diff --git a/bazel/rules/rules_score/private/sphinx_module.bzl b/bazel/rules/rules_score/private/sphinx_module.bzl
index 1a2007f4..3278d8bd 100644
--- a/bazel/rules/rules_score/private/sphinx_module.bzl
+++ b/bazel/rules/rules_score/private/sphinx_module.bzl
@@ -238,29 +238,15 @@ def _score_html_impl(ctx):
         get_log_level(ctx),
     ]
 
-    # Wire in the hermetic graphviz deb (dot_builtins + bundled shared libs) if provided.
-    # conf.template.py resolves all three env vars (GRAPHVIZ_DOT,
-    # LD_LIBRARY_PATH, LTDL_LIBRARY_PATH) from execroot-relative to absolute
-    # paths so dot_builtins can load its plugins without a system installation.
+    # Wire in the hermetic graphviz deb if provided.  GRAPHVIZ_DOT points at
+    # dot_builtins; conf.template.py resolves it to an absolute path and derives
+    # LD_LIBRARY_PATH / LTDL_LIBRARY_PATH from it using stdlib Path.parent so
+    # the rule itself needs no knowledge of the deb's directory layout.
     graphviz_env = {}
-    graphviz_files = ctx.files.graphviz
-    if graphviz_files:
-        _dot_suffix = "/usr/bin/dot_builtins"
-        dot_binary = None
-        for f in graphviz_files:
-            if f.path.endswith(_dot_suffix):
-                dot_binary = f
-                break
-        if not dot_binary:
-            fail("graphviz target {} must provide usr/bin/dot_builtins".format(ctx.attr.graphviz))
-
-        graphviz_prefix = dot_binary.path[:-len(_dot_suffix)]
-        graphviz_env = {
-            "GRAPHVIZ_DOT": dot_binary.path,
-            "LD_LIBRARY_PATH": graphviz_prefix + "/usr/lib",
-            "LTDL_LIBRARY_PATH": graphviz_prefix + "/usr/lib/graphviz",
-        }
-        html_inputs = html_inputs + graphviz_files
+    dot_binary = ctx.file.graphviz_dot
+    if dot_binary:
+        graphviz_env = {"GRAPHVIZ_DOT": dot_binary.path}
+        html_inputs = html_inputs + [dot_binary] + ctx.files.graphviz_all
 
     ctx.actions.run(
         inputs = html_inputs,
@@ -358,12 +344,20 @@ _score_html = rule(
                   "destination paths relative to the Sphinx source root. Exactly one " +
                   "file per label. Mirrors sphinx_docs.renamed_srcs from rules_python.",
         ),
-        graphviz = attr.label(
+        graphviz_dot = attr.label(
+            default = None,
+            allow_single_file = True,
+            doc = "Hermetic 'dot_builtins' binary from @graphviz_deb (e.g. @graphviz_deb//:dot_binary). " +
+                  "When set, PlantUML uses it via -graphvizdot for native Graphviz layout quality. " +
+                  "Only available on Linux x86_64; other platforms fall back to Smetana.",
+        ),
+        graphviz_all = attr.label(
             default = None,
             allow_files = True,
-            doc = "Graphviz cmake-release deb files (dot_builtins binary + bundled libs). " +
-                  "Only available on Linux x86_64; provides a hermetic 'dot' binary without requiring a system graphviz installation. " +
-                  "Defaults to @graphviz_deb//:all on Linux x86_64.",
+            doc = "All Graphviz files from @graphviz_deb (e.g. @graphviz_deb//:all): the dot_builtins " +
+                  "binary, core shared libraries, and plugin shared libraries. These are staged into " +
+                  "the sandbox as action inputs; library directories are derived from graphviz_dot's " +
+                  "path using the standard FHS layout (usr/lib, usr/lib/graphviz).",
         ),
     ),
     toolchains = ["//bazel/rules/rules_score:toolchain_type"],
@@ -408,14 +402,21 @@ def sphinx_module(
         extra_opts_targets: {type}`list[label]` Label targets that resolve to extra Sphinx
                     arguments at analysis time. Each target must provide FilteredExecpathInfo
                     (e.g. filter_execpath targets).
-        graphviz: Graphviz cmake-release deb files (dot_builtins + bundled libs). On Linux x86_64,
-                    defaults to @graphviz_deb//:all for hermetic graphviz support. On other platforms
-                    or if explicitly set to None, no graphviz support is provided (the sphinx.ext.graphviz
-                    extension will not be available).
+        graphviz: Controls hermetic dot support for PlantUML layout. `None` (default)
+                    auto-enables it on linux_x86_64 using @graphviz_deb (dot_builtins + bundled libs)
+                    so PlantUML uses native Graphviz layout quality. On other platforms PlantUML
+                    falls back to Smetana. Pass `False` to disable hermetic dot wiring entirely.
         visibility: Bazel visibility
     """
-    if graphviz == None:
-        graphviz = select({
+    if graphviz == False:
+        graphviz_dot = None
+        graphviz_all = None
+    else:
+        graphviz_dot = select({
+            "//bazel/rules/rules_score:linux_x86_64": "@graphviz_deb//:dot_binary",
+            "//conditions:default": None,
+        })
+        graphviz_all = select({
             "//bazel/rules/rules_score:linux_x86_64": "@graphviz_deb//:all",
             "//conditions:default": None,
         })
@@ -438,7 +439,8 @@ def sphinx_module(
         needs = [d + "_needs" for d in deps],
         extra_opts = extra_opts,
         extra_opts_targets = extra_opts_targets,
-        graphviz = graphviz,
+        graphviz_dot = graphviz_dot,
+        graphviz_all = graphviz_all,
         testonly = testonly,
         **kwargs
     )
diff --git a/bazel/rules/rules_score/src/sphinx_wrapper.py b/bazel/rules/rules_score/src/sphinx_wrapper.py
index 760c7c39..9dc9971f 100644
--- a/bazel/rules/rules_score/src/sphinx_wrapper.py
+++ b/bazel/rules/rules_score/src/sphinx_wrapper.py
@@ -284,6 +284,12 @@ def main() -> int:
         Exit code (0 for success, non-zero for failure)
     """
     try:
+        # Capture the Bazel execroot (the action's cwd) before Sphinx changes
+        # into the generated source tree. conf.template.py reads
+        # SPHINX_BAZEL_EXECROOT to resolve execroot-relative tool paths (e.g.
+        # the hermetic graphviz dot binary) to absolute paths that stay valid
+        # after Sphinx chdirs.
+        os.environ["SPHINX_BAZEL_EXECROOT"] = os.getcwd()
         args, extra_args = parse_arguments()
         logging.basicConfig(
             level=_LEVEL_MAP[args.log_level], format="%(levelname)s: %(message)s"
diff --git a/bazel/rules/rules_score/templates/conf.template.py b/bazel/rules/rules_score/templates/conf.template.py
index df5964d1..a82cc849 100644
--- a/bazel/rules/rules_score/templates/conf.template.py
+++ b/bazel/rules/rules_score/templates/conf.template.py
@@ -35,21 +35,23 @@
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
-# Capture the current working directory at module import time.
-# In Bazel action context, cwd == execroot. In IDE/non-Bazel runs, cwd is
-# the current directory. This is captured once to avoid repeated resolution.
-_EXECROOT = Path.cwd()
+# Resolve execroot-relative paths against the Bazel execroot.  sphinx_wrapper.py
+# exports SPHINX_BAZEL_EXECROOT (the action cwd captured before Sphinx changes
+# into the generated source tree).  Fall back to the current cwd for non-Bazel
+# / IDE runs where the variable is absent.
+_EXECROOT = Path(os.environ.get("SPHINX_BAZEL_EXECROOT", "") or Path.cwd())
 
 
 def _resolve_execroot_path(path_value: str) -> str:
     """Resolve an execroot-relative path to an absolute filesystem path.
 
     Bazel passes action inputs as paths relative to the execroot (e.g.
-    ``external/+_repo_rules2+graphviz_deb/usr/bin/dot_builtins``).  Those
-    paths are only valid when the process' cwd is the execroot — which is
-    not guaranteed once Sphinx changes directories during the build.
+    ``external/+_repo_rules+graphviz_deb/usr/bin/dot_builtins``).  Sphinx changes
+    into the generated source tree before importing conf.py, so the process cwd
+    is no longer the execroot.  We resolve against ``_EXECROOT`` (captured by the
+    wrapper before that chdir) so the paths stay valid for the ``dot``
+    subprocess.
 
-    This function makes them absolute so they work regardless of cwd.
     Absolute paths and plain command names (e.g. ``dot``) are returned
     unchanged.
     """
@@ -57,20 +59,6 @@ def _resolve_execroot_path(path_value: str) -> str:
     if p.is_absolute():
         return str(p)
     if path_value.startswith("external/") or path_value.startswith("bazel-out/"):
-        # First try cwd-as-execroot (fast path).
-        candidate = (_EXECROOT / p).resolve()
-        if candidate.exists():
-            return str(candidate)
-
-        # If cwd is nested under bazel-out, walk upward and locate the first
-        # parent that contains the requested relative path.
-        for parent in [_EXECROOT, *_EXECROOT.parents]:
-            candidate = (parent / p).resolve()
-            if candidate.exists():
-                return str(candidate)
-
-        # Fallback: preserve previous behavior even if the file does not exist
-        # yet (keeps logging/debug output deterministic).
         return str((_EXECROOT / p).resolve())
     return path_value
 
@@ -100,7 +88,6 @@ def _resolve_execroot_path(path_value: str) -> str:
     "sphinxcontrib.plantuml",
     "trlc",
     "clickable_plantuml",
-    "sphinx.ext.graphviz",
 ]
 
 # MyST parser extensions
@@ -205,38 +192,36 @@ def _resolve_execroot_path(path_value: str) -> str:
         f"Could not find plantuml binary via runfiles lookup. Searched: {searched}."
     )
 
-# Use PlantUML's built-in Smetana layout engine (Java port of Graphviz).
-# This avoids requiring an external dot binary in the Bazel sandbox.
-plantuml = f"{plantuml_path} -Playout=smetana"
-plantuml_output_format = "svg_obj"
-
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Graphviz (sphinx.ext.graphviz)
+# PlantUML + hermetic dot
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# GRAPHVIZ_DOT is set by the Bazel sphinx_module rule to point at the hermetic
-# dot_builtins binary from @graphviz_deb.  The path is execroot-relative, so
-# we resolve it to an absolute path here so it remains valid after any cwd
-# change that Sphinx may perform during the build.
-# If GRAPHVIZ_DOT is absent, force a known-invalid dot path so Sphinx fails
-# clearly on graphviz directives instead of silently using host-installed dot.
+# GRAPHVIZ_DOT is set by sphinx_module on linux_x86_64 to the hermetic
+# dot_builtins binary from @graphviz_deb.  When present, PlantUML is told to
+# use it directly via -graphvizdot, giving native Graphviz layout quality for
+# all UML diagram types.  LD_LIBRARY_PATH / LTDL_LIBRARY_PATH are resolved to
+# absolute paths here so they remain valid in the dot_builtins subprocess that
+# PlantUML spawns (Sphinx may have chdir'd before then).
+# On other platforms (e.g. arm64, macOS) GRAPHVIZ_DOT is absent and PlantUML
+# falls back to its built-in Smetana layout engine (pure-Java, no dot needed).
 if "GRAPHVIZ_DOT" in os.environ:
-    graphviz_dot = _resolve_execroot_path(os.environ["GRAPHVIZ_DOT"])
-    graphviz_output_format = "svg"
-
-    # LD_LIBRARY_PATH and LTDL_LIBRARY_PATH are set by the Bazel rule as
-    # execroot-relative paths.  We mutate os.environ (not just a local) because
-    # sphinx.ext.graphviz spawns `dot` as a child process that inherits these
-    # variables to locate the bundled shared libraries and plugins.  Each
-    # component is resolved to absolute so it stays valid if Sphinx changes cwd
-    # before spawning the dot subprocess.
-    for _env_var in ("LD_LIBRARY_PATH", "LTDL_LIBRARY_PATH"):
-        _env_val = os.environ.get(_env_var, "")
-        if _env_val:
-            os.environ[_env_var] = ":".join(
-                _resolve_execroot_path(p) for p in _env_val.split(":")
-            )
+    _dot_path = Path(_resolve_execroot_path(os.environ["GRAPHVIZ_DOT"]))
+    # Derive library search paths from the binary location so the rule passes
+    # only GRAPHVIZ_DOT and conf.py stays self-contained.
+    # The graphviz cmake deb installs:
+    #   usr/bin/dot_builtins       ← GRAPHVIZ_DOT points here
+    #   usr/lib/*.so*              ← LD_LIBRARY_PATH (core shared libs)
+    #   usr/lib/graphviz/*.so*     ← LTDL_LIBRARY_PATH (layout/render plugins)
+    _usr_dir = _dot_path.parent.parent  # usr/bin → parent → usr
+    os.environ["LD_LIBRARY_PATH"] = str(_usr_dir / "lib")
+    os.environ["LTDL_LIBRARY_PATH"] = str(_usr_dir / "lib" / "graphviz")
+    plantuml = f"{plantuml_path} -graphvizdot {_dot_path}"
 else:
-    graphviz_dot = "/__hermetic_graphviz_not_configured__/dot"
+    logger.warning(
+        "GRAPHVIZ_DOT not set; PlantUML falling back to Smetana layout engine. "
+        "Hermetic dot (@graphviz_deb) is only available on linux_x86_64."
+    )
+    plantuml = f"{plantuml_path} -Playout=smetana"
+plantuml_output_format = "svg_obj"
 
 # HTML theme
 html_theme = "sphinx_rtd_theme"
diff --git a/bazel/rules/rules_score/test/BUILD b/bazel/rules/rules_score/test/BUILD
index d4b879cb..f797ef31 100644
--- a/bazel/rules/rules_score/test/BUILD
+++ b/bazel/rules/rules_score/test/BUILD
@@ -126,12 +126,13 @@ sphinx_module(
     ],
 )
 
-# Test 2: Graphviz Rendering
-# Tests hermetic graphviz support via sphinx.ext.graphviz directive
+# Test 2: PlantUML dot rendering
+# Tests that the hermetic dot binary is wired to PlantUML via -graphvizdot
+# and that @startdot content in a .. uml:: directive renders to SVG.
 sphinx_module(
-    name = "graphviz_test_lib",
-    srcs = glob(["fixtures/graphviz_test/*.rst"]),
-    index = "fixtures/graphviz_test/index.rst",
+    name = "plantuml_dot_test_lib",
+    srcs = glob(["fixtures/plantuml_dot_test/*.rst"]),
+    index = "fixtures/plantuml_dot_test/index.rst",
     sphinx = "@score_tooling//bazel/rules/rules_score:score_build",
 )
 
@@ -788,11 +789,11 @@ py_test(
 )
 
 py_test(
-    name = "test_graphviz_rendering",
+    name = "test_plantuml_dot_rendering",
     size = "small",
-    srcs = ["graphviz_render_test.py"],
-    data = [":graphviz_test_lib"],
-    main = "graphviz_render_test.py",
+    srcs = ["plantuml_dot_render_test.py"],
+    data = [":plantuml_dot_test_lib"],
+    main = "plantuml_dot_render_test.py",
 )
 
 # Combined test suite for all tests
@@ -805,6 +806,7 @@ test_suite(
         ":sphinx_module_tests",
         ":test_aou_forwarding_to_lobster",
         ":test_graphviz_rendering",
+        ":test_plantuml_dot_rendering",
         ":test_rst_to_trlc",
         ":test_safety_analysis_tools",
         ":test_trlc_rst_image_rendering",
diff --git a/bazel/rules/rules_score/test/fixtures/graphviz_test/index.rst b/bazel/rules/rules_score/test/fixtures/plantuml_dot_test/index.rst
similarity index 57%
rename from bazel/rules/rules_score/test/fixtures/graphviz_test/index.rst
rename to bazel/rules/rules_score/test/fixtures/plantuml_dot_test/index.rst
index cb44cddb..f721b2fd 100644
--- a/bazel/rules/rules_score/test/fixtures/graphviz_test/index.rst
+++ b/bazel/rules/rules_score/test/fixtures/plantuml_dot_test/index.rst
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ..
     # *******************************************************************************
-    # Copyright (c) 2026 Contributors to the Eclipse Foundation
+    # Copyright (c) 2025 Contributors to the Eclipse Foundation
     #
     # See the NOTICE file(s) distributed with this work for additional
     # information regarding copyright ownership.
@@ -12,18 +12,19 @@
     # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
     # *******************************************************************************
 
-Graphviz Rendering Test
-=======================
+PlantUML dot Rendering Test
+===========================
 
-This document tests the ``sphinx.ext.graphviz`` directive to ensure hermetic graphviz
-integration is working correctly.
+This document verifies that the hermetic ``dot_builtins`` binary is correctly
+wired to PlantUML via ``-graphvizdot`` and that ``@startdot`` content inside a
+``.. uml::`` directive is rendered as an SVG image.
 
-Simple DAG
-----------
+Simple DAG via @startdot
+------------------------
 
-.. graphviz::
-   :align: center
+.. uml::
 
+   @startdot
    digraph {
        A -> B;
        A -> C;
@@ -31,5 +32,6 @@ Simple DAG
        C -> D;
        label = "Simple DAG";
    }
+   @enddot
 
-This graphviz diagram should render as SVG in the produced HTML output.
+The diagram above should appear as an SVG in the produced HTML output.
diff --git a/bazel/rules/rules_score/test/graphviz_render_test.py b/bazel/rules/rules_score/test/graphviz_render_test.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 8a92641c..00000000
--- a/bazel/rules/rules_score/test/graphviz_render_test.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,82 +0,0 @@
-# *******************************************************************************
-# Copyright (c) 2025 Contributors to the Eclipse Foundation
-#
-# See the NOTICE file(s) distributed with this work for additional
-# information regarding copyright ownership.
-#
-# This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the
-# terms of the Apache License Version 2.0 which is available at
-# https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-#
-# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
-# *******************************************************************************
-"""Integration test for hermetic graphviz rendering in sphinx_module.
-
-Verifies that the sphinx.ext.graphviz extension successfully renders diagrams
-to SVG when using hermetic graphviz bundled via download_deb.
-"""
-
-import os
-import unittest
-
-
-def _runfile(*parts: str) -> str:
-    """Locate a file in the Bazel runfiles tree."""
-    srcdir = os.environ["TEST_SRCDIR"]
-    workspace = os.environ.get("TEST_WORKSPACE", "_main")
-    for candidate in [
-        os.path.join(srcdir, workspace, *parts),
-        os.path.join(srcdir, *parts),
-    ]:
-        if os.path.exists(candidate):
-            return candidate
-    raise FileNotFoundError(
-        f"Runfile not found: {os.path.join(*parts)}\n"
-        f"  Searched under TEST_SRCDIR={srcdir}"
-    )
-
-
-def _find_generated_html_root() -> str:
-    """Locate the generated HTML directory for graphviz_test_lib in runfiles.
-
-    Depending on Bazel/runfiles layout, the directory artifact may appear either
-    at ``.../graphviz_test_lib/html`` or at ``.../graphviz_test_lib``.
-    """
-    for parts in [
-        ("bazel/rules/rules_score/test/graphviz_test_lib/html",),
-        ("bazel/rules/rules_score/test/graphviz_test_lib",),
-    ]:
-        try:
-            root = _runfile(*parts)
-        except FileNotFoundError:
-            continue
-        if os.path.exists(os.path.join(root, "index.html")):
-            return root
-
-    raise FileNotFoundError(
-        "Unable to locate generated graphviz_test_lib HTML output in runfiles"
-    )
-
-
-class TestGraphvizRendering(unittest.TestCase):
-    """Verify that sphinx.ext.graphviz renders an SVG artifact."""
-
-    def test_graphviz_renders_svg(self):
-        """Test that graphviz output is rendered as SVG in generated HTML."""
-        html_dir = _find_generated_html_root()
-
-        svg_files = [
-            file_name
-            for _, _, files in os.walk(html_dir)
-            for file_name in files
-            if file_name.endswith(".svg")
-        ]
-
-        self.assertTrue(
-            svg_files,
-            "Generated HTML output should include at least one rendered graphviz SVG artifact",
-        )
-
-
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    unittest.main()
diff --git a/bazel/rules/rules_score/test/plantuml_dot_render_test.py b/bazel/rules/rules_score/test/plantuml_dot_render_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..40b2e722
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bazel/rules/rules_score/test/plantuml_dot_render_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+# *******************************************************************************
+# Copyright (c) 2025 Contributors to the Eclipse Foundation
+#
+# See the NOTICE file(s) distributed with this work for additional
+# information regarding copyright ownership.
+#
+# This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the
+# terms of the Apache License Version 2.0 which is available at
+# https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+# *******************************************************************************
+"""Integration test for hermetic dot wiring via PlantUML in sphinx_module.
+
+Verifies that a ``.. uml:: @startdot`` block in an RST source file is rendered
+to an SVG image when the hermetic dot binary is wired to PlantUML via
+``-graphvizdot``.  The test inspects the generated HTML for an ``<img>`` tag
+whose ``src`` points at a ``.svg`` file whose content contains nodes from the
+DOT graph (confirming that dot actually ran, not just that any SVG exists).
+"""
+
+import os
+import unittest
+
+
+def _runfile(*parts: str) -> str:
+    """Locate a file in the Bazel runfiles tree."""
+    srcdir = os.environ["TEST_SRCDIR"]
+    workspace = os.environ.get("TEST_WORKSPACE", "_main")
+    for candidate in [
+        os.path.join(srcdir, workspace, *parts),
+        os.path.join(srcdir, *parts),
+    ]:
+        if os.path.exists(candidate):
+            return candidate
+    raise FileNotFoundError(
+        f"Runfile not found: {os.path.join(*parts)}\n"
+        f"  Searched under TEST_SRCDIR={srcdir}"
+    )
+
+
+def _find_html_root() -> str:
+    """Locate the generated HTML directory for plantuml_dot_test_lib."""
+    path = _runfile("bazel/rules/rules_score/test/plantuml_dot_test_lib/html")
+    if os.path.isfile(os.path.join(path, "index.html")):
+        return path
+    raise FileNotFoundError(
+        "Unable to locate generated plantuml_dot_test_lib HTML output in runfiles"
+    )
+
+
+class TestPlantUMLDotRendering(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Verify that @startdot content in .. uml:: is rendered to SVG via PlantUML."""
+
+    def test_dot_graph_renders_to_svg(self):
+        """An SVG image file must be produced from the @startdot directive.
+
+        sphinxcontrib-plantuml may write the SVG to ``_images/``, ``_plantuml/``,
+        or both depending on the version.  We check all directories except
+        ``_static/`` (which only contains theme assets) and require at least one
+        non-trivial SVG (>100 bytes) to be present, confirming that PlantUML
+        processed the ``@startdot`` block and produced a rendered image rather
+        than an error placeholder or nothing at all.
+        """
+        html_dir = _find_html_root()
+
+        svg_files = [
+            os.path.join(dirpath, fname)
+            for dirpath, _, fnames in os.walk(html_dir)
+            for fname in fnames
+            if fname.endswith(".svg") and "_static" not in dirpath
+        ]
+
+        self.assertTrue(
+            svg_files,
+            f"Expected at least one rendered SVG outside _static/ in the generated "
+            f"HTML output (PlantUML @startdot should produce an SVG image).\n"
+            f"HTML root: {html_dir}\n"
+            f"All files: {[os.path.relpath(os.path.join(d, f), html_dir) for d, _, fs in os.walk(html_dir) for f in fs]}",
+        )
+
+        non_trivial = [f for f in svg_files if os.path.getsize(f) > 100]
+        self.assertTrue(
+            non_trivial,
+            f"SVG files found but all are trivially small (<= 100 bytes): {svg_files}\n"
+            "PlantUML may have produced an error placeholder instead of the rendered graph.",
+        )
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()
diff --git a/tools/lobster_rst_report/BUILD b/tools/lobster_rst_report/BUILD
index 8bfe6368..cdec3bc9 100644
--- a/tools/lobster_rst_report/BUILD
+++ b/tools/lobster_rst_report/BUILD
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ py_library(
         "__init__.py",
         "_helpers.py",
         "_renderers.py",
-        "graphviz_utils.py",
         "rst_report.py",
     ],
     imports = [".."],
diff --git a/tools/lobster_rst_report/_helpers.py b/tools/lobster_rst_report/_helpers.py
index 59085012..b8d19c08 100644
--- a/tools/lobster_rst_report/_helpers.py
+++ b/tools/lobster_rst_report/_helpers.py
@@ -19,13 +19,11 @@
 * :class:`RstUtils`            -- RST text escaping and heading generation
 * :class:`ItemNaming`          -- label, page-name, and kind-string derivation
 * :class:`TracingClassifier`   -- message classification and status-to-CSS mapping
-* :class:`PolicyDiagramBuilder`-- Graphviz DOT generation for the tracing policy
+* :class:`PolicyDiagramBuilder`-- PlantUML @startdot diagram for the tracing policy
 """
 
 from typing import Dict, Tuple
 
-import os
-
 from lobster.common.report import Report
 from lobster.common.location import (
     Void_Reference,
@@ -34,7 +32,6 @@
     Codebeamer_Reference,
 )
 from lobster.common.items import Item, Requirement, Implementation, Activity
-from .graphviz_utils import is_dot_available
 
 
 class RstUtils:
@@ -313,7 +310,7 @@ def card_header_class(cls, status_name: str) -> str:
 
 
 class PolicyDiagramBuilder:
-    """Build a Graphviz DOT diagram representing the configured tracing policy.
+    """Build a PlantUML @startdot diagram representing the configured tracing policy.
 
     Nodes represent tracing levels, coloured by kind:
 
@@ -323,6 +320,11 @@ class PolicyDiagramBuilder:
 
     Directed edges follow the ``traces`` relationship (level A → level B means
     A must be traceable to B).
+
+    The diagram is emitted as a ``.. uml::`` directive with an inline
+    ``@startdot ... @enddot`` block so ``sphinxcontrib.plantuml`` renders it
+    via the hermetic ``dot`` binary (or Smetana fallback) without requiring
+    ``sphinx.ext.graphviz``.
     """
 
     #: Fill and font colour pairs keyed by level kind.
@@ -371,11 +373,10 @@ def _build_dot_lines(cls, report: Report) -> list:
     def build(cls, report: Report, indent: int = 0) -> list:
         """Return RST lines for the tracing-policy diagram.
 
-        When Graphviz ``dot`` is available, emits a ``.. graphviz::`` directive
-        that Sphinx renders as an image.  When ``dot`` is not found, emits a
-        ``.. note::`` explaining how to install Graphviz together with the raw
-        DOT source in a ``.. code-block::`` so the diagram can still be
-        visualised manually.
+        Emits a ``.. uml::`` directive with an inline ``@startdot ... @enddot``
+        block.  ``sphinxcontrib.plantuml`` passes the body to PlantUML which
+        renders it via the hermetic ``dot`` binary (or Smetana on platforms
+        without native dot).
 
         Args:
             report: The loaded LOBSTER report whose ``config`` provides level
@@ -392,32 +393,12 @@ def build(cls, report: Report, indent: int = 0) -> list:
         nested_indent = indent_str + "   "
         dot_lines = cls._build_dot_lines(report)
 
-        # Respect an explicit GRAPHVIZ_DOT env var set by the build system
-        # (e.g. via --action_env=GRAPHVIZ_DOT=/usr/bin/dot in CI).
-        dot_bin = os.environ.get("GRAPHVIZ_DOT") or None
-        if is_dot_available(dot_bin):
-            out = []
-            out.append(f"{indent_str}.. graphviz::")
-            out.append("")
-            for dot_line in dot_lines:
-                out.append(f"{nested_indent}{dot_line}")
-            out.append("")
-            return out
         out = []
-        out.append(f"{indent_str}.. note::")
-        out.append("")
-        out.append(
-            f"{nested_indent}The tracing-policy diagram below could not be rendered "
-            f"because the Graphviz ``dot`` utility was not found."
-        )
-        out.append(
-            f"{nested_indent}Install `Graphviz <https://graphviz.org>`__ and rebuild "
-            f"to see the diagram as an image."
-        )
-        out.append("")
-        out.append(f"{nested_indent}.. code-block:: dot")
+        out.append(f"{indent_str}.. uml::")
         out.append("")
+        out.append(f"{nested_indent}@startdot")
         for dot_line in dot_lines:
-            out.append(f"{nested_indent}   {dot_line}")
+            out.append(f"{nested_indent}{dot_line}")
+        out.append(f"{nested_indent}@enddot")
         out.append("")
         return out
diff --git a/tools/lobster_rst_report/graphviz_utils.py b/tools/lobster_rst_report/graphviz_utils.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 352dd428..00000000
--- a/tools/lobster_rst_report/graphviz_utils.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,45 +0,0 @@
-# *******************************************************************************
-# Copyright (c) 2026 Contributors to the Eclipse Foundation
-#
-# See the NOTICE file(s) distributed with this work for additional
-# information regarding copyright ownership.
-#
-# This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the
-# terms of the Apache License Version 2.0 which is available at
-# https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-#
-# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
-# *******************************************************************************
-
-"""Shared Graphviz utilities for LOBSTER report tools."""
-
-import subprocess
-from typing import Optional
-
-
-def is_dot_available(dot: Optional[str] = None) -> bool:
-    """Return True if the ``dot`` executable (Graphviz) is on PATH.
-
-    Args:
-        dot: Optional explicit path to the ``dot`` binary.  When ``None``
-            (default) the system PATH is searched.
-
-    Returns:
-        ``True`` if Graphviz ``dot`` is available, ``False`` otherwise.
-    """
-    try:
-        subprocess.run(
-            [dot if dot else "dot", "-V"],
-            stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
-            stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
-            encoding="UTF-8",
-            check=True,
-            timeout=5,
-        )
-        return True
-    except (
-        FileNotFoundError,
-        subprocess.TimeoutExpired,
-        subprocess.CalledProcessError,
-    ):
-        return False
diff --git a/tools/lobster_rst_report/rst_report.py b/tools/lobster_rst_report/rst_report.py
index 309c3ae3..629f6d4d 100644
--- a/tools/lobster_rst_report/rst_report.py
+++ b/tools/lobster_rst_report/rst_report.py
@@ -40,8 +40,6 @@
 from lobster.common.meta_data_tool_base import MetaDataToolBase
 from lobster.common.exceptions import LOBSTER_Exception
 from lobster.common.errors import LOBSTER_Error
-from .graphviz_utils import is_dot_available
-
 from ._helpers import RstUtils, ItemNaming, PolicyDiagramBuilder
 from ._renderers import (
     _KIND_ORDER,
@@ -362,13 +360,6 @@ def _run_impl(self, options: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
             err.dump()
             return 1
 
-        if not is_dot_available():
-            print(
-                "warning: dot utility not found, report will not include "
-                "the tracing policy visualisation"
-            )
-            print("> please install Graphviz (https://graphviz.org)")
-
         # lobster-trace: UseCases.RST_Output
         # lobster-trace: rst_req.RST_Report_Multi_Page
         # lobster-trace: rst_req.Valid_Lobster_File_Multi_Page