diff --git a/cmd/artifact-vault/main.go b/cmd/artifact-vault/main.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..771a992d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/artifact-vault/main.go
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+// Command artifact-vault is the FAV operator CLI stub for U7 incremental.
+//
+// Full backfill / inventory / recover-apply / destroy live on
+// feature/final-artifact-vault and were NOT whole-branch merged. This binary
+// compiles on current dev and stays non-destructive: it only prints status /
+// remaining-port inventory.
+package main
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+)
+
+func main() {
+	if len(os.Args) < 2 {
+		usage()
+		os.Exit(2)
+	}
+	switch os.Args[1] {
+	case "status", "version":
+		writeJSON(map[string]any{
+			"binary":             "artifact-vault",
+			"slice":              "u7-incremental-stub",
+			"publisher_default":  false,
+			"degraded_read":      false,
+			"consumer":           "fav",
+			"consumer_mode":      "off",
+			"remaining_to_port": []string{
+				"enumerate.go (EnumerateTerminals / LoadExclusions)",
+				"TerminalRow + Backfill(rows) API (diverged from dataset Candidate path)",
+				"full recover-plan / recover-apply / gc-preflight / destroy",
+				"server ingest hooks (OnFinalArtifact*)",
+				"durable fav event Register after separate approval",
+			},
+			"source_branch": "feature/final-artifact-vault",
+			"note":          "do not enable FAV_DEGRADED_READ or fav consumer without approval",
+		})
+	case "help", "-h", "--help":
+		usage()
+	default:
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "artifact-vault: unknown command %q (full CLI remains on feature/final-artifact-vault)\n", os.Args[1])
+		usage()
+		os.Exit(2)
+	}
+}
+
+func usage() {
+	fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "usage: artifact-vault <status|version|help>")
+	fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "U7 stub only — backfill/recover/destroy not ported; fav stays off")
+}
+
+func writeJSON(v any) {
+	enc := json.NewEncoder(os.Stdout)
+	enc.SetIndent("", "  ")
+	_ = enc.Encode(v)
+}
diff --git a/cmd/events/main.go b/cmd/events/main.go
index f9d8ebfe..a14fef81 100644
--- a/cmd/events/main.go
+++ b/cmd/events/main.go
@@ -83,6 +83,8 @@ func main() {
 		(&docproject.EventConsumer{Docs: gov, Env: cfg.Env}).HandleLease,
 		(&intentflow.ProjectionConsumer{Env: cfg.Env}).HandleLease,
 	))
+	// Intentionally NOT registering events.ConsumerFAV / internal/app/fav.
+	// Registry.Register("fav") fails closed; mode stays off until separate approval.
 	mux := http.NewServeMux()
 	mux.HandleFunc("GET /health", func(w http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
 		writeJSON(w, http.StatusOK, map[string]any{"status": "ok", "env": cfg.Env, "owner": owner})
diff --git a/internal/app/fav/subscriber.go b/internal/app/fav/subscriber.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..84c38715
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/app/fav/subscriber.go
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+// Package fav holds the durable Final Artifact Vault event subscriber stub.
+//
+// U7 incremental rule: the fav consumer stays mode=off and unregistered until
+// a separate approval. Registry.Register("fav") and SetMode(fav, live) already
+// fail closed in internal/events; this package must not bypass those gates.
+package fav
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+
+	"chat-agent-system/internal/artifactvault"
+	"chat-agent-system/internal/events"
+
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5"
+)
+
+// EventConsumer is the durable FAV publisher subscriber.
+// Enabled defaults to false (zero value). Do not register into cmd/events
+// until separate cutover approval.
+type EventConsumer struct {
+	Publisher *artifactvault.Publisher
+	Env       string
+	// Enabled must stay false by default. Even when true, events.Registry
+	// still rejects Register(ConsumerFAV) until the hard gate is lifted.
+	Enabled bool
+}
+
+// HandleLease refuses work while the subscriber is disabled (default).
+// Even when Enabled is flipped locally, the stub still refuses until the
+// events registry hard-gate and a separate cutover approval are both lifted.
+func (c *EventConsumer) HandleLease(ctx context.Context, lease events.Lease, tx pgx.Tx) error {
+	_ = ctx
+	_ = lease
+	_ = tx
+	if c == nil || !c.Enabled {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: fav", events.ErrDisabledConsumer)
+	}
+	_ = c.Publisher
+	return fmt.Errorf("%w: fav publisher cutover not approved", events.ErrDisabledConsumer)
+}
+
+// DefaultEnabled reports the compile-time / zero-value default for the subscriber.
+func DefaultEnabled() bool {
+	return false
+}
diff --git a/internal/app/fav/subscriber_test.go b/internal/app/fav/subscriber_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a08485ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/app/fav/subscriber_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+package fav_test
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"testing"
+
+	"chat-agent-system/internal/app/fav"
+	"chat-agent-system/internal/events"
+)
+
+func TestFavSubscriberDefaultsDisabled(t *testing.T) {
+	if fav.DefaultEnabled() {
+		t.Fatal("fav subscriber DefaultEnabled must be false")
+	}
+	c := &fav.EventConsumer{}
+	if c.Enabled {
+		t.Fatal("zero-value EventConsumer.Enabled must be false")
+	}
+	err := c.HandleLease(context.Background(), events.Lease{}, nil)
+	if !errors.Is(err, events.ErrDisabledConsumer) {
+		t.Fatalf("disabled HandleLease: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestFavSubscriberStillDisabledWhenFlagOnWithoutRegistryApproval(t *testing.T) {
+	c := &fav.EventConsumer{Enabled: true, Env: "dev"}
+	err := c.HandleLease(context.Background(), events.Lease{Environment: "dev"}, nil)
+	if !errors.Is(err, events.ErrDisabledConsumer) {
+		t.Fatalf("enabled stub must still refuse until cutover approved: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := events.NewRegistry().Register(events.ConsumerFAV); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Registry.Register(fav) must remain fail-closed")
+	}
+}