diff --git a/examples/python-pytest/README.md b/examples/python-pytest/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..caad1628
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/python-pytest/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+# Python/pytest: unchanged PASS and deliberate-write REVIEW
+
+Historical example, archived at ExecSurface **v0.1.0-alpha.5**; it has not been
+re-run against v1.0.0. This recipe learns and checks the **same real pytest
+command** against a tiny public fixture using that pinned Alpha.5 release. The current public support
+scope is Linux x86_64 with native `ptrace`; `doctor` must succeed on the host.
+This is a reproducible integration example, not independent external validation.
+Independent Alpha.5 findings belong in [issue #118](https://github.com/AETHERXGLOBAL/execsurface/issues/118).
+
+From the repository root, first obtain the checksum-verified Alpha.5 binary using
+the installation notes of the [immutable Alpha.5 release](https://github.com/AETHERXGLOBAL/execsurface/releases/tag/v0.1.0-alpha.5). Keep its reviewed
+path in `EXEC_SURFACE_BIN`; this recipe records its digest and checks its version.
+Then create a Python 3.12 or 3.13 environment and install the hash-pinned test
+selection. Installation may download packages; the observed test uses no network
+or external services.
+
+```sh
+python3.13 -m venv /tmp/execsurface-pytest-env
+/tmp/execsurface-pytest-env/bin/python -m pip install \
+  --require-hashes --only-binary=:all: \
+  -r examples/python-pytest/requirements.lock
+
+EXEC_SURFACE_BIN=/absolute/path/to/checksum-verified/execsurface
+/tmp/execsurface-pytest-env/bin/python examples/python-pytest/run.py \
+  --execsurface "$EXEC_SURFACE_BIN" \
+  --output /tmp/execsurface-pytest-first-run
+```
+
+Use a new output directory each time. The runner refuses to overwrite a retained
+run, copies its two public fixture files, and retains the native command receipts,
+stdout/stderr, baseline and verdict JSON. A failed expectation writes `failure.json`
+and exits nonzero, retaining the failure. `--python` may explicitly select another
+interpreter with the exact dependencies installed; otherwise the runner uses its
+own interpreter.
+
+The observed command is:
+
+```sh
+python -m pytest -q -s -p no:cacheprovider test_fixture.py
+```
+
+The runner also disables plugin autoload and bytecode writes. `-s` disables
+pytest's random temporary-file output capture; the **runner** still retains both
+streams. Default pytest output capture was tested and made unchanged runs report
+REVIEW for varying scratch-file names/deleted inode paths. These explicit fixture
+choices keep this small workload deterministic without changing ExecSurface
+normalization, policy or acceptance thresholds. They are not a recipe for hiding
+arbitrary application drift.
+
+The runner performs the ordinary `learn --output ... --workspace ... --label ...`
+and `check --baseline ... --workspace ... --json-output ...` flows:
+
+| Step | Pytest result | ExecSurface result | Asserted exit |
+| --- | --- | --- | --- |
+| Learn `write_extra: false` | One passing test | Baseline written | 0 |
+| Check unchanged fixture | One passing test | PASS; no drift | 0 |
+| Set public fixture `write_extra: true`, check again | One passing test | REVIEW; added `$WORKSPACE/drift.txt` write | 10 |
+
+The same assertion, command, Python interpreter and baseline remain selected.
+Only the public fixture's boolean changes. The test then writes the harmless
+`drift.txt` inside its fresh workspace. The runner verifies its native file-write
+finding and verifies the baseline bytes did not change.
+
+The **baseline** records the selected observed execution surface. The **policy**
+interprets differences; this recipe uses the unchanged built-in REVIEW policy for
+unmatched drift. It does not relearn after drift or weaken policy to get PASS.
+ERROR, BLOCK, unexpected exit, lost report or an unavailable observer fails the
+recipe rather than counting as either expected outcome.
+
+The fixture contains no secrets. It adds no environment enumeration or
+secret/file-content collection. ExecSurface's existing metadata observer may
+record local executable and filesystem paths; review retained receipts before
+sharing them. A PASS here establishes this selected observed fixture comparison;
+it does not establish containment, malware safety, complete observation of every
+possible effect or independent custody.
diff --git a/examples/python-pytest/fixtures/fixture.json b/examples/python-pytest/fixtures/fixture.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d3ce7175
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/python-pytest/fixtures/fixture.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{"left":2,"right":3,"write_extra":false}
diff --git a/examples/python-pytest/fixtures/test_fixture.py b/examples/python-pytest/fixtures/test_fixture.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2da2decb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/python-pytest/fixtures/test_fixture.py
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+"""One deterministic pytest test; optional extra write is deliberate runtime drift."""
+import json
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+def test_public_fixture():
+    selection = json.loads(Path('fixture.json').read_text())
+    assert selection['left'] + selection['right'] == 5
+    if selection['write_extra']:
+        Path('drift.txt').write_text('controlled fixture drift\n')
diff --git a/examples/python-pytest/requirements.in b/examples/python-pytest/requirements.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9471b3d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/python-pytest/requirements.in
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+pytest==8.4.2
diff --git a/examples/python-pytest/requirements.lock b/examples/python-pytest/requirements.lock
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..289e0e7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/python-pytest/requirements.lock
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# This file was autogenerated by uv via the following command:
+#    uv pip compile --python python3.13 --generate-hashes --output-file requirements.lock requirements.in
+iniconfig==2.3.0 \
+    --hash=sha256:c76315c77db068650d49c5b56314774a7804df16fee4402c1f19d6d15d8c4730 \
+    --hash=sha256:f631c04d2c48c52b84d0d0549c99ff3859c98df65b3101406327ecc7d53fbf12
+    # via pytest
+packaging==26.3 \
+    --hash=sha256:94edc256424af38762eb31306eed28beb9f0efc50a8837492c9d6fd6004aed79 \
+    --hash=sha256:d7193f7c8e4e93f444fde0262bf90af30e16fa0ad0ad44cb553c87339b23cd1c
+    # via pytest
+pluggy==1.6.0 \
+    --hash=sha256:7dcc130b76258d33b90f61b658791dede3486c3e6bfb003ee5c9bfb396dd22f3 \
+    --hash=sha256:e920276dd6813095e9377c0bc5566d94c932c33b27a3e3945d8389c374dd4746
+    # via pytest
+pygments==2.21.0 \
+    --hash=sha256:2363c69b61c4a97c838da3b130dcd6468f4848992b21a82f2a63ec34377137d9 \
+    --hash=sha256:610ca751c9bc2492b38eb9a38a7fbc93edbbb2d7182edaf34e66ae493dee5c8c
+    # via pytest
+pytest==8.4.2 \
+    --hash=sha256:86c0d0b93306b961d58d62a4db4879f27fe25513d4b969df351abdddb3c30e01 \
+    --hash=sha256:872f880de3fc3a5bdc88a11b39c9710c3497a547cfa9320bc3c5e62fbf272e79
+    # via -r execsurface-pytest/examples/python-pytest/requirements.in
diff --git a/examples/python-pytest/run.py b/examples/python-pytest/run.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ac480121
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/python-pytest/run.py
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+"""Learn and check real pytest, retaining unchanged PASS and deliberate-write REVIEW."""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import argparse
+import hashlib
+import json
+import os
+import shutil
+import subprocess
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+class RecipeError(ValueError):
+    """A native command or declared recipe assertion did not establish its outcome."""
+
+
+def invoke(command: list[str], root: Path, name: str, expected: int) -> None:
+    """Retain command, both streams and actual exit before checking expectation."""
+    env = os.environ.copy()
+    env.update(PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE='1', PYTEST_DISABLE_PLUGIN_AUTOLOAD='1')
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(command, cwd=root, env=env, capture_output=True, timeout=60, check=False)
+    except subprocess.TimeoutExpired as error:
+        (root / (name + '.stdout')).write_bytes(error.stdout or b'')
+        (root / (name + '.stderr')).write_bytes(error.stderr or b'')
+        (root / (name + '-command.json')).write_text(json.dumps({'command': command, 'returncode': None, 'expectedReturncode': expected, 'outcome': 'timeout'}, indent=2) + '\n')
+        raise
+    (root / (name + '.stdout')).write_bytes(result.stdout)
+    (root / (name + '.stderr')).write_bytes(result.stderr)
+    receipt = {'command': command, 'returncode': result.returncode, 'expectedReturncode': expected}
+    (root / (name + '-command.json')).write_text(json.dumps(receipt, indent=2) + '\n')
+    if result.returncode != expected:
+        raise RecipeError(f'{name}: expected exit {expected}, got {result.returncode}; retained receipts: {root}')
+
+
+def check(binary: str, python: str, root: Path, name: str, expected: int, verdict: str) -> None:
+    """Assert the native structured verdict and unchanged reviewed baseline bytes."""
+    command = [binary, 'check', '--baseline', str(root / 'execsurface.lock.json'), '--workspace', str(root), '--json-output', str(root / (name + '-verdict.json')), '--', python, '-m', 'pytest', '-q', '-s', '-p', 'no:cacheprovider', 'test_fixture.py']
+    invoke(command, root, name, expected)
+    report = json.loads((root / (name + '-verdict.json')).read_bytes())
+    if report['target'] != {'exit_code': 0, 'signal': None}:
+        raise RecipeError(f'{name}: pytest did not exit successfully; retained {root}')
+    if report['policy']['source'] != 'builtin:review-unmatched-drift':
+        raise RecipeError(f'{name}: selected built-in policy differs; retained {root}')
+    if verdict == 'REVIEW' and not any(finding['change'] == 'added' and finding['effect_kind'] == 'file_write' and finding['evidence']['effect']['target']['value'] == '$WORKSPACE/drift.txt' for finding in report['findings']):
+        raise RecipeError(f'{name}: deliberate file_write finding absent; retained {root}')
+    if report['verdict'] != verdict.lower():
+        raise RecipeError(f'{name}: expected {verdict} verdict; retained {root}')
+
+
+def run(binary: Path, python: Path, output: Path) -> dict:
+    """Create a fresh synthetic workspace and preserve both positive and drift evidence."""
+    binary = binary.resolve(strict=True)
+    # Do not resolve Python's venv symlink: that loses the selected test environment.
+    python = python.absolute()
+    output = output.absolute()
+    output.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=False)
+    fixture = Path(__file__).with_name('fixtures')
+    for name in ('test_fixture.py', 'fixture.json'):
+        shutil.copyfile(fixture / name, output / name)
+    selected = {'binarySha256': hashlib.sha256(binary.read_bytes()).hexdigest(), 'pythonExecutable': str(python), 'fixtureSha256': hashlib.sha256((fixture / 'test_fixture.py').read_bytes()).hexdigest(), 'policy': 'unchanged built-in REVIEW for unmatched drift', 'privacy': 'public synthetic fixture; no environment or secret/file-content collection added'}
+    (output / 'selection.json').write_text(json.dumps(selected, indent=2) + '\n')
+    try:
+        invoke([str(binary), '--version'], output, 'version', 0)
+        if (output / 'version.stdout').read_text().strip() != 'execsurface 0.1.0-alpha.5':
+            raise RecipeError('recipe requires explicitly selected ExecSurface Alpha.5')
+        invoke([str(binary), 'doctor'], output, 'doctor', 0)
+        command = [str(binary), 'learn', '--output', str(output / 'execsurface.lock.json'), '--label', 'python-pytest-fixture', '--workspace', str(output), '--', str(python), '-m', 'pytest', '-q', '-s', '-p', 'no:cacheprovider', 'test_fixture.py']
+        invoke(command, output, 'learn', 0)
+        before = (output / 'execsurface.lock.json').read_bytes()
+        check(str(binary), str(python), output, 'unchanged', 0, 'PASS')
+        # Only this public fixture value changes; command and pytest assertion stay the same.
+        (output / 'fixture.json').write_text('{"left":2,"right":3,"write_extra":true}\n')
+        check(str(binary), str(python), output, 'drift', 10, 'REVIEW')
+        if (output / 'execsurface.lock.json').read_bytes() != before:
+            raise RecipeError('baseline changed while checking drift')
+        if (output / 'drift.txt').read_text() != 'controlled fixture drift\n':
+            raise RecipeError('deliberate native write is missing')
+        report = {'status': 'verified-recipe', 'unchanged': {'verdict': 'PASS', 'exit': 0}, 'drift': {'verdict': 'REVIEW', 'exit': 10}, 'baselineSha256': hashlib.sha256(before).hexdigest(), 'scope': 'same-operator Alpha.5 Python/pytest fixture; runtime drift example, not independent security validation', 'receipts': str(output)}
+    except (OSError, ValueError, subprocess.TimeoutExpired) as error:
+        (output / 'failure.json').write_text(json.dumps({'status': 'failed', 'reason': str(error)}, indent=2) + '\n')
+        raise
+    (output / 'recipe-report.json').write_text(json.dumps(report, indent=2) + '\n')
+    return report
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description=__doc__)
+    parser.add_argument('--execsurface', type=Path, required=True)
+    parser.add_argument('--python', type=Path, default=Path(sys.executable))
+    parser.add_argument('--output', type=Path, required=True)
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+    print(json.dumps(run(args.execsurface, args.python, args.output), indent=2))