diff --git a/talent/daily_schedule.md b/talent/daily_schedule.md
index b454f9fa9..55a388f7e 100644
--- a/talent/daily_schedule.md
+++ b/talent/daily_schedule.md
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
   "schedule": "daily",
   "priority": 10,
   "output": "json",
+  "schema": "daily_schedule.schema.json",
   "hook": {"pre": "daily_schedule", "post": "daily_schedule"},
   "color": "#455a64",
   "thinking_budget": 4096,
diff --git a/talent/daily_schedule.schema.json b/talent/daily_schedule.schema.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2669d4e31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/talent/daily_schedule.schema.json
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
+  "type": "object",
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "required": ["primary", "fallback"],
+  "properties": {
+    "primary": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "pattern": "^([01]\\d|2[0-3]):[0-5]\\d$"
+    },
+    "fallback": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "pattern": "^([01]\\d|2[0-3]):[0-5]\\d$"
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/tests/baselines/api/stats/stats.json b/tests/baselines/api/stats/stats.json
index 23cdd1d3a..a700baf68 100644
--- a/tests/baselines/api/stats/stats.json
+++ b/tests/baselines/api/stats/stats.json
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
       "path": "<PROJECT>/talent/daily_schedule.md",
       "priority": 10,
       "schedule": "daily",
+      "schema": "daily_schedule.schema.json",
       "source": "system",
       "thinking_budget": 4096,
       "title": "Maintenance Window",
diff --git a/tests/test_daily_schedule_schema.py b/tests/test_daily_schedule_schema.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6ce784111
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_daily_schedule_schema.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
+# Copyright (c) 2026 sol pbc
+
+import json
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from jsonschema import Draft202012Validator
+
+from think.talent import get_talent
+
+DAILY_SCHEDULE_SCHEMA_PATH = (
+    Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1] / "talent" / "daily_schedule.schema.json"
+)
+
+
+def _load_daily_schedule_schema() -> dict:
+    return json.loads(DAILY_SCHEDULE_SCHEMA_PATH.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+
+
+def test_daily_schedule_schema_file_is_valid_draft_2020_12():
+    Draft202012Validator.check_schema(_load_daily_schedule_schema())
+
+
+def test_daily_schedule_loaded_json_schema_matches_on_disk_schema():
+    assert get_talent("daily_schedule")["json_schema"] == _load_daily_schedule_schema()
+
+
+def test_daily_schedule_pattern_accepts_and_rejects_expected_values():
+    schema = _load_daily_schedule_schema()
+    validator = Draft202012Validator(schema)
+
+    for value in ["00:00", "03:00", "09:00", "23:59"]:
+        assert validator.is_valid({"primary": value, "fallback": "00:00"})
+
+    for value in ["9:00", "03:00:00", "24:00", "03:60", "", "ab:cd"]:
+        assert not validator.is_valid({"primary": value, "fallback": "00:00"})