diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 1da33aa..3083bdb 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -585,6 +585,7 @@ version = "0.1.0"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "axum",
+ "base64",
  "clap",
  "hive-fr0nt",
  "hive-sh4re",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index f41eac0..a53b5b9 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ must_use_candidate = "allow"
 [workspace.dependencies]
 anyhow = "1"
 axum = { version = "0.8", features = ["ws"] }
+base64 = "0.22"
 clap = { version = "4", features = ["derive"] }
 hive-fr0nt = { path = "hive-fr0nt" }
 hive-sh4re = { path = "hive-sh4re" }
diff --git a/hive-c0re/Cargo.toml b/hive-c0re/Cargo.toml
index 50afeb2..169a50e 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/Cargo.toml
+++ b/hive-c0re/Cargo.toml
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ workspace = true
 [dependencies]
 anyhow.workspace = true
 axum.workspace = true
+base64.workspace = true
 reqwest.workspace = true
 clap.workspace = true
 hive-fr0nt.workspace = true
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/forge.rs b/hive-c0re/src/forge.rs
index 974263b..392f5d1 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/forge.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/forge.rs
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 
 use anyhow::{Context, Result};
+use base64::Engine;
 use reqwest::StatusCode;
 use tokio::process::Command;
 
@@ -32,6 +33,16 @@ const TOKEN_NAME_PREFIX: &str = "hyperhive";
 /// itself to push the meta repo + drive admin API calls (org
 /// creation, future webhook setup, etc.). Root-only.
 const CORE_TOKEN_PATH: &str = "/var/lib/hyperhive/forge-core-token";
+/// Marker that records whether `ensure_core_avatar` has successfully
+/// uploaded the hyperhive logo as `core`'s avatar (issue #320). One-shot:
+/// the upload runs once, the marker is written, subsequent startups skip
+/// the call. Delete to force re-upload.
+const CORE_AVATAR_MARKER: &str = "/var/lib/hyperhive/forge-core-avatar-set";
+/// Hyperhive logo bytes, baked into the daemon. Uploaded once via the
+/// admin avatar API so the `core` Forgejo user shows the project mark
+/// next to commits in `agent-configs/*`, `core/meta`, etc. instead of
+/// the default hash identicon.
+const CORE_AVATAR_PNG: &[u8] = include_bytes!("../../branding/hyperhive.png");
 /// Forgejo org grouping every agent's applied config repo. Core is a
 /// site admin and reads + writes every repo here; agents are NOT
 /// members and the repos are private, so no agent — not even the one
@@ -266,6 +277,32 @@ pub async fn ensure_user_for(name: &str) -> Result<()> {
     mint_and_persist_token(name, &token_path(name)).await
 }
 
+/// Set `core`'s Forgejo avatar to the hyperhive logo once, then
+/// remember it so subsequent startups don't re-upload (issue #320).
+/// Best-effort — any non-2xx is logged at the caller; the project
+/// runs fine with the default hash identicon.
+async fn ensure_core_avatar(token: &str) -> Result<()> {
+    let marker = std::path::Path::new(CORE_AVATAR_MARKER);
+    if marker.exists() {
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+    let body = format!(
+        r#"{{"image":"{}"}}"#,
+        base64::engine::general_purpose::STANDARD.encode(CORE_AVATAR_PNG),
+    );
+    let url = format!("{FORGE_HTTP}/api/v1/admin/users/core/avatar");
+    let status = forge_http(reqwest::Method::POST, &url, token, &body).await?;
+    if !status.is_success() {
+        anyhow::bail!("set core avatar: HTTP {status}");
+    }
+    if let Some(parent) = marker.parent() {
+        std::fs::create_dir_all(parent).ok();
+    }
+    std::fs::write(marker, "").ok();
+    tracing::info!("forge: set core user avatar to hyperhive logo");
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 /// Ensure the bootstrap `core` admin user + a token at
 /// `CORE_TOKEN_PATH`. The token is what hive-c0re uses for forgejo
 /// API calls (org creation now, meta-repo push later). Returns the
@@ -591,6 +628,9 @@ pub async fn ensure_all() {
         if let Err(e) = ensure_repo("meta", token).await {
             tracing::warn!(error = ?e, "forge: ensure_repo core/meta failed");
         }
+        if let Err(e) = ensure_core_avatar(token).await {
+            tracing::warn!(error = ?e, "forge: ensure_core_avatar failed");
+        }
     }
     let Ok(containers) = crate::lifecycle::list().await else {
         tracing::warn!("forge: nixos-container list failed; skipping user sweep");