diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index dd1a756..b38afbf 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -58,11 +58,18 @@ just clean        # remove build artifacts
 Requires [just](https://github.com/casey/just): `cargo install just`
 ## Testing
 ```bash
-# All Go tests:
-go test ./...
+# All Go tests (excludes cmd/ollie-remote which needs just to build):
+go test $(go list ./... | grep -v cmd/ollie-remote)
 # KDE has integration test scripts:
 cd kde && ./test-e2e.sh
+# ollie-remote requires the just build pipeline to resolve embedded deps:
+just ollie-remote
+just test
+# or individually:
+just test-remote
 ```
+
+**Note on `cmd/ollie-remote`**: This package uses `//go:embed sandbox/default.yaml` and `//go:embed all:tools`. The embedded files are not in the source tree — `just ollie-remote` copies them in before building then cleans up. Running `go test ./...` will fail on this package. Use `just test-remote` or `go test $(go list ./... | grep -v cmd/ollie-remote)` instead.
 ## Language & Conventions
 
 - **Go** (root module): Go 1.25+, standard library preferred, minimal dependencies.
diff --git a/cmd/olliesrv/server.go b/cmd/olliesrv/server.go
index dc0d486..1a5e028 100644
--- a/cmd/olliesrv/server.go
+++ b/cmd/olliesrv/server.go
@@ -15,13 +15,13 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	"ollie/agent"
 	"ollie/backend"
-	"ollie/toolsrv"
 	"ollie/elevate"
+	"ollie/fs/session"
 	olog "ollie/log"
 	"ollie/paths"
-	"ollie/fs/session"
-	"ollie/agent"
+	"ollie/toolsrv"
 
 	"9fans.net/go/plan9"
 )
@@ -573,6 +573,10 @@ func (s *Server) pathType(path string) string {
 			if len(parts) == 2 {
 				return "dir"
 			}
+			// No agent in empty session.
+			if sess.Core == nil {
+				return ""
+			}
 			// Validate agent Name
 			agentName := sess.Core.Agent().Name()
 			if agentName == "" || parts[2] != agentName {
@@ -600,6 +604,9 @@ func (s *Server) pathType(path string) string {
 		}
 		// /session/{id}/proc/{pid} — verify PID exists in detached list
 		if len(parts) == 3 && parts[1] == "proc" {
+			if sess.Core == nil {
+				return ""
+			}
 			for _, p := range sess.Core.Agent().ListDetached() {
 				if fmt.Sprintf("%d", p.PID) == parts[2] {
 					return "file"
@@ -837,19 +844,19 @@ func (s *Server) read(cs *connState, fc *plan9.Fcall, ctx context.Context) *plan
 		return s.readDNS(fc, &f.generateResult)
 	}
 
-// /route: return per-fid result from previous write (offset 0-based)
-		if path == "/route" {
-			s.log.Debug("Tread path=%q offset=%d count=%d", path, fc.Offset, fc.Count)
-			return s.readDNS(fc, &f.routeResult)
-		}
-
-		// /session/new: return per-fid result from previous write
-		if path == "/session/new" {
-			s.log.Debug("Tread path=%q offset=%d count=%d", path, fc.Offset, fc.Count)
-			return s.readDNS(fc, &f.sessionResult)
-		}
-
+	// /route: return per-fid result from previous write (offset 0-based)
+	if path == "/route" {
 		s.log.Debug("Tread path=%q offset=%d count=%d", path, fc.Offset, fc.Count)
+		return s.readDNS(fc, &f.routeResult)
+	}
+
+	// /session/new: return per-fid result from previous write
+	if path == "/session/new" {
+		s.log.Debug("Tread path=%q offset=%d count=%d", path, fc.Offset, fc.Count)
+		return s.readDNS(fc, &f.sessionResult)
+	}
+
+	s.log.Debug("Tread path=%q offset=%d count=%d", path, fc.Offset, fc.Count)
 	entry, err := s.openEntry(path)
 	if err != nil {
 		return errFcall(fc, err.Error())
@@ -1017,22 +1024,22 @@ func (s *Server) write(cs *connState, fc *plan9.Fcall) *plan9.Fcall {
 		if err != nil {
 			return errFcall(fc, err.Error())
 		}
-f.routeResult = []byte(fmt.Sprintf("backend=%s model=%s", result.Backend, result.Model))
-			return &plan9.Fcall{Type: plan9.Rwrite, Tag: fc.Tag, Count: uint32(len(fc.Data))}
-		}
+		f.routeResult = []byte(fmt.Sprintf("backend=%s model=%s", result.Backend, result.Model))
+		return &plan9.Fcall{Type: plan9.Rwrite, Tag: fc.Tag, Count: uint32(len(fc.Data))}
+	}
 
-		// /session/new: synchronous create-session (per-fid state, like /net/dns)
-		if f.path == "/session/new" {
-			cs.mu.Unlock()
-			name, err := fs.CreateFromRoot(s.sessionTree, strings.Fields(strings.TrimSpace(string(fc.Data))))
-			if err != nil {
-				return errFcall(fc, err.Error())
-			}
-			f.sessionResult = []byte(name)
-			return &plan9.Fcall{Type: plan9.Rwrite, Tag: fc.Tag, Count: uint32(len(fc.Data))}
+	// /session/new: synchronous create-session (per-fid state, like /net/dns)
+	if f.path == "/session/new" {
+		cs.mu.Unlock()
+		name, err := fs.CreateFromRoot(s.sessionTree, strings.Fields(strings.TrimSpace(string(fc.Data))))
+		if err != nil {
+			return errFcall(fc, err.Error())
 		}
+		f.sessionResult = []byte(name)
+		return &plan9.Fcall{Type: plan9.Rwrite, Tag: fc.Tag, Count: uint32(len(fc.Data))}
+	}
 
-		// Accumulate; the 9P client may split large writes across multiple Twrite messages.
+	// Accumulate; the 9P client may split large writes across multiple Twrite messages.
 	end := int(fc.Offset) + len(fc.Data)
 	if end > len(f.writeBuf) {
 		grown := make([]byte, end)
diff --git a/fs/session/create.go b/fs/session/create.go
index 3b86973..7a3c9c2 100644
--- a/fs/session/create.go
+++ b/fs/session/create.go
@@ -14,8 +14,9 @@ import (
 	"ollie/toolsrv"
 )
 
-// Create creates a new session from key=value args. Returns the session name.
-// The session is NOT registered yet — CreateAgent must be called to finalize it.
+// Create creates a new empty session from key=value args and registers it.
+// Returns the session name. The session has no agent (Core is nil) until
+// CreateAgent is called.
 func Create(rs *rootState, args []string) (string, error) {
 	name := ""
 	for _, arg := range args {
@@ -49,7 +50,16 @@ func Create(rs *rootState, args []string) (string, error) {
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("session already exists: %s", name)
 	}
 
-	rs.cfg.Log.Info("reserved session name %s (id=%s)", name, sessID)
+	sessionCtx, sessionCancel := context.WithCancel(rs.cfg.Ctx)
+	sess := NewSession(sessID, nil, sessionCtx, sessionCancel)
+	sess.SetName(name)
+
+	rs.mu.Lock()
+	rs.sessions[name] = sess
+	rs.mu.Unlock()
+
+	rs.cfg.Log.Info("created empty session %s (id=%s)", name, sessID)
+	broadcastEvents()
 	return name, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/fs/session/files.go b/fs/session/files.go
index 7054472..ff36697 100644
--- a/fs/session/files.go
+++ b/fs/session/files.go
@@ -172,7 +172,9 @@ func (h *sessionHelper) handleCtl(input string) error {
 			}
 		}
 	case "save":
-		h.sess.Core.SaveSession("") // triggers session persistence
+		if h.sess.Core != nil {
+			h.sess.Core.SaveSession("") // triggers session persistence
+		}
 	case "invalidate":
 		if h.invalidateModels != nil {
 			h.invalidateModels()
diff --git a/fs/session/persist.go b/fs/session/persist.go
index f6c1d4d..8586e47 100644
--- a/fs/session/persist.go
+++ b/fs/session/persist.go
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ func Kill(rs *rootState, id string) {
 	rs.mu.Unlock()
 	if sess != nil {
 		sess.Cancel()
-		sess.Core.Close()
+		if sess.Core != nil {
+			sess.Core.Close()
+		}
 		if sess.proc != nil {
 			sess.proc.Close()
 		}
@@ -52,7 +54,7 @@ func Rename(rs *rootState, old, new string) error {
 		rs.mu.Unlock()
 		return fmt.Errorf("session already exists: %s", new)
 	}
-	if sess.Core.Agent().IsRunning() {
+	if sess.Core != nil && sess.Core.Agent().IsRunning() {
 		rs.mu.Unlock()
 		return fmt.Errorf("cannot rename while agent is running")
 	}
@@ -91,7 +93,9 @@ func Shutdown(root *Tree) {
 		rs.mu.Unlock()
 		if sess != nil {
 			sess.Cancel()
-			sess.Core.Close()
+			if sess.Core != nil {
+				sess.Core.Close()
+			}
 			rs.cfg.Log.Info("shutdown session %s", id)
 		}
 	}
@@ -103,7 +107,7 @@ func waitIdle(rs *rootState, poll, timeout time.Duration) {
 		allIdle := true
 		rs.mu.RLock()
 		for _, sess := range rs.sessions {
-			if sess.Core.Agent().State() != "idle" {
+			if sess.Core != nil && sess.Core.Agent().State() != "idle" {
 				allIdle = false
 				break
 			}
@@ -130,6 +134,9 @@ func persistSession(rs *rootState, id string) {
 	if !ok {
 		return
 	}
+	if sess.Core == nil {
+		return
+	}
 	dir := activeSessionsDir(rs)
 	os.MkdirAll(dir, 0700)
 	path := filepath.Join(dir, sess.id+".json")
diff --git a/fs/session/root.go b/fs/session/root.go
index 27c794a..e52d390 100644
--- a/fs/session/root.go
+++ b/fs/session/root.go
@@ -194,7 +194,9 @@ func InterruptAll(root *Tree) {
 	rs.mu.RLock()
 	defer rs.mu.RUnlock()
 	for _, sess := range rs.sessions {
-		sess.Core.Agent().Interrupt(agent.ErrInterrupted)
+		if sess.Core != nil {
+			sess.Core.Agent().Interrupt(agent.ErrInterrupted)
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -389,6 +391,9 @@ func rootOpen(rs *rootState, name string) (File, error) {
 				return &SyntheticFileInfo{Name_: pidStr, Mode_: 0444}, nil
 			},
 			ReadFn: func() ([]byte, error) {
+				if sess.Core == nil {
+					return nil, fmt.Errorf("no agent in session")
+				}
 				output, err := sess.Core.Agent().GetDetachedOutput(pid)
 				if err != nil {
 					return nil, err
@@ -531,6 +536,9 @@ func rootDel(rs *rootState, name string) error {
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("invalid pid: %s", parts[2])
 		}
+		if sess.Core == nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("no agent in session")
+		}
 		if !sess.Core.Agent().DismissDetached(pid) {
 			return fmt.Errorf("process %d not found or still running", pid)
 		}
@@ -550,12 +558,15 @@ func buildIndex(rs *rootState) []byte {
 	for _, id := range ids {
 		sess := rs.sessions[id]
 		sess.mu.RLock()
-		st := sess.Core.Agent().State()
-		cwd := sess.Core.CWD()
-		be := sess.Core.Agent().BackendName()
-		model := sess.Core.Agent().ModelName()
-		ag := sess.Core.Agent().Name()
 		name := sess.name
+		var st, cwd, be, model, ag string
+		if sess.Core != nil {
+			st = sess.Core.Agent().State()
+			cwd = sess.Core.CWD()
+			be = sess.Core.Agent().BackendName()
+			model = sess.Core.Agent().ModelName()
+			ag = sess.Core.Agent().Name()
+		}
 		sess.mu.RUnlock()
 		fmt.Fprintf(&sb, "%s\t%s\t%s\t%s\t%s\t%s\n", name, st, cwd, be, model, ag)
 	}