diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 5dd89a639e..1aed22ad81 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Changelog
 
-The next release changes analysis-setting output (#9885). `update_analysis_settings`, `inspect_analysis_settings`, and limit errors no longer include `rea_restart_required`, `restart_required`, `restartRequired`, or `effect`. Read `update_mode` (`runtime` or `restart`) and `pending_restart`. There is no compatibility alias. Release Please should copy this migration into that release's breaking-changes section.
+The next release changes analysis-setting output (#9885). `update_analysis_settings`, `inspect_analysis_settings`, and limit errors no longer include `rea_restart_required`, `restart_required`, `restartRequired`, or `effect`. Read `update_mode` (`runtime`, `restart`, or `parameter`) and `pending_restart`. `runtime` means the setter can change the active value. `restart` means this process keeps the value it started with. `parameter` means this call supplied the value, so `update_analysis_settings` cannot change it; artifact reader limits, web-network capture budgets, and an explicit `analysis_timeout_ms`, `max_heap_mb`, or `command_timeout_ms` use it. There is no compatibility alias. Release Please should copy this migration into that release's breaking-changes section.
 
 ## [6.8.0](https://github.com/morluto/rea/compare/rea-agents-6.7.0...rea-agents-6.8.0) (2026-10-25)
 
diff --git a/docs/design/limits-and-recovery.md b/docs/design/limits-and-recovery.md
index 19513548b1..f6a497a02c 100644
--- a/docs/design/limits-and-recovery.md
+++ b/docs/design/limits-and-recovery.md
@@ -275,10 +275,13 @@ that argument; raising a runtime default cannot override it.
 
 The resource owner constructs `details.limit` from the registry plus the budget
 it actually enforced. Metadata includes `agent_editable: true`,
-`scope: "rea-runtime"`, `update_mode`, and `pending_restart`. `update_mode:
-"runtime"` means `update_analysis_settings` can change the active value.
-`pending_restart` is false when that reported value is the one this process is
-using. Optional
+`scope: "rea-runtime"`, `update_mode`, and `pending_restart`. `update_mode`
+is `runtime` when `update_analysis_settings` can change the active value,
+`restart` when this process keeps the value it started with, and `parameter`
+when this call supplied the value. An explicit `analysis_timeout_ms`,
+`max_heap_mb`, or `command_timeout_ms`, plus artifact reader limits and
+web-network capture budgets, use `parameter`. `pending_restart` is false when
+that reported value is the one this process is using. Optional
 `required_value`, `source`, and `parameter` fields are supplied only where known
 or applicable. Do not infer a source because a value happens to equal a default.
 Error copying, attribution, redaction, and delivery must preserve these facts.
@@ -303,7 +306,8 @@ so its adapter projects with an explicit `"invocation"` caller lifetime.
 the caller chooses that environment value or per-call `parameter` for the new
 invocation; `update_mode: "runtime"` and `pending_restart: false` mean the
 reported value is active in this process. `update_mode: "restart"` means
-`update_analysis_settings` does not change it. A producer keeps guidance that holds only while its caller retains the
+`update_analysis_settings` does not change it. `update_mode: "parameter"` means
+this call supplied the value. A producer keeps guidance that holds only while its caller retains the
 session, such as "the Ghidra session remains usable" or a same-session runtime
 update, in `continuingCallerGuidance`; the shared presentation adds it only for
 a continuing caller. The producer's own message and remediation must stay true
diff --git a/docs/design/rea-limit-inventory.md b/docs/design/rea-limit-inventory.md
index 8346a6b261..8ce16d8581 100644
--- a/docs/design/rea-limit-inventory.md
+++ b/docs/design/rea-limit-inventory.md
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ verifies the separate launcher output. Neither test is run by Node lint. A
 skipped Python test leaves its behavior unverified.
 
 `update_mode` is `runtime` when `update_analysis_settings` can change the active
-value, and `restart` when this process keeps the value it started with.
+value, `restart` when this process keeps the value it started with, and
+`parameter` when this call supplied the value.
 `pending_restart` is true only when a configured value is not the one this
 process is using. A rejected Windows ChangeTime launch value is not active, so
 that failure reports `pending_restart: true`. Every other value reported here