diff --git a/.agentic-workspace/planning/execplans/archive/close-item-blocked-status.plan.json b/.agentic-workspace/planning/execplans/archive/close-item-blocked-status.plan.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fff42e05
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.agentic-workspace/planning/execplans/archive/close-item-blocked-status.plan.json
@@ -0,0 +1,320 @@
+{
+  "kind": "planning-execplan/v1",
+  "title": "Close-item blocked archive closeout status",
+  "execplan_profile": {
+    "schema": "execplan-profile/v1",
+    "task_shape": "bounded",
+    "required_core": [
+      "kind",
+      "title",
+      "canonical_core",
+      "goal",
+      "non_goals",
+      "active_milestone",
+      "validation_commands",
+      "completion_criteria"
+    ],
+    "optional_sections": [
+      "intent_continuity",
+      "intent_interpretation",
+      "execution_bounds",
+      "stop_conditions",
+      "context_budget",
+      "delegated_judgment",
+      "post_decomposition_delegation"
+    ],
+    "projection_rule": "canonical_core is authoritative for intent, scope, next action, proof, continuation, and closeout; legacy fields remain compatibility projections."
+  },
+  "canonical_core": {
+    "requested_outcome": "GitHub #1216: close-item JSON must make blocked archive closeout obvious.",
+    "hard_constraints": "Keep scope to close-item/archive result reporting and focused Planning package tests; do not redesign archive closeout policy or force non-zero CLI exits in this slice.",
+    "agent_may_decide": "Exact field names for the machine-readable close-item outcome, provided they expose blocked/closed status, mutation state, and next action without hiding existing warnings/actions.",
+    "escalate_when": "The fix requires changing archive gate semantics, generated command IR, or broad lifecycle result contracts outside close-item reporting.",
+    "next_action": "Add close-item status fields for blocked archive results, cover them in Planning tests, then run focused and package validation.",
+    "proof_expectations": [
+      "uv run pytest packages/planning/tests/test_close_item.py -q",
+      "make test-planning",
+      "make lint-planning",
+      "make typecheck-planning"
+    ],
+    "touched_scope": [
+      "packages/planning/src/repo_planning_bootstrap/installer.py",
+      "packages/planning/tests/test_close_item.py"
+    ],
+    "completion_criteria": [
+      "close-item JSON includes clear blocked/closed status for archive-flow no-ops.",
+      "blocked close-item output includes a top-level next_action that names the required repair.",
+      "successful close-item behavior and non-blocking retention warnings remain compatible.",
+      "Focused Planning tests cover the blocked archive closeout case."
+    ],
+    "continuation_owner": "none",
+    "closeout_decision": "archive-and-close"
+  },
+  "goal": [
+    "GitHub #1216"
+  ],
+  "non_goals": [
+    "Leave adjacent backlog or follow-on work out of this plan."
+  ],
+  "machine_readable_contract": {
+    "intent": {
+      "outcome": "GitHub #1216: close-item JSON must make blocked archive closeout obvious.",
+      "constraints": "Keep scope to close-item/archive result reporting and focused Planning package tests.",
+      "latitude": "Choose the smallest compatible status payload that preserves existing warnings and actions.",
+      "escalation": "Escalate if the fix requires changing archive gate semantics, generated command IR, or broad lifecycle result contracts.",
+      "proof": "uv run pytest packages/planning/tests/test_close_item.py -q; make test-planning; make lint-planning; make typecheck-planning; uv run python scripts/check/check_planning_surfaces.py"
+    },
+    "execution": {
+      "milestone": "close-item-blocked-status",
+      "status": "active",
+      "next_step": "Implement close-item blocked status fields and focused tests.",
+      "proof": "uv run pytest packages/planning/tests/test_close_item.py -q; make test-planning; make lint-planning; make typecheck-planning"
+    },
+    "scope": {
+      "touched": [
+        "packages/planning/src/repo_planning_bootstrap/installer.py",
+        "packages/planning/tests/test_close_item.py"
+      ],
+      "invariants": [
+        "Preserve the planning contract and keep the work bounded to this plan."
+      ]
+    }
+  },
+  "intent_continuity": {
+    "larger intended outcome": "GitHub #1216",
+    "this slice completes the larger intended outcome": "yes",
+    "continuation surface": "none"
+  },
+  "required_continuation": {
+    "required follow-on for the larger intended outcome": "no",
+    "owner surface": "none",
+    "activation trigger": "none"
+  },
+  "iterative_follow_through": {
+    "what this slice enabled": "none yet",
+    "intentionally deferred": "none",
+    "discovered implications": "none yet",
+    "proof achieved now": "yes; planning closeout recorded explicit proof input.",
+    "validation still needed": "current milestone validation remains pending",
+    "next likely slice": "continue the current milestone until the completion criteria are met"
+  },
+  "intent_interpretation": {
+    "literal request": "Close-item blocked archive closeout status",
+    "inferred intended outcome": "GitHub #1216",
+    "chosen concrete what": "Add a close-item-specific JSON outcome for blocked archive closeout results.",
+    "interpretation distance": "low",
+    "review guidance": "Confirm the scaffolded plan still matches the promoted item before broad implementation."
+  },
+  "execution_bounds": {
+    "allowed paths": "packages/planning/src/repo_planning_bootstrap/installer.py; packages/planning/tests/test_close_item.py; generated/package surfaces only if validation proves they are required.",
+    "max changed files": "4 implementation/test files plus generated artifacts only if package validation requires regeneration.",
+    "required validation commands": "uv run pytest packages/planning/tests/test_close_item.py -q; make test-planning; make lint-planning; make typecheck-planning",
+    "ask-before-refactor threshold": "Ask before broadening beyond the promoted item.",
+    "stop before touching": "Unrelated backlog, adjacent modules, or canonical contracts not named by this plan."
+  },
+  "stop_conditions": {
+    "stop when": "The work no longer matches the promoted item or its completion criteria.",
+    "escalate when boundary reached": "A correct fix requires changing the requested outcome or ownership boundary.",
+    "escalate on scope drift": "Implementation needs files outside the filled execution bounds.",
+    "escalate on proof failure": "The selected proof cannot demonstrate the completion criteria."
+  },
+  "context_budget": {
+    "live working set": "This execplan, the promoted item, and the narrow files needed for the current implementation step.",
+    "recoverable later": "Repo background, historical reviews, and deferred backlog unless compact outputs point there.",
+    "externalize before shift": "Update execution_run, proof_report, finished_run_review, and closeout_distillation before pausing.",
+    "pre-work config pull": "Use compact config/startup/summary outputs before opening raw planning or routing files.",
+    "pre-work memory pull": "Route to the narrowest relevant memory only when the task needs durable repo knowledge.",
+    "tiny resumability note": "Continue #1216 by implementing close-item blocked status fields and focused Planning tests.",
+    "context-shift triggers": "Proof failure, scope drift, interruption, handoff, or closeout."
+  },
+  "delegated_judgment": {
+    "requested outcome": "GitHub #1216: close-item JSON must make blocked archive closeout obvious.",
+    "hard constraints": "Keep scope to close-item/archive result reporting and focused Planning package tests.",
+    "agent may decide locally": "Exact field names for the machine-readable close-item outcome, provided blocked/closed status and next action are explicit.",
+    "escalate when": "The fix requires changing archive gate semantics, generated command IR, or broad lifecycle result contracts."
+  },
+  "post_decomposition_delegation": {
+    "status": "pending",
+    "decision rule": "After this slice is bounded, decide whether direct work, read-only exploration, implementation handoff, validation handoff, or stronger review improves quality or saves tokens safely.",
+    "route candidates": "keep-local|delegate-exploration|delegate-implementation|delegate-validation|escalate-review|no-safe-route",
+    "required evidence": "slice id, route, reason, quality risk, token-saving class, read-first refs, write scope, proof burden, stop conditions, and return contract"
+  },
+  "system_intent_alignment": {
+    "relevant system intent": "Preserve the larger intended outcome separately from this bounded slice.",
+    "slice shaping bias": "Keep the slice bounded while carrying any larger follow-on through explicit continuation fields.",
+    "broader-lane validation question": "Did this slice advance the declared larger outcome, or only complete the local task?",
+    "intent evidence source": ".agentic-workspace/docs/system-intent-contract.md"
+  },
+  "references": [
+    {
+      "kind": "source",
+      "target": "GitHub #1216",
+      "label": "GitHub #1216",
+      "role": "intake",
+      "locator": ""
+    }
+  ],
+  "active_milestone": {
+    "id": "close-item-blocked-status",
+    "status": "completed",
+    "scope": "Keep this execution thread bounded to the promoted TODO item.",
+    "ready": "ready",
+    "blocked": "none",
+    "optional_deps": "none"
+  },
+  "immediate_next_action": [
+    "Implement close-item blocked status fields and focused tests."
+  ],
+  "blockers": [
+    "None."
+  ],
+  "touched_paths": [
+    "packages/planning/src/repo_planning_bootstrap/installer.py",
+    "packages/planning/tests/test_close_item.py"
+  ],
+  "invariants": [
+    "Preserve the planning contract and keep the work bounded to this plan."
+  ],
+  "validation_commands": [
+    "uv run pytest packages/planning/tests/test_close_item.py -q",
+    "make test-planning",
+    "make lint-planning",
+    "make typecheck-planning"
+  ],
+  "required_tools": [
+    "None."
+  ],
+  "completion_criteria": [
+    "Close-item blocked archive closeout status is implemented, validated, and closed out honestly."
+  ],
+  "execution_run": {
+    "run status": "completed",
+    "executor": "agentic-planning closeout",
+    "handoff source": "agentic-planning new-plan",
+    "what happened": "Implemented close-item JSON outcome fields so blocked archive-flow no-ops report status, closed=false, mutation_applied=false, next_action, and blocked_reason.",
+    "scope touched": "Planning package close-item lifecycle result formatting and focused close-item tests.",
+    "changed surfaces": "packages/planning/src/repo_planning_bootstrap/installer.py; packages/planning/tests/test_close_item.py",
+    "validations run": "uv run pytest packages/planning/tests/test_close_item.py -q; make test-planning; make lint-planning; make typecheck-planning; uv run python scripts/check/check_planning_surfaces.py",
+    "result for continuation": "bounded closeout complete",
+    "next step": "archive this execplan"
+  },
+  "finished_run_review": {
+    "review status": "complete",
+    "scope respected": "Scope stayed inside close-item/archive result reporting; archive closeout gates and existing successful close-item behavior remain unchanged.",
+    "proof status": "passed",
+    "intent served": "yes",
+    "config compliance": "used planning closeout command-owned writer",
+    "misinterpretation risk": "low",
+    "follow-on decision": "none"
+  },
+  "delegation_outcome_feedback": {
+    "route chosen": "not-delegated",
+    "route skipped reason": "No delegation route was recorded; prepare-closeout normalized archive-only residue.",
+    "expected savings": "none recorded",
+    "actual friction": "none recorded",
+    "proof result": "yes; planning closeout recorded explicit proof input.",
+    "quality concern": "none recorded",
+    "decomposition adjustment": "none"
+  },
+  "proof_report": {
+    "validation proof": "uv run pytest packages/planning/tests/test_close_item.py -q; make test-planning; make lint-planning; make typecheck-planning; uv run python scripts/check/check_planning_surfaces.py",
+    "proof achieved now": "yes; planning closeout recorded explicit proof input.",
+    "evidence for \"proof achieved\" state": "uv run pytest packages/planning/tests/test_close_item.py -q; make test-planning; make lint-planning; make typecheck-planning; uv run python scripts/check/check_planning_surfaces.py"
+  },
+  "intent_satisfaction": {
+    "original intent": "GitHub #1216",
+    "was original intent fully satisfied?": "yes",
+    "evidence of intent satisfaction": "uv run pytest packages/planning/tests/test_close_item.py -q; make test-planning; make lint-planning; make typecheck-planning; uv run python scripts/check/check_planning_surfaces.py",
+    "unsolved intent passed to": "none"
+  },
+  "execution_summary": {
+    "outcome delivered": "Blocked close-item archive attempts are now machine-readable and harder to miss in automation.",
+    "validation confirmed": "uv run pytest packages/planning/tests/test_close_item.py -q; make test-planning; make lint-planning; make typecheck-planning; uv run python scripts/check/check_planning_surfaces.py",
+    "follow-on routed to": "none",
+    "post-work posterity capture": "archive closeout distillation",
+    "knowledge promoted (memory/docs/config)": "none",
+    "resume from": "archive",
+    "knowledge promoted (Memory/Docs/Config)": "none"
+  },
+  "durable_residue": {
+    "status": "none",
+    "learned constraint": "No future-relevant learning was identified beyond the closeout evidence.",
+    "motivation worth preserving": "Closeout reviewed durable residue and found no live follow-up.",
+    "canonical owner now": "archive",
+    "promotion trigger": "none",
+    "retention after promotion": "retain"
+  },
+  "task_intent_promotion": {
+    "decision": "do-not-promote",
+    "accepted values": "do-not-promote|memory|subsystem-intent|system-intent|refine-existing-intent|supersede-existing-intent",
+    "evidence source": "archive-plan --prepare-closeout",
+    "target scope": "archive",
+    "proposed durable intent": "Closeout reviewed durable residue and found no live follow-up.",
+    "confidence": "low",
+    "needs review": true,
+    "owner surface": "archive"
+  },
+  "closure_check": {
+    "closeout scope": "slice",
+    "slice status": "completed",
+    "larger-intent status": "closed",
+    "closure decision": "archive-and-close",
+    "why this decision is honest": "planning closeout accepted a slice claim with intent-status satisfied.",
+    "evidence carried forward": "uv run pytest packages/planning/tests/test_close_item.py -q; make test-planning; make lint-planning; make typecheck-planning; uv run python scripts/check/check_planning_surfaces.py",
+    "reopen trigger": "None unless new evidence shows the closeout was incomplete."
+  },
+  "improvement_signal_review": {
+    "status": "not_checked",
+    "accepted statuses": "not_checked|signals_routed|signals_fixed|signals_dismissed|no_signal_found",
+    "guidance": "At closeout, report AW smoothness/helpfulness gaps, better-way signals, unused-feature reflections, and places AW could help more. Route each concrete signal to exactly one owner class unless explicitly split, or mark no_signal_found after checking.",
+    "source": "operating_posture",
+    "owner classes": [
+      "issue",
+      "Memory",
+      "Planning",
+      "docs/checks/contracts",
+      "direct fix",
+      "dismissed with reason"
+    ],
+    "ordinary output cap": 3,
+    "signals found": [],
+    "signals fixed": [],
+    "signals routed": [],
+    "signals dismissed": [],
+    "next owner": "agent closeout reflection"
+  },
+  "closeout_distillation": {
+    "buckets": {
+      "discard": [
+        {
+          "summary": "No Memory, docs, or config promotion was needed for local execution detail.",
+          "owner": "discard",
+          "source": "execution_summary.knowledge promoted (Memory/Docs/Config)"
+        }
+      ],
+      "continuation": [],
+      "memory": [],
+      "config_check": [],
+      "docs": [],
+      "issue_follow_up": []
+    }
+  },
+  "drift_log": [
+    "2026-05-29: Scaffolded by agentic-planning new-plan."
+  ],
+  "memory_learning_capture": {
+    "status": "reviewed",
+    "memory consult recommended?": "review startup/report memory_consult",
+    "memory notes read": "not recorded",
+    "future agents should not rediscover": "no",
+    "decision": "none",
+    "target": "none",
+    "reason": "Derived from durable_residue during closeout preparation."
+  },
+  "generated_closeout": {
+    "status": "generated",
+    "source": "archive-plan --prepare-closeout",
+    "authority": "derived adapter; intent_satisfaction, closure_check, proof_report, durable_residue, execution_run, and execution_summary remain authoritative",
+    "text": "Generated closeout adapter; structured execplan fields are authoritative.\nIntent: GitHub #1216\nIntent satisfied: yes\nArchive decision: archive-and-close\nProof: uv run pytest packages/planning/tests/test_close_item.py -q; make test-planning; make lint-planning; make typecheck-planning; uv run python scripts/check/check_planning_surfaces.py\nChanged surfaces: packages/planning/src/repo_planning_bootstrap/installer.py; packages/planning/tests/test_close_item.py\nDurable residue: none (archive)\nMemory learning: none\nFollow-up: none"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/planning/src/repo_planning_bootstrap/installer.py b/packages/planning/src/repo_planning_bootstrap/installer.py
index a4a7b482..81573538 100644
--- a/packages/planning/src/repo_planning_bootstrap/installer.py
+++ b/packages/planning/src/repo_planning_bootstrap/installer.py
@@ -11973,6 +11973,69 @@ def format_actions(actions: list[Action], target_root: Path) -> list[str]:
     return lines
 
 
+_CLOSE_ITEM_NON_BLOCKING_WARNING_CLASSES = {"archive_retention_skipped_by_size_guardrail"}
+_CLOSE_ITEM_MUTATION_ACTIONS = {"updated", "archived", "closed"}
+
+
+def _close_item_result_fields(result: InstallResult) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    if not result.message.startswith("Close planning item "):
+        return {}
+    blocking_warnings = [
+        warning for warning in result.warnings if str(warning.get("warning_class", "")) not in _CLOSE_ITEM_NON_BLOCKING_WARNING_CLASSES
+    ]
+    manual_review_actions = [action for action in result.actions if action.kind == "manual review"]
+    blocked = bool(blocking_warnings or manual_review_actions)
+    mutation_applied = any(action.kind in _CLOSE_ITEM_MUTATION_ACTIONS for action in result.actions)
+    if blocked:
+        status = "blocked"
+        closed = False
+        next_action = _close_item_blocked_next_action(
+            blocking_warnings=blocking_warnings,
+            manual_review_actions=manual_review_actions,
+        )
+    elif result.dry_run:
+        status = "dry-run"
+        closed = False
+        next_action = "Review actions and rerun close-item without --dry-run only if the plan matches intent."
+    elif mutation_applied:
+        status = "closed"
+        closed = True
+        next_action = "Run agentic-workspace summary --target . --format json to verify planning state."
+    else:
+        status = "not-changed"
+        closed = False
+        next_action = "Inspect close-item actions and rerun summary before assuming the item closed."
+    fields: dict[str, Any] = {
+        "status": status,
+        "closed": closed,
+        "mutation_applied": mutation_applied,
+        "next_action": next_action,
+    }
+    if blocked:
+        fields["blocked_reason"] = _close_item_blocked_reason(
+            blocking_warnings=blocking_warnings,
+            manual_review_actions=manual_review_actions,
+        )
+    return fields
+
+
+def _close_item_blocked_next_action(*, blocking_warnings: list[dict[str, str]], manual_review_actions: list[Action]) -> str:
+    if manual_review_actions:
+        return f"{manual_review_actions[0].detail}; rerun close-item after resolving the blocker."
+    if blocking_warnings:
+        return f"{blocking_warnings[0].get('message', 'Resolve close-item warnings')}; rerun close-item after resolving the blocker."
+    return "Resolve close-item blockers, then rerun close-item."
+
+
+def _close_item_blocked_reason(*, blocking_warnings: list[dict[str, str]], manual_review_actions: list[Action]) -> str:
+    if blocking_warnings:
+        warning = blocking_warnings[0]
+        return f"{warning.get('warning_class', 'warning')}: {warning.get('message', '')}".strip()
+    if manual_review_actions:
+        return manual_review_actions[0].detail
+    return "close-item did not apply its requested mutation"
+
+
 def format_result_json(result: InstallResult) -> str:
     payload: dict[str, Any] = {
         "target_root": str(result.target_root),
@@ -11983,6 +12046,7 @@ def format_result_json(result: InstallResult) -> str:
         "actions": [{"kind": action.kind, "path": str(action.path), "detail": action.detail} for action in result.actions],
         "warnings": result.warnings,
     }
+    payload.update(_close_item_result_fields(result))
     if result.completion_options:
         payload["completion_options"] = result.completion_options
     if result.dry_run:
diff --git a/packages/planning/tests/test_close_item.py b/packages/planning/tests/test_close_item.py
index f13a0614..ecbb5046 100644
--- a/packages/planning/tests/test_close_item.py
+++ b/packages/planning/tests/test_close_item.py
@@ -106,6 +106,38 @@ def test_close_item_routes_execplan_id_through_archive_flow(tmp_path: Path) -> N
     assert any(action.kind == "archived" for action in result.actions)
 
 
+def test_close_item_blocked_archive_flow_reports_machine_readable_status(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    _write(
+        tmp_path / ".agentic-workspace/planning/state.toml",
+        """
+kind = "agentic-planning-state"
+schema_version = "planning-state/v1"
+
+[todo]
+active_items = [
+  { id = "plan-alpha", title = "Plan alpha", status = "completed", path = ".agentic-workspace/planning/execplans/plan-alpha.plan.json" },
+]
+""",
+    )
+    plan_path = tmp_path / ".agentic-workspace/planning/execplans/plan-alpha.plan.json"
+    _write_execplan_record(plan_path, status="completed")
+    record = json.loads(plan_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+    record.pop("closure_check")
+    installer_mod._write_execplan_record(record_path=plan_path, record=record)
+
+    result = close_planning_item("plan-alpha", target=tmp_path)
+    payload = json.loads(installer_mod.format_result_json(result))
+    state = tomllib.loads((tmp_path / ".agentic-workspace/planning/state.toml").read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+
+    assert payload["status"] == "blocked"
+    assert payload["closed"] is False
+    assert payload["mutation_applied"] is False
+    assert "Closure Check" in payload["next_action"]
+    assert payload["blocked_reason"].startswith("archive_missing_closure_check")
+    assert plan_path.exists()
+    assert state["todo"]["active_items"][0]["id"] == "plan-alpha"
+
+
 def test_close_item_preserves_execplan_when_retained_archive_path_is_stale(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     _write(
         tmp_path / ".agentic-workspace/planning/state.toml",
@@ -207,4 +239,34 @@ def test_close_item_runtime_cli_outputs_json(tmp_path: Path, capsys) -> None:
     payload = json.loads(capsys.readouterr().out)
 
     assert payload["message"] == "Close planning item done-item"
+    assert payload["status"] == "closed"
+    assert payload["closed"] is True
     assert any(action["kind"] == "updated" for action in payload["actions"])
+
+
+def test_close_item_runtime_cli_reports_blocked_json_status(tmp_path: Path, capsys) -> None:
+    _write(
+        tmp_path / ".agentic-workspace/planning/state.toml",
+        """
+kind = "agentic-planning-state"
+schema_version = "planning-state/v1"
+
+[todo]
+active_items = [
+  { id = "plan-alpha", title = "Plan alpha", status = "completed", path = ".agentic-workspace/planning/execplans/plan-alpha.plan.json" },
+]
+""",
+    )
+    plan_path = tmp_path / ".agentic-workspace/planning/execplans/plan-alpha.plan.json"
+    _write_execplan_record(plan_path, status="completed")
+    record = json.loads(plan_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+    record["closure_check"]["closure decision"] = "keep-active"
+    installer_mod._write_execplan_record(record_path=plan_path, record=record)
+
+    assert planning_cli.main(["close-item", "plan-alpha", "--target", str(tmp_path), "--format", "json"]) == 0
+    payload = json.loads(capsys.readouterr().out)
+
+    assert payload["status"] == "blocked"
+    assert payload["closed"] is False
+    assert payload["mutation_applied"] is False
+    assert "keep the plan active" in payload["next_action"]