diff --git a/app/frontend/src/app/layout/PlatformShell.tsx b/app/frontend/src/app/layout/PlatformShell.tsx
index 24aeff2..4a47aab 100644
--- a/app/frontend/src/app/layout/PlatformShell.tsx
+++ b/app/frontend/src/app/layout/PlatformShell.tsx
@@ -43,9 +43,11 @@ import {
   markAllNotificationsRead,
   markNotificationRead,
   pullUpgradeImage,
+  listProjects,
 } from '@/lib/api-client';
 import { signOutAuthSession } from '@/lib/auth-client';
 import { isDemoSearch } from '@/lib/demo-mode';
+import { demoProjects } from '@/lib/demo-data';
 import { useAuthSession } from '@/lib/use-auth-session';
 import { BannerBar, BrandWordmark, CommandPalette, useToast } from '@/shared/components';
 
@@ -273,16 +275,20 @@ export function PlatformShell() {
     .toUpperCase() || 'C';
 
   const paletteNavigate = (target: string) => {
-    const routes: Record<string, string> = {
-      dashboard: '/',
-      canvas: '/projects',
-      logs: '/activity',
-      observability: '/operations',
-      settings: '/settings',
-    };
-    navigate(href(routes[target] ?? '/'));
+    navigate(href(target));
   };
 
+  // Project deep-links for the palette — only fetched once it opens.
+  const paletteProjectsQuery = useQuery({
+    queryKey: ['palette-projects'],
+    queryFn: () => listProjects(),
+    enabled: paletteOpen && !isDemoMode,
+    staleTime: 60_000,
+  });
+  const paletteProjects = isDemoMode
+    ? demoProjects
+    : paletteProjectsQuery.data ?? [];
+
   if (!isDemoMode && signedIn && setupQuery.data?.needs_setup) {
     return <Navigate to="/setup" replace />;
   }
@@ -474,7 +480,7 @@ export function PlatformShell() {
               <kbd>⌘ K</kbd>
             </button>
 
-            <span className="v-env">{isDemoMode ? 'env:demo' : 'env:production'}</span>
+            <span className="v-env">{isDemoMode ? 'env:demo' : `env:${import.meta.env.MODE}`}</span>
 
             <div className="flex-1" />
 
@@ -623,6 +629,11 @@ export function PlatformShell() {
         open={paletteOpen}
         onClose={() => setPaletteOpen(false)}
         onNavigate={paletteNavigate}
+        openTargets={paletteProjects.map((p) => ({
+          label: p.name,
+          target: `/projects/${p.id}`,
+          description: 'Project workspace',
+        }))}
       />
     </div>
   );
diff --git a/app/frontend/src/features/auth/pages.tsx b/app/frontend/src/features/auth/pages.tsx
index 654885f..1eb3da5 100644
--- a/app/frontend/src/features/auth/pages.tsx
+++ b/app/frontend/src/features/auth/pages.tsx
@@ -17,12 +17,12 @@ import { GhostBtn, QuietBtn } from '@/shared/components/sentry';
 
 function sanitizeRedirect(raw: string | null): string {
   if (!raw) {
-    return '/projects';
+    return '/';
   }
 
   const value = raw.trim();
   if (!value.startsWith('/') || value.startsWith('//')) {
-    return '/projects';
+    return '/';
   }
 
   return value;
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ export function AcceptInvitePage() {
   const [isSubmitting, setIsSubmitting] = useState(false);
 
   if (sessionQuery.data) {
-    return <Navigate to="/projects" replace />;
+    return <Navigate to="/" replace />;
   }
 
   const boundEmail = inviteQuery.data?.email ?? undefined;
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ export function AcceptInvitePage() {
       // account, sign-in creates the browser session.
       await signInWithEmail(effectiveEmail.trim(), password);
       await queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['auth-session'] });
-      navigate('/projects', { replace: true });
+      navigate('/', { replace: true });
     } catch (exception) {
       setError(exception instanceof Error ? exception.message : 'Failed to accept invite');
     } finally {
diff --git a/app/frontend/src/features/dashboard/pages/DashboardPage.tsx b/app/frontend/src/features/dashboard/pages/DashboardPage.tsx
index 0d6cfa7..432a14c 100644
--- a/app/frontend/src/features/dashboard/pages/DashboardPage.tsx
+++ b/app/frontend/src/features/dashboard/pages/DashboardPage.tsx
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ type RangeKey = '1h' | '24h' | '7d';
 function formatRelative(date?: string): string {
   if (!date) return '—';
   const diff = Date.now() - new Date(date).getTime();
+  if (diff < 0 || diff > 365 * 86_400_000) return '—';
   if (diff < 60_000) return 'just now';
   if (diff < 3_600_000) return `${Math.floor(diff / 60_000)}m ago`;
   if (diff < 86_400_000) return `${Math.floor(diff / 3_600_000)}h ago`;
diff --git a/app/frontend/src/features/nodes/NodeDetailPage.tsx b/app/frontend/src/features/nodes/NodeDetailPage.tsx
index 2c8ee23..9faee48 100644
--- a/app/frontend/src/features/nodes/NodeDetailPage.tsx
+++ b/app/frontend/src/features/nodes/NodeDetailPage.tsx
@@ -376,7 +376,12 @@ export function NodeDetailPage() {
                     <p className="truncate text-sm text-[var(--text-primary)]">{c.name ?? c.id}</p>
                     <p className="truncate v-mono text-[11px] text-[var(--text-tertiary)]">{c.image}</p>
                   </div>
-                  <span className="v-mono text-[11px] text-[var(--text-secondary)]">{c.status ?? '—'}</span>
+                  {/* Persisted query cache can replay the raw status object — flatten defensively. */}
+                  <span className="v-mono text-[11px] text-[var(--text-secondary)]">
+                    {typeof c.status === 'string'
+                      ? c.status
+                      : (c.status as { state?: string } | undefined)?.state ?? '—'}
+                  </span>
                 </div>
               ))}
             </div>
diff --git a/app/frontend/src/features/setup/SetupWizardPage.tsx b/app/frontend/src/features/setup/SetupWizardPage.tsx
index 4f8033f..e8696c2 100644
--- a/app/frontend/src/features/setup/SetupWizardPage.tsx
+++ b/app/frontend/src/features/setup/SetupWizardPage.tsx
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ export function SetupWizardPage() {
     mutationFn: completeSetup,
     onSuccess: () => {
       queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['setup-status'] });
-      navigate('/projects', { replace: true });
+      navigate('/', { replace: true });
     },
   });
 
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ export function SetupWizardPage() {
 
   // Wizard is optional once the instance is already configured.
   if (status && !status.needs_setup && !override) {
-    return <Navigate to="/projects" replace />;
+    return <Navigate to="/" replace />;
   }
 
   const steps: { key: Step; label: string }[] = [
diff --git a/app/frontend/src/features/workspace/pages/ProjectWorkspacePage.tsx b/app/frontend/src/features/workspace/pages/ProjectWorkspacePage.tsx
index e738158..1482b1d 100644
--- a/app/frontend/src/features/workspace/pages/ProjectWorkspacePage.tsx
+++ b/app/frontend/src/features/workspace/pages/ProjectWorkspacePage.tsx
@@ -1124,6 +1124,9 @@ export function ProjectWorkspacePage() {
             return next;
           });
         }}
+        navTargets={viewItems
+          .filter((item) => signedIn || !item.authOnly)
+          .map((item) => ({ label: `Go to ${item.label}`, target: item.key }))}
       />
 
       {/* Error Banner */}
diff --git a/app/frontend/src/lib/api-client.ts b/app/frontend/src/lib/api-client.ts
index 2344e7f..837dc59 100644
--- a/app/frontend/src/lib/api-client.ts
+++ b/app/frontend/src/lib/api-client.ts
@@ -1239,9 +1239,17 @@ export type AgentContainer = {
   created_at?: string;
 };
 
+type RawAgentContainer = Omit<AgentContainer, 'status'> & {
+  status?: string | { state?: string; health?: string };
+};
+
 export async function listAgentContainers(id: string): Promise<AgentContainer[]> {
-  const payload = await requestJson<{ containers?: AgentContainer[] }>(`/agents/${id}/containers`);
-  return payload.containers ?? [];
+  const payload = await requestJson<{ containers?: RawAgentContainer[] }>(`/agents/${id}/containers`);
+  // The wire sends status as a Docker state object — flatten to its state string.
+  return (payload.containers ?? []).map((c) => ({
+    ...c,
+    status: typeof c.status === 'string' ? c.status : c.status?.state || '—',
+  }));
 }
 
 export type AgentCommand = {
diff --git a/app/frontend/src/lib/time.ts b/app/frontend/src/lib/time.ts
index 1aa01cc..475a032 100644
--- a/app/frontend/src/lib/time.ts
+++ b/app/frontend/src/lib/time.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,11 @@ export function formatRelative(iso?: string): string {
   const hour = 60 * minute;
   const day = 24 * hour;
 
+  // Future-dated or year-plus-old timestamps are effectively meaningless —
+  // surface them as absent rather than "739898d ago".
+  if (diffMs < 0 || diffMs > 365 * day) {
+    return 'n/a';
+  }
   if (diffMs < minute) {
     return 'just now';
   }
diff --git a/app/frontend/src/shared/components/CommandPalette.tsx b/app/frontend/src/shared/components/CommandPalette.tsx
index 374881a..179a676 100644
--- a/app/frontend/src/shared/components/CommandPalette.tsx
+++ b/app/frontend/src/shared/components/CommandPalette.tsx
@@ -1,24 +1,25 @@
 import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import { Command } from 'cmdk';
 import {
+  ArrowRight,
   Box,
+  CornerDownRight,
   Database,
-  Github,
-  Image,
   Clock,
   Search,
-  Settings,
-  FileText,
-  Activity,
-  LayoutGrid,
 } from 'lucide-react';
 
+export interface PaletteTarget {
+  label: string;
+  target: string;
+  description?: string;
+}
+
 interface CommandItem {
   id: string;
   label: string;
   description?: string;
   icon: typeof Box;
-  shortcut?: string;
   action: () => void;
   category?: string;
 }
@@ -27,14 +28,39 @@ interface CommandPaletteProps {
   open: boolean;
   onClose: () => void;
   onAddService?: (type: string) => void;
-  onNavigate?: (path: string) => void;
+  onNavigate?: (target: string) => void;
+  /** Navigate-group items; falls back to the full app route map. */
+  navTargets?: PaletteTarget[];
+  /** Extra searchable "Open …" rows, e.g. projects. */
+  openTargets?: PaletteTarget[];
 }
 
+const APP_NAV: PaletteTarget[] = [
+  { label: 'Dashboard', target: '/', description: 'Index — stats, nodes, deploys' },
+  { label: 'Projects', target: '/projects', description: 'All projects' },
+  { label: 'Templates', target: '/templates', description: 'Template catalog' },
+  { label: 'Builds', target: '/builds', description: 'Build pipeline' },
+  { label: 'Databases', target: '/databases', description: 'Managed databases' },
+  { label: 'Operations', target: '/operations', description: 'Backups, cron, maintenance' },
+  { label: 'Activity', target: '/activity', description: 'Platform event feed' },
+  { label: 'High Availability', target: '/ha', description: 'Failover & alerts' },
+  { label: 'Security', target: '/security', description: 'Access, sessions, secrets' },
+  { label: 'Usage', target: '/usage', description: 'Resource consumption' },
+  { label: 'People', target: '/people', description: 'Team & access control' },
+  { label: 'Audit Logs', target: '/settings/audit-logs', description: 'Recorded actions' },
+  { label: 'Webhooks', target: '/settings/webhooks', description: 'Signed event delivery' },
+  { label: 'Settings', target: '/settings', description: 'Platform preferences' },
+  { label: 'Docs', target: '/docs', description: 'Guides & reference' },
+  { label: 'Landing', target: '/landing', description: 'Public page' },
+];
+
 export function CommandPalette({
   open,
   onClose,
   onAddService,
   onNavigate,
+  navTargets,
+  openTargets,
 }: CommandPaletteProps) {
   if (!open) return null;
 
@@ -43,6 +69,8 @@ export function CommandPalette({
       onClose={onClose}
       onAddService={onAddService}
       onNavigate={onNavigate}
+      navTargets={navTargets}
+      openTargets={openTargets}
     />
   );
 }
@@ -51,6 +79,8 @@ function CommandPaletteContent({
   onClose,
   onAddService,
   onNavigate,
+  navTargets,
+  openTargets,
 }: Omit<CommandPaletteProps, 'open'>) {
   const [search, setSearch] = useState('');
 
@@ -66,130 +96,69 @@ function CommandPaletteContent({
     return () => document.removeEventListener('keydown', down);
   }, [onClose]);
 
-  const commands: CommandItem[] = [
-    {
-      id: 'add-web',
-      label: 'Add Web Service',
-      description: 'Deploy a web application',
-      icon: Box,
-      shortcut: 'W',
-      category: 'Create',
-      action: () => {
-        onAddService?.('web');
-        onClose();
+  const commands: CommandItem[] = [];
+
+  // Create items only exist where onAddService is wired — elsewhere the
+  // entries would silently no-op.
+  if (onAddService) {
+    commands.push(
+      {
+        id: 'add-web',
+        label: 'Add Web Service',
+        description: 'Deploy a web application',
+        icon: Box,
+        category: 'Create',
+        action: () => { onAddService('web'); onClose(); },
       },
-    },
-    {
-      id: 'add-worker',
-      label: 'Add Worker Service',
-      description: 'Deploy a background worker',
-      icon: Clock,
-      shortcut: 'K',
-      category: 'Create',
-      action: () => {
-        onAddService?.('worker');
-        onClose();
+      {
+        id: 'add-worker',
+        label: 'Add Worker Service',
+        description: 'Deploy a background worker',
+        icon: Clock,
+        category: 'Create',
+        action: () => { onAddService('worker'); onClose(); },
       },
-    },
-    {
-      id: 'add-database',
-      label: 'Add Database',
-      description: 'Provision a PostgreSQL database',
-      icon: Database,
-      shortcut: 'D',
-      category: 'Create',
-      action: () => {
-        onAddService?.('database');
-        onClose();
+      {
+        id: 'add-database',
+        label: 'Add Database',
+        description: 'Provision a PostgreSQL database',
+        icon: Database,
+        category: 'Create',
+        action: () => { onAddService('database'); onClose(); },
       },
-    },
-    {
-      id: 'add-cron',
-      label: 'Add Cron Job',
-      description: 'Schedule a recurring task',
-      icon: Clock,
-      category: 'Create',
-      action: () => {
-        onAddService?.('cron');
-        onClose();
+      {
+        id: 'add-cron',
+        label: 'Add Cron Job',
+        description: 'Schedule a recurring task',
+        icon: Clock,
+        category: 'Create',
+        action: () => { onAddService('cron'); onClose(); },
       },
-    },
-    {
-      id: 'connect-github',
-      label: 'Connect GitHub Repo',
-      description: 'Link a repository for auto-deploy',
-      icon: Github,
-      category: 'Connect',
-      action: () => {
-        onClose();
-      },
-    },
-    {
-      id: 'deploy-image',
-      label: 'Deploy Docker Image',
-      description: 'Deploy from a container registry',
-      icon: Image,
-      category: 'Connect',
-      action: () => {
-        onClose();
-      },
-    },
-    {
-      id: 'goto-dashboard',
-      label: 'Go to Dashboard',
-      icon: LayoutGrid,
-      shortcut: 'H',
-      category: 'Navigate',
-      action: () => {
-        onNavigate?.('dashboard');
-        onClose();
-      },
-    },
-    {
-      id: 'goto-canvas',
-      label: 'Go to Canvas',
-      icon: LayoutGrid,
-      shortcut: 'C',
-      category: 'Navigate',
-      action: () => {
-        onNavigate?.('canvas');
-        onClose();
-      },
-    },
-    {
-      id: 'goto-logs',
-      label: 'Go to Logs',
-      icon: FileText,
-      shortcut: 'L',
-      category: 'Navigate',
-      action: () => {
-        onNavigate?.('logs');
-        onClose();
-      },
-    },
-    {
-      id: 'goto-metrics',
-      label: 'Go to Metrics',
-      icon: Activity,
-      shortcut: 'M',
-      category: 'Navigate',
-      action: () => {
-        onNavigate?.('observability');
-        onClose();
-      },
-    },
-    {
-      id: 'goto-settings',
-      label: 'Go to Settings',
-      icon: Settings,
-      shortcut: 'S',
-      category: 'Navigate',
-      action: () => {
-        onNavigate?.('settings');
-        onClose();
-      },
-    },
-  ];
+    );
+  }
+
+  if (onNavigate) {
+    (navTargets ?? APP_NAV).forEach((t, i) =>
+      commands.push({
+        id: `nav-${i}`,
+        label: t.label,
+        description: t.description,
+        icon: CornerDownRight,
+        category: 'Navigate',
+        action: () => { onNavigate(t.target); onClose(); },
+      }),
+    );
+    (openTargets ?? []).forEach((t, i) =>
+      commands.push({
+        id: `open-${i}`,
+        label: t.label,
+        description: t.description,
+        icon: ArrowRight,
+        category: 'Open',
+        action: () => { onNavigate(t.target); onClose(); },
+      }),
+    );
+  }
 
   const filteredCommands = commands.filter(
     (cmd) =>
@@ -208,6 +177,10 @@ function CommandPaletteContent({
     {} as Record<string, CommandItem[]>
   );
 
+  const placeholder = onNavigate
+    ? 'Search pages, projects, actions…'
+    : 'What would you like to create?';
+
   return (
     <div className="fixed inset-0 z-50">
       <div
@@ -224,7 +197,7 @@ function CommandPaletteContent({
             <Command.Input
               value={search}
               onValueChange={setSearch}
-              placeholder="What would you like to create?"
+              placeholder={placeholder}
               className="flex-1 bg-transparent text-[var(--text-primary)] placeholder:text-[var(--text-muted)] text-sm outline-none"
             />
             <kbd className="px-2 py-0.5 rounded bg-[var(--surface-muted)] text-[10px] font-mono text-[var(--text-muted)]">
@@ -251,18 +224,13 @@ function CommandPaletteContent({
                       onSelect={item.action}
                       className="flex items-center gap-3 px-3 py-2 rounded-[var(--radius-md)] cursor-pointer text-[var(--text-secondary)] hover:bg-[var(--surface-muted)] hover:text-[var(--text-primary)] aria-selected:bg-[var(--accent-primary-soft)] aria-selected:text-[var(--accent-primary)] transition-colors"
                     >
-                      <span className="s-ibox !h-7 !w-7"><Icon /></span>
+                      <span className="s-ibox !h-7 !w-7"><Icon size={13.5} /></span>
                       <div className="flex-1">
                         <div className="text-sm font-medium">{item.label}</div>
                         {item.description && (
                           <div className="text-xs text-[var(--text-muted)]">{item.description}</div>
                         )}
                       </div>
-                      {item.shortcut && (
-                        <kbd className="px-2 py-0.5 rounded bg-[var(--surface-muted)] text-[10px] font-mono text-[var(--text-muted)]">
-                          {item.shortcut}
-                        </kbd>
-                      )}
                     </Command.Item>
                   );
                 })}