diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/context_manager/history_tests.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/context_manager/history_tests.rs
index 2aef5806cd..d617fc9c6b 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/context_manager/history_tests.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/context_manager/history_tests.rs
@@ -961,7 +961,7 @@ fn drop_last_n_user_turns_trims_explicit_plugin_guidance_above_rolled_back_turn(
         user_input_text_msg("turn 1 user"),
         assistant_msg("turn 1 assistant"),
         developer_msg(
-            "<explicit_plugin_instructions>\nCapabilities from the `sample` plugin:\n- Apps from this plugin available in this session: `Google Calendar`.\nUse these plugin-associated capabilities to help solve the task.\n</explicit_plugin_instructions>",
+            "<plugin_mention_instructions>\nCapabilities from the `sample` plugin:\n- Apps from this plugin available in this session: `Google Calendar`.\nUse these plugin-associated capabilities to help solve the task.\n</plugin_mention_instructions>",
         ),
         user_input_text_msg(
             "<environment_context><cwd>PRETURN_CONTEXT_DIFF_CWD</cwd></environment_context>",
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/event_mapping.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/event_mapping.rs
index e181df1452..ea937931ec 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/event_mapping.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/event_mapping.rs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ use codex_protocol::models::is_image_open_tag_text;
 use codex_protocol::models::is_local_image_close_tag_text;
 use codex_protocol::models::is_local_image_open_tag_text;
 use codex_protocol::protocol::COLLABORATION_MODE_OPEN_TAG;
-use codex_protocol::protocol::EXPLICIT_PLUGIN_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG;
+use codex_protocol::protocol::PLUGIN_MENTION_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG;
 use codex_protocol::protocol::REALTIME_CONVERSATION_OPEN_TAG;
 use codex_protocol::user_input::UserInput;
 use tracing::warn;
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ const CONTEXTUAL_DEVELOPER_PREFIXES: &[&str] = &[
     "<permissions instructions>",
     "<model_switch>",
     COLLABORATION_MODE_OPEN_TAG,
-    EXPLICIT_PLUGIN_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG,
+    PLUGIN_MENTION_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG,
     REALTIME_CONVERSATION_OPEN_TAG,
     "<personality_spec>",
 ];
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/plugins/render.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/plugins/render.rs
index 6715e4b1cb..815e15a7c6 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/plugins/render.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/plugins/render.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use crate::plugins::PluginCapabilitySummary;
-use codex_protocol::protocol::EXPLICIT_PLUGIN_INSTRUCTIONS_CLOSE_TAG;
-use codex_protocol::protocol::EXPLICIT_PLUGIN_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG;
+use codex_protocol::protocol::PLUGIN_MENTION_INSTRUCTIONS_CLOSE_TAG;
+use codex_protocol::protocol::PLUGIN_MENTION_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG;
 use codex_protocol::protocol::PLUGINS_INSTRUCTIONS_CLOSE_TAG;
 use codex_protocol::protocol::PLUGINS_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG;
 
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ pub(crate) fn render_explicit_plugin_instructions(
 
     let body = lines.join("\n");
     Some(format!(
-        "{EXPLICIT_PLUGIN_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG}\n{body}\n{EXPLICIT_PLUGIN_INSTRUCTIONS_CLOSE_TAG}"
+        "{PLUGIN_MENTION_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG}\n{body}\n{PLUGIN_MENTION_INSTRUCTIONS_CLOSE_TAG}"
     ))
 }
 
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/plugins/render_tests.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/plugins/render_tests.rs
index dd785a0a69..3744e2aa6c 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/plugins/render_tests.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/plugins/render_tests.rs
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ fn render_explicit_plugin_instructions_wraps_turn_local_guidance_in_stable_tag()
     )
     .expect("explicit plugin instructions should render");
 
-    let expected = "<explicit_plugin_instructions>\nCapabilities from the `sample` plugin:\n- Skills from this plugin are prefixed with `sample:`.\n- Apps from this plugin available in this session: `Google Calendar`.\nUse these plugin-associated capabilities to help solve the task.\n</explicit_plugin_instructions>";
+    let expected = "<plugin_mention_instructions>\nCapabilities from the `sample` plugin:\n- Skills from this plugin are prefixed with `sample:`.\n- Apps from this plugin available in this session: `Google Calendar`.\nUse these plugin-associated capabilities to help solve the task.\n</plugin_mention_instructions>";
 
     assert_eq!(rendered, expected);
 }
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/tests/common/context_snapshot.rs b/codex-rs/core/tests/common/context_snapshot.rs
index 8feb8453a2..3a194e41cd 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/tests/common/context_snapshot.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/tests/common/context_snapshot.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use std::sync::OnceLock;
 
 use crate::responses::ResponsesRequest;
 use codex_protocol::protocol::APPS_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG;
-use codex_protocol::protocol::EXPLICIT_PLUGIN_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG;
+use codex_protocol::protocol::PLUGIN_MENTION_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG;
 use codex_protocol::protocol::PLUGINS_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG;
 use codex_protocol::protocol::SKILLS_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG;
 
@@ -282,8 +282,8 @@ fn canonicalize_snapshot_text(text: &str) -> String {
     if text.starts_with(PLUGINS_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG) {
         return "<PLUGINS_INSTRUCTIONS>".to_string();
     }
-    if text.starts_with(EXPLICIT_PLUGIN_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG) {
-        return "<EXPLICIT_PLUGIN_INSTRUCTIONS>".to_string();
+    if text.starts_with(PLUGIN_MENTION_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG) {
+        return "<PLUGIN_MENTION_INSTRUCTIONS>".to_string();
     }
     if text.starts_with("# AGENTS.md instructions for ") {
         return "<AGENTS_MD>".to_string();
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/plugins.rs b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/plugins.rs
index 131479ac5f..89a4857d36 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/plugins.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/plugins.rs
@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@ use std::time::Instant;
 use anyhow::Result;
 use codex_core::CodexAuth;
 use codex_features::Feature;
-use codex_protocol::protocol::EXPLICIT_PLUGIN_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG;
 use codex_protocol::protocol::EventMsg;
 use codex_protocol::protocol::Op;
+use codex_protocol::protocol::PLUGIN_MENTION_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG;
 use codex_protocol::user_input::UserInput;
 use core_test_support::apps_test_server::AppsTestServer;
 use core_test_support::context_snapshot;
@@ -326,14 +326,14 @@ async fn explicit_plugin_mentions_inject_plugin_guidance() -> Result<()> {
     assert!(
         developer_messages
             .iter()
-            .any(|text| text.contains(EXPLICIT_PLUGIN_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG)),
+            .any(|text| text.contains(PLUGIN_MENTION_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG)),
         "expected plugin mention guidance in developer messages: {developer_messages:?}"
     );
     let user_messages = request.message_input_texts("user");
     assert!(
         user_messages
             .iter()
-            .all(|text| !text.contains(EXPLICIT_PLUGIN_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG)),
+            .all(|text| !text.contains(PLUGIN_MENTION_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG)),
         "expected plugin mention guidance to stay out of user messages: {user_messages:?}"
     );
     assert!(
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/snapshots/all__suite__plugins__explicit_plugin_mentions_inject_plugin_guidance.snap b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/snapshots/all__suite__plugins__explicit_plugin_mentions_inject_plugin_guidance.snap
index 3407959772..dec6b58f57 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/snapshots/all__suite__plugins__explicit_plugin_mentions_inject_plugin_guidance.snap
+++ b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/snapshots/all__suite__plugins__explicit_plugin_mentions_inject_plugin_guidance.snap
@@ -7,6 +7,6 @@ Scenario: Explicit plugin mention request layout
 ## Plugin Mention Request
 00:message/developer[2]:
     [01] <PERMISSIONS_INSTRUCTIONS>
-    [02] <EXPLICIT_PLUGIN_INSTRUCTIONS>
+    [02] <PLUGIN_MENTION_INSTRUCTIONS>
 01:message/user:<ENVIRONMENT_CONTEXT:cwd=<CWD>>
 02:message/user:help me inspect the sample plugin
diff --git a/codex-rs/protocol/src/protocol.rs b/codex-rs/protocol/src/protocol.rs
index 377a798da5..9b58ccec7c 100644
--- a/codex-rs/protocol/src/protocol.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/protocol/src/protocol.rs
@@ -95,8 +95,8 @@ pub const SKILLS_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG: &str = "<skills_instructions>";
 pub const SKILLS_INSTRUCTIONS_CLOSE_TAG: &str = "</skills_instructions>";
 pub const PLUGINS_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG: &str = "<plugins_instructions>";
 pub const PLUGINS_INSTRUCTIONS_CLOSE_TAG: &str = "</plugins_instructions>";
-pub const EXPLICIT_PLUGIN_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG: &str = "<explicit_plugin_instructions>";
-pub const EXPLICIT_PLUGIN_INSTRUCTIONS_CLOSE_TAG: &str = "</explicit_plugin_instructions>";
+pub const PLUGIN_MENTION_INSTRUCTIONS_OPEN_TAG: &str = "<plugin_mention_instructions>";
+pub const PLUGIN_MENTION_INSTRUCTIONS_CLOSE_TAG: &str = "</plugin_mention_instructions>";
 pub const COLLABORATION_MODE_OPEN_TAG: &str = "<collaboration_mode>";
 pub const COLLABORATION_MODE_CLOSE_TAG: &str = "</collaboration_mode>";
 pub const REALTIME_CONVERSATION_OPEN_TAG: &str = "<realtime_conversation>";