diff --git a/src/pycorpdiff/semantic/drift.py b/src/pycorpdiff/semantic/drift.py
index 283a4fa..7353670 100644
--- a/src/pycorpdiff/semantic/drift.py
+++ b/src/pycorpdiff/semantic/drift.py
@@ -209,6 +209,12 @@ class SenseDriftResult:
         The margin-density flag threshold --- null-calibrated (a high
         percentile of the label-shuffle null) when ``n_permutations > 0``,
         otherwise the in-sample control chart.
+    threshold_method
+        How ``threshold`` was derived: ``"permutation_null"`` when
+        ``n_permutations > 0``, else ``"control_chart"``. **The two methods
+        can flag different periods**, so ``change_type`` and ``drift_terms``
+        depend on it --- enabling permutations is not merely "add a p-value"
+        (see the ``n_permutations`` note on :func:`sense_drift`).
     p_value
         Permutation p-value for the overall drift (real max margin density
         vs the label-shuffle null max); ``None`` unless
@@ -222,6 +228,7 @@ class SenseDriftResult:
     reference: list[Any]
     k: int
     threshold: float
+    threshold_method: str
     p_value: float | None
     embedding_meta: dict[str, Any]
     _records: pd.DataFrame = field(repr=False)
@@ -536,6 +543,12 @@ def sense_drift(
         to a reference fitted on themselves; the shuffle null removes that
         bias. Costs one model re-fit per permutation. ``0`` (default) uses
         the fast in-sample chart, fine for exploration.
+
+        **This switches the *thresholding method*, not just the p-value.**
+        The null-calibrated threshold can flag a *different* set of periods
+        than the control chart, so ``change_type`` and ``drift_terms`` may
+        change too. Inspect :attr:`SenseDriftResult.threshold_method` to see
+        which regime produced the flags.
     null_pctile
         Percentile of the label-shuffle null margin-density (and JSD)
         distribution used as the flag threshold when ``n_permutations > 0``.
@@ -655,6 +668,7 @@ def sense_drift(
             float(np.mean(jsd_ref)) + k_sigma * float(np.std(jsd_ref, ddof=1))
             if len(jsd_ref) >= 2 else np.inf)
     threshold = md_threshold
+    threshold_method = "permutation_null" if n_permutations > 0 else "control_chart"
 
     table = pd.DataFrame({
         "period": periods,
@@ -719,6 +733,7 @@ def sense_drift(
         reference=ref_labels_set,
         k=k,
         threshold=threshold,
+        threshold_method=threshold_method,
         p_value=p_value,
         embedding_meta=dict(embedding_meta or {}),
         _records=recs,
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_semantic_drift.py b/tests/unit/test_semantic_drift.py
index dc0d743..e11f19c 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_semantic_drift.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_semantic_drift.py
@@ -298,3 +298,37 @@ def test_bad_novelty_raises():
     df, X = _stable()
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="mahalanobis.*cosine"):
         pcd.sense_drift(df, X, time_col="year", reference=REF, k=3, novelty="bogus")
+
+
+def test_threshold_method_is_surfaced():
+    """``n_permutations`` switches the thresholding regime, and the result
+    labels which regime produced the flags (so the change is not silent)."""
+    df, X = _broadening()
+    canon = pcd.sense_drift(df, X, time_col="year", reference=REF, k=3)
+    perm = pcd.sense_drift(df, X, time_col="year", reference=REF, k=3,
+                           n_permutations=50)
+    assert canon.threshold_method == "control_chart"
+    assert canon.p_value is None
+    assert perm.threshold_method == "permutation_null"
+    assert perm.p_value is not None
+
+
+def test_permutation_switches_threshold_not_just_pvalue():
+    """The two regimes use *different* thresholds (the documented behavior):
+    enabling permutations is not merely 'add a p-value'."""
+    df, X = _broadening()
+    canon = pcd.sense_drift(df, X, time_col="year", reference=REF, k=3)
+    perm = pcd.sense_drift(df, X, time_col="year", reference=REF, k=3,
+                           n_permutations=50)
+    assert canon.threshold != perm.threshold
+
+
+def test_permutation_mode_is_deterministic():
+    """Both regimes are reproducible run-to-run under a fixed random_state."""
+    df, X = _broadening()
+    a = pcd.sense_drift(df, X, time_col="year", reference=REF, k=3, n_permutations=50)
+    b = pcd.sense_drift(df, X, time_col="year", reference=REF, k=3, n_permutations=50)
+    pd.testing.assert_frame_equal(a.table, b.table)
+    assert a.threshold == b.threshold
+    assert a.change_type == b.change_type
+    assert a.p_value == b.p_value