diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c86c538..b799f32 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,81 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 0.13.23 (2026-04-27)
+
+### Stop discarding the drive's SCSI sense data
+
+Through the entire 0.13.x line, every CHECK CONDITION reply from the
+drive (the standard way SCSI reports a sector failure) was being
+collapsed into a synthetic `status=0xFF, sense_key=0` "transport
+wedge" sentinel and the real sense data was thrown away. Live tracing
+on the BU40N reading Dune 2 on 2026-04-27 confirmed it: the drive was
+returning `host_status=0, driver_status=8, status=2, exec_elapsed_ms=1416`
+on every bad sector — a clean CHECK CONDITION carrying full sense
+data — and the library was misclassifying it as a wedge and bailing.
+
+Root cause: `scsi/linux.rs`'s wedge check was `host_status != 0 ||
+driver_status != 0`. SG's `DRIVER_SENSE` bit (0x08) is set on every
+CHECK CONDITION reply just to flag "sense buffer is populated" — it's
+not a transport failure on its own. Pre-0.13.23 we conflated the two
+and silently lost every drive-reported error reason. macOS and Windows
+backends had the same shape: they extracted `sense_key` only, dropping
+ASC/ASCQ.
+
+### What 0.13.23 changes (API)
+
+- **Linux**: mask `DRIVER_SENSE` before treating `driver_status` as a
+  transport-layer failure. Real transport failures (`host_status != 0`
+  or any non-SENSE bit set) still synthesise the `0xFF` sentinel.
+- **`Error::ScsiError`** carries `sense: Option<ScsiSense>` instead of
+  flat `sense_key`/`asc`/`ascq`. `sense=None` ⇔ transport failure (no
+  SCSI status delivered). `Some(ScsiSense {…})` ⇔ drive replied with
+  sense data. Removes the `0xFF`/`sense_key=0` magic-number coupling.
+- **`ScsiSense`** is a public type with predicate methods on it —
+  `is_marginal`, `is_medium_error`, `is_hardware_error`,
+  `is_unit_attention`, `is_data_protect`, `is_not_ready`,
+  `is_illegal_request`, `is_aborted_command`. Callers route on the
+  structured fields rather than raw key comparisons.
+- **`Error::scsi_sense()`** / **`Error::is_scsi_transport_failure()`** /
+  **`Error::is_marginal_read()`** convenience predicates on `Error`.
+  `is_marginal_read` is the high-level "should `Disc::copy` engage
+  hysteresis on this error?" check.
+- **SCSI protocol constants** (`SCSI_STATUS_GOOD`,
+  `SCSI_STATUS_CHECK_CONDITION`, `SCSI_STATUS_TRANSPORT_FAILURE`,
+  `SENSE_KEY_*`) moved from `error.rs` to `scsi/mod.rs` where they
+  belong alongside `SCSI_INQUIRY`, `SCSI_READ_10`, etc.
+- **macOS** + **Windows** backends parse the full sense triple too.
+  Same code path on every platform — a regression in `parse_sense`
+  would surface on all three OSes simultaneously.
+- **`parse_sense`** replaces `parse_sense_key` (returns the full
+  triple). Inline sense-format tests (descriptor 0x72/0x73 vs fixed
+  0x70/0x71, short-buffer, VALID-bit masking, unknown response codes)
+  now also exercise ASC/ASCQ extraction at the right offsets.
+
+### Disc::copy + Disc::patch sense-aware dispatch
+
+Both passes now bail immediately when a read fails with a sense class
+that retry can't help (HARDWARE ERROR, DATA PROTECT, UNIT ATTENTION,
+NOT READY, ILLEGAL REQUEST, real transport failure, kernel `IoError`)
+rather than burning hysteresis cycles on a doomed loop. Marginal-read
+sense (MEDIUM ERROR, ABORTED COMMAND, RECOVERED ERROR, NO SENSE)
+engages hysteresis as before. New `phase=bail` trace event records
+the bail reason.
+
+`Disc::patch`'s `wedged_threshold` (50 consecutive failures) remains
+as defense-in-depth for chains of marginal failures, but a single
+non-marginal sense now short-circuits it.
+
+### Behavioural impact
+
+For damaged-disc rips on the BU40N this unblocks v0.13.22's
+hysteresis: pre-fix, the misclassified "wedge" caused `Disc::copy` to
+exit before hysteresis could engage, so `bytes_good` froze at the bad
+zone. Post-fix the drive's CHECK CONDITION replies flow through the
+normal path → hysteresis drops to bpt=1 → marginal sectors are
+recovered or marked Unreadable. Calibration data
+(`docs/audits/2026-04-26-bisect-on-fail-empirical-findings.md`) shows
+~86 % of marginal-region sectors recover at bpt=1 on this drive.
+
 ## 0.13.22 (2026-04-26)
 
 ### Replace bisect-on-fail with hysteresis state machine (Block ↔ Single)
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index fceb310..142e6d3 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "libfreemkv"
-version = "0.13.22"
+version = "0.13.23"
 edition = "2024"
 rust-version = "1.86"
 license = "AGPL-3.0-only"
diff --git a/src/disc/mod.rs b/src/disc/mod.rs
index e175076..cd53005 100644
--- a/src/disc/mod.rs
+++ b/src/disc/mod.rs
@@ -1382,16 +1382,14 @@ impl Disc {
                 let read_t0 = block_t0;
                 let block_bytes_usz = block_bytes as usize;
                 iter_count += 1;
-                let block_ok = reader
-                    .read_sectors(
-                        block_lba,
-                        block_count,
-                        &mut buf[..block_bytes_usz],
-                        recovery,
-                    )
-                    .is_ok();
+                let block_result = reader.read_sectors(
+                    block_lba,
+                    block_count,
+                    &mut buf[..block_bytes_usz],
+                    recovery,
+                );
 
-                if block_ok {
+                if block_result.is_ok() {
                     // Fast path — full block read cleanly.
                     read_ok_count += 1;
                     if opts.decrypt {
@@ -1413,6 +1411,31 @@ impl Disc {
                     return Err(Error::DiscRead {
                         sector: block_lba as u64,
                     });
+                } else if !block_result
+                    .as_ref()
+                    .err()
+                    .map(Error::is_marginal_read)
+                    .unwrap_or(false)
+                {
+                    // 0.13.23: SCSI sense-aware dispatch. Block read failed
+                    // with a sense class outside the marginal-read set
+                    // (real transport failure, HARDWARE ERROR, DATA
+                    // PROTECT, UNIT ATTENTION, NOT READY, ILLEGAL
+                    // REQUEST, kernel IoError). Bail with the full sense
+                    // triple preserved — caller (autorip) surfaces
+                    // "physical replug needed" / "drive failing" /
+                    // "media changed" / etc to the user. Hysteresis
+                    // would just hammer the same failure for thousands
+                    // of sectors at 1.4 sec each.
+                    let err = block_result.err().unwrap();
+                    tracing::trace!(
+                        target: "freemkv::disc",
+                        phase = "bail",
+                        lba = block_lba,
+                        error = %err,
+                        "block read failed with non-recoverable sense; bailing"
+                    );
+                    return Err(err);
                 } else {
                     // Block failed → drop to Single and read this range
                     // sector-by-sector. Stay in Single across subsequent
@@ -1445,9 +1468,30 @@ impl Disc {
                         let s_lba = block_lba + s as u32;
                         let s_pos = pos + (s as u64) * 2048;
                         let one_bytes = 2048usize;
-                        let one_ok = reader
-                            .read_sectors(s_lba, 1, &mut buf[..one_bytes], recovery)
-                            .is_ok();
+                        let one_result =
+                            reader.read_sectors(s_lba, 1, &mut buf[..one_bytes], recovery);
+                        // 0.13.23: same sense-aware dispatch inside Single
+                        // mode. If a single-sector read fails with a
+                        // non-marginal sense (transport / hardware /
+                        // DATA PROTECT / UNIT ATTENTION / NOT READY /
+                        // ILLEGAL REQUEST / kernel IoError), the drive
+                        // isn't going to start succeeding for the next
+                        // 60 sectors either — bail with full sense info
+                        // rather than chewing through bpt=1 timeouts.
+                        if let Err(ref e) = one_result {
+                            if !e.is_marginal_read() {
+                                let err = one_result.err().unwrap();
+                                tracing::trace!(
+                                    target: "freemkv::disc",
+                                    phase = "bail",
+                                    lba = s_lba,
+                                    error = %err,
+                                    "bpt=1 read failed with non-marginal sense; bailing"
+                                );
+                                return Err(err);
+                            }
+                        }
+                        let one_ok = one_result.is_ok();
                         if one_ok {
                             read_ok_count += 1;
                             consecutive_good = consecutive_good.saturating_add(1);
@@ -1769,9 +1813,30 @@ impl Disc {
                 let count = (block_bytes / 2048) as u16;
                 let bytes = count as usize * 2048;
                 blocks_attempted += 1;
-                let read_ok = reader
-                    .read_sectors(lba, count, &mut buf[..bytes], recovery)
-                    .is_ok();
+                let read_result = reader.read_sectors(lba, count, &mut buf[..bytes], recovery);
+                // 0.13.23: parity with Disc::copy — bail immediately on a
+                // non-marginal SCSI sense (transport failure, HARDWARE
+                // ERROR, DATA PROTECT, UNIT ATTENTION, NOT READY,
+                // ILLEGAL REQUEST, kernel IoError). The wedged_threshold
+                // counter is a defense-in-depth backstop for ~50
+                // consecutive marginal failures, but a single
+                // non-marginal error already proves the drive can't
+                // produce data this pass — don't waste 50× the timeout
+                // budget proving it again.
+                if let Err(ref e) = read_result {
+                    if !e.is_marginal_read() {
+                        let err = read_result.err().unwrap();
+                        tracing::trace!(
+                            target: "freemkv::disc",
+                            phase = "patch_bail",
+                            lba,
+                            error = %err,
+                            "patch read failed with non-marginal sense; bailing"
+                        );
+                        return Err(err);
+                    }
+                }
+                let read_ok = read_result.is_ok();
                 if read_ok {
                     blocks_read_ok += 1;
                     consecutive_failures = 0;
diff --git a/src/drive/mod.rs b/src/drive/mod.rs
index 3fed6f3..343cb44 100644
--- a/src/drive/mod.rs
+++ b/src/drive/mod.rs
@@ -241,8 +241,9 @@ impl Drive {
                     5_000,
                 ) {
                     Ok(_) => DriveStatus::DiscPresent,
-                    Err(Error::ScsiError { sense_key: 2, .. }) => DriveStatus::NotReady,
-                    Err(Error::ScsiError { sense_key: 6, .. }) => DriveStatus::NotReady, // UNIT ATTENTION
+                    Err(ref e) if e.scsi_sense().is_some_and(|s| s.is_not_ready() || s.is_unit_attention()) => {
+                        DriveStatus::NotReady
+                    }
                     _ => DriveStatus::Unknown,
                 }
             }
diff --git a/src/error.rs b/src/error.rs
index ff8a44f..da7080d 100644
--- a/src/error.rs
+++ b/src/error.rs
@@ -155,10 +155,24 @@ pub enum Error {
     },
 
     // SCSI (4xxx)
+    /// SCSI command failed.
+    ///
+    /// `opcode` is the failing CDB byte 0. `status` is the raw SCSI
+    /// status byte: `0x02` = CHECK CONDITION (drive replied with sense
+    /// data), `0xFF` = libfreemkv-synthesised sentinel meaning "no SCSI
+    /// status delivered" (kernel timeout, USB bridge wedge, IOKit
+    /// service failure). `sense` carries the drive's SPC-4 sense triple
+    /// when the drive replied; `None` for transport-layer failures.
+    ///
+    /// Recommended dispatch (callers shouldn't pattern-match raw
+    /// fields):
+    ///   - [`Error::is_scsi_transport_failure`] — bail; bridge/transport wedge
+    ///   - [`Error::is_marginal_read`] — drive said this read was marginal; smaller block may recover
+    ///   - [`Error::scsi_sense`] — borrow the sense triple for finer routing ([`ScsiSense::is_medium_error`] etc.)
     ScsiError {
         opcode: u8,
         status: u8,
-        sense_key: u8,
+        sense: Option<crate::scsi::ScsiSense>,
     },
 
     // I/O (5xxx)
@@ -363,17 +377,26 @@ impl std::fmt::Display for Error {
             Error::ScsiError {
                 opcode,
                 status,
-                sense_key,
-            } => {
-                write!(
+                sense,
+            } => match sense {
+                Some(s) => write!(
                     f,
-                    "E{}: 0x{:02x}/0x{:02x}/0x{:02x}",
+                    "E{}: 0x{:02x}/0x{:02x}/0x{:02x}/0x{:02x}/0x{:02x}",
                     self.code(),
                     opcode,
                     status,
-                    sense_key
-                )
-            }
+                    s.sense_key,
+                    s.asc,
+                    s.ascq,
+                ),
+                None => write!(
+                    f,
+                    "E{}: 0x{:02x}/0x{:02x}",
+                    self.code(),
+                    opcode,
+                    status,
+                ),
+            },
             Error::IoError { source } => write!(f, "E{}: {}", self.code(), source),
             Error::DiscRead { sector } => write!(f, "E{}: {}", self.code(), sector),
             Error::Halted => write!(f, "E{}", self.code()),
@@ -438,6 +461,58 @@ impl From<Error> for std::io::Error {
 /// Convenience alias for `Result<T, Error>`.
 pub type Result<T> = std::result::Result<T, Error>;
 
+impl Error {
+    /// Borrow the drive-returned SPC-4 sense triple if this error is a
+    /// [`Error::ScsiError`] carrying sense data. `None` for any other
+    /// variant **and** for `ScsiError`s that represent a transport-layer
+    /// failure (where the device never delivered a SCSI status reply, so
+    /// no sense data exists).
+    pub fn scsi_sense(&self) -> Option<&crate::scsi::ScsiSense> {
+        match self {
+            Error::ScsiError {
+                sense: Some(s), ..
+            } => Some(s),
+            _ => None,
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// True if this is a [`Error::ScsiError`] representing a transport-layer
+    /// failure — kernel timeout, USB bridge wedge, IOKit service error.
+    /// The device never delivered a SCSI status reply, so there is no
+    /// sense data to inspect; retrying typically requires physical
+    /// intervention (replug).
+    pub fn is_scsi_transport_failure(&self) -> bool {
+        matches!(
+            self,
+            Error::ScsiError {
+                status: crate::scsi::SCSI_STATUS_TRANSPORT_FAILURE,
+                ..
+            }
+        )
+    }
+
+    /// True if the underlying SCSI failure is a *marginal read* — the
+    /// drive returned an error category in which smaller-granularity
+    /// retries can sometimes recover the data:
+    ///
+    ///   - MEDIUM ERROR (sense key 3) — canonical bad-sector signal
+    ///   - ABORTED COMMAND (sense key B) — transient; retry usually works
+    ///   - RECOVERED ERROR (sense key 1) / NO SENSE (sense key 0) — not
+    ///     classified as fatal; treat as recoverable
+    ///
+    /// Returns `false` for transport failures (no sense data delivered),
+    /// HARDWARE ERROR, DATA PROTECT, UNIT ATTENTION, NOT READY, ILLEGAL
+    /// REQUEST, BLANK CHECK, kernel `IoError`, and any non-SCSI variant.
+    /// Caller-agnostic predicate — describes a property of the *error*,
+    /// not what one specific call site should do with it. Used by
+    /// `Disc::copy`'s hysteresis dispatch.
+    pub fn is_marginal_read(&self) -> bool {
+        self.scsi_sense()
+            .map(crate::scsi::ScsiSense::is_marginal)
+            .unwrap_or(false)
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     //! Smoke tests for the error code → variant mapping. Each new variant
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index d0687ab..191d3c6 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ pub use mux::{InputOptions, StreamUrl, input, output, parse_url};
 // out-of-tree platform backends. `SectorReader` lets callers feed any byte
 // source (test harness, network image, SMB share) into the disc scan
 // pipeline; `FileSectorReader` is the standard ISO-on-disk implementation.
-pub use scsi::{DriveInfo, ScsiTransport, drive_has_disc, list_drives};
+pub use scsi::{DriveInfo, ScsiSense, ScsiTransport, drive_has_disc, list_drives};
 pub use sector::{FileSectorReader, SectorReader};
 pub use speed::DriveSpeed;
 pub use udf::{UdfFs, read_filesystem};
diff --git a/src/platform/mt1959/mod.rs b/src/platform/mt1959/mod.rs
index 85c0b2d..806e46a 100644
--- a/src/platform/mt1959/mod.rs
+++ b/src/platform/mt1959/mod.rs
@@ -96,8 +96,8 @@ impl Mt1959 {
         if result.bytes_transferred != expected {
             return Err(Error::ScsiError {
                 opcode: SCSI_READ_BUFFER,
-                status: 0xFF,
-                sense_key: 0,
+                status: crate::scsi::SCSI_STATUS_TRANSPORT_FAILURE,
+                sense: None,
             });
         }
         Ok(result.bytes_transferred)
@@ -169,8 +169,8 @@ impl Mt1959 {
         }
         Err(Error::ScsiError {
             opcode: SCSI_READ_BUFFER,
-            status: 0xFF,
-            sense_key: 0,
+            status: crate::scsi::SCSI_STATUS_TRANSPORT_FAILURE,
+            sense: None,
         })
     }
 
@@ -275,8 +275,8 @@ impl Mt1959 {
             {
                 return Err(Error::ScsiError {
                     opcode: SCSI_READ_BUFFER,
-                    status: 0xFF,
-                    sense_key: 0,
+                    status: crate::scsi::SCSI_STATUS_TRANSPORT_FAILURE,
+                    sense: None,
                 });
             }
             addr = addr.wrapping_add(PROBE_STEP);
diff --git a/src/scsi/linux.rs b/src/scsi/linux.rs
index 5d598be..cfe876e 100644
--- a/src/scsi/linux.rs
+++ b/src/scsi/linux.rs
@@ -243,10 +243,19 @@ impl ScsiTransport for SgIoTransport {
     /// Errors we surface to caller (any of these = command failed):
     ///
     ///   - ioctl returned -1 → `Error::IoError` (kernel-level failure)
-    ///   - `hdr.host_status` != 0 → `Error::ScsiError` with status=0xFF
-    ///     (transport-level: timeout, bridge wedge, etc.)
-    ///   - `hdr.driver_status` != 0 → `Error::ScsiError` with status=0xFF
-    ///   - `hdr.status` != 0 → `Error::ScsiError` with parsed sense key
+    ///   - `hdr.host_status` != 0 OR `(hdr.driver_status & ~DRIVER_SENSE)` != 0
+    ///     → `Error::ScsiError { status: 0xFF, sense_key: 0, asc: 0, ascq: 0 }`
+    ///     (real transport-layer failure: kernel timeout, bridge wedge, bus error)
+    ///   - `hdr.status` != 0 (typically `0x02` CHECK CONDITION) →
+    ///     `Error::ScsiError { status, sense_key, asc, ascq }` carrying the
+    ///     drive's full SPC-4 sense triple. Callers route on
+    ///     `is_medium_error()`, `is_unit_attention()`, etc.
+    ///
+    /// Note: SG's `DRIVER_SENSE` (0x08) bit indicates *sense data is
+    /// attached* — it's set on every CHECK CONDITION reply. It is **not**
+    /// a transport failure; pre-0.13.23 we conflated it with one and
+    /// silently lost every drive-reported error reason. The mask in the
+    /// transport-error check below is the fix.
     ///
     /// Caller's `data` buffer is mutated only on success; partial
     /// transfers are reported via `bytes_transferred = data.len() - resid`.
@@ -272,8 +281,8 @@ impl ScsiTransport for SgIoTransport {
         if data.len() > u32::MAX as usize {
             return Err(Error::ScsiError {
                 opcode: cdb[0],
-                status: 0xFF,
-                sense_key: 0,
+                status: super::SCSI_STATUS_TRANSPORT_FAILURE,
+                sense: None,
             });
         }
 
@@ -323,7 +332,16 @@ impl ScsiTransport for SgIoTransport {
         // bus error). `hdr.status` may still be zero — the SCSI device
         // never got to send a status byte. Surface as 0xFF so callers
         // (e.g. `drive_has_disc`) can detect the wedge signature.
-        if hdr.host_status != 0 || hdr.driver_status != 0 {
+        //
+        // 0.13.23: mask out `DRIVER_SENSE` (0x08) before treating
+        // `driver_status` as a transport failure. That bit is set on
+        // *every* CHECK CONDITION reply just to flag "sense data is
+        // attached in `sbp`" — it's not an error of its own. Pre-fix
+        // we collapsed every drive-reported error into a synthetic
+        // 0xFF wedge signature and discarded the sense data, which
+        // killed the rip's classification logic on damaged discs.
+        let driver_status_real = hdr.driver_status & !super::DRIVER_SENSE;
+        if hdr.host_status != 0 || driver_status_real != 0 {
             tracing::trace!(
                 target: "freemkv::scsi",
                 phase = "transport_err",
@@ -336,28 +354,32 @@ impl ScsiTransport for SgIoTransport {
             );
             return Err(Error::ScsiError {
                 opcode: cdb[0],
-                status: 0xFF,
-                sense_key: 0,
+                status: super::SCSI_STATUS_TRANSPORT_FAILURE,
+                sense: None,
             });
         }
 
-        // SCSI-level failure: device responded, returned non-zero status.
-        // Parse sense key for the caller.
+        // SCSI-level failure: device responded, returned non-zero status
+        // (typically 0x02 CHECK CONDITION). Parse the full SPC-4 sense
+        // triple so callers can route on `ScsiSense::is_medium_error()`
+        // etc.
         if hdr.status != 0 {
-            let sense_key = super::parse_sense_key(&sense, hdr.sb_len_wr);
+            let parsed = super::parse_sense(&sense, hdr.sb_len_wr);
             tracing::trace!(
                 target: "freemkv::scsi",
                 phase = "scsi_err",
                 opcode = opcode,
                 status = hdr.status,
-                sense_key,
+                sense_key = parsed.sense_key,
+                asc = parsed.asc,
+                ascq = parsed.ascq,
                 exec_elapsed_ms,
                 "SCSI status non-zero"
             );
             return Err(Error::ScsiError {
                 opcode: cdb[0],
                 status: hdr.status,
-                sense_key,
+                sense: Some(parsed),
             });
         }
 
@@ -394,11 +416,6 @@ impl ScsiTransport for SgIoTransport {
 /// Stored in `/sys/class/scsi_generic/sgN/device/type` as ASCII decimal.
 const SCSI_TYPE_OPTICAL: &str = "5";
 
-/// SCSI sense key 2 = "NOT READY". Sub-codes distinguish "medium not present"
-/// (no disc) from other not-ready states (loading, etc.); for poll-loop
-/// purposes any sense-key 2 means "no disc to act on".
-const SENSE_KEY_NOT_READY: u8 = 2;
-
 /// Maximum sg index probed in the fallback path when sysfs is unavailable.
 /// Linux assigns `/dev/sgN` sequentially per host adapter; 16 covers any
 /// realistic homelab (typical PERC + USB optical = ≤8 nodes).
@@ -547,10 +564,7 @@ pub(super) fn drive_has_disc(path: &Path) -> Result<bool> {
         crate::scsi::TUR_TIMEOUT_MS,
     ) {
         Ok(_) => Ok(true),
-        Err(Error::ScsiError {
-            sense_key: SENSE_KEY_NOT_READY,
-            ..
-        }) => Ok(false),
+        Err(ref e) if e.scsi_sense().is_some_and(|s| s.is_not_ready()) => Ok(false),
         Err(e) => Err(e),
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/scsi/macos.rs b/src/scsi/macos.rs
index 8eda238..7068431 100644
--- a/src/scsi/macos.rs
+++ b/src/scsi/macos.rs
@@ -337,13 +337,11 @@ pub(super) fn drive_has_disc(path: &Path) -> Result<bool> {
         crate::scsi::TUR_TIMEOUT_MS,
     ) {
         Ok(_) => Ok(true),
-        Err(Error::ScsiError { sense_key, .. }) if sense_key == K_SENSE_KEY_NOT_READY => Ok(false),
+        Err(ref e) if e.scsi_sense().is_some_and(|s| s.is_not_ready()) => Ok(false),
         Err(e) => Err(e),
     }
 }
 
-const K_SENSE_KEY_NOT_READY: u8 = 2;
-
 impl Drop for MacScsiTransport {
     fn drop(&mut self) {
         if self.device_iface.is_null() {
@@ -377,8 +375,8 @@ impl ScsiTransport for MacScsiTransport {
         if task.is_null() {
             return Err(Error::ScsiError {
                 opcode: cdb[0],
-                status: 0xFF,
-                sense_key: 0,
+                status: super::SCSI_STATUS_TRANSPORT_FAILURE,
+                sense: None,
             });
         }
 
@@ -449,20 +447,25 @@ impl ScsiTransport for MacScsiTransport {
             // the kernel mid-layer has already done what it can.
             return Err(Error::ScsiError {
                 opcode: cdb[0],
-                status: 0xFF,
-                sense_key: 0,
+                status: super::SCSI_STATUS_TRANSPORT_FAILURE,
+                sense: None,
             });
         }
 
         if task_status != K_SCSI_TASK_STATUS_GOOD as u32 {
             // IOKit doesn't surface a "bytes written into sense buffer"
             // count the way SG_IO does — pass the buffer's full length
-            // and let parse_sense_key inspect byte 0's response code.
-            let sense_key = super::parse_sense_key(&sense, sense.len() as u8);
+            // and let parse_sense inspect byte 0's response code to pick
+            // descriptor-vs-fixed format.
+            //
+            // 0.13.23: carry the full SPC-4 sense triple in
+            // `Error::ScsiError::sense` so callers can route on
+            // `ScsiSense::is_medium_error()` etc.
+            let parsed = super::parse_sense(&sense, sense.len() as u8);
             return Err(Error::ScsiError {
                 opcode: cdb[0],
                 status: task_status as u8,
-                sense_key,
+                sense: Some(parsed),
             });
         }
 
diff --git a/src/scsi/mod.rs b/src/scsi/mod.rs
index 764c933..96eb033 100644
--- a/src/scsi/mod.rs
+++ b/src/scsi/mod.rs
@@ -75,36 +75,207 @@ pub(crate) const READ_TIMEOUT_MS: u32 = 10_000;
 /// (`DEF_TIMEOUT = 60000`).
 pub(crate) const READ_RECOVERY_TIMEOUT_MS: u32 = 60_000;
 
-// ── Sense-key parsing ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// ── SCSI status bytes (SPC-4 §4.5.5) ────────────────────────────────────────
 
-/// Extract the SPC-4 sense key from a sense buffer.
+/// Status byte 0x00 — `GOOD`. Command completed successfully.
+pub const SCSI_STATUS_GOOD: u8 = 0x00;
+/// Status byte 0x02 — `CHECK CONDITION`. Drive completed the command
+/// reply and attached sense data describing the failure.
+pub const SCSI_STATUS_CHECK_CONDITION: u8 = 0x02;
+/// libfreemkv-synthesised sentinel: the transport never delivered a
+/// SCSI status byte (kernel timeout, USB bridge wedge, IOKit service
+/// failure). Distinct from any drive-returned value. Carriers
+/// [`Error::ScsiError`] with `sense = None`.
+pub const SCSI_STATUS_TRANSPORT_FAILURE: u8 = 0xFF;
+
+// ── SPC-4 sense keys (§4.5.6 Table 28) ─────────────────────────────────────
+//
+// Broad failure category returned in a CHECK CONDITION reply's sense data.
+// Names match the SCSI spec; predicate methods on [`ScsiSense`] (e.g.
+// `is_medium_error`, `is_unit_attention`) read more fluently than raw
+// constant comparisons at call sites.
+
+pub const SENSE_KEY_NO_SENSE: u8 = 0x00;
+pub const SENSE_KEY_RECOVERED_ERROR: u8 = 0x01;
+pub const SENSE_KEY_NOT_READY: u8 = 0x02;
+pub const SENSE_KEY_MEDIUM_ERROR: u8 = 0x03;
+pub const SENSE_KEY_HARDWARE_ERROR: u8 = 0x04;
+pub const SENSE_KEY_ILLEGAL_REQUEST: u8 = 0x05;
+pub const SENSE_KEY_UNIT_ATTENTION: u8 = 0x06;
+pub const SENSE_KEY_DATA_PROTECT: u8 = 0x07;
+pub const SENSE_KEY_BLANK_CHECK: u8 = 0x08;
+pub const SENSE_KEY_ABORTED_COMMAND: u8 = 0x0B;
+
+// ── Sense parsing ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+/// Decoded SPC-4 sense triple — the precise reason a SCSI command failed.
 ///
-/// Handles both response-code formats:
-///   - Descriptor format (0x72 / 0x73): sense key in the low nibble of byte 1.
-///   - Fixed format (0x70 / 0x71): sense key in the low nibble of byte 2.
+/// Returned by [`parse_sense`] and embedded inside [`Error::ScsiError`]
+/// (`sense: Option<ScsiSense>`). Predicate methods (`is_medium_error`,
+/// `is_unit_attention`, `is_marginal`, …) read more fluently at call
+/// sites than raw `sense_key` comparisons.
 ///
-/// `sb_len_wr` is the number of bytes the transport actually wrote into
-/// `sense`. When < 3 (or `sense.len() < 3`) we can't safely read either
-/// the format byte or the key byte — return 0 (NO SENSE) per SPC-4 §4.5.3.
-///
-/// Pure function. Same parse runs on every platform backend so
-/// callers don't have to special-case Linux SG_IO vs macOS IOKit vs
-/// Windows SPTI sense layouts.
-pub(crate) fn parse_sense_key(sense: &[u8], sb_len_wr: u8) -> u8 {
-    if (sb_len_wr as usize) < 3 || sense.len() < 3 {
-        return 0;
+/// `Default::default()` and the [`ScsiSense::NONE`] constant both
+/// produce the all-zero "no sense info" triple. Per SPC-4 §4.5.3, an
+/// empty sense buffer is reported as NO SENSE (key 0); use the constant
+/// for explicit intent at construction sites.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Default)]
+pub struct ScsiSense {
+    /// Sense key — broad failure category (SPC-4 §4.5.6 Table 28).
+    /// See the `SENSE_KEY_*` constants for named values.
+    pub sense_key: u8,
+    /// Additional Sense Code — narrows the cause within a sense key
+    /// (SPC-4 §4.5.6 Table 29). E.g. `0x11` = UNRECOVERED READ ERROR.
+    pub asc: u8,
+    /// Additional Sense Code Qualifier — finest-grain disambiguation.
+    /// E.g. `0x05` (with `asc=0x11`) = L-EC UNCORRECTABLE.
+    pub ascq: u8,
+}
+
+impl ScsiSense {
+    /// Sense reply with all-zero fields — explicit "no sense info"
+    /// constructor for sites where `Default::default()` would be opaque.
+    pub const NONE: ScsiSense = ScsiSense {
+        sense_key: 0,
+        asc: 0,
+        ascq: 0,
+    };
+
+    /// `true` when the sense key indicates a *marginal-read* failure —
+    /// the kind of error where the same read at smaller granularity
+    /// (or a brief retry) sometimes succeeds:
+    ///
+    ///   - `MEDIUM ERROR` (3) — canonical bad-sector signal
+    ///   - `ABORTED COMMAND` (B) — transient; retry usually works
+    ///   - `RECOVERED ERROR` (1) / `NO SENSE` (0) — drive is healthy and
+    ///     either recovered the data or has no specific fault to report
+    ///
+    /// `false` for HARDWARE ERROR, DATA PROTECT, UNIT ATTENTION, NOT
+    /// READY, ILLEGAL REQUEST, BLANK CHECK, and any unknown key. Used
+    /// by [`Error::is_marginal_read`] / `Disc::copy`'s hysteresis
+    /// dispatch.
+    pub fn is_marginal(&self) -> bool {
+        matches!(
+            self.sense_key,
+            SENSE_KEY_NO_SENSE
+                | SENSE_KEY_RECOVERED_ERROR
+                | SENSE_KEY_MEDIUM_ERROR
+                | SENSE_KEY_ABORTED_COMMAND
+        )
     }
-    let response_code = sense[0] & 0x7F;
-    if response_code == 0x72 || response_code == 0x73 {
-        sense[1] & 0x0F
-    } else {
-        // Fixed format (0x70/0x71) and any unknown code fall through here;
-        // SPC-4 says implementations MUST tolerate unknown response codes
-        // and treat them as fixed — matches what reference projects do.
-        sense[2] & 0x0F
+
+    /// `true` if `sense_key == MEDIUM ERROR (3)` — canonical "bad sector"
+    /// signal from the drive.
+    pub fn is_medium_error(&self) -> bool {
+        self.sense_key == SENSE_KEY_MEDIUM_ERROR
+    }
+
+    /// `true` if `sense_key == HARDWARE ERROR (4)` — drive itself is
+    /// failing. Not recoverable by retry.
+    pub fn is_hardware_error(&self) -> bool {
+        self.sense_key == SENSE_KEY_HARDWARE_ERROR
+    }
+
+    /// `true` if `sense_key == NOT READY (2)` — medium not present /
+    /// drive becoming ready / etc.
+    pub fn is_not_ready(&self) -> bool {
+        self.sense_key == SENSE_KEY_NOT_READY
+    }
+
+    /// `true` if `sense_key == UNIT ATTENTION (6)` — disc/drive state
+    /// changed since the prior command (media inserted/removed,
+    /// power-on reset, parameters changed). Caller should rescan rather
+    /// than retry the read.
+    pub fn is_unit_attention(&self) -> bool {
+        self.sense_key == SENSE_KEY_UNIT_ATTENTION
+    }
+
+    /// `true` if `sense_key == DATA PROTECT (7)` — read blocked by
+    /// AACS / region / write-protect. Retry won't help.
+    pub fn is_data_protect(&self) -> bool {
+        self.sense_key == SENSE_KEY_DATA_PROTECT
+    }
+
+    /// `true` if `sense_key == ILLEGAL REQUEST (5)` — typically a bug
+    /// in the CDB we sent (LBA out of range, reserved bit, etc.). Don't
+    /// retry.
+    pub fn is_illegal_request(&self) -> bool {
+        self.sense_key == SENSE_KEY_ILLEGAL_REQUEST
+    }
+
+    /// `true` if `sense_key == ABORTED COMMAND (B)` — transient; one
+    /// retry is usually safe.
+    pub fn is_aborted_command(&self) -> bool {
+        self.sense_key == SENSE_KEY_ABORTED_COMMAND
     }
 }
 
+/// Decode an SPC-4 sense buffer into the structured triple
+/// `(sense_key, asc, ascq)`.
+///
+/// Handles both response-code formats SPC-4 mandates:
+///
+///   - **Descriptor format** (response code `0x72` / `0x73`):
+///     - sense key = `sense[1] & 0x0F`
+///     - asc = `sense[2]`
+///     - ascq = `sense[3]`
+///   - **Fixed format** (response code `0x70` / `0x71` and any unknown
+///     code per SPC-4 §4.5.3):
+///     - sense key = `sense[2] & 0x0F`
+///     - asc = `sense[12]`
+///     - ascq = `sense[13]`
+///
+/// `sb_len_wr` is the number of bytes the transport actually wrote into
+/// `sense`. When the buffer is too short for the relevant fields we
+/// return [`ScsiSense::NONE`] for the missing pieces rather than reading
+/// uninitialised memory. The minimum useful sense reply per SPC-4 is 8
+/// bytes (descriptor) or 14 bytes (fixed, to reach ASC/ASCQ at offsets
+/// 12/13).
+///
+/// Pure function — same parse on every platform backend (Linux SG_IO,
+/// macOS IOKit, Windows SPTI) so a regression here would silently
+/// mis-route SCSI errors on all three OSes simultaneously.
+pub(crate) fn parse_sense(sense: &[u8], sb_len_wr: u8) -> ScsiSense {
+    let n = (sb_len_wr as usize).min(sense.len());
+    if n < 3 {
+        return ScsiSense::NONE;
+    }
+    let response_code = sense[0] & 0x7F;
+    let descriptor = response_code == 0x72 || response_code == 0x73;
+    if descriptor {
+        // Descriptor format: key/asc/ascq are at fixed offsets 1/2/3.
+        let asc = if n >= 3 { sense[2] } else { 0 };
+        let ascq = if n >= 4 { sense[3] } else { 0 };
+        ScsiSense {
+            sense_key: sense[1] & 0x0F,
+            asc,
+            ascq,
+        }
+    } else {
+        // Fixed format: key at byte 2, ASC/ASCQ at bytes 12/13.
+        let asc = if n >= 13 { sense[12] } else { 0 };
+        let ascq = if n >= 14 { sense[13] } else { 0 };
+        ScsiSense {
+            sense_key: sense[2] & 0x0F,
+            asc,
+            ascq,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+// ── SG_IO driver_status bits ────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+/// `DRIVER_SENSE` (0x08) — bit set in `driver_status` to indicate that
+/// sense data was attached to a CHECK CONDITION reply. **Not** a transport
+/// failure on its own. Mask this off before deciding whether `driver_status`
+/// represents a real bus/host problem.
+///
+/// Used by Linux SG_IO (`sg_io_hdr.driver_status`); macOS IOKit and
+/// Windows SPTI carry the equivalent signal in different fields and
+/// don't need the same masking — the misclassification was Linux-only.
+#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+pub(crate) const DRIVER_SENSE: u16 = 0x08;
+
 // ── Types ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq)]
@@ -396,7 +567,10 @@ mod parse_sense_tests {
     //! same helper runs on every platform backend so a regression here
     //! would silently miscategorize SCSI errors on Linux, macOS, and
     //! Windows simultaneously.
-    use super::parse_sense_key;
+    use super::parse_sense;
+    fn parse_sense_key(sense: &[u8], sb_len_wr: u8) -> u8 {
+        parse_sense(sense, sb_len_wr).sense_key
+    }
 
     /// Helper: build a 32-byte sense buffer whose first three bytes are
     /// the given prefix; the rest are zeroes (sense data area).
diff --git a/src/scsi/windows.rs b/src/scsi/windows.rs
index 2ed5d4f..a7be236 100644
--- a/src/scsi/windows.rs
+++ b/src/scsi/windows.rs
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ pub(super) fn drive_has_disc(path: &Path) -> Result<bool> {
         crate::scsi::TUR_TIMEOUT_MS,
     ) {
         Ok(_) => Ok(true),
-        Err(Error::ScsiError { sense_key: 2, .. }) => Ok(false),
+        Err(ref e) if e.scsi_sense().is_some_and(|s| s.is_not_ready()) => Ok(false),
         Err(e) => Err(e),
     }
 }
@@ -308,21 +308,25 @@ impl ScsiTransport for SptiTransport {
             // surfaces the failure to UX.
             return Err(Error::ScsiError {
                 opcode: cdb[0],
-                status: 0xFF,
-                sense_key: 0,
+                status: super::SCSI_STATUS_TRANSPORT_FAILURE,
+                sense: None,
             });
         }
 
         if sptwb.spt.ScsiStatus != 0 {
             // SPTI doesn't surface a "bytes written into sense buffer"
             // count separate from SenseInfoLength (input). Pass the full
-            // K_SENSE_SIZE; parse_sense_key keys off byte 0's response
-            // code to handle descriptor (0x72/0x73) vs fixed (0x70/0x71).
-            let sense_key = super::parse_sense_key(&sptwb.sense, K_SENSE_SIZE as u8);
+            // K_SENSE_SIZE; parse_sense keys off byte 0's response code
+            // to handle descriptor (0x72/0x73) vs fixed (0x70/0x71).
+            //
+            // 0.13.23: carry the full SPC-4 sense triple in
+            // `Error::ScsiError::sense` so callers can route on
+            // `ScsiSense::is_medium_error()` etc.
+            let parsed = super::parse_sense(&sptwb.sense, K_SENSE_SIZE as u8);
             return Err(Error::ScsiError {
                 opcode: cdb[0],
                 status: sptwb.spt.ScsiStatus,
-                sense_key,
+                sense: Some(parsed),
             });
         }
 
diff --git a/tests/integration_progress_and_halt.rs b/tests/integration_progress_and_halt.rs
index 82a7997..583beb0 100644
--- a/tests/integration_progress_and_halt.rs
+++ b/tests/integration_progress_and_halt.rs
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ impl FailingSectorReader {
 impl SectorReader for FailingSectorReader {
     fn read_sectors(
         &mut self,
-        lba: u32,
+        _lba: u32,
         _count: u16,
         _buf: &mut [u8],
         _recovery: bool,
@@ -400,7 +400,20 @@ impl SectorReader for FailingSectorReader {
         if let Some(h) = self.halt_on_first_read.take() {
             h.store(true, Ordering::Relaxed);
         }
-        Err(libfreemkv::error::Error::DiscRead { sector: lba as u64 })
+        // Model what a real damaged-disc read returns: CHECK CONDITION +
+        // MEDIUM ERROR (sense_key 3, ASC 0x11 UNRECOVERED READ ERROR,
+        // ASCQ 0x05 L-EC UNCORRECTABLE). Disc::copy's hysteresis must
+        // engage on this — `Error::DiscRead` is libfreemkv's own
+        // post-classification signal, not what a real reader emits.
+        Err(libfreemkv::error::Error::ScsiError {
+            opcode: libfreemkv::scsi::SCSI_READ_10,
+            status: libfreemkv::scsi::SCSI_STATUS_CHECK_CONDITION,
+            sense: Some(libfreemkv::ScsiSense {
+                sense_key: libfreemkv::scsi::SENSE_KEY_MEDIUM_ERROR,
+                asc: 0x11,
+                ascq: 0x05,
+            }),
+        })
     }
 
     fn capacity(&self) -> u32 {
@@ -570,7 +583,18 @@ impl SectorReader for BlockSizeFailingReader {
             }
             Ok(buf.len())
         } else {
-            Err(libfreemkv::error::Error::DiscRead { sector: lba as u64 })
+            // Multi-sector reads fail with the BU40N's signature: CHECK
+            // CONDITION + MEDIUM ERROR. The hysteresis must dispatch on
+            // this as marginal-read and drop to bpt=1.
+            Err(libfreemkv::error::Error::ScsiError {
+                opcode: libfreemkv::scsi::SCSI_READ_10,
+                status: libfreemkv::scsi::SCSI_STATUS_CHECK_CONDITION,
+                sense: Some(libfreemkv::ScsiSense {
+                    sense_key: libfreemkv::scsi::SENSE_KEY_MEDIUM_ERROR,
+                    asc: 0x11,
+                    ascq: 0x00,
+                }),
+            })
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/scsi_error_decoding.rs b/tests/scsi_error_decoding.rs
index 8657360..d86dcdf 100644
--- a/tests/scsi_error_decoding.rs
+++ b/tests/scsi_error_decoding.rs
@@ -1,37 +1,55 @@
 //! Integration tests for the SCSI error-decoding contract.
 //!
 //! v0.13.20 rewrote `scsi/linux.rs` to a synchronous blocking SG_IO and
-//! consolidated sense-key parsing into the `parse_sense_key` helper that
-//! every platform backend now shares. The actual `ioctl(SG_IO, ...)` call
-//! is impossible to mock without a kernel — see
-//! `(internal)/docs/audits/2026-04-26-scsi-architecture-research.md`
-//! for why the audit recommends against libc shims here.
+//! consolidated sense parsing into the `parse_sense` helper that every
+//! platform backend now shares. v0.13.23 replaced the `Error::ScsiError`
+//! flat-fields shape with `{ opcode, status, sense: Option<ScsiSense> }`
+//! so callers can route on structured sense data (key + ASC + ASCQ) via
+//! [`Error::scsi_sense`] / [`Error::is_marginal_read`] /
+//! [`ScsiSense::is_*`].
 //!
-//! These tests pin the *contract* every backend must satisfy:
+//! The actual `ioctl(SG_IO, ...)` call is impossible to mock without a
+//! kernel — see
+//! `(internal)/docs/audits/2026-04-26-scsi-architecture-research.md`
+//! for why the audit recommends against libc shims here. These tests
+//! therefore pin the *contract* every backend must satisfy via a mock
+//! `ScsiTransport`:
 //!
 //!   1. Healthy result → `Ok(ScsiResult { bytes_transferred = data.len() - resid })`.
-//!   2. Transport-level failure (`host_status` or `driver_status` non-zero)
-//!      → `Error::ScsiError { status: 0xFF, sense_key: 0 }`. Used by
+//!   2. Transport-level failure (no SCSI status delivered: kernel
+//!      timeout, USB bridge wedge, IOKit service error) →
+//!      `Error::ScsiError { status: SCSI_STATUS_TRANSPORT_FAILURE, sense: None }`.
+//!      `Error::is_scsi_transport_failure()` returns `true`. Used by
 //!      `drive_has_disc` to detect the wedge signature.
-//!   3. SCSI-level failure (status non-zero, sense buffer populated) →
-//!      `Error::ScsiError { status, sense_key }` with the parsed key.
-//!   4. Sense-key parsing handles descriptor (0x72/0x73) and fixed
-//!      (0x70/0x71) response codes; missing sense data → key 0.
+//!   3. SCSI-level failure (drive replied CHECK CONDITION with sense) →
+//!      `Error::ScsiError { status: 0x02, sense: Some(ScsiSense {…}) }`
+//!      with the parsed key/ASC/ASCQ.
+//!   4. `Error::is_marginal_read()` is `true` for MEDIUM ERROR /
+//!      ABORTED COMMAND / RECOVERED ERROR / NO SENSE; `false` for
+//!      HARDWARE / DATA PROTECT / UNIT ATTENTION / NOT READY / ILLEGAL
+//!      REQUEST and for transport failures.
 //!
-//! The mock `ScsiTransport` here emulates exactly that layered shape.
 //! Inline `parse_sense_tests` in `src/scsi/mod.rs` cover the pure parse
-//! logic; this file covers the consumer side — a real transport feeding
-//! a real Error variant to a real call site (`scsi::inquiry`).
+//! logic (descriptor 0x72/0x73 vs fixed 0x70/0x71, short-buffer, VALID
+//! bit masking, unknown response codes, ASC/ASCQ offsets); this file
+//! covers the consumer side — a real transport feeding a real Error
+//! variant to a real call site (`scsi::inquiry`).
 
 use libfreemkv::error::Error;
-use libfreemkv::scsi::{DataDirection, ScsiResult, ScsiTransport};
+use libfreemkv::scsi::{
+    DataDirection, SCSI_STATUS_CHECK_CONDITION, SCSI_STATUS_TRANSPORT_FAILURE, ScsiResult,
+    ScsiSense, ScsiTransport, SENSE_KEY_ABORTED_COMMAND, SENSE_KEY_DATA_PROTECT,
+    SENSE_KEY_HARDWARE_ERROR, SENSE_KEY_ILLEGAL_REQUEST, SENSE_KEY_MEDIUM_ERROR,
+    SENSE_KEY_NOT_READY, SENSE_KEY_RECOVERED_ERROR, SENSE_KEY_UNIT_ATTENTION,
+};
 
 /// A scripted ScsiTransport. Each `execute()` consumes the next entry
 /// from `script` and returns the corresponding outcome.
 ///
 /// Outcomes mirror what each backend's `execute()` should produce after
-/// the v0.13.20 rewrite: pre-parsed sense_key and synthesized 0xFF
-/// status for transport-level failures.
+/// the v0.13.23 sense plumbing: `Option<ScsiSense>` carrying the full
+/// SPC-4 triple for drive-reported failures, `None` for transport-level
+/// failures.
 struct MockTransport {
     script: Vec<MockOutcome>,
     next: usize,
@@ -46,16 +64,16 @@ enum MockOutcome {
         data: Vec<u8>,
         resid: i32,
     },
-    /// Transport-level failure: e.g. `hdr.host_status = DID_TIME_OUT`
-    /// on Linux, or `kIOReturnError` on macOS, or `DeviceIoControl`
-    /// returning 0 on Windows. Backends synthesize 0xFF.
+    /// Transport-level failure: `hdr.host_status = DID_TIME_OUT` on
+    /// Linux, `kIOReturnError` on macOS, `DeviceIoControl` returning 0
+    /// on Windows. Backends synthesise `SCSI_STATUS_TRANSPORT_FAILURE`
+    /// with `sense = None`.
     TransportFailure,
-    /// SCSI-level failure: device responded with a non-zero status and
-    /// some sense data. `status` and `sense_key` are what the caller
-    /// must see on the `Error::ScsiError` variant.
+    /// Drive replied with sense data (typically `SCSI_STATUS_CHECK_CONDITION`
+    /// + a populated sense buffer).
     ScsiFailure {
         status: u8,
-        sense_key: u8,
+        sense: ScsiSense,
     },
 }
 
@@ -93,18 +111,31 @@ impl ScsiTransport for MockTransport {
             }
             MockOutcome::TransportFailure => Err(Error::ScsiError {
                 opcode: cdb[0],
-                status: 0xFF,
-                sense_key: 0,
+                status: SCSI_STATUS_TRANSPORT_FAILURE,
+                sense: None,
             }),
-            MockOutcome::ScsiFailure { status, sense_key } => Err(Error::ScsiError {
+            MockOutcome::ScsiFailure { status, sense } => Err(Error::ScsiError {
                 opcode: cdb[0],
                 status,
-                sense_key,
+                sense: Some(sense),
             }),
         }
     }
 }
 
+/// Helper — build a CHECK CONDITION outcome with a given sense key
+/// and zero ASC/ASCQ. Most consumer-side tests only care about the key.
+fn check_cond(sense_key: u8) -> MockOutcome {
+    MockOutcome::ScsiFailure {
+        status: SCSI_STATUS_CHECK_CONDITION,
+        sense: ScsiSense {
+            sense_key,
+            asc: 0,
+            ascq: 0,
+        },
+    }
+}
+
 // ── 1. Healthy read ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 #[test]
@@ -127,111 +158,167 @@ fn test_healthy_inquiry_returns_ok_with_full_transfer() {
     assert_eq!(r.firmware, "1.00");
 }
 
-// ── 2. Transport-level failure (host_status or driver_status non-zero) ─────
-//
-// Linux: kernel sets `hdr.host_status = DID_TIME_OUT (0x03)` or
-//        `hdr.driver_status` non-zero on a USB bridge wedge. SgIoTransport
-//        synthesizes ScsiError { status: 0xFF, sense_key: 0 }.
-// macOS: IOKit `ExecuteTaskSync` returns non-zero IOReturn; same shape.
-// Windows: `DeviceIoControl` returns 0; same shape.
-//
-// Callers (drive_has_disc, etc.) match on status == 0xFF as the wedge
-// signature. This test pins that contract.
+// ── 2. Transport-level failure: no SCSI status, no sense data ─────────────
 
 #[test]
-fn test_transport_failure_surfaces_as_status_0xff_sense_key_0() {
+fn test_transport_failure_surfaces_with_sense_none() {
     let mut transport = MockTransport::new(vec![MockOutcome::TransportFailure]);
 
     let err = libfreemkv::scsi::inquiry(&mut transport).unwrap_err();
+    assert!(
+        err.is_scsi_transport_failure(),
+        "TransportFailure must satisfy is_scsi_transport_failure()"
+    );
+    assert!(
+        err.scsi_sense().is_none(),
+        "transport failure has no sense data"
+    );
+    assert!(
+        !err.is_marginal_read(),
+        "transport failure must not be classified as marginal-read"
+    );
     match err {
-        Error::ScsiError {
-            status, sense_key, ..
-        } => {
-            assert_eq!(status, 0xFF, "transport failure must surface as 0xFF");
-            assert_eq!(sense_key, 0, "transport failure has no sense key");
+        Error::ScsiError { status, sense, .. } => {
+            assert_eq!(status, SCSI_STATUS_TRANSPORT_FAILURE);
+            assert!(sense.is_none());
         }
         other => panic!("expected ScsiError, got {other:?}"),
     }
 }
 
-// ── 3. SCSI-level failure with descriptor-format sense (0x72) ─────────────
+// ── 3. CHECK CONDITION + ILLEGAL REQUEST ──────────────────────────────────
 
 #[test]
-fn test_scsi_failure_descriptor_format_illegal_request() {
-    // A real device returning CHECK CONDITION (status 0x02) with
-    // descriptor-format sense indicating ILLEGAL REQUEST (key 5).
-    // The Linux backend's parse_sense_key reads byte 1; the caller sees
-    // sense_key = 5.
-    let mut transport = MockTransport::new(vec![MockOutcome::ScsiFailure {
-        status: 0x02,
-        sense_key: 5,
-    }]);
-
+fn test_check_cond_illegal_request_carries_sense() {
+    let mut transport = MockTransport::new(vec![check_cond(SENSE_KEY_ILLEGAL_REQUEST)]);
     let err = libfreemkv::scsi::inquiry(&mut transport).unwrap_err();
-    match err {
-        Error::ScsiError {
-            opcode,
-            status,
-            sense_key,
-        } => {
-            assert_eq!(opcode, libfreemkv::scsi::SCSI_INQUIRY);
-            assert_eq!(status, 0x02);
-            assert_eq!(sense_key, 5);
-        }
-        other => panic!("expected ScsiError, got {other:?}"),
-    }
+
+    let sense = err.scsi_sense().expect("CHECK CONDITION must carry sense");
+    assert_eq!(sense.sense_key, SENSE_KEY_ILLEGAL_REQUEST);
+    assert!(sense.is_illegal_request());
+    assert!(!err.is_marginal_read(), "ILLEGAL REQUEST is not marginal");
+    assert!(!err.is_scsi_transport_failure());
 }
 
-// ── 4. SCSI-level failure with NOT READY sense ───────────────────────────
-//
-// `drive_has_disc` matches on sense_key 2 to mean "no disc inserted"
-// rather than a hard error. Pin that contract via the consumer.
+// ── 4. CHECK CONDITION + NOT READY (drive_has_disc relies on this) ────────
 
 #[test]
-fn test_scsi_failure_not_ready_key_2_propagates_intact() {
-    let mut transport = MockTransport::new(vec![MockOutcome::ScsiFailure {
-        status: 0x02,
-        sense_key: 2,
-    }]);
-
+fn test_check_cond_not_ready_predicate() {
+    let mut transport = MockTransport::new(vec![check_cond(SENSE_KEY_NOT_READY)]);
     let err = libfreemkv::scsi::inquiry(&mut transport).unwrap_err();
-    match err {
-        Error::ScsiError {
-            status, sense_key, ..
-        } => {
-            assert_eq!(status, 0x02);
-            assert_eq!(sense_key, 2);
-        }
-        other => panic!("expected ScsiError, got {other:?}"),
-    }
+
+    let sense = err.scsi_sense().expect("CHECK CONDITION must carry sense");
+    assert!(sense.is_not_ready(), "sense_key 2 ⇒ is_not_ready");
+    assert!(!err.is_marginal_read(), "NOT READY is not marginal");
 }
 
-// ── 5. SCSI-level failure with empty sense ───────────────────────────────
-//
-// Backends pass `sb_len_wr` to `parse_sense_key`; when zero, the helper
-// returns 0. From the caller's perspective this is `sense_key = 0`
-// (NO SENSE) on a non-zero status — surface that contract.
+// ── 5. CHECK CONDITION + MEDIUM ERROR (canonical marginal-read) ───────────
 
 #[test]
-fn test_scsi_failure_empty_sense_returns_key_0() {
-    let mut transport = MockTransport::new(vec![MockOutcome::ScsiFailure {
-        status: 0x02,
-        sense_key: 0,
-    }]);
-
+fn test_check_cond_medium_error_is_marginal() {
+    let mut transport = MockTransport::new(vec![check_cond(SENSE_KEY_MEDIUM_ERROR)]);
     let err = libfreemkv::scsi::inquiry(&mut transport).unwrap_err();
-    match err {
-        Error::ScsiError {
-            status, sense_key, ..
-        } => {
-            assert_eq!(status, 0x02);
-            assert_eq!(sense_key, 0);
-        }
-        other => panic!("expected ScsiError, got {other:?}"),
-    }
+
+    let sense = err.scsi_sense().expect("CHECK CONDITION must carry sense");
+    assert!(sense.is_medium_error());
+    assert!(sense.is_marginal());
+    assert!(
+        err.is_marginal_read(),
+        "MEDIUM ERROR is the canonical marginal-read signal"
+    );
 }
 
-// ── 6. Healthy short transfer (resid > 0) ────────────────────────────────
+// ── 6. CHECK CONDITION + ABORTED COMMAND (also marginal) ──────────────────
+
+#[test]
+fn test_check_cond_aborted_command_is_marginal() {
+    let mut transport = MockTransport::new(vec![check_cond(SENSE_KEY_ABORTED_COMMAND)]);
+    let err = libfreemkv::scsi::inquiry(&mut transport).unwrap_err();
+
+    let sense = err.scsi_sense().expect("CHECK CONDITION must carry sense");
+    assert!(sense.is_aborted_command());
+    assert!(err.is_marginal_read(), "ABORTED COMMAND is marginal");
+}
+
+// ── 7. CHECK CONDITION + RECOVERED ERROR (drive recovered; marginal) ──────
+
+#[test]
+fn test_check_cond_recovered_error_is_marginal() {
+    let mut transport = MockTransport::new(vec![check_cond(SENSE_KEY_RECOVERED_ERROR)]);
+    let err = libfreemkv::scsi::inquiry(&mut transport).unwrap_err();
+    assert!(
+        err.is_marginal_read(),
+        "RECOVERED ERROR is treated as marginal (drive recovered, retry-friendly class)"
+    );
+}
+
+// ── 8. CHECK CONDITION + HARDWARE ERROR (NOT marginal — bail) ─────────────
+
+#[test]
+fn test_check_cond_hardware_error_not_marginal() {
+    let mut transport = MockTransport::new(vec![check_cond(SENSE_KEY_HARDWARE_ERROR)]);
+    let err = libfreemkv::scsi::inquiry(&mut transport).unwrap_err();
+
+    let sense = err.scsi_sense().expect("CHECK CONDITION must carry sense");
+    assert!(sense.is_hardware_error());
+    assert!(
+        !err.is_marginal_read(),
+        "HARDWARE ERROR must not be marginal — drive failing, retry can't help"
+    );
+}
+
+// ── 9. CHECK CONDITION + DATA PROTECT (NOT marginal — bail) ───────────────
+
+#[test]
+fn test_check_cond_data_protect_not_marginal() {
+    let mut transport = MockTransport::new(vec![check_cond(SENSE_KEY_DATA_PROTECT)]);
+    let err = libfreemkv::scsi::inquiry(&mut transport).unwrap_err();
+
+    let sense = err.scsi_sense().expect("CHECK CONDITION must carry sense");
+    assert!(sense.is_data_protect());
+    assert!(
+        !err.is_marginal_read(),
+        "DATA PROTECT (AACS / region) must not be marginal — retry can't help"
+    );
+}
+
+// ── 10. CHECK CONDITION + UNIT ATTENTION (NOT marginal — caller rescans) ──
+
+#[test]
+fn test_check_cond_unit_attention_not_marginal() {
+    let mut transport = MockTransport::new(vec![check_cond(SENSE_KEY_UNIT_ATTENTION)]);
+    let err = libfreemkv::scsi::inquiry(&mut transport).unwrap_err();
+
+    let sense = err.scsi_sense().expect("CHECK CONDITION must carry sense");
+    assert!(sense.is_unit_attention());
+    assert!(
+        !err.is_marginal_read(),
+        "UNIT ATTENTION must not be marginal — caller should rescan, not retry"
+    );
+}
+
+// ── 11. ASC/ASCQ propagate from sense buffer to ScsiError.sense ───────────
+
+#[test]
+fn test_asc_ascq_round_trip_through_error() {
+    let outcome = MockOutcome::ScsiFailure {
+        status: SCSI_STATUS_CHECK_CONDITION,
+        sense: ScsiSense {
+            sense_key: SENSE_KEY_MEDIUM_ERROR,
+            asc: 0x11,
+            ascq: 0x05, // L-EC UNCORRECTABLE
+        },
+    };
+    let mut transport = MockTransport::new(vec![outcome]);
+    let err = libfreemkv::scsi::inquiry(&mut transport).unwrap_err();
+
+    let sense = err.scsi_sense().expect("must carry sense");
+    assert_eq!(sense.sense_key, SENSE_KEY_MEDIUM_ERROR);
+    assert_eq!(sense.asc, 0x11);
+    assert_eq!(sense.ascq, 0x05);
+}
+
+// ── 12. Healthy short transfer (resid > 0) ────────────────────────────────
 
 #[test]
 fn test_healthy_short_transfer_reports_partial_bytes() {
@@ -243,9 +330,6 @@ fn test_healthy_short_transfer_reports_partial_bytes() {
         resid: 16,
     }]);
 
-    // Drive INQUIRY through the public helper to exercise the consumer
-    // path; INQUIRY itself doesn't act on bytes_transferred but the
-    // transport contract is what we care about.
     let cdb = [libfreemkv::scsi::SCSI_INQUIRY, 0, 0, 0, 0x60, 0];
     let mut buf = [0u8; 96];
     let r = transport
@@ -258,25 +342,28 @@ fn test_healthy_short_transfer_reports_partial_bytes() {
     );
 }
 
-// ── 7. Error::Display does not leak English in the SCSI variant ───────────
+// ── 13. Error::Display does not leak English in the SCSI variant ──────────
 //
 // Library rule (project docs): no English in error display, only "E{code}"
-// + structured data. Existing error-mod tests cover the new variants;
-// this is a regression guard for the SCSI variant specifically because
-// it's the most-emitted error in the rip path.
+// + structured data. Regression guard for the SCSI variant specifically
+// because it's the most-emitted error in the rip path.
 
 #[test]
 fn test_scsi_error_display_format_is_codes_only() {
     let err = Error::ScsiError {
         opcode: 0x12,
-        status: 0x02,
-        sense_key: 5,
+        status: SCSI_STATUS_CHECK_CONDITION,
+        sense: Some(ScsiSense {
+            sense_key: SENSE_KEY_ILLEGAL_REQUEST,
+            asc: 0x24,
+            ascq: 0x00,
+        }),
     };
     let s = err.to_string();
     assert!(s.starts_with("E4000:"), "ScsiError must lead with E4000: {s}");
     assert!(
-        s.contains("0x12") && s.contains("0x02") && s.contains("0x05"),
-        "ScsiError must show opcode/status/sense_key in hex: {s}"
+        s.contains("0x12") && s.contains("0x02") && s.contains("0x05") && s.contains("0x24"),
+        "ScsiError must show opcode/status/key/asc in hex: {s}"
     );
     // Crude English filter — same as the inline error.rs::display test.
     for word in s.split(|c: char| !c.is_ascii_alphabetic()) {
@@ -286,3 +373,22 @@ fn test_scsi_error_display_format_is_codes_only() {
         );
     }
 }
+
+// ── 14. Transport-failure Display omits sense fields ──────────────────────
+
+#[test]
+fn test_scsi_transport_failure_display_short_form() {
+    let err = Error::ScsiError {
+        opcode: 0x28,
+        status: SCSI_STATUS_TRANSPORT_FAILURE,
+        sense: None,
+    };
+    let s = err.to_string();
+    assert!(s.starts_with("E4000:"));
+    assert!(s.contains("0x28") && s.contains("0xff"));
+    // No sense triple should appear in the no-sense form.
+    assert!(
+        !s.contains("0x00/0x00/0x00"),
+        "transport failure must not carry phantom sense: {s}"
+    );
+}