diff --git a/scarf/scarf/Core/Services/ProjectDashboardService.swift b/scarf/scarf/Core/Services/ProjectDashboardService.swift
index 9893708..2d616c7 100644
--- a/scarf/scarf/Core/Services/ProjectDashboardService.swift
+++ b/scarf/scarf/Core/Services/ProjectDashboardService.swift
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import Foundation
+import os
 
 struct ProjectDashboardService: Sendable {
+    private static let logger = Logger(subsystem: "com.scarf", category: "ProjectDashboardService")
 
     let context: ServerContext
     let transport: any ServerTransport
@@ -19,23 +21,28 @@ struct ProjectDashboardService: Sendable {
         do {
             return try JSONDecoder().decode(ProjectRegistry.self, from: data)
         } catch {
-            print("[Scarf] Failed to decode project registry: \(error.localizedDescription)")
+            Self.logger.error("Failed to decode project registry: \(error.localizedDescription, privacy: .public)")
             return ProjectRegistry(projects: [])
         }
     }
 
-    func saveRegistry(_ registry: ProjectRegistry) {
+    /// Persist the project registry to `~/.hermes/scarf/projects.json`.
+    ///
+    /// **Throws** on every non-success path — the previous version of
+    /// this method silently swallowed `createDirectory` and `writeFile`
+    /// failures with `try?`, which meant the installer could return a
+    /// valid-looking `ProjectEntry` while the registry on disk never
+    /// received the new row (project would complete install, show a
+    /// success screen, then be invisible in the sidebar). Callers that
+    /// want fire-and-forget behaviour can still use `try?`, but the
+    /// choice is now theirs.
+    func saveRegistry(_ registry: ProjectRegistry) throws {
         let dir = context.paths.scarfDir
         if !transport.fileExists(dir) {
-            do {
-                try transport.createDirectory(dir)
-            } catch {
-                print("[Scarf] Failed to create scarf directory: \(error.localizedDescription)")
-                return
-            }
+            try transport.createDirectory(dir)
         }
-        guard let data = try? JSONEncoder().encode(registry) else { return }
-        // Pretty-print for readability (agents may read this file)
+        let data = try JSONEncoder().encode(registry)
+        // Pretty-print for readability (agents may read this file).
         let writeData: Data
         if let pretty = try? JSONSerialization.jsonObject(with: data),
            let formatted = try? JSONSerialization.data(withJSONObject: pretty, options: [.prettyPrinted, .sortedKeys]) {
@@ -43,7 +50,7 @@ struct ProjectDashboardService: Sendable {
         } else {
             writeData = data
         }
-        try? transport.writeFile(context.paths.projectsRegistry, data: writeData)
+        try transport.writeFile(context.paths.projectsRegistry, data: writeData)
     }
 
     // MARK: - Dashboard
diff --git a/scarf/scarf/Core/Services/ProjectTemplateInstaller.swift b/scarf/scarf/Core/Services/ProjectTemplateInstaller.swift
index e0aa1b0..c96e564 100644
--- a/scarf/scarf/Core/Services/ProjectTemplateInstaller.swift
+++ b/scarf/scarf/Core/Services/ProjectTemplateInstaller.swift
@@ -211,7 +211,13 @@ struct ProjectTemplateInstaller: Sendable {
         var registry = service.loadRegistry()
         let entry = ProjectEntry(name: plan.projectRegistryName, path: plan.projectDir)
         registry.projects.append(entry)
-        service.saveRegistry(registry)
+        // Must throw on failure — silent failure here used to make the
+        // installer return a valid entry while the registry on disk
+        // never got updated, producing the "install completed but the
+        // project doesn't show up in the sidebar" bug. If the registry
+        // write fails, the whole install is surfaced as failed so the
+        // user can see + address the underlying problem.
+        try service.saveRegistry(registry)
         return entry
     }
 
diff --git a/scarf/scarf/Core/Services/ProjectTemplateUninstaller.swift b/scarf/scarf/Core/Services/ProjectTemplateUninstaller.swift
index cfa5d14..93f6830 100644
--- a/scarf/scarf/Core/Services/ProjectTemplateUninstaller.swift
+++ b/scarf/scarf/Core/Services/ProjectTemplateUninstaller.swift
@@ -206,7 +206,17 @@ struct ProjectTemplateUninstaller: Sendable {
         let dashboardService = ProjectDashboardService(context: context)
         var registry = dashboardService.loadRegistry()
         registry.projects.removeAll { $0.path == plan.project.path }
-        dashboardService.saveRegistry(registry)
+        // saveRegistry throws now — log a write failure but don't abort
+        // the uninstall. Every earlier step already completed (files
+        // removed, skills removed, cron jobs removed, memory stripped,
+        // Keychain cleared); failing here leaves a stale registry row
+        // pointing at a deleted project — cosmetic and easy to fix
+        // from the sidebar.
+        do {
+            try dashboardService.saveRegistry(registry)
+        } catch {
+            Self.logger.warning("uninstall couldn't rewrite projects registry: \(error.localizedDescription, privacy: .public)")
+        }
 
         Self.logger.info("uninstalled template \(plan.lock.templateId, privacy: .public) from \(plan.project.path, privacy: .public)")
     }
diff --git a/scarf/scarf/Features/Projects/ViewModels/ProjectsViewModel.swift b/scarf/scarf/Features/Projects/ViewModels/ProjectsViewModel.swift
index cd46faf..53bfb14 100644
--- a/scarf/scarf/Features/Projects/ViewModels/ProjectsViewModel.swift
+++ b/scarf/scarf/Features/Projects/ViewModels/ProjectsViewModel.swift
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 import Foundation
+import os
 
 @Observable
 final class ProjectsViewModel {
+    private let logger = Logger(subsystem: "com.scarf", category: "ProjectsViewModel")
     let context: ServerContext
     private let service: ProjectDashboardService
 
@@ -39,7 +41,19 @@ final class ProjectsViewModel {
         guard !registry.projects.contains(where: { $0.name == name }) else { return }
         let entry = ProjectEntry(name: name, path: path)
         registry.projects.append(entry)
-        service.saveRegistry(registry)
+        // saveRegistry throws now. The VM doesn't currently have a
+        // surface for user-visible errors (there's no alert/toast in
+        // the Projects view), so log at error level to the unified
+        // log and keep the in-memory state consistent with whatever
+        // landed on disk. If the write fails, the added entry won't
+        // persist across launches — the user sees it appear + work
+        // this session, then it's gone at relaunch. Not ideal, but
+        // matches today's UX and flagged for a proper alert later.
+        do {
+            try service.saveRegistry(registry)
+        } catch {
+            logger.error("addProject couldn't persist registry: \(error.localizedDescription, privacy: .public)")
+        }
         projects = registry.projects
         selectProject(entry)
     }
@@ -47,7 +61,11 @@ final class ProjectsViewModel {
     func removeProject(_ project: ProjectEntry) {
         var registry = service.loadRegistry()
         registry.projects.removeAll { $0.name == project.name }
-        service.saveRegistry(registry)
+        do {
+            try service.saveRegistry(registry)
+        } catch {
+            logger.error("removeProject couldn't persist registry: \(error.localizedDescription, privacy: .public)")
+        }
         projects = registry.projects
         if selectedProject?.name == project.name {
             selectedProject = nil
diff --git a/scarf/scarf/Features/Templates/Views/TemplateConfigSheet.swift b/scarf/scarf/Features/Templates/Views/TemplateConfigSheet.swift
index 105b9d9..0fddba5 100644
--- a/scarf/scarf/Features/Templates/Views/TemplateConfigSheet.swift
+++ b/scarf/scarf/Features/Templates/Views/TemplateConfigSheet.swift
@@ -68,16 +68,26 @@ struct TemplateConfigSheet: View {
     private var footer: some View {
         HStack {
             Button("Cancel") {
+                // Caller owns dismissal — this view is used both as a
+                // standalone sheet (ConfigEditorSheet, where the caller
+                // wants dismissal) AND inlined inside the install sheet
+                // (TemplateInstallSheet.configureView, where calling
+                // .dismiss here would tear down the OUTER install sheet
+                // and abort the flow before .planned is reached).
                 onCancel()
-                dismiss()
             }
             .keyboardShortcut(.cancelAction)
             Spacer()
             Button(commitLabel) {
                 if let finalized = viewModel.commit(project: project) {
                     onCommit(finalized)
-                    dismiss()
                 }
+                // Same dismissal-is-caller's-responsibility rule as
+                // Cancel — inside the install sheet, onCommit transitions
+                // stage to .planned and the outer view re-renders to
+                // show the preview. In the edit sheet, onCommit
+                // transitions the editor VM and its state machine
+                // handles dismissal via the success view's Done button.
             }
             .keyboardShortcut(.defaultAction)
             .buttonStyle(.borderedProminent)
diff --git a/scarf/scarf/Localizable.xcstrings b/scarf/scarf/Localizable.xcstrings
index c2de1fc..61022a8 100644
--- a/scarf/scarf/Localizable.xcstrings
+++ b/scarf/scarf/Localizable.xcstrings
@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@
     },
     "(%lld tokens)" : {
 
+    },
+    "*" : {
+      "comment" : "A required asterisk.",
+      "isCommentAutoGenerated" : true
     },
     "/%@" : {
 
@@ -2229,6 +2233,9 @@
     "already gone" : {
       "comment" : "A tag for a file that is already gone (no longer in the template).",
       "isCommentAutoGenerated" : true
+    },
+    "Also works: %@" : {
+
     },
     "API Key" : {
       "localizations" : {
@@ -5024,6 +5031,14 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "Configuration saved" : {
+      "comment" : "A title displayed when a configuration is saved.",
+      "isCommentAutoGenerated" : true
+    },
+    "Configuration…" : {
+      "comment" : "A contextual menu item that opens a configuration editor for a project.",
+      "isCommentAutoGenerated" : true
+    },
     "Configure" : {
       "localizations" : {
         "de" : {
@@ -5064,6 +5079,10 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "Configure %@" : {
+      "comment" : "The title of the configuration sheet. The argument is the name of the template.",
+      "isCommentAutoGenerated" : true
+    },
     "Connect timeout" : {
       "localizations" : {
         "de" : {
@@ -5304,6 +5323,10 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "Continue" : {
+      "comment" : "Button label for continuing with the template configuration.",
+      "isCommentAutoGenerated" : true
+    },
     "Continue Last Session" : {
       "localizations" : {
         "de" : {
@@ -5584,6 +5607,10 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "Couldn't save" : {
+      "comment" : "A title displayed when a configuration save fails.",
+      "isCommentAutoGenerated" : true
+    },
     "Create" : {
       "localizations" : {
         "de" : {
@@ -7657,6 +7684,10 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "Edit configuration" : {
+      "comment" : "A button that opens a configuration editor for a project.",
+      "isCommentAutoGenerated" : true
+    },
     "Edit User Profile" : {
       "localizations" : {
         "de" : {
@@ -10548,6 +10579,9 @@
           }
         }
       }
+    },
+    "Internal state inconsistency — please close and re-open." : {
+
     },
     "Invalid URL" : {
       "localizations" : {
@@ -11156,6 +11190,10 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "Loading configuration…" : {
+      "comment" : "A message displayed while loading the configuration.",
+      "isCommentAutoGenerated" : true
+    },
     "Loading session…" : {
       "localizations" : {
         "de" : {
@@ -12665,6 +12703,9 @@
           }
         }
       }
+    },
+    "No configuration" : {
+
     },
     "No credential pools configured" : {
       "localizations" : {
@@ -12910,6 +12951,10 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "No fields" : {
+      "comment" : "A label that describes a template with no configuration fields.",
+      "isCommentAutoGenerated" : true
+    },
     "No headers configured." : {
       "localizations" : {
         "de" : {
@@ -14258,6 +14303,10 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "Opens on launch" : {
+      "comment" : "A tooltip for the star button in the Manage Servers view.",
+      "isCommentAutoGenerated" : true
+    },
     "Optional" : {
       "localizations" : {
         "de" : {
@@ -16127,6 +16176,10 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "Recommended model" : {
+      "comment" : "A label that indicates a recommended model.",
+      "isCommentAutoGenerated" : true
+    },
     "Reconnect" : {
       "localizations" : {
         "de" : {
@@ -18000,6 +18053,14 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "Saved in Keychain — leave empty to keep the stored value." : {
+      "comment" : "A message that appears when a user has filled in a secret but has not yet saved it.",
+      "isCommentAutoGenerated" : true
+    },
+    "Saving…" : {
+      "comment" : "A label displayed while the configuration is being saved.",
+      "isCommentAutoGenerated" : true
+    },
     "Scarf" : {
 
     },
@@ -18043,6 +18104,10 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "Scarf doesn't auto-switch your active model. Change it in Settings if you'd like." : {
+      "comment" : "A description of the warning about not switching models.",
+      "isCommentAutoGenerated" : true
+    },
     "Scarf never prompts for passphrases. Add your key to ssh-agent in Terminal, then click Retry. If your key isn't `id_ed25519`, swap the path:" : {
       "localizations" : {
         "de" : {
@@ -19291,6 +19356,10 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "Set as default — open this server when Scarf launches." : {
+      "comment" : "A tooltip for the star button in the Manage Servers view.",
+      "isCommentAutoGenerated" : true
+    },
     "Settings" : {
       "localizations" : {
         "de" : {
@@ -19694,6 +19763,10 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "Show while typing" : {
+      "comment" : "A hint for the user on how to show/hide the secret.",
+      "isCommentAutoGenerated" : true
+    },
     "Signal integration requires signal-cli (Java-based) installed locally. Link this Mac as a Signal device, then keep the daemon running so hermes can send/receive messages." : {
       "localizations" : {
         "de" : {
@@ -21538,6 +21611,13 @@
           }
         }
       }
+    },
+    "This Mac" : {
+      "comment" : "A description of the local machine.",
+      "isCommentAutoGenerated" : true
+    },
+    "This project wasn't installed from a schemaful template." : {
+
     },
     "This provider has no catalogued models." : {
       "localizations" : {
@@ -21739,6 +21819,10 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "This template has no configuration fields." : {
+      "comment" : "A description of a template with no configuration fields.",
+      "isCommentAutoGenerated" : true
+    },
     "This uploads logs, config (with secrets redacted), and system info to Nous Research support infrastructure. Review the output below before sharing the returned URL." : {
       "localizations" : {
         "de" : {
@@ -23786,6 +23870,10 @@
     },
     "Where should this project live?" : {
 
+    },
+    "Will be saved to the Keychain on commit." : {
+      "comment" : "A description of a secret field that will be saved to the Keychain on commit.",
+      "isCommentAutoGenerated" : true
     },
     "Working" : {
       "localizations" : {
diff --git a/scarf/scarfTests/ProjectTemplateTests.swift b/scarf/scarfTests/ProjectTemplateTests.swift
index 61a3ded..a79a546 100644
--- a/scarf/scarfTests/ProjectTemplateTests.swift
+++ b/scarf/scarfTests/ProjectTemplateTests.swift
@@ -768,6 +768,111 @@ import Foundation
     }
 }
 
+/// State-machine tests for `TemplateInstallerViewModel`. The install
+/// flow's configure step is driven entirely through the VM — the view
+/// transitions `.awaitingParentDirectory → .awaitingConfig → .planned`
+/// based on `submitConfig(values:)` / `cancelConfig()` calls. If those
+/// transitions break, the user lands on the wrong sheet stage (or no
+/// sheet at all, as in the v1.1.0 regression where the config sheet's
+/// internal `dismiss()` tore down the outer install sheet before
+/// submitConfig had a chance to fire).
+@Suite(.serialized) @MainActor struct TemplateInstallerViewModelTests {
+
+    @Test func submitConfigStashesValuesAndTransitionsToPlanned() throws {
+        let vm = TemplateInstallerViewModel(context: .local)
+        // Seed the VM with an awaiting-config plan (schema-ful).
+        let plan = try Self.makePlanWithConfigSchema()
+        vm.plan = plan
+        vm.stage = .awaitingConfig
+
+        let values: [String: TemplateConfigValue] = [
+            "site_url": .string("https://example.com")
+        ]
+        vm.submitConfig(values: values)
+
+        // Stage must advance past the configure step, values must land
+        // on the plan where install() will pick them up.
+        if case .planned = vm.stage {
+            // ok
+        } else {
+            Issue.record("expected .planned, got \(vm.stage)")
+        }
+        #expect(vm.plan?.configValues["site_url"] == .string("https://example.com"))
+    }
+
+    @Test func cancelConfigReturnsToAwaitingParentDirectory() throws {
+        let vm = TemplateInstallerViewModel(context: .local)
+        vm.plan = try Self.makePlanWithConfigSchema()
+        vm.stage = .awaitingConfig
+
+        vm.cancelConfig()
+
+        if case .awaitingParentDirectory = vm.stage {
+            // ok — user can re-pick the parent dir or fully cancel
+        } else {
+            Issue.record("expected .awaitingParentDirectory, got \(vm.stage)")
+        }
+        // Plan is preserved so re-entering the configure step doesn't
+        // re-run buildPlan.
+        #expect(vm.plan != nil)
+    }
+
+    @Test func submitConfigNoOpWhenPlanIsNil() {
+        let vm = TemplateInstallerViewModel(context: .local)
+        vm.plan = nil
+        vm.stage = .awaitingConfig
+        vm.submitConfig(values: ["k": .string("v")])
+        // With no plan, the call should be silent — no crash, stage
+        // stays where it was. (Defensive guard in submitConfig.)
+        if case .awaitingConfig = vm.stage {
+            // ok
+        } else {
+            Issue.record("expected stage to remain .awaitingConfig when plan is nil; got \(vm.stage)")
+        }
+    }
+
+    // MARK: - Fixture
+
+    /// Build a `TemplateInstallPlan` carrying a single-field config
+    /// schema. Exists as a local helper rather than a shared one
+    /// because no other suite needs it.
+    nonisolated static func makePlanWithConfigSchema() throws -> TemplateInstallPlan {
+        let schema = TemplateConfigSchema(
+            fields: [
+                .init(key: "site_url", type: .string, label: "Site URL",
+                      description: nil, required: true, placeholder: nil,
+                      defaultValue: nil, options: nil, minLength: nil,
+                      maxLength: nil, pattern: nil, minNumber: nil,
+                      maxNumber: nil, step: nil, itemType: nil,
+                      minItems: nil, maxItems: nil)
+            ],
+            modelRecommendation: nil
+        )
+        let manifest = ProjectTemplateServiceTests.sampleManifest(
+            id: "tester/vm-transitions",
+            configSchema: schema
+        )
+        let tmp = try ProjectTemplateServiceTests.makeTempDir()
+        // Not a real bundle dir — we never unzip or install from this
+        // plan, we only test state transitions that don't touch disk.
+        return TemplateInstallPlan(
+            manifest: manifest,
+            unpackedDir: tmp,
+            projectDir: tmp + "/project",
+            projectFiles: [],
+            skillsNamespaceDir: nil,
+            skillsFiles: [],
+            cronJobs: [],
+            memoryAppendix: nil,
+            memoryPath: ServerContext.local.paths.memoryMD,
+            projectRegistryName: "VM Transitions",
+            configSchema: schema,
+            configValues: [:],
+            manifestCachePath: tmp + "/project/.scarf/manifest.json"
+        )
+    }
+}
+
 /// Validates every `.scarftemplate` shipped under `templates/<author>/<name>/`
 /// in the repo. A template whose manifest, `contents` claim, or file set is
 /// out of sync will fail here — so shipped templates can't silently rot.