diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
new file mode 100644
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+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+# nova-cli CI — first gated push (task order coreci/nova-platform#3, hip c12363)
+#
+# Gate shape: fetch -> one-time runner-surface probe (diagnostics report,
+# never gate) -> repo-shape validation (gates loud). The offline floor is
+# honest: every stage that runs is a real check; nothing skipped is
+# presented as passed.
+name: CI
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: ["**"]
+  pull_request:
+    branches: [main]
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+jobs:
+  ci:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: fetch (probe: stock actions/checkout@v4)
+        id: actfetch
+        continue-on-error: true
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: fetch (git-clone fallback, run token)
+        if: ${{ steps.actfetch.outcome == 'failure' }}
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          git clone --depth 1 "https://coreci-nova-po:${{ secrets.GITEA_TOKEN }}@git.coreci.dev/${{ github.repository }}.git" .
+      - name: diagnostics (runner surface probe - reports, does not gate)
+        run: |
+          set -u
+          echo "== workspace =="
+          ls -A
+          git log --oneline -1 || true
+          echo "== python =="
+          python3 --version
+          python3 -m pytest --version 2>/dev/null || echo "pytest: ABSENT"
+          python3 - <<'PY'
+          for m in ("yaml", "jsonschema", "boto3", "moto"):
+              try:
+                  __import__(m)
+                  print(m + ": OK")
+              except Exception as e:
+                  print(m + ": ABSENT (%s)" % type(e).__name__)
+          PY
+          echo "== pypi reachability =="
+          timeout 15 pip download --no-deps --dest /tmp/piptest pytest >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo "pypi: REACHABLE" || echo "pypi: UNREACHABLE"
+      - name: gate (repo shape)
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          test -s README.md
+          head -1 README.md | grep -q '^# '
+          echo "gate: README present, non-empty, title line OK"