diff --git a/scripts/discord_smoke.py b/scripts/discord_smoke.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..47387d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/discord_smoke.py
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+"""Live smoke test for the Discord messenger backend.
+
+Drives a complete fake-shot questionnaire through real Discord — buttons,
+free-text answers, photo, commands — without needing the machine. Saved
+notes land in a recorder and are printed instead of hitting hardware.
+
+Usage:
+    DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN=... DISCORD_CHANNEL_ID=... python scripts/discord_smoke.py
+"""
+
+import asyncio
+import logging
+import os
+import pathlib
+import sys
+
+sys.path.insert(0, str(pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.parent / "src"))
+
+from matebot.conversation import Conversation  # noqa: E402
+from matebot.messengers.discord import DiscordMessenger  # noqa: E402
+from matebot.state import State  # noqa: E402
+
+logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO, format="%(asctime)s %(levelname)s %(name)s: %(message)s")
+log = logging.getLogger("smoke")
+
+GOLDEN = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.parent / "tests" / "fixtures" / "000004.slog"
+
+
+async def main() -> None:
+    messenger = DiscordMessenger(
+        os.environ["DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN"], os.environ["DISCORD_CHANNEL_ID"]
+    )
+    state = State("/tmp/discord-smoke-state.json")
+    saved = {}
+
+    async def save_notes(shot_id, notes):
+        saved[shot_id] = notes
+        log.info("NOTES SAVED for #%s: %s", shot_id, notes)
+        return True
+
+    convo = Conversation(messenger, state, save_notes)
+    await messenger.start()
+    log.info("connected — starting fake questionnaire")
+
+    photo = None
+    try:
+        from matebot.plot import render_shot_png
+        from matebot.slog import parse_slog
+
+        photo = render_shot_png(parse_slog(GOLDEN.read_bytes()), title="Shot #999 — Smoke Test")
+        log.info("photo rendered (%d bytes)", len(photo))
+    except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001
+        log.warning("photo skipped: %s", exc)
+
+    await convo.start_shot(999, "Discord Smoke Test", 31000, 36.2, photo=photo)
+    log.info("questionnaire sent — play it through in Discord (buttons AND typed answers)")
+
+    async def pump():
+        async for event in messenger.events():
+            log.info("EVENT: %r", event)
+            await convo.handle_event(event)
+            if saved:
+                log.info("✅ questionnaire complete — smoke test PASSED")
+                return
+
+    try:
+        await asyncio.wait_for(pump(), timeout=600)
+    except TimeoutError:
+        log.error("timed out waiting for interactions")
+    finally:
+        await messenger.stop()
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    asyncio.run(main())