diff --git a/docs/plans/workflow-system.md b/docs/plans/workflow-system.md
index 63a150c..f98b299 100644
--- a/docs/plans/workflow-system.md
+++ b/docs/plans/workflow-system.md
@@ -22,10 +22,10 @@ user-level, harmless, temporary, or needed only for live verification.
 ## Current checkpoint
 
 - Tranche: desktop, agents, and notes
-- State: Walker launch paths verified; waiting for the notes sanity check
+- State: Walker and notes verified; project-root Oil launch awaits activation
 - Branch: `chore/workflow-system`
 - Baseline: `nix flake check --no-build --quiet` and a no-link Zenith system
-  build passed on 2026-09-05 after the live activation follow-ups; only the
+  build passed on 2026-09-05 with the project-root launcher change; only the
   expected dirty-tree and unknown `modules` warnings were emitted. The
   generated project menu finds 30 live repositories without `.archive` or
   `.worktrees` entries, and the generated daily-note configuration passes an
@@ -34,10 +34,12 @@ user-level, harmless, temporary, or needed only for live verification.
   over D-Bus, and the VPN reconnects successfully. The user activated the
   terminal root fix: `xdg-terminal-exec` now selects Kitty correctly and Yazi
   launches from Walker. After restarting the stale Elephant and Walker
-  processes, repository launch also succeeds. The project menu remains an
-  explicit Elephant restart trigger for future configuration changes.
-- Next: complete the activated daily-note and migrated-notebook sanity check,
-  then decide whether the old `sync/work/notes` rollback copy may be removed.
+  processes, repository launch also succeeds and exiting Neovim leaves a shell
+  in the repository. The project menu remains an explicit Elephant restart
+  trigger for future configuration changes. The daily-note launcher and
+  migrated notebook contents also pass their live sanity check.
+- Next: the user activates the built configuration, opens one repository from
+  Walker, and confirms that Neovim starts in Oil at the project root.
 
 ## Progress
 
@@ -46,9 +48,9 @@ user-level, harmless, temporary, or needed only for live verification.
 | Bootstrap and repository ownership | Waiting for user | Repository and dashboard reconciliation complete; credential cleanup remains |
 | Declarative workstation foundation | Complete | All-host builds pass with one Nixpkgs pin, `just`, and an explicit Podman Compose provider |
 | Repository contracts and workbench | Waiting externally | Three contracts and read-only Kubernetes pass; API deployment/access evidence is externally blocked, while database/report scaffolding is deferred until a real investigation |
-| Desktop navigation and interaction | Active | Walker project and terminal actions plus stable Actual/WhatsApp launchers work; Outlook, project shell retention, and two-output checks remain |
+| Desktop navigation and interaction | Active | Walker project and terminal actions plus stable Actual/WhatsApp launchers work; Outlook and two-output checks remain |
 | Agent workflow | Active | The instruction-only `nixos-maintainer` skill validates and builds; the Herdr pilot remains |
-| Notes | Active | Authored work notes are copied and verified in the single notebook; daily-note configuration builds, while source retirement awaits one activated sanity check |
+| Notes | Complete | The daily launcher and migrated notebook pass live checks; the approved rollback copy is recoverable from Trash |
 | PIM | Active | Native NixOS Evolution 3.60.2 plus Microsoft 365 integration is live beside Thunderbird; account and daily-use gates await credentials |
 | Transcription | Pending | Requires a real Fossify recording-transfer pilot before implementation moves from Zenith to Orion |
 | Conditional retirement and completion | Active | OpenVPN 3, Zed, Helix, Foot, global Node.js, and global Bun are removed declaratively; other removals remain gated separately |
@@ -76,13 +78,9 @@ user-level, harmless, temporary, or needed only for live verification.
 None of these block work on independent pilots. Surface the exact applicable
 step to the user only when it blocks the current task.
 
-- Open Walker with `Super+Space`, search for a repository,
-  launch it, exit Neovim, and confirm the same Kitty window leaves a usable
-  shell in that repository. Also launch Actual and WhatsApp once from Walker.
-- Press `Super+N`, confirm today's file opens under `sync/notes/daily` with the
-  cursor at the append position, and briefly check the copied work notes and
-  merged `sync/notes/todo.md`. Then tell the agent whether the old
-  `sync/work/notes` rollback copy may be removed.
+- After the next user-controlled activation, open a repository from Walker and
+  confirm Neovim opens Oil at its root; exiting Neovim should still leave a
+  usable shell in that repository.
 - Run the bounded Pinta trial using a recent real edit: clipboard/open,
   selection, crop/resize/canvas, text/drawing/shapes, layers/transparency,
   basic adjustments, and PNG/JPEG export. Tell the agent whether it fully
@@ -234,7 +232,9 @@ Polaris:
   resolver output selects `kitty.desktop` and retains `kitty -1`, and Yazi
   launches successfully from Walker.
 - Restarting the pre-change Elephant and Walker processes loaded the corrected
-  project action, and the user confirmed that launching a repository now works.
+  project action. The user confirmed that repository launch works and exiting
+  Neovim leaves a usable shell in that repository. Passing the project root to
+  Neovim now opens the configured Oil default directory explorer immediately.
 - Removed the decided Niri arrow/Page Up/Down/numbered duplicates, direct quit
   and monitor-power bindings, extra screenshot modes, first/last and centering
   actions, repeated resize families, and their four shortcut-only scripts. The
@@ -263,9 +263,10 @@ Polaris:
   `Super+N` dedicated Kitty/Neovim launcher. The five unique authored work notes
   were copied byte-for-byte, and both distinct todo lists were merged without
   dropping an item. Syncthing returned to idle with no needed files, pull
-  errors, or new conflicts. The entire source notebook remains as rollback;
-  pre-merge todo copies are also retained in `/tmp/workflow-notes-todo-before.md`
-  and `/tmp/workflow-work-notes-todo-before.md` until the activated check passes.
+  errors, or new conflicts. The user confirmed the daily launcher and migrated
+  contents, then explicitly approved moving the intact `sync/work/notes`
+  rollback copy to desktop Trash. The pre-merge todo copies in `/tmp` may now
+  expire normally.
 - Evolution 3.60.2 is composed through Nixpkgs with `evolution-ews` 3.60.2,
   whose pinned source contains the separate native Microsoft 365 mail,
   calendar, contacts, recurrence, and OAuth backends. Live inspection caught
diff --git a/modules/capabilities/walker.nix b/modules/capabilities/walker.nix
index de9c5c0..0497d75 100644
--- a/modules/capabilities/walker.nix
+++ b/modules/capabilities/walker.nix
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ in
           fi
 
           exec ${lib.getExe config.xdg.terminal-exec.package} --dir="$project_path" \
-            ${lib.getExe pkgs.zsh} -lic 'nvim; exec zsh -l'
+            ${lib.getExe pkgs.zsh} -lic 'nvim .; exec zsh -l'
         '';
       };
     in