diff --git a/src/portfolio_context_triage.py b/src/portfolio_context_triage.py
index d9ac750..af0fec8 100644
--- a/src/portfolio_context_triage.py
+++ b/src/portfolio_context_triage.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # src/portfolio_context_triage.py
 """Context triage runner — B1 of Arc H operational stream."""
+
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 from dataclasses import dataclass
@@ -17,6 +18,9 @@ class FailureMode(str, Enum):
 _DESCRIPTION_CONFIDENCE_WARN_BELOW = 0.5
 _CATALOG_COMPLETENESS_WARN_BELOW = 0.6
 _WEAK_CONTEXT_QUALITIES = {"none", "boilerplate"}
+# Context quality measures "can someone resume this?" — irrelevant for repos
+# that are intentionally not under active development, so don't flag them.
+_CONTEXT_EXEMPT_LIFECYCLES = {"archived", "dormant"}
 
 
 def assess_repo_failure_modes(repo: dict[str, Any]) -> list[FailureMode]:
@@ -45,12 +49,20 @@ def assess_repo_failure_modes(repo: dict[str, Any]) -> list[FailureMode]:
         modes.append(FailureMode.CATALOG)
 
     context_quality = _repo_context_quality(repo)
-    if context_quality in _WEAK_CONTEXT_QUALITIES:
+    if (
+        context_quality in _WEAK_CONTEXT_QUALITIES
+        and _repo_lifecycle_state(repo) not in _CONTEXT_EXEMPT_LIFECYCLES
+    ):
         modes.append(FailureMode.CONTEXT)
 
     return modes
 
 
+def _repo_lifecycle_state(repo: dict[str, Any]) -> str:
+    declared = repo.get("declared") if isinstance(repo.get("declared"), dict) else {}
+    return str(declared.get("lifecycle_state") or "").strip().lower()
+
+
 @dataclass
 class TriageEntry:
     repo_name: str
@@ -95,8 +107,4 @@ def _repo_context_quality(repo: dict[str, Any]) -> str:
 
 def run_triage(repos: list[dict[str, Any]]) -> list[TriageEntry]:
     """Return TriageEntry for every repo that has at least one failure mode."""
-    return [
-        TriageEntry.from_repo(repo)
-        for repo in repos
-        if assess_repo_failure_modes(repo)
-    ]
+    return [TriageEntry.from_repo(repo) for repo in repos if assess_repo_failure_modes(repo)]
diff --git a/tests/test_portfolio_context_triage.py b/tests/test_portfolio_context_triage.py
index c9732d5..b1959fa 100644
--- a/tests/test_portfolio_context_triage.py
+++ b/tests/test_portfolio_context_triage.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # tests/test_portfolio_context_triage.py
 """Tests for the context triage runner (Arc H B1)."""
+
 import json
 
 from src.portfolio_context_triage import (
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@ def _entry(
     readme_stale_by_age=False,
     catalog_completeness=1.0,
     context_quality="full",
+    lifecycle_state="active",
 ) -> dict:
     return {
         "name": "test-repo",
@@ -24,6 +26,7 @@ def _entry(
         },
         "catalog_completeness": catalog_completeness,
         "context_quality": context_quality,
+        "declared": {"lifecycle_state": lifecycle_state},
     }
 
 
@@ -62,6 +65,45 @@ def test_nested_portfolio_truth_context_quality_flagged():
     assert FailureMode.CONTEXT in modes
 
 
+# Context quality is a "can someone resume this?" signal — irrelevant for repos
+# that are intentionally not under active development. Archived and dormant
+# repos must not be context-flagged even when their docs are boilerplate.
+
+
+def test_archived_repo_not_context_flagged():
+    modes = assess_repo_failure_modes(
+        _entry(context_quality="boilerplate", lifecycle_state="archived")
+    )
+    assert FailureMode.CONTEXT not in modes
+
+
+def test_dormant_repo_not_context_flagged():
+    modes = assess_repo_failure_modes(_entry(context_quality="none", lifecycle_state="dormant"))
+    assert FailureMode.CONTEXT not in modes
+
+
+def test_active_repo_with_weak_context_still_flagged():
+    modes = assess_repo_failure_modes(
+        _entry(context_quality="boilerplate", lifecycle_state="active")
+    )
+    assert FailureMode.CONTEXT in modes
+
+
+def test_maintenance_repo_with_weak_context_still_flagged():
+    modes = assess_repo_failure_modes(
+        _entry(context_quality="boilerplate", lifecycle_state="maintenance")
+    )
+    assert FailureMode.CONTEXT in modes
+
+
+def test_missing_lifecycle_state_defaults_to_flagged():
+    # no declared.lifecycle_state -> enforce context quality (do not suppress)
+    modes = assess_repo_failure_modes(
+        {"identity": {"display_name": "RepoB"}, "context_quality": "none"}
+    )
+    assert FailureMode.CONTEXT in modes
+
+
 def test_severity_critical_when_multiple_failure_modes():
     entry = _entry(
         description_confidence=0.2,