diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 384eac09b..802408479 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -2818,6 +2818,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "fabro-types",
  "fabro-workflow",
  "git2",
+ "serde_json",
  "temp-env",
  "tempfile",
  "toml 0.8.23",
diff --git a/docs/public/api-reference/fabro-api.yaml b/docs/public/api-reference/fabro-api.yaml
index 56b062382..d21a439a0 100644
--- a/docs/public/api-reference/fabro-api.yaml
+++ b/docs/public/api-reference/fabro-api.yaml
@@ -9197,7 +9197,7 @@ components:
           type: string
 
     ManifestGoal:
-      description: Resolved goal with provenance.
+      description: Resolved goal kind and content.
       type: object
       required:
         - type
@@ -9212,9 +9212,6 @@ components:
         text:
           type: string
           description: Resolved goal content.
-        path:
-          type: ["string", "null"]
-          description: Original goal file path when the goal came from a file.
 
     ManifestArgs:
       description: Sparse command-local args that affect run settings.
@@ -9248,13 +9245,8 @@ components:
     ManifestTarget:
       type: object
       required:
-        - identifier
         - path
       properties:
-        identifier:
-          type: string
-          description: What the user typed.
-          example: smoke
         path:
           type: string
           description: Resolved path that keys into the workflows map.
diff --git a/lib/apps/fabro-cli/tests/it/cmd/support.rs b/lib/apps/fabro-cli/tests/it/cmd/support.rs
index 362de669d..6470375a3 100644
--- a/lib/apps/fabro-cli/tests/it/cmd/support.rs
+++ b/lib/apps/fabro-cli/tests/it/cmd/support.rs
@@ -955,7 +955,6 @@ async fn create_seeded_run(
         "version": 1,
         "cwd": context.temp_dir.display().to_string(),
         "target": {
-            "identifier": target_path,
             "path": target_path,
         },
         "args": args,
diff --git a/lib/apps/fabro-server/src/run_manifest.rs b/lib/apps/fabro-server/src/run_manifest.rs
index be968159f..01b0e200e 100644
--- a/lib/apps/fabro-server/src/run_manifest.rs
+++ b/lib/apps/fabro-server/src/run_manifest.rs
@@ -1400,8 +1400,7 @@ mod tests {
             parent_id: None,
             title:     None,
             target:    types::ManifestTarget {
-                identifier: "workflow.fabro".to_string(),
-                path:       "workflow.fabro".to_string(),
+                path: "workflow.fabro".to_string(),
             },
             version:   1,
             workflows: HashMap::from([("workflow.fabro".to_string(), types::ManifestWorkflow {
@@ -2229,7 +2228,6 @@ id = "local"
     #[test]
     fn prepare_manifest_keeps_missing_metadata_names_absent() {
         let mut manifest = minimal_manifest();
-        manifest.target.identifier = "release-flow".to_string();
         manifest.workflows.get_mut("workflow.fabro").unwrap().source = r"
 digraph GraphName {
     start [shape=Mdiamond]
diff --git a/lib/apps/fabro-server/src/server/automation_scheduler.rs b/lib/apps/fabro-server/src/server/automation_scheduler.rs
index 0abd3e988..bfaea745c 100644
--- a/lib/apps/fabro-server/src/server/automation_scheduler.rs
+++ b/lib/apps/fabro-server/src/server/automation_scheduler.rs
@@ -401,7 +401,6 @@ mod tests {
             "version": 1,
             "cwd": "/tmp",
             "target": {
-                "identifier": "workflow.fabro",
                 "path": "workflow.fabro",
             },
             "workflows": {
diff --git a/lib/apps/fabro-server/src/server/tests.rs b/lib/apps/fabro-server/src/server/tests.rs
index ec44728d8..c0488e037 100644
--- a/lib/apps/fabro-server/src/server/tests.rs
+++ b/lib/apps/fabro-server/src/server/tests.rs
@@ -3190,7 +3190,6 @@ fn manifest_json(target_path: &str, dot_source: &str) -> serde_json::Value {
         "version": 1,
         "cwd": "/tmp",
         "target": {
-            "identifier": target_path,
             "path": target_path,
         },
         "workflows": {
@@ -3562,6 +3561,60 @@ async fn post_runs_ignores_removed_run_id_input() {
     assert_ne!(allocated_run_id, submitted_run_id);
 }
 
+/// Old clients may still send the removed `target.identifier` and
+/// `goal.path` manifest properties. The server must keep accepting such
+/// bodies as unknown fields: the workflow is selected by `target.path`
+/// and the goal comes from the resolved `goal.text`.
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn post_runs_accepts_legacy_manifest_metadata_properties() {
+    let state = test_app_state();
+    let app = crate::test_support::build_test_router(Arc::clone(&state));
+    let picked_dot = r"digraph PickedFlow {
+        start [shape=Mdiamond]
+        exit [shape=Msquare]
+        start -> exit
+    }";
+    let decoy_dot = r"digraph DecoyFlow {
+        start [shape=Mdiamond]
+        exit [shape=Msquare]
+        start -> exit
+    }";
+    let manifest = serde_json::json!({
+        "version": 1,
+        "cwd": "/tmp",
+        "target": {
+            // Legacy display metadata: deliberately names the decoy entry
+            // to prove selection never reads it.
+            "identifier": "decoy.fabro",
+            "path": "picked.fabro",
+        },
+        "goal": {
+            "type": "file",
+            "text": "Goal text from the legacy body",
+            "path": "/tmp/original/goal.md",
+        },
+        "workflows": {
+            "picked.fabro": { "source": picked_dot, "files": {} },
+            "decoy.fabro": { "source": decoy_dot, "files": {} },
+        },
+    });
+
+    let created = post_run_manifest(&app, manifest).await;
+    let run_id = created["id"]
+        .as_str()
+        .expect("create response should contain an id")
+        .parse::<RunId>()
+        .expect("create response id should be valid");
+
+    let run_store = state.stores.runs.open_run_reader(&run_id).await.unwrap();
+    let run_state = run_store.state().await.unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(run_state.spec.graph.name, "PickedFlow");
+    assert_eq!(
+        run_state.spec.graph.goal(),
+        "Goal text from the legacy body"
+    );
+}
+
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn post_runs_create_regression_keeps_api_behavior_without_automation_metadata() {
     let state = TestAppStateBuilder::new()
@@ -4225,7 +4278,6 @@ async fn validate_endpoint_returns_template_source_coordinates() {
         "version": 1,
         "cwd": "/tmp",
         "target": {
-            "identifier": "workflow.fabro",
             "path": "workflow.fabro",
         },
         "workflows": {
@@ -11169,7 +11221,6 @@ async fn create_run_keeps_missing_project_and_workflow_names_absent() {
         "version": 1,
         "cwd": "/tmp/project",
         "target": {
-            "identifier": "workflow.fabro",
             "path": "workflow.fabro",
         },
         "configs": [
@@ -13366,7 +13417,6 @@ async fn get_graph_returns_svg() {
                 "version": 1,
                 "cwd": "/tmp",
                 "target": {
-                    "identifier": "workflow.fabro",
                     "path": "workflow.fabro",
                 },
                 "workflows": {
@@ -13426,7 +13476,6 @@ async fn get_graph_source_returns_dot() {
                 "version": 1,
                 "cwd": "/tmp",
                 "target": {
-                    "identifier": "workflow.fabro",
                     "path": "workflow.fabro",
                 },
                 "workflows": {
@@ -13480,7 +13529,6 @@ async fn render_graph_from_manifest_returns_svg() {
                     "version": 1,
                     "cwd": "/tmp",
                     "target": {
-                        "identifier": "workflow.fabro",
                         "path": "workflow.fabro",
                     },
                     "workflows": {
@@ -13538,7 +13586,6 @@ async fn render_graph_from_manifest_accepts_fabro_dotted_attributes() {
                     "version": 1,
                     "cwd": "/tmp",
                     "target": {
-                        "identifier": "workflow.fabro",
                         "path": "workflow.fabro",
                     },
                     "workflows": {
diff --git a/lib/apps/fabro-server/tests/it/helpers.rs b/lib/apps/fabro-server/tests/it/helpers.rs
index 9ecf30bb8..ba093b2f2 100644
--- a/lib/apps/fabro-server/tests/it/helpers.rs
+++ b/lib/apps/fabro-server/tests/it/helpers.rs
@@ -250,7 +250,6 @@ pub(crate) fn minimal_manifest_json(dot_source: &str) -> serde_json::Value {
         "version": 1,
         "cwd": "/tmp",
         "target": {
-            "identifier": "workflow.fabro",
             "path": "workflow.fabro"
         },
         "workflows": {
diff --git a/lib/components/fabro-manifest/Cargo.toml b/lib/components/fabro-manifest/Cargo.toml
index 0cc8a695a..29b32aadb 100644
--- a/lib/components/fabro-manifest/Cargo.toml
+++ b/lib/components/fabro-manifest/Cargo.toml
@@ -25,5 +25,6 @@ git2.workspace = true
 toml.workspace = true
 
 [dev-dependencies]
+serde_json.workspace = true
 tempfile = "3"
 temp-env = "0.3"
diff --git a/lib/components/fabro-manifest/src/lib.rs b/lib/components/fabro-manifest/src/lib.rs
index 656de96eb..3bfb92c5c 100644
--- a/lib/components/fabro-manifest/src/lib.rs
+++ b/lib/components/fabro-manifest/src/lib.rs
@@ -252,10 +252,7 @@ pub fn build_run_manifest(input: ManifestBuildInput) -> Result<BuiltManifest> {
             goal,
             parent_id: None,
             title: None,
-            target: types::ManifestTarget {
-                identifier: input.workflow.display().to_string(),
-                path:       target_key,
-            },
+            target: types::ManifestTarget { path: target_key },
             version: 1,
             workflows: context.workflows,
         },
@@ -709,7 +706,6 @@ fn resolve_manifest_goal(
         )
         .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("unsupported manifest goal reference: {reference}"))?;
         return Ok(Some(types::ManifestGoal {
-            path:  Some(reference.to_string()),
             text:  std::fs::read_to_string(&goal_path)
                 .with_context(|| format!("Failed to read {}", goal_path.display()))?,
             type_: types::ManifestGoalType::Graph,
@@ -717,24 +713,21 @@ fn resolve_manifest_goal(
     }
 
     Ok(Some(types::ManifestGoal {
-        path:  None,
         text:  goal.to_string(),
         type_: types::ManifestGoalType::Graph,
     }))
 }
 
 /// Translate a [`ResolvedRunGoal`] into the wire-level `ManifestGoal`
-/// shape. Inline goals get `type = Value`; file-sourced goals keep their
-/// absolute path as the `path` field and use `type = File`.
+/// shape. Inline goals get `type = Value`; file-sourced goals carry their
+/// already-resolved contents with `type = File`.
 fn resolved_goal_to_manifest(resolved: ResolvedRunGoal) -> types::ManifestGoal {
     match resolved.source {
         ResolvedGoalSource::Inline => types::ManifestGoal {
-            path:  None,
             text:  resolved.text,
             type_: types::ManifestGoalType::Value,
         },
-        ResolvedGoalSource::File { path } => types::ManifestGoal {
-            path:  Some(path.to_string_lossy().into_owned()),
+        ResolvedGoalSource::File { .. } => types::ManifestGoal {
             text:  resolved.text,
             type_: types::ManifestGoalType::File,
         },
@@ -1118,8 +1111,8 @@ mod tests {
         .unwrap();
 
         assert_eq!(
-            built.manifest.target.path,
-            ".fabro/workflows/demo/workflow.fabro"
+            serde_json::to_value(&built.manifest.target).unwrap(),
+            serde_json::json!({ "path": ".fabro/workflows/demo/workflow.fabro" })
         );
         assert_eq!(built.manifest.workflows.len(), 2);
         let root = &built.manifest.workflows[".fabro/workflows/demo/workflow.fabro"];
@@ -1139,7 +1132,10 @@ mod tests {
             root.files
                 .contains_key(".fabro/workflows/demo/prompts/lint.md")
         );
-        assert_eq!(built.manifest.goal.unwrap().text, "ship it");
+        assert_eq!(
+            serde_json::to_value(built.manifest.goal.as_ref().unwrap()).unwrap(),
+            serde_json::json!({ "type": "graph", "text": "ship it" })
+        );
         assert!(
             built
                 .manifest
@@ -1573,11 +1569,10 @@ file = "prompts/goal.md"
         .unwrap();
 
         let goal = built.manifest.goal.expect("manifest goal should be set");
-        assert_eq!(goal.text, "ship from project root");
-        assert_eq!(goal.type_, types::ManifestGoalType::File);
-        let resolved = goal.path.expect("file goal must carry a path");
-        let expected = project.join(".fabro").join("prompts").join("goal.md");
-        assert_eq!(PathBuf::from(resolved), expected);
+        assert_eq!(
+            serde_json::to_value(&goal).unwrap(),
+            serde_json::json!({ "type": "file", "text": "ship from project root" })
+        );
     }
 
     /// A relative `[run.goal] file = "..."` declared in `workflow.toml`
@@ -1623,11 +1618,35 @@ file = "prompts/goal.md"
         .unwrap();
 
         let goal = built.manifest.goal.expect("manifest goal should be set");
-        assert_eq!(goal.text, "ship from workflow dir");
-        assert_eq!(goal.type_, types::ManifestGoalType::File);
-        let resolved = goal.path.expect("file goal must carry a path");
-        let expected = workflow_dir.join("prompts").join("goal.md");
-        assert_eq!(PathBuf::from(resolved), expected);
+        assert_eq!(
+            serde_json::to_value(&goal).unwrap(),
+            serde_json::json!({ "type": "file", "text": "ship from workflow dir" })
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// The wire-level goal carries only the resolved kind and content:
+    /// inline and file-sourced goals serialize to exactly `type` + `text`.
+    #[test]
+    fn resolved_goals_serialize_type_and_text_only() {
+        let inline = resolved_goal_to_manifest(ResolvedRunGoal {
+            text:   "inline goal".to_string(),
+            source: ResolvedGoalSource::Inline,
+        });
+        assert_eq!(
+            serde_json::to_value(&inline).unwrap(),
+            serde_json::json!({ "type": "value", "text": "inline goal" })
+        );
+
+        let file = resolved_goal_to_manifest(ResolvedRunGoal {
+            text:   "goal from file".to_string(),
+            source: ResolvedGoalSource::File {
+                path: PathBuf::from("/tmp/project/goal.md"),
+            },
+        });
+        assert_eq!(
+            serde_json::to_value(&file).unwrap(),
+            serde_json::json!({ "type": "file", "text": "goal from file" })
+        );
     }
 
     /// When `[run] working_dir` points to a nested git repo, the manifest's
diff --git a/lib/packages/fabro-api-client/src/models/manifest-goal.ts b/lib/packages/fabro-api-client/src/models/manifest-goal.ts
index 71d0f5cfb..377b6e3ac 100644
--- a/lib/packages/fabro-api-client/src/models/manifest-goal.ts
+++ b/lib/packages/fabro-api-client/src/models/manifest-goal.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 
 
 /**
- * Resolved goal with provenance.
+ * Resolved goal kind and content.
  */
 export interface ManifestGoal {
     'type': ManifestGoalTypeEnum;
@@ -23,10 +23,6 @@ export interface ManifestGoal {
      * Resolved goal content.
      */
     'text': string;
-    /**
-     * Original goal file path when the goal came from a file.
-     */
-    'path'?: string | null;
 }
 
 export const ManifestGoalTypeEnum = {
diff --git a/lib/packages/fabro-api-client/src/models/manifest-target.ts b/lib/packages/fabro-api-client/src/models/manifest-target.ts
index 44a463a09..c78249f32 100644
--- a/lib/packages/fabro-api-client/src/models/manifest-target.ts
+++ b/lib/packages/fabro-api-client/src/models/manifest-target.ts
@@ -15,10 +15,6 @@
 
 
 export interface ManifestTarget {
-    /**
-     * What the user typed.
-     */
-    'identifier': string;
     /**
      * Resolved path that keys into the workflows map.
      */