diff --git a/docs/tools/hivectl-cli.md b/docs/tools/hivectl-cli.md
index 99825efd..f2de9575 100644
--- a/docs/tools/hivectl-cli.md
+++ b/docs/tools/hivectl-cli.md
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ This document contains the help content for the `hivectl` command-line program.
 * [`hivectl subvol snapshot`↴](#hivectl-subvol-snapshot)
 * [`hivectl subvol snapshot create`↴](#hivectl-subvol-snapshot-create)
 * [`hivectl subvol snapshot delete`↴](#hivectl-subvol-snapshot-delete)
-* [`hivectl subvol snapshot send`↴](#hivectl-subvol-snapshot-send)
 * [`hivectl open`↴](#hivectl-open)
 * [`hivectl completions`↴](#hivectl-completions)
 
@@ -582,7 +581,6 @@ Read-only snapshots of an agent's state subvolume — the first step of the (in-
 
 * `create` — Create a read-only snapshot. Agent must already be a subvolume (`subvol upgrade` first). Prints the snapshot's host path
 * `delete` — Delete a snapshot created by `subvol snapshot create`
-* `send` — Export a snapshot to a local file via `btrfs send` (the local-file half of inter-hive migration transport; the cross-hive `ssh ... btrfs receive` leg isn't wired up yet). Also useful standalone as a point-in-time backup: a full send with no `--parent` produces a self-contained archive of the snapshot
 
 
 
@@ -615,24 +613,6 @@ Delete a snapshot created by `subvol snapshot create`
 
 
 
-## `hivectl subvol snapshot send`
-
-Export a snapshot to a local file via `btrfs send` (the local-file half of inter-hive migration transport; the cross-hive `ssh ... btrfs receive` leg isn't wired up yet). Also useful standalone as a point-in-time backup: a full send with no `--parent` produces a self-contained archive of the snapshot
-
-**Usage:** `hivectl subvol snapshot send [OPTIONS] --dest <DEST> <NAME> <LABEL>`
-
-###### **Arguments:**
-
-* `<NAME>` — Agent name the snapshot belongs to
-* `<LABEL>` — Snapshot label passed to `subvol snapshot create --label`
-
-###### **Options:**
-
-* `--parent <PARENT>` — Optional parent snapshot label for an incremental send (`btrfs send -p`) — must be an existing, older snapshot of the same agent. Omit for a full send
-* `--dest <DEST>` — Destination filename (not a path) under the migrate-staging dir. Refused if it already exists
-
-
-
 ## `hivectl open`
 
 Print (and best-effort open in a browser) a hive web surface URL.
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/bin/hivectl.rs b/hive-c0re/src/bin/hivectl.rs
index e2b7a029..65d1f6c8 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/bin/hivectl.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/bin/hivectl.rs
@@ -650,26 +650,6 @@ enum SnapshotCmd {
         /// Snapshot label passed to `subvol snapshot create --label`.
         label: String,
     },
-    /// Export a snapshot to a local file via `btrfs send` (the local-file
-    /// half of inter-hive migration transport; the cross-hive `ssh ...
-    /// btrfs receive` leg isn't wired up yet). Also useful standalone as a
-    /// point-in-time backup: a full send with no `--parent` produces a
-    /// self-contained archive of the snapshot.
-    Send {
-        /// Agent name the snapshot belongs to.
-        name: String,
-        /// Snapshot label passed to `subvol snapshot create --label`.
-        label: String,
-        /// Optional parent snapshot label for an incremental send
-        /// (`btrfs send -p`) — must be an existing, older snapshot of the
-        /// same agent. Omit for a full send.
-        #[arg(long)]
-        parent: Option<String>,
-        /// Destination filename (not a path) under the migrate-staging
-        /// dir. Refused if it already exists.
-        #[arg(long)]
-        dest: String,
-    },
 }
 
 #[tokio::main]
@@ -746,12 +726,6 @@ async fn main() -> Result<()> {
             SubvolCmd::Snapshot { cmd } => match cmd {
                 SnapshotCmd::Create { name, label } => subvol_snapshot_create(&name, label).await,
                 SnapshotCmd::Delete { name, label } => subvol_snapshot_delete(&name, &label).await,
-                SnapshotCmd::Send {
-                    name,
-                    label,
-                    parent,
-                    dest,
-                } => subvol_snapshot_send(&name, &label, parent.as_deref(), &dest).await,
             },
         },
         Cmd::Choom {
@@ -1803,24 +1777,6 @@ async fn subvol_snapshot_delete(name: &str, label: &str) -> Result<()> {
     Ok(())
 }
 
-/// `subvol snapshot send <agent> <label> [--parent <label>] --dest <file>` —
-/// export a snapshot to a local file via `btrfs send`. `dest` must be a
-/// bare filename (hive-priv rejects anything else via the credential-name
-/// charset check, which excludes `/`), written under the migrate-staging
-/// dir. Prints the resulting file's host path.
-async fn subvol_snapshot_send(
-    name: &str,
-    label: &str,
-    parent: Option<&str>,
-    dest: &str,
-) -> Result<()> {
-    let path = hive_c0re::priv_client::send_agent_snapshot_to_file(name, label, parent, dest)
-        .await
-        .with_context(|| format!("send {name} snapshot (label {label:?}) to file {dest:?}"))?;
-    println!("{path}");
-    Ok(())
-}
-
 /// Render a hive-wide stop/start response: one `<verb>: <name>` line per
 /// touched container, then surface any aggregated per-target failure as a
 /// non-zero exit. `verb` is the past-tense word printed per item
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/priv_client.rs b/hive-c0re/src/priv_client.rs
index 5cd5f29d..893acb1b 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/priv_client.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/priv_client.rs
@@ -474,32 +474,6 @@ pub async fn delete_agent_snapshot(agent_name: &str, snapshot_name: &str) -> Res
     .await?)
 }
 
-/// Stream a read-only agent snapshot to a local file via `btrfs send`
-/// (optionally incremental against `parent_snapshot_name`). Returns the
-/// full path of the written file under `MIGRATE_STAGING_ROOT`. Via
-/// hive-priv as root. See [`PrivRequest::SendAgentSnapshotToFile`].
-///
-/// # Errors
-/// Returns an error if the hive-priv call fails, the snapshot (or parent)
-/// doesn't exist, or the destination file already exists.
-pub async fn send_agent_snapshot_to_file(
-    agent_name: &str,
-    snapshot_name: &str,
-    parent_snapshot_name: Option<&str>,
-    dest_file_name: &str,
-) -> Result<String> {
-    let (stdout, _) = check(
-        call(&PrivRequest::SendAgentSnapshotToFile {
-            agent_name: agent_name.to_owned(),
-            snapshot_name: snapshot_name.to_owned(),
-            parent_snapshot_name: parent_snapshot_name.map(str::to_owned),
-            dest_file_name: dest_file_name.to_owned(),
-        })
-        .await?,
-    )?;
-    Ok(stdout)
-}
-
 /// Write `/etc/tmpfiles.d/hyperhive-agents.conf` for `agents` (logical names,
 /// e.g. `"atlas"`) and immediately apply it with `systemd-tmpfiles --create`.
 /// See [`PrivRequest::SyncAgentTmpfiles`] for the full semantics.
diff --git a/hive-priv/src/main.rs b/hive-priv/src/main.rs
index 3b117275..8c1901a1 100644
--- a/hive-priv/src/main.rs
+++ b/hive-priv/src/main.rs
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use anyhow::{Context as _, Result, bail};
 use hive_sh4re::priv_proto::{
     AGENT_PREFIX, AGENT_RUNTIME_ROOT, AGENT_STATE_ROOT, BindMount, CredentialMount, InfraAction,
-    InfraContainer, JournalQuery, META_DIR, MIGRATE_STAGING_ROOT, NetworkIsolation, PRIV_SOCK,
-    PrivEvent, PrivRequest, PrivResponse, PrivStream, PrivStreamLine, SIBLING_CONTAINERS,
+    InfraContainer, JournalQuery, META_DIR, NetworkIsolation, PRIV_SOCK, PrivEvent, PrivRequest,
+    PrivResponse, PrivStream, PrivStreamLine, SIBLING_CONTAINERS,
 };
 use tokio::io::{AsyncBufReadExt, AsyncWriteExt, BufReader};
 use tokio::net::unix::OwnedWriteHalf;
@@ -383,27 +383,6 @@ async fn exec(req: PrivRequest, writer: &mut OwnedWriteHalf) -> Result<(String,
             delete_agent_snapshot(agent_name, snapshot_name).await
         }
 
-        PrivRequest::SendAgentSnapshotToFile {
-            ref agent_name,
-            ref snapshot_name,
-            ref parent_snapshot_name,
-            ref dest_file_name,
-        } => {
-            validate_agent_name(agent_name)?;
-            validate_snapshot_name(snapshot_name)?;
-            if let Some(parent) = parent_snapshot_name {
-                validate_snapshot_name(parent)?;
-            }
-            validate_credential_name(dest_file_name)?;
-            send_agent_snapshot_to_file(
-                agent_name,
-                snapshot_name,
-                parent_snapshot_name.as_deref(),
-                dest_file_name,
-            )
-            .await
-        }
-
         PrivRequest::SyncAgentTmpfiles { ref agents } => sync_agent_tmpfiles(agents).await,
     }
 }
@@ -1198,94 +1177,6 @@ async fn delete_agent_snapshot(agent_name: &str, snapshot_name: &str) -> Result<
     Ok((String::new(), String::new()))
 }
 
-/// `SendAgentSnapshotToFile` — stream a read-only snapshot (optionally
-/// incremental against `parent_name`) to a file under
-/// `MIGRATE_STAGING_ROOT` via `btrfs send`. Local-file half of the
-/// inter-hive migration transport; see `PrivRequest::SendAgentSnapshotToFile`
-/// for the cross-hive follow-up.
-async fn send_agent_snapshot_to_file(
-    agent_name: &str,
-    snapshot_name: &str,
-    parent_name: Option<&str>,
-    dest_file_name: &str,
-) -> Result<(String, String)> {
-    let snap = snapshot_path(agent_name, snapshot_name);
-    if !snap.exists() {
-        bail!(
-            "snapshot {} does not exist — create it with `subvol snapshot create` first",
-            snap.display()
-        );
-    }
-
-    std::fs::create_dir_all(MIGRATE_STAGING_ROOT)
-        .with_context(|| format!("create {MIGRATE_STAGING_ROOT}"))?;
-    let dest = Path::new(MIGRATE_STAGING_ROOT).join(dest_file_name);
-    // `create_new` (O_CREAT|O_EXCL) makes the no-overwrite guarantee atomic
-    // instead of a check-then-create race against a concurrent request.
-    let dest_file = match std::fs::File::options()
-        .write(true)
-        .create_new(true)
-        .open(&dest)
-    {
-        Ok(f) => f,
-        Err(e) if e.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::AlreadyExists => bail!(
-            "{} already exists — pick a different destination or remove it first \
-             (send never overwrites an existing export)",
-            dest.display()
-        ),
-        Err(e) => {
-            return Err(e).with_context(|| format!("create {}", dest.display()));
-        }
-    };
-
-    let mut cmd = Command::new("btrfs");
-    cmd.arg("send");
-    if let Some(parent) = parent_name {
-        let parent_path = snapshot_path(agent_name, parent);
-        if !parent_path.exists() {
-            bail!(
-                "parent snapshot {} does not exist — pick an existing parent or omit it for a full send",
-                parent_path.display()
-            );
-        }
-        cmd.arg("-p").arg(&parent_path);
-    }
-    cmd.arg(&snap);
-    cmd.stdout(std::process::Stdio::from(dest_file));
-    cmd.stderr(std::process::Stdio::piped());
-
-    let out = cmd
-        .spawn()
-        .with_context(|| format!("spawn btrfs send {}", snap.display()))?
-        .wait_with_output()
-        .await
-        .with_context(|| format!("wait on btrfs send {}", snap.display()))?;
-    if !out.status.success() {
-        // Clean up a partial/failed export so a retry doesn't trip the
-        // "already exists" guard on garbage. Best-effort: warn (don't fail
-        // the whole call over it) if removal itself fails, so a stuck
-        // partial file that later masquerades as a completed export is at
-        // least visible in the log.
-        if let Err(rm_err) = std::fs::remove_file(&dest) {
-            tracing::warn!(
-                dest = %dest.display(), error = %rm_err,
-                "failed to remove partial export after btrfs send failure — \
-                 next attempt at this dest will hit the already-exists guard"
-            );
-        }
-        bail!(
-            "btrfs send {} failed: {}",
-            snap.display(),
-            String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr).trim()
-        );
-    }
-    tracing::info!(
-        agent = %agent_name, snapshot = %snap.display(), dest = %dest.display(),
-        parent = ?parent_name, "exported agent snapshot to file"
-    );
-    Ok((dest.display().to_string(), String::new()))
-}
-
 /// `SetSubvolumeQuota` — set or clear a qgroup size limit on an agent
 /// subvolume (`btrfs qgroup limit <bytes|none> <…/agent_name>`). See the
 /// wire doc.
diff --git a/hive-sh4re/src/priv_proto.rs b/hive-sh4re/src/priv_proto.rs
index 21de9467..d33ca802 100644
--- a/hive-sh4re/src/priv_proto.rs
+++ b/hive-sh4re/src/priv_proto.rs
@@ -121,13 +121,6 @@ pub const AGENT_STATE_ROOT: &str = "/var/lib/hyperhive/agents";
 /// across the crate.
 pub const AGENT_RUNTIME_ROOT: &str = "/run/hyperhive/agents";
 
-/// Root of the local staging area for `btrfs send` archives
-/// (`SendAgentSnapshotToFile`). A sibling of `AGENT_STATE_ROOT`, not inside
-/// it — these are exported streams, not live/subvolume state, and don't
-/// belong in the tree btrfs quota accounting or the subvolume-per-agent
-/// layout cares about. Root-owned; hive-priv creates it on first use.
-pub const MIGRATE_STAGING_ROOT: &str = "/var/lib/hyperhive/migrate-staging";
-
 /// Output format for `ReadContainerJournal`. Maps to journalctl
 /// `--output=<...>`. Restricted to the two formats hive callers use so
 /// the wire type can't smuggle an arbitrary `--output` value.
@@ -623,36 +616,6 @@ pub enum PrivRequest {
         snapshot_name: String,
     },
 
-    /// Stream a previously-created read-only snapshot to a local file via
-    /// `btrfs send [-p <parent>] <snapshot> > <MIGRATE_STAGING_ROOT>/<dest_file_name>`.
-    /// The local-file half of the inter-hive migration transport: the
-    /// cross-hive leg (piping into `ssh <peer> btrfs receive`) is a later,
-    /// separate piece pending the auth/trust design — this variant is
-    /// useful standalone today as a point-in-time export/backup of a
-    /// snapshot (full send, no parent) or to validate the incremental
-    /// (`-p`) path locally before wiring up the network leg.
-    ///
-    /// `dest_file_name` is a bare filename (not a path) under
-    /// `MIGRATE_STAGING_ROOT`, which hive-priv creates on first use.
-    /// Fails if the snapshot doesn't exist, `parent_snapshot_name` is given
-    /// but doesn't exist, or `dest_file_name` already exists (never
-    /// silently overwrites an export). Requires root.
-    SendAgentSnapshotToFile {
-        /// Logical agent name (validated by `validate_agent_name`).
-        agent_name: String,
-        /// Snapshot label to send, same validation as `SnapshotAgentSubvolume`.
-        snapshot_name: String,
-        /// Optional parent snapshot label for an incremental
-        /// (`btrfs send -p`) send — must be an older read-only snapshot of
-        /// the same agent, still present on disk. `None` sends the full
-        /// snapshot.
-        parent_snapshot_name: Option<String>,
-        /// Bare filename (no path separators) for the exported stream,
-        /// written under `MIGRATE_STAGING_ROOT`. Same charset as a
-        /// credential name (`[A-Za-z0-9_-]`).
-        dest_file_name: String,
-    },
-
     /// Write `/etc/tmpfiles.d/hyperhive-agents.conf` for the given agent set
     /// and immediately apply it with `systemd-tmpfiles --create`. Each entry
     /// declares the per-agent runtime dirs (`/run/hyperhive/agents/<name>` and