diff --git a/manifests/context-packs/skill-triggers@1.json b/manifests/context-packs/skill-triggers@1.json
index 4ab1c8a55..fb6d70fe2 100644
--- a/manifests/context-packs/skill-triggers@1.json
+++ b/manifests/context-packs/skill-triggers@1.json
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
     "id": "hand-seeded",
     "source": "manual-curation-pending-regeneration"
   },
-  "registryDigest": "c6f543a29a359ce7738bf215886b53a5081da2cfc5b6f98d4f9416c58d0dfb36",
+  "registryDigest": "d435bfa6e93138c57bd3043bc20ab71fe83e20f40633b45cbeba7c735d1e693e",
   "schemaVersion": 1,
   "triggers": {
     "skill:agent-runtime-gateway-smoke-test": [
diff --git a/skills/continuous-learning-v2/hooks/observe.sh b/skills/continuous-learning-v2/hooks/observe.sh
index ff0d3235f..e490fea24 100755
--- a/skills/continuous-learning-v2/hooks/observe.sh
+++ b/skills/continuous-learning-v2/hooks/observe.sh
@@ -123,6 +123,15 @@ if [ -n "$STDIN_CWD" ] && [ -d "$STDIN_CWD" ]; then
     unset CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR
     export CLV2_NO_PROJECT=1
   fi
+else
+  # Payload cwd is missing or not a directory. Do not let detect-project.sh
+  # priority 2 guess from the hook's inherited working directory. Keep a
+  # valid inherited CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR (explicit override, including non-git
+  # directories). Otherwise force the global bucket.
+  if [ -z "${CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR:-}" ] || [ ! -d "${CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR:-}" ]; then
+    unset CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR
+    export CLV2_NO_PROJECT=1
+  fi
 fi
 
 # ─────────────────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/tests/hooks/observe-missing-cwd.test.js b/tests/hooks/observe-missing-cwd.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..128530745
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/hooks/observe-missing-cwd.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,268 @@
+/**
+ * Regression for observe.sh when the hook payload has no usable cwd.
+ * Issue #2746, defect 1.
+ *
+ * The hook must not let detect-project.sh priority 2 (`git rev-parse`
+ * against the inherited working directory) choose a project. A valid
+ * inherited CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR stays an explicit override, including a
+ * non-git directory (#2469 / #2488). Anything else is forced into the
+ * global bucket via CLV2_NO_PROJECT.
+ *
+ * Run with: node tests/hooks/observe-missing-cwd.test.js
+ */
+
+if (process.platform === 'win32') {
+  console.log('Skipping bash-dependent observe tests on Windows');
+  console.log('Passed: 0');
+  console.log('Failed: 0');
+  process.exit(0);
+}
+
+const assert = require('assert');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const os = require('os');
+const path = require('path');
+const { spawnSync } = require('child_process');
+
+let passed = 0;
+let failed = 0;
+
+const repoRoot = path.resolve(__dirname, '..', '..');
+const observeShPath = path.join(
+  repoRoot,
+  'skills',
+  'continuous-learning-v2',
+  'hooks',
+  'observe.sh'
+);
+
+function test(name, fn) {
+  try {
+    fn();
+    console.log(`PASS: ${name}`);
+    passed += 1;
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.log(`FAIL: ${name}`);
+    console.error(`  ${error.message}`);
+    failed += 1;
+  }
+}
+
+function createTempDir() {
+  return fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'ecc-observe-missing-cwd-'));
+}
+
+function cleanupDir(dir) {
+  try {
+    fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error(`[cleanupDir] failed to remove ${dir}: ${error.message}`);
+  }
+}
+
+function normalizeComparablePath(filePath) {
+  if (!filePath) {
+    return filePath;
+  }
+  const normalized = fs.realpathSync(filePath);
+  return process.platform === 'win32' ? normalized.toLowerCase() : normalized;
+}
+
+function gitInit(dir) {
+  const initResult = spawnSync('git', ['init'], { cwd: dir, encoding: 'utf8' });
+  assert.strictEqual(initResult.status, 0, initResult.stderr || 'git init failed');
+}
+
+function homunculusDir(homeDir) {
+  return path.join(homeDir, '.local', 'share', 'ecc-homunculus');
+}
+
+// `cwd` omitted when cwdField is the symbol OMIT.
+const OMIT = Symbol('omit-cwd');
+
+function hookPayload(cwdField) {
+  const payload = {
+    tool_name: 'Read',
+    tool_input: { file_path: 'README.md' },
+    tool_response: 'ok',
+    session_id: 'session-missing-cwd',
+  };
+  if (cwdField !== OMIT) {
+    payload.cwd = cwdField;
+  }
+  return payload;
+}
+
+function runObserve({ homeDir, processCwd, cwdField, claudeProjectDir }) {
+  const env = { ...process.env };
+  // The hook must not see host credentials, and parent project-detection
+  // knobs must not mask the payload-cwd fallback under test.
+  for (const key of [
+    'GH_TOKEN',
+    'GITHUB_TOKEN',
+    'CLV2_NO_PROJECT',
+    'CLV2_HOMUNCULUS_DIR',
+    'CLV2_CONFIG',
+    'XDG_DATA_HOME',
+    'GIT_DIR',
+    'GIT_WORK_TREE',
+  ]) {
+    delete env[key];
+  }
+  env.HOME = homeDir;
+  env.USERPROFILE = homeDir;
+  env.CLAUDE_CODE_ENTRYPOINT = 'cli';
+  env.ECC_HOOK_PROFILE = 'standard';
+  env.ECC_SKIP_OBSERVE = '0';
+  if (claudeProjectDir === undefined) {
+    env.CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR = '';
+  } else {
+    env.CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR = claudeProjectDir;
+  }
+
+  return spawnSync('bash', [observeShPath, 'post'], {
+    cwd: processCwd,
+    encoding: 'utf8',
+    input: JSON.stringify(hookPayload(cwdField)),
+    env,
+    timeout: 20000,
+  });
+}
+
+function readObservation(filePath) {
+  assert.ok(fs.existsSync(filePath), `expected an observation at ${filePath}`);
+  const lines = fs.readFileSync(filePath, 'utf8').trim().split('\n').filter(Boolean);
+  assert.strictEqual(lines.length, 1, `expected exactly one observation, got ${lines.length}`);
+  return JSON.parse(lines[0]);
+}
+
+function assertGlobalNotInherited(homeDir) {
+  const root = homunculusDir(homeDir);
+  const projectsDir = path.join(root, 'projects');
+  const registryPath = path.join(root, 'projects.json');
+  const observationsPath = path.join(root, 'observations.jsonl');
+
+  assert.ok(
+    !fs.existsSync(registryPath),
+    'unusable payload cwd must not register the hook process working directory'
+  );
+  assert.ok(
+    !fs.existsSync(projectsDir) || fs.readdirSync(projectsDir).length === 0,
+    'unusable payload cwd must not create a project directory from the inherited working directory'
+  );
+
+  const observation = readObservation(observationsPath);
+  assert.strictEqual(observation.project_id, 'global', 'observation must be stored in the global bucket');
+  assert.strictEqual(observation.project_name, 'global');
+  assert.notStrictEqual(
+    observation.project_name,
+    'decoy-repo',
+    'observation must not adopt the inherited git checkout name'
+  );
+}
+
+function assertProjectScope(homeDir, projectDir, projectName) {
+  const root = homunculusDir(homeDir);
+  const projectsDir = path.join(root, 'projects');
+  assert.ok(fs.existsSync(projectsDir), 'a valid CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR should create a project directory');
+  const projectIds = fs.readdirSync(projectsDir);
+  assert.strictEqual(projectIds.length, 1, `expected one project, got ${projectIds.join(',')}`);
+
+  const storedDir = path.join(projectsDir, projectIds[0]);
+  const metadata = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(path.join(storedDir, 'project.json'), 'utf8'));
+  assert.strictEqual(metadata.name, projectName);
+  assert.strictEqual(
+    normalizeComparablePath(metadata.root),
+    normalizeComparablePath(projectDir),
+    'project root must be the inherited CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR, not the hook working directory'
+  );
+  assert.notStrictEqual(metadata.name, 'decoy-repo');
+
+  const observation = readObservation(path.join(storedDir, 'observations.jsonl'));
+  assert.strictEqual(observation.project_name, projectName);
+  assert.notStrictEqual(observation.project_id, 'global');
+  assert.ok(observation.project_id && observation.project_id.length > 0);
+
+  const globalObservations = path.join(root, 'observations.jsonl');
+  assert.ok(
+    !fs.existsSync(globalObservations),
+    'a valid CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR must not also write the global observations file'
+  );
+}
+
+function withDecoyRepo(fn) {
+  const testRoot = createTempDir();
+  try {
+    const homeDir = path.join(testRoot, 'home');
+    const decoyRepo = path.join(testRoot, 'decoy-repo');
+    fs.mkdirSync(homeDir, { recursive: true });
+    fs.mkdirSync(decoyRepo, { recursive: true });
+    gitInit(decoyRepo);
+    fn({ testRoot, homeDir, decoyRepo });
+  } finally {
+    cleanupDir(testRoot);
+  }
+}
+
+console.log('\n=== Observe.sh missing/invalid payload cwd (issue #2746) ===\n');
+
+test('omitted payload cwd does not adopt the inherited git working directory', () => {
+  withDecoyRepo(({ homeDir, decoyRepo }) => {
+    const result = runObserve({ homeDir, processCwd: decoyRepo, cwdField: OMIT });
+    assert.strictEqual(result.status, 0, result.stderr || result.stdout || 'observe.sh failed');
+    assertGlobalNotInherited(homeDir);
+  });
+});
+
+test('empty payload cwd does not adopt the inherited git working directory', () => {
+  withDecoyRepo(({ homeDir, decoyRepo }) => {
+    const result = runObserve({ homeDir, processCwd: decoyRepo, cwdField: '' });
+    assert.strictEqual(result.status, 0, result.stderr || result.stdout || 'observe.sh failed');
+    assertGlobalNotInherited(homeDir);
+  });
+});
+
+test('nonexistent payload cwd does not adopt the inherited git working directory', () => {
+  withDecoyRepo(({ testRoot, homeDir, decoyRepo }) => {
+    const missing = path.join(testRoot, 'no-such-directory');
+    const result = runObserve({ homeDir, processCwd: decoyRepo, cwdField: missing });
+    assert.strictEqual(result.status, 0, result.stderr || result.stdout || 'observe.sh failed');
+    assertGlobalNotInherited(homeDir);
+  });
+});
+
+test('invalid inherited CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR still forces global instead of the inherited git checkout', () => {
+  withDecoyRepo(({ testRoot, homeDir, decoyRepo }) => {
+    const missingProject = path.join(testRoot, 'missing-claude-project');
+    const result = runObserve({
+      homeDir,
+      processCwd: decoyRepo,
+      cwdField: OMIT,
+      claudeProjectDir: missingProject,
+    });
+    assert.strictEqual(result.status, 0, result.stderr || result.stdout || 'observe.sh failed');
+    assertGlobalNotInherited(homeDir);
+  });
+});
+
+test('omitted payload cwd keeps a valid non-git CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR', () => {
+  withDecoyRepo(({ testRoot, homeDir, decoyRepo }) => {
+    const plainProject = path.join(testRoot, 'plain-project');
+    fs.mkdirSync(plainProject, { recursive: true });
+    assert.ok(!fs.existsSync(path.join(plainProject, '.git')), 'guard: CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR must not be a git repo');
+
+    const result = runObserve({
+      homeDir,
+      processCwd: decoyRepo,
+      cwdField: OMIT,
+      claudeProjectDir: plainProject,
+    });
+    assert.strictEqual(result.status, 0, result.stderr || result.stdout || 'observe.sh failed');
+    assertProjectScope(homeDir, plainProject, 'plain-project');
+  });
+});
+
+console.log(`\nPassed: ${passed}`);
+console.log(`Failed: ${failed}`);
+
+process.exit(failed > 0 ? 1 : 0);
diff --git a/tests/hooks/observe-scope-safety.test.js b/tests/hooks/observe-scope-safety.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0d640eb4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/hooks/observe-scope-safety.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,188 @@
+'use strict';
+
+// Exercise the public stdin hook with isolated user data and an unrelated cwd.
+// These fixtures prove local controls, not native host consent or authentication.
+const assert = require('node:assert/strict');
+const fs = require('node:fs');
+const os = require('node:os');
+const path = require('node:path');
+const { spawnSync } = require('node:child_process');
+
+const repo = path.resolve(__dirname, '../..');
+const hook = path.join(repo, 'skills/continuous-learning-v2/hooks/observe.sh');
+let passed = 0;
+let failed = 0;
+
+function test(name, fn) {
+  if (process.platform === 'win32') return;
+  const root = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'ecc-scope-safety-'));
+  try {
+    fn(root);
+    console.log(`PASS: ${name}`);
+    passed += 1;
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error(`FAIL: ${name}: ${error.message}`);
+    failed += 1;
+  } finally {
+    fs.rmSync(root, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  }
+}
+
+function fixture(root) {
+  const home = path.join(root, 'home');
+  const data = path.join(home, '.local/share/ecc-homunculus');
+  const decoy = path.join(root, 'decoy');
+  const explicit = path.join(root, 'explicit');
+  const subdir = path.join(explicit, 'src');
+  fs.mkdirSync(subdir, { recursive: true });
+  fs.mkdirSync(decoy);
+  for (const cwd of [decoy, explicit]) {
+    assert.equal(spawnSync('git', ['init'], { cwd }).status, 0);
+  }
+  const files = {
+    'observations.jsonl': '{"user":"existing-global"}\n',
+    'config.json': '{"observer":{"enabled":false}}\n',
+    'projects.json': '{"user-owned":{"name":"preserved"}}\n',
+    'instincts/personal/user.md': 'existing global instinct\n',
+    'projects/user-owned/observations.jsonl': '{"user":"existing-scoped"}\n',
+    'projects/user-owned/instincts/personal/user.md': 'existing scoped instinct\n',
+  };
+  for (const [relative, content] of Object.entries(files)) {
+    const target = path.join(data, relative);
+    fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(target), { recursive: true });
+    fs.writeFileSync(target, content);
+  }
+  // Allow only runtime environment here, never ambient credentials or scope.
+  const env = { PATH: process.env.PATH, HOME: home, USERPROFILE: home,
+    CLAUDE_CODE_ENTRYPOINT: 'cli', ECC_HOOK_PROFILE: 'standard',
+    ECC_SKIP_OBSERVE: '0', CLV2_CONFIG: path.join(data, 'config.json') };
+  return { data, decoy, explicit, subdir, files, env };
+}
+
+function run(f, payload, extraEnv = {}, phase = 'post', registered = false) {
+  const command = registered ? process.execPath : 'bash';
+  const args = registered
+    ? [path.join(repo, 'scripts/hooks/run-with-flags.js'), `${phase}:observe`,
+      'scripts/hooks/observe-runner.js', 'standard,strict']
+    : [hook, phase];
+  const result = spawnSync(command, args, { cwd: f.decoy,
+    input: typeof payload === 'string' ? payload : JSON.stringify(payload),
+    encoding: 'utf8', timeout: 20000, env: { ...f.env, ...extraEnv } });
+  assert.equal(result.status, 0, result.stderr);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(result.stderr, /runner failed|timed out/i);
+}
+
+function preserved(f, { globalAppend = false, registryUpdate = false } = {}) {
+  for (const [relative, content] of Object.entries(f.files)) {
+    const actual = fs.readFileSync(path.join(f.data, relative), 'utf8');
+    if (relative === 'observations.jsonl' && globalAppend) {
+      assert.ok(actual.startsWith(content), 'existing global observations changed');
+    } else if (relative === 'projects.json' && registryUpdate) {
+      assert.deepEqual(JSON.parse(actual)['user-owned'], JSON.parse(content)['user-owned']);
+    } else assert.equal(actual, content, `user file changed: ${relative}`);
+  }
+}
+
+const payload = { tool_name: 'Read', session_id: 'scope-safety',
+  tool_response: { content: 'password = "CANARY_abcdefghijk"' } };
+
+for (const cwd of [undefined, '', null, '/no-such-ecc-scope-directory']) {
+  test(`unusable cwd ${JSON.stringify(cwd)} appends globally and preserves scoped user files`, root => {
+    const f = fixture(root);
+    run(f, { ...payload, ...(cwd === undefined ? {} : { cwd }) });
+    preserved(f, { globalAppend: true });
+    const rows = fs.readFileSync(path.join(f.data, 'observations.jsonl'), 'utf8').trim().split('\n');
+    assert.equal(rows.length, 2);
+    const record = JSON.parse(rows[1]);
+    assert.equal(record.project_id, 'global');
+    assert.ok(record.output.includes('[REDACTED]'));
+    assert.ok(!record.output.includes('CANARY_abcdefghijk'));
+    assert.deepEqual(fs.readdirSync(path.join(f.data, 'projects')), ['user-owned']);
+    assert.ok(!fs.existsSync(path.join(f.data, '.observer.pid')));
+  });
+}
+
+test('explicit payload subdirectory wins over inherited scope and redacts pre input', root => {
+  const f = fixture(root);
+  run(f, { ...payload, cwd: f.subdir,
+    tool_input: { content: 'token = "CANARY_abcdefghijk"' } },
+  { CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR: f.decoy }, 'pre');
+  preserved(f, { registryUpdate: true });
+  const registry = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(path.join(f.data, 'projects.json')));
+  const entries = Object.values(registry).filter(entry => entry.root);
+  assert.equal(entries.length, 1);
+  assert.equal(fs.realpathSync(entries[0].root), fs.realpathSync(f.explicit));
+  const stored = fs.readFileSync(path.join(f.data, 'projects', entries[0].id, 'observations.jsonl'), 'utf8');
+  assert.equal(JSON.parse(stored).event, 'tool_start');
+  assert.ok(stored.includes('[REDACTED]'));
+  assert.ok(!stored.includes('CANARY_abcdefghijk'));
+});
+
+test('malformed stdin is redacted in global fallback without registering decoy', root => {
+  const f = fixture(root);
+  run(f, 'invalid JSON token=CANARY_abcdefghijk');
+  preserved(f, { globalAppend: true });
+  const rows = fs.readFileSync(path.join(f.data, 'observations.jsonl'), 'utf8').trim().split('\n');
+  assert.equal(rows.length, 2);
+  assert.equal(JSON.parse(rows[1]).event, 'parse_error');
+  assert.ok(rows[1].includes('[REDACTED]'));
+  assert.ok(!rows[1].includes('CANARY_abcdefghijk'));
+  assert.deepEqual(fs.readdirSync(path.join(f.data, 'projects')), ['user-owned']);
+});
+
+test('missing payload cwd keeps an explicit git project and preserves the global bucket', root => {
+  const f = fixture(root);
+  run(f, payload, { CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR: f.subdir });
+  preserved(f, { registryUpdate: true });
+  const registry = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(path.join(f.data, 'projects.json')));
+  const entries = Object.values(registry).filter(entry => entry.root);
+  assert.equal(entries.length, 1);
+  assert.equal(fs.realpathSync(entries[0].root), fs.realpathSync(f.explicit));
+  const stored = fs.readFileSync(path.join(f.data, 'projects', entries[0].id, 'observations.jsonl'), 'utf8');
+  const record = JSON.parse(stored);
+  assert.equal(record.project_id, entries[0].id);
+  assert.equal(record.project_name, 'explicit');
+});
+
+test('custom config disabled marker stops capture without touching either bucket', root => {
+  const f = fixture(root);
+  const configDir = path.join(root, 'custom-config');
+  fs.mkdirSync(configDir);
+  fs.writeFileSync(path.join(configDir, 'config.json'), f.files['config.json']);
+  fs.writeFileSync(path.join(configDir, 'disabled'), 'user disabled capture\n');
+  run(f, { ...payload, cwd: f.subdir }, { CLV2_CONFIG: path.join(configDir, 'config.json') });
+  preserved(f);
+  assert.deepEqual(fs.readdirSync(path.join(f.data, 'projects')), ['user-owned']);
+  assert.ok(!fs.existsSync(path.join(f.data, '.observer-last-activity')));
+});
+
+for (const [label, extraEnv, input, disabled, registered] of [
+  ['empty stdin', {}, '', false, false],
+  ['capture skip', { ECC_SKIP_OBSERVE: '1' }, payload, false, false],
+  ['minimal profile', { ECC_HOOK_PROFILE: 'minimal' }, payload, false, false],
+  ['unknown entrypoint', { CLAUDE_CODE_ENTRYPOINT: 'automated-bot' }, payload, false, false],
+  ['subagent', {}, { ...payload, agent_id: 'fixture-agent' }, false, false],
+  ['excluded path', {}, { ...payload, cwd: '/fixture/observer-sessions' }, false, false],
+  ['data disabled marker', {}, payload, true, false],
+  ['registered hook disabled', { ECC_DISABLED_HOOKS: 'post:observe' }, payload, false, true],
+]) {
+  test(`${label} exits without changing user files or registering inherited cwd`, root => {
+    const f = fixture(root);
+    if (disabled) fs.writeFileSync(path.join(f.data, 'disabled'), 'user disabled capture\n');
+    let cwd = f.subdir;
+    if (label === 'excluded path') {
+      cwd = path.join(f.explicit, 'observer-sessions');
+      fs.mkdirSync(cwd);
+    }
+    // A valid project exposes guards accidentally moved below registration.
+    const event = typeof input === 'string' ? input : { ...input, cwd };
+    run(f, event, extraEnv, 'post', registered);
+    preserved(f);
+    assert.deepEqual(fs.readdirSync(path.join(f.data, 'projects')), ['user-owned']);
+    assert.ok(!fs.existsSync(path.join(f.data, '.observer-last-activity')));
+  });
+}
+
+console.log(`Passed: ${passed}`);
+console.log(`Failed: ${failed}`);
+process.exitCode = failed ? 1 : 0;