diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/job_queue/exec.rs b/hive-c0re/src/job_queue/exec.rs
index 93cb974f..9a229459 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/job_queue/exec.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/job_queue/exec.rs
@@ -245,6 +245,19 @@ async fn run_reconcile(
                 .transient
                 .is_none()
                 .then(|| coord.transient_guard(name, crate::coordinator::TransientKind::Starting));
+            // Converge the ephemeral host-side state before the start:
+            // `/run/hyperhive/agents/<name>` + `/run/hive-agent/<name>`
+            // (both nspawn bind sources — tmpfs, empty after a host
+            // reboot; nspawn refuses to start with a missing source)
+            // and the resource-limits drop-in under
+            // `/run/systemd/system/`. Rebuild DAGs get this from their
+            // Prebuild/Swap nodes; the bare-Reconcile templates (boot
+            // reconcile, plain start/restart) otherwise start with
+            // nothing under /run and fail.
+            let agent_dir = coord.ensure_runtime(name)?;
+            let hive = coord.hive_env();
+            let paths = Coordinator::agent_paths(name, agent_dir);
+            crate::lifecycle::write_dropins(name, &hive, &paths).await?;
             ctx.step("nixos-container start");
             crate::lifecycle::start_with_fallback(name).await?;
             coord.kick_agent(name, "container started");