diff --git a/dotfiles/zz-blankpad/.local/share/com.pais.handy/README.md b/dotfiles/zz-blankpad/.local/share/com.pais.handy/README.md
index 724f062..9a2b8b0 100644
--- a/dotfiles/zz-blankpad/.local/share/com.pais.handy/README.md
+++ b/dotfiles/zz-blankpad/.local/share/com.pais.handy/README.md
@@ -1,5 +1,34 @@
 # Handy Settings Template
 
-This directory contains a template for Handy's settings store. The app rewrites the live store at `~/.local/share/com.pais.handy/settings_store.json`.
+Handy (Tauri v2) keeps its store at `~/.local/share/com.pais.handy/settings_store.json`,
+shaped `{"settings": {...}}`, and **rewrites the live file on every change** — so the
+repo carries a merge patch (`settings_store.template.json`), not a full store.
 
-Keys that might contain sensitive information (e.g., API tokens, base URLs) should stay out of the repo.
+## Apply the fleet wiring
+
+Quit Handy first (it caches settings in memory and overwrites external edits):
+
+```bash
+pkill -f /usr/bin/handy
+jq --slurpfile p <repo>/dotfiles/zz-blankpad/.local/share/com.pais.handy/settings_store.template.json '
+  .settings |= (
+    $p[0].settings
+    | .post_process_models = ((.post_process_models // {}) + $p[0].settings.post_process_models)
+    | .post_process_providers = (.post_process_providers
+        | map(if .id == "custom" then .base_url = $p[0].custom_provider_base_url else . end))
+  )' settings_store.json > store.tmp && mv store.tmp settings_store.json
+setsid nohup handy --start-hidden >/dev/null 2>&1 < /dev/null &
+```
+
+Niri also spawns Handy at startup (`cfg/autostart.kdl`:
+`spawn-at-startup "handy" "--start-hidden"`), hence `autostart_enabled: false` —
+the compositor owns autostart.
+
+## Known breaker (2026-10-09)
+
+`frank-secondary` (`http://192.168.0.143:7771/v1`) is a thinking model: default
+requests return `content: ""` with the answer locked in `reasoning_content`.
+Handy reads `content`, so post-processed transcripts come back empty. The
+per-request cure is `chat_template_kwargs: {"enable_thinking": false}` (verified),
+which Handy cannot send. Endpoint-side fix required — see
+`omp-docs/tools/handy.md` → Known issues.
diff --git a/dotfiles/zz-blankpad/.local/share/com.pais.handy/settings_store.template.json b/dotfiles/zz-blankpad/.local/share/com.pais.handy/settings_store.template.json
index 1c978a2..b555b86 100644
--- a/dotfiles/zz-blankpad/.local/share/com.pais.handy/settings_store.template.json
+++ b/dotfiles/zz-blankpad/.local/share/com.pais.handy/settings_store.template.json
@@ -1,22 +1,14 @@
 {
-  "// template: Handy settings store, rewritten live by the app": true,
-  "// app rewrites live store: ~/.local/share/com.pais.handy/settings_store.json": true,
-  "// keys stay out of repo": true,
-  "autostart_enabled": false,
-  "post_process_enabled": true,
-  "provider": "custom",
-  "base_url": "http://192.168.0.143:7771/v1",
-  "model": "frank-secondary",
-  "prompt": "default_improve_transcriptions",
-  "push_to_talk": true,
-  "bindings": {
-    "transcribe": "ctrl+space",
-    "transcribe_with_post_process": "ctrl+shift+space",
-    "cancel": "escape"
+  "//": "Handy settings-store wiring patch (blankpad, 2026-10-09).",
+  "//shape": "The live store is {\"settings\": {...}}; the app rewrites it, so this file is a MERGE PATCH, not a drop-in store.",
+  "//apply": "see README.md",
+  "//knob": "frank-secondary is a thinking model: it answers via reasoning_content and leaves content empty unless chat_template_kwargs.enable_thinking=false. Handy cannot send that; the fix must live on the endpoint (see omp-docs/tools/handy.md Known issues).",
+  "settings": {
+    "post_process_enabled": true,
+    "autostart_enabled": false,
+    "post_process_provider_id": "custom",
+    "post_process_models": { "custom": "frank-secondary" },
+    "post_process_selected_prompt_id": "default_improve_transcriptions"
   },
-  "keyboard_implementation": "handy_keys",
-  "overlay_position": "bottom",
-  "overlay_style": "live",
-  "paste_method": "none",
-  "clipboard_handling": "copy_to_clipboard"
+  "custom_provider_base_url": "http://192.168.0.143:7771/v1"
 }