diff --git a/crates/compose/src/lib.rs b/crates/compose/src/lib.rs
index 5a3056d8f..5c9cd2bc5 100644
--- a/crates/compose/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/compose/src/lib.rs
@@ -939,7 +939,12 @@ fn compose_with_db(doc: &Document, story: &Story, frames: &[FrameSpec], opts: &C
             if pp.rule_above.on {
                 let r = &pp.rule_above;
                 let y = bl - asc - r.offset;
-                let col = ft.lines.iter().rev().find(|l| l.para == pi).map(|l| (l.x0, l.x1)).unwrap_or((0.0, 0.0));
+                let col = ft
+                    .lines
+                    .iter()
+                    .find(|l| l.para == pi && l.first_in_para)
+                    .map(|l| if r.column_width { (l.x0, l.x1) } else { (l.x0, l.end_x) })
+                    .unwrap_or((0.0, 0.0));
                 ft.decos.push(Deco {
                     rect: Rect::new(col.0 + r.left_indent, y - r.weight, col.1 - r.right_indent, y),
                     color: r.color.clone(),
diff --git a/crates/doc/src/attrs.rs b/crates/doc/src/attrs.rs
index ed3a5eca3..ce658e907 100644
--- a/crates/doc/src/attrs.rs
+++ b/crates/doc/src/attrs.rs
@@ -817,10 +817,48 @@ attr_set! {
     }
 }
 
+impl ParaAttrs {
+    /// [`set_json`](Self::set_json), except that a `ruleAbove` / `ruleBelow` object names only the
+    /// rule fields to change; the others keep their values in `current` (the resolved attributes
+    /// of the paragraph or style being edited).
+    pub fn set_json_over(&mut self, key: &str, value: &serde_json::Value, current: &ParaProps) -> Result<(), String> {
+        let rule = match key.chars().filter(|c| *c != '_').collect::<String>().to_ascii_lowercase().as_str() {
+            "ruleabove" => &current.rule_above,
+            "rulebelow" => &current.rule_below,
+            _ => return self.set_json(key, value),
+        };
+        let serde_json::Value::Object(patch) = value else { return self.set_json(key, value) };
+        let mut merged = serde_json::to_value(rule).map_err(|e| format!("{key}: {e}"))?;
+        let serde_json::Value::Object(fields) = &mut merged else { return Err(format!("{key}: not an object")) };
+        for (k, v) in patch {
+            if !fields.contains_key(k) {
+                return Err(format!("{key}: unknown rule field `{k}`"));
+            }
+            fields.insert(k.clone(), v.clone());
+        }
+        self.set_json(key, &merged)
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
 
+    #[test]
+    fn a_partial_rule_keeps_the_other_fields() {
+        let current = ParaProps {
+            rule_below: Rule { on: true, weight: 3.0, color: "Red".into(), offset: 4.0, column_width: false, ..Rule::default() },
+            ..ParaProps::default()
+        };
+        let mut a = ParaAttrs::default();
+        a.set_json_over("ruleBelow", &serde_json::json!({"color": "Blue"}), &current).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(a.rule_below, Some(Rule { color: "Blue".into(), ..current.rule_below.clone() }));
+        assert_eq!(a.rule_above, None);
+        assert!(a.set_json_over("ruleAbove", &serde_json::json!({"colour": "Blue"}), &current).is_err(), "unknown field");
+        a.set_json_over("ruleBelow", &serde_json::Value::Null, &current).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(a.rule_below, None, "null clears the override");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn digits_map_to_their_script() {
         assert_eq!(Digits::Default.map('7', "Arabic"), '7');
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/style.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/style.rs
index 3fb86fb6c..5c1d03df5 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/style.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/style.rs
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ pub fn specs() -> Vec<CommandSpec> {
             "Paragraph Style Options…",
             [],
             None,
-            "{name, rename?, basedOn?, nextStyle?, para?: {…}, chars?: {…}}",
+            "{name, rename?, basedOn?, nextStyle?, para?: {… ruleAbove?/ruleBelow?: only the named rule fields change}, chars?: {…}}",
             has_doc,
             edit_para
         ),
@@ -453,7 +453,6 @@ fn CharProps_to_attrs(p: &designcraft_doc::CharProps) -> CharAttrs {
 
 fn edit_para(s: &mut Session, p: &Value) -> Result<Value> {
     let name = str_param(p, "name").ok_or_else(|| bad("style.paragraph.edit", "missing name"))?.to_string();
-    let para: ParaAttrs = attrs(p.get("para"), |a: &mut ParaAttrs, k, v| a.set_json(k, v))?;
     let chars: CharAttrs = attrs(p.get("chars"), |a: &mut CharAttrs, k, v| a.set_json(k, v))?;
     let rename = str_param(p, "rename").map(str::to_string);
     let based = p.get("basedOn").cloned();
@@ -463,6 +462,9 @@ fn edit_para(s: &mut Session, p: &Value) -> Result<Value> {
         {
             return Err(bad("style.paragraph.edit", "based-on would create a cycle"));
         }
+        // A rule object changes only the rule fields it names, over the style's resolved rule.
+        let (current, _) = d.styles.resolve_para_style(&name);
+        let para: ParaAttrs = attrs(p.get("para"), |a: &mut ParaAttrs, k, v| a.set_json_over(k, v, &current))?;
         let st = d.styles_mut().para_mut(&name).ok_or_else(|| bad("style.paragraph.edit", format!("no style `{name}`")))?;
         st.para.merge(&para);
         st.chars.merge(&chars);
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/text.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/text.rs
index a75d6d473..af98fe140 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/text.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/text.rs
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ pub fn specs() -> Vec<CommandSpec> {
             "Paragraph Formatting",
             [],
             None,
-            "{attrs: {align?, leftIndent?, firstLineIndent?, spaceBefore?, spaceAfter?, dropCapLines?, hyphenate?, composer?, tabs?, …}}",
+            "{attrs: {align?, leftIndent?, firstLineIndent?, spaceBefore?, spaceAfter?, dropCapLines?, hyphenate?, composer?, tabs?, ruleAbove?/ruleBelow?: {on?, weight?, color?, tint?, columnWidth?, offset?, leftIndent?, rightIndent?} (only the named rule fields change), …}}",
             has_text_or_frames,
             |s, p| format_paras(s, p.get("attrs").unwrap_or(p))
         ),
@@ -772,19 +772,27 @@ pub(crate) fn format_chars(s: &mut Session, attrs: &Value) -> Result<Value> {
 }
 
 pub(crate) fn format_paras(s: &mut Session, attrs: &Value) -> Result<Value> {
+    let empty = serde_json::Map::new();
+    let obj = attrs.as_object().unwrap_or(&empty);
+    // A rule object changes only the rule fields it names, so each paragraph gets its own attrs
+    // over its resolved rule; this pass validates them.
     let mut a = ParaAttrs::default();
-    if let Some(o) = attrs.as_object() {
-        for (k, v) in o {
-            a.set_json(k, v).map_err(|e| bad("type.para", e))?;
-        }
+    for (k, v) in obj {
+        a.set_json_over(k, v, &designcraft_doc::ParaProps::default()).map_err(|e| bad("type.para", e))?;
     }
     // `null` removes the override (back to the style's value).
-    let cleared: Vec<String> = attrs.as_object().map(|o| o.iter().filter(|(_, v)| v.is_null()).map(|(k, _)| k.clone()).collect()).unwrap_or_default();
+    let cleared: Vec<String> = obj.iter().filter(|(_, v)| v.is_null()).map(|(k, _)| k.clone()).collect();
     let targets = format_targets(s);
     s.edit(|d, _| {
+        let styles = d.styles.clone();
         for t in &targets {
             if let Some(st) = d.text_story_mut(t.story, t.cell) {
                 st.format_paras(t.range.clone(), |p| {
+                    let (current, _) = styles.resolve_para(p);
+                    let mut a = a.clone();
+                    for (k, v) in obj {
+                        let _ = a.set_json_over(k, v, &current);
+                    }
                     p.para.merge(&a);
                     for k in &cleared {
                         let _ = p.para.set_json(k, &Value::Null);
@@ -1227,6 +1235,56 @@ mod nested_line_style_tests {
     }
 }
 
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod rule_tests {
+    use serde_json::json;
+
+    use crate::Session;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn a_partial_rule_edit_keeps_the_other_fields() {
+        let mut s = Session::new();
+        s.execute("file.new", &json!({})).unwrap();
+        let rule = json!({"on": true, "weight": 3.0, "color": "[Black]", "tint": 0.5, "columnWidth": false, "offset": 4.0, "leftIndent": 6.0, "rightIndent": 2.0});
+        s.execute("style.paragraph.create", &json!({"name": "Ruled", "para": {"ruleBelow": rule}})).unwrap();
+        let r = s.execute("frame.create", &json!({"rect": [72, 72, 300, 400], "content": "text", "text": "One\nTwo"})).unwrap();
+        s.execute("text.select", &json!({"story": r["story"], "anchor": 0, "focus": 0})).unwrap();
+        s.execute("style.paragraph.apply", &json!({"name": "Ruled"})).unwrap();
+        // Local: only the colour changes; the rest is inherited from the style.
+        s.execute("type.para", &json!({"attrs": {"ruleBelow": {"color": "[Registration]"}}})).unwrap();
+        let attrs = s.execute("type.selectionAttrs", &json!({})).unwrap();
+        let mut want = rule.clone();
+        want["color"] = json!("[Registration]");
+        assert_eq!(attrs["para"]["ruleBelow"], want);
+        assert_eq!(attrs["para"]["ruleAbove"]["on"], false, "the other rule is untouched");
+        // Style: only the weight changes.
+        s.execute("style.paragraph.edit", &json!({"name": "Ruled", "para": {"ruleBelow": {"weight": 1.5}}})).unwrap();
+        let st = s.doc().unwrap().doc.styles.para("Ruled").cloned().unwrap();
+        let below = serde_json::to_value(st.para.rule_below.unwrap()).unwrap();
+        let mut want = rule.clone();
+        want["weight"] = json!(1.5);
+        assert_eq!(below, want);
+        assert!(s.execute("type.para", &json!({"attrs": {"ruleBelow": {"thickness": 2}}})).is_err(), "unknown rule field");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn rule_above_width_follows_column_or_text() {
+        let mut s = Session::new();
+        s.execute("file.new", &json!({})).unwrap();
+        let r = s.execute("frame.create", &json!({"rect": [72, 72, 400, 400], "content": "text", "text": "Short"})).unwrap();
+        s.execute("text.select", &json!({"story": r["story"], "anchor": 0, "focus": 0})).unwrap();
+        let sid = designcraft_doc::StoryId(r["story"].as_u64().unwrap());
+        let mut widths = vec![];
+        for column in [true, false] {
+            s.execute("type.para", &json!({"ruleAbove": {"on": true, "columnWidth": column}})).unwrap();
+            let cs = s.cache.get(&s.doc().unwrap().doc, sid, None);
+            widths.push(cs.frames[0].decos[0].rect.width());
+        }
+        assert!((widths[0] - 328.0).abs() < 1e-6, "column: {widths:?}");
+        assert!(widths[1] < 100.0, "text: {widths:?}");
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod border_tests {
     use serde_json::json;