diff --git a/src/snmalloc/aal/aal.h b/src/snmalloc/aal/aal.h
index 257e78e..98606eb 100644
--- a/src/snmalloc/aal/aal.h
+++ b/src/snmalloc/aal/aal.h
@@ -246,6 +246,17 @@ namespace snmalloc
 
   template<AalFeatures F, SNMALLOC_CONCEPT(ConceptAAL) AAL = Aal>
   constexpr static bool aal_supports = (AAL::aal_features & F) == F;
+
+  /*
+   * The backend's leading-order response to StrictProvenance is entirely
+   * within its data structures and not actually anything to do with the
+   * architecture.  Rather than test aal_supports<StrictProvenance> or
+   * defined(__CHERI_PURE_CAPABILITY__) or such therein, using this
+   * backend_strict_provenance flag makes it easy to test a lot of machinery
+   * on non-StrictProvenance architectures.
+   */
+  static constexpr bool backend_strict_provenance =
+    aal_supports<StrictProvenance>;
 } // namespace snmalloc
 
 #ifdef __POINTER_WIDTH__
diff --git a/src/snmalloc/backend/backend.h b/src/snmalloc/backend/backend.h
index 1e95768..2870a5f 100644
--- a/src/snmalloc/backend/backend.h
+++ b/src/snmalloc/backend/backend.h
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ namespace snmalloc
     using Pal = PAL;
     using SlabMetadata = typename PagemapEntry::SlabMetadata;
 
+#ifdef __cpp_concepts
+    static_assert(IsSlabMeta_Arena<SlabMetadata>);
+#endif
+
   public:
     /**
      * Provide a block of meta-data with size and align.
@@ -100,6 +104,7 @@ namespace snmalloc
         return {nullptr, nullptr};
       }
 
+      meta->arena_set(p);
       typename Pagemap::Entry t(meta, ras);
       Pagemap::set_metaentry(address_cast(p), size, t);
 
@@ -139,13 +144,16 @@ namespace snmalloc
         Pagemap::get_metaentry(address_cast(alloc)).get_slab_metadata());
       Pagemap::set_metaentry(address_cast(alloc), size, t);
 
+      /*
+       * On CHERI, the passed alloc has had its bounds narrowed to just the
+       * Chunk, and so we retrieve the Arena-bounded cap for use in the
+       * remainder of the backend.
+       */
+      capptr::Arena<void> arena = slab_metadata.arena_get(alloc);
+
       local_state.get_meta_range().dealloc_range(
         capptr::Arena<void>::unsafe_from(&slab_metadata), sizeof(SlabMetadata));
 
-      // On non-CHERI platforms, we don't need to re-derive to get a pointer to
-      // the chunk.  On CHERI platforms this will need to be stored in the
-      // SlabMetadata or similar.
-      auto arena = capptr::Arena<void>::unsafe_from(alloc.unsafe_ptr());
       local_state.get_object_range()->dealloc_range(arena, size);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/snmalloc/backend_helpers/cheri_slabmetadata_mixin.h b/src/snmalloc/backend_helpers/cheri_slabmetadata_mixin.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2e0d75d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/snmalloc/backend_helpers/cheri_slabmetadata_mixin.h
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+#pragma once
+#include "../pal/pal.h"
+
+namespace snmalloc
+{
+  /**
+   * In CHERI, we must retain, internal to the allocator, the authority to
+   * entire backing arenas, as there is no architectural mechanism to splice
+   * together two capabilities.  Additionally, these capabilities will retain
+   * the VMAP software permission, conveying our authority to manipulate the
+   * address space mappings for said arenas.
+   *
+   * We stash these pointers inside the SlabMetadata structures for parts of
+   * the address space for which SlabMetadata exists.  (In other parts of the
+   * system, we will stash them directly in the pagemap.)  This requires that
+   * we inherit from the FrontendSlabMetadata.
+   */
+  template<typename SlabMetadata>
+  class StrictProvenanceSlabMetadataMixin : public SlabMetadata
+  {
+    template<
+      SNMALLOC_CONCEPT(ConceptPAL) A1,
+      typename A2,
+      typename A3,
+      typename A4>
+    friend class BackendAllocator;
+
+    capptr::Arena<void> arena;
+
+    /* Set the arena pointer */
+    void arena_set(capptr::Arena<void> a)
+    {
+      arena = a;
+    }
+
+    /*
+     * Retrieve the stashed pointer for a chunk; the caller must ensure that
+     * this is the correct arena for the indicated chunk.  The latter is unused
+     * except in debug builds, as there is no architectural amplification.
+     */
+    capptr::Arena<void> arena_get(capptr::Alloc<void> c)
+    {
+      SNMALLOC_ASSERT(address_cast(arena) == address_cast(c));
+      UNUSED(c);
+      return arena;
+    }
+  };
+
+  /**
+   * A dummy implementation of StrictProvenanceBackendSlabMetadata that has no
+   * computational content, for use on non-StrictProvenance architectures.
+   */
+  template<typename SlabMetadata>
+  struct LaxProvenanceSlabMetadataMixin : public SlabMetadata
+  {
+    /* On non-StrictProvenance architectures, there's nothing to do */
+    void arena_set(capptr::Arena<void>) {}
+
+    /* Just a type sleight of hand, "amplifying" the non-existant bounds */
+    capptr::Arena<void> arena_get(capptr::Alloc<void> c)
+    {
+      return capptr::Arena<void>::unsafe_from(c.unsafe_ptr());
+    }
+  };
+
+#ifdef __cpp_concepts
+  /**
+   * Rather than having the backend test backend_strict_provenance in several
+   * places and doing sleights of hand with the type system, we encapsulate
+   * the amplification
+   */
+  template<typename T>
+  concept IsSlabMeta_Arena = requires(T* t, capptr::Arena<void> p)
+  {
+    {
+      t->arena_set(p)
+    }
+    ->ConceptSame<void>;
+  }
+  &&requires(T* t, capptr::Alloc<void> p)
+  {
+    {
+      t->arena_get(p)
+    }
+    ->ConceptSame<capptr::Arena<void>>;
+  };
+#endif
+
+} // namespace snmalloc
diff --git a/src/snmalloc/backend_helpers/defaultpagemapentry.h b/src/snmalloc/backend_helpers/defaultpagemapentry.h
index f063ca7..dc95ce6 100644
--- a/src/snmalloc/backend_helpers/defaultpagemapentry.h
+++ b/src/snmalloc/backend_helpers/defaultpagemapentry.h
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include "../mem/mem.h"
+#include "cheri_slabmetadata_mixin.h"
 
 namespace snmalloc
 {
@@ -63,6 +64,9 @@ namespace snmalloc
     SNMALLOC_FAST_PATH DefaultPagemapEntryT() = default;
   };
 
-  using DefaultPagemapEntry = DefaultPagemapEntryT<FrontendSlabMetadata>;
+  using DefaultPagemapEntry = DefaultPagemapEntryT<std::conditional_t<
+    backend_strict_provenance,
+    StrictProvenanceSlabMetadataMixin<FrontendSlabMetadata>,
+    LaxProvenanceSlabMetadataMixin<FrontendSlabMetadata>>>;
 
 } // namespace snmalloc