diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 572e93a..e900dd1 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -69,6 +69,19 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 - 28 reference-impl unit tests pin every clause of `spec/evidence-grade.md`
   § 3, lifting the suite from 2315 → 2343 tests.
 
+### Changed (v0.3.0 candidate)
+
+- **`threshold_derivation` is now quantity-aware (RESISTANCE vs WORK).**
+  The helper previously offered only the resistance positions
+  (`LOWER` / `TARGET` / `UPPER`, `1/3 … 1/φ²`), so deriving a WORK
+  quantity (buffer capacity, rate budget, queue depth) from `TARGET`
+  under-provisioned it by ~20%. Added `BandPosition.WORK_TARGET`
+  (work-zone midpoint ~0.441) + `WORK_CEILING` (0.50 pivot) and the
+  `derive_work_target` / `derive_work_target_float` helpers; documented
+  that sustained-vs-spike is the caller's `SustainedLoadTracker` call,
+  not a static derivation. The `redis-rate-limiter` adoption guide now
+  derives its sustained refill rate from the work zone.
+
 ### Added (v0.3.0 candidate)
 
 - **Multi-scale observation Protocol** ([`spec/multi-scale.md`](spec/multi-scale.md))
diff --git a/docs/adoption/redis-rate-limiter.md b/docs/adoption/redis-rate-limiter.md
index cf475d1..95df217 100644
--- a/docs/adoption/redis-rate-limiter.md
+++ b/docs/adoption/redis-rate-limiter.md
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@ from substrate import ResistanceBandConfig
 from substrate.threshold_derivation import (
     derive_hard_limit,
     derive_soft_limit,
-    derive_target,
-    derive_threshold_float,
+    derive_work_target_float,
 )
 
 
@@ -38,6 +37,9 @@ class BandLimiter:
       can absorb a burst; above it, the limiter starts charging.
     - ``hard_limit`` (band upper edge × capacity) — above this, requests
       are rejected.
+    - sustained ``refill`` rate (work-zone target × capacity) — the
+      throughput the limiter sustains is a WORK quantity, so it targets the
+      work zone (~0.441), not the resistance setpoint.
 
     Limit *override* policy follows the band: tighter is permitted, looser
     is rejected at construction.
@@ -55,8 +57,10 @@ class BandLimiter:
         self._prefix = key_prefix
         self._soft = float(derive_soft_limit(int(capacity), config=band))
         self._hard = float(derive_hard_limit(int(capacity), config=band))
-        # The refill rate aims at the band's midpoint as a closed-loop target.
-        self._refill_per_sec = derive_threshold_float(capacity, config=band)
+        # The sustained refill rate is a WORK quantity (throughput the
+        # system carries), so it targets the work-zone midpoint (~0.441),
+        # not the resistance setpoint (~0.358).
+        self._refill_per_sec = derive_work_target_float(capacity, config=band)
 
     @property
     def soft_limit(self) -> float:
@@ -85,7 +89,7 @@ class BandLimiter:
 
 ## What the band buys
 
-- **Commensurability across limiters.** A `BandLimiter(capacity=1000)` for one upstream and a `BandLimiter(capacity=10_000)` for another have the same *shape* — both run at `~33–38%` of capacity. Operators reasoning about either limiter use the same mental model.
+- **Commensurability across limiters.** A `BandLimiter(capacity=1000)` for one upstream and a `BandLimiter(capacity=10_000)` for another have the same *shape* — both sustain throughput in the work zone (`~38–50%` of capacity, the carried-load band) with the same burst/reject edges. Operators reasoning about either limiter use the same mental model.
 - **Single-knob tightening.** When operations needs to shed load globally (e.g., a degraded downstream), tightening the band config propagates to every limiter that derives from it. No per-limiter migration.
 - **Refusal of unsafe widening.** A subsystem that proposes a `lower_bound=0.20, upper_bound=0.50` configuration is *refused at construction* (the package rejects loosening past defaults). The operator surface gets the error early, not when the limiter is in production.
 
diff --git a/python/src/substrate/threshold_derivation.py b/python/src/substrate/threshold_derivation.py
index 7208bbb..bb6bfd4 100644
--- a/python/src/substrate/threshold_derivation.py
+++ b/python/src/substrate/threshold_derivation.py
@@ -2,21 +2,43 @@
 
 When choosing thresholds (rate limits, ring sizes, batch sizes, retry
 caps, queue depths, soft / hard quotas), this module derives them from
-the productive-resistance band rather than from ad-hoc multipliers. This
-is the single source of truth for that derivation across consumers.
+the substrate band rather than from ad-hoc multipliers. This is the
+single source of truth for that derivation across consumers.
 
-Three reference points along the band:
+**Declare the quantity — RESISTANCE vs WORK — before deriving.** The two
+have different bands, and conflating them inverts the model:
 
-- **LOWER** (~``1/3``) — the entry to the productive band. Below this
-  the system is under-loaded.
-- **TARGET** (midpoint, ~``0.358``) — closed-loop steady-state. The
-  point the resistance band's recommended scaling factor walks toward.
-- **UPPER** (~``1/φ² ≈ 0.382``) — the exit of the productive band.
-  Above this the system is stressed and should shed load.
+- **RESISTANCE** (imposed challenge / pull-back) calibrates in the
+  ``1/3 … 1/φ²`` band — use the RESISTANCE positions (LOWER / TARGET /
+  UPPER) for friction-type thresholds (retry caps, backpressure entry).
+- **WORK** (the load a subsystem CARRIES — buffer capacity, processing
+  rate, queue depth, steady-state quota) cruises the WORK ZONE
+  ``1/φ² … 0.50`` — use the WORK positions (WORK_TARGET / WORK_CEILING).
+  Deriving a WORK quantity from the resistance TARGET (~0.358)
+  UNDER-provisions it by ~20%; ``0.45`` is the work zone, not a failure.
+
+RESISTANCE reference points:
+
+- **LOWER** (~``1/3``) — productive-band entry; below = under-loaded.
+- **TARGET** (midpoint, ~``0.358``) — resistance-band steady-state (the
+  imposed-challenge setpoint).
+- **UPPER** (~``1/φ² ≈ 0.382``) — productive-band exit; above, the
+  challenge eats into the maintained capacity.
+
+WORK reference points (the sustainable cruise):
+
+- **WORK_TARGET** (~``0.441``) — the work-zone midpoint; the steady-state
+  a carried-load quantity should provision toward.
+- **WORK_CEILING** (``0.50``) — work-zone top / half-period pivot; the
+  ceiling of indefinitely-sustainable WORK (peaking above it is
+  transient-only).
 
 A capacity ``C`` is bound to threshold ``C × band_position``, so the
 band's anchor flows mechanically into operational thresholds without
-operators rolling their own multipliers.
+operators rolling their own multipliers. Whether an excursion above the
+chosen position is an absorbed spike or accruing debt is a *temporal*
+determination that belongs to the caller's ``SustainedLoadTracker``, not
+to this static derivation.
 """
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -25,17 +47,28 @@
 
 from substrate.resistance_band import (
     DEFAULT_CONFIG,
+    WORK_ZONE_UPPER,
     ResistanceBandAssessment,
     ResistanceBandConfig,
     assess,
 )
 
 class BandPosition(str, Enum):
-    """Three reference points along the productive-resistance band."""
+    """Reference points for threshold derivation, keyed by quantity.
 
+    RESISTANCE (imposed challenge): LOWER / TARGET / UPPER span 1/3 … 1/φ².
+    WORK (carried load): WORK_TARGET / WORK_CEILING span 1/φ² … 0.50.
+    Pick by the quantity you are deriving — deriving a WORK quantity from
+    a RESISTANCE position under-provisions it.
+    """
+
+    # RESISTANCE positions — imposed-challenge setpoint (1/3 … 1/φ²)
     LOWER = "lower"
     TARGET = "target"
     UPPER = "upper"
+    # WORK positions — the sustainable cruise (1/φ² … 0.50)
+    WORK_TARGET = "work_target"
+    WORK_CEILING = "work_ceiling"
 
 #: Default minimum threshold floor — derived thresholds never go below
 #: this even when the input capacity is tiny. Prevents pathological
@@ -52,6 +85,12 @@ def _band_position(
         return cfg.lower_bound
     if position is BandPosition.UPPER:
         return cfg.upper_bound
+    if position is BandPosition.WORK_CEILING:
+        return WORK_ZONE_UPPER
+    if position is BandPosition.WORK_TARGET:
+        # work-zone midpoint: halfway between the resistance ceiling
+        # (1/φ²) and the work-zone top (the 0.50 half-period pivot).
+        return (cfg.upper_bound + WORK_ZONE_UPPER) / 2.0
     return cfg.target
 
 def derive_threshold(
@@ -89,6 +128,39 @@ def derive_threshold_float(
     fraction = _band_position(position, config=config)
     return capacity * fraction
 
+def derive_work_target(
+    capacity: float,
+    *,
+    config: Optional[ResistanceBandConfig] = None,
+    min_threshold: int = DEFAULT_MIN_THRESHOLD,
+) -> int:
+    """Return the steady-state WORK provisioning (work-zone midpoint × capacity).
+
+    Use for load a subsystem CARRIES — buffer capacity, queue depth,
+    per-source rate budget. The sustainable cruise for WORK is the work
+    zone (1/φ² … 0.50), so the steady-state target is its midpoint
+    (~0.441 × capacity), NOT the resistance ``TARGET`` (~0.358). Deriving
+    a WORK quantity from the resistance target under-provisions it.
+    """
+    return derive_threshold(
+        capacity, position=BandPosition.WORK_TARGET,
+        config=config, min_threshold=min_threshold,
+    )
+
+def derive_work_target_float(
+    capacity: float,
+    *,
+    config: Optional[ResistanceBandConfig] = None,
+) -> float:
+    """Return the steady-state WORK target as a float (no rounding).
+
+    The continuous-quantity companion of :func:`derive_work_target` — for
+    rate budgets (requests/sec, frames/sec, bytes/sec) the system sustains.
+    """
+    return derive_threshold_float(
+        capacity, position=BandPosition.WORK_TARGET, config=config,
+    )
+
 def derive_soft_limit(
     capacity: float,
     *,
@@ -194,4 +266,6 @@ def assess_utilization(
     "derive_target",
     "derive_threshold",
     "derive_threshold_float",
+    "derive_work_target",
+    "derive_work_target_float",
 ]
diff --git a/python/tests/test_threshold_derivation.py b/python/tests/test_threshold_derivation.py
index b6e693b..47bfa62 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_threshold_derivation.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_threshold_derivation.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 from substrate.resistance_band import (
     LOWER_BOUND,
     UPPER_BOUND,
+    WORK_ZONE_UPPER,
     ResistanceBandClassification,
     ResistanceBandConfig,
 )
@@ -23,9 +24,49 @@
     derive_target,
     derive_threshold,
     derive_threshold_float,
+    derive_work_target,
+    derive_work_target_float,
 )
 
 
+_WORK_TARGET_FRACTION = (UPPER_BOUND + WORK_ZONE_UPPER) / 2.0
+
+
+class TestDeriveWorkTarget:
+    def test_work_target_at_work_zone_midpoint(self) -> None:
+        assert derive_work_target(1024) == int(1024 * _WORK_TARGET_FRACTION)
+
+    def test_work_target_exceeds_resistance_target(self) -> None:
+        # Carried-load provisioning must exceed the resistance setpoint
+        # (~0.441 vs ~0.358).
+        assert derive_work_target(1024) > derive_target(1024)
+
+    def test_work_target_position_matches_helper(self) -> None:
+        assert derive_work_target(1000) == derive_threshold(
+            1000, position=BandPosition.WORK_TARGET,
+        )
+
+    def test_work_ceiling_is_pivot(self) -> None:
+        assert derive_threshold(
+            1000, position=BandPosition.WORK_CEILING,
+        ) == int(1000 * WORK_ZONE_UPPER)
+
+    def test_work_target_within_work_zone(self) -> None:
+        assert UPPER_BOUND < _WORK_TARGET_FRACTION < WORK_ZONE_UPPER
+
+    def test_work_target_float_no_floor(self) -> None:
+        assert derive_work_target_float(100.0) == pytest.approx(
+            100.0 * _WORK_TARGET_FRACTION
+        )
+
+    def test_work_target_min_floor(self) -> None:
+        assert derive_work_target(1) == DEFAULT_MIN_THRESHOLD
+
+    def test_work_target_negative_raises(self) -> None:
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="capacity"):
+            derive_work_target(-1)
+
+
 class TestDeriveThreshold:
     def test_target_at_band_midpoint(self) -> None:
         # capacity 1000 → band target ~0.358 → ~358