diff --git a/packages/docs-web/src/content/docs/guides/authoring-commands.md b/packages/docs-web/src/content/docs/guides/authoring-commands.md
index 849952c0d3..224db6a566 100644
--- a/packages/docs-web/src/content/docs/guides/authoring-commands.md
+++ b/packages/docs-web/src/content/docs/guides/authoring-commands.md
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ A command is a **markdown file** that serves as a detailed instruction set for a
 
 Commands live in `.archon/commands/` relative to the working directory and are loaded at runtime.
 
+> **`defaults/` is maintainer-territory:** `.archon/commands/defaults/` is reserved for commands shipped with Archon itself (embedded into the binary at build time). For your own commands use `.archon/commands/` (project-scoped) or `~/.archon/commands/` (home-scoped). Every file under `defaults/` must be committed in git — `bun run validate` will error if untracked files are found there.
+
 > **CLI vs Server:** The CLI reads commands from wherever you run it (sees uncommitted changes). The server reads from `~/.archon/workspaces/owner/repo/`, which only syncs from the remote before worktree creation — so changes must be committed and pushed for the server to pick them up.
 
 Commands use this structure:
diff --git a/packages/docs-web/src/content/docs/guides/authoring-workflows.md b/packages/docs-web/src/content/docs/guides/authoring-workflows.md
index 408fdb8e90..fd8e134d18 100644
--- a/packages/docs-web/src/content/docs/guides/authoring-workflows.md
+++ b/packages/docs-web/src/content/docs/guides/authoring-workflows.md
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ nodes:
 > ```
 > Same-named files in `.archon/workflows/` override the bundled defaults.
 
+> **`defaults/` is maintainer-territory:** `.archon/workflows/defaults/` and `.archon/commands/defaults/` are reserved for workflows/commands shipped with Archon itself — they are embedded into the binary at build time and every file there must be committed in git. For your own drafts use `.archon/workflows/` (project-scoped, committed to your repo) or `~/.archon/workflows/` (home-scoped, personal). Running `bun run generate:bundled` (or `bun run validate`) will exit with an error if it finds any untracked files in `defaults/`.
+
 ---
 
 ## File Location
diff --git a/scripts/generate-bundled-defaults.ts b/scripts/generate-bundled-defaults.ts
index 1abcea74f9..c8bacc863e 100644
--- a/scripts/generate-bundled-defaults.ts
+++ b/scripts/generate-bundled-defaults.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@
  */
 import { access, readFile, readdir, writeFile } from 'fs/promises';
 import { join, resolve } from 'path';
+import { execFile as execFileCb } from 'child_process';
+import { promisify } from 'util';
+
+const execFile = promisify(execFileCb);
 
 const REPO_ROOT = resolve(import.meta.dir, '..');
 const COMMANDS_DIR = join(REPO_ROOT, '.archon/commands/defaults');
@@ -52,6 +56,31 @@ async function ensureDir(dir: string, label: string): Promise<void> {
   }
 }
 
+async function assertNoUntrackedFiles(dir: string, label: string): Promise<void> {
+  let stdout: string;
+  try {
+    ({ stdout } = await execFile('git', ['ls-files', '--others', '--exclude-standard', dir], {
+      cwd: REPO_ROOT,
+    }));
+  } catch (e) {
+    const err = e as NodeJS.ErrnoException;
+    if (err.code === 'ENOENT') {
+      // git binary not found — skip the check (unlikely for a dev environment).
+      return;
+    }
+    throw err;
+  }
+  const untracked = stdout.trim().split('\n').filter(Boolean);
+  if (untracked.length > 0) {
+    const list = untracked.map(f => `  ${f}`).join('\n');
+    throw new Error(
+      `${label} contains untracked files that would be embedded into the binary bundle:\n${list}\n\n` +
+        'Untracked file in defaults/ — stage and commit (git add + git commit),\n' +
+        'or move to .archon/workflows/ (project-scope) or ~/.archon/workflows/ (home-scope).'
+    );
+  }
+}
+
 async function collectFiles(dir: string, extensions: readonly string[]): Promise<BundledFile[]> {
   const entries = await readdir(dir);
   const matched = entries
@@ -137,6 +166,11 @@ async function main(): Promise<void> {
     ensureDir(WORKFLOWS_DIR, 'Workflows defaults'),
   ]);
 
+  await Promise.all([
+    assertNoUntrackedFiles(COMMANDS_DIR, 'Commands defaults (.archon/commands/defaults/)'),
+    assertNoUntrackedFiles(WORKFLOWS_DIR, 'Workflows defaults (.archon/workflows/defaults/)'),
+  ]);
+
   const [commands, workflows] = await Promise.all([
     collectFiles(COMMANDS_DIR, ['.md']),
     collectFiles(WORKFLOWS_DIR, ['.yaml', '.yml']),