diff --git a/meld-core/src/adapter/call_lowering.rs b/meld-core/src/adapter/call_lowering.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..db3efcb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meld-core/src/adapter/call_lowering.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,252 @@
+//! Per-boundary call-lowering seam (ADR-7 path-H, increment 2).
+//!
+//! When one fused component calls another, meld synthesizes a trampoline whose
+//! shape depends on what the boundary crosses. This module is the single home
+//! for that **decision** — *which* [`AdapterClass`] lowers the call — separated
+//! from the body generators that emit each class's instructions.
+//!
+//! The boundary classes:
+//!
+//! - **[`AdapterClass::Direct`]** — same memory, same string encoding: a thin
+//!   call shim. When it carries no resource conversions and no post-return it is
+//!   a *pure identity trampoline* eligible for #304 inlining.
+//! - **[`AdapterClass::MemoryCopy`]** — cross-memory, same encoding: a
+//!   lower → `cabi_realloc` → `memory.copy` → lift chain.
+//! - **[`AdapterClass::Transcode`]** — cross-memory *and* an encoding mismatch:
+//!   the memory-copy chain with a UTF-8/UTF-16/Latin-1 transcode loop fused in.
+//!
+//! ([`AdapterClass::Async`] boundaries are dispatched *before* this seam is
+//! reached — see the async branch in `FactStyleGenerator::generate` — so they
+//! never flow through here.)
+//!
+//! ## Why the class *and* the inline decision live together
+//!
+//! `#304` inline-eligibility is *not* an independent flag: an adapter may be
+//! inlined only when its class is `Direct` **and** it carries no resource
+//! rep/new conversions **and** no post-return. That guard has to stay a superset
+//! of `generate_direct_adapter`'s pure-trampoline branch (the "#304 INVARIANT"
+//! note there) — the two are coupled and must move together. Computing both the
+//! class and the inline decision in one place ([`resolve_call_lowering_plan`])
+//! makes that coupling explicit and keeps the merger/adapter call site a lookup
+//! rather than a re-derivation.
+//!
+//! ## Extraction is behavior-preserving (plus one silent-corruption backstop)
+//!
+//! Increment 2 lifts the exact three-way dispatch (`site.crosses_memory` /
+//! `options.needs_transcoding()`) and the #304 inline guard out of
+//! `FactStyleGenerator::generate_adapter` unchanged. Future per-boundary ABI
+//! strategies (symmetric ABI, static-base PIC — ADR-7 / #353) become new inputs
+//! to [`resolve_call_lowering_plan`] instead of new branches threaded through
+//! the generator's hot path.
+//!
+//! The one deliberate behavior change: a boundary that needs transcoding but
+//! does **not** cross memory now **hard-fails** instead of silently emitting a
+//! non-transcoding `Direct` shim (#361). The pre-extraction dispatch mapped that
+//! case to `Direct` and mis-transcoded silently; the async path already failed
+//! loud on the identical case (#272), so this closes the sync gap consistently.
+
+use super::AdapterClass;
+use crate::{Error, Result};
+
+/// The facts about one call boundary that determine how it is lowered. All are
+/// cheap booleans read from the resolved [`AdapterSite`](crate::resolver::AdapterSite)
+/// and its analyzed [`AdapterOptions`](super::fact::AdapterOptions) — no
+/// side effects, no ordering dependence.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub struct BoundaryFacts {
+    /// Caller and callee live in different linear memories (multi-memory, or
+    /// `auto` where both components own a memory). Set once at resolve time.
+    pub crosses_memory: bool,
+    /// Caller and callee disagree on string encoding (UTF-8 vs UTF-16 vs
+    /// Latin-1) — a transcode loop is required on top of the copy.
+    pub needs_transcoding: bool,
+    /// `--inline-adapters` is enabled (the #304 identity-trampoline bypass).
+    pub inline_adapters: bool,
+    /// The call carries `resource.rep` conversions (handle → representation).
+    pub has_resource_rep_calls: bool,
+    /// The call carries `resource.new` conversions (representation → handle).
+    pub has_resource_new_calls: bool,
+    /// The callee declares a `post-return` that must run after lifting.
+    pub has_post_return: bool,
+}
+
+/// The resolved lowering decision for one boundary.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub struct CallLoweringPlan {
+    /// Which adapter body synthesizes the call.
+    pub class: AdapterClass,
+    /// Whether the adapter is a pure identity trampoline the caller may be wired
+    /// straight to (#304). Only ever `true` for a `Direct` class; see the module
+    /// doc for why this rides with the class decision.
+    pub inline_eligible: bool,
+}
+
+/// Resolve how a single cross-component call boundary is lowered.
+///
+/// Class selection (unchanged from the pre-extraction `generate_adapter`):
+/// - cross-memory + encoding mismatch → `Transcode`
+/// - cross-memory, same encoding → `MemoryCopy`
+/// - same memory → `Direct`
+///
+/// and `inline_eligible` iff inlining is on, the class is `Direct`, and the call
+/// carries no resource conversions and no post-return.
+///
+/// # Errors
+///
+/// Hard-fails ([`Error::AdapterGeneration`](crate::Error::AdapterGeneration))
+/// when the boundary needs transcoding but does **not** cross memory
+/// (`needs_transcoding && !crosses_memory`). A same-memory boundary is lowered
+/// as a `Direct` shim that does not transcode, so emitting one for a
+/// mixed-encoding call would deliver string bytes verbatim in the wrong encoding
+/// — a silent miscompile. This is the sync twin of `guard_async_cross_encoding_strings`
+/// (the async path already fails loud here, #272). Supporting same-memory
+/// transcoding is tracked in #361; until then we refuse rather than corrupt.
+pub fn resolve_call_lowering_plan(facts: BoundaryFacts) -> Result<CallLoweringPlan> {
+    // #361: a boundary that needs transcoding but does not cross memory has no
+    // lowering that transcodes — `Direct` (the same-memory class) is a thin
+    // shim. Fail loud instead of silently mis-transcoding (mirrors the async
+    // guard, #272).
+    if facts.needs_transcoding && !facts.crosses_memory {
+        return Err(Error::AdapterGeneration(
+            "same-memory string transcoding is not supported: this call requires \
+             transcoding (caller and callee use different string encodings) but \
+             does not cross a memory boundary, so it would be lowered as a Direct \
+             shim that copies the bytes verbatim — silently mis-transcoding. The \
+             async path already fails loud here (#272); see #361 to support it"
+                .to_string(),
+        ));
+    }
+
+    let class = if facts.crosses_memory && facts.needs_transcoding {
+        AdapterClass::Transcode
+    } else if facts.crosses_memory {
+        AdapterClass::MemoryCopy
+    } else {
+        AdapterClass::Direct
+    };
+
+    // #304: a Direct adapter is a *pure identity trampoline* — and thus safe to
+    // bypass — only when it carries no resource conversions AND no post-return
+    // (the Direct generator still emits `call post_return` when
+    // `has_post_return && result_count == 0`, so post-return must be excluded
+    // entirely). This guard MUST stay a superset of `generate_direct_adapter`'s
+    // complex-branch trigger; the two are coupled. Any doubt → not eligible.
+    let inline_eligible = facts.inline_adapters
+        && matches!(class, AdapterClass::Direct)
+        && !facts.has_resource_rep_calls
+        && !facts.has_resource_new_calls
+        && !facts.has_post_return;
+
+    Ok(CallLoweringPlan {
+        class,
+        inline_eligible,
+    })
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    /// A `Direct` boundary with nothing extra: same memory, same encoding.
+    fn direct() -> BoundaryFacts {
+        BoundaryFacts {
+            crosses_memory: false,
+            needs_transcoding: false,
+            inline_adapters: true,
+            has_resource_rep_calls: false,
+            has_resource_new_calls: false,
+            has_post_return: false,
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn same_memory_is_direct_and_inlinable() {
+        let plan = resolve_call_lowering_plan(direct()).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(plan.class, AdapterClass::Direct);
+        assert!(plan.inline_eligible);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn cross_memory_same_encoding_is_memory_copy() {
+        let plan = resolve_call_lowering_plan(BoundaryFacts {
+            crosses_memory: true,
+            ..direct()
+        })
+        .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(plan.class, AdapterClass::MemoryCopy);
+        assert!(!plan.inline_eligible, "only Direct is ever inlinable");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn cross_memory_encoding_mismatch_is_transcode() {
+        let plan = resolve_call_lowering_plan(BoundaryFacts {
+            crosses_memory: true,
+            needs_transcoding: true,
+            ..direct()
+        })
+        .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(plan.class, AdapterClass::Transcode);
+        assert!(!plan.inline_eligible);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn same_memory_transcoding_hard_fails() {
+        // #361: a boundary that needs transcoding but does not cross memory has
+        // no lowering that transcodes (Direct is a thin shim). Emitting one
+        // would silently mis-transcode, so the seam refuses — the sync twin of
+        // the async cross-encoding guard (#272).
+        let err = resolve_call_lowering_plan(BoundaryFacts {
+            needs_transcoding: true,
+            ..direct()
+        })
+        .unwrap_err();
+        assert!(
+            matches!(err, Error::AdapterGeneration(_)),
+            "expected AdapterGeneration hard-fail, got {err:?}"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn inlining_disabled_never_eligible() {
+        let plan = resolve_call_lowering_plan(BoundaryFacts {
+            inline_adapters: false,
+            ..direct()
+        })
+        .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(plan.class, AdapterClass::Direct);
+        assert!(!plan.inline_eligible);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn direct_with_resource_rep_not_eligible() {
+        let plan = resolve_call_lowering_plan(BoundaryFacts {
+            has_resource_rep_calls: true,
+            ..direct()
+        })
+        .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(plan.class, AdapterClass::Direct);
+        assert!(!plan.inline_eligible);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn direct_with_resource_new_not_eligible() {
+        let plan = resolve_call_lowering_plan(BoundaryFacts {
+            has_resource_new_calls: true,
+            ..direct()
+        })
+        .unwrap();
+        assert!(!plan.inline_eligible);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn direct_with_post_return_not_eligible() {
+        // The Direct generator still emits `call post_return` for a 0-result
+        // callee, so bypassing the thunk would skip cleanup — must not inline.
+        let plan = resolve_call_lowering_plan(BoundaryFacts {
+            has_post_return: true,
+            ..direct()
+        })
+        .unwrap();
+        assert!(!plan.inline_eligible);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/meld-core/src/adapter/fact.rs b/meld-core/src/adapter/fact.rs
index 3371ded..5108948 100644
--- a/meld-core/src/adapter/fact.rs
+++ b/meld-core/src/adapter/fact.rs
@@ -5293,39 +5293,44 @@ impl FactStyleGenerator {
         let options =
             self.analyze_call_site(site, merged, resource_rep_imports, resource_new_imports);
 
-        // Generate the adapter function body
-        let (type_idx, body, class) = if site.crosses_memory && options.needs_transcoding() {
-            let (t, b) = self.generate_transcoding_adapter(site, merged, &options)?;
-            (t, b, AdapterClass::Transcode)
-        } else if site.crosses_memory {
-            let (t, b) =
-                self.generate_memory_copy_adapter(site, merged, &options, resource_rep_imports)?;
-            (t, b, AdapterClass::MemoryCopy)
-        } else {
-            let (t, b) = self.generate_direct_adapter(site, merged, &options)?;
-            (t, b, AdapterClass::Direct)
+        // Resolve how this boundary is lowered (ADR-7 path-H inc 2): the class
+        // and the #304 inline-eligibility are decided together in the
+        // call-lowering seam — see `adapter::call_lowering` for why the two
+        // couple. `Async` never reaches here (async sites are dispatched in
+        // `generate` before `generate_adapter`).
+        let plan = crate::adapter::call_lowering::resolve_call_lowering_plan(
+            crate::adapter::call_lowering::BoundaryFacts {
+                crosses_memory: site.crosses_memory,
+                needs_transcoding: options.needs_transcoding(),
+                inline_adapters: self.config.inline_adapters,
+                has_resource_rep_calls: !options.resource_rep_calls.is_empty(),
+                has_resource_new_calls: !options.resource_new_calls.is_empty(),
+                has_post_return: options.callee_post_return.is_some(),
+            },
+        )?;
+        let class = plan.class;
+
+        // Generate the adapter function body for the resolved class.
+        let (type_idx, body) = match class {
+            AdapterClass::Transcode => self.generate_transcoding_adapter(site, merged, &options)?,
+            AdapterClass::MemoryCopy => {
+                self.generate_memory_copy_adapter(site, merged, &options, resource_rep_imports)?
+            }
+            AdapterClass::Direct => self.generate_direct_adapter(site, merged, &options)?,
+            AdapterClass::Async => unreachable!(
+                "async sites are dispatched before generate_adapter (see the \
+                 is_async_lift branch in FactStyleGenerator::generate)"
+            ),
         };
 
         let target_function = self.resolve_target_function(site, merged)?;
 
-        // #304: a Direct adapter is a *pure identity trampoline* — body is
-        // exactly `local.get*; call target; end` — only when it carries no
-        // resource conversions AND no post-return. (The Direct `else` branch in
-        // `generate_direct_adapter` still emits `call post_return` when
-        // `has_post_return && result_count == 0`, so post-return must be
-        // excluded entirely, not just the result>0 case — wiring the caller
-        // straight to the target would otherwise skip the post-return cleanup.)
-        // When inlining is enabled and that holds, record the target so
-        // `wire_adapter_indices` bypasses this thunk. Fail-safe: any doubt → None.
-        // This guard MUST stay a superset of `generate_direct_adapter`'s
-        // complex-branch trigger — see the "#304 INVARIANT" note on its simple-
-        // trampoline `else` branch; the two are coupled and must move together.
-        let inline_target = if self.config.inline_adapters
-            && matches!(class, AdapterClass::Direct)
-            && options.resource_rep_calls.is_empty()
-            && options.resource_new_calls.is_empty()
-            && options.callee_post_return.is_none()
-        {
+        // #304: wire the caller straight to the target when the seam judged this
+        // a pure identity trampoline. `inline_eligible` carries the full guard
+        // (Direct + no resource conversions + no post-return); see
+        // `adapter::call_lowering`, whose guard MUST stay a superset of
+        // `generate_direct_adapter`'s complex-branch trigger ("#304 INVARIANT").
+        let inline_target = if plan.inline_eligible {
             Some(target_function)
         } else {
             None
diff --git a/meld-core/src/adapter/mod.rs b/meld-core/src/adapter/mod.rs
index 9fa286e..1a176c6 100644
--- a/meld-core/src/adapter/mod.rs
+++ b/meld-core/src/adapter/mod.rs
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 //! 3. Calls the target function in B
 //! 4. Writes results back to A's memory (lifting)
 
+pub(crate) mod call_lowering;
 pub(crate) mod fact;
 
 pub use fact::FactStyleGenerator;