diff --git a/src/kai/workshop/memory_projection_status.py b/src/kai/workshop/memory_projection_status.py
index 7040f937..17e11e7a 100644
--- a/src/kai/workshop/memory_projection_status.py
+++ b/src/kai/workshop/memory_projection_status.py
@@ -364,7 +364,9 @@ def store_vector_audit(
                 len(audit.unknown),
                 audit.duplicate,
                 len(audit.missing),
-                (now or datetime.now(UTC)).isoformat(timespec="seconds"),
+                # Full precision: qualification compares this time with the
+                # latest projection's, which is recorded to the millisecond.
+                (now or datetime.now(UTC)).isoformat(),
             ),
         )
         connection.commit()
diff --git a/src/kai/workshop/memory_qualification.py b/src/kai/workshop/memory_qualification.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b6616f44
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/kai/workshop/memory_qualification.py
@@ -0,0 +1,216 @@
+"""
+Installed qualification of temporal memory.
+
+Run by the operator on an installed Kai with memory enabled, while the
+service is running:
+
+    python -m kai.workshop.memory_qualification --db <DATA_DIR>/kai.db --snapshot <file>
+
+It only reads the database (opened read-only) and never the vector store:
+the service holds the store, and it records what install status needs
+(the legacy census and the vector audit) at startup and after projection
+retries. The qualification passes when all of these hold:
+
+1. Every memory diagnostic line that install status prints is `active`:
+   current truth, reconciliation, episode history, and extraction
+   receipts. Each line folds in its own integrity, replay, projection,
+   and drift gaps, so `active` means all of them are zero. Owners who
+   never ran a reconciliation audit only show as "legacy review pending",
+   which is not a gap.
+2. The stored vector audit is complete and fresh: every owner the service
+   counted has an audit, and the oldest audit is newer than the latest
+   vector projection. A stale audit says nothing about the store as it is
+   now; restarting the service or running "Check search index" in
+   Workshop refreshes it.
+3. No memory operation changed conversational defaults. The first run
+   records every backend and model setting in `--snapshot`; each later
+   run compares against it, so running it at the start and end of a
+   qualification window proves the window changed none of them.
+
+Exit status is 0 when every check passes and 1 otherwise. Output is one
+line per check and never includes memory content.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import argparse
+import json
+import sqlite3
+import sys
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from datetime import UTC, datetime
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from kai.workshop.diagnostics import (
+    workshop_episode_history_status,
+    workshop_memory_current_truth_status,
+    workshop_memory_extraction_receipt_status,
+    workshop_memory_reconciliation_status,
+)
+
+# The execution settings that are conversational defaults. Workspace and
+# timeout are left out: an owner may legitimately change them during a
+# qualification window, and neither is something memory could set.
+_DEFAULT_FIELDS = ("backend", "model")
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True, slots=True)
+class QualificationCheck:
+    """One qualification check and its outcome, safe to print."""
+
+    name: str
+    passed: bool
+    detail: str
+
+
+def _status_checks(db_path: Path) -> list[QualificationCheck]:
+    """Require every memory diagnostic line to report `active`."""
+    lines = (
+        ("current truth", workshop_memory_current_truth_status(db_path, memory_enabled=True)),
+        ("reconciliation", workshop_memory_reconciliation_status(db_path)),
+        ("episode history", workshop_episode_history_status(db_path, memory_enabled=True)),
+        ("extraction receipts", workshop_memory_extraction_receipt_status(db_path)),
+    )
+    checks: list[QualificationCheck] = []
+    for name, line in lines:
+        # Each line reads "<prefix>: <state>; ...". The state is the word
+        # right after the prefix.
+        state = line.split(":", 1)[1].strip().split(";", 1)[0].split(" ", 1)[0] if ":" in line else ""
+        checks.append(QualificationCheck(name, state == "active", line))
+    return checks
+
+
+def _parse_time(value: object) -> datetime:
+    parsed = datetime.fromisoformat(str(value).replace("Z", "+00:00"))
+    return parsed if parsed.tzinfo is not None else parsed.replace(tzinfo=UTC)
+
+
+def _audit_check(connection: sqlite3.Connection) -> QualificationCheck:
+    """Require a stored vector audit for every counted owner, newer than the latest projection."""
+    tables = {str(row[0]) for row in connection.execute("SELECT name FROM sqlite_master WHERE type = 'table'")}
+    if "memory_vector_audit" not in tables or "memory_legacy_census" not in tables:
+        return QualificationCheck("vector audit", False, "the stored audit or census is missing; restart the service")
+    counted = {
+        (str(row[0]), str(row[1]))
+        for row in connection.execute("SELECT principal_id, runtime_profile_id FROM memory_legacy_census")
+    }
+    audited = {
+        (str(row[0]), str(row[1])): _parse_time(row[2])
+        for row in connection.execute("SELECT principal_id, runtime_profile_id, checked_at FROM memory_vector_audit")
+    }
+    missing = counted - set(audited)
+    if not audited or missing:
+        return QualificationCheck(
+            "vector audit",
+            False,
+            f"{len(missing) or len(counted)} owner(s) have no stored vector audit; restart the service",
+        )
+    projected: list[datetime] = []
+    for table in ("memory_fact_vector_operations", "memory_episode_vector_operations"):
+        if table not in tables:
+            continue
+        row = connection.execute(f"SELECT MAX(updated_at) FROM {table} WHERE status = 'succeeded'").fetchone()
+        if row is not None and row[0] is not None:
+            projected.append(_parse_time(row[0]))
+    oldest = min(audited.values())
+    latest = max(projected) if projected else None
+    if latest is not None and oldest < latest:
+        return QualificationCheck(
+            "vector audit",
+            False,
+            f"the oldest audit ({oldest.isoformat(timespec='seconds')}) predates the latest projection "
+            f"({latest.isoformat(timespec='seconds')}); restart the service or run Check search index",
+        )
+    return QualificationCheck("vector audit", True, f"{len(audited)} owner(s) audited since the latest projection")
+
+
+def _defaults(connection: sqlite3.Connection) -> list[list[str]]:
+    """Every conversational backend and model setting, in a stable order."""
+    tables = {str(row[0]) for row in connection.execute("SELECT name FROM sqlite_master WHERE type = 'table'")}
+    rows: list[list[str]] = []
+    if "channel_agent_execution_settings" in tables:
+        placeholders = ", ".join("?" for _ in _DEFAULT_FIELDS)
+        rows.extend(
+            ["execution", str(row[0]), str(row[1]), str(row[2]), str(row[3]), str(row[4])]
+            for row in connection.execute(
+                "SELECT channel_id, agent_id, runtime_profile_id, field, value FROM channel_agent_execution_settings "
+                f"WHERE field IN ({placeholders}) ORDER BY channel_id, agent_id, runtime_profile_id, field",
+                _DEFAULT_FIELDS,
+            )
+        )
+    if "settings" in tables:
+        # Per-user compatibility settings are keyed "<field>:<owner>".
+        rows.extend(
+            ["setting", str(row[0]), str(row[1])]
+            for row in connection.execute(
+                "SELECT key, value FROM settings WHERE key LIKE 'model:%' OR key LIKE 'backend:%' ORDER BY key"
+            )
+        )
+    return rows
+
+
+def _defaults_check(connection: sqlite3.Connection, snapshot: Path) -> QualificationCheck:
+    """Record the defaults on the first run; compare against that record afterwards."""
+    current = _defaults(connection)
+    if not snapshot.exists():
+        snapshot.write_text(
+            json.dumps({"recorded_at": datetime.now(UTC).isoformat(timespec="seconds"), "defaults": current}, indent=2)
+            + "\n",
+            encoding="utf-8",
+        )
+        return QualificationCheck(
+            "conversational defaults", True, f"recorded {len(current)} setting(s); run again to compare"
+        )
+    recorded = json.loads(snapshot.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+    before = recorded.get("defaults")
+    if before == current:
+        return QualificationCheck(
+            "conversational defaults",
+            True,
+            f"{len(current)} setting(s) unchanged since {recorded.get('recorded_at', 'the first run')}",
+        )
+    changed = len({json.dumps(item) for item in before or []} ^ {json.dumps(item) for item in current})
+    return QualificationCheck(
+        "conversational defaults", False, f"{changed} setting row(s) differ from the recorded snapshot"
+    )
+
+
+def qualify(db_path: Path, snapshot: Path) -> list[QualificationCheck]:
+    """Run every installed qualification check against one Kai database."""
+    checks = _status_checks(db_path)
+    connection = sqlite3.connect(f"{db_path.resolve().as_uri()}?mode=ro", uri=True)
+    try:
+        connection.execute("PRAGMA query_only=ON")
+        checks.append(_audit_check(connection))
+        checks.append(_defaults_check(connection, snapshot))
+    finally:
+        connection.close()
+    return checks
+
+
+def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        prog="python -m kai.workshop.memory_qualification",
+        description="Qualify temporal memory on an installed Kai (read-only).",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument("--db", type=Path, required=True, help="the installed Kai database (DATA_DIR/kai.db)")
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--snapshot",
+        type=Path,
+        required=True,
+        help="file recording conversational defaults; written on the first run, compared on later runs",
+    )
+    args = parser.parse_args(argv)
+    if not args.db.is_file():
+        print(f"memory qualification: no database at {args.db}", file=sys.stderr)
+        return 1
+    checks = qualify(args.db, args.snapshot)
+    for check in checks:
+        print(f"{'PASS' if check.passed else 'FAIL'} {check.name}: {check.detail}")
+    passed = all(check.passed for check in checks)
+    print(f"memory qualification: {'PASSED' if passed else 'FAILED'}")
+    return 0 if passed else 1
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    raise SystemExit(main())
diff --git a/tests/test_memory_installed_qualification.py b/tests/test_memory_installed_qualification.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5b98788f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_memory_installed_qualification.py
@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+"""
+The installed memory qualification command.
+
+Builds a protected install with the real-path harness, lets the query
+service record what it records at startup (the legacy census and the
+vector audit), and runs the command's checks against the database the way
+the operator does. Each failure case changes exactly one thing the
+qualification must notice.
+"""
+
+# ruff: noqa: F811 - tests take the imported `protected` fixture as a parameter by name.
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import sqlite3
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from kai.workshop import memory_qualification
+from tests.memory_fixtures import (  # noqa: F401 - pytest fixture import
+    CHANNEL_ID,
+    RUNTIME_ID,
+    _query_service,
+    protected,
+)
+
+
+async def _started(store, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """Store a fact, then record the census and vector audit the way service startup does."""
+    service, authority = _query_service(store, tmp_path)
+    await service.create_fact(
+        authority,
+        content="The operator prefers dark themes.",
+        tags=(),
+        scope="global",
+        project_id=None,
+        request_id="create-1",
+    )
+    await store.connection.execute(
+        "INSERT INTO channel_agent_execution_settings (channel_id, agent_id, runtime_profile_id, field, value, "
+        "updated_at) VALUES (?, 'agt_23000000000000000000000000000001', ?, 'model', 'gpt-5.5', '2026-01-01T00:00:00Z')",
+        (CHANNEL_ID, str(RUNTIME_ID)),
+    )
+    await store.connection.commit()
+    assert await service.refresh_legacy_census() == 1
+    assert await service.refresh_vector_audits() == 1
+
+
+def _failed(checks) -> list[str]:
+    return [check.name for check in checks if not check.passed]
+
+
+async def test_a_consistent_install_passes_and_records_defaults_once(protected, tmp_path: Path, capsys) -> None:
+    store, _provider, _lifecycle = protected
+    await _started(store, tmp_path)
+    snapshot = tmp_path / "defaults.json"
+    arguments = ["--db", str(tmp_path / "kai.db"), "--snapshot", str(snapshot)]
+
+    first = memory_qualification.main(arguments)
+    second = memory_qualification.main(arguments)
+
+    output = capsys.readouterr().out
+    assert (first, second) == (0, 0)
+    assert "PASS conversational defaults: recorded 1 setting(s)" in output
+    assert "PASS conversational defaults: 1 setting(s) unchanged" in output
+    assert output.count("memory qualification: PASSED") == 2
+    # Output names checks and counts, never memory content.
+    assert "dark themes" not in output
+
+
+async def test_a_changed_default_fails(protected, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    store, _provider, _lifecycle = protected
+    await _started(store, tmp_path)
+    snapshot = tmp_path / "defaults.json"
+    memory_qualification.qualify(tmp_path / "kai.db", snapshot)
+    await store.connection.execute("UPDATE channel_agent_execution_settings SET value = 'gpt-5.6'")
+    await store.connection.commit()
+
+    checks = memory_qualification.qualify(tmp_path / "kai.db", snapshot)
+
+    assert _failed(checks) == ["conversational defaults"]
+
+
+async def test_an_audit_older_than_the_latest_projection_fails(protected, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    store, _provider, _lifecycle = protected
+    await _started(store, tmp_path)
+    connection = sqlite3.connect(tmp_path / "kai.db")
+    connection.execute("UPDATE memory_vector_audit SET checked_at = '2000-01-01T00:00:00+00:00'")
+    connection.commit()
+    connection.close()
+
+    checks = memory_qualification.qualify(tmp_path / "kai.db", tmp_path / "defaults.json")
+
+    assert _failed(checks) == ["vector audit"]
+
+
+async def test_a_counted_owner_without_an_audit_fails(protected, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    store, _provider, _lifecycle = protected
+    await _started(store, tmp_path)
+    connection = sqlite3.connect(tmp_path / "kai.db")
+    connection.execute("DELETE FROM memory_vector_audit")
+    connection.commit()
+    connection.close()
+
+    checks = memory_qualification.qualify(tmp_path / "kai.db", tmp_path / "defaults.json")
+
+    # The status line also reports the missing audit as a gap.
+    assert _failed(checks) == ["current truth", "vector audit"]
+
+
+async def test_a_failed_projection_fails_the_status_check(protected, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    store, _provider, _lifecycle = protected
+    await _started(store, tmp_path)
+    await store.connection.execute("UPDATE memory_fact_vector_operations SET status = 'failed'")
+    await store.connection.commit()
+
+    checks = memory_qualification.qualify(tmp_path / "kai.db", tmp_path / "defaults.json")
+
+    assert "current truth" in _failed(checks)
+
+
+def test_a_missing_database_is_reported(tmp_path: Path, capsys) -> None:
+    code = memory_qualification.main(["--db", str(tmp_path / "absent.db"), "--snapshot", str(tmp_path / "s.json")])
+
+    assert code == 1
+    assert "no database" in capsys.readouterr().err