diff --git a/scripts/verify_route_contract.py b/scripts/verify_route_contract.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..87d3dc6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/verify_route_contract.py
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import argparse
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import yaml
+
+
+def _resolved_target_model(route_id: str, route_spec: dict) -> str:
+    target_model = route_spec.get("target_model")
+    if target_model is None:
+        return route_id
+    return str(target_model)
+
+
+def verify_route_contract(routes_path: Path, eval_cases_path: Path | None = None) -> list[str]:
+    raw = yaml.safe_load(routes_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")) or {}
+    routes = raw.get("routes") or {}
+    route_ids = set(routes)
+    route_model = raw.get("route_model") or raw.get("entry_model") or "semantic-router"
+
+    errors: list[str] = []
+
+    if route_model in route_ids:
+        errors.append(f"route_model/entry_model '{route_model}' must not be a route_id")
+
+    fallback_route_id = raw.get("fallback_route_id") or raw.get("default_route")
+    if fallback_route_id not in route_ids:
+        errors.append(
+            f"fallback_route_id/default_route '{fallback_route_id}' must exist in routes"
+        )
+
+    hard_rules = raw.get("hard_rules") or []
+    for index, hard_rule in enumerate(hard_rules, start=1):
+        hard_rule_route_id = hard_rule.get("route_id")
+        if hard_rule_route_id not in route_ids:
+            errors.append(
+                f"hard_rules[{index}] route_id '{hard_rule_route_id}' must exist in routes"
+            )
+
+    target_models = set()
+    for route_id, route_spec in routes.items():
+        resolved_target_model = _resolved_target_model(route_id, route_spec)
+        if not resolved_target_model:
+            errors.append(f"routes.{route_id} must resolve a non-empty target_model")
+            continue
+        if resolved_target_model == route_model:
+            errors.append(
+                f"routes.{route_id} resolved target_model '{resolved_target_model}' must not equal entry model"
+            )
+        target_models.add(resolved_target_model)
+
+    if eval_cases_path is not None:
+        eval_cases_raw = yaml.safe_load(eval_cases_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")) or {}
+        for index, case in enumerate(eval_cases_raw.get("cases") or [], start=1):
+            expect = case.get("expect")
+            if expect in target_models and expect not in route_ids:
+                errors.append(
+                    f"eval case {index} expect '{expect}' matches a target_model; use route_id instead"
+                )
+            elif expect not in route_ids:
+                errors.append(f"eval case {index} expect '{expect}' must be a configured route_id")
+
+    return errors
+
+
+def main() -> None:
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    parser.add_argument("--routes", default="config/routes.yaml")
+    parser.add_argument("--eval-cases", default="config/eval_cases.yaml")
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    errors = verify_route_contract(Path(args.routes), Path(args.eval_cases))
+    if errors:
+        print("Route contract verification failed:")
+        for error in errors:
+            print(f"- {error}")
+        raise SystemExit(1)
+
+    print(
+        "Route contract verification passed "
+        f"for {args.routes} and {args.eval_cases}."
+    )
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/tests/test_verify_route_contract.py b/tests/test_verify_route_contract.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4159497
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_verify_route_contract.py
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from scripts.verify_route_contract import verify_route_contract
+
+
+def test_verify_route_contract_passes_for_valid_config(tmp_path: Path):
+    routes_path = tmp_path / "routes.yaml"
+    eval_cases_path = tmp_path / "eval_cases.yaml"
+
+    routes_path.write_text(
+        """
+entry_model: semantic-router
+fallback_route_id: fast
+routes:
+  fast:
+    target_model: cheap-router
+    description: low risk
+    utterances: [hi]
+  strong:
+    target_model: pro-router
+    description: high risk
+    utterances: [debug]
+hard_rules:
+  - route_id: strong
+    keywords: [PR]
+""",
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+    eval_cases_path.write_text(
+        """
+cases:
+  - text: hello
+    expect: fast
+  - text: review this patch
+    expect: strong
+""",
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+
+    assert verify_route_contract(routes_path, eval_cases_path) == []
+
+
+def test_verify_route_contract_reports_drift_and_missing_references(tmp_path: Path):
+    routes_path = tmp_path / "routes.yaml"
+    eval_cases_path = tmp_path / "eval_cases.yaml"
+
+    routes_path.write_text(
+        """
+route_model: semantic-router
+fallback_route_id: missing
+routes:
+  semantic-router:
+    target_model: semantic-router
+    description: loop
+    utterances: [loop]
+  fast:
+    target_model: cheap-router
+    description: low risk
+    utterances: [hi]
+hard_rules:
+  - route_id: strong
+    keywords: [PR]
+""",
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+    eval_cases_path.write_text(
+        """
+cases:
+  - text: hello
+    expect: cheap-router
+  - text: unknown
+    expect: ghost
+""",
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+
+    errors = verify_route_contract(routes_path, eval_cases_path)
+
+    assert any("must not be a route_id" in error for error in errors)
+    assert any("must exist in routes" in error for error in errors)
+    assert any("matches a target_model" in error for error in errors)
+    assert any("must be a configured route_id" in error for error in errors)