diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index ca0ad90..439ac46 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -287,10 +287,14 @@ docker exec stdout → tokio task → emit("terminal-output-{sessionId}") → li
   wraps execs, file transfer and `is_running`; `sessions.rs` holds `ExecSessionManager`.
   **Container-interior code must go through `ContainerTarget`, never `docker::exec`, bollard or
   `get_docker()`** — `host::tests::no_container_interior_bollard_outside_the_host_layer` fails
-  the build on it. Its allowlist is Docker-only code (migration) plus lifecycle/`die` events,
-  which phase 1b moves; shrink it, never grow it. Prefer `ContainerTarget::for_project` or a
-  target a session already holds (`ExecSessionManager::get_target`) over
-  `ContainerTarget::docker(id)`, which hard-codes the host.
+  the build on it. `lifecycle.rs`'s `ProjectHost` owns create/start/stop/find/remove and
+  discarding a project's persistent state; the project commands keep only host-neutral steps
+  (validation, status, sessions, auth bridge, syncs). `watch.rs` gives `container_watch` its
+  death reports and positive-exit check. `no_container_lifecycle_or_bare_docker_targets_outside_the_host_layer`
+  fails on lifecycle calls or `ContainerTarget::docker(id)` in non-test code outside `host/` and
+  `docker/`; get a target from `ContainerTarget::for_project`, `ProjectHost`, or a session
+  (`ExecSessionManager::get_target`). Base-image migration is the one Docker-only exception
+  (`DOCKER_ONLY`); shrink it, never grow it.
 - **`web_terminal/`** — Remote terminal access via axum HTTP+WebSocket server:
   - `server.rs` — Axum server lifecycle (start/stop), serves embedded HTML and handles WS upgrades
   - `ws_handler.rs` — Per-connection WebSocket handler with JSON protocol, session management, cleanup on disconnect
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/commands/migration_commands.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/commands/migration_commands.rs
index 5117479..6771e37 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/commands/migration_commands.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/commands/migration_commands.rs
@@ -55,7 +55,8 @@
 
 use tauri::State;
 
-use crate::commands::project_commands::{create_container_for_project, emit_progress};
+use crate::commands::project_commands::emit_progress;
+use crate::docker::{create_container_for_project, default_docker_socket};
 use crate::docker;
 use crate::docker::migration::{self as mig, Recovery};
 use crate::models::{
@@ -1810,14 +1811,6 @@ pub(crate) async fn purge_migration_artifacts(project_id: &str) {
     migration_store::clear_ownerless_for_project(project_id);
 }
 
-fn default_docker_socket() -> String {
-    if cfg!(target_os = "windows") {
-        "//./pipe/docker_engine".to_string()
-    } else {
-        "/var/run/docker.sock".to_string()
-    }
-}
-
 fn human_bytes(n: u64) -> String {
     const UNITS: [&str; 5] = ["B", "KiB", "MiB", "GiB", "TiB"];
     let mut v = n as f64;
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/commands/project_commands.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/commands/project_commands.rs
index becd18c..412b17c 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/commands/project_commands.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/commands/project_commands.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@ use tauri::{Emitter, State};
 
 use crate::commands::aws_commands;
 use crate::docker;
-use crate::models::{container_config, AppSettings, Backend, BedrockAuthMethod, Project, ProjectPath, ProjectRemovalReport, ProjectResetOutcome, ProjectStatus};
+use crate::host::lifecycle::{DiscardLeftovers, ProjectHost};
+use crate::host::ContainerTarget;
+use crate::models::{Backend, BedrockAuthMethod, Project, ProjectPath, ProjectRemovalReport, ProjectResetOutcome, ProjectStatus};
 use crate::storage::secure;
 use crate::AppState;
 
@@ -114,48 +116,6 @@ fn store_secrets_for_project(project: &Project, explicitly_cleared: &[&str]) ->
     Ok(())
 }
 
-/// Create the project's container, threading every global setting through.
-///
-/// Exists so that the two ordinary create paths below and base-image migration
-/// cannot drift apart — a container created by a migration must be
-/// indistinguishable from one created by a normal start, or the next
-/// `container_needs_recreation` would immediately throw it away.
-///
-/// `create_image` is what to create *from* (the snapshot or the base);
-/// `base_image_name` is the configured base, which `create_container` needs in
-/// order to tell those two apart when it stamps the lineage labels.
-pub(crate) async fn create_container_for_project(
-    project: &Project,
-    settings: &AppSettings,
-    docker_socket: &str,
-    aws_config_path: Option<&str>,
-    create_image: &str,
-    base_image_name: &str,
-    extras: docker::CreateExtras<'_>,
-) -> Result<String, String> {
-    docker::create_container(
-        project,
-        docker_socket,
-        create_image,
-        base_image_name,
-        extras,
-        aws_config_path,
-        &settings.global_aws,
-        &settings.global_ollama,
-        &settings.global_llamacpp,
-        &settings.global_openai_compatible,
-        settings.global_claude_instructions.as_deref(),
-        &settings.global_custom_env_vars,
-        settings.timezone.as_deref(),
-        settings.global_claude_code_settings.as_ref(),
-        settings.default_ssh_key_path.as_deref(),
-        settings.ca_cert_path.as_deref(),
-        settings.default_git_user_name.as_deref(),
-        settings.default_git_user_email.as_deref(),
-    )
-    .await
-}
-
 /// Populate secret fields on a project struct from the OS keychain.
 pub(crate) fn load_secrets_for_project(project: &mut Project) {
     project.git_token = secure::get_project_secret(&project.id, "git-token")
@@ -774,7 +734,8 @@ pub async fn remove_project(
         if let Some(ref stored_id) = project.container_id {
             state.exec_manager.close_sessions_for_container(stored_id).await;
         }
-        let container_ref = match docker::find_existing_container(project).await {
+        let host = ProjectHost::for_project(project);
+        let container_ref = match host.find_current(project).await {
             Ok(found) => found,
             Err(e) => {
                 log::warn!(
@@ -785,15 +746,14 @@ pub async fn remove_project(
                 None
             }
         };
-        if let Some(ref container_id) = container_ref {
-            if project.container_id.as_deref() != Some(container_id.as_str()) {
-                state.exec_manager.close_sessions_for_container(container_id).await;
+        if let Some(ref container) = container_ref {
+            if project.container_id.as_deref() != Some(container.id()) {
+                state.exec_manager.close_sessions_for_container(container.id()).await;
             }
-            let _ = docker::stop_container(container_id).await;
-            if let Err(e) = docker::remove_container(container_id).await {
+            if let Err(e) = host.remove(container).await {
                 log::warn!(
                     "Failed to remove container {} for project {}: {}",
-                    container_id, project_id, e
+                    container.id(), project_id, e
                 );
                 // Recorded by name, not id: the name is the stable handle a
                 // later retry can still resolve (Docker's remove-container
@@ -805,15 +765,12 @@ pub async fn remove_project(
 
         // Legacy MCP cleanup (pre-MCP-removal installs): drop any leftover MCP
         // containers first, then the per-project network they were attached to.
-        docker::remove_legacy_mcp_containers(&project.id).await;
-        docker::remove_legacy_project_network(&project.id).await;
+        host.remove_legacy_leftovers(project).await;
 
         // Clean up the snapshot image + volumes
-        if let Err(e) = docker::remove_snapshot_image(project).await {
-            log::warn!("Failed to remove snapshot image for project {}: {}", project_id, e);
-            report.image = Some(docker::get_snapshot_image_name(project));
-        }
-        report.volumes = docker::remove_project_volumes(project).await;
+        let left = host.discard_project_state(project).await;
+        report.image = left.image;
+        report.volumes = left.volumes;
     }
 
     // Clean up keychain secrets for this project
@@ -1204,9 +1161,9 @@ async fn start_project_container_locked(
     // in memory when building environment variables for the container.
     load_secrets_for_project(&mut project);
 
-    // Load settings for image resolution and global AWS
+    // Load settings: backend validation below, and the host's start (image
+    // resolution, global AWS, …).
     let settings = state.settings_store.get();
-    let image_name = container_config::resolve_image_name(&settings.image_source, &settings.custom_image_name);
 
     // Validate backend requirements
     if project.backend == Backend::Bedrock {
@@ -1322,140 +1279,18 @@ async fn start_project_container_locked(
     }
 
     // Wrap container operations so that any failure resets status to Stopped.
-    let result: Result<String, String> = async {
-        // Ensure image exists
-        emit_progress(&app_handle, &project_id, "Checking image...");
-        if !docker::image_exists(&image_name).await? {
-            return Err(format!("Docker image '{}' not found. Please pull or build the image first.", image_name));
-        }
-
-        // Determine docker socket path
-        let docker_socket = settings.docker_socket_path
-            .as_deref()
-            .map(|s| s.to_string())
-            .unwrap_or_else(|| default_docker_socket());
-
-        // AWS config path from global settings
-        let aws_config_path = settings.global_aws.aws_config_path.clone();
-
-        // What we would create this container from *right now*: the project's
-        // snapshot when one exists, else the configured base. This is the value
-        // `container_needs_recreation` compares against the container's
-        // `triple-c.create-image` label — the check that replaced the old
-        // tautological one. It is resolved *before* the commit below, so it
-        // describes the pre-commit world the existing container was born into.
-        let snapshot_image = docker::get_snapshot_image_name(&project);
-        let expected_create_image =
-            if docker::image_exists(&snapshot_image).await.unwrap_or(false) {
-                snapshot_image.clone()
-            } else {
-                image_name.clone()
-            };
-
-        let container_id = if let Some(existing_id) = docker::find_existing_container(&project).await? {
-            // Check if config changed — if so, snapshot + recreate
-            let needs_recreate = docker::container_needs_recreation(
-                &existing_id,
-                &project,
-                &expected_create_image,
-                &settings.global_aws,
-                &settings.global_ollama,
-                &settings.global_llamacpp,
-                &settings.global_openai_compatible,
-                settings.global_claude_instructions.as_deref(),
-                &settings.global_custom_env_vars,
-                settings.timezone.as_deref(),
-                settings.global_claude_code_settings.as_ref(),
-                settings.default_ssh_key_path.as_deref(),
-                settings.ca_cert_path.as_deref(),
-                settings.default_git_user_name.as_deref(),
-                settings.default_git_user_email.as_deref(),
-            ).await.unwrap_or(false);
-
-            if needs_recreate {
-                log::info!("Container config changed for project {} — committing snapshot and recreating", project.id);
-                // Snapshot the filesystem before destroying
-                emit_progress(&app_handle, &project_id, "Saving container state...");
-                if let Err(e) = docker::commit_container_snapshot(&existing_id, &project).await {
-                    log::warn!("Failed to snapshot container before recreation: {}", e);
-                }
-                emit_progress(&app_handle, &project_id, "Recreating container...");
-                let _ = docker::stop_container(&existing_id).await;
-                docker::remove_container(&existing_id).await?;
-
-                // Legacy MCP cleanup: the old container may have been attached to
-                // `triple-c-net-<projectId>`. Tear down leftover MCP containers and
-                // that network now, before the replacement is created without it.
-                docker::remove_legacy_mcp_containers(&project.id).await;
-                docker::remove_legacy_project_network(&project.id).await;
-
-                // Create from snapshot image (preserves system-level changes).
-                // Re-resolved after the commit above: when no snapshot existed
-                // before, one does now, and creating from the base instead
-                // would throw away the state that was just saved.
-                let create_image = if docker::image_exists(&snapshot_image).await.unwrap_or(false) {
-                    snapshot_image.clone()
-                } else {
-                    image_name.clone()
-                };
-
-                let new_id = create_container_for_project(
-                    &project,
-                    &settings,
-                    &docker_socket,
-                    aws_config_path.as_deref(),
-                    &create_image,
-                    &image_name,
-                    docker::CreateExtras::default(),
-                ).await?;
-                emit_progress(&app_handle, &project_id, "Starting container...");
-                docker::start_container(&new_id).await?;
-
-                // The commit above moved `:latest` and orphaned the image it
-                // used to point at; the container holding that image open was
-                // removed a few lines up, so now is when Docker will actually
-                // let it go. Detached because this is housekeeping and the
-                // project is already running — and it sweeps every orphan, not
-                // just this one, so recreations that happened before the sweep
-                // existed are cleaned up too.
-                tauri::async_runtime::spawn(async {
-                    docker::sweep_orphaned_snapshots_logged("after recreation").await;
-                });
-
-                new_id
-            } else {
-                emit_progress(&app_handle, &project_id, "Starting container...");
-                docker::start_container(&existing_id).await?;
-                existing_id
-            }
-        } else {
-            // Container doesn't exist (first start, or Docker pruned it).
-            // Check for a snapshot image first — it preserves system-level
-            // changes (apt/pip/npm installs) from the previous session.
-            if expected_create_image == snapshot_image {
-                log::info!("Creating container from snapshot image for project {}", project.id);
-            }
-            let create_image = expected_create_image.clone();
-
-            emit_progress(&app_handle, &project_id, "Creating container...");
-            let new_id = create_container_for_project(
-                &project,
-                &settings,
-                &docker_socket,
-                aws_config_path.as_deref(),
-                &create_image,
-                &image_name,
-                docker::CreateExtras::default(),
-            ).await?;
-            emit_progress(&app_handle, &project_id, "Starting container...");
-            docker::start_container(&new_id).await?;
-            new_id
-        };
+    let host = ProjectHost::for_project(&project);
+    let result: Result<ContainerTarget, String> = async {
+        let target = host
+            .ensure_started(&project, &settings, &|msg: &str| {
+                emit_progress(&app_handle, &project_id, msg)
+            })
+            .await?;
 
         // Sync Bedrock credentials on every start: refresh static/session creds
         // so rotated keys are picked up without a full container recreation, and
         // clear stale creds when the project no longer uses static-cred Bedrock.
-        if let Err(e) = docker::sync_bedrock_credentials(&container_id, &project).await {
+        if let Err(e) = docker::sync_bedrock_credentials(&target, &project).await {
             log::warn!("Failed to sync AWS credentials for project {}: {}", project.id, e);
         }
 
@@ -1466,10 +1301,10 @@ async fn start_project_container_locked(
             state.marketplace.clone(),
             state.settings_store.get(),
             project.clone(),
-            container_id.clone(),
+            target.clone(),
         );
 
-        Ok(container_id)
+        Ok(target)
     }.await;
 
     // On failure, reset status to Stopped so the project doesn't get stuck.
@@ -1478,7 +1313,8 @@ async fn start_project_container_locked(
         let _ = state.projects_store.update_status(&project_id, ProjectStatus::Stopped);
     }
 
-    let container_id = result?;
+    let target = result?;
+    let container_id = target.id().to_string();
 
     // Update project with container info using granular methods (Issue 14: TOCTOU)
     state.projects_store.set_container_id(&project_id, Some(container_id.clone()))?;
@@ -1491,8 +1327,7 @@ async fn start_project_container_locked(
             .auth_bridge
             .start(
                 project_id.clone(),
-                // phase 1b: lifecycle will hand out the target
-                crate::host::ContainerTarget::docker(container_id.clone()),
+                target.clone(),
                 app_handle.clone(),
                 state.projects_store.clone(),
             )
@@ -1528,13 +1363,13 @@ pub async fn stop_project_container(
     // Drop host listeners first: they only make sense while the container runs.
     state.auth_bridge.stop(&project_id).await;
 
-    if let Some(ref container_id) = project.container_id {
+    if let Some(container) = ContainerTarget::for_project(&project) {
         // Close exec sessions for this project
         emit_progress(&app_handle, &project_id, "Stopping container...");
-        state.exec_manager.close_sessions_for_container(container_id).await;
+        state.exec_manager.close_sessions_for_container(container.id()).await;
 
-        if let Err(e) = docker::stop_container(container_id).await {
-            log::warn!("Docker stop failed for container {} (project {}): {} — resetting to Stopped anyway", container_id, project_id, e);
+        if let Err(e) = ProjectHost::for_project(&project).stop(&container).await {
+            log::warn!("Stop failed for container {} (project {}): {} — resetting to Stopped anyway", container.id(), project_id, e);
         }
     }
 
@@ -1589,13 +1424,13 @@ pub async fn rebuild_project_container(
     if let Some(ref stored_id) = project.container_id {
         state.exec_manager.close_sessions_for_container(stored_id).await;
     }
-    let container_ref = docker::find_existing_container(&project).await?;
-    if let Some(ref container_id) = container_ref {
-        if project.container_id.as_deref() != Some(container_id.as_str()) {
-            state.exec_manager.close_sessions_for_container(container_id).await;
+    let host = ProjectHost::for_project(&project);
+    let container_ref = host.find_current(&project).await?;
+    if let Some(ref container) = container_ref {
+        if project.container_id.as_deref() != Some(container.id()) {
+            state.exec_manager.close_sessions_for_container(container.id()).await;
         }
-        let _ = docker::stop_container(container_id).await;
-        docker::remove_container(container_id).await?;
+        host.remove(container).await?;
         state.projects_store.set_container_id(&project_id, None)?;
     }
 
@@ -1608,12 +1443,10 @@ pub async fn rebuild_project_container(
     // discard. No pending-cleanup record for either: unlike `remove_project`,
     // Reset keeps the project record, so a later Reset attempt can retry
     // these itself rather than needing startup housekeeping to do it.
-    let mut leftover_image = None;
-    if let Err(e) = docker::remove_snapshot_image(&project).await {
-        log::warn!("Failed to remove snapshot image for project {}: {}", project_id, e);
-        leftover_image = Some(docker::get_snapshot_image_name(&project));
-    }
-    let leftover_volumes = docker::remove_project_volumes(&project).await;
+    let DiscardLeftovers {
+        image: leftover_image,
+        volumes: leftover_volumes,
+    } = host.discard_project_state(&project).await;
     if leftover_image.is_some() || !leftover_volumes.is_empty() {
         log::warn!(
             "Reset for project {} could not fully clean up — image: {:?}, volumes: {:?} — the \
@@ -1680,8 +1513,8 @@ pub async fn reconcile_project_statuses(
             continue;
         }
 
-        let is_running = if let Some(ref container_id) = project.container_id {
-            docker::is_container_running(container_id).await.unwrap_or(false)
+        let is_running = if let Some(container) = ContainerTarget::for_project(project) {
+            container.is_running().await.unwrap_or(false)
         } else {
             false
         };
@@ -1721,13 +1554,6 @@ pub async fn reconcile_project_statuses(
     Ok(state.projects_store.list())
 }
 
-fn default_docker_socket() -> String {
-    if cfg!(target_os = "windows") {
-        "//./pipe/docker_engine".to_string()
-    } else {
-        "/var/run/docker.sock".to_string()
-    }
-}
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/docker/client.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/docker/client.rs
index 49c4e5b..e64eaf3 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/docker/client.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/docker/client.rs
@@ -26,3 +26,13 @@ pub async fn check_docker_available() -> Result<bool, String> {
         }
     }
 }
+
+/// The daemon socket a project container gets bind-mounted when Docker access
+/// is enabled and no path is configured.
+pub fn default_docker_socket() -> String {
+    if cfg!(target_os = "windows") {
+        "//./pipe/docker_engine".to_string()
+    } else {
+        "/var/run/docker.sock".to_string()
+    }
+}
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/docker/container.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/docker/container.rs
index 3d0ced1..ef39fbb 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/docker/container.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/docker/container.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ use sha2::{Sha256, Digest};
 
 use super::ca_certs;
 use super::client::get_docker;
+use crate::models::AppSettings;
 use crate::models::{Backend, BedrockAuthMethod, ClaudeCodeSettings, ContainerInfo, EnvVar, GlobalAwsSettings, GlobalLlamaCppSettings, GlobalOllamaSettings, GlobalOpenAiCompatibleSettings, PortMapping, Project, ProjectPath};
 
 const SCHEDULER_INSTRUCTIONS: &str = r#"## Scheduled Tasks
@@ -2015,7 +2016,7 @@ pub const CONFIG_VOLUME_PREFIX: &str = "triple-c-claude-config-";
 /// `aws_config_path` is configured), since the entrypoint already refreshes
 /// `~/.aws` from the host on every start in that case.
 pub async fn sync_bedrock_credentials(
-    container_id: &str,
+    target: &crate::host::ContainerTarget,
     project: &Project,
 ) -> Result<(), String> {
     let static_bedrock = if project.backend == Backend::Bedrock {
@@ -2038,10 +2039,10 @@ pub async fn sync_bedrock_credentials(
             let script = r#"if [ ! -d /tmp/.host-aws ]; then rm -f "$HOME/.aws/credentials"; fi"#;
             let cmd = vec!["sh".to_string(), "-c".to_string(), script.to_string()];
             let env = vec!["HOME=/home/claude".to_string()];
-            if let Err(e) = crate::docker::exec::exec_oneshot_env(container_id, cmd, env).await {
+            if let Err(e) = target.exec_oneshot_env(cmd, env).await {
                 log::warn!(
                     "Failed to clear stale AWS credentials in container {}: {}",
-                    container_id,
+                    target.id(),
                     e
                 );
             }
@@ -2093,7 +2094,7 @@ chmod 600 "$HOME/.aws/credentials""#;
 
     let cmd = vec!["sh".to_string(), "-c".to_string(), script.to_string()];
     let (output, exit_code) =
-        crate::docker::exec::exec_oneshot_env_status(container_id, cmd, env)
+        target.exec_oneshot_env_status(cmd, env)
             .await
             .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to write AWS credentials into container: {}", e))?;
     if exit_code != 0 {
@@ -2104,7 +2105,7 @@ chmod 600 "$HOME/.aws/credentials""#;
         ));
     }
 
-    log::info!("Wrote Bedrock static credentials into container {}", container_id);
+    log::info!("Wrote Bedrock static credentials into container {}", target.id());
     Ok(())
 }
 
@@ -4143,6 +4144,49 @@ pub async fn is_container_running(container_id: &str) -> Result<bool, String> {
 }
 
 
+
+/// Create the project's container, threading every global setting through.
+///
+/// Exists so that the ordinary create paths (`host::lifecycle`) and base-image migration
+/// cannot drift apart — a container created by a migration must be
+/// indistinguishable from one created by a normal start, or the next
+/// `container_needs_recreation` would immediately throw it away.
+///
+/// `create_image` is what to create *from* (the snapshot or the base);
+/// `base_image_name` is the configured base, which `create_container` needs in
+/// order to tell those two apart when it stamps the lineage labels.
+pub async fn create_container_for_project(
+    project: &Project,
+    settings: &AppSettings,
+    docker_socket: &str,
+    aws_config_path: Option<&str>,
+    create_image: &str,
+    base_image_name: &str,
+    extras: CreateExtras<'_>,
+) -> Result<String, String> {
+    create_container(
+        project,
+        docker_socket,
+        create_image,
+        base_image_name,
+        extras,
+        aws_config_path,
+        &settings.global_aws,
+        &settings.global_ollama,
+        &settings.global_llamacpp,
+        &settings.global_openai_compatible,
+        settings.global_claude_instructions.as_deref(),
+        &settings.global_custom_env_vars,
+        settings.timezone.as_deref(),
+        settings.global_claude_code_settings.as_ref(),
+        settings.default_ssh_key_path.as_deref(),
+        settings.ca_cert_path.as_deref(),
+        settings.default_git_user_name.as_deref(),
+        settings.default_git_user_email.as_deref(),
+    )
+    .await
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/host/lifecycle.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/host/lifecycle.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1196d57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/host/lifecycle.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,324 @@
+//! Bringing a project's container into existence, starting, stopping and
+//! removing it — the host-specific half of the project lifecycle commands.
+//!
+//! The commands in `commands/project_commands.rs` keep everything that is the
+//! same on every host: validating the LLM backend config, the Bedrock SSO
+//! check, project status transitions, the project lock, closing terminal
+//! sessions, the auth bridge, marketplace and credential syncs. They ask a
+//! [`ProjectHost`] for the rest. For Docker that is the
+//! find → maybe-snapshot-and-recreate → create → start sequence, which used to
+//! sit inline in `start_project_container_locked` and is moved here unchanged.
+//!
+//! Docker-only operations with no host-neutral meaning — base-image migration,
+//! snapshot sweeps, legacy cleanup at startup — keep calling `crate::docker`
+//! directly; see the boundary test in `host/mod.rs`.
+
+use super::ContainerTarget;
+use crate::docker;
+use crate::models::{AppSettings, Project};
+use crate::models::container_config;
+
+/// The host a project runs on. One variant today; an AWS variant will carry
+/// the connection, region and environment (see the spec's data model).
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum ProjectHost {
+    Docker,
+}
+
+/// What a host could not clean up when asked to discard a project's state.
+/// Docker: the snapshot image and the named volumes.
+#[derive(Debug, Default, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub struct DiscardLeftovers {
+    pub image: Option<String>,
+    pub volumes: Vec<String>,
+}
+
+impl ProjectHost {
+    pub fn for_project(_project: &Project) -> Self {
+        ProjectHost::Docker
+    }
+
+    /// Make sure the project's container exists, matches the project's
+    /// current configuration, and is running. Returns where it runs.
+    ///
+    /// `progress` receives the same human-readable steps the start view has
+    /// always shown. Failure leaves the caller to reset the project status.
+    pub async fn ensure_started(
+        &self,
+        project: &Project,
+        settings: &AppSettings,
+        progress: &(dyn Fn(&str) + Send + Sync),
+    ) -> Result<ContainerTarget, String> {
+        match self {
+            ProjectHost::Docker => docker_ensure_started(project, settings, progress)
+                .await
+                .map(ContainerTarget::docker),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// The container the host currently has for this project, found by asking
+    /// the host rather than trusting `project.container_id` — that field can
+    /// be stale (a crash between remove and the store update, a hand-edited
+    /// `projects.json`).
+    pub async fn find_current(&self, project: &Project) -> Result<Option<ContainerTarget>, String> {
+        match self {
+            ProjectHost::Docker => Ok(docker::find_existing_container(project)
+                .await?
+                .map(ContainerTarget::docker)),
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub async fn stop(&self, target: &ContainerTarget) -> Result<(), String> {
+        match target {
+            ContainerTarget::Docker { container_id } => docker::stop_container(container_id).await,
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Stop (errors ignored — a stopped container is the goal) and remove.
+    pub async fn remove(&self, target: &ContainerTarget) -> Result<(), String> {
+        match target {
+            ContainerTarget::Docker { container_id } => {
+                let _ = docker::stop_container(container_id).await;
+                docker::remove_container(container_id).await
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Delete what outlives the container — for Docker the snapshot image and
+    /// both named volumes (`~/.claude`, the OAuth login and transcripts go with
+    /// them). Best-effort; reports what it could not remove.
+    pub async fn discard_project_state(&self, project: &Project) -> DiscardLeftovers {
+        match self {
+            ProjectHost::Docker => {
+                let mut left = DiscardLeftovers::default();
+                if let Err(e) = docker::remove_snapshot_image(project).await {
+                    log::warn!("Failed to remove snapshot image for project {}: {}", project.id, e);
+                    left.image = Some(docker::get_snapshot_image_name(project));
+                }
+                left.volumes = docker::remove_project_volumes(project).await;
+                left
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Remove leftovers of features this host no longer has (Docker: the
+    /// deleted MCP feature's containers and network).
+    pub async fn remove_legacy_leftovers(&self, project: &Project) {
+        match self {
+            ProjectHost::Docker => {
+                docker::remove_legacy_mcp_containers(&project.id).await;
+                docker::remove_legacy_project_network(&project.id).await;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// The Docker start sequence, moved here verbatim from
+/// `start_project_container_locked`. Returns the running container's id.
+async fn docker_ensure_started(
+    project: &Project,
+    settings: &AppSettings,
+    progress: &(dyn Fn(&str) + Send + Sync),
+) -> Result<String, String> {
+    let image_name =
+        container_config::resolve_image_name(&settings.image_source, &settings.custom_image_name);
+
+    // Ensure image exists
+    progress("Checking image...");
+    if !docker::image_exists(&image_name).await? {
+        return Err(format!("Docker image '{}' not found. Please pull or build the image first.", image_name));
+    }
+
+    // Determine docker socket path
+    let docker_socket = settings.docker_socket_path
+        .as_deref()
+        .map(|s| s.to_string())
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| docker::default_docker_socket());
+
+    // AWS config path from global settings
+    let aws_config_path = settings.global_aws.aws_config_path.clone();
+
+    // What we would create this container from *right now*: the project's
+    // snapshot when one exists, else the configured base. This is the value
+    // `container_needs_recreation` compares against the container's
+    // `triple-c.create-image` label — the check that replaced the old
+    // tautological one. It is resolved *before* the commit below, so it
+    // describes the pre-commit world the existing container was born into.
+    let snapshot_image = docker::get_snapshot_image_name(project);
+    let expected_create_image =
+        if docker::image_exists(&snapshot_image).await.unwrap_or(false) {
+            snapshot_image.clone()
+        } else {
+            image_name.clone()
+        };
+
+    let container_id = if let Some(existing_id) = docker::find_existing_container(project).await? {
+        // Check if config changed — if so, snapshot + recreate
+        let needs_recreate = docker::container_needs_recreation(
+            &existing_id,
+            project,
+            &expected_create_image,
+            &settings.global_aws,
+            &settings.global_ollama,
+            &settings.global_llamacpp,
+            &settings.global_openai_compatible,
+            settings.global_claude_instructions.as_deref(),
+            &settings.global_custom_env_vars,
+            settings.timezone.as_deref(),
+            settings.global_claude_code_settings.as_ref(),
+            settings.default_ssh_key_path.as_deref(),
+            settings.ca_cert_path.as_deref(),
+            settings.default_git_user_name.as_deref(),
+            settings.default_git_user_email.as_deref(),
+        ).await.unwrap_or(false);
+
+        if needs_recreate {
+            log::info!("Container config changed for project {} — committing snapshot and recreating", project.id);
+            // Snapshot the filesystem before destroying
+            progress("Saving container state...");
+            if let Err(e) = docker::commit_container_snapshot(&existing_id, project).await {
+                log::warn!("Failed to snapshot container before recreation: {}", e);
+            }
+            progress("Recreating container...");
+            let _ = docker::stop_container(&existing_id).await;
+            docker::remove_container(&existing_id).await?;
+
+            // Legacy MCP cleanup: the old container may have been attached to
+            // `triple-c-net-<projectId>`. Tear down leftover MCP containers and
+            // that network now, before the replacement is created without it.
+            docker::remove_legacy_mcp_containers(&project.id).await;
+            docker::remove_legacy_project_network(&project.id).await;
+
+            // Create from snapshot image (preserves system-level changes).
+            // Re-resolved after the commit above: when no snapshot existed
+            // before, one does now, and creating from the base instead
+            // would throw away the state that was just saved.
+            let create_image = if docker::image_exists(&snapshot_image).await.unwrap_or(false) {
+                snapshot_image.clone()
+            } else {
+                image_name.clone()
+            };
+
+            let new_id = docker::create_container_for_project(
+                project,
+                settings,
+                &docker_socket,
+                aws_config_path.as_deref(),
+                &create_image,
+                &image_name,
+                docker::CreateExtras::default(),
+            ).await?;
+            progress("Starting container...");
+            docker::start_container(&new_id).await?;
+
+            // The commit above moved `:latest` and orphaned the image it
+            // used to point at; the container holding that image open was
+            // removed a few lines up, so now is when Docker will actually
+            // let it go. Detached because this is housekeeping and the
+            // project is already running — and it sweeps every orphan, not
+            // just this one, so recreations that happened before the sweep
+            // existed are cleaned up too.
+            tauri::async_runtime::spawn(async {
+                docker::sweep_orphaned_snapshots_logged("after recreation").await;
+            });
+
+            new_id
+        } else {
+            progress("Starting container...");
+            docker::start_container(&existing_id).await?;
+            existing_id
+        }
+    } else {
+        // Container doesn't exist (first start, or Docker pruned it).
+        // Check for a snapshot image first — it preserves system-level
+        // changes (apt/pip/npm installs) from the previous session.
+        if expected_create_image == snapshot_image {
+            log::info!("Creating container from snapshot image for project {}", project.id);
+        }
+        let create_image = expected_create_image.clone();
+
+        progress("Creating container...");
+        let new_id = docker::create_container_for_project(
+            project,
+            settings,
+            &docker_socket,
+            aws_config_path.as_deref(),
+            &create_image,
+            &image_name,
+            docker::CreateExtras::default(),
+        ).await?;
+        progress("Starting container...");
+        docker::start_container(&new_id).await?;
+        new_id
+    };
+
+    Ok(container_id)
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    /// End to end against a real daemon and the registry sandbox image: a
+    /// throwaway project (fresh UUID, so its container, volumes and snapshot
+    /// name are its own) is started, reached, stopped, started again on the
+    /// *same* container, then removed and its state discarded.
+    #[tokio::test]
+    #[ignore = "needs a Docker daemon and the triple-c-sandbox image; creates and removes a throwaway project container"]
+    async fn a_project_container_round_trips_through_the_host() {
+        let project = Project::new("lifecycle-live-test".to_string(), Vec::new());
+        let settings = AppSettings::default();
+        let host = ProjectHost::for_project(&project);
+        let steps = std::sync::Mutex::new(Vec::<String>::new());
+        let progress = |m: &str| steps.lock().unwrap().push(m.to_string());
+        // Failures inside the round trip return instead of panicking, so the
+        // cleanup below always runs.
+        fn check(ok: bool, what: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
+            if ok { Ok(()) } else { Err(format!("check failed: {what}")) }
+        }
+
+        let outcome = async {
+            check(host.find_current(&project).await?.is_none(), "no container before the first start")?;
+
+            let first = host.ensure_started(&project, &settings, &progress).await?;
+            check(first.is_running().await?, "running after start")?;
+            let (out, code) = first
+                .exec_oneshot_env_status(vec!["id".into(), "-un".into()], vec![])
+                .await?;
+            check(out.trim() == "claude" && code == 0, "exec runs as claude")?;
+            check(host.find_current(&project).await? == Some(first.clone()), "find_current names it")?;
+
+            host.stop(&first).await?;
+            check(first.has_exited().await, "exited after stop")?;
+
+            // Same config, so the existing container is started, not recreated.
+            let second = host.ensure_started(&project, &settings, &progress).await?;
+            check(second == first, "restart reuses the container")?;
+            check(second.is_running().await?, "running after restart")?;
+
+            host.remove(&second).await?;
+            check(host.find_current(&project).await?.is_none(), "gone after remove")?;
+            Ok::<_, String>(())
+        }
+        .await;
+
+        // Always clean up, even after a failed assertion above.
+        if let Ok(Some(t)) = host.find_current(&project).await {
+            let _ = host.remove(&t).await;
+        }
+        let left = host.discard_project_state(&project).await;
+        outcome.expect("round trip");
+        assert_eq!(left, DiscardLeftovers::default(), "nothing left behind");
+        let steps = steps.into_inner().unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            steps,
+            [
+                "Checking image...",
+                "Creating container...",
+                "Starting container...",
+                "Checking image...",
+                "Starting container...",
+            ]
+        );
+    }
+}
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/host/mod.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/host/mod.rs
index a259dc6..86359d4 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/host/mod.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/host/mod.rs
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 //! `no_container_interior_bollard_outside_the_host_layer` test pins which files
 //! may still do so.
 
+pub mod lifecycle;
 pub mod sessions;
 pub mod watch;
 
@@ -422,20 +423,11 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(ContainerTarget::docker("abc").id(), "abc");
     }
 
-    /// Phase 1's boundary, pinned: outside `docker/` and `host/`, only the
-    /// files listed here may name bollard or `docker::exec`. Each entry is
-    /// Docker-only by nature (migration, snapshots, sidecars) or is scheduled
-    /// for phase 1b (lifecycle, the `die` event stream). Shrink this list; do
-    /// not grow it — new container-interior code goes through
-    /// [`ContainerTarget`].
-    #[test]
-    fn no_container_interior_bollard_outside_the_host_layer() {
-        const ALLOWED: &[&str] = &[
-            // Docker-only: base-image migration replays apt / restores a payload.
-            "commands/migration_commands.rs",
-        ];
+    /// Every non-`docker/`, non-`host/` source file, with its path relative to
+    /// `src/`, minus the files in `allowed`.
+    fn sources_outside_the_host_layer(allowed: &[&str]) -> Vec<(String, String)> {
         let src = std::path::Path::new(env!("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR")).join("src");
-        let mut offenders = Vec::new();
+        let mut out = Vec::new();
         let mut stack = vec![src.clone()];
         while let Some(dir) = stack.pop() {
             for entry in std::fs::read_dir(&dir).unwrap() {
@@ -451,23 +443,83 @@ mod tests {
                     }
                     continue;
                 }
-                if !rel.ends_with(".rs") || ALLOWED.contains(&rel.as_str()) {
-                    continue;
-                }
-                let text = std::fs::read_to_string(&path).unwrap();
-                if text.contains("bollard::")
-                    || text.contains("docker::exec")
-                    || text.contains("get_docker")
-                {
-                    offenders.push(rel);
+                if rel.ends_with(".rs") && !allowed.contains(&rel.as_str()) {
+                    out.push((rel, std::fs::read_to_string(&path).unwrap()));
                 }
             }
         }
-        offenders.sort();
+        out.sort();
+        out
+    }
+
+    /// Docker-only by nature: base-image migration replays apt, restores a
+    /// payload, commits and swaps containers. It has no AWS meaning.
+    const DOCKER_ONLY: &[&str] = &["commands/migration_commands.rs"];
+
+    /// The host boundary, pinned: outside `docker/` and `host/`, nothing names
+    /// bollard or `docker::exec`. Container-interior code goes through
+    /// [`ContainerTarget`]. Shrink [`DOCKER_ONLY`]; do not grow it.
+    #[test]
+    fn no_container_interior_bollard_outside_the_host_layer() {
+        let offenders: Vec<String> = sources_outside_the_host_layer(DOCKER_ONLY)
+            .into_iter()
+            .filter(|(_, text)| {
+                text.contains("bollard::")
+                    || text.contains("docker::exec")
+                    || text.contains("get_docker")
+            })
+            .map(|(rel, _)| rel)
+            .collect();
         assert!(
             offenders.is_empty(),
             "these files reach into the container without going through host::ContainerTarget: {:?}",
             offenders
         );
     }
+
+    /// The lifecycle half of the boundary: outside `docker/` and `host/`, no
+    /// non-test code creates, starts, stops, finds or recreates a container
+    /// itself (that is [`lifecycle::ProjectHost`]'s job), and none builds a
+    /// [`ContainerTarget::docker`] from a bare id, which would hard-code the
+    /// host. Comments and `#[cfg(test)]` code are not checked.
+    ///
+    /// `docker::remove_container` is deliberately absent: startup's
+    /// pending-cleanup retry removes Docker leftovers it recorded *by name*,
+    /// which is Docker housekeeping, not lifecycle.
+    #[test]
+    fn no_container_lifecycle_or_bare_docker_targets_outside_the_host_layer() {
+        const BANNED: &[&str] = &[
+            "docker::create_container(",
+            "docker::start_container(",
+            "docker::stop_container(",
+            "docker::find_existing_container(",
+            "docker::container_needs_recreation(",
+            "docker::commit_container_snapshot(",
+            "docker::remove_snapshot_image(",
+            "docker::remove_project_volumes(",
+            "docker::is_container_running(",
+            "container::is_container_running(",
+            "ContainerTarget::docker(",
+        ];
+        let mut offenders = Vec::new();
+        for (rel, text) in sources_outside_the_host_layer(DOCKER_ONLY) {
+            let code = text.split("#[cfg(test)]").next().unwrap_or("");
+            for (n, line) in code.lines().enumerate() {
+                let line = line.trim_start();
+                if line.starts_with("//") {
+                    continue;
+                }
+                for pat in BANNED {
+                    if line.contains(pat) {
+                        offenders.push(format!("{}:{}: {}", rel, n + 1, pat));
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        assert!(
+            offenders.is_empty(),
+            "container lifecycle / bare Docker targets outside host::lifecycle:\n{}",
+            offenders.join("\n")
+        );
+    }
 }
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/marketplace/mod.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/marketplace/mod.rs
index bec3b98..a7d4a5c 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/marketplace/mod.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/marketplace/mod.rs
@@ -557,16 +557,14 @@ pub fn spawn_project_sync(
     mgr: Arc<MarketplaceManager>,
     settings: AppSettings,
     project: Project,
-    container_id: String,
+    // The target the start just produced — not `ContainerTarget::for_project`:
+    // `project.container_id` is written after this is called, so it could name
+    // a container that was just replaced, or none at all.
+    container: ContainerTarget,
 ) {
     if !should_sync(&mgr, &settings, &project) {
         return;
     }
-    // phase 1b: lifecycle will hand out the target. Until then the start path
-    // only has the fresh container's id: `project.container_id` is written
-    // after this is called, so `ContainerTarget::for_project` could name a
-    // container that was just replaced, or none at all.
-    let container = ContainerTarget::docker(container_id);
     tauri::async_runtime::spawn(async move {
         let report = sync_project(&mgr, &settings, &project, &container).await;
         if !report.errors.is_empty() {