diff --git a/agent-roles-catalog/README.md b/agent-roles-catalog/README.md
index b3b253bb..b35d184b 100644
--- a/agent-roles-catalog/README.md
+++ b/agent-roles-catalog/README.md
@@ -26,6 +26,25 @@ Currently shipped bundles:
   copy-editor, fact-checker, proofreader, narrator), languages `ru`, `en`.
 - `research` — a single `researcher` role, languages `ru`, `en`.
 
+## How it's served
+
+The server does not bundle this data; it reads it at request time from a single
+configured location, the `AI_AGENT_ROLES_CATALOG_URL` env var
+(`EnvironmentService.getAiAgentRolesCatalogSource()`). The value selects one of
+three sources:
+
+- **`http(s)://…`** — a REMOTE base URL. The server fetches `<base>/index.json`
+  for the manifest and `<base>/bundles/<bundle-id>/<lang>.json` for each opened
+  bundle file (e.g. the raw GitHub base of the catalog repo in production).
+- **any other non-empty value** — a LOCAL filesystem directory; the same
+  `index.json` / `bundles/<id>/<lang>.json` paths are read from disk.
+- **empty / unset** (the default) — the in-repo `agent-roles-catalog/` folder
+  (this directory), i.e. local dev reads these files directly.
+
+In every case the layout below is what the server expects, and the fetched JSON
+is re-validated server-side (the catalog is treated as untrusted input). See
+`.env.example` for the variable and the CHANGELOG for the rollout.
+
 ## `index.json` schema
 
 ```jsonc
diff --git a/agent-roles-catalog/scripts/check.mjs b/agent-roles-catalog/scripts/check.mjs
index 664a0146..32c4b698 100644
--- a/agent-roles-catalog/scripts/check.mjs
+++ b/agent-roles-catalog/scripts/check.mjs
@@ -106,9 +106,8 @@ for (const bundle of bundles) {
       const where = `${bundleId}/${lang}`;
       // Only flag duplicates across DIFFERENT bundles or files; the same slug
       // is expected to appear once per language file of the same bundle.
-      const key = slug;
-      if (slugSeen.has(key)) {
-        const prev = slugSeen.get(key);
+      if (slugSeen.has(slug)) {
+        const prev = slugSeen.get(slug);
         const prevBundle = prev.split("/")[0];
         if (prevBundle !== bundleId) {
           errors.push(
@@ -116,7 +115,7 @@ for (const bundle of bundles) {
           );
         }
       } else {
-        slugSeen.set(key, where);
+        slugSeen.set(slug, where);
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/ai-chat/queries/ai-chat-query.ts b/apps/client/src/features/ai-chat/queries/ai-chat-query.ts
index 5f6162f5..37cf70f8 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/features/ai-chat/queries/ai-chat-query.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/ai-chat/queries/ai-chat-query.ts
@@ -319,15 +319,19 @@ export function useUpdateAiRoleFromCatalogMutation() {
       // The server returns updated:false with a reason for a no-op (already
       // up to date / removed from catalog / language no longer offered). Map
       // each reason to a specific message instead of a generic "up to date".
+      // Narrow the discriminated union via `"reason" in result` (the `updated`
+      // boolean discriminant does not narrow under this project's
+      // strictNullChecks:false). Inside the branch, `reason` is the typed literal
+      // union, so the comparisons below are compiler-checked.
       let message: string;
-      if (result.updated) {
+      if (!("reason" in result)) {
         message = t("Updated to the latest version");
       } else if (result.reason === "not-in-catalog") {
         message = t("This role is no longer in the catalog");
       } else if (result.reason === "language-unavailable") {
         message = t("This language is no longer available in the catalog");
       } else {
-        // "up-to-date" and any unexpected reason.
+        // "up-to-date" (the only remaining reason).
         message = t("Already up to date");
       }
       notifications.show({ message });
diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/ai-chat/queries/update-from-catalog-message.test.tsx b/apps/client/src/features/ai-chat/queries/update-from-catalog-message.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..85aab673
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/ai-chat/queries/update-from-catalog-message.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from "vitest";
+import React from "react";
+import { renderHook, waitFor } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { QueryClient, QueryClientProvider } from "@tanstack/react-query";
+import type { IAiRoleUpdateFromCatalogResult } from "@/features/ai-chat/types/ai-chat.types.ts";
+
+// `useUpdateAiRoleFromCatalogMutation` maps the server's discriminated result to
+// a user-facing notification message. These tests pin each of the four branches
+// (updated / not-in-catalog / language-unavailable / up-to-date) via renderHook
+// with a mocked service (precedent: share-query.null-normalization.test.tsx).
+
+const notificationsShowMock = vi.fn();
+vi.mock("@mantine/notifications", () => ({
+  notifications: { show: (opts: unknown) => notificationsShowMock(opts) },
+}));
+
+// `t` echoes the key so we assert against the exact English message strings.
+vi.mock("react-i18next", () => ({
+  useTranslation: () => ({ t: (key: string) => key }),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@/features/ai-chat/services/ai-chat-service.ts", () => ({
+  updateAiRoleFromCatalog: vi.fn(),
+  // Other named exports referenced by ai-chat-query.ts must exist on the mock so
+  // the module import resolves; they are unused by these tests.
+  createAiRole: vi.fn(),
+  deleteAiChat: vi.fn(),
+  deleteAiRole: vi.fn(),
+  getAiChatMessages: vi.fn(),
+  getAiChats: vi.fn(),
+  getAiRoleCatalog: vi.fn(),
+  getAiRoleCatalogBundle: vi.fn(),
+  getAiRoles: vi.fn(),
+  importAiRolesFromCatalog: vi.fn(),
+  renameAiChat: vi.fn(),
+  updateAiRole: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+import { updateAiRoleFromCatalog } from "@/features/ai-chat/services/ai-chat-service.ts";
+import { useUpdateAiRoleFromCatalogMutation } from "@/features/ai-chat/queries/ai-chat-query.ts";
+
+function createWrapper() {
+  const queryClient = new QueryClient({
+    defaultOptions: { queries: { retry: false }, mutations: { retry: false } },
+  });
+  return function Wrapper({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
+    return (
+      <QueryClientProvider client={queryClient}>{children}</QueryClientProvider>
+    );
+  };
+}
+
+async function runMutation(result: IAiRoleUpdateFromCatalogResult) {
+  vi.mocked(updateAiRoleFromCatalog).mockResolvedValue(result);
+  const { result: hook } = renderHook(
+    () => useUpdateAiRoleFromCatalogMutation(),
+    { wrapper: createWrapper() },
+  );
+  hook.current.mutate("role-1");
+  await waitFor(() => expect(hook.current.isSuccess).toBe(true));
+}
+
+describe("useUpdateAiRoleFromCatalogMutation — reason → message", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  it("updated:true -> 'Updated to the latest version'", async () => {
+    await runMutation({
+      updated: true,
+      fromVersion: 1,
+      toVersion: 2,
+      role: { id: "role-1" } as never,
+    });
+    expect(notificationsShowMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      message: "Updated to the latest version",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("not-in-catalog -> 'This role is no longer in the catalog'", async () => {
+    await runMutation({ updated: false, reason: "not-in-catalog" });
+    expect(notificationsShowMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      message: "This role is no longer in the catalog",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("language-unavailable -> 'This language is no longer available in the catalog'", async () => {
+    await runMutation({ updated: false, reason: "language-unavailable" });
+    expect(notificationsShowMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      message: "This language is no longer available in the catalog",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("up-to-date -> 'Already up to date'", async () => {
+    await runMutation({ updated: false, reason: "up-to-date" });
+    expect(notificationsShowMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      message: "Already up to date",
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/ai-chat/types/ai-chat.types.ts b/apps/client/src/features/ai-chat/types/ai-chat.types.ts
index a4ac23be..78b049c0 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/features/ai-chat/types/ai-chat.types.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/ai-chat/types/ai-chat.types.ts
@@ -116,14 +116,19 @@ export interface IAiRoleImportResult {
   errors: { slug: string; message: string }[];
 }
 
-/** Update-from-catalog result (mirrors `updateFromCatalog()`). */
-export interface IAiRoleUpdateFromCatalogResult {
-  updated: boolean;
-  fromVersion?: number;
-  toVersion?: number;
-  reason?: string;
-  role?: IAiRole;
-}
+/**
+ * Update-from-catalog result (mirrors the server `updateFromCatalog()`). A
+ * discriminated union on `updated`: a no-op carries a typed `reason` the UI maps
+ * to a specific message; a successful update carries the version bump + new role.
+ * Keeping the union (not a widened `reason?: string`) lets the consumer's literal
+ * comparisons be compiler-checked.
+ */
+export type IAiRoleUpdateFromCatalogResult =
+  | {
+      updated: false;
+      reason: "not-in-catalog" | "up-to-date" | "language-unavailable";
+    }
+  | { updated: true; fromVersion: number; toVersion: number; role: IAiRole };
 
 /** Admin create payload for a role. */
 export interface IAiRoleCreate {
diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/ai-chat/utils/catalog-role-install-state.test.ts b/apps/client/src/features/ai-chat/utils/catalog-role-install-state.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5aa05cca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/ai-chat/utils/catalog-role-install-state.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
+import { catalogRoleInstallState } from "./catalog-role-install-state.ts";
+import type { IAiRole } from "@/features/ai-chat/types/ai-chat.types.ts";
+
+// Build a workspace role with a catalog source. Fields irrelevant to the
+// install-state decision are filled with harmless defaults.
+function installedRole(
+  source: { slug: string; language: string; version: number },
+  overrides: Partial<IAiRole> = {},
+): IAiRole {
+  return {
+    id: `role-${source.slug}-${source.language}`,
+    name: source.slug,
+    emoji: null,
+    description: null,
+    enabled: true,
+    autoStart: true,
+    launchMessage: null,
+    source,
+    ...overrides,
+  };
+}
+
+const catalogRole = { slug: "writer", version: 3 };
+
+// Mirrors the role-launch.ts precedent: the modal's role-state computation is a
+// pure function so the import/installed/update decision is testable directly.
+describe("catalogRoleInstallState", () => {
+  it("no matching installed role -> import", () => {
+    const result = catalogRoleInstallState(catalogRole, [], "en");
+    expect(result).toEqual({ state: "import" });
+  });
+
+  it("same slug + language, installed version > catalog -> installed", () => {
+    const installed = installedRole({
+      slug: "writer",
+      language: "en",
+      version: 5,
+    });
+    const result = catalogRoleInstallState(catalogRole, [installed], "en");
+    expect(result).toEqual({ state: "installed", installed });
+  });
+
+  it("same slug + language, installed version == catalog -> installed", () => {
+    const installed = installedRole({
+      slug: "writer",
+      language: "en",
+      version: 3,
+    });
+    const result = catalogRoleInstallState(catalogRole, [installed], "en");
+    expect(result).toEqual({ state: "installed", installed });
+  });
+
+  it("same slug + language, installed version < catalog -> update (from/to)", () => {
+    const installed = installedRole({
+      slug: "writer",
+      language: "en",
+      version: 1,
+    });
+    const result = catalogRoleInstallState(catalogRole, [installed], "en");
+    expect(result).toEqual({
+      state: "update",
+      installed,
+      fromVersion: 1,
+      toVersion: 3,
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("same slug but DIFFERENT language -> import (a separate install)", () => {
+    // 'writer' is installed in 'ru'; browsing the 'en' catalog must offer it as a
+    // fresh import, not treat the ru copy as already installed.
+    const installed = installedRole({
+      slug: "writer",
+      language: "ru",
+      version: 5,
+    });
+    const result = catalogRoleInstallState(catalogRole, [installed], "en");
+    expect(result).toEqual({ state: "import" });
+  });
+
+  it("matches the right language when the same slug is installed in several", () => {
+    const ru = installedRole(
+      { slug: "writer", language: "ru", version: 5 },
+      { id: "ru-role" },
+    );
+    const en = installedRole(
+      { slug: "writer", language: "en", version: 1 },
+      { id: "en-role" },
+    );
+    const result = catalogRoleInstallState(catalogRole, [ru, en], "en");
+    expect(result).toEqual({
+      state: "update",
+      installed: en,
+      fromVersion: 1,
+      toVersion: 3,
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("ignores manually-created roles (no source) sharing the name", () => {
+    const manual = installedRole(
+      { slug: "writer", language: "en", version: 9 },
+      { source: null },
+    );
+    const result = catalogRoleInstallState(catalogRole, [manual], "en");
+    expect(result).toEqual({ state: "import" });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/ai-chat/utils/catalog-role-install-state.ts b/apps/client/src/features/ai-chat/utils/catalog-role-install-state.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e28229c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/ai-chat/utils/catalog-role-install-state.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+import type {
+  IAiRole,
+  IAiRoleCatalogRole,
+} from "@/features/ai-chat/types/ai-chat.types.ts";
+
+/**
+ * The install state of a single catalog role relative to the workspace's
+ * existing roles. Extracted as a pure function so the catalog modal's role-state
+ * computation is unit-testable without mounting the component (mirrors the
+ * `roleLaunchMessage` precedent in role-launch.ts).
+ *
+ * A catalog role is matched to an installed role by BOTH `source.slug` and
+ * `source.language`: the same slug in a different language is a separate install
+ * (so it shows as "import", not "installed"). When matched, the installed source
+ * version decides the state:
+ *   - no match                          -> "import"
+ *   - matched & installed version >= catalog version -> "installed"
+ *   - matched & installed version <  catalog version -> "update" (from -> to)
+ */
+export type CatalogRoleInstallState =
+  | { state: "import" }
+  | { state: "installed"; installed: IAiRole }
+  | {
+      state: "update";
+      installed: IAiRole;
+      fromVersion: number;
+      toVersion: number;
+    };
+
+export function catalogRoleInstallState(
+  role: Pick<IAiRoleCatalogRole, "slug" | "version">,
+  workspaceRoles: IAiRole[],
+  language: string,
+): CatalogRoleInstallState {
+  const installed = workspaceRoles.find(
+    (r) => r.source?.slug === role.slug && r.source?.language === language,
+  );
+  if (!installed) return { state: "import" };
+  const fromVersion = installed.source?.version ?? 0;
+  if (fromVersion >= role.version) {
+    return { state: "installed", installed };
+  }
+  return {
+    state: "update",
+    installed,
+    fromVersion,
+    toVersion: role.version,
+  };
+}
diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/workspace/components/settings/components/ai-agent-roles-catalog-modal.tsx b/apps/client/src/features/workspace/components/settings/components/ai-agent-roles-catalog-modal.tsx
index 3d381b56..9095396d 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/features/workspace/components/settings/components/ai-agent-roles-catalog-modal.tsx
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/workspace/components/settings/components/ai-agent-roles-catalog-modal.tsx
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import {
   IAiRoleCatalogBundleSummary,
   IAiRoleCatalogRole,
 } from "@/features/ai-chat/types/ai-chat.types.ts";
+import { catalogRoleInstallState } from "@/features/ai-chat/utils/catalog-role-install-state.ts";
 
 interface AiAgentRolesCatalogModalProps {
   opened: boolean;
@@ -230,19 +231,14 @@ function BundlePanel({
   const updateMutation = useUpdateAiRoleFromCatalogMutation();
 
   // Compute each catalog role's install state against the current workspace
-  // roles: an importable role matched by source.slug + source.language.
+  // roles (matched by source.slug + source.language). The decision lives in the
+  // pure `catalogRoleInstallState` helper so it is unit-tested directly.
   const computed = useMemo(() => {
     const list = bundleQuery.data?.roles ?? [];
-    return list.map((role) => {
-      const installed = roles.find(
-        (r) => r.source?.slug === role.slug && r.source?.language === language,
-      );
-      if (!installed) return { role, state: "import" as const };
-      if ((installed.source?.version ?? 0) >= role.version) {
-        return { role, state: "installed" as const, installed };
-      }
-      return { role, state: "update" as const, installed };
-    });
+    return list.map((role) => ({
+      role,
+      ...catalogRoleInstallState(role, roles, language),
+    }));
   }, [bundleQuery.data, roles, language]);
 
   // Default-check every importable role once the bundle content arrives (unless
@@ -300,17 +296,23 @@ function BundlePanel({
 
         {bundleQuery.data && (
           <Stack gap="xs">
-            {computed.map(({ role, state, installed }) => (
+            {computed.map((entry) => (
               <CatalogRoleRow
-                key={role.slug}
-                role={role}
-                state={state}
-                checked={state === "import" ? !!selected?.has(role.slug) : false}
-                onToggle={(checked) => onToggleSlug(role.slug, checked)}
-                fromVersion={installed?.source?.version}
+                key={entry.role.slug}
+                role={entry.role}
+                state={entry.state}
+                checked={
+                  entry.state === "import"
+                    ? !!selected?.has(entry.role.slug)
+                    : false
+                }
+                onToggle={(checked) => onToggleSlug(entry.role.slug, checked)}
+                fromVersion={
+                  entry.state === "update" ? entry.fromVersion : undefined
+                }
                 onUpdate={
-                  state === "update" && installed
-                    ? () => updateMutation.mutate(installed.id)
+                  entry.state === "update"
+                    ? () => updateMutation.mutate(entry.installed.id)
                     : undefined
                 }
                 updating={updateMutation.isPending}
diff --git a/apps/server/src/core/ai-chat/roles/ai-agent-roles.service.spec.ts b/apps/server/src/core/ai-chat/roles/ai-agent-roles.service.spec.ts
index 04d5698e..f278a783 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/core/ai-chat/roles/ai-agent-roles.service.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/core/ai-chat/roles/ai-agent-roles.service.spec.ts
@@ -664,9 +664,11 @@ describe('AiAgentRolesService guards', () => {
           { slug: 'b', version: 1 },
         ],
       });
+      // The kysely-postgres-js driver surfaces the violated constraint on
+      // `constraint_name` (not node-postgres' `.constraint`), matching prod.
       const sourceRace = Object.assign(new Error('duplicate key'), {
         code: '23505',
-        constraint: 'ai_agent_roles_workspace_source_unique',
+        constraint_name: 'ai_agent_roles_workspace_source_unique',
       });
       repo.insert
         .mockRejectedValueOnce(sourceRace)
@@ -714,6 +716,17 @@ describe('AiAgentRolesService guards', () => {
         logSpy.mockRestore();
       }
     });
+
+    it('bundleId absent from the index => BadGateway (no insert)', async () => {
+      // The requested bundle is not listed in the fetched index (a stale client
+      // or an index/bundle drift); the import must surface a 502 rather than
+      // silently doing nothing or dereferencing a missing meta.
+      const { service, repo } = makeImportService({});
+      await expect(
+        service.importFromCatalog('ws-1', 'u1', dto({ bundleId: 'missing' })),
+      ).rejects.toBeInstanceOf(BadGatewayException);
+      expect(repo.insert).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
   });
 
   describe('updateFromCatalog', () => {
@@ -847,6 +860,22 @@ describe('AiAgentRolesService guards', () => {
       expect('enabled' in patch).toBe(false);
     });
 
+    it('slug listed in the index but missing from the bundle file => not-in-catalog', async () => {
+      // Index/bundle drift: the index still advertises a newer `researcher`
+      // (v5 > installed v1) in an offered language, but the fetched bundle file
+      // no longer contains that slug. The update must no-op as not-in-catalog,
+      // not throw or write a half-resolved role.
+      const { service, repo } = makeUpdateService({
+        role: imported(1),
+        bundleRoles: [
+          { slug: 'someone-else', name: 'Other', instructions: 'x' },
+        ],
+      });
+      const res = await service.updateFromCatalog('ws-1', { id: 'r1' } as never);
+      expect(res).toEqual({ updated: false, reason: 'not-in-catalog' });
+      expect(repo.update).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
     it('new catalog name collides with another live role => keeps current name', async () => {
       const role = imported(1);
       const other = makeRow({ id: 'r2', name: 'Researcher v5' });
diff --git a/apps/server/src/core/ai-chat/roles/ai-agent-roles.service.ts b/apps/server/src/core/ai-chat/roles/ai-agent-roles.service.ts
index 4c1ae20f..2438e9e6 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/core/ai-chat/roles/ai-agent-roles.service.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/core/ai-chat/roles/ai-agent-roles.service.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,11 @@ import { CreateAgentRoleDto, UpdateAgentRoleDto } from './dto/agent-role.dto';
 import { ImportFromCatalogDto, UpdateFromCatalogDto } from './dto/agent-role-catalog.dto';
 import { RoleModelConfig } from './role-model-config';
 import { AiAgentRolesCatalogProvider } from './catalog/ai-agent-roles-catalog.provider';
-import { CatalogBundleMeta } from './catalog/catalog-types';
+import {
+  CatalogBundleFile,
+  CatalogBundleMeta,
+  CatalogRole,
+} from './catalog/catalog-types';
 
 /**
  * Full (admin) view of an agent role. There are no secret columns on this table
@@ -217,6 +221,30 @@ export class AiAgentRolesService {
     return { languages, bundles };
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Shared read prefix for the two bundle-by-id catalog paths (getCatalogBundle /
+   * importFromCatalog): fetch the index, resolve the requested bundle's meta
+   * (502 if the index does not list it), fetch its per-language file, and build
+   * the slug->version map from the meta. The callers keep their own response /
+   * write logic; only this duplicated read is factored out here.
+   */
+  private async loadBundleById(
+    bundleId: string,
+    language: string,
+  ): Promise<{
+    meta: CatalogBundleMeta;
+    file: CatalogBundleFile;
+    versions: Map<string, number>;
+  }> {
+    const index = await this.catalog.fetchIndex();
+    const meta = index.bundles.find((b) => b.id === bundleId);
+    if (!meta) {
+      throw new BadGatewayException('Catalog bundle not found');
+    }
+    const file = await this.catalog.fetchBundle(bundleId, language);
+    return { meta, file, versions: versionMap(meta) };
+  }
+
   /**
    * Open one bundle in a language: returns each role's content plus the version
    * taken from the index (so the client can compare against an imported role's
@@ -239,13 +267,7 @@ export class AiAgentRolesService {
       version: number;
     }[];
   }> {
-    const index = await this.catalog.fetchIndex();
-    const meta = index.bundles.find((b) => b.id === bundleId);
-    if (!meta) {
-      throw new BadGatewayException('Catalog bundle not found');
-    }
-    const file = await this.catalog.fetchBundle(bundleId, language);
-    const versions = versionMap(meta);
+    const { file, versions } = await this.loadBundleById(bundleId, language);
     return {
       bundleId,
       language,
@@ -284,13 +306,10 @@ export class AiAgentRolesService {
     renamed: number;
     errors: { slug: string; message: string }[];
   }> {
-    const index = await this.catalog.fetchIndex();
-    const meta = index.bundles.find((b) => b.id === dto.bundleId);
-    if (!meta) {
-      throw new BadGatewayException('Catalog bundle not found');
-    }
-    const file = await this.catalog.fetchBundle(dto.bundleId, dto.language);
-    const versions = versionMap(meta);
+    const { file, versions } = await this.loadBundleById(
+      dto.bundleId,
+      dto.language,
+    );
 
     const errors: { slug: string; message: string }[] = [];
 
@@ -355,15 +374,8 @@ export class AiAgentRolesService {
           workspaceId,
           creatorId,
           name,
-          emoji: emptyToNull(role.emoji),
-          description: emptyToNull(role.description),
-          instructions: role.instructions,
-          modelConfig: normalizeModelConfig(role.modelConfig) as
-            | Record<string, unknown>
-            | null,
+          ...catalogRoleContentFields(role),
           enabled: true,
-          autoStart: role.autoStart ?? true,
-          launchMessage: emptyToNull(role.launchMessage ?? undefined),
           source: { slug: role.slug, language: dto.language, version },
         });
         created++;
@@ -465,14 +477,7 @@ export class AiAgentRolesService {
 
     await this.repo.update(dto.id, workspaceId, {
       name,
-      emoji: emptyToNull(fresh.emoji),
-      description: emptyToNull(fresh.description),
-      instructions: fresh.instructions,
-      modelConfig: normalizeModelConfig(fresh.modelConfig) as
-        | Record<string, unknown>
-        | null,
-      autoStart: fresh.autoStart ?? true,
-      launchMessage: emptyToNull(fresh.launchMessage ?? undefined),
+      ...catalogRoleContentFields(fresh),
       // enabled is deliberately NOT changed.
       source: {
         slug: source.slug,
@@ -562,19 +567,49 @@ const SOURCE_UNIQUE_CONSTRAINT = 'ai_agent_roles_workspace_source_unique';
 
 /**
  * Whether `err` is the 23505 raised by the SOURCE-uniqueness index specifically
- * (vs the name-uniqueness index). Postgres sets `constraint` to the violated
- * index name on a unique violation; we key off that so a source race is skipped
- * while a name race still surfaces as a friendly per-role error. A 23505 with no
- * constraint name (e.g. a wrapped/test error) is NOT treated as a source
- * collision, preserving the existing name-race behavior.
+ * (vs the name-uniqueness index). The active driver (`kysely-postgres-js` over
+ * `postgres@3.4.8`) exposes the violated constraint name on `constraint_name`,
+ * so we key off that (accepting the node-postgres-style `.constraint` as a
+ * fallback for other drivers) — that way a source race is skipped while a name
+ * race still surfaces as a friendly per-role error. A 23505 with no constraint
+ * name (e.g. a wrapped/test error) is NOT treated as a source collision,
+ * preserving the existing name-race behavior.
  */
 function isSourceUniqueViolation(err: unknown): boolean {
+  if (!isUniqueViolation(err)) return false;
+  const e = err as { constraint_name?: unknown; constraint?: unknown };
   return (
-    isUniqueViolation(err) &&
-    (err as { constraint?: unknown }).constraint === SOURCE_UNIQUE_CONSTRAINT
+    e.constraint_name === SOURCE_UNIQUE_CONSTRAINT ||
+    e.constraint === SOURCE_UNIQUE_CONSTRAINT
   );
 }
 
+/**
+ * The role-content fields shared by import (insert) and update (patch) of a
+ * catalog role: emoji/description/launchMessage normalized to null, model config
+ * normalized, autoStart defaulted. The caller adds the write-specific fields
+ * (`name`, `source`, and on insert `workspaceId`/`creatorId`/`enabled`).
+ */
+function catalogRoleContentFields(role: CatalogRole): {
+  emoji: string | null;
+  description: string | null;
+  instructions: string;
+  modelConfig: Record<string, unknown> | null;
+  autoStart: boolean;
+  launchMessage: string | null;
+} {
+  return {
+    emoji: emptyToNull(role.emoji),
+    description: emptyToNull(role.description),
+    instructions: role.instructions,
+    modelConfig: normalizeModelConfig(role.modelConfig) as
+      | Record<string, unknown>
+      | null,
+    autoStart: role.autoStart ?? true,
+    launchMessage: emptyToNull(role.launchMessage ?? undefined),
+  };
+}
+
 /** '' / whitespace-only / undefined / null => null; otherwise the trimmed value. */
 function emptyToNull(value: string | null | undefined): string | null {
   if (value === undefined || value === null) return null;