diff --git a/lib/optimizely/config/datafile_project_config.rb b/lib/optimizely/config/datafile_project_config.rb
index cf3a3629..3cd8d11c 100644
--- a/lib/optimizely/config/datafile_project_config.rb
+++ b/lib/optimizely/config/datafile_project_config.rb
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ class DatafileProjectConfig < ProjectConfig
                 :group_id_map, :rollout_id_map, :rollout_experiment_id_map, :variation_id_map,
                 :variation_id_to_variable_usage_map, :variation_key_map, :variation_id_map_by_experiment_id,
                 :variation_key_map_by_experiment_id, :flag_variation_map, :integration_key_map, :integrations,
-                :public_key_for_odp, :host_for_odp, :all_segments, :region, :holdouts, :holdout_id_map
+                :public_key_for_odp, :host_for_odp, :all_segments, :region, :holdouts, :holdout_id_map,
+                :global_holdouts, :rule_holdouts_map
     # Boolean - denotes if Optimizely should remove the last block of visitors' IP address before storing event data
     attr_reader :anonymize_ip
 
@@ -114,6 +115,8 @@ def initialize(datafile, logger, error_handler)
       @variation_id_to_experiment_map = {}
       @flag_variation_map = {}
       @holdout_id_map = {}
+      @global_holdouts = []
+      @rule_holdouts_map = {}
 
       @holdouts.each do |holdout|
         next unless holdout['status'] == 'Running'
@@ -122,6 +125,19 @@ def initialize(datafile, logger, error_handler)
         holdout['layerId'] ||= ''
 
         @holdout_id_map[holdout['id']] = holdout
+
+        # Classify holdout as global or local based on includedRules field.
+        # If includedRules is nil (absent from datafile), holdout is global and applies to all rules.
+        # If includedRules is an array (even empty), holdout is local and targets specific rule IDs.
+        included_rules = holdout['includedRules']
+        if included_rules.nil?
+          @global_holdouts << holdout
+        else
+          included_rules.each do |rule_id|
+            @rule_holdouts_map[rule_id] ||= []
+            @rule_holdouts_map[rule_id] << holdout
+          end
+        end
       end
 
       @experiment_id_map.each_value do |exp|
@@ -642,6 +658,17 @@ def get_holdout(holdout_id)
       nil
     end
 
+    def get_holdouts_for_rule(rule_id)
+      # Returns local holdouts targeting a specific rule.
+      # Local holdouts are holdouts where includedRules is a non-nil array containing rule_id.
+      #
+      # rule_id - String ID of the rule to look up
+      #
+      # Returns Array of holdout hashes (empty array if none found)
+
+      @rule_holdouts_map[rule_id] || []
+    end
+
     private
 
     def get_everyone_else_variation(feature_flag)
diff --git a/lib/optimizely/decision_service.rb b/lib/optimizely/decision_service.rb
index 38d10ab8..9166a689 100644
--- a/lib/optimizely/decision_service.rb
+++ b/lib/optimizely/decision_service.rb
@@ -169,11 +169,14 @@ def get_variation_for_feature(project_config, feature_flag, user_context, decide
       # user_context - Optimizely user context instance
       #
       # Returns DecisionResult struct.
-      # Get running holdouts from the holdout_id_map (all holdouts are global now)
+      # Get running holdouts from the holdout_id_map (global and local).
+      # If any holdouts exist, use get_decision_for_flag which checks global holdouts
+      # at flag level and local holdouts per-rule.
       running_holdouts = project_config.holdout_id_map.values
 
       if running_holdouts && !running_holdouts.empty?
-        # Has holdouts - use get_decision_for_flag which checks holdouts first
+        # Has holdouts - use get_decision_for_flag which checks global holdouts first,
+        # then experiments/rollouts which check local holdouts per-rule
         get_decision_for_flag(feature_flag, user_context, project_config, decide_options)
       else
         get_variations_for_feature_list(project_config, [feature_flag], user_context, decide_options).first
@@ -196,16 +199,17 @@ def get_decision_for_flag(feature_flag, user_context, project_config, decide_opt
       reasons = decide_reasons ? decide_reasons.dup : []
       user_id = user_context.user_id
 
-      # Check holdouts (all holdouts are global now - apply to all flags)
-      holdouts = project_config.holdout_id_map.values
+      # Check global holdouts first (those with includedRules == nil).
+      # Global holdouts apply to all rules and are evaluated at the flag level.
+      global_holdouts = project_config.global_holdouts
 
-      holdouts.each do |holdout|
+      global_holdouts.each do |holdout|
         holdout_decision = get_variation_for_holdout(holdout, user_context, project_config)
         reasons.push(*holdout_decision.reasons)
 
         next unless holdout_decision.decision
 
-        message = "The user '#{user_id}' is bucketed into holdout '#{holdout['key']}' for feature flag '#{feature_flag['key']}'."
+        message = "The user '#{user_id}' is bucketed into global holdout '#{holdout['key']}' for feature flag '#{feature_flag['key']}'."
         @logger.log(Logger::INFO, message)
         reasons.push(message)
         return DecisionResult.new(holdout_decision.decision, false, reasons)
@@ -446,6 +450,21 @@ def get_variation_from_experiment_rule(project_config, flag_key, rule, user, use
       reasons.push(*forced_reasons)
       return VariationResult.new(nil, false, reasons, variation['id']) if variation
 
+      # Check local holdouts targeting this specific experiment rule.
+      # Local holdouts are checked after forced decisions but before regular bucketing.
+      local_holdouts = project_config.get_holdouts_for_rule(rule['id'])
+      local_holdouts.each do |holdout|
+        holdout_decision = get_variation_for_holdout(holdout, user, project_config)
+        reasons.push(*holdout_decision.reasons)
+        next unless holdout_decision.decision
+
+        message = "The user '#{user.user_id}' is bucketed into local holdout '#{holdout['key']}' for experiment rule '#{rule['key']}' in flag '#{flag_key}'."
+        @logger.log(Logger::INFO, message)
+        reasons.push(message)
+        variation_id = holdout_decision.decision.variation['id']
+        return VariationResult.new(nil, false, reasons, variation_id)
+      end
+
       variation_result = get_variation(project_config, rule['id'], user, user_profile_tracker, options)
       variation_result.reasons = reasons + variation_result.reasons
       variation_result
@@ -470,6 +489,20 @@ def get_variation_from_delivery_rule(project_config, flag_key, rules, rule_index
 
       return [variation, skip_to_everyone_else, reasons] if variation
 
+      # Check local holdouts targeting this specific delivery rule.
+      # Local holdouts are checked after forced decisions but before audience/bucketing evaluation.
+      local_holdouts = project_config.get_holdouts_for_rule(rule['id'])
+      local_holdouts.each do |holdout|
+        holdout_decision = get_variation_for_holdout(holdout, user_context, project_config)
+        reasons.push(*holdout_decision.reasons)
+        next unless holdout_decision.decision
+
+        message = "The user '#{user_context.user_id}' is bucketed into local holdout '#{holdout['key']}' for delivery rule '#{rule['key']}' in flag '#{flag_key}'."
+        @logger.log(Logger::INFO, message)
+        reasons.push(message)
+        return [holdout_decision.decision.variation, skip_to_everyone_else, reasons]
+      end
+
       user_id = user_context.user_id
       attributes = user_context.user_attributes
       bucketing_id, bucketing_id_reasons = get_bucketing_id(user_id, attributes)
diff --git a/spec/local_holdouts_spec.rb b/spec/local_holdouts_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..681d44e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/local_holdouts_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+#
+#    Copyright 2026, Optimizely and contributors
+#
+#    Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+#    you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+#    You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#        http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+#    Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+#    distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+#    WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+#    See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+#    limitations under the License.
+#
+require 'spec_helper'
+require 'optimizely/config/datafile_project_config'
+require 'optimizely/decision_service'
+require 'optimizely/error_handler'
+require 'optimizely/logger'
+
+describe 'Local Holdouts' do
+  let(:error_handler) { Optimizely::NoOpErrorHandler.new }
+  let(:spy_logger) { spy('logger') }
+
+  describe 'DatafileProjectConfig local holdout classification' do
+    let(:config_body_json) { OptimizelySpec::CONFIG_BODY_WITH_HOLDOUTS_JSON }
+    let(:config) { Optimizely::DatafileProjectConfig.new(config_body_json, spy_logger, error_handler) }
+
+    context 'when holdouts have no includedRules field (old datafile format)' do
+      it 'treats holdouts as global (backward compatibility)' do
+        # All holdouts in CONFIG_BODY_WITH_HOLDOUTS have no includedRules = nil = global
+        running_holdouts = config.holdout_id_map.values
+        global_holdouts = config.global_holdouts
+
+        # Running holdouts: holdout_1, holdout_boolean_feature, holdout_empty_1, holdout_2 (holdout_3 is Inactive)
+        expect(global_holdouts.length).to eq(running_holdouts.length)
+        expect(config.rule_holdouts_map).to be_empty
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'with local holdouts config' do
+      let(:local_config_json) { OptimizelySpec::CONFIG_BODY_WITH_LOCAL_HOLDOUTS_JSON }
+      let(:local_config) { Optimizely::DatafileProjectConfig.new(local_config_json, spy_logger, error_handler) }
+
+      it 'classifies holdout with nil includedRules as global' do
+        global_holdouts = local_config.global_holdouts
+        expect(global_holdouts.length).to eq(1)
+        expect(global_holdouts.first['id']).to eq('global_holdout_1')
+      end
+
+      it 'classifies holdout with non-nil includedRules as local' do
+        global_holdouts = local_config.global_holdouts
+        # Only global_holdout_1 should be in global list, not local_holdout_1
+        expect(global_holdouts.none? { |h| h['id'] == 'local_holdout_1' }).to be(true)
+      end
+
+      it 'populates rule_holdouts_map for local holdouts' do
+        rule_holdouts_map = local_config.rule_holdouts_map
+        expect(rule_holdouts_map).to have_key('111127')
+        expect(rule_holdouts_map['111127'].length).to eq(1)
+        expect(rule_holdouts_map['111127'].first['id']).to eq('local_holdout_1')
+      end
+
+      it 'get_holdouts_for_rule returns local holdouts for a rule' do
+        holdouts = local_config.get_holdouts_for_rule('111127')
+        expect(holdouts.length).to eq(1)
+        expect(holdouts.first['key']).to eq('local_holdout_exp')
+      end
+
+      it 'get_holdouts_for_rule returns empty array for unknown rule' do
+        holdouts = local_config.get_holdouts_for_rule('unknown_rule_id')
+        expect(holdouts).to be_empty
+      end
+
+      it 'global_holdouts returns empty array when no global holdouts' do
+        # Build a config with only a local holdout
+        only_local = OptimizelySpec::VALID_CONFIG_BODY.merge(
+          'holdouts' => [
+            {
+              'id' => 'local_only',
+              'key' => 'local_only_holdout',
+              'status' => 'Running',
+              'audiences' => [],
+              'audienceIds' => [],
+              'audienceConditions' => [],
+              'includedRules' => ['some_rule'],
+              'variations' => [{'id' => 'v1', 'key' => 'off', 'featureEnabled' => false}],
+              'trafficAllocation' => [{'entityId' => 'v1', 'endOfRange' => 10_000}]
+            }
+          ]
+        )
+        only_local_config = Optimizely::DatafileProjectConfig.new(JSON.dump(only_local), spy_logger, error_handler)
+
+        expect(only_local_config.global_holdouts).to be_empty
+        expect(only_local_config.rule_holdouts_map['some_rule'].length).to eq(1)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe 'is_global? semantics via includedRules' do
+    it 'treats nil includedRules as global (no field in datafile)' do
+      holdout = {'id' => 'h1', 'key' => 'global', 'includedRules' => nil}
+      expect(holdout['includedRules'].nil?).to be(true)
+    end
+
+    it 'treats non-nil includedRules as local even if empty' do
+      holdout = {'id' => 'h2', 'key' => 'local_empty', 'includedRules' => []}
+      expect(holdout['includedRules'].nil?).to be(false)
+    end
+
+    it 'treats non-nil includedRules with values as local' do
+      holdout = {'id' => 'h3', 'key' => 'local', 'includedRules' => ['rule1']}
+      expect(holdout['includedRules'].nil?).to be(false)
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/spec_params.rb b/spec/spec_params.rb
index 789c36df..fcaed29d 100644
--- a/spec/spec_params.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_params.rb
@@ -2041,6 +2041,60 @@ module OptimizelySpec
 
   CONFIG_BODY_WITH_HOLDOUTS_JSON = JSON.dump(CONFIG_BODY_WITH_HOLDOUTS).freeze
 
+  # Config with both global and local holdouts for testing local holdouts feature
+  CONFIG_BODY_WITH_LOCAL_HOLDOUTS = VALID_CONFIG_BODY.merge(
+    {
+      'holdouts' => [
+        {
+          'id' => 'global_holdout_1',
+          'key' => 'global_holdout',
+          'status' => 'Running',
+          'audiences' => [],
+          'audienceIds' => [],
+          'audienceConditions' => [],
+          'variations' => [
+            {
+              'id' => 'global_var_1',
+              'key' => 'holdout_variation',
+              'featureEnabled' => true
+            }
+          ],
+          'trafficAllocation' => [
+            {
+              'entityId' => 'global_var_1',
+              'endOfRange' => 10_000
+            }
+          ]
+          # No includedRules key => nil => global holdout
+        },
+        {
+          'id' => 'local_holdout_1',
+          'key' => 'local_holdout_exp',
+          'status' => 'Running',
+          'audiences' => [],
+          'audienceIds' => [],
+          'audienceConditions' => [],
+          'includedRules' => ['111127'], # targets experiment rule 111127
+          'variations' => [
+            {
+              'id' => 'local_var_1',
+              'key' => 'local_holdout_variation',
+              'featureEnabled' => true
+            }
+          ],
+          'trafficAllocation' => [
+            {
+              'entityId' => 'local_var_1',
+              'endOfRange' => 10_000
+            }
+          ]
+        }
+      ]
+    }
+  ).freeze
+
+  CONFIG_BODY_WITH_LOCAL_HOLDOUTS_JSON = JSON.dump(CONFIG_BODY_WITH_LOCAL_HOLDOUTS).freeze
+
   def self.deep_clone(obj)
     obj.dup.tap do |new_obj|
       case new_obj