diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/controller.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/controller.tsx
index 9e01cde324..5ab0af5a78 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/controller.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/controller.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
-import { computed } from 'nanostores'
+import { atom, computed } from 'nanostores'
 import type { CSSProperties, ReactElement, PointerEvent as ReactPointerEvent } from 'react'
 
 import { PREVIEW_RAIL_MAX_WIDTH, PREVIEW_RAIL_MIN_WIDTH } from '@/app/chat/right-rail'
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import {
   registerLayoutResetHandler,
   registerPaneCloser,
   registerPaneOpener,
+  removeTreePane,
   resetLayoutTree,
   revealTreePane,
   setPaneCollapsed,
@@ -38,7 +39,6 @@ import { discoverRuntimePlugins } from '@/contrib/runtime-loader'
 import { sessionTitle as storedSessionTitle } from '@/lib/chat-runtime'
 import { FileText, LayoutDashboard, PanelBottom, Zap } from '@/lib/icons'
 import { type KeybindContribution, KEYBINDS_AREA } from '@/lib/keybinds/actions'
-import { Codecs, persistentAtom } from '@/lib/persisted'
 import { setYoloEnabled } from '@/lib/yolo-session'
 import { pruneComposerPopoutZones } from '@/store/composer-popout'
 import {
@@ -227,17 +227,6 @@ registry.registerMany([
       maxWidth: FILE_BROWSER_MAX_WIDTH
     },
     render: () => idle(<ReviewPaneContent />)
-  },
-  {
-    // Optional chrome — in NO default layout. Adoption stacks it with the
-    // terminal; $logsOpen (default off, ⌘K "Toggle logs") reveals it.
-    id: 'logs',
-    area: 'panes',
-    title: 'logs',
-    // revealOnPreset: the Quad layout places logs, so applying it turns the
-    // logs pane on (like a ⌘K "Toggle logs") instead of leaving it collapsed.
-    data: { placement: 'bottom', height: '20vh', minHeight: '7.5rem', maxHeight: '80vh', revealOnPreset: true },
-    render: () => idle(<LogsPane />)
   }
 ])
 
@@ -381,7 +370,7 @@ const QUAD_TREE = split(
   'column',
   [
     split('row', [group(['sessions', 'files']), group(['workspace'])], [1, 3]),
-    split('row', [group(['terminal']), group(['preview', 'review', 'logs'])], [1.4, 1])
+    split('row', [group(['terminal']), group(['preview', 'review'])], [1.4, 1])
   ],
   [3, 1]
 )
@@ -588,15 +577,60 @@ const $previewVisible = computed($previewTabs, tabs => tabs.length > 0)
 
 bindPaneVisibility('preview', $previewVisible, closeRightRail)
 
-// Logs are optional chrome: off by default, toggled from ⌘K, persisted.
-const $logsOpen = persistentAtom('hermes.desktop.logsOpen', false, Codecs.bool)
+// Logs are ⌘K-ONLY chrome: the pane contribution EXISTS only while $logsOpen
+// is on. Off (the default) keeps logs out of the registry and the tree
+// entirely — no secondary tab riding the terminal strip, no preset or
+// adoption path that resurrects it. Session-only on purpose (not persisted):
+// a fresh boot never re-opens logs automatically. The palette toggle is the
+// single door in; tab ✕ / ⌘W / the toggle itself remove it again.
+const $logsOpen = atom(false)
+
+let unregisterLogsPane: (() => void) | null = null
+
+const syncLogsPane = (open: boolean) => {
+  if (open) {
+    unregisterLogsPane ??= registry.register({
+      id: 'logs',
+      area: 'panes',
+      title: 'logs',
+      // Same tool-panel sizing rule as the terminal above. dock: its OWN zone
+      // beside the terminal — never a tab in the terminal's strip.
+      data: {
+        placement: 'bottom',
+        dock: { pane: 'terminal', pos: 'right' },
+        height: '20vh',
+        minHeight: '7.5rem',
+        maxHeight: '80vh'
+      },
+      render: () => idle(<LogsPane />)
+    })
+    // Summoning logs is explicit intent — front it (un-dismisses if a ✕ close
+    // left a dismissal record behind).
+    revealTreePane('logs')
+  } else {
+    unregisterLogsPane?.()
+    unregisterLogsPane = null
+
+    // No dismissal record — the next toggle-on must re-adopt cleanly. Also
+    // sweeps 'logs' out of persisted trees from before it was summon-only.
+    // Guarded: removePane rebuilds the tree even for an absent pane, and a
+    // no-op boot sweep would commit (and persist) a fresh identical tree.
+    const tree = $layoutTree.get()
+
+    if (tree && allPaneIds(tree).includes('logs')) {
+      removeTreePane('logs')
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+// Tool-panel tab semantics (✕ / ⌘W route through the store) so the palette
+// toggle stays truthful either way.
+markCollapsePane('logs')
+registerPaneCloser('logs', () => $logsOpen.set(false))
+registerPaneOpener('logs', () => $logsOpen.set(true))
+syncLogsPane($logsOpen.get())
+$logsOpen.listen(syncLogsPane)
 
-bindPaneCollapse(
-  'logs',
-  $logsOpen,
-  () => $logsOpen.set(false),
-  () => $logsOpen.set(true)
-)
 registry.register(
   paletteToggle({
     id: 'logs.toggle',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/panes.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/panes.tsx
index 0f4d013151..36782638ab 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/panes.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/contrib/panes.tsx
@@ -31,8 +31,9 @@ import { $previewTarget, openPreview } from '@/store/preview'
 import { $currentCwd } from '@/store/session'
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Logs — live agent-log tail. OPTIONAL chrome: not in any default layout,
-// hidden until the ⌘K "Toggle logs" command opens it ($logsOpen).
+// Logs — live agent-log tail. ⌘K-only chrome: the pane contribution exists
+// only while the "Toggle logs" palette command has it summoned ($logsOpen in
+// the controller) — never in a default layout, never a standing tab.
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 export function LogsPane() {
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/pane-shell/tree/store.ts b/apps/desktop/src/components/pane-shell/tree/store.ts
index 548ee352fe..a1abe54478 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/pane-shell/tree/store.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/pane-shell/tree/store.ts
@@ -1203,9 +1203,8 @@ export function applyTree(tree: LayoutNode, presetId: string) {
   // (the terminal, whose visibility a store owns) would otherwise stay
   // collapsed after the tree changes — so reveal the ones that opt in through
   // their owning store, keeping the ⌃`/toggle state truthful. Iterate the
-  // preset's DECLARED panes (not the adopted result): logs is auto-adopted
-  // hidden into every tree, so only a preset that explicitly places it (Quad)
-  // should turn it on.
+  // preset's DECLARED panes (not the adopted result) so only panes a preset
+  // explicitly places are turned on.
   const panes = registry.getArea('panes')
 
   for (const paneId of allPaneIds(tree)) {