diff --git a/app/Console/Commands/VerifyRefundFlowCommand.php b/app/Console/Commands/VerifyRefundFlowCommand.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1870adfa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/Console/Commands/VerifyRefundFlowCommand.php
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Console\Commands;
+
+use App\Actions\Subscription\RefundSelfServe;
+use App\Features\SubscriptionExperiment;
+use App\Models\User;
+use App\Services\Subscriptions\ExperimentOffer;
+use Illuminate\Console\Command;
+use Laravel\Cashier\Cashier;
+use Laravel\Pennant\Feature;
+
+/**
+ * Live sandbox check for the pay_now self-service refund — the one path that
+ * Pest tests can only mock. It creates a real, immediately-charged subscription
+ * against the Stripe test environment, runs the actual RefundSelfServe action,
+ * and confirms via the Stripe API that the charge was refunded and the
+ * subscription canceled. Run before flipping SUBSCRIPTION_EXPERIMENT_STARTED_AT.
+ *
+ * Refuses to run against anything but Stripe test keys.
+ */
+class VerifyRefundFlowCommand extends Command
+{
+    protected $signature = 'stripe:verify-refund';
+
+    protected $description = 'Verify the pay_now self-service refund end-to-end against the Stripe sandbox';
+
+    public function __construct(private ExperimentOffer $offer)
+    {
+        parent::__construct();
+    }
+
+    public function handle(): int
+    {
+        if (app()->isProduction() || ! str_starts_with((string) config('cashier.secret'), 'sk_test')) {
+            $this->error('Refusing to run: this command requires Stripe test keys and a non-production environment.');
+
+            return self::FAILURE;
+        }
+
+        config(['subscriptions.tax_rates' => []]);
+
+        $passed = true;
+        $check = function (string $label, bool $ok) use (&$passed): void {
+            $this->line(($ok ? '<fg=green>PASS</>' : '<fg=red>FAIL</>').'  '.$label);
+            $passed = $passed && $ok;
+        };
+
+        $lookup = config('subscriptions.plans.monthly.stripe_lookup_key');
+        $prices = Cashier::stripe()->prices->all(['lookup_keys' => [$lookup], 'limit' => 1]);
+        $priceId = $prices->data[0]->id ?? null;
+
+        if ($priceId === null) {
+            $this->error("No Stripe price found for lookup key '{$lookup}'.");
+
+            return self::FAILURE;
+        }
+
+        $user = User::factory()->create([
+            'email' => 'refund-sandbox-'.uniqid().'@whisper.test',
+            'created_at' => now(),
+        ]);
+        Feature::for($user)->activate(SubscriptionExperiment::class, SubscriptionExperiment::PAY_NOW);
+
+        try {
+            $user->newSubscription('default', $priceId)->create('pm_card_visa');
+
+            $subscription = $user->subscription('default');
+            $check('subscription active after immediate charge', $subscription->active() && $subscription->stripe_status === 'active');
+            $check('canSelfRefund is true before refund', $this->offer->canSelfRefund($user));
+
+            $paymentIntentId = $subscription->latestPayment()?->id;
+            $check('latestPayment() resolves a payment intent', $paymentIntentId !== null);
+
+            app(RefundSelfServe::class)->handle($user->fresh());
+
+            $subscription = $user->subscription('default')->fresh();
+            $check('refunded_at is stamped', $subscription->refunded_at !== null);
+            $check('subscription is canceled', $subscription->canceled());
+            $check('canSelfRefund is false after refund', ! $this->offer->canSelfRefund($user->fresh()));
+
+            $intent = Cashier::stripe()->paymentIntents->retrieve($paymentIntentId, ['expand' => ['latest_charge']]);
+            $charge = $intent->latest_charge;
+            $check('Stripe charge shows a full refund', is_object($charge) && $charge->refunded === true);
+            $this->line('  amount_refunded='.($charge->amount_refunded ?? 'n/a'));
+        } catch (\Throwable $exception) {
+            $this->error($exception::class.': '.$exception->getMessage());
+            $passed = false;
+        } finally {
+            try {
+                if ($user->hasStripeId()) {
+                    Cashier::stripe()->customers->delete($user->stripe_id);
+                }
+            } catch (\Throwable) {
+                // best-effort sandbox cleanup
+            }
+            $user->forceDelete();
+        }
+
+        $this->newLine();
+        $this->{$passed ? 'info' : 'error'}($passed ? 'Refund flow verified.' : 'Refund flow verification FAILED.');
+
+        return $passed ? self::SUCCESS : self::FAILURE;
+    }
+}