diff --git a/experimental/papyrus/server-tests/api.e2e.test.ts b/experimental/papyrus/server-tests/api.e2e.test.ts
index 84b8516..9134fe0 100644
--- a/experimental/papyrus/server-tests/api.e2e.test.ts
+++ b/experimental/papyrus/server-tests/api.e2e.test.ts
@@ -80,7 +80,8 @@ describe("papyrus routes → silverwood (in-process, skip-mode)", () => {
       jsonInit("POST", { name: "blank", path: ["local-blank"], args: [] }),
     );
     expect(status).toBe(200);
-    expect(body.checkoutState).toBe("none");
+    // Checkout state is Basic-only, so a checkout-less kind reports none (undefined, omitted).
+    expect(body.checkoutState).toBeUndefined();
 
     const ns = await nodes();
     expect(ns).toHaveLength(1);
diff --git a/experimental/papyrus/server-tests/silverwood-contract.test.ts b/experimental/papyrus/server-tests/silverwood-contract.test.ts
index 919de92..a098f12 100644
--- a/experimental/papyrus/server-tests/silverwood-contract.test.ts
+++ b/experimental/papyrus/server-tests/silverwood-contract.test.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ describe("silverwood wrapper contract (skip-mode, no network)", () => {
     const ws = await newSkipWs("alpha");
     expect(ws.name).toBe("alpha");
     expect(ws.status).toBe("active");
-    expect(sw.checkoutState(ws)).toBe("initialized-without-checkout");
+    expect(sw.basicCheckoutState(ws)).toBe("initialized-without-checkout");
 
     const got = await sw.get(ws.id);
     expect(got.id).toBe(ws.id);
@@ -137,7 +137,8 @@ describe("silverwood wrapper contract (skip-mode, no network)", () => {
     const ws = await sw.create({ name: "blank", path: ["local-blank"], args: [] });
     expect(ws.kind).toBe("local-blank");
     expect(ws.mode).toBeUndefined();
-    expect(sw.checkoutState(ws)).toBe("none");
+    // Checkout state is Basic-only; a checkout-less kind has none (not a fabricated "none").
+    expect(sw.basicCheckoutState(ws)).toBeUndefined();
     expect(sw.checkoutLocation(ws)).toBeTruthy();
 
     // Round-trips through get, and an empty blank removes cleanly (ground truth via CLI).
diff --git a/experimental/papyrus/server/routes/api.ts b/experimental/papyrus/server/routes/api.ts
index 38e6283..85d7b9c 100644
--- a/experimental/papyrus/server/routes/api.ts
+++ b/experimental/papyrus/server/routes/api.ts
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ apiRoutes.get("/session-schema", async (c) => {
 async function buildNode(ws: sw.Workstream) {
   const kv = ws.kv?.[sw.PAPYRUS_NS] || {};
   const cwd = sw.checkoutLocation(ws) || "";
-  const cstate = sw.checkoutState(ws);
+  const cstate = sw.basicCheckoutState(ws);
 
   // Live PTYs belonging to this workstream, from the registry.
   const runtimes = [...sessions].filter(([, s]) => s.workstreamId === ws.id);
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ apiRoutes.post("/sessions", async (c) => {
     sessionId: ws.id,
     nodeId: ws.id,
     cwd,
-    checkoutState: sw.checkoutState(ws),
+    checkoutState: sw.basicCheckoutState(ws),
   });
 });
 
@@ -361,8 +361,8 @@ apiRoutes.post("/sessions/:wsId/sessions/connect", async (c) => {
     return c.json({ error: e.message }, 404);
   }
   const cwd = sw.checkoutLocation(ws) || "";
-  const checkoutState = sw.checkoutState(ws);
-  if (!cwd || (checkoutState !== "ready" && checkoutState !== "none")) {
+  const checkoutState = sw.basicCheckoutState(ws);
+  if (!cwd || (checkoutState !== "ready" && checkoutState !== undefined)) {
     return c.json({ error: "checkout not ready" }, 400);
   }
 
@@ -438,8 +438,8 @@ apiRoutes.post("/sessions/:wsId/sessions", async (c) => {
     return c.json({ error: e.message }, 404);
   }
   const cwd = sw.checkoutLocation(ws) || "";
-  const checkoutState = sw.checkoutState(ws);
-  if (!cwd || (checkoutState !== "ready" && checkoutState !== "none")) {
+  const checkoutState = sw.basicCheckoutState(ws);
+  if (!cwd || (checkoutState !== "ready" && checkoutState !== undefined)) {
     return c.json({ error: "checkout not ready" }, 400);
   }
   const sessionId = randomUUID();
diff --git a/experimental/papyrus/server/services/silverwood.ts b/experimental/papyrus/server/services/silverwood.ts
index 1691375..aafd1b7 100644
--- a/experimental/papyrus/server/services/silverwood.ts
+++ b/experimental/papyrus/server/services/silverwood.ts
@@ -274,11 +274,12 @@ export function checkoutLocation(ws: Workstream): string | undefined {
   return ws.location?.within.path || undefined;
 }
 
-/// The provisioning state to surface to the canvas (carried by the checkout mode).
-export function checkoutState(
-  ws: Workstream,
-): "initialized-without-checkout" | "ready" | "pending" | "failed" | "none" {
-  return ws.mode?.state ?? "none";
+/// The provisioning state of a **Basic** workstream's checkout, or `undefined` for a kind
+/// that has none (the `local-*` kinds). This is a Basic-only property — the checkout
+/// lifecycle — not a universal workstream state, so a checkout-less kind reports `undefined`
+/// rather than a fabricated "none". Surfaced to color the canvas node (pending/failed).
+export function basicCheckoutState(ws: Workstream): CheckoutMode["state"] | undefined {
+  return ws.kind === "basic" ? ws.mode?.state : undefined;
 }
 
 /// Read a papyrus KV value, JSON-decoded, or `undefined` if absent/garbage.