diff --git a/checker/context.go b/checker/context.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9dd8918
--- /dev/null
+++ b/checker/context.go
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+// Copyright 2020-2026 The happyDomain Authors
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package checker
+
+import "context"
+
+type enabledRulesCtxKey struct{}
+
+// WithEnabledRules returns a context carrying the host's per-rule enable map.
+// The SDK server attaches it before calling ObservationProvider.Collect so
+// providers can skip optional work (network calls, paid API hits, …) for
+// rules the host has disabled. A nil map means "run everything".
+func WithEnabledRules(ctx context.Context, enabled map[string]bool) context.Context {
+	if enabled == nil {
+		return ctx
+	}
+	return context.WithValue(ctx, enabledRulesCtxKey{}, enabled)
+}
+
+// EnabledRulesFromContext returns the enabled-rule map attached by
+// WithEnabledRules, or nil if none. RuleEnabled is the usual access pattern.
+func EnabledRulesFromContext(ctx context.Context) map[string]bool {
+	m, _ := ctx.Value(enabledRulesCtxKey{}).(map[string]bool)
+	return m
+}
+
+// RuleEnabled reports whether ruleName is enabled given the host's map.
+// Absent rules default to enabled (nil map or rule not in map), matching
+// the SDK server's evaluate-side semantics.
+func RuleEnabled(ctx context.Context, ruleName string) bool {
+	m := EnabledRulesFromContext(ctx)
+	if m == nil {
+		return true
+	}
+	enabled, ok := m[ruleName]
+	if !ok {
+		return true
+	}
+	return enabled
+}
diff --git a/checker/server/server.go b/checker/server/server.go
index 763a600..5505307 100644
--- a/checker/server/server.go
+++ b/checker/server/server.go
@@ -325,7 +325,8 @@ func (s *Server) handleCollect(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	data, err := s.provider.Collect(r.Context(), req.Options)
+	ctx := checker.WithEnabledRules(r.Context(), req.EnabledRules)
+	data, err := s.provider.Collect(ctx, req.Options)
 	if err != nil {
 		writeJSON(w, http.StatusInternalServerError, checker.ExternalCollectResponse{
 			Error: err.Error(),
diff --git a/checker/types.go b/checker/types.go
index 7256766..ea25247 100644
--- a/checker/types.go
+++ b/checker/types.go
@@ -421,10 +421,17 @@ type OptionsValidator interface {
 }
 
 // ExternalCollectRequest is sent to POST /collect on a remote checker endpoint.
+//
+// EnabledRules lets the host inform the provider which rules will be evaluated
+// downstream, so the provider can skip optional work (network calls, paid API
+// hits, …) for data that would not surface in any state. nil means "run
+// everything"; an explicit map with a rule name set to false means that rule
+// is off. Providers access the value via EnabledRulesFromContext(ctx).
 type ExternalCollectRequest struct {
-	Key     ObservationKey `json:"key"`
-	Target  CheckTarget    `json:"target"`
-	Options CheckerOptions `json:"options"`
+	Key          ObservationKey  `json:"key"`
+	Target       CheckTarget     `json:"target"`
+	Options      CheckerOptions  `json:"options"`
+	EnabledRules map[string]bool `json:"enabledRules,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // ExternalCollectResponse is returned by POST /collect on a remote checker endpoint.