diff --git a/runner/harness/card.py b/runner/harness/card.py
index 36b717f..1cee8a6 100644
--- a/runner/harness/card.py
+++ b/runner/harness/card.py
@@ -79,10 +79,44 @@ def render_badge_svg(label: str, message: str, color: str) -> str:
     )
 
 
-def level_badge_svg(level: int, cap_reason: str = "") -> str:
-    """Per-recipe/-run LEVEL badge: 'cc-ci | level N'. Colour by level (R6)."""
-    msg = f"level {int(level)}"
-    return render_badge_svg("cc-ci", msg, level_color(level))
+# Third-segment colours for the level badge: amber = an UNEXPECTED skip (undeclared gap-sensitive
+# N/A — likely missing coverage) capped the climb; muted = an EXPECTED skip (declared intentional
+# N/A — reviewed, nothing to fix). Font-safe text labels (no emoji) so the SVG renders anywhere.
+GAP_COLOR = "#d29922"
+EXPECT_COLOR = "#6e7681"
+
+
+def level_badge_svg(level: int, cap_reason: str = "", cap_intent: str = "") -> str:
+    """Per-recipe/-run LEVEL badge: 'cc-ci | level N' coloured by level (R6), with a THIRD segment
+    that differentiates *why* the climb stopped when an N/A capped it:
+      - undeclared gap-sensitive N/A (an UNEXPECTED skip — likely missing coverage): amber 'gap?'.
+      - declared intentional N/A (an EXPECTED skip — reviewed, nothing to fix): muted 'expected'.
+      - clean cap / full climb / a real failure: no third segment (the level + card carry it).
+    Derived from `cap_intent` (results.level_cap_intent) so the badge never inflates — it only
+    annotates the cap the level already reflects."""
+    label, msg = "cc-ci", f"level {int(level)}"
+    lw, mw = _text_width(label), _text_width(msg)
+    third: tuple[str, str] | None = None
+    if cap_intent.startswith("undeclared"):
+        third = ("gap?", GAP_COLOR)
+    elif cap_intent.startswith("intentional"):
+        third = ("expected", EXPECT_COLOR)
+    if third is None:
+        return render_badge_svg(label, msg, level_color(level))
+    txt, tcolor = third
+    tw = _text_width(txt)
+    w = lw + mw + tw
+    return (
+        f'<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="{w}" height="20" role="img" '
+        f'aria-label="{html.escape(label)}: {html.escape(msg)} ({html.escape(txt)})">'
+        f'<rect width="{lw}" height="20" fill="#555"/>'
+        f'<rect x="{lw}" width="{mw}" height="20" fill="{level_color(level)}"/>'
+        f'<rect x="{lw + mw}" width="{tw}" height="20" fill="{tcolor}"/>'
+        f'<g fill="#fff" font-family="Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif" font-size="11">'
+        f'<text x="6" y="14">{html.escape(label)}</text>'
+        f'<text x="{lw + 6}" y="14">{html.escape(msg)}</text>'
+        f'<text x="{lw + mw + 6}" y="14">{html.escape(txt)}</text></g></svg>'
+    )
 
 
 def _stage_rows(stages: list[dict]) -> str:
diff --git a/runner/run_recipe_ci.py b/runner/run_recipe_ci.py
index becc9c4..b10966a 100644
--- a/runner/run_recipe_ci.py
+++ b/runner/run_recipe_ci.py
@@ -1296,7 +1296,13 @@ def main() -> int:
                 f.write(card_mod.render_card_html(data, screenshot_rel=data.get("screenshot")))
             png = card_mod.render_card_png(html_path, os.path.join(run_artifact_dir, "summary.png"))
             with open(os.path.join(run_artifact_dir, "badge.svg"), "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
-                f.write(card_mod.level_badge_svg(data["level"], data.get("level_cap_reason", "")))
+                f.write(
+                    card_mod.level_badge_svg(
+                        data["level"],
+                        data.get("level_cap_reason", ""),
+                        data.get("level_cap_intent", ""),
+                    )
+                )
             print(
                 f"summary card {'rendered ' + png if png else '(PNG render unavailable)'} + "
                 f"badge.svg written into {run_artifact_dir}",
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_card.py b/tests/unit/test_card.py
index cdafc02..1abce04 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_card.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_card.py
@@ -51,6 +51,19 @@ def test_badge_svg_wellformed():
     assert svg.startswith("<svg") and svg.endswith("</svg>")
     assert "level 4" in svg
     assert C.level_color(4) in svg
+    # plain cap (no intent) → two-box badge, no third segment
+    assert "expected" not in svg and "gap?" not in svg
+
+
+def test_badge_svg_differentiates_expected_vs_unexpected_skip():
+    # declared intentional N/A capped the climb → muted "expected" third segment
+    exp = C.level_badge_svg(2, "L3 backup/restore N/A", "intentional · no persistent data")
+    assert "level 2" in exp and "expected" in exp and C.EXPECT_COLOR in exp
+    assert "gap?" not in exp
+    # undeclared gap-sensitive N/A → amber "gap?" third segment (an UNEXPECTED skip)
+    gap = C.level_badge_svg(2, "L3 backup/restore N/A", "undeclared N/A — possible coverage gap")
+    assert "level 2" in gap and "gap?" in gap and C.GAP_COLOR in gap
+    assert "expected" not in gap
 
 
 def test_card_html_reports_level_verbatim():