diff --git a/docs/agent-hierarchy.md b/docs/agent-hierarchy.md
index c914499c..6c711847 100644
--- a/docs/agent-hierarchy.md
+++ b/docs/agent-hierarchy.md
@@ -206,6 +206,99 @@ a full nspawn agent. Open questions, not yet wired:
 - Filesystem: share parent's `/state` RW, or a sub-dir?
 - Identity: distinct broker recipient name, or address the parent?
 
+## Harness systemd unit shape (per-role)
+
+One harness binary (`hive`), one `harness-base.nix` template, two
+systemd units depending on `hyperhive.role`:
+
+- `agent-base.nix` (`role = "agent"`) → `systemd.services.hive-ag3nt`
+- `manager.nix` (`role = "manager"`) → `systemd.services.hive-m1nd`
+
+The unit names diverge but the binary is the same. `HIVE_ROLE` env
+var picks the surface at startup (agent vs manager); naming the
+units after the historical per-role binaries keeps dashboard log
+queries, ExecStartPre paths, and ancestor PR diffs working without a
+rename cascade.
+
+### Manager-only defaults
+
+`harness-base.nix` flips these when `hyperhive.role == "manager"`,
+via `lib.mkDefault` so any agent can invert if needed:
+
+- `hyperhive.forge.keepSubscriptions = false`
+- `hyperhive.forge.skipNotifyReasons = [ "subscribed" "participating" ]`
+
+Skips the subscription / participation firehose so the manager's
+inbox only carries direct mentions, reviews, and assignments. Sub-
+agents keep the noisier defaults so they see anything aimed at the
+repos they're working on.
+
+### Standalone-eval fallbacks
+
+`nixosConfigurations.manager` must build standalone (without the
+meta-flake's per-agent flake.nix wrapper). For the manager unit
+that means hardcoded `HIVE_PORT` / `HIVE_LABEL` env values:
+
+- `HIVE_PORT = "8875"` — FNV-1a(`"hm1nd"`) % 900 + 8100, matching
+  `lifecycle::agent_web_port`. Sub-agents have the same shape via
+  the meta-flake-generated `applied/<name>/flake.nix`.
+- `HIVE_LABEL = "hm1nd"` — container name; matches what `meta.rs`
+  injects at deploy time.
+
+Real deploys never read these — `meta::render_flake` overrides them
+via the generated wrapper. They exist so the manager
+`nixosConfigurations` evaluates cleanly even outside the meta-flake
+boundary.
+
+### Environment variables set on the unit
+
+- `HOME = /home/<userName>` — systemd defaults `HOME` to `/` for
+  services without `User=` set; with the per-agent user (#658) the
+  harness needs the right home so claude finds its bind-mounted
+  `~/.claude/` session dir.
+- `HIVE_STATIC_DIR = <mergedDist>` — `tower_http::ServeDir` root for
+  the per-agent web UI; merged dist = agent default + every
+  `hyperhive.frontend.extraFiles` overlay.
+- `HIVE_ASSETS_DIR = pkgs.hyperhive-assets/share/hyperhive` — set
+  directly on the unit, **not** via `environment.variables`, because
+  the latter only populates `/etc/profile` which systemd services
+  don't inherit.
+- `HIVE_ROLE = config.hyperhive.role` — picks the binary surface
+  (agent / manager) at startup.
+
+### `PATH` setup (the wrapper-dir trick)
+
+```nix
+path = [ "/run/wrappers" "/run/current-system/sw" ];
+```
+
+`/run/wrappers` comes first so setuid wrappers (notably `sudo`)
+resolve before bare nix-store binaries. NixOS's
+`systemd.services.<unit>.path` appends `/bin` to every entry via
+`lib.makeBinPath`; passing `/run/wrappers/bin` directly produces
+`/run/wrappers/bin/bin` which doesn't exist (`docs/gotchas.md::
+systemd.services.*.path appends /bin to every entry`). Post-#658
+when the harness runs as the per-agent user this matters: without
+the wrapper dir on PATH, `sudo` resolves to the un-setuid nix-store
+binary and rejects with `must be owned by uid 0 and have the setuid
+bit set` regardless of `hyperhive.user.passwordlessSudo`.
+
+### `serviceConfig` highlights
+
+- `ExecStart = pkgs.hyperhive/bin/hive serve` — single binary,
+  surface picked from `HIVE_ROLE`.
+- `Restart = on-failure`, `RestartSec = 2` — keeps the harness
+  resilient across transient crashes without thundering retries.
+- `RuntimeDirectory = "hive-config"` → `/run/hive-config/` owned by
+  `User=`, auto-cleared on stop. The harness writes regenerated
+  `claude-{mcp-config,settings,system-prompt}` files there
+  (`paths::config_dir`). Deliberately separate from `/run/hive`,
+  which the host bind-mounts in root-owned and which holds
+  hive-c0re's `mcp.sock` (#658 fixup).
+- `User = Group = userName` — drops root inside the container; sudo
+  is the explicit escalation surface
+  (`hyperhive.user.passwordlessSudo`).
+
 ## Cross-references
 
 - Milestone: [#361 "Agent privileges and sub-agents"](http://localhost:3000/hyperhive/hyperhive/issues/361)
diff --git a/nix/templates/harness-base.nix b/nix/templates/harness-base.nix
index e2ba4a3a..a5aab8c7 100644
--- a/nix/templates/harness-base.nix
+++ b/nix/templates/harness-base.nix
@@ -815,10 +815,9 @@ in
     # Wiring is gated on at least one fragment being active so a
     # fully feature-disabled agent has neither the file nor the
     # `BASH_ENV` / interactive sourcing — zero cost in that case.
-    environment.etc."hyperhive/bash-env.sh" =
-      lib.mkIf (config.hyperhive._bashEnvFragments != "") {
-        text = config.hyperhive._bashEnvFragments;
-      };
+    environment.etc."hyperhive/bash-env.sh" = lib.mkIf (config.hyperhive._bashEnvFragments != "") {
+      text = config.hyperhive._bashEnvFragments;
+    };
 
     environment.etc."hyperhive/bash-allow.json".text =
       builtins.toJSON config.hyperhive.allowedBashPatterns;
@@ -897,12 +896,11 @@ in
     # hook surface as claude's non-interactive calls. Gated on at
     # least one fragment being active so we don't write a no-op
     # source line into `/etc/bashrc` on fully-feature-disabled agents.
-    programs.bash.interactiveShellInit =
-      lib.mkIf (config.hyperhive._bashEnvFragments != "") ''
-        if [ -r /etc/hyperhive/bash-env.sh ]; then
-          . /etc/hyperhive/bash-env.sh
-        fi
-      '';
+    programs.bash.interactiveShellInit = lib.mkIf (config.hyperhive._bashEnvFragments != "") ''
+      if [ -r /etc/hyperhive/bash-env.sh ]; then
+        . /etc/hyperhive/bash-env.sh
+      fi
+    '';
 
     boot.isNspawnContainer = true;
 
@@ -1284,12 +1282,10 @@ in
       };
     };
 
-    # Manager-only forge defaults (#671): skip the
-    # subscription/participation firehose so the manager's inbox
-    # only carries direct mentions, reviews, and assignments. Sub-
-    # agents keep the noisier defaults (`keepSubscriptions = true`,
-    # `skipNotifyReasons = [ ]`). `mkDefault` so any agent that
-    # wants to invert it can.
+    # Manager-only forge defaults: subscription/participation
+    # firehose stays off so the manager's inbox isn't drowned in
+    # noise. Full rationale + sub-agent contrast:
+    # docs/agent-hierarchy.md::Manager-only defaults.
     hyperhive.forge = lib.mkIf (config.hyperhive.role == "manager") {
       keepSubscriptions = lib.mkDefault false;
       skipNotifyReasons = lib.mkDefault [
@@ -1298,91 +1294,39 @@ in
       ];
     };
 
-    # Harness systemd unit. Role-driven so the same `harness-base.nix`
-    # covers both `nixosConfigurations.agent-base` (`hive-ag3nt serve`)
-    # and `nixosConfigurations.manager` (`hive-m1nd serve`) without a
-    # second template file (#671). Per-agent HIVE_PORT / HIVE_LABEL
-    # come from the meta-flake's generated `applied/<name>/flake.nix`;
-    # the manager has hardcoded fallbacks here so `nixosConfigurations.manager`
-    # still builds standalone.
+    # Role-driven harness systemd unit: one binary, two unit names
+    # for log/ExecStartPre stability. Unit shape (PATH wrapper-dir
+    # trick, env vars, RuntimeDirectory, User=, standalone-eval
+    # fallbacks): docs/agent-hierarchy.md::Harness systemd unit
+    # shape (per-role). PATH /bin auto-append behaviour:
+    # docs/gotchas.md::systemd.services.*.path appends /bin to
+    # every entry.
     systemd.services.${if config.hyperhive.role == "manager" then "hive-m1nd" else "hive-ag3nt"} =
       let
         isManager = config.hyperhive.role == "manager";
-        # Post-#598 there is exactly one harness binary (`hive`), and
-        # it picks its surface from `HIVE_ROLE` at startup. We still
-        # name the systemd unit `hive-ag3nt` / `hive-m1nd` so dashboard
-        # log queries + ExecStartPre paths + ancestor PR diffs keep
-        # working without a unit rename cascade.
         binary = "hive";
       in
       {
         description = "${binary}${lib.optionalString isManager " manager"} harness";
         wantedBy = [ "multi-user.target" ];
         after = [ "network.target" ];
-        # systemd units get a minimal PATH by default and don't inherit
-        # `environment.systemPackages`. Pointing at `/run/current-system/sw`
-        # gives the harness (and any tools claude shells out to via Bash)
-        # access to everything declared in `systemPackages` — including
-        # anything an agent adds to its own `agent.nix` — without having
-        # to touch the service definition.
-        #
-        # `/run/wrappers/bin` prepended so the `security.wrappers`
-        # setuid shims (notably `sudo`) resolve before the bare
-        # nix-store binaries in `/run/current-system/sw/bin`.
-        # Post-#658 the harness runs as the per-agent user — without
-        # the wrapper dir on PATH, `sudo` resolves to the un-setuid
-        # nix-store binary and refuses with "must be owned by uid 0
-        # and have the setuid bit set" even when
-        # `hyperhive.user.passwordlessSudo = true` is configured
-        # (#672 fixup pulled forward into this PR to avoid the
-        # regression argus flagged on #676).
-        #
-        # `systemd.services.<name>.path` appends `/bin` to each entry,
-        # so the bare prefixes here resolve to `/run/wrappers/bin` +
-        # `/run/current-system/sw/bin` inside the unit's PATH. Passing
-        # the trailing `/bin` ourselves (the natural-looking spelling)
-        # would yield `/run/wrappers/bin/bin` + `/run/current-system/sw/bin/bin`,
-        # neither of which exists — that's how #672 originally landed
-        # broken: every agent had a PATH pointing at non-existent dirs
-        # and `which sudo` kept falling back to the un-setuid binary.
+        # `/run/wrappers` before `/run/current-system/sw` so setuid
+        # `sudo` resolves first. Passing the bare prefixes (no trailing
+        # `/bin`) is intentional — see docs pointer above.
         path = [
           "/run/wrappers"
           "/run/current-system/sw"
         ];
         environment = {
           SHELL = "${pkgs.bashInteractive}/bin/bash";
-          # `HOME` defaults to `/` for systemd services without a User=
-          # set. With #658 the harness runs as the agent user — set HOME
-          # explicitly so claude (which the harness spawns) finds its
-          # `~/.claude/` session dir at the bind-mounted location.
           HOME = homeDir;
-          # Path to the merged agent static dist. The harness serves this
-          # via `tower_http::ServeDir` for any request it doesn't route to
-          # an API endpoint. `mergedDist` is the agent-default dist with
-          # `hyperhive.frontend.extraFiles` layered on top.
           HIVE_STATIC_DIR = "${config.hyperhive.frontend.mergedDist}";
-          # Static runtime assets (branding + claude prompts). Set on the
-          # unit directly — `environment.variables` only populates
-          # /etc/profile, which systemd services don't inherit.
           HIVE_ASSETS_DIR = "${pkgs.hyperhive-assets}/share/hyperhive";
-          # Post-#598: the unified `hive` binary picks its surface from
-          # this env var at startup. Default (`"agent"`) matches the
-          # binary's standalone fallback when this is unset.
           HIVE_ROLE = config.hyperhive.role;
         }
         // lib.optionalAttrs isManager {
-          # Standalone-eval fallbacks for `nixosConfigurations.manager`.
-          # meta.rs overrides both via the per-agent generated
-          # `applied/hm1nd/flake.nix` (see `lifecycle::setup_applied`);
-          # the values here keep the container sensible if anyone
-          # evaluates the standalone config.
-          #
-          # `HIVE_PORT` = FNV-1a("hm1nd") % 900 + 8100 = 8875 per
-          # `lifecycle::agent_web_port` (#753 dropped the
-          # pre-#753 "manager pinned at 8000" special case). Hardcoded
-          # here because the standalone-eval path doesn't go through
-          # `meta::render_flake`; real deploys pick up the rust-computed
-          # value via meta and never touch this fallback.
+          # Standalone-eval fallbacks; meta.rs overrides at deploy time.
+          # HIVE_PORT = FNV-1a("hm1nd") % 900 + 8100.
           HIVE_PORT = "8875";
           HIVE_LABEL = "hm1nd";
         };
@@ -1390,20 +1334,11 @@ in
           ExecStart = "${pkgs.hyperhive}/bin/${binary} serve";
           Restart = "on-failure";
           RestartSec = 2;
-          # `/run/hive-config/` is a per-service runtime dir owned by
-          # the agent user (`User=` below), auto-cleared by systemd on
-          # stop. The harness writes its regenerated
-          # claude-{mcp-config,settings,system-prompt} files there
-          # (see `paths::config_dir`). Kept separate from `/run/hive`
-          # — that bind comes in root-owned from the host and holds
-          # hive-c0re's `mcp.sock` we only connect to (#658 fixup).
+          # Per-service runtime dir owned by `User=` below; the harness
+          # writes its regenerated claude-{mcp-config,settings,system-prompt}
+          # files here (`paths::config_dir`). Separate from /run/hive,
+          # which holds hive-c0re's mcp.sock.
           RuntimeDirectory = "hive-config";
-          # Run the harness as the per-agent user (#658). claude itself
-          # spawned by the harness then runs as that user too — drops
-          # root inside the container while sudo (`NOPASSWD: ALL` by
-          # default, see `hyperhive.user.passwordlessSudo`) keeps the
-          # previous root-by-default surface available explicitly for
-          # tools that need it.
           User = userName;
           Group = userName;
         };