diff --git a/source/src/commands/validate-template.cpp b/source/src/commands/validate-template.cpp
index 1aaf710..3971dbc 100644
--- a/source/src/commands/validate-template.cpp
+++ b/source/src/commands/validate-template.cpp
@@ -286,6 +286,83 @@ ValidationResult check_uninstall_preserves_volumes(const std::filesystem::path&
     return result;
 }
 
+// Check if template exposes ports but lacks ports.sh
+ValidationResult check_ports_script(const std::filesystem::path& template_path) {
+    ValidationResult result;
+    result.passed = true;
+
+    bool has_ports_sh = std::filesystem::exists(template_path / "ports.sh");
+    bool exposes_ports = false;
+    std::string detection_reason;
+
+    // Check service.env for *_PORT variables
+    std::filesystem::path service_env_path = template_path / "config" / "service.env";
+    if (std::filesystem::exists(service_env_path)) {
+        std::ifstream env_file(service_env_path);
+        std::string line;
+        std::regex port_var_pattern(R"(^[A-Z_]*PORT\s*=)");
+        while (std::getline(env_file, line)) {
+            if (std::regex_search(line, port_var_pattern)) {
+                exposes_ports = true;
+                detection_reason = "Found PORT variable in service.env";
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Check start.sh for -p flag
+    if (!exposes_ports) {
+        std::filesystem::path start_sh = template_path / "start.sh";
+        if (std::filesystem::exists(start_sh)) {
+            std::ifstream file(start_sh);
+            std::string line;
+            std::regex port_flag_pattern(R"(-p\s+[\"']?\$?\{?[A-Za-z_]*\}?:\d+)");
+            std::regex port_flag_pattern2(R"(-p\s+\d+:\d+)");
+            while (std::getline(file, line)) {
+                if (std::regex_search(line, port_flag_pattern) || std::regex_search(line, port_flag_pattern2)) {
+                    exposes_ports = true;
+                    detection_reason = "Found -p port mapping in start.sh";
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Check docker-compose files for ports: section
+    if (!exposes_ports) {
+        for (const auto& compose_name : {"docker-compose.yml", "docker-compose.yml.template"}) {
+            std::filesystem::path compose_path = template_path / compose_name;
+            if (std::filesystem::exists(compose_path)) {
+                std::ifstream file(compose_path);
+                std::string line;
+                std::regex ports_pattern(R"(^\s*ports:\s*$)");
+                while (std::getline(file, line)) {
+                    if (std::regex_search(line, ports_pattern)) {
+                        exposes_ports = true;
+                        detection_reason = "Found ports: section in " + std::string(compose_name);
+                        break;
+                    }
+                }
+                if (exposes_ports) break;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (exposes_ports && !has_ports_sh) {
+        result.passed = false;
+        result.message = "Template exposes ports but ports.sh is missing";
+        result.details = detection_reason + ". Add ports.sh to output exposed port numbers.";
+    } else if (exposes_ports && has_ports_sh) {
+        result.message = "ports.sh exists for port-exposing template";
+    } else if (!exposes_ports && has_ports_sh) {
+        result.message = "ports.sh exists (no port exposure detected)";
+    } else {
+        result.message = "No ports exposed (ports.sh not required)";
+    }
+
+    return result;
+}
+
 // Check if scripts contain interactive commands
 int check_interactive_commands(const std::filesystem::path& template_path, std::vector<std::filesystem::path>& scripts) {
     int issues = 0;
@@ -484,6 +561,22 @@ int validate_handler(const CommandContext& ctx) {
     }
     std::cout << std::endl;
 
+    // Step 9: Check for ports.sh when ports are exposed
+    info << "=== Port Exposure Check ===" << std::endl;
+    {
+        ValidationResult result = check_ports_script(template_path);
+        if (result.passed) {
+            info << "  ✓ " << result.message << std::endl;
+        } else {
+            warning << "  ⚠ " << result.message << std::endl;
+            if (!result.details.empty()) {
+                warning << "    " << result.details << std::endl;
+            }
+            warnings++;
+        }
+    }
+    std::cout << std::endl;
+
     // Summary
     maketitle("Validation Summary");
     if (errors == 0 && warnings == 0) {