diff --git a/bin/clean.sh b/bin/clean.sh
index c0e7d01..914cb09 100755
--- a/bin/clean.sh
+++ b/bin/clean.sh
@@ -137,6 +137,11 @@ note_activity() {
     fi
 }
 
+# shellcheck disable=SC2329
+has_cached_sudo() {
+    sudo -n true 2> /dev/null
+}
+
 CLEANUP_DONE=false
 # shellcheck disable=SC2329
 cleanup() {
@@ -717,7 +722,6 @@ start_cleanup() {
     if [[ "$DRY_RUN" == "true" ]]; then
         echo -e "${YELLOW}Dry Run Mode${NC}, Preview only, no deletions"
         echo ""
-        SYSTEM_CLEAN=false
 
         ensure_user_file "$EXPORT_LIST_FILE"
         cat > "$EXPORT_LIST_FILE" << EOF
@@ -732,11 +736,22 @@ start_cleanup() {
 #
 
 EOF
+
+        # Preview system section when sudo is already cached (no password prompt).
+        if has_cached_sudo; then
+            SYSTEM_CLEAN=true
+            echo -e "${GREEN}${ICON_SUCCESS}${NC} Admin access available, system preview included"
+            echo ""
+        else
+            SYSTEM_CLEAN=false
+            echo -e "${GRAY}${ICON_WARNING} System caches need sudo, run ${NC}sudo -v && mo clean --dry-run${GRAY} for full preview${NC}"
+            echo ""
+        fi
         return
     fi
 
     if [[ -t 0 ]]; then
-        if sudo -n true 2> /dev/null; then
+        if has_cached_sudo; then
             SYSTEM_CLEAN=true
             echo -e "${GREEN}${ICON_SUCCESS}${NC} Admin access already available"
             echo ""
@@ -776,7 +791,7 @@ EOF
     else
         echo ""
         echo "Running in non-interactive mode"
-        if sudo -n true 2> /dev/null; then
+        if has_cached_sudo; then
             SYSTEM_CLEAN=true
             echo "  ${ICON_LIST} System-level cleanup enabled, sudo session active"
         else
diff --git a/tests/clean_core.bats b/tests/clean_core.bats
index 3994c64..8da50b2 100644
--- a/tests/clean_core.bats
+++ b/tests/clean_core.bats
@@ -25,13 +25,66 @@ setup() {
     rm -rf "${HOME:?}"/*
     rm -rf "$HOME/Library" "$HOME/.config"
     mkdir -p "$HOME/Library/Caches" "$HOME/.config/mole"
+    unset TEST_MOCK_BIN
+}
+
+set_mock_sudo_cached() {
+    TEST_MOCK_BIN="$HOME/bin"
+    mkdir -p "$TEST_MOCK_BIN"
+    cat > "$TEST_MOCK_BIN/sudo" << 'MOCK'
+#!/bin/bash
+# Shim: sudo -n true succeeds, all other sudo calls are no-ops.
+if [[ "$1" == "-n" && "$2" == "true" ]]; then exit 0; fi
+if [[ "$1" == "test" ]]; then exit 1; fi
+if [[ "$1" == "find" ]]; then exit 0; fi
+exit 0
+MOCK
+    chmod +x "$TEST_MOCK_BIN/sudo"
+}
+
+set_mock_sudo_uncached() {
+    TEST_MOCK_BIN="$HOME/bin"
+    mkdir -p "$TEST_MOCK_BIN"
+    cat > "$TEST_MOCK_BIN/sudo" << 'MOCK'
+#!/bin/bash
+# Shim: sudo -n always fails (no cached credentials).
+exit 1
+MOCK
+    chmod +x "$TEST_MOCK_BIN/sudo"
+}
+
+run_clean_dry_run() {
+    local test_path="$PATH"
+    if [[ -n "${TEST_MOCK_BIN:-}" ]]; then
+        test_path="$TEST_MOCK_BIN:$PATH"
+    fi
+
+    run env HOME="$HOME" MOLE_TEST_MODE=1 PATH="$test_path" \
+        "$PROJECT_ROOT/mole" clean --dry-run
 }
 
 @test "mo clean --dry-run skips system cleanup in non-interactive mode" {
-    run env HOME="$HOME" MOLE_TEST_MODE=1 "$PROJECT_ROOT/mole" clean --dry-run
+    set_mock_sudo_uncached
+    run_clean_dry_run
     [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
     [[ "$output" == *"Dry Run Mode"* ]]
-    [[ "$output" != *"Deep system-level cleanup"* ]]
+    [[ "$output" == *"sudo -v && mo clean --dry-run"* ]]
+    [[ "$output" != *"system preview included"* ]]
+}
+
+@test "mo clean --dry-run includes system preview when sudo is cached" {
+    set_mock_sudo_cached
+    run_clean_dry_run
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [[ "$output" == *"system preview included"* ]]
+}
+
+@test "mo clean --dry-run shows hint when sudo is not cached" {
+    set_mock_sudo_uncached
+    run_clean_dry_run
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [[ "$output" == *"sudo -v"* ]]
+    [[ "$output" == *"full preview"* ]]
 }
 
 @test "mo clean --dry-run reports user cache without deleting it" {
@@ -264,4 +317,3 @@ EOF
     [[ "$output" == *"Time Machine backup in progress, skipping cleanup"* ]]
 }
 
-