diff --git a/cmd/attesto/connector_init.go b/cmd/attesto/connector_init.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8f66af9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/attesto/connector_init.go
@@ -0,0 +1,248 @@
+package main
+
+// [D.5] `attesto connector init <slug>` — scaffold a marketplace-ready
+// connector: a v2 manifest that passes connectorkit validation locally, a
+// signed-webhook handler stub built on the P1.4 verification helper, and a
+// README pointing at the submission flow. The local validation run is the
+// same code the marketplace runs, so a green scaffold is a green
+// pre-submission check.
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
+	"flag"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"regexp"
+	"strings"
+
+	"go.attesto.eu/sdk/connectorkit"
+)
+
+var connectorSlugPattern = regexp.MustCompile(`^[a-z0-9][a-z0-9-]{2,95}$`)
+
+func connectorManifestTemplate(slug, name, category string) connectorkit.Manifest {
+	return connectorkit.Manifest{
+		SchemaVersion: "attesto.connector.v2",
+		Slug:          slug,
+		Name:          name,
+		Version:       "0.1.0",
+		AssetType:     "connector",
+		Category:      category,
+		Summary:       fmt.Sprintf("Verify %s evidence into Attesto Proofstream.", name),
+		Description: fmt.Sprintf(
+			"Produces verifiable evidence for %s events through Attesto Proofstream.", name),
+		Publisher:     map[string]string{"name": "CHANGE ME", "slug": "change-me"},
+		Repository:    map[string]string{"url": "https://example.com/CHANGE-ME/" + slug},
+		Documentation: map[string]string{"url": "https://docs.attesto.eu/manuals/connectors.html"},
+		Capabilities: []string{
+			"proofstream", "signed-webhook", "offline-verification",
+		},
+		Evidence: map[string]bool{
+			"offlineVerification": true,
+			"receipts":            true,
+			"witnessCompatible":   true,
+		},
+		Security: map[string]bool{
+			"dependencyScan":    true,
+			"secretScan":        true,
+			"secretsServerSide": true,
+		},
+		SupportedLanguages: []string{"en"},
+		Provider: map[string]any{
+			"id":         slug,
+			"name":       name,
+			"websiteUrl": "https://example.com",
+		},
+		Auth: map[string]any{
+			"mode":   "signed-webhook",
+			"scopes": []string{"webhook:read"},
+		},
+		Sync: map[string]any{
+			"modes":           []string{"webhook"},
+			"supportsReplay":  true,
+			"rateLimitPolicy": "Provider webhook retries and Attesto idempotency keys",
+		},
+		EventTypes: []string{slug + ".event"},
+		SourceTime: map[string]any{
+			"required":       true,
+			"timezonePolicy": "source-timestamp-with-offset-required",
+		},
+		ConfigSchema: map[string]any{
+			"type":     "object",
+			"required": []string{"resourceRef"},
+			"properties": map[string]any{
+				"resourceRef": map[string]any{"type": "string"},
+			},
+		},
+		SecretSchema: map[string]any{
+			"type":     "object",
+			"required": []string{"webhookSecret"},
+			"properties": map[string]any{
+				"webhookSecret": map[string]any{"type": "string", "secret": true},
+			},
+		},
+		Diagnostics: map[string]any{
+			"providerAuthStatus":  true,
+			"replayConflictCheck": true,
+			"revocationCheck":     true,
+			"syncLag":             true,
+			"testConnection":      true,
+		},
+		Runtime: map[string]any{
+			"officialConnectorKit": true,
+			"sdkSurfaces":          []string{"python", "typescript", "go", "cli"},
+			"requiredMethods": []string{
+				"metadata", "validateConfig", "testConnection", "sync",
+				"handleWebhook", "emitProofstreamEvent", "diagnostics", "revoke",
+			},
+			// A scaffold cannot honestly claim a green assurance canary; this
+			// stays "pending" (the one expected validation finding) until the
+			// connector has real canary evidence.
+			"canary": map[string]any{
+				"status": "pending",
+				"ref":    "CHANGE ME: assurance canary evidence ref",
+			},
+		},
+		InstallRequirements: map[string]any{
+			"tenantLoginRequired": true,
+			"entitlementRequired": true,
+		},
+		Changelog: []map[string]any{
+			{"version": "0.1.0", "changes": []string{"Initial scaffold."}},
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+const webhookHandlerStub = `"""Signed-webhook handler stub for the %s connector.
+
+Verification uses the Attesto SDK's P1.4 helper — the same scheme the
+platform signs with: HMAC-SHA256 over "{timestamp}.{body}" with a 300s
+skew window and constant-time comparison.
+"""
+import os
+
+from attesto.webhooks import verify_webhook
+
+
+def handle(headers: dict[str, str], body: bytes) -> dict:
+    if not verify_webhook(
+        body=body,
+        headers=headers,
+        secret=os.environ["WEBHOOK_SECRET"],
+    ):
+        raise PermissionError("invalid webhook signature or stale timestamp")
+
+    # The payload is now authentic: turn it into a proofstream event here.
+    return {"ok": True}
+`
+
+const connectorReadmeStub = `# %s
+
+Scaffolded by ` + "`attesto connector init`" + `.
+
+1. Edit ` + "`attesto.connector.json`" + ` (publisher, repository, provider,
+   event types — search for CHANGE ME).
+2. Implement the runtime methods (see ` + "`webhook_handler.py`" + ` for the
+   signed-webhook entry point; verification is already wired).
+3. Re-run the pre-submission check at any time:
+
+       attesto connector init --validate-only %s
+
+4. Submit through the marketplace flow (docs.attesto.eu/manuals/connectors.html).
+`
+
+func (a *app) connectorInit(args []string) error {
+	fs := flag.NewFlagSet("connector init", flag.ContinueOnError)
+	fs.SetOutput(a.err)
+	name := fs.String("name", "", "human-readable connector name (default: derived from slug)")
+	category := fs.String("category", "devops", "marketplace category")
+	dir := fs.String("dir", "", "output directory (default: ./<slug>)")
+	validateOnly := fs.String("validate-only", "", "validate an existing <dir>/attesto.connector.json and exit")
+	// Accept the slug positionally before flags: `connector init my-slug --category crm`.
+	slug := ""
+	if len(args) > 0 && !strings.HasPrefix(args[0], "-") {
+		slug = args[0]
+		args = args[1:]
+	}
+	if err := fs.Parse(args); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if *validateOnly != "" {
+		raw, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(*validateOnly, "attesto.connector.json"))
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		var manifest connectorkit.Manifest
+		if err := json.Unmarshal(raw, &manifest); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		result := connectorkit.ValidateManifest(manifest)
+		if err := a.write(result); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if !result.OK {
+			return errors.New("manifest validation failed")
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	if slug == "" && fs.NArg() == 1 {
+		slug = fs.Arg(0)
+	}
+	if slug == "" {
+		return errors.New("usage: attesto connector init <slug> [--name ...] [--category ...]")
+	}
+	if !connectorSlugPattern.MatchString(slug) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("slug %q must match %s", slug, connectorSlugPattern)
+	}
+	connectorName := *name
+	if connectorName == "" {
+		connectorName = strings.Title(strings.ReplaceAll(slug, "-", " ")) //nolint:staticcheck
+	}
+
+	manifest := connectorManifestTemplate(slug, connectorName, *category)
+	result := connectorkit.ValidateManifest(manifest)
+	// The only acceptable finding on a fresh scaffold is the pending canary —
+	// everything else must already satisfy the marketplace validator.
+	for _, finding := range result.Findings {
+		if finding.Code != "runtime.canary" {
+			return fmt.Errorf("internal error: scaffold template failed validation: %+v", result.Findings)
+		}
+	}
+
+	outDir := *dir
+	if outDir == "" {
+		outDir = slug
+	}
+	if _, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(outDir, "attesto.connector.json")); err == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%s/attesto.connector.json already exists", outDir)
+	}
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(outDir, 0o755); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	raw, err := json.MarshalIndent(manifest, "", "  ")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(outDir, "attesto.connector.json"), append(raw, '\n'), 0o644); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	handler := fmt.Sprintf(webhookHandlerStub, connectorName)
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(outDir, "webhook_handler.py"), []byte(handler), 0o644); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	readme := fmt.Sprintf(connectorReadmeStub, connectorName, outDir)
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(outDir, "README.md"), []byte(readme), 0o644); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return a.write(map[string]any{
+		"created":    outDir,
+		"files":      []string{"attesto.connector.json", "webhook_handler.py", "README.md"},
+		"validation": result,
+		"nextSteps": "edit CHANGE ME fields, implement runtime methods, earn a green " +
+			"assurance canary, re-run with --validate-only until OK",
+	})
+}
diff --git a/cmd/attesto/connector_init_test.go b/cmd/attesto/connector_init_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4612ccf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/attesto/connector_init_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+package main
+
+// [D.5] connector init scaffolds a manifest whose ONLY validation finding is
+// the pending canary, and the generated webhook stub calls the real P1.4
+// helper with its actual signature.
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"go.attesto.eu/sdk/connectorkit"
+)
+
+func TestConnectorInitScaffoldsValidManifest(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "my-crm")
+	a := &app{out: &bytes.Buffer{}, err: &bytes.Buffer{}}
+	if err := a.connectorInit([]string{"my-crm-evidence", "--category", "crm", "--dir", dir}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	raw, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(dir, "attesto.connector.json"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	var manifest connectorkit.Manifest
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(raw, &manifest); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	result := connectorkit.ValidateManifest(manifest)
+	for _, finding := range result.Findings {
+		if finding.Code != "runtime.canary" {
+			t.Fatalf("unexpected finding: %+v", finding)
+		}
+	}
+	stub, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(dir, "webhook_handler.py"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(string(stub), "from attesto.webhooks import verify_webhook") {
+		t.Fatal("stub does not use the P1.4 helper")
+	}
+	// re-running must refuse to overwrite
+	if err := a.connectorInit([]string{"my-crm-evidence", "--dir", dir}); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected overwrite refusal")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cmd/attesto/main.go b/cmd/attesto/main.go
index b5d0ae9..758bf36 100644
--- a/cmd/attesto/main.go
+++ b/cmd/attesto/main.go
@@ -137,6 +137,12 @@ func (a *app) dispatch(ctx context.Context, args []string) error {
 		return a.quorum(ctx, args[1:])
 	case "ivc":
 		return a.ivc(ctx, args[1:])
+	case "connector":
+		// [D.5] scaffold + local pre-submission validation
+		if len(args) > 1 && args[1] == "init" {
+			return a.connectorInit(args[2:])
+		}
+		return errors.New("connector subcommand required (init)")
 	case "connectors":
 		return a.connectors(ctx, args[1:])
 	case "local-vault":