diff --git a/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/definition.rs b/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/definition.rs
index 0eea6f2..c423fb5 100644
--- a/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/definition.rs
+++ b/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/definition.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use thiserror::Error;
 use tracing::{debug, info};
 
 use super::{
-    Application, DeploymentPolicy, DynError, ExistingCluster, ExternalNodeSource,
+    Application, ClusterMode, DeploymentPolicy, DynError, ExistingCluster, ExternalNodeSource,
     HttpReadinessRequirement, NodeControlCapability, ObservabilityCapability,
     builder_ops::CoreBuilderAccess,
     expectation::Expectation,
@@ -119,8 +119,8 @@ impl<E: Application, Caps> Scenario<E, Caps> {
     }
 
     #[must_use]
-    pub const fn uses_existing_cluster(&self) -> bool {
-        self.sources.uses_existing_cluster()
+    pub const fn cluster_mode(&self) -> ClusterMode {
+        self.sources.cluster_mode()
     }
 
     #[must_use]
@@ -134,14 +134,19 @@ impl<E: Application, Caps> Scenario<E, Caps> {
         self.sources.external_nodes()
     }
 
+    #[must_use]
+    pub const fn uses_existing_cluster(&self) -> bool {
+        matches!(self.cluster_mode(), ClusterMode::ExistingCluster)
+    }
+
     #[must_use]
     pub const fn is_managed(&self) -> bool {
-        self.sources.is_managed()
+        matches!(self.cluster_mode(), ClusterMode::Managed)
     }
 
     #[must_use]
     pub const fn is_external_only(&self) -> bool {
-        self.sources.is_external_only()
+        matches!(self.cluster_mode(), ClusterMode::ExternalOnly)
     }
 
     #[must_use]
diff --git a/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/mod.rs b/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/mod.rs
index 9f927da..431ee7c 100644
--- a/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/mod.rs
+++ b/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/mod.rs
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ pub use runtime::{
     wait_for_http_ports_with_host_and_requirement, wait_for_http_ports_with_requirement,
     wait_http_readiness, wait_until_stable,
 };
-pub use sources::{ExistingCluster, ExternalNodeSource};
+pub use sources::{ClusterMode, ExistingCluster, ExternalNodeSource};
 pub use workload::Workload;
 
 pub use crate::env::Application;
diff --git a/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/runtime/orchestration/source_orchestration_plan.rs b/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/runtime/orchestration/source_orchestration_plan.rs
index 2c3cb4e..35bb510 100644
--- a/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/runtime/orchestration/source_orchestration_plan.rs
+++ b/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/runtime/orchestration/source_orchestration_plan.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use crate::scenario::{ExistingCluster, ExternalNodeSource, sources::ScenarioSources};
+use crate::scenario::{ClusterMode, ExistingCluster, ExternalNodeSource, sources::ScenarioSources};
 
 /// Explicit descriptor for managed node sourcing.
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
@@ -89,17 +89,32 @@ mod tests {
 }
 
 fn mode_from_sources(sources: &ScenarioSources) -> SourceOrchestrationMode {
-    match sources {
-        ScenarioSources::Managed { external } => SourceOrchestrationMode::Managed {
-            managed: ManagedSource::DeployerManaged,
-            external: external.clone(),
+    match sources.cluster_mode() {
+        ClusterMode::Managed => match sources {
+            ScenarioSources::Managed { external } => SourceOrchestrationMode::Managed {
+                managed: ManagedSource::DeployerManaged,
+                external: external.clone(),
+            },
+            ScenarioSources::Attached { .. } | ScenarioSources::ExternalOnly { .. } => {
+                unreachable!("cluster mode and source storage must stay aligned")
+            }
         },
-        ScenarioSources::Attached { attach, external } => SourceOrchestrationMode::Attached {
-            attach: attach.clone(),
-            external: external.clone(),
+        ClusterMode::ExistingCluster => match sources {
+            ScenarioSources::Attached { attach, external } => SourceOrchestrationMode::Attached {
+                attach: attach.clone(),
+                external: external.clone(),
+            },
+            ScenarioSources::Managed { .. } | ScenarioSources::ExternalOnly { .. } => {
+                unreachable!("cluster mode and source storage must stay aligned")
+            }
         },
-        ScenarioSources::ExternalOnly { external } => SourceOrchestrationMode::ExternalOnly {
-            external: external.clone(),
+        ClusterMode::ExternalOnly => match sources {
+            ScenarioSources::ExternalOnly { external } => SourceOrchestrationMode::ExternalOnly {
+                external: external.clone(),
+            },
+            ScenarioSources::Managed { .. } | ScenarioSources::Attached { .. } => {
+                unreachable!("cluster mode and source storage must stay aligned")
+            }
         },
     }
 }
diff --git a/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/sources/mod.rs b/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/sources/mod.rs
index 506a8aa..7f63800 100644
--- a/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/sources/mod.rs
+++ b/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/sources/mod.rs
@@ -2,4 +2,4 @@ mod model;
 
 pub(crate) use model::ScenarioSources;
 #[doc(hidden)]
-pub use model::{ExistingCluster, ExternalNodeSource};
+pub use model::{ClusterMode, ExistingCluster, ExternalNodeSource};
diff --git a/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/sources/model.rs b/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/sources/model.rs
index a64b010..63c6c1b 100644
--- a/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/sources/model.rs
+++ b/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/sources/model.rs
@@ -119,6 +119,14 @@ impl ExternalNodeSource {
     }
 }
 
+/// High-level source mode of a scenario cluster.
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
+pub enum ClusterMode {
+    Managed,
+    ExistingCluster,
+    ExternalOnly,
+}
+
 /// Source model that makes invalid managed+attached combinations
 /// unrepresentable by type.
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
@@ -187,17 +195,11 @@ impl ScenarioSources {
     }
 
     #[must_use]
-    pub(crate) const fn is_managed(&self) -> bool {
-        matches!(self, Self::Managed { .. })
-    }
-
-    #[must_use]
-    pub(crate) const fn uses_existing_cluster(&self) -> bool {
-        matches!(self, Self::Attached { .. })
-    }
-
-    #[must_use]
-    pub(crate) const fn is_external_only(&self) -> bool {
-        matches!(self, Self::ExternalOnly { .. })
+    pub(crate) const fn cluster_mode(&self) -> ClusterMode {
+        match self {
+            Self::Managed { .. } => ClusterMode::Managed,
+            Self::Attached { .. } => ClusterMode::ExistingCluster,
+            Self::ExternalOnly { .. } => ClusterMode::ExternalOnly,
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/testing-framework/deployers/compose/src/deployer/orchestrator.rs b/testing-framework/deployers/compose/src/deployer/orchestrator.rs
index 3025eaf..293dd55 100644
--- a/testing-framework/deployers/compose/src/deployer/orchestrator.rs
+++ b/testing-framework/deployers/compose/src/deployer/orchestrator.rs
@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@ use std::{env, sync::Arc, time::Duration};
 use reqwest::Url;
 use testing_framework_core::{
     scenario::{
-        ApplicationExternalProvider, CleanupGuard, ClusterWaitHandle, DeploymentPolicy, FeedHandle,
-        FeedRuntime, HttpReadinessRequirement, Metrics, NodeClients, NodeControlHandle,
-        ObservabilityCapabilityProvider, ObservabilityInputs, RequiresNodeControl, Runner,
-        RuntimeAssembly, Scenario, SourceOrchestrationPlan, SourceProviders, StaticManagedProvider,
-        build_source_orchestration_plan, orchestrate_sources_with_providers,
+        ApplicationExternalProvider, CleanupGuard, ClusterMode, ClusterWaitHandle,
+        DeploymentPolicy, FeedHandle, FeedRuntime, HttpReadinessRequirement, Metrics, NodeClients,
+        NodeControlHandle, ObservabilityCapabilityProvider, ObservabilityInputs,
+        RequiresNodeControl, Runner, RuntimeAssembly, Scenario, SourceOrchestrationPlan,
+        SourceProviders, StaticManagedProvider, build_source_orchestration_plan,
+        orchestrate_sources_with_providers,
     },
     topology::DeploymentDescriptor,
 };
@@ -70,7 +71,7 @@ impl<E: ComposeDeployEnv> DeploymentOrchestrator<E> {
             }
         })?;
 
-        if scenario.uses_existing_cluster() {
+        if matches!(scenario.cluster_mode(), ClusterMode::ExistingCluster) {
             return self
                 .deploy_attached_only::<Caps>(scenario, source_plan)
                 .await
diff --git a/testing-framework/deployers/k8s/src/deployer/orchestrator.rs b/testing-framework/deployers/k8s/src/deployer/orchestrator.rs
index f685a7d..2b177fe 100644
--- a/testing-framework/deployers/k8s/src/deployer/orchestrator.rs
+++ b/testing-framework/deployers/k8s/src/deployer/orchestrator.rs
@@ -5,11 +5,12 @@ use kube::Client;
 use reqwest::Url;
 use testing_framework_core::{
     scenario::{
-        Application, ApplicationExternalProvider, CleanupGuard, ClusterWaitHandle, Deployer,
-        DynError, FeedHandle, FeedRuntime, HttpReadinessRequirement, Metrics, MetricsError,
-        NodeClients, ObservabilityCapabilityProvider, ObservabilityInputs, RequiresNodeControl,
-        Runner, RuntimeAssembly, Scenario, SourceOrchestrationPlan, SourceProviders,
-        StaticManagedProvider, build_source_orchestration_plan, orchestrate_sources_with_providers,
+        Application, ApplicationExternalProvider, CleanupGuard, ClusterMode, ClusterWaitHandle,
+        Deployer, DynError, FeedHandle, FeedRuntime, HttpReadinessRequirement, Metrics,
+        MetricsError, NodeClients, ObservabilityCapabilityProvider, ObservabilityInputs,
+        RequiresNodeControl, Runner, RuntimeAssembly, Scenario, SourceOrchestrationPlan,
+        SourceProviders, StaticManagedProvider, build_source_orchestration_plan,
+        orchestrate_sources_with_providers,
     },
     topology::DeploymentDescriptor,
 };
@@ -179,7 +180,7 @@ where
 
     let observability = resolve_observability_inputs(scenario.capabilities())?;
 
-    if scenario.uses_existing_cluster() {
+    if matches!(scenario.cluster_mode(), ClusterMode::ExistingCluster) {
         let runner = deploy_attached_only::<E, Caps>(scenario, source_plan, observability).await?;
         return Ok((runner, attached_metadata(scenario)));
     }