diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-sdlc-engine.yml b/.github/workflows/test-sdlc-engine.yml
index 3724faa4..68c4040a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-sdlc-engine.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-sdlc-engine.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ on:
       - 'scripts/run-test-suites.sh'
       - 'scripts/check-complexity.py'
       - 'scripts/test-check-complexity.sh'
+      - 'scripts/check-vulture.sh'
+      - 'scripts/test-check-vulture.sh'
+      - 'config/vulture-whitelist.py'
       - '.github/workflows/test-sdlc-engine.yml'
   push:
     branches: [main]
@@ -27,6 +30,9 @@ on:
       - 'scripts/run-test-suites.sh'
       - 'scripts/check-complexity.py'
       - 'scripts/test-check-complexity.sh'
+      - 'scripts/check-vulture.sh'
+      - 'scripts/test-check-vulture.sh'
+      - 'config/vulture-whitelist.py'
       - '.github/workflows/test-sdlc-engine.yml'
 
 jobs:
@@ -45,6 +51,10 @@ jobs:
         run: python3 -m ruff check --select F,E9 engine/src scripts
       - name: Complexity proving test
         run: bash scripts/test-check-complexity.sh
+      - name: Vulture proving test
+        run: bash scripts/test-check-vulture.sh
+      - name: Vulture dead code
+        run: bash scripts/check-vulture.sh engine/src scripts
       - name: Complexity gate on this diff (CCN>10 / NLOC>80 / CCN rise)
         if: github.event_name == 'pull_request'
         run: |
diff --git a/config/vulture-whitelist.py b/config/vulture-whitelist.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4f640df9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/vulture-whitelist.py
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+# First-bake vulture allowlist. Add unused names here; do not delete this file.
+READINESS_CANONICAL  # unused variable (engine/src/sdlc_engine/canvas.py:53)
+REL_KEYWORD  # unused variable (engine/src/sdlc_engine/context_model.py:34)
+_.row_factory  # unused attribute (engine/src/sdlc_engine/db.py:61)
+_.upsert_edge  # unused method (engine/src/sdlc_engine/db.py:255)
+_.link_section_to_area  # unused method (engine/src/sdlc_engine/db.py:430)
+_.upsert_context_session  # unused method (engine/src/sdlc_engine/db.py:545)
+_.upsert_context_entry  # unused method (engine/src/sdlc_engine/db.py:575)
+_.lessons_for_area  # unused method (engine/src/sdlc_engine/db_query.py:32)
+_.lessons_for_work  # unused method (engine/src/sdlc_engine/db_query.py:43)
+REL_KEYWORD  # unused variable (engine/src/sdlc_engine/db_schema.py:30)
+_.project_load  # unused method (engine/src/sdlc_engine/guide_client.py:99)
+_requirements_issue_sections  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:114)
+vue_assets  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:203)
+api_health  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:207)
+api_detect  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:219)
+api_run  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:230)
+api_sqlite_status  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:257)
+api_sqlite_works  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:280)
+api_sqlite_work  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:341)
+api_sqlite_rebuild  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:377)
+api_persistence_status  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:401)
+api_persistence_save  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:414)
+api_persistence_parity  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:444)
+api_dashboard_status  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:463)
+api_dashboard_activity  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:478)
+api_dashboard_suggestions  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:497)
+api_backups  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:512)
+api_rollback  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:518)
+api_guide_get  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:607)
+api_guide_save  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:614)
+api_guide_ensure  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:623)
+api_neo4j_start  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:651)
+api_neo4j_stop  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:667)
+api_guide_start  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:680)
+api_guide_stop  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:704)
+api_guide_ensure_profile  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:717)
+api_guide_projection_load  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:742)
+api_guide_stats  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:761)
+api_guide_ingest  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:775)
+api_guide_purge_preview  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:790)
+api_guide_purge  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:819)
+api_guide_git_revision_reset  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:850)
+api_guide_purge_all_rag  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:867)
+api_adf_status  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:899)
+api_adf_start  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:906)
+api_adf_stop  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:919)
+api_adf_restart  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:930)
+api_adf_browse  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:943)
+api_adf_init_work  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:964)
+api_templates_list  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:1010)
+api_templates_render  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:1020)
+api_integrations_status  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:1066)
+api_integrations_save  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:1078)
+api_jira_status  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:1189)
+api_jira_link  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:1195)
+api_jira_sync  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/app.py:1203)
+resolve_guide_home  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/installer/guide.py:66)
+_.close_github  # unused method (engine/src/sdlc_engine/issues.py:1200)
+_.discard_staged  # unused method (engine/src/sdlc_engine/lessons_ledger.py:261)
+jira_summary  # unused variable (engine/src/sdlc_engine/links.py:23)
+registry_note  # unused variable (engine/src/sdlc_engine/links.py:33)
+_.jira_summary  # unused attribute (engine/src/sdlc_engine/links.py:254)
+_.registry_note  # unused attribute (engine/src/sdlc_engine/links.py:270)
+_.is_empty  # unused method (engine/src/sdlc_engine/metrics.py:87)
+ENFORCED_GATES  # unused variable (engine/src/sdlc_engine/phases.py:44)
+_.init_from_env  # unused method (engine/src/sdlc_engine/pointer.py:42)
+_.run_against  # unused method (engine/src/sdlc_engine/pointer.py:49)
+_.registry_path  # unused property (engine/src/sdlc_engine/project.py:97)
+_.skills_dir  # unused property (engine/src/sdlc_engine/project.py:123)
+edit_query  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/viewer/app.py:116)
+edit_legacy  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/viewer/app.py:142)
+api_browse  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/viewer/app.py:147)
+api_create  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/viewer/app.py:156)
+api_get_adf  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/viewer/app.py:176)
+api_get_adf_legacy  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/viewer/app.py:186)
+api_render  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/viewer/app.py:193)
+api_html_to_adf  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/viewer/app.py:205)
+api_save  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/viewer/app.py:219)
+api_save_legacy  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/viewer/app.py:241)
+api_sync  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/viewer/app.py:325)
+api_sync_legacy  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/viewer/app.py:329)
+api_download  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/viewer/app.py:414)
+api_github_pull  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/viewer/app.py:420)
+api_github_push  # unused function (engine/src/sdlc_engine/viewer/app.py:479)
+_.handle_starttag  # unused method (engine/src/sdlc_engine/viewer/html_adf.py:40)
+_.handle_endtag  # unused method (engine/src/sdlc_engine/viewer/html_adf.py:197)
+_.handle_data  # unused method (engine/src/sdlc_engine/viewer/html_adf.py:327)
diff --git a/engine/pyproject.toml b/engine/pyproject.toml
index 5a1c3701..0e6c0d8a 100644
--- a/engine/pyproject.toml
+++ b/engine/pyproject.toml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ authors = [{ name = "SDLC-SPDD contributors" }]
 dependencies = []
 
 [project.optional-dependencies]
-dev = ["pytest>=8.0", "pytest-cov>=5.0", "ruff>=0.11", "lizard==1.24.0"]
+dev = ["pytest>=8.0", "pytest-cov>=5.0", "ruff>=0.11", "lizard==1.24.0", "vulture>=2.14"]
 viewer = ["flask>=3"]
 viewer-e2e = ["flask>=3", "pytest-playwright>=0.5.0"]
 
diff --git a/scripts/check-vulture.sh b/scripts/check-vulture.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..c890b397
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/check-vulture.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Fail on dead code vulture reports outside config/vulture-whitelist.py.
+set -euo pipefail
+ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)"
+WHITELIST="${VULTURE_WHITELIST:-$ROOT/config/vulture-whitelist.py}"
+MIN="${VULTURE_MIN_CONFIDENCE:-60}"
+if [[ $# -eq 0 ]]; then
+  echo "usage: check-vulture.sh <path>..." >&2
+  exit 2
+fi
+exec python3 -m vulture "$@" "$WHITELIST" --min-confidence "$MIN"
diff --git a/scripts/test-check-vulture.sh b/scripts/test-check-vulture.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..d151fc45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/test-check-vulture.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Proving test: an allowlisted unused name stays green; a new unused function fails.
+set -euo pipefail
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+CHECK="${SCRIPT_DIR}/check-vulture.sh"
+TMP="$(mktemp -d)"
+trap 'rm -rf "$TMP"' EXIT
+cat > "$TMP/known_dead.py" <<'PY'
+def known_dead():
+    return 1
+PY
+cat > "$TMP/whitelist.py" <<'PY'
+known_dead  # unused function (vulture whitelist)
+PY
+if ! VULTURE_WHITELIST="$TMP/whitelist.py" bash "$CHECK" "$TMP/known_dead.py"; then
+  echo "expected PASS on allowlisted unused name" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+cat > "$TMP/new_dead.py" <<'PY'
+def brand_new_unused():
+    return 2
+PY
+if VULTURE_WHITELIST="$TMP/whitelist.py" bash "$CHECK" "$TMP/known_dead.py" "$TMP/new_dead.py"; then
+  echo "expected FAIL on a new unused function" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+echo "test-check-vulture: PASS"