diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3807845..34451f2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ would only work in one of those places.
 ## CLI
 
 ```sh
-moshpit-resolve <name> [--moshpit] [--clearnet-resolves] [--registry URL] [--console URL] [--parking URL] [--timeout MS] [--json]
+moshpit-resolve <name> [--moshpit] [--clearnet-resolves] [--registry URL] [--console URL] [--parking URL] [--timeout MS] [--strict] [--json]
 ```
 
 ```
@@ -84,6 +84,11 @@ every navigation, and the thing you need when a name goes somewhere unexpected.
 Use `--json` when another tool needs the registry answer, decision, reason, and
 destination without parsing the human-readable summary.
 
+By default, an unavailable registry still exits successfully after reporting
+the clearnet fallback. Scripts can add `--strict` to exit non-zero when the
+registry lookup is inconclusive. Resolved, parked, registry-backed clearnet,
+and reserved console decisions still exit successfully.
+
 Registry lookups use an eight-second deadline by default. Scripts and
 self-hosted deployments can lower it without changing the resolution policy:
 
diff --git a/bin/moshpit-resolve.mjs b/bin/moshpit-resolve.mjs
index d576abd..46758f4 100755
--- a/bin/moshpit-resolve.mjs
+++ b/bin/moshpit-resolve.mjs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import {
 
 const USAGE = `moshpit-resolve — where a Moshpit name would send you
 
-  moshpit-resolve <name> [--moshpit] [--clearnet-resolves] [--registry URL] [--console URL] [--parking URL] [--timeout MS]
+  moshpit-resolve <name> [--moshpit] [--clearnet-resolves] [--registry URL] [--console URL] [--parking URL] [--timeout MS] [--strict]
 
   --moshpit             let a registered name beat a clearnet answer
   --clearnet-resolves   pretend the real internet has an answer for this name
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ const USAGE = `moshpit-resolve — where a Moshpit name would send you
   --console URL         a custom namespace management console
   --parking URL         a custom base for unpointed names
   --timeout MS          registry request deadline (default: ${DEFAULT_LOOKUP_TIMEOUT_MS})
+  --strict              fail when the registry lookup is inconclusive
   --json                print a machine-readable resolution decision
 
 Prints the destination and the reason for it. No browser, no navigation.`;
@@ -83,3 +84,7 @@ if (raw) {
   console.log(`  reason     ${decision.reason}`);
   console.log(`  goes to    ${url ?? "(nowhere — the browser keeps its own answer)"}`);
 }
+
+if (flag("strict") && decision.reason === "Moshpit registry not consulted or unreachable") {
+  process.exitCode = 1;
+}
diff --git a/test/cli.test.mjs b/test/cli.test.mjs
index 9aa3103..e943457 100644
--- a/test/cli.test.mjs
+++ b/test/cli.test.mjs
@@ -216,3 +216,109 @@ test("--timeout aborts a slow registry lookup", async (t) => {
   assert.equal(requests, 1);
   assert.ok(elapsed < 1500, `configured timeout took ${elapsed}ms`);
 });
+
+test("--strict reports an unavailable registry through the exit status", async (t) => {
+  let requests = 0;
+  const server = createServer((_request, response) => {
+    requests++;
+    response.writeHead(503);
+    response.end();
+  });
+  server.listen(0, "127.0.0.1");
+  await once(server, "listening");
+  t.after(() => new Promise((resolve) => server.close(resolve)));
+
+  const args = [
+    "blue.eggs",
+    "--registry", `http://127.0.0.1:${server.address().port}`,
+    "--json",
+  ];
+  const normal = await run(args);
+  const strict = await run([...args, "--strict"]);
+  const strictOverride = await run([
+    ...args,
+    "--moshpit",
+    "--clearnet-resolves",
+    "--strict",
+  ]);
+
+  assert.equal(normal.status, 0, normal.stderr || normal.stdout);
+  assert.equal(strict.status, 1);
+  assert.equal(strictOverride.status, 1);
+  assert.equal(strict.stderr, "");
+  assert.deepEqual(JSON.parse(strict.stdout), JSON.parse(normal.stdout));
+  assert.deepEqual(JSON.parse(strict.stdout), {
+    name: "blue.eggs",
+    registry: null,
+    decision: {
+      use: "clearnet",
+      reason: "Moshpit registry not consulted or unreachable",
+    },
+    destination: null,
+  });
+  assert.equal(JSON.parse(strictOverride.stdout).decision.reason,
+    "Moshpit registry not consulted or unreachable");
+  assert.equal(requests, 3);
+});
+
+test("--strict keeps conclusive resolution paths successful", async (t) => {
+  let requests = 0;
+  const server = createServer((request, response) => {
+    requests++;
+    const name = new URL(request.url, "http://127.0.0.1").searchParams.get("name");
+    const parked = name === "parked.eggs";
+    response.writeHead(200, { "content-type": "application/json" });
+    response.end(JSON.stringify({
+      name_registered: !parked,
+      resolved: name,
+      target: parked ? null : "203.0.113.9",
+    }));
+  });
+  server.listen(0, "127.0.0.1");
+  await once(server, "listening");
+  t.after(() => new Promise((resolve) => server.close(resolve)));
+
+  const registry = `http://127.0.0.1:${server.address().port}`;
+  const cases = [
+    ["mosh.eggs", "--console", "https://console.example", "--strict", "--json"],
+    ["mosh.eggs", "--clearnet-resolves", "--strict", "--json"],
+    ["parked.eggs", "--registry", registry, "--strict", "--json"],
+    ["live.eggs", "--registry", registry, "--moshpit", "--strict", "--json"],
+    ["live.eggs", "--registry", registry, "--clearnet-resolves", "--strict", "--json"],
+  ];
+
+  const results = await Promise.all(cases.map(run));
+  for (const result of results) {
+    assert.equal(result.status, 0, result.stderr || result.stdout);
+    assert.equal(result.stderr, "");
+  }
+
+  const registryBackedClearnet = JSON.parse(results.at(-1).stdout);
+  assert.equal(registryBackedClearnet.decision.use, "clearnet");
+  assert.ok(registryBackedClearnet.registry);
+  assert.equal(registryBackedClearnet.destination, null);
+  assert.equal(requests, 3);
+});
+
+test("--strict preserves human-readable output before failing", async (t) => {
+  const server = createServer((_request, response) => {
+    response.writeHead(503);
+    response.end();
+  });
+  server.listen(0, "127.0.0.1");
+  await once(server, "listening");
+  t.after(() => new Promise((resolve) => server.close(resolve)));
+
+  const result = await run([
+    "blue.eggs",
+    "--registry", `http://127.0.0.1:${server.address().port}`,
+    "--strict",
+  ]);
+
+  assert.equal(result.status, 1);
+  assert.equal(result.stderr, "");
+  assert.match(result.stdout, /^blue\.eggs\n/);
+  assert.match(result.stdout, /registry\s+unreachable/);
+  assert.match(result.stdout, /decision\s+clearnet/);
+  assert.match(result.stdout, /goes to\s+\(nowhere/);
+});