diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/project-io.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/project-io.ts
index 67ad049..66b0e04 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/project-io.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/project-io.ts
@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ export function runProjectsImport(flags: Flags, file: string | undefined): void
     console.log('');
     console.log(c.green(`  ✓ Imported project ${c.bold(result.project)}`));
     console.log(`  ${c.gray(`devices: ${result.deviceCount} · users: ${result.userCount}`)}`);
+    if (result.keptLocalOsc) {
+      console.log(`  ${c.gray('kept this machine’s OSC target — the bundle had none')}`);
+    }
     if (result.generatedSecrets) {
       console.log('');
       console.log(c.yellow('  ⚠ The bundle had no secrets — fresh receiverKey/jwtSecret were generated.'));
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/renderer/routes/transfer-dialogs.tsx b/packages/desktop/src/renderer/routes/transfer-dialogs.tsx
index f4047c2..1a93d79 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/renderer/routes/transfer-dialogs.tsx
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/renderer/routes/transfer-dialogs.tsx
@@ -207,6 +207,7 @@ export function ImportProjectDialog({
             Imported “{result.project}” — {result.deviceCount} device(s), {result.userCount} user(s).
             {result.generatedSecrets &&
               ' The bundle carried no secrets, so fresh ones were generated — they will not match the brain until synced.'}
+            {result.keptLocalOsc && ' This machine’s OSC target was kept (the bundle had none).'}
           </p>
         )}
 
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/types/ipc.ts b/packages/desktop/src/types/ipc.ts
index 7d30b1c..c1fd106 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/types/ipc.ts
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/types/ipc.ts
@@ -103,6 +103,8 @@ export interface ImportSummary {
   generatedSecrets: boolean;
   deviceCount: number;
   userCount: number;
+  /** True when overwriting kept this machine's OSC target because the bundle had none. */
+  keptLocalOsc: boolean;
   path: string;
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/layout/__tests__/config-env.test.ts b/packages/layout/__tests__/config-env.test.ts
index 3f88462..22e3409 100644
--- a/packages/layout/__tests__/config-env.test.ts
+++ b/packages/layout/__tests__/config-env.test.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,22 @@ describe('configEnvMap', () => {
     expect(env.WAVEGRID_LAYOUT).toBe('grace-cathedral');
   });
 
+  it('exports an inline layout as JSON instead of the stale default preset', () => {
+    const inline = {
+      kind: 'rings' as const,
+      id: 'grace-28',
+      rings: [{ count: 12, radius: 1, phase: 15 }, { count: 12, radius: 0.62 }, { count: 4, radius: 0.25 }]
+    };
+    // A store layer merged over DEFAULT_CONFIG keeps the defaults' preset alongside `kind`.
+    const env = configEnvMap({ ...DEFAULT_CONFIG, layout: { ...DEFAULT_CONFIG.layout, ...inline } });
+    expect(env.WAVEGRID_LAYOUT).not.toBe('grid-7x7');
+    expect(JSON.parse(env.WAVEGRID_LAYOUT)).toMatchObject(inline);
+
+    const resolved = loadWavegridConfig({ cwd: '/', env: { WAVEGRID_LAYOUT: env.WAVEGRID_LAYOUT } });
+    expect(resolved.layout.count).toBe(28);
+    expect(resolved.layout.id).toBe('grace-28');
+  });
+
   it('projects an FB4 target', () => {
     const env = configEnvMap({ ...DEFAULT_CONFIG, osc: { fb4: { host: '192.168.1.40', port: 8000 } } });
     expect(env.FB4_HOST).toBe('192.168.1.40');
diff --git a/packages/layout/src/config-env.ts b/packages/layout/src/config-env.ts
index 0a0f6d7..110c267 100644
--- a/packages/layout/src/config-env.ts
+++ b/packages/layout/src/config-env.ts
@@ -41,7 +41,11 @@ export function configEnvMap(config: WavegridConfig): Record<string, string> {
     if (v !== undefined && v !== '') env[k] = String(v);
   };
 
-  if (config.layout.preset) set('WAVEGRID_LAYOUT', config.layout.preset);
+  // An inline shape (`kind`) wins over `preset` in resolveLayout, and the
+  // defaults' preset survives the merge underneath it — so export the whole
+  // spec as JSON rather than that stale preset id.
+  if (config.layout.kind) set('WAVEGRID_LAYOUT', JSON.stringify(config.layout));
+  else if (config.layout.preset) set('WAVEGRID_LAYOUT', config.layout.preset);
   set('WAVEGRID_MODE', config.mode);
   set('WAVEGRID_HOST', config.server.host);
   set('WAVEGRID_PORT', config.server.port);
diff --git a/packages/layout/src/config.ts b/packages/layout/src/config.ts
index 7514d83..dddd652 100644
--- a/packages/layout/src/config.ts
+++ b/packages/layout/src/config.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { createConfigLoader } from 'confstash';
 
 import { resolveLayout } from './presets';
-import { Layout, RunMode, WavegridConfig } from './types';
+import { Layout, LayoutSpec, RunMode, WavegridConfig } from './types';
 
 /**
  * BEYOND's factory OSC receive port (`[OSC] PortIn` in BEYOND.ini). Every
@@ -45,6 +45,17 @@ function toFloat(value: string | undefined): number | undefined {
   return Number.isFinite(n) ? n : undefined;
 }
 
+/** `WAVEGRID_LAYOUT` is a preset id, or a JSON LayoutSpec for inline shapes. */
+function parseLayoutEnv(value: string): LayoutSpec {
+  const text = value.trim();
+  if (!text.startsWith('{')) return { preset: text };
+  const spec = JSON.parse(text) as LayoutSpec;
+  if (!spec || typeof spec !== 'object' || (!spec.kind && !spec.preset)) {
+    throw new Error(`WAVEGRID_LAYOUT JSON must be a layout spec with "kind" or "preset", got: ${text}`);
+  }
+  return spec;
+}
+
 /**
  * Map environment variables into a config layer. Env sits just below CLI
  * overrides so a single build can be re-pointed at another layout at runtime.
@@ -52,7 +63,7 @@ function toFloat(value: string | undefined): number | undefined {
 function envLayer(env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv): Partial<WavegridConfig> {
   const out: Partial<WavegridConfig> = {};
 
-  if (env.WAVEGRID_LAYOUT) out.layout = { preset: env.WAVEGRID_LAYOUT };
+  if (env.WAVEGRID_LAYOUT) out.layout = parseLayoutEnv(env.WAVEGRID_LAYOUT);
   if (env.WAVEGRID_MODE === 'simple' || env.WAVEGRID_MODE === 'distributed' || env.WAVEGRID_MODE === 'auto') {
     out.mode = env.WAVEGRID_MODE;
   }
diff --git a/packages/server/__tests__/catalog.test.ts b/packages/server/__tests__/catalog.test.ts
index 2a10b65..71df52a 100644
--- a/packages/server/__tests__/catalog.test.ts
+++ b/packages/server/__tests__/catalog.test.ts
@@ -51,9 +51,9 @@ describe('catalog', () => {
 
   it('offers a filter per rig an operator builds shows for', () => {
     const filters = layoutFilters();
-    expect(filters.map(f => f.id)).toEqual(['all', 'grid-7x7', 'grace-cathedral', 'nova']);
+    expect(filters.map(f => f.id)).toEqual(['all', 'grid-7x7', 'grace-cathedral', 'grace-28', 'nova']);
     expect(filters[0].layout).toBeNull();
-    expect(filters[3].layout?.count).toBe(6);
+    expect(filters[4].layout?.count).toBe(6);
   });
 });
 
diff --git a/packages/settings/__tests__/portable.test.ts b/packages/settings/__tests__/portable.test.ts
index f33c0d7..78577e6 100644
--- a/packages/settings/__tests__/portable.test.ts
+++ b/packages/settings/__tests__/portable.test.ts
@@ -113,6 +113,40 @@ describe('portable project import (round-trip)', () => {
     expect(() => src.importProject(bundle, { overwrite: true })).not.toThrow();
   });
 
+  it('overwrite keeps the local OSC target when the bundle has none', () => {
+    const base = tmpBase();
+    const local = seedProject(base);
+    local.saveProjectConfig('ring-demo', {
+      layout: { preset: 'nova' },
+      osc: { beyond: { host: '10.0.0.5', port: 8000, gridOrder: 'row' } }
+    } as never);
+
+    const bundle = seedProject(tmpBase()).exportProject('ring-demo');
+    bundle.config = { layout: { preset: 'grace-cathedral' } } as never;
+
+    const result = local.importProject(bundle, { overwrite: true });
+    expect(result.keptLocalOsc).toBe(true);
+    const cfg = local.getProjectConfig('ring-demo')!;
+    expect(cfg.layout).toEqual({ preset: 'grace-cathedral' });
+    expect(cfg.osc?.beyond?.host).toBe('10.0.0.5');
+  });
+
+  it('overwrite takes the bundle’s OSC target when it has one', () => {
+    const base = tmpBase();
+    const local = seedProject(base);
+    local.saveProjectConfig('ring-demo', {
+      layout: { preset: 'nova' },
+      osc: { beyond: { host: '10.0.0.5', port: 8000, gridOrder: 'row' } }
+    } as never);
+
+    const bundle = seedProject(tmpBase()).exportProject('ring-demo');
+    bundle.config = { layout: { preset: 'nova' }, osc: { beyond: { host: '10.0.0.9', port: 8000, gridOrder: 'row' } } } as never;
+
+    const result = local.importProject(bundle, { overwrite: true });
+    expect(result.keptLocalOsc).toBe(false);
+    expect(local.getProjectConfig('ring-demo')!.osc?.beyond?.host).toBe('10.0.0.9');
+  });
+
   it('can import under a new name', () => {
     const src = seedProject(tmpBase());
     const bundle = src.exportProject('ring-demo');
diff --git a/packages/settings/src/portable.ts b/packages/settings/src/portable.ts
index dbb06e9..84d9d01 100644
--- a/packages/settings/src/portable.ts
+++ b/packages/settings/src/portable.ts
@@ -105,6 +105,8 @@ export interface ImportResult {
   generatedSecrets: boolean;
   deviceCount: number;
   userCount: number;
+  /** True when an overwrite kept this machine's `osc` block because the bundle had none. */
+  keptLocalOsc: boolean;
 }
 
 /** Validate an untrusted object as a PortableProject bundle. */
@@ -141,7 +143,20 @@ export function importProject(paths: StorePaths, bundle: PortableProject, opts:
     throw new Error(`Project "${project}" already exists — pass overwrite to replace it, or import under a new name.`);
   }
 
-  createProject(paths, project, bundle.config, { activate: opts.activate });
+  // The OSC target (BEYOND/FB4/routing) is a fact about the hardware next to
+  // this machine, not portable project state — a bundle exported from a laptop
+  // with no target must not wipe the one configured here.
+  let config = bundle.config;
+  let keptLocalOsc = false;
+  if (hasProject(paths, project) && config.osc == null) {
+    const localOsc = getProjectConfig(paths, project)?.osc;
+    if (localOsc && Object.keys(localOsc).length > 0) {
+      config = { ...config, osc: localOsc };
+      keptLocalOsc = true;
+    }
+  }
+
+  createProject(paths, project, config, { activate: opts.activate });
 
   // Device-scoped configs travel; runtime facts (address/lastSeen) do not —
   // each device re-registers with its own address when it next connects.
@@ -168,5 +183,5 @@ export function importProject(paths: StorePaths, bundle: PortableProject, opts:
     generatedSecrets = true;
   }
 
-  return { project, generatedSecrets, deviceCount: devices.length, userCount: users.length };
+  return { project, generatedSecrets, deviceCount: devices.length, userCount: users.length, keptLocalOsc };
 }