diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 2803e566..af66731a 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 /junit/
 /log/
 /pkg/
-/spec/fixtures/manifests/
 /spec/fixtures/modules/*
 /tmp/
 /vendor/
diff --git a/.rubocop_todo.yml b/.rubocop_todo.yml
index 03a9e5c4..7bfabab7 100644
--- a/.rubocop_todo.yml
+++ b/.rubocop_todo.yml
@@ -1,11 +1,18 @@
 # This configuration was generated by
 # `rubocop --auto-gen-config`
-# on 2025-10-01 08:51:22 UTC using RuboCop version 1.73.2.
+# on 2025-10-08 10:43:51 UTC using RuboCop version 1.73.2.
 # The point is for the user to remove these configuration records
 # one by one as the offenses are removed from the code base.
 # Note that changes in the inspected code, or installation of new
 # versions of RuboCop, may require this file to be generated again.
 
+# Offense count: 2
+# This cop supports safe autocorrection (--autocorrect).
+RSpec/ExpectActual:
+  Exclude:
+    - '**/spec/routing/**/*'
+    - 'spec/acceptance/deferred_spec.rb'
+
 # Offense count: 2
 # Configuration parameters: Include, CustomTransform, IgnoreMethods, IgnoreMetadata.
 # Include: **/*_spec.rb
diff --git a/spec/acceptance/deferred_spec.rb b/spec/acceptance/deferred_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0222ab4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/acceptance/deferred_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+# spec/acceptance/deferred_spec.rb
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+require 'spec_helper_acceptance'
+
+def read_fixture(name)
+  File.read(File.join(__dir__, '..', 'fixtures', 'manifests', name))
+end
+
+def read_win_file_if_exists(path)
+  # Use a script block with literals; avoid $variables to prevent transport/quoting expansion
+  # Also keep exit 0 regardless of existence so run_shell doesn't raise.
+  ps = %{& { if (Test-Path -LiteralPath '#{path}') { Get-Content -Raw -LiteralPath '#{path}' } else { '<<<FILE_NOT_FOUND>>>' } } }
+  r  = run_shell(%(powershell.exe -NoProfile -NonInteractive -Command "#{ps}"))
+  body = (r.stdout || '').to_s
+  exists = !body.include?('<<<FILE_NOT_FOUND>>>')
+  { exists: exists, content: exists ? body : '' }
+end
+
+describe 'deferred values with dsc_lite' do
+  let(:control_manifest)         { read_fixture('01_file_deferred.pp') }
+  let(:dsc_deferred_direct)      { read_fixture('02_dsc_deferred_direct.pp') }
+  let(:dsc_deferred_inline)      { read_fixture('02b_dsc_deferred_inline.pp') } # <— NEW
+  let(:dsc_deferred_stringified) { read_fixture('03a_dsc_deferred_stringified.pp') }
+  let(:dsc_deferred_bad_unwrap)  { read_fixture('03b_dsc_deferred_bad_unwrap.pp') }
+
+  it 'control (01): native file + Deferred resolves to hello-file' do
+    result = idempotent_apply(control_manifest)
+    expect(result.exit_code).to eq(0)
+    out = read_win_file_if_exists('C:/Temp/deferred_ok.txt')
+    expect(out[:exists]).to be(true)
+    expect(out[:content].strip).to eq('hello-file')
+  end
+
+  it '02: passing Deferred via variable to DSC resolves to hello-dsc (otherwise flag bug)' do
+    apply = apply_manifest(dsc_deferred_direct)
+    out   = read_win_file_if_exists('C:/Temp/from_dsc.txt')
+    content = out[:content].strip
+    if out[:exists] && content == 'hello-dsc'
+      expect(true).to be(true)
+    elsif out[:exists] && content =~ %r{Deferred\s*\(|Puppet::Pops::Types::Deferred}i
+      raise "BUG: 02 wrote stringified Deferred: #{content.inspect}\nApply:\n#{apply.stdout}#{apply.stderr}"
+    else
+      raise "Unexpected 02 outcome. Exists=#{out[:exists]} Content=#{content.inspect}\nApply:\n#{apply.stdout}#{apply.stderr}"
+    end
+  end
+
+  # NEW 02b: inline Deferred on the DSC property (no variable intermediary)
+  it '02b: passing Deferred inline to DSC resolves to hello-dsc-inline (otherwise flag bug)' do
+    apply = apply_manifest(dsc_deferred_inline)
+    out   = read_win_file_if_exists('C:/Temp/from_dsc_inline.txt')
+    content = out[:content].strip
+    if out[:exists] && content == 'hello-dsc-inline'
+      expect(true).to be(true)
+    elsif out[:exists] && content =~ %r{Deferred\s*\(|Puppet::Pops::Types::Deferred}i
+      raise "BUG: 02b wrote stringified Deferred: #{content.inspect}\nApply:\n#{apply.stdout}#{apply.stderr}"
+    else
+      raise "Unexpected 02b outcome. Exists=#{out[:exists]} Content=#{content.inspect}\nApply:\n#{apply.stdout}#{apply.stderr}"
+    end
+  end
+
+  it '03a: stringifying a Deferred writes the function form (reproduces customer report)' do
+    apply_manifest(dsc_deferred_stringified)
+    out = read_win_file_if_exists('C:/Temp/from_dsc_var_string.txt')
+    expect(out[:exists]).to be(true)
+    expect(out[:content]).to match(%r{Deferred\s*\(|Puppet::Pops::Types::Deferred}i)
+    expect(out[:content]).not_to match(%r{\bhello-var\b})
+  end
+
+  it '03b: unwrap on a non‑Sensitive is a no‑op; also writes the function form' do
+    apply_manifest(dsc_deferred_bad_unwrap)
+    out   = read_win_file_if_exists('C:/Temp/from_dsc_var_bad_unwrap.txt')
+    out   = read_win_file_if_exists('C:/Temp/from_dsc_var.txt') unless out[:exists]
+    expect(out[:exists]).to be(true)
+    expect(out[:content]).to match(%r{Deferred\s*\(|Puppet::Pops::Types::Deferred}i)
+    expect(out[:content]).not_to match(%r{\bhello-var\b})
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/manifests/01_file_deferred.pp b/spec/fixtures/manifests/01_file_deferred.pp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4f12b74e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/fixtures/manifests/01_file_deferred.pp
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# spec/fixtures/manifests/01_file_deferred.pp
+file { 'C:/Temp':
+  ensure => directory,
+}
+
+$deferred = Deferred('join', [['hello','-','file'], ''])
+
+file { 'C:/Temp/deferred_ok.txt':
+  ensure  => file,
+  content => $deferred,
+  require => File['C:/Temp'],
+}
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/manifests/02_dsc_deferred_direct.pp b/spec/fixtures/manifests/02_dsc_deferred_direct.pp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3fac8289
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/fixtures/manifests/02_dsc_deferred_direct.pp
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# spec/fixtures/manifests/02_dsc_deferred_direct.pp
+file { 'C:/Temp':
+  ensure => directory,
+}
+
+$deferred = Deferred('join', [['hello','-','dsc'], ''])
+
+dsc { 'WriteFileViaDSC':
+  resource_name => 'File',
+  module        => 'PSDesiredStateConfiguration',
+  properties    => {
+    'DestinationPath' => 'C:\Temp\from_dsc.txt',
+    'Type'            => 'File',
+    'Ensure'          => 'Present',
+    'Contents'        => $deferred,
+  },
+  require => File['C:/Temp'],
+}
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/manifests/02b_dsc_deferred_inline.pp b/spec/fixtures/manifests/02b_dsc_deferred_inline.pp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6acd41f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/fixtures/manifests/02b_dsc_deferred_inline.pp
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# spec/fixtures/manifests/02b_dsc_deferred_inline.pp
+file { 'C:/Temp':
+  ensure => directory,
+}
+
+dsc { 'WriteFileViaDSCInline':
+  resource_name => 'File',
+  module        => 'PSDesiredStateConfiguration',
+  properties    => {
+    'DestinationPath' => 'C:\Temp\from_dsc_inline.txt',
+    'Type'            => 'File',
+    'Ensure'          => 'Present',
+    'Contents'        => Deferred('join', [['hello','-','dsc-inline'], '']),
+  },
+  require => File['C:/Temp'],
+}
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/manifests/03a_dsc_deferred_stringified.pp b/spec/fixtures/manifests/03a_dsc_deferred_stringified.pp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..819abf8d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/fixtures/manifests/03a_dsc_deferred_stringified.pp
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# spec/fixtures/manifests/03a_dsc_deferred_stringified.pp
+file { 'C:/Temp': ensure => directory }
+
+$deferred = Deferred('join', [['hello','-','var'], ''])
+
+# WRONG on purpose: coerces Deferred to a String at compile time
+$stringified = String($deferred)
+
+dsc { 'WriteFileViaDSCVarStringified':
+  resource_name => 'File',
+  module        => 'PSDesiredStateConfiguration',
+  properties    => {
+    'DestinationPath' => 'C:\Temp\from_dsc_var_string.txt',
+    'Type'            => 'File',
+    'Ensure'          => 'Present',
+    'Contents'        => $stringified,
+  },
+  require => File['C:/Temp'],
+}
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/manifests/03b_dsc_deferred_bad_unwrap.pp b/spec/fixtures/manifests/03b_dsc_deferred_bad_unwrap.pp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c908f74a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/fixtures/manifests/03b_dsc_deferred_bad_unwrap.pp
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# spec/fixtures/manifests/03b_dsc_deferred_bad_unwrap.pp
+file { 'C:/Temp': ensure => directory }
+
+$deferred = Deferred('join', [['hello','-','var'], ''])
+
+# WRONG: unwrap applies to Sensitive, not Deferred; this should compile-fail
+$unwrapped_deferred = String($deferred.unwrap)
+
+dsc { 'WriteFileViaDSCVarBadUnwrap':
+  resource_name => 'File',
+  module        => 'PSDesiredStateConfiguration',
+  properties    => {
+    'DestinationPath' => 'C:\Temp\from_dsc_var_bad_unwrap.txt',
+    'Type'            => 'File',
+    'Ensure'          => 'Present',
+    'Contents'        => $unwrapped_deferred,
+  },
+  require => File['C:/Temp'],
+}