diff --git a/bin/disinto b/bin/disinto
index 0f81b1b..8506511 100755
--- a/bin/disinto
+++ b/bin/disinto
@@ -664,6 +664,10 @@ p.write_text(text)
   preflight_check "$forge_repo" "$forge_url"
 
   # Determine repo root (for new projects)
+  # This host-side clone is operator-only convenience (#589): it enables
+  # `cd ~/project && $EDITOR .` but is NOT read by agents at runtime.
+  # Agents clone independently from FORGE_URL/FORGE_REPO into the
+  # project-repos named volume at /home/agent/repos/${project_name}.
   repo_root="${repo_root:-/home/${USER}/${project_name}}"
 
   # Clone or validate (try origin first for initial clone from upstream)
diff --git a/docker/agents/entrypoint.sh b/docker/agents/entrypoint.sh
index 02e674f..3b901c7 100644
--- a/docker/agents/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/docker/agents/entrypoint.sh
@@ -237,6 +237,32 @@ bootstrap_factory_repo() {
   fi
 }
 
+# Ensure the project repo is cloned on first run (#589).
+# The agents container uses a named volume (project-repos) at /home/agent/repos.
+# On first startup, if the project repo is missing, clone it from FORGE_URL/FORGE_REPO.
+# This makes the agents container self-healing and independent of init's host clone.
+ensure_project_clone() {
+  # shellcheck disable=SC2153
+  local repo_dir="/home/agent/repos/${PROJECT_NAME}"
+  if [ -d "${repo_dir}/.git" ]; then
+    log "Project repo present at ${repo_dir}"
+    return 0
+  fi
+  if [ -z "${FORGE_REPO:-}" ] || [ -z "${FORGE_URL:-}" ]; then
+    log "Cannot clone project repo: FORGE_REPO or FORGE_URL unset"
+    return 1
+  fi
+  log "Cloning ${FORGE_URL}/${FORGE_REPO}.git -> ${repo_dir} (first run)"
+  mkdir -p "$(dirname "$repo_dir")"
+  chown -R agent:agent "$(dirname "$repo_dir")"
+  if gosu agent git clone --quiet "${FORGE_URL}/${FORGE_REPO}.git" "$repo_dir"; then
+    log "Project repo cloned"
+  else
+    log "Project repo clone failed — agents may fail until manually fixed"
+    return 1
+  fi
+}
+
 # Pull latest factory code at the start of each poll iteration (#593).
 # Runs as the agent user; failures are non-fatal (stale code still works).
 pull_factory_repo() {
@@ -253,6 +279,9 @@ pull_factory_repo() {
 _setup_git_creds
 configure_tea_login
 
+# Clone project repo on first run (makes agents self-healing, #589)
+ensure_project_clone
+
 # Bootstrap ops repos from forgejo into container volumes (#586)
 bootstrap_ops_repos
 
diff --git a/lib/generators.sh b/lib/generators.sh
index 8cae400..aeed75d 100644
--- a/lib/generators.sh
+++ b/lib/generators.sh
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ _generate_local_model_services() {
       - \${HOME}/.ssh:/home/agent/.ssh:ro
     environment:
       FORGE_URL: http://forgejo:3000
+      FORGE_REPO: ${FORGE_REPO:-disinto-admin/disinto}
       # Use llama-specific credentials if available, otherwise fall back to main FORGE_TOKEN
       FORGE_TOKEN: \${FORGE_TOKEN_LLAMA:-\${FORGE_TOKEN:-}}
       FORGE_PASS: \${FORGE_PASS_LLAMA:-\${FORGE_PASS:-}}
@@ -132,6 +133,7 @@ _generate_local_model_services() {
       CLAUDE_CODE_ATTRIBUTION_HEADER: "0"
       CLAUDE_CODE_ENABLE_TELEMETRY: "0"
       DISINTO_CONTAINER: "1"
+      PROJECT_NAME: ${PROJECT_NAME:-project}
       PROJECT_REPO_ROOT: /home/agent/repos/${PROJECT_NAME:-project}
       WOODPECKER_DATA_DIR: /woodpecker-data
       WOODPECKER_REPO_ID: "${wp_repo_id}"
@@ -327,6 +329,7 @@ services:
       - woodpecker-data:/woodpecker-data:ro
     environment:
       FORGE_URL: http://forgejo:3000
+      FORGE_REPO: ${FORGE_REPO:-disinto-admin/disinto}
       FORGE_TOKEN: ${FORGE_TOKEN:-}
       FORGE_REVIEW_TOKEN: ${FORGE_REVIEW_TOKEN:-}
       FORGE_PLANNER_TOKEN: ${FORGE_PLANNER_TOKEN:-}
@@ -344,6 +347,7 @@ services:
       FORGE_ADMIN_PASS: ${FORGE_ADMIN_PASS:-}
       FACTORY_REPO: ${FORGE_REPO:-disinto-admin/disinto}
       DISINTO_CONTAINER: "1"
+      PROJECT_NAME: ${PROJECT_NAME:-project}
       PROJECT_REPO_ROOT: /home/agent/repos/${PROJECT_NAME:-project}
       WOODPECKER_DATA_DIR: /woodpecker-data
       WOODPECKER_REPO_ID: "PLACEHOLDER_WP_REPO_ID"