diff --git a/cmd/hecate/main.go b/cmd/hecate/main.go
index b53d411..70ebabd 100644
--- a/cmd/hecate/main.go
+++ b/cmd/hecate/main.go
@@ -51,6 +51,11 @@ func main() {
 			logger.Printf("status failed: %v", err)
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
+	case "intent":
+		if err := runIntent(logger, os.Args[2:]); err != nil {
+			logger.Printf("intent failed: %v", err)
+			os.Exit(1)
+		}
 	case "help", "-h", "--help":
 		usage()
 	default:
@@ -203,6 +208,43 @@ func runStatus(logger *log.Logger, args []string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func runIntent(logger *log.Logger, args []string) error {
+	fs := flag.NewFlagSet("intent", flag.ExitOnError)
+	configPath := fs.String("config", "/etc/hecate/hecate.yaml", "Path to config file")
+	setState := fs.String("set", "", "Set intent state (normal|startup_in_progress|shutting_down|shutdown_complete)")
+	reason := fs.String("reason", "manual-intent", "Intent reason (used with --set)")
+	source := fs.String("source", "manual", "Intent source (used with --set)")
+	execute := fs.Bool("execute", false, "Actually write intent state (default read-only)")
+	_ = fs.Parse(args)
+
+	cfg, err := config.Load(*configPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if strings.TrimSpace(*setState) == "" {
+		in, readErr := state.ReadIntent(cfg.State.IntentPath)
+		if readErr != nil {
+			return readErr
+		}
+		if in.State == "" {
+			logger.Printf("intent=none")
+			return nil
+		}
+		logger.Printf("intent=%s reason=%q source=%s updated_at=%s",
+			in.State, in.Reason, in.Source, in.UpdatedAt.Format(time.RFC3339))
+		return nil
+	}
+	if !*execute {
+		return fmt.Errorf("refusing to write intent without --execute")
+	}
+	stateValue := strings.TrimSpace(*setState)
+	if err := state.MustWriteIntent(cfg.State.IntentPath, stateValue, *reason, *source); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	logger.Printf("intent updated: state=%s reason=%q source=%s", stateValue, *reason, *source)
+	return nil
+}
+
 func buildUPSTargets(cfg config.Config) ([]service.Target, error) {
 	targets := make([]service.Target, 0, len(cfg.UPS.Targets)+1)
 	switch cfg.UPS.Provider {
@@ -282,12 +324,14 @@ Commands:
   shutdown  Perform graceful cluster shutdown
   daemon    Monitor UPS and auto-trigger shutdown
   status    Print current hecate status and estimates
+  intent    Read or manually set intent state
 
 Examples:
   hecate startup --config /etc/hecate/hecate.yaml --execute --force-flux-branch main
   hecate shutdown --config /etc/hecate/hecate.yaml --execute --reason "manual-maintenance"
   hecate daemon --config /etc/hecate/hecate.yaml
   hecate status --config /etc/hecate/hecate.yaml
+  hecate intent --config /etc/hecate/hecate.yaml --set normal --reason "manual-clear" --execute
 `)
 }