diff --git a/hive-priv/src/container_config.rs b/hive-priv/src/container_config.rs
index 8c3e083a..a012c85a 100644
--- a/hive-priv/src/container_config.rs
+++ b/hive-priv/src/container_config.rs
@@ -346,20 +346,25 @@ fn validate_bind_path(path: &str) -> Result<()> {
 /// Config mounts are matched by shape, not by a name list: the set is
 /// dynamic, growing with each child bound into a parent.
 ///
-/// Only a bind whose host source has a `.git` entry gets the overlay: nspawn
-/// must create the mount point inside the read-only bind, which fails
-/// (`EROFS`) where there is nothing to mount over. An archetype agent's
-/// config is an empty directory. The entry is looked up without following a
-/// symlink, and a symlink named `.git` counts as present, so a path that
-/// leads somewhere else is still hidden.
+/// `/knowledge` is overlaid unconditionally: its directory is created empty
+/// and cloned into later, so a container started before the clone must
+/// already hide the `.git` that arrives. A config mount gets the overlay only
+/// when its host source has a `.git` entry: nspawn must create the mount
+/// point inside the read-only bind, which fails (`EROFS`) where there is
+/// nothing to mount over, as in an archetype agent's empty config directory.
+/// The entry is looked up without following a symlink, and a symlink named
+/// `.git` counts as present, so a path that leads somewhere else is still
+/// hidden.
 fn git_overlay_flags(binds: &[BindMount]) -> Vec<String> {
     binds
         .iter()
         .filter(|b| {
             let p = b.container_path.as_str();
-            p == "/knowledge" || (p.starts_with("/agents/") && p.ends_with("/config"))
+            p == "/knowledge"
+                || (p.starts_with("/agents/")
+                    && p.ends_with("/config")
+                    && std::fs::symlink_metadata(Path::new(&b.host_path).join(".git")).is_ok())
         })
-        .filter(|b| std::fs::symlink_metadata(Path::new(&b.host_path).join(".git")).is_ok())
         .map(|b| format!("--tmpfs={}/.git", b.container_path))
         .collect()
 }
@@ -712,12 +717,20 @@ mod tests {
         let empty = scratch().to_string_lossy().into_owned();
         let flags = git_overlay_flags(&[
             bind_from(&empty, "/agents/updo/config"),
-            bind_from(&empty, "/knowledge"),
             bind_from(&repo_source(), "/agents/atlas/config"),
         ]);
         assert_eq!(flags, ["--tmpfs=/agents/atlas/config/.git"]);
     }
 
+    /// `/knowledge` is cloned into after the container may have started, so
+    /// its overlay does not wait for a `.git` to exist.
+    #[test]
+    fn an_empty_knowledge_source_still_gets_the_overlay() {
+        let empty = scratch().to_string_lossy().into_owned();
+        let flags = git_overlay_flags(&[bind_from(&empty, "/knowledge")]);
+        assert_eq!(flags, ["--tmpfs=/knowledge/.git"]);
+    }
+
     /// A symlink named `.git` is not followed: it counts as present, even
     /// dangling, so the path it leads to is hidden rather than skipped.
     #[test]