diff --git a/src/cmd/info.rs b/src/cmd/info.rs
index 7972545c..487db71a 100644
--- a/src/cmd/info.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/info.rs
@@ -83,6 +83,11 @@ pub fn format_info(pkg: &Package, platform: &Platform, nu: Option<&NuVersion>) -
             out.push_str("    note: built from a commit snapshot, not a tagged release\n");
         }
 
+        if ver.is_provisional() {
+            let reason = ver.deferral_reason_display();
+            out.push_str(&format!("    evidence:    provisional — {reason}\n"));
+        }
+
         if let Some(ref source) = ver.source {
             out.push_str(&format!("    source git:  {}\n", source.git));
             out.push_str(&format!("    source rev:  {}\n", source.rev));
@@ -166,6 +171,8 @@ mod tests {
                 dependencies: BTreeMap::new(),
                 activation: None,
                 provenance: None,
+                evidence_tier: None,
+                deferral_reason: None,
             }],
         }
     }
@@ -226,6 +233,42 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(!out.contains("commit snapshot"), "{out}");
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn format_info_notes_provisional_with_reason() {
+        let mut pkg = sample_plugin(false);
+        pkg.versions[0].evidence_tier = Some(crate::core::package::EvidenceTier::Provisional);
+        pkg.versions[0].deferral_reason = Some("requires cloud credentials".to_string());
+        let out = format_info(&pkg, &linux_platform(), None);
+        assert!(
+            out.contains("evidence:    provisional — requires cloud credentials"),
+            "{out}"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn format_info_notes_provisional_without_reason() {
+        let mut pkg = sample_plugin(false);
+        pkg.versions[0].evidence_tier = Some(crate::core::package::EvidenceTier::Provisional);
+        let out = format_info(&pkg, &linux_platform(), None);
+        assert!(out.contains("reason not recorded"), "{out}");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn format_info_notes_provisional_with_empty_reason_falls_back() {
+        let mut pkg = sample_plugin(false);
+        pkg.versions[0].evidence_tier = Some(crate::core::package::EvidenceTier::Provisional);
+        pkg.versions[0].deferral_reason = Some("   ".to_string());
+        let out = format_info(&pkg, &linux_platform(), None);
+        assert!(out.contains("reason not recorded"), "{out}");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn format_info_omits_evidence_line_when_proven() {
+        let pkg = sample_plugin(false);
+        let out = format_info(&pkg, &linux_platform(), None);
+        assert!(!out.contains("evidence:"), "{out}");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn format_info_omits_source_lines_when_absent() {
         let pkg = sample_plugin(false);
diff --git a/src/cmd/search.rs b/src/cmd/search.rs
index 783d3046..828760df 100644
--- a/src/cmd/search.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/search.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use crate::core::nu_version::NuVersion;
-use crate::core::package::PackageType;
+use crate::core::package::{PackageType, VersionEntry};
 use crate::core::platform::Platform;
 use crate::core::registry::RegistryManager;
 use crate::core::resolve::{Incompatibility, Resolver};
@@ -101,10 +101,18 @@ pub fn execute(args: &SearchArgs, root: &Path) -> Result<()> {
             }
         };
 
+        let provisional_marker = provisional_marker(display_entry);
+
         println!(
-            "  {}/{}  v{}  [{}]{}
+            "  {}/{}  v{}  [{}]{}{}
     {}",
-            pkg.id.owner, pkg.id.name, version_label, pkg.package_type, status, pkg.description
+            pkg.id.owner,
+            pkg.id.name,
+            version_label,
+            pkg.package_type,
+            status,
+            provisional_marker,
+            pkg.description
         );
     }
 
@@ -140,6 +148,14 @@ fn format_search_header(nu: Option<&NuVersion>, triple: &str) -> String {
     }
 }
 
+fn provisional_marker(entry: Option<&VersionEntry>) -> &'static str {
+    if entry.map(|v| v.is_provisional()).unwrap_or(false) {
+        " [provisional]"
+    } else {
+        ""
+    }
+}
+
 /// Row status suffix (leading space + brackets), or empty.
 ///
 /// Plugins get a hard evaluated verdict. Modules use not-ABI-locked wording.
@@ -252,6 +268,8 @@ mod tests {
                 dependencies: BTreeMap::new(),
                 activation: None,
                 provenance: None,
+                evidence_tier: None,
+                deferral_reason: None,
             }],
         }
     }
@@ -337,6 +355,24 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(status.is_empty());
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn provisional_marker_shown_for_provisional_entry() {
+        let mut pkg = sample_pkg_typed(PackageType::Plugin, "*", vec![]);
+        pkg.versions[0].evidence_tier = Some(crate::core::package::EvidenceTier::Provisional);
+        assert_eq!(provisional_marker(Some(&pkg.versions[0])), " [provisional]");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn provisional_marker_empty_for_proven_entry() {
+        let pkg = sample_pkg_typed(PackageType::Plugin, "*", vec![]);
+        assert_eq!(provisional_marker(Some(&pkg.versions[0])), "");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn provisional_marker_empty_for_none() {
+        assert_eq!(provisional_marker(None), "");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn hidden_footer_points_at_info_not_sync() {
         let footer = format_hidden_footer(
diff --git a/src/cmd/try_cmd.rs b/src/cmd/try_cmd.rs
index 39f1bd7b..4bccfb5b 100644
--- a/src/cmd/try_cmd.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/try_cmd.rs
@@ -469,6 +469,8 @@ mod tests {
                 dependencies: BTreeMap::new(),
                 activation: None,
                 provenance: None,
+                evidence_tier: None,
+                deferral_reason: None,
             }],
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/core/package.rs b/src/core/package.rs
index 718f467e..0f64c3dc 100644
--- a/src/core/package.rs
+++ b/src/core/package.rs
@@ -116,6 +116,50 @@ pub struct VersionEntry {
     /// built from a pinned commit with no upstream tag.
     #[serde(default)]
     pub provenance: Option<String>,
+    /// Evidence tier for this version. `None` means "proven" (legacy
+    /// entries and any entry with full lifecycle evidence).
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub evidence_tier: Option<EvidenceTier>,
+    /// Required alongside `evidence_tier: "provisional"`: why
+    /// lifecycle-prove was deferred for this version.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub deferral_reason: Option<String>,
+}
+
+/// Closed set of evidence tiers; unrecognized values fail deserialization
+/// instead of silently being treated as proven.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "lowercase")]
+pub enum EvidenceTier {
+    Proven,
+    Provisional,
+}
+
+impl VersionEntry {
+    /// Whether this version is provisional (structural validation only, no
+    /// full lifecycle evidence). Absent `evidence_tier` means proven.
+    pub fn is_provisional(&self) -> bool {
+        self.evidence_tier == Some(EvidenceTier::Provisional)
+    }
+
+    /// Sanitized, non-empty deferral reason for display, or the fallback
+    /// text when the reason is missing, blank, or contains control
+    /// characters that would corrupt terminal output.
+    pub fn deferral_reason_display(&self) -> String {
+        let cleaned: String = self
+            .deferral_reason
+            .as_deref()
+            .unwrap_or("")
+            .chars()
+            .map(|c| if c.is_control() { ' ' } else { c })
+            .collect();
+        let trimmed = cleaned.trim();
+        if trimmed.is_empty() {
+            "reason not recorded".to_string()
+        } else {
+            trimmed.to_string()
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
@@ -273,6 +317,17 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(entry.source.is_none());
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn version_entry_absent_evidence_tier_is_not_provisional() {
+        let json = r#"{
+            "version": "0.25.2",
+            "nu_version": ">=0.113.0 <0.114.0",
+            "artifact": { "kind": "binary", "targets": {} }
+        }"#;
+        let entry: VersionEntry = serde_json::from_str(json).unwrap();
+        assert!(!entry.is_provisional());
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn parse_version_entry_defaults_provenance_to_none() {
         let json = r#"{
@@ -284,6 +339,77 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(entry.provenance.is_none());
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn version_entry_provisional_evidence_tier() {
+        let json = r#"{
+            "version": "0.25.2",
+            "nu_version": ">=0.113.0 <0.114.0",
+            "evidence_tier": "provisional",
+            "deferral_reason": "requires cloud credentials",
+            "artifact": { "kind": "binary", "targets": {} }
+        }"#;
+        let entry: VersionEntry = serde_json::from_str(json).unwrap();
+        assert!(entry.is_provisional());
+        assert_eq!(
+            entry.deferral_reason.as_deref(),
+            Some("requires cloud credentials")
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn deferral_reason_display_falls_back_when_missing() {
+        let json = r#"{
+            "version": "0.25.2",
+            "nu_version": ">=0.113.0 <0.114.0",
+            "evidence_tier": "provisional",
+            "artifact": { "kind": "binary", "targets": {} }
+        }"#;
+        let entry: VersionEntry = serde_json::from_str(json).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(entry.deferral_reason_display(), "reason not recorded");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn deferral_reason_display_falls_back_when_blank() {
+        let mut entry: VersionEntry =
+            serde_json::from_str(r#"{"version":"0.25.2","nu_version":">=0.113.0 <0.114.0","artifact":{"kind":"binary","targets":{}}}"#).unwrap();
+        entry.deferral_reason = Some("   ".to_string());
+        assert_eq!(entry.deferral_reason_display(), "reason not recorded");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn deferral_reason_display_strips_control_characters() {
+        let mut entry: VersionEntry =
+            serde_json::from_str(r#"{"version":"0.25.2","nu_version":">=0.113.0 <0.114.0","artifact":{"kind":"binary","targets":{}}}"#).unwrap();
+        entry.deferral_reason = Some("line one\nfake success line".to_string());
+        assert_eq!(
+            entry.deferral_reason_display(),
+            "line one fake success line"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn version_entry_proven_evidence_tier_is_not_provisional() {
+        let json = r#"{
+            "version": "0.25.2",
+            "nu_version": ">=0.113.0 <0.114.0",
+            "evidence_tier": "proven",
+            "artifact": { "kind": "binary", "targets": {} }
+        }"#;
+        let entry: VersionEntry = serde_json::from_str(json).unwrap();
+        assert!(!entry.is_provisional());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn version_entry_rejects_unknown_evidence_tier() {
+        let json = r#"{
+            "version": "0.25.2",
+            "nu_version": ">=0.113.0 <0.114.0",
+            "evidence_tier": "provisonal",
+            "artifact": { "kind": "binary", "targets": {} }
+        }"#;
+        assert!(serde_json::from_str::<VersionEntry>(json).is_err());
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn parse_version_entry_with_commit_snapshot_provenance() {
         let json = r#"{
diff --git a/src/core/registry.rs b/src/core/registry.rs
index 41f362fe..7e8d81e6 100644
--- a/src/core/registry.rs
+++ b/src/core/registry.rs
@@ -407,6 +407,8 @@ mod tests {
                     dependencies: BTreeMap::new(),
                     activation: None,
                     provenance: None,
+                    evidence_tier: None,
+                    deferral_reason: None,
                 }],
             }],
         }
diff --git a/src/core/resolve.rs b/src/core/resolve.rs
index e1dcea22..43626f21 100644
--- a/src/core/resolve.rs
+++ b/src/core/resolve.rs
@@ -727,6 +727,8 @@ mod tests {
                     dependencies: BTreeMap::new(),
                     activation: None,
                     provenance: None,
+                    evidence_tier: None,
+                    deferral_reason: None,
                 },
                 VersionEntry {
                     version: semver::Version::new(1, 0, 0),
@@ -745,6 +747,8 @@ mod tests {
                     dependencies: BTreeMap::new(),
                     activation: None,
                     provenance: None,
+                    evidence_tier: None,
+                    deferral_reason: None,
                 },
             ],
         }
@@ -1058,6 +1062,8 @@ mod tests {
                 dependencies: BTreeMap::new(),
                 activation: None,
                 provenance: None,
+                evidence_tier: None,
+                deferral_reason: None,
             }],
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/install/transaction.rs b/src/install/transaction.rs
index fd489de0..732c7587 100644
--- a/src/install/transaction.rs
+++ b/src/install/transaction.rs
@@ -408,6 +408,14 @@ pub fn install_package(
         install_dir.display()
     );
 
+    if resolved.is_provisional() {
+        let reason = resolved.deferral_reason_display();
+        println!(
+            "{} This package has not been lifecycle-tested. It passed integrity checks. ({reason})",
+            console::style("!").yellow()
+        );
+    }
+
     Ok(InstallResult {
         installed: true,
         package: lock_key,
diff --git a/tests/install_test.rs b/tests/install_test.rs
index 50af71ab..ae80fe59 100644
--- a/tests/install_test.rs
+++ b/tests/install_test.rs
@@ -138,6 +138,8 @@ fn integration_full_install_from_signed_registry() {
             dependencies: BTreeMap::new(),
             activation: None,
             provenance: None,
+            evidence_tier: None,
+            deferral_reason: None,
         }],
     };
 
@@ -383,6 +385,8 @@ fn integration_resolve_exact_rejects_incompatible() {
             dependencies: BTreeMap::new(),
             activation: None,
             provenance: None,
+            evidence_tier: None,
+            deferral_reason: None,
         }],
     };
 
@@ -466,6 +470,8 @@ fn integration_snapshot_before_install() {
             dependencies: BTreeMap::new(),
             activation: None,
             provenance: None,
+            evidence_tier: None,
+            deferral_reason: None,
         }],
     };
 
@@ -537,6 +543,8 @@ fn integration_snapshot_before_install() {
             dependencies: BTreeMap::new(),
             activation: None,
             provenance: None,
+            evidence_tier: None,
+            deferral_reason: None,
         }],
     };
 
diff --git a/tests/support/active_update/mod.rs b/tests/support/active_update/mod.rs
index 0e5aa745..9984eade 100644
--- a/tests/support/active_update/mod.rs
+++ b/tests/support/active_update/mod.rs
@@ -507,6 +507,8 @@ fn write_dual_version_registry(
             dependencies: BTreeMap::new(),
             activation: None,
             provenance: None,
+            evidence_tier: None,
+            deferral_reason: None,
         }
     };