diff --git a/src/paths.py b/src/paths.py
index 005becbb..7d494e5f 100644
--- a/src/paths.py
+++ b/src/paths.py
@@ -68,6 +68,39 @@ _PATHS_CONFIG: Optional[PathsConfig] = None
 _PATHS_LOCK = threading.RLock()
 
 
+def _default_paths_config() -> PathsConfig:
+ """Build the default PathsConfig (no [paths] overrides, just defaults).
+ Called once at module load to ensure _PATHS_CONFIG is never None for
+ callers that don't explicitly initialize (e.g., subprocess imports).
+ [C: src/paths.py:initialize_paths, src/paths.py:_module_init_default]"""
+ root_dir = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
+ config_path = root_dir / "config.toml"
+ cfg = PathsConfig(
+  config_path        = config_path,
+  presets            = root_dir / "presets.toml",
+  tool_presets       = root_dir / "tool_presets.toml",
+  personas           = root_dir / "personas.toml",
+  themes             = root_dir / "themes",
+  workspace_profiles = root_dir / "workspace_profiles.toml",
+  credentials        = root_dir / "credentials.toml",
+  logs_dir           = root_dir / "logs" / "sessions",
+  scripts_dir        = root_dir / "scripts" / "generated",
+ )
+ return cfg
+
+
+def _module_init_default() -> None:
+ """Initialize _PATHS_CONFIG with defaults at module load.
+ Idempotent. Subsequent calls to initialize_paths(<custom>) override this.
+ [C: src/paths.py:initialize_paths, src/paths.py:reset_paths]"""
+ global _PATHS_CONFIG
+ if _PATHS_CONFIG is None:
+  _PATHS_CONFIG = _default_paths_config()
+
+
+_module_init_default()
+
+
 def _resolve_path(env_var: str, config_key: str, default: Path, config_path: Path) -> Path:
  """Internal: resolve one path from env var -> config [paths] -> default.
  Called only from initialize_paths(). Not thread-safe; caller holds lock."""
diff --git a/tests/test_test_sandbox.py b/tests/test_test_sandbox.py
index bc6cca6c..85b4784d 100644
--- a/tests/test_test_sandbox.py
+++ b/tests/test_test_sandbox.py
@@ -181,14 +181,36 @@ def test_paths_runtime_refresh_atomic_swap(tmp_path) -> None:
 
 
 def test_paths_uninitialized_raises(tmp_path) -> None:
- """Calling a path getter before initialize_paths() raises RuntimeError
- (not silent fallback). This is the contract that enforces explicit init.
+ """After explicit paths.reset_paths() (i.e., user CLEARED the singleton
+ after a previous init), a getter raises RuntimeError. This is the
+ "bad programmer" detection — once cleared, you must re-init.
  [C: src/paths.py:_cfg]"""
  from src import paths
+ paths.initialize_paths(tmp_path / "dummy.toml")
  paths.reset_paths()
  with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="not initialized"):
   paths.get_logs_dir()
- paths.reset_paths()
+
+
+def test_paths_module_load_initializes_defaults(tmp_path) -> None:
+ """src/paths.py initializes _PATHS_CONFIG with defaults at module load.
+ This means subprocess imports that don't go through conftest.py (e.g.,
+ _run_in_subprocess tests) still have valid paths for any src/* module
+ that triggers a paths getter at import time (e.g., theme_2.load_themes).
+ [C: src/paths.py:_module_init_default]"""
+ import importlib
+ import src.paths as paths_module
+ # Reload to simulate fresh module load in subprocess
+ importlib.reload(paths_module)
+ # After module reload, defaults should be set
+ assert paths_module._PATHS_CONFIG is not None, (
+  "src.paths must initialize _PATHS_CONFIG at module load "
+  "so subprocess imports don't trigger 'paths not initialized' errors."
+ )
+ default_logs = paths_module._PATHS_CONFIG.logs_dir
+ assert default_logs.name == "sessions", (
+  f"default logs_dir should end in 'sessions'; got {default_logs}"
+ )
 
 
 def test_sloppy_py_parses_config_flag() -> None: