diff --git a/CONTEXT.md b/CONTEXT.md
index b51b0c93f9..a427fae367 100644
--- a/CONTEXT.md
+++ b/CONTEXT.md
@@ -12,6 +12,12 @@
 - CloudArtifact: provider-hosted session output such as video, Appium logs, device logs, automation
   logs, or provider dashboard links. Cloud artifacts stay under the `cloudArtifacts` response field
   so they do not collide with daemon-managed local/downloadable `artifacts`.
+- DaemonArtifactType: optional semantic category supplied by the command or adapter that owns a
+  daemon-managed downloadable artifact, such as `screenshot`, `screen-recording`, or `trace-log`.
+  Finalization and inventory code must preserve this value when present, not infer it from
+  filenames, fields, or MIME types. Missing artifact types must not prevent artifact registration.
+  The type documents known values while allowing provider or command owners to introduce more
+  specific strings.
 - Provider transcript: exact record of provider calls used when a test must verify platform command translation.
 - Scenario transcript: command-level integration flow that describes user-visible behavior through daemon commands.
 - In-process provider scenario harness: integration runner that invokes the daemon request handler directly without opening an HTTP listener.
diff --git a/src/__tests__/client.test.ts b/src/__tests__/client.test.ts
index 28175e0edd..83babf0511 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/client.test.ts
+++ b/src/__tests__/client.test.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { test } from 'vitest';
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 import { createAgentDeviceClient, type AgentDeviceClientConfig } from '../client/client.ts';
 import { runCommand } from '../commands/command-surface.ts';
-import type { DaemonRequest, DaemonResponse } from '../kernel/contracts.ts';
+import type { DaemonRequest, DaemonResponse, DaemonResponseData } from '../kernel/contracts.ts';
 import { AppError } from '../kernel/errors.ts';
 
 function createTransport(
@@ -809,11 +809,11 @@ test('sessions.stateDir resolves locally without contacting the daemon', async (
 });
 
 test('capture.screenshot passes a digest (non-default level) payload through unnormalized', async () => {
-  const digest = {
+  const digest: DaemonResponseData = {
     path: '/tmp/shot.png',
     overlayCount: 2,
     overlayRefs: [{ ref: 'e1', label: 'Login' }],
-    artifacts: [{ field: 'path', artifactId: 'a1' }],
+    artifacts: [{ field: 'path', artifactType: 'screenshot', artifactId: 'a1' }],
   };
   const setup = createTransport(async (req) => {
     assert.equal(req.command, 'screenshot');
diff --git a/src/__tests__/daemon-entrypoint.test.ts b/src/__tests__/daemon-entrypoint.test.ts
index eca6b33cb8..5ead02e1b4 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/daemon-entrypoint.test.ts
+++ b/src/__tests__/daemon-entrypoint.test.ts
@@ -64,7 +64,11 @@ test('daemon runtime starts HTTP transport in-process and shuts down cleanly', a
   const paths = resolveDaemonPaths(stateDir);
   const artifactPath = path.join(stateDir, 'runtime-artifact.txt');
   fs.writeFileSync(artifactPath, 'runtime-artifact');
-  const artifactId = trackDownloadableArtifact({ artifactPath, fileName: 'runtime-artifact.txt' });
+  const artifactId = trackDownloadableArtifact({
+    artifactPath,
+    artifactType: 'runtime-artifact',
+    fileName: 'runtime-artifact.txt',
+  });
   const stdout: string[] = [];
   const stderr: string[] = [];
   let exitCode: number | undefined;
diff --git a/src/__tests__/runtime-public.test.ts b/src/__tests__/runtime-public.test.ts
index 168cf23578..7c8559438b 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/runtime-public.test.ts
+++ b/src/__tests__/runtime-public.test.ts
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ test('local artifact adapter marks command outputs and temp files by visibility'
   const output = await adapter.reserveOutput(undefined, {
     field: 'path',
     ext: '.png',
+    artifactType: 'screenshot',
     visibility: 'client-visible',
   });
   const temp = await adapter.createTempFile({
@@ -153,7 +154,7 @@ test('local artifact adapter can constrain explicit local paths to a root', asyn
       () =>
         adapter.reserveOutput(
           { kind: 'path', path: path.join(path.dirname(root), 'outside.png') },
-          { field: 'path', ext: '.png' },
+          { field: 'path', ext: '.png', artifactType: 'screenshot' },
         ),
       /outside the artifact adapter root/,
     );
diff --git a/src/cli/commands/__tests__/screenshot.test.ts b/src/cli/commands/__tests__/screenshot.test.ts
index 2e2494a078..4347faa47f 100644
--- a/src/cli/commands/__tests__/screenshot.test.ts
+++ b/src/cli/commands/__tests__/screenshot.test.ts
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ test('screenshot --level digest --json preserves the digest payload through the
     path: '/tmp/shot.png',
     overlayCount: 2,
     overlayRefs: [{ ref: 'e1', label: 'Login' }],
-    artifacts: [{ field: 'path', artifactId: 'a1' }],
+    artifacts: [{ field: 'path', artifactType: 'screenshot', artifactId: 'a1' }],
   };
   const client = clientReturning(digest, 'digest');
   const flags = { json: true, responseLevel: 'digest' } as CliFlags;
diff --git a/src/cloud-artifacts.ts b/src/cloud-artifacts.ts
index aac1c1ffd5..aecbef3fad 100644
--- a/src/cloud-artifacts.ts
+++ b/src/cloud-artifacts.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import type { DaemonArtifactType } from './kernel/contracts.ts';
+
 const CLOUD_ARTIFACT_KINDS = [
   'video',
   'appium-log',
@@ -36,6 +38,8 @@ export type CloudArtifactsResult = {
 
 export type DaemonArtifactInventoryEntry = {
   id: string;
+  // Optional on the wire (see DaemonArtifact.artifactType).
+  artifactType?: DaemonArtifactType;
   filename: string;
   mimeType: string;
   sizeBytes: number;
diff --git a/src/commands/capture/runtime/diff-screenshot.ts b/src/commands/capture/runtime/diff-screenshot.ts
index dc01222477..554f9e5be3 100644
--- a/src/commands/capture/runtime/diff-screenshot.ts
+++ b/src/commands/capture/runtime/diff-screenshot.ts
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ export const diffScreenshotCommand: RuntimeCommand<
       ? await reserveCommandOutput(runtime, options.out, {
           field: 'diffPath',
           ext: '.png',
+          artifactType: 'screenshot-diff',
         })
       : undefined;
 
@@ -161,6 +162,7 @@ async function maybeAttachCurrentOverlay(
   const overlayOutput = await reserveCommandOutput(runtime, overlayOutputRef, {
     field: 'currentOverlayPath',
     ext: '.png',
+    artifactType: 'screenshot',
   });
 
   try {
diff --git a/src/commands/capture/runtime/screenshot.ts b/src/commands/capture/runtime/screenshot.ts
index fa77ce98b3..d5b94def67 100644
--- a/src/commands/capture/runtime/screenshot.ts
+++ b/src/commands/capture/runtime/screenshot.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ export const screenshotCommand: RuntimeCommand<
   const reserved = await reserveCommandOutput(runtime, options.out, {
     field: 'path',
     ext: '.png',
+    artifactType: 'screenshot',
   });
 
   let artifact: ArtifactDescriptor | undefined;
diff --git a/src/commands/management/output.test.ts b/src/commands/management/output.test.ts
index 23a74ad034..e4b0e6df7f 100644
--- a/src/commands/management/output.test.ts
+++ b/src/commands/management/output.test.ts
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ describe('artifactsCliOutput', () => {
         artifacts: [
           {
             id: 'artifact-1',
+            artifactType: 'screenshot',
             filename: 'screenshot.png',
             mimeType: 'application/octet-stream',
             sizeBytes: 123,
@@ -100,10 +101,12 @@ describe('artifactsCliOutput', () => {
       },
     });
 
-    expect(output.text).toBe('screenshot.png: application/octet-stream 123 bytes id=artifact-1');
+    expect(output.text).toBe(
+      'screenshot.png (screenshot): application/octet-stream 123 bytes id=artifact-1',
+    );
     expect(output.data).toMatchObject({
       source: 'daemon',
-      artifacts: [{ id: 'artifact-1', filename: 'screenshot.png' }],
+      artifacts: [{ id: 'artifact-1', artifactType: 'screenshot', filename: 'screenshot.png' }],
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/commands/management/output.ts b/src/commands/management/output.ts
index 9859161ccd..6313d9ccc6 100644
--- a/src/commands/management/output.ts
+++ b/src/commands/management/output.ts
@@ -194,7 +194,8 @@ function formatCloudArtifactLine(artifact: CloudArtifactsResult['cloudArtifacts'
 }
 
 function formatDaemonArtifactLine(artifact: DaemonArtifactsResult['artifacts'][number]): string {
-  return `${artifact.filename}: ${artifact.mimeType} ${artifact.sizeBytes} bytes id=${artifact.id}`;
+  const type = artifact.artifactType ? ` (${artifact.artifactType})` : '';
+  return `${artifact.filename}${type}: ${artifact.mimeType} ${artifact.sizeBytes} bytes id=${artifact.id}`;
 }
 
 function formatCloudArtifactsRetryCommand(result: CloudArtifactsResult): string | undefined {
diff --git a/src/commands/recording/runtime/recording.test.ts b/src/commands/recording/runtime/recording.test.ts
index 61c58b4dbf..ab019a04ec 100644
--- a/src/commands/recording/runtime/recording.test.ts
+++ b/src/commands/recording/runtime/recording.test.ts
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ test('record keeps successful reserved outputs available after publish', async (
         publish: async () => ({
           kind: 'artifact',
           field: options.field,
+          artifactType: options.artifactType,
           artifactId: 'recording-1',
           fileName: 'recording.mp4',
         }),
diff --git a/src/commands/recording/runtime/recording.ts b/src/commands/recording/runtime/recording.ts
index 7da485102f..f55235df15 100644
--- a/src/commands/recording/runtime/recording.ts
+++ b/src/commands/recording/runtime/recording.ts
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ export const recordCommand: RuntimeCommand<
     ? await reserveCommandOutput(runtime, options.out, {
         field: 'path',
         ext: '.mp4',
+        artifactType: 'screen-recording',
       })
     : undefined;
   try {
@@ -100,6 +101,7 @@ export const traceCommand: RuntimeCommand<
     ? await reserveCommandOutput(runtime, options.out, {
         field: 'outPath',
         ext: '.trace',
+        artifactType: 'trace-log',
       })
     : undefined;
   try {
diff --git a/src/daemon/__tests__/http-server-artifacts.test.ts b/src/daemon/__tests__/http-server-artifacts.test.ts
index 0cc0efab22..99d46a2bab 100644
--- a/src/daemon/__tests__/http-server-artifacts.test.ts
+++ b/src/daemon/__tests__/http-server-artifacts.test.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import {
 type ArtifactInventoryResponse = {
   artifacts: Array<{
     id: string;
+    artifactType?: string;
     filename: string;
     mimeType: string;
     sizeBytes: number;
@@ -37,15 +38,21 @@ test('downloadable artifact inventory is filtered by tenant', async () => {
   fs.writeFileSync(tenantAPath, 'tenant-a');
   fs.writeFileSync(tenantBPath, 'tenant-b');
   const artifactIds = [
-    trackDownloadableArtifact({ artifactPath: publicPath, fileName: 'public.txt' }),
+    trackDownloadableArtifact({
+      artifactPath: publicPath,
+      artifactType: 'test-public-file',
+      fileName: 'public.txt',
+    }),
     trackDownloadableArtifact({
       artifactPath: tenantAPath,
       tenantId: 'tenant-a',
+      artifactType: 'test-tenant-file',
       fileName: 'tenant-a.txt',
     }),
     trackDownloadableArtifact({
       artifactPath: tenantBPath,
       tenantId: 'tenant-b',
+      artifactType: 'test-tenant-file',
       fileName: 'tenant-b.txt',
     }),
   ];
@@ -79,8 +86,16 @@ test('downloadable artifact inventory skips directory artifacts that fail to arc
   fs.mkdirSync(tracePath, { recursive: true });
   fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tracePath, 'metadata.json'), '{}\n');
   const artifactIds = [
-    trackDownloadableArtifact({ artifactPath: filePath, fileName: 'report.json' }),
-    trackDownloadableArtifact({ artifactPath: tracePath, fileName: 'profile.trace' }),
+    trackDownloadableArtifact({
+      artifactPath: filePath,
+      artifactType: 'test-report',
+      fileName: 'report.json',
+    }),
+    trackDownloadableArtifact({
+      artifactPath: tracePath,
+      artifactType: 'trace-log',
+      fileName: 'profile.trace',
+    }),
   ];
 
   try {
@@ -112,6 +127,7 @@ test('daemon artifact inventory exposes directory artifacts as tar.gz downloads'
   fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tracePath, 'metadata.json'), '{"ok":true}\n');
   const artifactId = trackDownloadableArtifact({
     artifactPath: tracePath,
+    artifactType: 'trace-log',
     fileName: 'profile.trace',
   });
   const server = await createDaemonHttpServer({
@@ -174,6 +190,7 @@ test('daemon artifact inventory lists artifacts and downloads consume them', asy
   fs.writeFileSync(artifactPath, 'png-body');
   const artifactId = trackDownloadableArtifact({
     artifactPath,
+    artifactType: 'screenshot',
     fileName: 'shot.png',
   });
   const server = await createDaemonHttpServer({
@@ -191,6 +208,7 @@ test('daemon artifact inventory lists artifacts and downloads consume them', asy
     const body = (await inventory.json()) as ArtifactInventoryResponse;
     const artifact = body.artifacts.find((entry) => entry.id === artifactId);
     assert.ok(artifact, `expected ${artifactId} in artifact inventory`);
+    assert.equal(artifact.artifactType, 'screenshot');
     assert.equal(artifact.filename, 'shot.png');
     assert.equal(artifact.mimeType, 'application/octet-stream');
     assert.equal(artifact.sizeBytes, 'png-body'.length);
@@ -228,6 +246,7 @@ test('daemon artifact downloads can keep the source file while consuming the inv
   fs.writeFileSync(artifactPath, 'runner-output');
   const artifactId = trackDownloadableArtifact({
     artifactPath,
+    artifactType: 'runner-output',
     fileName: 'runner-output.txt',
     deleteAfterDownload: false,
   });
@@ -256,12 +275,11 @@ test('daemon artifact downloads can keep the source file while consuming the inv
     assert.equal(await consumingDownload.text(), 'runner-output');
     assert.equal(fs.existsSync(artifactPath), true);
 
-    const inventoryAfterConsume = await fetch(`${baseUrl}/artifacts`, { headers: auth });
-    const consumedBody = (await inventoryAfterConsume.json()) as ArtifactInventoryResponse;
-    assert.equal(
-      consumedBody.artifacts.some((entry) => entry.id === artifactId),
-      false,
-    );
+    await waitFor(async () => {
+      const inventoryAfterConsume = await fetch(`${baseUrl}/artifacts`, { headers: auth });
+      const consumedBody = (await inventoryAfterConsume.json()) as ArtifactInventoryResponse;
+      return !consumedBody.artifacts.some((entry) => entry.id === artifactId);
+    });
   } finally {
     cleanupDownloadableArtifact(artifactId);
     await closeLoopbackServer(server);
@@ -277,6 +295,7 @@ test('daemon artifact downloads can be forced retained by server option', async
   fs.writeFileSync(artifactPath, 'log-body');
   const artifactId = trackDownloadableArtifact({
     artifactPath,
+    artifactType: 'session-log',
     fileName: 'session-log.txt',
   });
   const server = await createDaemonHttpServer({
@@ -314,9 +333,10 @@ test('daemon artifact downloads can be forced retained by server option', async
   }
 });
 
-async function waitFor(condition: () => boolean): Promise<void> {
+async function waitFor(condition: () => boolean | Promise<boolean>): Promise<void> {
   for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 20; attempt++) {
-    if (condition()) return;
+    if (await condition()) return;
     await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 10));
   }
+  throw new Error('Timed out waiting for condition');
 }
diff --git a/src/daemon/__tests__/request-finalization.test.ts b/src/daemon/__tests__/request-finalization.test.ts
index 8eeba9a37b..57c7941593 100644
--- a/src/daemon/__tests__/request-finalization.test.ts
+++ b/src/daemon/__tests__/request-finalization.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { test, expect } from 'vitest';
 import { finalizeDaemonResponse } from '../request-finalization.ts';
 import type { DaemonRequest, DaemonResponse } from '../types.ts';
+import type { DaemonArtifactType } from '../../kernel/contracts.ts';
 
 test('finalizeDaemonResponse preserves handler error hints from details', () => {
   const req: DaemonRequest = {
@@ -29,3 +30,143 @@ test('finalizeDaemonResponse preserves handler error hints from details', () =>
     expect(finalized.error.hint).toBe('Run agent-device session list and reuse --session default.');
   }
 });
+
+test('finalizeDaemonResponse registers downloadable artifact type', () => {
+  const req: DaemonRequest = {
+    token: 'token',
+    session: 'default',
+    command: 'record',
+    positionals: ['stop'],
+    meta: { tenantId: 'tenant-a' },
+  };
+  const response: DaemonResponse = {
+    ok: true,
+    data: {
+      artifacts: [
+        {
+          field: 'telemetryPath',
+          artifactType: 'screen-recording-telemetry',
+          path: '/tmp/telemetry.json',
+          localPath: '/client/telemetry.json',
+          fileName: 'telemetry.json',
+        },
+        {
+          field: 'rawPath',
+          artifactType: undefined,
+          path: '/tmp/raw.bin',
+          localPath: '/client/raw.bin',
+          fileName: 'raw.bin',
+        },
+      ],
+    },
+  };
+  const tracked: Array<{
+    artifactPath: string;
+    tenantId?: string;
+    artifactType?: DaemonArtifactType;
+    fileName?: string;
+  }> = [];
+
+  const finalized = finalizeDaemonResponse(req, response, (opts) => {
+    tracked.push(opts);
+    return `artifact-id-${tracked.length}`;
+  });
+
+  expect(finalized).toEqual({
+    ok: true,
+    data: {
+      artifacts: [
+        {
+          field: 'telemetryPath',
+          artifactType: 'screen-recording-telemetry',
+          artifactId: 'artifact-id-1',
+          fileName: 'telemetry.json',
+          localPath: '/client/telemetry.json',
+        },
+        {
+          field: 'rawPath',
+          artifactId: 'artifact-id-2',
+          fileName: 'raw.bin',
+          localPath: '/client/raw.bin',
+        },
+      ],
+    },
+  });
+  // The untyped artifact must omit the key entirely (optional wire contract),
+  // not carry an explicit undefined — toEqual alone cannot tell these apart.
+  const finalizedArtifacts =
+    finalized.ok === true
+      ? (finalized.data?.artifacts as Array<Record<string, unknown>>)
+      : undefined;
+  expect(finalizedArtifacts?.[1]).not.toHaveProperty('artifactType');
+  expect(tracked).toEqual([
+    {
+      artifactPath: '/tmp/telemetry.json',
+      tenantId: 'tenant-a',
+      artifactType: 'screen-recording-telemetry',
+      fileName: 'telemetry.json',
+    },
+    {
+      artifactPath: '/tmp/raw.bin',
+      tenantId: 'tenant-a',
+      artifactType: undefined,
+      fileName: 'raw.bin',
+    },
+  ]);
+});
+
+test('finalizeDaemonResponse keeps screenshot path fallback as screenshot artifact type', () => {
+  const req: DaemonRequest = {
+    token: 'token',
+    session: 'default',
+    command: 'screenshot',
+    positionals: [],
+    meta: {
+      clientArtifactPaths: {
+        path: '/client/screenshot.png',
+      },
+      tenantId: 'tenant-a',
+    },
+  };
+  const response: DaemonResponse = {
+    ok: true,
+    data: {
+      path: '/tmp/screenshot.png',
+    },
+  };
+  const tracked: Array<{
+    artifactPath: string;
+    tenantId?: string;
+    artifactType?: DaemonArtifactType;
+    fileName?: string;
+  }> = [];
+
+  const finalized = finalizeDaemonResponse(req, response, (opts) => {
+    tracked.push(opts);
+    return 'artifact-id';
+  });
+
+  expect(finalized).toEqual({
+    ok: true,
+    data: {
+      path: '/tmp/screenshot.png',
+      artifacts: [
+        {
+          field: 'path',
+          artifactType: 'screenshot',
+          artifactId: 'artifact-id',
+          fileName: 'screenshot.png',
+          localPath: '/client/screenshot.png',
+        },
+      ],
+    },
+  });
+  expect(tracked).toEqual([
+    {
+      artifactPath: '/tmp/screenshot.png',
+      tenantId: 'tenant-a',
+      artifactType: 'screenshot',
+      fileName: 'screenshot.png',
+    },
+  ]);
+});
diff --git a/src/daemon/__tests__/request-handler-catalog.test.ts b/src/daemon/__tests__/request-handler-catalog.test.ts
index 61f06f6b67..5a40a75ef4 100644
--- a/src/daemon/__tests__/request-handler-catalog.test.ts
+++ b/src/daemon/__tests__/request-handler-catalog.test.ts
@@ -301,6 +301,7 @@ function trackProxyLeaseArtifact(): { artifactId: string; tempDir: string } {
     tempDir,
     artifactId: trackDownloadableArtifact({
       artifactPath,
+      artifactType: 'screenshot',
       fileName: 'proxy-shot.png',
       tenantId: 'tenant-a',
     }),
diff --git a/src/daemon/__tests__/response-views.test.ts b/src/daemon/__tests__/response-views.test.ts
index f752a942c9..a40d9d3b15 100644
--- a/src/daemon/__tests__/response-views.test.ts
+++ b/src/daemon/__tests__/response-views.test.ts
@@ -65,7 +65,14 @@ const SCREENSHOT_DATA: DaemonResponseData = {
     overlayRef('e1', 'Continue'),
     overlayRef('e2', undefined), // label omitted → stays undefined in the digest
   ],
-  artifacts: [{ field: 'path', artifactId: 'art-1', fileName: 'screenshot.png' }], // cheap retrieval handle — preserved
+  artifacts: [
+    {
+      field: 'path',
+      artifactType: 'screenshot',
+      artifactId: 'art-1',
+      fileName: 'screenshot.png',
+    },
+  ], // cheap retrieval handle — preserved
 };
 
 test('screenshot view is registered', () => {
@@ -81,7 +88,14 @@ test('digest collapses overlay geometry to count + leveled refs, keeps cheap fie
       { ref: 'e1', label: 'Continue' },
       { ref: 'e2', label: undefined },
     ],
-    artifacts: [{ field: 'path', artifactId: 'art-1', fileName: 'screenshot.png' }],
+    artifacts: [
+      {
+        field: 'path',
+        artifactType: 'screenshot',
+        artifactId: 'art-1',
+        fileName: 'screenshot.png',
+      },
+    ],
   });
   // The per-overlay geometry (the token sink) is dropped from every ref.
   expect(digest.overlayRefs).not.toContainEqual(
diff --git a/src/daemon/artifact-tracking.ts b/src/daemon/artifact-tracking.ts
index 618c7a1c6c..9b0468cc6e 100644
--- a/src/daemon/artifact-tracking.ts
+++ b/src/daemon/artifact-tracking.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import fs from 'node:fs';
 import os from 'node:os';
 import path from 'node:path';
 import { AppError } from '../kernel/errors.ts';
+import type { DaemonArtifactType } from '../kernel/contracts.ts';
 import { runCmd } from '../utils/exec.ts';
 
 // --- Downloadable artifact tracking ---
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ type DirectoryArchive = {
 type ArtifactEntry = {
   artifactPath: string;
   tenantId?: string;
+  artifactType: DaemonArtifactType | undefined;
   fileName?: string;
   deleteAfterDownload: boolean;
   createdAt: number;
@@ -33,6 +35,8 @@ const pendingArtifacts = new Map<string, ArtifactEntry>();
 
 export type DownloadableArtifactInventoryEntry = {
   id: string;
+  // Optional on the wire (see DaemonArtifact.artifactType).
+  artifactType?: DaemonArtifactType;
   filename: string;
   mimeType: string;
   sizeBytes: number;
@@ -50,6 +54,7 @@ export type PreparedDownloadableArtifact = {
 export function trackDownloadableArtifact(params: {
   artifactPath: string;
   tenantId?: string;
+  artifactType: DaemonArtifactType | undefined;
   fileName?: string;
   deleteAfterDownload?: boolean;
 }): string {
@@ -62,6 +67,7 @@ export function trackDownloadableArtifact(params: {
   pendingArtifacts.set(artifactId, {
     artifactPath: params.artifactPath,
     tenantId: params.tenantId,
+    artifactType: params.artifactType,
     fileName: params.fileName,
     deleteAfterDownload: params.deleteAfterDownload !== false,
     createdAt,
@@ -102,6 +108,7 @@ export async function listDownloadableArtifacts(
     if (!payload) continue;
     artifacts.push({
       id,
+      ...(entry.artifactType !== undefined ? { artifactType: entry.artifactType } : {}),
       filename: payload.fileName ?? id,
       mimeType: payload.mimeType,
       sizeBytes: payload.sizeBytes,
diff --git a/src/daemon/handlers/__tests__/session-replay.test.ts b/src/daemon/handlers/__tests__/session-replay.test.ts
index 69d0047f91..fa5544eda7 100644
--- a/src/daemon/handlers/__tests__/session-replay.test.ts
+++ b/src/daemon/handlers/__tests__/session-replay.test.ts
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ function stopMockRecording(params: {
       artifacts: [
         {
           field: 'outPath',
+          artifactType: 'screen-recording',
           path: state.recordingPath,
           fileName: path.basename(state.recordingPath),
         },
diff --git a/src/daemon/handlers/record-trace-recording.ts b/src/daemon/handlers/record-trace-recording.ts
index 967206f3ff..48bb9fed29 100644
--- a/src/daemon/handlers/record-trace-recording.ts
+++ b/src/daemon/handlers/record-trace-recording.ts
@@ -213,6 +213,7 @@ function buildRecordStopResponse(
   const artifacts: DaemonArtifact[] = [
     {
       field: 'outPath',
+      artifactType: 'screen-recording',
       path: recording.outPath,
       localPath: recording.clientOutPath,
       fileName: path.basename(recording.clientOutPath ?? recording.outPath),
@@ -222,6 +223,7 @@ function buildRecordStopResponse(
     artifacts.push(
       ...chunks.slice(1).map((chunk) => ({
         field: 'chunkPath',
+        artifactType: 'screen-recording-chunk' as const,
         path: chunk.path,
         localPath: deriveAndroidChunkClientPath(recording, chunk.index),
         fileName: path.basename(deriveAndroidChunkClientPath(recording, chunk.index) ?? chunk.path),
@@ -231,6 +233,7 @@ function buildRecordStopResponse(
   if (recording.telemetryPath) {
     artifacts.push({
       field: 'telemetryPath',
+      artifactType: 'screen-recording-telemetry',
       path: recording.telemetryPath,
       localPath: deriveClientTelemetryPath(recording),
       fileName: path.basename(recording.telemetryPath),
diff --git a/src/daemon/request-execution-scope.ts b/src/daemon/request-execution-scope.ts
index a9a4f53b06..e9d9a63178 100644
--- a/src/daemon/request-execution-scope.ts
+++ b/src/daemon/request-execution-scope.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import type { CommandFlags } from '../core/dispatch.ts';
+import type { DaemonArtifactType } from '../kernel/contracts.ts';
 import { withKeyedLock } from '../utils/keyed-lock.ts';
 import {
   emitDiagnostic,
@@ -182,6 +183,7 @@ export function prepareLockedRequestScope(params: {
   trackDownloadableArtifact: (opts: {
     artifactPath: string;
     tenantId?: string;
+    artifactType: DaemonArtifactType | undefined;
     fileName?: string;
   }) => string;
 }): LockedRequestScopeResult {
diff --git a/src/daemon/request-finalization.ts b/src/daemon/request-finalization.ts
index d8a02651f3..6d8f95677f 100644
--- a/src/daemon/request-finalization.ts
+++ b/src/daemon/request-finalization.ts
@@ -5,12 +5,18 @@ import {
   flushDiagnosticsToSessionFile,
   getDiagnosticsMeta,
 } from '../utils/diagnostics.ts';
-import type { DaemonArtifact, DaemonRequest, DaemonResponse, DaemonResponseData } from './types.ts';
+import type { DaemonRequest, DaemonResponse, DaemonResponseData } from './types.ts';
+import type { DaemonArtifact, DaemonArtifactType } from '../kernel/contracts.ts';
 
 export function finalizeDaemonResponse(
   req: DaemonRequest,
   response: DaemonResponse,
-  trackArtifact: (opts: { artifactPath: string; tenantId?: string; fileName?: string }) => string,
+  trackArtifact: (opts: {
+    artifactPath: string;
+    tenantId?: string;
+    artifactType: DaemonArtifactType | undefined;
+    fileName?: string;
+  }) => string,
 ): DaemonResponse {
   const details = getDiagnosticsMeta();
   if (!response.ok) {
@@ -52,7 +58,12 @@ export function finalizeDaemonResponse(
 function registerDownloadableArtifacts(
   req: DaemonRequest,
   data: DaemonResponseData | undefined,
-  trackArtifact: (opts: { artifactPath: string; tenantId?: string; fileName?: string }) => string,
+  trackArtifact: (opts: {
+    artifactPath: string;
+    tenantId?: string;
+    artifactType: DaemonArtifactType | undefined;
+    fileName?: string;
+  }) => string,
 ): DaemonResponseData | undefined {
   if (!data) return data;
   const pendingArtifacts = collectPendingArtifacts(req, data);
@@ -63,9 +74,13 @@ function registerDownloadableArtifacts(
       const artifactPath = artifact.path as string;
       return {
         field: artifact.field,
+        // Omitted (not null/undefined-valued) when untyped, matching the
+        // optional wire contract on DaemonArtifact.
+        ...(artifact.artifactType !== undefined ? { artifactType: artifact.artifactType } : {}),
         artifactId: trackArtifact({
           artifactPath,
           tenantId: req.meta?.tenantId,
+          artifactType: artifact.artifactType,
           fileName: artifact.fileName,
         }),
         fileName: artifact.fileName,
@@ -82,6 +97,7 @@ function collectPendingArtifacts(req: DaemonRequest, data: DaemonResponseData):
   if (req.command === 'screenshot' && !hasField('path') && typeof data.path === 'string') {
     artifacts.push({
       field: 'path',
+      artifactType: 'screenshot',
       path: data.path,
       localPath: req.meta?.clientArtifactPaths?.path,
       fileName: path.basename(req.meta?.clientArtifactPaths?.path ?? data.path),
diff --git a/src/daemon/request-router.ts b/src/daemon/request-router.ts
index ef74ed1951..c73519423d 100644
--- a/src/daemon/request-router.ts
+++ b/src/daemon/request-router.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import {
 import { AppError, normalizeError, retriableForErrorCode } from '../kernel/errors.ts';
 import { supportedPlatformsForCommand } from '../core/capabilities.ts';
 import { timingSafeStringEqual } from '../utils/timing-safe-equal.ts';
-import type { DaemonError, ResponseCost } from '../kernel/contracts.ts';
+import type { DaemonArtifactType, DaemonError, ResponseCost } from '../kernel/contracts.ts';
 import type { CloudArtifactProvider } from '../cloud-artifacts.ts';
 import type { DaemonInvokeFn, DaemonRequest, DaemonResponse, DaemonResponseData } from './types.ts';
 import { RESPONSE_VIEWS } from './response-views.ts';
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ export type RequestRouterDeps = {
   trackDownloadableArtifact: (opts: {
     artifactPath: string;
     tenantId?: string;
+    artifactType: DaemonArtifactType | undefined;
     fileName?: string;
   }) => string;
 };
diff --git a/src/io.ts b/src/io.ts
index 78001c35bb..446387a5e6 100644
--- a/src/io.ts
+++ b/src/io.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { promises as fs } from 'node:fs';
 import os from 'node:os';
 import path from 'node:path';
 import { AppError } from './kernel/errors.ts';
+import type { DaemonArtifactType } from './kernel/contracts.ts';
 
 export type FileInputRef =
   | {
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ export type ArtifactDescriptor =
   | {
       kind: 'localPath';
       field: string;
+      artifactType: DaemonArtifactType | undefined;
       path: string;
       fileName?: string;
       metadata?: Record<string, unknown>;
@@ -35,6 +37,7 @@ export type ArtifactDescriptor =
   | {
       kind: 'artifact';
       field: string;
+      artifactType: DaemonArtifactType | undefined;
       artifactId: string;
       fileName?: string;
       url?: string;
@@ -70,6 +73,7 @@ export type ResolveInputOptions = {
 export type ReserveOutputOptions = {
   field: string;
   ext: string;
+  artifactType: DaemonArtifactType | undefined;
   requestedClientPath?: string;
   visibility?: OutputVisibility;
 };
@@ -139,6 +143,7 @@ export function createLocalArtifactAdapter(
             ? {
                 kind: 'localPath',
                 field: outputOptions.field,
+                artifactType: outputOptions.artifactType,
                 path: outputPath,
                 fileName: ref.fileName ?? path.basename(ref.clientPath ?? outputPath),
               }
diff --git a/src/kernel/contracts.ts b/src/kernel/contracts.ts
index c1509423de..fe90603dda 100644
--- a/src/kernel/contracts.ts
+++ b/src/kernel/contracts.ts
@@ -110,8 +110,23 @@ export type DaemonRequest = {
   meta?: DaemonRequestMeta;
 };
 
+export type DaemonArtifactKnownType =
+  | 'screenshot'
+  | 'screenshot-diff'
+  | 'screen-recording'
+  | 'screen-recording-chunk'
+  | 'screen-recording-telemetry'
+  | 'trace-log';
+
+export type DaemonArtifactType = DaemonArtifactKnownType | (string & {});
+
 export type DaemonArtifact = {
   field: string;
+  // Optional on the wire: missing metadata is valid, JSON drops undefined, and
+  // remote/older daemons may omit the field entirely. Producer-owned APIs
+  // (reserveOutput, trackDownloadableArtifact) keep the required
+  // `DaemonArtifactType | undefined` form so artifact owners must decide.
+  artifactType?: DaemonArtifactType;
   artifactId?: string;
   fileName?: string;
   localPath?: string;
diff --git a/test/integration/provider-scenarios/daemon-http-server.test.ts b/test/integration/provider-scenarios/daemon-http-server.test.ts
index 8b40daf980..be2e4a802f 100644
--- a/test/integration/provider-scenarios/daemon-http-server.test.ts
+++ b/test/integration/provider-scenarios/daemon-http-server.test.ts
@@ -476,6 +476,7 @@ test('Provider-backed integration daemon HTTP server accepts uploads and streams
   fs.writeFileSync(downloadablePath, 'png-binary');
   const artifactId = trackDownloadableArtifact({
     artifactPath: downloadablePath,
+    artifactType: 'screenshot',
     fileName: 'screen.png',
   });
   const server = await createDaemonHttpServer({