diff --git a/soul.el b/soul.el
index 6812b0c..0147f2a 100644
--- a/soul.el
+++ b/soul.el
@@ -95,6 +95,24 @@ fn init_soul_edges() -> Void {
     engram_connect(val_hope, val_trust, el_from_float(0.7), "co-value")
 }
 
+// ensure_self_canonical_bridge — link the public self anchor (the graph API's
+// traversal_root, kn-efeb4a5b, which carries only incidental tag edges) to the
+// curated self node (015644f5, where the real identity / value / co-value edges
+// live). Without this, public self-traversal (name=self / neuron) reaches tags
+// instead of the curated identity. Idempotent: connects only if the edge is
+// missing, so it is safe to run every boot — including on an already-populated
+// graph where init_soul_edges() is skipped by the <100-edge gate.
+fn ensure_self_canonical_bridge() -> Void {
+    let pub_self: String = "kn-efeb4a5b-5aff-4759-8a97-7233099be6ee"
+    let curated_self: String = "015644f5-8194-4af0-800d-dd4a0cd71396"
+    let nbrs: String = engram_neighbors_json(pub_self, 1, "out")
+    if !str_contains(nbrs, curated_self) {
+        engram_connect(pub_self, curated_self, el_from_float(0.95), "canonical-self")
+        engram_connect(curated_self, pub_self, el_from_float(0.95), "canonical-self")
+        println("[soul] canonical-self bridge built: kn-efeb4a5b <-> 015644f5")
+    }
+}
+
 // load_identity_context — pull key identity nodes from engram into working state.
 // Called at boot after engram_load. These nodes contain values, intellectual-dna,
 // memory-philosophy — the graph-stored self that chat.el can include in prompts.
@@ -398,6 +416,9 @@ if is_genesis && safe_to_seed {
     } else {
         println("[soul] edges already present (" + int_to_str(edge_count_now) + ") - skipping init")
     }
+    // Canonical-self bridge is idempotent — run it regardless of edge count so an
+    // already-populated graph still gets the public->curated self link.
+    ensure_self_canonical_bridge()
     // Genesis saves to its local snapshot file (it manages its own Engram).
     state_set("soul_snapshot_path", snapshot)
     engram_save(snapshot)