diff --git a/x/mlxrunner/batch/batch.go b/x/mlxrunner/batch/batch.go
index 409f5307..011b3110 100644
--- a/x/mlxrunner/batch/batch.go
+++ b/x/mlxrunner/batch/batch.go
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ type Batch struct {
 	// Length equals the batch dimension of InputIDs.
 	SeqQueryLens []int32
 
+	// Hidden is the target hidden state a draft model fuses with its input
+	// embedding for this step. It is nil for ordinary forward passes.
+	Hidden *mlx.Array
+
 	// Memo is per-forward memoization used to cache results, such as masks,
 	// which are often the same across layers.
 	Memo Memo
diff --git a/x/mlxrunner/model/base/base.go b/x/mlxrunner/model/base/base.go
index 4f43d74b..9a056956 100644
--- a/x/mlxrunner/model/base/base.go
+++ b/x/mlxrunner/model/base/base.go
@@ -27,8 +27,21 @@ type Model interface {
 	LoadWeights(tensors map[string]*mlx.Array) error
 }
 
-// DraftModel is an auxiliary model stored alongside a target model.
+// DraftModel is an auxiliary model alongside a target that proposes speculative
+// tokens.
 type DraftModel interface {
+	// Draft fuses b.Hidden (the target hidden state) into its own forward and
+	// returns the head's hidden plus the projected hidden seeding the next step.
+	Draft(b *batch.Batch, caches []cache.Cache) (hidden, projected *mlx.Array)
+
+	// Unembed projects a hidden state to vocabulary logits.
+	Unembed(x *mlx.Array) *mlx.Array
+
+	// DraftCaches selects the draft model's own KV caches from the full
+	// per-request slice — any subset, or nil when the draft keeps no KV.
+	DraftCaches(caches []cache.Cache) []cache.Cache
+
+	// LoadWeights assigns manifest tensors to the draft head's fields.
 	LoadWeights(tensors map[string]*mlx.Array) error
 }
 
@@ -46,15 +59,10 @@ type MTPDefaultsProvider interface {
 	MTPDraftDefaults(sample bool) MTPDefaults
 }
 
-// MTPDraftModel is a draft model capable of Gemma-style multi-token
-// prediction from target token embeddings, target hidden states, and target KV.
-type MTPDraftModel interface {
-	Draft(inputEmbeds *mlx.Array, position int32, caches []cache.Cache) (logits, hidden *mlx.Array)
-}
-
-// MTPEmbeddingModel exposes the target token embedding path used by MTP drafts.
-type MTPEmbeddingModel interface {
-	TokenEmbeddings(inputIDs *mlx.Array) *mlx.Array
+// SelfDraft is implemented by models whose draft head ships inline with the
+// target weights; it returns the head, or nil when the checkpoint shipped none.
+type SelfDraft interface {
+	SelfDraft() DraftModel
 }
 
 var (
diff --git a/x/mlxrunner/mtp.go b/x/mlxrunner/mtp.go
index 52381f92..ba788d82 100644
--- a/x/mlxrunner/mtp.go
+++ b/x/mlxrunner/mtp.go
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 package mlxrunner
 
 import (
-	"github.com/ollama/ollama/x/mlxrunner/cache"
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/ollama/ollama/x/mlxrunner/batch"
 	"github.com/ollama/ollama/x/mlxrunner/mlx"
 	"github.com/ollama/ollama/x/mlxrunner/model/base"
 	sampler "github.com/ollama/ollama/x/mlxrunner/sample"
@@ -12,6 +14,11 @@ const (
 	mtpDefaultMaxDraftTokens     = 16
 )
 
+// mtpPendingFlushTokens caps how many committed look-ahead tokens wait in the
+// pending buffer before a batched flush, bounding the pinned hidden states
+// regardless of what else triggers a flush.
+const mtpPendingFlushTokens = 32
+
 func (r *Runner) mtpDefaults(sample bool) base.MTPDefaults {
 	defaults := base.MTPDefaults{
 		InitialDraftTokens: mtpDefaultInitialDraftTokens,
@@ -30,85 +37,231 @@ func (r *Runner) mtpDefaults(sample bool) base.MTPDefaults {
 	return defaults
 }
 
-// mtpDrafter drafts with a model's multi-token-prediction head: a small
-// head trained to continue the target's hidden states, fed through the
-// committed-stream reports. It retains the hidden at the last committed
-// slot and tracks the committed frontier, which anchors its drafting.
+// mtpDrafter drafts with a model's multi-token-prediction head, fed through
+// the committed-stream reports. The draft KV pairs each slot S with the
+// look-ahead token at S+1 fused with the target hidden at S, so a pair
+// completes only when the next token arrives.
 type mtpDrafter struct {
-	spec   *speculation
-	draft  base.MTPDraftModel
-	target base.MTPEmbeddingModel
-	caches []cache.Cache
+	spec *speculation
 
-	// frontier is the slot after the last committed token; the hidden
-	// reported for slot frontier-1 is retained (pinned) as the fusion
-	// input for the next proposal chain.
+	// frontier is the slot after the last reported token; frontierHidden is
+	// the pinned target hidden at frontier-1, fused into the next pair.
 	frontier       int
 	frontierHidden *mlx.Array
+
+	// committedDraftOffset is the slot after the last pair written to the
+	// draft caches; later pairs wait pinned in the pending lists until
+	// flushed. pendingCount is the look-ahead tokens those lists hold, summed
+	// across the buffered runs.
+	committedDraftOffset int
+	pendingTokens        []*mlx.Array
+	pendingHiddens       []*mlx.Array
+	pendingCount         int
+
+	// heldHidden is the frontier row's pre-unembed hidden and heldProjected
+	// its fusion hidden, carried from the last flush so the first proposal
+	// reuses them without a head call.
+	heldHidden    *mlx.Array
+	heldProjected *mlx.Array
 }
 
-// newMTPDrafter returns the MTP drafter for this request's caches, or nil
-// when the model carries no MTP head.
-func newMTPDrafter(s *speculation, caches []cache.Cache) *mtpDrafter {
-	draft, ok := s.draft.(base.MTPDraftModel)
-	if !ok {
-		return nil
+// newMTPDrafter returns the MTP drafter cursor for this request, syncing its
+// pairing frontier to the draft caches' restored offset.
+func newMTPDrafter(s *speculation) *mtpDrafter {
+	d := &mtpDrafter{spec: s}
+	if len(s.draftKV) > 0 {
+		// A restored prefix arrives with the draft caches already written;
+		// pairing resumes from their absolute offset.
+		d.committedDraftOffset = s.draftKV[0].Offset()
+		d.frontier = d.committedDraftOffset
 	}
-	target, ok := s.r.Model.(base.MTPEmbeddingModel)
-	if !ok {
-		return nil
-	}
-	return &mtpDrafter{spec: s, draft: draft, target: target, caches: caches}
+	return d
 }
 
 func (d *mtpDrafter) committed(tokens, hiddens *mlx.Array, position int) {
-	d.frontier = position + tokens.Dim(1)
-	h := lastHiddenRow(hiddens)
-	mlx.Pin(h)
-	if d.frontierHidden != nil {
-		mlx.Unpin(d.frontierHidden)
+	n := tokens.Dim(1)
+	if len(d.spec.draftKV) > 0 {
+		// The pair at slot S fuses token[S+1] with hidden[S], so a run pairs its
+		// tokens with its own hiddens shifted one slot back: the first writable
+		// token takes the carried frontier hidden, each later token the row
+		// before it. Leading tokens whose slot is already buffered or written
+		// through (a proposal consumed the run's first token, or a restored
+		// prefix sits at the run start) are skipped; a slot below the frontier
+		// is a gap bug.
+		start := d.committedDraftOffset + d.pendingCount - position + 1
+		if start < 0 {
+			panic(fmt.Sprintf("mtp: committed run at %d leaves a pair gap at %d", position, d.committedDraftOffset+d.pendingCount))
+		}
+		if start < n {
+			ids := tokens.Slice(mlx.Slice(), mlx.Slice(start, n))
+			var h *mlx.Array
+			if start == 0 {
+				h = mlx.Concatenate([]*mlx.Array{d.frontierHidden, hiddens.Slice(mlx.Slice(), mlx.Slice(0, n-1), mlx.Slice())}, 1)
+			} else {
+				h = hiddens.Slice(mlx.Slice(), mlx.Slice(start-1, n-1), mlx.Slice())
+			}
+			d.queueCacheWrites(ids, h)
+		}
 	}
-	d.frontierHidden = h
+
+	d.frontier = position + n
+	d.setFrontierHidden(lastHiddenRow(hiddens))
+}
+
+// finish settles the drafter when generation ends: current completes the
+// frontier pair, leveling the draft caches with the target's resting offset.
+//
+// TODO: leveling the draft to the target writes a boundary entry whose
+// look-ahead token is outside the stored prefix (here, the never-committed
+// current). When a later request restores this prefix and diverges at the
+// boundary, that entry is stale and lowers draft acceptance. EAGLE keeps the
+// draft one slot behind the target so the unconfirmed boundary entry is never
+// written (its bigram partner token[S+1] does not exist yet); we should do the
+// same rather than level here. Regenerating hidden[S] to re-pair the boundary
+// on the next request is a separate, re-prefill-bound concern for recurrent
+// targets.
+func (d *mtpDrafter) finish(current *mlx.Array) {
+	if len(d.spec.draftKV) == 0 {
+		return
+	}
+	d.settle(current)
+}
+
+// settle completes any open frontier pair with current, then flushes.
+func (d *mtpDrafter) settle(current *mlx.Array) {
+	if d.frontierHidden != nil && d.frontier-1 == d.committedDraftOffset+d.pendingCount {
+		d.queueCacheWrites(current.ExpandDims(-1), d.frontierHidden)
+	}
+	d.flush()
 }
 
 func (d *mtpDrafter) close() {
-	if d.frontierHidden != nil {
-		mlx.Unpin(d.frontierHidden)
-		d.frontierHidden = nil
+	d.flush()
+	d.setFrontierHidden(nil)
+	d.setHeld(nil, nil)
+}
+
+// queueCacheWrites buffers completed draft-cache writes — look-ahead tokens
+// fused with their target hiddens — flushing once the buffer reaches the token
+// cap so the pinned hiddens stay bounded. flush coalesces the buffered writes
+// into one head forward, so a contiguous run lands in a single draft-cache extend.
+func (d *mtpDrafter) queueCacheWrites(tokens, hiddens *mlx.Array) {
+	mlx.Pin(tokens, hiddens)
+	d.pendingTokens = append(d.pendingTokens, tokens)
+	d.pendingHiddens = append(d.pendingHiddens, hiddens)
+	d.pendingCount += tokens.Dim(1)
+	if d.pendingCount >= mtpPendingFlushTokens {
+		d.flush()
 	}
 }
 
-// propose drafts a token chain Gemma-style ("single-position"): the head is
-// trained to draft every speculative token as if it sat at the last
-// committed slot, re-attending the target caches read-only. Each step fuses
-// the previous token's target embedding with the hidden chain — the
-// reported hidden first, then the head's own projections — and the
-// RoPE/cache anchor stays at the last committed slot while the proposed
-// tokens advance.
+// flush writes the pending pairs to the draft caches in one head forward,
+// dropping speculative entries past the committed range first and holding
+// the last row's logits and projected hidden for the next proposal chain.
+func (d *mtpDrafter) flush() {
+	if len(d.pendingTokens) == 0 {
+		return
+	}
+	for _, c := range d.spec.draftKV {
+		if c.Offset() > d.committedDraftOffset {
+			if !c.Restore(nil, d.committedDraftOffset) {
+				panic(fmt.Sprintf("mtp: draft cache rewind to %d failed", d.committedDraftOffset))
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	ids := mlx.Concatenate(d.pendingTokens, 1)
+	hiddens := mlx.Concatenate(d.pendingHiddens, 1)
+	hidden, projected := d.spec.draft.Draft(&batch.Batch{
+		InputIDs:     ids,
+		SeqOffsets:   []int32{int32(d.committedDraftOffset)},
+		SeqQueryLens: []int32{int32(ids.Dim(1))},
+		Hidden:       hiddens,
+	}, d.spec.caches)
+	d.setHeld(lastHiddenRow(hidden), lastHiddenRow(projected))
+	d.committedDraftOffset += ids.Dim(1)
+
+	// Force the draft writes: a session that never drafts would otherwise
+	// leave the flush chain unevaluated, pinning every hidden until close.
+	state := make([]*mlx.Array, 0, 2*len(d.spec.draftKV))
+	for _, c := range d.spec.draftKV {
+		state = append(state, c.State()...)
+	}
+	mlx.AsyncEval(state...)
+
+	mlx.Unpin(d.pendingTokens...)
+	mlx.Unpin(d.pendingHiddens...)
+	d.pendingTokens, d.pendingHiddens = nil, nil
+	d.pendingCount = 0
+}
+
+func (d *mtpDrafter) setFrontierHidden(h *mlx.Array) {
+	mlx.Pin(h)
+	mlx.Unpin(d.frontierHidden)
+	d.frontierHidden = h
+}
+
+// setHeld replaces the held flush outputs, pinned until the next flush or close.
+func (d *mtpDrafter) setHeld(hidden, projected *mlx.Array) {
+	mlx.Pin(hidden, projected)
+	mlx.Unpin(d.heldHidden, d.heldProjected)
+	d.heldHidden, d.heldProjected = hidden, projected
+}
+
+// propose drafts a token chain after the not-yet-validated current token.
+// A head with draft caches settles the frontier pair first, so its first step
+// reuses the held frontier row with no head call; a cacheless head re-attends
+// the target caches read-only, anchored at the last committed slot.
 func (d *mtpDrafter) propose(current *mlx.Array, maxTokens int) *draftCandidates {
 	if maxTokens <= 0 || d.frontierHidden == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
 	r := d.spec.r
 
-	anchor := int32(d.frontier - 1)
+	if len(d.spec.draftKV) > 0 {
+		d.settle(current)
+		if d.heldHidden == nil {
+			return nil
+		}
+	}
+
 	lastToken := current.ExpandDims(-1)
 	lastHidden := d.frontierHidden
-	draftTokens := make([]*mlx.Array, 0, maxTokens)
 	draftDists := make([]sampler.Distribution, 0, maxTokens)
 	var prefix *mlx.Array
 
-	for range maxTokens {
-		tokenEmbedding := d.target.TokenEmbeddings(lastToken)
-		inputs := tokenEmbedding.Concatenate(-1, lastHidden)
-		logits, projected := d.draft.Draft(inputs, anchor, d.caches)
-		stepLogits := lastLogits(logits)
+	for i := range maxTokens {
+		var hidden, projected *mlx.Array
+		if i == 0 && len(d.spec.draftKV) > 0 {
+			// The settle flush already produced the frontier row; reuse it
+			// instead of re-running the head.
+			hidden, projected = d.heldHidden, d.heldProjected
+		} else {
+			// A head with draft caches writes each draft token to the next
+			// draft-cache slot, advancing one per step from the last committed
+			// slot (the held i==0 step stands in for that slot). A cacheless
+			// head stays at the last committed slot every step, re-attending
+			// the committed prefix read-only ("single-position").
+			pos := d.frontier - 1
+			if len(d.spec.draftKV) > 0 {
+				pos = d.frontier - 1 + i
+			}
+			hidden, projected = d.spec.draft.Draft(&batch.Batch{
+				InputIDs:     lastToken,
+				SeqOffsets:   []int32{int32(pos)},
+				SeqQueryLens: []int32{1},
+				Hidden:       lastHidden,
+			}, d.spec.caches)
+		}
+		// Unembed only the row being sampled, never the batch.
+		stepLogits := d.spec.draft.Unembed(hidden).Squeeze(1)
+		lastHidden = projected
+		// The chain's earlier drafts ride along as the row's history, so
+		// penalties shape proposals the same way they shape validation.
 		dist := r.Sampler.Distribution(pipelineSlot, stepLogits, prefix)
 		nextToken := r.Sampler.SampleDistribution(pipelineSlot, dist)
 
 		lastToken = nextToken.ExpandDims(-1)
-		lastHidden = projected
-		draftTokens = append(draftTokens, lastToken)
 		draftDists = append(draftDists, dist)
 		if prefix == nil {
 			prefix = lastToken
@@ -117,7 +270,7 @@ func (d *mtpDrafter) propose(current *mlx.Array, maxTokens int) *draftCandidates
 		}
 	}
 	return &draftCandidates{
-		tokens: mlx.Concatenate(draftTokens, 1),
+		tokens: prefix,
 		dist:   sampler.ConcatenateDistributions(draftDists),
 	}
 }
diff --git a/x/mlxrunner/mtp_test.go b/x/mlxrunner/mtp_test.go
index c449b3e7..bde9e607 100644
--- a/x/mlxrunner/mtp_test.go
+++ b/x/mlxrunner/mtp_test.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"reflect"
 	"slices"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
@@ -60,7 +61,10 @@ func (m *fakeMTPModel) Forward(b *batch.Batch, caches []cache.Cache) *mlx.Array
 	mlx.Eval(b.InputIDs)
 	ids := b.InputIDs.Ints()
 	m.forwards = append(m.forwards, forwardCall{offset: b.SeqOffsets[0], n: int32(len(ids))})
-	for _, c := range caches {
+	for i, c := range caches {
+		if i >= m.NumLayers() {
+			break
+		}
 		if rc, ok := c.(*fakeRewindableCache); ok {
 			seg := make([]int32, len(ids))
 			for i, id := range ids {
@@ -85,25 +89,10 @@ func (m *fakeMTPModel) LoadWeights(map[string]*mlx.Array) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// TokenEmbeddings returns a width-1 embedding holding the token id as a float,
-// so a draft can recover which token it is extending from inputs[...,0].
-func (m *fakeMTPModel) TokenEmbeddings(inputIDs *mlx.Array) *mlx.Array {
-	mlx.Eval(inputIDs)
-	ids := inputIDs.Ints()
-	data := make([]float32, len(ids))
-	for i, id := range ids {
-		data[i] = float32(id)
-	}
-	return mlx.FromValues(data, inputIDs.Dim(0), inputIDs.Dim(1), 1)
-}
+var _ base.Model = (*fakeMTPModel)(nil)
 
-var (
-	_ base.Model             = (*fakeMTPModel)(nil)
-	_ base.MTPEmbeddingModel = (*fakeMTPModel)(nil)
-)
-
-// fakeMTPDraft extends the token in inputEmbeds through predict; a map (not a
-// step counter) keeps drafting consistent regardless of batching.
+// fakeMTPDraft is a cacheless draft that extends b.InputIDs through predict;
+// a map (not a step counter) keeps drafting consistent regardless of batching.
 type fakeMTPDraft struct {
 	predict map[int32]int32
 	// calls records each Draft call so tests can assert the position convention.
@@ -117,17 +106,82 @@ type draftCall struct {
 
 func (d *fakeMTPDraft) LoadWeights(map[string]*mlx.Array) error { return nil }
 
-func (d *fakeMTPDraft) Draft(inputEmbeds *mlx.Array, position int32, caches []cache.Cache) (logits, hidden *mlx.Array) {
-	mlx.Eval(inputEmbeds)
-	prev := int32(inputEmbeds.Floats()[0])
-	d.calls = append(d.calls, draftCall{position: position, from: prev})
+func (d *fakeMTPDraft) DraftCaches([]cache.Cache) []cache.Cache { return nil }
+
+func (d *fakeMTPDraft) Draft(b *batch.Batch, caches []cache.Cache) (hidden, projected *mlx.Array) {
+	mlx.Eval(b.InputIDs)
+	prev := int32(b.InputIDs.Ints()[0])
+	d.calls = append(d.calls, draftCall{position: b.SeqOffsets[0], from: prev})
 	return oneHotLogits([]int32{d.predict[prev]}), mlx.Zeros(mlx.DTypeFloat32, 1, 1, mtpTestVocab)
 }
 
-var (
-	_ base.DraftModel    = (*fakeMTPDraft)(nil)
-	_ base.MTPDraftModel = (*fakeMTPDraft)(nil)
-)
+// Unembed is the identity: the fake's hidden already is its one-hot logits.
+func (d *fakeMTPDraft) Unembed(x *mlx.Array) *mlx.Array { return x }
+
+var _ base.DraftModel = (*fakeMTPDraft)(nil)
+
+// fakeKVDraft is a draft head with its own KV cache: it claims the trailing
+// cache slot, writes its input ids there on every Draft call (advancing the
+// offset like a real KV write), and records each call's offset, ids, and
+// the identity of every fused hidden row. A target hidden row is one-hot
+// (its hot index identifies which position it came from); the head's own
+// projected hidden is all-zero and records as -1.
+type fakeKVDraft struct {
+	predict map[int32]int32
+	extends []extendCall
+}
+
+// extendCall is one recorded Draft call: the absolute slot of the first
+// entry written, the look-ahead token ids, and the hot index of each fused
+// hidden row (-1 for the head's own projected hidden).
+type extendCall struct {
+	offset  int32
+	ids     []int32
+	hiddens []int32
+}
+
+func (d *fakeKVDraft) LoadWeights(map[string]*mlx.Array) error { return nil }
+
+func (d *fakeKVDraft) DraftCaches(caches []cache.Cache) []cache.Cache {
+	return caches[len(caches)-1:]
+}
+
+func (d *fakeKVDraft) Draft(b *batch.Batch, caches []cache.Cache) (hidden, projected *mlx.Array) {
+	mlx.Eval(b.InputIDs, b.Hidden)
+	rawIDs := b.InputIDs.Ints()
+	ids := make([]int32, len(rawIDs))
+	for i, id := range rawIDs {
+		ids[i] = int32(id)
+	}
+
+	hot := make([]int32, b.Hidden.Dim(1))
+	flat := b.Hidden.Floats()
+	for r := range hot {
+		hot[r] = -1
+		for v := range mtpTestVocab {
+			if flat[r*mtpTestVocab+v] != 0 {
+				hot[r] = int32(v)
+				break
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	d.extends = append(d.extends, extendCall{offset: b.SeqOffsets[0], ids: ids, hiddens: hot})
+
+	if rc, ok := d.DraftCaches(caches)[0].(*fakeRewindableCache); ok {
+		rc.feed(ids)
+	}
+
+	preds := make([]int32, len(ids))
+	for i, id := range ids {
+		preds[i] = d.predict[id]
+	}
+	return oneHotLogits(preds), mlx.Zeros(mlx.DTypeFloat32, 1, 1, mtpTestVocab)
+}
+
+// Unembed is the identity: the fake's hidden already is its one-hot logits.
+func (d *fakeKVDraft) Unembed(x *mlx.Array) *mlx.Array { return x }
+
+var _ base.DraftModel = (*fakeKVDraft)(nil)
 
 // newTestTokenizer builds a byte-level BPE tokenizer over single-character
 // tokens "0".."7" with the given EOS ids, so Decode(id) yields that digit and
@@ -215,7 +269,7 @@ func TestAcceptMTPDraftsGreedyAcceptAll(t *testing.T) {
 
 	spec := testSpeculationSession(r, caches)
 	current := sampler.Result{Token: mlx.FromValues([]int32{1}, 1)}
-	results, accepted, err := spec.accept(&position, current, oneHotLogits([]int32{2}), baseLogits, candidates)
+	results, accepted, err := spec.accept(&position, current, oneHotLogits([]int32{1}), baseLogits, candidates)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("accept: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -250,7 +304,7 @@ func TestAcceptMTPDraftsGreedyMismatch(t *testing.T) {
 
 	spec := testSpeculationSession(r, caches)
 	current := sampler.Result{Token: mlx.FromValues([]int32{1}, 1)}
-	results, accepted, err := spec.accept(&position, current, oneHotLogits([]int32{2}), baseLogits, candidates)
+	results, accepted, err := spec.accept(&position, current, oneHotLogits([]int32{1}), baseLogits, candidates)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("accept: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -273,8 +327,8 @@ func TestAcceptMTPDraftsGreedyMismatch(t *testing.T) {
 func TestAcceptMTPDraftsGreedyEOS(t *testing.T) {
 	skipIfNoMLX(t)
 	// The second accepted draft token is EOS: it is recorded but stops
-	// generation and no bonus token is produced. Both accepted tokens are
-	// committed, so the caches hold the EOS's KV.
+	// generation and no bonus token is produced. The EOS's own KV is rolled
+	// back so the caches rest one token behind the recorded outputs.
 	const eos int32 = 6
 	predict := map[int32]int32{1: 2, 2: eos, eos: 0}
 	r := mtpTestRunner(t, predict, []int32{eos}, sampler.Options{})
@@ -287,7 +341,7 @@ func TestAcceptMTPDraftsGreedyEOS(t *testing.T) {
 
 	spec := testSpeculationSession(r, caches)
 	current := sampler.Result{Token: mlx.FromValues([]int32{1}, 1)}
-	results, accepted, err := spec.accept(&position, current, oneHotLogits([]int32{2}), baseLogits, candidates)
+	results, accepted, err := spec.accept(&position, current, oneHotLogits([]int32{1}), baseLogits, candidates)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("accept: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -302,11 +356,11 @@ func TestAcceptMTPDraftsGreedyEOS(t *testing.T) {
 	if len(results) != accepted {
 		t.Fatalf("results has %d tokens, want exactly the %d accepted with no bonus after EOS", len(results), accepted)
 	}
-	if position != 2 {
-		t.Fatalf("position = %d, want 2 (both accepted tokens committed)", position)
+	if position != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("position = %d, want 1 (kept draft committed, EOS dropped)", position)
 	}
-	if got := caches[0].Offset(); got != 2 {
-		t.Fatalf("cache offset = %d, want 2 (both accepted tokens committed)", got)
+	if got := caches[0].Offset(); got != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("cache offset = %d, want 1 (one behind the recorded outputs, EOS dropped)", got)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -392,7 +446,11 @@ func TestRunMTPDecodeSampled(t *testing.T) {
 		CompletionRequest: CompletionRequest{Options: api.Options{NumPredict: 20}},
 		SamplerOpts:       sampler.Options{Temperature: 1, Seed: 42, UseSeed: true},
 	}
-	d := testDecoder(r, req, caches, []int32{1}, position)
+	spec := r.spec.open(req, caches)
+	if spec == nil || !spec.enabled {
+		t.Fatalf("newSpeculationSession rejected a sampled request")
+	}
+	d := spec.decoder([]int32{1}, position)
 	if err := r.decode(context.Background(), req, session, d, 0); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("decode: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -518,7 +576,299 @@ func testDecoder(r *Runner, req Request, caches []cache.Cache, seed []int32, pos
 	if spec := r.spec.open(req, caches); spec != nil {
 		return spec.decoder(seed, position)
 	}
-	return r.pipelinedDecoder(caches, seed, position)
+	return r.pipelinedDecoder(nil, caches, seed, position)
+}
+
+func TestDecodeKVDraft(t *testing.T) {
+	skipIfNoMLX(t)
+	// A draft with its own KV cache mirroring the target chain
+	// 1->2->3->4->5->6->EOS.
+	// The decode seed catch-up writes the draft pair for the prompt token,
+	// the first proposal comes from the catch-up's held logits (no draft
+	// call), speculative entries are written at advancing slots, and the
+	// post-accept rebuild rewrites the committed range from target hiddens.
+	const eos int32 = 7
+	predict := map[int32]int32{1: 2, 2: 3, 3: 4, 4: 5, 5: 6, 6: eos, eos: 0}
+	r := mtpTestRunner(t, predict, []int32{eos}, sampler.Options{})
+	draft := &fakeKVDraft{predict: predict}
+	r.spec = newSpeculation(r, draft)
+
+	caches, _ := newMTPTestCaches(2) // caches[0] target, caches[1] draft KV
+	session, ch := newMTPTestSession(caches)
+	position := 0
+
+	req := Request{
+		Responses:         ch,
+		Tokens:            []int32{1},
+		CompletionRequest: CompletionRequest{Options: api.Options{NumPredict: 20}},
+		SamplerOpts:       sampler.Options{},
+	}
+	spec := r.spec.open(req, caches)
+	if spec == nil || !spec.enabled || len(spec.spec.targets) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("speculation engine not built around the draft caches")
+	}
+	defer spec.close()
+	d := spec.decoder([]int32{1}, position)
+	if err := r.decode(context.Background(), req, session, d, 0); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("decode: %v", err)
+	}
+	d.close()
+
+	content, final := collectResponses(ch)
+	if content != "23456" {
+		t.Fatalf("content = %q, want %q", content, "23456")
+	}
+	if final.EvalCount != 5 || final.DoneReason != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("EvalCount = %d, DoneReason = %d, want 5 and 0", final.EvalCount, final.DoneReason)
+	}
+	if got := []int32{2, 3, 4, 5, 6, eos}; !slices.Equal(session.outputs, got) {
+		t.Fatalf("session outputs = %v, want %v", session.outputs, got)
+	}
+
+	// All caches rest together at the trie frontier: the prompt token plus
+	// five generated tokens; the EOS's KV is never committed.
+	if got := caches[0].Offset(); got != 6 {
+		t.Fatalf("target offset = %d, want 6", got)
+	}
+	if got := caches[1].Offset(); got != 6 {
+		t.Fatalf("draft cache offset = %d, want 6 (lockstep with target)", got)
+	}
+
+	// Every committed draft slot S fuses look-ahead token x_{S+1} with the
+	// target hidden at S (whose hot index equals the look-ahead id on this
+	// mirrored chain); speculative steps fuse the head's own projections
+	// (-1), seeded by the catch-up flush's held projection. The first
+	// proposal of the round consumes the catch-up's held logits, so the
+	// four-token draft makes only three head calls before the rebuild.
+	wantExtends := []extendCall{
+		{offset: 0, ids: []int32{2}, hiddens: []int32{2}},                             // frontier pair flushed at the first proposal
+		{offset: 1, ids: []int32{3}, hiddens: []int32{-1}},                            // speculative step 2 (held projection)
+		{offset: 2, ids: []int32{4}, hiddens: []int32{-1}},                            // speculative step 3 (projection)
+		{offset: 3, ids: []int32{5}, hiddens: []int32{-1}},                            // speculative step 4 (projection)
+		{offset: 1, ids: []int32{3, 4, 5, 6, eos}, hiddens: []int32{3, 4, 5, 6, eos}}, // committed pairs from the validated run + finish
+	}
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(draft.extends, wantExtends) {
+		t.Fatalf("draft extends = %+v, want %+v", draft.extends, wantExtends)
+	}
+
+	// The committed draft KV holds the look-ahead tokens, one per slot.
+	if got, want := caches[1].(*fakeRewindableCache).tokens, []int32{2, 3, 4, 5, 6, eos}; !slices.Equal(got, want) {
+		t.Fatalf("draft cache = %v, want %v", got, want)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDecodeKVDraftRejectionRebuildsFromTarget(t *testing.T) {
+	skipIfNoMLX(t)
+	// The draft mispredicts mid-chain: it proposes 6 where the target's own
+	// next token is 4, so the round is accepted only up to the rejection and the
+	// loop re-proposes from the target's correction. The speculative draft KV
+	// written for the rejected proposals is rolled back and rewritten from the
+	// validated run's target hiddens, so the committed draft cache holds the
+	// target chain with no trace of the rejected tokens.
+	const eos int32 = 7
+	target := map[int32]int32{1: 2, 2: 3, 3: 4, 4: 5, 5: eos, eos: 0}
+	r := mtpTestRunner(t, target, []int32{eos}, sampler.Options{})
+	// The draft mirrors the target except at 3, where it proposes 6 (absent from
+	// the target chain); once the target corrects 3->4 the next proposal
+	// re-aligns on the shared chain.
+	draft := &fakeKVDraft{predict: map[int32]int32{1: 2, 2: 3, 3: 6, 6: 0, 4: 5, 5: eos, eos: 0}}
+	r.spec = newSpeculation(r, draft)
+
+	caches, _ := newMTPTestCaches(2) // caches[0] target, caches[1] draft KV
+	session, ch := newMTPTestSession(caches)
+	position := 0
+
+	req := Request{
+		Responses:         ch,
+		Tokens:            []int32{1},
+		CompletionRequest: CompletionRequest{Options: api.Options{NumPredict: 20}},
+		SamplerOpts:       sampler.Options{},
+	}
+	spec := r.spec.open(req, caches)
+	spec.limit = 4
+	defer spec.close()
+	d := spec.decoder([]int32{1}, position)
+	if err := r.decode(context.Background(), req, session, d, 0); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("decode: %v", err)
+	}
+	d.close()
+
+	content, final := collectResponses(ch)
+	if content != "2345" {
+		t.Fatalf("content = %q, want %q", content, "2345")
+	}
+	if final.DoneReason != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("DoneReason = %d, want 0 (EOS)", final.DoneReason)
+	}
+	if got := []int32{2, 3, 4, 5, eos}; !slices.Equal(session.outputs, got) {
+		t.Fatalf("session outputs = %v, want %v", session.outputs, got)
+	}
+
+	// The divergent token was drafted into the speculative KV...
+	drafted := false
+	for _, e := range draft.extends {
+		if slices.Contains(e.ids, 6) {
+			drafted = true
+		}
+	}
+	if !drafted {
+		t.Fatalf("draft never proposed the divergent token 6; extends = %+v", draft.extends)
+	}
+	// ...but the rejection rolled it back: both caches rest in lockstep at the
+	// target chain, and the committed draft KV holds only the validated
+	// look-ahead tokens.
+	if got := caches[0].Offset(); got != 5 {
+		t.Fatalf("target offset = %d, want 5", got)
+	}
+	if got := caches[1].Offset(); got != 5 {
+		t.Fatalf("draft cache offset = %d, want 5 (lockstep with target)", got)
+	}
+	if got, want := caches[1].(*fakeRewindableCache).tokens, []int32{2, 3, 4, 5, eos}; !slices.Equal(got, want) {
+		t.Fatalf("draft cache = %v, want %v (rejected proposals rolled back)", got, want)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDecodeMaintainsDraftCacheWithoutDrafting(t *testing.T) {
+	skipIfNoMLX(t)
+	// A request that cannot speculate (logprobs) on a model whose draft has
+	// its own KV cache still maintains it: the pipelined decoder
+	// reports each forwarded token, the pairs wait in the pending list, and
+	// one batched extend at close — its final pair completed by the decoder's
+	// discarded in-flight sample — leaves the draft level with the target.
+	const eos int32 = 7
+	predict := map[int32]int32{1: 2, 2: 3, 3: 4, 4: 5, 5: 6, 6: eos, eos: 0}
+	opts := sampler.Options{Logprobs: true}
+	r := mtpTestRunner(t, predict, []int32{eos}, opts)
+	draft := &fakeKVDraft{predict: predict}
+	r.spec = newSpeculation(r, draft)
+
+	caches, _ := newMTPTestCaches(2)
+	session, ch := newMTPTestSession(caches)
+	position := 0
+
+	req := Request{
+		Responses:         ch,
+		Tokens:            []int32{1},
+		CompletionRequest: CompletionRequest{Options: api.Options{NumPredict: 20}},
+		SamplerOpts:       opts,
+	}
+	spec := r.spec.open(req, caches)
+	if spec == nil || spec.enabled {
+		t.Fatalf("want a maintain-only speculationSession, got %+v", spec)
+	}
+	d := spec.decoder([]int32{1}, position)
+	if err := r.decode(context.Background(), req, session, d, 0); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("decode: %v", err)
+	}
+	d.close()
+	spec.close() // the pipeline defers this before session close
+
+	content, _ := collectResponses(ch)
+	if content != "23456" {
+		t.Fatalf("content = %q, want %q", content, "23456")
+	}
+
+	// The pipelined decoder forwards every emitted token, including the
+	// ending EOS, so both caches rest at the full recorded path.
+	if got := caches[0].Offset(); got != 7 {
+		t.Fatalf("target offset = %d, want 7", got)
+	}
+	if got := caches[1].Offset(); got != 7 {
+		t.Fatalf("draft cache offset = %d, want 7 (lockstep with target)", got)
+	}
+
+	// A session that never drafts defers every committed pair: the whole
+	// generation arrives in one batched flush at finish, with the EOS slot's
+	// pair completed by the in-flight sample (predict[eos] = 0) that decoding
+	// discarded.
+	wantExtends := []extendCall{
+		{offset: 0, ids: []int32{2, 3, 4, 5, 6, eos, 0}, hiddens: []int32{2, 3, 4, 5, 6, eos, 0}},
+	}
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(draft.extends, wantExtends) {
+		t.Fatalf("draft extends = %+v, want %+v", draft.extends, wantExtends)
+	}
+	if got, want := caches[1].(*fakeRewindableCache).tokens, []int32{2, 3, 4, 5, 6, eos, 0}; !slices.Equal(got, want) {
+		t.Fatalf("draft cache = %v, want %v", got, want)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestFlushLevelsDraftCacheWithPrefill(t *testing.T) {
+	skipIfNoMLX(t)
+	// Prefill attaches its scheduled snapshots only at offsets every cache
+	// has crossed, so the pipeline flushes the drafter's buffered pairs
+	// first: after a prefill-sized committed report and a flush, the
+	// draft cache covers every completed pair, one slot behind the target
+	// (the frontier pair still awaits its look-ahead token).
+	const eos int32 = 7
+	predict := map[int32]int32{2: 3, 3: 4, 4: 5}
+	r := mtpTestRunner(t, predict, []int32{eos}, sampler.Options{})
+	draft := &fakeKVDraft{predict: predict}
+	r.spec = newSpeculation(r, draft)
+
+	caches, _ := newMTPTestCaches(2)
+	req := Request{
+		CompletionRequest: CompletionRequest{Options: api.Options{NumPredict: 20}},
+		SamplerOpts:       sampler.Options{},
+	}
+	spec := r.spec.open(req, caches)
+	defer spec.close()
+
+	// The prompt's only chunk: tokens 1..4 at slots 0..3 with their hiddens.
+	spec.committed(mlx.FromValues([]int32{1, 2, 3, 4}, 1, 4), oneHotLogits([]int32{1, 2, 3, 4}), 0)
+	spec.flush()
+
+	if got := caches[1].Offset(); got != 3 {
+		t.Fatalf("draft cache offset after flush = %d, want 3 (all completed pairs)", got)
+	}
+	wantExtends := []extendCall{
+		{offset: 0, ids: []int32{2, 3, 4}, hiddens: []int32{1, 2, 3}},
+	}
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(draft.extends, wantExtends) {
+		t.Fatalf("draft extends = %+v, want %+v", draft.extends, wantExtends)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCommittedRunBatchesPastFlushCap(t *testing.T) {
+	skipIfNoMLX(t)
+	// A committed run longer than the pending-flush cap still writes the draft
+	// caches in a single head forward: the run's completed pairs coalesce into
+	// one batched extend at the run's start, rather than splitting at the cap.
+	const n = mtpPendingFlushTokens + 8
+	predict := map[int32]int32{}
+	tokens := make([]int32, n)
+	for i := range tokens {
+		tokens[i] = int32(i%7 + 1)
+		predict[tokens[i]] = int32((i+1)%7 + 1)
+	}
+
+	r := mtpTestRunner(t, predict, []int32{0}, sampler.Options{})
+	draft := &fakeKVDraft{predict: predict}
+	r.spec = newSpeculation(r, draft)
+
+	caches, _ := newMTPTestCaches(2)
+	req := Request{
+		CompletionRequest: CompletionRequest{Options: api.Options{NumPredict: 20}},
+		SamplerOpts:       sampler.Options{},
+	}
+	spec := r.spec.open(req, caches)
+	defer spec.close()
+
+	// One prefill-sized chunk: n tokens at slots 0..n-1 with their hiddens.
+	spec.committed(mlx.FromValues(tokens, 1, n), oneHotLogits(tokens), 0)
+	spec.flush()
+
+	if got := len(draft.extends); got != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("draft extends = %d calls, want 1 batched extend", got)
+	}
+	if got, want := len(draft.extends[0].ids), n-1; got != want {
+		t.Fatalf("batched extend ids = %d, want %d (every completed pair)", got, want)
+	}
+	if got := draft.extends[0].offset; got != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("batched extend offset = %d, want 0", got)
+	}
+	if got := caches[1].Offset(); got != n-1 {
+		t.Fatalf("draft cache offset = %d, want %d (all completed pairs)", got, n-1)
+	}
 }
 
 // newMTPTestCaches returns n rewindable fake caches sharing one snapshot
@@ -539,19 +889,16 @@ func newMTPTestSession(caches []cache.Cache) (*cacheSession, chan CompletionResp
 	return &cacheSession{caches: caches}, ch
 }
 
-// testSpeculationSession wires a speculation engine around the runner's drafter and
-// caches for tests that drive accept directly. A runner without a draft
-// model gets a no-op drafter, since the engine requires one.
+// testSpeculationSession wires a speculation engine around a drafter and caches for
+// tests that drive accept directly. A runner without a draft model gets a
+// no-op drafter, since the engine requires one.
 func testSpeculationSession(r *Runner, caches []cache.Cache) *speculationSession {
-	s := r.spec
-	if s == nil {
-		s = &speculation{r: r}
+	if r.spec != nil {
+		r.spec.bind(caches)
+		return &speculationSession{spec: r.spec, drafter: newMTPDrafter(r.spec)}
 	}
-	var d drafter = nopDrafter{}
-	if md := newMTPDrafter(s, caches); md != nil {
-		d = md
-	}
-	return &speculationSession{spec: s, drafter: d, caches: caches}
+	s := &speculation{r: r, caches: caches, targets: caches}
+	return &speculationSession{spec: s, drafter: nopDrafter{}}
 }
 
 // nopDrafter satisfies drafter for engine tests that supply candidates
@@ -560,6 +907,8 @@ type nopDrafter struct{}
 
 func (nopDrafter) propose(*mlx.Array, int) *draftCandidates { return nil }
 func (nopDrafter) committed(_, _ *mlx.Array, _ int)         {}
+func (nopDrafter) finish(*mlx.Array)                        {}
+func (nopDrafter) flush()                                   {}
 func (nopDrafter) close()                                   {}
 
 // scriptedCandidates builds draft candidates by running the real drafter
@@ -573,7 +922,8 @@ func scriptedCandidates(r *Runner, tokens []int32) *draftCandidates {
 		chain[prev] = tok
 		prev = tok
 	}
-	d := &mtpDrafter{spec: &speculation{r: r}, draft: &fakeMTPDraft{predict: chain}, target: r.Model.(base.MTPEmbeddingModel)}
+	s := &speculation{r: r, draft: &fakeMTPDraft{predict: chain}}
+	d := &mtpDrafter{spec: s}
 	d.committed(mlx.FromValues([]int32{0}, 1, 1), mlx.Zeros(mlx.DTypeFloat32, 1, 1, mtpTestVocab), 0)
 	return d.propose(mlx.FromValues([]int32{0}, 1), len(tokens))
 }
diff --git a/x/mlxrunner/pipeline.go b/x/mlxrunner/pipeline.go
index 3f5f31e2..677fc311 100644
--- a/x/mlxrunner/pipeline.go
+++ b/x/mlxrunner/pipeline.go
@@ -75,7 +75,12 @@ func (r *Runner) TextGenerationPipeline(ctx context.Context, request Request) er
 	defer session.close()
 	caches := session.caches
 
-	seed, position, promptEval, err := r.prefill(ctx, session)
+	// Built before prefill so a drafter with draft caches follows the prompt
+	// through prefill alongside the target.
+	spec := r.spec.open(request, caches)
+	defer spec.close()
+
+	seed, position, promptEval, err := r.prefill(ctx, session, spec)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -83,14 +88,11 @@ func (r *Runner) TextGenerationPipeline(ctx context.Context, request Request) er
 	// Register the sampler after prefill completes.
 	r.Sampler.Add(pipelineSlot, request.SamplerOpts, inputs)
 
-	spec := r.spec.open(request, caches)
-	defer spec.close()
-
 	var d decoder
 	if spec != nil {
 		d = spec.decoder(seed, position)
 	} else {
-		d = r.pipelinedDecoder(caches, seed, position)
+		d = r.pipelinedDecoder(nil, caches, seed, position)
 	}
 	defer d.close()
 	return r.decode(ctx, request, session, d, promptEval)
@@ -100,7 +102,7 @@ func (r *Runner) TextGenerationPipeline(ctx context.Context, request Request) er
 // one token for decode to seed from, and schedules the prompt's periodic
 // snapshots. It returns the seed tokens, the resume position, and the
 // prompt-evaluation duration.
-func (r *Runner) prefill(ctx context.Context, session *cacheSession) ([]int32, int, time.Duration, error) {
+func (r *Runner) prefill(ctx context.Context, session *cacheSession, spec *speculationSession) ([]int32, int, time.Duration, error) {
 	start := time.Now()
 	inputs := session.inputs
 	tokens := session.remaining
@@ -143,11 +145,13 @@ func (r *Runner) prefill(ctx context.Context, session *cacheSession) ([]int32, i
 
 		n := min(prefillChunk, total-processed-1)
 
-		r.Model.Forward(&batch.Batch{
-			InputIDs:     mlx.FromValues(tokens[processed:processed+n], 1, n),
+		chunkIDs := mlx.FromValues(tokens[processed:processed+n], 1, n)
+		hidden := r.Model.Forward(&batch.Batch{
+			InputIDs:     chunkIDs,
 			SeqOffsets:   []int32{int32(position)},
 			SeqQueryLens: []int32{int32(n)},
 		}, caches)
+		spec.committed(chunkIDs, hidden, position)
 		mlx.Sweep()
 		materializeCaches()
 		processed += n
@@ -158,7 +162,10 @@ func (r *Runner) prefill(ctx context.Context, session *cacheSession) ([]int32, i
 		mlx.ClearCache()
 	}
 
-	// Attach the snapshots captured during prefill to the trie.
+	// Flush before attaching: snapshots attach only at offsets every cache
+	// has crossed, and a drafter with draft caches keeps buffered pairs that
+	// would otherwise hold those caches short of the scheduled offsets.
+	spec.flush()
 	session.attachPrefillSnapshots()
 
 	return tokens[processed:], position, time.Since(start), nil
@@ -263,15 +270,18 @@ func (r *Runner) decode(ctx context.Context, request Request, session *cacheSess
 // the next token's chain is dispatched before the returned one is
 // synchronized, so the device runs ahead of host emission.
 type pipelinedDecoder struct {
-	r        *Runner
+	r *Runner
+	// spec, when non-nil, receives every forwarded token and settles its
+	// drafter at close, keeping a non-drafting session's draft KV level.
+	spec     *speculationSession
 	caches   []cache.Cache
 	position int
 	sample   sampler.Result // in flight: sampled, not yet forwarded
 	emitted  sampler.Result // last call's result, pinned until the next call
 }
 
-func (r *Runner) pipelinedDecoder(caches []cache.Cache, seed []int32, position int) *pipelinedDecoder {
-	t := &pipelinedDecoder{r: r, caches: caches, position: position}
+func (r *Runner) pipelinedDecoder(spec *speculationSession, caches []cache.Cache, seed []int32, position int) *pipelinedDecoder {
+	t := &pipelinedDecoder{r: r, spec: spec, caches: caches, position: position}
 	t.sample = t.dispatch(mlx.FromValues(seed, 1, len(seed)))
 	return t
 }
@@ -285,8 +295,10 @@ func (t *pipelinedDecoder) dispatch(token *mlx.Array) sampler.Result {
 		SeqOffsets:   []int32{int32(t.position)},
 		SeqQueryLens: []int32{int32(token.Dim(1))},
 	}, t.caches)
+	t.spec.committed(token, hidden, t.position)
 	t.position += token.Dim(1)
-	next := r.Sampler.Sample([]int{pipelineSlot}, lastLogits(r.Model.Unembed(hidden)))
+	logits := r.Model.Unembed(hidden)
+	next := r.Sampler.Sample([]int{pipelineSlot}, logits.Slice(mlx.Slice(), mlx.Slice(logits.Dim(1)-1), mlx.Slice()).Squeeze(1))
 	mlx.Pin(next.Arrays()...)
 	mlx.Sweep()
 	mlx.AsyncEval(next.Arrays()...)
@@ -300,6 +312,9 @@ func (t *pipelinedDecoder) next(int) ([]sampler.Result, error) {
 }
 
 func (t *pipelinedDecoder) close() {
+	// The in-flight sample's forward was never dispatched; its report lets
+	// the drafter settle level with the caches' resting offset.
+	t.spec.finish(t.sample.Token)
 	mlx.Unpin(t.emitted.Arrays()...)
 	mlx.Unpin(t.sample.Arrays()...)
 }
diff --git a/x/mlxrunner/runner.go b/x/mlxrunner/runner.go
index 189bfda9..c76e3e4d 100644
--- a/x/mlxrunner/runner.go
+++ b/x/mlxrunner/runner.go
@@ -81,6 +81,9 @@ func (r *Runner) Load(modelName string) error {
 			return err
 		}
 		draftModel = draft
+	} else if sd, ok := m.(base.SelfDraft); ok {
+		// Inline draft head: already loaded with the target; nil if none shipped.
+		draftModel = sd.SelfDraft()
 	}
 
 	collected := mlx.Collect(m)
diff --git a/x/mlxrunner/speculate.go b/x/mlxrunner/speculate.go
index 2b9a46a2..baf9811e 100644
--- a/x/mlxrunner/speculate.go
+++ b/x/mlxrunner/speculate.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"log/slog"
 	"os"
+	"slices"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -23,10 +24,18 @@ type drafter interface {
 
 	// committed reports a run of tokens committed to the target caches:
 	// tokens[i] sits at slot position+i and hiddens row i is the target
-	// hidden state at that slot. Runs arrive in slot order — the decode
-	// seed, then each round's validated tokens.
+	// hidden state at that slot. Runs arrive in slot order — prefill
+	// chunks, the decode seed, then each round's validated tokens.
 	committed(tokens, hiddens *mlx.Array, position int)
 
+	// finish reports generation ended with current sampled but never
+	// committed, so the drafter can settle state tracking the target caches.
+	finish(current *mlx.Array)
+
+	// flush writes any buffered committed reports through to the draft
+	// caches. A drafter without draft caches has nothing to write.
+	flush()
+
 	close()
 }
 
@@ -100,6 +109,15 @@ func positiveEnvInt(key string) int {
 type speculation struct {
 	r     *Runner
 	draft base.DraftModel
+
+	// caches is the whole persistent slice, passed to every forward; draftKV
+	// are the draft head's own caches and targets are the rest — the caches the
+	// target forward writes, which speculation snapshots and rollback cover.
+	// Bound the first time the caches exist (the Runner reuses one cache slice
+	// for its life) and stable thereafter.
+	caches  []cache.Cache
+	draftKV []cache.Cache
+	targets []cache.Cache
 }
 
 // newSpeculation builds the speculative-decoding subsystem for a loaded model,
@@ -111,41 +129,68 @@ func newSpeculation(r *Runner, draft base.DraftModel) *speculation {
 	return &speculation{r: r, draft: draft}
 }
 
+// bind computes the draft/target cache partition the first time the persistent
+// caches exist; later requests reuse the same slice, so it runs once.
+func (s *speculation) bind(caches []cache.Cache) {
+	if s.caches != nil {
+		if !slices.Equal(s.caches, caches) {
+			panic("speculation: cache slice changed between requests")
+		}
+		return
+	}
+	draftKV := s.draft.DraftCaches(caches)
+
+	// Partition caches into target slots (everything not in draftKV) in one
+	// pass. The count check rejects a draft slot that isn't a member of caches.
+	targets := make([]cache.Cache, 0, len(caches))
+	for _, c := range caches {
+		if !slices.Contains(draftKV, c) {
+			targets = append(targets, c)
+		}
+	}
+	if len(caches)-len(targets) != len(draftKV) {
+		panic("speculation: DraftCaches must select slots of the cache slice")
+	}
+
+	s.caches = caches
+	s.draftKV = draftKV
+	s.targets = targets
+}
+
 // speculationSession is the speculation cursor for one request over a speculation. A
 // nil speculationSession is a plain decode.
 type speculationSession struct {
 	spec    *speculation
 	drafter drafter
-	caches  []cache.Cache
+	// enabled selects speculative rounds; a maintain-only engine decodes
+	// plainly while streaming committed runs to keep draft KV prefix-cached.
+	enabled bool
 	opts    specOptions
 	limit   int // current draft length
 	stats   specStats
 }
 
-// open returns the speculation cursor for this request, or nil when the model
-// carries no draft head or the request cannot speculate. Logprobs are not yet
-// supported. A nil receiver (no draft head) decodes plainly.
+// open returns the speculation cursor for this request or nil when the model ships
+// no draft head (a nil receiver), which decodes plainly.
 func (s *speculation) open(request Request, caches []cache.Cache) *speculationSession {
 	if s == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
-	d := newMTPDrafter(s, caches)
+	s.bind(caches)
+	d := newMTPDrafter(s)
 	if d == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
+
 	opts := request.SamplerOpts
-	if !s.r.mtpDefaults(opts.Temperature != 0).Enabled {
-		return nil
-	}
-	if opts.Logprobs || opts.TopLogprobs > 0 {
-		return nil
-	}
+	enabled := s.r.mtpDefaults(opts.Temperature != 0).Enabled &&
+		!opts.Logprobs && opts.TopLogprobs == 0
 
 	specOpts := s.r.loadSpecOptions(opts.Temperature != 0)
 	return &speculationSession{
 		spec:    s,
 		drafter: d,
-		caches:  caches,
+		enabled: enabled,
 		opts:    specOpts,
 		limit:   specOpts.initialDraftTokens,
 		stats:   specStats{maxDraft: specOpts.initialDraftTokens},
@@ -159,6 +204,23 @@ func (s *speculationSession) committed(tokens, hiddens *mlx.Array, position int)
 	s.drafter.committed(tokens, hiddens, position)
 }
 
+// finish reports the end of generation to the drafter: current was sampled
+// after the last committed slot and will never be committed.
+func (s *speculationSession) finish(current *mlx.Array) {
+	if s == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	s.drafter.finish(current)
+}
+
+// flush writes the drafter's buffered committed reports to the draft caches.
+func (s *speculationSession) flush() {
+	if s == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	s.drafter.flush()
+}
+
 func (s *speculationSession) close() {
 	if s == nil {
 		return
@@ -178,7 +240,13 @@ type speculativeDecoder struct {
 	current  sampler.Result // emitted (or the seed), not yet forwarded
 }
 
-func (s *speculationSession) decoder(seed []int32, position int) *speculativeDecoder {
+// decoder returns the decoder for this engine's session. A maintain-only
+// engine decodes plainly via the pipelined decoder, which reports every
+// forwarded token to keep draft KV level with the target.
+func (s *speculationSession) decoder(seed []int32, position int) decoder {
+	if !s.enabled {
+		return s.spec.r.pipelinedDecoder(s, s.spec.caches, seed, position)
+	}
 	current := sampler.Result{Token: mlx.FromValues(seed, len(seed))}
 	mlx.Pin(current.Arrays()...)
 	return &speculativeDecoder{s: s, position: position, current: current}
@@ -192,7 +260,7 @@ func (st *speculativeDecoder) next(remaining int) ([]sampler.Result, error) {
 		InputIDs:     tokenInput(st.current.Token),
 		SeqOffsets:   []int32{int32(st.position)},
 		SeqQueryLens: []int32{1},
-	}, s.caches)
+	}, s.spec.caches)
 	st.position++
 
 	results, next, err := s.round(&st.position, st.current, hidden, remaining)
@@ -212,6 +280,10 @@ func (st *speculativeDecoder) next(remaining int) ([]sampler.Result, error) {
 }
 
 func (st *speculativeDecoder) close() {
+	// Generation always ends with a final token that was emitted but never
+	// forwarded; its report lets the drafter settle level with the caches'
+	// resting offset.
+	st.s.finish(st.current.Token)
 	mlx.Unpin(st.current.Arrays()...)
 	st.s.logStats()
 }
@@ -368,7 +440,7 @@ func (s *speculationSession) accept(position *int, current sampler.Result, hidde
 	r := s.spec.r
 	before := *position
 	draftCount := candidates.tokens.Dim(1)
-	scheduleSpeculation(s.caches, before, draftCount)
+	scheduleSpeculation(s.spec.targets, before, draftCount)
 
 	// Every exit between schedule and commit must drain the snapshot
 	// schedule and roll the speculative writes back out of the live caches:
@@ -380,7 +452,7 @@ func (s *speculationSession) accept(position *int, current sampler.Result, hidde
 			return
 		}
 		committed = true
-		commitSpeculation(s.caches, keep, draftCount, before)
+		commitSpeculation(s.spec.targets, keep, draftCount, before)
 	}
 	defer commit(0)
 
@@ -388,7 +460,7 @@ func (s *speculationSession) accept(position *int, current sampler.Result, hidde
 		InputIDs:     candidates.tokens,
 		SeqOffsets:   []int32{int32(before)},
 		SeqQueryLens: []int32{int32(draftCount)},
-	}, s.caches)
+	}, s.spec.caches)
 
 	targetDist := r.Sampler.Distribution(pipelineSlot, validationLogits(r, baseLogits, hiddenSeq), candidates.tokens)
 	draftDist := candidates.dist
@@ -419,18 +491,24 @@ func (s *speculationSession) accept(position *int, current sampler.Result, hidde
 			break
 		}
 	}
+	// The final token of a generation is recorded and streamed but its KV
+	// is never committed: the caches rest at the trie frontier.
+	keep := accepted
+	if done {
+		keep--
+	}
+	commit(keep)
+	*position = before + keep
 
-	commit(accepted)
-	*position = before + accepted
-
-	// Report the validated run — current plus the accepted drafts, with the
+	// Report the validated run — current plus the kept drafts, with the
 	// hidden state at each token's own slot — to the drafter before
 	// returning, so even a cancelled emission leaves the drafter's state
-	// describing exactly what the target caches hold.
-	runIDs := append([]int32{int32(current.Token.Int())}, commitIDs...)
+	// describing exactly what the target caches hold. A done generation's
+	// final token is never committed; it reaches the drafter through finish.
+	runIDs := append([]int32{int32(current.Token.Int())}, commitIDs[:keep]...)
 	runHiddens := lastHiddenRow(hidden)
-	if accepted > 0 {
-		runHiddens = runHiddens.Concatenate(1, hiddenSeq.Slice(mlx.Slice(), mlx.Slice(0, accepted), mlx.Slice()))
+	if keep > 0 {
+		runHiddens = runHiddens.Concatenate(1, hiddenSeq.Slice(mlx.Slice(), mlx.Slice(0, keep), mlx.Slice()))
 	}
 	s.drafter.committed(mlx.FromValues(runIDs, 1, len(runIDs)), runHiddens, before-1)
 
diff --git a/x/models/gemma4/assistant.go b/x/models/gemma4/assistant.go
index 20a67560..36b67504 100644
--- a/x/models/gemma4/assistant.go
+++ b/x/models/gemma4/assistant.go
@@ -12,10 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ollama/ollama/x/models/nn"
 )
 
-var (
-	_ base.DraftModel    = (*AssistantModel)(nil)
-	_ base.MTPDraftModel = (*AssistantModel)(nil)
-)
+var _ base.DraftModel = (*AssistantModel)(nil)
 
 type AssistantConfig struct {
 	TextConfig               TextConfig `json:"text_config"`
@@ -37,6 +34,10 @@ type AssistantModel struct {
 
 	NormScaled *mlx.Array
 
+	// target supplies the scaled token embeddings the MTP head fuses with
+	// the target hidden state.
+	target *Model
+
 	*AssistantConfig
 	tensorPrefix string
 
@@ -145,6 +146,7 @@ func newAssistantModel(root *model.Root, target base.Model) (base.DraftModel, er
 	m := &AssistantModel{
 		AssistantConfig: &cfg,
 		tensorPrefix:    tensorPrefix,
+		target:          targetGemma,
 		Layers:          make([]*AssistantLayer, cfg.TextConfig.NumHiddenLayers),
 		TensorQuant:     root.AllTensorQuant(),
 	}
@@ -267,26 +269,42 @@ func (m *AssistantModel) precomputeScaledWeights() {
 	}
 }
 
-func (m *AssistantModel) Draft(inputsEmbeds *mlx.Array, position int32, caches []cache.Cache) (logits, hidden *mlx.Array) {
+// DraftCaches returns nil: the assistant keeps no KV and re-attends the
+// target's caches read-only each step.
+func (m *AssistantModel) DraftCaches([]cache.Cache) []cache.Cache { return nil }
+
+// Draft is single-position: the head drafts every token as if it sat at the
+// last target-seen position, so it anchors RoPE and the mask there — from the
+// non-moving target full-attention cache — regardless of the advancing offset
+// in b. The input fuses the target's scaled token embedding with b.Hidden.
+func (m *AssistantModel) Draft(b *batch.Batch, caches []cache.Cache) (hidden, projected *mlx.Array) {
+	inputsEmbeds := m.target.TokenEmbeddings(b.InputIDs).Concatenate(-1, b.Hidden)
 	dims := inputsEmbeds.Dims()
 	B, L := int32(dims[0]), int32(dims[1])
-	b := &batch.Batch{
+
+	anchor := int32(0)
+	if len(caches) > 0 {
+		if full := caches[len(caches)-1]; full != nil {
+			anchor = int32(full.Offset() - 1)
+		}
+	}
+	ab := &batch.Batch{
 		InputIDs:     mlx.Zeros(mlx.DTypeInt32, int(B), int(L)),
-		SeqOffsets:   []int32{position},
+		SeqOffsets:   []int32{anchor},
 		SeqQueryLens: []int32{L},
 	}
 
-	sliding, full := m.sharedHistories(b, caches)
+	sliding, full := m.sharedHistories(ab, caches)
 	h := m.PreProjection.Forward(inputsEmbeds)
 
-	positions := mlx.FromValues([]int32{position}, 1)
+	positions := mlx.FromValues([]int32{anchor}, 1)
 	for _, layer := range m.Layers {
-		h = layer.Forward(h, b, positions, B, L, &m.TextConfig, sliding, full)
+		h = layer.Forward(h, ab, positions, B, L, &m.TextConfig, sliding, full)
 	}
 
 	hidden = mlx.RMSNormFn(h, m.NormScaled, m.TextConfig.RMSNormEps)
-	projected := m.PostProjection.Forward(hidden)
-	return m.unembed(hidden), projected
+	projected = m.PostProjection.Forward(hidden)
+	return hidden, projected
 }
 
 func (m *AssistantModel) sharedHistories(b *batch.Batch, caches []cache.Cache) (sliding, full *nn.KVHistory) {
@@ -302,7 +320,7 @@ func (m *AssistantModel) sharedHistories(b *batch.Batch, caches []cache.Cache) (
 	return sliding, full
 }
 
-func (m *AssistantModel) unembed(hidden *mlx.Array) *mlx.Array {
+func (m *AssistantModel) Unembed(hidden *mlx.Array) *mlx.Array {
 	if m.UseOrderedEmbeddings {
 		return m.applyCentroidMasking(hidden)
 	}