diff --git a/crates/engram-host-agent/src/grpc_server.rs b/crates/engram-host-agent/src/grpc_server.rs
index a4546944b..905b0742a 100644
--- a/crates/engram-host-agent/src/grpc_server.rs
+++ b/crates/engram-host-agent/src/grpc_server.rs
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ use engram_protocol::grpc::{
     SendHarnessToolResultRequest, SnapshotBeginResponse, SnapshotResponse, StartAgentRequest,
     UnbindHarnessSessionRequest,
 };
-use engram_protocol::grpc_client::link_remote_parent;
+use engram_protocol::grpc_client::{link_remote_parent, HOST_RPC_MAX_MESSAGE_BYTES};
 use engram_protocol::wire::WireExecRequest;
 use futures::Stream;
 use std::pin::Pin;
@@ -191,7 +191,11 @@ pub async fn serve(
         .initial_stream_window_size(Some(16 * 1024 * 1024))
         .initial_connection_window_size(Some(32 * 1024 * 1024))
         .http2_adaptive_window(Some(true))
-        .add_service(HostServiceServer::new(svc).max_encoding_message_size(32 * 1024 * 1024))
+        .add_service(
+            HostServiceServer::new(svc)
+                .max_encoding_message_size(HOST_RPC_MAX_MESSAGE_BYTES)
+                .max_decoding_message_size(HOST_RPC_MAX_MESSAGE_BYTES),
+        )
         .serve_with_incoming(incoming)
         .await
 }
diff --git a/crates/engram-host-agent/tests/grpc_pause_resume.rs b/crates/engram-host-agent/tests/grpc_pause_resume.rs
index 4951aaf9d..67a8ea051 100644
--- a/crates/engram-host-agent/tests/grpc_pause_resume.rs
+++ b/crates/engram-host-agent/tests/grpc_pause_resume.rs
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ use parking_lot::Mutex;
 #[derive(Default)]
 struct FakeHost {
     calls: Mutex<Vec<(&'static str, SandboxId)>>,
+    prompt_bytes: Mutex<Vec<usize>>,
 }
 
 #[async_trait]
@@ -100,10 +101,11 @@ impl HostClient for FakeHost {
         &self,
         _: SandboxId,
         _: String,
-        _: String,
+        text: String,
         _: Option<String>,
     ) -> Result<(), SandboxError> {
-        unreachable!()
+        self.prompt_bytes.lock().push(text.len());
+        Ok(())
     }
     async fn proxy_shell(&self, _: SandboxId) -> Result<ShellTunnel, SandboxError> {
         unreachable!()
@@ -182,3 +184,20 @@ async fn pause_then_resume_round_trip_to_the_host_with_the_right_sandbox() {
         "pause/resume did not round-trip in order with the right sandbox id",
     );
 }
+
+/// A move's restore request carries the VM's memory manifest and is larger
+/// than tonic's 4 MiB default decode limit. The host accepts it.
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn the_host_accepts_a_request_above_the_tonic_default_limit() {
+    let host = Arc::new(FakeHost::default());
+    let addr = boot_grpc_server(host.clone()).await;
+    let client = connect_grpc_client(addr).await;
+
+    let text = "x".repeat(6 * 1024 * 1024);
+    client
+        .send_prompt(SandboxId::new(), "p1".into(), text.clone(), None)
+        .await
+        .expect("a 6 MiB request reaches the host");
+
+    assert_eq!(*host.prompt_bytes.lock(), vec![text.len()]);
+}
diff --git a/crates/engram-protocol/src/grpc_client.rs b/crates/engram-protocol/src/grpc_client.rs
index a6838feaa..2cd7167c9 100644
--- a/crates/engram-protocol/src/grpc_client.rs
+++ b/crates/engram-protocol/src/grpc_client.rs
@@ -141,6 +141,13 @@ fn restore_rpc_timeout() -> Duration {
     Duration::from_secs(secs)
 }
 
+/// The largest `HostService` message either side decodes or encodes.
+/// tonic's 4 MiB default is below a move's restore request, which carries
+/// the memory manifest of the VM (about 6 MB for 32 GiB of guest RAM),
+/// and below a peer chunk frame. The cap is a limit check; it allocates
+/// nothing.
+pub const HOST_RPC_MAX_MESSAGE_BYTES: usize = 32 * 1024 * 1024;
+
 /// Coord-side client wrapping a `tonic::transport::Channel` to one
 /// host. Cheap to clone (tonic clients hold an `Arc<Channel>`
 /// internally); one instance per host is the steady-state shape.
@@ -159,15 +166,11 @@ impl GrpcHostClient {
     /// Every RPC carries the caller's `traceparent` via
     /// [`TraceparentInjector`] (ADR 0019 distributed tracing).
     ///
-    /// The inbound decode cap is 32 MiB on every client (was an opt-in
-    /// for `ReapMaterializeDir`'s 16 MiB reply; ADR 0095's
-    /// `PeerChunkGet` frames — 4 MiB data + overhead — need past
-    /// tonic's 4 MiB default too, and the cap is just a limit check,
-    /// no allocation change).
+    /// The client decodes replies up to [`HOST_RPC_MAX_MESSAGE_BYTES`].
     pub fn new(channel: Channel) -> Self {
         Self {
             inner: HostServiceClient::with_interceptor(channel, TraceparentInjector)
-                .max_decoding_message_size(32 * 1024 * 1024),
+                .max_decoding_message_size(HOST_RPC_MAX_MESSAGE_BYTES),
         }
     }