diff --git a/moli-protocol/src/conn/runtime_eval/remote_objects.rs b/moli-protocol/src/conn/runtime_eval/remote_objects.rs
index 813411fca1..80866096ff 100644
--- a/moli-protocol/src/conn/runtime_eval/remote_objects.rs
+++ b/moli-protocol/src/conn/runtime_eval/remote_objects.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ use super::*;
 use moli_inspector_json::{response_remote_object_ids_in_value, response_result_remote_object_ids};
 
 impl CdpConnection {
-    pub(super) fn register_runtime_remote_object_ids_from_response_for_owner(
+    pub(crate) fn register_runtime_remote_object_ids_from_response_for_owner(
         &mut self,
         owner: &CommandOwnerScope,
         message: &InspectorJson,
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ impl CdpConnection {
         self.register_runtime_remote_object_ids_for_owner(owner, object_ids, object_group);
     }
 
-    pub(super) fn register_runtime_remote_object_ids_from_response_result_for_owner(
+    pub(crate) fn register_runtime_remote_object_ids_from_response_result_for_owner(
         &mut self,
         owner: &CommandOwnerScope,
         result: &Value,
@@ -149,6 +149,8 @@ impl CdpConnection {
             .is_some_and(|state| state.has_runtime_remote_object_id(object_id))
     }
 
+    // For notifications and native RemoteObject fragments. Inspector command
+    // responses must use the response entry points above to keep values opaque.
     pub(crate) fn register_runtime_remote_object_ids_from_value_for_owner(
         &mut self,
         owner: &CommandOwnerScope,
diff --git a/moli-protocol/src/domains/runtime/dispatcher.rs b/moli-protocol/src/domains/runtime/dispatcher.rs
index c70525c43c..ad184a40c9 100644
--- a/moli-protocol/src/domains/runtime/dispatcher.rs
+++ b/moli-protocol/src/domains/runtime/dispatcher.rs
@@ -304,17 +304,25 @@ impl RuntimeInspectorRoutedOutput {
             if let Some((_, _, BackgroundCommandResponsePayloadRef::Success { result })) =
                 event.command_response_payload_ref()
             {
-                conn.register_runtime_remote_object_ids_from_value_for_owner_with_group(
+                conn.register_runtime_remote_object_ids_from_response_result_for_owner(
                     owner,
                     result,
-                    object_group,
-                );
-            } else if let Some(message) = event.protocol_message() {
-                conn.register_runtime_remote_object_ids_from_value_for_owner_with_group(
-                    owner,
-                    message,
-                    object_group,
+                    Some(object_group),
                 );
+            } else if let Some(message) = event.protocol_json() {
+                if message.id_u64().is_some() {
+                    conn.register_runtime_remote_object_ids_from_response_for_owner(
+                        owner,
+                        message,
+                        Some(object_group),
+                    );
+                } else {
+                    conn.register_runtime_remote_object_ids_from_value_for_owner_with_group(
+                        owner,
+                        message.value(),
+                        object_group,
+                    );
+                }
             }
         }
     }
@@ -2841,6 +2849,9 @@ pub(crate) use worker_binding_replay::{
 mod worker_completion;
 pub(crate) use worker_completion::{PreparedWorkerRuntimeCommand, WorkerRuntimeContinuation};
 
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod response_handle_tests;
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 fn worker_workflow_fixture() -> CdpConnection {
     let mut conn = CdpConnection::new();
diff --git a/moli-protocol/src/domains/runtime/dispatcher/response_handle_tests.rs b/moli-protocol/src/domains/runtime/dispatcher/response_handle_tests.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d498313d45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/moli-protocol/src/domains/runtime/dispatcher/response_handle_tests.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+use super::*;
+use crate::conn::BrowserContext;
+use moli_inspector_json::InspectorJson;
+
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug)]
+enum Owner {
+    Page,
+    PageSession,
+    SharedWorker,
+}
+
+impl Owner {
+    fn fixture(self) -> (CdpConnection, CommandOwnerScope) {
+        if matches!(self, Self::SharedWorker) {
+            return (
+                worker_workflow_fixture(),
+                CommandOwnerScope::for_session("SID-owned-worker"),
+            );
+        }
+        let mut conn = CdpConnection::default();
+        let mut context = BrowserContext::new("BID-response-dispatch".to_owned());
+        context.set_active_target_id("TID-response-dispatch".to_owned());
+        context.attach_active_session("SID-response-dispatch".to_owned());
+        conn.install_browser_context_fixture_for_test(context);
+        let session = matches!(self, Self::PageSession).then_some("SID-response-dispatch");
+        let owner = CommandOwnerScope::capture(&conn, session);
+        (conn, owner)
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug)]
+enum Container {
+    Raw,
+    Parsed,
+    Typed,
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn routed_output_response_registration_preserves_groups_without_materializing() {
+    for owner_kind in [Owner::Page, Owner::PageSession, Owner::SharedWorker] {
+        for container in [Container::Raw, Container::Parsed, Container::Typed] {
+            for real_handles in [false, true] {
+                let (mut conn, owner) = owner_kind.fixture();
+                conn.register_runtime_remote_object_ids_from_value_for_owner_with_group(
+                    &owner,
+                    &json!({"objectId":"existing-handle"}),
+                    "group-A",
+                );
+                let mut body = json!({"result":{"type":"object","value":{
+                    "objectId":"existing-handle","nested":{"errorObjectId":"user-only"}
+                }}});
+                if real_handles {
+                    body["result"]["objectId"] = json!("actual");
+                    body["exceptionDetails"] = json!({"exception":{
+                        "type":"object","objectId":"exception","value":{"objectId":"user-only"}
+                    }});
+                }
+                let envelope = json!({"id":45,"result":body});
+                let raw = InspectorJson::from_slice(envelope.to_string().as_bytes()).unwrap();
+                let wire = raw.to_string();
+                let event = match container {
+                    Container::Raw => BackgroundProtocolEvent::immediate(raw.clone()),
+                    Container::Parsed => BackgroundProtocolEvent::immediate(envelope),
+                    Container::Typed => {
+                        BackgroundProtocolEvent::command_success(Some(45), owner.session_id(), body)
+                    }
+                };
+                let routed = RuntimeInspectorRoutedOutput {
+                    events: vec![event],
+                    ..Default::default()
+                };
+                routed.register_object_group_for_success(&mut conn, &owner, None);
+                assert!(!raw.is_materialized());
+                routed.register_object_group_for_success(&mut conn, &owner, Some("group-B"));
+                assert_eq!(
+                    conn.runtime_remote_object_group_for_owner(&owner, "existing-handle")
+                        .as_deref(),
+                    Some("group-A"),
+                    "{owner_kind:?}, {container:?}, real_handles={real_handles}"
+                );
+                assert!(!conn.runtime_remote_object_id_known_for_owner(&owner, "user-only"));
+                assert!(!raw.is_materialized());
+                assert_eq!(raw.to_string(), wire);
+                for id in ["actual", "exception"] {
+                    assert_eq!(
+                        conn.runtime_remote_object_id_known_for_owner(&owner, id),
+                        real_handles
+                    );
+                    assert_eq!(
+                        conn.runtime_remote_object_group_for_owner(&owner, id)
+                            .as_deref(),
+                        real_handles.then_some("group-B")
+                    );
+                }
+                conn.unregister_runtime_remote_object_group_for_owner(&owner, "group-B");
+                assert!(conn.runtime_remote_object_id_known_for_owner(&owner, "existing-handle"));
+                assert_eq!(
+                    conn.runtime_remote_object_group_for_owner(&owner, "existing-handle")
+                        .as_deref(),
+                    Some("group-A")
+                );
+                for id in ["actual", "exception"] {
+                    assert!(!conn.runtime_remote_object_id_known_for_owner(&owner, id));
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn routed_output_registration_retains_notification_handle_semantics() {
+    let notification = json!({"method":"Runtime.futureNotification","params":{
+        "value":{"objectId":"notification"},"nested":[{"promiseObjectId":"promise"}]
+    }});
+    for message in [
+        InspectorJson::from_slice(notification.to_string().as_bytes()).unwrap(),
+        InspectorJson::from(notification),
+    ] {
+        let (mut conn, owner) = Owner::PageSession.fixture();
+        let routed = RuntimeInspectorRoutedOutput {
+            events: vec![BackgroundProtocolEvent::immediate(message)],
+            ..Default::default()
+        };
+        routed.register_object_group_for_success(&mut conn, &owner, Some("notifications"));
+        for id in ["notification", "promise"] {
+            assert_eq!(
+                conn.runtime_remote_object_group_for_owner(&owner, id)
+                    .as_deref(),
+                Some("notifications")
+            );
+        }
+    }
+}