diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 29bae2e..6309f35 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ Known V1 error codes are `VALIDATION_ERROR`, `SCHEMA_VERSION_MISMATCH`, `MODEL_V
 
 ## Compatibility Policy
 
-The SDK supports only `schema_version="v1"`. `validate_service_metadata()` checks `/healthz` metadata and raises typed compatibility errors before prediction if the service advertises a different schema, an unexpected model version, or mode capabilities outside the recorded V1 contract.
+The SDK supports only `schema_version="v1"`. `validate_service_metadata()` checks `/healthz` metadata and raises typed compatibility errors before prediction if the service advertises a different schema, an unexpected model version, mode capabilities outside the recorded V1 contract, or an unsupported `decoding_strategy`.
 
 Callers should pass an expected `model_version` when they already know which deployment artifact they intend to use. A mismatch is treated as a hard compatibility error rather than silently downgrading, guessing, or retrying another model.
 
diff --git a/docs/api-reference.md b/docs/api-reference.md
index 91a4710..6f10e74 100644
--- a/docs/api-reference.md
+++ b/docs/api-reference.md
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ This reference covers the supported public Python surface exported by `jointfm_c
 | `DataFrameSchema` | Describes tabular history layout. Fields are `columns`, `time_index_mode`, `time_column`, `time_scale_seconds`, `use_local_normalized_time`, `calendar_id`, and `timezone`. |
 | `ForecastRequestMetadata` | Holds `schema_version`, `model_version`, `query_mode`, and `return_mode` for one forecast request. |
 | `ForecastRequest` | Validated request object that combines metadata, schema, history rows, query times, requested columns, sample or quantile controls, and `seed`, then emits a JSON-compatible payload with `to_payload()`. |
-| `HealthMetadata` | Typed service-health payload with service status, schema and model versions, checkpoint metadata, device, head, advertised modes, time-index encoding, `max_sample_count`, and an optional `data_generation` block carrying advertised capacity limits. The container exposes it on `GET /healthz` for direct local access and as the response to `POST {"request_type": "health"}` on the unstructured prediction route for DataRobot-hosted deployments. |
+| `HealthMetadata` | Typed service-health payload with service status, schema and model versions, checkpoint metadata, device, head, `decoding_strategy`, advertised modes, time-index encoding, `max_sample_count`, and an optional `data_generation` block carrying advertised capacity limits. The container exposes it on `GET /healthz` for direct local access and as the response to `POST {"request_type": "health"}` on the unstructured prediction route for DataRobot-hosted deployments. |
 | `DataGenerationCapabilities` | Optional service-health block describing the deployed checkpoint's data-generation capacity. Fields are `sampler_type`, `min_features`, `max_features`, `min_targets`, `max_targets`, `t_input`, `t_output`, `n_input`, and `n_output`. |
 | `ForecastPlan` | Validated forecast plan returned by `plan_forecast_columns`. Fields are `columns` (ordered `ColumnSpec` tuple), `feature_columns`, `target_columns` (both reflect post-downgrade roles), and `requested_columns` (the caller's original target list). |
 | `StructuredError` | One structured JointFM service error with `code`, `message`, and optional `field`. |
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ All SDK-specific exceptions inherit from `JointFMError`.
 | `JointFMCompatibilityError` | Base class for fail-fast service compatibility failures. |
 | `UnsupportedSchemaVersionError` | The service or response advertises a schema version other than `v1`. |
 | `UnsupportedModelVersionError` | The service or response model version differs from the configured or requested version. |
-| `UnsupportedServiceContractError` | The service-health payload advertises mode capabilities outside the SDK's V1 contract. |
+| `UnsupportedServiceContractError` | The service-health payload advertises mode capabilities or a `decoding_strategy` outside the recorded V1 contract. |
 
 ## Public Functions
 
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ All SDK-specific exceptions inherit from `JointFMError`.
 | `build_local_predict_url(service_base_url)` | Build a direct local service `/predict` URL. |
 | `build_datarobot_prediction_headers(api_token)` | Build hosted prediction headers: bearer authorization, broad accept header, and JSON content type. |
 | `build_forecast_payload(...)` | Build a validated JSON-compatible V1 forecast payload from explicit schema, history rows, query times, and return-mode controls. |
-| `validate_service_metadata(metadata, expected_model_version=None)` | Validate the service-health metadata against schema `v1`, the expected model when supplied, and advertised V1 mode capabilities. |
+| `validate_service_metadata(metadata, expected_model_version=None)` | Validate the service-health metadata against schema `v1`, the expected model when supplied, advertised V1 mode capabilities, and a supported `decoding_strategy`. |
 | `infer_column_specs_from_dataframe(frame, ...)` | Infer ordered `ColumnSpec` objects from a pandas `DataFrame` and explicit role, modality, mapping, nullability, time-value, and bounds hints. |
 | `dataframe_to_history_rows(frame, schema)` | Convert a pandas `DataFrame` into server-compatible `history_rows`. |
 | `arrays_to_history_rows(values, columns=..., ...)` | Convert a two-dimensional NumPy-like array plus column metadata into `history_rows`. |
@@ -216,6 +216,7 @@ The string literals are exposed as `PREDICT_REQUEST_TYPE`, `HEALTH_REQUEST_TYPE`
 | `checkpoint_path` | Loaded checkpoint path reported by the service. |
 | `device` | Device used by inference. |
 | `head` | Active forecast head. |
+| `decoding_strategy` | Horizon decoding mode advertised by the mounted model. Must be one of `SUPPORTED_DECODING_STRATEGIES`: `parallel_dense`, `parallel_scalable`, or `autoregressive`. Parallel strategies decode every horizon in one pass; `autoregressive` rolls horizons sequentially. |
 | `supported_query_modes` | Must match the SDK V1 query modes. |
 | `supported_return_modes` | Must match the SDK V1 return modes (`mean`, `samples`, `quantiles`, `log_prob`). |
 | `supported_time_index_modes` | Must match the SDK V1 time-index modes. |
diff --git a/notebooks/service_health.ipynb b/notebooks/service_health.ipynb
index 6364123..f4e8976 100644
--- a/notebooks/service_health.ipynb
+++ b/notebooks/service_health.ipynb
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
    },
    "source": [
     "# Service Health\n",
-    "Fetch the typed `/healthz` payload from the configured JointFM deployment and display every field. Use this notebook to diagnose health-endpoint issues: version pins, advertised modes, sample-count budgets, and the optional `data_generation` capability block."
+    "Fetch the typed `/healthz` payload from the configured JointFM deployment and display every field. Use this notebook to diagnose health-endpoint issues: version pins, advertised modes, `decoding_strategy` (parallel vs autoregressive horizon decoding), sample-count budgets, and the optional `data_generation` capability block."
    ]
   },
   {
diff --git a/src/jointfm_client/__init__.py b/src/jointfm_client/__init__.py
index b5d1f2a..8c3db96 100644
--- a/src/jointfm_client/__init__.py
+++ b/src/jointfm_client/__init__.py
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@
     SUPPORTED_COLUMN_MODALITIES,
     SUPPORTED_COLUMN_ROLES,
     STRUCTURED_ERROR_CODES,
+    SUPPORTED_DECODING_STRATEGIES,
     SUPPORTED_QUERY_MODES,
     SUPPORTED_REQUEST_TYPES,
     SUPPORTED_RETURN_MODES,
@@ -206,6 +207,7 @@
     "SUPPORTED_COLUMN_MODALITIES",
     "SUPPORTED_COLUMN_ROLES",
     "STRUCTURED_ERROR_CODES",
+    "SUPPORTED_DECODING_STRATEGIES",
     "SUPPORTED_QUERY_MODES",
     "SUPPORTED_RETURN_MODES",
     "SUPPORTED_TIME_INDEX_MODES",
diff --git a/src/jointfm_client/contract.py b/src/jointfm_client/contract.py
index 235132d..3d30677 100644
--- a/src/jointfm_client/contract.py
+++ b/src/jointfm_client/contract.py
@@ -56,6 +56,11 @@
     "continuous_float",
     "absolute_datetime",
 ]
+DecodingStrategy: TypeAlias = Literal[
+    "parallel_dense",
+    "parallel_scalable",
+    "autoregressive",
+]
 ColumnModality: TypeAlias = Literal[
     "numeric",
     "categorical",
@@ -92,6 +97,11 @@
     "continuous_float",
     "absolute_datetime",
 )
+SUPPORTED_DECODING_STRATEGIES: Final[tuple[DecodingStrategy, ...]] = (
+    "parallel_dense",
+    "parallel_scalable",
+    "autoregressive",
+)
 SUPPORTED_COLUMN_MODALITIES: Final[tuple[ColumnModality, ...]] = (
     "numeric",
     "categorical",
@@ -470,6 +480,7 @@ class HealthMetadata:
     checkpoint_path: str
     device: str
     head: str
+    decoding_strategy: DecodingStrategy
     supported_query_modes: tuple[str, ...]
     supported_return_modes: tuple[str, ...]
     supported_time_index_modes: tuple[str, ...]
@@ -512,6 +523,9 @@ def from_payload(cls, payload: Mapping[str, Any]) -> Self:
             ),
             device=_require_string(payload.get("device"), field="device"),
             head=_require_string(payload.get("head"), field="head"),
+            decoding_strategy=_require_decoding_strategy(
+                payload.get("decoding_strategy")
+            ),
             supported_query_modes=_string_tuple(
                 payload.get("supported_query_modes"),
                 field="supported_query_modes",
@@ -1088,7 +1102,12 @@ def validate_service_metadata(
     *,
     expected_model_version: str | None = None,
 ) -> None:
-    """Validate `/healthz` metadata against the SDK's V1 compatibility policy."""
+    """Validate `/healthz` metadata against the SDK's V1 compatibility policy.
+
+    Requires schema ``v1``, the expected model version when supplied, the
+    advertised V1 query/return/time-index modes, and a supported
+    ``decoding_strategy``.
+    """
     schema_version = _required_string(metadata, "schema_version")
     if schema_version != SCHEMA_VERSION:
         raise UnsupportedSchemaVersionError(
@@ -1118,6 +1137,7 @@ def validate_service_metadata(
         field="supported_time_index_modes",
         supported_values=SUPPORTED_TIME_INDEX_MODES,
     )
+    _require_decoding_strategy(metadata.get("decoding_strategy"))
 
 
 def _required_string(metadata: Mapping[str, Any], field: str) -> str:
@@ -1130,6 +1150,21 @@ def _required_string(metadata: Mapping[str, Any], field: str) -> str:
     return value
 
 
+def _require_decoding_strategy(value: Any) -> DecodingStrategy:
+    """Return a supported horizon decoding strategy from health metadata."""
+    if not isinstance(value, str) or value == "":
+        raise UnsupportedServiceContractError(
+            "JointFM health metadata field 'decoding_strategy' must be a "
+            "non-empty string"
+        )
+    if value not in SUPPORTED_DECODING_STRATEGIES:
+        raise UnsupportedServiceContractError(
+            "Unsupported JointFM decoding_strategy: expected one of "
+            f"{sorted(SUPPORTED_DECODING_STRATEGIES)!r}, got {value!r}"
+        )
+    return cast(DecodingStrategy, value)
+
+
 def _require_exact_values(
     metadata: Mapping[str, Any],
     *,
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/health_metadata.json b/tests/fixtures/health_metadata.json
index b1b5a8b..58d3836 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/health_metadata.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/health_metadata.json
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
   "checkpoint_path": "/models/jointfm.pt",
   "device": "cpu",
   "head": "studentt",
+  "decoding_strategy": "parallel_dense",
   "supported_query_modes": ["forecast"],
   "supported_return_modes": ["mean", "samples", "quantiles", "log_prob"],
   "supported_time_index_modes": [
diff --git a/tests/test_capabilities.py b/tests/test_capabilities.py
index 6057619..0425a61 100644
--- a/tests/test_capabilities.py
+++ b/tests/test_capabilities.py
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ def test_health_metadata_parses_data_generation_block(
     health = HealthMetadata.from_payload(json_fixture_loader("health_metadata"))
 
     assert health.max_sample_count == 4096
+    assert health.decoding_strategy == "parallel_dense"
     assert health.data_generation == _capabilities()
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
index 1d371af..0a8523d 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ def health(self) -> HealthMetadata:
             checkpoint_path="/models/jointfm.pt",
             device="cpu",
             head="studentt",
+            decoding_strategy="parallel_dense",
             supported_query_modes=("forecast",),
             supported_return_modes=("mean", "samples", "quantiles", "log_prob"),
             supported_time_index_modes=(
@@ -125,6 +126,7 @@ def test_health_command_prints_non_secret_metadata(monkeypatch, capsys) -> None:
     payload = json.loads(output)
     assert exit_code == 0
     assert payload["service"]["status"] == "ok"
+    assert payload["service"]["decoding_strategy"] == "parallel_dense"
     assert payload["deployment"]["deployment_id"] == "deployment-id"
     assert "secret-token" not in output
 
diff --git a/tests/test_configuration.py b/tests/test_configuration.py
index 19f945b..078e55f 100644
--- a/tests/test_configuration.py
+++ b/tests/test_configuration.py
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ class _HealthTransport:
         "checkpoint_path": "/models/jointfm.pt",
         "device": "cpu",
         "head": "studentt",
+        "decoding_strategy": "parallel_dense",
         "supported_query_modes": ["forecast"],
         "supported_return_modes": ["mean", "samples", "quantiles", "log_prob"],
         "supported_time_index_modes": [
diff --git a/tests/test_contract.py b/tests/test_contract.py
index b6b6d6a..d2e669c 100644
--- a/tests/test_contract.py
+++ b/tests/test_contract.py
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
     SUPPORTED_COLUMN_MODALITIES,
     SUPPORTED_COLUMN_ROLES,
     STRUCTURED_ERROR_CODES,
+    SUPPORTED_DECODING_STRATEGIES,
     SUPPORTED_QUERY_MODES,
     SUPPORTED_RETURN_MODES,
     SUPPORTED_TIME_INDEX_MODES,
@@ -78,6 +79,7 @@ def _health_metadata() -> dict[str, object]:
         "checkpoint_path": "/models/jointfm.pt",
         "device": "cpu",
         "head": "dummy",
+        "decoding_strategy": "parallel_dense",
         "supported_query_modes": ["forecast"],
         "supported_return_modes": ["mean", "quantiles", "samples", "log_prob"],
         "supported_time_index_modes": [
@@ -127,6 +129,11 @@ def test_mode_and_error_contract() -> None:
         "continuous_float",
         "absolute_datetime",
     )
+    assert SUPPORTED_DECODING_STRATEGIES == (
+        "parallel_dense",
+        "parallel_scalable",
+        "autoregressive",
+    )
     assert SUPPORTED_COLUMN_MODALITIES == (
         "numeric",
         "categorical",
@@ -778,6 +785,7 @@ def test_health_and_response_models_parse_current_payloads() -> None:
     )
 
     assert health.model_version == "jointfm-inference:0.2.0+ckpt.smoke-1"
+    assert health.decoding_strategy == "parallel_dense"
     assert isinstance(response, MeanForecastResult)
     assert response.requested_columns == ("target",)
     assert response.mean == ((100.0,),)
@@ -1013,6 +1021,42 @@ def test_validate_service_metadata_rejects_unknown_advertised_mode() -> None:
         validate_service_metadata(metadata)
 
 
+def test_validate_service_metadata_rejects_unknown_decoding_strategy() -> None:
+    """Validate service metadata rejects an unknown decoding strategy."""
+    metadata = _health_metadata()
+    metadata["decoding_strategy"] = "diffusion"
+
+    with pytest.raises(UnsupportedServiceContractError, match="decoding_strategy"):
+        validate_service_metadata(metadata)
+
+
+def test_validate_service_metadata_rejects_missing_decoding_strategy() -> None:
+    """Validate service metadata rejects a missing decoding strategy."""
+    metadata = _health_metadata()
+    del metadata["decoding_strategy"]
+
+    with pytest.raises(UnsupportedServiceContractError, match="decoding_strategy"):
+        validate_service_metadata(metadata)
+
+
+def test_validate_service_metadata_rejects_empty_decoding_strategy() -> None:
+    """Validate service metadata rejects an empty decoding strategy."""
+    metadata = _health_metadata()
+    metadata["decoding_strategy"] = ""
+
+    with pytest.raises(UnsupportedServiceContractError, match="decoding_strategy"):
+        validate_service_metadata(metadata)
+
+
+def test_health_metadata_parses_each_supported_decoding_strategy() -> None:
+    """Health metadata accepts every supported decoding strategy."""
+    for strategy in SUPPORTED_DECODING_STRATEGIES:
+        payload = _health_metadata()
+        payload["decoding_strategy"] = strategy
+        health = HealthMetadata.from_payload(payload)
+        assert health.decoding_strategy == strategy
+
+
 def test_validate_service_metadata_rejects_malformed_capabilities() -> None:
     """Validate service metadata rejects malformed capabilities."""
     metadata = _health_metadata()
diff --git a/tests/test_fixture_compatibility.py b/tests/test_fixture_compatibility.py
index 2e2ac25..2d92cdd 100644
--- a/tests/test_fixture_compatibility.py
+++ b/tests/test_fixture_compatibility.py
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ def test_health_fixture_matches_current_v1_service_contract(
     metadata = HealthMetadata.from_payload(payload)
 
     assert metadata.schema_version == "v1"
+    assert metadata.decoding_strategy == "parallel_dense"
     assert metadata.supported_return_modes == (
         "mean",
         "samples",
diff --git a/tests/test_transport.py b/tests/test_transport.py
index d56f50a..4eb2d7d 100644
--- a/tests/test_transport.py
+++ b/tests/test_transport.py
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ def _health_payload(
         "checkpoint_path": "/models/jointfm.pt",
         "device": "cpu",
         "head": "studentt",
+        "decoding_strategy": "parallel_dense",
         "supported_query_modes": ["forecast"],
         "supported_return_modes": ["mean", "samples", "quantiles", "log_prob"],
         "supported_time_index_modes": [