diff --git a/docs.bzl b/docs.bzl
index cdc3a735c..2bf73aa5f 100644
--- a/docs.bzl
+++ b/docs.bzl
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ def docs(
         source_dir = "docs",
         project = None,
         project_url = None,
+        module = "",
         data = [],
         deps = [],
         external_needs = [],
@@ -199,6 +200,7 @@ def docs(
       source_dir: The source directory containing documentation files. Defaults to "docs".
       project: optional project name, prefer setting this here if you can avoid having a conf.py
       project_url: Optional project URL, prefer setting this here if you can avoid having a conf.py
+      module: Optional module name that is allowed in the feature part of requirement IDs.
       data: Additional data files to include in the documentation build.
       deps: Additional dependencies for the documentation build.
       external_needs: List of external needs targets to include in the documentation build.
@@ -320,6 +322,7 @@ def docs(
         "TEST_SOURCES": str(test_sources),
         "DATA": str(data),
         "EXTERNAL_NEEDS_FILES": str(external_needs),
+        "REQUIRED_IN_ID": module,
         # `bazel run` starts from a runfiles tree, so this logical path is
         # resolved by score_mounts through ``RUNFILES_DIR``.
         "MOUNTS_MANIFEST": "$(rlocationpath :_mounts_manifest)" if bundles else "",
@@ -409,7 +412,7 @@ def docs(
             "--define=external_needs_source=" + str(data + external_needs),
             "--define=score_sourcelinks_json=$(location :sourcelinks_json)",
             "--define=score_source_code_linker_plain_links=1",
-        ] + (
+        ] + (["--define=required_in_id=" + module] if module else []) + (
             # ``sphinx_docs`` is a sandboxed build action, so it needs the
             # action-input path rather than the runfiles-relative spelling.
             ["--define=mounts_manifest=$(location :_mounts_manifest)"] if bundles else []
diff --git a/docs/how-to/write_docs.rst b/docs/how-to/write_docs.rst
index 3d0f9f0fa..994d64382 100644
--- a/docs/how-to/write_docs.rst
+++ b/docs/how-to/write_docs.rst
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ The feature part is validated by checking that at least one of the following is
 
 * A segment of the feature part (split on ``_`` and ``-``) appears in the document's directory path
 * The initials of the feature part's segments appear in the document's directory path
-* The feature part contains a string explicitly allowed via ``required_in_id`` in ``conf.py``
+* The feature part contains the module name configured via ``module`` in ``docs()``
 
 **Examples** — given a requirement in ``internals/safety/fmea/requirements.rst``:
 
@@ -108,9 +108,10 @@ The feature part is validated by checking that at least one of the following is
      - ``blabla`` has no relation to the path ``internals/safety/fmea``
 
 To explicitly allow a feature part that intentionally doesn't match the path
-(e.g. in a single module repository), add a matching string to ``required_in_id`` in ``conf.py``:
+(e.g. in a single module repository), pass the matching module name:
 
-.. code-block:: python
+.. code-block:: starlark
 
-   # conf.py
-   required_in_id = ["persistenc"]
+   docs(
+       module = "persistenc",
+   )
diff --git a/docs/reference/bazel_macros.rst b/docs/reference/bazel_macros.rst
index f188c93f5..632c00e01 100644
--- a/docs/reference/bazel_macros.rst
+++ b/docs/reference/bazel_macros.rst
@@ -59,6 +59,10 @@ Minimal example (root ``BUILD``)
   and supplies the Docs-as-Code baseline version and extensions. If a ``conf.py``
   exists, it remains authoritative and these values are not used.
 
+- ``module`` (string, optional)
+  The module name allowed in the feature part of requirement IDs when it
+  intentionally does not match the document path.
+
 - ``data`` (list of bazel labels)
   Extra runfiles / data targets that should be made available to the documentation targets.
   The items in ``data`` are added to the py_binaries and to the Sphinx tooling so they are
diff --git a/src/extensions/score_metamodel/__init__.py b/src/extensions/score_metamodel/__init__.py
index ee8f645b3..797596ba4 100644
--- a/src/extensions/score_metamodel/__init__.py
+++ b/src/extensions/score_metamodel/__init__.py
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ def _clear_needs_defaults(app: Sphinx):
 def setup(app: Sphinx) -> dict[str, str | bool]:
     app.add_config_value("external_needs_source", "", rebuild="env")
     app.add_config_value("score_metamodel_yaml", "", rebuild="env")
-    app.add_config_value("required_in_id", [], rebuild="env")
+    app.add_config_value("required_in_id", "", rebuild="env")
     config_setdefault(app.config, "needs_id_required", True)
     config_setdefault(app.config, "needs_id_regex", "^[A-Za-z0-9_-]{6,}")
 
diff --git a/src/extensions/score_metamodel/checks/id_contains_feature.py b/src/extensions/score_metamodel/checks/id_contains_feature.py
index 38eeee19e..1c7e419a6 100644
--- a/src/extensions/score_metamodel/checks/id_contains_feature.py
+++ b/src/extensions/score_metamodel/checks/id_contains_feature.py
@@ -58,11 +58,9 @@ def id_contains_feature(app: Sphinx, need: NeedItem, log: CheckLogger):
         for featurepart in featureparts
         if featureparts and featurepart and docname
     )
-    allowed_parts_from_config = app.config.required_in_id
-    found_part_from_config = any(
-        part_from_config.lower() in feature.lower()
-        for part_from_config in allowed_parts_from_config
-        if allowed_parts_from_config
+    required_in_id = app.config.required_in_id
+    found_part_from_config = bool(
+        required_in_id and required_in_id.lower() in feature.lower()
     )
 
     # allow abbreviation of the feature
@@ -72,17 +70,13 @@ def id_contains_feature(app: Sphinx, need: NeedItem, log: CheckLogger):
     foundinitials = bool(initials) and docname and initials in docname.lower()
     if not (foundfeatpart or foundinitials or found_part_from_config):
         parts_display = ", ".join(f"'{p}'" for p in featureparts)
-        config_display = (
-            ", ".join(f"'{p}'" for p in allowed_parts_from_config)
-            if allowed_parts_from_config
-            else "[]"
-        )
+        config_display = f"'{required_in_id}'" if required_in_id else "not set"
 
         fix_options = [f"rename the feature part to match a segment of '{docname}'"]
         if initials:
             fix_options.append(f"use correct abbreviation '{initials}'")
         fix_options.append(
-            f"Add an allowed part to `required_in_id` in conf.py (currently: {config_display})"
+            f"Set `module` in docs() to an allowed part (currently: {config_display})"
         )
 
         combined_msg = (
diff --git a/src/extensions/score_metamodel/tests/rst/conf.py b/src/extensions/score_metamodel/tests/rst/conf.py
index a3de12782..2c2afd224 100644
--- a/src/extensions/score_metamodel/tests/rst/conf.py
+++ b/src/extensions/score_metamodel/tests/rst/conf.py
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@
     "sphinx_needs",
     "score_metamodel",
 ]
-# Required to test this for the check in id_contains_feature
-required_in_id = ["blabla"]
+# Required to test this for the check in id_contains_feature.
+required_in_id = "blabla"
 needs_external_needs = [
     {
         "base_url": "https://eclipse-score.github.io/process_description/main/",
diff --git a/src/incremental.py b/src/incremental.py
index fdb692c4c..253314059 100644
--- a/src/incremental.py
+++ b/src/incremental.py
@@ -165,6 +165,10 @@ def _mounted_watch_dirs(
         f"--define=mounts_manifest={os.environ.get('MOUNTS_MANIFEST', '')}",
     ]
 
+    required_in_id = os.environ.get("REQUIRED_IN_ID", "")
+    if required_in_id:
+        base_arguments.append(f"--define=required_in_id={required_in_id}")
+
     generated_config = os.environ.get("SPHINX_CONFIG_FILE", "")
     if generated_config:
         # Under ``bazel run`` this is a runfiles-relative path.  Sphinx wants
diff --git a/src/tests/docs_bzl/scenarios/external_needs/producer/BUILD b/src/tests/docs_bzl/scenarios/external_needs/producer/BUILD
index 352903a86..630da41d7 100644
--- a/src/tests/docs_bzl/scenarios/external_needs/producer/BUILD
+++ b/src/tests/docs_bzl/scenarios/external_needs/producer/BUILD
@@ -18,5 +18,6 @@ load("//:docs.bzl", "docs")
 # rather than docs(metamodel=...), because the metamodel= wiring does not reach
 # the :needs_json target in the current docs.bzl (regression from #484).
 docs(
+    module = "producer",
     source_dir = "docs",
 )
diff --git a/src/tests/docs_bzl/scenarios/external_needs/producer/docs/conf.py b/src/tests/docs_bzl/scenarios/external_needs/producer/docs/conf.py
index 5bdbc3015..8e7b4d43c 100644
--- a/src/tests/docs_bzl/scenarios/external_needs/producer/docs/conf.py
+++ b/src/tests/docs_bzl/scenarios/external_needs/producer/docs/conf.py
@@ -30,9 +30,3 @@
 score_metamodel_yaml = os.path.join(
     os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), "metamodel.yaml"
 )
-
-# The producer need id `test_req__producer__demo` has three "__"-parts. The
-# id_contains_feature check requires the feature part ("producer") to appear in
-# the docname or in required_in_id; the fixture lives in index.rst, so we declare
-# it here.
-required_in_id = ["producer"]
diff --git a/src/tests/docs_bzl/scenarios/local_version_mismatch/BUILD b/src/tests/docs_bzl/scenarios/local_version_mismatch/BUILD
index d6a65cf32..df9739123 100644
--- a/src/tests/docs_bzl/scenarios/local_version_mismatch/BUILD
+++ b/src/tests/docs_bzl/scenarios/local_version_mismatch/BUILD
@@ -14,5 +14,6 @@
 load("//:docs.bzl", "docs")
 
 docs(
+    module = "local",
     source_dir = "docs",
 )
diff --git a/src/tests/docs_bzl/scenarios/local_version_mismatch/docs/conf.py b/src/tests/docs_bzl/scenarios/local_version_mismatch/docs/conf.py
index e36e9b648..ccf8e8d11 100644
--- a/src/tests/docs_bzl/scenarios/local_version_mismatch/docs/conf.py
+++ b/src/tests/docs_bzl/scenarios/local_version_mismatch/docs/conf.py
@@ -17,4 +17,3 @@
 project_url = "https://example.invalid/local-version-mismatch"
 extensions = ["score_sphinx_bundle"]
 score_metamodel_yaml = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "metamodel.yaml")
-required_in_id = ["local"]
diff --git a/src/tests/docs_bzl/test_cross_module_compatibility.py b/src/tests/docs_bzl/test_cross_module_compatibility.py
index c2d428bd8..7878363aa 100644
--- a/src/tests/docs_bzl/test_cross_module_compatibility.py
+++ b/src/tests/docs_bzl/test_cross_module_compatibility.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ def _write_cross_module_consumer(
     )
     workspace.joinpath("BUILD").write_text(
         """load("@score_docs_as_code//:docs.bzl", "docs")
-docs(source_dir = "docs", bundles = [{"bundle": "@score_docs_compatibility_fixture//:docs_bundle", "mount_at": "fixture"}])
+docs(source_dir = "docs", module = "host", bundles = [{"bundle": "@score_docs_compatibility_fixture//:docs_bundle", "mount_at": "fixture"}])
 """,
         encoding="utf-8",
     )
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ def _write_cross_module_consumer(
 project_url = "https://example.invalid/cross-module-consumer"
 extensions = ["score_sphinx_bundle"]
 score_metamodel_yaml = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "metamodel.yaml")
-required_in_id = ["host", "fixture"]
 {compatibility_config}
 """,
         encoding="utf-8",