diff --git a/doc/architecture/runner-cursor-capabilities.md b/doc/architecture/runner-cursor-capabilities.md
index 97baa65b1dc..c8998c9e4fc 100644
--- a/doc/architecture/runner-cursor-capabilities.md
+++ b/doc/architecture/runner-cursor-capabilities.md
@@ -443,9 +443,13 @@ are still required before qualification.
 ## Cursor profile v5: admitted native session modes (2026-09-29)
 
 The explicit `acpxSessionMode` configuration selects `agent` (the default),
-`plan`, or `ask` for Cursor. The provider/sidecar field is `cursorMode`; it is
-separate from ACPX's persistent/oneshot session lifecycle. Other providers reject
-this field. Mode is included in the immutable session key and recovery identity;
+`plan`, or `ask` for Cursor. Historical v5 qualification snapshots used
+`cursorMode`; those saved results retain their original identities. The current
+production port uses the generic provider/sidecar `mode` identifier, separate from ACPX's persistent/oneshot session lifecycle. Shared
+TypeScript/Rust transport and recovery code treat it as an opaque bounded string.
+Each provider adapter owns supported values, defaults, native translation and
+acknowledgement; currently only the Cursor adapter qualifies configurable modes.
+Mode is included in the immutable session key and recovery identity;
 a missing or changed mode cannot reopen an existing v5 session.
 
 Admission checks the pinned native `session/new` or `session/load` response's
diff --git a/doc/plans/2026-10-03-cursor-production-readiness.md b/doc/plans/2026-10-03-cursor-production-readiness.md
index 4e2b14368a3..09ed3a8073e 100644
--- a/doc/plans/2026-10-03-cursor-production-readiness.md
+++ b/doc/plans/2026-10-03-cursor-production-readiness.md
@@ -591,3 +591,42 @@ production admission; assemble and verify the final package/image combination;
 run the real installed task smoke without qualification overrides; then prepare
 the PR for production review. Native AskQuestion and complete per-run dollar
 accounting remain excluded. Production merge/deployment remains a separate action.
+
+
+## Provider-neutral mode boundary (2026-10-05)
+
+The pre-release implementation put `CursorMode` / `cursorMode` into shared Rust,
+native execution, sidecar and recovery contracts. The production port now carries
+an opaque bounded `mode` identifier through those contracts. Rust does not define
+Cursor's Agent/Plan/Ask vocabulary or enforce Cursor-only mode selection.
+The provider mode capability registry delegates supported values, defaults, native
+translation and acknowledgement to the Cursor adapter. Other adapters must qualify
+mode support before registering it; unsupported selections still fail before a
+provider prompt. Product configuration remains `acpxSessionMode` with Agent as the
+Cursor default. Session lifecycle and permission policy remain separate controls.
+
+Exact mode equality remains part of the immutable session key, observed identity,
+warm continuation, suspension checkpoint and controller recovery checks. Generic
+transport tests also cover non-Cursor identifiers such as `architect` and
+`custom/build`. Missing or changed observed modes cannot recover an existing
+mode-bound session. The pre-release `cursorMode` input and checkpoint format is
+fenced rather than silently converted or defaulted. Only inspection of an already
+committed accepted-plan wait may read its old field. That path verifies the original
+unchanged acceptance proof and preserves task history; it cannot admit a new wait
+from an old field. A regression covers both preservation and attempted rewriting.
+
+Validation of the updated source: recursive typecheck, full build, all Rust Runner
+checks (646 passing test invocations, including conformance/replay repeats), 254
+focused Runner TypeScript tests and 584 focused server tests passed. The complete
+Runner TypeScript run passed 67 package contracts and 2,587 Vitest cases, with one
+failure and ten skips. Its sole failure selected a preserved pre-release daemon
+from the old three-platform staging directory: that daemon expected OpenCode
+1.18.32, while current source expects 1.18.34. The historical platform set and
+manifest were preserved separately; the current-source daemon remained staged.
+The affected case and all 15 ACPX transport cases passed on a focused repeat
+against that daemon. The original failed run remains retained. New-head PR checks
+and review must complete before merge. No new paid provider cells were run for this architecture change.
+Historical live qualification, image, package and review identities above remain
+historical evidence and are not relabeled as certification of this new source.
+Release assembly must build matching daemon, sidecar and controller artifacts.
+Auto-merge is disabled while the updated boundary receives review.
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/src/acpx_provider_backend.rs b/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/src/acpx_provider_backend.rs
index 6b65b2d3864..041e0dea439 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/src/acpx_provider_backend.rs
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/src/acpx_provider_backend.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ use sha2::{Digest, Sha256};
 
 use crate::acpx_provider_session::{
     AcpxPermissionMode, AcpxProviderRuntimePolicy, AcpxProviderSession, AcpxProviderSessionConfig,
-    AcpxProviderSessionIdentity, AcpxTurnControlCapabilities, CursorMode,
+    AcpxProviderSessionIdentity, AcpxTurnControlCapabilities,
 };
 use crate::acpx_sidecar_transport::AcpxSidecarTransportConfig;
 #[cfg(test)]
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ struct AcpxProviderDescriptor {
     instructions: String,
     permission_mode: AcpxPermissionMode,
     #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
-    cursor_mode: Option<CursorMode>,
+    mode: Option<String>,
     permission_mode_pinned: bool,
     #[serde(default)]
     provider_policy: Option<AcpxProviderRuntimePolicy>,
@@ -248,7 +248,11 @@ impl AcpxProviderDescriptor {
             || self.model.trim().is_empty()
             || self.model.len() > 240
             || self.model.contains('\0')
-            || ((self.agent == "cursor") != self.cursor_mode.is_some())
+            || self.mode.as_ref().is_some_and(|mode| {
+                mode.trim().is_empty()
+                    || mode.chars().count() > 240
+                    || mode.chars().any(char::is_control)
+            })
             || (matches!(self.agent.as_str(), "pi" | "cursor" | "copilot")
                 && self.provider_policy.is_none())
             || self.agent_server_package != expected.1
@@ -344,7 +348,7 @@ impl AcpxProviderDescriptor {
             normalized_session_id: self.normalized_session_id.clone(),
             working_directory: PathBuf::from(&self.cwd),
             permission_mode: self.permission_mode,
-            cursor_mode: self.cursor_mode,
+            mode: self.mode.clone(),
             permission_mode_pinned: self.permission_mode_pinned,
             provider_policy: self.provider_policy.clone(),
             system_instructions: self.instructions.clone(),
@@ -445,8 +449,8 @@ impl AcpxProviderDescriptor {
             "acpxRecordId": identity.map(|value| value.acpx_record_id.as_str()),
             "permissionMode": self.permission_mode,
         });
-        if let Some(mode) = self.cursor_mode {
-            descriptor["cursorMode"] = json!(mode);
+        if let Some(mode) = self.mode.as_deref() {
+            descriptor["mode"] = json!(mode);
         }
         descriptor
     }
@@ -579,10 +583,10 @@ impl AcpxDurableState {
                 .validate()
                 .map_err(|error| DurableRunnerError::invalid(error.to_string()))?;
             if identity.profile_digest != self.descriptor.command_digest
-                || identity.cursor_mode != self.descriptor.cursor_mode
+                || identity.mode != self.descriptor.mode
             {
                 return Err(DurableRunnerError::invalid(
-                    "ACPX durable identity no longer matches its qualified profile or Cursor mode",
+                    "ACPX durable identity no longer matches its qualified profile or provider mode",
                 ));
             }
         }
@@ -2377,7 +2381,7 @@ mod tests {
             "runtimeContext": null,
         });
         if agent == "cursor" {
-            value["cursorMode"] = json!("agent");
+            value["mode"] = json!("agent");
             value["providerPolicy"] = json!({"readOnly": true});
         }
         value
@@ -2549,7 +2553,7 @@ mod tests {
                 requested_model: descriptor.model.clone(),
                 effective_model: descriptor.model.clone(),
                 permission_mode: Some(descriptor.permission_mode),
-                cursor_mode: descriptor.cursor_mode,
+                mode: descriptor.mode.clone(),
                 provider_lifetime_fence_candidates: [60_001, 60_002, 60_003],
             };
             let operations = Vec::new();
@@ -2799,7 +2803,7 @@ mod tests {
             requested_model: "gpt-5.6-sol".to_owned(),
             effective_model: "gpt-5.6-sol".to_owned(),
             permission_mode: Some(AcpxPermissionMode::ApproveReads),
-            cursor_mode: None,
+            mode: None,
             provider_lifetime_fence_candidates: [60_001, 60_002, 60_003],
         };
 
@@ -2859,7 +2863,7 @@ mod tests {
             assert!(missing.validate(&context()).is_err());
             value["providerPolicy"] = json!({"readOnly":true});
             if agent == "cursor" {
-                value["cursorMode"] = json!("agent");
+                value["mode"] = json!("agent");
             }
             let valid: AcpxProviderDescriptor = serde_json::from_value(value.clone()).unwrap();
             valid.validate(&context()).unwrap();
@@ -2910,7 +2914,7 @@ mod tests {
                 serde_json::from_value(previous_contract).unwrap();
             assert!(previous_contract.validate(&context()).is_err());
             if agent == "cursor" {
-                assert_eq!(valid.public_descriptor(None)["cursorMode"], json!("agent"));
+                assert_eq!(valid.public_descriptor(None)["mode"], json!("agent"));
                 let mut previous_v4 = value.clone();
                 previous_v4["commandDigest"] = json!(
                     "sha256:b1440d559ebc4eef5c7a582f1c81fc153270cfbafa1731a8ee76d83713bdf61b"
@@ -2919,19 +2923,28 @@ mod tests {
                     serde_json::from_value(previous_v4).unwrap();
                 assert!(previous_v4.validate(&context()).is_err());
                 let mut missing = value.clone();
-                missing.as_object_mut().unwrap().remove("cursorMode");
+                missing.as_object_mut().unwrap().remove("mode");
                 let missing: AcpxProviderDescriptor = serde_json::from_value(missing).unwrap();
-                assert!(missing.validate(&context()).is_err());
-                let mut unknown = value.clone();
-                unknown["cursorMode"] = json!("autopilot");
-                assert!(serde_json::from_value::<AcpxProviderDescriptor>(unknown).is_err());
+                missing.validate(&context()).unwrap();
+                let mut opaque = value.clone();
+                opaque["mode"] = json!("architect");
+                serde_json::from_value::<AcpxProviderDescriptor>(opaque)
+                    .unwrap()
+                    .validate(&context())
+                    .unwrap();
+                let mut invalid = value.clone();
+                invalid["mode"] = json!("");
+                assert!(serde_json::from_value::<AcpxProviderDescriptor>(invalid)
+                    .unwrap()
+                    .validate(&context())
+                    .is_err());
             } else {
-                assert!(valid.public_descriptor(None).get("cursorMode").is_none());
+                assert!(valid.public_descriptor(None).get("mode").is_none());
                 let mut wrong_agent = value.clone();
-                wrong_agent["cursorMode"] = json!("plan");
-                let wrong_agent: AcpxProviderDescriptor =
+                wrong_agent["mode"] = json!("plan");
+                let other_agent: AcpxProviderDescriptor =
                     serde_json::from_value(wrong_agent).unwrap();
-                assert!(wrong_agent.validate(&context()).is_err());
+                other_agent.validate(&context()).unwrap();
             }
 
             for field in ["model", "agentServerVersion", "commandDigest"] {
@@ -3061,7 +3074,7 @@ mod tests {
             requested_model: original_descriptor.model.clone(),
             effective_model: original_descriptor.model.clone(),
             permission_mode: Some(original_descriptor.permission_mode),
-            cursor_mode: original_descriptor.cursor_mode,
+            mode: original_descriptor.mode.clone(),
             provider_lifetime_fence_candidates: [60_001, 60_002, 60_003],
         };
         let operations = Vec::new();
@@ -3282,7 +3295,7 @@ mod tests {
             requested_model: original_descriptor.model.clone(),
             effective_model: original_descriptor.model.clone(),
             permission_mode: Some(original_descriptor.permission_mode),
-            cursor_mode: original_descriptor.cursor_mode,
+            mode: original_descriptor.mode.clone(),
             provider_lifetime_fence_candidates: [60_001, 60_002, 60_003],
         };
         let operations = Vec::new();
@@ -3529,7 +3542,7 @@ mod tests {
             requested_model: descriptor.model.clone(),
             effective_model: descriptor.model.clone(),
             permission_mode: Some(descriptor.permission_mode),
-            cursor_mode: descriptor.cursor_mode,
+            mode: descriptor.mode.clone(),
             provider_lifetime_fence_candidates,
         };
         let operations = Vec::new();
@@ -3701,7 +3714,7 @@ mod tests {
             requested_model: provider_descriptor.model.clone(),
             effective_model: provider_descriptor.model.clone(),
             permission_mode: Some(provider_descriptor.permission_mode),
-            cursor_mode: provider_descriptor.cursor_mode,
+            mode: provider_descriptor.mode.clone(),
             provider_lifetime_fence_candidates,
         });
         state.provider_exit_unconfirmed = true;
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/src/acpx_provider_checkpoint.rs b/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/src/acpx_provider_checkpoint.rs
index ac9cdd83f77..b34deeed7ea 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/src/acpx_provider_checkpoint.rs
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/src/acpx_provider_checkpoint.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ use std::os::unix::fs::DirBuilderExt;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 use crate::acpx_provider_session::{
-    AcpxPermissionMode, AcpxProviderSessionConfig, AcpxProviderSessionIdentity, CursorMode,
+    AcpxPermissionMode, AcpxProviderSessionConfig, AcpxProviderSessionIdentity,
 };
 use crate::durable::{
     create_private_temporary_file, open_private_regular_file, verify_private_directory,
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ struct PersistedAcpxProviderSessionIdentity {
     effective_model: String,
     permission_mode: AcpxPermissionMode,
     #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
-    cursor_mode: Option<CursorMode>,
+    mode: Option<String>,
     provider_lifetime_fence_candidates: [u16; 3],
 }
 
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ impl PersistedAcpxProviderSessionIdentity {
             requested_model: identity.requested_model,
             effective_model: identity.effective_model,
             permission_mode,
-            cursor_mode: identity.cursor_mode,
+            mode: identity.mode,
             provider_lifetime_fence_candidates: identity.provider_lifetime_fence_candidates,
         })
     }
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ impl PersistedAcpxProviderSessionIdentity {
             requested_model: self.requested_model.clone(),
             effective_model: self.effective_model.clone(),
             permission_mode: Some(self.permission_mode),
-            cursor_mode: self.cursor_mode,
+            mode: self.mode.clone(),
             provider_lifetime_fence_candidates: self.provider_lifetime_fence_candidates,
         }
     }
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ impl AcpxSuspensionCheckpoint {
             || identity.requested_model != config.model
             || identity.effective_model != config.model
             || identity.permission_mode != Some(config.permission_mode)
-            || identity.cursor_mode != config.cursor_mode
+            || identity.mode != config.mode
             || config
                 .expected_identity
                 .as_ref()
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/src/acpx_provider_session.rs b/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/src/acpx_provider_session.rs
index 60f2684ddb4..f4b82443f02 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/src/acpx_provider_session.rs
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/src/acpx_provider_session.rs
@@ -35,16 +35,8 @@ pub enum AcpxPermissionMode {
     DenyAll,
 }
 
-#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Deserialize, Serialize, PartialEq, Eq)]
-#[serde(rename_all = "lowercase")]
-pub enum CursorMode {
-    Agent,
-    Plan,
-    Ask,
-}
-
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Deserialize, Serialize, PartialEq, Eq)]
-#[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
+#[serde(rename_all = "camelCase", deny_unknown_fields)]
 pub struct AcpxProviderSessionIdentity {
     pub kind: String,
     pub normalized_session_id: String,
@@ -58,7 +50,7 @@ pub struct AcpxProviderSessionIdentity {
     #[serde(default)]
     pub permission_mode: Option<AcpxPermissionMode>,
     #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
-    pub cursor_mode: Option<CursorMode>,
+    pub mode: Option<String>,
     pub provider_lifetime_fence_candidates: [u16; 3],
 }
 
@@ -79,7 +71,7 @@ pub struct AcpxProviderSessionConfig {
     pub normalized_session_id: String,
     pub working_directory: PathBuf,
     pub permission_mode: AcpxPermissionMode,
-    pub cursor_mode: Option<CursorMode>,
+    pub mode: Option<String>,
     pub permission_mode_pinned: bool,
     pub provider_policy: Option<AcpxProviderRuntimePolicy>,
     pub system_instructions: String,
@@ -110,10 +102,8 @@ impl AcpxProviderSessionConfig {
             )));
         }
         validate_text(&self.model, MAX_MODEL_CHARS, "ACPX model")?;
-        if (self.agent == "cursor") != self.cursor_mode.is_some() {
-            return Err(LocalRunnerError::invalid(
-                "ACPX Cursor mode must be explicit for Cursor and absent for other agents",
-            ));
+        if let Some(mode) = self.mode.as_deref() {
+            validate_text(mode, MAX_ID_CHARS, "ACPX provider mode")?;
         }
         if matches!(self.agent.as_str(), "pi" | "cursor" | "copilot")
             && self.provider_policy.is_none()
@@ -186,7 +176,7 @@ impl AcpxProviderSessionConfig {
                 || expected_identity.requested_model != self.model
                 || expected_identity.effective_model != self.model
                 || expected_identity.permission_mode != Some(self.permission_mode)
-                || expected_identity.cursor_mode != self.cursor_mode
+                || expected_identity.mode != self.mode
             {
                 return Err(LocalRunnerError::invalid(
                     "ACPX expected identity conflicts with the requested session",
@@ -204,6 +194,9 @@ impl AcpxProviderSessionIdentity {
                 "ACPX session identity kind is invalid",
             ));
         }
+        if let Some(mode) = self.mode.as_deref() {
+            validate_text(mode, MAX_ID_CHARS, "ACPX provider mode")?;
+        }
         for (value, label) in [
             (&self.normalized_session_id, "normalized session"),
             (&self.acpx_record_id, "record"),
@@ -1266,8 +1259,8 @@ fn session_open_params(config: &AcpxProviderSessionConfig, sidecar_tools: &[Valu
         "tools": &sidecar_tools,
         "expectedIdentity": config.expected_identity,
     });
-    if let Some(mode) = config.cursor_mode {
-        params["cursorMode"] = json!(mode);
+    if let Some(mode) = config.mode.as_deref() {
+        params["mode"] = json!(mode);
     }
     params
 }
@@ -1378,7 +1371,7 @@ fn verify_open_response(
         || identity.requested_model != config.model
         || identity.effective_model != config.model
         || identity.permission_mode != Some(config.permission_mode)
-        || identity.cursor_mode != config.cursor_mode
+        || identity.mode != config.mode
         || config
             .expected_identity
             .as_ref()
@@ -1603,7 +1596,7 @@ mod permission_mode_tests {
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
-mod cursor_mode_tests {
+mod mode_tests {
     use super::*;
 
     fn config() -> AcpxProviderSessionConfig {
@@ -1624,7 +1617,7 @@ mod cursor_mode_tests {
             normalized_session_id: "session-1".to_owned(),
             working_directory: std::env::temp_dir(),
             permission_mode: AcpxPermissionMode::ApproveReads,
-            cursor_mode: Some(CursorMode::Plan),
+            mode: Some("plan".to_owned()),
             permission_mode_pinned: true,
             provider_policy: Some(AcpxProviderRuntimePolicy { read_only: false }),
             system_instructions: String::new(),
@@ -1650,76 +1643,81 @@ mod cursor_mode_tests {
             requested_model: "explicit-model".to_owned(),
             effective_model: "explicit-model".to_owned(),
             permission_mode: Some(AcpxPermissionMode::ApproveReads),
-            cursor_mode: Some(CursorMode::Plan),
+            mode: Some("plan".to_owned()),
             provider_lifetime_fence_candidates: [60_001, 60_002, 60_003],
         }
     }
     #[test]
-    fn cursor_mode_is_closed_and_not_defaulted_in_rust() {
-        for (name, mode) in [
-            ("agent", CursorMode::Agent),
-            ("plan", CursorMode::Plan),
-            ("ask", CursorMode::Ask),
-        ] {
-            assert_eq!(
-                serde_json::from_value::<CursorMode>(json!(name)).unwrap(),
-                mode
-            );
-            assert_eq!(serde_json::to_value(mode).unwrap(), json!(name));
-        }
-        for value in [json!("Agent"), json!("autopilot"), json!(null), json!(1)] {
-            assert!(serde_json::from_value::<CursorMode>(value).is_err());
-        }
+    fn mode_is_opaque_bounded_and_not_defaulted_in_rust() {
         let mut config = config();
-        config.validate().unwrap();
-        config.cursor_mode = None;
-        assert!(config.validate().is_err());
-        config.agent = "copilot".to_owned();
-        config.cursor_mode = Some(CursorMode::Agent);
-        assert!(config.validate().is_err());
-        config.cursor_mode = None;
-        config.validate().unwrap();
+        // Generic transport accepts ids beyond Cursor's vocabulary and leaves
+        // capability checks and native translation to the provider adapter.
+        for agent in ["cursor", "copilot"] {
+            config.agent = agent.to_owned();
+            for mode in [
+                None,
+                Some("architect".to_owned()),
+                Some("custom/build".to_owned()),
+            ] {
+                config.mode = mode;
+                config.validate().unwrap();
+            }
+        }
+        for invalid in [
+            "".to_owned(),
+            " ".to_owned(),
+            "x".repeat(241),
+            "plan\0".to_owned(),
+        ] {
+            config.mode = Some(invalid.clone());
+            assert!(config.validate().is_err());
+            let mut identity = identity();
+            identity.mode = Some(invalid);
+            assert!(identity.validate().is_err());
+        }
+        for invalid in [json!(1), json!({})] {
+            let mut value = serde_json::to_value(identity()).unwrap();
+            value["mode"] = invalid;
+            assert!(serde_json::from_value::<AcpxProviderSessionIdentity>(value).is_err());
+        }
     }
     #[test]
-    fn open_wire_and_identity_bind_exact_cursor_mode() {
+    fn open_wire_and_identity_bind_exact_mode() {
         let mut config = config();
-        for mode in [CursorMode::Agent, CursorMode::Plan, CursorMode::Ask] {
-            config.cursor_mode = Some(mode);
-            assert_eq!(session_open_params(&config, &[])["cursorMode"], json!(mode));
+        for mode in [
+            "agent".to_owned(),
+            "architect".to_owned(),
+            "custom/build".to_owned(),
+        ] {
+            config.mode = Some(mode.clone());
+            assert_eq!(session_open_params(&config, &[])["mode"], json!(mode));
             let mut identity = identity();
-            identity.cursor_mode = Some(mode);
+            identity.mode = Some(mode.clone());
             let response = json!({"sidecarPid": 100, "status": {}, "identity": identity});
             assert_eq!(
-                verify_open_response(&response, 100, &config)
-                    .unwrap()
-                    .cursor_mode,
-                Some(mode)
+                verify_open_response(&response, 100, &config).unwrap().mode,
+                Some(mode.clone())
             );
             for wrong in [
                 None,
-                Some(CursorMode::Agent),
-                Some(CursorMode::Plan),
-                Some(CursorMode::Ask),
+                Some("agent".to_owned()),
+                Some("plan".to_owned()),
+                Some("ask".to_owned()),
             ] {
-                if wrong == Some(mode) {
+                if wrong == Some(mode.clone()) {
                     continue;
                 }
                 let mut changed = response.clone();
-                changed["identity"]["cursorMode"] = json!(wrong);
+                changed["identity"]["mode"] = json!(wrong);
                 assert!(verify_open_response(&changed, 100, &config).is_err());
             }
         }
         config.agent = "copilot".to_owned();
-        config.cursor_mode = None;
-        assert!(session_open_params(&config, &[])
-            .get("cursorMode")
-            .is_none());
+        config.mode = None;
+        assert!(session_open_params(&config, &[]).get("mode").is_none());
         let mut other = identity();
-        other.cursor_mode = None;
-        assert!(serde_json::to_value(&other)
-            .unwrap()
-            .get("cursorMode")
-            .is_none());
+        other.mode = None;
+        assert!(serde_json::to_value(&other).unwrap().get("mode").is_none());
         let response = json!({"sidecarPid": 100, "status": {}, "identity": other});
         verify_open_response(&response, 100, &config).unwrap();
     }
@@ -1729,10 +1727,10 @@ mod cursor_mode_tests {
         let identity = identity();
         config.expected_identity = Some(identity.clone());
         config.validate().unwrap();
-        config.cursor_mode = Some(CursorMode::Ask);
+        config.mode = Some("ask".to_owned());
         assert!(config.validate().is_err());
         let mut changed = identity.clone();
-        changed.cursor_mode = Some(CursorMode::Agent);
+        changed.mode = Some("agent".to_owned());
         assert!(verify_suspend_response(
             &json!({"suspended": true, "identity": changed}),
             &identity
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/src/bin/fake-acpx-sidecar.rs b/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/src/bin/fake-acpx-sidecar.rs
index b20eb4a61f6..1961d13761c 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/src/bin/fake-acpx-sidecar.rs
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/src/bin/fake-acpx-sidecar.rs
@@ -803,7 +803,7 @@ fn bootstrap_success(
                     "requestedModel": model,
                     "effectiveModel": if mode == "bootstrap-wrong-model" { "wrong-model" } else { model },
                     "permissionMode": params.get("permissionMode"),
-                    "cursorMode": params.get("cursorMode"),
+                    "mode": params.get("mode"),
                     "providerLifetimeFenceCandidates": [60001, 60002, 60003],
                 },
                 "status": {},
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/tests/acpx_provider_checkpoint.rs b/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/tests/acpx_provider_checkpoint.rs
index a1886bd720c..4c8a488e805 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/tests/acpx_provider_checkpoint.rs
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/tests/acpx_provider_checkpoint.rs
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ fn config(directory: &std::path::Path) -> AcpxProviderSessionConfig {
         normalized_session_id: "session-1".to_owned(),
         working_directory: directory.to_owned(),
         permission_mode: AcpxPermissionMode::ApproveReads,
-        cursor_mode: None,
+        mode: None,
         permission_mode_pinned: true,
         provider_policy: None,
         system_instructions: "Complete the supplied task.".to_owned(),
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ fn identity() -> AcpxProviderSessionIdentity {
         requested_model: "gpt-5.6-sol".to_owned(),
         effective_model: "gpt-5.6-sol".to_owned(),
         permission_mode: Some(AcpxPermissionMode::ApproveReads),
-        cursor_mode: None,
+        mode: None,
         provider_lifetime_fence_candidates: [60_001, 60_002, 60_003],
     }
 }
@@ -261,32 +261,32 @@ fn rejects_an_existing_runner_state_directory_that_is_not_private() {
 }
 
 #[test]
-fn cursor_mode_round_trips_checkpoint_and_rejects_changed_or_missing_recovery_mode() {
-    use paperclip_runner_core::acpx_provider_session::{AcpxProviderRuntimePolicy, CursorMode};
+fn mode_round_trips_checkpoint_and_rejects_changed_or_missing_recovery_mode() {
+    use paperclip_runner_core::acpx_provider_session::AcpxProviderRuntimePolicy;
     let directory = temporary_directory("cursor-mode");
     let mut config = config(&directory);
     config.agent = "cursor".to_owned();
-    config.cursor_mode = Some(CursorMode::Plan);
+    config.mode = Some("plan".to_owned());
     config.provider_policy = Some(AcpxProviderRuntimePolicy { read_only: false });
     let mut identity = identity();
-    identity.cursor_mode = Some(CursorMode::Plan);
+    identity.mode = Some("plan".to_owned());
     let checkpoint = AcpxSuspensionCheckpoint::from_suspension(&config, identity.clone()).unwrap();
     let wire = serde_json::to_value(&checkpoint).unwrap();
-    assert_eq!(wire["identity"]["cursorMode"], json!("plan"));
+    assert_eq!(wire["identity"]["mode"], json!("plan"));
     let recovered: AcpxSuspensionCheckpoint = serde_json::from_value(wire.clone()).unwrap();
     assert_eq!(recovered.admit_recovery(&config).unwrap(), identity);
-    for mode in [None, Some(CursorMode::Agent), Some(CursorMode::Ask)] {
+    for mode in [None, Some("agent".to_owned()), Some("ask".to_owned())] {
         let mut changed = config.clone();
-        changed.cursor_mode = mode;
+        changed.mode = mode.clone();
         assert!(recovered.admit_recovery(&changed).is_err());
         let mut changed = wire.clone();
-        changed["identity"]["cursorMode"] = json!(mode);
+        changed["identity"]["mode"] = json!(mode);
         let changed: AcpxSuspensionCheckpoint = serde_json::from_value(changed).unwrap();
         assert!(changed.admit_recovery(&config).is_err());
     }
     let mut other = config.clone();
     other.agent = "copilot".to_owned();
-    other.cursor_mode = None;
+    other.mode = None;
     assert!(recovered.admit_recovery(&other).is_err());
     fs::remove_dir_all(directory).unwrap();
 }
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/tests/acpx_provider_resolutions.rs b/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/tests/acpx_provider_resolutions.rs
index 3dd0bbceeb7..3fbf5458c53 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/tests/acpx_provider_resolutions.rs
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/tests/acpx_provider_resolutions.rs
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ fn config(mode: &str) -> AcpxProviderSessionConfig {
         normalized_session_id: "session-1".to_owned(),
         working_directory: std::env::temp_dir(),
         permission_mode: AcpxPermissionMode::ApproveReads,
-        cursor_mode: None,
+        mode: None,
         permission_mode_pinned: true,
         provider_policy: None,
         system_instructions: "Complete the supplied task.".to_owned(),
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ fn permission_origin_is_bound_to_the_admitted_connection_and_survives_projection
         }
         .to_owned();
         if agent == "cursor" {
-            cfg.cursor_mode = Some(paperclip_runner_core::acpx_provider_session::CursorMode::Agent);
+            cfg.mode = Some("agent".to_owned());
         }
         cfg.provider_policy = Some(
             paperclip_runner_core::acpx_provider_session::AcpxProviderRuntimePolicy {
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/tests/acpx_provider_session.rs b/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/tests/acpx_provider_session.rs
index f4c593ffe44..c5b91ed1a73 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/tests/acpx_provider_session.rs
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/tests/acpx_provider_session.rs
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ fn config(mode: &str) -> AcpxProviderSessionConfig {
         normalized_session_id: "session-1".to_owned(),
         working_directory: std::env::temp_dir(),
         permission_mode: AcpxPermissionMode::ApproveReads,
-        cursor_mode: None,
+        mode: None,
         permission_mode_pinned: true,
         provider_policy: None,
         system_instructions: "Complete the supplied task.".to_owned(),
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ fn expected_identity() -> AcpxProviderSessionIdentity {
         requested_model: "gpt-5.6-sol".to_owned(),
         effective_model: "gpt-5.6-sol".to_owned(),
         permission_mode: Some(AcpxPermissionMode::ApproveReads),
-        cursor_mode: None,
+        mode: None,
         provider_lifetime_fence_candidates: [60_001, 60_002, 60_003],
     }
 }
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/tests/acpx_provider_suspend.rs b/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/tests/acpx_provider_suspend.rs
index 809c08808c3..3af110c46a3 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/tests/acpx_provider_suspend.rs
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/tests/acpx_provider_suspend.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ fn config(mode: &str) -> AcpxProviderSessionConfig {
         normalized_session_id: "session-1".to_owned(),
         working_directory: std::env::temp_dir(),
         permission_mode: AcpxPermissionMode::ApproveReads,
-        cursor_mode: None,
+        mode: None,
         permission_mode_pinned: true,
         provider_policy: None,
         system_instructions: "Complete the supplied task.".to_owned(),
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/tests/acpx_provider_turns.rs b/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/tests/acpx_provider_turns.rs
index a9b68e07625..5b138a2867f 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/tests/acpx_provider_turns.rs
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/runner/crates/runner-core/tests/acpx_provider_turns.rs
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ fn config(mode: &str) -> AcpxProviderSessionConfig {
         normalized_session_id: "session-1".to_owned(),
         working_directory: std::env::temp_dir(),
         permission_mode: AcpxPermissionMode::ApproveReads,
-        cursor_mode: None,
+        mode: None,
         permission_mode_pinned: true,
         provider_policy: if mode.starts_with("controls") {
             Some(
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/backends/codex-acpx-native-backend.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/backends/codex-acpx-native-backend.ts
index 824088b29e8..03180671a29 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/backends/codex-acpx-native-backend.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/backends/codex-acpx-native-backend.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import {
 
 export interface CodexAcpxNativeSessionBackendOptions extends Omit<
   CodexAcpxDriverOptions,
-  "model" | "permissionMode" | "cursorMode" | "systemInstructions" | "providerPolicy" | "runtimeContext"
+  "model" | "permissionMode" | "mode" | "systemInstructions" | "providerPolicy" | "runtimeContext"
 > {}
 
 export type AcpxNativeSessionBackendOptions =
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ export function createAcpxNativeSessionBackend(
       agent: input.provider.agent,
       model: input.provider.model,
       permissionMode: input.provider.permissionMode ?? "approve-reads",
-      cursorMode: input.provider.cursorMode,
+      mode: input.provider.mode,
       systemInstructions,
       runtimeContext: "runtimeContext" in input ? input.runtimeContext : null,
       providerPolicy: { readOnly: "executionMode" in input && input.executionMode === "plan" },
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/backends/native-backend-factory.test.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/backends/native-backend-factory.test.ts
index 26c5f63459f..2293b947a00 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/backends/native-backend-factory.test.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/backends/native-backend-factory.test.ts
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ describe("native backend factory", () => {
     const input = acpxExecution();
     if (input.provider.kind !== "acpx") throw new Error("invalid fixture");
     const model = "explicit-cursor-model";
-    Object.assign(input.provider, { agent: "cursor", model, cursorMode: "agent", profile: resolveQualifiedAcpxProfile("cursor", model) });
+    Object.assign(input.provider, { agent: "cursor", model, mode: "agent", profile: resolveQualifiedAcpxProfile("cursor", model) });
     const backend = createNativeSessionBackend(input, { acpxRuntimeDirectory: "/runtime", acpxEnvironment: { CURSOR_API_KEY: "explicit-fixture" } });
     await expect(backend.descriptor()).resolves.toMatchObject({ name: "acpx_runtime", version: "0.13.1" });
   });
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/cli/acpx-runtime-sidecar.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/cli/acpx-runtime-sidecar.ts
index 50ccb8eb4b3..d894511614d 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/cli/acpx-runtime-sidecar.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/cli/acpx-runtime-sidecar.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
+import { parseProviderMode } from "../contracts/provider-mode.js";
 import { cursorPlanToolIdentity, cursorToolIdentity } from "../drivers/acpx/cursor-plan-tool-identity.js";
 import { createHash } from "node:crypto";
 import { createInterface } from "node:readline";
@@ -289,7 +290,7 @@ async function dispatch(
         clientCapabilities: acpxProfileClientCapabilities(params.agent),
         model: params.model,
         permissionMode: params.permissionMode,
-        cursorMode: params.cursorMode,
+        mode: params.mode,
         providerPolicy: params.providerPolicy,
         systemInstructions: params.systemInstructions,
         runtimeContext: params.runtimeContext,
@@ -1190,9 +1191,10 @@ function safeOutput(value: unknown): Record<string, unknown> {
 function parseOpenParams(
   value: Record<string, unknown>,
 ): AcpxSidecarOpenParams {
+  const fields = new Set(["runtimeDirectory", "normalizedSessionId", "workingDirectory", "agent", "model", "permissionMode", "mode", "permissionModePinned", "providerPolicy", "systemInstructions", "runtimeContext", "tools", "providerSessionKey", "expectedIdentity"]);
+  if (Object.keys(value).some(key => !fields.has(key))) throw new Error("ACPX open parameters include an unsupported field");
   const agent = requireQualifiedAgent(value.agent);
   const model = requiredText(value.model, "model");
-  if (value.cursorMode !== undefined && agent !== "cursor") throw new Error("cursorMode is supported only for Cursor");
   resolveQualifiedAcpxProfile(agent, model);
   if (
     value.providerSessionKey !== undefined &&
@@ -1212,7 +1214,7 @@ function parseOpenParams(
     agent,
     model,
     permissionMode: requiredPermissionMode(value.permissionMode),
-    ...(agent === "cursor" ? { cursorMode: requiredCursorMode(value.cursorMode === undefined ? "agent" : value.cursorMode) } : {}),
+    ...(value.mode === undefined ? {} : { mode: parseProviderMode(value.mode) }),
     permissionModePinned: value.permissionModePinned === true,
     ...(value.providerPolicy == null ? {} : { providerPolicy: parseProviderPolicy(value.providerPolicy) }),
     systemInstructions: boundedText(
@@ -1282,7 +1284,7 @@ function parseExpectedIdentity(value: unknown): AcpxExpectedSessionIdentity {
     ...(input.permissionMode === undefined
       ? {}
       : { permissionMode: requiredPermissionMode(input.permissionMode) }),
-    ...(input.cursorMode === undefined ? {} : { cursorMode: requiredCursorMode(input.cursorMode) }),
+    ...(input.mode === undefined ? {} : { mode: parseProviderMode(input.mode) }),
     providerLifetimeFenceCandidates: requiredFenceCandidates(
       input.providerLifetimeFenceCandidates,
     ),
@@ -1307,11 +1309,6 @@ function requiredFenceCandidates(
   return Object.freeze([...value]) as readonly [number, number, number];
 }
 
-function requiredCursorMode(value: unknown): "agent" | "plan" | "ask" {
-  if (value === "agent" || value === "plan" || value === "ask") return value;
-  throw new Error("cursorMode must be agent, plan, or ask");
-}
-
 function requiredPermissionMode(
   value: unknown,
 ): AcpxSidecarOpenParams["permissionMode"] {
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/contracts/harness-driver.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/contracts/harness-driver.ts
index 9be6d782feb..ee04ce4352b 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/contracts/harness-driver.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/contracts/harness-driver.ts
@@ -454,8 +454,8 @@ export interface AcpxSessionIdentity {
   effectiveModel: string;
   /** Missing on legacy snapshots; those used the historical approve-reads behavior. */
   permissionMode?: "approve-all" | "approve-paperclip" | "approve-reads" | "deny-all";
-  /** Effective native mode; required on current Cursor session identities. */
-  cursorMode?: "agent" | "plan" | "ask";
+  /** Effective provider mode identifier, bound to the session identity. */
+  mode?: string;
   providerLifetimeFenceCandidates: readonly [number, number, number];
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/contracts/native-execution.test.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/contracts/native-execution.test.ts
index a2d3a30c8c5..05644579b8e 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/contracts/native-execution.test.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/contracts/native-execution.test.ts
@@ -483,6 +483,26 @@ describe("native task context ownership", () => {
     });
   }
 
+  it("carries an opaque provider mode without a vendor restriction and fences obsolete field names", () => {
+    const current = currentInput();
+    const provider = {
+      kind: "acpx", agent: "codex", model: "gpt-5.6-sol", permissionMode: "approve-all", mode: "architect",
+      profile: { driverKind: "acpx_runtime", protocolVersion: 1, acpxVersion: "0.13.1", agent: "codex", agentProfileVersion: 3,
+        agentServerPackage: "@agentclientprotocol/codex-acp", agentServerVersion: "1.6.2",
+        agentRuntimePackage: "@openai/codex", agentRuntimeVersion: "0.160.0", commandDigest: `sha256:${"a".repeat(64)}` },
+    };
+    const value = { ...current, session: { ...current.session, driverKind: "acpx_runtime" }, provider };
+    const parsed = parseNativeExecutionInput(value);
+    expect(parsed.provider).toMatchObject({ agent: "codex", mode: "architect" });
+    expect(parseNativeExecutionInput(parsed)).toEqual(parsed);
+    expect(JSON.stringify(buildNativeModelEnvelope(parsed))).not.toContain("architect");
+    for (const mode of [null, 1, "", " ", "x".repeat(241), "plan\0", "plan\n"]) {
+      expect(() => parseNativeExecutionInput({ ...value, provider: { ...provider, mode } })).toThrow(/provider.mode/);
+    }
+    const { mode: _mode, ...withoutMode } = provider;
+    expect(() => parseNativeExecutionInput({ ...value, provider: { ...withoutMode, cursorMode: "plan" } })).toThrow(/input.provider/);
+  });
+
   it.each([
     ["v4", "paperclip.native-execution-input.v4", "paperclip.native-model-envelope.v2"],
     ["v5", NATIVE_EXECUTION_INPUT_SCHEMA, "paperclip.native-model-envelope.v3"],
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/contracts/native-execution.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/contracts/native-execution.ts
index bb5fc12b8c3..1504f1c311b 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/contracts/native-execution.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/contracts/native-execution.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { isProviderMode } from "./provider-mode.js";
 import { createHash } from "node:crypto";
 import type { PrpStructuredRunResult, PrpTerminalState } from "../protocol/replay-contract.js";
 import { explicitTaskSkillNames, parseNativeRuntimeContext, type NativeRuntimeContextSnapshot } from "./runtime-context.js";
@@ -84,7 +85,6 @@ export type NativeAcpxAgent = "pi" | "claude" | "codex" | "grok" | "cursor" | "c
 export type NativeCodexApprovalPolicy = "never" | "on-request" | "untrusted";
 export type NativeOpenCodePermissionMode = "allow" | "ask" | "deny";
 export type NativeAcpxPermissionMode = "approve-all" | "approve-paperclip" | "approve-reads" | "deny-all";
-export type NativeCursorMode = "agent" | "plan" | "ask";
 
 export interface NativeAcpxProfileSnapshot {
   driverKind: "acpx_runtime";
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ export type NativeProviderConfig =
       agent: NativeAcpxAgent;
       model: string;
       permissionMode?: NativeAcpxPermissionMode;
-      cursorMode?: NativeCursorMode;
+      mode?: string;
       /** Present only in persisted v1-v3 inputs. */
       permissionPolicy?: "interactive";
       profile: NativeAcpxProfileSnapshot;
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ export type NativeProviderConfigV4 =
       agent: NativeAcpxAgent;
       model: string;
       permissionMode: NativeAcpxPermissionMode;
-      cursorMode?: NativeCursorMode;
+      mode?: string;
       profile: NativeAcpxProfileSnapshot;
     };
 
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ export function parseNativeExecutionInput(value: unknown): NativeExecutionInput
       : provider.kind === "aws_agentcore"
         ? ["kind", "model", "agentCoreProfile", "maxEstimatedSessionCostUsd", "invocationLimits"]
       : provider.kind === "acpx"
-        ? ["kind", "agent", "model", isV4 ? "permissionMode" : "permissionPolicy", "profile", ...(isV4 ? ["cursorMode"] : [])]
+        ? ["kind", "agent", "model", isV4 ? "permissionMode" : "permissionPolicy", "profile", ...(isV4 ? ["mode"] : [])]
       : provider.kind === "codex" && isV4
         ? ["kind", "model", "approvalPolicy", ...(isV5 ? ["reasoningEffort"] : [])]
         : provider.kind === "opencode" && isV4
@@ -573,9 +573,8 @@ export function parseNativeExecutionInput(value: unknown): NativeExecutionInput
       invocationLimits: { maxIterations, maxOutputTokens, timeoutSeconds },
     };
   } else if (provider.kind === "acpx") {
-    if (provider.cursorMode !== undefined && (provider.agent !== "cursor"
-      || (provider.cursorMode !== "agent" && provider.cursorMode !== "plan" && provider.cursorMode !== "ask"))) {
-      throw new NativeExecutionInputError("input.provider.cursorMode must be agent, plan, or ask and is supported only for Cursor");
+    if (provider.mode !== undefined && !isProviderMode(provider.mode)) {
+      throw new NativeExecutionInputError("input.provider.mode must be a bounded nonempty provider mode identifier");
     }
     if (providerModel === null) {
       throw new NativeExecutionInputError("input.provider.model is required for acpx");
@@ -625,7 +624,7 @@ export function parseNativeExecutionInput(value: unknown): NativeExecutionInput
       ...(isV4
         ? { permissionMode: provider.permissionMode as NativeAcpxPermissionMode }
         : { permissionPolicy: "interactive" as const }),
-      ...(provider.cursorMode === undefined ? {} : { cursorMode: provider.cursorMode as NativeCursorMode }),
+      ...(provider.mode === undefined ? {} : { mode: provider.mode as string }),
       profile: {
         driverKind: "acpx_runtime",
         protocolVersion: 1,
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/contracts/provider-mode.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/contracts/provider-mode.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d4a8d6e5952
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/contracts/provider-mode.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+/** Provider mode identifiers are opaque to the runner. Adapters own their
+ * supported values, defaults, native translation, and acknowledgement. */
+export function isProviderMode(value: unknown): value is string {
+  return typeof value === "string" && value.trim().length > 0
+    && Array.from(value).length <= 240 && !/[\u0000-\u001f\u007f-\u009f]/.test(value);
+}
+
+export function parseProviderMode(value: unknown): string | undefined {
+  if (value === undefined) return undefined;
+  if (!isProviderMode(value)) throw new Error("Provider mode must be a nonempty identifier of at most 240 characters without control characters");
+  return value;
+}
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/codex-acpx-driver.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/codex-acpx-driver.ts
index 2f1f885fffc..7eb07288a44 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/codex-acpx-driver.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/codex-acpx-driver.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { isProviderMode } from "../../contracts/provider-mode.js";
 import { cursorPlanToolIdentity, cursorToolExecutionId } from "./cursor-plan-tool-identity.js";
 import { createCursorToolEvidence, type CursorToolEvidence } from "./cursor-tool-evidence.js";
 import { requireAcpxResponseDelivery } from "./response-delivery.js";
@@ -143,7 +144,7 @@ export interface CodexAcpxDriverOptions {
   runtimeDirectory: string;
   model: string;
   permissionMode?: NativeAcpxPermissionMode;
-  cursorMode?: "agent" | "plan" | "ask";
+  mode?: string;
   providerPolicy?: { readOnly: boolean };
   runtimeContext?: OpenAcpxRuntimeHostOptions["runtimeContext"];
   systemInstructions?: string;
@@ -457,7 +458,7 @@ export class CodexAcpxDriver implements HarnessDriver {
         clientCapabilities: acpxProfileClientCapabilities(this.#options.agent ?? "codex"),
         model: this.#options.model,
         permissionMode: this.#options.permissionMode ?? "approve-all",
-        cursorMode: this.#options.cursorMode,
+        mode: this.#options.mode,
         providerPolicy: this.#options.providerPolicy,
         runtimeContext: this.#options.runtimeContext,
         systemInstructions: this.#options.systemInstructions,
@@ -1274,7 +1275,7 @@ class CodexAcpxSession implements HarnessSession {
         requestedModel: identity.requestedModel,
         effectiveModel: identity.effectiveModel,
         permissionMode: identity.permissionMode,
-        ...(identity.cursorMode === undefined ? {} : { cursorMode: identity.cursorMode }),
+        ...(identity.mode === undefined ? {} : { mode: identity.mode }),
         providerLifetimeFenceCandidates:
           identity.providerLifetimeFenceCandidates,
       },
@@ -2120,7 +2121,7 @@ function validateRecoverySnapshot(snapshot: PersistedHarnessSession): void {
       !["approve-all", "approve-paperclip", "approve-reads", "deny-all"].includes(
         identity.permissionMode,
       )) ||
-    (identity.cursorMode !== undefined && !["agent", "plan", "ask"].includes(identity.cursorMode)) ||
+    (identity.mode !== undefined && !isProviderMode(identity.mode)) ||
     !validProviderLifetimeFenceCandidates(
       identity.providerLifetimeFenceCandidates,
     )
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/codex-runtime-adapter.test.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/codex-runtime-adapter.test.ts
index 772161f82bb..dbeba649296 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/codex-runtime-adapter.test.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/codex-runtime-adapter.test.ts
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ describe("Codex ACPX runtime adapter", () => {
   });
   it.each(["plan", "ask"] as const)("admission explicitly selects %s and renews temporary command authority", async selected => {
     const runtime = fakeRuntime(); const options = openOptions(fakeCommand());
-    options.profile = { ...options.profile, agent: "cursor" }; options.cursorMode = selected;
+    options.profile = { ...options.profile, agent: "cursor" }; options.mode = selected;
     options.refreshConsumedCommand = vi.fn(async () => undefined);
     let created!: AcpRuntimeOptions;
     const binding = cursorInstructionBinding(options.systemInstructions);
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ describe("Codex ACPX runtime adapter", () => {
     });
     expect(vi.mocked(runtime.setConfigOption).mock.calls.map(([call]) => [call.key, call.value])).toEqual([["model", options.profile.reportedModelId], ["mode", selected]]);
     expect(options.refreshConsumedCommand).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
-    expect(await port.identity()).toMatchObject({ cursorMode: selected });
+    expect(await port.identity()).toMatchObject({ mode: selected });
     expect(runtime.startTurn).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     await port.close({ reason: "mode fixture cleanup" });
   });
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/codex-runtime-adapter.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/codex-runtime-adapter.ts
index a238e7222f5..088d098c1f7 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/codex-runtime-adapter.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/codex-runtime-adapter.ts
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ import type { AcpxModelStatus } from "./model-verification.js";
 import { AcpxApprovalRequiredError, decideAcpxPermission } from "./permission-policy.js";
 import { ACPX_CAPABILITY_PROFILES } from "./capability-profiles.js";
 import { admitCursorInstructions, createCursorInstructionAdmission } from "./cursor-instructions.js";
-import { createCursorModeAdmission, resolveCursorSessionMode } from "./cursor-mode.js";
+import { createAcpxModeBinding } from "./provider-mode.js";
 
 const VERIFIED_COMMAND_SENTINEL = "paperclip-verified-acpx-command";
 const DEFAULT_RUNTIME_CLOSE_TIMEOUT_MS = 2_000;
@@ -300,17 +300,16 @@ export async function openQualifiedAcpxRuntime(
     );
   };
   const commandLaunches = { count: 0, refreshConsumedCommand: options.refreshConsumedCommand };
-  const selectedCursorMode = resolveCursorSessionMode(options.profile.agent, options.cursorMode);
-  const cursorMode = selectedCursorMode ? createCursorModeAdmission(selectedCursorMode) : null;
+  const modeBinding = createAcpxModeBinding(options.profile.agent, options.mode);
   const cursorInstructions = options.profile.agent === "cursor"
     ? createCursorInstructionAdmission(options.systemInstructions)
     : null;
   const runtimeOptions: GoalAwareAcpRuntimeOptions = {
     cwd: options.cwd,
-    ...(cursorInstructions && cursorMode ? { protocolGuardFactory: () => {
-      const instructions = cursorInstructions.createGuard();
-      const mode = cursorMode.createGuard();
-      return (direction: "inbound" | "outbound", message: unknown) => { instructions(direction, message); mode(direction, message); };
+    ...(cursorInstructions || modeBinding ? { protocolGuardFactory: () => {
+      const instructions = cursorInstructions?.createGuard();
+      const mode = modeBinding?.createGuard();
+      return (direction: "inbound" | "outbound", message: unknown) => { instructions?.(direction, message); mode?.(direction, message); };
     } } : {}),
     sessionStore,
     agentRegistry: createRegistry({
@@ -473,11 +472,11 @@ export async function openQualifiedAcpxRuntime(
         },
       }),
     );
-  const handshake = (cursorInstructions
+  const handshake = (cursorInstructions || modeBinding
     ? ensuredSession.then(async (ensuredHandle) => {
         handle = ensuredHandle;
         options.signal?.throwIfAborted();
-        await admitCursorInstructions(cursorInstructions, {
+        if (cursorInstructions) await admitCursorInstructions(cursorInstructions, {
           providerSpawned: commandLaunches.count > 0,
           load: async () => {
             // A fresh ACPX manager may reuse a saved record without spawning.
@@ -498,11 +497,11 @@ export async function openQualifiedAcpxRuntime(
             await commandLaunches.refreshConsumedCommand?.();
           },
         });
-        if (cursorMode && !cursorMode.isReady()) {
-          if (!runtime.setConfigOption) throw new Error("Cursor mode admission requires native mode configuration");
-          await runtime.setConfigOption({ handle: ensuredHandle, key: "mode", value: selectedCursorMode! });
-          cursorInstructions.assertReady();
-          cursorMode.assertReady();
+        if (modeBinding && !modeBinding.isReady()) {
+          if (!runtime.setConfigOption) throw new Error("Provider mode admission requires native mode configuration");
+          await runtime.setConfigOption({ handle: ensuredHandle, key: modeBinding.configKey, value: modeBinding.selectedMode });
+          cursorInstructions?.assertReady();
+          modeBinding.assertReady();
           await children.verifyLifetimeOwnership();
           options.signal?.throwIfAborted();
           await commandLaunches.refreshConsumedCommand?.();
@@ -522,7 +521,7 @@ export async function openQualifiedAcpxRuntime(
       ? await raceRuntimeHandshakeWithAbort(boundedHandshake, options.signal)
       : await boundedHandshake;
     cursorInstructions?.assertReady();
-    cursorMode?.assertReady();
+    modeBinding?.assertReady();
     // A provider can answer only after the verified sentinel is armed, but do
     // not admit the session until the owner has observed that exact handoff.
     await children.verifyLifetimeOwnership();
@@ -577,7 +576,7 @@ export async function openQualifiedAcpxRuntime(
     return runtimePort(
       runtime,
       handle,
-      { ...requireIdentity(handle), ...(selectedCursorMode ? { cursorMode: selectedCursorMode } : {}) },
+      { ...requireIdentity(handle), ...(modeBinding ? { mode: modeBinding.selectedMode } : {}) },
       baseStore,
       children,
       runtimeCloseTimeoutMs,
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/cursor-mode.test.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/cursor-mode.test.ts
index 34b7fcb986b..1ed85b6b545 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/cursor-mode.test.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/cursor-mode.test.ts
@@ -12,11 +12,9 @@ function opened(expected: "agent" | "plan" | "ask", initial = expected) {
 }
 
 describe("Cursor native mode admission", () => {
-  it("defaults only Cursor and rejects unadmitted aliases and other providers", () => {
-    expect(resolveCursorSessionMode("cursor", undefined)).toBe("agent");
-    expect(resolveCursorSessionMode("codex", undefined)).toBeUndefined();
-    for (const mode of ["code", "architect", "search", "chat", "", null]) expect(() => resolveCursorSessionMode("cursor", mode)).toThrow();
-    expect(() => resolveCursorSessionMode("pi", "agent")).toThrow(/only supported/);
+  it("defaults Cursor and rejects unadmitted aliases", () => {
+    expect(resolveCursorSessionMode( undefined)).toBe("agent");
+    for (const mode of ["code", "architect", "search", "chat", "", null]) expect(() => resolveCursorSessionMode( mode)).toThrow();
   });
   it.each(["agent", "plan", "ask"] as const)("admits %s only after correlated native acknowledgements", expected => {
     const { admission, guard } = opened(expected);
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/cursor-mode.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/cursor-mode.ts
index 80b5de0189e..2213405be29 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/cursor-mode.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/cursor-mode.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,6 @@
 export type CursorSessionMode = "agent" | "plan" | "ask";
 
-export function resolveCursorSessionMode(agent: string, mode: unknown): CursorSessionMode | undefined {
-  if (agent !== "cursor") {
-    if (mode !== undefined) throw new Error("Cursor session mode is only supported by Cursor");
-    return undefined;
-  }
+export function resolveCursorSessionMode(mode: unknown): CursorSessionMode {
   if (mode === undefined) return "agent";
   if (mode !== "agent" && mode !== "plan" && mode !== "ask") throw new Error("Invalid Cursor session mode");
   return mode;
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/provider-mode.test.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/provider-mode.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..64135ddcd26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/provider-mode.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { parseProviderMode } from "../../contracts/provider-mode.js";
+import { createAcpxModeBinding, resolveAcpxProviderMode } from "./provider-mode.js";
+
+describe("provider-neutral mode transport and adapter admission", () => {
+  it.each(["agent", "plan", "ask", "architect", "custom/build"])("carries opaque mode %s without a vendor enum", mode => {
+    expect(parseProviderMode(mode)).toBe(mode);
+  });
+  it.each([null, 1, {}, "", " ", "x".repeat(241), "plan\0", "plan\n", "plan\u0085"])("rejects invalid mode %j", mode => {
+    expect(() => parseProviderMode(mode)).toThrow(/Provider mode/);
+  });
+  it("does not invent a mode for a provider without a mode adapter", () => {
+    expect(parseProviderMode(undefined)).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(resolveAcpxProviderMode("codex", undefined)).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(createAcpxModeBinding("codex", undefined)).toBeNull();
+    expect(() => resolveAcpxProviderMode("codex", "architect")).toThrow(/does not support configurable/);
+  });
+  it("lets Cursor own its default, vocabulary, and native admission", () => {
+    expect(resolveAcpxProviderMode("cursor", undefined)).toBe("agent");
+    expect(() => resolveAcpxProviderMode("cursor", "architect")).toThrow(/Invalid Cursor session mode/);
+    const binding = createAcpxModeBinding("cursor", "plan")!;
+    expect(binding.selectedMode).toBe("plan");
+    expect(binding.configKey).toBe("mode");
+    expect(binding.assertReady).toThrow(/native mode/);
+    const guard = binding.createGuard();
+    guard("outbound", { id: 1, method: "session/new", params: {} });
+    guard("inbound", { id: 1, result: { sessionId: "native", modes: { currentModeId: "plan" }, configOptions: [{ id: "mode", currentValue: "plan" }] } });
+    binding.assertReady();
+    expect(binding.isReady()).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/provider-mode.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/provider-mode.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..42b5c1c2a47
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/provider-mode.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+import { parseProviderMode } from "../../contracts/provider-mode.js";
+import { createCursorModeAdmission, resolveCursorSessionMode } from "./cursor-mode.js";
+
+interface ModeAdmission {
+  assertReady(): void;
+  isReady(): boolean;
+  createGuard(): (direction: "inbound" | "outbound", value: unknown) => void;
+}
+
+interface ProviderModeAdapter {
+  resolve(mode: unknown): string;
+  admit(mode: string): ModeAdmission;
+  configKey: string;
+}
+
+// This is an adapter capability registry, not a transport enum. An adapter
+// must qualify mode selection and native acknowledgement before registering.
+const adapters: Readonly<Record<string, ProviderModeAdapter | undefined>> = {
+  cursor: {
+    resolve: resolveCursorSessionMode,
+    admit: mode => createCursorModeAdmission(resolveCursorSessionMode(mode)),
+    configKey: "mode",
+  },
+};
+
+export function resolveAcpxProviderMode(agent: string, mode: unknown): string | undefined {
+  const identifier = parseProviderMode(mode);
+  const adapter = adapters[agent];
+  if (adapter) return adapter.resolve(identifier);
+  if (identifier !== undefined) throw new Error(`ACPX ${agent} does not support configurable native modes`);
+  return undefined;
+}
+
+export function createAcpxModeBinding(agent: string, mode: unknown) {
+  const selectedMode = resolveAcpxProviderMode(agent, mode);
+  if (selectedMode === undefined) return null;
+  const adapter = adapters[agent]!;
+  return { selectedMode, configKey: adapter.configKey, ...adapter.admit(selectedMode) };
+}
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/recovery-identity.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/recovery-identity.ts
index b6ec96b0d96..5a3f6c0172f 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/recovery-identity.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/recovery-identity.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { resolveCursorSessionMode, type CursorSessionMode } from "./cursor-mode.js";
+import { parseProviderMode } from "../../contracts/provider-mode.js";
 import { createHash } from "node:crypto";
 import { realpath, stat } from "node:fs/promises";
 import { dirname, join, resolve } from "node:path";
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ export interface AcpxRecoveryBinding {
   requestedModel: string;
   effectiveModel: string;
   permissionMode: NativeAcpxPermissionMode;
-  cursorMode?: CursorSessionMode;
+  mode?: string;
   profileSessionKey: string;
 }
 
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ export interface AcpxIdentityRecord {
   requestedModel: string;
   effectiveModel: string;
   permissionMode: NativeAcpxPermissionMode;
-  cursorMode?: CursorSessionMode;
+  mode?: string;
   providerLifetimeFenceCandidates: readonly [number, number, number];
 }
 
@@ -46,11 +46,11 @@ export async function createAcpxRecoveryBinding(input: {
   profile: QualifiedAcpxProfile;
   requestedModel: string;
   permissionMode: NativeAcpxPermissionMode;
-  cursorMode?: CursorSessionMode;
+  mode?: string;
   providerPolicy?: { readOnly: boolean; readRoots?: readonly string[]; protectedPaths?: readonly string[] };
 }): Promise<AcpxRecoveryBinding> {
   validateIdentity(input.normalizedSessionId, "normalized session");
-  const cursorMode = resolveCursorSessionMode(input.profile.agent, input.cursorMode);
+  const mode = parseProviderMode(input.mode);
   if (input.providerPolicy !== undefined && typeof input.providerPolicy.readOnly !== "boolean") throw new Error("ACPX recovery requires a valid task execution policy");
   if (input.requestedModel !== input.profile.qualificationModel) {
     throw new Error("ACPX recovery requested an unqualified model");
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ export async function createAcpxRecoveryBinding(input: {
       requestedModel: input.requestedModel,
       profileDigest,
       permissionMode: input.permissionMode,
-      ...(cursorMode ? { cursorMode } : {}),
+      ...(mode ? { mode } : {}),
     }),
   ).replace("sha256:", "paperclip-");
   return {
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ export async function createAcpxRecoveryBinding(input: {
     requestedModel: input.requestedModel,
     effectiveModel: input.requestedModel,
     permissionMode: input.permissionMode,
-    ...(cursorMode ? { cursorMode } : {}),
+    ...(mode ? { mode } : {}),
     profileSessionKey,
   };
 }
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ export function createAcpxIdentityRecord(
     requestedModel: binding.requestedModel,
     effectiveModel: binding.effectiveModel,
     permissionMode: binding.permissionMode,
-    ...(binding.cursorMode ? { cursorMode: binding.cursorMode } : {}),
+    ...(binding.mode ? { mode: binding.mode } : {}),
     providerLifetimeFenceCandidates: Object.freeze([
       ...expected.providerLifetimeFenceCandidates,
     ]) as readonly [number, number, number],
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ export function acpxProviderSessionIdentity(
     requestedModel: record.requestedModel,
     effectiveModel: record.effectiveModel,
     permissionMode: record.permissionMode,
-    ...(record.cursorMode ? { cursorMode: record.cursorMode } : {}),
+    ...(record.mode ? { mode: record.mode } : {}),
     providerLifetimeFenceCandidates: record.providerLifetimeFenceCandidates,
   };
   verifyExpectedAcpxIdentity(identity, binding, record);
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ export function verifyExpectedAcpxIdentity(
     expected.requestedModel !== binding.requestedModel ||
     expected.effectiveModel !== binding.effectiveModel ||
     expected.permissionMode !== binding.permissionMode ||
-    expected.cursorMode !== binding.cursorMode
+    expected.mode !== binding.mode
   ) {
     throw new Error(
       "ACPX recovery identity conflicts with the immutable session configuration",
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ export function verifyExpectedAcpxIdentity(
     record.requestedModel !== binding.requestedModel ||
     record.effectiveModel !== binding.effectiveModel ||
     record.permissionMode !== binding.permissionMode ||
-    record.cursorMode !== binding.cursorMode ||
+    record.mode !== binding.mode ||
     !sameFenceCandidates(
       record.providerLifetimeFenceCandidates,
       expected.providerLifetimeFenceCandidates,
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ function parsePersistedRecord(value: unknown): AcpxIdentityRecord {
     "requestedModel",
     "effectiveModel",
     "permissionMode",
-    "cursorMode",
+    "mode",
     "providerLifetimeFenceCandidates",
   ]);
   return validatedRecord(record);
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ function validatedRecord(value: Record<string, unknown>): AcpxIdentityRecord {
   if (!isPermissionMode(value.permissionMode)) {
     throw new Error("ACPX identity permission mode is invalid");
   }
-  if (value.cursorMode !== undefined) resolveCursorSessionMode("cursor", value.cursorMode);
+  if (value.mode !== undefined) parseProviderMode(value.mode);
   validateFenceCandidates(value.providerLifetimeFenceCandidates);
   return value as unknown as AcpxIdentityRecord;
 }
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ function validateExpected(expected: AcpxExpectedSessionIdentity): void {
   ) {
     throw new Error("Expected ACPX permission mode is invalid");
   }
-  if (expected.cursorMode !== undefined) resolveCursorSessionMode("cursor", expected.cursorMode);
+  if (expected.mode !== undefined) parseProviderMode(expected.mode);
   validateFenceCandidates(expected.providerLifetimeFenceCandidates);
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/runtime-host.test.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/runtime-host.test.ts
index 5ffb48ce5ae..e5825e3b38d 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/runtime-host.test.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/runtime-host.test.ts
@@ -198,13 +198,13 @@ describe("ACPX runtime host", () => {
   it.each([undefined, "plan", "ask"] as const)("requires observed Cursor mode %s in the host identity", async selected => {
     const fixture = await hostFixture();
     const mode = selected ?? "agent";
-    const options = { ...fixture.options, agent: "cursor" as const, model: "explicit-test-model", cursorMode: selected, permissionMode: "approve-all" as const, environment: { CURSOR_API_KEY: "test" } };
+    const options = { ...fixture.options, agent: "cursor" as const, model: "explicit-test-model", mode: selected, permissionMode: "approve-all" as const, environment: { CURSOR_API_KEY: "test" } };
     const openRuntime = vi.fn(async (launch: AcpxRuntimePortOpenOptions) => {
-      expect(launch.cursorMode).toBe(mode);
-      return runtimePort({ getStatus: async () => ({ models: { currentModelId: options.model } }), identity: async () => ({ acpxRecordId: "record-1", backendSessionId: "backend-1", agentSessionId: "agent-1", cursorMode: mode }) });
+      expect(launch.mode).toBe(mode);
+      return runtimePort({ getStatus: async () => ({ models: { currentModelId: options.model } }), identity: async () => ({ acpxRecordId: "record-1", backendSessionId: "backend-1", agentSessionId: "agent-1", mode: mode }) });
     });
     const host = await AcpxRuntimeHost.open(options, fixture.dependencies({ openRuntime }));
-    expect(host.identity().cursorMode).toBe(mode);
+    expect(host.identity().mode).toBe(mode);
     await host.close({ reason: "mode test complete" });
   });
 
@@ -213,10 +213,10 @@ describe("ACPX runtime host", () => {
     const port = runtimePort({ getStatus: async () => ({ models: { currentModelId: "explicit-test-model" } }) });
     const openRuntime = vi.fn(async () => port);
     const options = { ...fixture.options, agent: "cursor" as const, model: "explicit-test-model", permissionMode: "approve-all" as const, environment: { CURSOR_API_KEY: "test" } };
-    await expect(AcpxRuntimeHost.open(options, fixture.dependencies({ openRuntime }))).rejects.toThrow(/Cursor mode does not match/);
+    await expect(AcpxRuntimeHost.open(options, fixture.dependencies({ openRuntime }))).rejects.toThrow(/Provider mode does not match/);
     expect(port.close).toHaveBeenCalled();
     openRuntime.mockClear();
-    await expect(AcpxRuntimeHost.open({ ...options, agent: "codex", model: "gpt-5.6-sol", cursorMode: "plan" }, fixture.dependencies({ openRuntime }))).rejects.toThrow(/only supported/);
+    await expect(AcpxRuntimeHost.open({ ...options, agent: "codex", model: "gpt-5.6-sol", mode: "plan" }, fixture.dependencies({ openRuntime }))).rejects.toThrow(/does not support configurable/);
     expect(openRuntime).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/runtime-host.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/runtime-host.ts
index 937d0815b98..c1230c9394d 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/runtime-host.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/runtime-host.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { withAcpxTurnCancellation } from "./turn-cancellation.js";
-import { resolveCursorSessionMode, type CursorSessionMode } from "./cursor-mode.js";
+import { resolveAcpxProviderMode } from "./provider-mode.js";
 import { dirname, join } from "node:path";
 import { bindAcpxAgentFiles } from "./agent-files-binding.js";
 import { assertAcpxProfileEnvironment, assertAcpxProfileWorkspace, classifyAcpxProfileError, verifyAcpxProfileInstallation } from "./profile-installation.js";
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ const ACPX_ADMISSION_CLEANUP_RETRY_DELAY_MS = 10;
 const ACPX_ADMISSION_CLEANUP_RESCHEDULE_MS = 1_000;
 
 export interface AcpxRuntimePortIdentity {
-  cursorMode?: CursorSessionMode;
+  mode?: string;
   acpxRecordId: string;
   backendSessionId: string;
   agentSessionId: string;
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ export interface AcpxRuntimePortOpenOptions {
   stateDirectory: string;
   providerSessionKey: string;
   permissionMode: NativeAcpxPermissionMode;
-  cursorMode?: CursorSessionMode;
+  mode?: string;
   permissionPolicy: ReturnType<typeof acpxRuntimePermissionPolicy>;
   launchEnvironment: Readonly<NodeJS.ProcessEnv>;
   /** Kernel credential-home quorum inherited by the provider sentinel. */
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ export interface OpenAcpxRuntimeHostOptions {
   agent: QualifiedAcpxAgent;
   model: string;
   permissionMode: NativeAcpxPermissionMode;
-  cursorMode?: CursorSessionMode;
+  mode?: string;
   systemInstructions?: string;
   runtimeContext?: NativeRuntimeContextSnapshot | null;
   environment?: NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ export class AcpxRuntimeHost {
           profile,
           requestedModel: options.model,
           permissionMode: options.permissionMode,
-          cursorMode: resolveCursorSessionMode(options.agent, options.cursorMode),
+          mode: resolveAcpxProviderMode(options.agent, options.mode),
           ...(["cursor", "copilot", "pi"].includes(options.agent) && options.providerPolicy !== undefined
             ? { providerPolicy: options.providerPolicy } : {}),
         }),
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ export class AcpxRuntimeHost {
             stateDirectory: sandbox.stateDirectory,
             providerSessionKey: binding.profileSessionKey,
             permissionMode: binding.permissionMode,
-            cursorMode: binding.cursorMode,
+            mode: binding.mode,
             permissionPolicy: acpxRuntimePermissionPolicy(
               binding.permissionMode,
             ),
@@ -617,8 +617,8 @@ export class AcpxRuntimeHost {
           ),
         dependencies.retainAdmissionCleanup,
       );
-      if (runtimeIdentity.cursorMode !== binding.cursorMode) {
-        throw new Error("ACPX runtime Cursor mode does not match the admitted session configuration");
+      if (runtimeIdentity.mode !== binding.mode) {
+        throw new Error("ACPX runtime Provider mode does not match the admitted session configuration");
       }
       const observedIdentity: AcpxExpectedSessionIdentity = {
         kind: "acpx",
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/sidecar-protocol.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/sidecar-protocol.ts
index 6ff7fa153fd..6e457d35e2e 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/sidecar-protocol.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/sidecar-protocol.ts
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ export interface AcpxSidecarOpenParams {
   agent: QualifiedAcpxAgent;
   model: string;
   permissionMode: NativeAcpxPermissionMode;
-  cursorMode?: "agent" | "plan" | "ask";
+  mode?: string;
   permissionModePinned: boolean;
   providerPolicy?: { readOnly: boolean };
   systemInstructions: string;
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ export interface AcpxExpectedSessionIdentity {
   requestedModel: string;
   effectiveModel: string;
   permissionMode?: NativeAcpxPermissionMode;
-  cursorMode?: "agent" | "plan" | "ask";
+  mode?: string;
   providerLifetimeFenceCandidates: readonly [number, number, number];
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/codex/codex-app-server-driver.recovery.test.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/codex/codex-app-server-driver.recovery.test.ts
index a3dbd6302f9..dd18298fa6b 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/codex/codex-app-server-driver.recovery.test.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/codex/codex-app-server-driver.recovery.test.ts
@@ -194,11 +194,11 @@ describe("Codex app-server Codex driver", () => {
     },
   );
 
-  it.each([undefined, "agent", "plan", "ask"] as const)("persists and verifies the tagged runnerd provider identity including mode %s on recovery", async (cursorMode) => {
+  it.each([undefined, "agent", "plan", "ask"] as const)("persists and verifies the tagged runnerd provider identity including mode %s on recovery", async (mode) => {
     const providerIdentity = {
       kind: "acpx",
       normalizedSessionId: "normalized-tagged-recovery",
-      ...(cursorMode === undefined ? {} : { cursorMode }),
+      ...(mode === undefined ? {} : { mode }),
       acpxRecordId: "acpx-record-1",
       backendSessionId: "backend-session-1",
       agentSessionId: "agent-session-1",
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/codex/codex-driver-values.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/codex/codex-driver-values.ts
index 7bf5a954b13..fe52e695aa0 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/codex/codex-driver-values.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/codex/codex-driver-values.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { isProviderMode } from "../../contracts/provider-mode.js";
 import type { PersistedHarnessProviderIdentity } from "../../contracts/harness-driver.js";
 import type { NativeUserMessage } from "../../contracts/types.js";
 import {
@@ -78,9 +79,9 @@ export function parseProviderIdentity(
       "ACPX provider identity contains an invalid permission mode",
     );
   }
-  const cursorMode = identity.cursorMode;
-  if (cursorMode !== undefined && cursorMode !== "agent" && cursorMode !== "plan" && cursorMode !== "ask") {
-    throw new Error("ACPX provider identity contains an invalid Cursor mode");
+  const mode = identity.mode;
+  if (mode !== undefined && !isProviderMode(mode)) {
+    throw new Error("ACPX provider identity contains an invalid provider mode");
   }
   const fenceCandidates = identity.providerLifetimeFenceCandidates;
   if (
@@ -107,7 +108,7 @@ export function parseProviderIdentity(
     requestedModel: identity.requestedModel as string,
     effectiveModel: identity.effectiveModel as string,
     ...(permissionMode === undefined ? {} : { permissionMode }),
-    ...(cursorMode === undefined ? {} : { cursorMode }),
+    ...(mode === undefined ? {} : { mode }),
     providerLifetimeFenceCandidates: fenceCandidates as [
       number,
       number,
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/index.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/index.ts
index 9bc7f2af132..dab5f017581 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/index.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ export * from "./contracts/durable-recovery.js";
 export * from "./contracts/harness-driver.js";
 export * from "./contracts/local-runner.js";
 export * from "./contracts/native-execution.js";
+export * from "./contracts/provider-mode.js";
 export * from "./contracts/native-session-backend.js";
 export * from "./contracts/question-set.js";
 export * from "./contracts/runtime-context.js";
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/live/runnerd-codex-transport.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/live/runnerd-codex-transport.ts
index fc6d902d8aa..c9c0ff8bfff 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/live/runnerd-codex-transport.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/live/runnerd-codex-transport.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { resolveAcpxProviderMode } from "../drivers/acpx/provider-mode.js";
 import { isAcpxCanonicalInputMethod } from "../drivers/acpx/profile-extensions.js";
 import { RunnerdTraceFrameIndex } from "./runnerd-trace-frame-index.js";
 import { waitForWarmAttachmentReadiness } from "./warm-attachment-readiness.js";
@@ -1157,7 +1158,7 @@ export interface CapabilityRunnerdCodexTransportOptions {
   /** Explicit evaluation-only candidate selection, never derived from persisted session input. */
   acpxCandidateProfile?: "pi" | "cursor" | "copilot";
   acpxPermissionMode?: NativeAcpxPermissionMode;
-  acpxCursorMode?: "agent" | "plan" | "ask";
+  acpxMode?: string;
   acpxPermissionModePinned?: boolean;
   acpxSidecarPath?: string;
   /** SHA-256 verified by the provider-pack authority before runner startup. */
@@ -3511,10 +3512,10 @@ class DurablePrpCodexTransport implements CodexAppServerTransport {
   readonly #bridgedRuntimeInputs = new Map<string, { durableTurnId: string; permission?: boolean }>();
 
   constructor(readonly options: CapabilityRunnerdCodexTransportOptions) {
-    if (options.acpxCursorMode !== undefined && (options.provider !== "acpx" || options.acpxAgent !== "cursor"
-      || !["agent", "plan", "ask"].includes(options.acpxCursorMode))) {
-      throw new Error("acpxCursorMode must be agent, plan, or ask and is supported only for Cursor");
+    if (options.acpxMode !== undefined && options.provider !== "acpx") {
+      throw new Error("acpxMode requires the ACPX provider");
     }
+    if (options.provider === "acpx") resolveAcpxProviderMode(options.acpxAgent ?? "codex", options.acpxMode);
     if (options.adoptExistingRunner && !options.stateDirectory?.trim()) {
       throw new Error("native_adopted_runner_state_directory_required");
     }
@@ -4669,6 +4670,8 @@ class DurablePrpCodexTransport implements CodexAppServerTransport {
         );
       }
     }
+    const selectedAcpxMode = provider === "acpx"
+      ? resolveAcpxProviderMode(acpxProfile!.agent, this.options.acpxMode) : undefined;
     const completionContract = record(params.completionContract);
     const runAttachTemplate = {
       authorizedTools: this.#authorizedTools,
@@ -4701,7 +4704,7 @@ class DurablePrpCodexTransport implements CodexAppServerTransport {
               cwd: String(params.cwd ?? tmpdir()),
               instructions: baseInstructions,
               providerPolicy: { readOnly: params.permissions === "paperclip-runner-workspace-read-only" },
-              ...(acpxProfile!.agent === "cursor" ? { cursorMode: this.options.acpxCursorMode ?? "agent" } : {}),
+              ...(selectedAcpxMode === undefined ? {} : { mode: selectedAcpxMode }),
               permissionMode: resolveRunnerdAcpxPermissionMode(
                 this.options.acpxPermissionMode,
               ),
diff --git a/server/src/services/native-runtime/native-cursor-plan-wait.test.ts b/server/src/services/native-runtime/native-cursor-plan-wait.test.ts
index b9b21f6256a..d02ca7f82cd 100644
--- a/server/src/services/native-runtime/native-cursor-plan-wait.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/native-runtime/native-cursor-plan-wait.test.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { resolveQualifiedAcpxProfile, validatePrpStructuredRunResult } from "../
 import { buildQuestionResponseDeliveryEnvelope } from "../question-response-delivery.js";
 import { NATIVE_COMPLETION_CONTRACT_SCHEMA, NATIVE_COMPLETION_POLICY_VERSION } from "./completion-contracts.js";
 import { nativeSha256 } from "./canonical.js";
-import { nativeCursorPlanWaitFromFacts, type CursorPlanWaitFacts } from "./native-cursor-plan-wait.js";
+import { hasCommittedNativeCursorPlanWait, nativeCursorPlanWaitFromFacts, type CursorPlanWaitFacts } from "./native-cursor-plan-wait.js";
 
 function fixture(): CursorPlanWaitFacts {
   const b = { companyId: "company", issueId: "issue", agentId: "agent", runId: "run" };
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ function fixture(): CursorPlanWaitFacts {
   };
   return {
     binding: b,
-    run: { id: b.runId, companyId: b.companyId, agentId: b.agentId, nativeIssueId: b.issueId, runtimeMode: "native", runnerInstanceId: "instance", status: "running", completionContractId: "contract", completionContractSha256: contractSha, runnerProfileJson: { nativeExecutionInput: { binding: b, provider: { kind: "acpx", agent: "cursor", cursorMode: "plan", model: "gpt-5.6-luna[context=272k,reasoning=medium,fast=false]", profile: resolveQualifiedAcpxProfile("cursor", "gpt-5.6-luna[context=272k,reasoning=medium,fast=false]") }, session: { normalizedSessionId: "session" }, completionContract: { id: "contract", sha256: contractSha, contract } } } },
+    run: { id: b.runId, companyId: b.companyId, agentId: b.agentId, nativeIssueId: b.issueId, runtimeMode: "native", runnerInstanceId: "instance", status: "running", completionContractId: "contract", completionContractSha256: contractSha, runnerProfileJson: { nativeExecutionInput: { binding: b, provider: { kind: "acpx", agent: "cursor", mode: "plan", model: "gpt-5.6-luna[context=272k,reasoning=medium,fast=false]", profile: resolveQualifiedAcpxProfile("cursor", "gpt-5.6-luna[context=272k,reasoning=medium,fast=false]") }, session: { normalizedSessionId: "session" }, completionContract: { id: "contract", sha256: contractSha, contract } } } },
     contract: { id: "contract", ...contractMetadata, canonicalSha256: contractSha, contractJson: contract },
     events: [
       event(275, "runtime_request.created", { request: { schema: "paperclip.runtime_request.v2", status: "pending", type: "input", requestKind: "runtime", requestId: "request", turnId: "turn", itemId: "native-plan-tool", origin: { provider: "cursor", method: "cursor/create_plan", adapter: "acpx-runtime-sidecar" }, input } }),
@@ -100,6 +100,45 @@ describe("accepted Cursor plan passive-wait authority", () => {
     f.events.unshift(structuredClone(turnStart)); resequence(f);
     expect(nativeCursorPlanWaitFromFacts(f)).toBeNull();
   });
+  it("preserves an exact committed wait using the pre-release field without admitting new legacy waits", async () => {
+    const f = fixture();
+    f.run.status = "succeeded";
+    const proof = nativeCursorPlanWaitFromFacts(f)!;
+    const admission = (f.run.runnerProfileJson as any).nativeExecutionInput;
+    admission.provider.cursorMode = admission.provider.mode;
+    delete admission.provider.mode;
+    expect(nativeCursorPlanWaitFromFacts(f)).toBeNull();
+    const payload = (type: string) => (f.events.find(e => e.eventType === type)!.payload as any).prpEvent;
+    const { interaction, delivery } = f.interactions[0]!;
+    const toolBinding = { toolExecutionId: proof.source.toolExecutionId, toolLifecycleSha256: proof.source.toolLifecycleSha256 };
+    const source = { ...proof.source, authoritySha256: nativeSha256({ admission, contract: f.contract,
+      created: payload("runtime_request.created"), resolved: payload("runtime_request.resolved"), terminal: payload("turn.completed"),
+      interaction, delivery, resolvedAt: interaction.resolvedAt!.toISOString(), acknowledgedAt: delivery.acknowledgedAt!.toISOString(), toolBinding }) };
+    const resultJson = { result: proof.result, terminal: { schema: "paperclip.prp.terminal.v1", runTerminalState: "succeeded", turnTerminalState: "completed", reportedWorkDisposition: "yielded" } };
+    const canonicalSha256 = nativeSha256(resultJson);
+    const db = () => {
+      const rows = [
+        [{ decision: { decisionJson: { cursorPlanWait: source, cursorPlanWaitResult: { resultId: "result", resultSha256: canonicalSha256 } } },
+          result: { id: "result", canonicalSha256, completionContractId: source.contractId, turnId: source.turnId, resultJson } }],
+        [{ run: f.run, contract: f.contract }], f.events, f.interactions,
+        [{ ...f.run, createdAt: new Date(0) }], [interaction], [], [],
+      ];
+      return { select: () => {
+        const result = rows.shift();
+        const query: any = { from: () => query, innerJoin: () => query, where: () => query, orderBy: () => query, limit: () => Promise.resolve(result) };
+        return query;
+      } } as never;
+    };
+    expect(await hasCommittedNativeCursorPlanWait(db(), f.binding)).toBe(true);
+    // History is immutable: neither changing the old mode nor rewriting its
+    // field name may preserve the original acceptance authority.
+    admission.provider.cursorMode = "agent";
+    expect(await hasCommittedNativeCursorPlanWait(db(), f.binding)).toBe(false);
+    delete admission.provider.cursorMode;
+    admission.provider.mode = "plan";
+    expect(await hasCommittedNativeCursorPlanWait(db(), f.binding)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
   it("records the accepted revision and explicitly unfinished Plan-mode continuation", () => {
     const value = nativeCursorPlanWaitFromFacts(fixture());
     expect(value?.source).toMatchObject({ requestId: "request", planRevision: `plan-${"a".repeat(64)}`, terminalEventId: "instance:304", toolExecutionId: "native-plan-tool" });
@@ -179,7 +218,7 @@ describe("accepted Cursor plan passive-wait authority", () => {
     ["wrong task", (f: CursorPlanWaitFacts) => { f.run.nativeIssueId = "other"; }],
     ["failed run", (f: CursorPlanWaitFacts) => { f.run.status = "failed"; }],
     ["cancelled run", (f: CursorPlanWaitFacts) => { f.run.status = "cancelled"; }],
-    ["Agent mode", (f: CursorPlanWaitFacts) => { (f.run.runnerProfileJson as any).nativeExecutionInput.provider.cursorMode = "agent"; }],
+    ["Agent mode", (f: CursorPlanWaitFacts) => { (f.run.runnerProfileJson as any).nativeExecutionInput.provider.mode = "agent"; }],
     ["stale profile", (f: CursorPlanWaitFacts) => { (f.run.runnerProfileJson as any).nativeExecutionInput.provider.profile = { ...resolveQualifiedAcpxProfile("cursor", "gpt-5.6-luna[context=272k,reasoning=medium,fast=false]"), commandDigest: "old" }; }],
     ["changed contract policy", (f: CursorPlanWaitFacts) => { f.contract.policyVersion = "tampered-policy"; }],
     ["changed completion authority", (f: CursorPlanWaitFacts) => { f.contract.completionAuthority = "server_arbiter"; }],
diff --git a/server/src/services/native-runtime/native-cursor-plan-wait.ts b/server/src/services/native-runtime/native-cursor-plan-wait.ts
index b8fc138a546..0da1d726239 100644
--- a/server/src/services/native-runtime/native-cursor-plan-wait.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/native-runtime/native-cursor-plan-wait.ts
@@ -57,6 +57,13 @@ function isHistoricalUnboundWait(source?: NativeCursorPlanWaitSource): boolean {
   return source !== undefined && source.toolExecutionId === undefined && source.toolLifecycleSha256 === undefined;
 }
 
+// Pre-release records used a vendor-specific field. Only a previously committed
+// wait may read it; the unmodified admission remains bound to its original hash.
+function isPlanMode(provider: Record<string, any>, committed: boolean): boolean {
+  if (provider.mode !== undefined) return provider.mode === "plan" && provider.cursorMode === undefined;
+  return committed && provider.cursorMode === "plan";
+}
+
 /** Only committed native request/answer/normal-terminal facts can create this passive wait. */
 export function nativeCursorPlanWaitFromFacts(facts: CursorPlanWaitFacts) {
   return cursorPlanWaitFromFacts(facts);
@@ -75,7 +82,7 @@ function cursorPlanWaitFromFacts(facts: CursorPlanWaitFacts, committedSource?: N
       if (!["agent", "driverKind", "protocolVersion", "acpxVersion", "commandDigest", "agentProfileVersion", "agentServerPackage", "agentServerVersion", "agentRuntimePackage", "agentRuntimeVersion"].every(key => profile[key] === record(expected)[key])) return null;
     }
     if (run.id !== b.runId || run.companyId !== b.companyId || run.agentId !== b.agentId || run.nativeIssueId !== b.issueId || run.runtimeMode !== "native" || !["running", "succeeded"].includes(run.status) ||
-      !Object.entries(b).every(([key, value]) => record(admission.binding)[key] === value) || provider.kind !== "acpx" || provider.agent !== "cursor" || provider.cursorMode !== "plan" || typeof provider.model !== "string" || !provider.model.trim() ||
+      !Object.entries(b).every(([key, value]) => record(admission.binding)[key] === value) || provider.kind !== "acpx" || provider.agent !== "cursor" || !isPlanMode(provider, committedSource !== undefined) || typeof provider.model !== "string" || !provider.model.trim() ||
       record(admission.completionContract).id !== contract.id || record(admission.completionContract).sha256 !== contract.canonicalSha256 || nativeCompletionContractSha256(contract) !== contract.canonicalSha256 || run.completionContractId !== contract.id || run.completionContractSha256 !== contract.canonicalSha256 || !same(contract.contractJson, record(admission.completionContract).contract)) return null;
     const sessionId = record(admission.session).normalizedSessionId;
     if (typeof sessionId !== "string" || !sessionId || facts.events.length === 0 || facts.events.length > MAX_CONTROL_EVENTS + MAX_PROGRESS_EVENTS) return null;
@@ -187,7 +194,9 @@ async function readCursorPlanWaitProof(db: Db, binding: Binding, locked: boolean
     .innerJoin(issues, and(eq(issues.id, binding.issueId), eq(issues.companyId, binding.companyId), eq(issues.assigneeAgentId, binding.agentId)))
     .where(and(eq(heartbeatRuns.id, binding.runId), eq(heartbeatRuns.companyId, binding.companyId), eq(heartbeatRuns.agentId, binding.agentId), eq(heartbeatRuns.nativeIssueId, binding.issueId))).limit(1);
   const [row] = await (locked ? q.for("share", { noWait: true }) : q);
-  if (!row || record(record(row.run.runnerProfileJson).nativeExecutionInput).provider?.agent !== "cursor" || record(record(row.run.runnerProfileJson).nativeExecutionInput).provider?.cursorMode !== "plan") return null;
+  if (!row) return null;
+  const provider = record(record(record(row.run.runnerProfileJson).nativeExecutionInput).provider);
+  if (provider.agent !== "cursor" || !isPlanMode(provider, committedSource !== undefined)) return null;
   const eventTypes = isHistoricalUnboundWait(committedSource) ? LEGACY_EVENT_TYPES : EVENT_TYPES;
   const eventLimit = MAX_CONTROL_EVENTS + (isHistoricalUnboundWait(committedSource) ? 0 : MAX_PROGRESS_EVENTS) + 1;
   const eqs = db.select().from(heartbeatRunEvents).where(and(eq(heartbeatRunEvents.companyId, binding.companyId), eq(heartbeatRunEvents.runId, binding.runId), inArray(heartbeatRunEvents.eventType, eventTypes))).orderBy(asc(heartbeatRunEvents.seq)).limit(eventLimit);
diff --git a/server/src/services/native-runtime/native-execution-input.ts b/server/src/services/native-runtime/native-execution-input.ts
index 430c8d3e86f..a9bc3632417 100644
--- a/server/src/services/native-runtime/native-execution-input.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/native-runtime/native-execution-input.ts
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ export function buildNativeExecutionInput(input: {
   if (input.issue.workMode !== "standard" && input.issue.workMode !== "planning" && input.issue.workMode !== "ask") {
     throw new Error("native_execution_input_invalid: issue work mode must be standard, planning, or ask");
   }
-  const cursorMode = resolvePaperclipRunnerCursorMode(input.provider, input.acpxAgent, input.acpxSessionMode);
+  const mode = resolvePaperclipRunnerCursorMode(input.provider, input.acpxAgent, input.acpxSessionMode);
   const executionMode = input.executionMode
     ?? (input.issue.workMode === "planning" ? "plan" : "default");
   const acpxProfile = input.provider === "acpx"
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ export function buildNativeExecutionInput(input: {
           agent: acpxProfile!.agent,
           model: input.model,
           permissionMode: input.acpxPermissionMode ?? "approve-all",
-          ...(cursorMode === undefined ? {} : { cursorMode }),
+          ...(mode === undefined ? {} : { mode }),
           profile: {
             driverKind: acpxProfile!.driverKind,
             protocolVersion: acpxProfile!.protocolVersion,
diff --git a/server/src/services/native-runtime/native-session-executor.test.ts b/server/src/services/native-runtime/native-session-executor.test.ts
index 691a7a66501..2fd5e2bc2d1 100644
--- a/server/src/services/native-runtime/native-session-executor.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/native-runtime/native-session-executor.test.ts
@@ -1745,30 +1745,30 @@ describe("split durable provider checkpoint identity", () => {
       },
     }) as unknown as NativeExecutionInputV1;
 
-  it.each(["agent", "plan", "ask"] as const)("requires both persisted Cursor mode bindings for %s recovery", mode => {
+  it.each(["agent", "plan", "ask", "architect"] as const)("requires both persisted provider mode bindings for %s recovery", mode => {
     const profileDigest = `sha256:${"a".repeat(64)}`;
-    const input = execution({ kind: "acpx", agent: "cursor", model: "explicit-model", permissionMode: "approve-all", cursorMode: mode }, "acpx_runtime");
+    const input = execution({ kind: "acpx", agent: "cursor", model: "explicit-model", permissionMode: "approve-all", mode: mode }, "acpx_runtime");
     const identity = {
       kind: "acpx", normalizedSessionId: "native-session", acpxRecordId: "record",
       backendSessionId: "backend", agentSessionId: "agent-session", profileDigest,
       workspaceDigest: `sha256:${"b".repeat(64)}`, requestedModel: "explicit-model",
-      effectiveModel: "explicit-model", permissionMode: "approve-all", cursorMode: mode,
+      effectiveModel: "explicit-model", permissionMode: "approve-all", mode: mode,
       providerLifetimeFenceCandidates: [53001, 53002, 53003],
     };
     const state = {
       schema: "paperclip.runner.acpx-provider-state.v3", lifecycle: "suspended",
       activeTurnId: null, providerExitUnconfirmed: false,
       descriptor: { kind: "acpx", provider: "acpx", driver: "acpx_runtime", agent: "cursor",
-        model: "explicit-model", commandDigest: profileDigest, normalizedSessionId: "native-session", cursorMode: mode },
+        model: "explicit-model", commandDigest: profileDigest, normalizedSessionId: "native-session", mode: mode },
       identity,
     };
     expect(providerSessionIdentityFromDurableProviderState({ execution: input, providerState: state })).toMatchObject({ providerSessionIdentity: identity });
     for (const field of ["descriptor", "identity"] as const) {
       for (const wrong of [undefined, mode === "agent" ? "plan" : "agent"]) {
         const changed = structuredClone(state);
-        (changed[field] as Record<string, unknown>).cursorMode = wrong;
+        (changed[field] as Record<string, unknown>).mode = wrong;
         expect(providerSessionIdentityFromDurableProviderState({ execution: input, providerState: changed })).toEqual({ providerSessionId: null, providerBackendSessionId: null, providerSessionIdentity: null });
-        expect(durableProviderCheckpointFailureReason(input, changed)).toBe("cursor_mode_binding");
+        expect(durableProviderCheckpointFailureReason(input, changed)).toBe("mode_binding");
       }
     }
     const unsettled = { ...state, providerExitUnconfirmed: true, privateProviderData: "secret-canary" };
diff --git a/server/src/services/native-runtime/native-session-executor.ts b/server/src/services/native-runtime/native-session-executor.ts
index 6694b617e7b..5473f0cb12e 100644
--- a/server/src/services/native-runtime/native-session-executor.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/native-runtime/native-session-executor.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { isProviderMode } from "../../vendor/paperclip-runner/index.js";
 import { bundledRemoteProviderPackManifestPath, bundledRemoteRunnerBinary } from "../../vendor/paperclip-runner/index.js";
 import { nativeRetryCancellationEligible, rethrowNativeCancellationLockConflict, assertCancellationRequest, cancellationIntentId as callerCancellationIntentId, cancellationRequestId } from "./native-cancellation-request.js";
 import { readNativeCursorPlanWait } from "./native-cursor-plan-wait.js";
@@ -5496,7 +5497,7 @@ export function providerSessionIdentityFromDurableProviderState(input: {
         identity.requestedModel !== expectedModel ||
         identity.effectiveModel !== expectedModel ||
         identity.permissionMode !== input.execution.provider.permissionMode ||
-        !acpxRecoveryCursorModeMatches(input.execution.provider, descriptor.cursorMode, identity.cursorMode) ||
+        !acpxRecoveryModeMatches(input.execution.provider, descriptor.mode, identity.mode) ||
         !["approve-all", "approve-paperclip", "approve-reads", "deny-all"].includes(
           String(identity.permissionMode),
         ) ||
@@ -5589,22 +5590,19 @@ export function durableProviderCheckpointFailureReason(execution: NativeExecutio
   if (state.lifecycle !== "suspended") return "provider_not_suspended";
   if (state.providerExitUnconfirmed !== false) return "provider_exit_unconfirmed";
   if (state.activeTurnId !== null) return "provider_turn_unsettled";
-  if (!acpxRecoveryCursorModeMatches(execution.provider, record(state.descriptor).cursorMode, record(state.identity).cursorMode)) return "cursor_mode_binding";
+  if (!acpxRecoveryModeMatches(execution.provider, record(state.descriptor).mode, record(state.identity).mode)) return "mode_binding";
   return "identity_binding";
 }
 
 // Recovery consumes observed identities; it must never apply the fresh-config
-// default to a missing persisted mode or allow another provider to carry it.
-function acpxRecoveryCursorModeMatches(
+// default to a missing persisted mode. Provider capability checks belong to admission.
+function acpxRecoveryModeMatches(
   provider: NativeExecutionInput["provider"],
   ...observedModes: unknown[]
 ): boolean {
-  const expected = record(provider).cursorMode;
-  if (provider.kind === "acpx" && provider.agent === "cursor") {
-    return (expected === "agent" || expected === "plan" || expected === "ask")
-      && observedModes.every(mode => mode === expected);
-  }
-  return expected === undefined && observedModes.every(mode => mode === undefined);
+  const expected = record(provider).mode;
+  return (expected === undefined || isProviderMode(expected))
+    && observedModes.every(mode => mode === expected);
 }
 
 export function providerSessionIdentityTransitionIsAllowed(input: {
@@ -5612,10 +5610,10 @@ export function providerSessionIdentityTransitionIsAllowed(input: {
   previous: unknown;
   current: unknown;
 }): boolean {
-  if (input.execution.provider.kind === "acpx" && !acpxRecoveryCursorModeMatches(
+  if (input.execution.provider.kind === "acpx" && !acpxRecoveryModeMatches(
     input.execution.provider,
-    record(record(input.previous).providerSessionIdentity).cursorMode,
-    record(record(input.current).providerSessionIdentity).cursorMode,
+    record(record(input.previous).providerSessionIdentity).mode,
+    record(record(input.current).providerSessionIdentity).mode,
   )) return false;
   if (canonicalJson(input.previous) === canonicalJson(input.current)) {
     return true;
@@ -8440,7 +8438,7 @@ async function executePaperclipNativeSessionWithinScope(
               if (terminalEvent.eventType !== "turn.completed") return null;
               const governedWait = await resolvePendingGovernedWait();
               if (governedWait) return governedWait;
-              if (input.execution.provider.kind === "acpx" && input.execution.provider.agent === "cursor" && input.execution.provider.cursorMode === "plan") {
+              if (input.execution.provider.kind === "acpx" && input.execution.provider.agent === "cursor" && input.execution.provider.mode === "plan") {
                 const planWait = await readNativeCursorPlanWait(input.db, input.execution.binding);
                 if (planWait?.source.terminalEventId === terminalEvent.sourceEventId) return planWait.result;
               }
@@ -12589,7 +12587,7 @@ async function createRunnerdBackendWithinSessionClaim(
               // Read only the server operator environment, never agent/runtime env.
               acpxCandidateProfile: resolveAcpxQualification(input.execution.provider, process.env),
               acpxPermissionMode: input.execution.provider.permissionMode,
-              acpxCursorMode: input.execution.provider.cursorMode,
+              acpxMode: input.execution.provider.mode,
               acpxPermissionModePinned:
                 input.execution.schema === "paperclip.native-execution-input.v4" ||
                 input.execution.schema === "paperclip.native-execution-input.v5",
diff --git a/server/src/vendor/paperclip-runner/index.ts b/server/src/vendor/paperclip-runner/index.ts
index 5679d345b8d..79651c69a4e 100644
--- a/server/src/vendor/paperclip-runner/index.ts
+++ b/server/src/vendor/paperclip-runner/index.ts
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ export const parseCodexTurnDiff = runner.parseCodexTurnDiff;
 export const parseHarnessRuntimeRequestResolution =
   runner.parseHarnessRuntimeRequestResolution;
 export const parseNativeExecutionInput = runner.parseNativeExecutionInput;
+export const isProviderMode = runner.isProviderMode;
 export const parseNativeRuntimeContext = runner.parseNativeRuntimeContext;
 export const parsePaperclipQuestionSet = runner.parsePaperclipQuestionSet;
 export const parsePaperclipQuestionResponse =
diff --git a/tests/runner-e2e/cursor-native-flow.ts b/tests/runner-e2e/cursor-native-flow.ts
index d432a1af3aa..284830cd86c 100644
--- a/tests/runner-e2e/cursor-native-flow.ts
+++ b/tests/runner-e2e/cursor-native-flow.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export function hasCursorAcceptedPlanWait(state: { issue: Row; runs: Row[]; inte
   if (state.runs.length !== 1 || state.issue.status !== "in_progress" || state.interactions.some(card => card.status === "pending")) return false;
   const run = state.runs[0]!;
   return run.status === "succeeded" && run.runtimeMode === "native" && run.nativeIssueId === state.issue.id
-    && run.runnerProfileJson?.nativeExecutionInput?.provider?.cursorMode === "plan"
+    && run.runnerProfileJson?.nativeExecutionInput?.provider?.mode === "plan"
     && run.resultJson?.finalizationPhase === "committed"
     && run.resultJson?.finalizationReasonCode === "native_plan_accepted_waiting_for_continuation"
     && run.resultJson?.authoritativeDecision === "in_progress";