diff --git a/caption_format_route.py b/caption_format_route.py
index a27d9e9..d8875b1 100644
--- a/caption_format_route.py
+++ b/caption_format_route.py
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ def naturalize_caption_result(
             style_policy=style_policy,
             include_trigger=include_trigger,
             keep_style=keep_style,
+            **trace_policy.metadata_trace_fields(row, target=target),
         )
         return CaptionFormatRoute(
             caption=caption,
diff --git a/docs/prompt-architecture-improvement-plan.md b/docs/prompt-architecture-improvement-plan.md
index fb8cc0a..1c78cd4 100644
--- a/docs/prompt-architecture-improvement-plan.md
+++ b/docs/prompt-architecture-improvement-plan.md
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ The map audit currently sees:
 - Pair seed simulation, so Insta/OF soft/hard metadata and formatter outputs
   prove locked determinism and person/scene/content/pose/expression/
   composition reroll behavior.
+- Formatter route traces expose selected metadata fields, so Krea2, SDXL, and
+  caption outputs can be debugged by category, action/position family, selected
+  pair side, scene profile, position keys, and POV labels instead of only
+  proving that a metadata branch was used.
 
 ## Architectural Finding
 
diff --git a/docs/prompt-pool-routing-map.md b/docs/prompt-pool-routing-map.md
index bd89a3a..e7de255 100644
--- a/docs/prompt-pool-routing-map.md
+++ b/docs/prompt-pool-routing-map.md
@@ -242,7 +242,10 @@ and to compare the exact per-axis RNG seed used for the row.
 `tools/prompt_map_audit.py` includes a runtime metadata route check. It builds a
 representative single row and Insta/OF pair, verifies embedded
 `generation_trace` fields, and confirms Krea2, SDXL, and caption formatters
-consume metadata JSON instead of silently falling back to raw prompt text.
+consume metadata JSON instead of silently falling back to raw prompt text. The
+formatter route traces also expose selected row metadata such as selected pair
+side, category, action/position family, scene profile, position keys, and POV
+labels.
 The same audit also statically rejects direct `row["prompt"]` reads in
 formatter metadata modules outside the shared fallback helpers.
 
@@ -997,6 +1000,9 @@ them through Krea2, SDXL, and training-caption paths, and reports structured
 issues for:
 
 - formatter routes falling back away from metadata;
+- formatter route traces exposing selected row metadata such as category,
+  action/position family, selected pair side, scene profile, position keys, and
+  POV labels;
 - raw builder labels leaking into Krea output;
 - duplicate negative-prompt comma items;
 - softcore prompt noise;
diff --git a/formatter_route_trace.py b/formatter_route_trace.py
index fdc3411..261a74d 100644
--- a/formatter_route_trace.py
+++ b/formatter_route_trace.py
@@ -3,6 +3,14 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 import json
 from typing import Any
 
+try:
+    from . import route_metadata as route_metadata_policy
+except ImportError:  # Allows local smoke tests with top-level imports.
+    import route_metadata as route_metadata_policy
+
+
+PAIR_SIDES = ("softcore", "hardcore")
+
 
 def route_trace_json(**values: Any) -> str:
     trace: dict[str, Any] = {}
@@ -15,3 +23,55 @@ def route_trace_json(**values: Any) -> str:
                 continue
         trace[key] = value
     return json.dumps(trace, ensure_ascii=True, sort_keys=True)
+
+
+def _pair_selected_side(target: Any, selected_side: Any = "") -> str:
+    side = str(selected_side or "").strip().lower()
+    if side in PAIR_SIDES:
+        return side
+    target_side = str(target or "").strip().lower()
+    return target_side if target_side in PAIR_SIDES else "softcore"
+
+
+def _add_if_value(trace: dict[str, Any], key: str, value: Any) -> None:
+    if value is None:
+        return
+    if isinstance(value, str):
+        value = value.strip()
+        if not value:
+            return
+    if isinstance(value, (list, tuple, set)) and not value:
+        return
+    trace[key] = value
+
+
+def metadata_trace_fields(row: Any, *, target: Any = "", selected_side: Any = "") -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Return compact row metadata fields for formatter route traces.
+
+    The trace intentionally carries routing/debug identifiers, not full prompt
+    prose or cast descriptors.
+    """
+    if not isinstance(row, dict):
+        return {}
+    trace: dict[str, Any] = {}
+    source_row = row
+    if isinstance(row.get("softcore_row"), dict) or isinstance(row.get("hardcore_row"), dict):
+        side = _pair_selected_side(target, selected_side)
+        source_row = row.get(f"{side}_row") if isinstance(row.get(f"{side}_row"), dict) else {}
+        trace["metadata_kind"] = "pair"
+        trace["selected_side"] = side
+    else:
+        trace["metadata_kind"] = "row"
+
+    if not isinstance(source_row, dict):
+        return trace
+
+    _add_if_value(trace, "metadata_category", source_row.get("main_category") or source_row.get("category"))
+    _add_if_value(trace, "metadata_subcategory", source_row.get("subcategory"))
+    _add_if_value(trace, "action_family", route_metadata_policy.row_action_family(source_row))
+    _add_if_value(trace, "position_family", route_metadata_policy.row_position_family(source_row))
+    _add_if_value(trace, "position_key", source_row.get("position_key"))
+    _add_if_value(trace, "position_keys", route_metadata_policy.row_position_keys(source_row, include_unknown=True))
+    _add_if_value(trace, "scene_profile", source_row.get("scene_camera_profile_key"))
+    _add_if_value(trace, "pov_labels", source_row.get("pov_character_labels"))
+    return trace
diff --git a/krea_format_route.py b/krea_format_route.py
index 968d6fa..8eabba2 100644
--- a/krea_format_route.py
+++ b/krea_format_route.py
@@ -113,9 +113,9 @@ def format_krea2_prompt_result(request: KreaFormatRequest, deps: KreaFormatDepen
             method=output["method"],
             input_hint=input_hint,
             target=target,
-            selected_side=pair_target.selected_side,
             detail_level=detail_level,
             style_mode=style_mode,
+            **trace_policy.metadata_trace_fields(row, target=target, selected_side=pair_target.selected_side),
         )
         return KreaFormatRoute(
             output=output,
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ def format_krea2_prompt_result(request: KreaFormatRequest, deps: KreaFormatDepen
         target=target,
         detail_level=detail_level,
         style_mode=style_mode,
+        **trace_policy.metadata_trace_fields(row, target=target),
     )
     return KreaFormatRoute(
         output=output,
diff --git a/sdxl_format_route.py b/sdxl_format_route.py
index 721a3e1..86bdaad 100644
--- a/sdxl_format_route.py
+++ b/sdxl_format_route.py
@@ -128,10 +128,10 @@ def format_sdxl_prompt_result(request: SDXLFormatRequest, deps: SDXLFormatDepend
             method=output["method"],
             input_hint=input_hint,
             target=target,
-            selected_side=pair_target.selected_side,
             style_preset=style_preset,
             quality_preset=quality_preset,
             nude_weight=nude_weight,
+            **trace_policy.metadata_trace_fields(row, target=target, selected_side=pair_target.selected_side),
         )
         return SDXLFormatRoute(
             output=output,
@@ -186,6 +186,7 @@ def format_sdxl_prompt_result(request: SDXLFormatRequest, deps: SDXLFormatDepend
         style_preset=style_preset,
         quality_preset=quality_preset,
         nude_weight=nude_weight,
+        **trace_policy.metadata_trace_fields(row, target=target),
     )
     return SDXLFormatRoute(
         output=output,
diff --git a/tools/prompt_map_audit.py b/tools/prompt_map_audit.py
index 1b09dc5..8574231 100644
--- a/tools/prompt_map_audit.py
+++ b/tools/prompt_map_audit.py
@@ -106,6 +106,10 @@ AUDIT_DOC_SNIPPETS: tuple[tuple[str, str], ...] = (
         "docs/prompt-pool-routing-map.md",
         "pair pose rerolls changing hardcore action metadata",
     ),
+    (
+        "docs/prompt-pool-routing-map.md",
+        "formatter route traces exposing selected row metadata",
+    ),
 )
 
 PROMPT_ROW_READ_SCAN_GLOBS: tuple[str, ...] = (
diff --git a/tools/prompt_route_simulation.py b/tools/prompt_route_simulation.py
index 5c8f92b..979ac7a 100644
--- a/tools/prompt_route_simulation.py
+++ b/tools/prompt_route_simulation.py
@@ -518,11 +518,44 @@ def _trace_dict(formatter_name: str, payload: dict[str, Any]) -> tuple[dict[str,
     return trace, ""
 
 
+def _formatter_trace_metadata_issues(name: str, trace: dict[str, Any], row: dict[str, Any] | None) -> list[str]:
+    if not isinstance(row, dict):
+        return []
+    issues: list[str] = []
+    expected_fields = {
+        "metadata_category": row.get("main_category") or row.get("category"),
+        "metadata_subcategory": row.get("subcategory"),
+        "action_family": row.get("action_family"),
+        "position_family": row.get("position_family"),
+        "position_key": row.get("position_key"),
+        "scene_profile": row.get("scene_camera_profile_key"),
+    }
+    for key, expected in expected_fields.items():
+        if expected in (None, "", []):
+            continue
+        if trace.get(key) != expected:
+            issues.append(f"{name}: trace_{key}_mismatch:{trace.get(key)} != {expected}")
+    expected_position_keys = [str(value) for value in (row.get("position_keys") or []) if str(value or "").strip()]
+    if expected_position_keys:
+        trace_position_keys = [str(value) for value in (trace.get("position_keys") or [])]
+        for key in expected_position_keys:
+            if key not in trace_position_keys:
+                issues.append(f"{name}: trace_missing_position_key:{key}")
+    expected_pov_labels = [str(value) for value in (row.get("pov_character_labels") or []) if str(value or "").strip()]
+    if expected_pov_labels:
+        trace_pov_labels = [str(value) for value in (trace.get("pov_labels") or [])]
+        for label in expected_pov_labels:
+            if label not in trace_pov_labels:
+                issues.append(f"{name}: trace_missing_pov_label:{label}")
+    return issues
+
+
 def _formatter_trace_issues(
     name: str,
     formats: dict[str, Any],
     *,
     target: str,
+    row: dict[str, Any] | None = None,
 ) -> list[str]:
     expected_formatters = {
         "krea": "krea2",
@@ -554,14 +587,15 @@ def _formatter_trace_issues(
             if formatter_name in ("krea", "sdxl"):
                 if branch != "insta_of_pair":
                     issues.append(f"{name}.{formatter_name}: trace_pair_branch_mismatch:{branch}")
-                if trace.get("selected_side") != target:
-                    issues.append(f"{name}.{formatter_name}: trace_selected_side_mismatch:{trace.get('selected_side')} != {target}")
             elif "metadata(insta_of_pair)" not in method:
                 issues.append(f"{name}.{formatter_name}: trace_caption_pair_method_mismatch:{method}")
+            if trace.get("selected_side") != target:
+                issues.append(f"{name}.{formatter_name}: trace_selected_side_mismatch:{trace.get('selected_side')} != {target}")
         elif formatter_name == "krea" and not branch.startswith("metadata("):
             issues.append(f"{name}.{formatter_name}: trace_krea_metadata_branch_mismatch:{branch}")
         elif formatter_name in ("sdxl", "caption") and branch != "metadata":
             issues.append(f"{name}.{formatter_name}: trace_metadata_branch_mismatch:{branch}")
+        issues.extend(_formatter_trace_metadata_issues(f"{name}.{formatter_name}", trace, row))
     return issues
 
 
@@ -602,7 +636,7 @@ def _formatter_issues(
     ):
         if "metadata" not in str(method or ""):
             issues.append(f"{name}.{formatter_name}: not_metadata_route:{method}")
-    issues.extend(_formatter_trace_issues(name, formats, target=target))
+    issues.extend(_formatter_trace_issues(name, formats, target=target, row=row))
 
     for label, value in (
         (f"{name}.krea_negative", krea.get("negative_prompt")),