diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index ffaeef5..e1f5490 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -29,8 +29,15 @@ validate RPC inputs.
   **not** `experimentalDecorators` and **not** `reflect-metadata`. Do not enable
   `experimentalDecorators`; it changes decorator semantics and would break the
   buffer/seal mechanism.
-- **Single runtime dependency: `zod`.** Do not add heavyweight deps; this
-  package is meant to stay small.
+- **No runtime dependencies. `zod` is an unversioned peer** (`"zod": "*"`), and
+  unversioned again in `devDependencies` so the build and the suite run against
+  whatever Zod is newest rather than against a range this package chose. The
+  consumer's copy is the one that must be used: a validator handed to
+  `@validate` is built from *their* Zod, and a second copy nested under this
+  package would make `z.object()` assemble schemas from a different class
+  identity than the ones it was given. Keep the runtime surface to what every
+  Zod major has had — `z.object()` and `schema.parse()` — and do not add
+  heavyweight deps; this package is meant to stay small.
 - **Lint/format:** `oxlint` + `oxfmt`. Run `npm run format` before committing;
   CI checks `npm run format:check`.
 - Build **emits `.js`/`.d.ts`/`.js.map` next to sources**; these are
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 80d0a9c..835f224 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -41,12 +41,14 @@ version, licence and Node floor for every package:
 
 # Requirements
 
-Node.js ≥ 22.12. `zod` v4 is a runtime dependency.
+Node.js ≥ 22.12. `zod` is a peer dependency with no version constraint: the
+schemas you write and the ones this package builds from them have to come from
+one copy of Zod, so the version is yours to choose and yours to install.
 
 # Install
 
 ```bash
-npm i --save @imqueue/validation
+npm i --save @imqueue/validation zod
 ```
 
 # Usage
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index eb0c475..e189470 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,27 +1,28 @@
 {
   "name": "@imqueue/validation",
-  "version": "1.1.2",
+  "version": "1.2.0",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "@imqueue/validation",
-      "version": "1.1.2",
+      "version": "1.2.0",
       "license": "GPL-3.0-only",
-      "dependencies": {
-        "zod": "^4.4.3"
-      },
       "devDependencies": {
         "@types/node": "^24.9.1",
         "oxfmt": "0.57.0",
         "oxlint": "1.72.0",
-        "typescript": "^7.0.2"
+        "typescript": "^7.0.2",
+        "zod": "*"
       },
       "engines": {
         "node": ">=22.12.0"
       },
       "funding": {
         "url": "https://imqueue.com/"
+      },
+      "peerDependencies": {
+        "zod": "*"
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@oxfmt/binding-android-arm-eabi": {
@@ -719,9 +720,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@types/node": {
-      "version": "24.13.3",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/node/-/node-24.13.3.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-Dh8vAsV36ig5wa9OX4pXvMc9D3Veibfw2wix0CUwYODLD8nkj9UsLjASr49nPg+2eKzxhBV+v7L8pXvT4e639Q==",
+      "version": "24.13.4",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/node/-/node-24.13.4.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-YJ7EqCstVTzIr0fMr7qul/977en+pQHrfmuKIo6Zr9i75Be21dr3MovcfvGtyvi2HAUrRerWps5sMO9I7WaxDw==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
@@ -1222,9 +1223,10 @@
       "license": "MIT"
     },
     "node_modules/zod": {
-      "version": "4.4.3",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/zod/-/zod-4.4.3.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-ytENFjIJFl2UwYglde2jchW2Hwm4GJFLDiSXWdTrJQBIN9Fcyp7n4DhxJEiWNAJMV1/BqWfW/kkg71UDcHJyTQ==",
+      "version": "4.6.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/zod/-/zod-4.6.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-341aRWQsve0rvronKNTqZpjmzdbUDlFuzHaI/XLg/Ej82qffDJRRfBTCuv7+9q/rMjB6LSLyEBnW4InJeMtt/Q==",
+      "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT",
       "funding": {
         "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/colinhacks"
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index a61ce39..23d4b52 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@imqueue/validation",
-  "version": "1.1.2",
+  "version": "1.2.0",
   "description": "Zod-backed field- and method-level validation via native (TC39) decorators for Node.js & TypeScript microservices — the input-validation layer of the @imqueue framework",
   "keywords": [
     "validation",
@@ -45,14 +45,15 @@
   "funding": "https://imqueue.com/",
   "author": "imqueue.com <support@imqueue.com> (https://imqueue.com)",
   "license": "GPL-3.0-only",
-  "dependencies": {
-    "zod": "^4.4.3"
+  "peerDependencies": {
+    "zod": "*"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@types/node": "^24.9.1",
     "oxfmt": "0.57.0",
     "oxlint": "1.72.0",
-    "typescript": "^7.0.2"
+    "typescript": "^7.0.2",
+    "zod": "*"
   },
   "main": "index.js",
   "types": "index.d.ts",