diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/main.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/main.ts
index 0b7de9d562..c97d49f54a 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/electron/main.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/main.ts
@@ -215,15 +215,13 @@ import {
   parentWatchdogEnv
 } from './parent-process-identity'
 import {
-  buildOpaqueProfileRoutes,
   buildRegistryProfileRoutes,
-  type EffectiveSshRoute,
   localRouteFallbackProfiles,
-  type ProfileRouteConfig,
   registryGatewayWsUrl,
   undialedSshRouteSeeds
 } from './plugin-profile-routes'
 import { selectPoolEvictions } from './pool-eviction'
+import { poolTouchKeys } from './pool-touch-scope'
 import { createKeepAwake } from './power-save'
 import { FirstRunSetupResetError, runPrimaryBackendStartup } from './primary-backend-startup'
 import { rehomePrimaryConnection } from './primary-connection-rehome'
@@ -8566,39 +8564,6 @@ function effectiveSshConfigFingerprint(sshConfig) {
   return crypto.createHash('sha256').update(output).digest('hex')
 }
 
-function effectiveSshRouteForPlugin(config: ProfileRouteConfig): Promise<EffectiveSshRoute> {
-  const ssh =
-    process.platform === 'win32'
-      ? path.join(process.env.SystemRoot || 'C:\\Windows', 'System32', 'OpenSSH', 'ssh.exe')
-      : 'ssh'
-
-  const args = ['-G']
-
-  if (config.sshPort) {
-    args.push('-p', String(config.sshPort))
-  }
-
-  args.push('--', config.sshUser ? `${config.sshUser}@${config.sshHost}` : config.sshHost)
-
-  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-    execFile(ssh, args, { encoding: 'utf8', timeout: 10_000, windowsHide: true }, (error, stdout) => {
-      if (error) {
-        reject(new Error('Could not resolve SSH route for profile.'))
-
-        return
-      }
-
-      const resolved = parseSshGOutput(stdout)
-
-      resolve({
-        hostname: resolved.hostname || config.sshHost,
-        port: resolved.port || config.sshPort || 22,
-        user: resolved.user || config.sshUser
-      })
-    })
-  })
-}
-
 async function bootstrapSshConnection(profile, sshConfig, reuseToken, source) {
   const scope = sshScopeKey(profile)
   const effectiveConfigFingerprint = effectiveSshConfigFingerprint(sshConfig)
@@ -9540,16 +9505,14 @@ async function stopRegistryConnectionBackends(connectionId) {
 // renderer calls this when it opens a profile's chat WS and periodically while
 // streaming, since the main process can't see the direct renderer↔backend WS.
 function touchPoolBackend(profile) {
-  const key = profile && String(profile).trim() ? String(profile).trim() : null
+  for (const key of poolTouchKeys(profile)) {
+    const entry = backendPool.get(key)
 
-  if (!key) {
-    return
-  }
+    if (entry) {
+      entry.lastActiveAt = Date.now()
 
-  const entry = backendPool.get(key)
-
-  if (entry) {
-    entry.lastActiveAt = Date.now()
+      return
+    }
   }
 }
 
@@ -12059,20 +12022,7 @@ ipcMain.handle('hermes:plugin-profile-routes', async (_event, rawProfileNames) =
     ]
   }
 
-  const config = readDesktopConnectionConfig()
-  const globalConfig = (await sanitizeDesktopConnectionConfig(config, null)) as ProfileRouteConfig
-  const localProfiles = agents.filter(agent => agent.connectionId === 'local').map(agent => agent.profile)
-
-  const legacyRoutes = await buildOpaqueProfileRoutes({
-    getProfileConfig: async profile => (await sanitizeDesktopConnectionConfig(config, profile)) as ProfileRouteConfig,
-    globalConfig,
-    installationId: desktopInstallationId,
-    primaryProfile: primaryProfileKey(),
-    profileNames: localProfiles,
-    resolveSsh: effectiveSshRouteForPlugin
-  })
-
-  return buildRegistryProfileRoutes({ agents, legacyRoutes, sources: registry.connections })
+  return buildRegistryProfileRoutes({ agents, sources: registry.connections })
 })
 ipcMain.handle('hermes:ssh-config:hosts', async () => ({ hosts: collectSshConfigHosts() }))
 ipcMain.handle('hermes:ssh-config:resolve', async (_event, host) => {
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/plugin-profile-routes.test.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/plugin-profile-routes.test.ts
index 1f40e9d847..d8deedc23a 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/electron/plugin-profile-routes.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/plugin-profile-routes.test.ts
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ describe('buildRegistryProfileRoutes', () => {
     expect(new Set(routes.map(route => `${route.connectionId}/${route.profile}`))).toHaveLength(2)
   })
 
-  it('preserves legacy v1 targetProfile correction for routes reached through local', () => {
+  it('keeps the registry local source genuinely local when legacy v1 routing is remote', () => {
     const routes = buildRegistryProfileRoutes({
       agents: [{ connectionId: 'local', profile: 'barry' }],
       legacyRoutes: [
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ describe('buildRegistryProfileRoutes', () => {
     })
 
     expect(routes).toEqual([
-      { connectionId: 'local', mode: 'remote', profile: 'barry', targetProfile: 'default' }
+      { connectionId: 'local', mode: 'local', profile: 'barry', targetProfile: 'barry' }
     ])
   })
 
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/plugin-profile-routes.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/plugin-profile-routes.ts
index 3f1a1d0468..1d2ae81122 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/electron/plugin-profile-routes.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/plugin-profile-routes.ts
@@ -244,17 +244,14 @@ export async function buildOpaqueProfileRoutes({
 /**
  * Project the union registry roster into the narrow plugin descriptor. Registry
  * ids and profile names are routing identities; endpoint/auth/source fields are
- * deliberately discarded here. The local source keeps the v1 resolver's mode
- * and targetProfile semantics because getConnectionFor(local, profile) delegates
- * to that compatibility path.
+ * deliberately discarded here. A registry source of kind `local` always means
+ * the actual local runtime, independently of legacy v1 global/profile routing.
  */
 export function buildRegistryProfileRoutes({
   agents,
-  legacyRoutes = [],
   sources
 }: BuildRegistryProfileRoutesOptions): OpaqueProfileRoute[] {
   const sourceById = new Map(sources.map(source => [source.id, source]))
-  const legacyByProfile = new Map(legacyRoutes.map(route => [route.profile, route]))
   const seen = new Set<string>()
   const routes: OpaqueProfileRoute[] = []
 
@@ -270,13 +267,11 @@ export function buildRegistryProfileRoutes({
     seen.add(key)
 
     if (source.kind === 'local') {
-      const legacy = legacyByProfile.get(profile)
-
       routes.push({
         connectionId: source.id,
-        mode: legacy?.mode ?? 'local',
+        mode: 'local',
         profile,
-        targetProfile: legacy?.targetProfile ?? profile
+        targetProfile: profile
       })
 
       continue
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/pool-touch-scope.test.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/pool-touch-scope.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f21b13071c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/pool-touch-scope.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+
+import { poolTouchKeys } from './pool-touch-scope'
+
+describe('poolTouchKeys', () => {
+  it('falls back from an explicit local registry scope to its delegated bare profile', () => {
+    expect(poolTouchKeys('conn:local::research')).toEqual(['conn:local::research', 'research'])
+  })
+
+  it('does not alias non-local registry scopes', () => {
+    expect(poolTouchKeys('conn:homelab::research')).toEqual(['conn:homelab::research'])
+  })
+})
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/pool-touch-scope.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/pool-touch-scope.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3a6f943e2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/pool-touch-scope.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+export function poolTouchKeys(scope: unknown): string[] {
+  const key = String(scope ?? '').trim()
+
+  if (!key) {
+    return []
+  }
+
+  const localPrefix = 'conn:local::'
+
+  if (key.startsWith(localPrefix)) {
+    const delegatedProfile = key.slice(localPrefix.length)
+
+    if (delegatedProfile) {
+      return [key, delegatedProfile]
+    }
+  }
+
+  return [key]
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/gateway/hooks/use-gateway-boot.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/gateway/hooks/use-gateway-boot.ts
index aacc0b0f73..e6b4e26f3d 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/gateway/hooks/use-gateway-boot.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/gateway/hooks/use-gateway-boot.ts
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ import {
   configureGatewayRegistry,
   disposeSecondariesForConnection,
   ensureGatewayForProfile,
-  isActivePrimary,
   gatewayActivationEpoch,
+  isActivePrimary,
   pruneSecondaryGateways,
   reconnectSecondaryGateways,
   reportPrimaryGatewayState,
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-message-stream/gateway-event.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-message-stream/gateway-event.ts
index ea655d961b..1759bee3e6 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-message-stream/gateway-event.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-message-stream/gateway-event.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import type { BillingBlock } from '@hermes/shared'
-import { backendScopeKey } from '@hermes/shared'
+import { registryBackendScopeKey } from '@hermes/shared'
 import type { HermesSkin } from '@hermes/shared/skin'
 import type { QueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query'
 import { type MutableRefObject, useCallback, useEffect, useRef } from 'react'
@@ -340,12 +340,12 @@ export function useGatewayEventHandler(deps: GatewayEventDeps) {
       // registered connection exposes a 'default' profile, so a bare profile
       // comparison attributes gateway B's 'default' events to gateway A's
       // 'default'. Compare the composite (connectionId, profile) scope with
-      // backendScopeKey — untagged (local/primary) events keep the legacy
+      // registryBackendScopeKey — untagged primary events keep the legacy
       // bare-profile behavior byte-identical.
       const fromActiveSource = (): boolean =>
         (!event.profile || normalizeProfileKey(event.profile) === normalizeProfileKey($activeGatewayProfile.get())) &&
-        backendScopeKey(event.connectionId ?? null, event.profile ?? null) ===
-          backendScopeKey(activeGatewayConnectionId(), event.profile ?? null)
+        registryBackendScopeKey(event.connectionId ?? null, event.profile ?? null) ===
+          registryBackendScopeKey(activeGatewayConnectionId(), event.profile ?? null)
 
       const occurredAt =
         typeof payload?.timestamp === 'number' && Number.isFinite(payload.timestamp)
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/store/gateway-agent-scope.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/store/gateway-agent-scope.test.ts
index 9100b68c5f..69d8f16903 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/store/gateway-agent-scope.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/store/gateway-agent-scope.test.ts
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ const {
   closeSecondaryGateways,
   configureGatewayRegistry,
   ensureGatewayForAgent,
+  ensureGatewayForProfile,
   isActivePrimary,
   pruneSecondaryGateways,
   setPrimaryGateway
@@ -104,6 +105,25 @@ describe('registry-agent scope eviction (activeGateway must never silently hit t
     expect(gatewayMocks.connect).toHaveBeenCalledWith(agentConn.wsUrl)
   })
 
+  it('keeps the primary active when a fresh registry activation cannot resolve', async () => {
+    const primary = makePrimary()
+    setPrimaryGateway(primary as never, 'default')
+    await ensureGatewayForProfile('default')
+    const publishedPrimary = $gateway.get()
+    installDesktop({
+      getConnection: vi.fn(async () => agentConn),
+      getConnectionFor: vi.fn(async () => {
+        throw new Error('source unreachable')
+      })
+    })
+
+    await expect(ensureGatewayForAgent('offline', 'research')).resolves.toBe(false)
+
+    expect(isActivePrimary()).toBe(true)
+    expect(activeGateway()).toBe(primary)
+    expect($gateway.get()).toBe(publishedPrimary)
+  })
+
   it('closeSecondaryGateways re-points the active key at the primary instead of dangling', async () => {
     const primary = makePrimary()
     setPrimaryGateway(primary as never, 'default')
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/store/gateway-profile-request.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/store/gateway-profile-request.test.ts
index 2a59d30406..196c76e14d 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/store/gateway-profile-request.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/store/gateway-profile-request.test.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ vi.mock('@/hermes', () => ({
     constructor() {
       secondaryGateways.push(this)
     }
-  }
+  },
+  setApiRequestConnection: vi.fn()
 }))
 vi.mock('@/store/session', () => ({ setGatewayState: vi.fn() }))
 vi.mock('@/store/notify-baseline', () => ({ markNativeNotifyBaseline: vi.fn() }))
@@ -232,15 +233,30 @@ describe('requestGatewayForAgent', () => {
     expect($gateway.get()).toBe(primary)
   })
 
-  it('falls back to the legacy profile path for the local registry connection', async () => {
+  it('routes an explicit local registry descriptor through getConnectionFor', async () => {
     const primary = makePrimary()
-    const getConnection = vi.fn(async (profile: null | string) => ({ port: 5151, profile, token: 'legacy-token' }))
-    const getConnectionFor = vi.fn()
+
+    const getConnection = vi.fn(async (profile: null | string) => ({
+      mode: 'remote',
+      profile,
+      wsUrl: 'wss://legacy-remote.invalid/api/ws?token=legacy'
+    }))
+
+    const getConnectionFor = vi.fn(async ({ connectionId, profile }) => ({
+      connectionId,
+      mode: 'local',
+      port: 5151,
+      profile
+    }))
 
     setPrimaryGateway(primary as never, 'default')
     ;(window as unknown as { hermesDesktop: unknown }).hermesDesktop = {
       getConnection,
       getConnectionFor,
+      getGatewayWsUrlFor: vi.fn(async ({ connectionId, profile }) => ({
+        ok: true as const,
+        wsUrl: `ws://${connectionId}/${profile}`
+      })),
       touchBackend: vi.fn(async () => undefined)
     }
     await ensureGatewayForProfile('default')
@@ -249,8 +265,8 @@ describe('requestGatewayForAgent', () => {
       method: 'profiles.list',
       params: {}
     })
-    expect(getConnection).toHaveBeenCalledWith('worker')
-    expect(getConnectionFor).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(getConnectionFor).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ connectionId: 'local', profile: 'worker' })
+    expect(getConnection).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
     expect($gateway.get()).toBe(primary)
   })
 
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/store/gateway.ts b/apps/desktop/src/store/gateway.ts
index f54467c0b0..0aa8bcf53e 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/store/gateway.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/store/gateway.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-import { backendScopeKey, type ConnectionState, type GatewayEvent, resolveGatewayWsUrl } from '@hermes/shared'
+import { type ConnectionState, type GatewayEvent, registryBackendScopeKey, resolveGatewayWsUrl } from '@hermes/shared'
 import { atom } from 'nanostores'
 
-import { HermesGateway, setApiRequestConnection } from '@/hermes'
 import type { HermesConnection } from '@/global'
+import { HermesGateway, setApiRequestConnection } from '@/hermes'
 import { reconnectBackoffDelayMs } from '@/lib/reconnect-backoff'
 import { markNativeNotifyBaseline } from '@/store/notify-baseline'
 import { setConnection, setGatewayState } from '@/store/session'
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ interface RegistryConfig {
 
 // ── Secondary (pool) backends ──────────────────────────────────────────────
 interface Secondary {
-  /** Scope key from backendScopeKey(connectionId, profile). */
+  /** Scope key from registryBackendScopeKey(connectionId, profile). */
   scope: string
   profile: string
   /** Registry connection serving this socket; null = the local/legacy path. */
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ function isMissingConnectionError(error: unknown): boolean {
 
 function createSecondary(profile: string, connectionId: null | string = null): Secondary {
   const gateway = new HermesGateway()
-  const scope = backendScopeKey(connectionId, profile)
+  const scope = registryBackendScopeKey(connectionId, profile)
 
   const entry: Secondary = {
     scope,
@@ -516,8 +516,8 @@ export async function requestGatewayForProfile<T>(
 /**
  * Send a gateway RPC through one registry source without activating it. The
  * composite (connectionId, profile) pool key prevents same-named agents on two
- * sources from sharing a socket. Local/empty ids deliberately retain the v1
- * profile resolver, including shared-primary request scoping.
+ * sources from sharing a socket. Only null/empty ids retain the v1 profile
+ * resolver; explicit `local` is a registry source and must use getConnectionFor.
  */
 export async function requestGatewayForAgent<T>(
   connectionId: null | string,
@@ -526,7 +526,7 @@ export async function requestGatewayForAgent<T>(
   params: Record<string, unknown> = {}
 ): Promise<T> {
   const key = normKey(profile)
-  const scope = backendScopeKey(connectionId, key)
+  const scope = registryBackendScopeKey(connectionId, key)
 
   if (scope === key) {
     return requestGatewayForProfile<T>(key, method, params)
@@ -581,13 +581,13 @@ export async function openGatewayForProfile(profile: string): Promise<void> {
 
 // ── Connection-scoped agents (multi-source roster) ─────────────────────────
 // The (connectionId, profile) analogues of the profile functions above. A
-// null/'local' connectionId falls straight through to the profile path, so
-// callers can pass roster rows verbatim without special-casing the local
-// source. Feature-detected: without the Electron getConnectionFor door these
+// null connectionId falls straight through to the profile path. An explicit
+// `local` id remains registry-scoped so it cannot inherit legacy remote v1
+// routing. Feature-detected: without the Electron getConnectionFor door these
 // throw, and roster surfaces disable non-local rows instead.
 
 export async function openGatewayForAgent(connectionId: null | string, profile: string): Promise<void> {
-  const scope = backendScopeKey(connectionId, profile)
+  const scope = registryBackendScopeKey(connectionId, profile)
 
   if (scope === normKey(profile)) {
     return openGatewayForProfile(profile)
@@ -606,11 +606,13 @@ export async function openGatewayForAgent(connectionId: null | string, profile:
   }
 }
 
-export async function ensureGatewayForAgent(connectionId: null | string, profile: string): Promise<void> {
-  const scope = backendScopeKey(connectionId, profile)
+export async function ensureGatewayForAgent(connectionId: null | string, profile: string): Promise<boolean> {
+  const scope = registryBackendScopeKey(connectionId, profile)
 
   if (scope === normKey(profile)) {
-    return ensureGatewayForProfile(profile)
+    await ensureGatewayForProfile(profile)
+
+    return true
   }
 
   if (!window.hermesDesktop?.getConnectionFor) {
@@ -641,14 +643,17 @@ export async function ensureGatewayForAgent(connectionId: null | string, profile
 
   // A source edit/remove may dispose this entry while its dial is still in
   // flight. Only the still-registered, still-owned activation may publish.
-  if (
+  const activated =
     entry.wantOpen &&
     g.secondaries.get(scope) === entry &&
-    applyActive(scope, activationEpoch) &&
-    entry.connection
-  ) {
+    Boolean(entry.connection) &&
+    applyActive(scope, activationEpoch)
+
+  if (activated && entry.connection) {
     publishActiveConnection(entry.connection)
   }
+
+  return activated
 }
 
 // Make `profile` the active gateway, lazily opening its socket if needed. The
@@ -774,7 +779,7 @@ function restoreActiveToPrimaryIfEvicted(): void {
 // Close + evict secondaries whose scope is neither active nor in `keep`
 // (scopes with a running / needs-input session). Bounds cost to live work.
 // `keep` carries PROFILE names for local/legacy entries and composite
-// backendScopeKey(connectionId, profile) scopes for registry-sourced live
+// registryBackendScopeKey(connectionId, profile) scopes for registry-sourced live
 // work. A registry-scoped entry matches ONLY on its composite key: every
 // source exposes a 'default' profile, so matching a non-local entry on the
 // bare profile name kept gateway B's 'default' socket alive off gateway A's
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/store/profile-agent-activation.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/store/profile-agent-activation.test.ts
index c19b7278da..9e41056292 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/store/profile-agent-activation.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/store/profile-agent-activation.test.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import type { HermesConnection } from '@/global'
 //     without it, two rapid activations could complete out of order and the
 //     EARLIER setActive() landed last.
 
-const ensureGatewayForAgent = vi.fn(async (_connectionId: null | string, _profile: string) => undefined)
+const ensureGatewayForAgent = vi.fn(async (_connectionId: null | string, _profile: string) => true)
 const ensureGatewayForProfile = vi.fn(async (_profile: string) => undefined)
 const openGatewayForProfile = vi.fn(async (_profile: string) => undefined)
 const $gateway = atom<unknown>({ id: 'live-socket' })
@@ -98,7 +98,17 @@ describe('ensureGatewayAgent → $connection / $activeGatewayProfile sync', () =
     expect($connection.get()?.mode).toBe('local')
   })
 
-  it('falls through to the profile path for a local/null connectionId', async () => {
+  it('does not republish a registry identity invalidated during activation', async () => {
+    ensureGatewayForAgent.mockResolvedValueOnce(false)
+
+    await ensureGatewayAgent('removed-source', 'research')
+
+    expect($activeGatewayProfile.get()).toBe('default')
+    expect($connection.get()?.mode).toBe('local')
+    expect(getConnectionFor).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('falls through to the profile path for a null connectionId', async () => {
     getConnection.mockResolvedValue(agentConn({ mode: 'local', profile: 'research' }))
 
     await ensureGatewayAgent(null, 'research')
@@ -107,6 +117,16 @@ describe('ensureGatewayAgent → $connection / $activeGatewayProfile sync', () =
     expect(ensureGatewayForAgent).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
     expect(getConnectionFor).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
+
+  it('keeps an explicit local registry id on the registry-aware path', async () => {
+    getConnectionFor.mockResolvedValue(localConn({ profile: 'research' }))
+
+    await ensureGatewayAgent('local', 'research')
+
+    expect(ensureGatewayForAgent).toHaveBeenCalledWith('local', 'research')
+    expect(ensureGatewayForProfile).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(getConnectionFor).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ connectionId: 'local', profile: 'research' })
+  })
 })
 
 describe('ensureGatewayAgent shares the gatewaySwitch mutex with profile switches', () => {
@@ -120,6 +140,8 @@ describe('ensureGatewayAgent shares the gatewaySwitch mutex with profile switche
     })
     ensureGatewayForAgent.mockImplementation(async (_connectionId, profile) => {
       order.push(`agent:${profile}`)
+
+      return true
     })
     getConnection.mockResolvedValue(localConn({ profile: 'worker' }))
     getConnectionFor.mockResolvedValue(agentConn())
@@ -151,6 +173,8 @@ describe('ensureGatewayAgent shares the gatewaySwitch mutex with profile switche
     ensureGatewayForAgent.mockImplementation(async (_connectionId, profile) => {
       order.push(`agent:${profile}`)
       await agentGate.promise
+
+      return true
     })
     ensureGatewayForProfile.mockImplementation(async (profile: string) => {
       order.push(`profile:${profile}`)
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/store/profile.ts b/apps/desktop/src/store/profile.ts
index 73ab65e5f5..a844598be4 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/store/profile.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/store/profile.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import { backendScopeKey } from '@hermes/shared'
 import { atom, computed } from 'nanostores'
 
 import { getProfiles, setApiRequestProfile, STARTUP_REQUEST_TIMEOUT_MS } from '@/hermes'
@@ -337,12 +336,13 @@ async function syncConnectionToActiveAgent(connectionId: string, profile: string
 //  - Activations share the gatewaySwitch mutex with profile switches, so a
 //    rapid agent↔profile (or agent↔agent) interleave can't finish out of
 //    order and leave the EARLIER setActive() as the last write.
-// A local/null connectionId falls through to the profile path verbatim.
+// Only a null connectionId falls through to the legacy profile path. Explicit
+// `local` is a registry identity and must use the genuinely-local route.
 export async function ensureGatewayAgent(connectionId: null | string, profile: string): Promise<void> {
   const target = normalizeProfileKey(profile)
   const connection = (connectionId ?? '').trim() || null
 
-  if (!connection || backendScopeKey(connection, target) === target) {
+  if (!connection) {
     return ensureGatewayProfile(target)
   }
 
@@ -353,7 +353,12 @@ export async function ensureGatewayAgent(connectionId: null | string, profile: s
 
   $gatewaySwapTarget.set(target)
   gatewaySwitch = (async () => {
-    await ensureGatewayForAgent(connection, target)
+    const activated = await ensureGatewayForAgent(connection, target)
+
+    if (!activated) {
+      return
+    }
+
     $activeGatewayProfile.set(target)
     // The active backend just changed; resync $connection so remote-aware
     // paths (image.attach_bytes vs image.attach, /api/fs/*, /api/media) follow.
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/store/session-states-scopes.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/store/session-states-scopes.test.ts
index b5b96474c7..437895f435 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/store/session-states-scopes.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/store/session-states-scopes.test.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,13 @@ describe('liveSessionScopes', () => {
     expect(liveSessionScopes()).toEqual(new Set(['conn:homelab::default']))
   })
 
+  it('keeps an explicit local registry session on its composite scope', () => {
+    recordSessionEventScope({ connectionId: 'local', profile: 'default', session_id: 'rt-local' })
+    publishSessionState('rt-local', state({ busy: true }))
+
+    expect(liveSessionScopes()).toEqual(new Set(['conn:local::default']))
+  })
+
   it('includes needs-input sessions and drops settled ones', () => {
     recordSessionEventScope({ connectionId: 'homelab', profile: 'default', session_id: 'rt-1' })
     publishSessionState('rt-1', state({ busy: false, needsInput: true }))
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/store/session-states.ts b/apps/desktop/src/store/session-states.ts
index 028d85c910..912ceb32a7 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/store/session-states.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/store/session-states.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
  * itself here as the delegate so tile UI stays dependency-light.
  */
 
-import { backendScopeKey } from '@hermes/shared'
+import { registryBackendScopeKey } from '@hermes/shared'
 import { atom, computed } from 'nanostores'
 
 import type { ClientSessionState } from '@/app/types'
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ const sessionScopeByRuntimeId = new Map<string, string>()
 
 export function recordSessionEventScope(event: { connectionId?: string; profile?: string; session_id?: string }): void {
   if (event.session_id && event.connectionId) {
-    sessionScopeByRuntimeId.set(event.session_id, backendScopeKey(event.connectionId, event.profile))
+    sessionScopeByRuntimeId.set(event.session_id, registryBackendScopeKey(event.connectionId, event.profile))
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/shared/src/backend-scope.ts b/apps/shared/src/backend-scope.ts
index 0da9a73069..5a2be28974 100644
--- a/apps/shared/src/backend-scope.ts
+++ b/apps/shared/src/backend-scope.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,18 @@ export function backendScopeKey(connectionId: null | string | undefined, profile
   return `conn:${connection}::${profileKey}`
 }
 
+/** Scope a registry route without collapsing its explicit `local` source id.
+ * Null/empty ids still identify the legacy profile-only route. */
+export function registryBackendScopeKey(
+  connectionId: null | string | undefined,
+  profile: null | string | undefined
+): string {
+  const profileKey = String(profile ?? '').trim() || 'default'
+  const connection = String(connectionId ?? '').trim()
+
+  return connection ? `conn:${connection}::${profileKey}` : profileKey
+}
+
 /** All pool keys owned by a connection share this prefix (teardown on remove). */
 export function backendScopePrefix(connectionId: string): string {
   return `conn:${String(connectionId).trim()}::`
diff --git a/apps/shared/src/index.ts b/apps/shared/src/index.ts
index 933120b215..1cb4220e0d 100644
--- a/apps/shared/src/index.ts
+++ b/apps/shared/src/index.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 export {
   backendScopeKey,
   backendScopePrefix,
-  LOCAL_CONNECTION_ID
+  LOCAL_CONNECTION_ID,
+  registryBackendScopeKey
 } from './backend-scope'
 export {
   BILLING_REFUSAL_POLICY,