diff --git a/docs/architecture.md b/docs/architecture.md
index ae944b83..e00e11f0 100644
--- a/docs/architecture.md
+++ b/docs/architecture.md
@@ -824,12 +824,17 @@ the levers live in the chat template, reached through
   `true` — the same contract as the real lane's manual mode. ("Always
   on" / `thinking_mode = "adaptive"` instead always sends `true`: the
   model self-regulates, so the knob never force-disables — mirroring
-  the native adaptive branch.) Templates
-  with a graded effort key (gpt-oss-style) additionally set
-  `effort_param` (e.g. `"reasoning_effort"`), plus optional
-  `reasoning_effort_values` / `default_reasoning_effort` to validate
-  the knob before it reaches the template; without declared values the
-  knob is forwarded as-is. The knob is ordinal, and validation
+  the native adaptive branch.) The graded effort value always rides
+  alongside the toggle: under `effort_param` when the operator names
+  the template's key, else under the conventional fallback key
+  (`reasoning_effort`) on the anthropic-compatible lane — the user's
+  effort setting always reaches the wire, and a template that doesn't
+  reference the kwarg ignores it. On the openai-compatible lane the
+  undeclared-key case rides the flat top-level `reasoning_effort`
+  param instead (the documented compat field), forwarded verbatim.
+  Optional `reasoning_effort_values` / `default_reasoning_effort`
+  validate the knob before it reaches the server; without declared
+  values the knob is forwarded as-is. The knob is ordinal, and validation
   respects that: an off-list knob value rounds UP onto the declared
   list and a value above the ceiling rides the ceiling
   (`snap_reasoning_effort`) — asking for more effort than the model
@@ -858,7 +863,11 @@ the levers live in the chat template, reached through
   toggle unconditionally `true` whenever thinking mode was enabled. A
   stored per-model `reasoning_effort = "none"` now disables thinking
   on such models — pick any real level (or clear the override) to keep
-  it on.
+  it on. Also since 1.7.0a7 the effort level itself always reaches the
+  wire on the local lanes (previously dropped unless
+  `reasoning_effort_values` was declared): flat `reasoning_effort` on
+  openai-compatible, the `effort_param`-or-fallback template key on
+  anthropic-compatible when reasoning control is engaged.
 * **Operator pin (static).** Entries under `{"chat_template_kwargs":
   ...}` in the admin Models extra-body field ride the SDK's
   `extra_body` unconditionally and win over the knob mapping on key
diff --git a/tests/data/wire_payloads/google__mid_orphan.json b/tests/data/wire_payloads/google__mid_orphan.json
index fac861d4..dbb8d1ae 100644
--- a/tests/data/wire_payloads/google__mid_orphan.json
+++ b/tests/data/wire_payloads/google__mid_orphan.json
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
       "tool_call_id": "call_1"
     },
     {
-      "content": "Tool execution was cancelled. Outcome UNKNOWN \u2014 this call may have begun executing before the generation was stopped; do not assume it did not run, and reconcile before re-issuing it.",
+      "content": "Tool execution was cancelled. Outcome UNKNOWN — this call may have begun executing before the generation was stopped; do not assume it did not run, and reconcile before re-issuing it.",
       "role": "tool",
       "tool_call_id": "call_2"
     },
diff --git a/tests/data/wire_payloads/google__native_orphan.json b/tests/data/wire_payloads/google__native_orphan.json
index 90d7deef..28b66ea9 100644
--- a/tests/data/wire_payloads/google__native_orphan.json
+++ b/tests/data/wire_payloads/google__native_orphan.json
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
       ]
     },
     {
-      "content": "Tool execution was cancelled. Outcome UNKNOWN \u2014 this call may have begun executing before the generation was stopped; do not assume it did not run, and reconcile before re-issuing it.",
+      "content": "Tool execution was cancelled. Outcome UNKNOWN — this call may have begun executing before the generation was stopped; do not assume it did not run, and reconcile before re-issuing it.",
       "role": "tool",
       "tool_call_id": "call_1"
     }
diff --git a/tests/data/wire_payloads/google__trailing_orphan.json b/tests/data/wire_payloads/google__trailing_orphan.json
index 9196fe10..b3f8c734 100644
--- a/tests/data/wire_payloads/google__trailing_orphan.json
+++ b/tests/data/wire_payloads/google__trailing_orphan.json
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
       ]
     },
     {
-      "content": "Tool execution was cancelled. Outcome UNKNOWN \u2014 this call may have begun executing before the generation was stopped; do not assume it did not run, and reconcile before re-issuing it.",
+      "content": "Tool execution was cancelled. Outcome UNKNOWN — this call may have begun executing before the generation was stopped; do not assume it did not run, and reconcile before re-issuing it.",
       "role": "tool",
       "tool_call_id": "call_1"
     }
diff --git a/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__mid_orphan.json b/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__mid_orphan.json
index 7eee7ef2..1c7798c7 100644
--- a/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__mid_orphan.json
+++ b/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__mid_orphan.json
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
     }
   ],
   "model": "gpt-4o-mini",
+  "reasoning_effort": "medium",
   "stream": true,
   "stream_options": {
     "include_usage": true
diff --git a/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__multipart.json b/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__multipart.json
index ebc55c9e..87529228 100644
--- a/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__multipart.json
+++ b/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__multipart.json
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
     }
   ],
   "model": "gpt-4o-mini",
+  "reasoning_effort": "medium",
   "stream": true,
   "stream_options": {
     "include_usage": true
diff --git a/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__native_orphan.json b/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__native_orphan.json
index 880f52de..89a7f5a1 100644
--- a/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__native_orphan.json
+++ b/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__native_orphan.json
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
     }
   ],
   "model": "gpt-4o-mini",
+  "reasoning_effort": "medium",
   "stream": true,
   "stream_options": {
     "include_usage": true
diff --git a/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__native_reasoning.json b/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__native_reasoning.json
index b32d835a..79455343 100644
--- a/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__native_reasoning.json
+++ b/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__native_reasoning.json
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
     }
   ],
   "model": "gpt-4o-mini",
+  "reasoning_effort": "medium",
   "stream": true,
   "stream_options": {
     "include_usage": true
diff --git a/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__operator_system.json b/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__operator_system.json
index a8946b28..a94322f0 100644
--- a/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__operator_system.json
+++ b/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__operator_system.json
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
     }
   ],
   "model": "gpt-4o-mini",
+  "reasoning_effort": "medium",
   "stream": true,
   "stream_options": {
     "include_usage": true
diff --git a/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__text.json b/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__text.json
index 35540999..04d06adf 100644
--- a/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__text.json
+++ b/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__text.json
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
     }
   ],
   "model": "gpt-4o-mini",
+  "reasoning_effort": "medium",
   "stream": true,
   "stream_options": {
     "include_usage": true
diff --git a/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__toolcall_complete.json b/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__toolcall_complete.json
index d01cc694..f4bd0f30 100644
--- a/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__toolcall_complete.json
+++ b/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__toolcall_complete.json
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
     }
   ],
   "model": "gpt-4o-mini",
+  "reasoning_effort": "medium",
   "stream": true,
   "stream_options": {
     "include_usage": true
diff --git a/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__trailing_orphan.json b/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__trailing_orphan.json
index dfa8b38f..acf3315e 100644
--- a/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__trailing_orphan.json
+++ b/tests/data/wire_payloads/openai_chat__trailing_orphan.json
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
     }
   ],
   "model": "gpt-4o-mini",
+  "reasoning_effort": "medium",
   "stream": true,
   "stream_options": {
     "include_usage": true
diff --git a/tests/test_console_available_models.py b/tests/test_console_available_models.py
index fbf7337d..dcf72e6d 100644
--- a/tests/test_console_available_models.py
+++ b/tests/test_console_available_models.py
@@ -368,8 +368,8 @@ def test_effort_ladder_parses_string_capabilities(storage: SQLiteBackend) -> Non
     body = _get_models(_make_client(storage))
     ladder = {r["value"]: r["effective"] for r in body["models"][0]["effort_ladder"]}
     assert ladder["none"] == "off"
-    assert ladder["medium"] == "on"
-    assert ladder["max"] == "on"
+    assert ladder["medium"] == "on+medium"
+    assert ladder["max"] == "on+max"
 
 
 def test_effort_ladder_key_survives_malformed_capabilities(
diff --git a/tests/test_console_effort_ladder.py b/tests/test_console_effort_ladder.py
index 56fcdc41..13911240 100644
--- a/tests/test_console_effort_ladder.py
+++ b/tests/test_console_effort_ladder.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ def test_valid_request_returns_ladder() -> None:
     assert resp.status_code == 200, resp.text
     ladder = {r["value"]: r["effective"] for r in resp.json()["ladder"]}
     assert ladder["none"] == "off"
-    assert ladder["high"] == "on"
+    assert ladder["high"] == "on+high"
 
 
 def test_api_surface_switches_projection() -> None:
diff --git a/tests/test_effort_ladder.py b/tests/test_effort_ladder.py
index 5bfbc3b5..b90ef0ed 100644
--- a/tests/test_effort_ladder.py
+++ b/tests/test_effort_ladder.py
@@ -21,12 +21,17 @@ def _as_map(ladder: list[dict[str, str]]) -> dict[str, str]:
 
 
 class TestLocalLanes:
-    def test_qwen_style_toggle_only_two_groups(self) -> None:
-        """Toggle-only model: none=off, everything else one 'on' group."""
+    def test_toggle_engaged_carries_graded_value_per_position(self) -> None:
+        """No declared effort key: the toggle rides the knob AND the graded
+        value is forwarded under the fallback template key — the user's
+        effort setting always reaches the wire (a template that doesn't
+        reference the kwarg ignores it), so every position is distinct."""
         caps = ModelCapabilities(thinking_mode="manual", thinking_param="enable_thinking")
         eff = _as_map(effort_ladder("anthropic-compatible", caps))
         assert eff["none"] == "off"
-        assert {eff[k] for k in KNOB_VALUES if k != "none"} == {"on"}
+        assert eff["minimal"] == "on+minimal"
+        assert eff["max"] == "on+max"
+        assert len({eff[k] for k in KNOB_VALUES}) == len(KNOB_VALUES)
 
     def test_freeform_effort_param_forwards_each_value(self) -> None:
         """deepseek-style config: toggle + verbatim effort per position."""
diff --git a/tests/test_effort_ladder_wire_parity.py b/tests/test_effort_ladder_wire_parity.py
index 29c0f3c4..d3a1064d 100644
--- a/tests/test_effort_ladder_wire_parity.py
+++ b/tests/test_effort_ladder_wire_parity.py
@@ -37,7 +37,10 @@ import pytest
 
 from tests._wire_capture import RecordingClient
 from turnstone.core.providers import create_provider
-from turnstone.core.providers._protocol import ModelCapabilities
+from turnstone.core.providers._protocol import (
+    EFFORT_TEMPLATE_FALLBACK_PARAM,
+    ModelCapabilities,
+)
 from turnstone.core.providers.effort_ladder import KNOB_VALUES, effort_ladder
 
 # Above the largest manual-mode thinking budget (max: 65536) so the
@@ -271,14 +274,21 @@ def _wire_payload(shape: Shape, knob: str) -> dict[str, Any]:
     return dict(client.captured["payload"])
 
 
-def _effort_wire_subset(payload: dict[str, Any], caps: ModelCapabilities) -> dict[str, Any]:
+def _effort_wire_subset(payload: dict[str, Any], shape: Shape) -> dict[str, Any]:
     """Every effort-related lever in *payload*, normalized across lanes.
 
     Keys: ``thinking`` (native Anthropic param), ``output_effort``
     (Anthropic ``output_config.effort``), ``flat`` (Chat Completions
     ``reasoning_effort`` / Responses ``reasoning.effort``), ``toggle``
-    and ``template_effort`` (``extra_body.chat_template_kwargs``).
+    and ``template_effort`` (``extra_body.chat_template_kwargs`` — the
+    graded key is ``caps.effort_param``, else the fallback template key
+    on the anthropic-compatible lane, whose only effort channel is the
+    template).
     """
+    caps = shape.caps
+    effort_key = caps.effort_param or (
+        EFFORT_TEMPLATE_FALLBACK_PARAM if shape.provider == "anthropic-compatible" else ""
+    )
     subset: dict[str, Any] = {}
     if "thinking" in payload:
         subset["thinking"] = payload["thinking"]
@@ -293,13 +303,13 @@ def _effort_wire_subset(payload: dict[str, Any], caps: ModelCapabilities) -> dic
     extra_body = payload.get("extra_body")
     ctk = extra_body.get("chat_template_kwargs") if isinstance(extra_body, dict) else None
     if isinstance(ctk, dict):
-        known = {caps.thinking_param, caps.effort_param} - {""}
+        known = {caps.thinking_param, effort_key} - {""}
         unexpected = set(ctk) - known
         assert not unexpected, f"unexpected chat_template_kwargs keys: {unexpected}"
         if caps.thinking_param in ctk:
             subset["toggle"] = ctk[caps.thinking_param]
-        if caps.effort_param and caps.effort_param in ctk:
-            subset["template_effort"] = ctk[caps.effort_param]
+        if effort_key and effort_key in ctk:
+            subset["template_effort"] = ctk[effort_key]
     return subset
 
 
@@ -350,12 +360,12 @@ def _decode_template(provider: str, caps: ModelCapabilities, token: str) -> dict
         parts = parts[1:]
     if parts:
         assert len(parts) == 1, f"unparseable ladder token: {token!r}"
-        if caps.effort_param:
+        if caps.effort_param or provider == "anthropic-compatible":
+            # Declared graded key, or the anthropic-compatible fallback
+            # template key — that lane has no flat channel, so a graded
+            # part there is always template-borne.
             expected["template_effort"] = parts[0]
         else:
-            # The anthropic-compatible lane has no flat channel, so a
-            # bare effort part there could only be the template key.
-            assert provider != "anthropic-compatible", token
             expected["flat"] = parts[0]
     return expected
 
@@ -372,7 +382,7 @@ def test_ladder_tokens_match_wire(shape: Shape) -> None:
     assert [row["value"] for row in ladder] == list(KNOB_VALUES)
     for row in ladder:
         knob, token = row["value"], row["effective"]
-        observed = _effort_wire_subset(_wire_payload(shape, knob), shape.caps)
+        observed = _effort_wire_subset(_wire_payload(shape, knob), shape)
         expected = _decode_token(shape, token)
         assert observed == expected, (
             f"{shape.id}/knob={knob}: ladder says {token!r} which decodes to "
@@ -387,9 +397,7 @@ def test_equal_tokens_iff_equal_wire(shape: Shape) -> None:
         row["value"]: row["effective"]
         for row in effort_ladder(shape.provider, shape.caps, shape.api_surface)
     }
-    subsets = {
-        knob: _effort_wire_subset(_wire_payload(shape, knob), shape.caps) for knob in KNOB_VALUES
-    }
+    subsets = {knob: _effort_wire_subset(_wire_payload(shape, knob), shape) for knob in KNOB_VALUES}
     for a, b in itertools.combinations(KNOB_VALUES, 2):
         same_token = tokens[a] == tokens[b]
         same_wire = subsets[a] == subsets[b]
diff --git a/tests/test_provider_anthropic_compat.py b/tests/test_provider_anthropic_compat.py
index 86b65686..3f7b7746 100644
--- a/tests/test_provider_anthropic_compat.py
+++ b/tests/test_provider_anthropic_compat.py
@@ -217,27 +217,39 @@ class TestCompatReasoningControl:
         return client.messages.stream.call_args[1]
 
     def test_manual_toggle_on(self) -> None:
-        """Any non-none effort turns the template toggle on; wire stays clean."""
+        """Any non-none effort turns the toggle on AND carries the graded
+        value under the fallback key — the user's effort setting always
+        reaches the wire; a template that doesn't reference the kwarg
+        ignores it."""
         kwargs = self._stream_kwargs(self._MANUAL_CAPS, "medium")
-        assert kwargs["extra_body"] == {"chat_template_kwargs": {"enable_thinking": True}}
+        assert kwargs["extra_body"] == {
+            "chat_template_kwargs": {"enable_thinking": True, "reasoning_effort": "medium"}
+        }
         assert "thinking" not in kwargs
         assert kwargs["temperature"] == 0.6  # never forced to 1.0 on compat
 
     @pytest.mark.parametrize("knob", ["none", ""])
     def test_manual_toggle_off(self, knob: str) -> None:
-        """Effort "none"/empty disables thinking — native manual-mode parity."""
+        """Effort "none"/empty disables thinking — native manual-mode parity;
+        no effort key rides when thinking is off."""
         kwargs = self._stream_kwargs(self._MANUAL_CAPS, knob)
         assert kwargs["extra_body"] == {"chat_template_kwargs": {"enable_thinking": False}}
         assert "thinking" not in kwargs
 
     def test_adaptive_always_on(self) -> None:
-        """Adaptive never knob-disables — native-adaptive contract, no native dict."""
+        """Adaptive never knob-disables — native-adaptive contract, no native
+        dict; the graded value rides for on-positions only."""
         caps = dataclasses.replace(self._MANUAL_CAPS, thinking_mode="adaptive")
-        for knob in ("high", "none"):
-            kwargs = self._stream_kwargs(caps, knob)
-            assert kwargs["extra_body"] == {"chat_template_kwargs": {"enable_thinking": True}}
-            assert "thinking" not in kwargs
-            assert kwargs["temperature"] == 0.6
+        kwargs = self._stream_kwargs(caps, "high")
+        assert kwargs["extra_body"] == {
+            "chat_template_kwargs": {"enable_thinking": True, "reasoning_effort": "high"}
+        }
+        assert "thinking" not in kwargs
+        assert kwargs["temperature"] == 0.6
+        kwargs = self._stream_kwargs(caps, "none")
+        assert kwargs["extra_body"] == {"chat_template_kwargs": {"enable_thinking": True}}
+        assert "thinking" not in kwargs
+        assert kwargs["temperature"] == 0.6
 
     def test_default_caps_inject_nothing(self) -> None:
         """Untouched compat defaults (thinking_mode=none) keep today's wire."""
@@ -305,7 +317,9 @@ class TestCompatReasoningControl:
         )
         kwargs = self._stream_kwargs(caps, "high")
         assert "output_config" not in kwargs
-        assert kwargs["extra_body"] == {"chat_template_kwargs": {"enable_thinking": True}}
+        assert kwargs["extra_body"] == {
+            "chat_template_kwargs": {"enable_thinking": True, "reasoning_effort": "high"}
+        }
 
     def test_create_completion_same_injection(self) -> None:
         """The non-streaming path shares _build_thinking_and_kwargs."""
diff --git a/tests/test_providers.py b/tests/test_providers.py
index 1a4a842f..e6a88338 100644
--- a/tests/test_providers.py
+++ b/tests/test_providers.py
@@ -2095,13 +2095,19 @@ class TestOpenAIParameterGating:
     def setup_method(self) -> None:
         self.provider = OpenAIProvider()
 
-    def test_unknown_model_no_reasoning_effort(self) -> None:
-        """Unknown/local models should NOT receive top-level reasoning_effort."""
+    def test_local_model_effort_forwarded_verbatim(self) -> None:
+        """Local-lane models receive the session knob verbatim on the flat
+        param (effort_passthrough) — the user's effort setting always
+        reaches the wire; "none" stays omitted (nothing to disable
+        beyond the template toggle)."""
         caps = self.provider.get_capabilities("my-local-model")
         kwargs: dict[str, Any] = {}
         apply_temperature_and_effort(kwargs, caps, temperature=0.7, reasoning_effort="medium")
-        assert "reasoning_effort" not in kwargs
+        assert kwargs["reasoning_effort"] == "medium"
         assert kwargs["temperature"] == 0.7
+        kwargs = {}
+        apply_temperature_and_effort(kwargs, caps, temperature=0.7, reasoning_effort="none")
+        assert "reasoning_effort" not in kwargs
 
     def test_gpt5_no_temperature_has_reasoning_effort(self) -> None:
         """GPT-5 base: no temperature, reasoning_effort sent."""
diff --git a/tests/test_wire_payload_golden.py b/tests/test_wire_payload_golden.py
index 29db66df..160b9508 100644
--- a/tests/test_wire_payload_golden.py
+++ b/tests/test_wire_payload_golden.py
@@ -85,7 +85,10 @@ def _assert_golden(name: str, payload: dict[str, Any]) -> None:
     norm = _normalize(payload)
     if _UPDATE:
         GOLDEN_DIR.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
-        path.write_text(json.dumps(norm, indent=2, sort_keys=True) + "\n")
+        # ensure_ascii=False keeps non-ASCII (em dashes in repair
+        # messages) literal, matching the existing baselines — a regen
+        # must not churn unrelated lines into \uXXXX escapes.
+        path.write_text(json.dumps(norm, indent=2, sort_keys=True, ensure_ascii=False) + "\n")
         return
     assert path.exists(), f"missing golden {name!r}; run UPDATE_WIRE_GOLDENS=1 to baseline"
     assert norm == json.loads(path.read_text()), f"wire-payload drift for {name!r}"
diff --git a/turnstone/core/providers/_anthropic.py b/turnstone/core/providers/_anthropic.py
index 792e1d05..f39ca8d6 100644
--- a/turnstone/core/providers/_anthropic.py
+++ b/turnstone/core/providers/_anthropic.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any
 
 from turnstone.core.attachments import safe_attachment_label
 from turnstone.core.providers._protocol import (
+    EFFORT_TEMPLATE_FALLBACK_PARAM,
     CompletionResult,
     ModelCapabilities,
     StreamChunk,
@@ -420,8 +421,17 @@ class AnthropicProvider:
             # schema (silently dropped) and must not have temperature forced
             # to 1.0 — reasoning control rides chat_template_kwargs instead,
             # folded into extra_params here so the extra_body forwarding
-            # below carries it to the wire.
-            extra_params = merge_reasoning_template_kwargs(caps, reasoning_effort, extra_params)
+            # below carries it to the wire.  This lane has no flat effort
+            # param, so the graded value falls back to the conventional
+            # template key when the operator engaged reasoning control
+            # without naming one — the session effort setting always
+            # reaches the wire.
+            extra_params = merge_reasoning_template_kwargs(
+                caps,
+                reasoning_effort,
+                extra_params,
+                fallback_effort_param=EFFORT_TEMPLATE_FALLBACK_PARAM,
+            )
         elif caps.thinking_mode == "adaptive":
             thinking_dict: dict[str, Any] = {"type": "adaptive"}
             if caps.thinking_display:
diff --git a/turnstone/core/providers/_openai_common.py b/turnstone/core/providers/_openai_common.py
index 32c54b98..69886e39 100644
--- a/turnstone/core/providers/_openai_common.py
+++ b/turnstone/core/providers/_openai_common.py
@@ -291,12 +291,17 @@ OPENAI_DEFAULT = ModelCapabilities()
 # collision with a cloud model id ("gpt-5.5-my-finetune", "o3-distill")
 # would inherit that model's sampling and effort contract, none of which
 # holds for the box actually serving the name.  Every local model gets
-# the plain dataclass defaults — the same fallthrough unmatched names
-# always got — and anything beyond them is declared by the operator on
+# the plain dataclass defaults plus ``effort_passthrough`` — the session
+# effort knob is forwarded verbatim on the flat ``reasoning_effort``
+# param (the documented compat field; tolerant servers ignore it, vLLM
+# maps it into the template where supported) unless the operator
+# declares ``reasoning_effort_values`` (then the ordinal snap applies)
+# or an ``effort_param`` (then the template channel claims the value
+# and the flat param is suppressed).  Everything else is declared on
 # the model definition (capabilities JSON + server_compat), mirroring
 # ``_ANTHROPIC_COMPAT_DEFAULT`` and ``lookup_model_capabilities``'s
 # "no static table for local models" contract.
-OPENAI_COMPAT_DEFAULT = ModelCapabilities()
+OPENAI_COMPAT_DEFAULT = ModelCapabilities(effort_passthrough=True)
 
 
 def lookup_openai_capabilities(model: str) -> ModelCapabilities:
diff --git a/turnstone/core/providers/_protocol.py b/turnstone/core/providers/_protocol.py
index 756b83ff..cc723b6d 100644
--- a/turnstone/core/providers/_protocol.py
+++ b/turnstone/core/providers/_protocol.py
@@ -95,6 +95,13 @@ class ModelCapabilities:
     effort_levels: tuple[str, ...] = ()
     reasoning_effort_values: tuple[str, ...] = ()
     default_reasoning_effort: str = "medium"
+    # Local-lane contract: with NO declared ``reasoning_effort_values``
+    # the session knob is forwarded VERBATIM instead of omitted — the
+    # user's effort setting always reaches the wire, and the serving
+    # box is the authority on what it means.  Commercial rows leave
+    # this False: there, an empty values list means the model has no
+    # effort control at all (o1-mini) and the param must be omitted.
+    effort_passthrough: bool = False
     supports_web_search: bool = False
     supports_tool_search: bool = False
     supports_vision: bool = False
@@ -191,8 +198,18 @@ def resolve_reasoning_effort(caps: ModelCapabilities, reasoning_effort: str) ->
     charge of a knob that promises off.  Models without a declared
     ``"none"`` get the param omitted, and ``"none"`` is never a snap
     target for other knob positions.
+
+    With no declared values, ``caps.effort_passthrough`` (local lanes)
+    forwards the knob verbatim — the user's effort setting always
+    reaches the wire and the serving box decides what it means; without
+    the flag an empty list means "no effort control" and the param is
+    omitted (commercial rows).
     """
-    if not caps.reasoning_effort_values or not reasoning_effort:
+    if not reasoning_effort:
+        return None
+    if not caps.reasoning_effort_values:
+        if caps.effort_passthrough and reasoning_effort != "none":
+            return reasoning_effort
         return None
     if reasoning_effort == "none":
         return "none" if "none" in caps.reasoning_effort_values else None
@@ -222,21 +239,35 @@ def flat_effort_suppressed(caps: ModelCapabilities) -> bool:
     return bool(caps.effort_param)
 
 
+# Default chat-template key for the graded effort value on lanes whose
+# ONLY effort channel is ``chat_template_kwargs`` (anthropic-compatible —
+# vLLM's /v1/messages schema has no flat ``reasoning_effort`` param).
+# Injected when the operator engaged template reasoning control
+# (thinking_mode manual/adaptive) without naming an effort key: the
+# user's effort setting must reach the wire regardless, a template that
+# doesn't reference the kwarg ignores it, and ``caps.effort_param``
+# overrides the name for templates that grade under something else
+# (e.g. "reasoning").
+EFFORT_TEMPLATE_FALLBACK_PARAM = "reasoning_effort"
+
+
 def reasoning_template_kwargs(
     caps: ModelCapabilities,
     reasoning_effort: str,
+    *,
+    fallback_effort_param: str = "",
 ) -> dict[str, Any]:
     """``chat_template_kwargs`` entries carrying reasoning control.
 
     On local model servers the reasoning levers live in the chat template:
-    a boolean toggle (``caps.thinking_param``) and an optional graded
-    effort key (``caps.effort_param``, gpt-oss-style templates).  The
-    session effort knob drives both, mirroring the native Anthropic
-    contracts: ``"manual"`` maps ``"none"``/empty to an explicit
-    ``false`` (``_reasoning_params`` parity — the knob is the switch),
-    while ``"adaptive"`` always sends ``true`` (the model self-regulates;
-    the native adaptive branch never lets the knob force-disable
-    thinking).  The effort value is validated via
+    a boolean toggle (``caps.thinking_param``) and a graded effort key
+    (``caps.effort_param``, else *fallback_effort_param* on lanes with no
+    flat effort channel).  The session effort knob drives both, mirroring
+    the native Anthropic contracts: ``"manual"`` maps ``"none"``/empty to
+    an explicit ``false`` (``_reasoning_params`` parity — the knob is the
+    switch), while ``"adaptive"`` always sends ``true`` (the model
+    self-regulates; the native adaptive branch never lets the knob
+    force-disable thinking).  The effort value is validated via
     ``resolve_reasoning_effort`` when the model declares
     ``reasoning_effort_values`` (off-list knob values round up onto the
     declared list, capped at its ceiling); with no declared values the
@@ -249,14 +280,21 @@ def reasoning_template_kwargs(
         updates[caps.thinking_param] = effort_on
     elif caps.thinking_mode == "adaptive":
         updates[caps.thinking_param] = True
-    if caps.effort_param and effort_on:
+    # A declared effort_param is an operator opt-in at any thinking_mode
+    # (gpt-oss-style boxes grade without a toggle).  The FALLBACK key
+    # rides only when template reasoning control is engaged — a
+    # thinking_mode="none" box keeps its inject-nothing contract.
+    effort_param = caps.effort_param or (
+        fallback_effort_param if caps.thinking_mode in ("manual", "adaptive") else ""
+    )
+    if effort_param and effort_on:
         effort = (
             resolve_reasoning_effort(caps, reasoning_effort)
             if caps.reasoning_effort_values
             else reasoning_effort
         )
         if effort:
-            updates[caps.effort_param] = effort
+            updates[effort_param] = effort
     return updates
 
 
@@ -264,6 +302,8 @@ def merge_reasoning_template_kwargs(
     caps: ModelCapabilities,
     reasoning_effort: str,
     extra_params: dict[str, Any] | None,
+    *,
+    fallback_effort_param: str = "",
 ) -> dict[str, Any] | None:
     """Merge ``reasoning_template_kwargs`` into a copy of the extra params.
 
@@ -274,7 +314,9 @@ def merge_reasoning_template_kwargs(
     ``server_compat`` pin beats the knob mapping.  The caller's dict
     (and its ``chat_template_kwargs`` sub-dict) is never mutated.
     """
-    updates = reasoning_template_kwargs(caps, reasoning_effort)
+    updates = reasoning_template_kwargs(
+        caps, reasoning_effort, fallback_effort_param=fallback_effort_param
+    )
     if not updates:
         return dict(extra_params) if extra_params else extra_params
     merged = dict(extra_params) if extra_params else {}
diff --git a/turnstone/core/providers/effort_ladder.py b/turnstone/core/providers/effort_ladder.py
index c89c44f4..0fe054fb 100644
--- a/turnstone/core/providers/effort_ladder.py
+++ b/turnstone/core/providers/effort_ladder.py
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ from turnstone.core.providers._anthropic import (
     _map_reasoning_to_effort,
 )
 from turnstone.core.providers._protocol import (
+    EFFORT_TEMPLATE_FALLBACK_PARAM,
     ModelCapabilities,
     flat_effort_suppressed,
     reasoning_template_kwargs,
@@ -151,12 +152,17 @@ def _effective_anthropic(caps: ModelCapabilities, knob: str) -> str:
 
 def _effective_local(provider_name: str, caps: ModelCapabilities, knob: str) -> str:
     """Chat lanes — mirrors ``merge_reasoning_template_kwargs`` (+ flat param)."""
-    updates = reasoning_template_kwargs(caps, knob)
+    # The anthropic-compatible request path passes the fallback effort
+    # key (its only effort channel is chat_template_kwargs); the chat
+    # lanes carry effort on the flat param instead.
+    fallback = EFFORT_TEMPLATE_FALLBACK_PARAM if provider_name == "anthropic-compatible" else ""
+    updates = reasoning_template_kwargs(caps, knob, fallback_effort_param=fallback)
+    effort_param = caps.effort_param or fallback
     parts: list[str] = []
     if caps.thinking_param in updates:
         parts.append("on" if updates[caps.thinking_param] else "off")
-    if caps.effort_param and caps.effort_param in updates:
-        parts.append(str(updates[caps.effort_param]))
+    if effort_param and effort_param in updates:
+        parts.append(str(updates[effort_param]))
     # Chat-completions providers also send the flat param unless a
     # declared effort_param claims the template channel — the same
     # ``flat_effort_suppressed`` predicate ``apply_temperature_and_effort``