diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/crash_watch.rs b/hive-c0re/src/crash_watch.rs
index c7cca394..e5ebacdf 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/crash_watch.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/crash_watch.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use std::time::Duration;
 
 use crate::container_view::claude_has_session;
 use crate::coordinator::{Coordinator, TransientKind};
-use crate::lifecycle::{self, AGENT_PREFIX, MANAGER_NAME};
+use crate::lifecycle::{self, AGENT_PREFIX};
 
 const POLL_INTERVAL: Duration = Duration::from_secs(10);
 
@@ -37,15 +37,11 @@ pub fn spawn(coord: Arc<Coordinator>) {
                     continue;
                 };
                 let logical = logical.to_owned();
-                if logical != MANAGER_NAME {
-                    sub_agents.push(logical.clone());
-                }
+                sub_agents.push(logical.clone());
                 if lifecycle::is_running(&logical).await {
                     current_running.insert(logical.clone());
                 }
-                if logical != MANAGER_NAME
-                    && claude_has_session(&Coordinator::agent_claude_dir(&logical))
-                {
+                if claude_has_session(&Coordinator::agent_claude_dir(&logical)) {
                     current_logged_in.insert(logical.clone());
                 }
             }
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/dashboard.rs b/hive-c0re/src/dashboard.rs
index 9b39128b..5b4c6e90 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/dashboard.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/dashboard.rs
@@ -979,9 +979,8 @@ async fn build_approval_views(approvals: Vec<Approval>) -> Vec<ApprovalView> {
     out
 }
 
-/// State-dir names that don't appear in the live container list (and
-/// aren't the manager). Each one surfaces in the dashboard as a row
-/// with R3V1V3 + PURG3 actions.
+/// State-dir names that don't appear in the live container list. Each
+/// one surfaces in the dashboard as a row with R3V1V3 + PURG3 actions.
 fn build_tombstone_views(
     coord: &Coordinator,
     containers: &[ContainerView],
@@ -995,7 +994,7 @@ fn build_tombstone_views(
         .collect();
     Coordinator::kept_state_names()
         .into_iter()
-        .filter(|name| name != MANAGER_NAME && !live.contains(name.as_str()))
+        .filter(|name| !live.contains(name.as_str()))
         .map(|name| {
             let root = Coordinator::agent_state_root(&name);
             let state_bytes = dir_size_bytes(&root);
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/topology.rs b/hive-c0re/src/topology.rs
index ce2f879d..19c6c278 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/topology.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/topology.rs
@@ -315,8 +315,9 @@ pub fn apply_add_child(
 }
 
 /// Reconcile `topology.json` against the current agent set. Adds an
-/// entry (default: parent = manager, manager itself = root) for any
-/// agent missing from the file; removes entries for agents no longer
+/// entry (default: parent = null — a new agent with no declared parent
+/// is its own root) for any agent missing from the file; removes
+/// entries for agents no longer
 /// present. Existing entries are preserved as-is — operator/manager
 /// choices stick across regenerations. Returns true when the file
 /// changed and should be re-committed by the caller.