diff --git a/frontend/src-tauri/src/record_commands.rs b/frontend/src-tauri/src/record_commands.rs
index 53e49df..616e4a6 100644
--- a/frontend/src-tauri/src/record_commands.rs
+++ b/frontend/src-tauri/src/record_commands.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 //! Main-window preference records; no generic credential or application-state accessor.
 use super::{with_workspace, Host};
-use notesagent_host::{records, workspace::HostError};
+use notesagent_host::{
+    records,
+    workspace::{HostError, Result as HostResult, Workspace},
+};
 use serde::Deserialize;
 use serde_json::{json, Value};
 use tauri::State;
@@ -19,43 +22,116 @@ pub struct Write {
     expected: String,
     operation_id: String,
 }
-fn preference(kind: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
-    if matches!(kind, "theme_settings" | "preferences") {
+fn preference(kind: &str) -> HostResult<()> {
+    if matches!(kind, "theme_settings" | "preferences" | "layout") {
         Ok(())
     } else {
-        Err("RECORD_SCOPE_DENIED".into())
+        Err(HostError::new("RECORD_SCOPE_DENIED"))
     }
 }
+fn get_record(ws: &mut Workspace, request: Get) -> HostResult<Option<Value>> {
+    preference(&request.kind)?;
+    if ws.vault_id != request.vault_id {
+        return Err(HostError::new("VAULT_CHANGED"));
+    }
+    ws.record_get_kind(&request.kind, &request.id)
+}
+
+fn write_record(ws: &mut Workspace, request: Write) -> HostResult<Value> {
+    let kind = request.record["kind"]
+        .as_str()
+        .ok_or_else(|| HostError::new("RECORD_SCHEMA_INVALID"))?;
+    preference(kind)?;
+    if ws.vault_id != request.vault_id {
+        return Err(HostError::new("VAULT_CHANGED"));
+    }
+    let path = records::path_for(kind, request.record["id"].as_str().unwrap_or(""))?;
+    let bytes =
+        serde_json::to_vec(&request.record).map_err(|_| HostError::new("RECORD_SCHEMA_INVALID"))?;
+    let entry = ws.write_operation(
+        &path,
+        &request.expected,
+        &bytes,
+        "local",
+        &request.operation_id,
+    )?;
+    Ok(json!({"record":request.record,"hash":entry.hash,"file_id":entry.file_id}))
+}
+
 #[tauri::command]
 pub fn record_get(host: State<'_, Host>, request: Get) -> Result<Option<Value>, String> {
-    preference(&request.kind)?;
-    with_workspace(&host, |ws| {
-        if ws.vault_id != request.vault_id {
-            return Err(HostError::new("VAULT_CHANGED"));
-        }
-        ws.record_get_kind(&request.kind, &request.id)
-    })
+    with_workspace(&host, |ws| get_record(ws, request))
 }
 #[tauri::command]
 pub fn record_write(host: State<'_, Host>, request: Write) -> Result<Value, String> {
-    let kind = request.record["kind"]
-        .as_str()
-        .ok_or("RECORD_SCHEMA_INVALID")?;
-    preference(kind)?;
-    let path =
-        records::path_for(kind, request.record["id"].as_str().unwrap_or("")).map_err(|e| e.code)?;
-    let bytes = serde_json::to_vec(&request.record).map_err(|_| "RECORD_SCHEMA_INVALID")?;
-    with_workspace(&host, |ws| {
-        if ws.vault_id != request.vault_id {
-            return Err(HostError::new("VAULT_CHANGED"));
-        }
-        let entry = ws.write_operation(
-            &path,
-            &request.expected,
-            &bytes,
-            "local",
-            &request.operation_id,
-        )?;
-        Ok(json!({"record":request.record,"hash":entry.hash,"file_id":entry.file_id}))
-    })
+    with_workspace(&host, |ws| write_record(ws, request))
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    #[test]
+    fn layout_traverses_the_actual_command_policy_and_workspace_journal() {
+        let root = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let mut ws = Workspace::open(root.path()).unwrap();
+        let record = json!({"schema":1,"kind":"layout","id":"sidebars","data":{"primaryExpanded":true,"workspaceWidth":400,"chatWidth":320}});
+        let operation = uuid::Uuid::new_v4().to_string();
+        let make = |vault: &str| Write {
+            vault_id: vault.into(),
+            record: record.clone(),
+            expected: String::new(),
+            operation_id: operation.clone(),
+        };
+        let vault = ws.vault_id.clone();
+        let first = write_record(&mut ws, make(&vault)).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(write_record(&mut ws, make(&vault)).unwrap(), first);
+        assert_eq!(ws.pending_count().unwrap(), 1);
+        drop(ws);
+        let mut ws = Workspace::open(root.path()).unwrap();
+        let loaded = get_record(
+            &mut ws,
+            Get {
+                vault_id: vault,
+                kind: "layout".into(),
+                id: "sidebars".into(),
+            },
+        )
+        .unwrap()
+        .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(loaded, first);
+        assert_eq!(
+            write_record(&mut ws, make("different-vault"))
+                .unwrap_err()
+                .code,
+            "VAULT_CHANGED"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(ws.pending_count().unwrap(), 1);
+    }
+    #[test]
+    fn preference_commands_do_not_become_a_generic_record_accessor() {
+        let root = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let mut ws = Workspace::open(root.path()).unwrap();
+        for kind in ["persona", "task", "credentials", "user_skill"] {
+            let request = Get {
+                vault_id: ws.vault_id.clone(),
+                kind: kind.into(),
+                id: "default".into(),
+            };
+            assert_eq!(
+                get_record(&mut ws, request).unwrap_err().code,
+                "RECORD_SCOPE_DENIED"
+            );
+        }
+        let request = Write {
+            vault_id: ws.vault_id.clone(),
+            record: json!({"schema":1,"kind":"layout","id":"sidebars","data":{"primaryExpanded":true,"workspaceWidth":400,"chatWidth":320,"token":"forbidden"}}),
+            expected: String::new(),
+            operation_id: uuid::Uuid::new_v4().to_string(),
+        };
+        assert_eq!(
+            write_record(&mut ws, request).unwrap_err().code,
+            "RECORD_SCHEMA_INVALID"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(ws.pending_count().unwrap(), 0);
+    }
 }