diff --git a/internal/cmd/install.go b/internal/cmd/install.go
index 0724611c..f62bc547 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/install.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/install.go
@@ -344,44 +344,6 @@ func ensureRepoFingerprint(beadsPath string) error {
 func initTownAgentBeads(townPath string) error {
 	bd := beads.New(townPath)
 
-	// Town-level agent beads
-	agentDefs := []struct {
-		id       string
-		roleType string
-		title    string
-	}{
-		{
-			id:       beads.MayorBeadIDTown(),
-			roleType: "mayor",
-			title:    "Mayor - global coordinator, handles cross-rig communication and escalations.",
-		},
-		{
-			id:       beads.DeaconBeadIDTown(),
-			roleType: "deacon",
-			title:    "Deacon (daemon beacon) - receives mechanical heartbeats, runs town plugins and monitoring.",
-		},
-	}
-
-	for _, agent := range agentDefs {
-		// Check if already exists
-		if _, err := bd.Show(agent.id); err == nil {
-			continue // Already exists
-		}
-
-		fields := &beads.AgentFields{
-			RoleType:   agent.roleType,
-			Rig:        "", // Town-level agents have no rig
-			AgentState: "idle",
-			HookBead:   "",
-			RoleBead:   beads.RoleBeadIDTown(agent.roleType),
-		}
-
-		if _, err := bd.CreateAgentBead(agent.id, agent.title, fields); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("creating %s: %w", agent.id, err)
-		}
-		fmt.Printf("   ✓ Created agent bead: %s\n", agent.id)
-	}
-
 	// Role beads (global templates)
 	roleDefs := []struct {
 		id    string
@@ -448,5 +410,55 @@ func initTownAgentBeads(townPath string) error {
 		fmt.Printf("   ✓ Created role bead: %s\n", role.id)
 	}
 
+	// Town-level agent beads
+	agentDefs := []struct {
+		id       string
+		roleType string
+		title    string
+	}{
+		{
+			id:       beads.MayorBeadIDTown(),
+			roleType: "mayor",
+			title:    "Mayor - global coordinator, handles cross-rig communication and escalations.",
+		},
+		{
+			id:       beads.DeaconBeadIDTown(),
+			roleType: "deacon",
+			title:    "Deacon (daemon beacon) - receives mechanical heartbeats, runs town plugins and monitoring.",
+		},
+	}
+
+	existingAgents, err := bd.List(beads.ListOptions{
+		Status:   "all",
+		Type:     "agent",
+		Priority: -1,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("listing existing agent beads: %w", err)
+	}
+	existingAgentIDs := make(map[string]struct{}, len(existingAgents))
+	for _, issue := range existingAgents {
+		existingAgentIDs[issue.ID] = struct{}{}
+	}
+
+	for _, agent := range agentDefs {
+		if _, ok := existingAgentIDs[agent.id]; ok {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		fields := &beads.AgentFields{
+			RoleType:   agent.roleType,
+			Rig:        "", // Town-level agents have no rig
+			AgentState: "idle",
+			HookBead:   "",
+			RoleBead:   beads.RoleBeadIDTown(agent.roleType),
+		}
+
+		if _, err := bd.CreateAgentBead(agent.id, agent.title, fields); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("creating %s: %w", agent.id, err)
+		}
+		fmt.Printf("   ✓ Created agent bead: %s\n", agent.id)
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/cmd/install_integration_test.go b/internal/cmd/install_integration_test.go
index 83495e5e..65d8b68f 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/install_integration_test.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/install_integration_test.go
@@ -112,6 +112,31 @@ func TestInstallBeadsHasCorrectPrefix(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestInstallTownRoleSlots validates that town-level agent beads
+// have their role slot set after install.
+func TestInstallTownRoleSlots(t *testing.T) {
+	// Skip if bd is not available
+	if _, err := exec.LookPath("bd"); err != nil {
+		t.Skip("bd not installed, skipping role slot test")
+	}
+
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	hqPath := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "test-hq")
+
+	gtBinary := buildGT(t)
+
+	// Run gt install (includes beads init by default)
+	cmd := exec.Command(gtBinary, "install", hqPath)
+	cmd.Env = append(os.Environ(), "HOME="+tmpDir)
+	output, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("gt install failed: %v\nOutput: %s", err, output)
+	}
+
+	assertSlotValue(t, hqPath, "hq-mayor", "role", "hq-mayor-role")
+	assertSlotValue(t, hqPath, "hq-deacon", "role", "hq-deacon-role")
+}
+
 // TestInstallIdempotent validates that running gt install twice
 // on the same directory fails without --force flag.
 func TestInstallIdempotent(t *testing.T) {
@@ -295,3 +320,31 @@ func assertFileExists(t *testing.T, path, name string) {
 		t.Errorf("%s is a directory, expected file", name)
 	}
 }
+
+func assertSlotValue(t *testing.T, townRoot, issueID, slot, want string) {
+	t.Helper()
+	cmd := exec.Command("bd", "--no-daemon", "--json", "slot", "show", issueID)
+	cmd.Dir = townRoot
+	output, err := cmd.Output()
+	if err != nil {
+		debugCmd := exec.Command("bd", "--no-daemon", "--json", "slot", "show", issueID)
+		debugCmd.Dir = townRoot
+		combined, _ := debugCmd.CombinedOutput()
+		t.Fatalf("bd slot show %s failed: %v\nOutput: %s", issueID, err, combined)
+	}
+
+	var parsed struct {
+		Slots map[string]*string `json:"slots"`
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(output, &parsed); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("parsing slot show output failed: %v\nOutput: %s", err, output)
+	}
+
+	var got string
+	if value, ok := parsed.Slots[slot]; ok && value != nil {
+		got = *value
+	}
+	if got != want {
+		t.Fatalf("slot %s for %s = %q, want %q", slot, issueID, got, want)
+	}
+}