diff --git a/apps/ai/src/chat/agents.test.ts b/apps/ai/src/chat/agents.test.ts
index 8fe2c0e099..6f206ceef8 100644
--- a/apps/ai/src/chat/agents.test.ts
+++ b/apps/ai/src/chat/agents.test.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import { mapleToolCatalog } from "../mcp/tools/registry"
 import { MUTATING_TOOL_NAMES } from "./permissions"
 import type { TenantContext } from "@maple/domain/http"
 import { AGENTS, agentForSession, isAutonomousTurn, sessionOf } from "./agents"
-import { profileForTurn } from "./profiles"
+import { profileForRoles, profileForTurn } from "./profiles"
 import { CONNECTOR_SYSTEM_PROMPT } from "./prompts"
 import { buildChatToolkit } from "./maple-toolkit"
 
@@ -137,6 +137,25 @@ describe("profileForTurn", () => {
 		}
 	})
 
+	it("offers an observer's turn the read tools and none that change data", () => {
+		const profile = profileForRoles(profileForTurn(agentForSession(appSession), { kind: "app" }), [
+			"org:observer",
+		])
+		const { tools } = buildChatToolkit(executor, tenant, profile.ruleset, profile.surface).toolkit
+		assert.property(tools, "search_traces")
+		for (const name of MUTATING_TOOL_NAMES) {
+			assert.notProperty(tools, name, `${name} was offered to an observer`)
+		}
+		// A member's turn on the same session still proposes them.
+		const member = profileForRoles(profileForTurn(agentForSession(appSession), { kind: "app" }), [
+			"org:member",
+		])
+		assert.isNotEmpty([...MUTATING_TOOL_NAMES])
+		for (const name of MUTATING_TOOL_NAMES) {
+			assert.equal(evaluatePermission(member.ruleset, name), "ask", name)
+		}
+	})
+
 	it("offers a connector the repository sandbox but no internal-audience tool", () => {
 		// The reviewer's pull request tools act on the org's behalf; a channel never reaches them.
 		const { tools } = toolsFor(connectorSession, CONNECTOR_ORIGIN)
diff --git a/apps/ai/src/chat/profiles.ts b/apps/ai/src/chat/profiles.ts
index de8ab9450c..bcdf976a03 100644
--- a/apps/ai/src/chat/profiles.ts
+++ b/apps/ai/src/chat/profiles.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@
  * surface and be billed, traced or prompted as another.
  */
 import type { ChatTurnOrigin } from "@maple/domain/chat-session"
-import type { PermissionRuleset } from "@maple/domain/permission"
+import { PermissionRule, type PermissionRuleset } from "@maple/domain/permission"
+import * as Policy from "@maple/domain/policy"
+import { Array as Arr } from "effect"
 import type { AgentDefinition } from "./agents"
 import { READ_ONLY_RULESET } from "./permissions"
 import { CONNECTOR_SYSTEM_PROMPT } from "./prompts"
@@ -21,6 +23,16 @@ export interface TurnProfile {
 	readonly prompt: string
 }
 
+/** The ruleset with every approval-gated tool withheld: an observer could not approve one. */
+const withoutProposals = (ruleset: PermissionRuleset): PermissionRuleset =>
+	Arr.map(ruleset, (rule) =>
+		rule.action === "ask" ? new PermissionRule({ tool: rule.tool, action: "deny" }) : rule,
+	)
+
+/** The profile for whoever the turn's tools run as: an observer is offered nothing that changes data. */
+export const profileForRoles = (profile: TurnProfile, roles: ReadonlyArray<string>): TurnProfile =>
+	Policy.isReadOnly(roles) ? { ...profile, ruleset: withoutProposals(profile.ruleset) } : profile
+
 export const profileForTurn = (agent: AgentDefinition, origin: ChatTurnOrigin): TurnProfile => {
 	switch (origin.kind) {
 		case "app":
diff --git a/apps/ai/src/chat/run.ts b/apps/ai/src/chat/run.ts
index fb51d25155..5325a13548 100644
--- a/apps/ai/src/chat/run.ts
+++ b/apps/ai/src/chat/run.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ import { agentSessionSpanAttributes, type ResolvedModel } from "../platform/Llm"
 import { withRunSessionAttributes } from "../platform/genai-spans"
 import { summarizeCause } from "@maple/backend/platform/describe-cause"
 import { type AgentDefinition, agentForSession, chatAgent } from "./agents"
-import { profileForTurn } from "./profiles"
+import { profileForRoles, profileForTurn } from "./profiles"
 import { MUTATING_TOOL_NAMES } from "./permissions"
 import {
 	makeTextSanitizer,
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ export const runChatTurn = (input: ChatRunInput) =>
 
 const runChatTurnFrom = (input: ChatRunInput, startedAt: number) => {
 	const agent = input.agent ?? agentForSession(input.sessionId)
-	const profile = profileForTurn(agent, input.origin)
+	const profile = profileForRoles(profileForTurn(agent, input.origin), input.tenant.roles)
 	const sessionAttributes = agentSessionSpanAttributes(input.model.tags)
 	const completion = input.completion?.({
 		turnId: input.messageId,
diff --git a/apps/ai/src/mcp/server.ts b/apps/ai/src/mcp/server.ts
index fadaaec288..c00bc1e4bd 100644
--- a/apps/ai/src/mcp/server.ts
+++ b/apps/ai/src/mcp/server.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import {
 	McpToolsUnavailableError,
 } from "./executor-loader"
 import { CurrentMcpRequestTenant } from "./tenant"
-import { refusesReadOnlyCredential, type McpToolResult } from "./tools/types"
+import { isReadOnlyTenant, refusesReadOnlyCredential, type McpToolResult } from "./tools/types"
 import type { McpToolDescriptor } from "@maple/domain/mcp-tool-contract"
 
 /**
@@ -69,13 +69,13 @@ const annotateToolFailure = (result: McpToolResult) =>
 		: Effect.void
 
 /**
- * Hides a tool from a read-only credential's `tools/list`, and answers a call to it as unknown:
+ * Hides a tool from a read-only credential's or an observer's `tools/list`, and answers a call to it as unknown:
  * the registry would refuse every such call anyway, and a listed tool invites it.
  */
 const HiddenFromReadOnlyCredentials = EffectMcpServer.visibility(() =>
 	Effect.gen(function* () {
 		const tenant = yield* CurrentMcpRequestTenant
-		return tenant?.readOnly !== true
+		return tenant === undefined || !isReadOnlyTenant(tenant)
 	}),
 )
 
diff --git a/apps/ai/src/mcp/tools/__tests__/read-only-key.test.ts b/apps/ai/src/mcp/tools/__tests__/read-only-key.test.ts
index aa4a19780a..090ad00061 100644
--- a/apps/ai/src/mcp/tools/__tests__/read-only-key.test.ts
+++ b/apps/ai/src/mcp/tools/__tests__/read-only-key.test.ts
@@ -11,21 +11,21 @@ import { executeRegisteredMcpToolUnscoped } from "../registry"
 const createdDbs: TestDb[] = []
 afterEach(() => cleanupTestDbs(createdDbs))
 
-const tenant = (readOnly: boolean, scopes?: ReadonlyArray<string>): TenantContext => ({
+const tenant = (readOnly: boolean, scopes?: ReadonlyArray<string>, role = "root"): TenantContext => ({
 	orgId: Schema.decodeSync(OrgId)("org_read_only_key"),
 	userId: Schema.decodeSync(UserId)("user_read_only_key"),
-	roles: [Schema.decodeSync(RoleName)("root")],
+	roles: [Schema.decodeSync(RoleName)(role)],
 	authMode: "self_hosted",
 	...(readOnly ? { readOnly: true as const } : undefined),
 	...(scopes === undefined ? undefined : { scopes }),
 })
 
-const makeLayer = (readOnly: boolean, scopes?: ReadonlyArray<string>) => {
+const makeLayer = (readOnly: boolean, scopes?: ReadonlyArray<string>, role?: string) => {
 	const database = createTestDb(createdDbs).layer
 	return Layer.mergeAll(
 		ErrorPolicyService.layer.pipe(Layer.provide(database)),
 		database,
-		Layer.succeed(CurrentMcpTenant, tenant(readOnly, scopes)),
+		Layer.succeed(CurrentMcpTenant, tenant(readOnly, scopes, role)),
 		Layer.succeed(AlertDestinationsService, {
 			listDestinations: () => Effect.succeed({ destinations: [] }),
 		} as never),
@@ -71,6 +71,30 @@ describe("read-only API key over MCP", () => {
 	)
 })
 
+describe("an observer over MCP", () => {
+	// A layer per test: each owns a database that `afterEach` removes.
+	const observer = () => makeLayer(false, undefined, "org:observer")
+
+	it.effect("runs read tools", () =>
+		Effect.gen(function* () {
+			const result = yield* call("get_error_notification_policy", {})
+			expect(Result.isSuccess(result)).toBe(true)
+		}).pipe(Effect.provide(observer())),
+	)
+
+	it.effect("refuses a tool that changes data and says which role can", () =>
+		Effect.gen(function* () {
+			const result = yield* call("update_error_notification_policy", updatePolicy)
+			expect(Result.isFailure(result)).toBe(true)
+			if (Result.isFailure(result)) {
+				expect(result.failure._tag).toBe("@maple/mcp/errors/McpAuthInvalidError")
+				expect(result.failure.message).toContain("update_error_notification_policy")
+				expect(result.failure.message).toContain("Ask an org admin for the Member role")
+			}
+		}).pipe(Effect.provide(observer())),
+	)
+})
+
 describe("a scoped key without users:read over MCP", () => {
 	const scopes = Arr.map(INVESTIGATION_READ_FAMILIES, (family) => `${family}:write`)
 
diff --git a/apps/ai/src/mcp/tools/registry.ts b/apps/ai/src/mcp/tools/registry.ts
index e1ca7df54f..e6bfa1b90f 100644
--- a/apps/ai/src/mcp/tools/registry.ts
+++ b/apps/ai/src/mcp/tools/registry.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 // BOUNDARY-FILE: This module owns unparsed external values and narrows them before domain use.
+import * as Policy from "@maple/domain/policy"
 import { McpToolNotFoundError } from "@maple/domain/mcp-tool-contract"
 import { scopeAllows } from "@maple/domain/http/v2"
 import type { McpToolSurface } from "@maple/domain/mcp-manifest"
@@ -133,6 +134,7 @@ import {
 	type McpToolPhrases,
 	type McpToolRegistrar,
 	type McpToolResult,
+	isReadOnlyTenant,
 	refusesReadOnlyCredential,
 } from "./types"
 import { unknownToolMessage } from "../lib/tool-suggestions"
@@ -750,9 +752,11 @@ export const executeRegisteredMcpToolUnscoped = Effect.fn("McpToolRegistry.execu
 
 	if (refusesReadOnlyCredential(definition.name, definition.hints.readOnly)) {
 		const tenant = yield* CurrentMcpTenant
-		if (tenant.readOnly === true) {
+		if (isReadOnlyTenant(tenant)) {
 			return yield* new McpAuthInvalidError({
-				message: `\`${definition.name}\` changes data, and this API key is read-only. Use a key with write access, or connect with OAuth.`,
+				message: Policy.isReadOnly(tenant.roles)
+					? `\`${definition.name}\` changes data. ${Policy.readOnlyMessage}`
+					: `\`${definition.name}\` changes data, and this API key is read-only. Use a key with write access, or connect with OAuth.`,
 				reason: "insufficient_scope",
 			})
 		}
diff --git a/apps/ai/src/mcp/tools/types.ts b/apps/ai/src/mcp/tools/types.ts
index be77cec142..384e0240f6 100644
--- a/apps/ai/src/mcp/tools/types.ts
+++ b/apps/ai/src/mcp/tools/types.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import type { McpToolSurface } from "@maple/domain/mcp-manifest"
 import type { McpToolName, McpToolOutputs } from "@maple/domain/mcp-outputs"
 import type { McpToolRequirements } from "./runtime-services"
 import type { ToolDoc } from "../lib/tool-doc"
+import * as Policy from "@maple/domain/policy"
 
 export class McpAuthMissingError extends Schema.TaggedError<McpAuthMissingError>()(
 	"@maple/mcp/errors/McpAuthMissingError",
@@ -123,6 +124,12 @@ export const FEEDBACK_TOOL = "send_maple_feedback"
 export const refusesReadOnlyCredential = (name: string, readOnly: boolean): boolean =>
 	!readOnly && name !== FEEDBACK_TOOL
 
+/** Whether the caller may only read: a read-only API key, or anyone whose role is observer. */
+export const isReadOnlyTenant = (tenant: {
+	readonly readOnly?: true
+	readonly roles: ReadonlyArray<string>
+}): boolean => tenant.readOnly === true || Policy.isReadOnly(tenant.roles)
+
 /**
  * Who a tool is for.
  *