diff --git a/docs/prompt-architecture-improvement-plan.md b/docs/prompt-architecture-improvement-plan.md
index 620eba7..aec5912 100644
--- a/docs/prompt-architecture-improvement-plan.md
+++ b/docs/prompt-architecture-improvement-plan.md
@@ -195,6 +195,10 @@ Already isolated:
   filtering, expression-disabled handling, per-character expression promotion,
   POV composition adaptation, and pose-category environment sanitizing live in
   `row_prompt_axes.py`; `prompt_builder.py` keeps a public delegate wrapper.
+- row prompt/caption text-field resolution, prompt/caption template selection,
+  safe formatting, configured-cast descriptor insertion, and POV directive
+  insertion live in `row_rendering.py`; `prompt_builder.py` keeps public
+  delegate wrappers.
 - row expression text cleanup, expression route resolution, expression
   intensity weighting, character-slot/cast expression override resolution, and
   per-character expression picking plus action-aware character-expression
diff --git a/docs/prompt-pool-routing-map.md b/docs/prompt-pool-routing-map.md
index 6d9d595..3c50eea 100644
--- a/docs/prompt-pool-routing-map.md
+++ b/docs/prompt-pool-routing-map.md
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ Core helper ownership:
 | `category_template_metadata.py` | Object-style item-template metadata extraction, action/position family normalization, position-key normalization, key merging, and audit validation errors. |
 | `row_item.py` | Row item selection, weighted item/pair choice, item-template axis filling, and oral/outercourse axis compatibility filters. |
 | `row_category_route.py` | Row category/subcategory/item route resolution, hardcore position-category filtering, cast-count adjustment, pose-vs-content seed-axis choice, item metadata collection, and pose-category item sanitizing. |
-| `row_rendering.py` | Row prompt/caption template selection, safe formatting, default prompt templates, configured-cast descriptor insertion, and POV directive insertion. |
+| `row_rendering.py` | Row prompt/caption text-field resolution, template selection, safe formatting, default prompt templates, configured-cast descriptor insertion, and POV directive insertion. |
 | `row_assembly.py` | Final custom-row dictionary assembly behind `CustomRowAssemblyRequest`, render-context metadata population, prompt/caption rendering delegation, row-base indexing, cast/profile/slot metadata copying, and disabled-expression cleanup. |
 | `row_route_metadata.py` | Row action/position route metadata resolution, template metadata precedence, inferred position-key merging, and source action-family fallback. |
 | `row_generation.py` | Built-in legacy row generation, auto-weighted/auto-full selection, row mode randomization, ratio clamps, and expression-intensity randomization. |
diff --git a/prompt_builder.py b/prompt_builder.py
index 12b4b28..d6911c7 100644
--- a/prompt_builder.py
+++ b/prompt_builder.py
@@ -812,6 +812,14 @@ def _format(template: str, context: dict[str, Any]) -> str:
     return row_rendering_policy.format_template(template, context)
 
 
+def _row_text_fields(
+    category: dict[str, Any],
+    subcategory: dict[str, Any],
+    item: Any,
+) -> row_rendering_policy.RowTextFields:
+    return row_rendering_policy.resolve_row_text_fields(category, subcategory, item)
+
+
 def _clean_prompt_punctuation(text: str) -> str:
     return row_expression_policy.clean_prompt_punctuation(text)
 
@@ -2269,18 +2277,7 @@ def _build_custom_row(
     position_key = str(action_route.get("position_key") or "")
     action_family = str(action_route.get("action_family") or "")
 
-    negative_prompt = str(_merged_field(category, subcategory, item, "negative_prompt", g.NEGATIVE_PROMPT))
-    positive_suffix = str(_merged_field(category, subcategory, item, "positive_suffix", GENERIC_POSITIVE_SUFFIX))
-    style = str(
-        _merged_field(
-            category,
-            subcategory,
-            item,
-            "style",
-            "sexy but tasteful adult pin-up coloured-pencil comic illustration",
-        )
-    )
-    item_label = str(_merged_field(category, subcategory, item, "item_label", category["name"]))
+    text_fields = _row_text_fields(category, subcategory, item)
 
     assembly_request = row_assembly_policy.CustomRowAssemblyRequest(
         row_number=row_number,
@@ -2295,10 +2292,10 @@ def _build_custom_row(
         item_axis_values=item_axis_values,
         item_template_metadata=item_template_metadata,
         formatter_hints=item_formatter_hints,
-        item_label=item_label,
-        style=style,
-        positive_suffix=positive_suffix,
-        negative_prompt=negative_prompt,
+        item_label=text_fields.item_label,
+        style=text_fields.style,
+        positive_suffix=text_fields.positive_suffix,
+        negative_prompt=text_fields.negative_prompt,
         scene_slug=scene_slug,
         scene=scene,
         pose=pose,
diff --git a/row_rendering.py b/row_rendering.py
index 1f13a00..a48b586 100644
--- a/row_rendering.py
+++ b/row_rendering.py
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+from dataclasses import dataclass
 from string import Formatter
 from typing import Any
 
 try:
+    from . import category_library as category_policy
+    from . import generate_prompt_batches as g
     from . import row_camera as row_camera_policy
 except ImportError:  # Allows local smoke tests from the repository root.
+    import category_library as category_policy
+    import generate_prompt_batches as g
     import row_camera as row_camera_policy
 
 
@@ -14,6 +19,17 @@ GENERIC_POSITIVE_SUFFIX = (
     "pastel skin tones, muted blues and pinks, warm sensual lighting, and tactile textured paper."
 )
 
+DEFAULT_STYLE = "sexy but tasteful adult pin-up coloured-pencil comic illustration"
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class RowTextFields:
+    negative_prompt: str
+    positive_suffix: str
+    style: str
+    item_label: str
+
+
 SINGLE_TEMPLATE = (
     "A {subject}: {style}, {age}, {body_phrase}, {skin}, {hair}, {eyes}. "
     "{item_label}: {item}. Scene: {scene}. Pose: {pose}. Facial expression: {expression}. "
@@ -56,6 +72,19 @@ def format_template(template: str, context: dict[str, Any]) -> str:
     return template.format_map(safe_context)
 
 
+def resolve_row_text_fields(category: dict[str, Any], subcategory: dict[str, Any], item: Any) -> RowTextFields:
+    return RowTextFields(
+        negative_prompt=str(
+            category_policy.merged_field(category, subcategory, item, "negative_prompt", g.NEGATIVE_PROMPT)
+        ),
+        positive_suffix=str(
+            category_policy.merged_field(category, subcategory, item, "positive_suffix", GENERIC_POSITIVE_SUFFIX)
+        ),
+        style=str(category_policy.merged_field(category, subcategory, item, "style", DEFAULT_STYLE)),
+        item_label=str(category_policy.merged_field(category, subcategory, item, "item_label", category["name"])),
+    )
+
+
 def default_prompt_template(subject_type: str) -> str:
     if subject_type in ("woman", "man"):
         return SINGLE_TEMPLATE
diff --git a/tools/prompt_smoke.py b/tools/prompt_smoke.py
index f9f9403..38b9d61 100644
--- a/tools/prompt_smoke.py
+++ b/tools/prompt_smoke.py
@@ -1714,6 +1714,37 @@ def smoke_row_rendering_policy() -> None:
         row_rendering.prompt_template_for({}, {}, {}, "group") == row_rendering.GROUP_TEMPLATE,
         "Row rendering default group template changed",
     )
+    category_text = {
+        "name": "Category Label",
+        "negative_prompt": "category negative",
+        "positive_suffix": "category suffix",
+        "style": "category style",
+        "item_label": "Category Item",
+    }
+    subcategory_text = {
+        "negative_prompt": "subcategory negative",
+        "positive_suffix": "subcategory suffix",
+        "style": "subcategory style",
+    }
+    item_text = {
+        "negative_prompt": "item negative",
+        "style": "item style",
+    }
+    _expect(
+        pb._row_text_fields(category_text, subcategory_text, item_text)
+        == row_rendering.resolve_row_text_fields(category_text, subcategory_text, item_text),
+        "Prompt builder row text field wrapper should delegate to row_rendering",
+    )
+    text_fields = row_rendering.resolve_row_text_fields(category_text, subcategory_text, item_text)
+    _expect(text_fields.negative_prompt == "item negative", "Row text fields did not prefer item negative prompt")
+    _expect(text_fields.positive_suffix == "subcategory suffix", "Row text fields did not prefer subcategory suffix")
+    _expect(text_fields.style == "item style", "Row text fields did not prefer item style")
+    _expect(text_fields.item_label == "Category Item", "Row text fields did not fall back to category item label")
+    default_text_fields = row_rendering.resolve_row_text_fields({"name": "Default Category"}, {}, {})
+    _expect(default_text_fields.negative_prompt, "Row text fields lost default negative prompt")
+    _expect(default_text_fields.positive_suffix == row_rendering.GENERIC_POSITIVE_SUFFIX, "Row text fields lost suffix default")
+    _expect(default_text_fields.style == row_rendering.DEFAULT_STYLE, "Row text fields lost style default")
+    _expect(default_text_fields.item_label == "Default Category", "Row text fields lost category-name label default")
 
     context = {
         "trigger": Trigger,