diff --git a/ui/src/components/ActivityCharts.tsx b/ui/src/components/ActivityCharts.tsx
index 519f841d82..1463eb0209 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/ActivityCharts.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/ActivityCharts.tsx
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ const statusColors: Record<string, string> = {
   done: "var(--hex-10b981)",
   blocked: "var(--hex-ef4444)",
   cancelled: "var(--hex-6b7280)",
-  backlog: "var(--hex-64748b)",
+  backlog: "var(--project-none)",
 };
 
 const statusLabels: Record<string, string> = {
diff --git a/ui/src/components/MarkdownEditor.tsx b/ui/src/components/MarkdownEditor.tsx
index c1b1110e90..61d80c0499 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/MarkdownEditor.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/MarkdownEditor.tsx
@@ -1352,7 +1352,7 @@ export const MarkdownEditor = forwardRef<MarkdownEditorRef, MarkdownEditorProps>
                 ) : option.kind === "project" && option.projectId ? (
                   <span
                     className="inline-flex h-2 w-2 rounded-full border border-border/50"
-                    style={{ backgroundColor: option.projectColor ?? "var(--hex-64748b)" }}
+                    style={{ backgroundColor: option.projectColor ?? "var(--project-none)" }}
                   />
                 ) : option.kind === "user" ? (
                   <User className="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground" />
diff --git a/ui/src/components/NewIssueDialog.tsx b/ui/src/components/NewIssueDialog.tsx
index 92b252e448..f141ae3778 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/NewIssueDialog.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/NewIssueDialog.tsx
@@ -1486,7 +1486,7 @@ export function NewIssueDialog() {
                     <>
                       <span
                         className="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 rounded-sm"
-                        style={{ backgroundColor: currentProject.color ?? "var(--hex-6366f1)" }}
+                        style={{ backgroundColor: currentProject.color ?? "var(--project-seed)" }}
                       />
                       <span className="truncate">{option.label}</span>
                     </>
@@ -1501,7 +1501,7 @@ export function NewIssueDialog() {
                     <>
                       <span
                         className="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 rounded-sm"
-                        style={{ backgroundColor: project?.color ?? "var(--hex-6366f1)" }}
+                        style={{ backgroundColor: project?.color ?? "var(--project-seed)" }}
                       />
                       <span className="truncate">{option.label}</span>
                     </>
diff --git a/ui/src/components/RoutineList.tsx b/ui/src/components/RoutineList.tsx
index bd19200b80..f2cf986cc5 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/RoutineList.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/RoutineList.tsx
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ export function RoutineListRow<TRoutine extends RoutineListRowItem>({
           <span className="flex items-center gap-2">
             <span
               className="h-2.5 w-2.5 shrink-0 rounded-sm"
-              style={{ backgroundColor: project?.color ?? "var(--hex-64748b)" }}
+              style={{ backgroundColor: project?.color ?? "var(--project-none)" }}
             />
             <span>{routine.projectId ? (project?.name ?? "Unknown project") : "No project"}</span>
           </span>
diff --git a/ui/src/components/RoutineRunVariablesDialog.tsx b/ui/src/components/RoutineRunVariablesDialog.tsx
index 573450c660..67f9f18864 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/RoutineRunVariablesDialog.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/RoutineRunVariablesDialog.tsx
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ export function RoutineRunVariablesDialog({
                     <>
                       <span
                         className="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 rounded-sm"
-                        style={{ backgroundColor: selectedProject.color ?? "var(--hex-64748b)" }}
+                        style={{ backgroundColor: selectedProject.color ?? "var(--project-none)" }}
                       />
                       <span className="truncate">{option.label}</span>
                     </>
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@ export function RoutineRunVariablesDialog({
                     <>
                       <span
                         className="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 rounded-sm"
-                        style={{ backgroundColor: project?.color ?? "var(--hex-64748b)" }}
+                        style={{ backgroundColor: project?.color ?? "var(--project-none)" }}
                       />
                       <span className="truncate">{option.label}</span>
                     </>
diff --git a/ui/src/components/issue-properties/IssueProperties.tsx b/ui/src/components/issue-properties/IssueProperties.tsx
index a34af2044b..90067a5f53 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/issue-properties/IssueProperties.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/issue-properties/IssueProperties.tsx
@@ -1574,7 +1574,7 @@ export function IssueProperties({
     <>
       <span
         className="shrink-0 h-3 w-3 rounded-sm"
-        style={{ backgroundColor: orderedProjects.find((p) => p.id === issue.projectId)?.color ?? "var(--hex-6366f1)" }}
+        style={{ backgroundColor: orderedProjects.find((p) => p.id === issue.projectId)?.color ?? "var(--project-seed)" }}
       />
       <span className="text-sm truncate min-w-0" title={projectName(issue.projectId)}>{projectName(issue.projectId)}</span>
     </>
@@ -1647,7 +1647,7 @@ export function IssueProperties({
               {option.kind === "project" ? (
                 <span
                   className="shrink-0 h-3 w-3 rounded-sm"
-                  style={{ backgroundColor: option.color ?? "var(--hex-6366f1)" }}
+                  style={{ backgroundColor: option.color ?? "var(--project-seed)" }}
                 />
               ) : null}
               {option.name}
diff --git a/ui/src/components/routine-sections/editable-sections.tsx b/ui/src/components/routine-sections/editable-sections.tsx
index 8551ed519a..50219bfdac 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/routine-sections/editable-sections.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/routine-sections/editable-sections.tsx
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ export function OverviewSection({
                 <>
                   <span
                     className="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 rounded-sm"
-                    style={{ backgroundColor: currentProject.color ?? "var(--hex-64748b)" }}
+                    style={{ backgroundColor: currentProject.color ?? "var(--project-none)" }}
                   />
                   <span className="truncate">{option.label}</span>
                 </>
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ export function OverviewSection({
                 <>
                   <span
                     className="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 rounded-sm"
-                    style={{ backgroundColor: project?.color ?? "var(--hex-64748b)" }}
+                    style={{ backgroundColor: project?.color ?? "var(--project-none)" }}
                   />
                   <span className="truncate">{option.label}</span>
                 </>
diff --git a/ui/src/index.css b/ui/src/index.css
index d232083d14..ef99509729 100644
--- a/ui/src/index.css
+++ b/ui/src/index.css
@@ -1463,8 +1463,8 @@ span.paperclip-mention-chip[data-mention-kind="external-object"] {
   --hex-8b5cf6: #8b5cf6; /* ActivityCharts.tsx — status 'in_progress' (independent from --status-task-in_progress which is #2563eb — flagged inconsistency, TOKEN-AUDIT.md 1.2). */
   --hex-a855f7: #a855f7; /* ActivityCharts.tsx — status 'in_review'. */
   --hex-10b981: #10b981; /* ActivityCharts.tsx — status 'done'; also the >=0.8 success-rate bar tint. */
-  --hex-64748b: #64748b; /* ActivityCharts.tsx status 'backlog'; also the widely-repeated 'no project assigned' muted-slate fallback color (TOKEN-AUDIT.md 1.3) across Routines/MarkdownEditor/RoutineRunVariablesDialog/RoutineList/IssueColumns/editable-sections. */
-  --hex-6366f1: #6366f1; /* Project-color-fallback indigo seed default (ProjectDetail/PipelineSettings/IssueProperties/NewIssueDialog) — new-project-color-picker-seed family per TOKEN-AUDIT.md 1.3. */
+  --project-none: #64748b; /* Semantic rename of --hex-64748b (DECISION-SHEET.md A3, value unchanged). 'No project assigned' muted-slate fallback (TOKEN-AUDIT.md 1.3) across Routines/MarkdownEditor/RoutineRunVariablesDialog/RoutineList/IssueColumns/editable-sections; also ActivityCharts.tsx status 'backlog'. */
+  --project-seed: #6366f1; /* Semantic rename of --hex-6366f1 (DECISION-SHEET.md A3, value unchanged). Project-color-fallback indigo seed default (ProjectDetail/PipelineSettings/IssueProperties/NewIssueDialog) — new-project-color-picker-seed family per TOKEN-AUDIT.md 1.3. */
   --gradient-extract-1: linear-gradient(180deg,rgba(255,80,80,0.12),rgba(255,255,255,0.02)); /* Dashboard.tsx budget-alert card gradient. */
   --gradient-extract-2: linear-gradient(180deg,rgba(255,255,255,0.05),rgba(255,255,255,0.02)); /* Costs.tsx subtle white card gradient. */
   --gradient-extract-3: radial-gradient(circle at top left,rgba(244,114,182,0.08),transparent 35%),radial-gradient(circle at bottom right,rgba(56,189,248,0.1),transparent 32%); /* AccountingModelCard.tsx decorative overlay. */
diff --git a/ui/src/pages/PipelineSettings.tsx b/ui/src/pages/PipelineSettings.tsx
index 671fd3d5b4..7ac4335e8c 100644
--- a/ui/src/pages/PipelineSettings.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/pages/PipelineSettings.tsx
@@ -2956,7 +2956,7 @@ export function PipelineSettings() {
                                       <>
                                         <span
                                           className="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 rounded-sm"
-                                          style={{ backgroundColor: selectedAutomationProject.color ?? "var(--hex-6366f1)" }}
+                                          style={{ backgroundColor: selectedAutomationProject.color ?? "var(--project-seed)" }}
                                         />
                                         <span className="truncate">{option.label}</span>
                                       </>
@@ -2971,7 +2971,7 @@ export function PipelineSettings() {
                                       <>
                                         <span
                                           className="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 rounded-sm"
-                                          style={{ backgroundColor: project?.color ?? "var(--hex-6366f1)" }}
+                                          style={{ backgroundColor: project?.color ?? "var(--project-seed)" }}
                                         />
                                         <span className="truncate">{option.label}</span>
                                       </>
diff --git a/ui/src/pages/ProjectDetail.tsx b/ui/src/pages/ProjectDetail.tsx
index 1668aea90e..34ec7f5837 100644
--- a/ui/src/pages/ProjectDetail.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/pages/ProjectDetail.tsx
@@ -786,7 +786,7 @@ export function ProjectDetail() {
           ) : null}
           {project.managedByPlugin ? (
             <div className="inline-flex items-center gap-2 rounded-full border border-border bg-muted px-3 py-1 text-(length:--fs-11) font-medium text-muted-foreground">
-              <span className="h-2 w-2 rounded-full" style={{ backgroundColor: project.color ?? "var(--hex-6366f1)" }} />
+              <span className="h-2 w-2 rounded-full" style={{ backgroundColor: project.color ?? "var(--project-seed)" }} />
               Managed by {project.managedByPlugin.pluginDisplayName}
             </div>
           ) : null}
diff --git a/ui/src/pages/Routines.tsx b/ui/src/pages/Routines.tsx
index bdeb7abf5c..030ef8a6e5 100644
--- a/ui/src/pages/Routines.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/pages/Routines.tsx
@@ -748,7 +748,7 @@ export function Routines() {
                         <>
                           <span
                             className="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 rounded-sm"
-                            style={{ backgroundColor: currentProject.color ?? "var(--hex-64748b)" }}
+                            style={{ backgroundColor: currentProject.color ?? "var(--project-none)" }}
                           />
                           <span className="truncate">{option.label}</span>
                         </>
@@ -763,7 +763,7 @@ export function Routines() {
                         <>
                           <span
                             className="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 rounded-sm"
-                            style={{ backgroundColor: project?.color ?? "var(--hex-64748b)" }}
+                            style={{ backgroundColor: project?.color ?? "var(--project-none)" }}
                           />
                           <span className="truncate">{option.label}</span>
                         </>