diff --git a/tests/artifacts/manualslop_layout_default.ini b/tests/artifacts/manualslop_layout_default.ini
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..49a20fcc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/artifacts/manualslop_layout_default.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+;;;
+;;; Manual Slop default docking layout for live_gui test sessions
+;;;
+;;; This file is loaded by the live_gui test fixture to give every test
+;;; session a deterministic starting layout. The fixture copies this file
+;;; into the test workspace (tests/artifacts/live_gui_workspace/) before
+;;; spawning the sloppy.py subprocess; HelloImGui picks it up on launch.
+;;;
+;;; Organization (matches the user's preferred arrangement):
+;;;   Left column (DockNode 0x10):
+;;;     Tab 0: Project Settings
+;;;     Tab 1: Files & Media
+;;;     Tab 2: AI Settings
+;;;     Tab 3: Operations Hub
+;;;   Right column (DockNode 0x11):
+;;;     Tab 0: Discussion Hub
+;;;     Tab 1: Log Management
+;;;     Tab 2: Diagnostics
+;;;
+;;; MMA Dashboard is intentionally NOT included — it starts hidden and
+;;; the user opens it from the Windows menu when needed (per user
+;;; preference: "I don't want mma to be visible by default").
+;;;
+;;; To iterate on this layout: open sloppy.py, arrange windows as
+;;; desired, quit (HelloImGui auto-saves the file to your cwd), then
+;;; copy the resulting manualslop_layout.ini over this one.
+;;;
+;;; Scrubbed entries: no Text Viewer / Tool Script windows (transient
+;;; session-specific), no old-name windows (Projects/Files/Screenshots/
+;;; Provider/...), no modals (Inject File/AST Inspector/Context Preview
+;;; are popups opened on demand).
+;;;
+
+[Window][Project Settings]
+Pos=0,29
+Size=900,1200
+Collapsed=0
+DockId=0x00000010,0
+
+[Window][Files & Media]
+Pos=0,29
+Size=900,1200
+Collapsed=0
+DockId=0x00000010,1
+
+[Window][AI Settings]
+Pos=0,29
+Size=900,1200
+Collapsed=0
+DockId=0x00000010,2
+
+[Window][Operations Hub]
+Pos=0,29
+Size=900,1200
+Collapsed=0
+DockId=0x00000010,3
+
+[Window][Discussion Hub]
+Pos=905,29
+Size=900,1200
+Collapsed=0
+DockId=0x00000011,0
+
+[Window][Log Management]
+Pos=905,29
+Size=900,1200
+Collapsed=0
+DockId=0x00000011,1
+
+[Window][Diagnostics]
+Pos=905,29
+Size=900,1200
+Collapsed=0
+DockId=0x00000011,2
+
+[Window][Theme]
+Pos=0,29
+Size=400,400
+Collapsed=1
+DockId=0x00000010,4
+
+[Window][Tier 1: Strategy]
+Pos=910,29
+Size=400,300
+Collapsed=1
+DockId=0x00000011,3
+
+[Window][Tier 2: Tech Lead]
+Pos=910,29
+Size=400,300
+Collapsed=1
+DockId=0x00000011,4
+
+[Window][Tier 3: Workers]
+Pos=910,29
+Size=400,300
+Collapsed=1
+DockId=0x00000011,5
+
+[Window][Tier 4: QA]
+Pos=910,29
+Size=400,300
+Collapsed=1
+DockId=0x00000011,6
+
+[Docking][Data]
+DockSpace  ID=0xAFBEEF01 Window=0xCAFEBABE Pos=0,29 Size=1805,1200 Split=X
+  DockNode  ID=0x00000010 Parent=0xAFBEEF01 SizeRef=900,1200 Selected=0xC0FFEE01
+  DockNode  ID=0x00000011 Parent=0xAFBEEF01 SizeRef=900,1200 Selected=0xC0FFEE02