diff --git a/docs/public/manifest.schema.json b/docs/public/manifest.schema.json
index 623c5405..64380c92 100644
--- a/docs/public/manifest.schema.json
+++ b/docs/public/manifest.schema.json
@@ -178,6 +178,11 @@
           "type": "object",
           "additionalProperties": { "$ref": "#/definitions/environmentConfig" },
           "description": "Per-environment settings keyed by environment name."
+        },
+        "components": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "additionalProperties": { "$ref": "#/definitions/componentConfig" },
+          "description": "Reserved per-component descriptor map keyed by component name (#176). Reserved shape only: parse and structural validation, no generator, state, or runtime behavior."
         }
       }
     },
@@ -507,6 +512,15 @@
         "dir": { "type": "string", "description": "Directory holding override files. Relative, no '..' segments. Empty means the implementation default (reserved)." }
       }
     },
+    "componentConfig": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "description": "Reserved per-component descriptor for independently versioned components sharing one manifest (#176). Reserved shape only: parse and structural validation, no generator, state, or runtime behavior.",
+      "properties": {
+        "path": { "type": "string", "description": "Subtree this component owns within the repo (reserved)." },
+        "tag_prefix": { "type": "string", "description": "Per-component version tag prefix (reserved). Empty inherits the manifest-level tag_prefix." }
+      }
+    },
     "changelogConfig": {
       "type": "object",
       "additionalProperties": false,
diff --git a/e2e/harness/multistep.go b/e2e/harness/multistep.go
index 2f6999e2..2afacd0c 100644
--- a/e2e/harness/multistep.go
+++ b/e2e/harness/multistep.go
@@ -94,6 +94,11 @@ type Step struct {
 	// a per-file unified diff of committed-vs-planned workflows and always exits 0
 	// on success, exercising plan's informational (non-gate) contract.
 	Plan *PlanStep `yaml:"plan,omitempty"`
+	// Consistency configures a "consistency" action: a `cascade status
+	// consistency` run (optionally --fix) that flags, and with --fix deletes,
+	// orphan env/* branches on the Gitea remote, then asserts the JSON report and
+	// the resulting remote branch set.
+	Consistency *ConsistencyStep `yaml:"consistency,omitempty"`
 	// ExpectFailure marks a step whose workflow is expected to conclude in
 	// failure (for example an orchestrate run whose build exits non-zero). When
 	// set, a failure conclusion is the success path and a success conclusion is
@@ -258,6 +263,22 @@ type PlanStep struct {
 	ExpectNotContains []string `yaml:"expect_not_contains,omitempty"`
 }
 
+// ConsistencyStep defines a "consistency" action: a `cascade status consistency`
+// run against the synced repo whose origin is the Gitea remote. SeedBranches are
+// created on the remote before the run so the command observes them as remote
+// branches. With Fix the command deletes each orphan via `git push <remote>
+// --delete`, so the step exercises the real, strictly-git deletion path end to
+// end. The Expect* fields assert the JSON report (orphan and healed lists) and
+// the live remote branch set after the run.
+type ConsistencyStep struct {
+	SeedBranches          []string `yaml:"seed_branches,omitempty"`
+	Fix                   bool     `yaml:"fix,omitempty"`
+	ExpectOrphans         []string `yaml:"expect_orphans,omitempty"`
+	ExpectHealed          []string `yaml:"expect_healed,omitempty"`
+	ExpectBranchesAbsent  []string `yaml:"expect_branches_absent,omitempty"`
+	ExpectBranchesPresent []string `yaml:"expect_branches_present,omitempty"`
+}
+
 // StepExpect defines expected outcomes for a step
 type StepExpect struct {
 	State         map[string]*StateExpect `yaml:"state,omitempty"`
diff --git a/e2e/harness/runner.go b/e2e/harness/runner.go
index dac317ca..976a142b 100644
--- a/e2e/harness/runner.go
+++ b/e2e/harness/runner.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package harness
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"strings"
@@ -138,6 +139,10 @@ func (r *Runner) ValidateScenario(scenario *MultiStepScenario) error {
 			if step.Plan.MutatePath != "" && step.Plan.MutateAppend == "" {
 				return fmt.Errorf("step %d (%s): plan mutate_path requires mutate_append", i, step.Name)
 			}
+		case "consistency":
+			if step.Consistency == nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("step %d (%s): consistency action requires consistency config", i, step.Name)
+			}
 		default:
 			return fmt.Errorf("step %d (%s): unknown action %q", i, step.Name, step.Action)
 		}
@@ -376,6 +381,8 @@ func (r *Runner) executeStep(ctx context.Context, step *Step, config Config) err
 		return r.executeVerify(ctx, step.Verify)
 	case "plan":
 		return r.executePlan(ctx, step.Plan)
+	case "consistency":
+		return r.executeConsistency(ctx, step.Consistency)
 	default:
 		return fmt.Errorf("unknown action: %s", step.Action)
 	}
@@ -557,6 +564,162 @@ func shellQuote(s string) string {
 	return "'" + strings.ReplaceAll(s, "'", `'\''`) + "'"
 }
 
+// consistencyReport mirrors the JSON shape printed by `cascade status
+// consistency --json`. Only the fields the harness asserts on are modeled.
+type consistencyReport struct {
+	OrphanEnvBranches []string `json:"orphan_env_branches"`
+	HealedEnvBranches []string `json:"healed_env_branches"`
+}
+
+// parseConsistencyJSON extracts the report object from command stdout. The
+// command prints a single JSON object; the object spans from the first '{' to
+// the last '}', so any non-JSON preamble the container exec emits is skipped.
+func parseConsistencyJSON(out string) (consistencyReport, error) {
+	start := strings.Index(out, "{")
+	end := strings.LastIndex(out, "}")
+	if start < 0 || end < start {
+		return consistencyReport{}, fmt.Errorf("no JSON object in output")
+	}
+	var report consistencyReport
+	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(out[start:end+1]), &report); err != nil {
+		return consistencyReport{}, err
+	}
+	return report, nil
+}
+
+// assertStringSetEqual reports an error when got and want differ as sets,
+// ignoring order. The command emits branches in remote-listing order, which is
+// not contractually stable, so the assertion compares membership.
+func assertStringSetEqual(label string, got, want []string) error {
+	gotSet := make(map[string]struct{}, len(got))
+	for _, g := range got {
+		gotSet[g] = struct{}{}
+	}
+	if len(gotSet) != len(want) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%s: got %v, want %v", label, got, want)
+	}
+	for _, w := range want {
+		if _, ok := gotSet[w]; !ok {
+			return fmt.Errorf("%s: got %v, want %v", label, got, want)
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// executeConsistency runs `cascade status consistency` (optionally --fix) in the
+// synced repo whose origin is the Gitea remote, then asserts the JSON report and
+// the live remote branch set. SeedBranches are created on the remote first so
+// the command observes them. With Fix the command deletes each orphan via
+// `git push <remote> --delete`, exercising the real strictly-git deletion path.
+func (r *Runner) executeConsistency(ctx context.Context, step *ConsistencyStep) error {
+	if r.harness == nil || r.harness.act == nil {
+		r.t.Logf("  Would run cascade status consistency (no harness)")
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// Seed the requested env/* branches on the remote from current trunk HEAD so
+	// the command lists them. CreateBranch starts the branch at the given commit.
+	if len(step.SeedBranches) > 0 {
+		headSHA, err := r.harness.gitea.getHeadSHA(ctx, r.harness.repo)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("consistency: get HEAD SHA: %w", err)
+		}
+		for _, b := range step.SeedBranches {
+			if err := r.harness.gitea.CreateBranch(ctx, r.harness.repo, b, headSHA); err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("consistency: seed branch %s: %w", b, err)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Sync so /tmp/repo's origin remote-tracking refs include the seeded env/*
+	// branches; the command lists refs/remotes/origin/* via git for-each-ref.
+	if err := r.harness.SyncRepoToActContainer(ctx); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("consistency: failed to sync repo: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	args := "/usr/local/bin/cascade status consistency --json"
+	if step.Fix {
+		args += " --fix"
+	}
+	cmd := []string{"bash", "-c", "cd /tmp/repo && " + args}
+	exitCode, reader, err := r.harness.act.Container().Exec(ctx, cmd)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("consistency: exec failed: %w", err)
+	}
+	var out bytes.Buffer
+	if reader != nil {
+		_, _ = io.Copy(&out, reader)
+	}
+	r.t.Logf("  Consistency: exit=%d: %s", exitCode, out.String())
+	if exitCode != 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("consistency: expected exit 0, got %d: %s", exitCode, out.String())
+	}
+
+	report, err := parseConsistencyJSON(out.String())
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("consistency: parse JSON (%q): %w", out.String(), err)
+	}
+	if err := assertStringSetEqual("orphan_env_branches", report.OrphanEnvBranches, step.ExpectOrphans); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("consistency: %w", err)
+	}
+	if step.Fix {
+		if err := assertStringSetEqual("healed_env_branches", report.HealedEnvBranches, step.ExpectHealed); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("consistency: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Assert the live remote branch set after the run. Query the remote's git
+	// refs directly via ls-remote: this is the same git layer the command lists
+	// and deletes through, and it reflects a just-created or just-deleted ref
+	// immediately, unlike Gitea's higher-level branches API which can lag.
+	if len(step.ExpectBranchesAbsent) > 0 || len(step.ExpectBranchesPresent) > 0 {
+		lsCmd := []string{"bash", "-c", "cd /tmp/repo && git ls-remote --heads origin"}
+		lsExit, lsReader, err := r.harness.act.Container().Exec(ctx, lsCmd)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("consistency: ls-remote exec failed: %w", err)
+		}
+		var lsOut bytes.Buffer
+		if lsReader != nil {
+			_, _ = io.Copy(&lsOut, lsReader)
+		}
+		if lsExit != 0 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("consistency: ls-remote failed (exit %d): %s", lsExit, lsOut.String())
+		}
+		present := parseRemoteHeads(lsOut.String())
+		r.t.Logf("  Consistency: remote heads after run: %v", present)
+		for _, b := range step.ExpectBranchesAbsent {
+			if _, ok := present[b]; ok {
+				return fmt.Errorf("consistency: branch %s expected deleted but still present on remote", b)
+			}
+		}
+		for _, b := range step.ExpectBranchesPresent {
+			if _, ok := present[b]; !ok {
+				return fmt.Errorf("consistency: branch %s expected present but missing on remote", b)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// parseRemoteHeads parses `git ls-remote --heads` output into a set of branch
+// names. Each line is "<sha>\trefs/heads/<branch>"; non-matching lines are
+// skipped.
+func parseRemoteHeads(out string) map[string]struct{} {
+	const prefix = "refs/heads/"
+	heads := make(map[string]struct{})
+	for _, line := range strings.Split(out, "\n") {
+		idx := strings.Index(line, prefix)
+		if idx < 0 {
+			continue
+		}
+		name := strings.TrimSpace(line[idx+len(prefix):])
+		if name != "" {
+			heads[name] = struct{}{}
+		}
+	}
+	return heads
+}
+
 // executeCommit creates a commit
 func (r *Runner) executeCommit(ctx context.Context, commit *CommitStep) error {
 	// Track commit reference
diff --git a/e2e/harness/scenario.go b/e2e/harness/scenario.go
index fe60126b..2e78bf42 100644
--- a/e2e/harness/scenario.go
+++ b/e2e/harness/scenario.go
@@ -137,6 +137,12 @@ type Config struct {
 	// can assert the field survives a routine state write rather than being
 	// dropped on finalize.
 	CLIVersionSHA string `yaml:"cli_version_sha,omitempty"`
+	// Components carries the reserved per-component descriptor map (config.components,
+	// #176) through to the generated manifest untouched. A generic map per component
+	// keeps the harness decoupled from the generator's ComponentConfig shape, so a
+	// scenario can declare any reserved component field (path, tag_prefix) without a
+	// harness change. Keyed by component name.
+	Components map[string]map[string]any `yaml:"components,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // PublishConfig defines a publish callback invoked after a release is published
@@ -184,10 +190,17 @@ type DeployConfig struct {
 	// manifest untouched. See BuildConfig.Secrets for the accepted forms and the
 	// rationale for the generic value type.
 	Secrets any `yaml:"secrets,omitempty"`
-	// Rollout carries the rollout sub-block (type, canary, blue_green) through to
-	// the generated manifest untouched. A generic map keeps the harness decoupled
-	// from the generator's RolloutConfig shape, so a scenario can declare any
-	// reserved rollout field without the harness needing to know its structure.
+	// Inputs carries the deploy callback's matrix inputs through to the generated
+	// manifest untouched. A non-empty inputs map moves the deploy onto the
+	// matrix-based promote job, which is where the rollout strategy options
+	// (fail-fast, max-parallel) render. A generic value type keeps the harness
+	// decoupled from the generator's input shapes.
+	Inputs map[string]any `yaml:"inputs,omitempty"`
+	// Rollout carries the rollout sub-block (type, canary, blue_green, plus the
+	// strategy knobs max_parallel and fail_fast) through to the generated manifest
+	// untouched. A generic map keeps the harness decoupled from the generator's
+	// RolloutConfig shape, so a scenario can declare any rollout field without the
+	// harness needing to know its structure.
 	Rollout map[string]any `yaml:"rollout,omitempty"`
 }
 
diff --git a/e2e/scenarios/42-status-consistency-fix.yaml b/e2e/scenarios/42-status-consistency-fix.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fee71566
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/scenarios/42-status-consistency-fix.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+name: "Status Consistency Fix Deletes Orphan Env Branch"
+description: |
+  cascade status consistency --fix deletes env/* integration branches that have
+  no matching divergence in the manifest, and never touches a branch backing a
+  genuinely diverged environment. The deletion is strictly git: it lists the
+  remote's branches and runs git push <remote> --delete on each orphan, with no
+  GitHub-API path.
+
+  This scenario seeds two env branches on the remote: env/dev is an orphan
+  (dev has no diverged state) and env/prod is healthy (prod carries a diverged
+  state via a staged integration ref). Running status consistency --fix flags
+  and deletes env/dev while leaving env/prod intact. The JSON report names
+  env/dev as both the orphan and the healed branch, and the live remote ends
+  with env/dev gone and env/prod present.
+
+config:
+  trunk_branch: main
+  environments: [dev, prod]
+  builds:
+    - name: app
+      workflow: build.yaml
+      triggers: ["src/**"]
+  deploys:
+    - name: app
+      workflow: deploy.yaml
+      triggers: ["src/**"]
+
+setup:
+  state:
+    prod:
+      version: "v0.1.0"
+      ref: env/prod
+
+steps:
+  - name: "Seed a minimal source tree"
+    action: commit
+    commit:
+      message: "seed source"
+      files:
+        src/main.go: |
+          package main
+
+          func main() {}
+
+  - name: "consistency --fix deletes the orphan, spares the diverged env branch"
+    action: consistency
+    consistency:
+      seed_branches: [env/dev, env/prod]
+      fix: true
+      expect_orphans: [env/dev]
+      expect_healed: [env/dev]
+      expect_branches_absent: [env/dev]
+      expect_branches_present: [env/prod]
diff --git a/e2e/scenarios/43-deploy-rollout-strategy.yaml b/e2e/scenarios/43-deploy-rollout-strategy.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b153e551
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/scenarios/43-deploy-rollout-strategy.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+name: "Deploy Rollout Strategy Options"
+description: |
+  A matrix-based deploy that sets the rollout strategy knobs max_parallel and
+  fail_fast must render them into the generated promote workflow's deploy job
+  strategy block. The matrix path is taken when the deploy declares inputs. The
+  fail-fast default is false and no max-parallel line is emitted without a
+  rollout, so a deploy that sets fail_fast: true and max_parallel: 2 proves the
+  configured values flow through rather than the historical defaults.
+
+  Generator-output assertion only; no workflow run.
+
+config:
+  trunk_branch: main
+  environments: [dev, prod]
+  builds:
+    - name: app
+      workflow: build.yaml
+      triggers: ["src/**"]
+  deploys:
+    - name: app
+      workflow: deploy.yaml
+      triggers: ["src/**"]
+      inputs:
+        region: us-east-1
+      rollout:
+        max_parallel: 2
+        fail_fast: true
+
+# The deploy callback is staged so it declares the region matrix input the
+# generated promote workflow threads through each rollout wave, keeping the
+# generated reusable-workflow call valid.
+setup_workflows:
+  ".github/workflows/deploy.yaml": |
+    name: deploy
+    on:
+      workflow_call:
+        inputs:
+          environment:
+            required: false
+            type: string
+          sha:
+            required: false
+            type: string
+          region:
+            required: false
+            type: string
+    jobs:
+      deploy:
+        runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+        steps:
+          - run: echo "deploy ${{ inputs.region }}"
+
+steps:
+  - name: "Seed a minimal source tree; assert the promote strategy block"
+    action: commit
+    commit:
+      message: "seed source"
+      files:
+        src/main.go: |
+          package main
+
+          func main() {}
+    expect:
+      workflow_files:
+        - path: ".github/workflows/promote.yaml"
+          contains:
+            - "fail-fast: true"
+            - "max-parallel: 2"
diff --git a/e2e/scenarios/44-components-reserved.yaml b/e2e/scenarios/44-components-reserved.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0004ee89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/scenarios/44-components-reserved.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+name: "Components Reserved Shape"
+description: |
+  Exercises the reserved per-component descriptor map (config.components, #176).
+  Each component carries a path subtree and an optional tag_prefix. This block is
+  reserved and shape-only today: it parses and passes structural validation, but
+  carries no generator, state, or runtime behavior. The scenario declares two
+  components, generates the workflows, then regenerates and proves the output is
+  byte-identical with no drift.
+
+config:
+  trunk_branch: main
+  environments: [dev, prod]
+  builds:
+    - name: app
+      workflow: build.yaml
+      triggers: ["src/**"]
+  deploys:
+    - name: app
+      workflow: deploy.yaml
+      triggers: ["src/**"]
+  components:
+    api:
+      path: services/api
+      tag_prefix: api-
+    web:
+      path: services/web
+      tag_prefix: web-
+
+steps:
+  - name: "Seed a minimal source tree"
+    action: commit
+    commit:
+      message: "seed source"
+      files:
+        src/main.go: |
+          package main
+
+          func main() {}
+
+  - name: "Regenerate and confirm no drift"
+    action: verify
+    verify:
+      regenerate: true
+      expect_exit: 0
diff --git a/internal/schema/manifest.schema.json b/internal/schema/manifest.schema.json
index 623c5405..64380c92 100644
--- a/internal/schema/manifest.schema.json
+++ b/internal/schema/manifest.schema.json
@@ -178,6 +178,11 @@
           "type": "object",
           "additionalProperties": { "$ref": "#/definitions/environmentConfig" },
           "description": "Per-environment settings keyed by environment name."
+        },
+        "components": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "additionalProperties": { "$ref": "#/definitions/componentConfig" },
+          "description": "Reserved per-component descriptor map keyed by component name (#176). Reserved shape only: parse and structural validation, no generator, state, or runtime behavior."
         }
       }
     },
@@ -507,6 +512,15 @@
         "dir": { "type": "string", "description": "Directory holding override files. Relative, no '..' segments. Empty means the implementation default (reserved)." }
       }
     },
+    "componentConfig": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "description": "Reserved per-component descriptor for independently versioned components sharing one manifest (#176). Reserved shape only: parse and structural validation, no generator, state, or runtime behavior.",
+      "properties": {
+        "path": { "type": "string", "description": "Subtree this component owns within the repo (reserved)." },
+        "tag_prefix": { "type": "string", "description": "Per-component version tag prefix (reserved). Empty inherits the manifest-level tag_prefix." }
+      }
+    },
     "changelogConfig": {
       "type": "object",
       "additionalProperties": false,
diff --git a/schema/manifest.schema.json b/schema/manifest.schema.json
index 623c5405..64380c92 100644
--- a/schema/manifest.schema.json
+++ b/schema/manifest.schema.json
@@ -178,6 +178,11 @@
           "type": "object",
           "additionalProperties": { "$ref": "#/definitions/environmentConfig" },
           "description": "Per-environment settings keyed by environment name."
+        },
+        "components": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "additionalProperties": { "$ref": "#/definitions/componentConfig" },
+          "description": "Reserved per-component descriptor map keyed by component name (#176). Reserved shape only: parse and structural validation, no generator, state, or runtime behavior."
         }
       }
     },
@@ -507,6 +512,15 @@
         "dir": { "type": "string", "description": "Directory holding override files. Relative, no '..' segments. Empty means the implementation default (reserved)." }
       }
     },
+    "componentConfig": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "description": "Reserved per-component descriptor for independently versioned components sharing one manifest (#176). Reserved shape only: parse and structural validation, no generator, state, or runtime behavior.",
+      "properties": {
+        "path": { "type": "string", "description": "Subtree this component owns within the repo (reserved)." },
+        "tag_prefix": { "type": "string", "description": "Per-component version tag prefix (reserved). Empty inherits the manifest-level tag_prefix." }
+      }
+    },
     "changelogConfig": {
       "type": "object",
       "additionalProperties": false,