diff --git a/.lane/memory/apps/host/src/directory.ts/01M4YWKAGD3FTMWYWE1KVXT9Q1-the-poll-may-slow-only-while.md b/.lane/memory/apps/host/src/directory.ts/01M4YWKAGD3FTMWYWE1KVXT9Q1-the-poll-may-slow-only-while.md
index e15e9f48..c9120bd5 100644
--- a/.lane/memory/apps/host/src/directory.ts/01M4YWKAGD3FTMWYWE1KVXT9Q1-the-poll-may-slow-only-while.md
+++ b/.lane/memory/apps/host/src/directory.ts/01M4YWKAGD3FTMWYWE1KVXT9Q1-the-poll-may-slow-only-while.md
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: function watch
 created: 2026-10-15T04:19:48Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: 01895e7ff9a47d37
-body_hash: d05a924e14300999
-raw_hash: 37b2264443de0c14
-vouched: 2026-10-19T20:58:11Z
+body_hash: fe03a4474929e917
+raw_hash: c6d495788240ddb4
+vouched: 2026-10-21T21:55:17Z
 lines: 89-149
 ---
 
diff --git a/.lane/memory/apps/host/src/directory.ts/01M5G7C4TB4NT55C348DMACCAP-only-a-directory-json-naming.md b/.lane/memory/apps/host/src/directory.ts/01M5G7C4TB4NT55C348DMACCAP-only-a-directory-json-naming.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..00c7370a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.lane/memory/apps/host/src/directory.ts/01M5G7C4TB4NT55C348DMACCAP-only-a-directory-json-naming.md
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+id: 01M5G7C4TB4NT55C348DMACCAP
+anchor: function remember
+created: 2026-10-21T21:55:13Z
+norm: '1'
+sig: 4f21369e4fee9b0a
+body_hash: 4e1d54af62a2f1f5
+raw_hash: 2f8b64877de51afc
+lines: 49-54
+---
+
+only a directory.json naming the synced URL records services; ACE_DIRECTORY alone must not create the file
diff --git a/apps/host/src/directory.ts b/apps/host/src/directory.ts
index e8a49bca..16f72592 100644
--- a/apps/host/src/directory.ts
+++ b/apps/host/src/directory.ts
@@ -22,22 +22,38 @@ type Host = { name: string; login: string; github?: string; address?: string; se
 
 const config = join(catalog.home, "directory.json");
 
+/** `app`, `hosted`, and `compute` are the team's web app and services, set where the directory is deployed. */
+type Services = { app?: string; hosted?: string; compute?: string };
+type Known = Services & { hosts: Host[]; channels: Listing[]; shares: Share[] };
+
+/** The joined directory's URL and the services it last named. */
+type Saved = Services & { url: string };
+
+function saved(): Saved | undefined {
+	if (existsSync(config)) return JSON.parse(readFileSync(config, "utf8"));
+}
+
 export function url(): string | undefined {
-	if (process.env.ACE_DIRECTORY) return process.env.ACE_DIRECTORY;
-	if (existsSync(config)) return JSON.parse(readFileSync(config, "utf8")).url;
+	return process.env.ACE_DIRECTORY || saved()?.url;
 }
 
-/** `app`, `hosted`, and `compute` are the team's web app and services, set where the directory is deployed. */
-type Known = {
-	hosts: Host[];
-	channels: Listing[];
-	shares: Share[];
-	app?: string;
-	hosted?: string;
-	compute?: string;
-};
+/** The services survive a restart so cloud options don't wait for the first sync, or vanish offline. */
+function remembered(): Known {
+	const value = saved();
+	const base = { hosts: [], channels: [], shares: [] };
+	if (!value || value.url !== url()) return base;
+	return { ...base, app: value.app, hosted: value.hosted, compute: value.compute };
+}
+
+/** Only the joined directory's file records its services; ACE_DIRECTORY alone writes nothing. */
+function remember(base: string, { app, hosted, compute }: Services) {
+	const value = saved();
+	if (value?.url !== base) return;
+	if (value.app === app && value.hosted === hosted && value.compute === compute) return;
+	writeFileSync(config, JSON.stringify({ url: base, app, hosted, compute }));
+}
 
-let known: Known = { hosts: [], channels: [], shares: [] };
+let known: Known = remembered();
 let synced: number | undefined;
 /** The last sync's failure, kept until a sync succeeds so Settings can say what is wrong and since when. */
 let error: string | undefined;
@@ -203,6 +219,7 @@ export function watch({ self, channels, changed, published, covered }: Options)
 			// Directories deployed before project access keep no shares.
 			answer.shares ||= [];
 			known = answer;
+			remember(base, answer);
 			synced = Date.now();
 			error = undefined;
 			failed = undefined;
diff --git a/docs/data.md b/docs/data.md
index 5802b0e2..b48a9984 100644
--- a/docs/data.md
+++ b/docs/data.md
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ it. pi-durable owns the database format, messages, runs, tool results, chats, an
 | A checkout's development build               | `~/.local/state/ace-dev-<hash>/channels/<id>/`        |
 | Opened projects                              | `<ACE_HOME>/projects.json`                            |
 | Preferences on macOS                         | `~/Library/Application Support/Ace/settings.json`     |
-| Team directory URL                           | `<ACE_HOME>/directory.json`                           |
+| Team directory URL and services              | `<ACE_HOME>/directory.json`                           |
 | Provider credentials and `ACE_SECRET`        | OS Keychain; never in channel metadata or preferences |
 
 `ACE_HOME` overrides the host data directory. Canary and development preferences have the same