diff --git a/checkpoint.json b/checkpoint.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d431f8e6b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/checkpoint.json
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+{
+  "timestamp": "2026-03-15T16:12:59.444945Z",
+  "current_node": "toolchain",
+  "completed_nodes": [
+    "start",
+    "toolchain"
+  ],
+  "node_retries": {
+    "toolchain": 1,
+    "start": 1
+  },
+  "context_values": {
+    "graph.rankdir": "LR",
+    "failure_signature": "",
+    "internal.run_id": "01KKS4BBSZPJ99MET7VT4TGFKY",
+    "thread.start.current_node": "toolchain",
+    "command.stderr": "",
+    "outcome": "success",
+    "internal.retry_count.start": 1,
+    "failure_class": "",
+    "internal.work_dir": "/Users/bhelmkamp/.fabro/runs/20260315-01KKS4BBSZPJ99MET7VT4TGFKY/worktree",
+    "graph.model_stylesheet": "\n            * { backend: api; model: claude-opus-4-6;}\n        ",
+    "current_node": "toolchain",
+    "command.output": "",
+    "internal.retry_count.toolchain": 1,
+    "internal.thread_id": "start",
+    "current.preamble": "Goal: Implement and simplify\n",
+    "graph.goal": "Implement and simplify",
+    "internal.node_visit_count": 1,
+    "internal.fidelity": "compact"
+  },
+  "logs": [],
+  "node_outcomes": {
+    "toolchain": {
+      "status": "success",
+      "context_updates": {
+        "command.stderr": "",
+        "command.output": ""
+      },
+      "notes": "[Simulated] Command skipped: command -v cargo >/dev/null || { curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh -s -- -y && sudo ln -sf $HOME/.cargo/bin/* /usr/local/bin/; }; cargo --version 2>&1",
+      "duration_ms": 0
+    },
+    "start": {
+      "status": "success",
+      "duration_ms": 0
+    }
+  },
+  "next_node_id": "preflight_compile",
+  "node_visits": {
+    "start": 1,
+    "toolchain": 1
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/nodes/start/status.json b/nodes/start/status.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..896bfb6af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nodes/start/status.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+  "status": "success",
+  "notes": null,
+  "failure_reason": null,
+  "timestamp": "2026-03-15T16:12:59.433320+00:00"
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/nodes/toolchain/status.json b/nodes/toolchain/status.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..22beb6311
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nodes/toolchain/status.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+  "status": "success",
+  "notes": "[Simulated] Command skipped: command -v cargo >/dev/null || { curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh -s -- -y && sudo ln -sf $HOME/.cargo/bin/* /usr/local/bin/; }; cargo --version 2>&1",
+  "failure_reason": null,
+  "timestamp": "2026-03-15T16:12:59.444627+00:00"
+}
\ No newline at end of file