diff --git a/src/anonymizer/interface/anonymizer.py b/src/anonymizer/interface/anonymizer.py
index d7c26eba..d7776eac 100644
--- a/src/anonymizer/interface/anonymizer.py
+++ b/src/anonymizer/interface/anonymizer.py
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ def __init__(
         # Tag DataDesigner telemetry events so they're filterable as anonymizer traffic in
         # the shared NeMo dashboards. `setdefault` so users (or upstream hosts) can override.
         os.environ.setdefault("NEMO_SESSION_PREFIX", "anonymizer-")
-        os.environ.setdefault("NEMO_DEPLOYMENT_TYPE", "sdk")
+        os.environ.setdefault("ANONYMIZER_USAGE_TYPE", "sdk")
         resolved_artifact_path = Path(artifact_path or ".anonymizer-artifacts")
         try:
             parsed = parse_model_configs(model_configs)
diff --git a/src/anonymizer/interface/cli/main.py b/src/anonymizer/interface/cli/main.py
index 54c1b79a..0418907d 100644
--- a/src/anonymizer/interface/cli/main.py
+++ b/src/anonymizer/interface/cli/main.py
@@ -11,10 +11,10 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Annotated, ClassVar, Literal
 
-# When invoked via the CLI entry point, telemetry deployment type defaults to "cli".
-# Anonymizer's SDK path sets "sdk" via os.environ.setdefault in Anonymizer.__init__,
-# but the CLI is loaded first so its setdefault wins for CLI-driven runs.
-os.environ.setdefault("NEMO_DEPLOYMENT_TYPE", "cli")
+# Track whether Anonymizer is used through the CLI or SDK separately from the
+# shared NeMo deployment type. Data Designer validates NEMO_DEPLOYMENT_TYPE
+# against deployment-level values such as "library" and "api" at import time.
+os.environ.setdefault("ANONYMIZER_USAGE_TYPE", "cli")
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("anonymizer.cli")
 
diff --git a/src/anonymizer/telemetry.py b/src/anonymizer/telemetry.py
index dce052f4..4b7f623b 100644
--- a/src/anonymizer/telemetry.py
+++ b/src/anonymizer/telemetry.py
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@
 Related environment variables (read at runtime, not import time):
 
 - ``NEMO_TELEMETRY_ENABLED``: set to ``false`` / ``0`` / ``no`` to disable.
-- ``NEMO_DEPLOYMENT_TYPE``: ``cli``, ``sdk``, ``nmp``, ``nvidia-internal``. Defaults to ``sdk``.
+- ``ANONYMIZER_USAGE_TYPE``: ``cli``, ``sdk``, or ``nmp``. Defaults to ``sdk``.
+- ``NEMO_DEPLOYMENT_TYPE``: optional shared NeMo deployment override, such as
+  ``nvidia-internal``. When set, it takes precedence over ``ANONYMIZER_USAGE_TYPE``.
 - ``NEMO_TELEMETRY_ENDPOINT``: override the destination URL.
 - ``NEMO_SESSION_PREFIX``: prepended to session IDs. Set to ``"anonymizer-"``
   automatically by ``Anonymizer.__init__`` for dashboard filtering.
@@ -89,7 +91,8 @@ def _telemetry_endpoint() -> str:
 
 
 def _deployment_type() -> DeploymentTypeEnum:
-    raw = os.getenv("NEMO_DEPLOYMENT_TYPE", "sdk").lower()
+    raw = os.getenv("NEMO_DEPLOYMENT_TYPE") or os.getenv("ANONYMIZER_USAGE_TYPE", "sdk")
+    raw = raw.lower()
     try:
         return DeploymentTypeEnum(raw)
     except ValueError:
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index f1179e23..21784408 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -65,10 +65,11 @@ def _isolate_telemetry_env(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
 
     - Disable emission by default. Tests that exercise the emit path can opt in
       by setting NEMO_TELEMETRY_ENABLED=true via their own monkeypatch.
-    - Clear NEMO_DEPLOYMENT_TYPE, NEMO_SESSION_PREFIX, and NEMO_TELEMETRY_ENDPOINT
-      so tests don't inherit values from the developer's shell.
+    - Clear ANONYMIZER_USAGE_TYPE, NEMO_DEPLOYMENT_TYPE, NEMO_SESSION_PREFIX, and
+      NEMO_TELEMETRY_ENDPOINT so tests don't inherit values from the developer's shell.
     """
     monkeypatch.setenv("NEMO_TELEMETRY_ENABLED", "false")
+    monkeypatch.delenv("ANONYMIZER_USAGE_TYPE", raising=False)
     monkeypatch.delenv("NEMO_DEPLOYMENT_TYPE", raising=False)
     monkeypatch.delenv("NEMO_SESSION_PREFIX", raising=False)
     monkeypatch.delenv("NEMO_TELEMETRY_ENDPOINT", raising=False)
diff --git a/tests/interface/cli/test_cli_help.py b/tests/interface/cli/test_cli_help.py
index 85414499..4abeef76 100644
--- a/tests/interface/cli/test_cli_help.py
+++ b/tests/interface/cli/test_cli_help.py
@@ -3,6 +3,11 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import os
+import subprocess
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
 import pytest
 
 from anonymizer.interface.cli.main import app
@@ -14,3 +19,23 @@ def test_help_exits_zero(subcommand: str, capsys: pytest.CaptureFixture[str]) ->
     with pytest.raises(SystemExit) as exc:
         app([subcommand, "--help"])
     assert exc.value.code == 0
+
+
+def test_console_script_starts_with_data_designer_telemetry_validation(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """The real CLI must not set a deployment type rejected by Data Designer."""
+    env = os.environ.copy()
+    env.pop("ANONYMIZER_USAGE_TYPE", None)
+    env.pop("NEMO_DEPLOYMENT_TYPE", None)
+    console_script = Path(sys.executable).parent / "anonymizer"
+
+    completed = subprocess.run(
+        [console_script, "--help"],
+        cwd=tmp_path,
+        env=env,
+        check=False,
+        capture_output=True,
+        text=True,
+    )
+
+    assert completed.returncode == 0, completed.stderr
+    assert "NeMo Anonymizer CLI" in completed.stdout
diff --git a/tests/interface/test_anonymizer_telemetry.py b/tests/interface/test_anonymizer_telemetry.py
index aaaf0efc..5e2299ca 100644
--- a/tests/interface/test_anonymizer_telemetry.py
+++ b/tests/interface/test_anonymizer_telemetry.py
@@ -131,9 +131,10 @@ def test_session_prefix_respects_existing_value(self, monkeypatch: pytest.Monkey
         _make_anonymizer()
         assert os.environ["NEMO_SESSION_PREFIX"] == "custom-"
 
-    def test_deployment_type_defaults_to_sdk(self) -> None:
+    def test_usage_type_defaults_to_sdk(self) -> None:
         _make_anonymizer()
-        assert os.environ.get("NEMO_DEPLOYMENT_TYPE") == "sdk"
+        assert os.environ.get("ANONYMIZER_USAGE_TYPE") == "sdk"
+        assert "NEMO_DEPLOYMENT_TYPE" not in os.environ
 
 
 # =============================================================================
diff --git a/tests/test_telemetry.py b/tests/test_telemetry.py
index ac0666a8..fd14a3bb 100644
--- a/tests/test_telemetry.py
+++ b/tests/test_telemetry.py
@@ -160,10 +160,17 @@ def test_telemetry_endpoint_override_preserves_case(self, monkeypatch: pytest.Mo
         assert _telemetry_endpoint() == custom
 
     def test_deployment_type_default_is_sdk(self, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+        monkeypatch.delenv("ANONYMIZER_USAGE_TYPE", raising=False)
         monkeypatch.delenv("NEMO_DEPLOYMENT_TYPE", raising=False)
         assert _deployment_type() == DeploymentTypeEnum.SDK
 
+    def test_deployment_type_reads_anonymizer_usage_type(self, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+        monkeypatch.delenv("NEMO_DEPLOYMENT_TYPE", raising=False)
+        monkeypatch.setenv("ANONYMIZER_USAGE_TYPE", "cli")
+        assert _deployment_type() == DeploymentTypeEnum.CLI
+
     def test_deployment_type_accepts_nvidia_internal(self, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+        monkeypatch.setenv("ANONYMIZER_USAGE_TYPE", "cli")
         monkeypatch.setenv("NEMO_DEPLOYMENT_TYPE", "nvidia-internal")
         assert _deployment_type() == DeploymentTypeEnum.NVIDIA_INTERNAL