diff --git a/hosts/ocaml/bin/run_tests.ml b/hosts/ocaml/bin/run_tests.ml
index cdae24d6..45658060 100644
--- a/hosts/ocaml/bin/run_tests.ml
+++ b/hosts/ocaml/bin/run_tests.ml
@@ -1279,7 +1279,7 @@ let run_foundation_tests () =
   assert_true "sx_truthy \"\"" (Bool (sx_truthy (String "")));
   assert_eq "not truthy nil" (Bool false) (Bool (sx_truthy Nil));
   assert_eq "not truthy false" (Bool false) (Bool (sx_truthy (Bool false)));
-  let l = { l_params = ["x"]; l_body = Symbol "x"; l_closure = Sx_types.make_env (); l_name = None; l_compiled = None } in
+  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))
diff --git a/hosts/ocaml/lib/sx_primitives.ml b/hosts/ocaml/lib/sx_primitives.ml
index 0c4fcb3b..bb2700e3 100644
--- a/hosts/ocaml/lib/sx_primitives.ml
+++ b/hosts/ocaml/lib/sx_primitives.ml
@@ -3138,4 +3138,25 @@ let () =
         end
       done;
       String (Buffer.contents buf)
-    | _ -> raise (Eval_error "clock-format: (seconds [format])"))
+    | _ -> raise (Eval_error "clock-format: (seconds [format])"));
+
+  (* JIT cache control & observability — backed by refs in sx_types.ml to
+     avoid creating a sx_primitives → sx_vm dependency cycle. sx_vm reads
+     these refs to decide when to JIT. *)
+  register "jit-stats" (fun _args ->
+    let d = Hashtbl.create 8 in
+    Hashtbl.replace d "threshold"        (Number (float_of_int !Sx_types.jit_threshold));
+    Hashtbl.replace d "compiled"         (Number (float_of_int !Sx_types.jit_compiled_count));
+    Hashtbl.replace d "compile-failed"   (Number (float_of_int !Sx_types.jit_skipped_count));
+    Hashtbl.replace d "below-threshold"  (Number (float_of_int !Sx_types.jit_threshold_skipped_count));
+    Dict d);
+  register "jit-set-threshold!" (fun args ->
+    match args with
+    | [Number n] -> Sx_types.jit_threshold := int_of_float n; Nil
+    | [Integer n] -> Sx_types.jit_threshold := n; Nil
+    | _ -> raise (Eval_error "jit-set-threshold!: (n) where n is integer"));
+  register "jit-reset-counters!" (fun _args ->
+    Sx_types.jit_compiled_count := 0;
+    Sx_types.jit_skipped_count := 0;
+    Sx_types.jit_threshold_skipped_count := 0;
+    Nil)
diff --git a/hosts/ocaml/lib/sx_types.ml b/hosts/ocaml/lib/sx_types.ml
index 490ce093..c7c00a33 100644
--- a/hosts/ocaml/lib/sx_types.ml
+++ b/hosts/ocaml/lib/sx_types.ml
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ and lambda = {
   l_closure : env;
   mutable l_name : string option;
   mutable l_compiled : vm_closure option;  (** Lazy JIT cache *)
+  mutable l_call_count : int;              (** Tiered-compilation counter — JIT after threshold calls *)
 }
 
 and component = {
@@ -439,7 +440,20 @@ let make_lambda params body closure =
     | List items -> List.map value_to_string items
     | _ -> value_to_string_list params
   in
-  Lambda { l_params = ps; l_body = body; l_closure = unwrap_env_val closure; l_name = None; l_compiled = None }
+  Lambda { l_params = ps; l_body = body; l_closure = unwrap_env_val closure; l_name = None; l_compiled = None; l_call_count = 0 }
+
+(** {1 JIT cache control}
+
+    Tiered compilation: only JIT a lambda after it's been called [jit_threshold]
+    times. This filters out one-shot lambdas (test harness, dynamic eval, REPLs)
+    so they never enter the JIT cache. Counters are exposed to SX as [(jit-stats)].
+
+    These live here (in sx_types) rather than sx_vm so [sx_primitives] can read
+    them without creating a sx_primitives → sx_vm dependency cycle. *)
+let jit_threshold = ref 4
+let jit_compiled_count = ref 0
+let jit_skipped_count = ref 0
+let jit_threshold_skipped_count = ref 0
 
 let make_component name params has_children body closure affinity =
   let n = value_to_string name in
diff --git a/hosts/ocaml/lib/sx_vm.ml b/hosts/ocaml/lib/sx_vm.ml
index bf29e066..9d8ddbb1 100644
--- a/hosts/ocaml/lib/sx_vm.ml
+++ b/hosts/ocaml/lib/sx_vm.ml
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ let () = Sx_types._convert_vm_suspension := (fun exn ->
 let jit_compile_ref : (lambda -> (string, value) Hashtbl.t -> vm_closure option) ref =
   ref (fun _ _ -> None)
 
+(* JIT threshold and counters live in Sx_types so primitives can read them
+   without creating a sx_primitives → sx_vm dependency cycle. *)
+
 (** Sentinel closure indicating JIT compilation was attempted and failed.
     Prevents retrying compilation on every call. *)
 let jit_failed_sentinel = {
@@ -353,13 +356,21 @@ and vm_call vm f args =
      | None ->
        if l.l_name <> None
        then begin
-         l.l_compiled <- Some jit_failed_sentinel;
-         match !jit_compile_ref l vm.globals with
-         | Some cl ->
-           l.l_compiled <- Some cl;
-           push_closure_frame vm cl args
-         | None ->
+         l.l_call_count <- l.l_call_count + 1;
+         if l.l_call_count >= !Sx_types.jit_threshold then begin
+           l.l_compiled <- Some jit_failed_sentinel;
+           match !jit_compile_ref l vm.globals with
+           | Some cl ->
+             incr Sx_types.jit_compiled_count;
+             l.l_compiled <- Some cl;
+             push_closure_frame vm cl args
+           | None ->
+             incr Sx_types.jit_skipped_count;
+             push vm (cek_call_or_suspend vm f (List args))
+         end else begin
+           incr Sx_types.jit_threshold_skipped_count;
            push vm (cek_call_or_suspend vm f (List args))
+         end
        end
        else
          push vm (cek_call_or_suspend vm f (List args)))