diff --git a/packages/shared/src/types/instance.ts b/packages/shared/src/types/instance.ts
index 038fac8068..f03ac7df6f 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/types/instance.ts
+++ b/packages/shared/src/types/instance.ts
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ export interface InstanceExperimentalSettings {
   enableExperimentalFileViewer: boolean;
   enableCloudSync: boolean;
   enableExternalObjects: boolean;
+  enableGoalsSidebarLink: boolean;
   enableServerInfoDebugView: boolean;
   autoRestartDevServerWhenIdle: boolean;
   enableIssueGraphLivenessAutoRecovery: boolean;
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/validators/instance.test.ts b/packages/shared/src/validators/instance.test.ts
index f754afea62..d77a00bcfb 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/validators/instance.test.ts
+++ b/packages/shared/src/validators/instance.test.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,12 @@ describe("instance experimental settings validators", () => {
     expect(settings.enableWorkspaceBranchReconcileForward).toBe(false);
   });
 
+  it("defaults the goals sidebar link off", () => {
+    const settings = instanceExperimentalSettingsSchema.parse({});
+
+    expect(settings.enableGoalsSidebarLink).toBe(false);
+  });
+
   it("accepts server info debug view patches", () => {
     expect(
       patchInstanceExperimentalSettingsSchema.parse({
@@ -36,4 +42,14 @@ describe("instance experimental settings validators", () => {
       enableWorkspaceBranchReconcileForward: true,
     });
   });
+
+  it("accepts goals sidebar link patches", () => {
+    expect(
+      patchInstanceExperimentalSettingsSchema.parse({
+        enableGoalsSidebarLink: true,
+      }),
+    ).toEqual({
+      enableGoalsSidebarLink: true,
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/validators/instance.ts b/packages/shared/src/validators/instance.ts
index c405f217a5..18ea416118 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/validators/instance.ts
+++ b/packages/shared/src/validators/instance.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ export const instanceExperimentalSettingsSchema = z.object({
   enableExperimentalFileViewer: z.boolean().default(false),
   enableCloudSync: z.boolean().default(false),
   enableExternalObjects: z.boolean().default(false),
+  enableGoalsSidebarLink: z.boolean().default(false),
   enableServerInfoDebugView: z.boolean().default(false),
   autoRestartDevServerWhenIdle: z.boolean().default(false),
   enableIssueGraphLivenessAutoRecovery: z.boolean().default(false),
diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/instance-settings-routes.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/instance-settings-routes.test.ts
index b9fa242b16..2c717b557e 100644
--- a/server/src/__tests__/instance-settings-routes.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/instance-settings-routes.test.ts
@@ -81,6 +81,8 @@ describe("instance settings routes", () => {
         enableIssuePlanDecompositions: false,
         enableExperimentalFileViewer: false,
         enableCloudSync: false,
+        enableExternalObjects: false,
+        enableGoalsSidebarLink: false,
         enableServerInfoDebugView: false,
         autoRestartDevServerWhenIdle: false,
         enableIssueGraphLivenessAutoRecovery: true,
@@ -103,6 +105,7 @@ describe("instance settings routes", () => {
       enableTaskWatchdogs: false,
       enableCloudSync: false,
       enableExternalObjects: false,
+      enableGoalsSidebarLink: false,
       enableServerInfoDebugView: false,
       autoRestartDevServerWhenIdle: false,
       enableIssueGraphLivenessAutoRecovery: true,
@@ -123,6 +126,8 @@ describe("instance settings routes", () => {
         enableIssuePlanDecompositions: true,
         enableExperimentalFileViewer: true,
         enableCloudSync: true,
+        enableExternalObjects: false,
+        enableGoalsSidebarLink: false,
         enableServerInfoDebugView: false,
         autoRestartDevServerWhenIdle: false,
         enableIssueGraphLivenessAutoRecovery: true,
@@ -150,6 +155,7 @@ describe("instance settings routes", () => {
         enableTaskWatchdogs: true,
         enableCloudSync: true,
         enableExternalObjects: false,
+        enableGoalsSidebarLink: false,
         enableServerInfoDebugView: true,
         autoRestartDevServerWhenIdle: false,
         enableIssueGraphLivenessAutoRecovery: true,
@@ -205,6 +211,7 @@ describe("instance settings routes", () => {
       enableTaskWatchdogs: false,
       enableCloudSync: false,
       enableExternalObjects: false,
+      enableGoalsSidebarLink: false,
       enableServerInfoDebugView: false,
       autoRestartDevServerWhenIdle: false,
       enableIssueGraphLivenessAutoRecovery: true,
@@ -302,6 +309,24 @@ describe("instance settings routes", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("allows local board users to update the goals sidebar link", async () => {
+    const app = await createApp({
+      type: "board",
+      userId: "local-board",
+      source: "local_implicit",
+      isInstanceAdmin: true,
+    });
+
+    await request(app)
+      .patch("/api/instance/settings/experimental")
+      .send({ enableGoalsSidebarLink: true })
+      .expect(200);
+
+    expect(mockInstanceSettingsService.updateExperimental).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      enableGoalsSidebarLink: true,
+    });
+  });
+
   it("allows local board users to update the server info debug view", async () => {
     const app = await createApp({
       type: "board",
diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/instance-settings-service.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/instance-settings-service.test.ts
index 1ac0eeb4fb..3fbed144ba 100644
--- a/server/src/__tests__/instance-settings-service.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/instance-settings-service.test.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ describe("instance settings service", () => {
       enableExperimentalFileViewer: true,
       enableTaskWatchdogs: true,
       enableCloudSync: true,
+      enableGoalsSidebarLink: true,
       enableServerInfoDebugView: true,
       autoRestartDevServerWhenIdle: true,
       enableIssueGraphLivenessAutoRecovery: true,
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ describe("instance settings service", () => {
       enableExperimentalFileViewer: true,
       enableTaskWatchdogs: true,
       enableCloudSync: true,
+      enableGoalsSidebarLink: true,
       enableServerInfoDebugView: true,
       autoRestartDevServerWhenIdle: true,
       enableIssueGraphLivenessAutoRecovery: true,
@@ -60,6 +62,14 @@ describe("instance settings service", () => {
     ).toBe(false);
   });
 
+  it("defaults enableGoalsSidebarLink to false for empty and legacy stored settings", () => {
+    expect(normalizeExperimentalSettings(undefined).enableGoalsSidebarLink).toBe(false);
+    expect(normalizeExperimentalSettings({}).enableGoalsSidebarLink).toBe(false);
+    expect(
+      normalizeExperimentalSettings({ enableStreamlinedLeftNavigation: true }).enableGoalsSidebarLink,
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+
   it("defaults enableWorkspaceBranchReconcileForward to false for empty and legacy stored settings", () => {
     expect(normalizeExperimentalSettings(undefined).enableWorkspaceBranchReconcileForward).toBe(false);
     expect(normalizeExperimentalSettings({}).enableWorkspaceBranchReconcileForward).toBe(false);
diff --git a/server/src/services/instance-settings.ts b/server/src/services/instance-settings.ts
index f61c966cb3..cdb0ef3047 100644
--- a/server/src/services/instance-settings.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/instance-settings.ts
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ export function normalizeExperimentalSettings(raw: unknown): InstanceExperimenta
       enableTaskWatchdogs: parsed.data.enableTaskWatchdogs ?? false,
       enableCloudSync: parsed.data.enableCloudSync ?? false,
       enableExternalObjects: parsed.data.enableExternalObjects ?? false,
+      enableGoalsSidebarLink: parsed.data.enableGoalsSidebarLink ?? false,
       enableServerInfoDebugView: parsed.data.enableServerInfoDebugView ?? false,
       autoRestartDevServerWhenIdle: parsed.data.autoRestartDevServerWhenIdle ?? false,
       enableIssueGraphLivenessAutoRecovery: parsed.data.enableIssueGraphLivenessAutoRecovery ?? false,
@@ -74,6 +75,7 @@ export function normalizeExperimentalSettings(raw: unknown): InstanceExperimenta
     enableExperimentalFileViewer: false,
     enableCloudSync: false,
     enableExternalObjects: false,
+    enableGoalsSidebarLink: false,
     enableServerInfoDebugView: false,
     autoRestartDevServerWhenIdle: false,
     enableIssueGraphLivenessAutoRecovery: false,
diff --git a/ui/src/components/Sidebar.test.tsx b/ui/src/components/Sidebar.test.tsx
index 077141c53a..8007cb2848 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/Sidebar.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/Sidebar.test.tsx
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ describe("Sidebar", () => {
     const workSectionContainer = workSection?.parentElement?.parentElement;
     expect(workSectionContainer?.textContent).toContain("Work");
     expect(workSectionContainer?.textContent).toContain("Tasks");
-    expect(workSectionContainer?.textContent).toContain("Goals");
+    expect(workSectionContainer?.textContent).not.toContain("Goals");
 
     flushSync(() => {
       root.unmount();
@@ -294,10 +294,8 @@ describe("Sidebar", () => {
     expect(artifactsLink?.getAttribute("href")).toBe("/artifacts");
 
     const navText = container.querySelector("nav")?.textContent ?? "";
-    expect(navText).toContain("Goals");
     expect(navText).toContain("Artifacts");
     expect(navText).toContain("Skills");
-    expect(navText.indexOf("Goals")).toBeLessThan(navText.indexOf("Artifacts"));
     expect(navText.indexOf("Artifacts")).toBeLessThan(navText.indexOf("Skills"));
 
     const sections = [...container.querySelectorAll("nav > div")];
@@ -311,6 +309,50 @@ describe("Sidebar", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("hides the Goals nav item by default", async () => {
+    mockInstanceSettingsApi.getExperimental.mockResolvedValue({
+      enableIsolatedWorkspaces: false,
+      enableGoalsSidebarLink: false,
+    });
+    const root = await renderSidebar();
+
+    expect([...container.querySelectorAll("nav a")].map((a) => a.textContent?.trim())).not.toContain("Goals");
+
+    flushSync(() => {
+      root.unmount();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("reserves the Goals nav slot while experimental settings are loading", async () => {
+    mockInstanceSettingsApi.getExperimental.mockImplementation(() => new Promise(() => {}));
+    const root = await renderSidebar();
+
+    expect([...container.querySelectorAll("nav a")].map((a) => a.textContent?.trim())).not.toContain("Goals");
+    expect(container.querySelector('[data-testid="sidebar-goals-placeholder"]')).not.toBeNull();
+
+    flushSync(() => {
+      root.unmount();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("shows the Goals nav item when the experimental setting is enabled", async () => {
+    mockInstanceSettingsApi.getExperimental.mockResolvedValue({
+      enableIsolatedWorkspaces: false,
+      enableGoalsSidebarLink: true,
+    });
+    const root = await renderSidebar();
+
+    const link = [...container.querySelectorAll("a")].find((anchor) => anchor.textContent === "Goals");
+    expect(link?.getAttribute("href")).toBe("/goals");
+
+    const navText = container.querySelector("nav")?.textContent ?? "";
+    expect(navText.indexOf("Goals")).toBeLessThan(navText.indexOf("Artifacts"));
+
+    flushSync(() => {
+      root.unmount();
+    });
+  });
+
   it("places Timeline in the Company section", async () => {
     mockInstanceSettingsApi.getExperimental.mockResolvedValue({ enableIsolatedWorkspaces: false });
     const root = await renderSidebar();
diff --git a/ui/src/components/Sidebar.tsx b/ui/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
index 46d86fad47..d8f630d102 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ export function Sidebar() {
   const liveRunCount = liveRuns?.length ?? 0;
   const showWorkspacesLink = experimentalSettings?.enableIsolatedWorkspaces === true;
   const showPipelines = experimentalSettings?.enablePipelines === true;
+  const goalsLinkPending = experimentalSettings === undefined;
+  const showGoalsLink = experimentalSettings?.enableGoalsSidebarLink === true;
   // Streamlined left navigation (top-level Projects link + starred children) is
   // now the standard product sidebar (PAP-12472). The former experimental
   // opt-out was retired; classic per-project collapsible mode is no longer
@@ -181,7 +183,15 @@ export function Sidebar() {
           {showPipelines ? (
             <SidebarNavItem to="/pipelines" label="Pipelines" icon={GitBranch} />
           ) : null}
-          <SidebarNavItem to="/goals" label="Goals" icon={Target} />
+          {showGoalsLink ? (
+            <SidebarNavItem to="/goals" label="Goals" icon={Target} />
+          ) : goalsLinkPending ? (
+            <div
+              data-testid="sidebar-goals-placeholder"
+              className="h-9 pointer-coarse:h-8"
+              aria-hidden="true"
+            />
+          ) : null}
           <SidebarNavItem to="/artifacts" label="Artifacts" icon={Package} />
           <SidebarNavItem to="/skills" label="Skills" icon={Boxes} />
           {showWorkspacesLink ? (
diff --git a/ui/src/pages/InstanceExperimentalSettings.test.tsx b/ui/src/pages/InstanceExperimentalSettings.test.tsx
index ac41aebed8..2cfd1f4cfb 100644
--- a/ui/src/pages/InstanceExperimentalSettings.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/pages/InstanceExperimentalSettings.test.tsx
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ const STREAMLINED_TOGGLE_SELECTOR =
   'button[aria-label="Toggle streamlined left navigation experimental setting"]';
 const TASK_WATCHDOGS_TOGGLE_SELECTOR =
   'button[aria-label="Toggle task watchdogs experimental setting"]';
+const GOALS_SIDEBAR_LINK_TOGGLE_SELECTOR =
+  'button[aria-label="Toggle goals sidebar link experimental setting"]';
 const SERVER_INFO_TOGGLE_SELECTOR =
   'button[aria-label="Toggle server info debug view experimental setting"]';
 
@@ -57,6 +59,7 @@ function defaultExperimentalSettings(): InstanceExperimentalSettingsPayload {
     enableIssuePlanDecompositions: false,
     enableExperimentalFileViewer: false,
     enableExternalObjects: false,
+    enableGoalsSidebarLink: false,
     enableTaskWatchdogs: false,
     enableCloudSync: false,
     enableServerInfoDebugView: false,
@@ -197,6 +200,28 @@ describe("InstanceExperimentalSettings — Conference Room Chat card (PAP-11233)
     });
   });
 
+  it("renders and patches the Goals Sidebar Link experimental toggle", async () => {
+    await renderPage();
+
+    expect(container.textContent).toContain("Goals Sidebar Link");
+    expect(container.textContent).toContain(
+      "Restore the Goals item in the main sidebar while the goals surface is being evaluated.",
+    );
+
+    const toggle = container.querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>(GOALS_SIDEBAR_LINK_TOGGLE_SELECTOR);
+    expect(toggle?.getAttribute("aria-checked")).toBe("false");
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      toggle?.click();
+    });
+    await flushReact();
+
+    expect(mockInstanceSettingsApi.updateExperimental).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      enableGoalsSidebarLink: true,
+    });
+    expect(toggle?.getAttribute("aria-checked")).toBe("true");
+  });
+
   it("renders and patches the Server Info Debug View experimental toggle", async () => {
     await renderPage();
 
diff --git a/ui/src/pages/InstanceExperimentalSettings.tsx b/ui/src/pages/InstanceExperimentalSettings.tsx
index 79344559e5..65149a5aed 100644
--- a/ui/src/pages/InstanceExperimentalSettings.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/pages/InstanceExperimentalSettings.tsx
@@ -242,6 +242,7 @@ export function InstanceExperimentalSettings() {
   const enableTaskWatchdogs = experimentalQuery.data?.enableTaskWatchdogs === true;
   const enableCloudSync = experimentalQuery.data?.enableCloudSync === true;
   const enableExternalObjects = experimentalQuery.data?.enableExternalObjects === true;
+  const enableGoalsSidebarLink = experimentalQuery.data?.enableGoalsSidebarLink === true;
   const enableServerInfoDebugView = experimentalQuery.data?.enableServerInfoDebugView === true;
   const autoRestartDevServerWhenIdle = experimentalQuery.data?.autoRestartDevServerWhenIdle === true;
   const enableIssueGraphLivenessAutoRecovery =
@@ -373,6 +374,23 @@ export function InstanceExperimentalSettings() {
         </div>
       </section>
 
+      <section className="rounded-xl border border-border bg-card p-5">
+        <div className="flex items-start justify-between gap-4">
+          <div className="space-y-1.5">
+            <h2 className="text-sm font-semibold">Goals Sidebar Link</h2>
+            <p className="max-w-2xl text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+              Restore the Goals item in the main sidebar while the goals surface is being evaluated.
+            </p>
+          </div>
+          <ToggleSwitch
+            checked={enableGoalsSidebarLink}
+            onCheckedChange={() => toggleMutation.mutate({ enableGoalsSidebarLink: !enableGoalsSidebarLink })}
+            disabled={toggleMutation.isPending}
+            aria-label="Toggle goals sidebar link experimental setting"
+          />
+        </div>
+      </section>
+
       <section className="rounded-xl border border-border bg-card p-5">
         <div className="flex items-start justify-between gap-4">
           <div className="space-y-1.5">