diff --git a/dashboards/README.md b/dashboards/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e27e23851
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dashboards/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+# Compass Observability — Grafana Dashboards
+
+## Overview
+
+These are the Plane-B operator dashboards for Compass observability: in-repo
+Grafana dashboard JSON that renders signals the shipped `compass-agent` emits
+today. They ship as JSON only — there is **no provisioning automation** (no
+datasource YAML, no docker-compose, no `grafana.ini`) by design, per decision
+D3/T5 of the frozen record
+[`docs/designs/platform/compass-observability-architecture/design.md`](../docs/designs/platform/compass-observability-architecture/design.md).
+Import is the operator's one manual step.
+
+Each dashboard declares its datasource as a templating variable
+(`${DS_PROMETHEUS}` or `${DS_TEMPO}`) rather than a hard-coded uid, so the JSON
+imports into any Grafana: you pick the concrete datasource at import time.
+
+## `compass-agent-transport.json`
+
+Transport-plane metrics for the agent (Prometheus datasource variable
+`DS_PROMETHEUS`). OTLP metrics are exported through the OTel Prometheus
+exporter, which mangles names (`.` → `_`) and appends `_total` to monotonic
+counters; gauges keep their dotless-to-underscore name with no suffix. Panels
+are authored against the Prometheus-mangled names.
+
+Rendered signals (metric constants → Prometheus-mangled name):
+
+- `compass_agent.transport.publish.trace_frames_lost` → `..._total` (by `reason`)
+- `compass_agent.transport.publish.priority_frames_lost` → `..._total` (never-drop contract; any nonzero is a breach)
+- `compass_agent.transport.publish.priority_batch_retries` → `..._total`
+- `compass_agent.transport.publish.priority_retry_depth` (gauge)
+- `compass_agent.transport.publish.trace_queue_depth` (gauge)
+- `compass_agent.transport.frame_sink.durable_attempts` → `..._total`
+- `compass_agent.transport.frame_sink.durable_give_ups` → `..._total`
+- `compass_agent.transport.control.reconnects` → `..._total`
+- `compass_agent.transport.control.no_progress_depth` (gauge)
+- `compass_agent.transport.control.flap_resets` → `..._total`
+- `compass_agent.transport.control.unmapped` → `..._total` (by `event_type`)
+
+## `compass-agent-loop-traces.json`
+
+Agent-loop GenAI traces (Tempo datasource variable `DS_TEMPO`). The
+pi-agent-core loop emits GenAI-semconv spans; the span hierarchy is
+`invoke_agent {agent.name}` → children `chat {model}` / `execute_tool
+{tool.name}` / `handoff`. Correlate a trace to a session via span attribute
+`gen_ai.conversation.id` (= session id) and resource attribute
+`compass.session.id` (stamped via `OTEL_RESOURCE_ATTRIBUTES` on both loop and
+transport signals).
+
+Rendered signals (span names, TraceQL filtered to `service.name = compass-agent`):
+
+- `invoke_agent.*` root spans — recent turns table
+- `execute_tool.*` spans — tool-call table
+
+## Import
+
+To import a dashboard:
+
+1. In Grafana, go to **Dashboards → New → Import**.
+2. Upload the dashboard JSON file (or paste its contents).
+3. When prompted, pick the concrete datasource for the dashboard's datasource
+   variable (`DS_PROMETHEUS` for the transport dashboard, `DS_TEMPO` for the
+   loop-traces dashboard).
+4. Click **Import**.
+
+## Server/runner panels — follow-up (T4b)
+
+The Go server/runner observability signals (task T4b of the frozen record) do
+not exist yet. Panels for those signals are a follow-up and will be added once
+those metrics ship; this directory currently binds only the shipped
+`compass-agent` signals listed above.
diff --git a/dashboards/compass-agent-loop-traces.json b/dashboards/compass-agent-loop-traces.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b251f2d26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dashboards/compass-agent-loop-traces.json
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+{
+	"title": "Compass Agent — Loop Traces",
+	"uid": "compass-agent-loop-traces",
+	"tags": ["compass", "observability"],
+	"schemaVersion": 39,
+	"editable": true,
+	"graphTooltip": 0,
+	"time": {
+		"from": "now-6h",
+		"to": "now"
+	},
+	"refresh": "30s",
+	"timezone": "browser",
+	"templating": {
+		"list": [
+			{
+				"name": "DS_TEMPO",
+				"label": "Tempo",
+				"type": "datasource",
+				"query": "tempo",
+				"current": {},
+				"hide": 0,
+				"refresh": 1,
+				"regex": "",
+				"includeAll": false,
+				"multi": false
+			}
+		]
+	},
+	"annotations": {
+		"list": [
+			{
+				"builtIn": 1,
+				"datasource": {
+					"type": "grafana",
+					"uid": "-- Grafana --"
+				},
+				"enable": true,
+				"hide": true,
+				"iconColor": "rgba(0, 211, 255, 1)",
+				"name": "Annotations & Alerts",
+				"type": "dashboard"
+			}
+		]
+	},
+	"panels": [
+		{
+			"id": 1,
+			"type": "table",
+			"title": "Recent invoke_agent root spans",
+			"description": "GenAI-semconv agent-loop spans (service.name=compass-agent). Root span `invoke_agent {agent.name}` opens each turn; its children are `chat {model}`, `execute_tool {tool.name}`, and `handoff`. Correlate a trace to a session via span attribute gen_ai.conversation.id (= session id) and resource attribute compass.session.id (stamped via OTEL_RESOURCE_ATTRIBUTES on both loop and transport signals). TraceQL filters the Tempo search to invoke_agent root spans.",
+			"datasource": {
+				"type": "tempo",
+				"uid": "${DS_TEMPO}"
+			},
+			"gridPos": {
+				"h": 12,
+				"w": 24,
+				"x": 0,
+				"y": 0
+			},
+			"fieldConfig": {
+				"defaults": {},
+				"overrides": []
+			},
+			"options": {},
+			"targets": [
+				{
+					"refId": "A",
+					"datasource": {
+						"type": "tempo",
+						"uid": "${DS_TEMPO}"
+					},
+					"queryType": "traceql",
+					"query": "{ resource.service.name = \"compass-agent\" && name =~ \"invoke_agent.*\" }",
+					"limit": 20,
+					"tableType": "traces"
+				}
+			]
+		},
+		{
+			"id": 2,
+			"type": "table",
+			"title": "Tool-call spans (execute_tool)",
+			"description": "Child spans `execute_tool {tool.name}` under an invoke_agent root, per the GenAI-semconv hierarchy (invoke_agent -> chat/execute_tool/handoff). Attributes follow OTel GenAI semconv: gen_ai.operation.name, gen_ai.request.model, gen_ai.usage.input_tokens/output_tokens. Correlate to a session via gen_ai.conversation.id / compass.session.id. TraceQL filters the Tempo search to execute_tool spans.",
+			"datasource": {
+				"type": "tempo",
+				"uid": "${DS_TEMPO}"
+			},
+			"gridPos": {
+				"h": 12,
+				"w": 24,
+				"x": 0,
+				"y": 12
+			},
+			"fieldConfig": {
+				"defaults": {},
+				"overrides": []
+			},
+			"options": {},
+			"targets": [
+				{
+					"refId": "A",
+					"datasource": {
+						"type": "tempo",
+						"uid": "${DS_TEMPO}"
+					},
+					"queryType": "traceql",
+					"query": "{ resource.service.name = \"compass-agent\" && name =~ \"execute_tool.*\" }",
+					"limit": 20,
+					"tableType": "traces"
+				}
+			]
+		}
+	]
+}
diff --git a/dashboards/compass-agent-transport.json b/dashboards/compass-agent-transport.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..83b5a4d64
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dashboards/compass-agent-transport.json
@@ -0,0 +1,537 @@
+{
+	"title": "Compass Agent — Transport",
+	"uid": "compass-agent-transport",
+	"tags": ["compass", "observability"],
+	"schemaVersion": 39,
+	"editable": true,
+	"graphTooltip": 0,
+	"time": {
+		"from": "now-6h",
+		"to": "now"
+	},
+	"refresh": "30s",
+	"timezone": "browser",
+	"templating": {
+		"list": [
+			{
+				"name": "DS_PROMETHEUS",
+				"label": "Prometheus",
+				"type": "datasource",
+				"query": "prometheus",
+				"current": {},
+				"hide": 0,
+				"refresh": 1,
+				"regex": "",
+				"includeAll": false,
+				"multi": false
+			}
+		]
+	},
+	"annotations": {
+		"list": [
+			{
+				"builtIn": 1,
+				"datasource": {
+					"type": "grafana",
+					"uid": "-- Grafana --"
+				},
+				"enable": true,
+				"hide": true,
+				"iconColor": "rgba(0, 211, 255, 1)",
+				"name": "Annotations & Alerts",
+				"type": "dashboard"
+			}
+		]
+	},
+	"panels": [
+		{
+			"id": 1,
+			"type": "timeseries",
+			"title": "Trace frames lost by reason",
+			"description": "Metric constant: compass_agent.transport.publish.trace_frames_lost (counter, label reason=overflow|failed_batch). Prometheus-mangled name: compass_agent_transport_publish_trace_frames_lost_total (. -> _, monotonic counter gets _total).",
+			"datasource": {
+				"type": "prometheus",
+				"uid": "${DS_PROMETHEUS}"
+			},
+			"gridPos": {
+				"h": 8,
+				"w": 12,
+				"x": 0,
+				"y": 0
+			},
+			"fieldConfig": {
+				"defaults": {
+					"custom": {
+						"drawStyle": "line",
+						"fillOpacity": 10
+					},
+					"unit": "short"
+				},
+				"overrides": []
+			},
+			"options": {
+				"legend": {
+					"displayMode": "list",
+					"placement": "bottom",
+					"showLegend": true
+				},
+				"tooltip": {
+					"mode": "multi",
+					"sort": "none"
+				}
+			},
+			"targets": [
+				{
+					"refId": "A",
+					"datasource": {
+						"type": "prometheus",
+						"uid": "${DS_PROMETHEUS}"
+					},
+					"expr": "sum by (reason) (rate(compass_agent_transport_publish_trace_frames_lost_total[$__rate_interval]))",
+					"legendFormat": "{{reason}}"
+				}
+			]
+		},
+		{
+			"id": 2,
+			"type": "timeseries",
+			"title": "Priority frames lost",
+			"description": "Metric constant: compass_agent.transport.publish.priority_frames_lost (counter). Prometheus-mangled: compass_agent_transport_publish_priority_frames_lost_total. Priority frames are a never-drop contract — ANY nonzero value is a contract breach.",
+			"datasource": {
+				"type": "prometheus",
+				"uid": "${DS_PROMETHEUS}"
+			},
+			"gridPos": {
+				"h": 8,
+				"w": 12,
+				"x": 12,
+				"y": 0
+			},
+			"fieldConfig": {
+				"defaults": {
+					"custom": {
+						"drawStyle": "line",
+						"fillOpacity": 10
+					},
+					"unit": "short"
+				},
+				"overrides": []
+			},
+			"options": {
+				"legend": {
+					"displayMode": "list",
+					"placement": "bottom",
+					"showLegend": true
+				},
+				"tooltip": {
+					"mode": "multi",
+					"sort": "none"
+				}
+			},
+			"targets": [
+				{
+					"refId": "A",
+					"datasource": {
+						"type": "prometheus",
+						"uid": "${DS_PROMETHEUS}"
+					},
+					"expr": "sum(rate(compass_agent_transport_publish_priority_frames_lost_total[$__rate_interval]))",
+					"legendFormat": "priority frames lost"
+				}
+			]
+		},
+		{
+			"id": 3,
+			"type": "timeseries",
+			"title": "Priority batch retries",
+			"description": "Metric constant: compass_agent.transport.publish.priority_batch_retries (counter). Prometheus-mangled: compass_agent_transport_publish_priority_batch_retries_total.",
+			"datasource": {
+				"type": "prometheus",
+				"uid": "${DS_PROMETHEUS}"
+			},
+			"gridPos": {
+				"h": 8,
+				"w": 12,
+				"x": 0,
+				"y": 8
+			},
+			"fieldConfig": {
+				"defaults": {
+					"custom": {
+						"drawStyle": "line",
+						"fillOpacity": 10
+					},
+					"unit": "short"
+				},
+				"overrides": []
+			},
+			"options": {
+				"legend": {
+					"displayMode": "list",
+					"placement": "bottom",
+					"showLegend": true
+				},
+				"tooltip": {
+					"mode": "multi",
+					"sort": "none"
+				}
+			},
+			"targets": [
+				{
+					"refId": "A",
+					"datasource": {
+						"type": "prometheus",
+						"uid": "${DS_PROMETHEUS}"
+					},
+					"expr": "sum(rate(compass_agent_transport_publish_priority_batch_retries_total[$__rate_interval]))",
+					"legendFormat": "priority batch retries"
+				}
+			]
+		},
+		{
+			"id": 4,
+			"type": "timeseries",
+			"title": "Priority retry depth",
+			"description": "Metric constant: compass_agent.transport.publish.priority_retry_depth (gauge). Prometheus-mangled: compass_agent_transport_publish_priority_retry_depth (gauge keeps its name, no _total suffix).",
+			"datasource": {
+				"type": "prometheus",
+				"uid": "${DS_PROMETHEUS}"
+			},
+			"gridPos": {
+				"h": 8,
+				"w": 12,
+				"x": 12,
+				"y": 8
+			},
+			"fieldConfig": {
+				"defaults": {
+					"custom": {
+						"drawStyle": "line",
+						"fillOpacity": 10
+					},
+					"unit": "short"
+				},
+				"overrides": []
+			},
+			"options": {
+				"legend": {
+					"displayMode": "list",
+					"placement": "bottom",
+					"showLegend": true
+				},
+				"tooltip": {
+					"mode": "multi",
+					"sort": "none"
+				}
+			},
+			"targets": [
+				{
+					"refId": "A",
+					"datasource": {
+						"type": "prometheus",
+						"uid": "${DS_PROMETHEUS}"
+					},
+					"expr": "max(compass_agent_transport_publish_priority_retry_depth)",
+					"legendFormat": "priority retry depth"
+				}
+			]
+		},
+		{
+			"id": 5,
+			"type": "timeseries",
+			"title": "Trace queue depth",
+			"description": "Metric constant: compass_agent.transport.publish.trace_queue_depth (gauge). Prometheus-mangled: compass_agent_transport_publish_trace_queue_depth (gauge keeps its name, no _total suffix).",
+			"datasource": {
+				"type": "prometheus",
+				"uid": "${DS_PROMETHEUS}"
+			},
+			"gridPos": {
+				"h": 8,
+				"w": 12,
+				"x": 0,
+				"y": 16
+			},
+			"fieldConfig": {
+				"defaults": {
+					"custom": {
+						"drawStyle": "line",
+						"fillOpacity": 10
+					},
+					"unit": "short"
+				},
+				"overrides": []
+			},
+			"options": {
+				"legend": {
+					"displayMode": "list",
+					"placement": "bottom",
+					"showLegend": true
+				},
+				"tooltip": {
+					"mode": "multi",
+					"sort": "none"
+				}
+			},
+			"targets": [
+				{
+					"refId": "A",
+					"datasource": {
+						"type": "prometheus",
+						"uid": "${DS_PROMETHEUS}"
+					},
+					"expr": "max(compass_agent_transport_publish_trace_queue_depth)",
+					"legendFormat": "trace queue depth"
+				}
+			]
+		},
+		{
+			"id": 6,
+			"type": "timeseries",
+			"title": "Frame-sink durable attempts vs give-ups",
+			"description": "Metric constants: compass_agent.transport.frame_sink.durable_attempts and compass_agent.transport.frame_sink.durable_give_ups (counters). Prometheus-mangled: compass_agent_transport_frame_sink_durable_attempts_total and compass_agent_transport_frame_sink_durable_give_ups_total.",
+			"datasource": {
+				"type": "prometheus",
+				"uid": "${DS_PROMETHEUS}"
+			},
+			"gridPos": {
+				"h": 8,
+				"w": 12,
+				"x": 12,
+				"y": 16
+			},
+			"fieldConfig": {
+				"defaults": {
+					"custom": {
+						"drawStyle": "line",
+						"fillOpacity": 10
+					},
+					"unit": "short"
+				},
+				"overrides": []
+			},
+			"options": {
+				"legend": {
+					"displayMode": "list",
+					"placement": "bottom",
+					"showLegend": true
+				},
+				"tooltip": {
+					"mode": "multi",
+					"sort": "none"
+				}
+			},
+			"targets": [
+				{
+					"refId": "A",
+					"datasource": {
+						"type": "prometheus",
+						"uid": "${DS_PROMETHEUS}"
+					},
+					"expr": "sum(rate(compass_agent_transport_frame_sink_durable_attempts_total[$__rate_interval]))",
+					"legendFormat": "durable attempts"
+				},
+				{
+					"refId": "B",
+					"datasource": {
+						"type": "prometheus",
+						"uid": "${DS_PROMETHEUS}"
+					},
+					"expr": "sum(rate(compass_agent_transport_frame_sink_durable_give_ups_total[$__rate_interval]))",
+					"legendFormat": "durable give-ups"
+				}
+			]
+		},
+		{
+			"id": 7,
+			"type": "timeseries",
+			"title": "Control reconnects",
+			"description": "Metric constant: compass_agent.transport.control.reconnects (counter). Prometheus-mangled: compass_agent_transport_control_reconnects_total.",
+			"datasource": {
+				"type": "prometheus",
+				"uid": "${DS_PROMETHEUS}"
+			},
+			"gridPos": {
+				"h": 8,
+				"w": 12,
+				"x": 0,
+				"y": 24
+			},
+			"fieldConfig": {
+				"defaults": {
+					"custom": {
+						"drawStyle": "line",
+						"fillOpacity": 10
+					},
+					"unit": "short"
+				},
+				"overrides": []
+			},
+			"options": {
+				"legend": {
+					"displayMode": "list",
+					"placement": "bottom",
+					"showLegend": true
+				},
+				"tooltip": {
+					"mode": "multi",
+					"sort": "none"
+				}
+			},
+			"targets": [
+				{
+					"refId": "A",
+					"datasource": {
+						"type": "prometheus",
+						"uid": "${DS_PROMETHEUS}"
+					},
+					"expr": "sum(rate(compass_agent_transport_control_reconnects_total[$__rate_interval]))",
+					"legendFormat": "reconnects"
+				}
+			]
+		},
+		{
+			"id": 8,
+			"type": "timeseries",
+			"title": "Control no-progress depth",
+			"description": "Metric constant: compass_agent.transport.control.no_progress_depth (gauge). Prometheus-mangled: compass_agent_transport_control_no_progress_depth (gauge keeps its name, no _total suffix).",
+			"datasource": {
+				"type": "prometheus",
+				"uid": "${DS_PROMETHEUS}"
+			},
+			"gridPos": {
+				"h": 8,
+				"w": 12,
+				"x": 12,
+				"y": 24
+			},
+			"fieldConfig": {
+				"defaults": {
+					"custom": {
+						"drawStyle": "line",
+						"fillOpacity": 10
+					},
+					"unit": "short"
+				},
+				"overrides": []
+			},
+			"options": {
+				"legend": {
+					"displayMode": "list",
+					"placement": "bottom",
+					"showLegend": true
+				},
+				"tooltip": {
+					"mode": "multi",
+					"sort": "none"
+				}
+			},
+			"targets": [
+				{
+					"refId": "A",
+					"datasource": {
+						"type": "prometheus",
+						"uid": "${DS_PROMETHEUS}"
+					},
+					"expr": "max(compass_agent_transport_control_no_progress_depth)",
+					"legendFormat": "no-progress depth"
+				}
+			]
+		},
+		{
+			"id": 9,
+			"type": "timeseries",
+			"title": "Control flap resets",
+			"description": "Metric constant: compass_agent.transport.control.flap_resets (counter). Prometheus-mangled: compass_agent_transport_control_flap_resets_total.",
+			"datasource": {
+				"type": "prometheus",
+				"uid": "${DS_PROMETHEUS}"
+			},
+			"gridPos": {
+				"h": 8,
+				"w": 12,
+				"x": 0,
+				"y": 32
+			},
+			"fieldConfig": {
+				"defaults": {
+					"custom": {
+						"drawStyle": "line",
+						"fillOpacity": 10
+					},
+					"unit": "short"
+				},
+				"overrides": []
+			},
+			"options": {
+				"legend": {
+					"displayMode": "list",
+					"placement": "bottom",
+					"showLegend": true
+				},
+				"tooltip": {
+					"mode": "multi",
+					"sort": "none"
+				}
+			},
+			"targets": [
+				{
+					"refId": "A",
+					"datasource": {
+						"type": "prometheus",
+						"uid": "${DS_PROMETHEUS}"
+					},
+					"expr": "sum(rate(compass_agent_transport_control_flap_resets_total[$__rate_interval]))",
+					"legendFormat": "flap resets"
+				}
+			]
+		},
+		{
+			"id": 10,
+			"type": "timeseries",
+			"title": "Control unmapped by event_type",
+			"description": "Metric constant: compass_agent.transport.control.unmapped (counter, label event_type dynamic e.g. control:steer, control:replay). Prometheus-mangled: compass_agent_transport_control_unmapped_total.",
+			"datasource": {
+				"type": "prometheus",
+				"uid": "${DS_PROMETHEUS}"
+			},
+			"gridPos": {
+				"h": 8,
+				"w": 12,
+				"x": 12,
+				"y": 32
+			},
+			"fieldConfig": {
+				"defaults": {
+					"custom": {
+						"drawStyle": "line",
+						"fillOpacity": 10
+					},
+					"unit": "short"
+				},
+				"overrides": []
+			},
+			"options": {
+				"legend": {
+					"displayMode": "list",
+					"placement": "bottom",
+					"showLegend": true
+				},
+				"tooltip": {
+					"mode": "multi",
+					"sort": "none"
+				}
+			},
+			"targets": [
+				{
+					"refId": "A",
+					"datasource": {
+						"type": "prometheus",
+						"uid": "${DS_PROMETHEUS}"
+					},
+					"expr": "sum by (event_type) (rate(compass_agent_transport_control_unmapped_total[$__rate_interval]))",
+					"legendFormat": "{{event_type}}"
+				}
+			]
+		}
+	]
+}