diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 4ee650360a1..42b6f935639 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@ Conventions:
 - **Use:** `admin-x-framework` for API hooks (`useBrowse`, `useEdit`, etc.)
 - **Use:** `shade` design system for new components (not admin-x-design-system)
 - **Translations:** Add to `packages/i18n/locales/en/ghost.json`
+- **Deploy skew:** Ghost Admin and Ghost core deploy independently. New admin UI that depends on new settings, endpoints, or config must feature-detect backend support (e.g. settings-key presence in the browse response, as in `social-accounts.tsx`) and hide or no-op when absent. Labs flags alone are not a deploy-skew guard. Add an acceptance test for the “backend not deployed yet” case.
 
 ### When Working on Public UI
 - **Edit:** `apps/portal`, `apps/comments-ui`, etc.
@@ -187,6 +188,8 @@ Conventions:
 - **Services:** `ghost/core/core/server/services/`
 - **Models:** `ghost/core/core/server/models/`
 - **Frontend & theme rendering:** `ghost/core/core/frontend/`
+- **TypeScript by default:** New code under `ghost/core/core/server/services/` is TypeScript unless extending an existing JS module. Follow the gifts/donations pattern: domain logic as `.ts` with named exports; thin CJS `index.js` / `*-wrapper.js` only where boot/`require` still needs them.
+- **Service init:** New services get an explicit `init()` call from `ghost/core/core/boot.js` (same Promise.all as donations/gifts). Keep the wrapper’s `init()` idempotent so early callers are safe, but boot owns construction — not first request.
 
 ### Design System Usage
 - **New components:** Use `shade` (shadcn/ui-inspired)
diff --git a/apps/shade/src/components/ui/card.tsx b/apps/shade/src/components/ui/card.tsx
index 06c90daec1a..5f9e051cd1e 100644
--- a/apps/shade/src/components/ui/card.tsx
+++ b/apps/shade/src/components/ui/card.tsx
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ const cardVariants = cva(
     {
         variants: {
             variant: {
-                outline: 'rounded-xl border transition-all hover:shadow-xs',
+                outline: 'rounded-xl border border-border-default transition-all hover:shadow-xs',
                 plain: ''
             }
         },
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ const cardHeaderVariants = cva(
         variants: {
             variant: {
                 outline: 'p-6',
-                plain: 'border-b py-5'
+                plain: 'border-b border-border-default py-5'
             }
         },
         defaultVariants: {
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ const cardContentVariants = cva(
         variants: {
             variant: {
                 outline: 'p-6 pt-0',
-                plain: 'border-b'
+                plain: 'border-b border-border-default'
             }
         },
         defaultVariants: {
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ const EmptyCard = React.forwardRef<
 >(({className, ...props}, ref) => (
     <div
         ref={ref}
-        className={cn('flex flex-col rounded-xl border bg-card p-6 text-card-foreground transition-all hover:shadow-xs', className)}
+        className={cn('flex flex-col rounded-xl border border-border-default bg-card p-6 text-card-foreground transition-all hover:shadow-xs', className)}
         {...props}
     />
 ));
diff --git a/apps/shade/test/unit/components/ui/card.test.tsx b/apps/shade/test/unit/components/ui/card.test.tsx
index 9079efeb274..096928a1545 100644
--- a/apps/shade/test/unit/components/ui/card.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/shade/test/unit/components/ui/card.test.tsx
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@ import {
     CardFooter,
     CardTitle,
     CardDescription,
-    CardContent
+    CardContent,
+    EmptyCard
 } from '../../../../src/components/ui/card';
 import {render} from '../../utils/test-utils';
 
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ describe('Card Components', () => {
 
         assert.ok(card, 'Card should be rendered');
         assert.equal(card.textContent, 'Card Content', 'Card should render its content');
-        assert.ok(card.className.includes('rounded-xl border'), 'Should have outline variant styling');
+        assert.ok(card.className.includes('rounded-xl border border-border-default'), 'Should have outline variant styling');
     });
 
     it('renders Card with plain variant', () => {
@@ -36,6 +37,13 @@ describe('Card Components', () => {
         assert.ok(card.className.includes('custom-card-class'), 'Should have custom class');
     });
 
+    it('renders EmptyCard with the default container border', () => {
+        render(<EmptyCard data-testid="empty-card">Empty Card</EmptyCard>);
+
+        const card = screen.getByTestId('empty-card');
+        assert.ok(card.className.includes('border border-border-default'), 'Should use the default container border');
+    });
+
     it('renders CardHeader with correct styling based on Card variant', () => {
         render(
             <Card data-testid="card">
@@ -57,7 +65,7 @@ describe('Card Components', () => {
         );
 
         const header = screen.getByTestId('card-header');
-        assert.ok(header.className.includes('border-b py-5'), 'Should have plain variant styling');
+        assert.ok(header.className.includes('border-b border-border-default py-5'), 'Should have plain variant styling');
     });
 
     it('renders CardTitle with correct styling', () => {
@@ -99,7 +107,7 @@ describe('Card Components', () => {
         );
 
         const content = screen.getByTestId('card-content');
-        assert.ok(content.className.includes('border-b'), 'Should have plain variant styling');
+        assert.ok(content.className.includes('border-b border-border-default'), 'Should have plain variant styling');
     });
 
     it('renders CardFooter with correct styling based on Card variant', () => {
@@ -145,4 +153,4 @@ describe('Card Components', () => {
         assert.ok(screen.getByTestId('card-content'), 'CardContent should be rendered');
         assert.ok(screen.getByTestId('card-footer'), 'CardFooter should be rendered');
     });
-});
\ No newline at end of file
+});
diff --git a/apps/shade/theme-variables.css b/apps/shade/theme-variables.css
index b1ceabd79c7..0321ca9046b 100644
--- a/apps/shade/theme-variables.css
+++ b/apps/shade/theme-variables.css
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
     --text-tertiary: var(--color-gray-400);
     --text-inverse: var(--color-white);
     --border-subtle: var(--color-gray-200);
-    --border-default: var(--color-gray-200);
+    --border-default: color-mix(in oklab, var(--color-gray-200), var(--color-gray-300));
     --border-strong: var(--color-gray-500);
     --focus-ring: var(--color-gray-600);
     --state-info: var(--color-blue-500);
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@
     --control-surface: var(--surface-elevated);
     --control-readonly-surface: var(--color-gray-50);
     --control-disabled-surface: var(--color-gray-100);
-    --control-border: var(--color-gray-200);
+    --control-border: color-mix(in oklab, var(--color-gray-200), var(--color-gray-300));
     --table-row-hover: var(--color-gray-50);
     --members-sticky-hover-bg: var(--table-row-hover);
     --mobile-navbar-height: 64px;