diff --git a/docs/superpowers/evidence/pre-commit-prettier-isolated-scope-2026-05-14.json b/docs/superpowers/evidence/pre-commit-prettier-isolated-scope-2026-05-14.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c553442
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/superpowers/evidence/pre-commit-prettier-isolated-scope-2026-05-14.json
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+{
+  "intent": "Isolate the pre-push prettier check in its own systemd-run scope so prettier's Node memory budget is independent of the outer 4 GB pre-push cgroup's accumulated page cache from pytest/mypy/pylint/bandit. Eliminates the SIGTERM that aborted force-pushes despite a tightened file scope.",
+  "scope": [
+    "scripts/run_prettier_capped.sh (new wrapper)",
+    "meta/.pre-commit-config.yaml prettier hook (mirrors-prettier -> local language: system)",
+    "Non-goal: changing prettier's check semantics or coverage on first-party files"
+  ],
+  "changes": [
+    "Added scripts/run_prettier_capped.sh that wraps `prettier --check` in `systemd-run --user --scope --collect -p MemoryMax=1G -p MemorySwapMax=0` with NODE_OPTIONS=--max-old-space-size=768, falling back to a direct invocation if systemd-run is unavailable.",
+    "Replaced the mirrors-prettier repo hook with a `repo: local` hook calling the wrapper; same types_or/exclude as before so coverage is unchanged."
+  ],
+  "verification": [
+    {
+      "command": "scripts/run_prettier_capped.sh README.md",
+      "result": "pass",
+      "evidence": "`Checking formatting...\\nAll matched files use Prettier code style!` exit=0 from inside a fresh systemd-run scope."
+    }
+  ],
+  "risks": [
+    "Requires prettier on PATH (currently provided by the user's global nvm install); CI must install prettier separately or fall back path executes.",
+    "If systemd-run is unavailable on a contributor's machine, the wrapper still runs prettier directly without the memory cap."
+  ],
+  "rollback": [
+    "git revert <this-commit> restores the mirrors-prettier repo hook.",
+    "Delete scripts/run_prettier_capped.sh if no longer referenced."
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/meta/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/meta/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index 42bc7bc..1123261 100644
--- a/meta/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/meta/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -326,13 +326,16 @@ repos:
   # ===========================================================================
   # CHECK JSON/YAML/TOML formatting (runs on push only — slow Node.js startup)
   # ===========================================================================
-  - repo: https://github.com/pre-commit/mirrors-prettier
-    rev: v4.0.0-alpha.8
+  - repo: local
     hooks:
       - id: prettier
+        name: prettier (capped scope)
+        # Wrapper runs prettier inside its own systemd-run scope so its
+        # memory budget is independent of the outer pre-push cgroup that
+        # has already accumulated page cache from pytest/mypy/pylint.
+        entry: scripts/run_prettier_capped.sh
+        language: system
         types_or: [yaml, json, markdown]
-        # Skip vendored/mirrored content and large generated reports so the
-        # pre-push Node heap stays well under the cgroup memory cap.
         exclude: >-
           (?x)^(
             Bash/.*|
diff --git a/scripts/run_prettier_capped.sh b/scripts/run_prettier_capped.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..4df89e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/run_prettier_capped.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Run prettier --check inside its own systemd-run scope so its memory
+# budget is independent of the outer pre-push cgroup (which has already
+# accumulated page-cache footprint from pytest/mypy/pylint/bandit).
+#
+# Falls back to a direct invocation when systemd-run is unavailable
+# (CI / containers without systemd user instance).
+set -euo pipefail
+
+if [ $# -eq 0 ]; then
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+# Cap Node heap on top of the cgroup limit for belt-and-braces safety.
+export NODE_OPTIONS="${NODE_OPTIONS:-} --max-old-space-size=768"
+
+if command -v systemd-run >/dev/null 2>&1 \
+        && systemctl --user is-active --quiet default.target 2>/dev/null \
+        || command -v systemd-run >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    exec systemd-run --user --scope --quiet --collect \
+        -p MemoryMax=1G \
+        -p MemorySwapMax=0 \
+        -- prettier --check "$@"
+fi
+
+exec prettier --check "$@"