diff --git a/cli/src/__tests__/runtime.test.ts b/cli/src/__tests__/runtime.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8371b2c2d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cli/src/__tests__/runtime.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+import { mkdtemp, mkdir, rm, symlink, writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+import { pathToFileURL } from "node:url";
+import { Command } from "commander";
+import { afterEach, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { registerRuntimeCommands, resolvePiProvisioner } from "../commands/runtime.js";
+const roots: string[] = [];
+afterEach(async () => { await Promise.all(roots.splice(0).map(root => rm(root, { recursive: true, force: true }))); });
+async function fixture() {
+  const root = await mkdtemp(join(tmpdir(), "paperclip-cli-runtime-")); roots.push(root);
+  const cli = join(root, "dist/vendor/paperclip-runner/cli"); await mkdir(cli, { recursive: true });
+  await writeFile(join(root, "package.json"), '{"name":"@paperclipai/server"}');
+  await writeFile(join(root, "dist/index.js"), "throw new Error('server must not start during setup resolution')");
+  await writeFile(join(cli, "provision-pi.cjs"), "fixture");
+  return { root, cli, url: pathToFileURL(join(root, "dist/index.js")).href };
+}
+it("locates the public server's setup entrypoint without importing its API server", async () => {
+  const f = await fixture(); expect(await resolvePiProvisioner(f.url)).toBe(join(f.cli, "provision-pi.cjs"));
+});
+it("rejects foreign package identity and a setup entrypoint outside that package", async () => {
+  const f = await fixture(); const other = await fixture();
+  await writeFile(join(f.root, "package.json"), '{"name":"foreign"}');
+  await expect(resolvePiProvisioner(f.url)).rejects.toThrow("identity");
+  await writeFile(join(f.root, "package.json"), '{"name":"@paperclipai/server"}');
+  await rm(join(f.cli, "provision-pi.cjs")); await symlink(join(other.cli, "provision-pi.cjs"), join(f.cli, "provision-pi.cjs"));
+  await expect(resolvePiProvisioner(f.url)).rejects.toThrow("escapes");
+});
+it("provides an explicit Pi-only operator command and rejects other providers before resolution", async () => {
+  const program = new Command(); registerRuntimeCommands(program);
+  await expect(program.parseAsync(["node", "paperclipai", "runtime", "setup", "untrusted"])).rejects.toThrow("Supported explicit runtime setup");
+});
diff --git a/cli/src/commands/runtime.ts b/cli/src/commands/runtime.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d4b48980ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cli/src/commands/runtime.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+import { spawn } from "node:child_process";
+import { lstat, readFile, realpath } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { dirname, join, resolve } from "node:path";
+import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+import type { Command } from "commander";
+
+/** Resolve the public server dependency, without importing/starting the server. */
+export async function resolvePiProvisioner(serverUrl: string): Promise<string> {
+  const url = new URL(serverUrl);
+  if (url.protocol !== "file:" || url.search || url.hash) throw new Error("Pi setup requires an installed Paperclip server");
+  const entry = await realpath(fileURLToPath(url));
+  if (!entry.endsWith("/dist/index.js")) throw new Error("Pi setup requires the published server layout");
+  const root = resolve(dirname(entry), "..");
+  const manifest = join(root, "package.json");
+  const info = await lstat(manifest);
+  if (!info.isFile() || info.isSymbolicLink() || info.size > 65536 || JSON.parse(await readFile(manifest, "utf8")).name !== "@paperclipai/server") throw new Error("Pi setup server package identity is invalid");
+  const provisioner = join(root, "dist/vendor/paperclip-runner/cli/provision-pi.cjs");
+  if (await realpath(provisioner) !== provisioner || !(await lstat(provisioner)).isFile()) throw new Error("Pi setup entrypoint escapes its server package");
+  return provisioner;
+}
+
+export async function setupPiRuntime(): Promise<void> {
+  const provisioner = await resolvePiProvisioner(import.meta.resolve("@paperclipai/server"));
+  // Only the explicit setup command can download pinned public dependencies.
+  // Do not forward provider credentials, proxy/npm config, HOME or NODE_OPTIONS.
+  const child = spawn(process.execPath, [provisioner], {
+    stdio: "inherit", env: { PATH: process.env.PATH ?? "/usr/bin:/bin", LANG: "C.UTF-8" },
+  });
+  const cancel = () => { if (child.exitCode === null && child.signalCode === null) child.kill("SIGTERM"); };
+  process.on("SIGINT", cancel); process.on("SIGTERM", cancel);
+  try {
+    await new Promise<void>((accept, reject) => {
+      let spawnError: Error | undefined;
+      child.on("error", error => { spawnError = error; });
+      child.once("close", (code, signal) => {
+        if (spawnError) reject(spawnError);
+        else if (code !== 0 || signal) reject(new Error("Pi setup did not finish. Review its error; an existing invalid installation is never replaced automatically."));
+        else accept();
+      });
+    });
+  } finally { process.off("SIGINT", cancel); process.off("SIGTERM", cancel); }
+}
+
+export function registerRuntimeCommands(program: Command): void {
+  program.command("runtime").description("Manage explicitly installed agent runtimes")
+    .command("setup <provider>")
+    .description("Install and verify the pinned Pi runtime for this host (public downloads; no model calls)")
+    .action(async (provider: string) => {
+      if (provider !== "pi") throw new Error("Supported explicit runtime setup: paperclipai runtime setup pi");
+      await setupPiRuntime();
+    });
+}
diff --git a/cli/src/index.ts b/cli/src/index.ts
index b2f722a4a0..a14964a12d 100644
--- a/cli/src/index.ts
+++ b/cli/src/index.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { registerRuntimeCommands } from "./commands/runtime.js";
 import { registerEmailCommands } from "./commands/client/email.js";
 import { Command } from "commander";
 import { warnIfUnsupportedNodeVersion } from "@paperclipai/shared/node-version";
@@ -101,6 +102,7 @@ program
   .action(updateCommand);
 
 program.hook("preAction", async (_thisCommand, actionCommand) => {
+  if (actionCommand.parent?.name() === "runtime") return; // Public runtime setup never reads instance config or credentials.
   const options = actionCommand.optsWithGlobals() as DataDirOptionLike & TestDriveOptions;
   let dataDirOptions: DataDirOptionLike = options;
   if (actionCommand.name() === "test-drive") {
@@ -124,6 +126,7 @@ program.hook("preAction", async (_thisCommand, actionCommand) => {
 });
 
 registerTestDriveCommand(program);
+registerRuntimeCommands(program);
 
 program
   .command("onboard")
diff --git a/doc/architecture/runner-pi-capabilities.md b/doc/architecture/runner-pi-capabilities.md
index 1926a38019..c4e730ec27 100644
--- a/doc/architecture/runner-pi-capabilities.md
+++ b/doc/architecture/runner-pi-capabilities.md
@@ -187,8 +187,8 @@ addressed by v4. Version 2 hello completion and every failure remain retained.
 The wider local and Linux x64 Daytona matrix remains pending; this document does
 not promote the candidate to a qualified production runtime.
 
-The runner pins `pi-acp@0.0.33` and
-`@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent@0.84.2`. The candidate model is
+At this historical pre-1.0 checkpoint, the runner pinned `pi-acp@0.0.33` and
+`@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent@0.84.2`. The candidate model was
 `openrouter/deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash-0731`; only an explicitly bound OpenRouter
 credential may reach this profile. `patches/pi-acp@0.0.33.patch` repairs the ACP
 wrapper. `pi-runtime-extension.ts` supplies the runner-owned semantic bridge and
@@ -963,3 +963,33 @@ that ID unchanged into the shared MCP dedupe boundary. This is a further
 integration defect. The shared dedupe guard and canonical grader remain intact.
 Both runs lack terminal usage; measured billing is $0.002440082 and cleanup
 passes. Restart and refreshed hello are held until this defect is repaired.
+
+## Explicit host installation
+
+For a published local Paperclip installation, run `paperclipai runtime setup pi`
+with the same installed CLI and account that owns the server package. This is an
+explicit download and verification step; npm installation and agent launch never
+perform it automatically. It installs only this host's supported platform
+(macOS ARM64, macOS x64, or Linux x64), using the source-pinned Node archive, npm
+lock, wrapper patch and complete Pi closure. Node 24, npm, git, tar and the normal
+platform dependency inspector (`otool` or `ldd`) must be available. The server
+package must be writable by the installing account. Setup forwards no instance
+configuration, provider credentials, npm configuration or proxy credentials.
+
+The public server carries a self-contained setup tool and small pinned inputs in
+`dist/vendor/paperclip-runner/cli`; the installed host closure lives in that
+server package's `provider-assets/pi/<platform>`. Setup validates an existing
+closure again before accepting it. A corrupt existing installation is left
+untouched and rejected; reinstall the same Paperclip release into a clean package
+location and repeat setup. Concurrent setup is rejected. Cancellation drains the
+current bounded download/build command before removing its private staging tree;
+allow that cleanup to complete before trying again.
+
+Then select Pi with the exact model
+`openrouter/deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash-0731` and bind an OpenRouter credential
+through the normal provider credential UI. Setup itself makes no model request.
+A missing host closure produces explicit setup guidance. Daytona uses the
+separately built and verified Linux provider pack in its runner image; running
+local setup does not install or qualify a remote image. Published-tar local and
+Daytona startup evidence must bind the final installation candidate, with no
+candidate qualification flags, before a production-readiness claim.
diff --git a/doc/architecture/runner-rich-acp-capabilities.md b/doc/architecture/runner-rich-acp-capabilities.md
index 826478c83e..482141a73f 100644
--- a/doc/architecture/runner-rich-acp-capabilities.md
+++ b/doc/architecture/runner-rich-acp-capabilities.md
@@ -1,6 +1,48 @@
 # Rich ACP integration and qualification report
 
-Current source checkpoint (2026-10-01): **Cursor v10, Copilot v12 and Pi v10
+## Current Pi 1.0 qualification checkpoint — October 2, 2026
+
+Pi now uses `@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent@1.0.0`, `pi-acp@0.0.33`,
+ACPX `0.13.1`, and profile **12**. Its exact model remains
+`openrouter/deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash-0731`. Cursor v10 and Copilot v12
+remain gated while Pi qualification is completed. The held Pi admission branch
+is preparation for testing normal installation; it is not production qualification.
+
+The first paid Pi 1.0 local hello on profile 11 failed: Pi's serialized RPC
+message updates no longer carry the old SDK-shaped partial message. That failure
+is retained, with $0.000142518 observed on the dedicated OpenRouter key and
+complete owned-process cleanup. Profile 12 repairs the actual RPC boundary;
+its local-only tests exercise the real Pi CLI, wrapper and owned extension.
+They do not replace authenticated product tests.
+
+At runtime source `b9e5d6ecdb05ab7244c90976e07c950f8d09b15b`, the fresh
+macOS ARM64 daemon and verified pack pass the original no-key startup test
+(6.741 seconds to settlement) and all 48 native/ACP contract tests without skips.
+The original evidence collector rejected Node 24's summary format after the
+runtime checks had passed. Its failure is preserved; independently reviewed
+offline finalization verifies those same logs and full asset inventories without
+rerunning the tests. Native Intel verification and the final installed-package
+local/Daytona tests remain separate gates.
+
+Full repository typecheck, tests, token gates, Product E2E typecheck/unit checks,
+and build passed on the earlier source `efe019a79f50440d7bd6c3bc6c75fb8f18953093`.
+Its Runner verification also passed. These results are historical prerequisites;
+profile 12 and the final installation changes still need their own verification.
+
+The dedicated Pi test key has a $5 lifetime OpenRouter-credit limit. Its BYOK
+charges are not included in that provider-enforced limit. Qualification therefore
+also requires the reviewed operational policy verifying no configured BYOK
+credentials, fresh account/key evidence, one paid case at a time, and usage
+monitoring. The key's $5 reservation is counted once within the combined $100
+campaign budget. Native price estimates are never substituted for provider bills.
+
+The [Pi capability inventory](runner-pi-capabilities.md#pi-10-candidate-2026-10-02-profile-v12)
+records Pi 1.0's native interfaces, wrapper changes, and unused capabilities.
+The comparison below remains the supported-surface map; older paid observations
+retain their named historical profiles. Current Pi 1.0 paid Product, Runner
+protocol, native controls, and Daytona qualification are still pending.
+
+Historical source checkpoint (2026-10-01): **Cursor v10, Copilot v12 and Pi v10
 remain unqualified**. Copilot receipt v2 distinguishes original provider
 arguments from the validated outgoing completion input. The sidecar commits
 the captured normalized digest only after its exact pending call receives a
@@ -51,7 +93,7 @@ as `25303cf84953985b961b95f89aff0bdb864b2d65`, from head
 unchanged; this adds no paid proof. Those definitions remain the historical
 Cursor v8 checkpoint and require a separate reviewed Cursor v9 update.
 
-Current checkpoint (2026-09-30): **Cursor v9, Copilot v8 and Pi v10 remain unqualified.** The frozen runtime is `5c69b69ef2aeab8d8a367b25a8d894cc5308befa`; controller candidate is `a8df2064d68f40fbf4dec670c4b8478c4b1b1b3f`. All profiles bind shared ACPX patch SHA-256 `bd5393058a218040d217fa85449d59a6f30507de54cd645bf0ef21422823f85e`. No profile is promoted and no prior grade is changed.
+Historical checkpoint (2026-09-30): **Cursor v9, Copilot v8 and Pi v10 remain unqualified.** The frozen runtime is `5c69b69ef2aeab8d8a367b25a8d894cc5308befa`; controller candidate is `a8df2064d68f40fbf4dec670c4b8478c4b1b1b3f`. All profiles bind shared ACPX patch SHA-256 `bd5393058a218040d217fa85449d59a6f30507de54cd645bf0ef21422823f85e`. No profile is promoted and no prior grade is changed.
 
 Current-profile protocol eval definitions merged in [paperclip-evals #36](https://github.com/paperclipai/paperclip-evals/pull/36) as `d987357461933baca0d4c10cc081f40e7eae5c1b`: 136 deterministic tests and 21 validated cells. These definitions do not supply paid qualification evidence.
 
@@ -786,7 +828,7 @@ qualification gates, not claims that a JavaScript path check confines a shell.
 | P1 | User attachments and image prompting | `AcpxRuntimeTurnInput` and the common runtime adapter currently forward text only, despite underlying image-input support. Implement validated attachment-to-ACP content conversion and model-specific capability admission, then qualify real local/Daytona image prompts. This is an implementation gap as well as a live-verification gap. |
 | P1 | Copilot native session event attribution | `_session_event` omits an originating turn. Preserve bounded event fields as session-scoped notices with `turnAttribution: unknown`; typed delegation, artifacts and compaction need an explicit native correlation contract before turn-owned projection. Standard correlated ACP events remain separate. |
 | P1 | Copilot session-store files and export/artifact URIs | Provider paths are not task-workspace paths. Add a separately authorized export flow with validated bytes and provenance; do not resolve arbitrary URLs or auto-register. |
-| P1 | Pi native fork/history/export interfaces | Pinned Pi 0.84.2 native RPC exposes `fork(entryId)`, `clone`, `get_fork_messages` and `export_html`. The wrapper does not map them to runner controls. Add durable branch lineage for fork/clone and an authorized, contained artifact flow for HTML export before exposing them; do not label these native capabilities absent. |
+| P1 | Pi native fork/history/export interfaces | Pi native RPC exposes `fork(entryId)`, `clone`, `get_fork_messages` and `export_html`; these remain available in the pinned 1.0.0 release. The wrapper does not map them to runner controls. Add durable branch lineage for fork/clone and an authorized, contained artifact flow for HTML export before exposing them; do not label these native capabilities absent. |
 | P1 | Complete usage/billing provenance | Missing cache fields remain unknown. Pi price estimates are displayed separately. Budget qualification requires actual spend coverage, not an estimate presented as a bill. |
 | P1 | Fork/history and richer configuration controls | Cursor session mode now has explicit admission-bound setup. Arbitrary session discovery/forking, mid-turn configuration changes and the parameterized model picker still need company-scoped controls and durable lineage. |
 | P1 | Exact pending-request restoration after process death | Session transcript restoration does not restore callbacks. Expire unresolved requests unless a provider proves exact restoration. |
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/build-verified-provider-entrypoints.mjs b/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/build-verified-provider-entrypoints.mjs
index a3a2aa9f8c..e40f81f9b9 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/build-verified-provider-entrypoints.mjs
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/build-verified-provider-entrypoints.mjs
@@ -99,9 +99,36 @@ export async function bundleVerifiedProviderEntrypoints({ write = true } = {}) {
     }
     results.push({ entrypoint, result, verifiedResult });
   }
+  await bundlePiProvisioner({ write });
   return results;
 }
 
+/** Explicit setup tooling; no provider payload is included in the npm tarball. */
+export async function bundlePiProvisioner({ write = true, outputRoot = resolve(packageRoot, "dist/cli") } = {}) {
+  const entrypoint = { name: "provision-pi", source: resolve(packageRoot, "scripts/provision-pi.mjs") };
+  const result = await build({
+    entryPoints: [entrypoint.source], outfile: resolve(outputRoot, "provision-pi.cjs"),
+    bundle: true, platform: "node", format: "cjs", target: "node24", packages: "bundle",
+    splitting: false, sourcemap: false, legalComments: "none", metafile: true,
+    treeShaking: true, write, logLevel: "silent",
+    banner: { js: 'const __paperclipVerifiedEntrypointUrl = require("node:url").pathToFileURL(__filename).href;' },
+    define: { "import.meta.dirname": "__dirname", "import.meta.url": "__paperclipVerifiedEntrypointUrl" },
+  });
+  assertSelfContainedBundle(entrypoint, result);
+  if (write) {
+    const inputs = resolve(outputRoot, "pi-provision-inputs");
+    await mkdir(inputs, { recursive: true });
+    for (const [source, name] of [
+      ["scripts/pi-distribution/package.json", "package.json"],
+      ["scripts/pi-distribution/package-lock.json", "package-lock.json"],
+      ["../../patches/pi-acp@0.0.33.patch", "pi-acp.patch"],
+      ["src/drivers/acpx/pi-acp-runtime.ts", "pi-acp-runtime.ts"],
+      ["src/drivers/acpx/pi-runtime-extension.ts", "pi-runtime-extension.ts"],
+    ]) await cp(resolve(packageRoot, source), resolve(inputs, name));
+  }
+  return result;
+}
+
 const invokedPath = process.argv[1]
   ? pathToFileURL(resolve(process.argv[1])).href
   : null;
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/build-verified-provider-entrypoints.test.mjs b/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/build-verified-provider-entrypoints.test.mjs
index 223af55817..fd2c324822 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/build-verified-provider-entrypoints.test.mjs
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/build-verified-provider-entrypoints.test.mjs
@@ -38,3 +38,6 @@ test("written provider entrypoints satisfy qualified launch permissions", async
     }
   }
 });
+
+// Package-layout regression runs in the existing verified-entrypoint test lane.
+import "./provision-pi-package.test.mjs";
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/materialize-pi-distribution.mjs b/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/materialize-pi-distribution.mjs
index d61cfbc073..2e4dd8f10f 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/materialize-pi-distribution.mjs
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/materialize-pi-distribution.mjs
@@ -110,7 +110,15 @@ export function piDistributionBootstrapSource() {
 }
 
 /** Build on the target platform. No lifecycle scripts, model requests, or auth. */
-export async function materializePiDistribution({ outputRoot, nodeExecutable, npmExecutable = "npm" }) {
+export async function materializePiDistribution({ outputRoot, nodeExecutable, npmExecutable = "npm", inputs, checkCancelled = () => {} }) {
+  // Cancellation is observed between bounded subprocesses. A setup signal must
+  // not abandon an npm/tar child while it still owns staging files.
+  const runOwned = async (...args) => { checkCancelled(); const result = await run(...args); checkCancelled(); return result; };
+  checkCancelled();
+  const inputLockDirectory = inputs?.lockDirectory ?? lockDirectory;
+  const inputPatchPath = inputs?.patchPath ?? patchPath;
+  const helperSourcePath = inputs?.helperSourcePath ?? join(packageRoot, "src/drivers/acpx/pi-acp-runtime.ts");
+  const extensionSourcePath = inputs?.extensionSourcePath ?? join(packageRoot, "src/drivers/acpx/pi-runtime-extension.ts");
   if (typeof outputRoot !== "string" || !outputRoot || !isAbsolute(outputRoot)) throw new Error("Pi distribution output must be absolute");
   const output = resolve(outputRoot);
   if (["/", workspaceRoot, packageRoot].includes(output)) throw new Error("Refusing unsafe Pi distribution output");
@@ -137,15 +145,15 @@ export async function materializePiDistribution({ outputRoot, nodeExecutable, np
       if (hash(bytes) !== nodePin.archiveSha256) throw new Error("Pi Node archive does not match its release pin");
       const archivePath = join(staging, archiveName); await writeFile(archivePath, bytes);
       const nodeRoot = join(staging, "node-extract"); await mkdir(nodeRoot);
-      await run("tar", ["-xzf", archivePath, "-C", nodeRoot, "--strip-components=2", `node-v${PI_NODE_VERSION}-${target}/bin/node`], { timeout: 30_000 });
+      await runOwned("tar", ["-xzf", archivePath, "-C", nodeRoot, "--strip-components=2", `node-v${PI_NODE_VERSION}-${target}/bin/node`], { timeout: 30_000 });
       node = join(nodeRoot, "node");
     }
     if (hash(await readFile(node)) !== nodePin.executableSha256 || (await lstat(node)).size !== nodePin.executableSize) throw new Error("Pi Node executable does not match its target release pin");
-    const version = (await run(node, ["--version"], { env: {}, timeout: buildNodeStartupTimeout() })).stdout.trim();
+    const version = (await runOwned(node, ["--version"], { env: {}, timeout: buildNodeStartupTimeout() })).stdout.trim();
     if (version !== `v${PI_NODE_VERSION}`) throw new Error("Pi distribution requires exact pinned Node version");
-    if ((await run(node, ["-p", "process.versions.undici"], { env: {}, timeout: buildNodeStartupTimeout() })).stdout.trim() !== PI_DISTRIBUTION_PINS.nodeBundledUndici) throw new Error("Pi Node bundled Undici differs from its reviewed security pin");
+    if ((await runOwned(node, ["-p", "process.versions.undici"], { env: {}, timeout: buildNodeStartupTimeout() })).stdout.trim() !== PI_DISTRIBUTION_PINS.nodeBundledUndici) throw new Error("Pi Node bundled Undici differs from its reviewed security pin");
     await mkdir(runtimeRoot);
-    await Promise.all(["package.json", "package-lock.json"].map((name) => copyFile(join(lockDirectory, name), join(runtimeRoot, name))));
+    await Promise.all(["package.json", "package-lock.json"].map((name) => copyFile(join(inputLockDirectory, name), join(runtimeRoot, name))));
     await writeFile(join(runtimeRoot, ".npmrc"), "registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/\nignore-scripts=true\naudit=false\nfund=false\n");
     await writeFile(join(runtimeRoot, ".npmrc-global"), "");
     const buildHome = join(staging, "build-home"); await mkdir(buildHome);
@@ -153,30 +161,35 @@ export async function materializePiDistribution({ outputRoot, nodeExecutable, np
     // .npmrc. Public registry downloads need no private application credential.
     const environment = Object.fromEntries(["PATH", "LANG", "LC_ALL", "HTTPS_PROXY", "HTTP_PROXY", "NO_PROXY", "SSL_CERT_FILE", "SSL_CERT_DIR", "NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS"].flatMap((key) => typeof process.env[key] === "string" ? [[key, process.env[key]]] : []));
     environment.HOME = buildHome;
-    await run(npmExecutable, piDistributionInstallCommand(), { cwd: runtimeRoot, env: environment, timeout: 300_000, maxBuffer: 4 * 1024 * 1024 });
+    await runOwned(npmExecutable, piDistributionInstallCommand(), { cwd: runtimeRoot, env: environment, timeout: 300_000, maxBuffer: 4 * 1024 * 1024 });
     const installedLockBytes = await readFile(join(runtimeRoot, "package-lock.json"));
-    if (!installedLockBytes.equals(await readFile(join(lockDirectory, "package-lock.json")))) throw new Error("Pi installation changed its committed lock");
+    if (!installedLockBytes.equals(await readFile(join(inputLockDirectory, "package-lock.json")))) throw new Error("Pi installation changed its committed lock");
     const lock = JSON.parse(installedLockBytes.toString("utf8"));
     const packageCount = await verifyLockedPiPackageGraph(runtimeRoot, lock);
     const wrapper = join(runtimeRoot, "node_modules/pi-acp");
-    await run("git", ["apply", "--check", patchPath], { cwd: wrapper, env: environment, timeout: 10_000 });
-    await run("git", ["apply", patchPath], { cwd: wrapper, env: environment, timeout: 10_000 });
+    await runOwned("git", ["apply", "--check", inputPatchPath], { cwd: wrapper, env: environment, timeout: 10_000 });
+    await runOwned("git", ["apply", inputPatchPath], { cwd: wrapper, env: environment, timeout: 10_000 });
     const [wrapperBytes, helperBytes, helperSource] = await Promise.all([
       readFile(join(wrapper, "dist/index.js")), readFile(join(wrapper, "dist/paperclip-runtime.js")),
-      readFile(join(packageRoot, "src/drivers/acpx/pi-acp-runtime.ts"), "utf8"),
+      readFile(helperSourcePath, "utf8"),
     ]);
-    const stripped = stripTypeScriptTypes(helperSource).split("\n").map((line) => line.trimEnd()).join("\n");
+    // Installed CLI users may run another supported Node patch. Generate the
+    // exact pinned closure with its verified Node, not the host's TS stripper.
+    const stripPinnedSource = async (path, source) => inputs
+      ? (await runOwned(node, ["--input-type=module", "-e", 'import {readFileSync} from "node:fs"; import {stripTypeScriptTypes} from "node:module"; process.stdout.write(stripTypeScriptTypes(readFileSync(process.argv[1],"utf8")));', path], { env: {}, timeout: buildNodeStartupTimeout(), maxBuffer: 4 * 1024 * 1024 })).stdout
+      : stripTypeScriptTypes(source);
+    const stripped = (await stripPinnedSource(helperSourcePath, helperSource)).split("\n").map((line) => line.trimEnd()).join("\n");
     if (hash(wrapperBytes) !== PI_DISTRIBUTION_PINS.wrapperSha256 || hash(helperBytes) !== PI_DISTRIBUTION_PINS.helperSha256 || helperBytes.toString("utf8") !== stripped) throw new Error("Pi wrapper patch does not match its qualified source");
     await mkdir(join(runtimeRoot, "extensions"));
-    await writeFile(join(runtimeRoot, "extensions/paperclip.js"), stripTypeScriptTypes(await readFile(join(packageRoot, "src/drivers/acpx/pi-runtime-extension.ts"), "utf8")).replace('from "./pi-acp-runtime.js"', 'from "../node_modules/pi-acp/dist/paperclip-runtime.js"'));
+    await writeFile(join(runtimeRoot, "extensions/paperclip.js"), (await stripPinnedSource(extensionSourcePath, await readFile(extensionSourcePath, "utf8"))).replace('from "./pi-acp-runtime.js"', 'from "../node_modules/pi-acp/dist/paperclip-runtime.js"'));
     await mkdir(join(runtimeRoot, "node/bin"), { recursive: true });
     const copiedNode = join(runtimeRoot, "node/bin/node");
     await copyFile(node, copiedNode); await chmod(copiedNode, 0o755);
     const dependencyListing = process.platform === "darwin"
-      ? (await run("/usr/bin/otool", ["-L", copiedNode], { env: {}, timeout: 10_000 })).stdout
-      : (await run("ldd", [copiedNode], { env: { PATH: "/usr/bin:/bin" }, timeout: 10_000 })).stdout;
+      ? (await runOwned("/usr/bin/otool", ["-L", copiedNode], { env: {}, timeout: 10_000 })).stdout
+      : (await runOwned("ldd", [copiedNode], { env: { PATH: "/usr/bin:/bin" }, timeout: 10_000 })).stdout;
     assertPiNodeSystemDependencies(dependencyListing, process.platform);
-    if ((await run(copiedNode, ["--version"], { env: {}, timeout: buildNodeStartupTimeout() })).stdout.trim() !== version) throw new Error("Copied Pi Node cannot execute after relocation");
+    if ((await runOwned(copiedNode, ["--version"], { env: {}, timeout: buildNodeStartupTimeout() })).stdout.trim() !== version) throw new Error("Copied Pi Node cannot execute after relocation");
     await rm(buildHome, { recursive: true });
     // npm-generated .bin links and hidden lock metadata are not package payload
     // files. No launch uses PATH; excluding them makes the closure regular-only.
@@ -206,6 +219,7 @@ export async function materializePiDistribution({ outputRoot, nodeExecutable, np
       runtimeRoot: "runtime", nativeClosureSha256, manifest,
     };
     await writeFile(join(staging, "pi-distribution.json"), `${JSON.stringify(metadata, null, 2)}\n`);
+    checkCancelled();
     await rename(staging, output);
     const finalRoot = join(output, "runtime");
     const binding = await verifyPiRuntimeManifest(finalRoot, manifest);
@@ -218,11 +232,12 @@ export async function materializePiDistribution({ outputRoot, nodeExecutable, np
   } catch (error) { await rm(staging, { recursive: true, force: true }); throw error; }
 }
 
-if (process.argv[1] && pathToFileURL(resolve(process.argv[1])).href === import.meta.url) {
+if (import.meta.url.endsWith("/materialize-pi-distribution.mjs") && process.argv[1] && pathToFileURL(resolve(process.argv[1])).href === import.meta.url) {
   const args = process.argv.slice(2).filter((arg) => arg !== "--");
   const outputArgs = args.filter((arg) => !arg.startsWith("--node="));
   const nodeArgs = args.filter((arg) => arg.startsWith("--node="));
   if (outputArgs.length !== 1 || nodeArgs.length > 1) throw new Error("Usage: node scripts/materialize-pi-distribution.mjs /absolute/output-directory [--node=/absolute/portable-node]");
-  const result = await materializePiDistribution({ outputRoot: outputArgs[0], ...(nodeArgs.length ? { nodeExecutable: nodeArgs[0].slice("--node=".length) } : {}) });
-  process.stdout.write(`${JSON.stringify({ outputRoot: result.outputRoot, manifestPath: result.manifestPath, manifestDigest: result.manifestDigest, packageCount: result.metadata.packageCount })}\n`);
+  materializePiDistribution({ outputRoot: outputArgs[0], ...(nodeArgs.length ? { nodeExecutable: nodeArgs[0].slice("--node=".length) } : {}) }).then(result => {
+    process.stdout.write(`${JSON.stringify({ outputRoot: result.outputRoot, manifestPath: result.manifestPath, manifestDigest: result.manifestDigest, packageCount: result.metadata.packageCount })}\n`);
+  }).catch(error => { console.error(error.message); process.exitCode = 1; });
 }
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/provision-pi-package.test.mjs b/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/provision-pi-package.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d40eb68212
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/provision-pi-package.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { execFileSync, spawnSync } from "node:child_process";
+import { mkdtemp, mkdir, readFile, readdir, rm, writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import { dirname, join, resolve } from "node:path";
+import { createRequire } from "node:module";
+import test from "node:test";
+import { bundlePiProvisioner } from "./build-verified-provider-entrypoints.mjs";
+
+test("public server tar layout carries a self-contained host provisioner and exact small inputs", async t => {
+  const root = await mkdtemp(join(tmpdir(), "paperclip-pi-public-layout-"));
+  t.after(() => rm(root, { recursive: true, force: true }));
+  const pkg = join(root, "package"); const cli = join(pkg, "dist/vendor/paperclip-runner/cli");
+  await mkdir(cli, { recursive: true });
+  await writeFile(join(pkg, "package.json"), '{"name":"@paperclipai/server","type":"module"}');
+  await writeFile(join(pkg, "dist/index.js"), 'throw new Error("do not start the server");');
+  await writeFile(join(cli, "acpx-runtime-sidecar.cjs"), "// layout fixture only");
+  await bundlePiProvisioner({ outputRoot: cli });
+  const inputs = join(cli, "pi-provision-inputs");
+  assert.deepEqual((await readdir(inputs)).sort(), ["package-lock.json", "package.json", "pi-acp-runtime.ts", "pi-acp.patch", "pi-runtime-extension.ts"]);
+  const packageRoot = resolve(dirname(new URL(import.meta.url).pathname), "..");
+  for (const [source, destination] of [
+    ["scripts/pi-distribution/package.json", "package.json"], ["scripts/pi-distribution/package-lock.json", "package-lock.json"],
+    ["../../patches/pi-acp@0.0.33.patch", "pi-acp.patch"], ["src/drivers/acpx/pi-acp-runtime.ts", "pi-acp-runtime.ts"],
+    ["src/drivers/acpx/pi-runtime-extension.ts", "pi-runtime-extension.ts"],
+  ]) assert.deepEqual(await readFile(resolve(packageRoot, source)), await readFile(join(inputs, destination)));
+  // Exercise npm's actual package/ prefix after archive extraction, without
+  // pretending this small fixture is a complete published Paperclip release.
+  const archive = join(root, "server.tgz");
+  execFileSync("tar", ["-czf", archive, "-C", root, "package"], { env: { PATH: "/usr/bin:/bin" }, timeout: 10_000 });
+  const installed = join(root, "installed"); await mkdir(installed);
+  execFileSync("tar", ["-xzf", archive, "-C", installed], { env: { PATH: "/usr/bin:/bin" }, timeout: 10_000 });
+  const installedPackage = join(installed, "package"); const entry = join(installedPackage, "dist/vendor/paperclip-runner/cli/provision-pi.cjs");
+  const api = createRequire(import.meta.url)(entry);
+  assert.equal((await api.provisionPackageRoot(entry)).root, installedPackage);
+  // Real, unmocked installation verifier rejects a corrupt cache before any
+  // download/process. The positive full-closure proof uses real platform packs.
+  await mkdir(join(installedPackage, "provider-assets/pi", `${process.platform}-${process.arch}`, "runtime"), { recursive: true });
+  const deny = join(root, "deny.cjs");
+  await writeFile(deny, `const fail=()=>{throw Error('UNEXPECTED_NETWORK_OR_CHILD')}; globalThis.fetch=fail; for(const m of ['node:net','node:tls','node:http','node:https']){const x=require(m);for(const k of ['connect','createConnection','request','get'])if(k in x)x[k]=fail;}const c=require('node:child_process');for(const k of ['spawn','execFile','exec'])c[k]=fail;`);
+  const result = spawnSync(process.execPath, ["--require", deny, entry], { encoding: "utf8", env: { PATH: "/usr/bin:/bin", OPENROUTER_API_KEY: "sensitive-canary", NODE_OPTIONS: "" }, timeout: 10_000 });
+  assert.ifError(result.error); assert.equal(result.status, 1); assert.match(result.stderr, /Pi setup failed/);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(result.stderr, /UNEXPECTED_NETWORK_OR_CHILD|sensitive-canary/);
+  assert.deepEqual(await readdir(join(installedPackage, "provider-assets/pi")), [`${process.platform}-${process.arch}`]);
+});
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/provision-pi.mjs b/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/provision-pi.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..257571e8c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/provision-pi.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+/** Explicit operator setup only. Never imported by npm lifecycle or agent launch. */
+import { constants } from "node:fs";
+import { lstat, mkdir, mkdtemp, open, realpath, readdir, rename, rm, unlink, writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { basename, dirname, join, resolve } from "node:path";
+import { fileURLToPath, pathToFileURL } from "node:url";
+import { materializePiDistribution } from "./materialize-pi-distribution.mjs";
+import { verifyPiInstallation } from "../src/drivers/acpx/pi-installation.ts";
+import { QUALIFIED_ACPX_PROFILES } from "../src/drivers/acpx/qualified-profiles.ts";
+import { PI_DISTRIBUTION_CLOSURE_SHA256 } from "../src/drivers/acpx/pi-closure-pins.ts";
+
+export async function provisionPackageRoot(entrypoint) {
+  const canonical = await realpath(entrypoint);
+  if (canonical !== resolve(entrypoint)) throw new Error("Pi setup entrypoint must not be linked");
+  if (basename(canonical) !== "provision-pi.cjs" || !(await lstat(canonical)).isFile()) throw new Error("Pi setup requires its installed entrypoint");
+  const cli = dirname(canonical);
+  const vendored = cli.endsWith("/dist/vendor/paperclip-runner/cli");
+  if (!vendored && !cli.endsWith("/dist/cli")) throw new Error("Pi setup requires the installed runner or server layout");
+  const root = resolve(cli, vendored ? "../../../.." : "../..");
+  const manifest = join(root, "package.json");
+  const handle = await open(manifest, constants.O_RDONLY | constants.O_NOFOLLOW);
+  try {
+    const before = await handle.stat({ bigint: true });
+    if (!before.isFile() || before.size > 65536n || before.nlink !== 1n) throw new Error("Pi setup package manifest is invalid");
+    const bytes = await handle.readFile(); const after = await handle.stat({ bigint: true }); const named = await lstat(manifest, { bigint: true });
+    if (before.ino !== after.ino || before.dev !== after.dev || before.ctimeNs !== after.ctimeNs || before.mtimeNs !== after.mtimeNs || bytes.length !== Number(before.size) || named.ino !== before.ino || named.dev !== before.dev) throw new Error("Pi setup package manifest changed");
+    const expected = vendored ? "@paperclipai/server" : "@paperclipai/paperclip-runner";
+    if (JSON.parse(bytes.toString()).name !== expected) throw new Error("Pi setup package identity does not match its layout");
+  } finally { await handle.close(); }
+  return { root, manifest, cli };
+}
+async function verifiedInstallation(root, manifest) {
+  const keys = ["PAPERCLIP_ACPX_PROVIDER_PACKAGE_ROOT", "PAPERCLIP_ACPX_PROVIDER_PACKAGE_MANIFEST"];
+  const previous = keys.map(key => process.env[key]);
+  process.env[keys[0]] = root; process.env[keys[1]] = manifest;
+  try { const installation = await verifyPiInstallation(QUALIFIED_ACPX_PROFILES.pi); const lease = await installation.openCommand(); await lease.close(); }
+  finally { keys.forEach((key, index) => { if (previous[index] === undefined) delete process.env[key]; else process.env[key] = previous[index]; }); }
+}
+async function absent(path) { try { await lstat(path); return false; } catch (error) { if (error.code === "ENOENT") return true; throw error; } }
+async function containedDirectory(root, path) {
+  await mkdir(path, { recursive: true, mode: 0o700 });
+  if (await realpath(path) !== path || !(await lstat(path)).isDirectory() || !path.startsWith(root + "/")) throw new Error("Pi setup asset directory escapes its package");
+}
+export async function provisionPi(entrypoint, checkCancelled = () => {}) {
+  checkCancelled();
+  const target = `${process.platform}-${process.arch}`;
+  if (!Object.hasOwn(PI_DISTRIBUTION_CLOSURE_SHA256, target)) throw new Error(`Pi is not qualified for platform ${target}`);
+  const { root, manifest, cli } = await provisionPackageRoot(entrypoint);
+  const assets = join(root, "provider-assets"); const parent = join(assets, "pi");
+  await containedDirectory(root, assets); await containedDirectory(root, parent);
+  const lockPath = join(parent, `.setup-${target}.lock`);
+  const lock = await open(lockPath, constants.O_CREAT | constants.O_EXCL | constants.O_WRONLY | constants.O_NOFOLLOW, 0o600);
+  let lockIdentity; let temporary; let temporaryIdentity; let published; let committed = false;
+  const output = join(parent, target);
+  try {
+    lockIdentity = await lock.stat({ bigint: true });
+    checkCancelled();
+    if (!(await absent(output))) {
+      await verifiedInstallation(root, manifest);
+      return { status: "verified_existing", target, profileDigest: QUALIFIED_ACPX_PROFILES.pi.commandDigest };
+    }
+    temporary = await mkdtemp(join(parent, ".setup-private-"));
+    temporaryIdentity = await lstat(temporary, { bigint: true });
+    const stagingRoot = join(temporary, "package"); await mkdir(stagingRoot, { mode: 0o700 });
+    await writeFile(join(stagingRoot, "package.json"), JSON.stringify({ name: "@paperclipai/paperclip-runner" }), { flag: "wx", mode: 0o600 });
+    const stagedOutput = join(stagingRoot, "provider-assets/pi", target);
+    const inputs = join(cli, "pi-provision-inputs");
+    await materializePiDistribution({ outputRoot: stagedOutput, checkCancelled, inputs: {
+      lockDirectory: inputs, patchPath: join(inputs, "pi-acp.patch"),
+      helperSourcePath: join(inputs, "pi-acp-runtime.ts"), extensionSourcePath: join(inputs, "pi-runtime-extension.ts"),
+    } });
+    await verifiedInstallation(stagingRoot, join(stagingRoot, "package.json"));
+    if (!(await absent(output))) throw new Error("Pi setup destination appeared during installation; refusing replacement");
+    checkCancelled();
+    // mkdir is exclusive: rename(directory) would replace an empty concurrent
+    // destination. Claim a private final root instead; readiness fails closed
+    // until every entry is installed and the complete closure verifies.
+    await mkdir(output, { mode: 0o700 });
+    published = await lstat(output, { bigint: true });
+    for (const name of await readdir(stagedOutput)) {
+      const named = await lstat(output, { bigint: true });
+      if (named.dev !== published.dev || named.ino !== published.ino || named.isSymbolicLink()) throw new Error("Pi setup output ownership changed during publication");
+      await rename(join(stagedOutput, name), join(output, name));
+    }
+    await verifiedInstallation(root, manifest);
+    checkCancelled();
+    committed = true;
+    return { status: "installed_verified", target, profileDigest: QUALIFIED_ACPX_PROFILES.pi.commandDigest };
+  } finally {
+    // Drain every cleanup even if one fails. Never remove a pre-existing or
+    // replaced destination or another invocation's lock.
+    const cleanup = [];
+    if (published && !committed) cleanup.push((async () => {
+      const named = await lstat(output, { bigint: true });
+      if (named.dev !== published.dev || named.ino !== published.ino || named.isSymbolicLink()) throw new Error("Pi setup output ownership changed; refusing cleanup");
+      await rm(output, { recursive: true });
+    })());
+    if (temporary) cleanup.push((async () => {
+      const named = await lstat(temporary, { bigint: true });
+      if (!temporaryIdentity || named.dev !== temporaryIdentity.dev || named.ino !== temporaryIdentity.ino || named.isSymbolicLink()) throw new Error("Pi setup staging ownership changed; refusing cleanup");
+      await rm(temporary, { recursive: true });
+    })());
+    cleanup.push((async () => {
+      try {
+        lockIdentity ??= await lock.stat({ bigint: true });
+        const named = await lstat(lockPath, { bigint: true });
+        if (named.dev !== lockIdentity.dev || named.ino !== lockIdentity.ino) throw new Error("Pi setup lock ownership changed; refusing cleanup");
+        await unlink(lockPath);
+      } finally { await lock.close(); }
+    })());
+    const results = await Promise.allSettled(cleanup);
+    const failures = results.filter(result => result.status === "rejected");
+    if (failures.length) throw new AggregateError(failures.map(result => result.reason), "Pi setup cleanup failed; inspect the package before retrying");
+  }
+}
+if (process.argv[1] && pathToFileURL(resolve(process.argv[1])).href === import.meta.url) {
+  const args = process.argv.slice(2);
+  if (args.length) throw new Error("Usage: paperclipai runtime setup pi (explicit host-platform installation; no model calls)");
+  // Setup uses only public, source-pinned downloads. Never forward credentials,
+  // HOME config, proxy configuration, NODE_OPTIONS or npm configuration.
+  const environment = { PATH: process.env.PATH ?? "/usr/bin:/bin", LANG: "C.UTF-8" };
+  for (const key of Object.keys(process.env)) delete process.env[key]; Object.assign(process.env, environment);
+  let cancelled = false;
+  const cancel = () => { cancelled = true; };
+  process.on("SIGINT", cancel); process.on("SIGTERM", cancel);
+  // Each active materializer subprocess has its original <=300s timeout. A
+  // cancellation waits for that owned child before removing its files.
+  const deadline = setTimeout(cancel, 900_000); deadline.unref();
+  provisionPi(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url), () => { if (cancelled) throw new Error("Pi setup cancelled; no installation was admitted"); }).finally(() => {
+    clearTimeout(deadline); process.off("SIGINT", cancel); process.off("SIGTERM", cancel);
+  }).then(value => console.log(JSON.stringify(value)))
+    .catch(error => { console.error(`Pi setup failed: ${error.message}`); process.exitCode = 1; });
+}
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/pi-installation.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/pi-installation.ts
index 2588b7d9d2..711e51c120 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/pi-installation.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/pi-installation.ts
@@ -60,7 +60,11 @@ export async function verifyPiInstallation(profile: QualifiedAcpxProfile): Promi
       if (!stat.isDirectory() || stat.isSymbolicLink() || await realpath(path) !== path) throw new Error("Pi distribution escaped its fixed asset directory");
     }
   };
-  await assertDirectories();
+  try { await assertDirectories(); }
+  catch (error) {
+    if ((error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code === "ENOENT") throw new Error("Pi runtime is not installed on this host; run paperclipai runtime setup pi before selecting Pi");
+    throw error;
+  }
   const metadataPath = join(assets, "pi-distribution.json");
   const metadata = await readDistributionMetadata(metadataPath);
   const targetMetadata = record(metadata.target);
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/pi-provision.test.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/pi-provision.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2656cd7978
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/pi-provision.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+import { mkdtemp, mkdir, readFile, readdir, rename, rm, symlink, writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { provisionPackageRoot, provisionPi } from "../../../scripts/provision-pi.mjs";
+
+const mocks = vi.hoisted(() => ({ verify: vi.fn(), build: vi.fn(), close: vi.fn(), beforeMkdir: vi.fn() }));
+vi.mock("node:fs/promises", async (importOriginal) => {
+  const actual = await importOriginal<typeof import("node:fs/promises")>();
+  return { ...actual, mkdir: async (...args: Parameters<typeof actual.mkdir>) => { await mocks.beforeMkdir(...args); return actual.mkdir(...args); } };
+});
+vi.mock("./pi-installation.ts", () => ({ verifyPiInstallation: mocks.verify }));
+vi.mock("../../../scripts/materialize-pi-distribution.mjs", () => ({ materializePiDistribution: mocks.build }));
+const roots: string[] = [];
+afterEach(async () => { vi.unstubAllEnvs(); await Promise.all(roots.splice(0).map(root => rm(root, { recursive: true, force: true }))); });
+beforeEach(() => {
+  vi.clearAllMocks();
+  mocks.beforeMkdir.mockReset();
+  mocks.verify.mockImplementation(async () => ({ openCommand: async () => ({ close: mocks.close }) }));
+  mocks.build.mockImplementation(async ({ outputRoot }: { outputRoot: string }) => { await mkdir(outputRoot, { recursive: true }); await writeFile(join(outputRoot, "owned"), "fixture"); });
+});
+async function fixture(vendored = true) {
+  const root = await mkdtemp(join(tmpdir(), "pi-provision-")); roots.push(root);
+  const cli = join(root, vendored ? "dist/vendor/paperclip-runner/cli" : "dist/cli");
+  await mkdir(cli, { recursive: true });
+  await writeFile(join(root, "package.json"), JSON.stringify({ name: vendored ? "@paperclipai/server" : "@paperclipai/paperclip-runner" }));
+  const entry = join(cli, "provision-pi.cjs"); await writeFile(entry, "fixture");
+  return { root, cli, entry, parent: join(root, "provider-assets/pi"), output: join(root, "provider-assets/pi", `${process.platform}-${process.arch}`) };
+}
+it("recognizes both published layouts without resolving a private npm package", async () => {
+  for (const vendored of [true, false]) { const f = await fixture(vendored); expect((await provisionPackageRoot(f.entry)).root).toBe(f.root); }
+});
+it("rejects wrong package, linked entrypoint and escaping asset roots before materialization", async () => {
+  const f = await fixture(); const other = await fixture();
+  await writeFile(join(f.root, "package.json"), '{"name":"foreign"}');
+  await expect(provisionPi(f.entry)).rejects.toThrow("identity");
+  await writeFile(join(f.root, "package.json"), '{"name":"@paperclipai/server"}');
+  await rm(f.entry); await symlink(other.entry, f.entry);
+  await expect(provisionPi(f.entry)).rejects.toThrow("linked");
+  await rm(f.entry); await writeFile(f.entry, "fixture"); await symlink(other.root, join(f.root, "provider-assets"));
+  await expect(provisionPi(f.entry)).rejects.toThrow("escapes");
+  expect(mocks.build).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+});
+it("verifies an existing cache in full and never repairs a rejected cache automatically", async () => {
+  const f = await fixture(); await mkdir(f.output, { recursive: true }); await writeFile(join(f.output, "original"), "retain");
+  expect(await provisionPi(f.entry)).toMatchObject({ status: "verified_existing" });
+  mocks.verify.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("closure differs"));
+  await expect(provisionPi(f.entry)).rejects.toThrow("closure differs");
+  expect(await readFile(join(f.output, "original"), "utf8")).toBe("retain");
+  expect(mocks.build).not.toHaveBeenCalled(); expect(await readdir(f.parent)).toEqual([`${process.platform}-${process.arch}`]);
+});
+it("publishes only after staging verification, then verifies the actual package authority", async () => {
+  const f = await fixture(); vi.stubEnv("PAPERCLIP_ACPX_PROVIDER_PACKAGE_ROOT", "untrusted-ambient");
+  expect(await provisionPi(f.entry)).toMatchObject({ status: "installed_verified" });
+  expect(mocks.verify).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2); expect(mocks.close).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  expect(process.env.PAPERCLIP_ACPX_PROVIDER_PACKAGE_ROOT).toBe("untrusted-ambient");
+  expect(await readdir(f.parent)).toEqual([`${process.platform}-${process.arch}`]);
+});
+it.each(["build", "staging", "published"])("cleans only its owned transaction after %s failure", async stage => {
+  const f = await fixture();
+  if (stage === "build") mocks.build.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("failed"));
+  if (stage === "staging") mocks.verify.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("failed"));
+  if (stage === "published") mocks.verify.mockResolvedValueOnce({ openCommand: async () => ({ close: mocks.close }) }).mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("failed"));
+  await expect(provisionPi(f.entry)).rejects.toThrow("failed");
+  expect(await readdir(f.parent)).toEqual([]);
+});
+it("refuses a concurrent setup without deleting its lock or launching work", async () => {
+  const f = await fixture(); await mkdir(f.parent, { recursive: true });
+  const name = `.setup-${process.platform}-${process.arch}.lock`; await writeFile(join(f.parent, name), "other");
+  await expect(provisionPi(f.entry)).rejects.toThrow(); expect(mocks.build).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  expect(await readFile(join(f.parent, name), "utf8")).toBe("other");
+});
+it("honors cancellation after owned materialization without publishing or leaving temporary files", async () => {
+  const f = await fixture(); let cancelled = false;
+  mocks.build.mockImplementationOnce(async ({ outputRoot }: { outputRoot: string }) => { await mkdir(outputRoot, { recursive: true }); cancelled = true; });
+  await expect(provisionPi(f.entry, () => { if (cancelled) throw new Error("cancelled"); })).rejects.toThrow("cancelled");
+  expect(await readdir(f.parent)).toEqual([]);
+});
+
+it("does not replace an empty destination that appears during preparation", async () => {
+  const f = await fixture();
+  mocks.verify.mockImplementationOnce(async () => { await mkdir(f.output); return { openCommand: async () => ({ close: mocks.close }) }; });
+  await expect(provisionPi(f.entry)).rejects.toThrow("destination appeared");
+  expect(await readdir(f.output)).toEqual([]);
+});
+it("retains a replaced staging root while still releasing its own lock", async () => {
+  const f = await fixture();
+  let moved: string | undefined;
+  mocks.build.mockImplementationOnce(async ({ outputRoot }: { outputRoot: string }) => {
+    const temporary = outputRoot.slice(0, outputRoot.indexOf("/package/provider-assets/"));
+    moved = `${temporary}-original`; await rename(temporary, moved);
+    await mkdir(temporary); await writeFile(join(temporary, "foreign"), "retain");
+    throw new Error("materialization failed");
+  });
+  await expect(provisionPi(f.entry)).rejects.toThrow("cleanup failed");
+  const names = await readdir(f.parent);
+  expect(names.some(name => name.endsWith(".lock"))).toBe(false);
+  const replaced = names.find(name => !name.endsWith("-original"))!;
+  expect(await readFile(join(f.parent, replaced, "foreign"), "utf8")).toBe("retain");
+  expect(moved).toBeDefined(); // fixture teardown owns both test-created roots
+});
+
+it("uses exclusive publication when an empty target appears after the absence check", async () => {
+  const f = await fixture();
+  const actual = await vi.importActual<typeof import("node:fs/promises")>("node:fs/promises");
+  mocks.beforeMkdir.mockImplementationOnce(() => undefined);
+  mocks.beforeMkdir.mockImplementation(async (path: unknown) => {
+    if (path === f.output) { mocks.beforeMkdir.mockReset(); await actual.mkdir(f.output); }
+  });
+  await expect(provisionPi(f.entry)).rejects.toThrow(/EEXIST/);
+  expect(await readdir(f.output)).toEqual([]);
+  expect(await readdir(f.parent)).toEqual([`${process.platform}-${process.arch}`]);
+});
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/provider-assets-root.test.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/provider-assets-root.test.ts
index f6c3cfeb5c..911b10a540 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/provider-assets-root.test.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/provider-assets-root.test.ts
@@ -45,3 +45,40 @@ it("rejects external manifests, links, asset escapes and incomplete authority",
   vi.stubEnv("PAPERCLIP_ACPX_PROVIDER_PACKAGE_ROOT", undefined);
   expect(() => resolveRunnerProviderAssetsRoot("file:///proc/self/fd/18", "copilot")).toThrow("no bound");
 });
+
+async function serverFixture() {
+  const path = await root();
+  await writeFile(join(path, "package.json"), JSON.stringify({ name: "@paperclipai/server" }));
+  await mkdir(join(path, "dist/vendor/paperclip-runner/cli"), { recursive: true });
+  await writeFile(join(path, "dist/vendor/paperclip-runner/cli/acpx-runtime-sidecar.cjs"), "// bundled sidecar");
+  return path;
+}
+it("admits the public server's exact vendored layout for readiness and descriptor execution", async () => {
+  vi.stubEnv("PAPERCLIP_ACPX_PROVIDER_PACKAGE_ROOT", undefined);
+  vi.stubEnv("PAPERCLIP_ACPX_PROVIDER_PACKAGE_MANIFEST", undefined);
+  const path = await serverFixture();
+  const url = pathToFileURL(join(path, "dist/vendor/paperclip-runner/drivers/acpx/pi-installation.js")).href;
+  expect(resolveRunnerProviderAssetsRoot(url, "pi")).toBe(join(path, "provider-assets/pi"));
+  vi.stubEnv("PAPERCLIP_ACPX_PROVIDER_PACKAGE_ROOT", path);
+  vi.stubEnv("PAPERCLIP_ACPX_PROVIDER_PACKAGE_MANIFEST", join(path, "package.json"));
+  expect(resolveRunnerProviderAssetsRoot("file:///proc/self/fd/18", "pi")).toBe(join(path, "provider-assets/pi"));
+});
+it("rejects an unrelated server manifest, escaped vendor sidecar and linked manifest", async () => {
+  const path = await serverFixture(); const outside = await root();
+  vi.stubEnv("PAPERCLIP_ACPX_PROVIDER_PACKAGE_ROOT", path);
+  vi.stubEnv("PAPERCLIP_ACPX_PROVIDER_PACKAGE_MANIFEST", join(path, "package.json"));
+  await mkdir(join(path, "nested"));
+  await writeFile(join(path, "nested/package.json"), JSON.stringify({ name: "@paperclipai/server" }));
+  vi.stubEnv("PAPERCLIP_ACPX_PROVIDER_PACKAGE_MANIFEST", join(path, "nested/package.json"));
+  expect(() => resolveRunnerProviderAssetsRoot("file:///proc/self/fd/18", "pi")).toThrow("outside its package root");
+  vi.stubEnv("PAPERCLIP_ACPX_PROVIDER_PACKAGE_MANIFEST", join(path, "package.json"));
+  await rm(join(path, "dist/vendor/paperclip-runner/cli"), { recursive: true });
+  await symlink(outside, join(path, "dist/vendor/paperclip-runner/cli"));
+  expect(() => resolveRunnerProviderAssetsRoot("file:///proc/self/fd/18", "pi")).toThrow("escaped");
+  vi.stubEnv("PAPERCLIP_ACPX_PROVIDER_PACKAGE_ROOT", undefined);
+  vi.stubEnv("PAPERCLIP_ACPX_PROVIDER_PACKAGE_MANIFEST", undefined);
+  await rm(join(path, "package.json"));
+  await writeFile(join(outside, "package.json"), JSON.stringify({ name: "@paperclipai/server" }));
+  await symlink(join(outside, "package.json"), join(path, "package.json"));
+  expect(() => resolveRunnerProviderAssetsRoot(pathToFileURL(join(path, "dist/vendor/paperclip-runner/drivers/acpx/pi-installation.js")).href, "pi")).toThrow();
+});
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/provider-assets-root.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/provider-assets-root.ts
index 326740c00c..012ccc5fd2 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/provider-assets-root.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/provider-assets-root.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,16 @@ import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
 
 type NativeProvider = "cursor" | "copilot" | "pi";
 const RUNNER_PACKAGE_NAME = "@paperclipai/paperclip-runner";
+const SERVER_PACKAGE_NAME = "@paperclipai/server";
+function assertServerVendorLayout(root: string): void {
+  const sidecar = join(root, "dist/vendor/paperclip-runner/cli/acpx-runtime-sidecar.cjs");
+  for (const part of ["dist", "dist/vendor", "dist/vendor/paperclip-runner", "dist/vendor/paperclip-runner/cli"]) {
+    const path = join(root, part); const info = lstatSync(path);
+    if (!info.isDirectory() || info.isSymbolicLink() || realpathSync(path) !== path) throw new Error("Runner server vendor layout escaped its package");
+  }
+  const info = lstatSync(sidecar);
+  if (!info.isFile() || info.isSymbolicLink() || realpathSync(sidecar) !== sidecar) throw new Error("Runner server vendor sidecar is invalid");
+}
 
 /** Resolve only runner-owned package assets, including descriptor-loaded sidecars. */
 export function resolveRunnerProviderAssetsRoot(moduleUrl: string, provider: NativeProvider): string {
@@ -19,23 +29,23 @@ export function resolveRunnerProviderAssetsRoot(moduleUrl: string, provider: Nat
     if (!inside(packageRoot, canonicalManifest)) throw new Error("Runner provider manifest escapes its bound package root");
     // The authority comes from runnerd's selected provider pack, never provider
     // environment. Verify the selected manifest itself before deriving assets.
-    const fd = openSync(manifest, constants.O_RDONLY | constants.O_NOFOLLOW);
-    try {
-      const before = fstatSync(fd, { bigint: true });
-      if (!before.isFile() || before.size < 1n || before.size > 64n * 1024n) throw new Error("Runner provider manifest is not a bounded regular file");
-      const bytes = readFileSync(fd);
-      const after = fstatSync(fd, { bigint: true });
-      if (before.dev !== after.dev || before.ino !== after.ino || before.size !== after.size || before.mtimeNs !== after.mtimeNs || before.ctimeNs !== after.ctimeNs
-        || bytes.length !== Number(before.size) || realpathSync(manifest) !== canonicalManifest) throw new Error("Runner provider manifest changed during admission");
-      const value = JSON.parse(bytes.toString("utf8")) as { name?: unknown };
-      if (value?.name !== RUNNER_PACKAGE_NAME) throw new Error("Runner provider manifest does not name the runner package");
-    } finally { closeSync(fd); }
+    const value = readPackageManifest(manifest, canonicalManifest);
+    if (value.name === SERVER_PACKAGE_NAME) {
+      if (canonicalManifest !== join(packageRoot, "package.json")) throw new Error("Runner server manifest is outside its package root");
+      assertServerVendorLayout(packageRoot);
+    } else if (value.name !== RUNNER_PACKAGE_NAME) throw new Error("Runner provider manifest does not name the runner package");
     packageRoot = dirname(canonicalManifest);
   } else {
     if (boundManifest !== undefined) throw new Error("Runner provider manifest has no bound package root");
     const url = new URL(moduleUrl);
     if (url.protocol !== "file:" || url.search || url.hash) throw new Error("Provider factory is outside a verified package layout");
-    if (new RegExp(`/(?:src|dist)/drivers/acpx/${provider}-installation\\.(?:ts|js)$`).test(url.pathname)) packageRoot = fileURLToPath(new URL("../../../", url));
+    if (new RegExp(`/dist/vendor/paperclip-runner/drivers/acpx/${provider}-installation\\.js$`).test(url.pathname)) {
+      packageRoot = realpathSync(fileURLToPath(new URL("../../../../../", url)));
+      const manifest = join(packageRoot, "package.json");
+      const metadata = readPackageManifest(manifest, manifest);
+      if (metadata.name !== SERVER_PACKAGE_NAME) throw new Error("Runner server vendor package identity is invalid");
+      assertServerVendorLayout(packageRoot);
+    } else if (new RegExp(`/(?:src|dist)/drivers/acpx/${provider}-installation\\.(?:ts|js)$`).test(url.pathname)) packageRoot = fileURLToPath(new URL("../../../", url));
     else if (/\/dist\/cli\/acpx-runtime-sidecar\.(?:cjs|js)$/.test(url.pathname)) packageRoot = fileURLToPath(new URL("../../", url));
     else throw new Error("Provider factory is outside a verified package layout");
     packageRoot = realpathSync(packageRoot);
@@ -62,3 +72,18 @@ function inside(root: string, path: string): boolean {
   const rel = relative(root, path);
   return rel !== "" && rel !== ".." && !rel.startsWith(`..${sep}`) && !isAbsolute(rel);
 }
+
+function readPackageManifest(manifest: string, canonicalManifest: string): { name?: unknown } {
+  const fd = openSync(manifest, constants.O_RDONLY | constants.O_NOFOLLOW);
+  try {
+    const before = fstatSync(fd, { bigint: true });
+    if (!before.isFile() || before.size < 1n || before.size > 64n * 1024n) throw new Error("Runner provider manifest is not a bounded regular file");
+    const bytes = readFileSync(fd);
+    const after = fstatSync(fd, { bigint: true });
+    const named = lstatSync(manifest, { bigint: true });
+    if (before.dev !== after.dev || before.ino !== after.ino || before.size !== after.size || before.mtimeNs !== after.mtimeNs || before.ctimeNs !== after.ctimeNs
+      || named.dev !== before.dev || named.ino !== before.ino || named.isSymbolicLink()
+      || bytes.length !== Number(before.size) || realpathSync(manifest) !== canonicalManifest) throw new Error("Runner provider manifest changed during admission");
+    return JSON.parse(bytes.toString("utf8")) as { name?: unknown };
+  } finally { closeSync(fd); }
+}
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/index.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/index.ts
index 458de962dd..2494e177e9 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/index.ts
@@ -77,3 +77,5 @@ export * from "./generated/capability-contract.js";
 export * from "./semantic-tools/index.js";
 export * as acceptedCapabilitySemanticTools from "./semantic-tools/index.js";
 export * from "./compatibility.js";
+
+export { probeAcpxClaudeInstallation, probeAcpxGrokInstallation, probeAcpxPiInstallation } from "./drivers/acpx/installation-integrity.js";
diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/adapter-registry.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/adapter-registry.test.ts
index 730717d33f..3e95942501 100644
--- a/server/src/__tests__/adapter-registry.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/adapter-registry.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { probeAcpxClaudeInstallation, probeAcpxPiInstallation } from "@paperclipai/paperclip-runner/live";
+import { probeAcpxClaudeInstallation, probeAcpxPiInstallation } from "../vendor/paperclip-runner/index.js";
 import { describe, expect, it, beforeEach, afterEach, vi } from "vitest";
 import { buildSandboxNpmInstallCommand } from "@paperclipai/adapter-utils";
 import type { ServerAdapterModule } from "../adapters/index.js";
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ import {
   setOverridePaused,
 } from "../adapters/registry.js";
 
-vi.mock("@paperclipai/paperclip-runner/live", () => ({
+vi.mock("../vendor/paperclip-runner/index.js", async (importOriginal) => ({
+  ...await importOriginal<typeof import("../vendor/paperclip-runner/index.js")>(),
   probeAcpxClaudeInstallation: vi.fn(async () => undefined),
   probeAcpxGrokInstallation: vi.fn(async () => undefined),
   probeAcpxPiInstallation: vi.fn(async () => undefined),
diff --git a/server/src/adapters/registry.ts b/server/src/adapters/registry.ts
index 9fe15ad220..63e554ec8c 100644
--- a/server/src/adapters/registry.ts
+++ b/server/src/adapters/registry.ts
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ const paperclipRunnerAdapter: ServerAdapterModule = {
               message: "The remote platform is supported. Runtime package integrity and readiness must still be verified by the remote runner before launch." }],
           };
         }
-        const { probeAcpxClaudeInstallation, probeAcpxGrokInstallation, probeAcpxPiInstallation } = await import("@paperclipai/paperclip-runner/live");
+        const { probeAcpxClaudeInstallation, probeAcpxGrokInstallation, probeAcpxPiInstallation } = await import("../vendor/paperclip-runner/index.js");
         await (profile.acpxAgent === "pi" ? probeAcpxPiInstallation
           : profile.acpxAgent === "grok" ? probeAcpxGrokInstallation : probeAcpxClaudeInstallation)(profile.model);
         return {
diff --git a/server/src/vendor/paperclip-runner/index.ts b/server/src/vendor/paperclip-runner/index.ts
index 4142f8fbf4..7fe8cd5558 100644
--- a/server/src/vendor/paperclip-runner/index.ts
+++ b/server/src/vendor/paperclip-runner/index.ts
@@ -130,3 +130,7 @@ export const NativeProviderTerminalFailure = runner.NativeProviderTerminalFailur
 
 export const completeTerminatedRemoteNativeSessionCleanup = runner.completeTerminatedRemoteNativeSessionCleanup;
 export const completeTerminatedLocalNativeSessionCleanup = runner.completeTerminatedLocalNativeSessionCleanup;
+
+export const probeAcpxClaudeInstallation = runner.probeAcpxClaudeInstallation;
+export const probeAcpxGrokInstallation = runner.probeAcpxGrokInstallation;
+export const probeAcpxPiInstallation = runner.probeAcpxPiInstallation;