diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 8853fe5..287f40f 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -10,8 +10,9 @@ Instructions for humans and coding agents working in this repository.
 
 ## Branch and docs
 
-- Active refactor branch: `refactor/esp-idf-modular-ui`.
-- `main` is the pre-refactor PlatformIO Arduino tree.
+- Integration branch is **`develop`**. Feature and refactor work is done on a branch cut from `develop`, then opened as a PR **into `develop`**.
+- Do not PR this work into `main`. `main` is not the day-to-day integration line.
+- Active work branch for this refactor: `refactor/esp-idf-modular-ui` (rebase onto `develop` if the branch still points at `main`).
 - Architecture intent: `docs/CURRENT_STATE.md`, `docs/TARGET_ARCHITECTURE.md`. Update those docs when the design changes; do not leave the tree contradicting them.
 - Do not commit secrets (Git tokens, Wi-Fi passwords, `sdkconfig` with provisioned keys).
 
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@ New behaviour goes into `components/`, not into larger `menu.cpp` files.
 
 ## Commits and review
 
+- Cut work from `develop`. Open PRs against `develop`.
 - Imperative commit subjects (`Add machine stop notify`, not `Added`).
 - One concern per commit when practical (HAL wrap ≠ UI rewrite ≠ recipe move).
 - Do not reformat whole legacy files in the same commit as a behaviour change.
diff --git a/docs/CURRENT_STATE.md b/docs/CURRENT_STATE.md
index 6b58dcc..40c91a9 100644
--- a/docs/CURRENT_STATE.md
+++ b/docs/CURRENT_STATE.md
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 # AutoFilm-ESP32 — Current State
 
-Branch baseline: `main` at `9186d84` (`Add LICENSE`).
-This document describes the tree **as it exists today**, before the ESP-IDF modular refactor. Recipe *values* (times, temperatures, rotation counts) are treated as frozen; this document does not propose changing them.
+Snapshot of the pre-refactor PlatformIO Arduino tree (`9186d84`).
+Integration going forward is **`develop`**; this refactor lands via PR from `refactor/esp-idf-modular-ui` into `develop`.
+This document describes the tree **as it existed at that snapshot**, before the ESP-IDF modular refactor. Recipe *values* (times, temperatures, rotation counts) are treated as frozen; this document does not propose changing them.
 
 ## What the product is
 
diff --git a/docs/TARGET_ARCHITECTURE.md b/docs/TARGET_ARCHITECTURE.md
index c0471b8..43ee752 100644
--- a/docs/TARGET_ARCHITECTURE.md
+++ b/docs/TARGET_ARCHITECTURE.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # AutoFilm-ESP32 — Target Architecture
 
-Status: proposed on `refactor/esp-idf-modular-ui`, for review.
+Status: proposed on `refactor/esp-idf-modular-ui`, for review via PR into **`develop`**.
 Does not change default process times, temperatures, or rotation patterns.
 
 ## Goals