diff --git a/bin/gstack-codex-probe b/bin/gstack-codex-probe
index 181aa85eb..a40e0df1a 100755
--- a/bin/gstack-codex-probe
+++ b/bin/gstack-codex-probe
@@ -877,7 +877,7 @@ _gstack_codex_effort_check() {
     *)
       echo "CODEX_EFFORT: invalid — '$_chosen' from $_source is not a Codex reasoning effort level. No Codex call was made." >&2
       if [ -n "$_request" ]; then
-        echo "HINT: use one of minimal, low, medium, high, xhigh, max or ultra (e.g. /codex review --effort medium), or drop --effort to keep the configured effort." >&2
+        echo "HINT: use one of minimal, low, medium, high, xhigh, max or ultra (e.g. /codex review --effort medium), or drop --effort to keep the configured effort. See docs/model-policy.md#reasoning-effort." >&2
       else
         echo "HINT: use one of minimal, low, medium, high, xhigh, max or ultra (export GSTACK_CODEX_EFFORT=<level> or gstack-config set codex_effort <level>), or unset it to keep each gate's own effort." >&2
       fi
diff --git a/bin/gstack-config b/bin/gstack-config
index 059189272..53122a6be 100755
--- a/bin/gstack-config
+++ b/bin/gstack-config
@@ -185,7 +185,8 @@ CONFIG_HEADER='# gstack configuration — edit freely, changes take effect on ne
 # codex_effort:             # Codex reasoning effort for outside reviews and /codex:
 #                           #   minimal | low | medium | high | xhigh | max | ultra.
 #                           #   Absent = every gate keeps its effort. GSTACK_CODEX_EFFORT
-#                           #   overrides it per run; /spec keeps medium (120 s budget).
+#                           #   overrides it per run, /codex --effort per request;
+#                           #   /spec keeps medium (120 s budget).
 # Docs: docs/model-policy.md
 #
 # ─── Advanced ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -335,7 +336,7 @@ lookup_default() {
     plan_review_tier) echo "frontier" ;; # frontier | smart | host — lib/model-policy.ts reads it strictly
     implementation_tier) echo "smart" ;; # frontier | smart
     model_frontier_claude|model_frontier_openai|model_smart_claude|model_smart_openai) echo "" ;; # empty = shipped catalog ID (gstack-models list)
-    codex_effort) echo "" ;; # empty = each gate's own effort; GSTACK_CODEX_EFFORT wins (gstack-codex-probe run-with-timeout --effort)
+    codex_effort) echo "" ;; # empty = each gate's own effort; /codex --effort, then GSTACK_CODEX_EFFORT, win (gstack-codex-probe run-with-timeout --effort)
     ship_greptile_early) echo "true" ;; # true | false — /ship's early Greptile PR
     # Unknown key: exit non-zero instead of printing "". The fallback pattern
     # the preambles use,
diff --git a/codex/SKILL.md b/codex/SKILL.md
index 0f986da69..b812217af 100644
--- a/codex/SKILL.md
+++ b/codex/SKILL.md
@@ -486,8 +486,8 @@ probes and dispatches the policy model within its own timeout. [Policy setup](ht
 **Effort flags, read before the mode:** `--effort <level>`, `--effort=<level>` or `--xhigh`
 (= `--effort xhigh`) directly after `/codex` or its mode word, among its leading flags
 (`-m`, `--model`, `--role`) and before any prompt text, set `<effort-level>` (else `''`);
-remove them before Step 1. A later `--effort` is prompt text. Missing value, not one
-lowercase word, or conflicting flags: stop and say so.
+remove them before Step 1. A later `--effort` is prompt text; say so in one line. Missing
+value, not one lowercase word, or differing levels: stop, name the levels; nothing is sent.
 
 ```bash
 _CODEX_PROBE=~/.claude/skills/gstack/bin/gstack-codex-probe
diff --git a/codex/SKILL.md.tmpl b/codex/SKILL.md.tmpl
index 2e0aee42e..619b8977e 100644
--- a/codex/SKILL.md.tmpl
+++ b/codex/SKILL.md.tmpl
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ probes and dispatches the policy model within its own timeout. [Policy setup](ht
 **Effort flags, read before the mode:** `--effort <level>`, `--effort=<level>` or `--xhigh`
 (= `--effort xhigh`) directly after `/codex` or its mode word, among its leading flags
 (`-m`, `--model`, `--role`) and before any prompt text, set `<effort-level>` (else `''`);
-remove them before Step 1. A later `--effort` is prompt text. Missing value, not one
-lowercase word, or conflicting flags: stop and say so.
+remove them before Step 1. A later `--effort` is prompt text; say so in one line. Missing
+value, not one lowercase word, or differing levels: stop, name the levels; nothing is sent.
 
 ```bash
 _CODEX_PROBE=~/.claude/skills/gstack/bin/gstack-codex-probe
diff --git a/docs/model-policy.md b/docs/model-policy.md
index 92115b90e..b3ecd6e2c 100644
--- a/docs/model-policy.md
+++ b/docs/model-policy.md
@@ -123,11 +123,12 @@ explicit implementation model rather than delegating to a hidden native choice.
 ## Reasoning effort
 
 Codex calls carry a `model_reasoning_effort`. It follows the same shape as the
-model: a per-run environment override, then a stored setting, then the default
-each gate ships with.
+model: a per-request flag on `/codex`, a per-run environment override, then a
+stored setting, then the default each gate ships with.
 
 | Order | Source | Set it with |
 | --- | --- | --- |
+| 0 | `/codex ... --effort <level>` (this request only; `/codex` alone) | `/codex review --effort medium` |
 | 1 | `GSTACK_CODEX_EFFORT` (this shell, this run) | `export GSTACK_CODEX_EFFORT=max` |
 | 2 | `codex_effort` in config.yaml | `gstack-config set codex_effort low` (`unset` restores the defaults) |
 | 3 | the gate's default | nothing: `high` for reviews, plan reviews and `/codex` review and challenge; `medium` for `/codex` consult and design direction |
@@ -141,10 +142,11 @@ before anything is sent, naming the source to fix. `gstack-codex-probe
 check-effort <default>` prints the same resolution without a call.
 
 For one request, `/codex review --effort medium` (or `--effort=<level>`; `--xhigh` is
-shorthand for `--effort xhigh`) outranks all three, including an exported
+shorthand for `--effort xhigh`) outranks the other three, including an exported
 `GSTACK_CODEX_EFFORT`, and changes nothing that persists. The flag counts only
-directly after `/codex` or its mode word, before the prompt text; a later `--effort`
-is part of the prompt. `/codex` passes the level to the probe as `--request-effort`,
+directly after `/codex` or its mode word, among the leading flags (`-m`/`--model`,
+`--role`, in any order) and before the prompt text; a later `--effort` is part of the
+prompt, and `/codex` says so. A Consult follow-up resolves its effort afresh. `/codex` passes the level to the probe as `--request-effort`,
 so an unknown level stops before any Codex call, naming the flag.
 
 `/spec`'s quality gate keeps `medium` inside its 120-second budget whatever you
diff --git a/lib/model-policy-cli.ts b/lib/model-policy-cli.ts
index 7626693d6..81700082a 100644
--- a/lib/model-policy-cli.ts
+++ b/lib/model-policy-cli.ts
@@ -66,9 +66,10 @@ Settings (gstack-config set|unset <key>):
   codex_effort           ${CODEX_EFFORT_LEVELS.join(' | ')}
                          (default: each gate's own effort)
 
-Codex reasoning effort: GSTACK_CODEX_EFFORT (per run), then codex_effort, then
-the gate's default (high for reviews, medium for /codex consult and design
-direction). /spec keeps medium inside its 120 s budget.
+Codex reasoning effort: /codex --effort <level> (one request), then
+GSTACK_CODEX_EFFORT (per run), then codex_effort, then the gate's default (high
+for reviews, medium for /codex consult and design direction). /spec keeps medium
+inside its 120 s budget.
 
 A detected custom Anthropic or OpenAI endpoint (Bedrock, Vertex, Foundry, a base-URL
 override or a Codex model_provider) never receives a shipped public ID: set a
diff --git a/test/codex-effort.test.ts b/test/codex-effort.test.ts
index 4a8f04b9a..da5ca812a 100644
--- a/test/codex-effort.test.ts
+++ b/test/codex-effort.test.ts
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ describe('manual /codex modes (#3098)', () => {
     const flags = between(body, '**Effort flags, read before the mode:**', '```bash');
     expectTokens(flags, ['--effort <level>', '--effort=<level>', '--xhigh', '--effort xhigh', '<effort-level>'], 'codex effort flags');
     expectMentions(flags, [['directly after', 'mode word', 'leading flags', '--model', '--role', 'before any prompt text'], ['later', 'prompt text'], ['remove', 'before Step 1'],
-      ['missing', 'lowercase word', 'conflicting', 'stop']], 'codex effort flags');
+      ['missing', 'lowercase word', 'differing levels', 'stop'], ['later', 'say so']], 'codex effort flags');
     const step1 = between(body, '## Step 1: Detect mode', '- Review (2A)');
     expectMentions(step1, [['effort flags removed'], ['--request-effort', 'outranks']], 'codex Step 1');
   });
@@ -61,7 +61,8 @@ describe('manual /codex modes (#3098)', () => {
   test('docs/model-policy.md documents the per-request --effort flag in its Reasoning effort section', () => {
     const doc = between(read('docs/model-policy.md'), '## Reasoning effort', '## Which workflows use the tiers?');
     expectTokens(doc, ['/codex review --effort medium', '--effort=<level>', '--xhigh', '--request-effort', 'GSTACK_CODEX_EFFORT'], 'model-policy effort');
-    expectMentions(doc, [['outranks', 'exported'], ['directly after', 'mode word', 'prompt'], ['unknown level', 'before any Codex call']], 'model-policy effort');
+    expectMentions(doc, [['outranks', 'exported'], ['directly after', 'mode word', 'leading flags', 'prompt'], ['unknown level', 'before any Codex call']], 'model-policy effort');
+    expect(doc).toContain('| 0 | `/codex ... --effort <level>`');
   });
 });
 
@@ -173,6 +174,7 @@ echo '{"type":"item.completed","item":{"type":"agent_message","text":"SCORE: 8"}
     expect(bad.stdout).toBe('');
     expect(bad.stderr).toContain("'turbo' from /codex --effort");
     expect(bad.stderr).not.toContain('export GSTACK_CODEX_EFFORT');
+    expect(bad.stderr).toContain('docs/model-policy.md#reasoning-effort');
     const unfilled = check(['high', '--request', '<effort-level>']);
     expect(unfilled.status).toBe(1);
     expect(unfilled.stderr).toContain("'<effort-level>' placeholder was left unfilled");