diff --git a/docs/claude-mod.md b/docs/claude-mod.md
index eff1837f8..a9734e93f 100644
--- a/docs/claude-mod.md
+++ b/docs/claude-mod.md
@@ -4,14 +4,16 @@ UG's smart-routed Claude launcher loads `hooks/register.ts` through the existing
 launch-scoped `ug-smart-router` plugin. Claude Code 2.1.290 or newer is required.
 
 The existing `_write_routed_claude_plugin()` copies the packaged TypeScript entry point
-from `src/ucode/agents/claude_mods/` and writes `hooks/hooks.json` into that plugin. Both full and subagent-only smart
+from `src/ucode/agents/claude_mods/` and writes `hooks/hooks.json` into that plugin.
+Every routed launch includes the status band above the prompt. Both full and subagent-only smart
 routing launches use this path, and the existing temporary-directory lifecycle
 cleans up the files when Claude exits.
 
 `constants.ts` holds the values the mod shares with UG's CLI and the gateway: the recipe
-header name, the disabled recipe, and the CLI module, agent, and routing flags. It ships
+header name, the disabled recipe, the CLI module, agent, and routing flags, and the
+routing keys used to read session overrides. It ships
 beside the entry point and stays out of `hooks.json`, which lists only `register.ts` as a
-module. Environment-variable names are deliberately not collected there. Claude's
+module. Claude's
 capability scanner requires a literal name at each `$.env.get`/`$.env.set` call site so it
 can list what the module reads and writes, and `plugin validate` rejects a variable in that
 position: "$.env.get takes a literal name as its first argument". Keep those names inline.
diff --git a/src/ucode/agents/claude_mods/constants.ts b/src/ucode/agents/claude_mods/constants.ts
index 4075ef5a1..f20001a12 100644
--- a/src/ucode/agents/claude_mods/constants.ts
+++ b/src/ucode/agents/claude_mods/constants.ts
@@ -4,3 +4,5 @@ export const CLI_MODULE = 'ucode.cli';
 export const CLI_AGENT = 'claude';
 export const ENABLE_ROUTING_FLAG = '--enable-smart-routing';
 export const DISABLE_ROUTING_FLAG = '--disable-smart-routing';
+export const SMART_ROUTING_KEY = 'ENABLE_SMART_ROUTING_V2';
+export const SUBAGENT_ONLY_KEY = 'ENABLE_SMART_ROUTING_SUBAGENT_ONLY';
diff --git a/src/ucode/agents/claude_mods/register.ts b/src/ucode/agents/claude_mods/register.ts
index 3bbce7162..27edf8b49 100644
--- a/src/ucode/agents/claude_mods/register.ts
+++ b/src/ucode/agents/claude_mods/register.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import type { EngineInterface, On, PluginOptions } from 'claude-code';
+import { registerStatusBand } from './smart-routing-status.ts';
 import {
   CLI_AGENT,
   CLI_MODULE,
@@ -100,12 +101,10 @@ export function register(on: On, options: PluginOptions): void {
     if (!launchedEnabled) return {text: 'Smart Router was not enabled for this session.'};
     try {
       await setRouting($, options, action === 'on', true);
-      const guidance = options.ENABLE_SMART_ROUTER_ORCHESTRATOR !== '1' ? '' : action === 'off'
-        ? ' Earlier Smart Router Orchestrator instructions are superseded. Stop automatic delegation; honor explicit subagent requests using native model selection. Existing children can finish.'
-        : ' Apply the smart-router-orchestrator skill to further work.';
-      return {text: `Smart Router is ${action} for this session.${guidance}`};
+      return {text: `Smart Router is ${action}`};
     } catch {
       return {text: 'Could not update Smart Router. Check the recipe, ANTHROPIC_CUSTOM_HEADERS, and environment permissions; retry or restart through UG.'};
     }
   });
+  registerStatusBand(on);
 }
diff --git a/src/ucode/agents/claude_mods/smart-routing-status.ts b/src/ucode/agents/claude_mods/smart-routing-status.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cfef4b3c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ucode/agents/claude_mods/smart-routing-status.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+import type { On } from 'claude-code'
+import { SMART_ROUTING_KEY, SUBAGENT_ONLY_KEY } from './constants.ts'
+
+const BANNER = 'unity gateway smart router'
+
+type RoutingState = { enabled: boolean; firstPrompt: boolean }
+
+// Claude's capability scanner requires literal names in $.env.get calls.
+async function readRoutingState($: any): Promise<RoutingState> {
+  let full: unknown
+  let subagentOnly: unknown
+  let file: unknown
+  try {
+    full = await $.env.get('ENABLE_SMART_ROUTING_V2')
+  } catch {}
+  try {
+    subagentOnly = await $.env.get('ENABLE_SMART_ROUTING_SUBAGENT_ONLY')
+  } catch {}
+  try {
+    file = await $.env.get('UCODE_SESSION_ENV_FILE')
+  } catch {}
+  if (typeof file === 'string' && file) {
+    try {
+      const overrides = JSON.parse(await $.fs.read(file))
+      if (overrides && typeof overrides === 'object') {
+        if (SMART_ROUTING_KEY in overrides) full = overrides[SMART_ROUTING_KEY]
+        if (SUBAGENT_ONLY_KEY in overrides) subagentOnly = overrides[SUBAGENT_ONLY_KEY]
+      }
+    } catch {}
+  }
+  return {
+    enabled: full === '1' || subagentOnly === '1',
+    firstPrompt: full === '1' && subagentOnly !== '1',
+  }
+}
+
+export const registerStatusBand = (on: On): void => {
+  on('ui.render', { component: 'AbovePrompt' }, async ($, e, next) => {
+    const theirs = await next(e)
+    const { Box, Text } = $.ui.resolve(e)
+    const { enabled, firstPrompt } = await readRoutingState($)
+
+    const pill = enabled
+      ? Text({ bold: true, color: 'black', backgroundColor: 'green', children: [' ON '] })
+      : Text({ bold: true, color: 'black', backgroundColor: 'gray', children: [' OFF '] })
+    const trailer = enabled
+      ? Text({
+          dimColor: true,
+          italic: true,
+          children: ['— ' + (firstPrompt ? 'routing first prompt + subagents' : 'routing subagents')],
+        })
+      : Text({ dimColor: true, children: ["— Reenable with '/smart-router on'"] })
+
+    const line = Box({
+      flexDirection: 'row',
+      columnGap: 1,
+      children: [Text({ bold: true, children: [BANNER] }), pill, trailer],
+    })
+    const children = theirs ? [line, theirs] : [line]
+    return Box({ flexDirection: 'column', children })
+  })
+}
diff --git a/src/ucode/smart_routing/v2.py b/src/ucode/smart_routing/v2.py
index c2aaa7c97..7d083bd42 100644
--- a/src/ucode/smart_routing/v2.py
+++ b/src/ucode/smart_routing/v2.py
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ def _write_routed_claude_plugin(plugin_dir: Path, model_ids: list[str]) -> None:
     orchestrator.add_claude_agents(plugin_dir)
     mods = Path(__file__).parents[1] / "agents" / "claude_mods"
     # constants.ts is imported by the entry point, so it ships beside it rather than as a module.
-    for name in ("register.ts", "constants.ts"):
+    for name in ("register.ts", "constants.ts", "smart-routing-status.ts"):
         write_text_file(plugin_dir / "hooks" / name, (mods / name).read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
     write_json_file(plugin_dir / "hooks" / "hooks.json", {"modules": ["./register.ts"]})
 
diff --git a/tests/README.md b/tests/README.md
index 47c7ef188..2a4e3e03a 100644
--- a/tests/README.md
+++ b/tests/README.md
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ TypeScript event-forwarding and launch-option tests in CI. The existing Claude
 skill-toggle integration journey checks the live recipe headers across on/off/on.
 See [the mod guide](../docs/claude-mod.md).
 
+CUJ 4's preset journeys check Claude's ON/OFF status band, routing scope, and
+updates after off/on toggles. Checks ignore terminal styling and trailing UI controls;
+offline cases reject stale states, wrong routing scope, and command confirmations.
+
 Dedicated CUJs reuse `integration/utils` session/terminal mechanics and file-task
 and transcript readers, not its config stubs or pytest fixtures. Prompt/model
 correlation remains CUJ-specific. Concurrent runs may read the same CUJ workspace.
diff --git a/tests/e2e_cuj/README.md b/tests/e2e_cuj/README.md
index 9153b7d0b..a6ab95fb1 100644
--- a/tests/e2e_cuj/README.md
+++ b/tests/e2e_cuj/README.md
@@ -100,6 +100,10 @@ The wait uses the child's answer directly; parent-answer reconstruction is reser
 Offline checks reject parent-only answers and accept child answers before the parent replies.
 Offline evidence regressions do not establish a live CUJ pass.
 Selector cases have separate TUI artifact names, and the session environment is restored afterward.
+Each Claude preset session checks the visible ON state and routing scope,
+then OFF and restored ON after `/smart-router off` and `on`.
+These checks read the terminal's rendered text, ignoring styling and trailing UI controls.
+Offline cases reject stale states, wrong scope, and echoed command confirmations.
 Claude sessions start in auto mode; unless a routed first prompt switches the session to Haiku
 (which leaves it in manual mode), its classifier requests through the recording proxy trigger
 Claude's informational auto-mode classifier billing notice over the transcript. The CUJ terminal
diff --git a/tests/e2e_cuj/test_cuj4_smart_routing.py b/tests/e2e_cuj/test_cuj4_smart_routing.py
index b09163178..5a4734a05 100644
--- a/tests/e2e_cuj/test_cuj4_smart_routing.py
+++ b/tests/e2e_cuj/test_cuj4_smart_routing.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 """Smart-routing CUJ: execute once, then report each contract assertion separately."""
 
+import re
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 
 import pytest
@@ -42,6 +43,15 @@
 ORCHESTRATOR_CONTEXT = "Smart Router Orchestrator is on for this session."
 
 
+def _smart_router_band_shown(tui, *, enabled, first_prompt):
+    state = "ON" if enabled else "OFF"
+    pattern = rf"\s*unity gateway smart router\s+{state}\b"
+    if enabled:
+        scope = "first prompt + subagents" if first_prompt else "subagents"
+        pattern += rf"\s+—\s+routing\s+{re.escape(scope)}\b"
+    return any(re.match(pattern, line) for line in tui.screen.display)
+
+
 @dataclass(frozen=True)
 class SessionCase:
     agent: str
@@ -247,7 +257,8 @@ def test_smart_router_config_version(self, cuj, SMART_ROUTER_CONFIG_VERSION):
 
         Expected: each agent's resolved flags determine first-prompt routing,
         orchestration, and child routing. One native child completes the delegated
-        task even when routing is disabled.
+        task even when routing is disabled. Claude's status band shows ON and the
+        preset's routing scope, then OFF and ON after toggles.
         """
         session, workspace, recorder = cuj
         previous = session.env.get("SMART_ROUTER_CONFIG_VERSION")
@@ -277,6 +288,13 @@ def test_smart_router_config_version(self, cuj, SMART_ROUTER_CONFIG_VERSION):
                 recorder.prepare_launch()
                 with Terminal(session, f"{SMART_ROUTER_CONFIG_VERSION}-{agent}", [agent]) as tui:
                     tui.boot(timeout=150)
+                    if agent == CLAUDE:
+                        tui.wait_for(
+                            lambda _, first_prompt=first_prompt_routed: _smart_router_band_shown(
+                                tui, enabled=True, first_prompt=first_prompt
+                            ),
+                            "the ON Smart Router band with the preset's routing scope",
+                        )
                     tui.submit(task.prompt)
                     tui.task(evidence, task)
                     requests = recorder.requests_after(checkpoint)
@@ -368,6 +386,16 @@ def test_smart_router_config_version(self, cuj, SMART_ROUTER_CONFIG_VERSION):
                         ), agent
                     if agent == CLAUDE:
                         tui.wait_for_background_tasks()
+                        for enabled in (False, True):
+                            tui.submit(f"/smart-router {'on' if enabled else 'off'}")
+                            tui.wait_for(
+                                lambda _, enabled=enabled, first_prompt=first_prompt_routed: (
+                                    _smart_router_band_shown(
+                                        tui, enabled=enabled, first_prompt=first_prompt
+                                    )
+                                ),
+                                f"the {'ON' if enabled else 'OFF'} Smart Router band",
+                            )
                     tui.exit_normally()
         finally:
             if previous is None:
diff --git a/tests/integration/README.md b/tests/integration/README.md
index 81454fe55..b2301e728 100644
--- a/tests/integration/README.md
+++ b/tests/integration/README.md
@@ -1010,6 +1010,10 @@ Native launch-option component tests (`native_claude/test_mod.py`) check two rea
 processes with different resolved routing baselines. Python cases cover Claude-specific presets,
 unknown selectors, and absent versus empty flags. These checks do not establish gateway/TUI coverage.
 
+CUJ 4's preset journeys check Claude's visible ON/OFF status band and routing scope
+before work and after off/on toggles. Checks ignore terminal styling and trailing
+UI controls; offline cases reject stale states, wrong scope, and command confirmations.
+
 The plugin test host runs without a process capability, so the mod's session-control call
 is covered by the live skill-toggle journey rather than `claude plugin test`. No component
 check asserts that the launch paths withdraw the skills.
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_ug_smart_routing_hooks.py b/tests/integration/test_ug_smart_routing_hooks.py
index afb6f00fd..49c1bb822 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_ug_smart_routing_hooks.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_ug_smart_routing_hooks.py
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ def _toggle_with_skill(
         # Claude's mod handles this locally; routing changes are checked by the next child.
         tui.submit(invocation)
         tui.wait_for(
-            lambda screen: confirmation in screen,
+            lambda screen: f"Smart Router is {state}" in screen,
             f"the Smart Router {state} confirmation",
             timeout=120,
         )
diff --git a/tests/test_claude_mod.py b/tests/test_claude_mod.py
index 8200763d1..584b5fa8d 100644
--- a/tests/test_claude_mod.py
+++ b/tests/test_claude_mod.py
@@ -14,13 +14,14 @@ def test_plugin_contains_mod_entry_point(tmp_path):
 
     assert json.loads((tmp_path / "hooks/hooks.json").read_text()) == {"modules": ["./register.ts"]}
     mods = Path(v2.__file__).parents[1] / "agents" / "claude_mods"
-    # constants.ts is imported by the entry point, so it ships beside it unmodified.
-    for name in ("register.ts", "constants.ts"):
+    # Imported helpers ship beside the entry point unmodified.
+    for name in ("register.ts", "constants.ts", "smart-routing-status.ts"):
         assert (tmp_path / "hooks" / name).read_bytes() == (mods / name).read_bytes()
     assert sorted(path.name for path in (tmp_path / "hooks").iterdir()) == [
         "constants.ts",
         "hooks.json",
         "register.ts",
+        "smart-routing-status.ts",
     ]
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_cuj_evidence.py b/tests/test_cuj_evidence.py
index 58ad66d53..b18a45e3d 100644
--- a/tests/test_cuj_evidence.py
+++ b/tests/test_cuj_evidence.py
@@ -19,11 +19,30 @@
     get_cuj_helper,
 )
 from tests.e2e_cuj.helpers.tui_request_recorder import RecordedRequest, RecordedResponse
-from tests.e2e_cuj.test_cuj4_smart_routing import _task_inference_request
+from tests.e2e_cuj.test_cuj4_smart_routing import _smart_router_band_shown, _task_inference_request
 from tests.integration.utils.evidence import FileTask, read_jsonl
 from tests.integration.utils.provider_catalog import MODEL_SERVICE_PARENT_SCHEMA_HEADER
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("enabled, first_prompt", [(True, True), (True, False), (False, False)])
+def test_cuj4_status_band_requires_current_state_and_scope(enabled, first_prompt):
+    state = "ON" if enabled else "OFF"
+    trailer = (
+        ("— routing first prompt + subagents" if first_prompt else "— routing subagents")
+        if enabled
+        else "— Reenable with '/smart-router on'"
+    )
+    tui = SimpleNamespace(
+        screen=SimpleNamespace(display=[f"unity gateway smart router  {state}  {trailer}    [-]"])
+    )
+    assert _smart_router_band_shown(tui, enabled=enabled, first_prompt=first_prompt)
+    assert not _smart_router_band_shown(tui, enabled=not enabled, first_prompt=first_prompt)
+    if enabled:
+        assert not _smart_router_band_shown(tui, enabled=enabled, first_prompt=not first_prompt)
+    tui.screen.display = [f"Smart Router is {state.lower()} for this session."]
+    assert not _smart_router_band_shown(tui, enabled=enabled, first_prompt=first_prompt)
+
+
 def records(agent, task, model):
     if agent == CLAUDE:
         return [
diff --git a/tests/test_skills.py b/tests/test_skills.py
index a55737bf0..f19ff8e56 100644
--- a/tests/test_skills.py
+++ b/tests/test_skills.py
@@ -107,6 +107,13 @@ def test_orchestrator_injects_the_installed_agent_instructions(
     assert context.endswith(f"\n\n{agent} instructions")
     assert context.endswith(installed.joinpath("SKILL.md").read_text())
 
+    session_env.set_session_environment({"ENABLE_SMART_ROUTING_SUBAGENT_ONLY": "0"})
+    output = orchestrator.hook_output(payload, agent=agent)
+    assert output["hookSpecificOutput"]["additionalContext"] == orchestrator.DISABLED_CONTEXT
+    session_env.set_session_environment({})
+    output = orchestrator.hook_output(payload, agent=agent)
+    assert output["hookSpecificOutput"]["additionalContext"] == context
+
 
 def test_uninstalls_one_skill_from_agent_roots(bundled_skill):
     source_skill, home = bundled_skill