diff --git a/docs/tools/hivectl.md b/docs/tools/hivectl.md
index a8d502c2..7f7b5d76 100644
--- a/docs/tools/hivectl.md
+++ b/docs/tools/hivectl.md
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ hivectl forge reconcile-config iris --verbose      # include the full diff, not
 
 Manual entry to the same idempotent matrix provisioning flow
 `hive-c0re` runs at boot. Requires the `hive-matrix` container to be
-running (`services.hyperhive.swarm.matrix.enable = true`).
+running (`services.hyperhive.deploy.matrix.enable = true`).
 
 ```bash
 hivectl matrix create-user iris         # provision (or re-provision) matrix account for agent `iris`
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/matrix.rs b/hive-c0re/src/matrix.rs
index d524e0ce..dd08459b 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/matrix.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/matrix.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 //! Optional matrix-tuwunel wiring: shared registration token (host) +
 //! per-agent UIAA registration → `<agent-state>/matrix-token`. No-op
 //! when the `hive-matrix` container isn't running, so operators who
-//! haven't flipped `services.hyperhive.swarm.matrix.enable = true` pay
+//! haven't flipped `services.hyperhive.deploy.matrix.enable = true` pay
 //! nothing.
 //!
 //! See `docs/matrix.md::Provisioning flow (registration token)` for
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/server.rs b/hive-c0re/src/server.rs
index 2a469429..85a80cde 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/server.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/server.rs
@@ -487,7 +487,7 @@ fn require_matrix_present() -> Result<()> {
         return Ok(());
     }
     anyhow::bail!(
-        "no matrix homeserver configured — set services.hyperhive.swarm.matrix.enable = true to run one \
+        "no matrix homeserver configured — set services.hyperhive.deploy.matrix.enable = true to run one \
          here, or services.hyperhive.swarm.matrix.apiUrl to point at an existing one, before \
          provisioning matrix users"
     )
diff --git a/nix/docs/default.nix b/nix/docs/default.nix
index ec1836df..3d809600 100644
--- a/nix/docs/default.nix
+++ b/nix/docs/default.nix
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ let
           boot.loader.grub.enable = false;
           system.stateVersion = "25.11";
           services.hyperhive.enable = lib.mkForce false;
-          services.hyperhive.swarm.matrix.enable = lib.mkForce false;
+          services.hyperhive.deploy.matrix.enable = lib.mkForce false;
         }
       )
     ];
diff --git a/nix/host-modules/deploy.nix b/nix/host-modules/deploy.nix
index 8ae9ae71..e4020c0b 100644
--- a/nix/host-modules/deploy.nix
+++ b/nix/host-modules/deploy.nix
@@ -152,6 +152,24 @@ in
       '';
     };
 
+    matrix.enable = lib.mkOption {
+      type = lib.types.bool;
+      default = false;
+      description = ''
+        Run the swarm's matrix homeserver — matrix-tuwunel, in a
+        `hive-matrix` container — on this host.
+
+        Derives from
+        {option}`services.hyperhive.swarm.enableRequiredServices` with
+        the other once-per-swarm services. Set it here directly to put
+        the homeserver somewhere other than the host holding the rest.
+
+        Client-side settings stay in
+        {option}`services.hyperhive.swarm.matrix.*`, which every hive
+        agrees on; this is only the decision to run it here.
+      '';
+    };
+
     nats.enable = lib.mkOption {
       type = lib.types.bool;
       default = false;
diff --git a/nix/host-modules/hive-c0re/environment.nix b/nix/host-modules/hive-c0re/environment.nix
index c1df0c6e..11088fc3 100644
--- a/nix/host-modules/hive-c0re/environment.nix
+++ b/nix/host-modules/hive-c0re/environment.nix
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ in
 //
   lib.optionalAttrs
     (
-      config.services.hyperhive.swarm.matrix.enable
+      config.services.hyperhive.deploy.matrix.enable
       && config.services.hyperhive.swarm.matrix.gatewayHost != null
     )
     {
diff --git a/nix/host-modules/hive-matrix.nix b/nix/host-modules/hive-matrix.nix
index 8084f380..8d1d33bd 100644
--- a/nix/host-modules/hive-matrix.nix
+++ b/nix/host-modules/hive-matrix.nix
@@ -164,6 +164,13 @@ in
       [ "services" "hyperhive" "matrix" ]
       [ "services" "hyperhive" "swarm" "matrix" ]
     )
+    # "does THIS host run it" is a per-host decision, and `swarm.*` is the
+    # namespace every host in the swarm agrees on. The rest of the matrix
+    # settings genuinely are swarm-wide and stay where they are.
+    (lib.mkRenamedOptionModule
+      [ "services" "hyperhive" "swarm" "matrix" "enable" ]
+      [ "services" "hyperhive" "deploy" "matrix" "enable" ]
+    )
     (lib.mkRemovedOptionModule [ "services" "hyperhive" "swarm" "matrix" "sso" "enable" ] ''
       SSO is no longer optional: a homeserver that runs at all delegates
       login to the swarm's authelia.
@@ -177,21 +184,6 @@ in
   ];
 
   options.services.hyperhive.swarm.matrix = {
-    enable = lib.mkOption {
-      type = lib.types.bool;
-      default = false;
-      description = ''
-        Run hive-matrix — a private matrix-tuwunel homeserver (in a
-        nixos-container) for hyperhive agents.
-
-        Matrix is a swarm-wide service — one homeserver, not one per
-        hive — so `services.hyperhive.swarm.enableRequiredServices`
-        turns this on as part of saying the swarm's shared services live
-        on this host. Set it here directly to run the homeserver
-        somewhere other than the host that holds the rest of them.
-      '';
-    };
-
     package = lib.mkOption {
       type = lib.types.package;
       default = pkgs.matrix-tuwunel;
@@ -254,9 +246,9 @@ in
 
     apiUrl = lib.mkOption {
       type = lib.types.nullOr lib.types.str;
-      default = if cfg.enable then "http://127.0.0.1:${toString cfg.httpPort}" else null;
+      default = if deployCfg.matrix.enable then "http://127.0.0.1:${toString cfg.httpPort}" else null;
       defaultText = lib.literalExpression ''
-        if services.hyperhive.swarm.matrix.enable
+        if services.hyperhive.deploy.matrix.enable
         then "http://127.0.0.1:''${toString services.hyperhive.swarm.matrix.httpPort}"
         else null
       '';
@@ -411,8 +403,8 @@ in
     gui = {
       enable = lib.mkOption {
         type = lib.types.bool;
-        default = cfg.enable;
-        defaultText = lib.literalExpression "config.services.hyperhive.swarm.matrix.enable";
+        default = deployCfg.matrix.enable;
+        defaultText = lib.literalExpression "config.services.hyperhive.deploy.matrix.enable";
         description = ''
           Serve a matrix web client at `matrix.''${services.hyperhive.domain}/`.
           Requires `matrix.gatewayHost != null` (default `matrix.<hive>`
@@ -498,7 +490,7 @@ in
     };
   };
 
-  config = lib.mkIf cfg.enable {
+  config = lib.mkIf deployCfg.matrix.enable {
     # Matrix's own gateway surface: the sub-domain vhost, the name the
     # hive resolver answers for, and the Accept-header map that vhost's
     # SPA fallback reads. All three are matrix knowledge and none of
diff --git a/nix/host-modules/swarm-required-services.nix b/nix/host-modules/swarm-required-services.nix
index 8e8e5fc1..c69eeaff 100644
--- a/nix/host-modules/swarm-required-services.nix
+++ b/nix/host-modules/swarm-required-services.nix
@@ -48,15 +48,11 @@ in
 
   # Same precedence reasoning as ./local-defaults.nix: fills in for an
   # operator who hasn't spoken, yields to one who has.
-  config.services.hyperhive.swarm = {
-    # The last one still spelled `swarm.*.enable`. Everything else that
-    # used to derive here — the queue, the SSO provider, the collector,
-    # the metrics pair, the log store — now derives below under
-    # `deploy.*`, because "does THIS host run it" is a per-host decision
-    # and `swarm.*` has to be identical on every host. Same switch, same
-    # rule, different attribute path.
-    matrix.enable = lib.mkDefault swarmCfg.enableRequiredServices;
-  };
+  #
+  # Everything derives under `deploy.*` now, because "does THIS host run
+  # it" is a per-host decision and `swarm.*` has to be identical on every
+  # host. Same switch, same rule, one attribute path.
+  config.services.hyperhive.deploy.matrix.enable = lib.mkDefault swarmCfg.enableRequiredServices;
 
   # The collector that feeds the pair above (note: no `swarm.` prefix,
   # this is ./otel.nix's existing per-hive option).