diff --git a/crates/switchyard-translation/src/lib.rs b/crates/switchyard-translation/src/lib.rs
index d07a3497d..10da7ab08 100644
--- a/crates/switchyard-translation/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/switchyard-translation/src/lib.rs
@@ -31,5 +31,6 @@ pub use llm::*;
 pub use policy::*;
 pub use stream::*;
 pub use util::{
-    PRESERVATION_METADATA_KEY, normalize_anthropic_tool_use_ids, sanitize_anthropic_tool_use_id,
+    PRESERVATION_METADATA_KEY, normalize_anthropic_tool_use_ids, prepare_request_for_target,
+    sanitize_anthropic_tool_use_id,
 };
diff --git a/crates/switchyard-translation/src/util.rs b/crates/switchyard-translation/src/util.rs
index 9fcf769fd..11a5492d1 100644
--- a/crates/switchyard-translation/src/util.rs
+++ b/crates/switchyard-translation/src/util.rs
@@ -6,11 +6,12 @@
 use std::collections::BTreeMap;
 
 use serde_json::{Map, Value, json};
+use switchyard_protocol::ModelId;
 
 use crate::diagnostic::TranslationDiagnostic;
 use crate::error::{Result, TranslationError};
 use crate::format::FormatId;
-use crate::llm::{ContentBlock, LlmRequest, Message, PreservationMetadata};
+use crate::llm::{ContentBlock, InstructionBlock, LlmRequest, Message, PreservationMetadata, Role};
 use crate::policy::{
     LossyConversionPolicy, PreservationPolicy, TranslationPolicy, UnknownFieldPolicy,
 };
@@ -271,6 +272,30 @@ pub fn exact_preserved_response(
         .flatten()
 }
 
+/// Applies a selected target model and optionally prepends its system prompt.
+///
+/// Adding a prompt invalidates preserved provider bodies because they predate the mutation.
+/// Call this once per candidate using a request that has not already received a target prompt.
+pub fn prepare_request_for_target(
+    request: &mut LlmRequest,
+    target: &ModelId,
+    prompt: Option<&str>,
+) {
+    request.model = Some(target.to_string());
+    if let Some(prompt) = prompt {
+        request.instructions.insert(
+            0,
+            InstructionBlock {
+                role: Role::System,
+                content: vec![ContentBlock::Text {
+                    text: prompt.to_string(),
+                }],
+            },
+        );
+        request.preservation.requests.clear();
+    }
+}
+
 /// Embeds preservation metadata into a translated wire body when requested.
 pub fn embed_preservation(
     mut body: Value,
diff --git a/crates/switchyard-translation/tests/request_translation.rs b/crates/switchyard-translation/tests/request_translation.rs
index b7c4121a9..8310e7439 100644
--- a/crates/switchyard-translation/tests/request_translation.rs
+++ b/crates/switchyard-translation/tests/request_translation.rs
@@ -9,11 +9,69 @@ use pretty_assertions::assert_eq;
 use serde_json::{Value, json};
 use switchyard_translation::{
     LossyConversionPolicy, TranslationEngine, TranslationPolicy, WireFormat,
+    prepare_request_for_target,
 };
 
 use common::{REASONING_MODEL, normalized_policy, shell_tool_call};
 
-type TestResult = std::result::Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error + Send + Sync>>;
+type TestResult<T = ()> = std::result::Result<T, Box<dyn std::error::Error + Send + Sync>>;
+
+// A target prompt makes every preserved provider body stale.
+#[test]
+fn preparing_a_target_prompt_invalidates_exact_replay() -> TestResult {
+    let engine = TranslationEngine::default();
+    let policy = TranslationPolicy::default();
+    let body = json!({
+        "model": "route",
+        "messages": [
+            {"role": "system", "name": "caller", "content": "client prompt"},
+            {"role": "user", "content": "hi"}
+        ]
+    });
+    let mut request = engine
+        .decode_request(WireFormat::OpenAiChat, &body, &policy)?
+        .request;
+
+    prepare_request_for_target(
+        &mut request,
+        &"selected/model".into(),
+        Some("target prompt"),
+    );
+
+    assert!(request.preservation.requests.is_empty());
+    let encoded = engine
+        .encode_request(WireFormat::OpenAiChat, &request, &policy)?
+        .body;
+    assert_eq!(encoded["model"], "selected/model");
+    assert_eq!(encoded["messages"][0]["content"], "target prompt");
+    assert_eq!(encoded["messages"][1]["content"], "client prompt");
+    assert!(encoded["messages"][1].get("name").is_none());
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+// Stamping only the normalized target does not invalidate exact replay.
+#[test]
+fn preparing_without_a_prompt_preserves_exact_replay() -> TestResult {
+    let engine = TranslationEngine::default();
+    let policy = TranslationPolicy::default();
+    let body = json!({
+        "model": "route",
+        "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}],
+        "provider_field": true
+    });
+    let mut request = engine
+        .decode_request(WireFormat::OpenAiChat, &body, &policy)?
+        .request;
+
+    prepare_request_for_target(&mut request, &"selected/model".into(), None);
+
+    assert_eq!(request.model.as_deref(), Some("selected/model"));
+    assert_eq!(
+        request.preservation.requests[&WireFormat::OpenAiChat.into()],
+        body
+    );
+    Ok(())
+}
 
 // Verifies Anthropic-only request fields are dropped or mapped for OpenAI Chat.
 #[test]