diff --git a/docs/database.md b/docs/database.md
index 35fe7b3..60ffa39 100644
--- a/docs/database.md
+++ b/docs/database.md
@@ -231,16 +231,18 @@ def resolve_user_key(value: str) -> str | None:
   mechanism: when no `logemit` callback handles an event,
   `kanta.logging.default_emit` renders it with the built-in formatting.
 - A `LogEvent` carries the event `kind` (`"change"`, `"created"`,
-  `"migrated"`, `"aborted"`), the preferred `logger` and `level`, and all
-  relevant state: `action`, `user`, `extra`, `error` (for aborted
-  transactions), `diff`, `previous`/`current` state dicts, the built `logfmt`
-  chain, and version info for migration events.
+  `"migrated"`, `"aborted"`), the preferred `logger` and `level`, the
+  `kanta` instance, and all relevant state: `action`, `user`, `extra`,
+  `error` (for aborted transactions), `diff`, `previous`/`current` state
+  dicts, the built `logfmt` chain, and version info for migration events.
 - The built-in formatting is assembled from standard blocks that custom
   emitters can reuse as-is or replace piecemeal:
   - `event.header` — a lazy property producing the default one-line header
     for any kind: `<action>[ <extra>][ by <user>]` for changes,
     `<action>[ by <user>] transaction aborted: <error>` for aborts, and the
-    plain `Created`/`Migrated` summaries.
+    plain `Created`/`Migrated` summaries.  It is settable: assign
+    `event.header = ...` and return truthy to restyle the header while
+    keeping the default diff routing.
   - `event.diff_lines` — a lazy property producing the pretty diff body for
     change events (built only if accessed).
   - `default_emit` itself is just `header` plus the `diff_lines` routing.
diff --git a/kanta/kantaimpl.py b/kanta/kantaimpl.py
index a598119..7888ba5 100644
--- a/kanta/kantaimpl.py
+++ b/kanta/kantaimpl.py
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ class KantaImpl(PersistenceMixin, Generic[T]):
                         kind="change",
                         logger=migration_log,
                         level=logging.DEBUG,
+                        kanta=self._kanta,
                         action=info.name,
                         diff=info.diff,
                         previous=info.before,
@@ -143,6 +144,7 @@ class KantaImpl(PersistenceMixin, Generic[T]):
             LogEvent(
                 kind="migrated",
                 logger=migration_log,
+                kanta=self._kanta,
                 filename=str(self.filename),
                 from_version=previous_version,
                 to_version=migration_result.version,
@@ -324,6 +326,7 @@ class KantaImpl(PersistenceMixin, Generic[T]):
                         LogEvent(
                             kind="created",
                             logger=logger,
+                            kanta=self._kanta,
                             filename=str(self.filename.resolve()),
                         ),
                         self.callback_registry.logemit_handlers,
@@ -344,6 +347,7 @@ class KantaImpl(PersistenceMixin, Generic[T]):
                         LogEvent(
                             kind="change",
                             logger=logger,
+                            kanta=self._kanta,
                             action=self.bootstrap_action,
                             user=formatted_user,
                             diff=record.diff,
diff --git a/kanta/logging.py b/kanta/logging.py
index 293484f..18c4a08 100644
--- a/kanta/logging.py
+++ b/kanta/logging.py
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ class LogEvent(msgspec.Struct, kw_only=True):
     kind: str
     logger: logging.Logger
     level: int = logging.INFO
+    kanta: Any = None
     action: str | None = None
     user: str | None = None
     extra: str | None = None
@@ -80,6 +81,15 @@ class LogEvent(msgspec.Struct, kw_only=True):
             self._header = self._build_header()
         return self._header
 
+    @header.setter
+    def header(self, value: str) -> None:
+        """Override the header, keeping the default diff routing.
+
+        A logemit callback can restyle the header and return a truthy value:
+        :func:`default_emit` then logs this header instead of building one.
+        """
+        self._header = value
+
     def _build_header(self) -> str:
         if self.kind == "created":
             return f"Created {self.filename}"
diff --git a/kanta/transaction.py b/kanta/transaction.py
index 5dd8509..f947bed 100644
--- a/kanta/transaction.py
+++ b/kanta/transaction.py
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ def transaction(
                         LogEvent(
                             kind="change",
                             logger=logger,
+                            kanta=impl._kanta,
                             action=action,
                             user=_resolve_user(logfmt, user),
                             extra=extra,
@@ -120,6 +121,7 @@ def transaction(
                 kind="aborted",
                 logger=transaction_logger,
                 level=logging.WARNING,
+                kanta=impl._kanta,
                 action=action,
                 user=resolved_user,
                 error=exc,
diff --git a/tests/test_logemit.py b/tests/test_logemit.py
index 311f39a..a4218e7 100644
--- a/tests/test_logemit.py
+++ b/tests/test_logemit.py
@@ -315,3 +315,32 @@ def test_event_header_covers_all_kinds():
     )
     assert "transaction aborted: boom" in aborted.header
     assert "alice" in aborted.header
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_event_carries_kanta_instance(tmp_path, format_config):
+    path = tmp_path / "test.db"
+    kanta = make_kanta(path, Data, format_config)
+    events = []
+    kanta.logemit(lambda ev: events.append(ev) or True)
+    await kanta.open()
+    with kanta.transaction(action="inc") as data:
+        data.counter = 1
+    await kanta.close()
+
+    assert events
+    assert all(ev.kanta is kanta for ev in events)
+
+
+def test_header_is_settable_and_used_by_default_emit(capsys):
+    logging.getLogger("kanta").handlers.clear()
+    configure_logging()
+
+    def restyle(ev):
+        ev.header = f"CUSTOM {ev.action}"
+        return True
+
+    emit_event(_change_event(diff={"counter": 1}, previous={}), [restyle])
+    err = capsys.readouterr().err
+    assert "CUSTOM update" in err
+    assert "counter" in err  # default diff routing still applies