diff --git a/packages/dashboard/app/components/WorkflowNodeEditor.css b/packages/dashboard/app/components/WorkflowNodeEditor.css
index efb2c06f24..b91dc4267a 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard/app/components/WorkflowNodeEditor.css
+++ b/packages/dashboard/app/components/WorkflowNodeEditor.css
@@ -121,6 +121,52 @@
   justify-content: center;
 }
 
+/* No-workflow onboarding panel (R9): icon + heading + explanation + create CTA. */
+.wf-editor-onboard {
+  flex-direction: column;
+  text-align: center;
+  gap: var(--space-sm);
+  padding: var(--space-lg);
+}
+
+.wf-editor-onboard-icon {
+  color: var(--text-muted);
+}
+
+.wf-editor-onboard-title {
+  margin: 0;
+  font-size: 1rem;
+  color: var(--text);
+}
+
+.wf-editor-onboard-text {
+  margin: 0;
+  max-width: 36ch;
+  color: var(--text-muted);
+}
+
+.wf-editor-onboard-cta {
+  margin-top: var(--space-xs);
+}
+
+/* Trivial-graph palette hint (R9): non-blocking banner over the canvas. */
+.wf-trivial-hint {
+  position: absolute;
+  top: var(--space-sm);
+  left: 50%;
+  transform: translateX(-50%);
+  z-index: 5;
+  pointer-events: none;
+  max-width: min(90%, 42ch);
+  padding: var(--space-xs) var(--space-sm);
+  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--ws-info) 8%, var(--bg-secondary));
+  border: 1px solid var(--ws-info);
+  border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
+  color: var(--ws-info);
+  font-size: 0.8rem;
+  text-align: center;
+}
+
 .wf-editor-toolbar {
   display: flex;
   align-items: center;
diff --git a/packages/dashboard/app/components/WorkflowNodeEditor.tsx b/packages/dashboard/app/components/WorkflowNodeEditor.tsx
index 6979b4baa1..e9ea4d7b7e 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard/app/components/WorkflowNodeEditor.tsx
+++ b/packages/dashboard/app/components/WorkflowNodeEditor.tsx
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import {
   type Edge as FlowEdge,
 } from "@xyflow/react";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
-import { X, Plus, Trash2, Save, MessageSquare, Terminal, Shield, GitMerge, Loader2, HelpCircle, PauseCircle, Split, Merge, Repeat, ClipboardCheck, ListChecks, Code2, LayoutGrid } from "lucide-react";
+import { X, Plus, Trash2, Save, MessageSquare, Terminal, Shield, GitMerge, Loader2, HelpCircle, PauseCircle, Split, Merge, Repeat, ClipboardCheck, ListChecks, Code2, LayoutGrid, Workflow } from "lucide-react";
 import type { WorkflowDefinition, WorkflowIrColumn, TraitViolation } from "@fusion/core";
 import { getErrorMessage } from "@fusion/core";
 import {
@@ -149,6 +149,23 @@ const PALETTE: Array<{ kind: WorkflowEditorNodeKind; label: string; icon: typeof
   { kind: "code", label: "Code", icon: Code2, presetConfig: { source: "" } },
 ];
 
+// Node kinds a user authors from the palette. Structural/derived nodes
+// (start/end and column bands — which map to data.kind "start") are excluded, so
+// a fresh start→end graph counts as trivial. Used by the palette-hint (R9).
+const USER_NODE_KINDS: ReadonlySet<WorkflowEditorNodeKind> = new Set<WorkflowEditorNodeKind>([
+  "prompt",
+  "script",
+  "gate",
+  "code",
+  "hold",
+  "split",
+  "join",
+  "foreach",
+  "step-review",
+  "parse-steps",
+  "merge",
+]);
+
 /** Local create-workflow dialog (KTD-7). Built on the shared `.modal` primitives
  *  (precedent: NewTaskModal). Owns its own name/description/error state; the
  *  parent supplies an async `onCreate` that performs the createWorkflow call and
@@ -324,6 +341,15 @@ function InnerEditor({
   const activeWorkflow = useMemo(() => workflows.find((w) => w.id === activeId), [workflows, activeId]);
   const isBuiltin = !!activeWorkflow && isBuiltinWorkflowId(activeWorkflow.id);
 
+  // Trivial-graph palette hint (R9): a user-owned workflow whose graph carries no
+  // user-authored node yet (everything is start/end/column-band — column bands map
+  // to data.kind "start"). Disappears as soon as any user node exists; never shows
+  // for built-ins.
+  const isTrivialUserGraph = useMemo(() => {
+    if (!activeWorkflow || isBuiltin) return false;
+    return !nodes.some((n) => USER_NODE_KINDS.has(n.data.kind));
+  }, [activeWorkflow, isBuiltin, nodes]);
+
   // Trait catalog (for client-side composition validation; the panel fetches its
   // own copy for the picker, but the editor needs the flags to validate).
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -1227,6 +1253,14 @@ function InnerEditor({
                 )}
 
                 <div className="wf-editor-canvas" ref={canvasRef} tabIndex={-1}>
+                  {isTrivialUserGraph && (
+                    <div className="wf-trivial-hint" role="status" data-testid="wf-trivial-hint">
+                      {t(
+                        "workflowNodes.trivialGraphHint",
+                        "This workflow only runs start → end. Add steps from the palette above to build it out.",
+                      )}
+                    </div>
+                  )}
                   <WorkflowEditorCatalogContext.Provider value={catalogs}>
                   <ReactFlow
                     nodes={nodesForRender}
@@ -1263,8 +1297,24 @@ function InnerEditor({
                 </div>
               </>
             ) : (
-              <div className="wf-editor-empty wf-editor-canvas-empty">
-                {t("workflows.selectOrCreate", "Select or create a workflow to start editing.")}
+              <div className="wf-editor-empty wf-editor-canvas-empty wf-editor-onboard">
+                <Workflow className="wf-editor-onboard-icon" size={40} aria-hidden />
+                <h3 className="wf-editor-onboard-title">
+                  {t("workflows.emptyTitle", "No workflow selected")}
+                </h3>
+                <p className="wf-editor-onboard-text">
+                  {t(
+                    "workflows.emptyDescription",
+                    "Workflows orchestrate the steps and gates that run around task execution. Create one to start arranging that flow.",
+                  )}
+                </p>
+                <button
+                  className="wf-editor-save wf-editor-onboard-cta"
+                  data-testid="wf-empty-create"
+                  onClick={() => setCreateOpen(true)}
+                >
+                  <Plus size={14} /> {t("workflows.newWorkflow", "New workflow")}
+                </button>
               </div>
             )}
           </section>
diff --git a/packages/dashboard/app/components/__tests__/WorkflowNodeEditor.test.tsx b/packages/dashboard/app/components/__tests__/WorkflowNodeEditor.test.tsx
index 3b2f8f8a40..367de47902 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard/app/components/__tests__/WorkflowNodeEditor.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/dashboard/app/components/__tests__/WorkflowNodeEditor.test.tsx
@@ -136,7 +136,8 @@ describe("WorkflowNodeEditor", () => {
     render(<WorkflowNodeEditor isOpen onClose={() => {}} addToast={() => {}} />);
     expect(await screen.findByText("Workflows")).toBeInTheDocument();
     await waitFor(() => expect(screen.getByText(/No workflows yet/i)).toBeInTheDocument());
-    expect(screen.getByText(/Select or create a workflow/i)).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByText(/No workflow selected/i)).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByTestId("wf-empty-create")).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
   it("renders nothing when closed", () => {
@@ -1007,3 +1008,72 @@ describe("WorkflowNodeEditor — U4 create dialog / delete / inline rename / dir
     expect(screen.getByTestId("wf-workflow-name")).toHaveTextContent("Edited");
   });
 });
+
+// ── U6: empty / onboarding states ───────────────────────────────────────────
+
+// A user-owned workflow whose graph is only start→end (no user-authored nodes).
+function trivialUserDef(): WorkflowDefinition {
+  return {
+    id: "WF-TRIVIAL",
+    name: "Trivial",
+    description: "",
+    ir: {
+      version: "v1",
+      name: "Trivial",
+      nodes: [
+        { id: "start", kind: "start" },
+        { id: "end", kind: "end" },
+      ],
+      edges: [{ from: "start", to: "end", condition: "success" }],
+    },
+    layout: { start: { x: 0, y: 0 }, end: { x: 240, y: 0 } },
+    createdAt: "2026-06-03T00:00:00.000Z",
+    updatedAt: "2026-06-03T00:00:00.000Z",
+  };
+}
+
+describe("WorkflowNodeEditor — U6 empty/onboarding states", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.mocked(fetchTraits).mockResolvedValue(TRAIT_CATALOG);
+    vi.mocked(fetchStepParsers).mockResolvedValue(["step-headings", "json-steps"]);
+  });
+  afterEach(() => {
+    cleanup();
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  it("no-workflow empty state CTA opens the create dialog", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(fetchWorkflows).mockResolvedValue([]);
+    render(<WorkflowNodeEditor isOpen onClose={() => {}} addToast={() => {}} />);
+    const cta = await screen.findByTestId("wf-empty-create");
+    expect(screen.queryByTestId("wf-create-dialog")).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+    fireEvent.click(cta);
+    expect(await screen.findByTestId("wf-create-dialog")).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it("renders the trivial-graph palette hint for a user-owned start→end workflow", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(fetchWorkflows).mockResolvedValue([trivialUserDef()]);
+    render(<WorkflowNodeEditor isOpen onClose={() => {}} addToast={() => {}} />);
+    // Wait for hydration (the palette appears for editable workflows).
+    await screen.findByText("Save");
+    expect(await screen.findByTestId("wf-trivial-hint")).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it("hides the trivial-graph hint once a user node exists", async () => {
+    // v2Def() carries a "prompt" step → a user-authored node.
+    vi.mocked(fetchWorkflows).mockResolvedValue([v2Def()]);
+    render(<WorkflowNodeEditor isOpen onClose={() => {}} addToast={() => {}} />);
+    await screen.findByText("Save");
+    await screen.findByTestId("wf-column-panel");
+    expect(screen.queryByTestId("wf-trivial-hint")).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it("never renders the trivial-graph hint for a built-in workflow", async () => {
+    // Built-in that is itself trivial (start→end only) — must still not show the hint.
+    const builtinTrivial: WorkflowDefinition = { ...trivialUserDef(), id: "builtin:trivial", name: "Built-in" };
+    vi.mocked(fetchWorkflows).mockResolvedValue([builtinTrivial]);
+    render(<WorkflowNodeEditor isOpen onClose={() => {}} addToast={() => {}} />);
+    expect(await screen.findByTestId("wf-readonly-banner")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.queryByTestId("wf-trivial-hint")).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/i18n/locales/en/app.json b/packages/i18n/locales/en/app.json
index 5be1155102..47e68c1f70 100644
--- a/packages/i18n/locales/en/app.json
+++ b/packages/i18n/locales/en/app.json
@@ -6807,7 +6807,8 @@
     "reviewPlan": "Plan review",
     "reviewType": "Review type",
     "splitNote": "Branches run concurrently from this node. Execute and merge seams are not allowed inside a branch.",
-    "stepExecuteLabel": "Step execute"
+    "stepExecuteLabel": "Step execute",
+    "trivialGraphHint": "This workflow only runs start → end. Add steps from the palette above to build it out."
   },
   "workflows": {
     "clickToEditDescription": "Click to edit description",
@@ -6829,13 +6830,14 @@
     "discardMessage": "You have unsaved changes to this workflow. Discard them?",
     "discardTitle": "Discard unsaved changes?",
     "duplicateToCustomize": "Duplicate to customize",
+    "emptyDescription": "Workflows orchestrate the steps and gates that run around task execution. Create one to start arranging that flow.",
+    "emptyTitle": "No workflow selected",
     "nameLabel": "Workflow name",
     "newWorkflow": "New workflow",
     "readOnlyBuiltin": "Read-only built-in workflow",
     "saved": "Workflow saved",
     "savedNotCompilable": "Workflow saved but cannot be compiled",
-    "saveFailed": "Failed to save workflow",
-    "selectOrCreate": "Select or create a workflow to start editing."
+    "saveFailed": "Failed to save workflow"
   },
   "workflowSelector": {
     "switchActiveMessage": "This task has an active session. Switching workflows aborts it and re-homes the card into the new workflow's entry column. Continue?",
diff --git a/packages/i18n/locales/es/app.json b/packages/i18n/locales/es/app.json
index b5cf2e4fe2..1f90270e98 100644
--- a/packages/i18n/locales/es/app.json
+++ b/packages/i18n/locales/es/app.json
@@ -6807,7 +6807,8 @@
     "reviewPlan": "Plan review",
     "reviewType": "Review type",
     "splitNote": "Las ramas se ejecutan de forma concurrente desde este nodo. No se permiten uniones de ejecución y fusión dentro de una rama.",
-    "stepExecuteLabel": "Step execute"
+    "stepExecuteLabel": "Step execute",
+    "trivialGraphHint": ""
   },
   "workflows": {
     "clickToEditDescription": "",
@@ -6829,13 +6830,14 @@
     "discardMessage": "",
     "discardTitle": "",
     "duplicateToCustomize": "",
+    "emptyDescription": "",
+    "emptyTitle": "",
     "nameLabel": "",
     "newWorkflow": "",
     "readOnlyBuiltin": "",
     "saved": "",
     "savedNotCompilable": "",
-    "saveFailed": "",
-    "selectOrCreate": ""
+    "saveFailed": ""
   },
   "workflowSelector": {
     "switchActiveMessage": "",
diff --git a/packages/i18n/locales/fr/app.json b/packages/i18n/locales/fr/app.json
index bf378d4d82..f11c40013b 100644
--- a/packages/i18n/locales/fr/app.json
+++ b/packages/i18n/locales/fr/app.json
@@ -6807,7 +6807,8 @@
     "reviewPlan": "Plan review",
     "reviewType": "Review type",
     "splitNote": "Les branches s’exécutent simultanément depuis ce nœud. Les jointures d’exécution et de fusion ne sont pas autorisées dans une branche.",
-    "stepExecuteLabel": "Step execute"
+    "stepExecuteLabel": "Step execute",
+    "trivialGraphHint": ""
   },
   "workflows": {
     "clickToEditDescription": "",
@@ -6829,13 +6830,14 @@
     "discardMessage": "",
     "discardTitle": "",
     "duplicateToCustomize": "",
+    "emptyDescription": "",
+    "emptyTitle": "",
     "nameLabel": "",
     "newWorkflow": "",
     "readOnlyBuiltin": "",
     "saved": "",
     "savedNotCompilable": "",
-    "saveFailed": "",
-    "selectOrCreate": ""
+    "saveFailed": ""
   },
   "workflowSelector": {
     "switchActiveMessage": "",
diff --git a/packages/i18n/locales/ko/app.json b/packages/i18n/locales/ko/app.json
index 48ac35e960..ef35a87c64 100644
--- a/packages/i18n/locales/ko/app.json
+++ b/packages/i18n/locales/ko/app.json
@@ -6807,7 +6807,8 @@
     "reviewPlan": "Plan review",
     "reviewType": "Review type",
     "splitNote": "분기는 이 노드에서 동시에 실행됩니다. 분기 내에서는 실행 및 병합 이음새가 허용되지 않습니다.",
-    "stepExecuteLabel": "Step execute"
+    "stepExecuteLabel": "Step execute",
+    "trivialGraphHint": ""
   },
   "workflows": {
     "clickToEditDescription": "",
@@ -6829,13 +6830,14 @@
     "discardMessage": "",
     "discardTitle": "",
     "duplicateToCustomize": "",
+    "emptyDescription": "",
+    "emptyTitle": "",
     "nameLabel": "",
     "newWorkflow": "",
     "readOnlyBuiltin": "",
     "saved": "",
     "savedNotCompilable": "",
-    "saveFailed": "",
-    "selectOrCreate": ""
+    "saveFailed": ""
   },
   "workflowSelector": {
     "switchActiveMessage": "",
diff --git a/packages/i18n/locales/zh-CN/app.json b/packages/i18n/locales/zh-CN/app.json
index 4254c20a8d..7de0ae5f55 100644
--- a/packages/i18n/locales/zh-CN/app.json
+++ b/packages/i18n/locales/zh-CN/app.json
@@ -6807,7 +6807,8 @@
     "reviewPlan": "Plan review",
     "reviewType": "Review type",
     "splitNote": "分支从此节点并发运行。分支内不允许执行和合并接缝。",
-    "stepExecuteLabel": "Step execute"
+    "stepExecuteLabel": "Step execute",
+    "trivialGraphHint": ""
   },
   "workflows": {
     "clickToEditDescription": "",
@@ -6829,13 +6830,14 @@
     "discardMessage": "",
     "discardTitle": "",
     "duplicateToCustomize": "",
+    "emptyDescription": "",
+    "emptyTitle": "",
     "nameLabel": "",
     "newWorkflow": "",
     "readOnlyBuiltin": "",
     "saved": "",
     "savedNotCompilable": "",
-    "saveFailed": "",
-    "selectOrCreate": ""
+    "saveFailed": ""
   },
   "workflowSelector": {
     "switchActiveMessage": "",
diff --git a/packages/i18n/locales/zh-TW/app.json b/packages/i18n/locales/zh-TW/app.json
index 39eea53ea1..d09474f792 100644
--- a/packages/i18n/locales/zh-TW/app.json
+++ b/packages/i18n/locales/zh-TW/app.json
@@ -6807,7 +6807,8 @@
     "reviewPlan": "Plan review",
     "reviewType": "Review type",
     "splitNote": "分支從此節點並行執行。分支內不允許執行與合併接縫。",
-    "stepExecuteLabel": "Step execute"
+    "stepExecuteLabel": "Step execute",
+    "trivialGraphHint": ""
   },
   "workflows": {
     "clickToEditDescription": "",
@@ -6829,13 +6830,14 @@
     "discardMessage": "",
     "discardTitle": "",
     "duplicateToCustomize": "",
+    "emptyDescription": "",
+    "emptyTitle": "",
     "nameLabel": "",
     "newWorkflow": "",
     "readOnlyBuiltin": "",
     "saved": "",
     "savedNotCompilable": "",
-    "saveFailed": "",
-    "selectOrCreate": ""
+    "saveFailed": ""
   },
   "workflowSelector": {
     "switchActiveMessage": "",
diff --git a/packages/i18n/src/resources.d.ts b/packages/i18n/src/resources.d.ts
index 011e72c528..ad49c536fc 100644
--- a/packages/i18n/src/resources.d.ts
+++ b/packages/i18n/src/resources.d.ts
@@ -6809,7 +6809,8 @@ export default interface Resources {
       "reviewPlan": "Plan review",
       "reviewType": "Review type",
       "splitNote": "Branches run concurrently from this node. Execute and merge seams are not allowed inside a branch.",
-      "stepExecuteLabel": "Step execute"
+      "stepExecuteLabel": "Step execute",
+      "trivialGraphHint": "This workflow only runs start → end. Add steps from the palette above to build it out."
     },
     "workflowSelector": {
       "switchActiveMessage": "This task has an active session. Switching workflows aborts it and re-homes the card into the new workflow's entry column. Continue?",
@@ -6837,13 +6838,14 @@ export default interface Resources {
       "discardMessage": "You have unsaved changes to this workflow. Discard them?",
       "discardTitle": "Discard unsaved changes?",
       "duplicateToCustomize": "Duplicate to customize",
+      "emptyDescription": "Workflows orchestrate the steps and gates that run around task execution. Create one to start arranging that flow.",
+      "emptyTitle": "No workflow selected",
       "nameLabel": "Workflow name",
       "newWorkflow": "New workflow",
       "readOnlyBuiltin": "Read-only built-in workflow",
       "saveFailed": "Failed to save workflow",
       "saved": "Workflow saved",
-      "savedNotCompilable": "Workflow saved but cannot be compiled",
-      "selectOrCreate": "Select or create a workflow to start editing."
+      "savedNotCompilable": "Workflow saved but cannot be compiled"
     },
     "workspace": {
       "projectRoot": "Project Root",