diff --git a/cmd/axis/main.go b/cmd/axis/main.go
index 0430fea1..8eab710b 100644
--- a/cmd/axis/main.go
+++ b/cmd/axis/main.go
@@ -223,11 +223,11 @@ func versionCmd() *cobra.Command {
 			ui.PrintLogo(out, Version)
 			fmt.Fprintln(out)
 			fmt.Fprintf(out, "axis %s\n", Version)
-			if buildinfo.Commit != "" {
-				fmt.Fprintf(out, "  commit:   %s\n", buildinfo.Commit)
+			if commit := buildinfo.ResolvedCommit(); commit != "" {
+				fmt.Fprintf(out, "  commit:   %s\n", commit)
 			}
-			if buildinfo.Date != "" {
-				fmt.Fprintf(out, "  built:    %s\n", buildinfo.Date)
+			if built := buildinfo.ResolvedDate(); built != "" {
+				fmt.Fprintf(out, "  built:    %s\n", built)
 			}
 			goVer := buildinfo.GoVersion
 			if goVer == "" {
diff --git a/docs/README.md b/docs/README.md
index 812ec240..6c64e2d5 100644
--- a/docs/README.md
+++ b/docs/README.md
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 ## Start Here
 
 - [Current State](current-state.md) — current orientation doc for the live repo, command surface, coverage snapshot, and known weak spots
-- [Agent Worklog](agent-worklog.md) — active coordination surface, file ownership, and current task tracking
+- [Agent Worklog](agent-worklog.md) — historical coordination log and file-ownership notes; not the current queue
 - [RAM Balancing Research](ram-balancing-research.md) — research-backed design note on how AXIS should model cluster RAM sharing and balancing
 
 ## Design Docs
diff --git a/docs/agent-worklog.md b/docs/agent-worklog.md
index 918438e1..af7cbbc7 100644
--- a/docs/agent-worklog.md
+++ b/docs/agent-worklog.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # AXIS Agent Worklog
 
-This file is the canonical coordination surface for active AXIS work.
+Historical coordination log. The reviewed HEAD below is 2026-06-04. Live orientation is `docs/current-state.md`. The task tables are not the current queue.
 
 ## Coordination Contract
 
diff --git a/docs/phase-tracking.md b/docs/phase-tracking.md
index 2dc21880..201118c6 100644
--- a/docs/phase-tracking.md
+++ b/docs/phase-tracking.md
@@ -10,4 +10,4 @@
 | Phase 6 | **Completed** | Trust-and-foundations work: GPU/storage/network enrichment, stable identity, and failure-memory placement signals |
 | Phase 7 | **Completed** | Runtime hardening: streamed `/run`, reservation durability, forwarded provenance, and discovery freshness |
 
-Current release: **v0.12.2**
+Phase completion is not the release record. The repo version constant is `internal/buildinfo/version.go`, repeated in the generated fact in `docs/current-state.md`. Published releases are on GitHub Releases.
diff --git a/docs/runbooks/a2a-task-delegation.md b/docs/runbooks/a2a-task-delegation.md
index 4be95cc9..ce59b13b 100644
--- a/docs/runbooks/a2a-task-delegation.md
+++ b/docs/runbooks/a2a-task-delegation.md
@@ -106,7 +106,11 @@ curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $T" --unix-socket "$S" \
   http://localhost/a2a/v1/tasks/pending          # -> {"tasks":[]}
 ```
 
-`axis version` prints `buildinfo.Commit` baked into the binary you just executed
-(`cmd/axis/main.go`, `internal/buildinfo`). It does not ask the running daemon who
-it is. **`axis update` replaces the binary but does not restart a supervised
-daemon** — check the process start time, or the API response, not `axis version`.
+`axis version` prints `commit:` from the ldflag `buildinfo.Commit` when that
+value is set (`cmd/axis/main.go`, `internal/buildinfo.ResolvedCommit`). A plain
+build whose commit ldflag is empty prints `vcs.revision` and appends `-dirty`
+when `vcs.modified` is true. `built:` is only the ldflag build time.
+`vcs.time` is the revision time and is not a build time. The command does not
+ask the running daemon who it is. **`axis update` replaces the binary but does
+not restart a supervised daemon** — check the process start time, or the API
+response, not `axis version`.
diff --git a/internal/buildinfo/build.go b/internal/buildinfo/build.go
index 3a012194..ccaae87d 100644
--- a/internal/buildinfo/build.go
+++ b/internal/buildinfo/build.go
@@ -1,13 +1,61 @@
 package buildinfo
 
+import "runtime/debug"
+
 // Commit, Date, and GoVersion are set at build time via -ldflags.
 // Example:
 //
 //	go build -ldflags "-X github.com/toasterbook88/axis/internal/buildinfo.Commit=abc1234
 //	                    -X github.com/toasterbook88/axis/internal/buildinfo.Date=2026-04-01T12:00:00Z
 //	                    -X github.com/toasterbook88/axis/internal/buildinfo.GoVersion=go1.26.2"
+//
+// When the commit ldflag is empty, ResolvedCommit uses vcs.revision and
+// appends -dirty when vcs.modified is true. ResolvedDate is only the ldflag
+// build time. vcs.time is the revision time and is not a build time.
 var (
 	Commit    string
 	Date      string
 	GoVersion string
 )
+
+// ResolvedCommit returns the ldflags commit, or the toolchain revision.
+// A dirty toolchain revision is marked so it is not printed as a clean commit.
+func ResolvedCommit() string {
+	if Commit != "" {
+		return Commit
+	}
+	info, ok := debug.ReadBuildInfo()
+	if !ok || info == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return commitFromSettings(info.Settings)
+}
+
+func commitFromSettings(settings []debug.BuildSetting) string {
+	rev := settingFrom(settings, "vcs.revision")
+	if rev == "" {
+		return ""
+	}
+	if settingFrom(settings, "vcs.modified") == "true" {
+		return rev + "-dirty"
+	}
+	return rev
+}
+
+// ResolvedDate returns the ldflag build time. It does not use vcs.time.
+func ResolvedDate() string {
+	return dateFromSettings(Date, nil)
+}
+
+func dateFromSettings(date string, _ []debug.BuildSetting) string {
+	return date
+}
+
+func settingFrom(settings []debug.BuildSetting, key string) string {
+	for _, s := range settings {
+		if s.Key == key {
+			return s.Value
+		}
+	}
+	return ""
+}
diff --git a/internal/buildinfo/build_test.go b/internal/buildinfo/build_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d04306f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/buildinfo/build_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+package buildinfo
+
+import (
+	"runtime/debug"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestResolvedCommitPrefersLdflags(t *testing.T) {
+	old := Commit
+	t.Cleanup(func() { Commit = old })
+	Commit = "abc1234"
+	if got := ResolvedCommit(); got != "abc1234" {
+		t.Fatalf("ResolvedCommit() = %q, want ldflags value", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestResolvedDatePrefersLdflags(t *testing.T) {
+	old := Date
+	t.Cleanup(func() { Date = old })
+	Date = "2026-04-01T12:00:00Z"
+	if got := ResolvedDate(); got != "2026-04-01T12:00:00Z" {
+		t.Fatalf("ResolvedDate() = %q, want ldflags value", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestResolvedCommitEmptyLdflagMatchesToolchainSettings(t *testing.T) {
+	old := Commit
+	t.Cleanup(func() { Commit = old })
+	Commit = ""
+	info, ok := debug.ReadBuildInfo()
+	if !ok || info == nil {
+		t.Fatal("ReadBuildInfo unavailable")
+	}
+	want := commitFromSettings(info.Settings)
+	if got := ResolvedCommit(); got != want {
+		t.Fatalf("ResolvedCommit() = %q, want toolchain settings %q", got, want)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestResolvedDateEmptyLdflagStaysEmpty(t *testing.T) {
+	old := Date
+	t.Cleanup(func() { Date = old })
+	Date = ""
+	if got := ResolvedDate(); got != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("ResolvedDate() = %q, want empty ldflag", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCommitFromSettingsMarksADirtyTree(t *testing.T) {
+	settings := []debug.BuildSetting{
+		{Key: "vcs.revision", Value: "abc1234"},
+		{Key: "vcs.modified", Value: "true"},
+	}
+	if got := commitFromSettings(settings); got != "abc1234-dirty" {
+		t.Fatalf("commitFromSettings() = %q, want dirty revision", got)
+	}
+	settings[1].Value = "false"
+	if got := commitFromSettings(settings); got != "abc1234" {
+		t.Fatalf("commitFromSettings() = %q, want clean revision", got)
+	}
+	if got := commitFromSettings([]debug.BuildSetting{{Key: "vcs.modified", Value: "true"}}); got != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("commitFromSettings() = %q, want empty without a revision", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDateFromSettingsIgnoresRevisionTime(t *testing.T) {
+	settings := []debug.BuildSetting{{Key: "vcs.time", Value: "2020-01-01T00:00:00Z"}}
+	if got := dateFromSettings("", settings); got != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("dateFromSettings() = %q, want empty build time", got)
+	}
+	if got := dateFromSettings("2026-04-01T12:00:00Z", settings); got != "2026-04-01T12:00:00Z" {
+		t.Fatalf("dateFromSettings() = %q, want ldflag build time", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSettingFrom(t *testing.T) {
+	settings := []debug.BuildSetting{{Key: "vcs.revision", Value: "deadbeef"}}
+	if got := settingFrom(settings, "vcs.revision"); got != "deadbeef" {
+		t.Fatalf("settingFrom() = %q", got)
+	}
+	if got := settingFrom(settings, "vcs.time"); got != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("missing key = %q, want empty", got)
+	}
+	if got := settingFrom(nil, "vcs.revision"); got != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("nil settings = %q, want empty", got)
+	}
+}