diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 28e4272e..dc2fe3e4 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ nix/
   forge-theme/theme-catppuccin-vibec0re.css  Catppuccin Mocha forge theme
 
 docs/
-  conventions.md       naming, identity=socket, tool groups, capabilities, async forms, commit style
+  conventions.md       naming, identity=socket, tool groups, async forms, commit style
   gotchas.md           NixOS / nspawn quirks and lessons learned
   web-ui.md            index → web-ui/shape.md (shared skeleton, SSE,
                        terminal, listener bind, relative paths, atomic
diff --git a/docs/conventions.md b/docs/conventions.md
index 3a94076a..7c6f465c 100644
--- a/docs/conventions.md
+++ b/docs/conventions.md
@@ -316,46 +316,6 @@ or `ManagerServer` in `hive-ag3nt/src/mcp.rs`, add its name to the matching
 `ToolGroup::tools()` slice in `hive-sh4re/src/lib.rs`. That's the single
 source of truth; `allowed_mcp_tools` reads it at session start.
 
-## Capabilities
-
-Capabilities gate system-level access that goes beyond the MCP tool surface —
-things an agent can *access*, not just *call*. Parallel to tool groups but
-orthogonal: an agent can have a tool group that registers a tool AND a capability
-that allows the underlying resource access.
-
-| Capability | Effect |
-|---|---|
-| `manage_root_agent` | may lifecycle-manage the root/manager agent via `kill`/`start`/`restart` |
-| `read_host_journal` | `get_host_journal` MCP tool is registered + `GET /journal-host` requests are served |
-| `query_agent_state` | may call `get_loose_ends` / `CountPendingReminders` targeting non-child agents |
-
-**Config storage** — per-agent capabilities live in
-`/var/lib/hyperhive/meta/capabilities.json` alongside `tool-groups.json`.
-Format: `{ "atlas": ["read_host_journal"], "root": ["manage_root_agent"] }`.
-An absent entry means "no extra capabilities". `render_flake` in `meta.rs`
-reads this file and injects `HIVE_CAPABILITIES` (comma-separated
-`snake_case` names) into each agent's systemd service env; absent entries emit
-no env var so agents without capabilities don't trigger a spurious rebuild.
-
-**Setting capabilities** — the operator sets capabilities via the
-C4P4B1L1T13S section in the dashboard's P3RM1SS10NS tab.
-`hive-c0re::capabilities::set_caps(name, caps)` is the write path.
-After a change `meta::sync_agents` commits the updated file; the next agent
-rebuild picks up the new `HIVE_CAPABILITIES` env var.
-
-**Runtime resolution** — at session start the harness reads `HIVE_CAPABILITIES`
-and resolves each token to a `Capability` variant. Unrecognised tokens are
-logged and skipped. An absent or empty var means no extra capabilities.
-
-**Capability NOT configurable from `agent.nix`** — same reasoning as tool
-groups: an agent that could grant its own capabilities via a config commit would
-bypass the operator approval gate.
-
-**Adding a new capability** — add a variant to `Capability` in
-`hive-sh4re/src/lib.rs` + an arm to `as_str`. Add it to `Capability::ALL` (the
-source of truth for the permissions UI columns). Implement the access check in
-the relevant handler (`agent_server.rs`, `mcp.rs`, or `dashboard.rs`).
-
 ## Async forms
 
 Dashboard + per-agent mutating forms carry `data-async`; a delegated
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/dashboard.rs b/hive-c0re/src/dashboard.rs
index 87519331..d2af3218 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/dashboard.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/dashboard.rs
@@ -2571,7 +2571,12 @@ struct CapabilitiesSnapshot {
 }
 
 async fn get_capabilities(State(_state): State<AppState>) -> axum::Json<CapabilitiesSnapshot> {
-    let caps = hive_sh4re::Capability::ALL.iter().map(|c| c.as_str()).collect();
+    use hive_sh4re::Capability;
+    let caps = vec![
+        Capability::ManageRootAgent.as_str(),
+        Capability::ReadHostJournal.as_str(),
+        Capability::QueryAgentState.as_str(),
+    ];
     let assignments = crate::capabilities::read();
     axum::Json(CapabilitiesSnapshot { caps, assignments })
 }