    fn needs_auth_fragment_matches_spec_example() {
+        // 02 §3.3.3 NeedsAuth example fragment + auth.state serde string.
+        let doc = needs_auth_doc();
         assert_eq!(doc.auth.state, AuthState::NeedsAuth);
         assert!(doc.auth.user_id.is_none());
         assert!(doc.auth.subscription.is_none());
@@ -167,10 +349,20 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn assemble_carries_data_root_and_version_through_verbatim() {
-        let doc = assemble(&shared_fixture(), "2.1.0", "/home/pi/.local/share/qbzd");
-        assert_eq!(doc.version, "2.1.0");
-        assert_eq!(doc.data_root, "/home/pi/.local/share/qbzd");
-        assert_eq!(doc.api_version, crate::API_VERSION);
+    fn audio_block_serializes_the_documented_keys() {
+        // 02 §3.3.3 audio object — the shape the live assembler fills.
+        let json = serde_json::to_value(needs_auth_doc()).unwrap();
+        let audio = json["audio"].as_object().unwrap();
+        for key in [
+            "backend",
+            "configured_device",
+            "device_present",
+            "device_open",
+            "bit_perfect",
+            "sample_rate",
+            "bit_depth",
+        ] {
+            assert!(audio.contains_key(key), "missing audio key: {key}");
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/qbzd/src/cli/client.rs b/crates/qbzd/src/cli/client.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1d3cd861e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/qbzd/src/cli/client.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,282 @@
+// crates/qbzd/src/cli/client.rs — the stateless HTTP client behind every
+// networked CLI verb (02-cli-and-api.md §1.1). One verb = one request; the
+// client holds no daemon state beyond target discovery (§1.5).
+//
+// Target discovery precedence (§1.5): `--host` > `QBZD_HOST` > local default
+// `127.0.0.1:8182`. The Bearer is sent ONLY in opt-in mode: when `QBZD_TOKEN`
+// is set (remote or local) or, when targeting the LOCAL daemon, the local
+// `qbzd.toml` carries `[server] token`. Default: no token anywhere.
+use std::time::Duration;
+
+use serde_json::Value;
+
+use crate::config::QbzdConfig;
+use crate::paths::ProfileRoots;
+
+/// The frozen exit-code taxonomy (02 §1.3). `exit_code()` is the ONLY source of
+/// a networked verb's process exit code; scripts encode these numbers forever.
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub enum CliError {
+    /// exit 3 — connect refused / timeout on the target (carries `host` for the
+    /// §1.4 daemon-down copy).
+    Unreachable(String),
+    /// exit 4 — daemon in NeedsAuth; a Qobuz session is required.
+    NeedsAuth,
+    /// exit 5 — audio/device error (device unopenable, volume/seek fixed in DSD).
+    Device(String),
+    /// exit 6 — unknown id / index out of range.
+    NotFound(String),
+    /// exit 1 — breaking `api_version` skew: the verb refuses politely (§1.6).
+    ApiSkew { daemon: u32, cli: u32 },
+    /// exit 1 — any other runtime error (daemon said no / local failure).
+    Runtime(String),
+}
+
+impl CliError {
+    pub fn exit_code(&self) -> i32 {
+        match self {
+            CliError::Runtime(_) | CliError::ApiSkew { .. } => 1,
+            CliError::Unreachable(_) => 3,
+            CliError::NeedsAuth => 4,
+            CliError::Device(_) => 5,
+            CliError::NotFound(_) => 6,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl std::fmt::Display for CliError {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        use crate::cli::copy;
+        match self {
+            CliError::Unreachable(host) => write!(f, "{}", copy::daemon_down(host)),
+            CliError::NeedsAuth => write!(f, "{}", copy::daemon_up_needs_auth()),
+            CliError::Device(m) => write!(f, "error: {m}"),
+            CliError::NotFound(m) => write!(f, "error: {m}"),
+            CliError::ApiSkew { daemon, cli } => write!(f, "{}", copy::api_version_skew(*daemon, *cli)),
+            CliError::Runtime(m) => write!(f, "error: {m}"),
+        }
+    }
+}
+impl std::error::Error for CliError {}
+
+/// A resolved target host + whether it is the local daemon (governs whether the
+/// local `qbzd.toml` token and the linger check apply).
+pub struct Target {
+    pub addr: String,
+    pub is_local: bool,
+}
+
+/// §1.5 target discovery: `--host` > `QBZD_HOST` > local `127.0.0.1:8182`. An
+/// explicit override (flag or env) is treated as remote — only the local
+/// default reads the local token / runs the linger check.
+pub fn resolve_host(flag: Option<String>) -> Target {
+    if let Some(h) = flag.filter(|h| !h.is_empty()) {
+        return Target { addr: normalize_hostport(&h), is_local: false };
+    }
+    if let Ok(h) = std::env::var("QBZD_HOST") {
+        if !h.is_empty() {
+            return Target { addr: normalize_hostport(&h), is_local: false };
+        }
+    }
+    Target { addr: "127.0.0.1:8182".into(), is_local: true }
+}
+
+/// Append the default port when the operator gave a bare host.
+fn normalize_hostport(h: &str) -> String {
+    if h.contains(':') {
+        h.to_string()
+    } else {
+        format!("{h}:8182")
+    }
+}
+
+/// §1.5 token discovery: `QBZD_TOKEN` (remote or local), else — only when
+/// targeting the local daemon — the local `qbzd.toml` `[server] token`.
+fn resolve_token(target: &Target, roots: &ProfileRoots) -> Option<String> {
+    if let Ok(t) = std::env::var("QBZD_TOKEN") {
+        if !t.is_empty() {
+            return Some(t);
+        }
+    }
+    if target.is_local {
+        if let Ok((cfg, _)) = QbzdConfig::load(&roots.config.join("qbzd.toml")) {
+            return cfg.server.token;
+        }
+    }
+    None
+}
+
+/// A thin skin over one HTTP request to the daemon.
+pub struct ApiClient {
+    base: String,
+    host: String,
+    is_local: bool,
+    token: Option<String>,
+    client: reqwest::Client,
+}
+
+impl ApiClient {
+    /// Discover the target + token per §1.5 and build the client.
+    pub fn new(host: Option<String>, roots: &ProfileRoots) -> Self {
+        let target = resolve_host(host);
+        let token = resolve_token(&target, roots);
+        let client = reqwest::Client::builder()
+            .connect_timeout(Duration::from_secs(2))
+            .timeout(Duration::from_secs(10))
+            .build()
+            .expect("failed to build reqwest client");
+        ApiClient {
+            base: format!("http://{}", target.addr),
+            host: target.addr,
+            is_local: target.is_local,
+            token,
+            client,
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// The target `ip:port` (for the daemon-down copy + the status header line).
+    pub fn host(&self) -> &str {
+        &self.host
+    }
+
+    /// Whether the target is the local daemon (governs the linger check).
+    pub fn is_local(&self) -> bool {
+        self.is_local
+    }
+
+    pub async fn get(&self, path: &str) -> Result<Value, CliError> {
+        let req = self.bearer(self.client.get(format!("{}{}", self.base, path)));
+        self.send(req).await
+    }
+
+    /// P0 mutation transport — first consumer is the T7 transport verbs.
+    #[allow(dead_code)] // wired by the T7 play/pause/… verbs
+    pub async fn post(&self, path: &str, body: Value) -> Result<Value, CliError> {
+        let req = self.bearer(self.client.post(format!("{}{}", self.base, path)).json(&body));
+        self.send(req).await
+    }
+
+    fn bearer(&self, req: reqwest::RequestBuilder) -> reqwest::RequestBuilder {
+        match &self.token {
+            Some(t) => req.bearer_auth(t),
+            None => req,
+        }
+    }
+
+    async fn send(&self, req: reqwest::RequestBuilder) -> Result<Value, CliError> {
+        let resp = req.send().await.map_err(|e| self.classify_transport(e))?;
+        let status = resp.status();
+        let text = resp.text().await.unwrap_or_default();
+        if status.is_success() {
+            match serde_json::from_str::<Value>(&text) {
+                Ok(v) => Ok(v),
+                // Unparseable 2xx body → the §1.6 sanctioned second request.
+                Err(_) => Err(self.diagnose_skew().await),
+            }
+        } else {
+            match serde_json::from_str::<Value>(&text) {
+                Ok(v) => Err(error_from_envelope(&v)),
+                Err(_) => Err(self.diagnose_skew().await),
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn classify_transport(&self, e: reqwest::Error) -> CliError {
+        if e.is_connect() || e.is_timeout() {
+            CliError::Unreachable(self.host.clone())
+        } else {
+            CliError::Runtime(format!("request failed: {e}"))
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// §1.6: an unreadable body / unknown envelope is the only trigger for the
+    /// single sanctioned second request, `GET /api/info` — the stable identity
+    /// route. `api_version` mismatch → refuse politely; otherwise a plain error.
+    async fn diagnose_skew(&self) -> CliError {
+        if let Some(api) = self.info_api_version().await {
+            if api != crate::API_VERSION {
+                return CliError::ApiSkew {
+                    daemon: api,
+                    cli: crate::API_VERSION,
+                };
+            }
+        }
+        CliError::Runtime("daemon returned an unreadable response".to_string())
+    }
+
+    async fn info_api_version(&self) -> Option<u32> {
+        let req = self.bearer(self.client.get(format!("{}/api/info", self.base)));
+        let resp = req.send().await.ok()?;
+        let v: Value = resp.json().await.ok()?;
+        v.get("api_version").and_then(|a| a.as_u64()).map(|a| a as u32)
+    }
+}
+
+/// Map an error envelope's `code` (02 §3.1.3) to the frozen exit taxonomy. The
+/// CLI keys off `code`, never raw HTTP status. `origin_forbidden`/`invalid_token`
+/// and anything unrecognized → exit 1.
+fn error_from_envelope(v: &Value) -> CliError {
+    let err = v.get("error");
+    let code = err
+        .and_then(|e| e.get("code"))
+        .and_then(|c| c.as_str())
+        .unwrap_or("");
+    let message = err
+        .and_then(|e| e.get("message"))
+        .and_then(|m| m.as_str())
+        .unwrap_or("daemon returned an error")
+        .to_string();
+    match code {
+        "needs_auth" => CliError::NeedsAuth,
+        "not_found" => CliError::NotFound(message),
+        "audio_unavailable" | "volume_fixed_dsd" | "seek_unsupported_dsd" | "device_error" => {
+            CliError::Device(message)
+        }
+        _ => CliError::Runtime(message),
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn exit_codes_match_the_frozen_table() {
+        // 02-cli-and-api.md §1.3.
+        assert_eq!(CliError::Unreachable("x".into()).exit_code(), 3);
+        assert_eq!(CliError::NeedsAuth.exit_code(), 4);
+        assert_eq!(CliError::Device("x".into()).exit_code(), 5);
+        assert_eq!(CliError::NotFound("x".into()).exit_code(), 6);
+        assert_eq!(CliError::ApiSkew { daemon: 2, cli: 1 }.exit_code(), 1);
+        assert_eq!(CliError::Runtime("x".into()).exit_code(), 1);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn error_envelope_maps_code_to_exit() {
+        let needs = serde_json::json!({"error": {"code": "needs_auth", "message": "no"}});
+        assert_eq!(error_from_envelope(&needs).exit_code(), 4);
+        let nf = serde_json::json!({"error": {"code": "not_found", "message": "no"}});
+        assert_eq!(error_from_envelope(&nf).exit_code(), 6);
+        let dev = serde_json::json!({"error": {"code": "volume_fixed_dsd", "message": "no"}});
+        assert_eq!(error_from_envelope(&dev).exit_code(), 5);
+        // origin_forbidden / invalid_token / unknown all fall to 1.
+        let origin = serde_json::json!({"error": {"code": "origin_forbidden", "message": "no"}});
+        assert_eq!(error_from_envelope(&origin).exit_code(), 1);
+        let tok = serde_json::json!({"error": {"code": "invalid_token", "message": "no"}});
+        assert_eq!(error_from_envelope(&tok).exit_code(), 1);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn host_discovery_appends_default_port_and_flags_local() {
+        assert_eq!(normalize_hostport("192.168.0.40"), "192.168.0.40:8182");
+        assert_eq!(normalize_hostport("192.168.0.40:9000"), "192.168.0.40:9000");
+        // An explicit flag is remote; the bare default is local.
+        assert!(!resolve_host(Some("192.168.0.40".into())).is_local);
+        // (Env-free path.) The default target is local.
+        let t = resolve_host(None);
+        if std::env::var("QBZD_HOST").is_err() {
+            assert!(t.is_local);
+            assert_eq!(t.addr, "127.0.0.1:8182");
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/qbzd/src/cli/copy.rs b/crates/qbzd/src/cli/copy.rs
index 957907ea3..db62d75ff 100644
--- a/crates/qbzd/src/cli/copy.rs
+++ b/crates/qbzd/src/cli/copy.rs
@@ -39,3 +39,92 @@ pub fn logout_success(daemon_nudged: bool) -> String {
         "logged out".to_string()
     }
 }
+
+// ============================ error voice (02 §1.4) ============================
+// Verbatim §1.4 / §2.2 / §6.3 copy — "modulo interpolated values". Every message
+// ends in one to three `→` fix lines; changing the wording is a spec violation.
+
+/// Daemon unreachable — exit 3 (02 §1.4). `host` is the target `ip:port`.
+pub fn daemon_down(host: &str) -> String {
+    format!(
+        "error: daemon not reachable at {host}
+  → is it running?    systemctl --user status qbzd
+  → just installed?   systemctl --user enable --now qbzd
+  → different host?   qbzd --host <ip>:<port> ...  or  export QBZD_HOST=<ip>:<port>"
+    )
+}
+
+/// Daemon up but not logged in — exit 4 (02 §1.4). The down-vs-unhealthy
+/// distinction: the daemon answered, the Qobuz session is what's missing.
+/// Consumed by the T7 transport verbs that hit a NeedsAuth daemon; `status`
+/// renders the composite block instead.
+#[allow(dead_code)] // wired by the T7 verbs (now/play/…) that refuse on NeedsAuth
+pub fn daemon_up_needs_auth() -> String {
+    "error: daemon is running but not logged in to Qobuz
+  → log in:           qbzd login
+  → have a bundle?    qbzd settings import qbz-settings-20260714.qbzb --include-auth"
+        .to_string()
+}
+
+/// Linger-off warning (02 §1.4; NOT an error) — printed by `qbzd status` on the
+/// daemon box when `loginctl show-user $USER -p Linger` reports `Linger=no`.
+pub fn linger_off(user: &str) -> String {
+    format!(
+        "warning: linger is off for user '{user}' — the daemon stops when you log out
+  → keep it running:  sudo loginctl enable-linger {user}"
+    )
+}
+
+/// Volume fixed under DSD-direct — exit 5 (02 §1.4). Consumed by the T7
+/// `volume`/`mute` verbs; defined here so all four §1.4 blocks live in one place.
+#[allow(dead_code)] // wired by the T7 volume/mute verbs
+pub fn volume_fixed_dsd() -> String {
+    "error: volume is fixed in DSD-direct mode (bit-perfect passthrough)
+  → to get software volume, set DSD mode to \"convert\":  qbzd setup  (Audio screen)"
+        .to_string()
+}
+
+/// Foreign occupant on the control port that is NOT qbzd — printed by the daemon
+/// at boot step 5 (02 §2.2, verbatim). `port` is interpolated.
+pub fn port_in_use(port: u16) -> String {
+    format!(
+        "error: port {port} is in use by another process (not qbzd)
+  → change the port:  edit [server].port in ~/.config/qbzd/qbzd.toml"
+    )
+}
+
+/// A DIFFERENT qbzd already answering on the port while our instance lock is on
+/// another data root (a stale foreign root). Boot step 5 (02 §8.1-5).
+pub fn foreign_qbzd(addr: &str) -> String {
+    format!(
+        "error: another qbzd is already answering on {addr} (the instance lock said this root is free — stale foreign root?)
+  → find it:          ss -ltnp | grep {addr}
+  → or change the port:  edit [server].port in ~/.config/qbzd/qbzd.toml"
+    )
+}
+
+/// LAN-exposure warning (02 §6.3, verbatim) — printed by the daemon at boot when
+/// bound to a non-loopback address, and by the TUI Network screen (T13).
+pub fn lan_bind_warning(addr: &str) -> String {
+    format!(
+        "warning: control API is bound to {addr} — reachable from your network
+  anyone on your LAN can control playback (like Sonos or Chromecast)
+  → set [server] token in qbzd.toml to require a shared secret"
+    )
+}
+
+/// Version skew — daemon and CLI run different bin semvers (02 §1.6). A warning:
+/// `status` still renders. `daemon`/`cli` are the two `version` strings.
+pub fn version_skew(daemon: &str, cli: &str) -> String {
+    format!(
+        "warning: daemon runs {daemon}, this CLI is {cli}
+  → restart the daemon:  systemctl --user restart qbzd"
+    )
+}
+
+/// Breaking api_version skew (02 §1.6) — the verb refuses politely, exit 1.
+pub fn api_version_skew(daemon: u32, cli: u32) -> String {
+    format!(
+        "error: daemon speaks api v{daemon}, this CLI speaks v{cli} — update so both ends run the same package version"
+    )
+}
diff --git a/crates/qbzd/src/cli/mod.rs b/crates/qbzd/src/cli/mod.rs
index 2fe1f4fbd..6c0568232 100644
--- a/crates/qbzd/src/cli/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/qbzd/src/cli/mod.rs
@@ -3,4 +3,6 @@
 // The CLI is a stateless renderer (02-cli-and-api.md §1.1); the copy strings it
 // prints are normative (§1.4 error voice, §2.2 per-verb output). Keeping them in
 // one place lets the spec and the code diff cleanly.
+pub mod client;
 pub mod copy;
+pub mod status;
diff --git a/crates/qbzd/src/cli/status.rs b/crates/qbzd/src/cli/status.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..71c6bcf41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/qbzd/src/cli/status.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,332 @@
+// crates/qbzd/src/cli/status.rs — the `status` and `ping` verbs (02 §2.2).
+//
+// Both render an already-parsed API payload; neither holds state. `status` also
+// runs the version-skew check (§1.6, from the /api/status payload — it carries
+// `version` + `api_version`, so it needs no /api/info fallback) and, on the
+// daemon box, the linger check (§1.4). Exit codes come from the frozen table
+// (§1.3): 0 healthy · 3 unreachable · 4 needs_auth · 5 device unopenable.
+use serde_json::Value;
+
+use crate::cli::client::ApiClient;
+use crate::cli::copy;
+use crate::paths::ProfileRoots;
+
+/// `qbzd ping` — liveness. Human `pong`; `--json` the raw body. Exit 0 · 3.
+pub async fn ping(host: Option<String>, json: bool, roots: &ProfileRoots) -> i32 {
+    let client = ApiClient::new(host, roots);
+    match client.get("/api/ping").await {
+        Ok(v) => {
+            if json {
+                println!("{}", serde_json::to_string(&v).unwrap_or_default());
+            } else {
+                println!("pong");
+            }
+            0
+        }
+        Err(e) => {
+            eprintln!("{e}");
+            e.exit_code()
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// `qbzd status` — THE diagnostic. Human composite block; `--json` raw payload.
+/// Exit 0 healthy · 3 unreachable · 4 needs_auth · 5 device unopenable.
+pub async fn status(host: Option<String>, json: bool, roots: &ProfileRoots) -> i32 {
+    let client = ApiClient::new(host, roots);
+    let payload = match client.get("/api/status").await {
+        Ok(v) => v,
+        Err(e) => {
+            eprintln!("{e}");
+            return e.exit_code();
+        }
+    };
+
+    // Version skew (§1.6): breaking api_version mismatch refuses; a semver-only
+    // mismatch is a warning that does not stop the render.
+    let daemon_api = payload.get("api_version").and_then(|a| a.as_u64()).unwrap_or(0) as u32;
+    if daemon_api != crate::API_VERSION {
+        eprintln!("{}", copy::api_version_skew(daemon_api, crate::API_VERSION));
+        return 1;
+    }
+    let cli_ver = env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION");
+    if let Some(daemon_ver) = payload.get("version").and_then(|v| v.as_str()) {
+        if !daemon_ver.is_empty() && daemon_ver != cli_ver {
+            eprintln!("{}", copy::version_skew(daemon_ver, cli_ver));
+        }
+    }
+
+    if json {
+        println!("{}", serde_json::to_string(&payload).unwrap_or_default());
+    } else {
+        print!("{}", render(&payload, client.host()));
+    }
+
+    // Linger check on the daemon box only (§1.4) — a warning, never fatal.
+    if client.is_local() {
+        if let Some(w) = linger_warning() {
+            eprintln!("{w}");
+        }
+    }
+
+    exit_from_state(&payload)
+}
+
+/// 4 needs_auth · 5 configured device not present · else 0 (§1.3). Auth gates
+/// before device: a login is the more common fix.
+fn exit_from_state(p: &Value) -> i32 {
+    let auth = str_at(p, &["auth", "state"]);
+    if auth == "needs_auth" {
+        return 4;
+    }
+    let configured = p
+        .pointer("/audio/configured_device")
+        .map(|v| !v.is_null())
+        .unwrap_or(false);
+    let present = p
+        .pointer("/audio/device_present")
+        .and_then(|v| v.as_bool())
+        .unwrap_or(true);
+    if configured && !present {
+        return 5;
+    }
+    0
+}
+
+/// The §2.2 composite block. `host` is the target (the payload has no `bind`).
+fn render(p: &Value, host: &str) -> String {
+    let version = str_at(p, &["version"]);
+    let api = p.get("api_version").and_then(|a| a.as_u64()).unwrap_or(0);
+    let uptime = fmt_uptime(p.get("uptime_secs").and_then(|u| u.as_u64()).unwrap_or(0));
+    let data_root = str_at(p, &["data_root"]);
+
+    let mut out = String::new();
+    out.push_str(&format!(
+        "qbzd {version} · api v{api} · up {uptime} · {host} · data {data_root}\n"
+    ));
+    out.push_str(&format!("auth      : {}\n", render_auth(p)));
+    out.push_str(&format!("audio     : {}\n", render_audio(p)));
+    out.push_str(&format!("playback  : {}\n", render_playback(p)));
+    out.push_str(&format!("qconnect  : {}\n", render_qconnect(p)));
+    out.push_str(&format!(
+        "network   : {}\n",
+        if p.pointer("/network/online").and_then(|v| v.as_bool()).unwrap_or(false) {
+            "online"
+        } else {
+            "offline"
+        }
+    ));
+    out.push_str(&format!("last error: {}\n", render_last_error(p)));
+    out
+}
+
+fn render_auth(p: &Value) -> String {
+    match str_at(p, &["auth", "state"]).as_str() {
+        "logged_in" => {
+            let user = p.pointer("/auth/user_id").and_then(|v| v.as_u64());
+            let sub = p.pointer("/auth/subscription").and_then(|v| v.as_str());
+            match (user, sub) {
+                (Some(u), Some(s)) => format!("logged in (user {u}, {s})"),
+                (Some(u), None) => format!("logged in (user {u})"),
+                _ => "logged in".to_string(),
+            }
+        }
+        "restoring" => "restoring session…".to_string(),
+        _ => "not logged in".to_string(),
+    }
+}
+
+fn render_audio(p: &Value) -> String {
+    let backend = p.pointer("/audio/backend").and_then(|v| v.as_str());
+    let device = p.pointer("/audio/configured_device").and_then(|v| v.as_str());
+    let present = p.pointer("/audio/device_present").and_then(|v| v.as_bool()).unwrap_or(false);
+    let bit_perfect = p.pointer("/audio/bit_perfect").and_then(|v| v.as_str());
+    let sr = p.pointer("/audio/sample_rate").and_then(|v| v.as_u64());
+    let bd = p.pointer("/audio/bit_depth").and_then(|v| v.as_u64());
+
+    let mut parts: Vec<String> = Vec::new();
+    let head = match (backend, device) {
+        (Some(b), Some(d)) => format!("{b} {d}"),
+        (Some(b), None) => format!("{b} (system default)"),
+        (None, Some(d)) => d.to_string(),
+        (None, None) => "system default".to_string(),
+    };
+    parts.push(head);
+    parts.push(if present { "present".into() } else { "not present".into() });
+    if let Some(bp) = bit_perfect {
+        parts.push(format!("bit-perfect: {bp}"));
+    }
+    if let (Some(sr), Some(bd)) = (sr, bd) {
+        parts.push(format!("{sr} Hz / {bd}-bit"));
+    }
+    parts.join(" · ")
+}
+
+fn render_playback(p: &Value) -> String {
+    let state = str_at(p, &["playback", "state"]);
+    let queue = p.pointer("/playback/queue_len").and_then(|v| v.as_u64()).unwrap_or(0);
+    if state == "stopped" {
+        return format!("stopped · queue {queue}");
+    }
+    let title = p.pointer("/playback/title").and_then(|v| v.as_str());
+    let artist = p.pointer("/playback/artist").and_then(|v| v.as_str());
+    let pos = p.pointer("/playback/position").and_then(|v| v.as_u64()).unwrap_or(0);
+    let dur = p.pointer("/playback/duration").and_then(|v| v.as_u64()).unwrap_or(0);
+    let vol = p.pointer("/playback/volume").and_then(|v| v.as_f64()).unwrap_or(0.0);
+    let muted = p.pointer("/playback/muted").and_then(|v| v.as_bool()).unwrap_or(false);
+
+    let track = match (title, artist) {
+        (Some(t), Some(a)) => format!("\"{t}\" — {a}"),
+        (Some(t), None) => format!("\"{t}\""),
+        _ => "(unknown track)".to_string(),
+    };
+    let vol_str = if muted {
+        "muted".to_string()
+    } else {
+        format!("vol {}%", (vol * 100.0).round() as i64)
+    };
+    format!(
+        "{state} · {track} · {} / {} · {vol_str} · queue {queue}",
+        fmt_mmss(pos),
+        fmt_mmss(dur)
+    )
+}
+
+fn render_qconnect(p: &Value) -> String {
+    let enabled = p.pointer("/qconnect/enabled").and_then(|v| v.as_bool()).unwrap_or(false);
+    if !enabled {
+        return "off".to_string();
+    }
+    let state = p.pointer("/qconnect/state").and_then(|v| v.as_str()).unwrap_or("");
+    let session = p.pointer("/qconnect/session_active").and_then(|v| v.as_bool()).unwrap_or(false);
+    let name = p.pointer("/qconnect/device_name").and_then(|v| v.as_str()).unwrap_or("");
+    let mut parts = vec![if state.is_empty() { "enabled".to_string() } else { state.to_string() }];
+    if session {
+        parts.push("session active".to_string());
+    }
+    if !name.is_empty() {
+        parts.push(format!("name \"{name}\""));
+    }
+    parts.join(" · ")
+}
+
+fn render_last_error(p: &Value) -> String {
+    for key in ["stream", "auth", "transport"] {
+        if let Some(m) = p.pointer(&format!("/last_errors/{key}")).and_then(|v| v.as_str()) {
+            if !m.is_empty() {
+                return format!("{key}: {m}");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    "none".to_string()
+}
+
+/// `loginctl show-user $USER -p Linger` → the §1.4 linger warning on `Linger=no`.
+/// Any failure (no loginctl, no session) → no warning.
+fn linger_warning() -> Option<String> {
+    let user = std::env::var("USER").ok().filter(|u| !u.is_empty())?;
+    let out = std::process::Command::new("loginctl")
+        .args(["show-user", &user, "-p", "Linger"])
+        .output()
+        .ok()?;
+    let text = String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stdout);
+    if text.trim() == "Linger=no" {
+        Some(copy::linger_off(&user))
+    } else {
+        None
+    }
+}
+
+fn str_at(p: &Value, path: &[&str]) -> String {
+    let mut cur = p;
+    for k in path {
+        match cur.get(k) {
+            Some(v) => cur = v,
+            None => return String::new(),
+        }
+    }
+    cur.as_str().unwrap_or("").to_string()
+}
+
+fn fmt_mmss(secs: u64) -> String {
+    format!("{}:{:02}", secs / 60, secs % 60)
+}
+
+fn fmt_uptime(secs: u64) -> String {
+    let days = secs / 86_400;
+    let hours = (secs % 86_400) / 3_600;
+    let mins = (secs % 3_600) / 60;
+    if days > 0 {
+        format!("{days}d {hours}h")
+    } else if hours > 0 {
+        format!("{hours}h {mins}m")
+    } else {
+        format!("{mins}m")
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    fn logged_in_payload() -> Value {
+        serde_json::json!({
+            "version": "2.1.0", "api_version": 1, "uptime_secs": 259_200,
+            "data_root": "/home/pi/.local/share/qbzd", "driver_tick_age_ms": 210,
+            "auth": {"state": "logged_in", "user_id": 1234567, "subscription": "studio"},
+            "audio": {"backend": "alsa", "configured_device": "hw:CARD=D30,DEV=0",
+                      "device_present": true, "device_open": true,
+                      "bit_perfect": "DirectHardware", "sample_rate": 192000, "bit_depth": 24},
+            "playback": {"state": "playing", "track_id": 176544871, "title": "Spain",
+                         "artist": "Chick Corea", "position": 192, "duration": 581,
+                         "volume": 0.8, "muted": false, "queue_len": 14},
+            "qconnect": {"enabled": true, "state": "connected", "device_name": "QBZ (kitchen-pi)",
+                         "session_active": true, "last_transport_reconnect": null},
+            "network": {"online": true},
+            "last_errors": {"stream": null, "auth": null, "transport": null}
+        })
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn healthy_status_exits_zero() {
+        assert_eq!(exit_from_state(&logged_in_payload()), 0);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn needs_auth_exits_four() {
+        let mut p = logged_in_payload();
+        p["auth"]["state"] = serde_json::json!("needs_auth");
+        assert_eq!(exit_from_state(&p), 4);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn configured_but_absent_device_exits_five() {
+        let mut p = logged_in_payload();
+        p["audio"]["device_present"] = serde_json::json!(false);
+        assert_eq!(exit_from_state(&p), 5);
+        // system default (no configured device) never trips exit 5.
+        let mut sysdef = logged_in_payload();
+        sysdef["audio"]["configured_device"] = serde_json::Value::Null;
+        sysdef["audio"]["device_present"] = serde_json::json!(false);
+        assert_eq!(exit_from_state(&sysdef), 0);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn render_covers_the_composite_block() {
+        let block = render(&logged_in_payload(), "127.0.0.1:8182");
+        assert!(block.contains("qbzd 2.1.0 · api v1 · up 3d 0h · 127.0.0.1:8182"), "{block}");
+        assert!(block.contains("auth      : logged in (user 1234567, studio)"), "{block}");
+        assert!(block.contains("alsa hw:CARD=D30,DEV=0 · present · bit-perfect: DirectHardware · 192000 Hz / 24-bit"), "{block}");
+        assert!(block.contains("playback  : playing · \"Spain\" — Chick Corea · 3:12 / 9:41 · vol 80% · queue 14"), "{block}");
+        assert!(block.contains("qconnect  : connected · session active · name \"QBZ (kitchen-pi)\""), "{block}");
+        assert!(block.contains("last error: none"), "{block}");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn stopped_playback_renders_queue_only() {
+        let mut p = logged_in_payload();
+        p["playback"]["state"] = serde_json::json!("stopped");
+        let line = render_playback(&p);
+        assert_eq!(line, "stopped · queue 14");
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/qbzd/src/config.rs b/crates/qbzd/src/config.rs
index 912b84f03..2f04ed1d1 100644
--- a/crates/qbzd/src/config.rs
+++ b/crates/qbzd/src/config.rs
@@ -18,6 +18,12 @@ pub struct QbzdConfig {
 pub struct ServerCfg {
     pub bind: String,
     pub port: u16,
+    /// Opt-in shared secret (02 §3.1.2). Default `None` = the control plane is
+    /// UNAUTHENTICATED (loopback and LAN alike). When set, every route except
+    /// `GET /api/ping` requires `Authorization: Bearer <token>`; a mismatch is
+    /// `401 invalid_token`. A plain config value the user writes — there is no
+    /// generated file and no rotation verb (rotate = edit this + restart).
+    pub token: Option<String>,
 }
 #[derive(Debug, Deserialize, Serialize)]
 #[serde(default)]
@@ -35,6 +41,7 @@ impl Default for ServerCfg {
         Self {
             bind: "127.0.0.1".into(),
             port: 8182,
+            token: None, // open by default (02 §3.1.2)
         }
     }
 }
@@ -69,6 +76,7 @@ const KNOWN: &[(&str, &str)] = &[
     ("", "data_root"),
     ("server", "bind"),
     ("server", "port"),
+    ("server", "token"),
     ("log", "level"),
     ("mpris", "enabled"),
 ];
@@ -130,4 +138,17 @@ mod tests {
         let (_c, warns) = QbzdConfig::from_str("[server]\nbindd = \"0.0.0.0\"\n").unwrap();
         assert_eq!(warns, vec!["[server].bindd".to_string()]);
     }
+    #[test]
+    fn server_token_defaults_none_and_parses_when_set() {
+        // 02-cli-and-api.md §3.1.2: `[server] token` is opt-in — absent = None
+        // (open control plane); present = the shared secret, no warning.
+        let (open, warns) = QbzdConfig::from_str("").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(open.server.token, None);
+        assert!(warns.is_empty());
+
+        let (secured, warns) =
+            QbzdConfig::from_str("[server]\ntoken = \"s3cret\"\n").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(secured.server.token.as_deref(), Some("s3cret"));
+        assert!(warns.is_empty(), "known key must not warn: {warns:?}");
+    }
 }
diff --git a/crates/qbzd/src/daemon.rs b/crates/qbzd/src/daemon.rs
index e45e846a1..fc7fe4903 100644
--- a/crates/qbzd/src/daemon.rs
+++ b/crates/qbzd/src/daemon.rs
@@ -50,9 +50,27 @@ pub async fn run(roots: ProfileRoots, cfg: QbzdConfig, warns: Vec<String>) -> Re
     //    not the port, protects the single-device_uuid / single-session.db
     //    invariants. A second daemon on the same root is diagnosed → exit 3.
     let _lock = InstanceLock::acquire(&roots.data).map_err(diagnose_lock)?;
-    // 5. port bind + foreign-occupant diagnosis (probe with GET /api/ping) is a
-    //    stateless step that lands in T6 (api::bind); serving starts at step 11.
-    //    Until T6 the daemon runs API-less.
+    // 5. port bind + foreign-occupant diagnosis — STATELESS, so it runs BEFORE
+    //    stores (6) and runtime composition (7) per the §8.1 order. On a bind
+    //    conflict the occupant is probed with GET /api/ping: a qbzd answer means
+    //    a stale foreign root (the lock said this root was free), anything else
+    //    the §2.2 "another process" copy. The socket is bound here but not served
+    //    until step 11 — connections queue in the listen backlog through boot.
+    let bind_addr = resolve_bind_addr(&cfg)?;
+    let bound = match crate::api::bind(bind_addr) {
+        Ok(b) => b,
+        Err(crate::api::BindError::AddrInUse(addr)) => return Err(diagnose_port_conflict(addr)),
+        Err(crate::api::BindError::Other(msg)) => {
+            return Err(format!(
+                "error: could not bind the control API on {bind_addr}: {msg}\n  → check [server] bind/port in ~/.config/qbzd/qbzd.toml"
+            ));
+        }
+    };
+    if !bind_addr.ip().is_loopback() {
+        // §6.3 verbatim — reachable-from-LAN warning (also shown by the TUI).
+        eprintln!("{}", crate::cli::copy::lan_bind_warning(&bind_addr.to_string()));
+        log::warn!("control API bound to non-loopback {bind_addr}");
+    }
 
     // 6.-9. compose stores + runtime + restore credentials + restore session.
     let mut booted = boot(&roots, &cfg, warns.len()).await?;
@@ -74,6 +92,27 @@ pub async fn run(roots: ProfileRoots, cfg: QbzdConfig, warns: Vec<String>) -> Re
         shutdown_rx,
     ));
 
+    // 11. HTTP serve (02 §3) on the already-bound socket. `ApiState` carries a
+    //     second read-only audio-store connection (WAL) for the status audio
+    //     block, the tokio handle for the async queue read, and the opt-in
+    //     [server] token (None = open). 12. QConnect (T9/T10) splices after this.
+    let api_audio = qbz_audio::settings::AudioSettingsStore::new_at(&roots.data)
+        .map_err(|e| format!("error: could not open the audio settings store for the API: {e}"))?;
+    let api = crate::api::serve(
+        bound,
+        crate::api::ApiState {
+            runtime: booted.runtime.clone(),
+            shared: booted.shared.clone(),
+            roots: roots.clone(),
+            token: cfg.server.token.clone(),
+            bind: bind_addr.to_string(),
+            rt: tokio::runtime::Handle::current(),
+            audio: api_audio,
+            devices: std::sync::Mutex::new(crate::api::DeviceCache::default()),
+        },
+    );
+    log::info!("control API listening on {bind_addr}");
+
     // 13. park on SIGTERM/SIGINT. NO startup audio "hygiene": both candidate
     //     fns are verified no-ops from a fresh process and re-adding them is the
     //     documented skeptic-correction #1 trap (§8.1).
@@ -97,6 +136,11 @@ pub async fn run(roots: ProfileRoots, cfg: QbzdConfig, warns: Vec<String>) -> Re
         retry.abort();
         let _ = retry.await;
     }
+    // Stop the API thread and JOIN it: its `ApiState` holds an `Arc<AppRuntime>`
+    // clone, which must drop before `drop(booted)` releases the audio device
+    // ahead of the #521 pair — the same ordering constraint as the driver and
+    // auth-retry tasks (§8.2).
+    api.shutdown();
     // Release the audio device by dropping the runtime (its Player) BEFORE the
     // #521 pair (§8.2 step 3 precedes step 4).
     drop(booted);
@@ -370,6 +414,32 @@ fn spawn_auth_retry(
     })
 }
 
+/// Resolve `[server] bind:port` to a `SocketAddr` (01 §10.1). A malformed value
+/// is a fatal boot error that names the fix (exit 1).
+fn resolve_bind_addr(cfg: &QbzdConfig) -> Result<std::net::SocketAddr, String> {
+    use std::net::ToSocketAddrs;
+    let hostport = format!("{}:{}", cfg.server.bind, cfg.server.port);
+    hostport
+        .to_socket_addrs()
+        .map_err(|e| {
+            format!("error: invalid [server] bind/port '{hostport}': {e}\n  → set a valid ip and port in ~/.config/qbzd/qbzd.toml")
+        })?
+        .next()
+        .ok_or_else(|| {
+            format!("error: [server] '{hostport}' resolved to no address\n  → set a valid ip and port in ~/.config/qbzd/qbzd.toml")
+        })
+}
+
+/// The step-5 bind-conflict diagnosis (02 §8.1-5 / §2.2): a qbzd occupant on a
+/// different data root vs. an unrelated process on the port.
+fn diagnose_port_conflict(addr: std::net::SocketAddr) -> String {
+    if crate::api::probe_is_qbzd(addr) {
+        crate::cli::copy::foreign_qbzd(&addr.to_string())
+    } else {
+        crate::cli::copy::port_in_use(addr.port())
+    }
+}
+
 /// Render an [`InstanceLock`] failure. For the already-running case this prints
 /// the frozen exit-3 error voice (02 §1.3/§1.4) and exits 3 directly — the new
 /// process must never clobber the running one. An I/O failure returns a String
diff --git a/crates/qbzd/src/main.rs b/crates/qbzd/src/main.rs
index 06ae2ce46..32ca0eef7 100644
--- a/crates/qbzd/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/qbzd/src/main.rs
@@ -19,9 +19,6 @@ struct Cli {
     /// Target daemon (default 127.0.0.1:8182; env QBZD_HOST)
     #[arg(long, global = true)]
     host: Option<String>,
-    /// API token (default: auto-read ~/.config/qbzd/api_token; env QBZD_TOKEN)
-    #[arg(long, global = true)]
-    token: Option<String>,
     #[arg(short, long, global = true)]
     quiet: bool,
     #[command(subcommand)]
@@ -92,8 +89,10 @@ enum SettingsCmd {
 #[derive(Subcommand)]
 enum QconnectCmd { Enable, Disable, Name { name: String } }
 
+// The tokenless default has no rotation verb (02 §3.1.2): `config` is just
+// path|show. Rotating the opt-in [server] token = edit qbzd.toml + restart.
 #[derive(Subcommand)]
-enum ConfigCmd { Path, Show { #[arg(long)] json: bool }, RegenToken }
+enum ConfigCmd { Path, Show { #[arg(long)] json: bool } }
 
 #[tokio::main]
 async fn main() {
@@ -179,6 +178,16 @@ async fn main() {
                 }
             }
         }
+        Cmd::Status { json } => {
+            // The CLI reads only local qbzd.toml (for the opt-in token); the
+            // config root is always at its XDG default.
+            let roots = paths::ProfileRoots::resolve(None, None);
+            cli::status::status(cli.host, json, &roots).await
+        }
+        Cmd::Ping { json } => {
+            let roots = paths::ProfileRoots::resolve(None, None);
+            cli::status::ping(cli.host, json, &roots).await
+        }
         _ => { eprintln!("not implemented yet"); 1 } // burned down task by task
     };
     std::process::exit(code);