diff --git a/.sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-CODEX-RETENTION-POLICY-PACKET.md b/.sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-CODEX-RETENTION-POLICY-PACKET.md
index a62c52d..ebcd7d3 100644
--- a/.sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-CODEX-RETENTION-POLICY-PACKET.md
+++ b/.sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-CODEX-RETENTION-POLICY-PACKET.md
@@ -63,6 +63,18 @@ Probe result on 2026-06-04:
 5. Phase 3: delete archived session JSONL only after separate destructive approval.
 6. Phase 4: delete/truncate logs and checkpoint/vacuum only after Codex is stopped and destructive approval is explicit.
 
+## Prevention Helper
+
+`python3 tools/codex_ephemeral_exec.py` builds disposable worker commands as `codex exec --ephemeral`. It supports `--check` and `--print-command` validation paths that do not run Codex.
+
+Example dry command:
+
+```bash
+python3 tools/codex_ephemeral_exec.py --print-command -C /path/to/repo "summarize current git status"
+```
+
+The helper is prevention only. It does not archive threads, delete JSONL, truncate logs, checkpoint, vacuum, read transcript bodies, or mutate Core.
+
 ## Approval Boundary
 
 Blocked without explicit operator approval:
@@ -82,4 +94,5 @@ Next safe action is to ask for archive-only approval. Delete and vacuum stay sep
 
 - must-fix: obtain explicit archive-only approval before any `threads.archived` update.
 - must-fix: obtain separate destructive approval before session deletion, log deletion, checkpoint, or vacuum.
+- follow-up: use the ephemeral exec helper for disposable non-interactive worker runs.
 - follow-up: native Codex retention support is checked for installed `0.134.0`; update/re-probe `0.137.0` before custom mutation if latest native behavior should be considered.
diff --git a/WORKBOARD.yaml b/WORKBOARD.yaml
index 7fde9a6..dd2aa90 100644
--- a/WORKBOARD.yaml
+++ b/WORKBOARD.yaml
@@ -476,3 +476,8 @@ items:
     status: validated
     source: .sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-CODEX-RETENTION-ARCHIVE-EXECUTOR-PACKET.md
     owner: ""
+  - id: CTO-WORK-096
+    title: Codex Ephemeral Exec Helper
+    status: validated
+    source: .sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-CODEX-RETENTION-POLICY-PACKET.md
+    owner: ""
diff --git a/tools/codex_ephemeral_exec.py b/tools/codex_ephemeral_exec.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..93d885f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/codex_ephemeral_exec.py
@@ -0,0 +1,163 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Run disposable Codex exec tasks with session persistence disabled."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import argparse
+import json
+import shutil
+import subprocess
+from pathlib import Path
+
+SCHEMA_VERSION = "cto-codex-ephemeral-exec-helper.v1"
+WORK_ITEM_ID = "CTO-WORK-096"
+
+
+def build_command(args: argparse.Namespace) -> list[str]:
+    codex_bin = args.codex_bin or shutil.which("codex") or "codex"
+    command = [codex_bin, "exec", "--ephemeral"]
+    if args.cwd:
+        command.extend(["-C", str(Path(args.cwd).expanduser())])
+    if args.model:
+        command.extend(["-m", args.model])
+    if args.json_events:
+        command.append("--json")
+    if args.sandbox:
+        command.extend(["--sandbox", args.sandbox])
+    if args.ask_for_approval:
+        command.extend(["--ask-for-approval", args.ask_for_approval])
+    if args.output_last_message:
+        command.extend(["--output-last-message", str(Path(args.output_last_message).expanduser())])
+    command.extend(args.prompt)
+    return command
+
+
+def command_report(command: list[str], *, execute_requested: bool) -> dict[str, object]:
+    return {
+        "schema_version": SCHEMA_VERSION,
+        "work_item_id": WORK_ITEM_ID,
+        "command": command,
+        "execute_requested": execute_requested,
+        "ephemeral_required": True,
+        "ephemeral_present": "--ephemeral" in command,
+        "mutation_performed_by_helper": False,
+        "session_persistence_requested": False,
+        "raw_transcript_bodies_read": False,
+        "raw_thread_text_fields_read": False,
+        "state_db_mutation": False,
+        "session_jsonl_deleted": False,
+        "logs_deleted_or_truncated": False,
+        "false_effects": {
+            "archive_threads": False,
+            "delete_session_jsonl": False,
+            "delete_logs": False,
+            "sqlite_checkpoint_or_vacuum": False,
+            "raw_transcript_body_read": False,
+            "raw_thread_text_field_read": False,
+            "core_source_mutation": False,
+        },
+    }
+
+
+def validate_report(report: dict[str, object]) -> list[str]:
+    errors: list[str] = []
+    command = report.get("command")
+    if report.get("schema_version") != SCHEMA_VERSION:
+        errors.append("schema_version_invalid")
+    if report.get("work_item_id") != WORK_ITEM_ID:
+        errors.append("work_item_id_invalid")
+    if not isinstance(command, list) or len(command) < 3:
+        errors.append("command_invalid")
+        return errors
+    if "exec" not in command[:3]:
+        errors.append("codex_exec_missing")
+    if "--ephemeral" not in command:
+        errors.append("ephemeral_missing")
+    for forbidden in [
+        "--dangerously-bypass-approvals-and-sandbox",
+        "--dangerously-bypass-hook-trust",
+    ]:
+        if forbidden in command:
+            errors.append(f"forbidden_flag:{forbidden}")
+    for field in [
+        "mutation_performed_by_helper",
+        "session_persistence_requested",
+        "raw_transcript_bodies_read",
+        "raw_thread_text_fields_read",
+        "state_db_mutation",
+        "session_jsonl_deleted",
+        "logs_deleted_or_truncated",
+    ]:
+        if report.get(field) is not False:
+            errors.append(f"{field}_invalid")
+    false_effects = report.get("false_effects")
+    if not isinstance(false_effects, dict):
+        errors.append("false_effects_missing")
+    else:
+        for key, value in false_effects.items():
+            if value is not False:
+                errors.append(f"false_effect_not_false:{key}")
+    return errors
+
+
+def main() -> int:
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    parser.add_argument("--codex-bin")
+    parser.add_argument("-C", "--cwd")
+    parser.add_argument("-m", "--model")
+    parser.add_argument("--json", dest="json_events", action="store_true")
+    parser.add_argument("--sandbox", choices=["read-only", "workspace-write"])
+    parser.add_argument("--ask-for-approval", choices=["untrusted", "on-request", "never"])
+    parser.add_argument("-o", "--output-last-message")
+    parser.add_argument("--print-command", action="store_true")
+    parser.add_argument("--check", action="store_true")
+    parser.add_argument("prompt", nargs=argparse.REMAINDER)
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    command = build_command(args)
+    report = command_report(command, execute_requested=not (args.print_command or args.check))
+    errors = validate_report(report)
+
+    if args.check:
+        print(
+            json.dumps(
+                {
+                    "ok": not errors,
+                    "validator": "cto-codex-ephemeral-exec-helper",
+                    "errors": errors,
+                    "warnings": [],
+                },
+                indent=2,
+                sort_keys=True,
+            )
+        )
+        return 0 if not errors else 1
+
+    if args.print_command:
+        report["ok"] = not errors
+        report["errors"] = errors
+        print(json.dumps(report, indent=2, sort_keys=True))
+        return 0 if not errors else 1
+
+    if not args.prompt:
+        print(
+            json.dumps(
+                {
+                    "ok": False,
+                    "validator": "cto-codex-ephemeral-exec-helper",
+                    "errors": ["prompt_missing"],
+                    "warnings": [],
+                },
+                indent=2,
+                sort_keys=True,
+            )
+        )
+        return 2
+    if errors:
+        print(json.dumps({"ok": False, "errors": errors}, indent=2, sort_keys=True))
+        return 1
+    return subprocess.run(command, check=False).returncode
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    raise SystemExit(main())