diff --git a/docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/api-contracts.md b/docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/api-contracts.md
index 14fda840b..23c711043 100644
--- a/docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/api-contracts.md
+++ b/docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/api-contracts.md
@@ -966,6 +966,14 @@ the canonical monitored-system blocked payload.
    persisted findings created by older binaries must adopt the
    freshly-classified impact text on next re-detection rather than
    preserving the empty value.
+   The Patrol Assistant handoff carries an optional
+   `intent` field of type `PatrolAssistantFindingIntent`
+   (`'discuss' | 'explain'`) so contextual entry points on the finding
+   surface can route through the same handoff builder while seeding
+   different leading sentences. The structured handoff context
+   (investigation record, operational memory, pending approval,
+   proposed fix, next-step action) must be attached identically across
+   intents; only the seed prompt's framing varies.
    `unified.UnifiedFinding` also carries a
    `previous_resolved_fix_summary` operational-memory field captured at
    regression time from
diff --git a/docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/frontend-primitives.md b/docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/frontend-primitives.md
index 42a6d243f..b7462e054 100644
--- a/docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/frontend-primitives.md
+++ b/docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/frontend-primitives.md
@@ -942,9 +942,13 @@ prompt explain the same operator-facing priority.
     investigation-record framing must derive that prompt copy through
     `frontend-modern/src/features/patrol/patrolInvestigationContextModel.ts`
     so shared drawer primitives stay shell-owned rather than becoming a
-    Patrol-specific prompt formatter. That feature-owned presentation
-    helper is the single emitter for investigation-record `impact` and
-    `rollback` fields: when an investigation record exists but those fields
+    Patrol-specific prompt formatter. The Patrol-owned helper exposes a
+    `PatrolAssistantFindingIntent` parameter ('discuss' | 'explain') so
+    contextual entry points can vary the seeded leading sentence without
+    duplicating the structured-context attachment; shared drawer
+    primitives must not branch on intent themselves. That feature-owned
+    presentation helper is the single emitter for investigation-record
+    `impact` and `rollback` fields: when an investigation record exists but those fields
     are empty, the helper emits explicit `Impact not assessed` and
     `Rollback not specified` lines into the model-only Patrol finding
     prompt context so the operator-visible gap is surfaced to Assistant
diff --git a/docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/patrol-intelligence.md b/docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/patrol-intelligence.md
index 5f7cd341d..f17d42947 100644
--- a/docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/patrol-intelligence.md
+++ b/docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/patrol-intelligence.md
@@ -258,7 +258,17 @@ Patrol-specific presentation helpers.
    renders an `Impact:` line between `Description` and `Recommendation`.
    The same panel also surfaces `investigation_record.confidence` as a
    badge in the collapsed finding row (next to the investigation outcome
-   badge) so operators can scan trust without expanding every card. The
+   badge) so operators can scan trust without expanding every card.
+   Findings carry contextual Assistant entry points keyed on intent: the
+   default "Discuss with Assistant" button opens an open-ended chat
+   handoff, and a parallel "Explain" button opens the same handoff with
+   a `PatrolAssistantFindingIntent='explain'` seed that asks the LLM to
+   walk through what we know, why it matters, how confident the
+   analysis is, and whether the recommended action is appropriate. Both
+   buttons must route through `buildPatrolAssistantFindingHandoff` so
+   the structured context (investigation record, operational memory,
+   pending approval, proposed fix, next-step action) is attached
+   uniformly; only the leading sentence differs by intent. The
    badge palette is provided by `getInvestigationConfidenceBadgeClasses`
    in `frontend-modern/src/utils/aiFindingPresentation.ts`: high is
    reassuringly emphasized, medium is neutral, low is a soft amber.
diff --git a/frontend-modern/src/components/AI/FindingsPanel.tsx b/frontend-modern/src/components/AI/FindingsPanel.tsx
index b2e9aec0f..89ca307f5 100644
--- a/frontend-modern/src/components/AI/FindingsPanel.tsx
+++ b/frontend-modern/src/components/AI/FindingsPanel.tsx
@@ -498,8 +498,10 @@ export const FindingsPanel: Component<FindingsPanelProps> = (props) => {
     }
   };
 
-  const handleDiscussWithAssistant = async (finding: UnifiedFinding, e: Event) => {
-    e.stopPropagation();
+  const openFindingInAssistant = async (
+    finding: UnifiedFinding,
+    intent: 'discuss' | 'explain',
+  ) => {
     await aiIntelligenceStore.loadPendingApprovals();
     const subject = getFindingSubjectPresentation(finding).label;
     const title = getFindingTitlePresentation(finding).label;
@@ -537,10 +539,21 @@ export const FindingsPanel: Component<FindingsPanelProps> = (props) => {
       proposedFix,
       investigationRecord: finding.investigationRecord,
       nextStepAction,
+      intent,
     });
     aiChatStore.openWithPrompt(handoff.prompt, handoff.context);
   };
 
+  const handleDiscussWithAssistant = async (finding: UnifiedFinding, e: Event) => {
+    e.stopPropagation();
+    await openFindingInAssistant(finding, 'discuss');
+  };
+
+  const handleExplainFinding = async (finding: UnifiedFinding, e: Event) => {
+    e.stopPropagation();
+    await openFindingInAssistant(finding, 'explain');
+  };
+
   const handleOpenPlanInAssistant = (finding: UnifiedFinding, plan: RemediationPlan, e: Event) => {
     e.stopPropagation();
     const subject = getFindingSubjectPresentation(finding).label;
@@ -1022,6 +1035,22 @@ export const FindingsPanel: Component<FindingsPanelProps> = (props) => {
               Add Note
             </button>
           </Show>
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            onClick={(e) => handleExplainFinding(finding, e)}
+            class="px-2 py-1 rounded border border-border hover:bg-surface-hover flex items-center gap-1"
+            title="Open Assistant with an explanation prompt"
+          >
+            <svg class="w-3 h-3" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 24 24">
+              <path
+                stroke-linecap="round"
+                stroke-linejoin="round"
+                stroke-width="2"
+                d="M13 16h-1v-4h-1m1-4h.01M21 12a9 9 0 11-18 0 9 9 0 0118 0z"
+              />
+            </svg>
+            Explain
+          </button>
           <button
             type="button"
             onClick={(e) => handleDiscussWithAssistant(finding, e)}
diff --git a/frontend-modern/src/components/AI/__tests__/FindingsPanel.test.ts b/frontend-modern/src/components/AI/__tests__/FindingsPanel.test.ts
index a23fbcdb4..0a2ea9db3 100644
--- a/frontend-modern/src/components/AI/__tests__/FindingsPanel.test.ts
+++ b/frontend-modern/src/components/AI/__tests__/FindingsPanel.test.ts
@@ -76,6 +76,17 @@ describe('FindingsPanel assistant handoff', () => {
     expect(findingsPanelSource).not.toContain('Rollback: `');
   });
 
+  it('exposes an Explain entry point that seeds Assistant with an explanation prompt', () => {
+    // The Explain button is a contextual entry point parallel to "Discuss with
+    // Assistant" but with an intent that produces explanation framing rather
+    // than open-ended discussion. Both flow through the same handoff builder
+    // so context attachment stays uniform.
+    expect(findingsPanelSource).toContain('handleExplainFinding');
+    expect(findingsPanelSource).toContain("openFindingInAssistant(finding, 'explain')");
+    expect(findingsPanelSource).toMatch(/>\s*Explain\s*</);
+    expect(findingsPanelSource).toContain("openFindingInAssistant(finding, 'discuss')");
+  });
+
   it('surfaces investigation_record.confidence as a badge in the collapsed row', () => {
     // The seven-question schema's confidence answer should be visible to
     // operators without expanding the card. The badge sits next to the
diff --git a/frontend-modern/src/features/patrol/__tests__/patrolInvestigationContextModel.test.ts b/frontend-modern/src/features/patrol/__tests__/patrolInvestigationContextModel.test.ts
index 624dfa588..e971a08d3 100644
--- a/frontend-modern/src/features/patrol/__tests__/patrolInvestigationContextModel.test.ts
+++ b/frontend-modern/src/features/patrol/__tests__/patrolInvestigationContextModel.test.ts
@@ -876,6 +876,27 @@ describe('patrolInvestigationContextModel', () => {
     expect(presentation.impact).toBe('');
   });
 
+  it('seeds an explain-intent prompt with explanation framing rather than discussion framing', () => {
+    const discussPrompt = buildPatrolAssistantFindingPrompt({
+      title: 'Backup job failing',
+      subject: 'vm-101',
+      description: 'Datastore quota exhausted',
+    });
+    const explainPrompt = buildPatrolAssistantFindingPrompt({
+      title: 'Backup job failing',
+      subject: 'vm-101',
+      description: 'Datastore quota exhausted',
+      intent: 'explain',
+    });
+
+    expect(discussPrompt).toContain("I'd like to discuss");
+    expect(explainPrompt).toContain('Explain this Patrol finding');
+    expect(explainPrompt.toLowerCase()).toContain('walk me through what we know');
+    // Both prompts include the title and subject so the seed reads naturally.
+    expect(explainPrompt).toContain('Backup job failing');
+    expect(explainPrompt).toContain('vm-101');
+  });
+
   it('surfaces investigation impact and rollback when the backend record carries them', () => {
     const presentation = buildPatrolInvestigationRecordPresentation({
       id: 'record-2',
diff --git a/frontend-modern/src/features/patrol/patrolInvestigationContextModel.ts b/frontend-modern/src/features/patrol/patrolInvestigationContextModel.ts
index c478fbc70..5c8ce2265 100644
--- a/frontend-modern/src/features/patrol/patrolInvestigationContextModel.ts
+++ b/frontend-modern/src/features/patrol/patrolInvestigationContextModel.ts
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ export interface PatrolInvestigationRecordPresentation {
   error?: string;
 }
 
+export type PatrolAssistantFindingIntent = 'discuss' | 'explain';
+
 export interface PatrolAssistantFindingPromptInput {
   title: string;
   subject: string;
@@ -83,6 +85,7 @@ export interface PatrolAssistantFindingPromptInput {
   proposedFix?: PatrolAssistantProposedFixBriefingInput | null;
   investigationRecord?: InvestigationRecord | null;
   nextStepAction?: PatrolAssistantNextStepInput | null;
+  intent?: PatrolAssistantFindingIntent;
 }
 
 export interface PatrolAssistantApprovalBriefingInput {
@@ -167,6 +170,7 @@ export interface PatrolAssistantFindingHandoffInput {
   proposedFix?: PatrolAssistantProposedFixBriefingInput | null;
   investigationRecord?: InvestigationRecord | null;
   nextStepAction?: PatrolAssistantNextStepInput | null;
+  intent?: PatrolAssistantFindingIntent;
 }
 
 export interface PatrolAssistantFindingModeInput {
@@ -502,8 +506,17 @@ export function buildPatrolAssistantFindingPrompt(
   const actionInstruction = buildPatrolAssistantFindingActionPromptInstruction(input);
   const nextStepAction = normalizePatrolAssistantNextStepAction(input.nextStepAction);
 
-  let prompt = `I'd like to discuss this Patrol finding: "${title}" on ${subject}.`;
-  if (hasRecord) {
+  let prompt: string;
+  if (input.intent === 'explain') {
+    prompt =
+      `Explain this Patrol finding: "${title}" on ${subject}. ` +
+      'Walk me through what we know, why it matters for the affected workloads, ' +
+      'how confident the analysis is, and whether the recommended action is the right next step. ' +
+      'Use the structured investigation record and operational memory in the attached context as the primary source.';
+  } else {
+    prompt = `I'd like to discuss this Patrol finding: "${title}" on ${subject}.`;
+  }
+  if (hasRecord && input.intent !== 'explain') {
     prompt +=
       '\n\nPulse Patrol has a structured investigation record for this finding. Use that record as the main context before suggesting next actions.';
   }
@@ -648,6 +661,7 @@ export function buildPatrolAssistantFindingHandoff(
       proposedFix: input.proposedFix,
       investigationRecord: input.investigationRecord,
       nextStepAction: input.nextStepAction,
+      intent: input.intent,
     }),
     context: {
       targetType: resource?.type,