diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d6a244d..79aca3d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,15 @@ All notable changes to `devloop` will be recorded in this file.
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [0.11.1] - 2026-09-02
+
+### Fixed
+
+- Made transactional artifact guidance discoverable from root help, the bare
+  `devloop docs` index, and artifact validation errors.
+- Made the runtime smoke test select its required informational log level
+  instead of inheriting a caller setting that could hide its readiness signal.
+
 ## [0.11.0] - 2026-09-02
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 9e0cf32..11eca2f 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ checksum = "1d07550c9036bf2ae0c684c4297d503f838287c83c53686d05370d0e139ae570"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "devloop"
-version = "0.11.0"
+version = "0.11.1"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "axum",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 0a2f810..3037dab 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "devloop"
-version = "0.11.0"
+version = "0.11.1"
 edition = "2024"
 
 [dependencies]
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index db95ae9..6d711bb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ The tool will:
 Built-in reference docs are also available from the CLI:
 
 ```bash
+devloop docs
 devloop docs config
 devloop docs behavior
 devloop docs artifacts
diff --git a/docs/README.md b/docs/README.md
index b1e9aaf..49cc076 100644
--- a/docs/README.md
+++ b/docs/README.md
@@ -1,13 +1,20 @@
-# Docs
+# Devloop Documentation
 
-- [Behavior Reference](behavior.md)
-- [Configuration Reference](configuration.md)
-- [Transactional Artifact Generations](artifacts.md)
-- [Development Guide](development.md)
-- [Security Notes](security.md)
+Run `devloop docs` to print this index in a terminal. Choose a topic according
+to the work in front of you:
 
-This directory holds detailed reference material for `devloop`.
-Keep the top-level `README.md` focused on purpose, installation, and the
-main development loop; put configuration detail here. Session-log behaviour
-is documented in the Behavior Reference, and its path follows the state-file
-configuration in the Configuration Reference.
+- [Configuration Reference](configuration.md) — run `devloop docs config` when
+  writing or validating `devloop.toml`.
+- [Behavior Reference](behavior.md) — run `devloop docs behavior` when reasoning
+  about supervision, workflows, state, or failure handling.
+- [Transactional Artifact Generations](artifacts.md) — run
+  `devloop docs artifacts` when a build replaces files that a managed process
+  is serving.
+- [Development Guide](development.md) — run `devloop docs development` when
+  changing or validating devloop itself.
+- [Security Notes](security.md) — run `devloop docs security` when configuring
+  control surfaces, tokens, hooks, or inherited environments.
+
+This directory holds devloop's detailed reference material. The top-level
+README remains a synopsis of the tool, installation, and the main development
+loop.
diff --git a/scripts/ci-smoke.sh b/scripts/ci-smoke.sh
index 506f5f1..716dac2 100755
--- a/scripts/ci-smoke.sh
+++ b/scripts/ci-smoke.sh
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ devloop_bin="${repo_root}/target/debug/devloop"
 
 (cd "${repo_root}" && cargo build --bins >/dev/null)
 
-"${devloop_bin}" run --config "${tmp_dir}/devloop.toml" >"${log_path}" 2>&1 &
+RUST_LOG=info "${devloop_bin}" run --config "${tmp_dir}/devloop.toml" >"${log_path}" 2>&1 &
 devloop_pid=$!
 start_watchdog
 
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index ef06d1b..a9169f2 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -102,9 +102,9 @@ impl Config {
             }
         }
         for (name, artifact) in &self.artifact {
-            artifact
-                .validate(self, name)
-                .with_context(|| format!("invalid artifact '{name}'"))?;
+            artifact.validate(self, name).with_context(|| {
+                format!("invalid artifact '{name}'; for guidance, run `devloop docs artifacts`")
+            })?;
         }
         self.event_server.validate()?;
         self.browser_reload_server.validate()?;
@@ -1094,6 +1094,7 @@ steps = [{ action = "notify_reload" }]
             .expect_err("artifact consumer must not start before recovery");
 
         assert!(format!("{error:#}").contains("must set autostart = false"));
+        assert!(format!("{error:#}").contains("devloop docs artifacts"));
     }
 
     #[test]
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 68b97ca..6026faf 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ const SESSION_LOG_SHUTDOWN_FLUSH_TIMEOUT: Duration = Duration::from_secs(5);
     author,
     version,
     about = "Run config-driven local development workflows",
-    long_about = "devloop watches a client repository, supervises its processes, and executes ordered workflows defined in a TOML config file."
+    long_about = "devloop watches a client repository, supervises its processes, and executes ordered workflows defined in a TOML config file.",
+    after_help = "Serving generated files that are replaced during rebuilds? Use transactional artifacts. Run `devloop docs artifacts`."
 )]
 struct Cli {
     #[command(subcommand)]
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@ enum Command {
     /// Print built-in reference documentation.
     Docs {
         #[arg(value_enum)]
-        topic: DocsTopic,
+        topic: Option<DocsTopic>,
     },
 }
 
@@ -322,17 +323,18 @@ fn resolve_config_path(config: Option<PathBuf>) -> Result<PathBuf> {
     }
 }
 
-fn docs_text(topic: DocsTopic) -> &'static str {
+fn docs_text(topic: Option<DocsTopic>) -> &'static str {
     match topic {
-        DocsTopic::Config => include_str!("../docs/configuration.md"),
-        DocsTopic::Behavior => include_str!("../docs/behavior.md"),
-        DocsTopic::Artifacts => include_str!("../docs/artifacts.md"),
-        DocsTopic::Development => include_str!("../docs/development.md"),
-        DocsTopic::Security => include_str!("../docs/security.md"),
+        None => include_str!("../docs/README.md"),
+        Some(DocsTopic::Config) => include_str!("../docs/configuration.md"),
+        Some(DocsTopic::Behavior) => include_str!("../docs/behavior.md"),
+        Some(DocsTopic::Artifacts) => include_str!("../docs/artifacts.md"),
+        Some(DocsTopic::Development) => include_str!("../docs/development.md"),
+        Some(DocsTopic::Security) => include_str!("../docs/security.md"),
     }
 }
 
-fn render_docs_text(topic: DocsTopic) -> String {
+fn render_docs_text(topic: Option<DocsTopic>) -> String {
     render_markdown_for_terminal(docs_text(topic))
 }
 
@@ -524,7 +526,7 @@ mod tests {
     };
     use crate::session_log::SessionLog;
     use crate::test_support::RustLogGuard;
-    use clap::Parser;
+    use clap::{CommandFactory, Parser};
     use tempfile::tempdir;
 
     #[test]
@@ -639,7 +641,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn docs_text_uses_embedded_configuration_reference() {
-        let rendered = docs_text(DocsTopic::Config);
+        let rendered = docs_text(Some(DocsTopic::Config));
 
         assert!(rendered.starts_with("# Configuration Reference"));
         assert!(rendered.contains("startup_workflows"));
@@ -649,7 +651,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn docs_text_uses_embedded_session_log_behavior_reference() {
-        let rendered = docs_text(DocsTopic::Behavior);
+        let rendered = docs_text(Some(DocsTopic::Behavior));
 
         assert!(rendered.starts_with("# Behavior Reference"));
         assert!(rendered.contains("### Session logs"));
@@ -658,7 +660,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn docs_text_uses_embedded_development_reference() {
-        let rendered = docs_text(DocsTopic::Development);
+        let rendered = docs_text(Some(DocsTopic::Development));
 
         assert!(rendered.starts_with("# Development Guide"));
         assert!(rendered.contains("DEVLOOP_RUN_WATCH_FLAKE_SMOKE"));
@@ -666,7 +668,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn docs_text_exposes_agent_safe_artifact_workflow() {
-        let rendered = docs_text(DocsTopic::Artifacts);
+        let rendered = docs_text(Some(DocsTopic::Artifacts));
 
         assert!(rendered.starts_with("# Transactional Artifact Generations"));
         assert!(rendered.contains("## Agent rule"));
@@ -676,7 +678,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn rendered_docs_drop_markdown_heading_markers() {
-        let rendered = render_docs_text(DocsTopic::Config);
+        let rendered = render_docs_text(Some(DocsTopic::Config));
 
         assert!(rendered.starts_with("CONFIGURATION REFERENCE"));
         assert!(!rendered.contains("# Configuration Reference"));
@@ -712,7 +714,9 @@ mod tests {
         let cli = Cli::try_parse_from(["devloop", "docs", "security"]).expect("parse cli");
 
         match cli.command {
-            super::Command::Docs { topic } => assert!(matches!(topic, DocsTopic::Security)),
+            super::Command::Docs { topic } => {
+                assert!(matches!(topic, Some(DocsTopic::Security)))
+            }
             _ => panic!("expected docs subcommand"),
         }
     }
@@ -722,8 +726,37 @@ mod tests {
         let cli = Cli::try_parse_from(["devloop", "docs", "development"]).expect("parse cli");
 
         match cli.command {
-            super::Command::Docs { topic } => assert!(matches!(topic, DocsTopic::Development)),
+            super::Command::Docs { topic } => {
+                assert!(matches!(topic, Some(DocsTopic::Development)))
+            }
             _ => panic!("expected docs subcommand"),
         }
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn cli_root_help_points_agents_to_artifact_guidance() {
+        let help = Cli::command().render_long_help().to_string();
+
+        assert!(help.contains("Serving generated files that are replaced during rebuilds?"));
+        assert!(help.contains("devloop docs artifacts"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn cli_accepts_docs_without_a_topic() {
+        let cli = Cli::try_parse_from(["devloop", "docs"]).expect("parse docs index command");
+
+        match cli.command {
+            super::Command::Docs { topic } => assert!(topic.is_none()),
+            _ => panic!("expected docs subcommand"),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn docs_index_explains_when_to_use_artifacts() {
+        let rendered = render_docs_text(None);
+
+        assert!(rendered.starts_with("DEVLOOP DOCUMENTATION"));
+        assert!(rendered.contains("devloop docs artifacts"));
+        assert!(rendered.contains("replaces files that a managed process is serving"));
+    }
 }
diff --git a/tests/cli_docs.rs b/tests/cli_docs.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c0274e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cli_docs.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+use std::process::Command;
+
+#[test]
+fn root_help_names_the_artifact_use_case_and_guide() {
+    let output = Command::new(env!("CARGO_BIN_EXE_devloop"))
+        .arg("--help")
+        .output()
+        .expect("run root help");
+
+    assert!(output.status.success());
+    let stdout = String::from_utf8(output.stdout).expect("help is UTF-8");
+    assert!(stdout.contains("Serving generated files that are replaced during rebuilds?"));
+    assert!(stdout.contains("devloop docs artifacts"));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn bare_docs_prints_the_topic_index() {
+    let output = Command::new(env!("CARGO_BIN_EXE_devloop"))
+        .arg("docs")
+        .output()
+        .expect("run docs index");
+
+    assert!(output.status.success());
+    let stdout = String::from_utf8(output.stdout).expect("docs index is UTF-8");
+    assert!(stdout.starts_with("DEVLOOP DOCUMENTATION"));
+    assert!(stdout.contains("devloop docs artifacts"));
+    assert!(stdout.contains("replaces files that a managed process is serving"));
+}