diff --git a/dotfiles/systemd-user/.config/systemd/user/live-sync.path b/dotfiles/systemd-user/.config/systemd/user/live-sync.path
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e1172bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dotfiles/systemd-user/.config/systemd/user/live-sync.path
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Fire the live-sync heartbeat within seconds of a dotfiles-tier write
+
+[Path]
+# GUI writes (noctalia settings.toml, niri cfg) land in the repo via the
+# dotfiles symlinks; this directory watch makes "GUI edit -> durable commit"
+# sub-second instead of up to one heartbeat interval. DirectoryNotEmpty fires
+# while the dir holds any file, so the unit re-triggers on every modification
+# (the empty-dir edge case is irrelevant here — dotfiles is never empty).
+DirectoryNotEmpty=%h/.omp/dotfiles
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=paths.target
diff --git a/omp-docs/tools/live-sync.md b/omp-docs/tools/live-sync.md
index 5d66bb3..c3129ab 100644
--- a/omp-docs/tools/live-sync.md
+++ b/omp-docs/tools/live-sync.md
@@ -26,6 +26,13 @@ because the dirty tree collided with incoming work.
 machine's own writes on a schedule. Tier law (which paths it may touch) lives
 in [AGENTS.md](../../AGENTS.md) § Live-sync tiers.
 
+`live-sync.path` (`DirectoryNotEmpty` on `dotfiles/`) activates the same
+service within seconds of any GUI dotfiles write; `live-sync.timer` remains
+the hourly catch-all for the machine tiers the path unit does not watch.
+The trigger gap between a GUI edit and its commit is what let a 2026-10-18
+trunk-sync stash destroy a month of uncommitted bar layout — a timer-only
+heartbeat leaves up to 59 minutes of exposure.
+
 ## Contract (black-box)
 
 Run = one pass: flock → branch guard (`main` only) → stage allowlisted dirty
@@ -61,6 +68,7 @@ with the usual dotfiles chain:
 
 ```bash
 systemctl --user enable --now live-sync.timer   # after the unit is linked
+systemctl --user enable --now live-sync.path    # sub-second dotfiles trigger
 systemctl --user start live-sync.service        # one manual heartbeat
 journalctl --user -u live-sync.service -n 20    # observe
 ```