diff --git a/PROJECT_STATE.md b/PROJECT_STATE.md
index 66502815..d35ca67f 100644
--- a/PROJECT_STATE.md
+++ b/PROJECT_STATE.md
@@ -12,6 +12,18 @@ Authentik, internal catalog/embedding services, and the PSD workspace repository
 `docs/operations/server-upgrade-gitea-workspace-v2.md`. Treat its operator gates and rollback
 requirements as mandatory; do not replace the running server stack in place.
 
+## Session composer and empty Memory fix prepared — 2026-09-14
+
+The embedded shell now caps its height at the portal mount height, keeping steering
+and Stop & save visible. Empty authoritative Memory archives return zero results
+without requiring embedding/BM25; SQL-rule embedding is lazy and shared. The live
+empty PSD archive reproduces 503 with the current image and succeeds with the
+candidate. 54 Memory tests, 90 frontend tests, five browser scenarios and both image
+builds passed. Candidate core/frontend tags are `49333a2d-session-memory-fix`;
+production recreation awaits the release-window confirmation required by the server
+handoff. See `docs/reports/2026-09-14-session-layout-memory-fix.md` for evidence,
+prepared rollback and resolved deployment commands.
+
 ## Full/embedded shell and bilingual interface
 
 Full/embedded shell, EN/IT UI, immutable session interaction language, dark theme,
diff --git a/docs/reports/2026-09-14-session-layout-memory-fix.md b/docs/reports/2026-09-14-session-layout-memory-fix.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1260fa43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/reports/2026-09-14-session-layout-memory-fix.md
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+# Correzione input sessione embedded e Memory vuota
+
+## Stato
+
+Correzioni implementate e immagini candidate costruite; **rilascio operativo non
+ancora eseguito**. Il runbook `docs/operations/server-codex-handoff.md` richiede
+conferma della finestra prima della ricreazione dei servizi operativi.
+
+## Cause e correzioni
+
+- La nuova `.thot-host` usa `100dvh`; Omics limita invece `#root` allo spazio
+  sotto il topbar e ne nasconde l'overflow. La prova browser riproduce controlli
+  che terminano a 821 px con il contenitore che termina a 782 px. La shell
+  embedded ora ha `max-height: 100%`, così rispetta il contenitore; il fallback
+  alla viewport e il contratto `--thoth-app-height` restano utilizzabili.
+- Nell'installazione reale PostgreSQL contiene zero Memory Card e la collection
+  `psd-clinical-memory` zero punti, senza vettore sparse BM25. Il workflow
+  interrogava comunque embedding/Qdrant e trasformava `BM25 collection
+  configuration mismatch` in `memory_unavailable`, status 503. Il recupero ora
+  restituisce `[]` dopo aver verificato in PostgreSQL che l'archivio è vuoto.
+  Gli errori dell'archivio autorevole continuano a propagarsi. `memory rules`
+  calcola il vettore soltanto se serve e lo condivide fra le due famiglie.
+
+Nessuna migrazione, modifica di card, indice, DWH o autenticazione è necessaria.
+
+## Verifiche eseguite
+
+- Riproduzione live: `tht memory search` restituisceva 503.
+- Confronto delle immagini attuale/candidata, con PostgreSQL e Qdrant reali e
+  montaggi read-only: attuale exit 1/status 503; candidata exit 0/`[]`. La
+  configurazione diagnostica non contiene credenziali DWH e non interroga il DWH.
+- 54 test Memory superati, 1 skipped, 2 deselected secondo la configurazione
+  pytest; inclusi test PostgreSQL/Qdrant reali e regressione CLI archivio vuoto.
+- 90 test frontend superati: shell host, composer, creazione e gestione sessioni.
+- 5 scenari Playwright superati: sessione attiva embedded a 390/1280 px con
+  input multilinea e apertura del dialogo di arresto; composer full dopo
+  navigazione amministrativa; geometria host con header/rail.
+- TypeScript, build frontend, Ruff sui file Python modificati, `git diff --check`
+  e scansione layout superati. Entrambe le build Docker completate;
+  smoke della configurazione frontend superato.
+- Screenshot verificati in `frontend/test-results/visual-review/`.
+
+## Consegna candidata
+
+Base operativa verificata e pulita: `49333a2d35664b7237c3ddc2a9f10a605dcc84ce`.
+La patch `/tmp/thoth-session-memory-fix.patch` supera `git apply --check`
+contro `/srv/thothii-v2/source/ThothII`.
+
+| Immagine candidata | ID |
+| --- | --- |
+| `thothii-v2-core:49333a2d-session-memory-fix` | `sha256:ff4c435abd67c57e1e91e6e560dae73e67350ca499a5aedca3ffa517b9f59ee0` |
+| `thothii-v2-frontend:49333a2d-session-memory-fix` | `sha256:35933317769f3e12953f3b144d51f8fc2e7e9f7c4830eba80cc626f757f5bf0d` |
+
+Copie protette di operator.env, descriptor e override sono già in
+`/srv/thothii-v2/backups/20260914-session-memory-fix` (directory 0700).
+Le immagini correnti sono conservate anche con tag
+`before-session-memory-fix-20260914`. Non è stato fatto un nuovo backup dei dati:
+questa preparazione non ha modificato dati e non sostituisce un backup coerente
+nella finestra operativa, se richiesto dal runbook di rilascio.
+
+## Comandi risolti per la finestra da confermare
+
+Verificare nuovamente lo stato delle sessioni e gestire quelle attive prima del
+riavvio. Il seguente launcher conserva progetto, env file e ordine degli override:
+
+```bash
+thoth_fix_compose() {
+  sudo docker compose --project-name thothii-7f901b48fe35 \
+    --project-directory /srv/thothii-v2/source/ThothII \
+    --env-file /srv/thothii-v2/operator/operator.env \
+    -f /srv/thothii-v2/source/ThothII/compose.yaml \
+    -f /srv/thothii-v2/source/ThothII/deploy/compose.server.yaml \
+    -f /srv/thothii-v2/source/ThothII/deploy/compose.git-ssh.yaml \
+    -f /srv/thothii-v2/operator/compose.portal-upstream.yaml \
+    -f /srv/thothii-v2/source/ThothII/deploy/psd-server-v2/generated/compose.models.yaml "$@"
+}
+thoth_fix_compose exec -T core node /app/backend/dist/operator-command.js maintenance-activate
+thoth_fix_compose exec -T core node /app/backend/dist/operator-command.js maintenance-status
+sudo git -C /srv/thothii-v2/source/ThothII apply /tmp/thoth-session-memory-fix.patch
+```
+
+Dopo gestione delle sessioni e backup nella finestra, aggiornare esclusivamente
+`THTII_RELEASE_IMAGE_TAG` in `/srv/thothii-v2/operator/operator.env` al valore
+`49333a2d-session-memory-fix`, preservando gli altri valori e i permessi.
+Quindi:
+
+```bash
+thoth_fix_compose up -d --no-deps --no-build core frontend
+sudo docker exec omics_portal-nginx-1 nginx -t
+sudo docker exec omics_portal-nginx-1 nginx -s reload
+sudo tht --installation /srv/thothii-v2/source/ThothII/deploy/psd-server-v2/thothii-installation.yaml status
+sudo tht --installation /srv/thothii-v2/source/ThothII/deploy/psd-server-v2/thothii-installation.yaml doctor --json
+```
+
+Attendere il TTL di 30 secondi del manifest Django, verificare asset/config e
+Memory; provare input/arresto nel portale prima della riapertura:
+
+```bash
+thoth_fix_compose exec -T core node /app/backend/dist/operator-command.js maintenance-deactivate
+```
+
+Rollback applicativo: ripristinare l'operator.env protetto, ricreare solo
+core/frontend con lo stesso launcher, verificare e ricaricare nginx. Per riallineare
+anche i sorgenti usare `git apply --reverse --check` e poi `git apply --reverse`
+sulla sola patch preparata, senza reset di altre modifiche. Non occorre ripristinare
+PostgreSQL o indici per un rollback di queste due correzioni.
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/ui-visual-review.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/ui-visual-review.spec.ts
index 853e36fe..27e9be69 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/ui-visual-review.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/ui-visual-review.spec.ts
@@ -579,3 +579,43 @@ test("host header and left rail leave the application a bounded working area", a
   expect(search!.width).toBeGreaterThan(180);
   expect(await inspect(page)).toEqual({ overflow: 0, serif: [], tiny: [] });
 });
+
+for (const width of [390, 1280]) {
+  test(`embedded active session keeps steering and stop inside the portal at ${width}px`, async ({ page }, testInfo) => {
+    await page.setViewportSize({ width, height: 822 });
+    await fixtures(page, "embedded");
+    await page.route("**/api/sessions", route => route.request().method() === "POST"
+      ? route.fulfill({ json: { id: "layout-session" } }) : route.fallback());
+    await page.route("**/api/sessions/layout-session", route => route.fulfill({ json: { id: "layout-session", active: true, status: "open", workspace } }));
+    await page.goto("/");
+    // The Omics template bounds #root below its topbar and clips overflow.
+    await page.addStyleTag({ content: `
+      body { margin: 0; padding-top: 70px; }
+      #root { height: calc(100dvh - 110px); overflow: hidden; }
+    ` });
+    const prompt = page.getByRole("textbox", { name: "New question", exact: true });
+    await prompt.fill("Review the cohort");
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Send", exact: true }).click();
+    const steering = page.getByRole("textbox", { name: "Steering", exact: true });
+    await expect(steering).toBeVisible();
+    // Drive the same store projection as streaming, without a real model.
+    await page.evaluate(async () => {
+      const path = "/src/store/sessionStore.ts";
+      const { useSessionStore } = await import(/* @vite-ignore */ path);
+      useSessionStore.getState().applyEvent({ type: "text_delta", text: "Reviewing the cohort\n".repeat(80) });
+    });
+    await steering.fill("Please pause the analysis\n".repeat(15));
+    const stop = page.getByRole("button", { name: "Stop and save session", exact: true });
+    await page.locator("#root").evaluate(el => { el.scrollTop = 0; });
+    const root = await page.locator("#root").boundingBox();
+    for (const control of [steering, stop]) {
+      const box = await control.boundingBox();
+      expect(box!.y).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(root!.y);
+      expect(box!.y + box!.height).toBeLessThanOrEqual(root!.y + root!.height);
+      await expect(control).toBeInViewport();
+    }
+    await page.screenshot({ path: testInfo.outputPath("embedded-session.png") });
+    await stop.click();
+    await expect(page.getByRole("dialog", { name: "Stop the session?" })).toBeVisible();
+  });
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/index.css b/frontend/src/index.css
index e4eaf6af..1908d587 100644
--- a/frontend/src/index.css
+++ b/frontend/src/index.css
@@ -222,6 +222,8 @@ body.thot-full-document { margin: 0; }
     background: oklch(var(--background));
     color-scheme: light;
   }
+  /* Embedded hosts can reserve space for their own header/footer around #root. */
+  .thot-host--embedded { max-height: 100%; }
   .thot-host[data-theme="dark"] { color-scheme: dark; }
   .thot-host--full { --thot-shell-gutter: max(20px, 1.5rem); }
   .thot-host--full > .thot-context-layout {
diff --git a/harness/tests/memory/test_administration.py b/harness/tests/memory/test_administration.py
index 9f4f12dd..5830f613 100644
--- a/harness/tests/memory/test_administration.py
+++ b/harness/tests/memory/test_administration.py
@@ -1067,3 +1067,36 @@ def test_hybrid_recall_with_configured_real_embedding_and_isolated_stores(databa
                                                scope=scope)} == {rule, general, parent}
         finally:
             s.close()
+
+
+def test_empty_archive_rules_skip_unavailable_embedding_and_vectors(service, monkeypatch):
+    import json
+    from types import SimpleNamespace
+
+    from typer.testing import CliRunner
+
+    from tht.cli import app, memory_cmd, vector_cmd
+    from tht.ports.vector import VectorStoreError
+    from tht.vectorstore.embeddings import EmbeddingsError
+
+    s, _ = service
+    snapshot = review_snapshot(s)
+    snapshot.decisions[:] = [d for d in snapshot.decisions
+                            if not (d.type == "phase_approved" and int(d.subject.split(":")[1]) > 3)]
+
+    def unavailable_embedding(_):
+        raise EmbeddingsError("Embedding unavailable")
+
+    def unavailable_search(*args, **kwargs):
+        raise VectorStoreError("BM25 collection configuration mismatch")
+
+    cfg = SimpleNamespace(database=SimpleNamespace(database="dwh", db_schema="sales"), embeddings=None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(memory_cmd, "_load_config_or_exit", lambda _: cfg)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(memory_cmd, "memory_service", lambda _: s)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(memory_cmd, "load_snapshot_or_exit", lambda *_: snapshot)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(s, "close", lambda: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(vector_cmd, "open_searcher", lambda _: SimpleNamespace(search=unavailable_search))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(vector_cmd, "make_embedder", lambda _: SimpleNamespace(embed_query=unavailable_embedding))
+    result = CliRunner().invoke(app, ["memory", "rules", "Order", "--session", snapshot.manifest.id, "--json"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0, result.output
+    assert json.loads(result.output) == []
diff --git a/harness/tests/memory/test_recall.py b/harness/tests/memory/test_recall.py
index 904668c0..dea55ef4 100644
--- a/harness/tests/memory/test_recall.py
+++ b/harness/tests/memory/test_recall.py
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ def test_recall_cli_reconstructs_applied_and_rejected_memory_from_persisted_f2_s
     cards = {r.id: Card(id=r.id, family="domain_clarification", subject=r.subject,
         detail=r.detail, scope="psd-clinical", workspace_id="psd-clinical", origin="workflow",
         created_at=r.ts, updated_at=r.ts, revision="r", indexed=True) for r in records}
-    archive = SimpleNamespace(list=lambda query: {}, get=lambda identity: cards[identity],
+    archive = SimpleNamespace(list=lambda query: {"total": len(cards)}, get=lambda identity: cards[identity],
                               close=lambda: None)
     archive.operation = lambda: nullcontext(archive)
     service = MemoryService(archive, PrincipalContext(issuer="local", subject="reviewer"),
@@ -179,3 +179,43 @@ def test_recall_cli_reconstructs_applied_and_rejected_memory_from_persisted_f2_s
     assert current_phase(repository.get(session_id)) == 2
     assert embedder.questions == ["active patients"]
     assert searcher.calls == [([0.1, 0.2], 20, ["memory"])]
+
+
+def test_empty_archive_recall_does_not_require_vector_projection(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """A fresh installation can have an empty dense-only Memory collection."""
+    from tht.ports.vector import VectorStoreError
+
+    class UnavailableSearcher:
+        def search(self, *args, **kwargs):
+            raise VectorStoreError("BM25 collection configuration mismatch")
+
+    archive = SimpleNamespace(list=lambda query: {"items": [], "total": 0}, close=lambda: None)
+    service = MemoryService(archive, PrincipalContext(issuer="local", subject="reviewer"),
+                            store_factory=lambda: None, embedder_factory=Embedder)
+    embedder = Embedder()
+    monkeypatch.setattr("tht.cli.memory_cmd.memory_service", lambda cfg: service)
+    monkeypatch.setattr("tht.cli.vector_cmd.open_searcher", lambda cfg: UnavailableSearcher())
+    monkeypatch.setattr("tht.cli.vector_cmd.make_embedder", lambda cfg: embedder)
+    for command in ("search", "solved-search"):
+        response = CliRunner().invoke(app, ["memory", command, "active patients", "--json",
+                                           "-c", str(_workspace_config(tmp_path))])
+        assert response.exit_code == 0, response.output
+        assert json.loads(response.stdout) == []
+    assert embedder.questions == []
+
+
+def test_recall_does_not_hide_an_unavailable_authoritative_archive():
+    import pytest
+
+    from tht.memory.models import MemoryUnavailable
+
+    def unavailable(query):
+        raise MemoryUnavailable("Memory archive is unavailable")
+
+    archive = SimpleNamespace(list=unavailable)
+    service = MemoryService(archive, PrincipalContext(issuer="local", subject="reviewer"),
+                            store_factory=lambda: None, embedder_factory=Embedder)
+    embedder = Embedder()
+    with pytest.raises(MemoryUnavailable):
+        service.recall("active patients", searcher=Searcher([]), embedder=embedder)
+    assert embedder.questions == []
diff --git a/harness/tht/cli/memory_cmd.py b/harness/tht/cli/memory_cmd.py
index af499152..62d14086 100644
--- a/harness/tht/cli/memory_cmd.py
+++ b/harness/tht/cli/memory_cmd.py
@@ -296,6 +296,7 @@ def rules_cmd(question: str, session: str = typer.Option(..., "--session"),
               filters: str = typer.Option("{}", "--filters"),
               json_out: bool = typer.Option(False, "--json"), config: Path = CONFIG_OPT):
     """Consult SQL rules and explained errors in schema linking and SQL construction."""
+    from functools import cache
     from types import SimpleNamespace
 
     from tht.cli.vector_cmd import make_embedder, open_searcher
@@ -307,8 +308,8 @@ def rules_cmd(question: str, session: str = typer.Option(..., "--session"),
         if current_phase(snapshot) not in {4, 6, 7}:
             raise ValueError("Memory rules are consulted in schema linking or SQL construction")
         scope = _recall_scope(cfg, filters)
-        vector = make_embedder(cfg.embeddings).embed_query(question)
-        embedder = SimpleNamespace(embed_query=lambda _: vector)
+        # Share one vector across both families, but only when the archive has cards.
+        embedder = SimpleNamespace(embed_query=cache(make_embedder(cfg.embeddings).embed_query))
         searcher = open_searcher(cfg)
         candidates = []
         for family in ("sql_rule", "explained_error"):
diff --git a/harness/tht/memory/service.py b/harness/tht/memory/service.py
index a5db3097..ad8a4cfa 100644
--- a/harness/tht/memory/service.py
+++ b/harness/tht/memory/service.py
@@ -129,7 +129,10 @@ class MemoryService:
         if not question.strip():
             raise ValueError("Recall question must not be empty")
         scope = scope or RecallScope()
-        self.repository.list(CardQuery(page_size=1))
+        # PostgreSQL is authoritative: an empty archive needs no search projection.
+        # Still read it first so archive failures cannot masquerade as zero results.
+        if self.repository.list(CardQuery(page_size=1))["total"] == 0:
+            return []
         kinds = (["solved_question"] if family == "solved_question" else
                  ["memory"] if family else ["memory", "solved_question"])
         hits = searcher.search(embedder.embed_query(question),