diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 8ab275c2..4b0ded9a 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1966,7 +1966,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "hive-priv-sock",
  "libc",
- "serde",
  "serde_json",
  "tokio",
  "tracing",
diff --git a/docs/agent-lifecycle/persistence.md b/docs/agent-lifecycle/persistence.md
index c28f7b15..0560360b 100644
--- a/docs/agent-lifecycle/persistence.md
+++ b/docs/agent-lifecycle/persistence.md
@@ -618,10 +618,10 @@ Idempotency is **per-account**: an `avatar-icon-hash` file in each
 account's matrix-sdk `state_dir`. The daemon hashes the PNG bytes and
 skips the upload when unchanged, because every upload mints a fresh
 `mxc://` URI that emits a profile state event in every joined room —
-re-uploading identical bytes is timeline spam. A dashboard-provisioned
-account gets its avatar when the `systemd.paths.hive-matrix-daemon` token
-watcher restarts the daemon (which re-runs the per-account bring-up), so
-no separate avatar trigger is needed. The daemon swallows avatar failures
+re-uploading identical bytes is timeline spam. A swarm-UI-linked
+account gets its avatar when the daemon restarts on a changed account
+listing (exit 75, which re-runs the per-account bring-up), so no separate
+avatar trigger is needed. The daemon swallows avatar failures
 (logged, non-fatal) so they never break account bring-up or sync.
 <!-- vale write-good.Passive = YES -->
 
diff --git a/docs/swarm/credentials.md b/docs/swarm/credentials.md
index a60443ce..8a216831 100644
--- a/docs/swarm/credentials.md
+++ b/docs/swarm/credentials.md
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ of the cell says how.
 | `swarm/agents/<agent>/bao-mtls`                             | the store's agent PKI mount (`deploy.bao.agentPkiMountPath`), which generates the key, at `swarm-controller`'s request at agent creation | `hive-c0re`, under the hive's own certificate, when it writes the agent's container config                                                                                       | ✅ `swarm-controller`'s five-minute pass re-issues a live agent's leaf once it's past half its validity (45 of 90 days, read from the certificate itself)                                                                                                                                                                                                            | ❌ `hive-c0re` reads it when it writes the container config, so the agent presents a new leaf from its next start; the old leaf stays valid until it expires                                                                                                                              |
 | `swarm/agents/<agent>/queue`                                | `swarm-controller`, at agent creation                                                                                                    | `hive-agent` in the agent container, under the agent's own certificate, held in memory — the identity it presents to the swarm queue, naming that one agent rather than its hive | ✅ `swarm-controller`'s five-minute pass re-mints a live agent's secret once it's 45 days old by `minted_at` on the stored object; a secret with no `minted_at` gets one stamped, value unchanged. The pass skips agents declared `Destroyed` — declaring an agent destroyed deletes every version of the path instead, the undo of the mint rather than another one | ✅ `hive-agent` reads the path before its first connect and again on every reconnect attempt, so a reconnect after a re-mint presents the new secret. An open connection keeps the secret it connected with; after a revocation the agent keeps retrying under the queue client's backoff |
 | `swarm/agents/<agent>/forge-token`                          | `swarm-controller`, at agent creation and in a pass every 5 minutes over every agent with a store identity                               | the agent container itself, under its own certificate, fetched to `/run/hive-agent-forge-token/token`                                                                            | ✅ the controller re-mints when the stored token is missing or no longer matches the forge (last eight characters and scopes)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | ✅ the agent re-fetches on a 10-minute timer                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
+| `swarm/agents/<agent>/forge/<label>`                        | `swarm-controller`, when an operator links an external forge account in the swarm UI                                                     | `hive-agent-forge-accounts` in the agent container, under the agent's own certificate, into `<state>/forge-<label>-token` and `forge-<label>.json`                               | ❌ an operator's token; replaced only by linking the label again                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | ✅ the agent re-fetches on a 2-minute timer                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
 | `swarm/hives/<hive>/matrix/appservice-token`                | one minter, on the authelia host                                                                                                         | the hive process that presents the token to its homeserver, under the hive's own certificate                                                                                     | must be stated                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | must be stated                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
 | `swarm/hives/<hive>/matrix/sender-token`                    | `swarm-controller`, with the swarm's appservice token, for every hive in its directory in a five-minute pass                             | `swarm-controller` under its own certificate, before it decides whether to mint, and hive-c0re's `stored_sender_token()`, under the hive's own certificate                       | ✅ the controller's pass re-mints when the stored token is missing, unknown to the homeserver, or someone else's                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | ✅ hive-c0re's matrix sweep reads the store every run and overwrites its token file when the store's token differs                                                                                                                                                                        |
 | `swarm/hives/<hive>/queue/agent`                            | authelia                                                                                                                                 | `swarm-bao-queue-agent` on the hive's host, under its own per-hive certificate; no agent's policy reaches it                                                                     | must be stated                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | must be stated                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
diff --git a/docs/tools/forge-cli.md b/docs/tools/forge-cli.md
index eac3fd7e..0cc936c9 100644
--- a/docs/tools/forge-cli.md
+++ b/docs/tools/forge-cli.md
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ Forgejo CLI wrapper for hyperhive
 ###### **Options:**
 
 * `-r`, `--repo <REPO>` — Repo to act on, as `owner/name` (default: inferred from the cwd's git `origin` remote, then `HIVE_FORGE_REPO`). Works with any verb
-* `-f`, `--forge <FORGE>` — Act as a dashboard-provisioned external forge account (by its FORGES-tab label) instead of the internal forge. Independent of `-r/--repo`
+* `-f`, `--forge <FORGE>` — Act as an external forge account linked in the swarm UI (by its label) instead of the internal forge. Independent of `-r/--repo`
 * `--json` — Emit JSON instead of the default human-readable output (for verbs that support both)
 
 
diff --git a/docs/trust-boundary/security.md b/docs/trust-boundary/security.md
index b14bdc62..3c391a0b 100644
--- a/docs/trust-boundary/security.md
+++ b/docs/trust-boundary/security.md
@@ -280,37 +280,36 @@ for every operation that genuinely requires root.
 **Narrow interface** — `PrivRequest` variants map 1:1 to specific
 known operations; there is no arbitrary command pass-through:
 
-| Operation                                                      | What it runs                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
-| -------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `StartContainer` / `StopContainer`                             | `nixos-container start/stop <name>`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
-| `KillContainer`                                                | `machinectl kill <machine> --signal=SIGKILL` (`nixos-container` has no kill verb)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
-| `CreateContainer` / `UpdateContainer`                          | `nixos-container create/update <name> --flake <ref>`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
-| `DestroyContainer`                                             | `nixos-container destroy <name>`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
-| `ListContainers`                                               | `nixos-container list`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
-| `ReadContainerJournal`                                         | `journalctl -M <container> -n <n> [filters...]`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
-| `ReloadGatewayNginx`                                           | `systemctl reload/start/reset-failed nginx` (host unit; the unit name is hard-coded, not a parameter)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
-| `WriteNspawnFlags`                                             | write `/etc/nixos-containers/<container>.conf` (bind-mount list + network isolation vars)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
-| `EnsureAgentSocketDir`                                         | `mkdirat` `/run/hive-agent/<name>` `0751 root:root` under an `O_NOFOLLOW` parent fd; leaves an existing directory alone, refuses anything else                                                                                                                                                                                            |
-| `WriteResourceLimits`                                          | write `CPUQuota=`/`MemoryMax=`/`CPUWeight=`/`IOWeight=` systemd drop-in for agent container                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
-| `RemoveServiceDropin`                                          | remove `container@<name>.service.d/` drop-in on destroy                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
-| `DaemonReload`                                                 | `systemctl daemon-reload`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
-| `RunForgeAdmin`                                                | `nixos-container run hive-forge -- runuser -u forgejo -- forgejo admin <args>`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
-| `ControlInfraContainer`                                        | `systemctl <action> container@<container>.service` — the `InfraContainer` enum is the allowlist, and serde rejects unknown names at the wire boundary (`hive-c0re` has no variant, so no request can name it)                                                                                                                             |
-| `SyncAgentTmpfiles`                                            | legacy: unlink `/etc/tmpfiles.d/hyperhive-agents.conf` and return `Ok`; kept one release for an older hive-c0re                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
-| `SetAgentPaused`                                               | create / remove the `<state>/<name>/harness/paused` marker that parks an agent's turn loop                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
-| `WriteAgentGithubToken`                                        | write `0600` `github-token` into agent state dir (same semantics as the extra-forge account writes)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
-| `WriteAgentExtraForgeAccount` / `DeleteAgentExtraForgeAccount` | write / remove `forge-<label>-token` + a `forge-<label>.json` base-URL sidecar, both `0600`. hive-priv validates `label` as a plain identifier before it reaches the filename — an unchecked one traverses out of the state dir                                                                                                           |
-| `RegisterCiRunner`                                             | write `/run/hive-ci/runner-token` (host path, root-owned) then `systemctl --machine=hive-ci restart gitea-runner-hive.service`. Only the registration token crosses; the forge admin token never enters the container                                                                                                                     |
-| `EnsureAgentSubvolume`                                         | `btrfs subvolume create <state>/<name>` for a new agent — no-op when the path exists or the filesystem isn't btrfs                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
-| `UpgradeAgentSubvolume`                                        | migrate an existing plain state dir into a subvolume: create, `cp -a --reflink=auto`, atomic swap. Operator opt-in, and the caller stops the agent first                                                                                                                                                                                  |
-| `DeleteAgentSubvolume`                                         | `btrfs subvolume delete <state>/<name>` — purge path only, never a plain destroy                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
-| `EnsureBtrfsQuota`                                             | `btrfs quota enable <AGENT_STATE_ROOT>`. Operator opt-in — enabling forces a full rescan                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
-| `ReadSubvolumeUsage`                                           | `btrfs qgroup show -f --raw <state>/<name>`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
-| `SetSubvolumeQuota`                                            | `btrfs qgroup limit <bytes\|none> <state>/<name>`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
-| `SnapshotAgentSubvolume`                                       | `btrfs subvolume snapshot -r <agent_root> <snapshot_path>` — the frozen point-in-time copy a migration streams from                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
-| `DeleteAgentSnapshot`                                          | `btrfs subvolume delete <snapshot_path>`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
-| `SendAgentSnapshotToFile`                                      | `btrfs send [-p <parent>] <snapshot>` into a bare filename under `MIGRATE_STAGING_ROOT`; refuses to overwrite an existing export                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
-| `SendAgentSnapshotToFd`                                        | `btrfs send [-p <parent>] <snapshot>` into a **file descriptor passed with the request** (`SCM_RIGHTS`). hive-c0re connects to the peer and hands over the connected socket, so hive-priv never learns an address or protocol. hive-priv requires exactly one descriptor here, and refuses one that arrives alongside any other operation |
+| Operation                             | What it runs                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
+| ------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| `StartContainer` / `StopContainer`    | `nixos-container start/stop <name>`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
+| `KillContainer`                       | `machinectl kill <machine> --signal=SIGKILL` (`nixos-container` has no kill verb)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
+| `CreateContainer` / `UpdateContainer` | `nixos-container create/update <name> --flake <ref>`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
+| `DestroyContainer`                    | `nixos-container destroy <name>`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
+| `ListContainers`                      | `nixos-container list`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
+| `ReadContainerJournal`                | `journalctl -M <container> -n <n> [filters...]`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
+| `ReloadGatewayNginx`                  | `systemctl reload/start/reset-failed nginx` (host unit; the unit name is hard-coded, not a parameter)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
+| `WriteNspawnFlags`                    | write `/etc/nixos-containers/<container>.conf` (bind-mount list + network isolation vars)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
+| `EnsureAgentSocketDir`                | `mkdirat` `/run/hive-agent/<name>` `0751 root:root` under an `O_NOFOLLOW` parent fd; leaves an existing directory alone, refuses anything else                                                                                                                                                                                            |
+| `WriteResourceLimits`                 | write `CPUQuota=`/`MemoryMax=`/`CPUWeight=`/`IOWeight=` systemd drop-in for agent container                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
+| `RemoveServiceDropin`                 | remove `container@<name>.service.d/` drop-in on destroy                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
+| `DaemonReload`                        | `systemctl daemon-reload`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
+| `RunForgeAdmin`                       | `nixos-container run hive-forge -- runuser -u forgejo -- forgejo admin <args>`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
+| `ControlInfraContainer`               | `systemctl <action> container@<container>.service` — the `InfraContainer` enum is the allowlist, and serde rejects unknown names at the wire boundary (`hive-c0re` has no variant, so no request can name it)                                                                                                                             |
+| `SyncAgentTmpfiles`                   | legacy: unlink `/etc/tmpfiles.d/hyperhive-agents.conf` and return `Ok`; kept one release for an older hive-c0re                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
+| `SetAgentPaused`                      | create / remove the `<state>/<name>/harness/paused` marker that parks an agent's turn loop                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
+| `WriteAgentGithubToken`               | write `0600` `github-token` into agent state dir                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
+| `RegisterCiRunner`                    | write `/run/hive-ci/runner-token` (host path, root-owned) then `systemctl --machine=hive-ci restart gitea-runner-hive.service`. Only the registration token crosses; the forge admin token never enters the container                                                                                                                     |
+| `EnsureAgentSubvolume`                | `btrfs subvolume create <state>/<name>` for a new agent — no-op when the path exists or the filesystem isn't btrfs                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
+| `UpgradeAgentSubvolume`               | migrate an existing plain state dir into a subvolume: create, `cp -a --reflink=auto`, atomic swap. Operator opt-in, and the caller stops the agent first                                                                                                                                                                                  |
+| `DeleteAgentSubvolume`                | `btrfs subvolume delete <state>/<name>` — purge path only, never a plain destroy                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
+| `EnsureBtrfsQuota`                    | `btrfs quota enable <AGENT_STATE_ROOT>`. Operator opt-in — enabling forces a full rescan                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
+| `ReadSubvolumeUsage`                  | `btrfs qgroup show -f --raw <state>/<name>`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
+| `SetSubvolumeQuota`                   | `btrfs qgroup limit <bytes\|none> <state>/<name>`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
+| `SnapshotAgentSubvolume`              | `btrfs subvolume snapshot -r <agent_root> <snapshot_path>` — the frozen point-in-time copy a migration streams from                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
+| `DeleteAgentSnapshot`                 | `btrfs subvolume delete <snapshot_path>`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
+| `SendAgentSnapshotToFile`             | `btrfs send [-p <parent>] <snapshot>` into a bare filename under `MIGRATE_STAGING_ROOT`; refuses to overwrite an existing export                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
+| `SendAgentSnapshotToFd`               | `btrfs send [-p <parent>] <snapshot>` into a **file descriptor passed with the request** (`SCM_RIGHTS`). hive-c0re connects to the peer and hands over the connected socket, so hive-priv never learns an address or protocol. hive-priv requires exactly one descriptor here, and refuses one that arrives alongside any other operation |
 
 **Container allowlist** — `hive-priv` validates every request against
 an allowlist before any operation: the allowlist accepts only names
diff --git a/docs/web-ui/dashboard.md b/docs/web-ui/dashboard.md
index 6a6f2c7e..085d41ed 100644
--- a/docs/web-ui/dashboard.md
+++ b/docs/web-ui/dashboard.md
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ on the H0M3 hub, same minimal chrome as `/logs.html` (a `← home` back-link
 than `/core.html`'s plain title. Its own esbuild bundle
 (`credentials.js`); no SSE — it reads `/api/state` once for the (shared)
 agent picker and otherwise works off purpose-built endpoints per tab.
-Two sub-tabs:
+One sub-tab:
 
 Link an external matrix account from the swarm UI (`LinkMatrixAccountForm` → swarm-controller). Accounts already linked through the old MATRIX tab keep working until the operator moves them to swarm level.
 
@@ -318,31 +318,7 @@ Provisioning posts `POST /api/github-account` (form-encoded `agent`,
 `application/problem+json` with the message in `detail`. The token is never
 echoed back in either direction.
 
-### FORGES tab
-
-Store a **label + base URL + access token** for an external Forgejo/Gitea/
-Codeberg-compatible forge, per agent. Entirely dashboard-provisioned —
-there is no host-side nix config for this (no `services.hyperhive.
-extraForges` option). The operator creates the token on the external forge
-themselves (however that forge lets them — PAT UI, a teammate with admin,
-whatever) and pastes label/URL/token into the form; hive-c0re never talks
-to the external forge's API and never creates an account there.
-
-The selected agent's stored forges come from `GET /api/extra-forges?
-agent=<name>` → `{ forges: [{ label, base_url }] }`, derived by scanning
-the agent's state dir for `forge-<label>-token` files (mirrors the MATRIX
-tab's filename-scan listing) with `base_url` backfilled from a sibling
-`forge-<label>.json` sidecar. Submitting the add form posts `POST /api/
-extra-forge-account` (form-encoded `agent, label, base_url, token,
-action=add`) → `200 { ok: true }`, which writes both files through the
-same privileged write path as the other tabs. Each row's `remove` button
-opens a themed confirm dialog, then posts the same endpoint with
-`action=remove`, deleting both local files — nothing changes on the
-remote forge. The token is never echoed back in either direction.
-
-A per-forge `hive-forge --forge <label>` CLI selector (to make `hive-forge`
-target one of these accounts instead of the internal forge) is a
-deliberate non-goal of this tab — tracked separately.
+Link an external forge account from the swarm UI (`LinkForgeAccountForm` → swarm-controller); the agent fetches it into the files `hive-forge -f <label>` reads. Accounts already provisioned through the old FORGES tab keep working until the operator links them there.
 
 ## P3RM1SS10NS tab
 
diff --git a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/credentials.css b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/credentials.css
index 30842d4d..a9e56f2b 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/credentials.css
+++ b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/credentials.css
@@ -81,43 +81,6 @@ body.cred-shell {
   border-color: var(--purple);
 }
 
-.ma-accounts {
-  list-style: none;
-  padding: 0;
-  margin: 0;
-}
-.ma-account {
-  display: flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  gap: 0.6rem;
-  padding: 0.45rem 0.2rem;
-  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border);
-}
-.ma-dot {
-  width: 0.6rem;
-  height: 0.6rem;
-  border-radius: 50%;
-  flex: none;
-}
-.ma-dot.ok {
-  background: var(--green);
-}
-.ma-name {
-  font-weight: 600;
-  color: var(--fg);
-}
-.ma-hs {
-  color: var(--muted);
-  font-size: 0.85rem;
-}
-.ma-status {
-  margin-left: auto;
-  font-size: 0.8rem;
-}
-.ma-status.ok {
-  color: var(--green);
-}
-
 .ma-result {
   margin-top: 0.7rem;
   font-size: 0.9rem;
diff --git a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/credentials.html b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/credentials.html
index c6ba4910..a576ee9f 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/credentials.html
+++ b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/credentials.html
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
   </head>
   <body class="cred-shell">
     <!-- Minimal chrome: back link + sub-tab strip, same pattern as
-       logs.html (GITHUB / FORGES instead of AGENT/INFRA/SYSTEM). Back
+       logs.html (GITHUB instead of AGENT/INFRA/SYSTEM). Back
        link points to the H0M3 hub (served at /). -->
     <header class="page-header">
       <a class="page-back" href="/">← home</a>
@@ -25,8 +25,7 @@
     </header>
 
     <main class="cred-main">
-      <!-- Agent picker: shared across the tabs (one agent selected at a
-         time drives both the github status and the forge list). -->
+      <!-- Agent picker: the selected agent drives the github status. -->
       <h3>◇ agent</h3>
       <label class="ma-field">
         <span>agent</span>
@@ -81,61 +80,6 @@
           <p id="gh-result" class="ma-result" aria-live="polite"></p>
         </form>
       </section>
-
-      <!-- FORGES tab: external Forgejo/Gitea/Codeberg-compatible forges.
-         Entirely dashboard-provisioned, no host-side nix config &mdash; same
-         shape as GITHUB plus a base-URL field.
-         The operator creates a token on the external forge themselves
-         (however that forge lets them) and pastes label + URL + token
-         below. No remote account minting/revoking &mdash; purely local. -->
-      <section
-        class="cred-pane"
-        id="cred-pane-forges"
-        data-tab-pane="forges"
-        role="tabpanel"
-        aria-labelledby="cred-tab-forges"
-        hidden
-      >
-        <p class="meta">
-          store a <strong>label + base URL + access token</strong> for an
-          external Forgejo/Gitea/Codeberg-compatible forge, per agent. no
-          account is created on the remote forge &mdash; create the token there
-          yourself first. the token is never displayed back on this page.
-        </p>
-
-        <h3>◇ provisioned forges</h3>
-        <div id="ef-list" class="ef-list">
-          <p class="meta">select an agent to see its forge accounts.</p>
-        </div>
-
-        <h3>◇ add forge account</h3>
-        <form id="ef-form" class="ma-form" autocomplete="off">
-          <label class="ma-field">
-            <span>label</span>
-            <input
-              type="text"
-              name="label"
-              placeholder="e.g. codeberg"
-              required
-            />
-          </label>
-          <label class="ma-field">
-            <span>base url</span>
-            <input
-              type="text"
-              name="base_url"
-              placeholder="https://codeberg.org"
-              required
-            />
-          </label>
-          <label class="ma-field">
-            <span>access token</span>
-            <input type="password" name="token" autocomplete="off" required />
-          </label>
-          <button type="submit" class="btn btn-spawn">store account</button>
-          <p id="ef-result" class="ma-result" aria-live="polite"></p>
-        </form>
-      </section>
     </main>
 
     <script type="module" src="/static/credentials.js" defer></script>
diff --git a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/credentials.js b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/credentials.js
index 65120d5f..6dab5af3 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/credentials.js
+++ b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/credentials.js
@@ -1,25 +1,17 @@
 // CR3D3NTIALS page entry (/credentials.html).
 //
 // Operator surface to provision per-agent credentials without editing the
-// agent's config repo. Two sub-tabs, sharing one agent picker:
+// agent's config repo. One sub-tab and an agent picker:
 //   GITHUB — single-account PAT paste against /api/github-account
 //            (GET -> {present}, POST form-encoded {agent, token} ->
 //            {ok:true}; error_response shape on failure).
 //            No account name / homeserver / login mode, and no
 //            live/heartbeat concept for a static PAT — just present/absent.
-//   FORGES — external forge accounts, entirely dashboard-provisioned (no
-//            host-side config): GET /api/extra-forges?agent= lists the
-//            agent's stored {label, base_url} pairs, POST
-//            /api/extra-forge-account (form agent/label/base_url/token/
-//            action=add|remove) stores or removes one. No remote account
-//            creation — the operator makes the token on the external forge
-//            themselves and pastes it in, same trust model as GITHUB.
 // Per-tab detail comments live next to their section below.
 
 import { $, esc, renderServerWarnings } from "./common.js";
 import { el } from "@hive/shared/dom.js";
 import "@hive/shared/hive-tab-strip.js";
-import { themedConfirm, themedToast } from "@hive/shared/modal.js";
 import { readApiError, problemMessage } from "@hive/shared/api-error.js";
 
 let agents = [];
@@ -185,179 +177,10 @@ async function submitGithub(e) {
   }
 }
 
-// ─── FORGES tab ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-// Entirely dashboard-provisioned, no host-side nix config: per-agent list
-// (GET /api/extra-forges?agent=, derived from the agent's own
-// forge-<label>-token files) + an add form (POST /api/extra-forge-account,
-// form label/base_url/token, action=add) and a remove button per row
-// (same POST, action=remove). No remote account creation — purely local
-// bookkeeping for a token the operator already created on the external
-// forge themselves.
-
-async function loadForgeAccounts(agent) {
-  const list = $("ef-list");
-  if (!agent) {
-    list.replaceChildren(
-      el("p", { class: "meta" }, "select an agent to see its forge accounts."),
-    );
-    return;
-  }
-  list.replaceChildren(el("p", { class: "meta" }, "loading…"));
-  let forges;
-  try {
-    const resp = await fetch(
-      "/api/extra-forges?agent=" + encodeURIComponent(agent),
-    );
-    if (!resp.ok) throw new Error("HTTP " + resp.status);
-    forges = (await resp.json()).forges || [];
-  } catch (err) {
-    list.replaceChildren(
-      el(
-        "p",
-        { class: "err" },
-        "could not load forge accounts: " +
-          esc(String(err)) +
-          " (the backend endpoint may not be deployed yet).",
-      ),
-    );
-    return;
-  }
-
-  list.replaceChildren();
-  if (!forges.length) {
-    list.replaceChildren(
-      el("p", { class: "meta" }, "no forge accounts stored for this agent."),
-    );
-    return;
-  }
-  const ul = el("ul", { class: "ma-accounts" });
-  for (const forge of forges) {
-    const btn = el("button", { class: "btn", type: "button" }, "remove");
-    btn.addEventListener("click", () => onForgeRemoveClick(agent, forge, btn));
-    ul.append(
-      el(
-        "li",
-        { class: "ma-account" },
-        el("span", { class: "ma-dot ok" }),
-        el("span", { class: "ma-name" }, forge.label),
-        el("span", { class: "ma-hs" }, forge.base_url || "—"),
-        el("span", { class: "ma-status ok" }, "token stored ✓"),
-        btn,
-      ),
-    );
-  }
-  list.append(ul);
-}
-
-async function onForgeRemoveClick(agent, forge, btn) {
-  const r = await themedConfirm({
-    message: `remove ${agent}'s stored token for ${forge.label}? this only deletes the local copy — nothing changes on the remote forge.`,
-    danger: true,
-    confirmLabel: "⊘ remove",
-  });
-  if (!r) return;
-
-  btn.disabled = true;
-  const orig = btn.textContent;
-  btn.textContent = "removing…";
-  try {
-    const resp = await fetch("/api/extra-forge-account", {
-      method: "POST",
-      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/x-www-form-urlencoded" },
-      body: new URLSearchParams({
-        agent,
-        label: forge.label,
-        action: "remove",
-      }),
-    });
-    if (resp.ok) {
-      loadForgeAccounts(agent);
-      return;
-    }
-    const msg = problemMessage(await readApiError(resp));
-    btn.textContent = orig;
-    btn.disabled = false;
-    themedToast("✗ " + (msg || "remove failed (HTTP " + resp.status + ")"), {
-      type: "error",
-    });
-  } catch (err) {
-    btn.textContent = orig;
-    btn.disabled = false;
-    themedToast("✗ request failed: " + String(err), { type: "error" });
-  }
-}
-
-async function submitForgeAccount(e) {
-  e.preventDefault();
-  const formEl = e.target;
-  const out = $("ef-result");
-  out.className = "ma-result";
-  out.textContent = "";
-
-  const agent = $("ma-agent").value;
-  if (!agent) {
-    out.className = "ma-result err";
-    out.textContent = "select an agent first.";
-    return;
-  }
-
-  const fd = new FormData(formEl);
-  fd.set("agent", agent);
-  fd.set("action", "add");
-
-  const btn = formEl.querySelector('button[type="submit"]');
-  const orig = btn.textContent;
-  btn.disabled = true;
-  btn.textContent = "storing…";
-
-  try {
-    const resp = await fetch("/api/extra-forge-account", {
-      method: "POST",
-      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/x-www-form-urlencoded" },
-      body: new URLSearchParams(fd),
-    });
-
-    if (resp.ok) {
-      let body = {};
-      try {
-        body = await resp.json();
-      } catch {
-        /* tolerate odd 2xx body */
-      }
-      if (body.ok) {
-        out.className = "ma-result ok";
-        out.textContent = "✓ forge account stored.";
-        clearSecrets(formEl);
-        loadForgeAccounts(agent);
-      } else {
-        out.className = "ma-result err";
-        out.textContent = "✗ store failed (unexpected response).";
-        clearSecrets(formEl);
-      }
-    } else {
-      const msg = problemMessage(await readApiError(resp));
-      out.className = "ma-result err";
-      out.textContent =
-        "✗ " + (msg || "store failed (HTTP " + resp.status + ")");
-      clearSecrets(formEl);
-    }
-  } catch (err) {
-    out.className = "ma-result err";
-    out.textContent =
-      "✗ request failed: " +
-      String(err) +
-      " (the backend endpoint may not be deployed yet).";
-  } finally {
-    btn.disabled = false;
-    btn.textContent = orig;
-  }
-}
-
 // ─── init ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 async function onAgentChange(agent) {
   loadGithubStatus(agent);
-  loadForgeAccounts(agent);
 }
 
 async function init() {
@@ -367,13 +190,9 @@ async function init() {
     onAgentChange(e.target.value),
   );
   $("gh-form").addEventListener("submit", submitGithub);
-  $("ef-form").addEventListener("submit", submitForgeAccount);
 
   document.getElementById("cred-tabbar").configure({
-    tabs: [
-      { id: "github", label: "GITHUB" },
-      { id: "forges", label: "FORGES" },
-    ],
+    tabs: [{ id: "github", label: "GITHUB" }],
     defaultId: "github",
   });
 
diff --git a/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/pages/LinkForgeAccountForm.tsx b/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/pages/LinkForgeAccountForm.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..236d36c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/pages/LinkForgeAccountForm.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+// <LinkForgeAccountForm> — writes an external forge account (base URL +
+// token) for one agent into the swarm secret store.
+// PUTs `/api/hives/{hive}/agents/{agent}/forge-accounts/{label}` — 200
+// (`{ url }`) on success, 400/500 as `problem+json`, shown via
+// `ApiErrorPanel` like `LinkMatrixAccountForm`.
+//
+// The label is what the agent passes to `hive-forge -f <label>`. A blind
+// set/update: no route lists linked accounts, and none hands a token back.
+import { useState } from "preact/hooks";
+import { ApiErrorPanel } from "@hive/shared/api-error-panel.js";
+import { readApiError, type ProblemDetails } from "@hive/shared/api-error.js";
+import { Panel } from "../ui/panel/Panel.js";
+import { TextField } from "../ui/text-field/TextField.js";
+import { Button } from "../ui/button/Button.js";
+import "./LinkMatrixAccountForm.css";
+
+// `hive_types::Ident`, which the server checks: `hive-forge -f` accepts
+// nothing wider. A UX hint only; the server is the gate.
+const LABEL_PATTERN = "[a-z0-9\\-]{1,63}";
+
+type SubmitState =
+  | { status: "idle" }
+  | { status: "submitting" }
+  | { status: "done"; url: string }
+  | { status: "error"; problem: ProblemDetails };
+
+export function LinkForgeAccountForm({
+  hive,
+  agent,
+  onClose,
+}: {
+  hive: string;
+  agent: string;
+  onClose?: () => void;
+}) {
+  const [label, setLabel] = useState("");
+  const [url, setUrl] = useState("");
+  const [token, setToken] = useState("");
+  const [result, setResult] = useState<SubmitState>({ status: "idle" });
+
+  async function submit(e: Event) {
+    e.preventDefault();
+    setResult({ status: "submitting" });
+    try {
+      const r = await fetch(
+        `/api/hives/${encodeURIComponent(hive)}/agents/${encodeURIComponent(agent)}/forge-accounts/${encodeURIComponent(label)}`,
+        {
+          method: "PUT",
+          headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
+          body: JSON.stringify({ url: url.trim(), token }),
+        },
+      );
+      if (!r.ok) {
+        setResult({ status: "error", problem: await readApiError(r) });
+        return;
+      }
+      const body = (await r.json().catch(() => ({}))) as { url?: string };
+      setResult({ status: "done", url: body.url ?? url.trim() });
+      // The store holds the token now; nothing here needs it.
+      setToken("");
+    } catch (err) {
+      setResult({ status: "error", problem: { detail: String(err) } });
+    }
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <Panel
+      title={`link a forge account — ${agent}`}
+      icon="🔗"
+      onClose={onClose}
+    >
+      <p>
+        Writes the account to the swarm secret store. The agent fetches it
+        within two minutes and can then use{" "}
+        <code>hive-forge -f {label || "<label>"}</code>. Create the token on the
+        external forge first; nothing is created there.
+      </p>
+      <form class="link-matrix-account-form" onSubmit={submit}>
+        <TextField
+          id="forge-account-label"
+          label="label"
+          value={label}
+          pattern={LABEL_PATTERN}
+          title="1-63 chars: lowercase letters, digits, hyphen"
+          placeholder="e.g. codeberg"
+          required
+          onInput={setLabel}
+        />
+        <TextField
+          id="forge-account-url"
+          label="forge URL"
+          type="url"
+          value={url}
+          placeholder="https://codeberg.org"
+          required
+          onInput={setUrl}
+        />
+        <TextField
+          id="forge-account-token"
+          label="access token"
+          type="password"
+          value={token}
+          required
+          onInput={setToken}
+        />
+        <Button
+          variant="primary"
+          type="submit"
+          disabled={result.status === "submitting"}
+        >
+          {result.status === "submitting" ? "linking…" : "link account"}
+        </Button>
+      </form>
+      {result.status === "done" && (
+        <p class="link-matrix-account-result-ok">
+          linked <strong>{label}</strong> ({result.url}) to{" "}
+          <strong>{agent}</strong>
+        </p>
+      )}
+      {result.status === "error" && (
+        <ApiErrorPanel
+          context="failed to link the account"
+          problem={result.problem}
+        />
+      )}
+    </Panel>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/pages/agents/AgentsPage.tsx b/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/pages/agents/AgentsPage.tsx
index d2641135..aeebef87 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/pages/agents/AgentsPage.tsx
+++ b/frontend/packages/swarm-ui/src/pages/agents/AgentsPage.tsx
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ import { SplitView } from "../../ui/split-view/SplitView.js";
 import { type TableColumn } from "../../ui/table/Table.js";
 import { CreateAgentForm } from "../CreateAgentForm.js";
 import { LinkMatrixAccountForm } from "../LinkMatrixAccountForm.js";
+import { LinkForgeAccountForm } from "../LinkForgeAccountForm.js";
 import { WantedMenu } from "./WantedMenu.js";
 import "./AgentsPage.css";
 
@@ -152,6 +153,8 @@ export function AgentsPage() {
   // confirmation of a `declareState` call, it's an unrelated action with
   // its own form (`LinkMatrixAccountForm`).
   const [matrixTarget, setMatrixTarget] = useState<AgentRow | null>(null);
+  // The row showing the "link a forge account" dialog, same shape.
+  const [forgeTarget, setForgeTarget] = useState<AgentRow | null>(null);
   // Which agent the detail panel shows, *by name* — not the `AgentRow`
   // object itself. Storing the row would snapshot it at selection time;
   // `rows` replaces its whole array on every `refresh()` and every
@@ -581,6 +584,22 @@ export function AgentsPage() {
                         : "no hive on record for this agent — nothing to link against"
                     }
                   />
+                  <Badge
+                    variant="quiet"
+                    icon={<LinkIcon />}
+                    value="link forge account"
+                    onClick={
+                      detailTarget.hive
+                        ? () => setForgeTarget(detailTarget)
+                        : undefined
+                    }
+                    disabled={!detailTarget.hive}
+                    title={
+                      detailTarget.hive
+                        ? `link an external forge account to ${detailTarget.name}`
+                        : "no hive on record for this agent — nothing to link against"
+                    }
+                  />
                 </div>
                 {/* MVP scope per mara's own ruling: a small read-only
                     preview, no header/no input — the full terminal
@@ -618,6 +637,20 @@ export function AgentsPage() {
           />
         ) : null}
       </Dialog>
+      <Dialog
+        open={forgeTarget !== null}
+        onClose={() => setForgeTarget(null)}
+        label="link a forge account"
+        plain
+      >
+        {forgeTarget?.hive ? (
+          <LinkForgeAccountForm
+            hive={forgeTarget.hive}
+            agent={forgeTarget.name}
+            onClose={() => setForgeTarget(null)}
+          />
+        ) : null}
+      </Dialog>
       <ConfirmDialog
         open={confirmTarget !== null}
         label={confirmTarget ? CONFIRM_COPY[confirmTarget.state].label : ""}
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/dashboard/extra_forges.rs b/hive-c0re/src/dashboard/extra_forges.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index 078f7fbc..00000000
--- a/hive-c0re/src/dashboard/extra_forges.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,206 +0,0 @@
-//! Dashboard-driven external (non-internal) Forgejo/Gitea/Codeberg-compatible
-//! forge accounts, per agent. Entirely dashboard-provisioned — there is no
-//! host-side nix config for these (see `nix/host-modules/hive-forge/`'s
-//! removed `extraForges` option). The operator manually creates a token on
-//! the external forge themselves (however that forge lets them: PAT UI, a
-//! teammate with admin, whatever) and pastes a label + base URL + token into
-//! the dashboard's FORGES tab, same shape as the GitHub PAT flow
-//! (`post_github_account`) plus a base URL.
-//!
-//! No remote account minting, no admin API, no revoke-on-the-remote-side —
-//! this module only ever touches the *local* agent state dir. hive-c0re
-//! persists the token to `<state>/forge-<label>-token` (0600) and the base
-//! URL to a `<state>/forge-<label>.json` sidecar (not secret, but kept next
-//! to the token so both survive together) via hive-priv. Listing derives the
-//! configured set from those files — there is no separate "catalog", since
-//! there is no nix config to enumerate.
-
-use std::path::Path;
-
-use axum::extract::{Form, Query};
-use axum::response::{IntoResponse, Response};
-use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
-use utoipa::{IntoParams, ToSchema};
-
-use super::{Ident, error_response};
-use crate::coordinator::Coordinator;
-
-#[derive(Deserialize)]
-struct ForgeSidecar {
-    base_url: String,
-}
-
-/// Read the base URL an agent stashed for `label` from its
-/// `forge-<label>.json` sidecar. `None` if the sidecar is missing or
-/// unparseable (e.g. a token file left over from a partial/older write).
-fn read_base_url(dir: &Path, label: &str) -> Option<String> {
-    let s = std::fs::read_to_string(dir.join(format!("forge-{label}.json"))).ok()?;
-    serde_json::from_str::<ForgeSidecar>(&s)
-        .ok()
-        .map(|s| s.base_url)
-}
-
-#[derive(Serialize, ToSchema)]
-struct ExtraForgeAccount {
-    label: String,
-    base_url: Option<String>,
-}
-
-#[derive(Serialize, ToSchema)]
-struct ExtraForgesResponse {
-    forges: Vec<ExtraForgeAccount>,
-}
-
-#[derive(Deserialize, IntoParams)]
-pub(super) struct ExtraForgesQuery {
-    agent: String,
-}
-
-/// List the external forge
-/// accounts currently provisioned for `agent`.
-///
-/// Derived from every `forge-<label>-token` file in its state dir. `base_url`
-/// is backfilled from the matching `forge-<label>.json` sidecar when
-/// present. Never returns a token.
-#[utoipa::path(
-    get,
-    path = "/api/extra-forges",
-    params(ExtraForgesQuery),
-    responses(
-        (status = 200, description = "provisioned extra forge accounts for the agent", body = ExtraForgesResponse),
-        (status = 500, description = "invalid agent name, or a state-dir read failed"),
-    ),
-    tag = "extra_forges"
-)]
-pub(super) async fn get_extra_forges(Query(q): Query<ExtraForgesQuery>) -> Response {
-    let agent = q.agent.trim();
-    let Ok(agent) = Ident::parse(agent) else {
-        return error_response(&format!("extra-forges: invalid agent {agent:?}"));
-    };
-    let dir = Coordinator::agent_notes_dir(&agent);
-    let mut forges = Vec::new();
-    match std::fs::read_dir(&dir) {
-        Ok(entries) => {
-            for entry in entries.flatten() {
-                if !entry.file_type().is_ok_and(|ft| ft.is_file()) {
-                    continue;
-                }
-                let fname = entry.file_name();
-                let Some(fname) = fname.to_str() else {
-                    continue;
-                };
-                // `forge-token` (no suffix) is the mandatory internal forge —
-                // not one of these dashboard-provisioned extra accounts.
-                let Some(label) = fname
-                    .strip_prefix("forge-")
-                    .and_then(|s| s.strip_suffix("-token"))
-                else {
-                    continue;
-                };
-                if label.is_empty() {
-                    continue;
-                }
-                forges.push(ExtraForgeAccount {
-                    base_url: read_base_url(&dir, label),
-                    label: label.to_owned(),
-                });
-            }
-        }
-        Err(e) if e.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::NotFound => {}
-        Err(e) => {
-            return error_response(&format!("extra-forges: read {}: {e}", dir.display()));
-        }
-    }
-    forges.sort_by(|a, b| a.label.cmp(&b.label));
-    axum::Json(ExtraForgesResponse { forges }).into_response()
-}
-
-/// Form body for `POST /api/extra-forge-account` (urlencoded, the
-/// dashboard's mutation convention). `action` is `"add"` (needs `base_url` +
-/// `token`) or `"remove"`.
-#[derive(Deserialize, ToSchema)]
-pub(super) struct ExtraForgeAccountForm {
-    agent: String,
-    label: String,
-    action: String,
-    base_url: Option<String>,
-    token: Option<String>,
-}
-
-#[derive(Serialize, ToSchema)]
-struct ExtraForgeAccountResult {
-    ok: bool,
-}
-
-/// Add persists the operator-pasted
-/// label/base-URL/token to the agent's state dir via hive-priv; remove
-/// deletes both files.
-///
-/// Purely local — no remote account creation or revocation, there is
-/// no admin access assumed on the external forge.
-/// Operator-authenticated (dashboard). Never echoes the token back.
-#[utoipa::path(
-    post,
-    path = "/api/extra-forge-account",
-    request_body(content = ExtraForgeAccountForm, content_type = "application/x-www-form-urlencoded"),
-    responses(
-        (status = 200, description = "provisioned or removed", body = ExtraForgeAccountResult),
-        (status = 500, description = "invalid input, or the state-dir write/delete failed"),
-    ),
-    tag = "extra_forges"
-)]
-pub(super) async fn post_extra_forge_account(Form(f): Form<ExtraForgeAccountForm>) -> Response {
-    let agent = f.agent.trim();
-    let label = f.label.trim();
-    let Ok(agent) = Ident::parse(agent) else {
-        return error_response(&format!("extra-forge-account: invalid agent {agent:?}"));
-    };
-    let Ok(label) = Ident::parse(label) else {
-        return error_response(&format!("extra-forge-account: invalid label {label:?}"));
-    };
-
-    match f.action.as_str() {
-        "add" => {
-            let base_url = f.base_url.as_deref().unwrap_or_default().trim();
-            let base_url = base_url.trim_end_matches('/');
-            if !(base_url.starts_with("http://") || base_url.starts_with("https://")) {
-                return error_response(&format!(
-                    "extra-forge-account: base_url must be an http(s) URL, got {base_url:?}"
-                ));
-            }
-            let Some(token) = f.token.as_deref().filter(|t| !t.is_empty()) else {
-                return error_response("extra-forge-account: token is required");
-            };
-            if let Err(e) = crate::priv_client::write_agent_extra_forge_account(
-                agent.as_str(),
-                label.as_str(),
-                base_url,
-                token,
-            )
-            .await
-            {
-                return error_response(&format!(
-                    "extra-forge-account: write account failed: {e:#}"
-                ));
-            }
-            tracing::info!(%agent, %label, "extra-forge-account: provisioned");
-        }
-        "remove" => {
-            if let Err(e) =
-                crate::priv_client::delete_agent_extra_forge_account(agent.as_str(), label.as_str())
-                    .await
-            {
-                return error_response(&format!(
-                    "extra-forge-account: delete account failed: {e:#}"
-                ));
-            }
-            tracing::info!(%agent, %label, "extra-forge-account: removed");
-        }
-        other => {
-            return error_response(&format!(
-                "extra-forge-account: unknown action {other:?} (want add|remove)"
-            ));
-        }
-    }
-    axum::Json(ExtraForgeAccountResult { ok: true }).into_response()
-}
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/dashboard/mod.rs b/hive-c0re/src/dashboard/mod.rs
index 6364f405..8e8d18c6 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/dashboard/mod.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/dashboard/mod.rs
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ use crate::lifecycle;
         (name = "journal", description = "container + host journal reads"),
         (name = "approvals", description = "approve/deny pending approval rows"),
         (name = "build_logs", description = "build log headers, full rows, and raw text downloads"),
-        (name = "extra_forges", description = "external (non-internal) forge account provisioning"),
         (name = "lifecycle_ops", description = "agent container lifecycle: rebuild/restart/start/stop/pause/limits"),
         (name = "matrix_accounts", description = "github account provisioning for agents"),
         (name = "meta_inputs", description = "bulk flake-input update for the meta flake"),
@@ -54,7 +53,6 @@ struct ApiDoc;
 
 mod approvals;
 mod build_logs;
-mod extra_forges;
 // The single validated identifier type — homed in `hive-host-sock` (the crate
 // owning agent-path facts) so every dashboard path-param validates through the
 // same type used to build agent paths. Re-exported so submodules + the socket
@@ -143,8 +141,6 @@ pub async fn serve(
             matrix_accounts::post_github_account,
             matrix_accounts::get_github_account
         ))
-        .routes(routes!(extra_forges::get_extra_forges))
-        .routes(routes!(extra_forges::post_extra_forge_account))
         .routes(routes!(misc_api::api_operator_inbox))
         .routes(routes!(misc_api::api_stats_hive))
         .routes(routes!(misc_api::api_container_resources))
@@ -379,8 +375,6 @@ mod router_build_probe {
                 matrix_accounts::post_github_account,
                 matrix_accounts::get_github_account
             ))
-            .routes(routes!(extra_forges::get_extra_forges))
-            .routes(routes!(extra_forges::post_extra_forge_account))
             .routes(routes!(misc_api::api_operator_inbox))
             .routes(routes!(misc_api::api_stats_hive))
             .routes(routes!(misc_api::api_container_resources))
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/priv_client.rs b/hive-c0re/src/priv_client.rs
index a490aef0..b6d21cec 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/priv_client.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/priv_client.rs
@@ -388,37 +388,6 @@ pub async fn write_agent_github_token(agent_name: &str, token: &str) -> Result<(
     .await?)
 }
 
-/// Write a per-agent account for a dashboard-declared external forge —
-/// label + base URL + token — to `<state>/forge-<label>-token` +
-/// `<state>/forge-<label>.json` via hive-priv. Entirely dashboard-
-/// provisioned, no host-side nix config; `label` is validated root-side as
-/// a plain identifier before it reaches the filename.
-pub async fn write_agent_extra_forge_account(
-    agent_name: &str,
-    label: &str,
-    base_url: &str,
-    token: &str,
-) -> Result<()> {
-    ok(call(&PrivRequest::WriteAgentExtraForgeAccount {
-        agent_name: agent_name.to_owned(),
-        label: label.to_owned(),
-        base_url: base_url.to_owned(),
-        token: token.to_owned(),
-    })
-    .await?)
-}
-
-/// Remove a previously-added extra-forge account — the counterpart of
-/// [`write_agent_extra_forge_account`]. Idempotent: missing files are not
-/// an error.
-pub async fn delete_agent_extra_forge_account(agent_name: &str, label: &str) -> Result<()> {
-    ok(call(&PrivRequest::DeleteAgentExtraForgeAccount {
-        agent_name: agent_name.to_owned(),
-        label: label.to_owned(),
-    })
-    .await?)
-}
-
 /// Register the hive-ci Forgejo Actions runner: hand the freshly-minted
 /// registration token to hive-priv, which writes it to the host-side
 /// `/run/hive-ci/runner-token` env-file and restarts the in-container runner.
diff --git a/hive-forge/README.md b/hive-forge/README.md
index bfa2b462..91bf7c51 100644
--- a/hive-forge/README.md
+++ b/hive-forge/README.md
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ never `curl` it directly.
 
 Reads credentials from the environment (`HIVE_FORGE_URL`,
 `HYPERHIVE_STATE_DIR`); `-f/--forge <label>` retargets a
-dashboard-provisioned external forge account instead. The active repo
+swarm-UI-linked external forge account instead. The active repo
 resolves `-r/--repo` > the `origin` remote of the cwd's git checkout >
 `HIVE_FORGE_REPO` (last-resort override, unset by default) > a hard
 error — see `client::Client::from_env`.
diff --git a/hive-forge/src/client.rs b/hive-forge/src/client.rs
index 8df1042f..d7a8ea32 100644
--- a/hive-forge/src/client.rs
+++ b/hive-forge/src/client.rs
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ impl Client {
     /// `json_mode` comes from the global `--json` flag — per-verb
     /// output formatters key off it via `Client::json_mode`.
     /// `forge_label` (from the global `-f/--forge` flag) targets a
-    /// dashboard-provisioned external forge account instead of the
+    /// swarm-UI-linked external forge account instead of the
     /// internal forge — see [`resolve_credentials`].
     pub fn from_env(
         repo_override: Option<String>,
@@ -398,18 +398,17 @@ pub fn index(n: u64) -> Result<i64> {
 /// Resolve the `(base_url, token)` pair the client authenticates with.
 /// `None` (the default) resolves the internal forge exactly as before:
 /// `HIVE_FORGE_URL` (default [`DEFAULT_URL`]) + `read_token()`.
-/// `Some(label)` (from `-f/--forge <label>`) instead resolves a
-/// dashboard-provisioned external forge account: the token comes from
+/// `Some(label)` (from `-f/--forge <label>`) instead resolves an
+/// external forge account linked in the swarm UI: the token comes from
 /// `${HYPERHIVE_STATE_DIR}/forge-<label>-token` and the base URL from
 /// the `base_url` key of the sibling `forge-<label>.json` sidecar —
-/// the exact same two files `dashboard/extra_forges.rs` writes, so the
-/// read side can't drift from the write side. An unknown label (either
-/// file missing) is a clear error listing the labels actually found in
-/// the state dir, not a raw file-not-found. A label outside the plain
-/// identifier charset the dashboard accepts (e.g. a typo containing
-/// `/` or `..`) is rejected up front with the same charset spelled out,
-/// rather than silently building a nonsense/traversing path and
-/// surfacing a confusing file error later.
+/// the two files `nix/agent-modules/forge-accounts.nix` writes. An
+/// unknown label (either file missing) is a clear error listing the
+/// labels actually found in the state dir, not a raw file-not-found. A
+/// label outside the plain identifier charset the swarm controller
+/// accepts (e.g. a typo containing `/` or `..`) is rejected up front
+/// with the same charset spelled out, rather than silently building a
+/// nonsense/traversing path and surfacing a confusing file error later.
 pub(crate) fn resolve_credentials(forge_label: Option<&str>) -> Result<(String, String)> {
     let Some(label) = forge_label else {
         let base = std::env::var("HIVE_FORGE_URL").unwrap_or_else(|_| DEFAULT_URL.to_owned());
@@ -419,8 +418,8 @@ pub(crate) fn resolve_credentials(forge_label: Option<&str>) -> Result<(String,
     if !is_plain_ident(label) {
         bail!(
             "hive-forge: invalid --forge label {label:?} — must be lowercase \
-             letters, digits, and hyphens only (same rule the dashboard's \
-             FORGES tab enforces)"
+             letters, digits, and hyphens only (same rule the swarm UI's \
+             link form enforces)"
         );
     }
 
@@ -445,30 +444,29 @@ pub(crate) fn resolve_credentials(forge_label: Option<&str>) -> Result<(String,
     bail!("hive-forge: no such forge {label:?} — provisioned forges: {known}");
 }
 
-/// Plain-identifier check matching `dashboard/extra_forges.rs`'s
-/// `is_plain_ident` (itself matching hive-priv's `validate_name_chars`)
-/// — lowercase ascii + digits + hyphens only. Rejecting anything else
-/// up front (rather than just letting a weird label fail to resolve a
-/// file) turns a confusing "no such forge" surprise into a precise
-/// "that's not a valid label" one, and incidentally means a label like
-/// `../../etc` can't be used to build a path outside the state dir.
+/// Plain-identifier check matching the label rule of swarm-controller's
+/// `put_forge_account` (`hive_types::Ident`) — lowercase ascii, digits and
+/// hyphens only. Rejecting anything else up front (rather than just
+/// letting a weird label fail to resolve a file) turns a confusing "no
+/// such forge" surprise into a precise "that's not a valid label" one,
+/// and incidentally means a label like `../../etc` can't be used to
+/// build a path outside the state dir.
 fn is_plain_ident(s: &str) -> bool {
     !s.is_empty()
         && s.chars()
             .all(|c| c.is_ascii_lowercase() || c.is_ascii_digit() || c == '-')
 }
 
-/// Sidecar shape `dashboard/extra_forges.rs` writes alongside each
-/// `forge-<label>-token` file: just the base URL, pinned to the same
-/// `base_url` JSON key the write side uses.
+/// Sidecar shape `nix/agent-modules/forge-accounts.nix` writes alongside
+/// each `forge-<label>-token` file: just the base URL, under the
+/// `base_url` key that unit's `jq` filter spells.
 #[derive(Deserialize)]
 struct ForgeSidecar {
     base_url: String,
 }
 
-/// Scan the state dir for every `forge-<label>-token` file (mirroring
-/// `dashboard/extra_forges.rs`'s own listing logic) and return the
-/// labels found, sorted. Used to build a helpful "did you mean one of
+/// Scan the state dir for every `forge-<label>-token` file and return
+/// the labels found, sorted. Used to build a helpful "did you mean one of
 /// these" error when `--forge <label>` doesn't resolve. Best-effort:
 /// an unreadable state dir yields an empty list rather than erroring
 /// (the caller already has its own error to report).
diff --git a/hive-forge/src/main.rs b/hive-forge/src/main.rs
index 93ced2d0..50d9af4b 100644
--- a/hive-forge/src/main.rs
+++ b/hive-forge/src/main.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 //! cwd's git checkout > `HIVE_FORGE_REPO` (last-resort override, unset
 //! by default) > a hard error — see `client::Client::from_env`.
 //!
-//! The global `-f/--forge <label>` flag targets a dashboard-provisioned
+//! The global `-f/--forge <label>` flag targets a swarm-UI-linked
 //! external forge account instead: it reads `forge-<label>-token` +
 //! `forge-<label>.json` (base URL) from the state dir rather than
 //! `HIVE_FORGE_URL`/`forge-token`. See `client::Client::from_env`.
@@ -45,9 +45,8 @@ struct Cli {
     /// any verb.
     #[arg(short = 'r', long, global = true)]
     repo: Option<String>,
-    /// Act as a dashboard-provisioned external forge account (by its
-    /// FORGES-tab label) instead of the internal forge. Independent of
-    /// `-r/--repo`.
+    /// Act as an external forge account linked in the swarm UI (by its
+    /// label) instead of the internal forge. Independent of `-r/--repo`.
     #[arg(short = 'f', long, global = true)]
     forge: Option<String>,
     /// Emit JSON instead of the default human-readable output (for verbs
diff --git a/hive-priv-sock/src/lib.rs b/hive-priv-sock/src/lib.rs
index 82803560..3ad9fc84 100644
--- a/hive-priv-sock/src/lib.rs
+++ b/hive-priv-sock/src/lib.rs
@@ -494,43 +494,6 @@ pub enum PrivRequest {
         token: String,
     },
 
-    /// Write a per-agent account for an external, dashboard-declared forge:
-    /// the access token to
-    /// `AGENT_STATE_ROOT/<agent_name>/state/forge-<label>-token` (0600) and
-    /// a `forge-<label>.json` sidecar (`{"base_url": <base_url>}`, 0600) so
-    /// the base URL survives without any host-side nix config — the whole
-    /// account (label + URL + token) is operator-entered on the dashboard.
-    ///
-    /// `label` MUST be validated as a plain identifier before it goes into
-    /// the filename — a crafted label could otherwise traverse out of the
-    /// state dir. Same write semantics as `WriteAgentGithubToken` — validates
-    /// `agent_name`, creates the state dir if absent, writes both files 0600,
-    /// chowns to the agent.
-    WriteAgentExtraForgeAccount {
-        /// Logical agent name (validated by `validate_agent_name`).
-        agent_name: String,
-        /// Dashboard-chosen label for this external forge. Validated as a
-        /// plain identifier before use.
-        label: String,
-        /// Base HTTP(S) URL of the external forge, operator-entered on the
-        /// dashboard (no host-side config).
-        base_url: String,
-        /// Token value. hive-priv appends a trailing newline before writing.
-        token: String,
-    },
-
-    /// Remove a previously-written `forge-<label>-token` + `forge-<label>.
-    /// json` from an agent's state dir — the revoke half of
-    /// `WriteAgentExtraForgeAccount`. Missing files are not an error
-    /// (idempotent revoke).
-    DeleteAgentExtraForgeAccount {
-        /// Logical agent name (validated by `validate_agent_name`).
-        agent_name: String,
-        /// The forge label to revoke. Validated as a plain identifier
-        /// before use.
-        label: String,
-    },
-
     /// Register the hive-ci Forgejo Actions runner: write the registration
     /// token to the host-side `/run/hive-ci/runner-token` env-file (root-owned,
     /// bind-mounted read-only into the container) as `TOKEN=<token>`, then
diff --git a/hive-priv/Cargo.toml b/hive-priv/Cargo.toml
index c63d98b2..a322d0f9 100644
--- a/hive-priv/Cargo.toml
+++ b/hive-priv/Cargo.toml
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ workspace = true
 anyhow.workspace = true
 hive-priv-sock.workspace = true
 libc.workspace = true
-serde.workspace = true
 serde_json.workspace = true
 tokio.workspace = true
 tracing.workspace = true
diff --git a/hive-priv/src/main.rs b/hive-priv/src/main.rs
index fadcd290..17fe65da 100644
--- a/hive-priv/src/main.rs
+++ b/hive-priv/src/main.rs
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ use hive_priv_sock::{
     PAUSED_MARKER_FILE, PRIV_SOCK, PrivEvent, PrivRequest, PrivResponse, PrivStream,
     PrivStreamLine, SIBLING_CONTAINERS,
 };
-use serde::Serialize;
 use tokio::io::{AsyncWriteExt, BufReader};
 use tokio::net::unix::OwnedWriteHalf;
 use tokio::net::{UnixListener, UnixStream};
@@ -413,18 +412,6 @@ async fn exec(
             ref token,
         } => write_github_token(agent_name, token),
 
-        PrivRequest::WriteAgentExtraForgeAccount {
-            ref agent_name,
-            ref label,
-            ref base_url,
-            ref token,
-        } => write_extra_forge_account(agent_name, label, base_url, token),
-
-        PrivRequest::DeleteAgentExtraForgeAccount {
-            ref agent_name,
-            ref label,
-        } => delete_extra_forge_account(agent_name, label),
-
         PrivRequest::RegisterCiRunner { ref token } => register_ci_runner(token).await,
 
         PrivRequest::ControlInfraContainer { container, action } => {
@@ -523,29 +510,6 @@ async fn exec_forge_admin(args: &[String]) -> Result<(String, String)> {
     run_forge_admin(args).await
 }
 
-/// `WriteAgentExtraForgeAccount`: writes the token, then a
-/// `forge-<label>.json` sidecar carrying the base URL — there's no
-/// host-side nix config for extra forges, so this is the only place it's
-/// persisted.
-fn write_extra_forge_account(
-    agent_name: &str,
-    label: &str,
-    base_url: &str,
-    token: &str,
-) -> Result<(String, String)> {
-    validate_agent_name(agent_name)?;
-    validate_name_chars(label)?;
-    let res = write_agent_state_file(
-        agent_name,
-        &format!("forge-{label}-token"),
-        &format!("{token}\n"),
-    )?;
-    let meta = serde_json::to_string(&ForgeSidecar { base_url })
-        .context("serialize forge account sidecar")?;
-    write_agent_state_file(agent_name, &format!("forge-{label}.json"), &meta)?;
-    Ok(res)
-}
-
 /// `StopContainer`.
 async fn stop_container(name: &str) -> Result<(String, String)> {
     validate_agent_name(name)?;
@@ -589,15 +553,6 @@ fn write_github_token(agent_name: &str, token: &str) -> Result<(String, String)>
     write_agent_state_file(agent_name, "github-token", &format!("{token}\n"))
 }
 
-/// `DeleteAgentExtraForgeAccount`. Missing files are not an error
-/// (idempotent revoke).
-fn delete_extra_forge_account(agent_name: &str, label: &str) -> Result<(String, String)> {
-    validate_agent_name(agent_name)?;
-    validate_name_chars(label)?;
-    delete_agent_state_file(agent_name, &format!("forge-{label}-token"))?;
-    delete_agent_state_file(agent_name, &format!("forge-{label}.json"))
-}
-
 /// `EnsureAgentSubvolume`.
 async fn exec_ensure_agent_subvolume(agent_name: &str) -> Result<(String, String)> {
     validate_agent_name(agent_name)?;
@@ -1531,18 +1486,6 @@ fn publish_file(path: &Path, content: &[u8], mode: u32, owner: Option<(u32, u32)
     staged.publish()
 }
 
-/// Sidecar written alongside a dashboard-provisioned extra forge
-/// account's token (`forge-<label>.json`) so `hive-forge` can resolve
-/// the account's base URL. Read side: `hive-forge/src/client.rs`'s own
-/// (separately defined, deserialize-only) `ForgeSidecar` — same field
-/// name (`base_url`), no shared crate between `hive-priv` and
-/// `hive-forge` to hang a common type off, so the two structs are
-/// pinned to the same JSON key by convention, not by the compiler.
-#[derive(Serialize)]
-struct ForgeSidecar<'a> {
-    base_url: &'a str,
-}
-
 /// Shared helper for the `WriteAgent*Token` requests.
 /// Writes `content` to `AGENT_STATE_ROOT/<agent_name>/state/<filename>`,
 /// chowns to the agent user (derived from the state dir's existing owner),
@@ -1675,28 +1618,6 @@ fn write_agent_dir_file(
     Ok((String::new(), String::new()))
 }
 
-/// Remove `AGENT_STATE_ROOT/<agent_name>/state/<filename>` if present.
-/// Idempotent revoke counterpart to [`write_agent_state_file`] — a
-/// missing file is success, not an error. `filename` must be a single
-/// plain component (no `/`, `.`, `..`); callers pass a pre-validated
-/// label into a fixed `forge-<label>-token` shape, same as the write
-/// side.
-fn delete_agent_state_file(agent_name: &str, filename: &str) -> Result<(String, String)> {
-    ensure_plain_filename("delete_agent_state_file", filename)?;
-    let path = PathBuf::from(AGENT_STATE_ROOT)
-        .join(agent_name)
-        .join("state")
-        .join(filename);
-    match std::fs::remove_file(&path) {
-        Ok(()) => {
-            tracing::info!(agent = %agent_name, file = %filename, "removed agent state file");
-        }
-        Err(e) if e.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::NotFound => {}
-        Err(e) => return Err(e).with_context(|| format!("remove {}", path.display())),
-    }
-    Ok((String::new(), String::new()))
-}
-
 /// btrfs superblock magic, as reported by `statfs(2)`'s `f_type`.
 const BTRFS_SUPER_MAGIC: i64 = 0x9123_683E;
 
diff --git a/nix/agent-modules/default.nix b/nix/agent-modules/default.nix
index 68a93b9f..73dcc7aa 100644
--- a/nix/agent-modules/default.nix
+++ b/nix/agent-modules/default.nix
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ in
     ./dashboard-links.nix
     ./docs.nix
     ./forge.nix
+    ./forge-accounts.nix
     ./forge-token.nix
     ./frontend.nix
     ./github.nix
diff --git a/nix/agent-modules/forge-accounts.nix b/nix/agent-modules/forge-accounts.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9ca24a10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nix/agent-modules/forge-accounts.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,191 @@
+# This agent's accounts on external forges, fetched from the swarm secret store
+# by the agent itself, into the files `hive-forge -f <label>` reads.
+#
+# An operator links an account in the swarm UI; `swarm-controller` stores it at
+# `swarm/agents/<agent>/forge/<label>` (`swarm_secret_client::forge`). The
+# agent's grant lists and reads its own subtree, so this unit lists
+# `swarm/agents/<agent>/forge/`, reads each account, and writes
+# `<state>/forge-<label>-token` and `<state>/forge-<label>.json`
+# (`{"base_url":…}`), the two files `hive-forge`'s `resolve_credentials` reads.
+#
+# It never deletes. A `forge-<label>` pair for a label not listed is left
+# as it is, whoever wrote it, and so is the pair of a label whose read fails.
+# A file is replaced by rename, and only when its bytes changed.
+{
+  pkgs,
+  lib,
+  config,
+  ...
+}:
+let
+  cfg = config.services.hyperhive.agent.bao;
+
+  agentName = config.services.hyperhive.agent.user.name;
+  stateDir = "/agents/${agentName}/state";
+
+  # The same three ids ./bao.nix and ./forge-token.nix load.
+  certCredential = "hive-agent-bao-cert";
+  keyCredential = "hive-agent-bao-key";
+  serverCaCredential = "hive-agent-bao-server-ca";
+
+  unitName = "hive-agent-forge-accounts";
+
+  # The nix half of `swarm_secret_client::forge::accounts_dir` plus
+  # `path::MOUNT`.
+  accountsDir = "secret/swarm/agents/${agentName}/forge";
+
+  runtimeDir = unitName;
+  # The store's whole answer for one account, token included: kept in the
+  # unit's own `0700` directory, never in the state dir.
+  rawFile = "/run/${runtimeDir}/account.json";
+  listFile = "/run/${runtimeDir}/list.json";
+  errFile = "/run/${runtimeDir}/bao.err";
+
+  configured = cfg.addr != null;
+
+  storeRetry = import ../host-modules/lib/store-retry.nix { };
+in
+{
+  config = lib.mkIf configured {
+    systemd.services.${unitName} = {
+      description = "fetch this agent's external forge accounts from the secret store";
+      after = [
+        "network.target"
+        "hive-agent-bao-identity.service"
+      ];
+      wantedBy = [ "multi-user.target" ];
+      path = [
+        pkgs.openbao
+        pkgs.coreutils
+        pkgs.diffutils
+        pkgs.jq
+      ];
+      # ../host-modules/lib/store-retry.nix.
+      inherit (storeRetry) startLimitBurst startLimitIntervalSec;
+      serviceConfig = storeRetry.serviceConfig // {
+        Type = "oneshot";
+        # Not `RemainAfterExit`, so the timer below can start it again.
+        RemainAfterExit = false;
+        TimeoutStartSec = 60;
+        User = agentName;
+        Group = agentName;
+        RuntimeDirectory = runtimeDir;
+        RuntimeDirectoryMode = "0700";
+        # `0600`, the mode the files in the state dir have always had.
+        UMask = "0077";
+        LoadCredential = [
+          certCredential
+          keyCredential
+          serverCaCredential
+        ];
+      };
+      environment = {
+        BAO_ADDR = cfg.addr;
+        BAO_CLIENT_CERT = "%d/${certCredential}";
+        BAO_CLIENT_KEY = "%d/${keyCredential}";
+      };
+      script = ''
+        set -euo pipefail
+
+        # No identity delivered: ./bao.nix's check reports that.
+        for id in ${lib.escapeShellArg certCredential} ${lib.escapeShellArg keyCredential}; do
+          if [ ! -s "$CREDENTIALS_DIRECTORY/$id" ]; then
+            echo "this agent has no store identity, so it cannot fetch its external forge accounts." >&2
+            exit 0
+          fi
+        done
+
+        if [ -s "$CREDENTIALS_DIRECTORY/${serverCaCredential}" ]; then
+          export BAO_CACERT="$CREDENTIALS_DIRECTORY/${serverCaCredential}"
+        fi
+
+        err=${lib.escapeShellArg errFile}
+        raw=${lib.escapeShellArg rawFile}
+        list=${lib.escapeShellArg listFile}
+        trap 'rm -f "$err" "$raw" "$list"' EXIT
+
+        if ! BAO_TOKEN="$(bao login -method=cert -token-only 2>"$err")"; then
+          echo "the swarm secret store at $BAO_ADDR did not accept this agent's certificate login:" >&2
+          if [ -s "$err" ]; then cat "$err" >&2; fi
+          exit 1
+        fi
+        export BAO_TOKEN
+
+        # An empty directory is a 404, which `bao` answers with `{}` on stdout
+        # and nothing on stderr; a denial or an unreachable store prints
+        # nothing on stdout.
+        if ! bao kv list -format=json ${lib.escapeShellArg accountsDir} >"$list" 2>"$err"; then
+          if [ ! -s "$err" ] && jq -e '. == {}' "$list" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            echo "no external forge accounts are linked to this agent (nothing under ${accountsDir})."
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          echo "could not list ${accountsDir}:" >&2
+          if [ -s "$err" ]; then cat "$err" >&2; fi
+          exit 1
+        fi
+        if ! jq -e 'arrays' "$list" >/dev/null; then
+          echo "listing ${accountsDir} returned no array of names." >&2
+          exit 1
+        fi
+
+        # Moves $1 over $2 and succeeds when the bytes differ; drops $1 otherwise.
+        replace() {
+          if cmp -s "$1" "$2"; then
+            rm -f "$1"
+            return 1
+          fi
+          mv -f "$1" "$2"
+        }
+
+        # One account that cannot be read is logged and skipped. It does not
+        # stop the others, and failing the unit would only restart it into the
+        # same answer.
+        while IFS= read -r label; do
+          # The label becomes a file name, and `hive-forge -f` names only these.
+          # A key ending in `/` is a directory below this one, not an account.
+          if [[ ! "$label" =~ ^[a-z0-9-]+$ ]]; then
+            echo "skipping listed key $(printf '%q' "$label"): not a label hive-forge -f can name." >&2
+            continue
+          fi
+          path="${accountsDir}/$label"
+          if ! bao kv get -format=json "$path" >"$raw" 2>"$err"; then
+            echo "could not read $path; forge-$label files left as they are:" >&2
+            if [ -s "$err" ]; then cat "$err" >&2; fi
+            continue
+          fi
+
+          # ⚠️ The token goes from the store's answer straight into a file;
+          # it is never in a variable or an argument.
+          token=${lib.escapeShellArg stateDir}/forge-$label-token
+          sidecar=${lib.escapeShellArg stateDir}/forge-$label.json
+          staged_token=${lib.escapeShellArg stateDir}/.forge-$label-token.new
+          staged_sidecar=${lib.escapeShellArg stateDir}/.forge-$label.json.new
+          rm -f "$staged_token" "$staged_sidecar"
+          if ! jq -er '.data.data.value | strings' "$raw" >"$staged_token" \
+            || ! jq -cje '{base_url: (.data.data.url | strings)}' "$raw" >"$staged_sidecar"; then
+            echo "$path holds no string value and url; forge-$label files left as they are." >&2
+            rm -f "$staged_token" "$staged_sidecar"
+            continue
+          fi
+
+          changed=
+          replace "$staged_token" "$token" && changed=1
+          replace "$staged_sidecar" "$sidecar" && changed=1
+          if [ -n "$changed" ]; then
+            echo "fetched external forge account $label from $path."
+          fi
+        done < <(jq -r '.[]' "$list")
+      '';
+    };
+
+    # The same cadence as hive-matrix-daemon's re-listing of its own accounts.
+    systemd.timers.${unitName} = {
+      description = "re-fetch this agent's external forge accounts from the secret store";
+      wantedBy = [ "timers.target" ];
+      timerConfig = {
+        OnUnitInactiveSec = "2min";
+        RandomizedDelaySec = "20s";
+      };
+    };
+  };
+}
diff --git a/nix/host-modules/hive-forge/default.nix b/nix/host-modules/hive-forge/default.nix
index b7dec05d..1c778073 100644
--- a/nix/host-modules/hive-forge/default.nix
+++ b/nix/host-modules/hive-forge/default.nix
@@ -112,15 +112,6 @@ in
   # `/var/lib/nixos-containers/hive-forge/var/lib/forgejo/` survives
   # restart. See `docs/networking/gateway.md::hive-forge container shape`.
 
-  # External Forgejo/Gitea/Codeberg-compatible forges (beyond the mandatory
-  # internal one) are entirely dashboard-provisioned — no nix config here.
-  # An operator manually creates a token on the external forge (however
-  # that forge lets them) and pastes name + base URL + token into the
-  # dashboard's FORGES tab; hive-c0re just persists it to
-  # `<state>/forge-<label>-token` + a `<state>/forge-<label>.json` sidecar
-  # (base URL), the same shape as the GitHub PAT / matrix extra-account
-  # flows. See `hive-c0re/src/dashboard/extra_forges.rs`.
-
   imports = [ ./service.nix ];
 
   # What ./service.nix declares is what the forge IS from any hive's point of
diff --git a/nix/module-eval/agent-forge-bao.nix b/nix/module-eval/agent-forge-bao.nix
index ce7ef5c9..da6bc79e 100644
--- a/nix/module-eval/agent-forge-bao.nix
+++ b/nix/module-eval/agent-forge-bao.nix
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ let
   };
 
   fetchUnit = machine: machine.systemd.services.hive-agent-forge-token;
+  accountsUnit = machine: machine.systemd.services.hive-agent-forge-accounts;
   tokenFile = machine: machine.services.hyperhive.agent.forge.tokenFile;
 in
 let
@@ -164,6 +165,60 @@ let
         && !(agentForgeNoBao.systemd.services ? tea-login)
         && !(builtins.elem pkgs.tea agentForgeBao.environment.systemPackages);
     }
+    {
+      name = "an agent with a store address fetches its external forge accounts, and one without does not";
+      ok =
+        agentForgeBao.systemd.services ? hive-agent-forge-accounts
+        && agentForgeBao.systemd.timers ? hive-agent-forge-accounts
+        && !(agentForgeNoBao.systemd.services ? hive-agent-forge-accounts)
+        && !(agentForgeNoBao.systemd.timers ? hive-agent-forge-accounts);
+    }
+    {
+      # The nix half of `swarm_secret_client::forge::{accounts_dir,account_path}`,
+      # and the two file names `hive-forge -f` reads.
+      name = "the account fetch lists the agent's own accounts and reads each into hive-forge's files";
+      ok =
+        let
+          name = agentForgeBao.services.hyperhive.agent.user.name;
+          s = (accountsUnit agentForgeBao).script;
+        in
+        lib.hasInfix "bao kv list -format=json secret/swarm/agents/${name}/forge >" s
+        && !(lib.hasInfix "/index/" s)
+        && lib.hasInfix "path=\"secret/swarm/agents/${name}/forge/$label\"" s
+        && lib.hasInfix "/agents/${name}/state" s
+        && lib.hasInfix "/forge-$label-token" s
+        && lib.hasInfix "/forge-$label.json" s
+        && lib.hasInfix "{base_url: (.data.data.url | strings)}" s;
+    }
+    {
+      # The agent user owns its state dir (./user.nix), and the files keep
+      # the `0600` they have always had.
+      name = "the account fetch runs as the agent, with its own store identity";
+      ok =
+        let
+          u = accountsUnit agentForgeBao;
+          name = agentForgeBao.services.hyperhive.agent.user.name;
+        in
+        u.serviceConfig.User == name
+        && u.serviceConfig.UMask == "0077"
+        && builtins.elem "hive-agent-bao-cert" u.serviceConfig.LoadCredential
+        && u.environment.BAO_CLIENT_CERT == "%d/hive-agent-bao-cert";
+    }
+    {
+      # Files a hive wrote keep working until the operator re-links them.
+      name = "the account fetch never deletes a state-dir file it did not stage";
+      ok =
+        let
+          s = (accountsUnit agentForgeBao).script;
+        in
+        !(lib.hasInfix "rm -f \"$token\"" s)
+        && !(lib.hasInfix "rm -f \"$sidecar\"" s)
+        && !(lib.hasInfix "forge-*" s);
+    }
+    {
+      name = "the account fetch re-runs every two minutes";
+      ok = agentForgeBao.systemd.timers.hive-agent-forge-accounts.timerConfig.OnUnitInactiveSec == "2min";
+    }
   ];
 in
 runGroup "agent-forge-bao" cases
diff --git a/swarm-controller/src/forge_account.rs b/swarm-controller/src/forge_account.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ecff2a62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/swarm-controller/src/forge_account.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,200 @@
+//! An agent's accounts on external forges: an operator hands us a base URL and
+//! a token, we put them in the swarm's secret store.
+//!
+//! The agent end is `nix/agent-modules/forge-accounts.nix`, which lists the
+//! agent's accounts and reads each under the agent's own certificate, and writes
+//! the files `hive-forge -f <label>` reads. No hive is in the path.
+
+use axum::Json;
+use axum::extract::State;
+use axum::http::StatusCode;
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use swarm_secret_client::forge;
+use utoipa::ToSchema;
+
+use super::{AppState, error_problem, swarm_hive};
+
+/// The account to store for one agent's external forge.
+///
+/// No `Debug` derive: this carries a token.
+#[derive(Deserialize, ToSchema)]
+pub struct PutForgeAccountRequest {
+    /// The forge's base URL, `http://` or `https://`. A trailing slash is
+    /// dropped.
+    #[schema(example = "https://codeberg.org")]
+    url: String,
+    /// The access token. Never logged, and never returned by this route.
+    token: String,
+}
+
+/// `put_forge_account`'s success body.
+#[derive(Debug, Serialize, ToSchema)]
+pub struct PutForgeAccountResponse {
+    /// The base URL as stored.
+    url: String,
+}
+
+/// Store an agent's external forge account.
+///
+/// Idempotent: the store keeps versions, so repeating a call replaces the
+/// account the agent will next read rather than adding a second one.
+#[utoipa::path(
+    put,
+    path = "/api/hives/{hive}/agents/{agent}/forge-accounts/{label}",
+    params(
+        ("hive" = String, Path, description = "hive the agent runs on"),
+        ("agent" = String, Path, description = "agent the account belongs to"),
+        ("label" = String, Path, description = "the name the agent passes to `hive-forge -f`"),
+    ),
+    request_body = PutForgeAccountRequest,
+    responses(
+        (status = 200, description = "stored", body = PutForgeAccountResponse),
+        (status = 400, description = "the agent or label is not an identifier, the URL is not http(s), the token is empty, or the hive is not in this swarm (problem+json)", body = String),
+        (status = 500, description = "the store write failed (problem+json)", body = String),
+    ),
+    tag = "agents"
+)]
+pub async fn put_forge_account(
+    State(state): State<AppState>,
+    axum::extract::Path((hive, agent, label)): axum::extract::Path<(String, String, String)>,
+    Json(req): Json<PutForgeAccountRequest>,
+) -> Result<Json<PutForgeAccountResponse>, problem_details::ProblemDetails> {
+    let hive = swarm_hive(&state, &hive).map_err(|(s, d)| error_problem(s, &d))?;
+    let agent = hive_types::Ident::parse(&agent)
+        .map_err(|reason| error_problem(StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST, reason))?
+        .into_string();
+    // `hive-forge` accepts only `[a-z0-9-]` after `-f`, narrower than the
+    // store's charset, so a label it would refuse is refused here.
+    let label = hive_types::Ident::parse(&label)
+        .map_err(|reason| error_problem(StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST, reason))?
+        .into_string();
+    let secret_path = forge::account_path(&agent, &label)
+        .map_err(|e| error_problem(StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST, &e.to_string()))?;
+    let account = account(req).map_err(|e| error_problem(StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST, e))?;
+
+    let store = crate::store::connect().await.map_err(|e| {
+        tracing::warn!(error = %e, "connecting to the swarm secret store failed");
+        error_problem(StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, &e.to_string())
+    })?;
+    store.write(&secret_path, &account).await.map_err(|e| {
+        // The path names the agent and the label; the value is not in it.
+        tracing::warn!(path = %secret_path, error = %e, "writing the forge account failed");
+        error_problem(StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, &e.to_string())
+    })?;
+
+    tracing::info!(%hive, %agent, %label, url = %account.url, "forge account stored");
+    Ok(Json(PutForgeAccountResponse { url: account.url }))
+}
+
+/// The request as it is stored, or why it cannot be.
+fn account(req: PutForgeAccountRequest) -> Result<forge::Account, &'static str> {
+    let url = req.url.trim().trim_end_matches('/');
+    if !(url.starts_with("http://") || url.starts_with("https://")) {
+        return Err("url must start with http:// or https://");
+    }
+    if req.token.trim().is_empty() {
+        return Err("token is required");
+    }
+    Ok(forge::Account {
+        value: req.token,
+        url: url.to_owned(),
+    })
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::{PutForgeAccountRequest, account};
+
+    fn request(url: &str, token: &str) -> PutForgeAccountRequest {
+        PutForgeAccountRequest {
+            url: url.to_owned(),
+            token: token.to_owned(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn the_url_loses_its_trailing_slash_and_the_token_is_kept() {
+        let a = account(request("https://codeberg.org/ ", "t0k3n")).expect("valid");
+        assert_eq!(a.url, "https://codeberg.org");
+        assert_eq!(a.value, "t0k3n");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn a_url_that_is_not_http_is_refused() {
+        assert!(account(request("codeberg.org", "t")).is_err());
+        assert!(account(request("file:///etc/passwd", "t")).is_err());
+        // The control: plain http is accepted.
+        assert!(account(request("http://forge.lan", "t")).is_ok());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn an_empty_token_is_refused() {
+        assert!(account(request("https://codeberg.org", " ")).is_err());
+    }
+
+    /// Bare-minimum `AppState`, as `matrix_account`'s tests build it.
+    fn state() -> super::super::AppState {
+        super::super::AppState {
+            hives: std::sync::Arc::new(vec![super::super::HiveEntry {
+                name: "pr1ma".to_owned(),
+                domain: "pr1ma.example".to_owned(),
+            }]),
+            links: std::sync::Arc::new(Vec::new()),
+            status: None,
+            wanted: None,
+            agent_status: None,
+            agent_icons: None,
+            jobq: std::sync::Arc::new(std::sync::Mutex::new(hive_jobq::scheduler::Scheduler::new(
+                hive_jobq::Graph::new(),
+                hive_jobq::resources::ResourceTable::new(),
+            ))),
+            webhook_secret: None,
+            config_prs: None,
+            swarm_name: None,
+            auth: None,
+            forge: None,
+            create_gate: std::sync::Arc::default(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    async fn put(label: &str) -> problem_details::ProblemDetails {
+        super::put_forge_account(
+            axum::extract::State(state()),
+            axum::extract::Path(("pr1ma".to_owned(), "atlas".to_owned(), label.to_owned())),
+            axum::Json(request("https://codeberg.org", "t0k3n")),
+        )
+        .await
+        .expect_err("no store is configured in a test")
+    }
+
+    /// A label `hive-forge -f` could not name is refused before the store: with
+    /// `BAO_*` unset a store connect would answer 500.
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn a_label_hive_forge_cannot_name_is_refused_before_the_store() {
+        for var in ["BAO_ADDR", "BAO_CLIENT_CERT", "BAO_CLIENT_KEY"] {
+            assert!(
+                std::env::var(var).is_err(),
+                "{var} must be unset for this test to prove anything"
+            );
+        }
+        for bad in ["Codeberg", "code_berg", "../x"] {
+            let problem = put(bad).await;
+            assert_eq!(
+                problem.status,
+                Some(axum::http::StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST),
+                "{bad}: {problem:?}"
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// The control: a plain label reaches the store connect.
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn a_plain_label_reaches_the_store() {
+        let problem = put("codeberg").await;
+        assert_eq!(
+            problem.status,
+            Some(axum::http::StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR),
+            "{problem:?}"
+        );
+    }
+}
diff --git a/swarm-controller/src/main.rs b/swarm-controller/src/main.rs
index 2c978a8c..fc042b10 100644
--- a/swarm-controller/src/main.rs
+++ b/swarm-controller/src/main.rs
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ mod agent_status;
 mod auth;
 mod config_pr;
 mod forge;
+mod forge_account;
 mod issue_report;
 mod matrix_account;
 mod otel_http_client;
@@ -2888,6 +2889,7 @@ fn build_app(state: AppState) -> axum::Router {
         .routes(routes!(get_agents_status))
         .routes(routes!(set_agent_state))
         .routes(routes!(matrix_account::put_matrix_account))
+        .routes(routes!(forge_account::put_forge_account))
         .routes(routes!(get_hive_wanted))
         .routes(routes!(term_stream::stream_agent_term))
         .routes(routes!(agent_state_stream::stream_agent_state))
diff --git a/swarm-secret-client/src/forge.rs b/swarm-secret-client/src/forge.rs
index a3319113..0babd55b 100644
--- a/swarm-secret-client/src/forge.rs
+++ b/swarm-secret-client/src/forge.rs
@@ -1,16 +1,20 @@
-//! The forge agreement: where an agent's own forge token lives in the store,
-//! and what the object at that path holds.
+//! The forge agreement: where an agent's forge tokens live in the store, and
+//! what the objects at those paths hold.
 //!
-//! `swarm-controller` mints the token with the forge's admin API and writes it
-//! here; the agent container reads it back under its own certificate
-//! (`nix/agent-modules/forge-token.nix`). Neither end is senior, so both halves
-//! are stated once, here, beside [`crate::matrix`].
+//! Two kinds. The agent's own token on the swarm's forge
+//! ([`agent_token_path`]): `swarm-controller` mints it with the forge's admin
+//! API, and `nix/agent-modules/forge-token.nix` reads it back under the agent's
+//! own certificate. And the agent's accounts on external forges
+//! ([`account_path`]): an operator hands the controller a URL and a token, the
+//! controller stores them there, and `nix/agent-modules/forge-accounts.nix`
+//! lists [`accounts_dir`] and reads each account. Neither end is senior, so
+//! both halves are stated once, here, beside [`crate::matrix`].
 
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 use crate::{
     Error,
-    path::{Kind, principal_prefix},
+    path::{Kind, checked_segment, principal_prefix},
 };
 
 /// The path holding `agent`'s own forge access token.
@@ -53,10 +57,134 @@ impl std::fmt::Debug for Credential {
     }
 }
 
+/// The path holding `agent`'s account on the external forge it calls `label`.
+///
+/// # Errors
+/// [`Error::PathSegment`] when either name contains anything but
+/// `[A-Za-z0-9_-]`, which is what keeps one agent's name from addressing
+/// another agent's secret.
+pub fn account_path(agent: &str, label: &str) -> Result<String, Error> {
+    checked_segment("label", label)?;
+    Ok(format!("{}/{label}", accounts_dir(agent)?))
+}
+
+/// The directory every one of `agent`'s [`account_path`]s is under, in the
+/// form [`crate::SecretStore::list`] takes. Named apart from
+/// [`agent_token_path`]'s `forge-token` key, so no key is also a directory.
+///
+/// # Errors
+/// [`Error::PathSegment`] when `agent` contains anything but `[A-Za-z0-9_-]`.
+pub fn accounts_dir(agent: &str) -> Result<String, Error> {
+    let prefix = principal_prefix(Kind::Agent, agent)?;
+    Ok(format!("{prefix}/forge"))
+}
+
+/// What an [`account_path`] holds.
+///
+/// No `Debug` derive, for [`Credential`]'s reason.
+#[derive(Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+pub struct Account {
+    /// The token. `forge-accounts.nix` reads this field by name.
+    pub value: String,
+
+    /// The forge's base URL, without a trailing slash. Not secret.
+    /// `forge-accounts.nix` reads this field by name too.
+    pub url: String,
+}
+
+impl std::fmt::Debug for Account {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        f.debug_struct("Account")
+            .field("value", &"<redacted>")
+            .field("url", &self.url)
+            .finish()
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
 
+    #[test]
+    fn an_account_and_its_directory_land_under_the_agent_prefix() {
+        // Spelled out: `forge-accounts.nix` spells the same strings.
+        assert_eq!(
+            account_path("atlas", "codeberg").expect("both segments are legal"),
+            "swarm/agents/atlas/forge/codeberg"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            accounts_dir("atlas").expect("legal"),
+            "swarm/agents/atlas/forge"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn no_forge_key_is_also_a_directory() {
+        // KV-v2 cannot hold a key whose name is also a prefix of another key.
+        let dir = accounts_dir("atlas").expect("legal");
+        let key = agent_token_path("atlas").expect("legal");
+        assert_ne!(key, dir);
+        assert!(!key.starts_with(&format!("{dir}/")), "{key}");
+        assert!(!dir.starts_with(&format!("{key}/")), "{dir}");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn a_label_that_could_escape_the_directory_is_refused() {
+        for bad in ["../argus", "a/b", "a.b", ""] {
+            assert!(account_path("atlas", bad).is_err(), "label {bad:?}");
+            assert!(account_path(bad, "codeberg").is_err(), "agent {bad:?}");
+        }
+        // The control: the legal charset stays reachable.
+        assert!(account_path("a-b_C9", "d-e0").is_ok());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn the_agents_own_grants_list_its_accounts_and_read_each() {
+        let policy = crate::policy::render_agent("atlas").expect("legal");
+        let covers = |path: &str| {
+            policy.lines().any(|line| {
+                line.strip_prefix("path \"")
+                    .and_then(|rest| rest.split_once("\" {"))
+                    .and_then(|(p, _)| p.strip_suffix('*'))
+                    .is_some_and(|prefix| path.starts_with(prefix))
+            })
+        };
+        let dir = accounts_dir("atlas").expect("legal");
+        assert!(covers(&format!("secret/metadata/{dir}/")));
+        assert!(covers(&format!(
+            "secret/data/{}",
+            account_path("atlas", "codeberg").expect("legal")
+        )));
+        // The control: another agent's accounts are outside both grants.
+        let other = accounts_dir("argus").expect("legal");
+        assert!(!covers(&format!("secret/metadata/{other}/")));
+        assert!(!covers(&format!(
+            "secret/data/{}",
+            account_path("argus", "codeberg").expect("legal")
+        )));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn the_account_fields_match_what_the_nix_reader_asks_for() {
+        let json = serde_json::to_string(&Account {
+            value: "t".to_owned(),
+            url: "https://codeberg.org".to_owned(),
+        })
+        .expect("two Strings serialise");
+        assert_eq!(json, r#"{"value":"t","url":"https://codeberg.org"}"#);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn debug_never_prints_an_accounts_value() {
+        let a = Account {
+            value: "0123456789abcdef".to_owned(),
+            url: "https://codeberg.org".to_owned(),
+        };
+        let shown = format!("{a:?}");
+        assert!(!shown.contains("0123456789abcdef"), "{shown}");
+        assert!(shown.contains("codeberg.org"), "{shown}");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn the_token_lands_under_the_agent_prefix() {
         // Spelled out rather than rebuilt from the pieces the code uses: the