diff --git a/features/jwt/jwt_secret_retention.feature b/features/jwt/jwt_secret_retention.feature
index a40a0fd..3da350b 100644
--- a/features/jwt/jwt_secret_retention.feature
+++ b/features/jwt/jwt_secret_retention.feature
@@ -40,6 +40,16 @@ Feature: JWT Secret Retention Policy
     Then the primary secret should not be removed
     And the primary secret should remain active
 
+  @critical @admin-introspection
+  Scenario: Admin metadata endpoint exposes structure without leaking secret values
+    Given a primary JWT secret exists
+    And I add a secondary JWT secret "test-secret-do-not-leak-please-12345"
+    When I request the JWT secrets metadata endpoint
+    Then the status code should be 200
+    And the metadata should contain 2 secrets
+    And the metadata should NOT contain the secret value "test-secret-do-not-leak-please-12345"
+    And every secret in the metadata should have a SHA-256 fingerprint
+
   @todo
   Scenario: Multiple secrets with different ages
     Given I have 3 JWT secrets of different ages
diff --git a/pkg/bdd/steps/jwt_retention_steps.go b/pkg/bdd/steps/jwt_retention_steps.go
index c32729b..428c16a 100644
--- a/pkg/bdd/steps/jwt_retention_steps.go
+++ b/pkg/bdd/steps/jwt_retention_steps.go
@@ -822,3 +822,61 @@ func (s *JWTRetentionSteps) andSuggestRemediationSteps() error {
 	// Verify remediation suggestions
 	return godog.ErrPending
 }
+
+// =====================================================================
+// Admin metadata introspection steps (PR #51 + this scenario)
+// =====================================================================
+
+// iAddASecondaryJWTSecretNamed adds a secret with a specific value via the
+// admin API. Used by the admin-introspection scenario to verify that the
+// metadata endpoint returns metadata only, not the secret value.
+func (s *JWTRetentionSteps) iAddASecondaryJWTSecretNamed(secretValue string) error {
+	s.SetLastSecret(secretValue)
+	return s.client.Request("POST", "/api/v1/admin/jwt/secrets", map[string]string{
+		"secret":     secretValue,
+		"is_primary": "false",
+	})
+}
+
+// iRequestTheJWTSecretsMetadataEndpoint hits GET /api/v1/admin/jwt/secrets.
+func (s *JWTRetentionSteps) iRequestTheJWTSecretsMetadataEndpoint() error {
+	return s.client.Request("GET", "/api/v1/admin/jwt/secrets", nil)
+}
+
+// theMetadataShouldContainNSecrets verifies the response count field.
+func (s *JWTRetentionSteps) theMetadataShouldContainNSecrets(expected int) error {
+	body := string(s.client.GetLastBody())
+	expectedFragment := `"count":` + strconv.Itoa(expected)
+	if !strings.Contains(body, expectedFragment) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("expected response to contain %q, got: %s", expectedFragment, body)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// theMetadataShouldNotContainTheSecretValue is the SECURITY-CRITICAL
+// assertion. If the response contains the raw secret string anywhere,
+// the endpoint has leaked. This is the property the metadata-only design
+// is supposed to guarantee.
+func (s *JWTRetentionSteps) theMetadataShouldNotContainTheSecretValue(secretValue string) error {
+	body := string(s.client.GetLastBody())
+	if strings.Contains(body, secretValue) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("SECURITY: response leaked the secret value %q (response body: %s)", secretValue, body)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// everySecretInTheMetadataShouldHaveASHA256Fingerprint asserts the
+// secret_sha256 field is present and non-empty for each entry. Cheap
+// regex-style check on the JSON body.
+func (s *JWTRetentionSteps) everySecretInTheMetadataShouldHaveASHA256Fingerprint() error {
+	body := string(s.client.GetLastBody())
+	// Expect at least one occurrence of "secret_sha256":"<non-empty>"
+	if !strings.Contains(body, `"secret_sha256":"`) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("response does not include any secret_sha256 fingerprint: %s", body)
+	}
+	// Reject obviously-empty values
+	if strings.Contains(body, `"secret_sha256":""`) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("at least one secret_sha256 fingerprint is empty in response: %s", body)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/bdd/steps/steps.go b/pkg/bdd/steps/steps.go
index 625636d..c3d1b49 100644
--- a/pkg/bdd/steps/steps.go
+++ b/pkg/bdd/steps/steps.go
@@ -173,6 +173,12 @@ func InitializeAllSteps(ctx *godog.ScenarioContext, client *testserver.Client, s
 	ctx.Step(`^I should receive configuration validation error$`, sc.jwtRetentionSteps.iShouldReceiveConfigurationValidationError)
 	ctx.Step(`^the error should mention "([^"]*)"$`, sc.jwtRetentionSteps.theErrorShouldMention)
 	ctx.Step(`^I have enabled Prometheus metrics$`, sc.jwtRetentionSteps.iHaveEnabledPrometheusMetrics)
+	// Admin metadata introspection steps (PR #51 + admin-introspection scenario)
+	ctx.Step(`^I add a secondary JWT secret "([^"]*)"$`, sc.jwtRetentionSteps.iAddASecondaryJWTSecretNamed)
+	ctx.Step(`^I request the JWT secrets metadata endpoint$`, sc.jwtRetentionSteps.iRequestTheJWTSecretsMetadataEndpoint)
+	ctx.Step(`^the metadata should contain (\d+) secrets$`, sc.jwtRetentionSteps.theMetadataShouldContainNSecrets)
+	ctx.Step(`^the metadata should NOT contain the secret value "([^"]*)"$`, sc.jwtRetentionSteps.theMetadataShouldNotContainTheSecretValue)
+	ctx.Step(`^every secret in the metadata should have a SHA-256 fingerprint$`, sc.jwtRetentionSteps.everySecretInTheMetadataShouldHaveASHA256Fingerprint)
 	ctx.Step(`^I should see "([^"]*)" metric increment$`, sc.jwtRetentionSteps.iShouldSeeMetricIncrement)
 	ctx.Step(`^I should see "([^"]*)" metric decrease$`, sc.jwtRetentionSteps.iShouldSeeMetricDecrease)
 	ctx.Step(`^I should see "([^"]*)" histogram update$`, sc.jwtRetentionSteps.iShouldSeeHistogramUpdate)