diff --git a/crates/core/src/power.rs b/crates/core/src/power.rs
index d2fbdba..e032d14 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/power.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/power.rs
@@ -64,6 +64,75 @@ fn read_trimmed(path: &Path) -> Option<String> {
     fs::read_to_string(path).ok().map(|s| s.trim().to_owned())
 }
 
+use std::sync::Mutex;
+
+/// Top-level power-state probe.
+///
+/// Resolution order (highest to lowest priority):
+/// 1. In-process test override (set via `with_override` from unit tests).
+/// 2. `MAGNOTIA_POWER_STATE_OVERRIDE` env var (`ac` | `battery` | `unknown`,
+///    case-insensitive). Used by `thread_sweep.rs` integration tests.
+/// 3. Linux: `parse_power_state_from_dir("/sys/class/power_supply")`.
+/// 4. macOS / Windows / other: `Unknown`.
+///
+/// `Unknown` is treated as `OnAc` by callers, which preserves today's
+/// pre-clamp behaviour on platforms where the probe doesn't fire.
+///
+/// (TTL cache is added in Task 1.4.)
+pub fn probe_power_state() -> PowerState {
+    if let Some(state) = test_get_override() {
+        return state;
+    }
+    if let Some(state) = env_override() {
+        return state;
+    }
+    platform_probe()
+}
+
+fn env_override() -> Option<PowerState> {
+    let raw = std::env::var("MAGNOTIA_POWER_STATE_OVERRIDE").ok()?;
+    match raw.trim().to_ascii_lowercase().as_str() {
+        "ac" => Some(PowerState::OnAc),
+        "battery" => Some(PowerState::OnBattery),
+        "unknown" => Some(PowerState::Unknown),
+        _ => None,
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+fn platform_probe() -> PowerState {
+    parse_power_state_from_dir(Path::new("/sys/class/power_supply"))
+}
+
+#[cfg(not(target_os = "linux"))]
+fn platform_probe() -> PowerState {
+    PowerState::Unknown
+}
+
+// In-process override slot. Tests must use `with_override` (below) to
+// set it; production code never writes to this. Read on every probe.
+static TEST_OVERRIDE: Mutex<Option<PowerState>> = Mutex::new(None);
+
+fn test_get_override() -> Option<PowerState> {
+    *TEST_OVERRIDE.lock().expect("power test override mutex poisoned")
+}
+
+/// Run `body` with the in-process override set to `state`. Restores
+/// the previous override (always `None` in practice) on return.
+///
+/// Holds a dedicated `TEST_LOCK` mutex for the duration of the body,
+/// so override-using unit tests run serially with respect to each
+/// other even when cargo runs the test binary multi-threaded.
+#[cfg(test)]
+pub(crate) fn with_override<R>(state: Option<PowerState>, body: impl FnOnce() -> R) -> R {
+    static TEST_LOCK: Mutex<()> = Mutex::new(());
+    let _lock = TEST_LOCK.lock().expect("power TEST_LOCK poisoned");
+    *TEST_OVERRIDE.lock().expect("power test override mutex poisoned") = state;
+    let result = body();
+    *TEST_OVERRIDE.lock().expect("power test override mutex poisoned") = None;
+    result
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
@@ -128,4 +197,48 @@ mod tests {
         // No type, no online — should not panic.
         assert_eq!(parse_power_state_from_dir(dir.path()), PowerState::Unknown);
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn override_drives_battery() {
+        with_override(Some(PowerState::OnBattery), || {
+            assert_eq!(probe_power_state(), PowerState::OnBattery);
+        });
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn override_drives_ac() {
+        with_override(Some(PowerState::OnAc), || {
+            assert_eq!(probe_power_state(), PowerState::OnAc);
+        });
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn override_drives_unknown() {
+        with_override(Some(PowerState::Unknown), || {
+            assert_eq!(probe_power_state(), PowerState::Unknown);
+        });
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn env_var_override_battery_via_set_var() {
+        // env-var path tested in isolation under TEST_LOCK so it
+        // doesn't race with the in-process override tests.
+        with_override(None, || {
+            std::env::set_var("MAGNOTIA_POWER_STATE_OVERRIDE", "battery");
+            assert_eq!(probe_power_state(), PowerState::OnBattery);
+            std::env::remove_var("MAGNOTIA_POWER_STATE_OVERRIDE");
+        });
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn env_var_override_garbage_falls_through() {
+        with_override(None, || {
+            std::env::set_var("MAGNOTIA_POWER_STATE_OVERRIDE", "nonsense");
+            // Garbage value falls through to the platform probe.
+            // We can't assert the platform result so just assert it
+            // doesn't panic.
+            let _ = probe_power_state();
+            std::env::remove_var("MAGNOTIA_POWER_STATE_OVERRIDE");
+        });
+    }
 }