diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/agent_server.rs b/hive-c0re/src/agent_server.rs
index 9dcf468e..182e3413 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/agent_server.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/agent_server.rs
@@ -563,31 +563,6 @@ pub(crate) fn handle_send(
     // learning the label — runtime reparenting propagates for free. See
     // `docs/conventions.md::Recipient sentinels`.
     let resolved = crate::topology::resolve_recipient(agent, to);
-    // Validate that the resolved recipient is a known local agent or the
-    // special "operator" recipient. Without this check a typo in `to`
-    // silently queues a message nobody will ever read (issue #1165).
-    //
-    // Cross-hive messaging (`name@hive` qualified names) is not routed
-    // through the broker — use the Matrix MCP tools for that instead.
-    if resolved.contains('@') {
-        return AgentResponse::Err {
-            message: format!(
-                "send failed: cross-hive recipient `{resolved}` is not supported \
-                 via the broker — use Matrix MCP tools for cross-hive messaging"
-            ),
-        };
-    }
-    if resolved != hive_sh4re::OPERATOR_RECIPIENT {
-        let state_root = crate::coordinator::Coordinator::agent_state_root(&resolved);
-        if !state_root.exists() {
-            return AgentResponse::Err {
-                message: format!(
-                    "send failed: unknown recipient `{resolved}` \
-                     (no agent with that name exists on this hive)"
-                ),
-            };
-        }
-    }
     match coord.broker.send(&Message {
         from: agent.to_owned(),
         to: resolved,
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle.rs b/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle.rs
index cd4c0555..4441d0f4 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle.rs
@@ -467,26 +467,7 @@ pub async fn rebuild_no_meta(
             priv_run("stop", name).await?;
         }
         on_step("nixos-container update");
-        let update_result = priv_run("update", name).await;
-        if let Err(ref update_err) = update_result {
-            // The update failed (e.g. nix build error). If the agent was
-            // running before we stopped it, try to bring it back up on the
-            // previous successful configuration so it doesn't stay dead.
-            // The start failure is logged but not promoted to an error —
-            // we always propagate the original update error (below).
-            if was_running {
-                tracing::warn!(
-                    %name,
-                    error = %update_err,
-                    "nixos-container update failed; attempting restart on old config"
-                );
-                on_step("nixos-container start (recovery)");
-                if let Err(e) = priv_run("start", name).await {
-                    tracing::warn!(%name, error = %e, "recovery start after failed update also failed");
-                }
-            }
-        }
-        update_result?;
+        priv_run("update", name).await?;
         if was_running {
             // Cold-start fallback on activation errors.
             // See `docs/coordinator.md::Cold-start fallback`.