diff --git a/capiscio_sdk/_rpc/process.py b/capiscio_sdk/_rpc/process.py
index dd7ff7a..9877a88 100644
--- a/capiscio_sdk/_rpc/process.py
+++ b/capiscio_sdk/_rpc/process.py
@@ -150,6 +150,20 @@ def _get_cached_binary_path() -> Path:
         filename = f"capiscio-{os_name}-{arch_name}{ext}"
         return CACHE_DIR / CORE_VERSION / filename
 
+    def ensure_cached(self) -> Path:
+        """Ensure the capiscio-core binary is downloaded and cached.
+
+        Returns the path to the cached binary. If the binary is already
+        present in the versioned cache directory, the download is skipped.
+
+        This is the public API for pre-caching the binary without starting
+        the gRPC process (used by the ``capiscio-warmup`` CLI).
+        """
+        cached = self._get_cached_binary_path()
+        if cached.exists():
+            return cached
+        return self._download_binary()
+
     def _download_binary(self) -> Path:
         """Download the capiscio-core binary for the current platform.
         
diff --git a/capiscio_sdk/warmup.py b/capiscio_sdk/warmup.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3cd1631
--- /dev/null
+++ b/capiscio_sdk/warmup.py
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+"""Pre-download and cache the capiscio-core binary.
+
+Usage:
+    python -m capiscio_sdk.warmup
+
+This is intended for Docker builds, CI pipelines, and serverless deployments
+where you want to cache the binary at build time rather than downloading it
+on first request.
+
+See: https://github.com/capiscio/capiscio-sdk-python/issues/41
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import subprocess
+import sys
+
+from capiscio_sdk._rpc.process import CORE_VERSION, ProcessManager
+
+
+def main() -> int:
+    """Download and verify the capiscio-core binary, then exit."""
+    manager = ProcessManager()
+
+    print(f"capiscio-core v{CORE_VERSION}")
+
+    # Ensure binary is in the versioned cache (~/.capiscio/bin/<version>/)
+    binary = manager.ensure_cached()
+    print(f"  Binary path: {binary}")
+
+    # Verify the binary is executable
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            [str(binary), "--version"],
+            capture_output=True,
+            text=True,
+            timeout=10,
+        )
+        if result.returncode == 0:
+            version_str = result.stdout.strip() or result.stderr.strip()
+            print(f"  Binary OK \u2713 ({version_str})" if version_str else "  Binary OK \u2713")
+        else:
+            print(f"  Warning: binary exited with code {result.returncode}", file=sys.stderr)
+            return 1
+    except FileNotFoundError:
+        print(f"  Error: binary not found at {binary}", file=sys.stderr)
+        return 1
+    except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
+        # --version hanging likely means the binary exists but has different CLI
+        print("  Binary OK \u2713 (version check timed out)")
+    except PermissionError as exc:
+        print(f"  Error: cannot execute binary at {binary}: {exc}", file=sys.stderr)
+        return 1
+    except Exception as exc:
+        print(f"  Error: unexpected failure: {exc}", file=sys.stderr)
+        return 1
+
+    return 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    sys.exit(main())
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index a941c74..a0df8df 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ dev = [
     "base58>=2.1.0",  # Used in tests for DID verification
 ]
 
+[project.scripts]
+capiscio-warmup = "capiscio_sdk.warmup:main"
+
 [project.urls]
 Homepage = "https://capisc.io"
 Documentation = "https://docs.capisc.io/sdk-python"
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_warmup.py b/tests/unit/test_warmup.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1ac12dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_warmup.py
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+"""Tests for the warmup CLI module."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+
+from capiscio_sdk.warmup import main
+
+
+class TestWarmup:
+    def test_already_cached(self, tmp_path):
+        """When binary is already cached, returns 0."""
+        fake_binary = tmp_path / "capiscio"
+        fake_binary.write_text("#!/bin/sh\necho v2.4.0")
+        fake_binary.chmod(0o755)
+
+        with patch("capiscio_sdk.warmup.ProcessManager") as MockPM:
+            instance = MockPM.return_value
+            instance.ensure_cached.return_value = fake_binary
+            with patch("capiscio_sdk.warmup.subprocess") as mock_sub:
+                mock_sub.run.return_value = MagicMock(returncode=0, stdout="v2.4.0", stderr="")
+                mock_sub.TimeoutExpired = TimeoutError
+                result = main()
+
+        assert result == 0
+        instance.ensure_cached.assert_called_once()
+
+    def test_download_needed(self, tmp_path):
+        """When binary is not cached, downloads it and returns 0."""
+        fake_binary = tmp_path / "capiscio"
+        fake_binary.write_text("#!/bin/sh\necho v2.4.0")
+        fake_binary.chmod(0o755)
+
+        with patch("capiscio_sdk.warmup.ProcessManager") as MockPM:
+            instance = MockPM.return_value
+            instance.ensure_cached.return_value = fake_binary
+            with patch("capiscio_sdk.warmup.subprocess") as mock_sub:
+                mock_sub.run.return_value = MagicMock(returncode=0, stdout="v2.4.0", stderr="")
+                mock_sub.TimeoutExpired = TimeoutError
+                result = main()
+
+        assert result == 0
+        instance.ensure_cached.assert_called_once()
+
+    def test_binary_verification_failure(self, tmp_path):
+        """When binary --version returns non-zero, returns 1."""
+        fake_binary = tmp_path / "capiscio"
+        fake_binary.write_text("")
+        fake_binary.chmod(0o755)
+
+        with patch("capiscio_sdk.warmup.ProcessManager") as MockPM:
+            instance = MockPM.return_value
+            instance.ensure_cached.return_value = fake_binary
+            with patch("capiscio_sdk.warmup.subprocess") as mock_sub:
+                mock_sub.run.return_value = MagicMock(returncode=1, stdout="", stderr="error")
+                mock_sub.TimeoutExpired = TimeoutError
+                result = main()
+
+        assert result == 1
+
+    def test_binary_not_found_error(self, tmp_path):
+        """When binary doesn't exist at the returned path, returns 1."""
+        fake_binary = tmp_path / "nonexistent"
+
+        with patch("capiscio_sdk.warmup.ProcessManager") as MockPM:
+            instance = MockPM.return_value
+            instance.ensure_cached.return_value = fake_binary
+            with patch("capiscio_sdk.warmup.subprocess") as mock_sub:
+                mock_sub.run.side_effect = FileNotFoundError("not found")
+                mock_sub.TimeoutExpired = TimeoutError
+                result = main()
+
+        assert result == 1
+
+    def test_version_timeout_still_ok(self, tmp_path):
+        """When --version times out, still returns 0 (binary exists)."""
+        import subprocess as real_subprocess
+
+        fake_binary = tmp_path / "capiscio"
+        fake_binary.write_text("")
+        fake_binary.chmod(0o755)
+
+        with patch("capiscio_sdk.warmup.ProcessManager") as MockPM:
+            instance = MockPM.return_value
+            instance.ensure_cached.return_value = fake_binary
+            with patch("capiscio_sdk.warmup.subprocess") as mock_sub:
+                mock_sub.run.side_effect = real_subprocess.TimeoutExpired("cmd", 10)
+                mock_sub.TimeoutExpired = real_subprocess.TimeoutExpired
+                result = main()
+
+        assert result == 0
+
+    def test_permission_error(self, tmp_path):
+        """When binary can't be executed due to permissions, returns 1."""
+        fake_binary = tmp_path / "capiscio"
+        fake_binary.write_text("")
+
+        with patch("capiscio_sdk.warmup.ProcessManager") as MockPM:
+            instance = MockPM.return_value
+            instance.ensure_cached.return_value = fake_binary
+            with patch("capiscio_sdk.warmup.subprocess") as mock_sub:
+                mock_sub.run.side_effect = PermissionError("Permission denied")
+                mock_sub.TimeoutExpired = TimeoutError
+                result = main()
+
+        assert result == 1