diff --git a/tests/fixtures/parity/README.md b/tests/fixtures/parity/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..728dfd6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/parity/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+# Parity fixtures (shared, language-neutral)
+
+Round-2 of the parity drive. These fixtures are the **single source of truth**
+both the node suite and the Rust port (pty-rust) assert against, so the two
+implementations cannot silently drift.
+
+**Ownership:** the node repo **owns** these files. pty-rust vendors a
+**byte-identical mirror** and writes the equivalent Rust assertions. When a
+fixture changes here, the mirror must be re-synced.
+
+**Assertion rules (agreed with pty-rust-claude):**
+- **Plain-screen bytes** are asserted **EXACTLY** (`peek --plain` output, with
+  the CLI's single trailing `\n` stripped).
+- **ANSI** is asserted as a **mode-set** — *which* modes are present (e.g.
+  `?25l`, `?1000h`, `?1006h`), never the raw byte stream.
+
+## `screens.json`
+
+```
+{
+  version: 2,
+  fixtures: [
+    {
+      id: string,                 // stable identifier
+      kind: "plain-screen"        // assert the live plain screen
+          | "plain-screen-after-exit" // let it exit, then assert the preserved final screen + exit status
+          | "reaped-after-exit",  // let it exit under REAP mode, then assert it is gone
+      description: string,
+      spawn: { command: string, args: string[], rows: number, cols: number },
+      env?: { [k: string]: string }, // per-fixture daemon env overlay; pins the
+                                  // exit-time mode (PTY_REAP_ON_EXIT=false = preserve)
+      settleMs: number,           // wait after spawn (or after exit) before capturing
+      expect: {
+        plainScreen?: string,     // EXACT bytes of `peek --plain` (trailing \n stripped)
+        plainScreenLength?: number,   // optional guard against pad/trim regressions
+        status?: "exited",        // for *-after-exit fixtures: registry status
+        exitCode?: number,        // for *-after-exit fixtures: recorded exit code
+        reaped?: boolean          // for reaped-after-exit: peek fails + ls omits it
+      }
+    }
+  ]
+}
+```
+
+Exit-time behavior is **configurable** (`PTY_REAP_ON_EXIT`; shipped default
+`reap`). The per-fixture `env` overlay pins the mode a fixture needs:
+`post-exit-final-screen` runs with `PTY_REAP_ON_EXIT=false` (preserve → final
+screen survives); `post-exit-reaped` runs with the default (reap → the session
+removes itself, `peek` fails, `ls` omits it).
+
+The node harness (`tests/parity-fixtures.test.ts`) spawns the same daemon module
+the CLI daemonizes (with the fixture's `env`), waits `settleMs`, then for
+plain-screen kinds runs `peek --plain` and asserts `stdout.replace(/\n$/,"") ===
+expect.plainScreen`; for `reaped-after-exit` it asserts `peek` exits non-zero and
+`ls --json` has no entry. pty-rust does the equivalent against its own binary.
+
+## `shapes.json`
+
+JSON-SHAPE fixtures (companion to `screens.json`, harness
+`tests/parity-shapes.test.ts`): run a scenario via the real `pty` CLI, then
+assert the machine-readable output **field-by-field per policy** rather than by
+raw bytes. Each field policy is one of `{exact:<v>}` (=== v, incl. `null`),
+`{type:'number'|'string'}` (present, non-null, that type), or
+`{omitWhenUnset:true}` (the key is absent). Seeds:
+
+- `ls-json-shape` — `pty list --json` entry shape for a running vs an exited
+  session (preserve mode, so the exited entry stays listed). status enum
+  `running|exited|vanished`. **pid policy:** ls `pid` is the DAEMON pid
+  (`type:number` while running, `exact:null` once exited) — distinct from
+  `stats.process.pid` (the child pid).
+- `client-count-during-peek` — after a transient `peek`, `stats --json`
+  `clients.attached === 0` (a peek/stats connection is not an attached
+  streaming client).
+
+## Seeds landed
+
+`screens.json`: `idle-prompt-plain`, `post-exit-final-screen` (preserve),
+`post-exit-reaped` (reap). `shapes.json`: `ls-json-shape`,
+`client-count-during-peek`.
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/parity/screens.json b/tests/fixtures/parity/screens.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b74b028
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/parity/screens.json
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+{
+  "version": 2,
+  "note": "CANONICAL, language-neutral parity fixtures. Node (this repo) OWNS this file; pty-rust vendors a synced mirror. BOTH suites load this exact JSON and assert their implementation reproduces each fixture. Plain-screen bytes are asserted EXACTLY; ANSI is asserted as a mode-set (never raw bytes). Exit-time behavior is CONFIGURABLE (PTY_REAP_ON_EXIT; shipped default=reap): the per-fixture `env` overlay pins the mode a fixture needs. Keep the two mirrors byte-identical.",
+  "fixtures": [
+    {
+      "id": "idle-prompt-plain",
+      "kind": "plain-screen",
+      "description": "A written shell-style prompt with a trailing space (the cell the cursor sits on). The plain screen preserves the explicitly-written trailing space and trims only never-written cells — it is NOT blanket right-trimmed and NOT padded to full width. printf is used (not a live shell prompt) so the bytes are shell-version independent. The session stays running (exec cat), so exit-time behavior is irrelevant here.",
+      "spawn": { "command": "sh", "args": ["-c", "printf 'READY> '; exec cat"], "rows": 24, "cols": 80 },
+      "settleMs": 700,
+      "expect": {
+        "plainScreen": "READY> ",
+        "plainScreenLength": 7
+      }
+    },
+    {
+      "id": "post-exit-final-screen",
+      "kind": "plain-screen-after-exit",
+      "description": "PRESERVE mode (PTY_REAP_ON_EXIT=false). Three lines, DONE with no trailing newline, then exit 7. The finished session is preserved, so the final rendered viewport survives verbatim and peeking is idempotent (does not consume/clear it). The registry records status=exited with the real exit code.",
+      "spawn": { "command": "sh", "args": ["-c", "printf 'LINE_A\\nLINE_B\\nDONE'; exit 7"], "rows": 24, "cols": 80 },
+      "env": { "PTY_REAP_ON_EXIT": "false" },
+      "settleMs": 1200,
+      "expect": {
+        "plainScreen": "LINE_A\nLINE_B\nDONE",
+        "status": "exited",
+        "exitCode": 7
+      }
+    },
+    {
+      "id": "post-exit-reaped",
+      "kind": "reaped-after-exit",
+      "description": "REAP mode (shipped default, no PTY_REAP_ON_EXIT). A finished non-permanent session removes its own registry entry as it exits, so there is nothing left to peek and ls no longer lists it.",
+      "spawn": { "command": "sh", "args": ["-c", "printf 'GONE'; exit 0"], "rows": 24, "cols": 80 },
+      "settleMs": 1200,
+      "expect": {
+        "reaped": true
+      }
+    }
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/parity/shapes.json b/tests/fixtures/parity/shapes.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..45a913d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/parity/shapes.json
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+{
+  "version": 1,
+  "note": "CANONICAL, language-neutral JSON-SHAPE parity fixtures (companion to screens.json). Node (this repo) OWNS this file; pty-rust vendors a byte-identical mirror. Both suites run the scenario, then assert the machine-readable output FIELD-BY-FIELD per policy — NOT raw bytes. Field policy is one of: {exact:<v>} (=== v, incl. null); {type:'number'|'string'} (present, non-null, that type); {omitWhenUnset:true} (the key is ABSENT). Sessions are created via the real `pty` CLI args in `run`, so the two suites drive identical commands.",
+  "fixtures": [
+    {
+      "id": "ls-json-shape",
+      "kind": "ls-json-shape",
+      "description": "`pty list --json` entry shape for a running vs an exited session. Runs in PRESERVE mode (PTY_REAP_ON_EXIT=false) so the exited entry stays listed. status enum is running|exited|vanished. Note the pid policy: ls --json pid is the DAEMON pid (a number while running, null once exited) — distinct from stats.process.pid, which is the CHILD pid.",
+      "env": { "PTY_REAP_ON_EXIT": "false" },
+      "settleMs": 1500,
+      "statusEnum": ["running", "exited", "vanished"],
+      "sessions": [
+        {
+          "id": "runsess",
+          "run": ["run", "-d", "--id", "runsess", "--no-display-name", "--", "cat"],
+          "expect": {
+            "name": { "exact": "runsess" },
+            "status": { "exact": "running" },
+            "pid": { "type": "number", "note": "daemon pid; != stats.process.pid (child)" },
+            "command": { "exact": "cat" },
+            "cwd": { "type": "string" },
+            "createdAt": { "type": "string" },
+            "exitCode": { "exact": null },
+            "exitedAt": { "exact": null },
+            "displayName": { "omitWhenUnset": true }
+          }
+        },
+        {
+          "id": "exsess",
+          "run": ["run", "-d", "--id", "exsess", "--name", "my-label", "--", "sh", "-c", "exit 3"],
+          "expect": {
+            "name": { "exact": "exsess" },
+            "status": { "exact": "exited" },
+            "pid": { "exact": null },
+            "command": { "exact": "sh -c exit 3" },
+            "cwd": { "type": "string" },
+            "createdAt": { "type": "string" },
+            "exitCode": { "exact": 3 },
+            "exitedAt": { "type": "string" },
+            "displayName": { "exact": "my-label" }
+          }
+        }
+      ]
+    },
+    {
+      "id": "client-count-during-peek",
+      "kind": "stats-clients",
+      "description": "A transient `peek` (and the `stats` query itself) does NOT count as an attached streaming client. After peeking a running session, `stats --json` reports clients.attached === 0.",
+      "settleMs": 700,
+      "run": ["run", "-d", "--id", "peeksess", "--no-display-name", "--", "cat"],
+      "peekFirst": true,
+      "expect": {
+        "clients": {
+          "attached": { "exact": 0 }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/tests/parity-fixtures.test.ts b/tests/parity-fixtures.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f5dd32e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/parity-fixtures.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,192 @@
+// PARITY DRIVE — Round 2: shared, language-neutral fixtures.
+//
+// tests/fixtures/parity/screens.json is the SINGLE source of truth both this
+// node suite and the Rust port (pty-rust) assert against, so the two
+// implementations cannot silently drift. Node OWNS the file; pty-rust vendors a
+// byte-identical mirror and writes the equivalent Rust assertions.
+//
+// This harness loads that JSON and, for each fixture, spawns the same daemon
+// module the CLI daemonizes, waits settleMs, runs `peek --plain`, and asserts
+// node reproduces the fixture's EXACT plain-screen bytes (+ exit status for the
+// after-exit fixtures). Assertion rules (see the fixtures README): plain bytes
+// EXACT; ANSI would be asserted as a mode-set, never raw bytes.
+
+import { describe, it, expect, afterEach, afterAll } from "vitest";
+import * as fs from "node:fs";
+import * as os from "node:os";
+import * as path from "node:path";
+import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+import { spawn, spawnSync } from "node:child_process";
+
+const __dirname = path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
+const nodeBin = process.execPath;
+const cliPath = path.join(__dirname, "..", "dist", "cli.js");
+const serverModule = path.join(__dirname, "..", "dist", "server.js");
+
+const fixturesPath = path.join(__dirname, "fixtures", "parity", "screens.json");
+const fixtures = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(fixturesPath, "utf-8")) as {
+  version: number;
+  fixtures: Array<{
+    id: string;
+    kind: "plain-screen" | "plain-screen-after-exit" | "reaped-after-exit";
+    description: string;
+    spawn: { command: string; args: string[]; rows: number; cols: number };
+    // Per-fixture env overlay for the spawned daemon. Exit-time behavior is
+    // configurable (PTY_REAP_ON_EXIT); a fixture pins the mode it needs here.
+    env?: Record<string, string>;
+    settleMs: number;
+    expect: {
+      plainScreen?: string;
+      plainScreenLength?: number;
+      status?: string;
+      exitCode?: number;
+      reaped?: boolean;
+    };
+  }>;
+};
+
+const testRoot = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "pty-parityfx-"));
+afterAll(() => {
+  fs.rmSync(testRoot, { recursive: true, force: true, maxRetries: 3, retryDelay: 100 });
+});
+
+let bgPids: number[] = [];
+let sessionDirs: string[] = [];
+
+function makeSessionDir(): string {
+  const dir = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(testRoot, "d-"));
+  sessionDirs.push(dir);
+  return dir;
+}
+
+let nameCounter = 0;
+function uniqueName(): string {
+  return `fx${++nameCounter}-${Math.random().toString(36).slice(2, 6)}`;
+}
+
+async function startDaemon(
+  sessionDir: string,
+  name: string,
+  command: string,
+  args: string[],
+  rows: number,
+  cols: number,
+  env: Record<string, string> = {},
+): Promise<number> {
+  const config = JSON.stringify({
+    name, command, args, displayCommand: command,
+    cwd: os.tmpdir(), rows, cols,
+  });
+  const child = spawn(nodeBin, [serverModule], {
+    detached: true,
+    stdio: ["ignore", "ignore", "pipe"],
+    env: { ...process.env, PTY_SERVER_CONFIG: config, PTY_SESSION_DIR: sessionDir, ...env },
+  });
+  let stderr = "";
+  child.stderr?.on("data", (d: Buffer) => { stderr += d.toString(); });
+  let exitCode: number | null = null;
+  child.on("exit", (code) => { exitCode = code; });
+  (child.stderr as any)?.unref?.();
+  child.unref();
+
+  const socketPath = path.join(sessionDir, `${name}.sock`);
+  const start = Date.now();
+  while (Date.now() - start < 5000) {
+    if (exitCode !== null) throw new Error(`Daemon exited: ${stderr}`);
+    try {
+      fs.statSync(socketPath);
+      await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 100));
+      bgPids.push(child.pid!);
+      return child.pid!;
+    } catch {}
+    await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 50));
+  }
+  throw new Error(`Timeout waiting for daemon socket: ${socketPath}`);
+}
+
+function runCli(sessionDir: string, args: string[]) {
+  return spawnSync(nodeBin, [cliPath, ...args], {
+    env: { ...process.env, PTY_SESSION_DIR: sessionDir },
+    encoding: "utf-8",
+    timeout: 15000,
+  });
+}
+
+const sleep = (ms: number) => new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, ms));
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  for (const pid of bgPids) { try { process.kill(pid, "SIGTERM"); } catch {} }
+  bgPids = [];
+  for (const dir of sessionDirs) {
+    try {
+      for (const e of fs.readdirSync(dir)) { try { fs.unlinkSync(path.join(dir, e)); } catch {} }
+    } catch {}
+  }
+  sessionDirs = [];
+});
+
+describe("parity R2: shared screen fixtures (node reproduces the canonical values)", () => {
+  it("the fixtures file is present and versioned", () => {
+    expect(fixtures.version).toBe(2);
+    expect(fixtures.fixtures.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+  });
+
+  for (const fx of fixtures.fixtures) {
+    if (fx.kind === "reaped-after-exit") {
+      it(`fixture "${fx.id}" (${fx.kind}): finished session reaps itself — peek gone, ls omits`, async () => {
+        const dir = makeSessionDir();
+        const name = uniqueName();
+        // Reap mode: the daemon removes itself as it exits, so there is no
+        // persistent socket to wait for — spawn raw, let it run + reap, then
+        // assert the session is gone.
+        const config = JSON.stringify({
+          name, command: fx.spawn.command, args: fx.spawn.args,
+          displayCommand: fx.spawn.command, cwd: os.tmpdir(),
+          rows: fx.spawn.rows, cols: fx.spawn.cols,
+        });
+        const child = spawn(nodeBin, [serverModule], {
+          detached: true,
+          stdio: ["ignore", "ignore", "ignore"],
+          env: { ...process.env, PTY_SERVER_CONFIG: config, PTY_SESSION_DIR: dir, ...(fx.env ?? {}) },
+        });
+        child.unref();
+        if (child.pid) bgPids.push(child.pid);
+        await sleep(fx.settleMs);
+
+        const peek = runCli(dir, ["peek", "--plain", name]);
+        expect(peek.status).not.toBe(0);
+        const list = JSON.parse(runCli(dir, ["list", "--json"]).stdout);
+        expect(list.find((s: any) => s.name === name)).toBeUndefined();
+      }, 20000);
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    it(`fixture "${fx.id}" (${fx.kind}) reproduces the exact plain screen`, async () => {
+      const dir = makeSessionDir();
+      const name = uniqueName();
+      await startDaemon(dir, name, fx.spawn.command, fx.spawn.args, fx.spawn.rows, fx.spawn.cols, fx.env ?? {});
+      await sleep(fx.settleMs);
+
+      const peek = runCli(dir, ["peek", "--plain", name]);
+      expect(peek.status).toBe(0);
+      const screen = peek.stdout.replace(/\n$/, "");
+      // Plain-screen bytes must match EXACTLY (the core R2 contract).
+      expect(screen).toBe(fx.expect.plainScreen);
+      if (typeof fx.expect.plainScreenLength === "number") {
+        expect(screen.length).toBe(fx.expect.plainScreenLength);
+      }
+
+      if (fx.kind === "plain-screen-after-exit") {
+        const list = JSON.parse(runCli(dir, ["list", "--json"]).stdout);
+        const found = list.find((s: any) => s.name === name);
+        expect(found).toBeDefined();
+        if (fx.expect.status) expect(found.status).toBe(fx.expect.status);
+        if (typeof fx.expect.exitCode === "number") expect(found.exitCode).toBe(fx.expect.exitCode);
+
+        // Idempotent: a second peek is byte-identical (peek does not consume).
+        const again = runCli(dir, ["peek", "--plain", name]);
+        expect(again.stdout).toBe(peek.stdout);
+      }
+    }, 20000);
+  }
+});
diff --git a/tests/parity-shapes.test.ts b/tests/parity-shapes.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..df746ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/parity-shapes.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+// PARITY DRIVE — Round 2: shared JSON-SHAPE fixtures (companion to
+// parity-fixtures.test.ts / screens.json).
+//
+// tests/fixtures/parity/shapes.json is the canonical source both suites assert.
+// Node OWNS it; pty-rust mirrors byte-identical. Unlike the plain-screen
+// fixtures (exact bytes), these assert machine-readable output FIELD-BY-FIELD
+// per policy: {exact:v} | {type:'number'|'string'} | {omitWhenUnset:true}.
+
+import { describe, it, expect, afterEach, afterAll } from "vitest";
+import * as fs from "node:fs";
+import * as os from "node:os";
+import * as path from "node:path";
+import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+import { spawnSync } from "node:child_process";
+
+const __dirname = path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
+const nodeBin = process.execPath;
+const cliPath = path.join(__dirname, "..", "dist", "cli.js");
+
+const shapesPath = path.join(__dirname, "fixtures", "parity", "shapes.json");
+const shapes = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(shapesPath, "utf-8")) as {
+  version: number;
+  fixtures: any[];
+};
+
+const testRoot = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "pty-shapes-"));
+afterAll(() => {
+  fs.rmSync(testRoot, { recursive: true, force: true, maxRetries: 3, retryDelay: 100 });
+});
+
+let sessionDirs: string[] = [];
+function makeSessionDir(): string {
+  const dir = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(testRoot, "d-"));
+  sessionDirs.push(dir);
+  return dir;
+}
+
+function runCli(dir: string, args: string[], env: Record<string, string> = {}) {
+  return spawnSync(nodeBin, [cliPath, ...args], {
+    env: { ...process.env, PTY_SESSION_DIR: dir, ...env },
+    encoding: "utf-8",
+    timeout: 15000,
+  });
+}
+
+const sleep = (ms: number) => new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, ms));
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  for (const dir of sessionDirs) {
+    try {
+      for (const e of fs.readdirSync(dir)) {
+        if (e.endsWith(".pid")) {
+          try { process.kill(Number(fs.readFileSync(path.join(dir, e), "utf8").trim()), "SIGTERM"); } catch {}
+        }
+      }
+    } catch {}
+  }
+  sessionDirs = [];
+});
+
+// Assert one field of `entry` against a policy: exact | type | omit-when-unset.
+function assertField(entry: any, key: string, policy: any, label: string): void {
+  if (policy.omitWhenUnset) {
+    expect(entry[key], `${label}.${key} should be omitted when unset`).toBeUndefined();
+  } else if ("exact" in policy) {
+    expect(entry[key], `${label}.${key} exact`).toStrictEqual(policy.exact);
+  } else if (policy.type) {
+    expect(entry[key], `${label}.${key} present`).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(typeof entry[key], `${label}.${key} type`).toBe(policy.type);
+  } else {
+    throw new Error(`no assertable policy for ${label}.${key}`);
+  }
+}
+
+describe("parity R2: shared JSON-shape fixtures (node reproduces the canonical shapes)", () => {
+  it("the shapes file is present and versioned", () => {
+    expect(shapes.version).toBe(1);
+    expect(shapes.fixtures.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+  });
+
+  for (const fx of shapes.fixtures) {
+    if (fx.kind === "ls-json-shape") {
+      it(`shape "${fx.id}": ls --json entry shape (running + exited)`, async () => {
+        const dir = makeSessionDir();
+        for (const sess of fx.sessions) {
+          const r = runCli(dir, sess.run, fx.env ?? {});
+          expect(r.status, `run ${sess.id} failed: ${r.stderr}`).toBe(0);
+        }
+        await sleep(fx.settleMs);
+
+        const list = JSON.parse(runCli(dir, ["list", "--json"]).stdout);
+        for (const sess of fx.sessions) {
+          const entry = list.find((e: any) => e.name === sess.expect.name.exact);
+          expect(entry, `entry ${sess.id} present in ls --json`).toBeDefined();
+          if (fx.statusEnum) expect(fx.statusEnum).toContain(entry.status);
+          for (const [key, policy] of Object.entries(sess.expect)) {
+            assertField(entry, key, policy, sess.id);
+          }
+        }
+      }, 25000);
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    if (fx.kind === "stats-clients") {
+      it(`shape "${fx.id}": transient peek is not an attached client`, async () => {
+        const dir = makeSessionDir();
+        const r = runCli(dir, fx.run, fx.env ?? {});
+        expect(r.status, `run failed: ${r.stderr}`).toBe(0);
+        await sleep(fx.settleMs);
+
+        const name = fx.run[fx.run.indexOf("--id") + 1];
+        if (fx.peekFirst) {
+          const peek = runCli(dir, ["peek", "--plain", name]);
+          expect(peek.status).toBe(0);
+        }
+        const stats = JSON.parse(runCli(dir, ["stats", "--json", name]).stdout);
+        for (const [key, policy] of Object.entries(fx.expect.clients)) {
+          assertField(stats.clients, key, policy, `${fx.id}.clients`);
+        }
+      }, 25000);
+      continue;
+    }
+  }
+});