diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index 06a8a97..1e2afcb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ jobs:
         run: python -m ruff check --select F401,F811 src scripts tests
       - 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 src scripts tests
       - name: Unit tests
         run: python -m unittest discover -s tests -v
         env:
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index d380502..fbad0f8 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ requires-python = ">=3.10"
 dependencies = ["mcp>=1.9.0,<2"]
 
 [project.optional-dependencies]
-dev = ["ruff>=0.11", "lizard==1.24.0"]
+dev = ["ruff>=0.11", "lizard==1.24.0", "vulture>=2.14"]
 
 [project.scripts]
 local-coding-slm = "local_coding_slm.server:main"
diff --git a/scripts/check-vulture.sh b/scripts/check-vulture.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..788dcb2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/check-vulture.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Fail on dead code vulture reports outside scripts/vulture-whitelist.py.
+set -euo pipefail
+ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)"
+WHITELIST="${VULTURE_WHITELIST:-$ROOT/scripts/vulture-whitelist.py}"
+MIN="${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 0000000..d151fc4
--- /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"
diff --git a/scripts/vulture-whitelist.py b/scripts/vulture-whitelist.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d7c40bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/vulture-whitelist.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# First-bake vulture allowlist. Add unused names here; do not delete this file.
+job_by_id  # unused function (src/local_coding_slm/eval/jobs.py:114)
+response_chars  # unused variable (src/local_coding_slm/eval/record.py:22)
+exhausted  # unused variable (src/local_coding_slm/eval/record.py:34)
+_.last_packet  # unused attribute (src/local_coding_slm/eval/review.py:69)
+_.last_packet  # unused attribute (src/local_coding_slm/eval/review.py:77)
+_.log_message  # unused method (src/local_coding_slm/eval/stub_ollama.py:82)
+format  # unused variable (src/local_coding_slm/eval/stub_ollama.py:82)
+_.do_GET  # unused method (src/local_coding_slm/eval/stub_ollama.py:93)
+_.do_POST  # unused method (src/local_coding_slm/eval/stub_ollama.py:108)
+local_status  # unused function (src/local_coding_slm/server.py:85)
+local_code  # unused function (src/local_coding_slm/server.py:91)
+local_refactor  # unused function (src/local_coding_slm/server.py:104)
+local_generate_tests  # unused function (src/local_coding_slm/server.py:117)
+local_explain  # unused function (src/local_coding_slm/server.py:132)
+local_review  # unused function (src/local_coding_slm/server.py:145)