diff --git a/testing-framework/core/src/runtime/manual.rs b/testing-framework/core/src/runtime/manual.rs
index 4e8af53..ac17826 100644
--- a/testing-framework/core/src/runtime/manual.rs
+++ b/testing-framework/core/src/runtime/manual.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 use async_trait::async_trait;
 
-use crate::scenario::{Application, ClusterWaitHandle, NodeControlHandle};
+use crate::scenario::{Application, ClusterControlProfile, ClusterWaitHandle, NodeControlHandle};
 
 /// Interface for imperative, deployer-backed manual clusters.
 #[async_trait]
-pub trait ManualClusterHandle<E: Application>: NodeControlHandle<E> + ClusterWaitHandle<E> {}
+pub trait ManualClusterHandle<E: Application>: NodeControlHandle<E> + ClusterWaitHandle<E> {
+    fn cluster_control_profile(&self) -> ClusterControlProfile {
+        ClusterControlProfile::ManualControlled
+    }
+}
diff --git a/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/definition.rs b/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/definition.rs
index 4bc70d5..6824cf3 100644
--- a/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/definition.rs
+++ b/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/definition.rs
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ use thiserror::Error;
 use tracing::{debug, info};
 
 use super::{
-    Application, ClusterMode, DeploymentPolicy, DynError, ExistingCluster, ExternalNodeSource,
-    HttpReadinessRequirement, NodeControlCapability, ObservabilityCapability,
+    Application, ClusterControlProfile, ClusterMode, DeploymentPolicy, DynError, ExistingCluster,
+    ExternalNodeSource, HttpReadinessRequirement, NodeControlCapability, ObservabilityCapability,
     builder_ops::CoreBuilderAccess,
     expectation::Expectation,
     runtime::{
@@ -123,6 +123,11 @@ impl<E: Application, Caps> Scenario<E, Caps> {
         self.sources.cluster_mode()
     }
 
+    #[must_use]
+    pub const fn cluster_control_profile(&self) -> ClusterControlProfile {
+        self.sources.control_profile()
+    }
+
     #[must_use]
     #[doc(hidden)]
     pub fn attached_source(&self) -> Option<&ExistingCluster> {
diff --git a/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/mod.rs b/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/mod.rs
index 431ee7c..dc464dc 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::{ClusterMode, ExistingCluster, ExternalNodeSource};
+pub use sources::{ClusterControlProfile, ClusterMode, ExistingCluster, ExternalNodeSource};
 pub use workload::Workload;
 
 pub use crate::env::Application;
diff --git a/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/sources/mod.rs b/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/sources/mod.rs
index 7f63800..01e8807 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::{ClusterMode, ExistingCluster, ExternalNodeSource};
+pub use model::{ClusterControlProfile, ClusterMode, ExistingCluster, ExternalNodeSource};
diff --git a/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/sources/model.rs b/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/sources/model.rs
index 63c6c1b..599584c 100644
--- a/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/sources/model.rs
+++ b/testing-framework/core/src/scenario/sources/model.rs
@@ -127,6 +127,27 @@ pub enum ClusterMode {
     ExternalOnly,
 }
 
+/// High-level control/lifecycle expectation for a cluster surface.
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
+pub enum ClusterControlProfile {
+    FrameworkManaged,
+    ExistingClusterControlled,
+    ExternalUncontrolled,
+    ManualControlled,
+}
+
+impl ClusterControlProfile {
+    #[must_use]
+    pub const fn framework_owns_lifecycle(self) -> bool {
+        matches!(self, Self::FrameworkManaged)
+    }
+
+    #[must_use]
+    pub const fn supports_node_control(self) -> bool {
+        !matches!(self, Self::ExternalUncontrolled)
+    }
+}
+
 /// Source model that makes invalid managed+attached combinations
 /// unrepresentable by type.
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
@@ -202,4 +223,52 @@ impl ScenarioSources {
             Self::ExternalOnly { .. } => ClusterMode::ExternalOnly,
         }
     }
+
+    #[must_use]
+    pub(crate) const fn control_profile(&self) -> ClusterControlProfile {
+        match self.cluster_mode() {
+            ClusterMode::Managed => ClusterControlProfile::FrameworkManaged,
+            ClusterMode::ExistingCluster => ClusterControlProfile::ExistingClusterControlled,
+            ClusterMode::ExternalOnly => ClusterControlProfile::ExternalUncontrolled,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::{ClusterControlProfile, ExistingCluster, ExternalNodeSource, ScenarioSources};
+
+    #[test]
+    fn managed_sources_map_to_framework_managed_control() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            ScenarioSources::default().control_profile(),
+            ClusterControlProfile::FrameworkManaged,
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn attached_sources_map_to_existing_cluster_control() {
+        let sources = ScenarioSources::default()
+            .with_attach(ExistingCluster::for_compose_project("project".to_owned()));
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            sources.control_profile(),
+            ClusterControlProfile::ExistingClusterControlled,
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn external_only_sources_map_to_uncontrolled_profile() {
+        let sources = ScenarioSources::default()
+            .with_external_node(ExternalNodeSource::new(
+                "node".to_owned(),
+                "http://node".to_owned(),
+            ))
+            .into_external_only();
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            sources.control_profile(),
+            ClusterControlProfile::ExternalUncontrolled,
+        );
+    }
 }