diff --git a/.githooks/pre-commit b/.githooks/pre-commit
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..d09c049
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.githooks/pre-commit
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+# smarm pre-commit gate: clippy the library (src/) with warnings as errors.
+# unwrap_used / expect_used are denied (Cargo.toml [lints.clippy]): library
+# code must not hide a panic behind unwrap/expect. Tests/examples are not gated.
+set -eu
+[ -f "$HOME/.cargo/env" ] && . "$HOME/.cargo/env"
+cd "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)"
+cargo clippy --lib -- -D warnings
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index b9171c7..f24a59f 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -7,6 +7,15 @@ rust-version = "1.95"
 [lints.rust]
 unexpected_cfgs = { level = "warn", check-cfg = ["cfg(loom)"] }
 
+[lints.clippy]
+# Library code must never hide a panic behind unwrap/expect. Both are denied; an
+# intentional panic is written explicitly as `match { Err(e) => panic!(..) }`.
+# panic!/unreachable! are deliberately left un-linted as the blessed explicit
+# form. Enforced on the library target only (`cargo clippy --lib`); tests and
+# examples unwrap freely and are not gated.
+unwrap_used = "deny"
+expect_used = "deny"
+
 [features]
 default = ["rq-mutex"]
 smarm-trace = []