diff --git a/webui/src/features/board/harness/canvas/use-board-sync-v2.ts b/webui/src/features/board/harness/canvas/use-board-sync-v2.ts
index a033085d..eeb9560c 100644
--- a/webui/src/features/board/harness/canvas/use-board-sync-v2.ts
+++ b/webui/src/features/board/harness/canvas/use-board-sync-v2.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import { dedupeRepeatUpdates } from "../sync/outbound-dedupe"
 import { ReconnectSupervisor } from "../sync/reconnect-supervisor"
 import { attachBoardSync } from "../sync/board-sync"
 import type { BoardSyncHandle } from "../sync/board-sync"
+import { setBoardSyncRef } from "../sync/board-sync-ref"
 import { createWebSocketRelay } from "../sync/ws-relay"
 import { applyGraphToStore } from "../persist/snapshot-load"
 import { applyContentToStore } from "@/features/board/persist/local/apply-content"
@@ -152,6 +153,9 @@ export const useBoardSyncV2 = (
             enrichOutbound: (batch) => enrichEdgeMidpoints(dedupeRepeatUpdates(batch), store),
             coalesceMs: 75, // merge a burst (e.g. rotate's per-tick ops) into one send
           })
+          // Publish the sync-correct intake so headless/cross-layer writers enter
+          // the same rebase + send path instead of writing the oplog directly.
+          setBoardSyncRef(handle)
         })
       })
       .catch((err) => {
@@ -167,6 +171,7 @@ export const useBoardSyncV2 = (
       cancelled = true
       document.removeEventListener("visibilitychange", onVisibility)
       supervisor?.stop()
+      setBoardSyncRef(null)
       handle?.detach()
       detachPersist?.()
       setBoardPersistenceRef(null)
diff --git a/webui/src/features/board/harness/sync/board-sync-ref.ts b/webui/src/features/board/harness/sync/board-sync-ref.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dcbab93b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/webui/src/features/board/harness/sync/board-sync-ref.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+import type { BoardSyncHandle } from "./board-sync"
+
+
+/**
+ * Module ref to the active synced board's sync coordinator. Mirrors
+ * `board-persistence-ref` so code outside the harness (e.g. a headless,
+ * cross-layer writer) can enter the sync-correct local-batch intake
+ * (`submitLocalBatch(batch, { scene: false })`) instead of writing the oplog
+ * directly — a direct write skips the send trigger, so the batch ships only
+ * opportunistically on the next unrelated pump and desyncs a synced board.
+ *
+ * Set by the v2 sync mount, cleared on unmount / scope change. `null` on a
+ * purely local board (no relay) — callers fall back to the persistence ref,
+ * which is sync-correct there because a local board has no outbox to desync.
+ */
+let _sync: BoardSyncHandle | null = null
+
+
+export const setBoardSyncRef = (s: BoardSyncHandle | null): void => {
+  _sync = s
+}
+
+
+export const getBoardSyncRef = (): BoardSyncHandle | null => _sync
diff --git a/webui/src/features/board/harness/sync/board-sync.test.ts b/webui/src/features/board/harness/sync/board-sync.test.ts
index b1ab2334..efdb81a5 100644
--- a/webui/src/features/board/harness/sync/board-sync.test.ts
+++ b/webui/src/features/board/harness/sync/board-sync.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest"
-import { asBatchId, asClientId, asNodeId, type OpBatch } from "@canvas-harness/core"
+import { asBatchId, asClientId, asNodeId, type Node, type OpBatch } from "@canvas-harness/core"
 import type { CanvasStore } from "@canvas-harness/core"
+import { makeBatch } from "@/features/board/harness/make-batch"
 import { addEdge, addNode, freshStore } from "@/test/canvas"
 import type { DimNodeData } from "@/features/board/model"
 import { labelText } from "@/features/board/model"
@@ -107,6 +108,48 @@ const setLabel = (store: CanvasStore, id: string, label: string): void => {
 
 
 describe("board sync coordinator", () => {
+  it("submitLocalBatch(scene:false) ships a headless batch without injecting it into the local scene", async () => {
+    const relay = new MemoryRelay()
+    const a = makeClient(relay, "A")
+    const b = makeClient(relay, "B")
+
+    // Seed an in-scene edit on A so there IS a rebasable local entry, to prove
+    // the headless batch is treated differently from a store commit.
+    addNode(a.store, "local1", "in-scene")
+
+    // A headless producer: a batch NOT applied to A's live store (e.g. a
+    // cross-layer write to an unloaded folder). It records to the oplog itself,
+    // then enters the intake as an off-scene batch — no direct store write.
+    const node = {
+      id: asNodeId("h1"),
+      type: "rect",
+      x: 0,
+      y: 0,
+      w: 100,
+      h: 50,
+      angle: 0,
+      groups: [],
+      data: { label: { markdown: "headless" }, meta: { v: 1, createdAt: 0, updatedAt: 0 } },
+    } as unknown as Node
+    const batch = makeBatch(a.store, "local", [{ type: "node.add", node }])
+    a.persistence.record(batch)
+    a.sync.submitLocalBatch(batch, { scene: false })
+    await a.sync.settle()
+    await b.sync.settle()
+
+    // The peer converges from the headless write (it shipped through the outbox),
+    // but it never lands in the submitter's own loaded scene.
+    expect(ids(b.store)).toEqual(["h1", "local1"])
+    expect(ids(a.store)).toEqual(["local1"]) // h1 was never applied to A's store
+
+    // A concurrent remote op triggers a rebase. Because the headless batch is NOT
+    // in the rebase set, its off-scene ops must NOT be injected into A's scene.
+    addNode(b.store, "b1", "peer")
+    await b.sync.settle()
+    await a.sync.settle()
+    expect(ids(a.store)).toEqual(["b1", "local1"]) // still no h1
+  })
+
   it("propagates a local edit to the other client (no self-echo, no dupes)", async () => {
     const relay = new MemoryRelay()
     const a = makeClient(relay, "A")
diff --git a/webui/src/features/board/harness/sync/board-sync.ts b/webui/src/features/board/harness/sync/board-sync.ts
index 38459bbe..3dd46968 100644
--- a/webui/src/features/board/harness/sync/board-sync.ts
+++ b/webui/src/features/board/harness/sync/board-sync.ts
@@ -89,6 +89,19 @@ export type BoardSyncOptions = {
 
 
 export type BoardSyncHandle = {
+  /**
+   * The single sync-correct intake for a locally-produced batch: (maybe) track
+   * it for rebase and trigger a pump, so it ships through the outbox rather than
+   * a direct oplog write. The store producer (via `attachSync.sendBatch`) is one
+   * caller; a headless / off-scene producer is another.
+   *
+   * `scene: false` marks a batch whose ops are NOT in the loaded store (a
+   * cross-layer / headless write): it is pumped but kept OUT of the rebase set,
+   * since replaying its ops would inject off-layer nodes into the current scene.
+   * A `scene: false` caller must record the batch to the oplog itself (store
+   * commits are already recorded by `persistence`).
+   */
+  submitLocalBatch: (batch: OpBatch, opts?: { scene?: boolean }) => void
   /** Detach sync + persistence wiring and close the connection. */
   detach: () => void
   /** Simulate going offline (close connection; keep editing locally). */
@@ -305,14 +318,30 @@ export const attachBoardSync = (opts: BoardSyncOptions): BoardSyncHandle => {
     enqueue(pump)
   }
 
+  // The single intake for a locally-produced batch's SYNC side: (maybe) track it
+  // for rebase and trigger a pump. The send source is the outbox, so the batch
+  // object is only used for the in-scene rebase. Both the store producer (via
+  // `attachSync.sendBatch`) and headless producers route through here.
+  //
+  // `scene` splits the two kinds of local batch — they need different handling:
+  //  - `true` (default, store commits): the ops WERE applied to the live store
+  //    optimistically, so track the batch as an unacked rebase entry — it's
+  //    undone + replayed on top of every remote op so the local edit stays
+  //    "latest". This is today's `sendBatch` behavior, unchanged.
+  //  - `false` (headless / off-scene, e.g. a cross-layer write): the ops are NOT
+  //    in the loaded store, so it must NOT enter the rebase set — `applyRemote`
+  //    would otherwise inject the off-layer ops into the current scene on the
+  //    next remote op. It only needs to be recorded (by the caller) + pumped;
+  //    `serverSeq` is stamped on ack via the outbox path like any sent record.
+  const submitLocalBatch = (batch: OpBatch, { scene = true }: { scene?: boolean } = {}): void => {
+    if (scene) pending.set(batch.id, batch)
+    schedulePump()
+  }
+
   const adapter: SyncAdapter = {
     capabilities: { causalOrdering: true },
-    // A local commit: track it as unacked (rebase set) and trigger a pump. The
-    // send source is the outbox, so the batch itself is only used for rebase.
-    sendBatch: (batch: OpBatch) => {
-      pending.set(batch.id, batch)
-      schedulePump()
-    },
+    // A local store commit: its ops are in the live scene → rebase-tracked.
+    sendBatch: (batch: OpBatch) => submitLocalBatch(batch),
     sendPresence: (patch: PresencePatch) => {
       const state = { ...patch, clientId: opts.clientId } as PresenceState
       connection?.send({ kind: "presence", clientId: opts.clientId, state })
@@ -337,6 +366,7 @@ export const attachBoardSync = (opts: BoardSyncOptions): BoardSyncHandle => {
   }
 
   return {
+    submitLocalBatch,
     detach: () => {
       clearTimer()
       detachSync()