diff --git a/services/hermes/switchyard-configmap.yaml b/services/hermes/switchyard-configmap.yaml
index cb04f565..659b68ef 100644
--- a/services/hermes/switchyard-configmap.yaml
+++ b/services/hermes/switchyard-configmap.yaml
@@ -563,7 +563,7 @@ data:
     classifier_target = "classifier"
     # Switchyard falls through this list after a request-local target failure.
     # Keep both xhigh providers first so recovery can escalate, never downgrade.
-    targets = ["codex_sol_xhigh", "claude_opus_xhigh", "claude_fable_xhigh", "codex_sol_high", "claude_opus_high", "claude_sonnet_high", "claude_fable_high", "codex_terra_high", "codex_sol_medium", "claude_sonnet_medium", "claude_fable_medium", "codex_terra_medium"]
+    targets = ["codex_sol_xhigh", "claude_opus_xhigh", "claude_fable_xhigh", "codex_sol_high", "claude_opus_high", "claude_sonnet_high", "claude_fable_high", "codex_terra_high"]
     default_target = "codex_sol_high"
     session_affinity = false
     recent_turn_window = 6
@@ -575,19 +575,14 @@ data:
     model-call boundary. Strongly favor intelligence, verification, and task
     completion, then apply these rules in order.
 
-    1. Set a mandatory minimum effort floor from the whole current objective,
-    recent context, and tool evidence: xhigh for critical security work, risky
-    production migrations, destructive or data-loss risk, or consequential
-    independent final/release review; high for difficult debugging,
-    consequential implementation, adversarial review, major architectural
-    tradeoffs, or uncertain production work; medium for ordinary
-    implementation, tests, tool use, analysis, or bounded architecture; low
-    only for lookup or truly mechanical reversible work. Never choose below the
-    floor or above xhigh.
-    If tools are present or the boundary may emit a tool call, the floor is
-    medium even when the user's wording is short. Filesystem, shell,
-    repository, cluster, browser, and image-generation/edit operations are
-    tool work; never route those boundaries to Luna or Haiku.
+    1. This maximum-quality route has an absolute high effort floor for every
+    boundary, including ordinary implementation, tests, tool use, analysis,
+    bounded architecture, lookup, and mechanical work. Raise the floor to
+    xhigh for critical security work, risky production migrations, destructive
+    or data-loss risk, or consequential independent final/release review.
+    Those xhigh triggers are mandatory: never answer one with a high target.
+    Medium and low targets are intentionally unavailable on this route.
+    Never choose below the floor or above xhigh.
 
     2. Treat "think hard", "deeply", "carefully", and equivalent intent as a
     request to raise capability by at least one tier when the safety floor is
@@ -605,15 +600,15 @@ data:
     unavailable, failed, exhausted, rate-limited, or out of capacity; use the
     other provider at the same floor.
 
-    4. Choose across Codex Terra/SOL and Claude Fable/Sonnet/Opus at medium
-    through xhigh. Prefer Fable for writing and compact synthesis where it
-    clears the quality floor; use Sonnet or Opus for deeper analysis and
-    independent review. Low-tier targets are intentionally unavailable on
-    this route. Re-evaluate every boundary and resolve "continue" or "do it"
-    from recent context.
+    4. Choose across Codex Terra/SOL and Claude Fable/Sonnet/Opus at high or
+    xhigh only. Prefer Fable for writing and compact synthesis where it clears
+    the quality floor; use Sonnet or Opus for deeper analysis and independent
+    review. Medium and low targets are intentionally unavailable on this
+    route. Re-evaluate every boundary and resolve "continue" or "do it" from
+    recent context.
     """
     response_schema = '''
-    {"type":"object","properties":{"decision":{"type":"object","properties":{"target":{"type":"string","enum":["codex_sol_high","claude_opus_high","claude_sonnet_high","claude_fable_high","codex_terra_high","codex_sol_xhigh","claude_opus_xhigh","claude_fable_xhigh","codex_terra_medium","claude_sonnet_medium","claude_fable_medium","codex_sol_medium"]}},"required":["target"],"additionalProperties":false}},"required":["decision"],"additionalProperties":false}
+    {"type":"object","properties":{"decision":{"type":"object","properties":{"target":{"type":"string","enum":["codex_sol_high","claude_opus_high","claude_sonnet_high","claude_fable_high","codex_terra_high","codex_sol_xhigh","claude_opus_xhigh","claude_fable_xhigh"]}},"required":["target"],"additionalProperties":false}},"required":["decision"],"additionalProperties":false}
     '''
 
     [routes.auto_maximum.policy]
diff --git a/testing/tests/test_hermes_chat_quality.py b/testing/tests/test_hermes_chat_quality.py
index 17eeecee..2a7e4a0d 100644
--- a/testing/tests/test_hermes_chat_quality.py
+++ b/testing/tests/test_hermes_chat_quality.py
@@ -1483,6 +1483,11 @@ def test_local_flux_runtime_and_gpu_handoff_are_flux_managed():
         selector_targets = routes[route_name]["response_schema"]
         assert not any(target.endswith("_low") for target in targets)
         assert "_low" not in selector_targets
+    maximum_targets = routes["auto_maximum"]["targets"]
+    maximum_selector_targets = routes["auto_maximum"]["response_schema"]
+    assert not any(target.endswith("_medium") for target in maximum_targets)
+    assert "_medium" not in maximum_selector_targets
+    assert "absolute high effort floor" in routes["auto_maximum"]["prompt"]
     assert any(
         target.startswith("local_")
         for target in routes["manual_local_qwen"]["targets"]