diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 964e2ab..ff2a966 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -166,6 +166,29 @@ lazy proxy directly to `cjson.encode` (cjson bypasses metamethods in C); use
 `qjson.encode` instead, or call `qjson.materialize(t)` to get a plain Lua table
 that any third-party encoder can handle.
 
+`qjson.materialize(t, { keep_origin = true })` keeps lightweight provenance on
+the returned plain Lua tables so `qjson.encode` can preserve key order and
+reuse selected original tokens. Recording is intentionally threshold-based:
+
+- String children are recorded only when their raw JSON token (including
+  quotes) is longer than 24 bytes.
+- Table children are recorded in the parent only when the child origin is
+  complete and its raw subtree span is longer than 64 bytes.
+- Numbers, booleans, null, and short strings are not recorded.
+
+Each recorded container tracks whether its provenance is complete:
+
+- `complete = true`: every child needed to prove byte-for-byte identity is
+  recorded, so an unchanged container can be emitted as the original slice.
+- `complete = false`: provenance is partial. Objects still preserve original
+  key order for existing keys and can reuse recorded large children, but arrays
+  fall back to normal array/object encoding.
+
+Because materialized tables are ordinary Lua tables (no dirty-tracking
+metatable), `keep_origin` with partial provenance preserves JSON-equivalent
+output rather than guaranteeing byte-identical re-emission of every unchanged
+small token.
+
 **Native `next` caveat.** `next(t)` is not proxy-aware: it bypasses the
 `__pairs` / `__ipairs` hooks and may see qjson implementation fields instead of
 JSON fields. Do not use native `next` to iterate a lazy proxy or test whether it
diff --git a/lua/qjson/table.lua b/lua/qjson/table.lua
index e85dc93..381e683 100644
--- a/lua/qjson/table.lua
+++ b/lua/qjson/table.lua
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ local TABLE_TYPE_HINT = setmetatable({}, { __mode = "k" })
 -- Weak side-table for keep_origin materialization metadata.
 -- Maps materialized table -> provenance record used by qjson.encode.
 local TABLE_ORIGIN = setmetatable({}, { __mode = "k" })
+local ORIGIN_STRING_MIN_RAW = 24
+local ORIGIN_TABLE_MIN_RAW = 64
 
 -- Box scratch used for one-shot FFI returns. Reused across calls to avoid
 -- per-call allocation; safe because the parent Doc / lazy view holds the
@@ -548,29 +550,34 @@ local function materialize_plain(v)
     return v
 end
 
-local function cursor_raw_token(ctx, cursor)
+local function cursor_token_span(ctx, cursor)
     local rc = C.qjson_cursor_bytes(cursor, sz_a, sz_b)
     check(ctx, rc)
     local bs = tonumber(sz_a[0])
     local be = tonumber(sz_b[0])
-    return ctx._doc._hold:sub(bs + 1, be), bs, be
+    return bs, be
 end
 
-local function scalar_origin_record(v, raw_token)
-    if rawequal(v, _M.null) then
-        return { tag = "null", raw = raw_token }
-    end
+local function origin_child_record(v, source, bs, be)
+    local raw_len = be - bs
     local tv = type(v)
     if tv == "string" then
-        return { tag = "string", value = v, raw = raw_token }
-    end
-    if tv == "number" then
-        return { tag = "number", value = v, raw = raw_token }
+        if raw_len > ORIGIN_STRING_MIN_RAW then
+            return { tag = "string", value = v, raw = source:sub(bs + 1, be) }, true
+        end
+        return nil, false
     end
-    if tv == "boolean" then
-        return { tag = "boolean", value = v, raw = raw_token }
+    if tv == "table" then
+        local child_origin = TABLE_ORIGIN[v]
+        if child_origin ~= nil
+            and child_origin.complete == true
+            and (child_origin.be - child_origin.bs) > ORIGIN_TABLE_MIN_RAW
+        then
+            return { tag = "table", origin = child_origin }, true
+        end
+        return nil, false
     end
-    return nil
+    return nil, false
 end
 
 local materialize_with_origin
@@ -581,6 +588,7 @@ local function materialize_object_with_origin(view)
     local records = {}
     local seen = {}
     local had_duplicates = false
+    local complete = true
     local it = new_object_iter(view)
 
     while true do
@@ -596,7 +604,7 @@ local function materialize_object_with_origin(view)
             had_duplicates = true
         end
 
-        local raw_token = cursor_raw_token(view, child_box[0])
+        local bs, be = cursor_token_span(view, child_box[0])
         local child
         if count == 1 then
             local cached = cached_child(view, key)
@@ -614,16 +622,16 @@ local function materialize_object_with_origin(view)
         local materialized_child = materialize_with_origin(child)
         out[key] = materialized_child
 
-        local record = scalar_origin_record(materialized_child, raw_token)
-        local child_origin = type(materialized_child) == "table" and TABLE_ORIGIN[materialized_child] or nil
-        if record == nil and child_origin ~= nil then
-            record = { tag = "table", origin = child_origin }
+        local record, captured = origin_child_record(materialized_child, view._doc._hold, bs, be)
+        if not captured then
+            complete = false
         end
         records[key] = record
     end
 
     TABLE_ORIGIN[out] = {
         kind = "object",
+        complete = complete,
         source = view._doc._hold,
         bs = view._bs,
         be = view._be,
@@ -638,22 +646,22 @@ end
 local function materialize_array_with_origin(view)
     local out = {}
     local records = {}
+    local complete = true
     local i = 0
     while true do
         local rc = C.qjson_cursor_index(view._cur, i, child_box)
         if rc == QJSON_NOT_FOUND then break end
         check(view, rc, T_ARR)
-        local raw_token = cursor_raw_token(view, child_box[0])
+        local bs, be = cursor_token_span(view, child_box[0])
         local idx = i + 1
         local cached = rawget(view, idx)
         local child = cached or decode_cursor(view, child_box)
         local materialized_child = materialize_with_origin(child)
         out[idx] = materialized_child
 
-        local record = scalar_origin_record(materialized_child, raw_token)
-        local child_origin = type(materialized_child) == "table" and TABLE_ORIGIN[materialized_child] or nil
-        if record == nil and child_origin ~= nil then
-            record = { tag = "table", origin = child_origin }
+        local record, captured = origin_child_record(materialized_child, view._doc._hold, bs, be)
+        if not captured then
+            complete = false
         end
         records[idx] = record
         i = idx
@@ -663,6 +671,7 @@ local function materialize_array_with_origin(view)
     end
     TABLE_ORIGIN[out] = {
         kind = "array",
+        complete = complete,
         source = view._doc._hold,
         bs = view._bs,
         be = view._be,
@@ -973,13 +982,7 @@ local function origin_record_matches(record, value, depth, active)
         return false
     end
     local tag = record.tag
-    if tag == "null" then
-        return rawequal(value, _M.null)
-    elseif tag == "boolean" then
-        return type(value) == "boolean" and value == record.value
-    elseif tag == "number" then
-        return type(value) == "number" and value == record.value
-    elseif tag == "string" then
+    if tag == "string" then
         return type(value) == "string" and value == record.value
     elseif tag == "table" then
         if type(value) ~= "table" then
@@ -1015,6 +1018,9 @@ local function origin_table_slice(origin)
 end
 
 origin_object_fully_matches = function(t, origin, depth, active)
+    if origin.complete ~= true then
+        return false
+    end
     if origin.had_duplicates then
         return false
     end
@@ -1036,6 +1042,9 @@ origin_object_fully_matches = function(t, origin, depth, active)
 end
 
 origin_array_fully_matches = function(t, origin, depth, active)
+    if origin.complete ~= true then
+        return false
+    end
     if depth > ENCODE_MAX_DEPTH then
         error(ENCODE_DEPTH_ERROR)
     end
@@ -1067,18 +1076,8 @@ local function encode_origin_child(value, depth, active, record)
         then
             return record.raw
         end
-        if record.tag == "null" and rawequal(value, _M.null) then
-            return record.raw
-        end
-        if record.tag == "boolean"
-            and type(value) == "boolean"
-            and value == record.value
-        then
-            return record.raw
-        end
     end
-    -- Numeric scalars intentionally do not reuse raw lexical form when a
-    -- parent container is being walked; use the normal number encoder.
+    -- Small scalars and incomplete child tables are re-encoded.
     return encode(value, depth + 1, active)
 end
 
@@ -1086,7 +1085,7 @@ local function encode_object_with_origin(t, depth, active, origin)
     if depth > ENCODE_MAX_DEPTH then
         error(ENCODE_DEPTH_ERROR)
     end
-    if origin_object_fully_matches(t, origin, depth, active) then
+    if origin.complete == true and origin_object_fully_matches(t, origin, depth, active) then
         return origin_table_slice(origin)
     end
 
@@ -1124,7 +1123,7 @@ local function encode_array_with_origin(t, depth, active, origin)
     if depth > ENCODE_MAX_DEPTH then
         error(ENCODE_DEPTH_ERROR)
     end
-    if origin_array_fully_matches(t, origin, depth, active) then
+    if origin.complete == true and origin_array_fully_matches(t, origin, depth, active) then
         return origin_table_slice(origin)
     end
     local kind, max = classify_plain_table(t)
diff --git a/tests/lua/origin_materialize_spec.lua b/tests/lua/origin_materialize_spec.lua
index cd6c9b4..536d935 100644
--- a/tests/lua/origin_materialize_spec.lua
+++ b/tests/lua/origin_materialize_spec.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,24 @@
 local qjson = require("qjson")
 local cjson = require("cjson")
+local LONG_ESC_A = "\\u0061\\u0062\\u0063\\u0064\\u0065"
+local LONG_ESC_B = "\\u0066\\u0067\\u0068\\u0069\\u006A"
+local EXACT_24_ESC = "\\u0061\\u0062abcdefghij"
+local EXACT_64_CHILD_VALUE = string.rep("a", 56)
+
+local function count_string_sub_calls(fn)
+    local original = string.sub
+    local calls = 0
+    rawset(string, "sub", function(...)
+        calls = calls + 1
+        return original(...)
+    end)
+    local ok, err = pcall(fn)
+    rawset(string, "sub", original)
+    if not ok then
+        error(err, 0)
+    end
+    return calls
+end
 
 describe("qjson.materialize keep_origin", function()
     it("keeps default materialize semantics when keep_origin is not set", function()
@@ -25,11 +44,37 @@ describe("qjson.materialize keep_origin", function()
         end, "qjson.materialize: opts.keep_origin must be a boolean")
     end)
 
-    it("reuses unchanged escaped string token when parent is changed", function()
+    it("does not guarantee reuse for short escaped strings when parent is changed", function()
         local t = qjson.materialize(qjson.decode('{"blob":"\\u0061","x":1}'), { keep_origin = true })
         t.x = 2
 
-        assert.are.equal('{"blob":"\\u0061","x":2}', qjson.encode(t))
+        assert.are.equal('{"blob":"a","x":2}', qjson.encode(t))
+    end)
+
+    it("does not slice raw tokens for dropped provenance records", function()
+        local doc = qjson.decode('{"n":1,"b":true,"u":null,"s":"x","arr":[1,2],"obj":{"x":1}}')
+        local sub_calls = count_string_sub_calls(function()
+            qjson.materialize(doc, { keep_origin = true })
+        end)
+
+        assert.are.equal(0, sub_calls)
+    end)
+
+    it("does not treat an exact 24-byte string token as above threshold", function()
+        assert.are.equal(24, #('"' .. EXACT_24_ESC .. '"'))
+
+        local t = qjson.materialize(qjson.decode('{"blob":"' .. EXACT_24_ESC .. '","x":1}'), { keep_origin = true })
+        t.x = 2
+
+        assert.are.equal('{"blob":"ababcdefghij","x":2}', qjson.encode(t))
+    end)
+
+    it("reuses unchanged escaped string token when raw token is above threshold", function()
+        local src = '{"blob":"' .. LONG_ESC_A .. '","x":1}'
+        local t = qjson.materialize(qjson.decode(src), { keep_origin = true })
+        t.x = 2
+
+        assert.are.equal('{"blob":"' .. LONG_ESC_A .. '","x":2}', qjson.encode(t))
     end)
 
     it("falls back to normal escaping for changed string children", function()
@@ -39,15 +84,30 @@ describe("qjson.materialize keep_origin", function()
         assert.are.equal('{"blob":"line1\\nline2","x":1}', qjson.encode(t))
     end)
 
-    it("reuses unchanged nested object and array siblings when parent is changed", function()
-        local src = '{"x":0,"obj":{"k":"\\u0061"},"arr":[1, 2 ,3]}'
+    it("re-emits small-scalar containers field-by-field when unmodified", function()
+        local src = '{ "n":1.0, "s":"\\u0061", "b":true, "u":null }'
         local t = qjson.materialize(qjson.decode(src), { keep_origin = true })
-        t.x = 9
-
         local out = qjson.encode(t)
-        assert.is_truthy(string.find(out, '"obj":{"k":"\\u0061"}', 1, true))
-        assert.is_truthy(string.find(out, '"arr":[1, 2 ,3]', 1, true))
-        assert.are.equal(9, cjson.decode(out).x)
+
+        assert.are.equal('{"n":1,"s":"a","b":true,"u":null}', out)
+        assert.are_not.equal(src, out)
+    end)
+
+    it("returns original slice for unmodified containers with complete large children", function()
+        local src = '{ "a":"' .. LONG_ESC_A .. '" , "b":"' .. LONG_ESC_B .. '" }'
+        local t = qjson.materialize(qjson.decode(src), { keep_origin = true })
+
+        assert.are.equal(src, qjson.encode(t))
+    end)
+
+    it("does not treat an exact 64-byte child container as above threshold", function()
+        local child = '{"a":"' .. EXACT_64_CHILD_VALUE .. '"}'
+        assert.are.equal(64, #child)
+
+        local src = '{ "child" : ' .. child .. ' }'
+        local t = qjson.materialize(qjson.decode(src), { keep_origin = true })
+
+        assert.are.equal('{"child":' .. child .. '}', qjson.encode(t))
     end)
 
     it("does not reintroduce duplicate keys after materialization", function()
@@ -67,13 +127,20 @@ describe("qjson.materialize keep_origin", function()
         assert.are.equal('{"n":1,"e":1000,"z":0,"x":2}', qjson.encode(t))
     end)
 
-    it("does not hide nested table mutations behind a parent raw slice", function()
+    it("partial origins do not hide nested table mutations behind a parent raw slice", function()
         local t = qjson.materialize(qjson.decode('{"a":{"x":1},"b":2}'), { keep_origin = true })
         t.a.x = 9
 
         assert.are.equal('{"a":{"x":9},"b":2}', qjson.encode(t))
     end)
 
+    it("falls back to normal array/object classification for incomplete arrays", function()
+        local src = '[ 1 , 2 , 3 ]'
+        local t = qjson.materialize(qjson.decode(src), { keep_origin = true })
+
+        assert.are.equal("[1,2,3]", qjson.encode(t))
+    end)
+
     it("still reports circular references after materialization", function()
         local t = qjson.materialize(qjson.decode('{"a":1}'), { keep_origin = true })
         t.self = t
@@ -128,13 +195,23 @@ describe("qjson.materialize keep_origin", function()
 
     it("keeps source bytes alive for provenance-backed reuse", function()
         local function materialized()
-            local src = '{"blob":"\\u0061","x":1}'
+            local src = '{"blob":"' .. LONG_ESC_A .. '","x":1}'
             return qjson.materialize(qjson.decode(src), { keep_origin = true })
         end
         local t = materialized()
         collectgarbage("collect")
         t.x = 2
 
-        assert.are.equal('{"blob":"\\u0061","x":2}', qjson.encode(t))
+        assert.are.equal('{"blob":"' .. LONG_ESC_A .. '","x":2}', qjson.encode(t))
+    end)
+
+    it("reuses large complete child subtrees when parent is modified", function()
+        local src = '{"x":0,"big": { "a":"' .. LONG_ESC_A .. '" , "b":"' .. LONG_ESC_B .. '" }}'
+        local t = qjson.materialize(qjson.decode(src), { keep_origin = true })
+        t.x = 9
+
+        local out = qjson.encode(t)
+        assert.are.equal(9, cjson.decode(out).x)
+        assert.is_truthy(string.find(out, '"big":{ "a":"' .. LONG_ESC_A .. '" , "b":"' .. LONG_ESC_B .. '" }', 1, true))
     end)
 end)