diff --git a/frontend/src/components/dashboard/ActiveFlowPilotSessions.tsx b/frontend/src/components/dashboard/ActiveFlowPilotSessions.tsx
index 3f6e8b08..56cbefd1 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/dashboard/ActiveFlowPilotSessions.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/dashboard/ActiveFlowPilotSessions.tsx
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ export function ActiveFlowPilotSessions({ hideHeader = false }: { hideHeader?: b
           {sessions.map((session) => (
             <button
               key={session.id}
-              onClick={() => navigate(session.session_type === 'chat' ? `/assistant/${session.id}` : `/pilot/${session.id}`)}
+              onClick={() => navigate(`/pilot/${session.id}`)}
               className="card-interactive p-4 text-left"
             >
               <div className="flex items-start justify-between gap-2 mb-2">
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/dashboard/RecentFlowPilotSessions.tsx b/frontend/src/components/dashboard/RecentFlowPilotSessions.tsx
index c921bc59..cc04ec7c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/dashboard/RecentFlowPilotSessions.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/dashboard/RecentFlowPilotSessions.tsx
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ export function RecentFlowPilotSessions({ hideHeader = false }: { hideHeader?: b
           return (
             <button
               key={session.id}
-              onClick={() => navigate(session.session_type === 'chat' ? `/assistant/${session.id}` : `/pilot/${session.id}`)}
+              onClick={() => navigate(`/pilot/${session.id}`)}
               className="flex w-full items-center gap-3 px-5 py-3 text-left hover:bg-[rgba(255,255,255,0.02)] transition-colors"
               style={{
                 borderBottom: i < sessions.length - 1 ? '1px solid var(--color-border-default)' : undefined,
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/dashboard/StartSessionInput.tsx b/frontend/src/components/dashboard/StartSessionInput.tsx
index 4b32c2ca..a4b057fe 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/dashboard/StartSessionInput.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/dashboard/StartSessionInput.tsx
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ export function StartSessionInput() {
     if (completedUploadIds.length > 0) {
       state.uploadIds = completedUploadIds
     }
-    navigate('/assistant', { state })
+    navigate('/pilot', { state })
   }
 
   const handleKeyDown = (e: React.KeyboardEvent) => {
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ export function StartSessionInput() {
   }
 
   const handleSuggestionClick = (suggestion: string) => {
-    navigate('/assistant', { state: { prefill: suggestion } })
+    navigate('/pilot', { state: { prefill: suggestion } })
   }
 
   // ── File handling ──────────────────────────────
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/flowpilot/AISessionListItem.tsx b/frontend/src/components/flowpilot/AISessionListItem.tsx
index 23c2e234..a5d9808b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/flowpilot/AISessionListItem.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/flowpilot/AISessionListItem.tsx
@@ -18,9 +18,12 @@ const STATUS_CONFIG = {
 export function AISessionListItem({ session }: AISessionListItemProps) {
   const config = STATUS_CONFIG[session.status as keyof typeof STATUS_CONFIG] ?? STATUS_CONFIG.active
   const StatusIcon = config.icon
+  // Both chat and guided sessions now land on the unified /pilot surface.
+  // session_type is preserved on the DB row for data compatibility but is
+  // no longer used for frontend route selection (Phase 1 FlowPilot migration).
   const isChat = session.session_type === 'chat'
   const TypeIcon = isChat ? MessageCircle : Route
-  const linkTo = isChat ? `/assistant/${session.id}` : `/pilot/${session.id}`
+  const linkTo = `/pilot/${session.id}`
   const displayTitle = isChat
     ? (session.title || session.problem_summary || 'Untitled chat')
     : (session.problem_summary || 'Untitled session')
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/layout/CommandPalette.tsx b/frontend/src/components/layout/CommandPalette.tsx
index a83f8e28..dee21b80 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/layout/CommandPalette.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/layout/CommandPalette.tsx
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ const PAGES: PaletteItem[] = [
   { id: 'page-dashboard', group: 'pages', title: 'Dashboard', path: '/', icon: 'page' },
   { id: 'page-flows', group: 'pages', title: 'All Flows', subtitle: 'Browse your flow library', path: '/trees', icon: 'page' },
   { id: 'page-sessions', group: 'pages', title: 'Sessions', subtitle: 'View session history', path: '/sessions', icon: 'page' },
-  { id: 'page-assistant', group: 'pages', title: 'AI Assistant', subtitle: 'FlowPilot chat', path: '/assistant', icon: 'page' },
+  { id: 'page-flowpilot', group: 'pages', title: 'FlowPilot', subtitle: 'AI troubleshooting', path: '/pilot', icon: 'page' },
   { id: 'page-scripts', group: 'pages', title: 'Script Generator', subtitle: 'Generate PowerShell scripts', path: '/scripts', icon: 'page' },
   { id: 'page-analytics', group: 'pages', title: 'Analytics', subtitle: 'Team usage & metrics', path: '/analytics', icon: 'page' },
   { id: 'page-settings', group: 'pages', title: 'Settings', subtitle: 'Account & preferences', path: '/account', icon: 'page' },
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ export function CommandPalette({ open, onClose }: CommandPaletteProps) {
       group: 'flowpilot',
       title: 'Troubleshoot with FlowPilot',
       subtitle: trimmed,
-      path: '/assistant',
+      path: '/pilot',
       icon: 'sparkles',
     }
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/routePrefetch.ts b/frontend/src/lib/routePrefetch.ts
index 1259f7f5..432b9eac 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/routePrefetch.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/routePrefetch.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ const PREFETCH_MAP: Record<string, () => Promise<unknown>> = {
   '/shares': () => import('@/pages/MySharesPage'),
   '/analytics': () => import('@/pages/TeamAnalyticsPage'),
   '/analytics/me': () => import('@/pages/MyAnalyticsPage'),
-  '/assistant': () => import('@/pages/AssistantChatPage'),
+  '/pilot': () => import('@/pages/AssistantChatPage'),
   '/step-library': () => import('@/pages/StepLibraryPage'),
   '/guides': () => import('@/pages/GuidesHubPage'),
   '/feedback': () => import('@/pages/FeedbackPage'),
diff --git a/frontend/src/router.tsx b/frontend/src/router.tsx
index eae1cb56..fd2ff67a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/router.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/router.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { createBrowserRouter } from 'react-router-dom'
+import { createBrowserRouter, Navigate, useParams } from 'react-router-dom'
 import * as Sentry from '@sentry/react'
 import { Suspense } from 'react'
 import { AppLayout, ProtectedRoute } from '@/components/layout'
@@ -49,7 +49,10 @@ const ScriptLibraryPage = lazyWithRetry(() => import('@/pages/ScriptLibraryPage'
 const ScriptManagePage = lazyWithRetry(() => import('@/pages/ScriptManagePage'))
 const AssistantChatPage = lazyWithRetry(() => import('@/pages/AssistantChatPage'))
 const FlowAssistPage = lazyWithRetry(() => import('@/pages/FlowAssistPage'))
-const FlowPilotSessionPage = lazyWithRetry(() => import('@/pages/FlowPilotSessionPage'))
+// FlowPilotSessionPage (the old guided-mode surface) was removed from active
+// routing in Phase 1 of the FlowPilot migration. The file is retained on disk
+// for reference but not mounted — the unified chat-primary surface now serves
+// /pilot. Delete the file when nothing in the tree references it anymore.
 const EscalationQueuePage = lazyWithRetry(() => import('@/pages/EscalationQueuePage'))
 const ReviewQueuePage = lazyWithRetry(() => import('@/pages/ReviewQueuePage'))
 const FlowPilotAnalyticsPage = lazyWithRetry(() => import('@/pages/FlowPilotAnalyticsPage'))
@@ -98,6 +101,16 @@ function page(Component: React.LazyExoticComponent<React.ComponentType>) {
   )
 }
 
+/**
+ * Permanent 301-style redirect from /assistant/:sessionId to /pilot/:sessionId.
+ * Used by the Phase 1 route-rename; paired with a bare-path redirect to /pilot.
+ * SPA redirects replace history so the legacy URL does not linger in back-nav.
+ */
+function AssistantSessionRedirect() {
+  const { sessionId } = useParams<{ sessionId: string }>()
+  return <Navigate to={sessionId ? `/pilot/${sessionId}` : '/pilot'} replace />
+}
+
 export const router = sentryCreateBrowserRouter([
   {
     path: '/landing',
@@ -202,11 +215,14 @@ export const router = sentryCreateBrowserRouter([
       { path: 'network-diagrams/new', element: page(DiagramEditorPage) },
       { path: 'network-diagrams/:id', element: page(DiagramEditorPage) },
       { path: 'kb-accelerator', element: page(KBAcceleratorPage) },
-      { path: 'assistant', element: page(AssistantChatPage) },
-      { path: 'assistant/:sessionId', element: page(AssistantChatPage) },
+      // Phase 1 — FlowPilot migration. The unified chat-primary surface lives at
+      // /pilot; /assistant permanently redirects. FlowPilotSessionPage (old
+      // guided surface) is no longer mounted.
+      { path: 'pilot', element: page(AssistantChatPage) },
+      { path: 'pilot/:sessionId', element: page(AssistantChatPage) },
+      { path: 'assistant', element: <Navigate to="/pilot" replace /> },
+      { path: 'assistant/:sessionId', element: <AssistantSessionRedirect /> },
       { path: 'flow-assist', element: page(FlowAssistPage) },
-      { path: 'pilot', element: page(FlowPilotSessionPage) },
-      { path: 'pilot/:sessionId', element: page(FlowPilotSessionPage) },
       { path: 'escalations', element: page(EscalationQueuePage) },
       { path: 'queue', element: page(SessionQueuePage) },
       { path: 'review-queue', element: page(ReviewQueuePage) },