diff --git a/scripts/zip-python-stdlib.ps1 b/scripts/zip-python-stdlib.ps1
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..000b6668
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/zip-python-stdlib.ps1
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+<#
+.SYNOPSIS
+  #9 item 1 (DRAFT, build-gated): collapse the bundled Python stdlib into a single
+  python313.zip so Windows Defender scans one file instead of hundreds of loose
+  .py/.pyc on every cold launch after an update (the 54-138s cold-start spikes).
+
+.WHY IT WORKS
+  CPython always puts "<prefix>\python313.zip" on sys.path automatically (the zip
+  import path), so placing the stdlib there needs NO python._pth. We keep
+  Lib\site-packages and DLLs\ loose (native .pyd can't be imported from a zip),
+  and keep a small keep-list of stdlib dirs that read data files via __file__.
+
+.STATUS
+  UNVALIDATED. Default is -DryRun (reports only, changes nothing). Run -Apply on a
+  throwaway python-env copy, then boot the packaged backend and confirm every
+  import works + measure cold start (Task #10) BEFORE wiring this into a release.
+  It is intentionally NOT called by build-app-win.ps1 yet.
+
+.USAGE
+  pwsh scripts\zip-python-stdlib.ps1 -PythonEnv electron\python-env            # dry run
+  pwsh scripts\zip-python-stdlib.ps1 -PythonEnv <copy>\python-env -Apply       # perform
+#>
+param(
+    [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$PythonEnv,
+    [switch]$Apply
+)
+
+$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
+$Lib = Join-Path $PythonEnv 'Lib'
+$SitePkgs = Join-Path $Lib 'site-packages'
+$ZipPath = Join-Path $PythonEnv 'python313.zip'
+
+if (-not (Test-Path $Lib)) { throw "no Lib\ under $PythonEnv" }
+
+# Stdlib dirs known to read data/grammar files relative to __file__ -> keep loose
+# (zipimport gives them no real path). Conservative; expand if validation flags more.
+$KeepLoose = @('site-packages', 'lib2to3', 'idlelib', 'tkinter', 'turtledemo', 'ensurepip', 'venv', 'test', '__pycache__')
+
+# Pure-stdlib set = everything directly under Lib\ EXCEPT the keep-list. Native
+# stdlib extensions live in DLLs\ (not Lib\) on Windows, so Lib-minus-keeplist is
+# pure python and safe to zip.
+$entries = Get-ChildItem -Force $Lib | Where-Object { $KeepLoose -notcontains $_.Name }
+$pyFiles = $entries | ForEach-Object {
+    if ($_.PSIsContainer) { Get-ChildItem -Recurse -File $_.FullName -Include *.py, *.pyc -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue }
+    elseif ($_.Extension -in '.py', '.pyc') { $_ }
+}
+$count = ($pyFiles | Measure-Object).Count
+$bytes = ($pyFiles | Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum).Sum
+Write-Host ("#9 item 1: {0} stdlib .py/.pyc files ({1:N1} MB) would be zipped into python313.zip" -f $count, ($bytes / 1MB))
+Write-Host ("keep-loose dirs: {0}" -f ($KeepLoose -join ', '))
+
+if (-not $Apply) {
+    Write-Host "DRY RUN. Re-run with -Apply on a COPY of python-env, then validate (Task #10):"
+    Write-Host "  1. python.exe -c 'import backend.main' (full import tree resolves)"
+    Write-Host "  2. python.exe -X importtime -c 'import backend.main' parity vs loose"
+    Write-Host "  3. boot the packaged backend, exercise agents/app-builder/skills"
+    Write-Host "  4. measure cold backend-http-ready vs baseline_startup.csv"
+    return
+}
+
+# --- Apply: build the zip, then remove the now-redundant loose copies. ---
+if (Test-Path $ZipPath) { Remove-Item -Force $ZipPath }
+Add-Type -AssemblyName System.IO.Compression.FileSystem
+$zip = [System.IO.Compression.ZipFile]::Open($ZipPath, 'Create')
+try {
+    foreach ($f in $pyFiles) {
+        # Archive entry path must be relative to Lib\ so it resolves as a top-level
+        # module (e.g. Lib\json\__init__.py -> json/__init__.py in the zip root).
+        $rel = $f.FullName.Substring($Lib.Length + 1).Replace('\', '/')
+        [System.IO.Compression.ZipFileExtensions]::CreateEntryFromFile($zip, $f.FullName, $rel) | Out-Null
+    }
+} finally {
+    $zip.Dispose()
+}
+Write-Host ("Wrote {0} ({1:N1} MB)" -f $ZipPath, ((Get-Item $ZipPath).Length / 1MB))
+
+# Remove the loose stdlib we just zipped (keep the keep-list dirs untouched).
+foreach ($e in $entries) {
+    if ($e.PSIsContainer) { Remove-Item -Recurse -Force $e.FullName }
+    elseif ($e.Extension -in '.py', '.pyc') { Remove-Item -Force $e.FullName }
+}
+Write-Host "Removed loose stdlib copies. VALIDATE on the packaged EXE before shipping (this is unvalidated)."