diff --git a/slab/bin/slab-wallpaper b/slab/bin/slab-wallpaper
deleted file mode 100755
index 5e934b94f1..0000000000
--- a/slab/bin/slab-wallpaper
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,38 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-# slab-wallpaper — node-resolving wrapper around slab-wallpaper.mjs.
-#
-# The menubar runs under launchd with a minimal PATH that does NOT include
-# fnm's per-shell node shim, so the Swift side calls THIS absolute path and
-# we resolve a usable `node` ourselves (mirrors Tools.resolve in Swift).
-set -u
-# Resolve through symlinks (this is symlinked into ~/.local/bin like the
-# other slab bins) so SCRIPT points at the real .mjs next to the wrapper.
-SRC="${BASH_SOURCE[0]}"
-while [ -L "$SRC" ]; do
-  DIR="$(cd -P "$(dirname "$SRC")" && pwd)"
-  SRC="$(readlink "$SRC")"
-  [[ "$SRC" != /* ]] && SRC="$DIR/$SRC"
-done
-HERE="$(cd -P "$(dirname "$SRC")" && pwd)"
-SCRIPT="$HERE/slab-wallpaper.mjs"
-
-find_node() {
-  if command -v node >/dev/null 2>&1; then command -v node; return; fi
-  local c
-  for c in \
-    "$HOME/.local/share/fnm/aliases/default/bin/node" \
-    "$HOME/.fnm/aliases/default/bin/node" \
-    /opt/homebrew/bin/node \
-    /usr/local/bin/node \
-    "$HOME/.volta/bin/node"; do
-    [ -x "$c" ] && { echo "$c"; return; }
-  done
-  # Newest fnm-managed version, if any.
-  c=$(ls -td "$HOME"/.local/share/fnm/node-versions/*/installation/bin/node \
-        2>/dev/null | head -1)
-  [ -n "$c" ] && [ -x "$c" ] && { echo "$c"; return; }
-  return 1
-}
-
-NODE="$(find_node)" || { echo ""; exit 0; } # never break the caller
-exec "$NODE" "$SCRIPT" "$@"
diff --git a/slab/bin/slab-wallpaper.mjs b/slab/bin/slab-wallpaper.mjs
deleted file mode 100755
index 41ba6513cb..0000000000
--- a/slab/bin/slab-wallpaper.mjs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,383 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env node
-// slab-wallpaper — subject/status-driven terminal wallpaper generator.
-//
-// Generates budgeted Cloudflare FLUX images through Aesthetic Computer and
-// caches them permanently by subject/status. Cached defaults remain available
-// when the image service or its daily allowance is unavailable.
-//
-// Subcommands:
-//   slab-wallpaper defaults                 ensure all 5 status wallpapers
-//   slab-wallpaper status <name>            print path (gen if missing)
-//   slab-wallpaper subject "<sum>" <status> print path (gen; falls back to
-//                                           the status default on failure)
-//   slab-wallpaper path subject "<sum>" <st> cached path only, no gen, ""
-//                                            if absent (non-blocking probe
-//                                            for the menubar refresh tick)
-//
-// Never throws; always exits 0 with a best-effort path on stdout. Logs to
-// ~/.local/share/slab/logs/wallpaper.log.
-
-import { execFile } from "node:child_process";
-import { createHash } from "node:crypto";
-import { promises as fs, existsSync } from "node:fs";
-import os from "node:os";
-import path from "node:path";
-import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
-import { wallpaperBackoff } from "./wallpaper-backoff.mjs";
-
-const WALLPAPER_HOME = os.homedir();
-const SLAB_HOME =
-  process.env.SLAB_HOME || path.join(WALLPAPER_HOME, ".local/share/slab");
-const WALL_DIR = path.join(SLAB_HOME, "wallpaper");
-const STATUS_DIR = path.join(WALL_DIR, "status");
-const SUBJECT_DIR = path.join(WALL_DIR, "subject");
-const LOCK_DIR = path.join(WALL_DIR, ".lock"); // atomic mkdir lock
-const LOG = path.join(SLAB_HOME, "logs/wallpaper.log");
-
-const backoff = wallpaperBackoff(WALL_DIR);
-
-const FLUX_PROXY = "https://aesthetic.computer/api/flux";
-
-// The hosted Cloudflare model returns fixed 1024×1024 images.
-const W = 1024;
-const H = 1024;
-// "raw" = pass our prompt through verbatim (no AC pixel-art preset — the
-// forced bitmap/CRT look reads as code/UI, which we explicitly don't want).
-const PRESET = "raw";
-
-// Shared style + anti-text steering appended to every prompt. FLUX schnell
-// has no true negative prompt (cfg 0), but "no X" in the positive prompt
-// biases it away from X (same trick flux.mjs's presets use for "no text").
-// Keep texture descriptions short and natural.
-const STYLE =
-  "soft abstract material texture, painterly, low contrast, dim, even";
-const NEG = "no text, no code, no screen, no people";
-
-// Per-status color phrase + a hand-tuned default texture. Material words
-// only (fiber, ink, mist, grain) — nothing techy that FLUX renders as
-// diagrams or code. Palette-locked so status stays glanceable.
-const STATUS = {
-  working: {
-    color: "deep forest green and dark mint",
-    prompt:
-      "deep forest-green woven fiber and soft moss, calm steady rhythm, " +
-      "on near-black",
-  },
-  awaiting: {
-    color: "warm amber and ember orange",
-    prompt:
-      "warm amber and ember-orange glowing mist over dark ground, " +
-      "gently insistent slow swirl",
-  },
-  complete: {
-    color: "cool slate blue and pale lavender",
-    prompt:
-      "calm slate-blue marbled ink with pale lavender veining on deep " +
-      "slate, settled and quiet",
-  },
-  blank: {
-    color: "neutral graphite and faint grey",
-    prompt: "calm minimal dark grey paper grain, soft and even",
-  },
-  stale: {
-    color: "deep red and dim crimson",
-    prompt:
-      "dim crimson and dark-red cooling ember haze, low muted smolder on " +
-      "near-black",
-  },
-};
-
-const log = (...m) => {
-  const line = `[${new Date().toISOString()}] ${m.join(" ")}\n`;
-  try {
-    fs.mkdir(path.dirname(LOG), { recursive: true }).then(() =>
-      fs.appendFile(LOG, line),
-    );
-  } catch {}
-};
-
-// Keep subjects abstract by dropping clusters of proper
-// nouns + dense modifiers (see flux.mjs). Drop code/paths/urls/@handles/
-// CamelCase+ALLCAPS identifiers, collapse, cap length, lowercase.
-function sanitize(summary) {
-  let s = (summary || "").toString();
-  s = s.replace(/```[\s\S]*?```/g, " ");
-  s = s.replace(/https?:\/\/\S+/g, " ");
-  s = s.replace(/[~/.]?\/[\w./-]+/g, " "); // file paths
-  s = s.replace(/@[\w-]+/g, " "); // handles
-  s = s.replace(/[`"'<>{}[\]|]+/g, " ");
-  s = s
-    .split(/\s+/)
-    .filter(
-      (w) =>
-        w &&
-        !/^[A-Z][a-z]+[A-Z]/.test(w) && // CamelCase identifiers
-        !/^[A-Z]{3,}$/.test(w) && // ALLCAPS
-        !/\d{3,}/.test(w),
-    )
-    .join(" ");
-  s = s.toLowerCase().replace(/\s+/g, " ").trim();
-  return s.slice(0, 120);
-}
-
-// Compose the final prompt: a base description + shared style + the
-// anti-text/code steering, capped under FLUX's 1000-char limit.
-function finalize(base) {
-  return `${base}, ${STYLE}, ${NEG}`.slice(0, 980);
-}
-
-function subjectPrompt(summary, status) {
-  const st = STATUS[status] || STATUS.working;
-  const theme = sanitize(summary) || "a quiet idea";
-  // The topic steers MOOD only — never literal content. Result must read
-  // as abstract material, not an illustration of (or about) the work.
-  return finalize(
-    `dim ${st.color} abstract texture loosely evoking the mood of ` +
-      `${theme}, soft organic material, not an illustration, no scene`,
-  );
-}
-
-function cacheKey(prompt, height = H) {
-  return createHash("sha1")
-    .update(`${PRESET}|${W}x${height}|${prompt}`)
-    .digest("hex")
-    .slice(0, 16);
-}
-
-// Previously generated landscape textures remain useful. Prefer the current
-// square cache, then reuse the old entry before spending another reservation.
-export function cachedImagePath(dir, prompt) {
-  for (const height of [H, 768]) {
-    const candidate = path.join(dir, `${cacheKey(prompt, height)}.jpg`);
-    if (existsSync(candidate)) return candidate;
-  }
-  return "";
-}
-
-async function withLock(fn) {
-  // Serialize network gens (one at a time, with a persistent provider cooldown). Atomic
-  // mkdir lock; reclaim if older than 3 min (a crashed gen).
-  for (let i = 0; i < 90; i++) {
-    try {
-      await fs.mkdir(LOCK_DIR);
-      try {
-        return await fn();
-      } finally {
-        await fs.rmdir(LOCK_DIR).catch(() => {});
-      }
-    } catch {
-      try {
-        const st = await fs.stat(LOCK_DIR);
-        if (Date.now() - st.mtimeMs > 180000) {
-          await fs.rmdir(LOCK_DIR).catch(() => {});
-          continue;
-        }
-      } catch {}
-      await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 2000));
-    }
-  }
-  return null; // couldn't acquire — caller falls back to cache/default
-}
-
-async function fetchJSON(url, opts, ms) {
-  const ctl = new AbortController();
-  const t = setTimeout(() => ctl.abort(), ms);
-  try {
-    const response = await fetch(url, { ...opts, signal: ctl.signal });
-    // The provider can send headers and then stall the image payload. Keep
-    // the same deadline active until JSON is fully read, not just headers.
-    const data = response.ok ? await response.json() : null;
-    if (!response.ok) await response.body?.cancel();
-    return { response, data };
-  } finally {
-    clearTimeout(t);
-  }
-}
-
-// Returns a JPEG Buffer or null. Generation is metered by the shared AC budget.
-export async function generate(prompt) {
-  if (await backoff.active("proxy")) return null;
-  try {
-    const { response: r, data: d } = await fetchJSON(
-      FLUX_PROXY,
-      {
-        method: "POST",
-        headers: {
-          "Content-Type": "application/json",
-          "User-Agent": "slab-wallpaper/1",
-        },
-        body: JSON.stringify({
-          prompt,
-          // Older servers must not use their premium fallback during rollout.
-          // The Cloudflare-only server ignores this legacy option.
-          allow_fallback: false,
-          preset: PRESET,
-        }),
-      },
-      35000,
-    );
-    if (r.ok) {
-      if (d?.ok && typeof d.png === "string" && d.png.startsWith("data:")) {
-        log("gen ok via prod proxy");
-        return Buffer.from(d.png.split(",", 2)[1], "base64");
-      }
-      log("proxy not ok", d?.reason || "?");
-    } else {
-      log("proxy http", r.status);
-      if (r.status === 429 || r.status >= 500) {
-        await backoff.defer("proxy", r.headers.get("Retry-After"));
-      }
-    }
-  } catch (e) {
-    log("proxy err", e.name || String(e));
-    await backoff.defer("proxy");
-  }
-  return null;
-}
-
-// Resolve a tool to an absolute path — execFile uses the process PATH,
-// which is minimal under launchd/non-interactive, so bare names miss
-// Homebrew. Mirrors the node-resolution in the slab-wallpaper wrapper.
-function bin(name) {
-  for (const d of [
-    "/opt/homebrew/bin",
-    "/usr/local/bin",
-    "/opt/local/bin",
-    "/usr/bin",
-    "/bin",
-  ]) {
-    const p = path.join(d, name);
-    if (existsSync(p)) return p;
-  }
-  return null;
-}
-
-function run(cmd, args, ms = 20000) {
-  const abs = bin(cmd);
-  if (!abs) return Promise.resolve(false);
-  return new Promise((res) =>
-    execFile(abs, args, { timeout: ms }, (e) => res(!e)),
-  );
-}
-
-// Mirror-tile `src` → `dst`: append a horizontally-flipped copy (seams
-// vanish left↔right) then a vertically-flipped copy of that (seams vanish
-// top↔bottom). Any image becomes a perfectly seamless tile for iTerm2's
-// Tile mode. ImageMagick first, ffmpeg fallback, else signal passthrough.
-async function tileify(src, dst) {
-  const im = ["(", "+clone", "-flop", ")", "+append",
-              "(", "+clone", "-flip", ")", "-append"];
-  if (await run("magick", [src, ...im, dst])) return true;
-  if (await run("convert", [src, ...im, dst])) return true;
-  if (
-    await run("ffmpeg", [
-      "-y", "-i", src, "-filter_complex",
-      "[0]split=2[a][b];[b]hflip[bf];[a][bf]hstack=2[t];" +
-        "[t]split=2[c][d];[d]vflip[df];[c][df]vstack=2[o]",
-      "-map", "[o]", "-frames:v", "1", dst,
-    ])
-  )
-    return true;
-  return false;
-}
-
-// Ensure <dir>/<key>.jpg exists for `prompt`. Returns its path, or null if
-// generation failed and nothing is cached yet. The generated image is
-// mirror-tiled before caching so it's seamless under iTerm2 Tile mode.
-async function ensure(dir, prompt) {
-  await fs.mkdir(dir, { recursive: true });
-  const out = path.join(dir, `${cacheKey(prompt)}.jpg`);
-  const cached = cachedImagePath(dir, prompt);
-  if (cached) return cached;
-  const buf = await withLock(async () => {
-    const cached = cachedImagePath(dir, prompt);
-    if (cached) return cached; // won the race meanwhile
-    const b = await generate(prompt);
-    if (!b) return null;
-    // Keep .jpg extensions: ImageMagick/ffmpeg infer format from the name,
-    // and a ".raw" suffix makes magick try to decode literal RAW pixels.
-    const raw = `${out}.${process.pid}.in.jpg`;
-    const tmp = `${out}.${process.pid}.out.jpg`;
-    await fs.writeFile(raw, b);
-    if (await tileify(raw, tmp)) {
-      await fs.rename(tmp, out);
-      log("tiled + cached");
-    } else {
-      // Post-process unavailable — cache the raw image so it still works
-      // (just not seamless under Tile).
-      await fs.rename(raw, out);
-      log("cached raw (tileify unavailable)");
-    }
-    await fs.rm(raw, { force: true }).catch(() => {});
-    await fs.rm(tmp, { force: true }).catch(() => {});
-    await fs
-      .writeFile(
-        out.replace(/\.jpg$/, ".json"),
-        JSON.stringify({ prompt, preset: PRESET, w: W, h: H, at: Date.now() }),
-      )
-      .catch(() => {});
-    return out;
-  });
-  if (buf) return buf;
-  return cachedImagePath(dir, prompt) || null;
-}
-
-async function statusPath(name, { gen = true } = {}) {
-  const st = STATUS[name] || STATUS.working;
-  await fs.mkdir(STATUS_DIR, { recursive: true });
-  const out = path.join(STATUS_DIR, `${name}.jpg`);
-  if (existsSync(out)) return out;
-  if (!gen) return "";
-  const made = await ensure(SUBJECT_DIR, finalize(st.prompt));
-  if (made) {
-    await fs.copyFile(made, out).catch(() => {});
-    if (existsSync(out)) return out;
-  }
-  return "";
-}
-
-async function main() {
-  const [cmd, a1, a2, a3] = process.argv.slice(2);
-  try {
-    if (cmd === "defaults") {
-      const done = [];
-      for (const name of Object.keys(STATUS)) {
-        const p = await statusPath(name);
-        done.push(`${name}:${p ? "ok" : "pending"}`);
-      }
-      process.stdout.write(done.join(" ") + "\n");
-      return;
-    }
-    if (cmd === "status") {
-      process.stdout.write((await statusPath(a1 || "working")) + "\n");
-      return;
-    }
-    if (cmd === "subject") {
-      const status = a2 || "working";
-      const prompt = subjectPrompt(a1 || "", status);
-      const p = await ensure(SUBJECT_DIR, prompt);
-      // Failure floor: hand back the status default so the caller always
-      // has *something* to set as the background.
-      process.stdout.write((p || (await statusPath(status))) + "\n");
-      return;
-    }
-    if (cmd === "path" && a1 === "subject") {
-      const prompt = subjectPrompt(a2 || "", a3 || "working");
-      process.stdout.write(cachedImagePath(SUBJECT_DIR, prompt) + "\n");
-      return;
-    }
-    process.stderr.write(
-      "usage: slab-wallpaper defaults|status <name>|subject <sum> <status>|" +
-        "path subject <sum> <status>\n",
-    );
-  } catch (e) {
-    log("fatal", e?.stack || String(e));
-    process.stdout.write("\n"); // never break the caller
-  }
-}
-
-if (
-  process.argv[1] &&
-  path.resolve(process.argv[1]) === fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)
-)
-  main();
diff --git a/slab/bin/wallpaper-backoff.mjs b/slab/bin/wallpaper-backoff.mjs
deleted file mode 100644
index 32a145018e..0000000000
--- a/slab/bin/wallpaper-backoff.mjs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,30 +0,0 @@
-import { promises as fs } from "node:fs";
-import path from "node:path";
-
-// Persist across the short-lived wallpaper CLI processes and subject changes.
-export function wallpaperBackoff(directory, now = Date.now) {
-  const file = (provider) => path.join(directory, `.retry-${provider}.json`);
-  return {
-    async active(provider) {
-      try {
-        const { until } = JSON.parse(await fs.readFile(file(provider), "utf8"));
-        return Number.isFinite(until) && until > now();
-      } catch {
-        return false;
-      }
-    },
-    async defer(provider, retryAfter) {
-      const seconds = Number(retryAfter);
-      const delay =
-        retryAfter && Number.isFinite(seconds)
-          ? seconds * 1000
-          : Date.parse(retryAfter) - now();
-      const until =
-        now() + (Number.isFinite(delay) && delay > 0 ? delay : 60000);
-      await fs.mkdir(directory, { recursive: true });
-      const temp = `${file(provider)}.${process.pid}.tmp`;
-      await fs.writeFile(temp, JSON.stringify({ until }));
-      await fs.rename(temp, file(provider));
-    },
-  };
-}
diff --git a/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/AppDelegate.swift b/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/AppDelegate.swift
index 860aac9b8e..934044d18a 100644
--- a/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/AppDelegate.swift
+++ b/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/AppDelegate.swift
@@ -23,32 +23,6 @@ final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, NSMenuDelegate {
     /// overlapping 2 s tick doesn't pile up worker threads (a stalled
     /// `tailscale status` can run right up to its 2 s timeout).
     private var gathering = false
-    /// Subject keys we've already fired a `slab-wallpaper` gen for, so a slow
-    /// generation isn't re-kicked every 2 s tick. Guarded by `wallpaperLock`
-    /// (touched from the off-main resolve).
-    private var kickedWallpapers = Set<String>()
-    /// At most one `slab-wallpaper` gen may run at a time. Every status flip and
-    /// every retitled session mints a fresh key, and a gen takes minutes on a
-    /// loaded box — detached spawns outran their own renders and piled up
-    /// (8 nodes × ~16 MB on neo, self-amplifying into swap). A request landing
-    /// mid-render coalesces into `pendingWallpaper`, replacing whatever was
-    /// waiting: only the newest state is worth drawing.
-    private var wallpaperBusy = false
-    private var pendingWallpaper: (key: String, subject: String, status: String)?
-    private let wallpaperLock = NSLock()
-    /// `slab-wallpaper path` is a pure hash of (subject, status) plus an
-    /// existence check, so once it names a real file that answer is permanent —
-    /// but we were forking a node to re-ask it for every session on every 2 s
-    /// tick. Seven sessions is ~3.5 node spawns a second, forever, and it scales
-    /// with the one number that keeps growing. Remember the answers instead.
-    private var wallpaperPaths: [String: String] = [:]
-    /// Keys whose render hasn't landed yet still answer "" — those we re-ask, but
-    /// on a slow clock, not every tick. A finished gen clears its stamp so the
-    /// fresh picture is picked up on the next pass rather than after the wait.
-    private var wallpaperProbedAt: [String: Date] = [:]
-    private let wallpaperProbeRetry: TimeInterval = 20
-    /// One-shot guard so the status-defaults gen is kicked once per launch.
-    private var defaultsKicked = false
     private var refreshTimer: Timer?
     /// Dedicated contact-awareness clock. iMessage must not depend on the
     /// heavier fleet snapshot completing; a stalled system probe should never
@@ -567,10 +541,6 @@ final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, NSMenuDelegate {
         DispatchQueue.global(qos: .utility).async { [weak self] in
             guard let self = self else { return }
             var snapshot = StateSnapshot.gather()
-            // Resolve each session's wallpaper here (off-main): only instant
-            // cache probes + fire-and-forget gen kicks, so the main thread
-            // never waits on node/network (see slab-menubar-perf).
-            snapshot.claudeSessions = self.resolveWallpapers(snapshot.claudeSessions)
             // Sticky per-session title emoji — assigned here (off-main,
             // serialized by the `gathering` guard) so decor + menu read one
             // consistent mark.
@@ -2202,8 +2172,7 @@ final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, NSMenuDelegate {
     }
 
     /// Toggle the "spawn in iTerm2" preference: when on, restore-threads /
-    /// restart-all open sessions in iTerm2 (the only terminal that shows the
-    /// tiled topic wallpapers) instead of Terminal.app. A pure spawn-target
+    /// restart-all open sessions in iTerm2 instead of Terminal.app. A spawn-target
     /// preference — existing windows are untouched until you restart them.
     @objc func togglePreferIterm() {
         let path = Paths.preferItermFlag
@@ -2237,116 +2206,6 @@ final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, NSMenuDelegate {
         }
     }
 
-    /// Off-main: pick each session's wallpaper from cache only (instant
-    /// `slab-wallpaper path` probe + status-default file check), and queue a
-    /// gen for anything not yet cached (`kickWallpaper` — one at a time). Never
-    /// blocks on node/network beyond the ~50 ms probe (see slab-menubar-perf).
-    private func resolveWallpapers(_ sessions: [ClaudeSession]) -> [ClaudeSession] {
-        let bin = Paths.slabWallpaper
-        let fm = FileManager.default
-        guard fm.isExecutableFile(atPath: bin) else { return sessions }
-
-        // Status-default set: kick once per launch, detached.
-        wallpaperLock.lock()
-        let kickDefaults = !defaultsKicked
-        if kickDefaults { defaultsKicked = true }
-        wallpaperLock.unlock()
-        if kickDefaults { ShellRunner.runAsync(bin, args: ["defaults"]) }
-
-        var out: [ClaudeSession] = []
-        out.reserveCapacity(sessions.count)
-        for var s in sessions {
-            let st = stateName(s.state)
-            let summary = s.titleString
-            var pick = ""
-            if !summary.isEmpty {
-                pick = wallpaperPath(subject: summary, status: st, fm: fm)
-            }
-            if pick.isEmpty {
-                let def = "\(Paths.wallpaperStatusDir)/\(st).jpg"
-                if fm.fileExists(atPath: def) { pick = def }
-            }
-            s.wallpaper = pick
-
-            if !summary.isEmpty { kickWallpaper(subject: summary, status: st) }
-            out.append(s)
-        }
-        return out
-    }
-
-    /// The cached answer if we have one, else a throttled `slab-wallpaper path`.
-    /// Off-main (called from `resolveWallpapers`).
-    private func wallpaperPath(subject: String, status: String, fm: FileManager) -> String {
-        let key = "\(status)\u{1}\(subject)"
-
-        wallpaperLock.lock()
-        if let known = wallpaperPaths[key] {
-            wallpaperLock.unlock()
-            // The file can be swept out from under us; a stale name is worse
-            // than a fresh probe, so drop it and let the retry path re-ask.
-            if fm.fileExists(atPath: known) { return known }
-            wallpaperLock.lock()
-            wallpaperPaths[key] = nil
-        }
-        if let last = wallpaperProbedAt[key], Date().timeIntervalSince(last) < wallpaperProbeRetry {
-            wallpaperLock.unlock()
-            return ""
-        }
-        wallpaperProbedAt[key] = Date()
-        wallpaperLock.unlock()
-
-        let probe = ShellRunner.output(
-            Paths.slabWallpaper, args: ["path", "subject", subject, status], timeout: 4
-        )?.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespacesAndNewlines) ?? ""
-        guard !probe.isEmpty, fm.fileExists(atPath: probe) else { return "" }
-
-        wallpaperLock.lock()
-        wallpaperPaths[key] = probe
-        wallpaperProbedAt[key] = nil
-        wallpaperLock.unlock()
-        return probe
-    }
-
-    /// Queue a subject gen: new if unseen, otherwise nothing. Coalescing — a
-    /// request that arrives while a gen runs displaces the one waiting, and the
-    /// displaced key leaves the once-only set so it can be asked for again if
-    /// that state comes back.
-    private func kickWallpaper(subject: String, status: String) {
-        let key = "\(status)\u{1}\(subject)"
-        wallpaperLock.lock()
-        guard kickedWallpapers.insert(key).inserted else { wallpaperLock.unlock(); return }
-        if wallpaperBusy {
-            if let stale = pendingWallpaper { kickedWallpapers.remove(stale.key) }
-            pendingWallpaper = (key, subject, status)
-            wallpaperLock.unlock()
-            return
-        }
-        wallpaperBusy = true
-        wallpaperLock.unlock()
-        runWallpaper(subject, status)
-    }
-
-    /// One gen, then drain whatever coalesced behind it. The 180 s cap matches
-    /// slab-wallpaper's own stale-lock reclaim — past that the render is wedged,
-    /// and a wedged render must die rather than hold the slot forever.
-    private func runWallpaper(_ subject: String, _ status: String) {
-        DispatchQueue.global(qos: .utility).async { [weak self] in
-            _ = ShellRunner.run(
-                Paths.slabWallpaper, args: ["subject", subject, status], timeout: 180
-            )
-            guard let self = self else { return }
-            self.wallpaperLock.lock()
-            // The picture this gen just drew is the one the probe was waiting
-            // for: forget the throttle so the next tick asks once and caches it.
-            self.wallpaperProbedAt["\(status)\u{1}\(subject)"] = nil
-            let next = self.pendingWallpaper
-            self.pendingWallpaper = nil
-            if next == nil { self.wallpaperBusy = false }
-            self.wallpaperLock.unlock()
-            if let next = next { self.runWallpaper(next.subject, next.status) }
-        }
-    }
-
     /// RGB triple in AppleScript colorspace (0–65535 per channel).
     typealias RGB = (Int, Int, Int)
     /// One coordinated per-status palette: bg + foreground + bold + cursor,
@@ -2579,7 +2438,7 @@ final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, NSMenuDelegate {
     /// session, in iTerm2 *and* Terminal.app. Called from `refresh()`, but
     /// only emits an osascript when something actually changed since the
     /// last pass (state flipped, subject moved, appearance flipped, or a new
-    /// session appeared). iTerm2 gets ad-hoc per-session colors + wallpaper;
+    /// session appeared). iTerm2 gets ad-hoc per-session colors;
     /// Terminal.app uses a readable base profile plus per-tab RGB overrides.
     /// Both blocks are `is running`-guarded so a non-running terminal is a
     /// cheap no-op and is never launched.
@@ -2609,7 +2468,7 @@ final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, NSMenuDelegate {
         guard state.themeByStatus else { return }
         struct Assignment {
             let tty: String; let palette: Palette; let title: String
-            let wallpaper: String; let profile: String
+            let profile: String
         }
         var changes: [Assignment] = []
         var seen = Set<String>()
@@ -2748,7 +2607,6 @@ final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, NSMenuDelegate {
                 loopboyBeat ? "heartbeat" : "-",
                 title,
                 profile,
-                s.wallpaper.isEmpty ? "-" : s.wallpaper,
                 // Pulse phase joins the key only for attention states so
                 // working/blank tiles don't churn — see `updateBlinkTimer`.
                 blink ? "pulse" : "-",
@@ -2757,7 +2615,7 @@ final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, NSMenuDelegate {
             lastTerminalDecor[s.sessionId] = key
             changes.append(Assignment(
                 tty: s.tty, palette: palette, title: title,
-                wallpaper: s.wallpaper, profile: profile))
+                profile: profile))
         }
         // Reap entries for sessions that disappeared since last tick — they
         // either died or got reaped by the janitor; either way our memo is
@@ -2819,7 +2677,6 @@ final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, NSMenuDelegate {
                 it.append("              set _slabContrast to (ASCII character 27) & \"]1337;SetProfileProperty=Minimum Contrast=MC41NQ==\" & (ASCII character 7)")
                 it.append("              do shell script \"/usr/bin/printf %s \" & quoted form of _slabContrast & \" > \" & quoted form of ttyName")
                 it.append("              set name of s to \"\(esc(a.title))\"")
-                it.append("              set background image of s to \"\(esc(a.wallpaper))\"")
                 it.append("            end if")
             }
             it.append(contentsOf: [
@@ -3078,8 +2935,7 @@ final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, NSMenuDelegate {
     private static func preferredTerminalApp() -> String {
         // "Make iTerm2 the home": when the user has pinned iTerm2 (and it's
         // installed), every slab-spawned session goes there — even while
-        // they're typing in a Terminal window — so the iTerm2-only tiled
-        // topic wallpapers are the default surface again.
+        // they're typing in a Terminal window.
         let itermInstalled = NSWorkspace.shared.urlForApplication(
             withBundleIdentifier: "com.googlecode.iterm2") != nil
         if itermInstalled,
@@ -3451,7 +3307,7 @@ final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, NSMenuDelegate {
     /// is deliberately agent-agnostic: Claude and Codex hosts share the same
     /// geometry and Far/Near/Tiny font calculation.
     /// Terminal gets bounds only — AppleScript can't set per-session decor
-    /// or wallpaper on Terminal.app, so those windows tile but stay
+    /// on Terminal.app, so those windows tile but stay
     /// un-themed (the iTerm2-only port intentionally dropped Terminal decor).
     /// Menu / hotkey entry point: an explicit tile, which DOES reset each
     /// Terminal window's font zoom so the grid-derived size actually lands.
@@ -4017,7 +3873,7 @@ final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, NSMenuDelegate {
     /// by **bundle id**: on installs where the app registers as `iTerm.app`
     /// (the common case), the by-name `application "iTerm2"` term fails to
     /// resolve with -1728, which silently zeroed every window count, spawn,
-    /// and tile pass — the bug that made the iTerm2 topic wallpapers vanish.
+    /// and tile pass.
     /// Terminal.app resolves fine by name. Single source of truth so no
     /// AppleScript path can regress to the broken by-name form again.
     static func appSpecifier(_ app: String) -> String {
diff --git a/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/ClaudeSession.swift b/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/ClaudeSession.swift
index 51db7f96fd..e5fd80158d 100644
--- a/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/ClaudeSession.swift
+++ b/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/ClaudeSession.swift
@@ -60,10 +60,6 @@ struct ClaudeSession {
     var transcriptPath: String = ""
     var state: State
     var awaitingMessage: String?
-    /// Absolute path to this session's iTerm2 background-image wallpaper,
-    /// resolved off-main during refresh (instant cache probe; empty until
-    /// the async generator has produced one). Empty → leave bg image unset.
-    var wallpaper: String = ""
     /// Sticky per-session emoji (see TitleEmoji) prefixed to the window
     /// title and menu row so the eye can re-find a session after the tiler
     /// shuffles the grid. Stamped during refresh; "" until the first prompt.
diff --git a/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/Paths.swift b/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/Paths.swift
index a44cd5c9b6..3d5688d0ea 100644
--- a/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/Paths.swift
+++ b/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/Paths.swift
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@ enum Paths {
         ProcessInfo.processInfo.environment["AC_REPO"] ?? "\(home)/aesthetic-computer"
     }
 
-    static var slabWallpaper: String { "\(slabBin)/slab-wallpaper" }
-    static var wallpaperStatusDir: String { "\(slabHome)/wallpaper/status" }
     /// Cached near-black + status-glow PNGs set as the macOS desktop
     /// picture (aggregate Claude status, matching the menubar icon).
     static var desktopWallpaperDir: String { "\(slabHome)/wallpaper/desktop" }
@@ -28,7 +26,7 @@ enum Paths {
     static var desktopOriginalFile: String { "\(desktopWallpaperDir)/.original" }
 
     /// Generic iMessage bridge (contact lives in the untracked config below,
-    /// never in tracked code). Mirrors the slab-wallpaper wrapper convention.
+    /// never in tracked code).
     static var imsgHelper: String { "\(slabBin)/imsg" }
     static var imsgConfig: String { "\(home)/.config/slab/imsg.json" }
     static var signalHelper: String { "\(slabBin)/signal" }
@@ -194,8 +192,7 @@ enum Paths {
     /// When this file exists (and iTerm2 is installed), every slab-spawned
     /// Claude session (restore-threads, restart-all) opens in iTerm2 rather
     /// than Terminal.app — even while the user is typing in a Terminal
-    /// window. This is what makes the iTerm2-only tiled topic wallpapers the
-    /// default surface again. Toggled from the menubar's "Spawn in iTerm2".
+    /// window. Toggled from the menubar's "Spawn in iTerm2".
     static var preferItermFlag: String { "\(slabHome)/state/prefer-iterm" }
 
     /// When this file exists, status themes use the *light* (bright,
diff --git a/slab/menubar-swift/install.sh b/slab/menubar-swift/install.sh
index e245ba3e27..3b69579f1b 100755
--- a/slab/menubar-swift/install.sh
+++ b/slab/menubar-swift/install.sh
@@ -190,30 +190,6 @@ EOP
     return 1
 }
 
-# Provision iTerm2 profiles for the per-session tiled topic wallpapers: every
-# profile needs tiled-image mode + a Blend so the dim topic image shows behind
-# the status color while text stays legible. iTerm2 caches its prefs in memory
-# and rewrites the plist on quit, so this is only safe while it's NOT running.
-provision_iterm2_profiles() {
-    local pl="${HOME}/Library/Preferences/com.googlecode.iterm2.plist"
-    [[ -e "${pl}" ]] || { warn "iTerm2 prefs not found — skipping profile provisioning"; return 0; }
-    if pgrep -f "iTerm.app/Contents/MacOS" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-        warn "iTerm2 is running — skipping profile provisioning (quit iTerm2 and re-run to set tiled wallpaper Blend)"
-        return 0
-    fi
-    local pb=/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy i=0 n=0
-    while ${pb} -c "Print :'New Bookmarks':${i}:'Guid'" "${pl}" >/dev/null 2>&1; do
-        ${pb} -c "Set :'New Bookmarks':${i}:'Blend' 0.5" "${pl}" 2>/dev/null \
-            || ${pb} -c "Add :'New Bookmarks':${i}:'Blend' real 0.5" "${pl}" 2>/dev/null || true
-        ${pb} -c "Set :'New Bookmarks':${i}:'Background Image Mode' 1" "${pl}" 2>/dev/null \
-            || ${pb} -c "Add :'New Bookmarks':${i}:'Background Image Mode' integer 1" "${pl}" 2>/dev/null || true
-        ${pb} -c "Set :'New Bookmarks':${i}:'Background Image Is Tiled' true" "${pl}" 2>/dev/null \
-            || ${pb} -c "Add :'New Bookmarks':${i}:'Background Image Is Tiled' bool true" "${pl}" 2>/dev/null || true
-        i=$((i+1)); n=$((n+1))
-    done
-    ok "provisioned ${n} iTerm2 profile(s): tiled bg image + Blend 0.5"
-}
-
 # Keep the launcher and its color-probe handoff with this installed release.
 provision_terminal_launcher() {
     mkdir -p "${HOME}/.local/bin"
@@ -369,7 +345,6 @@ if [[ -x "${APP_BIN}" && -f "${PLIST_PATH}" ]] \
 fi
 
 provision_tailscale_cli
-provision_iterm2_profiles
 provision_terminal_launcher
 provision_terminal_close_warning
 
diff --git a/slab/test/slab-wallpaper.test.mjs b/slab/test/slab-wallpaper.test.mjs
deleted file mode 100644
index 3d0b8fd88d..0000000000
--- a/slab/test/slab-wallpaper.test.mjs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,133 +0,0 @@
-import test from "node:test";
-import assert from "node:assert/strict";
-import { promises as fs } from "node:fs";
-import os from "node:os";
-import path from "node:path";
-import { wallpaperBackoff } from "../bin/wallpaper-backoff.mjs";
-
-test("wallpaper cooldown persists across invocations and expires", async () => {
-  const directory = await fs.mkdtemp(
-    path.join(os.tmpdir(), "wallpaper-backoff-"),
-  );
-  try {
-    let now = 1000000;
-    const first = wallpaperBackoff(directory, () => now);
-    await first.defer("proxy", "120");
-    const next = wallpaperBackoff(directory, () => now);
-    assert.equal(await next.active("proxy"), true);
-    assert.equal(await next.active("direct"), false);
-    now += 119999;
-    assert.equal(await next.active("proxy"), true);
-    now++;
-    assert.equal(await next.active("proxy"), false);
-    await next.defer("proxy", new Date(now + 60000).toUTCString());
-    assert.equal(await next.active("proxy"), true);
-    now += 60000;
-    assert.equal(await next.active("proxy"), false);
-    await next.defer("proxy", "invalid");
-    now += 60000;
-    assert.equal(await next.active("proxy"), false);
-  } finally {
-    await fs.rm(directory, { recursive: true, force: true });
-  }
-});
-
-test("wallpaper uses only the budgeted proxy and honors Retry-After", async (t) => {
-  const directory = await fs.mkdtemp(
-    path.join(os.tmpdir(), "wallpaper-caller-"),
-  );
-  const originalHome = process.env.SLAB_HOME;
-  const originalKey = process.env.NVIDIA_API_KEY;
-  process.env.SLAB_HOME = directory;
-  process.env.NVIDIA_API_KEY = "test-nvidia";
-  let calls = [];
-  t.mock.method(globalThis, "fetch", async (url, options) => {
-    calls.push({ url, options });
-    return new Response("allowance exhausted", {
-      status: 429,
-      headers: { "Retry-After": "120" },
-    });
-  });
-  try {
-    const { generate } = await import("../bin/slab-wallpaper.mjs");
-    assert.equal(await generate("synthetic test"), null);
-    assert.equal(calls.length, 1);
-    assert.equal(calls[0].url, "https://aesthetic.computer/api/flux");
-    assert.deepEqual(JSON.parse(calls[0].options.body), {
-      prompt: "synthetic test",
-      allow_fallback: false,
-      preset: "raw",
-    });
-    assert.equal(calls[0].options.headers["User-Agent"], "slab-wallpaper/1");
-    assert.equal(await generate("another synthetic test"), null);
-    assert.equal(
-      calls.length,
-      1,
-      "different subjects still share the provider cooldown",
-    );
-  } finally {
-    if (originalHome === undefined) delete process.env.SLAB_HOME;
-    else process.env.SLAB_HOME = originalHome;
-    if (originalKey === undefined) delete process.env.NVIDIA_API_KEY;
-    else process.env.NVIDIA_API_KEY = originalKey;
-    await fs.rm(directory, { recursive: true, force: true });
-  }
-});
-
-test("wallpaper timeout includes the image response body and defers later subjects", async (t) => {
-  const directory = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "wallpaper-body-"));
-  const originalHome = process.env.SLAB_HOME;
-  const originalKey = process.env.NVIDIA_API_KEY;
-  process.env.SLAB_HOME = directory;
-  process.env.NVIDIA_API_KEY = "test-nvidia";
-  const originalSetTimeout = globalThis.setTimeout;
-  t.mock.method(globalThis, "setTimeout", (callback, ms) =>
-    originalSetTimeout(callback, ms === 35000 ? 5 : ms),
-  );
-  let calls = 0;
-  t.mock.method(globalThis, "fetch", async (url, { signal }) => {
-    calls++;
-    return {
-      ok: true,
-      json: () =>
-        new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-          signal.addEventListener(
-            "abort",
-            () => reject(new DOMException("timeout", "AbortError")),
-            { once: true },
-          );
-        }),
-    };
-  });
-  try {
-    const { generate } = await import(
-      "../bin/slab-wallpaper.mjs?body-timeout-test"
-    );
-    assert.equal(await generate("synthetic test"), null);
-    assert.equal(calls, 1);
-    assert.equal(await generate("another synthetic test"), null);
-    assert.equal(calls, 1, "body timeouts persist the provider cooldown");
-  } finally {
-    if (originalHome === undefined) delete process.env.SLAB_HOME;
-    else process.env.SLAB_HOME = originalHome;
-    if (originalKey === undefined) delete process.env.NVIDIA_API_KEY;
-    else process.env.NVIDIA_API_KEY = originalKey;
-    await fs.rm(directory, { recursive: true, force: true });
-  }
-});
-
-test("existing landscape wallpaper cache remains usable after square-model migration", async () => {
-  const directory = await fs.mkdtemp(
-    path.join(os.tmpdir(), "wallpaper-legacy-"),
-  );
-  try {
-    const { cachedImagePath } = await import("../bin/slab-wallpaper.mjs");
-    // Fixture filename generated by the previous raw|1024x768 cache format.
-    const legacy = path.join(directory, "a7bff732d250b87a.jpg");
-    await fs.writeFile(legacy, "synthetic cached image");
-    assert.equal(cachedImagePath(directory, "synthetic texture"), legacy);
-    assert.equal(cachedImagePath(directory, "uncached texture"), "");
-  } finally {
-    await fs.rm(directory, { recursive: true, force: true });
-  }
-});