diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/config/mod.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/config/mod.rs
index 90b0a8586..83b0a29a2 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/config/mod.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/config/mod.rs
@@ -21,10 +21,8 @@ fn config_layers(
         Some(path) => workflow_and_project_layers(path, cwd)?,
         None => (SettingsLayer::default(), load_settings_project(cwd)?),
     };
-    let user_layer = user_config::settings_layer_with_config_and_storage_dir(
-        Some(ctx.base_config_path()),
-        None,
-    )?;
+    let user_layer =
+        user_config::load_settings_with_config_and_storage_dir(Some(ctx.base_config_path()), None)?;
     Ok(EffectiveSettingsLayers::new(
         SettingsLayer::default(),
         workflow_layer,
diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/command.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/command.rs
index 81add8adf..9d6d2e912 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/command.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/command.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use fabro_util::terminal::Styles;
 use crate::args::RunArgs;
 use crate::command_context::CommandContext;
 use crate::shared::print_json_pretty;
-use crate::user_config::settings_layer_with_storage_dir;
+use crate::user_config::load_settings_with_storage_dir;
 
 pub(crate) async fn execute(
     mut args: RunArgs,
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn execute(
 ) -> Result<()> {
     let styles: &'static Styles = Box::leak(Box::new(Styles::detect_stderr()));
     let ctx = CommandContext::for_target(&args.target, printer, cli.clone(), cli_layer)?;
-    let cli_defaults = settings_layer_with_storage_dir(None)?;
+    let cli_defaults = load_settings_with_storage_dir(None)?;
     args.verbose = args.verbose || cli.output.verbosity == OutputVerbosity::Verbose;
 
     let quiet = args.detach;
diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/mod.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/mod.rs
index 66a83c82c..da1515b2b 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/mod.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/mod.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use crate::args::{AttachArgs, RunCommands, RunWorkerArgs, StartArgs};
 use crate::command_context::CommandContext;
 use crate::server_runs::ServerSummaryLookup;
 use crate::shared::print_json_pretty;
-use crate::user_config::settings_layer_with_storage_dir;
+use crate::user_config::load_settings_with_storage_dir;
 
 pub(crate) mod attach;
 pub(crate) mod command;
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn dispatch(
         RunCommands::Run(args) => Box::pin(command::execute(args, cli, cli_layer, printer)).await,
         RunCommands::Create(args) => {
             let styles: &'static Styles = Box::leak(Box::new(Styles::detect_stderr()));
-            let cli_defaults = settings_layer_with_storage_dir(None)?;
+            let cli_defaults = load_settings_with_storage_dir(None)?;
             let ctx = CommandContext::for_target(&args.target, printer, cli.clone(), cli_layer)?;
             let created_run = Box::pin(create::create_run(
                 &ctx,
diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/server/record.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/server/record.rs
index 2fb72d8b4..1a6b15b5a 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/server/record.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/server/record.rs
@@ -158,6 +158,6 @@ mod tests {
         write_server_record(&path, &record).unwrap();
 
         assert!(active_server_record(dir.path()).unwrap().is_none());
-        assert!(!path.exists()); // lazy cleanup removed file
+        assert!(!path.exists());
     }
 }
diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/server/start.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/server/start.rs
index 4a22ae9b8..1efecee7e 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/server/start.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/server/start.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ use tokio::time;
 use super::record;
 
 pub(crate) struct ForegroundServerLogBootstrap {
-    _lock_file: std::fs::File,
+    #[expect(dead_code, reason = "held for its Drop to release the server lock")]
+    lock_file: std::fs::File,
 }
 
 pub(crate) async fn execute(
@@ -76,9 +77,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn prepare_foreground_server_log(
     std::fs::File::create(&log_path)
         .with_context(|| format!("creating server log file {}", log_path.display()))?;
 
-    Ok(ForegroundServerLogBootstrap {
-        _lock_file: lock_file,
-    })
+    Ok(ForegroundServerLogBootstrap { lock_file })
 }
 
 pub(crate) async fn ensure_server_running_for_storage(
@@ -364,7 +363,7 @@ async fn execute_daemon(
     printer: Printer,
 ) -> Result<()> {
     let lock_file = acquire_lock(storage_dir).await?;
-    let _lock_file = lock_file; // keep alive until function returns
+    let _lock_file = lock_file;
 
     if let Some(existing) = record::active_server_record(storage_dir)? {
         if announce {
diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/main.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/main.rs
index 66ce662f6..d1cf06709 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/main.rs
@@ -420,66 +420,58 @@ async fn pre_tracing_bootstrap(command: &Commands) -> Result<PreTracingBootstrap
         Commands::Server(ServerNamespace {
             command: ServerCommand::Start(args),
         }) if args.foreground => {
-            prepare_foreground_server_bootstrap(
+            prepare_server_bootstrap(
                 args.serve_args.config.as_deref(),
                 args.storage_dir.as_deref(),
+                true,
             )
             .await
         }
         Commands::Server(ServerNamespace {
             command: ServerCommand::Restart(args),
         }) if args.foreground => {
-            prepare_foreground_server_bootstrap(
+            prepare_server_bootstrap(
                 args.serve_args.config.as_deref(),
                 args.storage_dir.as_deref(),
+                true,
             )
             .await
         }
         Commands::Server(ServerNamespace {
             command: ServerCommand::Serve(args),
-        }) => prepare_server_sink_bootstrap(
-            args.serve_args.config.as_deref(),
-            args.storage_dir.as_deref(),
-        ),
+        }) => {
+            prepare_server_bootstrap(
+                args.serve_args.config.as_deref(),
+                args.storage_dir.as_deref(),
+                false,
+            )
+            .await
+        }
         _ => Ok(PreTracingBootstrap::cli()),
     }
 }
 
-async fn prepare_foreground_server_bootstrap(
+async fn prepare_server_bootstrap(
     config_path: Option<&std::path::Path>,
     storage_dir: Option<&std::path::Path>,
+    foreground: bool,
 ) -> Result<PreTracingBootstrap> {
     let settings =
         user_config::load_settings_with_config_and_storage_dir(config_path, storage_dir)?;
     let storage_dir = user_config::storage_dir(&settings)?;
     let storage = fabro_config::Storage::new(&storage_dir);
-    let foreground_server_log_bootstrap =
-        commands::server::start::prepare_foreground_server_log(&storage_dir).await?;
+    let foreground_server_log_bootstrap = if foreground {
+        Some(commands::server::start::prepare_foreground_server_log(&storage_dir).await?)
+    } else {
+        None
+    };
 
     Ok(PreTracingBootstrap {
         sink: logging::InternalLogSink::Server {
             path: storage.server_state().log_path(),
         },
         config_log_level: server_config_log_level(&settings),
-        foreground_server_log_bootstrap: Some(foreground_server_log_bootstrap),
-    })
-}
-
-fn prepare_server_sink_bootstrap(
-    config_path: Option<&std::path::Path>,
-    storage_dir: Option<&std::path::Path>,
-) -> Result<PreTracingBootstrap> {
-    let settings =
-        user_config::load_settings_with_config_and_storage_dir(config_path, storage_dir)?;
-    let storage_dir = user_config::storage_dir(&settings)?;
-    let storage = fabro_config::Storage::new(&storage_dir);
-
-    Ok(PreTracingBootstrap {
-        sink: logging::InternalLogSink::Server {
-            path: storage.server_state().log_path(),
-        },
-        config_log_level: server_config_log_level(&settings),
-        foreground_server_log_bootstrap: None,
+        foreground_server_log_bootstrap,
     })
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/user_config.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/user_config.rs
index a64cf5c46..21a1bfe9e 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/user_config.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/user_config.rs
@@ -22,31 +22,18 @@ pub(crate) fn load_settings() -> anyhow::Result<SettingsLayer> {
     load_settings_with_config_and_storage_dir(None, None)
 }
 
-pub(crate) fn settings_layer_with_config_and_storage_dir(
-    config_path: Option<&Path>,
-    storage_dir: Option<&Path>,
-) -> anyhow::Result<SettingsLayer> {
-    let layer = load_settings_config(config_path)?;
-    Ok(apply_storage_dir_override(layer, storage_dir))
-}
-
-pub(crate) fn settings_layer_with_storage_dir(
-    storage_dir: Option<&Path>,
-) -> anyhow::Result<SettingsLayer> {
-    settings_layer_with_config_and_storage_dir(None, storage_dir)
-}
-
 pub(crate) fn load_settings_with_storage_dir(
     storage_dir: Option<&Path>,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<SettingsLayer> {
-    settings_layer_with_storage_dir(storage_dir)
+    load_settings_with_config_and_storage_dir(None, storage_dir)
 }
 
 pub(crate) fn load_settings_with_config_and_storage_dir(
     config_path: Option<&Path>,
     storage_dir: Option<&Path>,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<SettingsLayer> {
-    settings_layer_with_config_and_storage_dir(config_path, storage_dir)
+    let layer = load_settings_config(config_path)?;
+    Ok(apply_storage_dir_override(layer, storage_dir))
 }
 
 fn render_resolve_errors(errors: Vec<fabro_config::ResolveError>) -> anyhow::Error {