diff --git a/audit/internal/platform/benchmark.go b/audit/internal/platform/benchmark.go
index aa87177..361e427 100644
--- a/audit/internal/platform/benchmark.go
+++ b/audit/internal/platform/benchmark.go
@@ -40,6 +40,12 @@ type benchmarkGPUInfo struct {
 	MaxMemoryClockMHz    float64
 	BaseGraphicsClockMHz float64
 	MultiprocessorCount  int
+	// Temperature limits sourced from nvidia-smi -q verbose output.
+	// ShutdownTempC is the hardware thermal shutdown threshold.
+	// SlowdownTempC is the software throttle onset threshold.
+	// Both fall back to safe conservative defaults when not available.
+	ShutdownTempC float64 // fallback: 90°C
+	SlowdownTempC float64 // fallback: 80°C
 }
 
 type benchmarkPowerCalibrationResult struct {
@@ -330,6 +336,8 @@ func (s *System) RunNvidiaBenchmark(ctx context.Context, baseDir string, opts Nv
 				gpuResult.PowerLimitW = info.PowerLimitW
 				gpuResult.MultiprocessorCount = info.MultiprocessorCount
 				gpuResult.DefaultPowerLimitW = info.DefaultPowerLimitW
+				gpuResult.ShutdownTempC = info.ShutdownTempC
+				gpuResult.SlowdownTempC = info.SlowdownTempC
 				gpuResult.MaxGraphicsClockMHz = info.MaxGraphicsClockMHz
 				gpuResult.BaseGraphicsClockMHz = info.BaseGraphicsClockMHz
 				gpuResult.MaxMemoryClockMHz = info.MaxMemoryClockMHz
@@ -741,6 +749,8 @@ func enrichGPUInfoWithMaxClocks(infoByIndex map[int]benchmarkGPUInfo, nvsmiQ []b
 	defaultPwrRe := regexp.MustCompile(`(?i)Default Power Limit\s*:\s*([0-9.]+)\s*W`)
 	currentPwrRe := regexp.MustCompile(`(?i)Current Power Limit\s*:\s*([0-9.]+)\s*W`)
 	smCountRe := regexp.MustCompile(`(?i)Multiprocessor Count\s*:\s*(\d+)`)
+	shutdownTempRe := regexp.MustCompile(`(?i)GPU Shutdown Temp\s*:\s*(\d+)\s*C`)
+	slowdownTempRe := regexp.MustCompile(`(?i)GPU Slowdown Temp\s*:\s*(\d+)\s*C`)
 
 	sectionStarts := gpuSectionRe.FindAllSubmatchIndex(nvsmiQ, -1)
 	for i, loc := range sectionStarts {
@@ -804,6 +814,20 @@ func enrichGPUInfoWithMaxClocks(infoByIndex map[int]benchmarkGPUInfo, nvsmiQ []b
 				}
 			}
 		}
+		if info.ShutdownTempC == 0 {
+			if m := shutdownTempRe.FindSubmatch(section); m != nil {
+				if v, err := strconv.ParseFloat(string(m[1]), 64); err == nil && v > 0 {
+					info.ShutdownTempC = v
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		if info.SlowdownTempC == 0 {
+			if m := slowdownTempRe.FindSubmatch(section); m != nil {
+				if v, err := strconv.ParseFloat(string(m[1]), 64); err == nil && v > 0 {
+					info.SlowdownTempC = v
+				}
+			}
+		}
 		infoByIndex[benchIdx] = info
 	}
 }
@@ -1448,13 +1472,19 @@ func scoreBenchmarkGPUResult(gpu BenchmarkGPUResult) BenchmarkScorecard {
 		float64(gpu.Throttle.HWThermalSlowdownUS+gpu.Throttle.SWThermalSlowdownUS+gpu.Throttle.SWPowerCapUS)/runtimeUS*100)
 	score.StabilityScore = clampScore(100 - combinedThrottlePct)
 
-	// TempHeadroomC: distance from p95 temperature to the 100°C destruction
-	// threshold. Assessed independently of throttle — a GPU at 86°C without
-	// any throttle counter still has only 14°C headroom, which is a concern.
-	// Warning zone: < 20°C headroom (p95 > 80°C).
-	// Critical zone: < 10°C headroom (p95 > 90°C).
+	// TempHeadroomC: distance from p95 temperature to the GPU's hardware
+	// shutdown threshold (sourced from nvidia-smi -q "GPU Shutdown Temp").
+	// Fallback: 90°C when not available.
+	// Assessed independently of throttle — a GPU at 86°C without any throttle
+	// counter still has limited headroom and operates in degraded reliability zone.
+	// Warning zone: headroom < (shutdownTemp - slowdownTemp), i.e. past slowdown onset.
+	// Critical zone: headroom < 10°C from shutdown.
 	if gpu.Steady.P95TempC > 0 {
-		score.TempHeadroomC = 100 - gpu.Steady.P95TempC
+		shutdownTemp := gpu.ShutdownTempC
+		if shutdownTemp <= 0 {
+			shutdownTemp = 90
+		}
+		score.TempHeadroomC = shutdownTemp - gpu.Steady.P95TempC
 	}
 	score.ServerQualityScore = serverQualityScore(score)
 	score.CompositeScore = score.ComputeScore
@@ -1797,16 +1827,27 @@ func buildBenchmarkFindings(result NvidiaBenchmarkResult) []string {
 			}
 		}
 		// Temperature headroom checks — independent of throttle counters.
-		if gpu.Scores.TempHeadroomC > 0 {
+		// Shutdown and slowdown thresholds are per-GPU from nvidia-smi -q;
+		// fall back to 90°C / 80°C when unavailable.
+		if gpu.Steady.P95TempC > 0 {
+			shutdownTemp := gpu.ShutdownTempC
+			if shutdownTemp <= 0 {
+				shutdownTemp = 90
+			}
+			slowdownTemp := gpu.SlowdownTempC
+			if slowdownTemp <= 0 {
+				slowdownTemp = 80
+			}
+			headroom := shutdownTemp - gpu.Steady.P95TempC
 			switch {
-			case gpu.Scores.TempHeadroomC < 10:
+			case headroom < 10:
 				findings = append(findings, fmt.Sprintf(
-					"[HARD STOP] GPU %d: p95 temperature %.1f°C — only %.1f°C from destruction threshold (100°C). Do not operate.",
-					gpu.Index, gpu.Steady.P95TempC, gpu.Scores.TempHeadroomC))
-			case gpu.Scores.TempHeadroomC < 20:
+					"[HARD STOP] GPU %d: p95 temperature %.1f°C — only %.1f°C from shutdown threshold (%.0f°C). Do not operate.",
+					gpu.Index, gpu.Steady.P95TempC, headroom, shutdownTemp))
+			case gpu.Steady.P95TempC >= slowdownTemp:
 				findings = append(findings, fmt.Sprintf(
-					"[THERMAL] GPU %d: p95 temperature %.1f°C — %.1f°C headroom to limit. Operating in degraded reliability zone (>80°C).",
-					gpu.Index, gpu.Steady.P95TempC, gpu.Scores.TempHeadroomC))
+					"[THERMAL] GPU %d: p95 temperature %.1f°C exceeds slowdown threshold (%.0f°C) — %.1f°C headroom to shutdown. Operating in degraded reliability zone.",
+					gpu.Index, gpu.Steady.P95TempC, slowdownTemp, headroom))
 			}
 		}
 		if gpu.CoolingWarning != "" {
@@ -2207,6 +2248,8 @@ func runNvidiaBenchmarkParallel(
 			r.PowerLimitW = info.PowerLimitW
 			r.MultiprocessorCount = info.MultiprocessorCount
 			r.DefaultPowerLimitW = info.DefaultPowerLimitW
+			r.ShutdownTempC = info.ShutdownTempC
+			r.SlowdownTempC = info.SlowdownTempC
 			r.MaxGraphicsClockMHz = info.MaxGraphicsClockMHz
 			r.BaseGraphicsClockMHz = info.BaseGraphicsClockMHz
 			r.MaxMemoryClockMHz = info.MaxMemoryClockMHz
diff --git a/audit/internal/platform/benchmark_report.go b/audit/internal/platform/benchmark_report.go
index 5dede3b..22ca59e 100644
--- a/audit/internal/platform/benchmark_report.go
+++ b/audit/internal/platform/benchmark_report.go
@@ -115,23 +115,31 @@ func renderBenchmarkReportWithCharts(result NvidiaBenchmarkResult) string {
 
 	// Perspective 2: Thermal headroom
 	b.WriteString("### 2. Thermal Headroom\n\n")
-	b.WriteString("| GPU | p95 temp | Headroom to 100°C | Thermal throttle | Status |\n")
-	b.WriteString("|-----|----------|-------------------|------------------|--------|\n")
+	b.WriteString("| GPU | p95 temp | Slowdown limit | Shutdown limit | Headroom | Thermal throttle | Status |\n")
+	b.WriteString("|-----|----------|----------------|----------------|----------|------------------|--------|\n")
 	for _, gpu := range result.GPUs {
+		shutdownTemp := gpu.ShutdownTempC
+		if shutdownTemp <= 0 {
+			shutdownTemp = 90
+		}
+		slowdownTemp := gpu.SlowdownTempC
+		if slowdownTemp <= 0 {
+			slowdownTemp = 80
+		}
 		headroom := gpu.Scores.TempHeadroomC
 		thermalStatus := "✓ OK"
 		switch {
 		case headroom < 10:
 			thermalStatus = "⛔ CRITICAL"
-		case headroom < 20:
+		case gpu.Steady.P95TempC >= slowdownTemp:
 			thermalStatus = "⚠ WARNING"
 		}
 		throttlePct := "-"
 		if gpu.Scores.ThermalThrottlePct > 0 {
 			throttlePct = fmt.Sprintf("%.1f%%", gpu.Scores.ThermalThrottlePct)
 		}
-		fmt.Fprintf(&b, "| GPU %d | %.1f°C | %.1f°C | %s | %s |\n",
-			gpu.Index, gpu.Steady.P95TempC, headroom, throttlePct, thermalStatus)
+		fmt.Fprintf(&b, "| GPU %d | %.1f°C | %.0f°C | %.0f°C | %.1f°C | %s | %s |\n",
+			gpu.Index, gpu.Steady.P95TempC, slowdownTemp, shutdownTemp, headroom, throttlePct, thermalStatus)
 	}
 	b.WriteString("\n")
 
diff --git a/audit/internal/platform/benchmark_types.go b/audit/internal/platform/benchmark_types.go
index fe6b3ff..b02958c 100644
--- a/audit/internal/platform/benchmark_types.go
+++ b/audit/internal/platform/benchmark_types.go
@@ -112,6 +112,12 @@ type BenchmarkGPUResult struct {
 	PowerLimitDerated   bool    `json:"power_limit_derated,omitempty"`
 	MultiprocessorCount int     `json:"multiprocessor_count,omitempty"`
 	DefaultPowerLimitW  float64 `json:"default_power_limit_w,omitempty"`
+	// ShutdownTempC is the hardware thermal shutdown threshold for this GPU,
+	// sourced from nvidia-smi -q ("GPU Shutdown Temp"). Fallback: 90°C.
+	ShutdownTempC float64 `json:"shutdown_temp_c,omitempty"`
+	// SlowdownTempC is the software throttle onset threshold ("GPU Slowdown Temp").
+	// Fallback: 80°C.
+	SlowdownTempC float64 `json:"slowdown_temp_c,omitempty"`
 	// CalibratedPeakPowerW is the p95 power measured during a short
 	// dcgmi targeted_power calibration run before the main benchmark.
 	// Used as the reference denominator for PowerSustainScore instead of