diff --git a/.lane/memory/apps/app/src/app.tsx/01M4YT6XB7NQ89E6F4P375REE7-all-projects-and-project-vie.md b/.lane/memory/apps/app/src/app.tsx/01M4YT6XB7NQ89E6F4P375REE7-all-projects-and-project-vie.md
index 6561a7b0..3adf223a 100644
--- a/.lane/memory/apps/app/src/app.tsx/01M4YT6XB7NQ89E6F4P375REE7-all-projects-and-project-vie.md
+++ b/.lane/memory/apps/app/src/app.tsx/01M4YT6XB7NQ89E6F4P375REE7-all-projects-and-project-vie.md
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: function App
 created: 2026-10-15T03:38:04Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: 063d0f00fea02511
-body_hash: 543e14e26111c21c
-raw_hash: 36221fa4f08e0523
-vouched: 2026-10-22T20:42:40Z
+body_hash: c729811995ffcaa0
+raw_hash: 9fd83c4d176cf4c6
+vouched: 2026-10-22T20:47:29Z
 lines: 235-824
 ---
 
diff --git a/.lane/memory/apps/app/src/app.tsx/01M5JMVG9G87F31FGVV571Y6BJ-the-project-list-is-built-on.md b/.lane/memory/apps/app/src/app.tsx/01M5JMVG9G87F31FGVV571Y6BJ-the-project-list-is-built-on.md
index 36e47d2f..b2e608ee 100644
--- a/.lane/memory/apps/app/src/app.tsx/01M5JMVG9G87F31FGVV571Y6BJ-the-project-list-is-built-on.md
+++ b/.lane/memory/apps/app/src/app.tsx/01M5JMVG9G87F31FGVV571Y6BJ-the-project-list-is-built-on.md
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: function App
 created: 2026-10-22T20:29:16Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: 063d0f00fea02511
-body_hash: 543e14e26111c21c
-raw_hash: 36221fa4f08e0523
-vouched: 2026-10-22T20:42:40Z
+body_hash: c729811995ffcaa0
+raw_hash: 9fd83c4d176cf4c6
+vouched: 2026-10-22T20:47:29Z
 lines: 330-1237
 ---
 
diff --git a/apps/app/src/app.tsx b/apps/app/src/app.tsx
index 967ca5fe..7cda2f17 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/app.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/app.tsx
@@ -618,8 +618,17 @@ export function App() {
 		return connected && !!opened?.some((checkout) => isLocal(checkout, value));
 	}
 
+	/** This host's channels in the project, archived ones too, which the host refuses to orphan. */
+	function held(value: AppProject) {
+		const paths = new Set(
+			opened?.flatMap((checkout) => isLocal(checkout, value) ? [checkout.path] : []),
+		);
+		return channels.filter((channel) => channel.host === hello.host && paths.has(channel.project))
+			.length;
+	}
+
 	function remove(value: AppProject) {
-		if (askRemove) setRemoving(value);
+		if (askRemove || held(value)) setRemoving(value);
 		else void forget(value);
 	}
 
@@ -1165,6 +1174,7 @@ export function App() {
 					<RemoveProject
 						name={label(removing, hello.host)}
 						path={removing.path}
+						channels={held(removing)}
 						onRemove={async (ask) => {
 							setAskRemove(ask);
 							await forget(removing);
diff --git a/apps/app/src/remove-project.tsx b/apps/app/src/remove-project.tsx
index 4a63a7c7..4c460ea6 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/remove-project.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/remove-project.tsx
@@ -10,10 +10,15 @@ import {
 	DialogTitle,
 } from "@ace/ui";
 
-/** Removing only forgets the folder, so a person may turn the question off. */
-export function RemoveProject({ name, path, onRemove, onCancel }: {
+/**
+ * Removing only forgets the folder, so a person may turn the question off. The host refuses while
+ * the project has channels, so then this says how to delete them instead of offering to remove.
+ */
+export function RemoveProject({ name, path, channels, onRemove, onCancel }: {
 	name: string;
 	path: string;
+	/** This host's channels in it, counting archived ones. */
+	channels: number;
 	onRemove: (ask: boolean) => Promise<void>;
 	onCancel: () => void;
 }) {
@@ -34,35 +39,54 @@ export function RemoveProject({ name, path, onRemove, onCancel }: {
 		<Dialog open onOpenChange={next => (next || busy ? undefined : onCancel())}>
 			<DialogContent className="gap-3 sm:max-w-80" showCloseButton={false}>
 				<DialogHeader>
-					<DialogTitle className="break-all">Remove {name}?</DialogTitle>
+					<DialogTitle className="break-all">
+						{channels
+							? `${name} still has ${channels === 1 ? "a channel" : "channels"}`
+							: `Remove ${name}?`}
+					</DialogTitle>
 					<DialogDescription className="break-words">
-						Ace forgets the project. Its files and lanes stay in{" "}
-						{path}, and opening the folder adds it back.
+						{channels
+							? `It has ${
+								channels === 1 ? "a channel" : `${channels} channels`
+							}, counting archived ones. Archive ${
+								channels === 1 ? "it" : "each"
+							} from its ⋯ menu, delete it from the Archived group, then remove the project.`
+							: `Ace forgets the project. Its files and lanes stay in ${path}, and opening the folder adds it back.`}
 					</DialogDescription>
 				</DialogHeader>
-				<label htmlFor={id} className="flex items-center gap-2 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-					<input
-						id={id}
-						type="checkbox"
-						checked={skip}
-						disabled={busy}
-						onChange={(event) => setSkip(event.target.checked)}
-					/>
-					Don't ask again
-				</label>
-				<DialogFooter>
-					<Button type="button" variant="outline" disabled={busy} onClick={onCancel}>
-						Cancel
-					</Button>
-					<Button
-						type="button"
-						variant="destructive"
-						disabled={busy}
-						onClick={() => void confirm()}
-					>
-						{busy ? "Removing…" : "Remove project"}
-					</Button>
-				</DialogFooter>
+				{channels > 0
+					? (
+						<DialogFooter>
+							<Button type="button" variant="outline" onClick={onCancel}>OK</Button>
+						</DialogFooter>
+					)
+					: (
+						<>
+							<label htmlFor={id} className="flex items-center gap-2 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+								<input
+									id={id}
+									type="checkbox"
+									checked={skip}
+									disabled={busy}
+									onChange={(event) => setSkip(event.target.checked)}
+								/>
+								Don't ask again
+							</label>
+							<DialogFooter>
+								<Button type="button" variant="outline" disabled={busy} onClick={onCancel}>
+									Cancel
+								</Button>
+								<Button
+									type="button"
+									variant="destructive"
+									disabled={busy}
+									onClick={() => void confirm()}
+								>
+									{busy ? "Removing…" : "Remove project"}
+								</Button>
+							</DialogFooter>
+						</>
+					)}
 			</DialogContent>
 		</Dialog>
 	);