diff --git a/internal/framework/chunkmap/codec.go b/internal/framework/chunkmap/codec.go
index 721a4e1..aaee537 100644
--- a/internal/framework/chunkmap/codec.go
+++ b/internal/framework/chunkmap/codec.go
@@ -102,11 +102,11 @@ func Build(request BuildRequest) (ChunkMap, error) {
 			Annotations: source.CloneChunkAnnotations(chunk.Annotations),
 		}
 	}
-	canonical, err := canonicalize(value)
+	canonical, err := canonicalizeOwned(value)
 	if err != nil {
 		return ChunkMap{}, fmt.Errorf("validate chunk map: %w", err)
 	}
-	return clone(canonical), nil
+	return canonical, nil
 }
 
 // Serialize builds and encodes the framework-owned serialized artifact.
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ func (c *Codec) Encode(value ChunkMap) ([]byte, error) {
 	if _, err := c.schemaBytes(); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	canonical, err := canonicalize(clone(value))
+	canonical, err := canonicalize(value)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("encode source chunk map: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -163,11 +163,11 @@ func (c *Codec) Decode(content []byte) (ChunkMap, error) {
 	if err := decoder.Decode(&trailing); err != io.EOF {
 		return ChunkMap{}, fmt.Errorf("decode source chunk map: multiple JSON values")
 	}
-	canonical, err := canonicalize(value)
+	canonical, err := canonicalizeOwned(value)
 	if err != nil {
 		return ChunkMap{}, fmt.Errorf("decode source chunk map: %w", err)
 	}
-	return clone(canonical), nil
+	return canonical, nil
 }
 
 func (c *Codec) schemaBytes() ([]byte, error) {
@@ -241,6 +241,10 @@ func hasRequiredFields(required []string) bool {
 }
 
 func canonicalize(value ChunkMap) (ChunkMap, error) {
+	return canonicalizeOwned(clone(value))
+}
+
+func canonicalizeOwned(value ChunkMap) (ChunkMap, error) {
 	if err := requireIdentity("source_id", value.SourceID); err != nil {
 		return ChunkMap{}, err
 	}
diff --git a/internal/framework/chunkmap/codec_test.go b/internal/framework/chunkmap/codec_test.go
index 4b36546..d00c125 100644
--- a/internal/framework/chunkmap/codec_test.go
+++ b/internal/framework/chunkmap/codec_test.go
@@ -56,6 +56,15 @@ func TestCodecRoundTripsValidFixture(t *testing.T) {
 	if !bytes.Equal(encoded, bytes.TrimSpace(fixture)) {
 		t.Fatalf("fixture does not use canonical encoding\nwant: %s\n got: %s", fixture, encoded)
 	}
+	value.PlanAnnotations["test/chunker"][0] = '['
+	value.Chunks[0].Annotations["test/chunker"][0] = '['
+	decoded, err := codec.Decode(encoded)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Decode(encoded) after mutation error = %v", err)
+	}
+	if string(decoded.PlanAnnotations["test/chunker"]) != `{"label":"fixture"}` || string(decoded.Chunks[0].Annotations["test/chunker"]) != `{"category":"sample"}` {
+		t.Fatalf("Decode() reused mutable chunk-map storage: %#v", decoded)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestBuildCanonicalizesAnnotationFormatting(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/internal/framework/evidencecontext/build.go b/internal/framework/evidencecontext/build.go
index c029a0a..d862a2d 100644
--- a/internal/framework/evidencecontext/build.go
+++ b/internal/framework/evidencecontext/build.go
@@ -84,11 +84,11 @@ func Build(request BuildRequest) (Document, error) {
 		}
 		document.Contexts = append(document.Contexts, context)
 	}
-	canonical, err := canonicalize(document)
+	canonical, err := canonicalizeOwned(document)
 	if err != nil {
 		return Document{}, fmt.Errorf("validate evidence context: %w", err)
 	}
-	return clone(canonical)
+	return canonical, nil
 }
 
 type evidenceKey struct {
diff --git a/internal/framework/evidencecontext/codec.go b/internal/framework/evidencecontext/codec.go
index 6782d2c..a4091e1 100644
--- a/internal/framework/evidencecontext/codec.go
+++ b/internal/framework/evidencecontext/codec.go
@@ -93,11 +93,11 @@ func (c *Codec) Decode(content []byte) (Document, error) {
 	if err := decoder.Decode(&trailing); err != io.EOF {
 		return Document{}, fmt.Errorf("decode evidence context: multiple JSON values")
 	}
-	canonical, err := canonicalize(value)
+	canonical, err := canonicalizeOwned(value)
 	if err != nil {
 		return Document{}, fmt.Errorf("decode evidence context: %w", err)
 	}
-	return clone(canonical)
+	return canonical, nil
 }
 
 func (c *Codec) schemaBytes() ([]byte, error) {
@@ -171,7 +171,10 @@ func canonicalize(value Document) (Document, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return Document{}, err
 	}
-	value = owned
+	return canonicalizeOwned(owned)
+}
+
+func canonicalizeOwned(value Document) (Document, error) {
 	if err := requireIdentity("source_id", value.SourceID); err != nil {
 		return Document{}, err
 	}
@@ -230,10 +233,7 @@ func canonicalizeContext(sourceID string, selected map[string]struct{}, seenUnit
 	}
 	positions := make(map[int]int, len(value.Units))
 	for unitIndex := range value.Units {
-		unit, err := cloneSourceUnit(value.Units[unitIndex])
-		if err != nil {
-			return Context{}, fmt.Errorf("%s.units[%d]: %w", prefix, unitIndex, err)
-		}
+		unit := value.Units[unitIndex]
 		if unit.ID <= 0 || strings.TrimSpace(unit.Kind) == "" || strings.TrimSpace(unit.Text) == "" {
 			return Context{}, fmt.Errorf("%s.units[%d] has invalid required fields", prefix, unitIndex)
 		}
@@ -251,7 +251,6 @@ func canonicalizeContext(sourceID string, selected map[string]struct{}, seenUnit
 		}
 		positions[unit.ID] = unitIndex
 		seenUnits[unit.ID] = struct{}{}
-		value.Units[unitIndex] = unit
 	}
 	if value.ContextRef.StartUnitID != value.Units[0].ID || value.ContextRef.EndUnitID != value.Units[len(value.Units)-1].ID {
 		return Context{}, fmt.Errorf("%s.context_ref must identify the first and last units", prefix)
diff --git a/internal/framework/evidencecontext/evidencecontext_test.go b/internal/framework/evidencecontext/evidencecontext_test.go
index 4f9da76..5f6854a 100644
--- a/internal/framework/evidencecontext/evidencecontext_test.go
+++ b/internal/framework/evidencecontext/evidencecontext_test.go
@@ -180,12 +180,12 @@ func TestCodecRoundTripsCompactFixtureAndOwnsDecodedValues(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("fixture does not use canonical encoding\nwant: %s\n got: %s", fixture, encoded)
 	}
 	value.Contexts[0].Units[0].Text = "changed"
-	decoded, err := codec.Decode(fixture)
+	decoded, err := codec.Decode(encoded)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 	if decoded.Contexts[0].Units[0].Text != "The party meets Rowan." {
-		t.Fatal("Decode() reused mutable document storage")
+		t.Fatal("Encode() retained mutable document storage")
 	}
 	built, err := Build(BuildRequest{Source: testDocument(t), WindowUnits: 1, SelectedLanes: []string{"npcs"}, LaneEvidence: []LaneEvidence{{LaneID: "npcs", SourceRefs: []source.SourceRef{ref(3, 3)}}}})
 	if err != nil {