diff --git a/lib/erlang/scoreboard.json b/lib/erlang/scoreboard.json
index 47655456..2013020d 100644
--- a/lib/erlang/scoreboard.json
+++ b/lib/erlang/scoreboard.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "language": "erlang",
-  "total_pass": 656,
-  "total": 656,
+  "total_pass": 665,
+  "total": 665,
   "suites": [
     {"name":"tokenize","pass":62,"total":62,"status":"ok"},
     {"name":"parse","pass":52,"total":52,"status":"ok"},
@@ -13,6 +13,6 @@
     {"name":"echo","pass":7,"total":7,"status":"ok"},
     {"name":"fib","pass":8,"total":8,"status":"ok"},
     {"name":"ffi","pass":14,"total":14,"status":"ok"},
-    {"name":"vm","pass":19,"total":19,"status":"ok"}
+    {"name":"vm","pass":28,"total":28,"status":"ok"}
   ]
 }
diff --git a/lib/erlang/scoreboard.md b/lib/erlang/scoreboard.md
index 263b695e..8eddb989 100644
--- a/lib/erlang/scoreboard.md
+++ b/lib/erlang/scoreboard.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Erlang-on-SX Scoreboard
 
-**Total: 656 / 656 tests passing**
+**Total: 665 / 665 tests passing**
 
 |  | Suite | Pass | Total |
 |---|---|---|---|
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 | ✅ | echo | 7 | 7 |
 | ✅ | fib | 8 | 8 |
 | ✅ | ffi | 14 | 14 |
-| ✅ | vm | 19 | 19 |
+| ✅ | vm | 28 | 28 |
 
 
 Generated by `lib/erlang/conformance.sh`.
diff --git a/lib/erlang/tests/vm.sx b/lib/erlang/tests/vm.sx
index 372edc1a..0f989091 100644
--- a/lib/erlang/tests/vm.sx
+++ b/lib/erlang/tests/vm.sx
@@ -134,4 +134,60 @@
   (string-contains? (str (nth er-vm-err-caught 0)) "unknown opcode")
   true)
 
+
+;; ── Phase 9c — OP_PERFORM / OP_HANDLE ───────────────────────────
+(er-vm-test "perform opcode by id"
+  (get (er-vm-lookup-opcode-by-id 131) :name) "OP_PERFORM")
+(er-vm-test "handle opcode by id"
+  (get (er-vm-lookup-opcode-by-id 132) :name) "OP_HANDLE")
+
+(define er-vm-pf-caught (list nil))
+(guard (c (:else (set-nth! er-vm-pf-caught 0 c)))
+  (er-vm-dispatch 131 (list "yield" (list 42))))
+(er-vm-test "perform raises tagged"
+  (get (nth er-vm-pf-caught 0) :tag) "vm-effect")
+(er-vm-test "perform effect name"
+  (get (nth er-vm-pf-caught 0) :effect) "yield")
+(er-vm-test "perform args carried"
+  (nth (get (nth er-vm-pf-caught 0) :args) 0) 42)
+
+(er-vm-test "handle catches matching effect"
+  (er-vm-dispatch 132
+    (list
+      (fn () (er-vm-dispatch 131 (list "yield" (list 7))))
+      "yield"
+      (fn (args) (+ (nth args 0) 100))))
+  107)
+
+(er-vm-test "handle no-effect returns thunk result"
+  (er-vm-dispatch 132
+    (list
+      (fn () 99)
+      "yield"
+      (fn (args) "handler ran")))
+  99)
+
+(define er-vm-rt-caught (list nil))
+(guard (c (:else (set-nth! er-vm-rt-caught 0 c)))
+  (er-vm-dispatch 132
+    (list
+      (fn () (er-vm-dispatch 131 (list "other" (list))))
+      "yield"
+      (fn (args) "wrong"))))
+(er-vm-test "handle rethrows non-matching"
+  (get (nth er-vm-rt-caught 0) :effect) "other")
+
+(er-vm-test "nested handles separate effect names"
+  (er-vm-dispatch 132
+    (list
+      (fn ()
+        (er-vm-dispatch 132
+          (list
+            (fn () (er-vm-dispatch 131 (list "b" (list 5))))
+            "a"
+            (fn (args) "inner-handled"))))
+      "b"
+      (fn (args) (+ (nth args 0) 1000))))
+  1005)
+
 (define er-vm-test-summary (str "vm " er-vm-test-pass "/" er-vm-test-count))
diff --git a/lib/erlang/vm/dispatcher.sx b/lib/erlang/vm/dispatcher.sx
index 8de1280f..dbec056b 100644
--- a/lib/erlang/vm/dispatcher.sx
+++ b/lib/erlang/vm/dispatcher.sx
@@ -80,6 +80,44 @@
         (error (str "Erlang VM: unknown opcode name '" name "'"))
         ((get entry :handler) operands)))))
 
+;; ── Phase 9c — effect opcodes (perform / handle) ────────────────
+;; Stub algebraic-effects-style operators. OP_PERFORM raises a tagged
+;; exception; OP_HANDLE wraps a thunk in `guard` and catches matching
+;; effects, passing the args to the handler. The real specialization
+;; (constant-time effect dispatch, single-shot vs multi-shot continuations)
+;; lands when 9a integrates.
+
+(define er-vm-effect-marker?
+  (fn (c effect-name)
+    (and (= (type-of c) "dict")
+         (= (get c :tag) "vm-effect")
+         (= (get c :effect) effect-name))))
+
+(define er-vm-op-perform
+  (fn (operands)
+    (raise {:tag "vm-effect" :effect (nth operands 0) :args (nth operands 1)})))
+
+(define er-vm-op-handle
+  (fn (operands)
+    (let ((thunk (nth operands 0))
+          (effect-name (nth operands 1))
+          (handler (nth operands 2))
+          (result (list nil))
+          (caught (list false))
+          (rethrow (list nil)))
+      (guard
+        (c
+          (:else
+            (cond
+              (er-vm-effect-marker? c effect-name)
+                (do (set-nth! caught 0 true)
+                    (set-nth! result 0 (handler (get c :args))))
+              :else (set-nth! rethrow 0 c))))
+        (set-nth! result 0 (thunk)))
+      (cond
+        (not (= (nth rethrow 0) nil)) (raise (nth rethrow 0))
+        :else (nth result 0)))))
+
 ;; ── Phase 9b — pattern-match opcodes ────────────────────────────
 ;; Each handler takes a list (pattern-ast value env) and returns
 ;; true/false, mutating env on success (same contract as the
@@ -118,6 +156,8 @@
           (nth operands 0)
           (nth operands 1)
           (nth operands 2))))
+    (er-vm-register-opcode! 131 "OP_PERFORM" er-vm-op-perform)
+    (er-vm-register-opcode! 132 "OP_HANDLE" er-vm-op-handle)
     (er-mk-atom "ok")))
 
 (er-vm-register-erlang-opcodes!)
diff --git a/plans/erlang-on-sx.md b/plans/erlang-on-sx.md
index 98148605..2c6f3b9b 100644
--- a/plans/erlang-on-sx.md
+++ b/plans/erlang-on-sx.md
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ Replace today's hardcoded BIF dispatch (`er-apply-bif`/`er-apply-remote-bif` in
 
 - [x] **9a — Opcode extension mechanism** — **LOGGED AS BLOCKER** (the contract for this bullet was "Log as Blocker"). Implementation lives in `hosts/ocaml/evaluator/`, out of scope for this loop. Design at `plans/sx-vm-opcode-extension.md`. Sub-phases 9b-9g proceed against a stub dispatcher in `lib/erlang/vm/` and will integrate when 9a lands on the architecture branch. See Blockers for the explicit dependency.
 - [x] **9b — `OP_PATTERN_TUPLE` / `OP_PATTERN_LIST` / `OP_PATTERN_BINARY`** — **+19 vm tests** (656/656 total). Stub dispatcher in `lib/erlang/vm/dispatcher.sx` mirrors the OCaml extension shape from `plans/sx-vm-opcode-extension.md`: `er-vm-register-opcode!`/`er-vm-lookup-opcode-by-id`/`er-vm-lookup-opcode-by-name`/`er-vm-dispatch`. Opcode IDs 128 (TUPLE), 129 (LIST), 130 (BINARY) per the guest-tier partition (128-199). Handlers are thin wrappers over the existing `er-match-tuple`/`er-match-cons`/`er-match-binary` for now; the real specialization (skip AST walk, register-machine operands) lands when 9a integrates. Conformance must remain unchanged — **656/656** preserved. Candidate for chiselling to `lib/guest/vm/match.sx` once a second port (Prolog? miniKanren?) wants the same opcodes.
-- [ ] **9c — `OP_PERFORM` / `OP_HANDLE`** (algebraic effects style): replace the call/cc + raise/guard machinery used for `receive` suspension. Pure Erlang interface unchanged; underlying mechanism specialized. Candidate for chiselling (Scheme call/cc, OCaml 5 effects, miniKanren all want the same thing).
+- [x] **9c — `OP_PERFORM` / `OP_HANDLE`** — **+9 vm tests** (665/665 total). Stubs in `lib/erlang/vm/dispatcher.sx`: `OP_PERFORM` (id 131) raises `{:tag "vm-effect" :effect <name> :args <args>}`; `OP_HANDLE` (id 132) wraps a thunk in `guard`, catches matching effects (by `:effect` name), passes args to the handler, returns the handler's result. Non-matching effects rethrow to outer handlers (verified by a nested-handle test). Pure Erlang `receive` interface unchanged; this is the substrate for the eventual call/cc-free implementation when 9a integrates. Candidate for chiselling (Scheme call/cc, OCaml 5 effects, miniKanren all want the same shape).
 - [ ] **9d — `OP_RECEIVE_SCAN`**: built on 9c. Specialized opcode for selective receive — scans mailbox in pattern order, suspends + binds on match. Should give 10-100× speedup on receive-heavy workloads (ring benchmark, bank, fib_server).
 - [ ] **9e — `OP_SPAWN` / `OP_SEND` + lightweight scheduler**: per-process register/heap layout, scheduler that runs Erlang bytecode units rather than going through general SX evaluator each time. Process record fields become VM register slots. Target: spawn cost under 50µs, send cost under 5µs.
 - [ ] **9f — BIF dispatch table**: `OP_BIF_<name>` for hot BIFs (`length/1`, `hd/1`, `tl/1`, `element/2`, `lists:reverse/1`, etc.) — direct dispatch, no registry lookup. Cold BIFs continue through the general dispatch path.
@@ -144,6 +144,8 @@ Replace today's hardcoded BIF dispatch (`er-apply-bif`/`er-apply-remote-bif` in
 
 _Newest first._
 
+- **2026-05-14 Phase 9c — OP_PERFORM / OP_HANDLE stubs green** — Two new opcodes in `lib/erlang/vm/dispatcher.sx`: id 131 `OP_PERFORM` raises `{:tag "vm-effect" :effect <name> :args <args>}`; id 132 `OP_HANDLE` wraps a thunk in SX `guard`, catches matching effects by `:effect` name, passes the `:args` list to the handler fn, returns the handler's result. New helper `er-vm-effect-marker?` predicates on the dict shape. Non-matching effects rethrow via a small box+rethrow dance (caught with `:else` first, decision deferred to a post-guard cond — re-raise outside the guard's scope so it propagates to outer handlers cleanly). 9 new tests in `tests/vm.sx`: opcode registered for each id; OP_PERFORM raises with correct tag/effect/args; OP_HANDLE catches matching effect; OP_HANDLE returns thunk result when no effect performed; OP_HANDLE rethrows non-matching effect to outer; nested OP_HANDLE blocks separate by effect name (inner handles "a", outer handles "b", performing "b" bypasses inner). vm suite grew 19 → 28 tests. Total **665/665** (+9 vm). Underlying call/cc + raise/guard machinery used by Erlang `receive` is unchanged; this is the shape for the eventual specialization when 9a integrates. Candidate for chiselling to `lib/guest/vm/effects.sx` — Scheme call/cc, OCaml 5 effects, miniKanren all want the same shape.
+
 - **2026-05-14 Phase 9b — stub VM dispatcher + 3 pattern opcodes green** — New `lib/erlang/vm/dispatcher.sx` defines the stub opcode registry mirroring the OCaml `EXTENSION` shape from `plans/sx-vm-opcode-extension.md`: opcodes registered as `{:id :name :handler}` keyed by string-id, looked up by id OR by name, dispatched via `er-vm-dispatch`. Opcode IDs follow the guest-tier partition (128-199 reserved for guest extensions like erlang/lua). Three opcodes registered at load time via `er-vm-register-erlang-opcodes!`: 128 `OP_PATTERN_TUPLE` → `er-match-tuple`, 129 `OP_PATTERN_LIST` → `er-match-cons`, 130 `OP_PATTERN_BINARY` → `er-match-binary`. Operand contract: `(pattern-ast value env)` returning `true`/`false` and mutating env on success — same as the underlying match functions. New `lib/erlang/tests/vm.sx` suite with 19 tests: 7 dispatcher core (registered, lookup by id+name for all three, two miss cases, list-has-3+); 4 OP_PATTERN_TUPLE (match success + var bind, no-match, arity mismatch); 4 OP_PATTERN_LIST (match, head bind, tail-is-cons, no-match on nil); 3 OP_PATTERN_BINARY (match, segment bind, size mismatch); 1 dispatch error (unknown opcode raises). `conformance.sh` updated: added `vm` to SUITES, added `(load "lib/erlang/vm/dispatcher.sx")` before tests and `(load "lib/erlang/tests/vm.sx")` after ffi, added epoch 110 evaluator. AST shape gotcha: er-match! reads `:type` not `:tag`; binary segment `:size` must be an AST node `{:type "integer" :value "8"}` because `er-eval-expr` runs on it. Total **656/656** (+19 vm). 9b complete; 9c (OP_PERFORM/OP_HANDLE) is next.
 
 - **2026-05-14 Phase 9a logged as Blocker — sub-phase 9b is next** — 9a (the opcode extension mechanism in `hosts/ocaml/evaluator/`) is explicitly out-of-scope for this loop per the plan itself (briefing scope rule + 9a's own text). Logged a Blockers entry citing `plans/sx-vm-opcode-extension.md` as the design doc and pointing at the fix path (a `hosts/` session lands the registration shape, then a follow-up here wires the stub dispatcher to the real one). Ticked 9a as DONE because its contract was "Log as Blocker" — that's complete. Sub-phases 9b–9g (PATTERN/PERFORM/RECEIVE/SPAWN_SEND/BIF/conformance) now in queue against a stub dispatcher in `lib/erlang/vm/`. No code change this iteration. Total **637/637** unchanged.