diff --git a/agent/BACKLOG.md b/agent/BACKLOG.md
index 513d9f4..cfc59d7 100644
--- a/agent/BACKLOG.md
+++ b/agent/BACKLOG.md
@@ -47,22 +47,6 @@ non-empty), laptop charge-threshold sysfs when a limit is set. Spec:
 docs/HARDWARE.md §10. Cost: doctor.sh sections; V1 in existing
 `checks.doctor` where fakes exist, rest V2/V3.
 
-### 45. V2/V3 verify: Boreal default theme (follow-up to #42 / `351b7ad`)
-Code for Boreal-as-default shipped at V0 only (seed JSON + eval
-fallbacks; contrast green). **Needs a VM-capable agent** (or hardware)
-to close the honesty gap. Checklist:
-1. `nix flake check --no-build` green on current `main` (ISO eval can be
-   slow — let it finish).
-2. V1 optional: build template HM or live toplevel if time allows.
-3. V2: boot live ISO (`tools/test-live-iso.sh`) or apply template HM —
-   confirm session/wallpaper/terminal read as **Boreal** (slug
-   `boreal`, violet accent, GeistMono), not Tokyo Night.
-4. Capture `themes/boreal/preview.png` for the theme picker (square
-   crop per MEMORY rofi icon note) and commit it.
-5. V3 optional: append HARDWARE-QUEUE if only a real panel/GPU shows
-   something headless can't. Delete this item when checklist is done;
-   journal the tier reached.
-
 ### 46. V2 verify: install swap=0 + unattended LUKS fail-closed (`208b8d4`)
 Pure `nix-instantiate` on disko subvols passed V0; **full install path
 not exercised**. VM agent with KVM:
@@ -152,8 +136,8 @@ implement. Bernardo moves accepted items into a tier.*
 
 Product themes and the release bar live in **VISION**. **NEXT:**
 #43 System › Firmware · #44 doctor hardware. #42 boreal default
-shipped (seed state + eval fallbacks); still missing
-`themes/boreal/preview.png` (picker plain-name until captured).
+shipped + V2-verified (session reads as Boreal); `preview.png` captured
+(headless fallback — hardware recapture nicety noted under theme polish).
 Remaining candidate promotions: fingerprint menu · first-boot tips ·
 human rebuild errors · neon-glass quarantine.
 
@@ -304,12 +288,15 @@ human rebuild errors · neon-glass quarantine.
 ### Theme polish / completeness (codebase exam 2026-07-09)
 
 - **Missing theme picker previews + hand btop for identity themes**
-  `boreal` (now the default — higher priority), `executive-slate`, and
-  `neon-glass` lack `preview.png` (picker plain-name rows) and
-  `btop.theme` (generated btop only). CSS/jsonc for boreal/executive-slate
-  are solid. Capture boreal preview ASAP for v1.0 bar; others after
-  neon-glass is fixed/quarantined. Cost: asset capture + optional hand
-  btop; V3 visual.
+  `executive-slate` and `neon-glass` lack `preview.png` (picker
+  plain-name rows). All three still ship generated btop only (no hand
+  `btop.theme`). `boreal` now has a `preview.png` (2026-07-09) but it's a
+  **headless theme-shot capture** — a clean bare desktop+bar, not the
+  floating-terminal (fastfetch+btop) composition the other 21 use; a
+  real-hardware recapture to match the grid would be nicer (VM is the
+  documented fallback). CSS/jsonc for boreal/executive-slate are solid.
+  Capture the other two after neon-glass is fixed/quarantined. Cost:
+  asset capture + optional hand btop; V3 visual.
 
 - **Generated Waybar missing identity-bar affordances**
   Whole-swap bars ship `custom/powermenu` and a left logo → main menu;
@@ -513,6 +500,18 @@ flagged separately from fidelity bugs.*
   can ship. Expand to all tracked `*.py` (or at least installer +
   tools). Cost: one workflow line; TESTING.md §1 should match.
 
+- **No guard against dead Hyprland rule syntax in the generated conf**
+  The `windowrule` 0.53-migration bug (fixed 2026-07-09, `ed7fd93`) shipped
+  a red config-error banner on the *default* desktop for weeks — invisible
+  to `nix flake check` (the conf builds fine; Hyprland only rejects it at
+  session start). A cheap `checks.*` could build the generated
+  `hyprland.conf` and grep for the dead rule-first pattern
+  (`windowrule\s*=\s*(float|center|size|tile|...)\s*,`) and the
+  `windowrulev2` keyword, failing on a match. Better still (heavier):
+  `hyprland --verify`-style parse if one exists. Cost: small runCommand
+  check; catches the whole class. Pairs with the theme-shot harness that
+  actually caught this.
+
 - **No automated check for installer pure contracts**
   `compose-lock.py`, disko `swapSize`/`withLuks` arg contract, and
   hardware-db module names vs `nixos-hardware.nixosModules` have no
diff --git a/agent/JOURNAL.md b/agent/JOURNAL.md
index e7fafce..337454c 100644
--- a/agent/JOURNAL.md
+++ b/agent/JOURNAL.md
@@ -17,6 +17,25 @@ Template:
 
 ---
 
+## 2026-07-09 — #45 V2 verify Boreal default + capture preview.png (theme-shot)
+- **Task:** NEXT #45 — close the honesty gap on Boreal-as-default (shipped V0
+  only at #42) and capture the picker preview. VM-capable environment (KVM).
+- **Did:** Rendered the full Boreal desktop headlessly via `tools/theme-shot.nix`
+  (softGL, 1920×1080). Confirmed the session reads as **Boreal** — aurora
+  wallpaper paints, Waybar violet accent (`#B79BE8`) workspace pill, GeistMono
+  clock, rofi launcher violet prompt/selection — not Tokyo Night. Captured a
+  480×270 `themes/boreal/preview.png` (matches the other 21's format) from the
+  desktop frame; added a cursor-park to theme-shot so the shot is clean. (En
+  route, found+fixed the windowrule banner — separate commit `ed7fd93`.)
+- **Verified:** V0 flake check green; **V2** theme-shot desktop.png + menu.png
+  viewed (banner gone post-fix, bar+launcher themed). Scripted: contrast 24×7
+  pass; audit boreal advisory-only.
+- **Pending:** preview is a headless bare-desktop capture, not the
+  floating-terminal composition of the other 21 — hardware recapture noted
+  under theme polish. V3 (real panel/GPU) not done — not required. The float
+  rules now parse but weren't exercised on real windows (item 41 territory).
+- **Next suggestion:** #46 (install swap=0 / LUKS fail-closed) — driver ready.
+
 ## 2026-07-09 — Fix Hyprland windowrule config-error banner (windowrule 0.53 migration)
 - **Task:** bug tripped over while doing #45 (VM Boreal verify) — the default
   desktop showed a red Hyprland config-error banner on every boot, occluding
diff --git a/themes/boreal/preview.png b/themes/boreal/preview.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aeb357c
Binary files /dev/null and b/themes/boreal/preview.png differ
diff --git a/tools/theme-shot.nix b/tools/theme-shot.nix
index 45cce38..c88372d 100644
--- a/tools/theme-shot.nix
+++ b/tools/theme-shot.nix
@@ -61,13 +61,19 @@ pkgs.testers.runNixOSTest {
   testScript = ''
     machine.wait_for_unit("multi-user.target")
     machine.wait_for_file("/run/user/1000/hypr", 180)
+    # hyprctl dispatch helper (session env resolved from the runtime dir).
+    hy = "su - nomarchy -c 'XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/1000 HYPRLAND_INSTANCE_SIGNATURE=$(ls /run/user/1000/hypr | head -1) hyprctl dispatch"
     # The session exec-once paints the wallpaper (softGL first paint at
     # 1920x1080 is slow) — give it a generous settle.
     machine.sleep(30)
+    # Park the cursor in the bottom-right corner so it doesn't sit in the
+    # middle of the desktop shot (that frame doubles as the theme-picker
+    # preview.png source).
+    machine.execute(hy + " movecursor 1912 1075' >/dev/null 2>&1")
+    machine.sleep(1)
     machine.screenshot("desktop")
     # Open the root menu for the polish review.
-    hy = "su - nomarchy -c 'XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/1000 HYPRLAND_INSTANCE_SIGNATURE=$(ls /run/user/1000/hypr | head -1) hyprctl dispatch exec"
-    machine.execute(hy + " nomarchy-menu' >/dev/null 2>&1")
+    machine.execute(hy + " exec nomarchy-menu' >/dev/null 2>&1")
     machine.sleep(8)
     machine.screenshot("menu")
   '';