diff --git a/docs/modernization/build-inventory.md b/docs/modernization/build-inventory.md
index 600c084..ce9c976 100644
--- a/docs/modernization/build-inventory.md
+++ b/docs/modernization/build-inventory.md
@@ -89,6 +89,8 @@ Known local toolchain state:
   including foundation event/logging/task queue coverage, PNG metadata, PPI
   header, settings document, paint brush/stroke coverage, UI color parsing, and
   layout XML parse coverage.
+- `pano_cli inspect-image` reports PNG IHDR metadata as JSON and is covered by
+  `pano_cli_inspect_png_metadata_smoke` with a tiny IHDR fixture.
 - `panopainter_validate_shaders` validates the current combined GLSL shader
   files for one vertex stage marker, one fragment stage marker, valid marker
   order, and existing relative includes.
diff --git a/docs/modernization/roadmap.md b/docs/modernization/roadmap.md
index eab389f..3ee93d0 100644
--- a/docs/modernization/roadmap.md
+++ b/docs/modernization/roadmap.md
@@ -322,9 +322,10 @@ started with deterministic CPU layer compositing over renderer extents using
 the paint blend reference. `pp_ui_core` has started with XML-layout-facing
 length parsing, color parsing, tinyxml-backed layout XML parsing, and invalid
 input tests.
-`pano_cli parse-layout` now exercises that path. Continue expanding document
-behavior toward legacy Canvas parity and then port OpenGL classes behind the
-renderer boundary.
+`pano_cli inspect-image` exposes PNG IHDR metadata as JSON, and
+`pano_cli parse-layout` exercises the XML layout path. Continue expanding
+document behavior toward legacy Canvas parity and then port OpenGL classes
+behind the renderer boundary.
 
 Implementation tasks:
 
@@ -568,6 +569,8 @@ Results:
 - `pano_cli_create_document_smoke` passed.
 - `pano_cli_inspect_image_rejects_unsupported` passed as an expected failure
   test.
+- `pano_cli_inspect_png_metadata_smoke` passed and reports PNG metadata JSON
+  for the tiny IHDR fixture.
 - `pano_cli_parse_layout_smoke` passed.
 - `panopainter_validate_shaders` passed, validating 25 shader programs and 7
   shader includes for stage markers and include graph integrity.
diff --git a/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 27326e2..50b41df 100644
--- a/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -208,6 +208,12 @@ if(TARGET pano_cli)
         LABELS "assets;integration;desktop-fast"
         WILL_FAIL TRUE)
 
+    add_test(NAME pano_cli_inspect_png_metadata_smoke
+        COMMAND pano_cli inspect-image --path "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/data/images/tiny-rgba-header.png")
+    set_tests_properties(pano_cli_inspect_png_metadata_smoke PROPERTIES
+        LABELS "assets;integration;desktop-fast"
+        PASS_REGULAR_EXPRESSION "\"format\":\"png\".*\"width\":320.*\"height\":240.*\"components\":4.*\"colorType\":\"rgba\"")
+
     add_test(NAME pano_cli_parse_layout_smoke
         COMMAND pano_cli parse-layout --path "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/data/layouts/simple-layout.xml")
     set_tests_properties(pano_cli_parse_layout_smoke PROPERTIES
diff --git a/tests/data/images/tiny-rgba-header.png b/tests/data/images/tiny-rgba-header.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1f2740d
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/data/images/tiny-rgba-header.png differ
diff --git a/tools/pano_cli/main.cpp b/tools/pano_cli/main.cpp
index d0e12c3..6d21882 100644
--- a/tools/pano_cli/main.cpp
+++ b/tools/pano_cli/main.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "assets/image_format.h"
+#include "assets/image_metadata.h"
 #include "assets/ppi_header.h"
 #include "document/document.h"
 #include "foundation/parse.h"
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <fstream>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <iterator>
+#include <span>
 #include <string>
 #include <string_view>
 #include <vector>
@@ -166,9 +168,33 @@ int inspect_image(int argc, char** argv)
         return 2;
     }
 
+    pp::foundation::Result<pp::assets::ImageMetadata> metadata =
+        pp::foundation::Result<pp::assets::ImageMetadata>::failure(
+            pp::foundation::Status::invalid_argument("image metadata is unavailable"));
+    if (format.value() == pp::assets::ImageFormat::png) {
+        metadata = pp::assets::parse_png_metadata(std::span<const std::byte>(data, chars.size()));
+        if (!metadata) {
+            print_error("inspect-image", metadata.status().message);
+            return 2;
+        }
+    }
+
     std::cout << "{\"ok\":true,\"command\":\"inspect-image\",\"format\":\""
               << pp::assets::image_format_name(format.value())
-              << "\",\"bytes\":" << chars.size() << "}\n";
+              << "\",\"bytes\":" << chars.size();
+
+    if (metadata) {
+        std::cout << ",\"metadata\":{\"width\":" << metadata.value().width
+                  << ",\"height\":" << metadata.value().height
+                  << ",\"bitDepth\":" << static_cast<int>(metadata.value().bit_depth)
+                  << ",\"components\":" << static_cast<int>(metadata.value().components)
+                  << ",\"colorType\":\"" << pp::assets::image_color_type_name(metadata.value().color_type)
+                  << "\"}";
+    } else {
+        std::cout << ",\"metadata\":null";
+    }
+
+    std::cout << "}\n";
     return 0;
 }