diff --git a/docs/testing.md b/docs/testing.md
index 3b4cc74f..6563273b 100644
--- a/docs/testing.md
+++ b/docs/testing.md
@@ -23,6 +23,16 @@ There are two main areas:
 - **Tool tests** (`tool/`). Cover the compile-time instrumentation pipeline: AST rewriting, import resolution, trampoline generation, package loading, and setup logic. Golden-file tests in `tool/internal/instrument/` snapshot expected output and can be updated with `make test-unit/update-golden`.
 - **Package tests** (`pkg/`). Cover the runtime instrumentation hooks and semantic convention helpers. Each hook package has tests that verify span creation, context propagation, error recording, and the enable/disable mechanism via `OTEL_GO_ENABLED_INSTRUMENTATIONS` / `OTEL_GO_DISABLED_INSTRUMENTATIONS`.
 
+### Golden-test helper packages
+
+A golden testcase directory under `tool/internal/instrument/testdata/golden/<name>/` may contain a `helpers/` subdirectory with one or more Go packages. The test harness automatically discovers each subdirectory, compiles it into a `.a` archive, and registers it in the `importcfg` so the instrumented source can import it at compile time.
+
+Use this convention when a testcase exercises call rules that reference wrapper functions from an external (non-stdlib) package via the `imports:` field. To add a new helper:
+
+1. Create `helpers/<pkgname>/<pkgname>.go` with the wrapper code (package name must match the directory name).
+2. Reference the full import path in `rules.yml` under `imports:`, the path is `<root-module>/tool/internal/instrument/testdata/golden/<testname>/helpers/<pkgname>`.
+3. Create a placeholder for the golden file and run `make test-unit/update-golden` to regenerate the `.golden` snapshot.
+
 ## Integration Tests
 
 > [!IMPORTANT]
diff --git a/tool/internal/instrument/instrument_test.go b/tool/internal/instrument/instrument_test.go
index d057da1f..e392b08e 100644
--- a/tool/internal/instrument/instrument_test.go
+++ b/tool/internal/instrument/instrument_test.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 package instrument
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
@@ -34,6 +35,12 @@ import (
 	"gotest.tools/v3/golden"
 )
 
+// helperPkg holds a compiled helper package for use in golden tests.
+type helperPkg struct {
+	importPath string
+	archive    string
+}
+
 const (
 	testdataDir        = "testdata"
 	goldenDir          = "golden"
@@ -78,7 +85,10 @@ func runTest(t *testing.T, testName string) {
 	ruleSet := loadRulesYAML(t, testName, sourceFile)
 	writeMatchedJSON(ruleSet)
 
-	args := compileArgs(tempDir, sourceFile)
+	testcaseDir := filepath.Join(testdataDir, goldenDir, testName)
+	helpers := buildTestcaseHelpers(ctx, t, testcaseDir)
+
+	args := compileArgs(tempDir, sourceFile, helpers)
 	err := Toolexec(ctx, args)
 
 	if testName == invalidReceiver {
@@ -157,12 +167,12 @@ func writeMatchedJSON(ruleSet *rule.InstRuleSet) {
 	util.WriteFile(matchedFile, string(matchedJSON))
 }
 
-func compileArgs(tempDir, sourceFile string) []string {
+func compileArgs(tempDir, sourceFile string, helpers []helperPkg) []string {
 	output, _ := exec.Command("go", "env", "GOTOOLDIR").Output()
 
 	// Create importcfg file for the test
 	importCfgPath := filepath.Join(tempDir, "importcfg")
-	createImportCfg(importCfgPath)
+	createImportCfg(importCfgPath, helpers)
 
 	return []string{
 		filepath.Join(strings.TrimSpace(string(output)), "compile"),
@@ -176,8 +186,9 @@ func compileArgs(tempDir, sourceFile string) []string {
 	}
 }
 
-// createImportCfg creates a basic importcfg file with standard library packages.
-func createImportCfg(path string) {
+// createImportCfg creates an importcfg file with standard library packages
+// and any additional helper packages built for the testcase.
+func createImportCfg(path string, helpers []helperPkg) {
 	// Get standard library package locations
 	// We'll use go list to populate common packages
 	ctx := context.Background()
@@ -207,6 +218,11 @@ func createImportCfg(path string) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Register testcase-local helper packages
+	for _, h := range helpers {
+		cfg.PackageFile[h.importPath] = h.archive
+	}
+
 	// Write the importcfg file
 	f, err := os.Create(path)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -219,6 +235,41 @@ func createImportCfg(path string) {
 	}
 }
 
+// buildTestcaseHelpers discovers Go helper packages under <testcaseDir>/helpers/,
+// compiles each one via "go list -export -json" and returns the resulting
+// (importPath, archivePath) pairs so they can be added to the importcfg.
+func buildTestcaseHelpers(ctx context.Context, t *testing.T, testcaseDir string) []helperPkg {
+	helpersDir := filepath.Join(testcaseDir, "helpers")
+	entries, readErr := os.ReadDir(helpersDir)
+	if os.IsNotExist(readErr) {
+		return nil
+	}
+	require.NoError(t, readErr, "reading helpers dir %s", helpersDir)
+
+	var out []helperPkg
+	for _, e := range entries {
+		if !e.IsDir() {
+			continue
+		}
+		pkgPath := "./" + filepath.ToSlash(filepath.Join(helpersDir, e.Name()))
+
+		var stderr bytes.Buffer
+		cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, "go", "list", "-export", "-json", pkgPath)
+		cmd.Stderr = &stderr
+		listOut, listErr := cmd.Output()
+		require.NoError(t, listErr, "go list -export -json %s: %s", pkgPath, stderr.String())
+
+		var info struct {
+			ImportPath string `json:"ImportPath"`
+			Export     string `json:"Export"`
+		}
+		require.NoError(t, json.Unmarshal(listOut, &info))
+
+		out = append(out, helperPkg{importPath: info.ImportPath, archive: info.Export})
+	}
+	return out
+}
+
 func verifyGoldenFiles(t *testing.T, tempDir, testName string) {
 	entries, _ := os.ReadDir(filepath.Join(testdataDir, goldenDir, testName))
 	for _, entry := range entries {
diff --git a/tool/internal/instrument/testdata/golden/all-rule-external-wrapper/all-rule-external-wrapper.main.go.golden b/tool/internal/instrument/testdata/golden/all-rule-external-wrapper/all-rule-external-wrapper.main.go.golden
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..db5ac31c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tool/internal/instrument/testdata/golden/all-rule-external-wrapper/all-rule-external-wrapper.main.go.golden
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+// Copyright The OpenTelemetry Authors
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+package main
+
+import (
+	"unsafe"
+
+	"github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-go-compile-instrumentation/tool/internal/instrument/testdata/golden/all-rule-external-wrapper/helpers/wrapper"
+)
+
+type T struct{ ExternalTag wrapper.Tag }
+
+var GlobalVar interface{} = wrapper.WrapValue("original")
+
+func RawFunc() {
+	wrapper.Log("raw instrumented")
+	println("raw func body")
+}
+
+//otelc:external-log
+func DirectiveFunc() {
+	wrapper.Log("DirectiveFunc")
+	println("directive func body")
+}
+
+func CallSizeof() {
+	x := 42
+	size := wrapper.Wrapper(unsafe.Sizeof(x))
+	_ = size
+}
+
+func main() {
+	y := "hello"
+	_ = wrapper.Wrapper(unsafe.Sizeof(y))
+}
diff --git a/tool/internal/instrument/testdata/golden/all-rule-external-wrapper/helpers/wrapper/wrapper.go b/tool/internal/instrument/testdata/golden/all-rule-external-wrapper/helpers/wrapper/wrapper.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f97c4870
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tool/internal/instrument/testdata/golden/all-rule-external-wrapper/helpers/wrapper/wrapper.go
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+// Copyright The OpenTelemetry Authors
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+package wrapper
+
+// Tag is a named type used to verify that struct rules can inject external types as fields.
+type Tag struct{ Value string }
+
+// Wrapper wraps a uintptr value, used by call rules.
+func Wrapper(size uintptr) uintptr {
+	return size
+}
+
+// Log is a no-op helper used by raw and directive rules to verify external import injection.
+func Log(msg string) {}
+
+// WrapValue wraps an interface{} value, used by decl rules.
+func WrapValue(v interface{}) interface{} {
+	return v
+}
diff --git a/tool/internal/instrument/testdata/golden/all-rule-external-wrapper/rules.yml b/tool/internal/instrument/testdata/golden/all-rule-external-wrapper/rules.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f84a8e32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tool/internal/instrument/testdata/golden/all-rule-external-wrapper/rules.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+wrap_sizeof_external:
+  target: main
+  function_call: unsafe.Sizeof
+  replace: "wrapper.Wrapper({{ . }})"
+  imports:
+    wrapper: "github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-go-compile-instrumentation/tool/internal/instrument/testdata/golden/all-rule-external-wrapper/helpers/wrapper"
+
+inject_raw_external:
+  target: main
+  func: RawFunc
+  raw: 'wrapper.Log("raw instrumented")'
+  imports:
+    wrapper: "github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-go-compile-instrumentation/tool/internal/instrument/testdata/golden/all-rule-external-wrapper/helpers/wrapper"
+
+add_external_field:
+  target: main
+  struct: T
+  new_field:
+    - name: ExternalTag
+      type: wrapper.Tag
+  imports:
+    wrapper: "github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-go-compile-instrumentation/tool/internal/instrument/testdata/golden/all-rule-external-wrapper/helpers/wrapper"
+
+wrap_global_var_external:
+  target: main
+  kind: var
+  identifier: GlobalVar
+  wrap: "wrapper.WrapValue({{ . }})"
+  imports:
+    wrapper: "github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-go-compile-instrumentation/tool/internal/instrument/testdata/golden/all-rule-external-wrapper/helpers/wrapper"
+
+log_directive_external:
+  target: main
+  directive: "otelc:external-log"
+  template: 'wrapper.Log("{{FuncName}}")'
+  imports:
+    wrapper: "github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-go-compile-instrumentation/tool/internal/instrument/testdata/golden/all-rule-external-wrapper/helpers/wrapper"
diff --git a/tool/internal/instrument/testdata/golden/all-rule-external-wrapper/source.go b/tool/internal/instrument/testdata/golden/all-rule-external-wrapper/source.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..537e0315
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tool/internal/instrument/testdata/golden/all-rule-external-wrapper/source.go
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+// Copyright The OpenTelemetry Authors
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+package main
+
+import "unsafe"
+
+type T struct{}
+
+var GlobalVar interface{} = "original"
+
+func RawFunc() {
+	println("raw func body")
+}
+
+//otelc:external-log
+func DirectiveFunc() {
+	println("directive func body")
+}
+
+func CallSizeof() {
+	x := 42
+	size := unsafe.Sizeof(x)
+	_ = size
+}
+
+func main() {
+	y := "hello"
+	_ = unsafe.Sizeof(y)
+}