diff --git a/scripts/session_handover_check.py b/scripts/session_handover_check.py
index dfe200b..68ae256 100755
--- a/scripts/session_handover_check.py
+++ b/scripts/session_handover_check.py
@@ -88,6 +88,10 @@ def _check_handover_entry(
         if token not in latest:
             errors.append(f"latest handover entry missing token: {token}")
 
+    if strict:
+        if "- next_ticket: #TBD" in latest:
+            errors.append("latest handover entry must not use placeholder next_ticket (#TBD)")
+
     if strict and not ci_mode:
         today_utc = datetime.now(UTC).date().isoformat()
         if today_utc not in latest:
@@ -100,8 +104,6 @@ def _check_handover_entry(
                 "latest handover entry must target current branch "
                 f"({branch_token})"
             )
-        if "- next_ticket: #TBD" in latest:
-            errors.append("latest handover entry must not use placeholder next_ticket (#TBD)")
         if "merged_to_feature_branch=no" in latest:
             errors.append(
                 "process gate indicates not merged; implementation must stay blocked "
@@ -122,8 +124,8 @@ def main() -> int:
         "--ci",
         action="store_true",
         help=(
-            "CI mode: keep structural/token checks but skip strict "
-            "today-date/current-branch matching."
+            "CI mode: keep structural/token checks and placeholder guard, "
+            "but skip strict today-date/current-branch/merge-gate checks."
         ),
     )
     args = parser.parse_args()
diff --git a/tests/test_session_handover_check.py b/tests/test_session_handover_check.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8c4aedb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_session_handover_check.py
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import importlib.util
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+def _load_module():
+    script_path = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1] / "scripts" / "session_handover_check.py"
+    spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location("session_handover_check", script_path)
+    assert spec is not None
+    assert spec.loader is not None
+    module = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+    spec.loader.exec_module(module)
+    return module
+
+
+def test_ci_mode_skips_date_branch_and_merge_gate(monkeypatch, tmp_path) -> None:
+    module = _load_module()
+    handover = tmp_path / "session-handover.md"
+    handover.write_text(
+        "\n".join(
+            [
+                "### 2000-01-01 | session=test",
+                "- branch: feature/other-branch",
+                "- docs_checked: docs/workflow.md, docs/commands.md, docs/agent-constraints.md",
+                "- open_issues_reviewed: #1",
+                "- next_ticket: #123",
+                "- process_gate_checked: process_ticket=#1 merged_to_feature_branch=no",
+            ]
+        ),
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(module, "HANDOVER_LOG", handover)
+
+    errors: list[str] = []
+    module._check_handover_entry(
+        branch="feature/current-branch",
+        strict=True,
+        ci_mode=True,
+        errors=errors,
+    )
+    assert errors == []
+
+
+def test_ci_mode_still_blocks_tbd_next_ticket(monkeypatch, tmp_path) -> None:
+    module = _load_module()
+    handover = tmp_path / "session-handover.md"
+    handover.write_text(
+        "\n".join(
+            [
+                "### 2000-01-01 | session=test",
+                "- branch: feature/other-branch",
+                "- docs_checked: docs/workflow.md, docs/commands.md, docs/agent-constraints.md",
+                "- open_issues_reviewed: #1",
+                "- next_ticket: #TBD",
+                "- process_gate_checked: process_ticket=#1 merged_to_feature_branch=no",
+            ]
+        ),
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(module, "HANDOVER_LOG", handover)
+
+    errors: list[str] = []
+    module._check_handover_entry(
+        branch="feature/current-branch",
+        strict=True,
+        ci_mode=True,
+        errors=errors,
+    )
+    assert "latest handover entry must not use placeholder next_ticket (#TBD)" in errors
+
+
+def test_non_ci_strict_enforces_date_branch_and_merge_gate(monkeypatch, tmp_path) -> None:
+    module = _load_module()
+    handover = tmp_path / "session-handover.md"
+    handover.write_text(
+        "\n".join(
+            [
+                "### 2000-01-01 | session=test",
+                "- branch: feature/other-branch",
+                "- docs_checked: docs/workflow.md, docs/commands.md, docs/agent-constraints.md",
+                "- open_issues_reviewed: #1",
+                "- next_ticket: #123",
+                "- process_gate_checked: process_ticket=#1 merged_to_feature_branch=no",
+            ]
+        ),
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(module, "HANDOVER_LOG", handover)
+
+    errors: list[str] = []
+    module._check_handover_entry(
+        branch="feature/current-branch",
+        strict=True,
+        ci_mode=False,
+        errors=errors,
+    )
+    assert any("must contain today's UTC date" in e for e in errors)
+    assert any("must target current branch" in e for e in errors)
+    assert any("merged_to_feature_branch=no" in e for e in errors)