diff --git a/docs/content/limitations/builtin-apis/prototypes.mdx b/docs/content/limitations/builtin-apis/prototypes.mdx
index 170b11793..7a7e01635 100644
--- a/docs/content/limitations/builtin-apis/prototypes.mdx
+++ b/docs/content/limitations/builtin-apis/prototypes.mdx
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 - **Prototypes:** Named properties and methods on program class prototypes support replacement, inheritance, and deletion.
-  Bare prototype reflection, accessor replacement, and prototype storage on local, generic, mixin, or runtime-provided classes are unsupported.
+  A module-level JavaScript class's prototype can become the prototype of other objects: `Object.create(C.prototype)`, `Object.setPrototypeOf(F.prototype, C.prototype)`, `Object.setPrototypeOf(object, C.prototype)`, and `util.inherits(F, C)` with an ordinary constructor `F`.
+  The inherited methods and accessors run with the inheriting object as `this`.
+  Methods that use `#private` members or `super` throw a TypeError for a receiver that is not an instance of the class.
+  `C.prototype` also reads as a value for `Object.getPrototypeOf` and for `===` and `!==` comparisons.
+  Changing the prototype of a class prototype (`Object.setPrototypeOf(C.prototype, X)`, `util.inherits(C, F)`, or `Object.setPrototypeOf` on a class prototype reached through an instance) is unsupported.
+  Other bare prototype reflection, TypeScript class prototypes as values, accessor replacement, and prototype storage on local, generic, mixin, or runtime-provided classes are unsupported.
   Plain objects, arrays, functions, class instances, and Date, RegExp, Map, Set, WeakMap, WeakSet, and Promise values inherit `constructor`, `valueOf`, `toString`, `hasOwnProperty`, and `propertyIsEnumerable` from `Object.prototype` as in Node, so `value.constructor === Object` and `value.valueOf === Object.prototype.valueOf` compare identities exactly.
   Named reads such as `value.valueOf` answer these inherited members; computed-key reads such as `value[key]` do not.
   `Object.prototype`'s own members read as values; its mutation and other reflection, such as `isPrototypeOf` and `__proto__`, are unsupported.
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/lib-shared.ts b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/lib-shared.ts
index 014191314..20ad7fa02 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/lib-shared.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/lib-shared.ts
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ export const LIB_FN_SYMS: Record<string, string> = {
   "util.isDeepStrictEqual": "scr_util_is_deep_strict_equal",
   "util.styleText": "scr_util_style_text",
   "util.inherits": "scr_util_inherits",
+  "util.inheritsPrototype": "scr_util_inherits_prototype",
   "util.deprecate": "scr_util_deprecate",
   "util.callbackify": "scr_util_callbackify",
   "util.promisifyDyn": "scr_util_promisify",
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/class-dynamic-dispatch.ts b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/class-dynamic-dispatch.ts
index f219fd5e5..d658fb20a 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/class-dynamic-dispatch.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/class-dynamic-dispatch.ts
@@ -4105,6 +4105,94 @@ export class ClassDynamicDispatch {
     return { kind: "call", callee: name, args: [bag, key], type: BOOL, loc };
   }
 
+  /** `%dyn.class.bagHasOwn[OrPrototype]`: whether an instance's property bag
+   * holds `key` as its own property, or, with `prototype`, whether the bag's
+   * prototype object does. False before the instance has a bag. */
+  private readBagHasOwn(
+    lowerer: Lowerer,
+    bag: IrExpr,
+    key: IrExpr,
+    prototype: boolean,
+    loc: SrcLoc,
+  ): IrExpr {
+    const name = prototype ? "%dyn.class.bagHasOwnOrPrototype" : "%dyn.class.bagHasOwn";
+    let helper = lowerer.liftedFnNamed(name);
+    if (!helper) {
+      const value = varRef("p.0", DYN, loc);
+      const keyRef = varRef("p.1", STRING, loc);
+      const proto = varRef("proto", DYN, loc);
+      const hasOwn = (target: IrExpr): IrExpr => ({
+        kind: "libCall",
+        fn: "dyn.hasOwn",
+        args: [target, keyRef],
+        type: BOOL,
+        loc,
+      });
+      const returnFalse: IrStmt = {
+        kind: "return",
+        value: { kind: "boolLit", value: false, type: BOOL, loc },
+        loc,
+      };
+      helper = {
+        name,
+        params: [
+          { localId: "p.0", name: "bag", type: DYN },
+          { localId: "p.1", name: "key", type: STRING },
+        ],
+        returnType: BOOL,
+        locals: [
+          { id: "p.0", name: "bag", type: DYN, mutable: false },
+          { id: "p.1", name: "key", type: STRING, mutable: false },
+          ...(prototype ? [{ id: "proto", name: "proto", type: DYN, mutable: false }] : []),
+        ],
+        body: [
+          {
+            kind: "if",
+            cond: { kind: "dynTest", test: "undefined", value, type: BOOL, loc },
+            then: [returnFalse],
+            else_: null,
+            loc,
+          },
+          ...(prototype
+            ? ([
+                {
+                  kind: "if",
+                  cond: hasOwn(value),
+                  then: [
+                    {
+                      kind: "return",
+                      value: { kind: "boolLit", value: true, type: BOOL, loc },
+                      loc,
+                    },
+                  ],
+                  else_: null,
+                  loc,
+                },
+                {
+                  kind: "varDecl",
+                  localId: "proto",
+                  init: { kind: "libCall", fn: "dyn.getPrototype", args: [value], type: DYN, loc },
+                  loc,
+                },
+                {
+                  kind: "if",
+                  cond: { kind: "dynTest", test: "nullish", value: proto, type: BOOL, loc },
+                  then: [returnFalse],
+                  else_: null,
+                  loc,
+                },
+                { kind: "return", value: hasOwn(proto), loc },
+              ] satisfies IrStmt[])
+            : [{ kind: "return", value: hasOwn(value), loc } satisfies IrStmt]),
+        ],
+        loc,
+      };
+      lowerer.liftedFns.push(helper);
+    }
+    this.generated.add(helper);
+    return { kind: "call", callee: name, args: [bag, key], type: BOOL, loc };
+  }
+
   /** The hints for which some boxed class declares a conversion method. A
    * string conversion calls toString first, so without a declared toString
    * or Symbol.toPrimitive it answers Object.prototype.toString's
@@ -5866,12 +5954,18 @@ export class ClassDynamicDispatch {
         const cls = lowerer.coerceToExpected(classValueRef(lowerer, info, info.decl), DYN);
         const bag = this.branchPropertyBag(lowerer, info, receiver, false, loc);
         const key: IrExpr = { kind: "strLit", value: name, type: STRING, loc };
+        // `constructor` is an own property of every class prototype, so an
+        // ancestor's prototype never answers for an instance of this class:
+        // the instance's own property answers, then one this class's
+        // prototype object defines (a reflected prototype, or a write to
+        // `C.prototype.constructor`), and otherwise the class itself.
+        const answered = this.readBagHasOwn(lowerer, bag, key, hasClassPrototypeData(info), loc);
         return [
           {
             kind: "return",
             value: {
               kind: "ternary",
-              cond: this.readBagHas(lowerer, "dyn.hasKey", bag, key, loc),
+              cond: answered,
               then: {
                 kind: "libCall",
                 fn: "dyn.bagGet",
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/class-prototypes.ts b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/class-prototypes.ts
index cb2ab2280..595b64e05 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/class-prototypes.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/class-prototypes.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import {
   type IrStmt,
   type SrcLoc,
 } from "../../ir/ir.js";
-import { locOf } from "../program.js";
+import { isJsSourceFile, locOf } from "../program.js";
 import {
   classMemberNameOf,
   classValueRef,
@@ -503,6 +503,69 @@ export function isErrorPrototypeValue(
   );
 }
 
+/** Whether a bare `C.prototype` read becomes the prototype of another object
+ * or is only compared or inspected: the argument of `Object.create` or
+ * `Object.getPrototypeOf` / `Reflect.getPrototypeOf`, the prototype argument
+ * of `Object.setPrototypeOf` / `Reflect.setPrototypeOf`, or an operand of
+ * `===` / `!==`. In these positions the complete view of the
+ * prototype (reflectClassPrototype) answers. Objects that inherit from it
+ * run the class's methods with themselves as the receiver, which the
+ * methods' receiver-independent lowering (reflectedClassMethodValue)
+ * supports. Other positions, such as `Object.setPrototypeOf(C.prototype, X)`,
+ * which would relink the class, keep the diagnostic. */
+function prototypeViewPosition(lowerer: Lowerer, expr: ts.PropertyAccessExpression): boolean {
+  let node: ts.Node = expr;
+  let parent = node.parent;
+  while (parent && ts.isParenthesizedExpression(parent)) {
+    node = parent;
+    parent = parent.parent;
+  }
+  if (!parent) return false;
+  if (ts.isCallExpression(parent) && ts.isPropertyAccessExpression(parent.expression)) {
+    const args = parent.arguments.nodes;
+    const objectMethod = lowerer.stdlibGlobalMember(parent.expression, "Object");
+    const reflectMethod = lowerer.stdlibGlobalMember(parent.expression, "Reflect");
+    if (
+      objectMethod === "create" ||
+      objectMethod === "getPrototypeOf" ||
+      reflectMethod === "getPrototypeOf"
+    )
+      return args[0] === node;
+    if (objectMethod === "setPrototypeOf" || reflectMethod === "setPrototypeOf")
+      return args[1] === node;
+    return false;
+  }
+  return (
+    ts.isBinaryExpression(parent) &&
+    (parent.operatorToken.kind === ts.SyntaxKind.EqualsEqualsEqualsToken ||
+      parent.operatorToken.kind === ts.SyntaxKind.ExclamationEqualsEqualsToken)
+  );
+}
+
+/** A module-level JavaScript class named directly (not a class value that
+ * may hold a subclass at run time): its prototype has a complete view whose
+ * methods accept any receiver. */
+function viewableClass(lowerer: Lowerer, info: ClassInfo, receiver: ts.Expression): boolean {
+  return (
+    info.decl !== null &&
+    info.localClass === undefined &&
+    isJsSourceFile(ts.getSourceFileOfNode(info.decl)) &&
+    exactClassOfReceiver(lowerer, receiver) === info
+  );
+}
+
+/** The complete prototype view of the class `node` names, when it is a
+ * viewable class (util.inherits's superCtor); null otherwise. */
+export function classPrototypeView(
+  lowerer: Lowerer,
+  node: ts.Expression,
+  loc: SrcLoc,
+): IrExpr | null {
+  const info = exactClassOfReceiver(lowerer, node);
+  if (!info || !viewableClass(lowerer, info, node)) return null;
+  return reflectClassPrototype(lowerer, info, loc, classValueRef(lowerer, info, node));
+}
+
 /** Named data and method slots have native descriptors. Bare reflection and
  * accessor replacement still require a complete view of the prototype. */
 export function lowerClassPrototypeData(
@@ -566,6 +629,12 @@ export function lowerClassPrototypeData(
     });
     return reflectClassPrototype(lowerer, info, locOf(expr), receiver);
   }
+  if (
+    name === null &&
+    prototypeViewPosition(lowerer, expr) &&
+    viewableClass(lowerer, info, expr.expression)
+  )
+    return reflectClassPrototype(lowerer, info, locOf(expr), classValueRef(lowerer, info, expr));
   if (name === null || (isCompiledPrototypeMember(lowerer, info, name) && !method)) {
     lowerer.unsupported(
       "SC1090",
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/lower-inspect.ts b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/lower-inspect.ts
index e7a43bde1..cb7eba971 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/lower-inspect.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/lowering/lower-inspect.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { keyedHelperName } from "./stable-names.js";
 import { perKeyOrder } from "./key-order-witness.js";
+import { classPrototypeView } from "./class-prototypes.js";
 import {
   dynUndefinedExpr,
   boolLit,
@@ -3433,8 +3434,14 @@ function lowerUtilCallableCall(
     member === "inherits" && expr.arguments.nodes[1] !== undefined
       ? builtinClassKindOf(lowerer, expr.arguments.nodes[1])
       : null;
+  // A superCtor class whose prototype has a complete view (a module-level
+  // JavaScript class named directly) passes that view to the runtime.
+  const superView =
+    member === "inherits" && builtinBase === null && expr.arguments.nodes[1] !== undefined
+      ? classPrototypeView(lowerer, expr.arguments.nodes[1], loc)
+      : null;
   for (const [index, arg] of expr.arguments.nodes.slice(0, classArgs).entries()) {
-    if (index === 1 && builtinBase !== null) continue;
+    if (index === 1 && (builtinBase !== null || superView !== null)) continue;
     if (lowerer.mapTypeOf(lowerer.typeOf(arg))?.kind === "classval")
       lowerer.noLowering(
         `util.${member} over a class constructor`,
@@ -3466,7 +3473,9 @@ function lowerUtilCallableCall(
   for (const arg of expr.arguments.nodes.slice(arity))
     stmts.push({ kind: "exprStmt", expr: lowerer.lowerExpr(arg), loc });
   const type = fn === "util.inherits" ? VOID : DYN;
-  const result: IrExpr = { kind: "libCall", fn, args, type, loc };
+  const result: IrExpr = superView
+    ? { kind: "libCall", fn: "util.inheritsPrototype", args: [...args, superView], type, loc }
+    : { kind: "libCall", fn, args, type, loc };
   return { kind: "seqExpr", stmts, result, type: result.type, loc };
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/ir/builtin-effects.ts b/packages/compiler/src/ir/builtin-effects.ts
index 390c7fbc3..38512fdef 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/ir/builtin-effects.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/ir/builtin-effects.ts
@@ -591,6 +591,7 @@ export const MAY_THROW_LIB_FNS: ReadonlySet<IrLibFn> = new Set([
   "util.styleText",
   "util.toUSVString",
   "util.inherits",
+  "util.inheritsPrototype",
   "util.deprecate",
   "util.callbackify",
   "util.promisifyDyn",
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/ir/builtin-signatures.ts b/packages/compiler/src/ir/builtin-signatures.ts
index e6ad0614a..b87ff24c6 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/ir/builtin-signatures.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/ir/builtin-signatures.ts
@@ -1146,6 +1146,7 @@ export const LIB_FN_SIGS = defineLibFnSignatures({
    * arguments (scr_util_callable.c). The function results are native dyn
    * wrappers; call sites with a static function type check them back. */
   "util.inherits": { argTypes: [DYN, DYN], result: VOID },
+  "util.inheritsPrototype": { argTypes: [DYN, DYN, DYN], result: VOID },
   "util.deprecate": { argTypes: [DYN, DYN, DYN, DYN], result: DYN },
   "util.callbackify": { argTypes: [DYN], result: DYN },
   /** util.promisify over an untyped function value: a native dyn function
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/ir/runtime-features.ts b/packages/compiler/src/ir/runtime-features.ts
index 2ae19375f..14402b6b5 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/ir/runtime-features.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/ir/runtime-features.ts
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ const DYN_ASYNC_LIB_FNS: ReadonlySet<IrLibFn> = new Set([
   "util.debuglog",
   "util.deprecate",
   "util.inherits",
+  "util.inheritsPrototype",
   "util.styleText",
 ]);
 
@@ -173,6 +174,7 @@ const UTIL_CALLABLE_LIB_FNS: ReadonlySet<IrLibFn> = new Set([
   "util.debuglog",
   "util.deprecate",
   "util.inherits",
+  "util.inheritsPrototype",
 ]);
 
 /** Entry points that link the regex unit: the regex and glob matchers (fs.glob's walk compiles its patterns with the glob matcher), and readline's terminal unit (scr_readline_tty.c), which measures with the regex unit's stripVTControlCharacters. */
diff --git a/packages/compiler/test/ts7/baselines/order-parity/tests/corpus/8260-class-prototype-views.mjs.json b/packages/compiler/test/ts7/baselines/order-parity/tests/corpus/8260-class-prototype-views.mjs.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6cf42e773
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/compiler/test/ts7/baselines/order-parity/tests/corpus/8260-class-prototype-views.mjs.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+ "order": [
+  "<repo>/tests/corpus/8260-class-prototype-views.mjs"
+ ],
+ "diags": []
+}
diff --git a/packages/runtime/src/scr_json.c b/packages/runtime/src/scr_json.c
index 580b816c4..b8f3bf8f9 100644
--- a/packages/runtime/src/scr_json.c
+++ b/packages/runtime/src/scr_json.c
@@ -2169,6 +2169,40 @@ static bool scr_dyn_prototype_valid(const ScrDyn *prototype) {
 }
 
 /* A valid receiver or prototype whose kind this operation does not handle. */
+/* Compiled class prototypes. Compiled code binds a class's methods, its
+ * base chain and its instanceof answers when it compiles, so the
+ * prototype's own [[Prototype]] is fixed: scr_dyn_set_prototype refuses to
+ * change it. Each module-level class prototype registers when it is
+ * created (scr_dyn_name_class_prototype) and stays alive until its thread
+ * exits, as the class does. */
+static SCR_TL ScrDyn **scr_dyn_fixed_prototypes;
+static SCR_TL size_t scr_dyn_fixed_count, scr_dyn_fixed_cap;
+
+static void scr_dyn_fixed_prototypes_cleanup(void) {
+  for (size_t i = 0; i < scr_dyn_fixed_count; i++) scr_dyn_release(scr_dyn_fixed_prototypes[i]);
+  free(scr_dyn_fixed_prototypes);
+  scr_dyn_fixed_prototypes = NULL;
+  scr_dyn_fixed_count = scr_dyn_fixed_cap = 0;
+}
+
+static void scr_dyn_fix_prototype(ScrDyn *prototype) {
+  if (scr_dyn_fixed_count == scr_dyn_fixed_cap) {
+    if (scr_dyn_fixed_cap == 0) scr_atexit(scr_dyn_fixed_prototypes_cleanup);
+    size_t cap = scr_dyn_fixed_cap ? scr_dyn_fixed_cap * 2 : 8;
+    ScrDyn **grown = realloc(scr_dyn_fixed_prototypes, cap * sizeof *grown);
+    if (!grown) scr_json_oom();
+    scr_dyn_fixed_prototypes = grown;
+    scr_dyn_fixed_cap = cap;
+  }
+  scr_dyn_fixed_prototypes[scr_dyn_fixed_count++] = scr_dyn_retain(prototype);
+}
+
+static bool scr_dyn_prototype_fixed(const ScrDyn *object) {
+  for (size_t i = 0; i < scr_dyn_fixed_count; i++)
+    if (scr_dyn_fixed_prototypes[i] == object) return true;
+  return false;
+}
+
 static void scr_dyn_prototype_unsupported(const char *operation) {
   ScrJsonBuf b;
   scr_jb_init(&b);
@@ -2285,6 +2319,11 @@ ScrDyn *scr_dyn_set_prototype(ScrDyn *object, ScrDyn *prototype) {
     return NULL;
   }
   if (!scr_dyn_prototype_valid(prototype)) return NULL;
+  if (object->kind == SCR_DYN_OBJ && scr_dyn_fixed_count && scr_dyn_prototype_fixed(object) &&
+      !(prototype->kind == SCR_DYN_NULL ? object->null_proto : prototype == object->prototype)) {
+    scr_dyn_prototype_unsupported("Object.setPrototypeOf");
+    return NULL;
+  }
   bool typed = scr_dyn_typed_ref_prototype(prototype);
   if (scr_exc_pending()) return NULL;
   if ((object->kind != SCR_DYN_OBJ && object->kind != SCR_DYN_ARR) ||
@@ -6354,7 +6393,9 @@ static void scr_dyn_name_prototype_chain(const ScrDyn *object) {
 }
 
 void scr_dyn_name_class_prototype(ScrDyn *prototype, const ScrStr *name) {
-  if (prototype->kind != SCR_DYN_OBJ || prototype->v.obj.class_name || name->len == 0) return;
+  if (prototype->kind != SCR_DYN_OBJ) return;
+  if (!scr_dyn_prototype_fixed(prototype)) scr_dyn_fix_prototype(prototype);
+  if (prototype->v.obj.class_name || name->len == 0) return;
   scr_dyn_stamp_prototype_name(prototype, name->data, name->len);
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/runtime/src/scr_qs.h b/packages/runtime/src/scr_qs.h
index fc5ca5da5..2232d2d48 100644
--- a/packages/runtime/src/scr_qs.h
+++ b/packages/runtime/src/scr_qs.h
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ bool scr_util_terminal_colors(void);
  * (scr_util_promisify.c). Arguments are borrowed; function results are +1
  * native dyn functions, or NULL with Node's TypeError pending. */
 void scr_util_inherits(struct ScrDyn *ctor, struct ScrDyn *super_ctor);
+void scr_util_inherits_prototype(struct ScrDyn *ctor, struct ScrDyn *super_ctor,
+                                 struct ScrDyn *super_prototype);
 struct ScrDyn *scr_util_deprecate(struct ScrDyn *fn, struct ScrDyn *msg, struct ScrDyn *code,
                                   struct ScrDyn *options);
 struct ScrDyn *scr_util_callbackify(struct ScrDyn *original);
diff --git a/packages/runtime/src/scr_util_callable.c b/packages/runtime/src/scr_util_callable.c
index c905ea8ae..60de92121 100644
--- a/packages/runtime/src/scr_util_callable.c
+++ b/packages/runtime/src/scr_util_callable.c
@@ -149,23 +149,9 @@ static bool uc_define(ScrDyn *target, const char *key, ScrDyn *descriptor) {
  * Node 24's lib/util.js: nullish arguments and an undefined
  * superCtor.prototype throw ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE; then super_ becomes a
  * writable, configurable, non-enumerable own property and
- * ctor.prototype's prototype becomes superCtor.prototype. */
-void scr_util_inherits(ScrDyn *ctor, ScrDyn *super_ctor) {
-  if (uc_nullish(ctor)) {
-    scr_dyn_arg_type_fail("ctor", "of type function", ctor);
-    return;
-  }
-  if (uc_nullish(super_ctor)) {
-    scr_dyn_arg_type_fail("superCtor", "of type function", super_ctor);
-    return;
-  }
-  if ((ctor->kind == SCR_DYN_FUNC && ctor->v.fn.class_obj) ||
-      (super_ctor->kind == SCR_DYN_FUNC && super_ctor->v.fn.class_obj)) {
-    uc_fence("util.inherits over class constructors has no lowering; declare the subclass with extends");
-    return;
-  }
-  ScrDyn *super_prototype = uc_get(super_ctor, "prototype");
-  if (!super_prototype) return;
+ * ctor.prototype's prototype becomes superCtor.prototype. super_prototype
+ * is superCtor.prototype (owned), or NULL when superCtor is no object. */
+static void uc_inherits(ScrDyn *ctor, ScrDyn *super_ctor, ScrDyn *super_prototype) {
   if (super_prototype->kind == SCR_DYN_UNDEF) {
     scr_dyn_prop_type_fail("superCtor.prototype", "of type object", super_prototype);
     scr_dyn_release(super_prototype);
@@ -198,6 +184,40 @@ void scr_util_inherits(ScrDyn *ctor, ScrDyn *super_ctor) {
   scr_dyn_release(super_prototype);
 }
 
+void scr_util_inherits(ScrDyn *ctor, ScrDyn *super_ctor) {
+  if (uc_nullish(ctor)) {
+    scr_dyn_arg_type_fail("ctor", "of type function", ctor);
+    return;
+  }
+  if (uc_nullish(super_ctor)) {
+    scr_dyn_arg_type_fail("superCtor", "of type function", super_ctor);
+    return;
+  }
+  if ((ctor->kind == SCR_DYN_FUNC && ctor->v.fn.class_obj) ||
+      (super_ctor->kind == SCR_DYN_FUNC && super_ctor->v.fn.class_obj)) {
+    uc_fence("util.inherits over class constructors has no lowering; declare the subclass with extends");
+    return;
+  }
+  ScrDyn *super_prototype = uc_get(super_ctor, "prototype");
+  if (!super_prototype) return;
+  uc_inherits(ctor, super_ctor, super_prototype);
+}
+
+/* util.inherits(ctor, C) where C is a compiled class whose prototype the
+ * compiler exposes as super_prototype (borrowed): the class value's own
+ * properties do not hold it. ctor itself may not be a class. */
+void scr_util_inherits_prototype(ScrDyn *ctor, ScrDyn *super_ctor, ScrDyn *super_prototype) {
+  if (uc_nullish(ctor)) {
+    scr_dyn_arg_type_fail("ctor", "of type function", ctor);
+    return;
+  }
+  if (ctor->kind == SCR_DYN_FUNC && ctor->v.fn.class_obj) {
+    uc_fence("util.inherits over class constructors has no lowering; declare the subclass with extends");
+    return;
+  }
+  uc_inherits(ctor, super_ctor, scr_dyn_retain(super_prototype));
+}
+
 /* ── util.deprecate ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
  * The wrapper warns once (and once per code across wrappers) before each
  * call reaches fn with the call's receiver and arguments; construction
diff --git a/tests/corpus/8260-class-prototype-views.mjs b/tests/corpus/8260-class-prototype-views.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e08b8f206
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/8260-class-prototype-views.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
+// A class's prototype as the prototype of other objects: ES5 constructors
+// that inherit from a class through Object.create, Object.setPrototypeOf and
+// util.inherits, and plain objects that adopt a class prototype. Inherited
+// methods, accessors and calls between methods run with the object as the
+// receiver.
+import util from "node:util";
+
+class Shape {
+  constructor(name) {
+    this.name = name;
+  }
+  get label() {
+    return `${this.name} (${this.sides()} sides)`;
+  }
+  sides() {
+    return 0;
+  }
+  describe() {
+    return `${this.label}: area ${this.area().toFixed(2)}`;
+  }
+  area() {
+    return 0;
+  }
+}
+
+class Polygon extends Shape {
+  sides() {
+    return this.points.length;
+  }
+  perimeter() {
+    let total = 0;
+    for (let i = 0; i < this.points.length; i++) {
+      const [x1, y1] = this.points[i];
+      const [x2, y2] = this.points[(i + 1) % this.points.length];
+      total += Math.hypot(x2 - x1, y2 - y1);
+    }
+    return total;
+  }
+}
+
+// Object.create(Class.prototype) for an ES5 subclass.
+function Square(size) {
+  this.name = "square";
+  this.size = size;
+  this.points = [
+    [0, 0],
+    [size, 0],
+    [size, size],
+    [0, size],
+  ];
+}
+Square.prototype = Object.create(Polygon.prototype);
+Square.prototype.constructor = Square;
+Square.prototype.area = function () {
+  return this.size * this.size;
+};
+
+const square = new Square(3);
+console.log(square.describe());
+console.log(square.perimeter(), square.sides(), square.label);
+console.log(square instanceof Square, square instanceof Polygon, square instanceof Shape);
+console.log(Object.getPrototypeOf(Square.prototype) === Polygon.prototype);
+console.log(Object.getPrototypeOf(Polygon.prototype) === Shape.prototype);
+console.log(Object.keys(square).join(","));
+const inherited = [];
+for (const key in square) inherited.push(key);
+console.log(inherited.join(","));
+
+// Object.setPrototypeOf on an ES5 constructor's prototype.
+function Circle(radius) {
+  this.name = "circle";
+  this.radius = radius;
+}
+Circle.prototype.area = function () {
+  return Math.PI * this.radius * this.radius;
+};
+Object.setPrototypeOf(Circle.prototype, Shape.prototype);
+const circle = new Circle(2);
+console.log(circle.describe(), circle instanceof Shape, circle instanceof Polygon);
+
+// util.inherits with a class as the superCtor.
+function Triangle(a, b, c) {
+  this.name = "triangle";
+  this.points = [a, b, c];
+}
+util.inherits(Triangle, Polygon);
+Triangle.prototype.area = function () {
+  const [[x1, y1], [x2, y2], [x3, y3]] = this.points;
+  return Math.abs((x1 * (y2 - y3) + x2 * (y3 - y1) + x3 * (y1 - y2)) / 2);
+};
+const triangle = new Triangle([0, 0], [4, 0], [0, 3]);
+console.log(Triangle.super_ === Polygon, triangle instanceof Polygon);
+console.log(triangle.describe(), triangle.perimeter());
+
+// A plain object that adopts a class prototype (rehydrating parsed data).
+const parsed = JSON.parse('{"name":"lot","points":[[0,0],[2,0],[2,1]]}');
+Object.setPrototypeOf(parsed, Polygon.prototype);
+console.log(parsed.sides(), parsed.perimeter().toFixed(3), parsed.label, parsed instanceof Polygon);
+const fresh = Object.create(Shape.prototype);
+fresh.name = "blank";
+console.log(fresh.describe(), fresh instanceof Shape, Object.getPrototypeOf(fresh) === Shape.prototype);
+
+// Native instances keep their own methods and answers.
+const native = new Polygon("native");
+native.points = [
+  [0, 0],
+  [1, 0],
+  [0, 1],
+];
+console.log(native.describe(), native.perimeter().toFixed(3), native instanceof Polygon);
+
+// util.inspect names each object by its prototype's constructor.
+function Plain() {
+  this.v = 1;
+}
+Object.setPrototypeOf(Plain.prototype, Shape.prototype);
+console.log(new Square(1).size, fresh, new Plain(), Object.prototype.toString.call(fresh));
+console.log(util.inspect(new Plain()), util.inspect(parsed, { depth: 0 }));
+
+// A subclass keeps its own constructor below a base whose prototype other
+// objects inherit: `new this.constructor()` in a base method builds the
+// subclass, also while the subclass's prototype holds a replaceable method.
+class Disc extends Shape {
+  area() {
+    return 3;
+  }
+  rebuild() {
+    return new this.constructor("copy of " + this.name);
+  }
+}
+const areaValue = Shape.prototype.area;
+const disc = new Disc("d");
+const rebuilt = disc.rebuild();
+console.log(disc.constructor === Disc, rebuilt instanceof Disc, rebuilt.area(), rebuilt.name, typeof areaValue);
diff --git a/tests/harness/corpus-costs/8260-class-prototype-views.mjs.json b/tests/harness/corpus-costs/8260-class-prototype-views.mjs.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f06add31f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/harness/corpus-costs/8260-class-prototype-views.mjs.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{ "plain": 8037, "san": 6172 }
diff --git a/tests/harness/errors.test.ts b/tests/harness/errors.test.ts
index c8849a10f..add31681d 100644
--- a/tests/harness/errors.test.ts
+++ b/tests/harness/errors.test.ts
@@ -2190,3 +2190,33 @@ for (const run of runs) {
     );
   });
 });
+
+describe("class prototype relinks (JS lane)", () => {
+  test("relinking a class prototype reached through an instance throws", async () => {
+    // Compiled code binds a class's inherited methods, so its prototype's
+    // [[Prototype]] cannot change at run time. Node would print "other";
+    // the native program refuses instead of answering A's method.
+    const r = await compileAndRun(
+      "class-prototype-relink",
+      `'use strict';
+class A {
+  a() {
+    return 'A.a';
+  }
+}
+class B extends A {}
+const prototype = Object.getPrototypeOf(new B());
+Object.setPrototypeOf(prototype, Object.getPrototypeOf(prototype));
+console.log('same prototype', new B().a());
+Object.setPrototypeOf(prototype, { a: () => 'other' });
+console.log(new B().a());
+`,
+      "cjs",
+    );
+    expect(r.exitCode).toBe(1);
+    expect(r.stdout).toBe("same prototype A.a\n");
+    expect(r.stderr).toBe(
+      "Uncaught Error: Object.setPrototypeOf with this value is not supported yet\n",
+    );
+  });
+});