diff --git a/frontend/src/components/flowpilot/ProposalDetail.tsx b/frontend/src/components/flowpilot/ProposalDetail.tsx
index 358310fd..530c9ae1 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/flowpilot/ProposalDetail.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/flowpilot/ProposalDetail.tsx
@@ -88,18 +88,35 @@ export function ProposalDetail({ proposal, onReview }: ProposalDetailProps) {
 
       {/* Content */}
       <div className="flex-1 overflow-y-auto p-6 space-y-5">
-        {/* Source session link */}
-        <div className="card-flat p-4">
-          <h4 className="font-sans text-xs text-[0.625rem] uppercase tracking-wider text-text-muted mb-2">Source Session</h4>
-          <Link
-            to={`/pilot/${proposal.source_session_id}`}
-            target="_blank"
-            className="flex items-center gap-2 text-sm text-primary hover:underline"
-          >
-            <ExternalLink size={12} />
-            View session that generated this proposal
-          </Link>
-        </div>
+        {/* Source — exactly one of a FlowPilot session XOR an L1 walk is set
+            (DB CHECK). Never link to /pilot for an L1-sourced proposal:
+            source_session_id is NULL there, so the old unconditional link
+            rendered a broken /pilot/null. */}
+        {proposal.source_session_id ? (
+          <div className="card-flat p-4">
+            <h4 className="font-sans text-xs text-[0.625rem] uppercase tracking-wider text-text-muted mb-2">Source Session</h4>
+            <Link
+              to={`/pilot/${proposal.source_session_id}`}
+              target="_blank"
+              className="flex items-center gap-2 text-sm text-primary hover:underline"
+            >
+              <ExternalLink size={12} />
+              View session that generated this proposal
+            </Link>
+          </div>
+        ) : proposal.l1_session_id ? (
+          <div className="card-flat p-4">
+            <h4 className="font-sans text-xs text-[0.625rem] uppercase tracking-wider text-text-muted mb-2">Source — L1 AI walkthrough</h4>
+            <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+              Captured from an L1 technician's AI-guided walk and validated by a
+              successful resolution. The proposed flow is the path that resolved the ticket.
+            </p>
+            <p className="mt-2 flex items-center gap-1.5 text-xs text-text-muted">
+              <Hash size={11} />
+              <span className="font-mono">L1 session {proposal.l1_session_id.slice(0, 8)}</span>
+            </p>
+          </div>
+        ) : null}
 
         {/* Proposed diff (for enhancements) */}
         {proposal.proposed_diff && (() => {
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/l1/L1EscalationsSection.tsx b/frontend/src/components/l1/L1EscalationsSection.tsx
index 5640a7e8..97a7ee1f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/l1/L1EscalationsSection.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/l1/L1EscalationsSection.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
 import { l1Api } from '@/api/l1'
+import { timeAgo } from '@/lib/timeAgo'
 import type { WalkSession } from '@/types/l1'
 
 /**
@@ -43,11 +44,13 @@ export function L1EscalationsSection() {
                 <div className="flex items-center gap-3 min-w-0">
                   <span className="font-mono text-xs text-text-muted">#{s.id.slice(0, 8)}</span>
                   <span className="text-sm text-text-primary truncate">
-                    {s.walked_path.length} step{s.walked_path.length === 1 ? '' : 's'} walked
+                    {s.problem_text
+                      ? s.problem_text
+                      : `${s.walked_path.length} step${s.walked_path.length === 1 ? '' : 's'} walked`}
                   </span>
                 </div>
                 <span className="text-xs text-text-muted whitespace-nowrap">
-                  {new Date(s.last_step_at).toLocaleString()}
+                  {timeAgo(s.last_step_at)}
                 </span>
               </button>
               {isOpen && (
@@ -58,7 +61,7 @@ export function L1EscalationsSection() {
                     <ol className="space-y-1.5 text-sm">
                       {s.walked_path.map((step, i) => (
                         <li key={i} className="flex flex-col">
-                          <span className="text-text-muted text-xs">{step.question}</span>
+                          <span className="text-text-muted text-xs">{step.question ?? step.text}</span>
                           {step.answer && (
                             <span className="font-medium text-text-primary">→ {step.answer}</span>
                           )}
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/l1/L1WalkTreeVariant.tsx b/frontend/src/components/l1/L1WalkTreeVariant.tsx
index 7d464284..e887cea8 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/l1/L1WalkTreeVariant.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/l1/L1WalkTreeVariant.tsx
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ export function L1WalkTreeVariant({ session, onSessionUpdate, onDone }: Props) {
   }, [isAiBuild, session.id, session.status])
 
   const advanceNode = useCallback(
-    async (body: { answer?: 'yes' | 'no'; acknowledged?: boolean }) => {
+    async (body: { answer?: 'yes' | 'no' }) => {
       if (!node) return
       setNodeLoading(true)
       setNodeError(null)
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ export function L1WalkTreeVariant({ session, onSessionUpdate, onDone }: Props) {
                 <>
                   <p className="text-lg">{node.text}</p>
                   <button
-                    onClick={() => advanceNode({ acknowledged: true })}
+                    onClick={() => advanceNode({})}
                     className="rounded-md bg-accent text-white px-5 py-3 text-base font-medium hover:bg-accent/90 min-h-[44px] transition-colors"
                   >
                     Done — next step
@@ -251,8 +251,8 @@ export function L1WalkTreeVariant({ session, onSessionUpdate, onDone }: Props) {
             <ol className="space-y-3 text-sm">
               {session.walked_path.map((step, i) => (
                 <li key={i} className="flex flex-col">
-                  <span className="text-muted-foreground text-xs">{step.question}</span>
-                  <span className="font-medium">→ {step.answer}</span>
+                  <span className="text-muted-foreground text-xs">{step.question ?? step.text}</span>
+                  {step.answer && <span className="font-medium">→ {step.answer}</span>}
                   {step.l1_note && <span className="text-muted-foreground text-xs italic mt-0.5">{step.l1_note}</span>}
                 </li>
               ))}
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/layout/ProtectedRoute.tsx b/frontend/src/components/layout/ProtectedRoute.tsx
index 8b364518..879c5342 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/layout/ProtectedRoute.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/layout/ProtectedRoute.tsx
@@ -5,13 +5,18 @@ import { Spinner } from '@/components/common/Spinner'
 
 interface ProtectedRouteProps {
   requiredRole?: EffectiveRole
+  // Gate on account-management capability (owner OR account-admin OR super_admin),
+  // mirroring backend require_account_owner_or_admin. Use instead of
+  // requiredRole="owner" when account admins must also pass — the role hierarchy
+  // has no 'admin' rung, so requiredRole alone wrongly bounces admins.
+  requireAccountManager?: boolean
   children: React.ReactNode
 }
 
-export function ProtectedRoute({ requiredRole, children }: ProtectedRouteProps) {
+export function ProtectedRoute({ requiredRole, requireAccountManager, children }: ProtectedRouteProps) {
   const { isAuthenticated, isLoading, user } = useAuthStore()
   const location = useLocation()
-  const { effectiveRole } = usePermissions()
+  const { effectiveRole, canManageAccount } = usePermissions()
 
   if (isLoading) {
     return (
@@ -48,6 +53,10 @@ export function ProtectedRoute({ requiredRole, children }: ProtectedRouteProps)
     }
   }
 
+  if (requireAccountManager && !canManageAccount) {
+    return <Navigate to="/trees" replace />
+  }
+
   if (requiredRole) {
     const ROLE_HIERARCHY: Record<EffectiveRole, number> = {
       super_admin: 5,
diff --git a/frontend/src/hooks/usePermissions.ts b/frontend/src/hooks/usePermissions.ts
index 34f39bfe..235d7948 100644
--- a/frontend/src/hooks/usePermissions.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/hooks/usePermissions.ts
@@ -88,7 +88,13 @@ export function usePermissions() {
     // Management permissions
     canManageCategories: hasMinimumRole(user, 'owner'),
     canManageGlobalCategories: effectiveRole === 'super_admin',
-    canManageAccount: effectiveRole === 'super_admin' || effectiveRole === 'owner',
+    // Mirrors backend User.can_manage_account (super_admin OR owner OR admin).
+    // account_role 'admin' isn't in the effectiveRole hierarchy, so check it
+    // directly — otherwise account admins map to 'viewer' and are wrongly excluded.
+    canManageAccount:
+      effectiveRole === 'super_admin' ||
+      effectiveRole === 'owner' ||
+      user?.account_role === 'admin',
 
     canManageScriptTemplate: (template: { created_by: string | null; team_id?: string | null }) => {
       if (!user) return false
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/EscalationQueuePage.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/EscalationQueuePage.tsx
index 5ae5a20e..5382810d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/EscalationQueuePage.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/EscalationQueuePage.tsx
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
 import { useState } from 'react'
 import { AlertTriangle } from 'lucide-react'
 import { EscalationQueue, EscalationMetricCard } from '@/components/flowpilot'
+import { L1EscalationsSection } from '@/components/l1/L1EscalationsSection'
 
 export default function EscalationQueuePage() {
   const [count, setCount] = useState<number | null>(null)
 
   return (
-    <div className="mx-auto max-w-4xl p-6">
-      <div className="flex items-center gap-3 mb-6">
+    <div className="mx-auto max-w-4xl p-6 space-y-6">
+      <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
         <span className="flex h-8 w-8 items-center justify-center rounded-lg bg-warning-dim">
           <AlertTriangle size={16} className="text-warning" />
         </span>
@@ -24,6 +25,10 @@ export default function EscalationQueuePage() {
       <EscalationMetricCard period="30d" />
 
       <EscalationQueue onCountChange={setCount} />
+
+      {/* L1 AI-build handoffs (GET /l1/escalations). Renders nothing when empty,
+          so engineers without L1 escalations see no change. */}
+      <L1EscalationsSection />
     </div>
   )
 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/l1/L1Dashboard.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/l1/L1Dashboard.tsx
index a7cc9895..573bf242 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/l1/L1Dashboard.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/l1/L1Dashboard.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { l1Api } from '@/api/l1'
 import { toast } from '@/lib/toast'
 import { EmptyStateCard } from '@/components/l1/EmptyStateCard'
 import { ResumeInProgress } from '@/components/l1/ResumeInProgress'
-import type { NearMiss, QueueRow } from '@/types/l1'
+import type { IntakeRequest, NearMiss, QueueRow } from '@/types/l1'
 
 export default function L1Dashboard() {
   const user = useAuthStore((s) => s.user)
@@ -44,23 +44,42 @@ export default function L1Dashboard() {
     setOutOfScope(null)
   }
 
-  const handleStart = async () => {
+  // Single intake entry point — `opts` selects the variant:
+  //   {}                      → normal match-or-build
+  //   { flow_id }             → "Use this flow" (bypass matcher, walk that flow)
+  //   { force_build: true }   → "Build new" (skip match, still category-gated)
+  //   { adhoc: true }         → out-of-scope "Walk it ad-hoc"
+  // Collapsing the old three near-identical handlers removes the drift that let
+  // "Use this flow" silently re-suggest forever (it never passed the flow_id).
+  const runIntake = async (opts: Partial<IntakeRequest> = {}) => {
     if (!problem.trim()) return
     setSubmitting(true)
     resetPrompts()
     try {
-      // Phase 2A: intake dispatches via match_or_build and returns an `outcome`.
       const response = await l1Api.intake({
         problem_statement: problem.trim(),
         customer_name: customerName.trim() || undefined,
         customer_contact: customerContact.trim() || undefined,
+        ...opts,
       })
-      if (response.outcome === 'matched' || response.outcome === 'build') {
-        navigate(`/l1/walk/${response.session_id}`)
-      } else if (response.outcome === 'suggest') {
-        setSuggestion(response.near_miss ?? null)
-      } else if (response.outcome === 'out_of_scope') {
-        setOutOfScope(response.category ?? 'unknown')
+      switch (response.outcome) {
+        case 'matched':
+        case 'build':
+        case 'adhoc':
+          if (response.session_id) {
+            navigate(`/l1/walk/${response.session_id}`)
+          } else {
+            // Backend guarantees session_id on these outcomes; guard so a
+            // regression never navigates to /l1/walk/undefined.
+            toast.error('Walk started but no session was returned. Try again.')
+          }
+          break
+        case 'suggest':
+          setSuggestion(response.near_miss ?? null)
+          break
+        case 'out_of_scope':
+          setOutOfScope(response.category ?? 'unknown')
+          break
       }
     } catch (err) {
       const detail = (err as { response?: { data?: { detail?: string } } }).response?.data?.detail
@@ -72,47 +91,14 @@ export default function L1Dashboard() {
     }
   }
 
-  // "Use this flow" — re-run intake with the same text; it matches again and
-  // returns a `matched` outcome with a started flow session (acceptable Phase 2A).
-  const useSuggestedFlow = async () => {
-    setSubmitting(true)
-    try {
-      const response = await l1Api.intake({
-        problem_statement: problem.trim(),
-        customer_name: customerName.trim() || undefined,
-        customer_contact: customerContact.trim() || undefined,
-      })
-      if (response.session_id) navigate(`/l1/walk/${response.session_id}`)
-      else resetPrompts()
-    } catch {
-      toast.error('Could not start the matched flow. Try again.')
-    } finally {
-      setSubmitting(false)
-    }
-  }
-
-  // "Build new" — skip the match pass (force_build); still gated by enabled categories.
-  const buildNew = async () => {
-    setSubmitting(true)
-    resetPrompts()
-    try {
-      const response = await l1Api.intake({
-        problem_statement: problem.trim(),
-        customer_name: customerName.trim() || undefined,
-        customer_contact: customerContact.trim() || undefined,
-        force_build: true,
-      })
-      if (response.outcome === 'build' && response.session_id) {
-        navigate(`/l1/walk/${response.session_id}`)
-      } else if (response.outcome === 'out_of_scope') {
-        setOutOfScope(response.category ?? 'unknown')
-      }
-    } catch {
-      toast.error('Failed to start walk. Try again.')
-    } finally {
-      setSubmitting(false)
-    }
-  }
+  const handleStart = () => runIntake()
+  // "Use this flow" — pass the near-miss flow_id so intake walks it directly
+  // (the matcher can't reliably re-derive the same flow from the same text).
+  const useSuggestedFlow = () => runIntake({ flow_id: suggestion?.flow_id })
+  // "Build new" — skip the match pass (force_build); still gated by categories.
+  const buildNew = () => runIntake({ force_build: true })
+  // "Walk it ad-hoc" — out-of-scope fallback: a free-form walk (no AI tree).
+  const walkAdhoc = () => runIntake({ adhoc: true })
 
   // out-of-scope fallback: escalate straight to engineering (no walk).
   const escalateOutOfScope = async () => {
@@ -272,14 +258,23 @@ export default function L1Dashboard() {
             <p className="text-sm text-primary">
               This problem isn’t in your account’s enabled L1 categories
               {outOfScope !== 'unknown' ? ` (${outOfScope.replace(/_/g, ' ')})` : ''}, so
-              there’s no AI-built walk for it. You can escalate it to engineering.
+              there’s no AI-built walk for it. You can still walk it ad-hoc (free-form
+              notes, no AI tree), or escalate it to engineering.
             </p>
             <div className="flex gap-2">
               <button
                 type="button"
-                onClick={escalateOutOfScope}
+                onClick={walkAdhoc}
                 disabled={submitting}
                 className="rounded-md bg-accent text-white px-4 py-2 text-sm font-medium hover:bg-accent/90 transition-colors disabled:opacity-50"
+              >
+                Walk it ad-hoc
+              </button>
+              <button
+                type="button"
+                onClick={escalateOutOfScope}
+                disabled={submitting}
+                className="rounded-md border border-default px-4 py-2 text-sm hover:bg-elevated transition-colors disabled:opacity-50"
               >
                 Escalate to engineering
               </button>
diff --git a/frontend/src/router.tsx b/frontend/src/router.tsx
index 61f07f00..c92bbbce 100644
--- a/frontend/src/router.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/router.tsx
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ export const router = sentryCreateBrowserRouter([
           {
             path: 'l1-categories',
             element: (
-              <ProtectedRoute requiredRole="owner">
+              <ProtectedRoute requireAccountManager>
                 {page(L1CategoriesPage)}
               </ProtectedRoute>
             ),
diff --git a/frontend/src/types/l1.ts b/frontend/src/types/l1.ts
index ea74a577..69fa25e5 100644
--- a/frontend/src/types/l1.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/types/l1.ts
@@ -3,9 +3,15 @@ export type SessionStatus = 'active' | 'resolved' | 'escalated' | 'abandoned'
 export type TicketKind = 'psa' | 'internal'
 
 export interface WalkStep {
-  node_id: string
-  question: string
-  answer: string
+  // Two shapes coexist (segregated by session_kind): legacy flow/adhoc steps use
+  // node_id + question; ai_build steps use id + node_type + text. Render with
+  // `step.question ?? step.text`.
+  node_id?: string
+  id?: string
+  node_type?: string
+  question?: string
+  text?: string
+  answer: string | null
   l1_note: string | null
 }
 
@@ -17,6 +23,8 @@ export interface AdhocNote {
 export interface WalkSession {
   id: string
   session_kind: SessionKind
+  category: string | null
+  problem_text: string | null
   flow_id: string | null
   flow_proposal_id: string | null
   current_node_id: string | null
@@ -42,10 +50,11 @@ export interface IntakeRequest {
   customer_name?: string
   customer_contact?: string
   flow_id?: string
+  adhoc?: boolean
   force_build?: boolean
 }
 
-export type IntakeOutcome = 'matched' | 'suggest' | 'out_of_scope' | 'build'
+export type IntakeOutcome = 'matched' | 'suggest' | 'out_of_scope' | 'build' | 'adhoc'
 
 export interface NearMiss {
   flow_id: string
@@ -77,8 +86,7 @@ export type TreeNode =
 export interface NextNodeRequest {
   node_id?: string
   node_text?: string       // rendered text of the node being answered
-  answer?: 'yes' | 'no'
-  acknowledged?: boolean
+  answer?: 'yes' | 'no'    // omit to acknowledge an instruction node
   note?: string
 }
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/types/user.ts b/frontend/src/types/user.ts
index df756e4e..e26e510a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/types/user.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/types/user.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ export interface User {
   is_active: boolean
   must_change_password: boolean
   account_id: string | null
-  account_role: 'owner' | 'engineer' | 'l1_tech' | 'viewer' | null
+  account_role: 'owner' | 'admin' | 'engineer' | 'l1_tech' | 'viewer' | null
   can_cover_l1: boolean
   team_id: string | null
   created_at: string