diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle.rs b/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle.rs
index b23db43b..a90e7cfa 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle.rs
@@ -1149,10 +1149,9 @@ fn set_nspawn_flags(
     }
 
     // `can_manage_top_level_agents` role: additionally mount every
-    // top-level agent (direct child of the manager) as a virtual child.
-    // Enables recovery — a role holder can update a top-level agent's
-    // config even when that agent is down. Also grants RO access to
-    // /applied and /meta.
+    // parentless agent in the topology as a virtual child. Enables
+    // recovery — a role holder can update those agents' configs even
+    // when they are down. Also grants RO access to /applied and /meta.
     if crate::topology::has_role(
         agent_name,
         crate::topology::ROLE_CAN_MANAGE_TOP_LEVEL_AGENTS,
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/topology.rs b/hive-c0re/src/topology.rs
index 2010fa5c..d02d30bb 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/topology.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/topology.rs
@@ -74,13 +74,13 @@ pub fn children_of_in(
         .collect()
 }
 
-/// Return the direct children of the manager agent — the "top-level"
-/// agents that role holders with `can_manage_top_level_agents` are
-/// granted access to.
+/// Return every agent that has no parent in the topology. These are the
+/// "top-level" agents a `can_manage_top_level_agents` role holder is
+/// granted access to. No agent name is hardcoded — the set is derived
+/// purely from topology structure.
 ///
-/// Callers outside `topology` should use this instead of
-/// `children_of(MANAGER_NAME)` so the manager's logical name stays
-/// confined to the topology module.
+/// In normal operation this is just the manager, but any agent the
+/// operator explicitly places outside the hierarchy is also included.
 #[must_use]
 pub fn top_level_agents() -> Vec<String> {
     top_level_agents_in(&read())
@@ -89,7 +89,9 @@ pub fn top_level_agents() -> Vec<String> {
 /// Pure form of [`top_level_agents`] for unit tests.
 #[must_use]
 pub fn top_level_agents_in(topo: &BTreeMap<String, Option<String>>) -> Vec<String> {
-    children_of_in(topo, crate::lifecycle::MANAGER_NAME)
+    topo.iter()
+        .filter_map(|(name, parent)| if parent.is_none() { Some(name.clone()) } else { None })
+        .collect()
 }
 
 /// Resolve a magic recipient sentinel (currently just
@@ -309,10 +311,10 @@ pub fn reconcile(agent_names: &[String]) -> std::io::Result<bool> {
 // Roles
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-/// Agents with this role have the top-level agents (direct children of the
-/// manager) added as virtual children for bind-mount and config-change
-/// purposes. Enables recovery: if a top-level agent is down, a role holder
-/// can still read its state and update its config.
+/// Agents with this role have every parentless agent in the topology
+/// (see `top_level_agents`) added as virtual children for bind-mount
+/// and config-change purposes. Enables recovery: if a top-level agent
+/// is down, a role holder can still read its state and update its config.
 ///
 /// The manager receives this role by default on first `reconcile_roles`
 /// call; operators can revoke it with `set_role`.
@@ -642,11 +644,21 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn top_level_agents_in_returns_children_of_root() {
+    fn top_level_agents_in_returns_parentless_agents() {
         let topo = topo_three_level();
-        // root's children = [alice]; bob+carol are under alice.
+        // Only the manager has no parent (alice/bob/carol all have parents).
         let top = top_level_agents_in(&topo);
-        assert_eq!(top, vec!["alice"]);
+        assert_eq!(top, vec![crate::lifecycle::MANAGER_NAME]);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn top_level_agents_in_multi_root_returns_all_parentless() {
+        let mut topo = topo_three_level();
+        // Simulate a second parentless agent alongside the manager.
+        topo.insert("orphan".to_owned(), None);
+        let mut top = top_level_agents_in(&topo);
+        top.sort();
+        assert_eq!(top, vec![crate::lifecycle::MANAGER_NAME, "orphan"]);
     }
 
     #[test]