diff --git a/demo/README.md b/demo/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f2a9d02482
--- /dev/null
+++ b/demo/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# Demo scripts
+
+## Seed a sample board
+
+```bash
+node_modules/.bin/tsx demo/seed.ts /absolute/path/to/demo-project
+```
+
+The seeded board now includes a custom **Browser Demo Lifecycle** workflow with cards staged across:
+
+- Todo
+- In Progress
+- In Review
+- QA
+- Publish
+
+This makes it easy to verify browser board rendering for a simple end-to-end lifecycle walkthrough.
+
+## Simulate live activity
+
+```bash
+node_modules/.bin/tsx demo/simulate.ts /absolute/path/to/demo-project
+```
+
+When the seeded workflow is present, the simulator advances demo cards from **In Review → QA → Publish** while keeping legacy tasks flowing through the standard board lifecycle.
diff --git a/demo/seed.ts b/demo/seed.ts
index d2492bd809..0513a37d91 100644
--- a/demo/seed.ts
+++ b/demo/seed.ts
@@ -10,14 +10,49 @@
  * - Planning: raw ideas just landing
  */
 import { TaskStore } from "../packages/core/src/index.js";
+import type { WorkflowIr } from "../packages/core/src/workflow-ir-types.js";
 import { writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 
 const root = process.argv[2] || process.cwd();
 
+function browserDemoLifecycleIr(): WorkflowIr {
+  return {
+    version: "v2",
+    name: "browser-demo-lifecycle",
+    columns: [
+      { id: "todo", name: "Todo", traits: [{ trait: "intake" }] },
+      { id: "in-progress", name: "In Progress", traits: [{ trait: "wip" }] },
+      { id: "in-review", name: "In Review", traits: [{ trait: "merge-blocker" }] },
+      { id: "qa", name: "QA", traits: [] },
+      { id: "publish", name: "Publish", traits: [{ trait: "complete" }] },
+    ],
+    nodes: [
+      { id: "start", kind: "start", column: "todo" },
+      { id: "implement", kind: "prompt", column: "in-progress", config: { prompt: "Implement the change" } },
+      { id: "review", kind: "prompt", column: "in-review", config: { prompt: "Review the implementation" } },
+      { id: "qa-check", kind: "gate", column: "qa", config: { scriptName: "test", name: "QA" } },
+      { id: "end", kind: "end", column: "publish" },
+    ],
+    edges: [
+      { from: "start", to: "implement", condition: "success" },
+      { from: "implement", to: "review", condition: "success" },
+      { from: "review", to: "qa-check", condition: "success" },
+      { from: "qa-check", to: "end", condition: "success" },
+    ],
+  };
+}
+
 async function main() {
   const store = new TaskStore(root);
   await store.init();
+  await store.updateSettings({ maxConcurrent: 10 } as any);
+  await store.updateGlobalSettings({ experimentalFeatures: { workflowColumns: true } });
+  const browserDemoWorkflow = await store.createWorkflowDefinition({
+    name: "Browser Demo Lifecycle",
+    description: "Simple board lifecycle for browser demos: Todo → In Progress → In Review → QA → Publish.",
+    ir: browserDemoLifecycleIr(),
+  });
 
   // ── Done ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -221,6 +256,67 @@ async function main() {
     await writePrompt(store, task.id, t.title, t.desc, steps, t.deps);
   }
 
+  // ── Browser demo lifecycle ───────────────────────────────────────
+
+  const browserDemo = [
+    {
+      title: "Demo: seed browser board task in Todo",
+      desc: "Simple browser demo task waiting in Todo for the board walkthrough.",
+      column: "todo",
+      currentStep: null,
+    },
+    {
+      title: "Demo: browser task actively implementing",
+      desc: "Shows a demo task in active implementation with one step currently running.",
+      column: "in-progress",
+      currentStep: 1,
+    },
+    {
+      title: "Demo: browser task awaiting review",
+      desc: "Shows a demo task that finished implementation and is waiting in review.",
+      column: "in-review",
+      currentStep: 4,
+    },
+    {
+      title: "Demo: browser task in QA",
+      desc: "Shows a demo task that passed review and is waiting on QA verification.",
+      column: "qa",
+      currentStep: 4,
+    },
+    {
+      title: "Demo: browser task ready to publish",
+      desc: "Shows a demo task that cleared QA and is sitting in the Publish column.",
+      column: "publish",
+      currentStep: 4,
+    },
+  ] as const;
+
+  for (const t of browserDemo) {
+    const task = await store.createTask({ description: t.desc, title: t.title });
+    await store.updateTask(task.id, { size: "S", reviewLevel: 0 });
+    await store.selectTaskWorkflowAndReconcile(task.id, browserDemoWorkflow.id);
+
+    const steps = generateSteps(t.title);
+    await writePrompt(store, task.id, t.title, t.desc, steps);
+
+    if (t.currentStep !== null) {
+      for (let i = 0; i < Math.min(t.currentStep, steps.length); i++) {
+        await store.updateStep(task.id, i, "done");
+      }
+      if (t.currentStep < steps.length) {
+        await store.updateStep(task.id, t.currentStep, "in-progress");
+      }
+    }
+
+    const lifecyclePath = ["todo", "in-progress", "in-review", "qa", "publish"] as const;
+    const targetIndex = lifecyclePath.indexOf(t.column);
+    for (const column of lifecyclePath.slice(1, targetIndex + 1)) {
+      await store.moveTask(task.id, column, { moveSource: "user", allowDirectInReviewMove: true });
+    }
+
+    await addLogs(store, task.id, t.column);
+  }
+
   // ── Planning ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
   const planning = [
@@ -256,13 +352,15 @@ async function main() {
   console.log(`  Todo:        ${byColumn["todo"] || 0}`);
   console.log(`  In Progress: ${byColumn["in-progress"] || 0}`);
   console.log(`  In Review:   ${byColumn["in-review"] || 0}`);
+  console.log(`  QA:          ${byColumn["qa"] || 0}`);
+  console.log(`  Publish:     ${byColumn["publish"] || 0}`);
   console.log(`  Done:        ${byColumn["done"] || 0}`);
-  console.log(`\nRun "kb dashboard" to see the board.`);
+  console.log(`\nRun "kb dashboard" to see the board, including the browser demo lifecycle columns.`);
 }
 
 // ── Helpers ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-function generateSteps(title: string): string[] {
+function generateSteps(_title: string): string[] {
   return [
     "Analyze requirements and plan implementation",
     "Implement core logic",
@@ -271,7 +369,7 @@ function generateSteps(title: string): string[] {
   ];
 }
 
-function generateStepsDetailed(title: string, count: number): string[] {
+function generateStepsDetailed(_title: string, count: number): string[] {
   const pools: Record<number, string[]> = {
     3: [
       "Set up infrastructure and dependencies",
@@ -340,6 +438,33 @@ ${stepsSection}
 
 async function addLogs(store: TaskStore, id: string, targetColumn: string) {
   const actions: Record<string, string[][]> = {
+    publish: [
+      ["Planning complete — plan written", "approved"],
+      ["Scheduled for execution", "worktree created"],
+      ["Step 0 started", "in-progress"],
+      ["Review: step 0", "approved"],
+      ["Step 1 started", "in-progress"],
+      ["Review: step 1", "approved"],
+      ["Step 2 started", "in-progress"],
+      ["Review: step 2", "approved"],
+      ["Step 3 started", "in-progress"],
+      ["Review: step 3", "approved"],
+      ["QA verification complete", "approved"],
+      ["Ready to publish", "awaiting release window"],
+    ],
+    qa: [
+      ["Planning complete — plan written", "approved"],
+      ["Scheduled for execution", "worktree created"],
+      ["Step 0 started", "in-progress"],
+      ["Review: step 0", "approved"],
+      ["Step 1 started", "in-progress"],
+      ["Review: step 1", "approved"],
+      ["Step 2 started", "in-progress"],
+      ["Review: step 2", "approved"],
+      ["Step 3 started", "in-progress"],
+      ["Review: step 3", "approved"],
+      ["Review complete — moved to QA", "awaiting browser smoke test"],
+    ],
     done: [
       ["Planning complete — plan written", "approved"],
       ["Scheduled for execution", "worktree created"],
diff --git a/demo/simulate.ts b/demo/simulate.ts
index bf2610a25d..7bc818dee0 100644
--- a/demo/simulate.ts
+++ b/demo/simulate.ts
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ async function main() {
     const planning = tasks.filter((t) => t.column === "triage" && !t.paused);
     const inProgress = tasks.filter((t) => t.column === "in-progress" && !t.paused);
     const inReview = tasks.filter((t) => t.column === "in-review" && !t.paused);
+    const qa = tasks.filter((t) => t.column === "qa" && !t.paused);
     const todo = tasks.filter((t) => t.column === "todo" && !t.paused);
 
     // Roll dice for what happens this tick
@@ -137,19 +138,31 @@ async function main() {
         }
       }
       await sleep(3000 + Math.random() * 5000);
-    } else if (roll < 0.95 && inReview.length > 0) {
-      // Auto-merge a reviewed task
+    } else if (roll < 0.9 && inReview.length > 0) {
       const task = pick(inReview);
-      await store.logEntry(task.id, "Auto-merged into main");
-      // Can't use mergeTask (no real branch), so just move directly
-      const dir = `${root}/.fusion/tasks/${task.id}`;
-      // Read, update, write manually to move to done
-      const detail = await store.getTask(task.id);
-      await store.updateTask(task.id, { status: undefined, worktree: undefined });
-      // Use moveTask for the column transition
-      await store.moveTask(task.id, "done");
-      console.log(`  ✓ Merged: ${task.id} → done`);
+      let movedToQa = false;
+      try {
+        await store.moveTask(task.id, "qa", { moveSource: "user", allowDirectInReviewMove: true });
+        await store.logEntry(task.id, "Review complete — moved to QA", "awaiting browser smoke test");
+        console.log(`  ✓ Review complete: ${task.id} → qa`);
+        movedToQa = true;
+      } catch {
+        // Not every workflow defines QA; fall back to the legacy merge path.
+      }
+
+      if (!movedToQa) {
+        await store.logEntry(task.id, "Auto-merged into main");
+        await store.updateTask(task.id, { status: undefined, worktree: undefined });
+        await store.moveTask(task.id, "done");
+        console.log(`  ✓ Merged: ${task.id} → done`);
+      }
       await sleep(4000 + Math.random() * 3000);
+    } else if (roll < 0.97 && qa.length > 0) {
+      const task = pick(qa);
+      await store.moveTask(task.id, "publish", { moveSource: "user" });
+      await store.logEntry(task.id, "QA verification complete", "ready to publish");
+      console.log(`  ✓ QA passed: ${task.id} → publish`);
+      await sleep(3000 + Math.random() * 3000);
     } else {
       // Quiet tick
       await sleep(2000 + Math.random() * 2000);
diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/browser-demo-lifecycle.test.ts b/packages/core/src/__tests__/browser-demo-lifecycle.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4259b82254
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/browser-demo-lifecycle.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+// @vitest-environment node
+
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach } from "vitest";
+
+import type { WorkflowIr } from "../workflow-ir-types.js";
+import { createTaskStoreTestHarness } from "./store-test-helpers.js";
+
+function browserDemoLifecycleIr(): WorkflowIr {
+  return {
+    version: "v2",
+    name: "browser-demo-lifecycle",
+    columns: [
+      { id: "todo", name: "Todo", traits: [{ trait: "intake" }] },
+      { id: "in-progress", name: "In Progress", traits: [{ trait: "wip" }] },
+      { id: "in-review", name: "In Review", traits: [{ trait: "merge-blocker" }] },
+      { id: "qa", name: "QA", traits: [] },
+      { id: "publish", name: "Publish", traits: [{ trait: "complete" }] },
+    ],
+    nodes: [
+      { id: "start", kind: "start", column: "todo" },
+      { id: "implement", kind: "prompt", column: "in-progress", config: { prompt: "Implement" } },
+      { id: "review", kind: "prompt", column: "in-review", config: { prompt: "Review" } },
+      { id: "qa-check", kind: "gate", column: "qa", config: { scriptName: "test", name: "QA" } },
+      { id: "end", kind: "end", column: "publish" },
+    ],
+    edges: [
+      { from: "start", to: "implement", condition: "success" },
+      { from: "implement", to: "review", condition: "success" },
+      { from: "review", to: "qa-check", condition: "success" },
+      { from: "qa-check", to: "end", condition: "success" },
+    ],
+  };
+}
+
+describe("browser demo lifecycle workflow", () => {
+  const harness = createTaskStoreTestHarness();
+  let store: ReturnType<typeof harness.store>;
+
+  beforeEach(async () => {
+    await harness.beforeEach();
+    store = harness.store();
+    await store.updateGlobalSettings({ experimentalFeatures: { workflowColumns: true } });
+  });
+
+  afterEach(async () => {
+    await harness.afterEach();
+  });
+
+  it("supports the Todo → In Progress → In Review → QA → Publish board walkthrough", async () => {
+    const workflow = await store.createWorkflowDefinition({
+      name: "Browser Demo Lifecycle",
+      ir: browserDemoLifecycleIr(),
+    });
+    const task = await store.createTask({ description: "Browser walkthrough task", title: "Demo lifecycle" });
+
+    const selection = await store.selectTaskWorkflowAndReconcile(task.id, workflow.id);
+    expect(selection.reconciliation).toEqual({ preserved: false, fromColumn: "triage", toColumn: "todo" });
+    expect((await store.getTask(task.id)).column).toBe("todo");
+
+    await store.moveTask(task.id, "in-progress", { moveSource: "user" });
+    await store.moveTask(task.id, "in-review", { moveSource: "user", allowDirectInReviewMove: true });
+    await store.moveTask(task.id, "qa", { moveSource: "user" });
+    await store.moveTask(task.id, "publish", { moveSource: "user" });
+
+    const detail = await store.getTask(task.id);
+    expect(detail.column).toBe("publish");
+
+    const listed = await store.listTasks({ column: "publish" });
+    expect(listed.map((item) => item.id)).toContain(task.id);
+  });
+});