diff --git a/apps/web/src/lib/hooks/useLayout.ts b/apps/web/src/lib/hooks/useLayout.ts
index ef1d903..da5de87 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/lib/hooks/useLayout.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/lib/hooks/useLayout.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,70 @@ const DEFAULT_LAYOUT_NAME = "default";
  */
 const WORKSPACE_KEY = "mosaic-workspace-id";
 
+function createDefaultLayout(): LayoutConfig {
+  return {
+    id: DEFAULT_LAYOUT_NAME,
+    name: "Default Layout",
+    layout: [
+      {
+        i: "tasks-1",
+        x: 0,
+        y: 0,
+        w: 2,
+        h: 3,
+        minW: 1,
+        minH: 2,
+        isDraggable: true,
+        isResizable: true,
+      },
+      {
+        i: "calendar-1",
+        x: 2,
+        y: 0,
+        w: 2,
+        h: 2,
+        minW: 1,
+        minH: 2,
+        isDraggable: true,
+        isResizable: true,
+      },
+      {
+        i: "agent-status-1",
+        x: 2,
+        y: 2,
+        w: 2,
+        h: 2,
+        minW: 1,
+        minH: 1,
+        isDraggable: true,
+        isResizable: true,
+      },
+      {
+        i: "orchestrator-events-1",
+        x: 0,
+        y: 3,
+        w: 2,
+        h: 2,
+        minW: 1,
+        minH: 1,
+        isDraggable: true,
+        isResizable: true,
+      },
+      {
+        i: "quick-capture-1",
+        x: 2,
+        y: 4,
+        w: 2,
+        h: 1,
+        minW: 1,
+        minH: 1,
+        isDraggable: true,
+        isResizable: true,
+      },
+    ],
+  };
+}
+
 interface UseLayoutReturn {
   layouts: Record<string, LayoutConfig>;
   currentLayout: LayoutConfig | undefined;
@@ -45,7 +109,18 @@ export function useLayout(): UseLayoutReturn {
       if (stored) {
         const emptyFallback: Record<string, LayoutConfig> = {};
         const parsed = safeJsonParse(stored, isLayoutConfigRecord, emptyFallback);
-        setLayouts(parsed as Record<string, LayoutConfig>);
+        const parsedLayouts = parsed as Record<string, LayoutConfig>;
+        if (Object.keys(parsedLayouts).length > 0) {
+          setLayouts(parsedLayouts);
+        } else {
+          setLayouts({
+            [DEFAULT_LAYOUT_NAME]: createDefaultLayout(),
+          });
+        }
+      } else {
+        setLayouts({
+          [DEFAULT_LAYOUT_NAME]: createDefaultLayout(),
+        });
       }
 
       // Load current layout ID preference
@@ -195,11 +270,7 @@ export function useLayout(): UseLayoutReturn {
 
   const resetLayout = useCallback(() => {
     setLayouts({
-      [DEFAULT_LAYOUT_NAME]: {
-        id: DEFAULT_LAYOUT_NAME,
-        name: "Default Layout",
-        layout: [],
-      },
+      [DEFAULT_LAYOUT_NAME]: createDefaultLayout(),
     });
     setCurrentLayoutId(DEFAULT_LAYOUT_NAME);
   }, []);
diff --git a/docs/tasks.md b/docs/tasks.md
index 039e71f..63cb9f1 100644
--- a/docs/tasks.md
+++ b/docs/tasks.md
@@ -385,3 +385,4 @@
 | ORCH-OBS-006 | done   | Add `WidgetRenderer` regression tests for hyphenated widget IDs                                     | #411  | web               | feature/mosaic-stack-finalization | ORCH-OBS-005 |        | orch  | 2026-02-17T16:48Z | 2026-02-17T16:50Z | 5K       | 3K   |
 | ORCH-OBS-007 | done   | Add `OrchestratorEventsWidget` for live/recent orchestration visibility with Matrix signal hints    | #411  | web               | feature/mosaic-stack-finalization | ORCH-OBS-002 |        | orch  | 2026-02-17T16:55Z | 2026-02-17T17:03Z | 12K      | 9K   |
 | ORCH-OBS-008 | done   | Integrate new widget into HUD/WidgetRegistry and extend widget regression coverage                  | #411  | web               | feature/mosaic-stack-finalization | ORCH-OBS-007 |        | orch  | 2026-02-17T17:03Z | 2026-02-17T17:08Z | 10K      | 7K   |
+| ORCH-OBS-009 | done   | Seed default/reset local HUD layout with orchestration widgets so visibility works out-of-box       | #411  | web               | feature/mosaic-stack-finalization | ORCH-OBS-008 |        | orch  | 2026-02-17T17:10Z | 2026-02-17T17:14Z | 8K       | 6K   |