diff --git a/internal/daemon/lifecycle.go b/internal/daemon/lifecycle.go
index 2b28016e..698605d1 100644
--- a/internal/daemon/lifecycle.go
+++ b/internal/daemon/lifecycle.go
@@ -275,15 +275,29 @@ func (d *Daemon) getRoleConfigForIdentity(identity string) (*beads.RoleConfig, *
 	}
 
 	// Look up role bead
-	roleBeadID := beads.RoleBeadID(parsed.RoleType)
 	b := beads.New(d.config.TownRoot)
-	config, err := b.GetRoleConfig(roleBeadID)
+
+	roleBeadID := beads.RoleBeadIDTown(parsed.RoleType)
+	roleConfig, err := b.GetRoleConfig(roleBeadID)
 	if err != nil {
 		d.logger.Printf("Warning: failed to get role config for %s: %v", roleBeadID, err)
 	}
 
+	// Backward compatibility: fall back to legacy role bead IDs.
+	if roleConfig == nil {
+		legacyRoleBeadID := beads.RoleBeadID(parsed.RoleType) // gt-<role>-role
+		if legacyRoleBeadID != roleBeadID {
+			legacyCfg, legacyErr := b.GetRoleConfig(legacyRoleBeadID)
+			if legacyErr != nil {
+				d.logger.Printf("Warning: failed to get legacy role config for %s: %v", legacyRoleBeadID, legacyErr)
+			} else if legacyCfg != nil {
+				roleConfig = legacyCfg
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	// Return parsed identity even if config is nil (caller can use defaults)
-	return config, parsed, nil
+	return roleConfig, parsed, nil
 }
 
 // identityToSession converts a beads identity to a tmux session name.
diff --git a/internal/daemon/role_config_integration_test.go b/internal/daemon/role_config_integration_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d5bfbc20
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/daemon/role_config_integration_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+//go:build integration
+
+package daemon
+
+import (
+	"io"
+	"log"
+	"os/exec"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func runBd(t *testing.T, dir string, args ...string) string {
+	t.Helper()
+	cmd := exec.Command("bd", args...) //nolint:gosec // bd is a trusted internal tool in this repo
+	cmd.Dir = dir
+	out, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("bd %s failed: %v\n%s", strings.Join(args, " "), err, string(out))
+	}
+	return string(out)
+}
+
+func TestGetRoleConfigForIdentity_PrefersTownRoleBead(t *testing.T) {
+	if _, err := exec.LookPath("bd"); err != nil {
+		t.Skip("bd not installed")
+	}
+
+	townRoot := t.TempDir()
+	runBd(t, townRoot, "init", "--quiet", "--prefix", "hq")
+
+	// Create canonical role bead.
+	runBd(t, townRoot, "create",
+		"--id", "hq-witness-role",
+		"--type", "role",
+		"--title", "Witness Role",
+		"--description", "start_command: exec echo hq\n",
+	)
+
+	d := &Daemon{
+		config: &Config{TownRoot: townRoot},
+		logger: log.New(io.Discard, "", 0),
+	}
+
+	cfg, parsed, err := d.getRoleConfigForIdentity("myrig-witness")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("getRoleConfigForIdentity: %v", err)
+	}
+	if parsed == nil || parsed.RoleType != "witness" {
+		t.Fatalf("parsed = %#v, want roleType witness", parsed)
+	}
+	if cfg == nil || cfg.StartCommand != "exec echo hq" {
+		t.Fatalf("cfg.StartCommand = %#v, want %q", cfg, "exec echo hq")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGetRoleConfigForIdentity_FallsBackToLegacyRoleBead(t *testing.T) {
+	if _, err := exec.LookPath("bd"); err != nil {
+		t.Skip("bd not installed")
+	}
+
+	townRoot := t.TempDir()
+	runBd(t, townRoot, "init", "--quiet", "--prefix", "gt")
+
+	// Only legacy role bead exists.
+	runBd(t, townRoot, "create",
+		"--id", "gt-witness-role",
+		"--type", "role",
+		"--title", "Witness Role (legacy)",
+		"--description", "start_command: exec echo gt\n",
+	)
+
+	d := &Daemon{
+		config: &Config{TownRoot: townRoot},
+		logger: log.New(io.Discard, "", 0),
+	}
+
+	cfg, parsed, err := d.getRoleConfigForIdentity("myrig-witness")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("getRoleConfigForIdentity: %v", err)
+	}
+	if parsed == nil || parsed.RoleType != "witness" {
+		t.Fatalf("parsed = %#v, want roleType witness", parsed)
+	}
+	if cfg == nil || cfg.StartCommand != "exec echo gt" {
+		t.Fatalf("cfg.StartCommand = %#v, want %q", cfg, "exec echo gt")
+	}
+}