diff --git a/frontend/src/app/page.tsx b/frontend/src/app/page.tsx
index 65006c9a..fc2eac83 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/page.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/page.tsx
@@ -242,17 +242,12 @@ const BillingPanel = dynamic(
 
 export default function Home() {
   const router = useRouter();
-  const [profile, setProfile] = useState<Profile>(emptyProfile);
-  const [profileDraft, setProfileDraft] = useState<Profile>(emptyProfile);
   const [accountMenuOpen, setAccountMenuOpen] = useState(false);
   const [activeAccountDialog, setActiveAccountDialog] = useState<AccountDialog | null>(null);
   const [chartLibrary, setChartLibrary] = useState<ChartLibraryRecord[]>([]);
   const [activeChartId, setActiveChartId] = useState("self");
   const [billingPane, setBillingPane] = useState<OpenAccountDialogOptions>({});
   const [dailyStarlanguage, setDailyStarlanguage] = useState<DailyStarlanguageState>({ kind: "pending" });
-  const [profileNotice, setProfileNotice] = useState("");
-  const [avatarNotice, setAvatarNotice] = useState("");
-  const [avatarSaving, setAvatarSaving] = useState(false);
   const [account, setAccount] = useState<Account | null>(null);
   const [accountError, setAccountError] = useState("");
   const [signingOut, setSigningOut] = useState(false);
@@ -299,7 +294,6 @@ export default function Home() {
   const [bootstrapPhase, setBootstrapPhase] = useState<BootstrapPhase>("account");
   const prepareStartedAt = useRef<number | null>(null);
   const [guidedJourneyPreview, setGuidedJourneyPreview] = useState(false);
-  const [profileSaving, setProfileSaving] = useState(false);
   const [creatingSession, setCreatingSession] = useState(false);
   const [sessionDetailLoadingId, setSessionDetailLoadingId] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [sessionFullPrompt, setSessionFullPrompt] = useState<{ question: string; theme: Theme } | null>(null);
@@ -315,7 +309,7 @@ export default function Home() {
   const conversation = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
   const accountTrigger = useRef<HTMLButtonElement>(null);
   const accountDialog = useRef<HTMLElement>(null);
-  const dialogReturnTarget = useRef<HTMLButtonElement | null>(null);
+  const dialogReturnTargetRef = useRef<HTMLButtonElement | null>(null);
   const closeButton = useRef<HTMLButtonElement>(null);
   const onboardingPaywallShown = useRef(false);
   const starterGreetingUnseen = useRef(true);
@@ -348,17 +342,48 @@ export default function Home() {
   const sessionDetailInFlight = useRef(new Set<string>());
   const sessionsRef = useRef(sessions);
   const rectificationSessionOpenerRef = useRef(async (_exactSessionId: string) => {});
-  const guidedBirthTimeReadyRef = useRef((_result: JourneyClientResponse) => {});
-  const editDeclaredBirthTimeDetailsRef = useRef(() => {});
   const uiPreview = useRef(false);
   const uiPreviewMode = useRef<string | null>(null);
-  const birthTimeRevisionPending = useRef(false);
+  const birthTimeRevisionPendingRef = useRef(false);
+  const {
+    profile,
+    setProfile,
+    profileDraft,
+    setProfileDraft,
+    profileNotice,
+    setProfileNotice,
+    avatarNotice,
+    avatarSaving,
+    profileSaving,
+    refreshAccount,
+    completeGuidedBirthTime,
+    editDeclaredBirthTimeDetails,
+    openAccountDialog,
+    closeAccountDialog,
+    persistAvatar,
+    saveProfile,
+    saveOnboardingName,
+    saveOnboardingBirth,
+    saveOnboardingPlace,
+    retryBirthTimeAssessment,
+    signOut,
+  } = useProfileOnboarding({
+    account, accountRefreshGuard, accountTrigger, activeChartId,
+    birthTimeRevisionPendingRef, chartLibrary, dialogReturnTargetRef,
+    setAccount, setAccountError, setAccountMenuOpen, setActiveAccountDialog,
+    setActiveChartId, setBirthTimeAssessmentPhase,
+    setBirthTimeConsultationConsent, setBirthTimeError, setBirthTimeJourney, setBillingPane, setDraft,
+    setOnboardingJustCompleted, setOnboardingStep, setPresetMessageLength,
+    setRectificationError,
+    setSigningOut, setStartGreeting, signingOut, uiPreview,
+  });
+
   const birthTimeGuided = useBirthTimeGuidedJourney({
     journey: birthTimeJourney,
     preview: guidedJourneyPreview,
     onJourney: setBirthTimeJourney,
-    onReady: (result) => guidedBirthTimeReadyRef.current(result),
-    onEditBirthTimeDetails: () => editDeclaredBirthTimeDetailsRef.current(),
+    onReady: (result) => completeGuidedBirthTime(result),
+    onEditBirthTimeDetails: () => editDeclaredBirthTimeDetails(),
   });
 
   const activeSession = sessions.find((session) => session.id === activeSessionId) ?? sessions[0];
@@ -437,29 +462,6 @@ export default function Home() {
     openRectificationSession: (exactSessionId) => rectificationSessionOpenerRef.current(exactSessionId),
   });
 
-  const {
-    refreshAccount,
-    openAccountDialog,
-    closeAccountDialog,
-    persistAvatar,
-    saveProfile,
-    saveOnboardingName,
-    saveOnboardingBirth,
-    saveOnboardingPlace,
-    retryBirthTimeAssessment,
-    signOut,
-  } = useProfileOnboarding({
-    account, accountRefreshGuard, accountTrigger, activeChartId, avatarSaving,
-    birthTimeRevisionPending, chartLibrary, dialogReturnTarget, profile, profileDraft,
-    profileSaving, setAccount, setAccountError, setAccountMenuOpen, setActiveAccountDialog,
-    setActiveChartId, setAvatarNotice, setAvatarSaving, setBirthTimeAssessmentPhase,
-    setBirthTimeConsultationConsent, setBirthTimeError, setBirthTimeJourney, setBillingPane, setDraft,
-    setOnboardingJustCompleted, setOnboardingStep, setPresetMessageLength,
-    setProfile, setProfileDraft, setProfileNotice, setProfileSaving, setRectificationError,
-    setSigningOut, setStartGreeting, signingOut, uiPreview,
-    guidedBirthTimeReadyRef, editDeclaredBirthTimeDetailsRef,
-  });
-
   const { synastryPanel, clearSynastryHistory, applyCloudSynastryHistory } = useSynastry({
     accountId, profile, chooseSuggestedQuestion, closeAccountDialog,
   });
@@ -632,7 +634,7 @@ export default function Home() {
       setProfile((current) => preserveShallowEqual(current, nextProfile));
       if (syncSelfDraft) setProfileDraft((current) => preserveShallowEqual(current, nextProfile));
     });
-  }, [accountId, activeChartId, chartLibrary, hydrated]);
+  }, [accountId, activeChartId, chartLibrary, hydrated, setProfile, setProfileDraft]);
 
   const profileComplete = isProfileComplete(profile);
   const birthTimeRoute = resolveBirthTimeConsultationRoute(profile, birthTimeConsultationConsent, activeSessionId);
@@ -1096,7 +1098,7 @@ export default function Home() {
       window.clearTimeout(bootstrapTimeout);
       controller.abort();
     };
-  }, []);
+  }, [setProfile, setProfileDraft]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!hydrated || uiPreview.current) return;
@@ -1313,7 +1315,7 @@ export default function Home() {
       if (event.key === "Escape") {
         if (signingOut) return;
         setActiveAccountDialog(null);
-        const returnTarget = dialogReturnTarget.current;
+        const returnTarget = dialogReturnTargetRef.current;
         window.requestAnimationFrame(() => returnTarget?.focus());
         return;
       }
@@ -1514,7 +1516,7 @@ export default function Home() {
     dialogClass: activeAccountDialog ? accountDialogClasses[activeAccountDialog] : "",
     signingOut,
     close: closeAccountDialog,
-    navigate: (dialog) => openAccountDialog(dialog, dialogReturnTarget.current),
+    navigate: (dialog) => openAccountDialog(dialog, dialogReturnTargetRef.current),
     overlayRef: accountDialog,
     closeButtonRef: closeButton,
     renderProfile: () => (
diff --git a/frontend/src/hooks/use-profile-onboarding.ts b/frontend/src/hooks/use-profile-onboarding.ts
index 0e70f609..64670343 100644
--- a/frontend/src/hooks/use-profile-onboarding.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/hooks/use-profile-onboarding.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 "use client";
 
-import { type Dispatch, FormEvent, MutableRefObject, SetStateAction } from "react";
+import { useState, type Dispatch, FormEvent, MutableRefObject, SetStateAction } from "react";
 
 import {
   beamAvatarSchema,
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ import {
   type OpenAccountDialogOptions,
   type Profile,
   accountDialogOptions,
+  emptyProfile,
 } from "@/lib/home-types";
 import { preserveShallowEqual } from "@/lib/preserve-shallow-equal";
 import {
@@ -58,20 +59,14 @@ export type ProfileOnboardingParams = {
   accountRefreshGuard: MutableRefObject<LatestAccountRequestGuard>;
   accountTrigger: MutableRefObject<HTMLButtonElement | null>;
   activeChartId: string;
-  avatarSaving: boolean;
-  birthTimeRevisionPending: MutableRefObject<boolean>;
+  birthTimeRevisionPendingRef: MutableRefObject<boolean>;
   chartLibrary: ChartLibraryRecord[];
-  dialogReturnTarget: MutableRefObject<HTMLButtonElement | null>;
-  profile: Profile;
-  profileDraft: Profile;
-  profileSaving: boolean;
+  dialogReturnTargetRef: MutableRefObject<HTMLButtonElement | null>;
   setAccount: Dispatch<SetStateAction<Account | null>>;
   setAccountError: Dispatch<SetStateAction<string>>;
   setAccountMenuOpen: Dispatch<SetStateAction<boolean>>;
   setActiveAccountDialog: Dispatch<SetStateAction<AccountDialog | null>>;
   setActiveChartId: Dispatch<SetStateAction<string>>;
-  setAvatarNotice: Dispatch<SetStateAction<string>>;
-  setAvatarSaving: Dispatch<SetStateAction<boolean>>;
   setBirthTimeAssessmentPhase: Dispatch<SetStateAction<BirthTimeAssessmentPhase | null>>;
   setBirthTimeConsultationConsent: Dispatch<SetStateAction<BirthTimeConsultationConsentState>>;
   setBirthTimeError: Dispatch<SetStateAction<string>>;
@@ -81,17 +76,11 @@ export type ProfileOnboardingParams = {
   setOnboardingJustCompleted: Dispatch<SetStateAction<boolean>>;
   setOnboardingStep: Dispatch<SetStateAction<OnboardingStep>>;
   setPresetMessageLength: Dispatch<SetStateAction<number>>;
-  setProfile: Dispatch<SetStateAction<Profile>>;
-  setProfileDraft: Dispatch<SetStateAction<Profile>>;
-  setProfileNotice: Dispatch<SetStateAction<string>>;
-  setProfileSaving: Dispatch<SetStateAction<boolean>>;
   setRectificationError: Dispatch<SetStateAction<string>>;
   setSigningOut: Dispatch<SetStateAction<boolean>>;
   setStartGreeting: Dispatch<SetStateAction<string>>;
   signingOut: boolean;
   uiPreview: MutableRefObject<boolean>;
-  guidedBirthTimeReadyRef: MutableRefObject<(result: JourneyClientResponse) => void>;
-  editDeclaredBirthTimeDetailsRef: MutableRefObject<() => void>;
 };
 
 export function useProfileOnboarding(params: ProfileOnboardingParams) {
@@ -100,20 +89,14 @@ export function useProfileOnboarding(params: ProfileOnboardingParams) {
     accountRefreshGuard,
     accountTrigger,
     activeChartId,
-    avatarSaving,
-    birthTimeRevisionPending,
+    birthTimeRevisionPendingRef,
     chartLibrary,
-    dialogReturnTarget,
-    profile,
-    profileDraft,
-    profileSaving,
+    dialogReturnTargetRef,
     setAccount,
     setAccountError,
     setAccountMenuOpen,
     setActiveAccountDialog,
     setActiveChartId,
-    setAvatarNotice,
-    setAvatarSaving,
     setBirthTimeAssessmentPhase,
     setBirthTimeConsultationConsent,
     setBirthTimeError,
@@ -123,19 +106,22 @@ export function useProfileOnboarding(params: ProfileOnboardingParams) {
     setOnboardingJustCompleted,
     setOnboardingStep,
     setPresetMessageLength,
-    setProfile,
-    setProfileDraft,
-    setProfileNotice,
-    setProfileSaving,
     setRectificationError,
     setSigningOut,
     setStartGreeting,
     signingOut,
     uiPreview,
-    guidedBirthTimeReadyRef,
-    editDeclaredBirthTimeDetailsRef,
   } = params;
 
+  // Owned here since 2026-09-16 (state lowering batch 2). Home reads them back
+  // from this hook's return instead of declaring them itself.
+  const [profile, setProfile] = useState<Profile>(emptyProfile);
+  const [profileDraft, setProfileDraft] = useState<Profile>(emptyProfile);
+  const [profileNotice, setProfileNotice] = useState("");
+  const [avatarNotice, setAvatarNotice] = useState("");
+  const [avatarSaving, setAvatarSaving] = useState(false);
+  const [profileSaving, setProfileSaving] = useState(false);
+
   async function refreshAccount() {
     const requestIdentity = accountRefreshGuard.current.begin();
     try {
@@ -162,7 +148,7 @@ export function useProfileOnboarding(params: ProfileOnboardingParams) {
     returnTargetOrOptions?: HTMLButtonElement | null | OpenAccountDialogOptions,
   ) {
     const options = accountDialogOptions(returnTargetOrOptions);
-    dialogReturnTarget.current = options.returnTarget ?? accountTrigger.current;
+    dialogReturnTargetRef.current = options.returnTarget ?? accountTrigger.current;
     setAccountMenuOpen(false);
     setAccountError("");
     if (dialog === "profile") {
@@ -186,7 +172,7 @@ export function useProfileOnboarding(params: ProfileOnboardingParams) {
   function closeAccountDialog() {
     if (signingOut) return;
     setActiveAccountDialog(null);
-    const returnTarget = dialogReturnTarget.current;
+    const returnTarget = dialogReturnTargetRef.current;
     window.requestAnimationFrame(() => returnTarget?.focus());
   }
 
@@ -337,7 +323,7 @@ export function useProfileOnboarding(params: ProfileOnboardingParams) {
     setAccountError("");
     try {
       const savedProfile = await persistProfile(profileDraft);
-      birthTimeRevisionPending.current = false;
+      birthTimeRevisionPendingRef.current = false;
       setProfile(savedProfile);
       setProfileDraft(savedProfile);
       setPresetMessageLength(0);
@@ -353,7 +339,7 @@ export function useProfileOnboarding(params: ProfileOnboardingParams) {
   }
 
   function editDeclaredBirthTimeDetails() {
-    birthTimeRevisionPending.current = true;
+    birthTimeRevisionPendingRef.current = true;
     setBirthTimeError("");
     setPresetMessageLength(0);
     setOnboardingStep("birth");
@@ -423,10 +409,17 @@ export function useProfileOnboarding(params: ProfileOnboardingParams) {
     }
   }
 
-  guidedBirthTimeReadyRef.current = completeGuidedBirthTime;
-  editDeclaredBirthTimeDetailsRef.current = editDeclaredBirthTimeDetails;
 
   return {
+    profile,
+    setProfile,
+    profileDraft,
+    setProfileDraft,
+    profileNotice,
+    setProfileNotice,
+    avatarNotice,
+    avatarSaving,
+    profileSaving,
     refreshAccount,
     openAccountDialog,
     closeAccountDialog,