diff --git a/hosts/ocaml/bin/run_tests.ml b/hosts/ocaml/bin/run_tests.ml
index 2b3bc5ef..f1427b7e 100644
--- a/hosts/ocaml/bin/run_tests.ml
+++ b/hosts/ocaml/bin/run_tests.ml
@@ -1282,7 +1282,48 @@ let run_foundation_tests () =
   let l = { l_params = ["x"]; l_body = Symbol "x"; l_closure = Sx_types.make_env (); l_name = None; l_compiled = None; l_call_count = 0 } in
   assert_true "is_lambda" (Bool (Sx_types.is_lambda (Lambda l)));
   ignore (Sx_types.set_lambda_name (Lambda l) "my-fn");
-  assert_eq "lambda name mutated" (String "my-fn") (lambda_name (Lambda l))
+  assert_eq "lambda name mutated" (String "my-fn") (lambda_name (Lambda l));
+
+  Printf.printf "\nSuite: vm-extension-dispatch\n";
+  let make_bc op = ({
+    vc_arity = 0; vc_rest_arity = -1; vc_locals = 0;
+    vc_bytecode = [| op |]; vc_constants = [||];
+    vc_bytecode_list = None; vc_constants_list = None;
+  } : Sx_types.vm_code) in
+  let expect_invalid_opcode label op =
+    let globals = Hashtbl.create 1 in
+    try
+      let _ = Sx_vm.execute_module (make_bc op) globals in
+      incr fail_count;
+      Printf.printf "  FAIL: %s — expected Invalid_opcode, got a result\n" label
+    with
+    | Sx_vm.Invalid_opcode n when n = op ->
+      incr pass_count;
+      Printf.printf "  PASS: %s\n" label
+    | exn ->
+      incr fail_count;
+      Printf.printf "  FAIL: %s — unexpected: %s\n" label (Printexc.to_string exn)
+  in
+  expect_invalid_opcode "opcode 200 raises Invalid_opcode 200" 200;
+  expect_invalid_opcode "opcode 224 raises Invalid_opcode 224" 224;
+  expect_invalid_opcode "opcode 247 raises Invalid_opcode 247" 247;
+  (* Opcode 199 sits just below the extension threshold — should fall to the
+     catch-all (Eval_error), proving the threshold is at 200, not 199. *)
+  let globals = Hashtbl.create 1 in
+  (try
+     let _ = Sx_vm.execute_module (make_bc 199) globals in
+     incr fail_count;
+     Printf.printf "  FAIL: opcode 199 — expected Eval_error, got a result\n"
+   with
+   | Sx_vm.Invalid_opcode _ ->
+     incr fail_count;
+     Printf.printf "  FAIL: opcode 199 routed to extension dispatch (threshold wrong)\n"
+   | Sx_types.Eval_error _ ->
+     incr pass_count;
+     Printf.printf "  PASS: opcode 199 stays in core (catch-all)\n"
+   | exn ->
+     incr fail_count;
+     Printf.printf "  FAIL: opcode 199 — unexpected: %s\n" (Printexc.to_string exn))
 
 
 (* ====================================================================== *)
diff --git a/hosts/ocaml/lib/sx_vm.ml b/hosts/ocaml/lib/sx_vm.ml
index ca57be33..752c1acc 100644
--- a/hosts/ocaml/lib/sx_vm.ml
+++ b/hosts/ocaml/lib/sx_vm.ml
@@ -44,6 +44,11 @@ type vm = {
     ip past OP_PERFORM, stack ready for a result push). *)
 exception VmSuspended of value * vm
 
+(** Raised by the extension dispatch fallthrough when an opcode in the
+    extension range (≥ 200) is encountered with no handler registered.
+    Carries the offending opcode id. See plans/sx-vm-opcode-extension.md. *)
+exception Invalid_opcode of int
+
 (* Register the VM suspension converter so sx_runtime.sx_apply_cek can
    catch VmSuspended and convert it to CekPerformRequest without a
    direct dependency on this module. *)
@@ -57,6 +62,14 @@ let () = Sx_types._convert_vm_suspension := (fun exn ->
 let jit_compile_ref : (lambda -> (string, value) Hashtbl.t -> vm_closure option) ref =
   ref (fun _ _ -> None)
 
+(** Forward reference for extension opcode dispatch — Phase B installs the
+    real registry's dispatch function here at module init. Until then, any
+    opcode in the extension range raises [Invalid_opcode]. Same forward-ref
+    pattern as [jit_compile_ref] above; keeps [Sx_vm_extensions] free to
+    depend on [Sx_vm]'s [vm] / [frame] types without a cycle. *)
+let extension_dispatch_ref : (int -> vm -> frame -> unit) ref =
+  ref (fun op _vm _frame -> raise (Invalid_opcode op))
+
 (* JIT threshold and counters live in Sx_types so primitives can read them
    without creating a sx_primitives → sx_vm dependency cycle. *)
 
@@ -867,6 +880,15 @@ and run vm =
           let request = pop vm in
           raise (VmSuspended (request, vm))
 
+        (* ---- Extension dispatch fallthrough ----
+           Opcode partition (see plans/sx-vm-opcode-extension.md):
+             0       reserved / NOP
+             1-199   core opcodes (current ceiling 175 = OP_DEC)
+             200-247 extension opcodes (registered via Sx_vm_extensions)
+             248-255 reserved for future expansion / multi-byte
+           Any opcode ≥ 200 routes through the extension registry. *)
+        | op when op >= 200 -> !extension_dispatch_ref op vm frame
+
         | opcode ->
           raise (Eval_error (Printf.sprintf "VM: unknown opcode %d at ip=%d"
                                opcode (frame.ip - 1)))