diff --git a/.github/instructions/zsh-scripting.instructions.md b/.github/instructions/zsh-scripting.instructions.md
index 4c1f8c4bf..637299dcb 100644
--- a/.github/instructions/zsh-scripting.instructions.md
+++ b/.github/instructions/zsh-scripting.instructions.md
@@ -439,6 +439,44 @@ example, `status` is read-only, and `path` is tied to `PATH`; assignment can
 fail or change command lookup. Use purpose-specific names such as
 `command_status` and `candidate_paths`.
 
+### `zsh/parameters/capture-before-localizing`
+
+- Level: `required`
+- Profiles: `standalone-executable`, `startup-file`, `sourced-library`, `autoload-function`, `test-fixture`
+- Minimum Zsh: `null`
+- Basis: `language-semantics`
+- Evidence: `parameters`, `functions`
+- Enforcement: `lint`, `human-review`
+
+When a function localizes a parameter and the intended new value derives from
+the caller's value, capture that value before the localizing declaration. A
+localizing declaration starts the parameter empty, so an assignment that reads
+the same name on its right-hand side truncates itself instead of extending.
+
+This matters most for tied pairs such as `fpath`/`FPATH`, `path`/`PATH`,
+`cdpath`/`CDPATH`, `manpath`/`MANPATH`, and `module_path`/`MODULE_PATH`.
+Assigning the scalar localizes the array as well, already populated, which
+makes a following array declaration look redundant when it is not: a second
+`local` on a parameter already local to the same scope is not a reset, so the
+earlier value survives. Removing the scalar as dead silently empties the array.
+
+```zsh
+# Wrong: $fpath is already empty when the assignment reads it.
+local +h -a fpath
+fpath=( $PLUGIN_DIR $fpath )
+
+# Right: capture first, then localize.
+local -a caller_fpath
+caller_fpath=( $fpath )
+local +h -a fpath
+fpath=( $PLUGIN_DIR $caller_fpath )
+```
+
+Do not rely on a tied scalar assignment to carry the caller's value across a
+later declaration, and do not rely on a second `local` to reset a parameter
+already local to the scope. Capture explicitly, so that neither line can be
+read as inert and deleted.
+
 ### `zsh/parameters/account-dynamic-scope`
 
 - Level: `review`
diff --git a/lib/zsh-standard-policy.json b/lib/zsh-standard-policy.json
index a26d92402..1b800846b 100644
--- a/lib/zsh-standard-policy.json
+++ b/lib/zsh-standard-policy.json
@@ -427,6 +427,21 @@
       "evidence": ["parameters"],
       "enforcement": ["lint", "human-review"]
     },
+    {
+      "id": "zsh/parameters/capture-before-localizing",
+      "level": "required",
+      "profiles": [
+        "standalone-executable",
+        "startup-file",
+        "sourced-library",
+        "autoload-function",
+        "test-fixture"
+      ],
+      "minimum_zsh": null,
+      "basis": "language-semantics",
+      "evidence": ["parameters", "functions"],
+      "enforcement": ["lint", "human-review"]
+    },
     {
       "id": "zsh/parameters/account-dynamic-scope",
       "level": "review",
diff --git a/scripts/test_validate_zsh_standard_policy.py b/scripts/test_validate_zsh_standard_policy.py
index 173aba5a9..655d75bfe 100644
--- a/scripts/test_validate_zsh_standard_policy.py
+++ b/scripts/test_validate_zsh_standard_policy.py
@@ -210,6 +210,7 @@ def test_startup_profile_has_exact_rule_membership(self) -> None:
             "zsh/options/constrain-multios",
             "zsh/parameters/declare-scope",
             "zsh/parameters/avoid-special-name-collisions",
+            "zsh/parameters/capture-before-localizing",
             "zsh/parameters/account-dynamic-scope",
             "zsh/arrays/declare-kind",
             "zsh/arrays/native-indexing",
@@ -250,7 +251,7 @@ def test_startup_profile_has_exact_rule_membership(self) -> None:
             [rule["id"] for rule in matching_rules],
             expected_rule_ids,
         )
-        self.assertEqual(len(matching_rules), 49)
+        self.assertEqual(len(matching_rules), 50)
         for rule in matching_rules:
             with self.subTest(rule_id=rule["id"]):
                 if rule["id"] == "zsh/completion/preserve-trust-boundaries":
@@ -1978,7 +1979,7 @@ def test_repair_2_consumer_parser_outputs_match_frozen_golden(self) -> None:
             },
             "parsed_rules": validator._markdown_rules(instruction),
         }
-        self.assertEqual(len(snapshot["rule_blocks"]), 64)
+        self.assertEqual(len(snapshot["rule_blocks"]), 65)
         digest = hashlib.sha256(
             json.dumps(
                 snapshot,
@@ -1990,7 +1991,7 @@ def test_repair_2_consumer_parser_outputs_match_frozen_golden(self) -> None:
 
         self.assertEqual(
             digest,
-            "607f548eb63159678258e5caec4ae63ced8592906d2cb542f57b9ac1239a945b",
+            "d841ec864632352bc399bb035780e6805200425a4f14b0b700d3e7a9e8f7c59e",
             msg=(
                 "The frozen golden covers the parsed output of every path in "
                 f"{paths}. Editing any of them changes this digest, which is "
diff --git a/scripts/validate-zsh-standard-policy.py b/scripts/validate-zsh-standard-policy.py
index fe8ba63e4..e80555694 100644
--- a/scripts/validate-zsh-standard-policy.py
+++ b/scripts/validate-zsh-standard-policy.py
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@
     "zsh/options/constrain-multios",
     "zsh/parameters/declare-scope",
     "zsh/parameters/avoid-special-name-collisions",
+    "zsh/parameters/capture-before-localizing",
     "zsh/parameters/account-dynamic-scope",
     "zsh/arrays/declare-kind",
     "zsh/arrays/native-indexing",
@@ -210,6 +211,7 @@
     "zsh/options/constrain-multios",
     "zsh/parameters/declare-scope",
     "zsh/parameters/avoid-special-name-collisions",
+    "zsh/parameters/capture-before-localizing",
     "zsh/parameters/account-dynamic-scope",
     "zsh/arrays/declare-kind",
     "zsh/arrays/native-indexing",