diff --git a/bench/imp/benchmark_truth/multimodal_manifest.ex b/bench/imp/benchmark_truth/multimodal_manifest.ex
index 72aa497b..bf82dcc1 100644
--- a/bench/imp/benchmark_truth/multimodal_manifest.ex
+++ b/bench/imp/benchmark_truth/multimodal_manifest.ex
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ defmodule Imp.BenchmarkTruth.MultimodalManifest do
   @deliveries ~w(typed_image_data_uri typed_native_file)
   @req_llm_dependency %{
     "package" => "req_llm",
-    "package_sha256" => "266c0e06c47b4562f243dcdf41332342cbed2ec37064750edd725fb66bb6e914",
+    "package_sha256" => "d610d4de14c7ef697a2aa4c30eada4e1ae172bec08bb3dea3bbe25f20feb5d40",
     "repository" => "https://github.com/agentjido/req_llm",
     "source" => "hexpm",
-    "source_revision" => "33840077c2f1332eb6dff2d268dff02393014da4",
-    "version" => "1.17.1"
+    "source_revision" => "9aa98a4e02da5083464d2eed268f48272f0d7180",
+    "version" => "1.18.0"
   }
   @provider_profiles %{
     "google-gemini-2.5-flash-generate-content" => %{
diff --git a/benchmarks/data/multimodal/manifest.json b/benchmarks/data/multimodal/manifest.json
index d0af3910..d97c876e 100644
--- a/benchmarks/data/multimodal/manifest.json
+++ b/benchmarks/data/multimodal/manifest.json
@@ -83,11 +83,11 @@
       "profile": "google-gemini-2.5-flash-generate-content",
       "req_llm_dependency": {
         "package": "req_llm",
-        "package_sha256": "266c0e06c47b4562f243dcdf41332342cbed2ec37064750edd725fb66bb6e914",
+        "package_sha256": "d610d4de14c7ef697a2aa4c30eada4e1ae172bec08bb3dea3bbe25f20feb5d40",
         "repository": "https://github.com/agentjido/req_llm",
         "source": "hexpm",
-        "source_revision": "33840077c2f1332eb6dff2d268dff02393014da4",
-        "version": "1.17.1"
+        "source_revision": "9aa98a4e02da5083464d2eed268f48272f0d7180",
+        "version": "1.18.0"
       },
       "req_llm_model": "google:gemini-2.5-flash"
     },
@@ -180,5 +180,5 @@
       "prompt_contract": "One pinned attachment followed by one pinned question; return only a single-field JSON object named answer."
     }
   },
-  "payload_sha256": "4b4c80497789d74dec60b2b26236f6eee2f1f9b29046f07ef95b3fa3faf8e50f"
+  "payload_sha256": "c5ca53e2fc67757f07f65ab0109d57ffef9c1d0b16ef13206a394aa5010f33ec"
 }
diff --git a/benchmarks/data/multimodal/openai-responses-manifest.json b/benchmarks/data/multimodal/openai-responses-manifest.json
index 921851e9..03efc392 100644
--- a/benchmarks/data/multimodal/openai-responses-manifest.json
+++ b/benchmarks/data/multimodal/openai-responses-manifest.json
@@ -81,11 +81,11 @@
       "profile": "openai-gpt-4.1-mini-2025-04-14-responses",
       "req_llm_dependency": {
         "package": "req_llm",
-        "package_sha256": "266c0e06c47b4562f243dcdf41332342cbed2ec37064750edd725fb66bb6e914",
+        "package_sha256": "d610d4de14c7ef697a2aa4c30eada4e1ae172bec08bb3dea3bbe25f20feb5d40",
         "repository": "https://github.com/agentjido/req_llm",
         "source": "hexpm",
-        "source_revision": "33840077c2f1332eb6dff2d268dff02393014da4",
-        "version": "1.17.1"
+        "source_revision": "9aa98a4e02da5083464d2eed268f48272f0d7180",
+        "version": "1.18.0"
       },
       "req_llm_model": "openai:gpt-4.1-mini-2025-04-14"
     },
@@ -178,5 +178,5 @@
       "prompt_contract": "One pinned attachment followed by one pinned question; return only a single-field JSON object named answer."
     }
   },
-  "payload_sha256": "04daa155d3f97edfff62e329dfdca1248855f22b2271f7e954228432f1ae39d8"
+  "payload_sha256": "5ab0c61f176ba63279ca065c170a628596d0da1834bd970c1c6b61221b4db205"
 }
diff --git a/docs/internal/MULTIMODAL_FIDELITY.md b/docs/internal/MULTIMODAL_FIDELITY.md
index 8bf44bb1..8baefb0f 100644
--- a/docs/internal/MULTIMODAL_FIDELITY.md
+++ b/docs/internal/MULTIMODAL_FIDELITY.md
@@ -43,6 +43,18 @@ family, delivery mode, asset byte count, MIME type, asset SHA-256, provider,
 endpoint, API, exact model, generation options, ReqLLM dependency, and pricing.
 Runtime ReqLLM version drift fails before dispatch.
 
+Because the ReqLLM dependency is part of the payload, bumping req_llm changes
+the manifest payload SHA-256. Both manifests now pin req_llm 1.18.0, so the
+OpenAI manifest hashes to
+`5ab0c61f176ba63279ca065c170a628596d0da1834bd970c1c6b61221b4db205` and the
+Google manifest to
+`c5ca53e2fc67757f07f65ab0109d57ffef9c1d0b16ef13206a394aa5010f33ec`. The
+admitted artifact above remains a valid record of the 1.17.1 run it names, but
+it is no longer reproducible from the manifests in the tree: a live re-run
+under 1.18.0 produces a new campaign identity, and admitting it means a new
+artifact plus a new `multimodal_manifest_sha256/0` in
+`Imp.BenchmarkTruth.ReproductionArtifactValidator`.
+
 All assets are synthetic and repository-owned. Images cover shape counting,
 spatial relation, and OCR. The native-document family sends the original
 two-page PDF and tests a table subtotal and a cross-page join. Rendered page
diff --git a/mix.lock b/mix.lock
index 3cd6491a..1454e57f 100644
--- a/mix.lock
+++ b/mix.lock
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
   "jaxon": {:hex, :jaxon, "2.0.8", "00951a79d354260e28d7e36f956c3de94818124768a4b22e0fc55559d1b3bfe7", [:make, :mix], [{:elixir_make, "~> 0.4", [hex: :elixir_make, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}], "hexpm", "74532853b1126609615ea98f0ceb5009e70465ca98027afbbd8ed314d887e82d"},
   "jose": {:hex, :jose, "1.11.12", "06e62b467b61d3726cbc19e9b5489f7549c37993de846dfb3ee8259f9ed208b3", [:mix, :rebar3], [], "hexpm", "31e92b653e9210b696765cdd885437457de1add2a9011d92f8cf63e4641bab7b"},
   "jsv": {:hex, :jsv, "0.21.2", "fb84c2a1bb5884e2b91ae66c5ed84a4db1da2bcfc1df5175c8b33c8791d39353", [:mix], [{:abnf_parsec, "~> 2.0", [hex: :abnf_parsec, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:decimal, "~> 2.0 or ~> 3.0", [hex: :decimal, repo: "hexpm", optional: true]}, {:idna, "~> 6.0 or ~> 7.0", [hex: :idna, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:jason, "~> 1.0", [hex: :jason, repo: "hexpm", optional: true]}, {:texture, "~> 1.0", [hex: :texture, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}], "hexpm", "5963f414f9fb37c541dcebfb2df96d07ae4a40d12f52d7ac5e057969e5e7d83a"},
-  "llm_db": {:hex, :llm_db, "2026.7.0", "2cd32be2907e72df3d72e57ad99b3963011ceb9418b46a95c4315ce1b0ba5429", [:mix], [{:dotenvy, "~> 1.1", [hex: :dotenvy, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:igniter, "~> 0.7", [hex: :igniter, repo: "hexpm", optional: true]}, {:jason, "~> 1.4", [hex: :jason, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:req, "~> 0.5", [hex: :req, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:toml, "~> 0.7", [hex: :toml, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:zoi, "~> 0.10", [hex: :zoi, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}], "hexpm", "9ffff8ccf4e3c268a72cbd19e0539cab618ebd3c4bc621a43c48dd2ee8af412f"},
+  "llm_db": {:hex, :llm_db, "2026.7.5", "38e345e753b027f095e9eb01157de911c1e75d5ac7d760042f771cbdeabb08c1", [:mix], [{:dotenvy, "~> 1.1", [hex: :dotenvy, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:igniter, "~> 0.7", [hex: :igniter, repo: "hexpm", optional: true]}, {:jason, "~> 1.4", [hex: :jason, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:req, "~> 0.5", [hex: :req, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:toml, "~> 0.7", [hex: :toml, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:zoi, "~> 0.10", [hex: :zoi, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}], "hexpm", "93ceaf3448b8cea11358854388e83480ed4e84e39adc0af8a3629935d3d5dd7c"},
   "makeup": {:hex, :makeup, "1.2.2", "882d46dc0905e9ff7abf2aab61a7e6b3dcc555533977d8a23b06019e6c89ac94", [:mix], [{:nimble_parsec, "~> 1.4", [hex: :nimble_parsec, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}], "hexpm", "9a1a24e5b343b8ae16abea0822c10a6f75da27af7fa802ada5251f7579bfccfa"},
   "makeup_elixir": {:hex, :makeup_elixir, "1.0.1", "e928a4f984e795e41e3abd27bfc09f51db16ab8ba1aebdba2b3a575437efafc2", [:mix], [{:makeup, "~> 1.0", [hex: :makeup, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:nimble_parsec, "~> 1.2.3 or ~> 1.3", [hex: :nimble_parsec, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}], "hexpm", "7284900d412a3e5cfd97fdaed4f5ed389b8f2b4cb49efc0eb3bd10e2febf9507"},
   "makeup_erlang": {:hex, :makeup_erlang, "1.1.0", "835f7e60792e08824cda445639555d7bf1bbbddb1b60b306e33cb6f6db24dc74", [:mix], [{:makeup, "~> 1.0", [hex: :makeup, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}], "hexpm", "1cd6780fb1dd1a03979abaed0fe82712b0625118fd5257d3ebbf73f960c73c3c"},
@@ -45,10 +45,10 @@
   "plug_crypto": {:hex, :plug_crypto, "2.2.0", "144014737daaf485407f5ed77daeaad74d651b216a28c87543f8cc7043f8efc8", [:mix], [], "hexpm", "83a95744ab1c75876542b6fab135fcc176280e0f301a111c1f757fddcec95d2c"},
   "ranch": {:hex, :ranch, "2.3.0", "7de7b041a9a6a5091a3aa5898d66c0564be671d87db4f9d63b1b5ee775b097df", [:make, :rebar3], [], "hexpm", "6168ec49409d982f7cfbd83dd083144f6cbe67caa4036551d2f0a3ad67c9d023"},
   "req": {:hex, :req, "0.6.3", "7fe5e68792ff0546e45d5919104fa1764a13694cfe3e48c8a0f32ad051ae77e4", [:mix], [{:brotli, "~> 0.3.1", [hex: :brotli, repo: "hexpm", optional: true]}, {:ezstd, "~> 1.0", [hex: :ezstd, repo: "hexpm", optional: true]}, {:finch, "~> 0.21", [hex: :finch, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:jason, "~> 1.0", [hex: :jason, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:mime, "~> 2.0.6 or ~> 2.1", [hex: :mime, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:nimble_csv, "~> 1.0", [hex: :nimble_csv, repo: "hexpm", optional: true]}, {:plug, "~> 1.0", [hex: :plug, repo: "hexpm", optional: true]}], "hexpm", "e85b5c6c990e6c3f52bbba68e6f099118f2b8252825f96c7c3636b97a3de307d"},
-  "req_llm": {:hex, :req_llm, "1.17.1", "266c0e06c47b4562f243dcdf41332342cbed2ec37064750edd725fb66bb6e914", [:mix], [{:dotenvy, "~> 1.1", [hex: :dotenvy, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:ex_aws_auth, "~> 1.4", [hex: :ex_aws_auth, repo: "hexpm", optional: true]}, {:goth, "~> 1.4", [hex: :goth, repo: "hexpm", optional: true]}, {:igniter, "~> 0.7", [hex: :igniter, repo: "hexpm", optional: true]}, {:jason, "~> 1.4", [hex: :jason, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:jsv, "~> 0.11", [hex: :jsv, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:llm_db, "~> 2026.7.0", [hex: :llm_db, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:nimble_options, "~> 1.1", [hex: :nimble_options, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:req, "~> 0.5", [hex: :req, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:server_sent_events, "~> 1.1.0", [hex: :server_sent_events, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:splode, "~> 0.3.0", [hex: :splode, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:websockex, "~> 0.5.1", [hex: :websockex, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:zoi, "~> 0.14", [hex: :zoi, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}], "hexpm", "169d77a77bac5cee7655a7a9158ebea1c2a7857670f4104b29516a25a2d24f1e"},
+  "req_llm": {:hex, :req_llm, "1.18.0", "d610d4de14c7ef697a2aa4c30eada4e1ae172bec08bb3dea3bbe25f20feb5d40", [:mix], [{:dotenvy, "~> 1.1", [hex: :dotenvy, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:ex_aws_auth, "~> 1.4", [hex: :ex_aws_auth, repo: "hexpm", optional: true]}, {:goth, "~> 1.4", [hex: :goth, repo: "hexpm", optional: true]}, {:igniter, "~> 0.7", [hex: :igniter, repo: "hexpm", optional: true]}, {:jason, "~> 1.4", [hex: :jason, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:jsv, "~> 0.11", [hex: :jsv, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:llm_db, "~> 2026.7.5", [hex: :llm_db, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:nimble_options, "~> 1.1", [hex: :nimble_options, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:req, "~> 0.5", [hex: :req, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:server_sent_events, "~> 1.1.0", [hex: :server_sent_events, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:splode, "~> 0.3.0", [hex: :splode, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:websockex, "~> 0.5.1", [hex: :websockex, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}, {:zoi, "~> 0.14", [hex: :zoi, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}], "hexpm", "e8b9f1398b67ca7a40be8fb04bfc471b72f21e8661b345e2249505ce8d41cefa"},
   "saxy": {:hex, :saxy, "1.6.1", "742eff28f553c066d0b54e84662dbf384a1d1f38595472ed15f6e0a33038bbe1", [:mix], [], "hexpm", "8989d504424ba29460a61950f8968380651413fa05e63b6118084db057da1a6b"},
   "server_sent_events": {:hex, :server_sent_events, "1.1.0", "54606238b9182ba673a10ce90bd95f81a0939c1baa91cdf86b66acc04edd1832", [:mix], [], "hexpm", "8e164db8e295a2d869a8faafbf4a1eeaa749b62fe93f66271adff6394d93ce15"},
-  "splode": {:hex, :splode, "0.3.1", "9843c54f84f71b7833fec3f0be06c3cfb5be6b35960ee195ea4fad84b1c25030", [:mix], [], "hexpm", "8f2309b6ec2ecbb01435656429ed1d9ed04ba28797a3280c3b0d1217018ecfbd"},
+  "splode": {:hex, :splode, "0.3.2", "7716b6b2260a98a6f018c65cc0393da2cdf17314202eb351a0956e8762190dff", [:mix], [], "hexpm", "08fd658f80da7f1cd254b149164dcff8acd44b22f032001d5416b97223d32bc9"},
   "stream_data": {:hex, :stream_data, "1.4.0", "026f929db613aabea6208012ae9b8970d3fd5f88b3bdf26831bc536f98c42036", [:mix], [], "hexpm", "2b0ee3a340dcce1c8cf6302a763ee757d1e01c54d6e16d9069062509d68b1dc9"},
   "telemetry": {:hex, :telemetry, "1.4.2", "a0cb522801dffb1c49fe6e30561badffc7b6d0e180db1300df759faa22062855", [:rebar3], [], "hexpm", "928f6495066506077862c0d1646609eed891a4326bee3126ba54b60af61febb1"},
   "texture": {:hex, :texture, "1.2.0", "aa9097e0709652044ba500de817d60ce8a48dc0b4ffd92232fd33459a20282f6", [:mix], [{:abnf_parsec, "~> 2.0", [hex: :abnf_parsec, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}], "hexpm", "f250de468cfe35f404faf232429f40114f83f73430e0f7086a9cc251865642e2"},
@@ -58,5 +58,5 @@
   "websockex": {:hex, :websockex, "0.5.1", "9de28d37bbe34f371eb46e29b79c94c94fff79f93c960d842fbf447253558eb4", [:mix], [{:telemetry, "~> 1.0", [hex: :telemetry, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}], "hexpm", "8ef39576ed56bc3804c9cd8626f8b5d6b5721848d2726c0ccd4f05385a3c9f14"},
   "yamerl": {:hex, :yamerl, "0.10.0", "4ff81fee2f1f6a46f1700c0d880b24d193ddb74bd14ef42cb0bcf46e81ef2f8e", [:rebar3], [], "hexpm", "346adb2963f1051dc837a2364e4acf6eb7d80097c0f53cbdc3046ec8ec4b4e6e"},
   "yaml_elixir": {:hex, :yaml_elixir, "2.12.2", "9dd1330fb4cd9a36a7b0f502e5b12486eff632792ee4a5f0eba52a4d4ec32c9c", [:mix], [{:yamerl, "~> 0.10", [hex: :yamerl, repo: "hexpm", optional: false]}], "hexpm", "e7c1b10122f973e6558462d51c39026ba0e14afbc6745318e990ea82cfe9e159"},
-  "zoi": {:hex, :zoi, "0.18.5", "fc23f53d5ba6c8639fb30d9a70a80ae8fed774c180c2544bfd16f53bedf95dff", [:mix], [{:decimal, "~> 2.0 or ~> 3.0", [hex: :decimal, repo: "hexpm", optional: true]}, {:phoenix_html, "~> 2.14.2 or ~> 3.0 or ~> 4.1", [hex: :phoenix_html, repo: "hexpm", optional: true]}], "hexpm", "d69c2e6468752367941d0264e21cf229c1ba8757b2973eea17c12b3cb7d2d4c4"},
+  "zoi": {:hex, :zoi, "0.18.7", "0d6b09d19fd1feff4340b7c5660bab04fbc80c1642ee1e5c75f06d527ac326db", [:mix], [{:decimal, "~> 2.0 or ~> 3.0", [hex: :decimal, repo: "hexpm", optional: true]}, {:phoenix_html, "~> 2.14.2 or ~> 3.0 or ~> 4.1", [hex: :phoenix_html, repo: "hexpm", optional: true]}], "hexpm", "5fedddd755dec84a5e78b3671070a5e595026aa3479f7fa566a42b8c4e4e5ff2"},
 }
diff --git a/test/campaign_budget_test.exs b/test/campaign_budget_test.exs
index 04429f79..4fe3303c 100644
--- a/test/campaign_budget_test.exs
+++ b/test/campaign_budget_test.exs
@@ -407,8 +407,10 @@ defmodule Imp.BenchmarkTruth.CampaignBudgetTest do
         max_retries: 0
       )
 
-    # Pinned ReqLLM currently overwrites the caller's zero with its default.
-    assert prepared.options.max_retries == 3
+    # req_llm 1.17.1 overwrote the caller's zero with its default of 3;
+    # 1.18.0 honours it. Pinned here so a dependency regression is loud,
+    # while the guard below keeps the attempt count correct either way.
+    assert prepared.options.max_retries == 0
 
     {:ok, budget} =
       CampaignBudget.start_link(