diff --git a/docs/roadmap/implementation.md b/docs/roadmap/implementation.md
index d3c8fd8..2dd04e1 100644
--- a/docs/roadmap/implementation.md
+++ b/docs/roadmap/implementation.md
@@ -497,6 +497,8 @@ guidance in this stage so removed options are not presented as usable.
 
 ## Stage 8 — Complete Frozen Rendering And Lifecycle Integration
 
+**Completed:** 2026-09-30.
+
 Scope: renderer/runtime consumption of the snapshot, ownership, and lifecycle
 regressions. Stage 2 already owns acquisition and static syntax validation.
 
diff --git a/frozen_rendering_contract_test.go b/frozen_rendering_contract_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..63ec6ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frozen_rendering_contract_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,177 @@
+package promptkit_test
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"io/fs"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"sync"
+	"sync/atomic"
+	"testing"
+	"testing/fstest"
+
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/ConfigKit"
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/promptkit"
+)
+
+const capturedPromptDocument = `
+prompts:
+  captured:
+    "1":
+      default_profile: offline
+      session_id: '{{.session}}'
+      messages:
+        - role: user
+          content_file: body.tmpl
+      output:
+        format: text
+        validation_mode: none
+`
+
+func capturedPromptEngine(t *testing.T, source fs.FS) *promptkit.Engine {
+	t.Helper()
+	inputs, err := promptkit.FilesystemInputs("application prompts", source, "config")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("select prompt inputs: %v", err)
+	}
+	endpoint, model := "https://example.invalid/v1", "offline-model"
+	engine, err := promptkit.NewEngine(promptkit.Config{Sources: promptkit.ConfigurationSources{
+		Underlays: []configkit.Underlay{
+			{Inputs: inputs},
+			{Inputs: []configkit.Input{{Source: promptkit.ProfileSource("offline profile", map[string]promptkit.ProfileConfig{
+				"offline": {Endpoint: &endpoint, Model: &model},
+			})}}},
+		},
+	}})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("construct engine: %v", err)
+	}
+	return engine
+}
+
+func TestEngineCapturesPromptContentUntilReconstruction(t *testing.T) {
+	files := fstest.MapFS{
+		"config/prompt.yaml": &fstest.MapFile{Data: []byte(capturedPromptDocument)},
+		"config/body.tmpl":   &fstest.MapFile{Data: []byte("before {{.name}}")},
+	}
+	first := capturedPromptEngine(t, files)
+	files["config/body.tmpl"] = &fstest.MapFile{Data: []byte("after {{.name}}")}
+	request := promptkit.RunRequest{PromptID: "captured", Vars: map[string]string{"name": "Ada", "session": "session-1"}}
+	oldPrepared, err := first.Prepare(context.Background(), request)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("prepare with existing engine: %v", err)
+	}
+	second := capturedPromptEngine(t, files)
+	newPrepared, err := second.Prepare(context.Background(), request)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("prepare with rebuilt engine: %v", err)
+	}
+	if oldPrepared.Messages[0].Content != "before Ada" || newPrepared.Messages[0].Content != "after Ada" || oldPrepared.PromptHash == newPrepared.PromptHash {
+		t.Fatalf("captured content or hash did not follow engine lifetime: old=%+v new=%+v", oldPrepared, newPrepared)
+	}
+}
+
+type unreadableAfterConstructionFS struct {
+	fs.FS
+	closed atomic.Bool
+	reads  atomic.Int64
+}
+
+func (source *unreadableAfterConstructionFS) Open(name string) (fs.File, error) {
+	if source.closed.Load() {
+		source.reads.Add(1)
+		return nil, fs.ErrPermission
+	}
+	return source.FS.Open(name)
+}
+
+func TestCapturedTemplatesBindInputsIndependentlyAcrossConcurrentPreparations(t *testing.T) {
+	source := &unreadableAfterConstructionFS{FS: fstest.MapFS{
+		"config/prompt.yaml": &fstest.MapFile{Data: []byte(capturedPromptDocument)},
+		"config/body.tmpl":   &fstest.MapFile{Data: []byte(`{{.name}}: {{input "note"}}`)},
+	}}
+	engine := capturedPromptEngine(t, source)
+	source.closed.Store(true)
+
+	const calls = 24
+	var wait sync.WaitGroup
+	errs := make(chan error, calls)
+	for index := 0; index < calls; index++ {
+		wait.Add(1)
+		go func(index int) {
+			defer wait.Done()
+			name := fmt.Sprintf("caller-%d", index)
+			body := fmt.Sprintf("body-%d", index)
+			prepared, err := engine.Prepare(context.Background(), promptkit.RunRequest{
+				PromptID: "captured", SessionID: "direct-session",
+				Vars:   map[string]string{"name": name},
+				Inputs: map[string]promptkit.ArtifactRef{"note": promptkit.Inline(body)},
+			})
+			if err == nil && (prepared.Messages[0].Content != name+": "+body || prepared.SessionID != "direct-session") {
+				err = fmt.Errorf("unexpected prepared content: %+v", prepared)
+			}
+			errs <- err
+		}(index)
+	}
+	wait.Wait()
+	close(errs)
+	for err := range errs {
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+	if source.reads.Load() != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("preparation reopened captured source %d times", source.reads.Load())
+	}
+
+	_, err := engine.Prepare(context.Background(), promptkit.RunRequest{
+		PromptID: "captured", Vars: map[string]string{"name": "Ada"},
+		Inputs: map[string]promptkit.ArtifactRef{"note": promptkit.Inline("body")},
+	})
+	if !errors.Is(err, promptkit.ErrPromptRender) {
+		t.Fatalf("missing session variable = %v, want runtime render error", err)
+	}
+	_, err = engine.Prepare(context.Background(), promptkit.RunRequest{
+		PromptID: "captured", SessionID: "direct-session", Vars: map[string]string{"name": "Ada"},
+	})
+	if !errors.Is(err, promptkit.ErrPromptRender) {
+		t.Fatalf("missing input helper artifact = %v, want runtime render error", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestPreparationStillReadsRequestArtifactsAndSchemasAfterConstruction(t *testing.T) {
+	endpoint, model := "https://example.invalid/v1", "offline-model"
+	schemas := fstest.MapFS{}
+	engine, err := promptkit.NewEngine(promptkit.Config{Sources: promptkit.ConfigurationSources{
+		Underlays: []configkit.Underlay{{Inputs: []configkit.Input{{Source: promptkit.ProfileSource("profile", map[string]promptkit.ProfileConfig{
+			"offline": {Endpoint: &endpoint, Model: &model},
+		})}}}},
+		Main: &configkit.Input{Source: configkit.Mapping("structured prompt", map[string]any{
+			"prompts": map[string]any{"structured": map[string]any{"1": map[string]any{
+				"default_profile": "offline",
+				"inputs":          []any{map[string]any{"name": "note", "required": true}},
+				"messages":        []any{map[string]any{"role": "user", "content": `{{input "note"}}`}},
+				"output":          map[string]any{"format": "json", "validation_mode": "json_schema", "schema_path": "schema.json"},
+			}}},
+		})},
+	}}, promptkit.WithSchemaFS(schemas, "."))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("construct engine before request resources exist: %v", err)
+	}
+	schemas["schema.json"] = &fstest.MapFile{Data: []byte(`{"$schema":"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema","type":"object"}`)}
+	artifactPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "note.txt")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(artifactPath, []byte("request artifact"), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write request artifact: %v", err)
+	}
+	prepared, err := engine.Prepare(context.Background(), promptkit.RunRequest{PromptID: "structured", Inputs: map[string]promptkit.ArtifactRef{
+		"note": promptkit.File(artifactPath),
+	}})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("prepare with resources supplied after construction: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(prepared.Messages) != 1 || prepared.Messages[0].Content != "request artifact" || prepared.StructuredOutput == nil || prepared.StructuredOutput.JSONSchema == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("runtime artifact or schema was not prepared: %+v", prepared)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/configuration/prompts.go b/internal/configuration/prompts.go
index 835e549..c18fd25 100644
--- a/internal/configuration/prompts.go
+++ b/internal/configuration/prompts.go
@@ -333,3 +333,15 @@ func (state *loaded) GetPromptDefinition(ctx context.Context, id, version string
 	definition, _, err := state.GetPromptSnapshot(ctx, id, version)
 	return definition, err
 }
+
+// GetCompiledTemplates returns construction-time parses for one exact prompt.
+func (state *loaded) GetCompiledTemplates(id, version string) (prompt.CompiledTemplates, bool) {
+	if state == nil {
+		return prompt.CompiledTemplates{}, false
+	}
+	entry := state.prompts[id][version]
+	if entry == nil {
+		return prompt.CompiledTemplates{}, false
+	}
+	return prompt.CompiledTemplates{Session: entry.session, Messages: entry.messages}, true
+}
diff --git a/internal/engine/engine.go b/internal/engine/engine.go
index 82c2a11..2c0f5b8 100644
--- a/internal/engine/engine.go
+++ b/internal/engine/engine.go
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ func New(cfg Config, options Options) (*Engine, error) {
 		reader = artifact.NewCompositeReader()
 	}
 
-	return &Engine{runner: usecase.NewRunnerWithRepairer(snapshot, snapshot, snapshot, reader, prompt.NewGoRenderer(), client, validator, usecase.NewDefaultOutputRepairer(client), manager, defaultRetries)}, nil
+	return &Engine{runner: usecase.NewRunnerWithRepairer(snapshot, snapshot, snapshot, reader, prompt.NewCompiledRenderer(snapshot), client, validator, usecase.NewDefaultOutputRepairer(client), manager, defaultRetries)}, nil
 }
 
 func validateSourceFS(fsys fs.FS, root string) error {
diff --git a/internal/prompt/go_renderer.go b/internal/prompt/go_renderer.go
index dbef141..134a66d 100644
--- a/internal/prompt/go_renderer.go
+++ b/internal/prompt/go_renderer.go
@@ -21,12 +21,20 @@ var (
 
 const artifactTextChunkSize = 64 * 1024
 
-type goRenderer struct{}
+type goRenderer struct {
+	templates TemplateLookup
+}
 
 func NewGoRenderer() Renderer {
 	return &goRenderer{}
 }
 
+// NewCompiledRenderer renders definitions using templates captured with the
+// configuration snapshot. Per-call clones bind request-specific input helpers.
+func NewCompiledRenderer(templates TemplateLookup) Renderer {
+	return &goRenderer{templates: templates}
+}
+
 func (r *goRenderer) Render(ctx context.Context, definition *domain.PromptDefinition, inputs map[string]*domain.Artifact, vars map[string]string) (*domain.RenderedPrompt, error) {
 	if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -49,11 +57,30 @@ func (r *goRenderer) Render(ctx context.Context, definition *domain.PromptDefini
 	funcs := template.FuncMap{
 		"input": resolver.resolve,
 	}
+	var compiled CompiledTemplates
+	if r.templates != nil {
+		var found bool
+		compiled, found = r.templates.GetCompiledTemplates(definition.ID, definition.Version)
+		if !found || len(compiled.Messages) != len(definition.Templates) {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: captured templates are unavailable", ErrRenderFailure)
+		}
+	}
 
 	if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	sessionID, err := renderSessionID(ctx, definition.SessionID, funcs, vars)
+	var sessionID string
+	var err error
+	if r.templates != nil {
+		if definition.SessionID != "" {
+			if compiled.Session == nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: captured session template is unavailable", ErrRenderFailure)
+			}
+			sessionID, err = renderCompiledSessionID(ctx, compiled.Session, funcs, vars)
+		}
+	} else {
+		sessionID, err = renderSessionID(ctx, definition.SessionID, funcs, vars)
+	}
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -76,7 +103,19 @@ func (r *goRenderer) Render(ctx context.Context, definition *domain.PromptDefini
 		if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		tmpl, parseErr := parseTemplate(fmt.Sprintf("msg_%d", i), tmplMsg.Content, funcs)
+		var tmpl *template.Template
+		var parseErr error
+		if r.templates != nil {
+			if compiled.Messages[i] == nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: captured message template is unavailable", ErrRenderFailure)
+			}
+			tmpl, parseErr = compiled.Messages[i].Clone()
+			if parseErr == nil {
+				tmpl.Funcs(funcs)
+			}
+		} else {
+			tmpl, parseErr = parseTemplate(fmt.Sprintf("msg_%d", i), tmplMsg.Content, funcs)
+		}
 		if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
@@ -174,7 +213,25 @@ func renderSessionID(ctx context.Context, raw string, funcs template.FuncMap, va
 	if parseErr != nil {
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("%w: session_id: %v", ErrInvalidTemplate, parseErr)
 	}
+	return executeSessionTemplate(ctx, tmpl, vars)
+}
 
+func renderCompiledSessionID(ctx context.Context, compiled *template.Template, funcs template.FuncMap, vars map[string]string) (string, error) {
+	if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	tmpl, err := compiled.Clone()
+	if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("%w: session_id: %v", ErrRenderFailure, err)
+	}
+	tmpl.Funcs(funcs)
+	return executeSessionTemplate(ctx, tmpl, vars)
+}
+
+func executeSessionTemplate(ctx context.Context, tmpl *template.Template, vars map[string]string) (string, error) {
 	if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
diff --git a/internal/prompt/template.go b/internal/prompt/template.go
index 9694bed..63bc488 100644
--- a/internal/prompt/template.go
+++ b/internal/prompt/template.go
@@ -2,6 +2,18 @@ package prompt
 
 import "text/template"
 
+// CompiledTemplates is the immutable parsed template set for one captured
+// prompt. Callers must not mutate its templates after handing it to a renderer.
+type CompiledTemplates struct {
+	Session  *template.Template
+	Messages []*template.Template
+}
+
+// TemplateLookup provides parsed templates for a captured prompt identity.
+type TemplateLookup interface {
+	GetCompiledTemplates(id, version string) (CompiledTemplates, bool)
+}
+
 // CompileTemplate checks static syntax with the same grammar and function
 // names as rendering, without evaluating request inputs or variables.
 func CompileTemplate(name, raw string) (*template.Template, error) {