diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 99956fd..f77eb7e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -167,6 +167,9 @@ Semantic Versioning after its first public release.
 
 ### Changed
 
+- Clarify that `dry-run` renders a planning and mount-review surface rather
+  than a self-contained replay bundle; copied container arguments require
+  independently validated, caller-owned writable mount sources.
 - Plans with no artifact contracts now finalize with an empty artifact manifest
   without requiring or creating a managed `artifacts` directory; plans with
   declared contracts retain the existing fail-closed observation checks.
diff --git a/docs/LOCAL_RUN.md b/docs/LOCAL_RUN.md
index 5dd7bc8..43aad84 100644
--- a/docs/LOCAL_RUN.md
+++ b/docs/LOCAL_RUN.md
@@ -22,8 +22,14 @@ values.
 Use `--json` to print the canonical receipt. Raw stdout and stderr remain local
 bounded process state and are not emitted by default or stored in the receipt;
 only their canonical digest, truncation state, exit status, and duration are
-recorded. Use `dry-run` to inspect the exact container argv and reproduce a
-failing command deliberately when deeper local diagnostics are required.
+recorded. `dry-run` is a planning and mount-review surface: it inspects the
+exact container argv, executes no command, and does not create cache
+directories. It renders final `entries/sha256-<key>/data` sources, while a live
+`run` may prepare private per-generation staging sources. Do not directly
+replay the rendered Docker argv. Before a diagnostic invocation, every host
+source must be independently proven to exist, and the diagnostic owns its
+writable lifecycle. Such an invocation is diagnostic, not qualification
+evidence.
 
 Heavy commands use a default-on host-wide single-slot admission queue shared by
 independent repositories, worktrees, agent activities, and cache roots. Override
diff --git a/tests/cache_pin_contract.rs b/tests/cache_pin_contract.rs
index 4970ab8..08a893f 100644
--- a/tests/cache_pin_contract.rs
+++ b/tests/cache_pin_contract.rs
@@ -68,3 +68,27 @@ fn cache_pin_documentation_contract() {
         assert!(text.contains(required), "{path} missing {required}");
     }
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn local_run_documentation_does_not_present_dry_run_argv_as_a_replay_bundle() {
+    let root = Path::new(env!("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR"));
+    let local_run =
+        fs::read_to_string(root.join("docs/LOCAL_RUN.md")).expect("read local run contract");
+    let normalized = local_run.split_whitespace().collect::<Vec<_>>().join(" ");
+
+    for required in [
+        "planning and mount-review surface",
+        "does not create cache directories",
+        "entries/sha256-<key>/data",
+        "private per-generation staging sources",
+        "must be independently proven to exist",
+        "owns its writable lifecycle",
+    ] {
+        assert!(normalized.contains(required), "missing {required}");
+    }
+
+    assert!(
+        !normalized.contains("reproduce a failing command deliberately"),
+        "dry-run argv must not be presented as a self-contained replay bundle"
+    );
+}