diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
index 9fa9522..9ee06db 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ jobs:
         run: pip install ".[dev]"
 
       - name: Session handover gate
-        run: python3 scripts/session_handover_check.py --strict
+        run: python3 scripts/session_handover_check.py --strict --ci
 
       - name: Validate governance assets
         env:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index da84fc7..40f340d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ jobs:
         run: pip install ".[dev]"
 
       - name: Session handover gate
-        run: python3 scripts/session_handover_check.py --strict
+        run: python3 scripts/session_handover_check.py --strict --ci
 
       - name: Validate governance assets
         env:
diff --git a/scripts/session_handover_check.py b/scripts/session_handover_check.py
index b2ded16..7b354be 100755
--- a/scripts/session_handover_check.py
+++ b/scripts/session_handover_check.py
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ def _check_handover_entry(
     *,
     branch: str,
     strict: bool,
+    ci_mode: bool,
     errors: list[str],
 ) -> None:
     if not HANDOVER_LOG.exists():
@@ -87,7 +88,7 @@ def _check_handover_entry(
         if token not in latest:
             errors.append(f"latest handover entry missing token: {token}")
 
-    if strict:
+    if strict and not ci_mode:
         today_utc = datetime.now(UTC).date().isoformat()
         if today_utc not in latest:
             errors.append(
@@ -117,6 +118,14 @@ def main() -> int:
         action="store_true",
         help="Enforce today-date and current-branch match on latest handover entry.",
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--ci",
+        action="store_true",
+        help=(
+            "CI mode: keep structural/token checks but skip strict "
+            "today-date/current-branch matching."
+        ),
+    )
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
     errors: list[str] = []
@@ -128,7 +137,12 @@ def main() -> int:
     elif branch in {"main", "master"}:
         errors.append(f"working branch must not be {branch}")
 
-    _check_handover_entry(branch=branch, strict=args.strict, errors=errors)
+    _check_handover_entry(
+        branch=branch,
+        strict=args.strict,
+        ci_mode=args.ci,
+        errors=errors,
+    )
 
     if errors:
         print("[FAIL] session handover check failed")