diff --git a/docs/mesh-compatibility.md b/docs/mesh-compatibility.md
index a7a4c2af..f8bbf4d3 100644
--- a/docs/mesh-compatibility.md
+++ b/docs/mesh-compatibility.md
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ All current `MsgType` payloads were audited against `MeshManager::_onRecv`.
 | `PlayAudio` | `PlayAudioMsg` fixed-size | `len >= sizeof(PlayAudioMsg)` | Raw fixed struct. One-shot playback trigger — see `PlayAudioMsg`'s comment for the start-sync/participation contract. |
 | `StopAudio` | `StopAudioMsg` fixed-size | `len >= sizeof(StopAudioMsg)` | Raw fixed struct. |
 | `GenericEvent` | `GenericEventMsg` fixed-size | `len >= sizeof(GenericEventMsg)` | Raw fixed struct. `eventType` is opaque to the mesh layer; no versioning. |
+| `LightOverride` | `LightOverrideMsg` fixed-size | `len >= sizeof(LightOverrideMsg)` | Raw nested `LightConfig` layout; no versioning. Target filtering happens after parse, mirroring `SetGroup`. |
 | `Hello` | `HelloMsg` fixed-size | exact `sizeof(HelloMsg)` | **The one deliberate cross-firmware exception** — see below. |
 
 ## The `Hello` exception
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 795ee86f..6d711938 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -716,6 +716,24 @@ void setup() {
         }
     });
 
+    // Another device commanded a single light on this device: store (or clear)
+    // its override and render it — same arbitration as the local REST surface,
+    // so with multiple senders receive order decides (issue #458). Non-targets
+    // ignore the message entirely.
+    mesh.setOnLightOverride([](const LightOverrideMsg* msg) {
+        uint8_t own[6];
+        WiFi.macAddress(own);
+        if (memcmp(msg->targetMac, own, 6) != 0) return;
+        uint8_t idx = msg->lightIndex;
+        if (idx >= MAX_LIGHTS || !Config::get().lights[idx].exists) return;
+        if (msg->clear)
+            LightOverrides::clear(idx);
+        else
+            LightOverrides::set(idx, msg->config, msg->durationMs);
+        applyEffectiveLight(idx);
+        publishTelemetry();
+    });
+
     // Another device told this device (or a peer) to change a light's group
     mesh.setOnSetGroup([](const uint8_t* targetMac, uint8_t lightIndex, uint8_t groupId) {
         uint8_t own[6];
diff --git a/src/mesh/MeshManager.h b/src/mesh/MeshManager.h
index 2a4a3f92..7a5de72e 100644
--- a/src/mesh/MeshManager.h
+++ b/src/mesh/MeshManager.h
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ class MeshManager {
     using PresenceCb = std::function<void(const uint8_t* mac, const char* name, bool isNew)>;
     using SetGroupCb =
         std::function<void(const uint8_t* targetMac, uint8_t lightIndex, uint8_t groupId)>;
+    // Direct per-light override command (issue #458) — the receiver applies it
+    // through the same arbitration as local REST set/clear, see main.cpp.
+    using LightOverrideCb = std::function<void(const LightOverrideMsg*)>;
     using GroupSyncCb = std::function<void(const GroupConfig&)>;
     using PhaseSyncCb = std::function<void(uint8_t groupId, float phase)>;
     // Returns the current animation phase for the given light index.
@@ -96,6 +99,7 @@ class MeshManager {
     void setOnLightConfig(LightConfigCb cb) { _onLightConfig = cb; }
     void setOnPresence(PresenceCb cb) { _onPresence = cb; }
     void setOnSetGroup(SetGroupCb cb) { _onSetGroup = cb; }
+    void setOnLightOverride(LightOverrideCb cb) { _onLightOverride = cb; }
     void setOnGroupSync(GroupSyncCb cb) { _onGroupSync = cb; }
     void setOnPhaseSync(PhaseSyncCb cb) { _onPhaseSync = cb; }
     void setGetPhase(GetPhaseCb cb) { _getPhase = cb; }
@@ -229,6 +233,13 @@ class MeshManager {
         _send(&msg, sizeof(msg));
     }
 
+    // Sender builds the full LightOverrideMsg (snapshot construction is the
+    // sender's job — see the rework plan's command-arbitration design).
+    void broadcastLightOverride(const LightOverrideMsg& msg) {
+        if (!_ready) return;
+        _send(&msg, sizeof(msg));
+    }
+
     void broadcastSetSoundGroup(const uint8_t* targetMac, uint8_t audioGroupId) {
         if (!_ready) return;
         SetSoundGroupMsg msg;
@@ -529,6 +540,7 @@ class MeshManager {
     LightConfigCb _onLightConfig;
     PresenceCb _onPresence;
     SetGroupCb _onSetGroup;
+    LightOverrideCb _onLightOverride;
     GroupSyncCb _onGroupSync;
     PhaseSyncCb _onPhaseSync;
     GetPhaseCb _getPhase;
@@ -1227,6 +1239,17 @@ class MeshManager {
                     _instance->_onGenericEvent(mac, m->eventType, m->payload);
                 break;
             }
+            case MsgType::LightOverride: {
+                if (len < (int)sizeof(LightOverrideMsg)) return;
+                auto* m = (LightOverrideMsg*)data;
+                Logger::i(
+                    "[mesh] light-override rx: target %02x:%02x:%02x:%02x:%02x:%02x light "
+                    "%u %s",
+                    m->targetMac[0], m->targetMac[1], m->targetMac[2], m->targetMac[3],
+                    m->targetMac[4], m->targetMac[5], m->lightIndex, m->clear ? "clear" : "set");
+                if (_instance->_onLightOverride) _instance->_onLightOverride(m);
+                break;
+            }
             default:
                 Logger::w("[mesh] unknown msg type %u len %d", (uint8_t)type, len);
                 break;
diff --git a/src/mesh/MeshTypes.h b/src/mesh/MeshTypes.h
index 973a7624..9905ccf7 100644
--- a/src/mesh/MeshTypes.h
+++ b/src/mesh/MeshTypes.h
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ enum class MsgType : uint8_t {
     SetVolume = 34,
     GenericEvent = 35,
     Hello = 36,
+    LightOverride = 37,
 };
 
 enum class FwState : uint8_t { Idle = 0, Checking = 1, Downloading = 2, Error = 3, Done = 4 };
@@ -440,6 +441,26 @@ struct GenericEventMsg {
     uint16_t payload;
 };
 
+// ── Per-light override (issue #458, LightWitch M1) ────────────────────────────
+// Broadcast to command a single light on a specific device: the target stores
+// the full LightConfig snapshot as that light's override (see LightOverrides.h)
+// and renders it instead of its group state, arbitrated by recency — the next
+// real group change takes the light back. Addressing mirrors SetGroupMsg
+// (targetMac + lightIndex, target filtering after parse); non-targets update
+// nothing. clear=1 drops the target's override without supplying a snapshot,
+// so any device (or, later, a graph node) can return a light to its group.
+// durationMs mirrors the REST surface: 0 = stays until displaced, otherwise
+// the receiver expires it on its own. With multiple senders, receive order
+// decides — last one wins, same as every other direct command.
+struct LightOverrideMsg {
+    MsgType type = MsgType::LightOverride;
+    uint8_t targetMac[6];
+    uint8_t lightIndex;
+    uint8_t clear;  // 1 = drop the override; config/durationMs are then meaningless
+    uint32_t durationMs;
+    LightConfig config;
+};
+
 // ── Onboarding discovery (frozen, cross-firmware) ─────────────────────────────
 // Every other message in this file follows the same-firmware-only policy in
 // docs/mesh-compatibility.md: exact struct layout, no version tolerance.