diff --git a/src/lib/model/fixtures/dimensionlab.ts b/src/lib/model/fixtures/dimensionlab.ts
index 6c06e78..c2b4808 100644
--- a/src/lib/model/fixtures/dimensionlab.ts
+++ b/src/lib/model/fixtures/dimensionlab.ts
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ export const dimensionLabDashboardFixture: DashboardDocument = {
         datasource: uptimeMonitor(27),
         detail: "fallback - exporter health from Prometheus",
       }),
-    ]),
+    ], "grid"),
   ],
   statusStrips: [
     {
@@ -635,12 +635,17 @@ function service(seed: ServiceSeed): ServiceEntry {
   };
 }
 
-function group(id: string, title: string, services: ServiceEntry[]): ServiceGroup {
+function group(
+  id: string,
+  title: string,
+  services: ServiceEntry[],
+  layout: ServiceGroup["layout"] = "list",
+): ServiceGroup {
   return {
     id,
-    title,
-    layout: "list",
+    layout,
     services,
+    title,
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/server/dashboard.test.ts b/src/lib/server/dashboard.test.ts
index 06c45b8..b15fa6c 100644
--- a/src/lib/server/dashboard.test.ts
+++ b/src/lib/server/dashboard.test.ts
@@ -47,6 +47,68 @@ describe("dashboard runtime loader", () => {
     expect(store.listRevisions()).toHaveLength(1);
   });
 
+  test("refreshes an existing initial seed when the bundled seed changes", async () => {
+    const store = await createTestStore();
+    const oldSeed = olderDimensionLabSeed();
+    store.seedDashboardIfEmpty(oldSeed, {
+      actor: "initial-seed",
+      message: "load initial dashboard document",
+    });
+
+    const runtime = loadDashboardRuntime(store, {
+      refreshSeedDocument: true,
+      seedDocument: dimensionLabDashboardFixture,
+      seedIfEmpty: true,
+    });
+
+    expect(runtime.state).toBe("ready");
+    if (runtime.state !== "ready") throw new Error("expected ready dashboard");
+    expect(runtime.document.statusStrips[0]?.items.map((item) => item.id)).toContain(
+      "auto-refresh",
+    );
+    expect(runtime.document.serviceGroups.flatMap((group) => group.services).map((service) => service.id)).toContain(
+      "prompt-registry",
+    );
+    expect(store.listRevisions()).toHaveLength(2);
+    expect(store.getActiveDashboard()?.revision.actor).toBe("initial-seed");
+  });
+
+  test("does not refresh a dashboard after a user-authored revision", async () => {
+    const store = await createTestStore();
+    const oldSeed = olderDimensionLabSeed();
+    store.seedDashboardIfEmpty(oldSeed, {
+      actor: "initial-seed",
+      message: "load initial dashboard document",
+    });
+    store.commitDashboard(
+      {
+        ...oldSeed,
+        metadata: {
+          ...oldSeed.metadata,
+          title: "Custom Dashboard",
+        },
+      },
+      {
+        actor: "agent",
+        message: "customize dashboard",
+      },
+    );
+
+    const runtime = loadDashboardRuntime(store, {
+      refreshSeedDocument: true,
+      seedDocument: dimensionLabDashboardFixture,
+      seedIfEmpty: true,
+    });
+
+    expect(runtime.state).toBe("ready");
+    if (runtime.state !== "ready") throw new Error("expected ready dashboard");
+    expect(runtime.document.metadata.title).toBe("Custom Dashboard");
+    expect(runtime.document.statusStrips[0]?.items.map((item) => item.id)).not.toContain(
+      "auto-refresh",
+    );
+    expect(store.listRevisions()).toHaveLength(2);
+  });
+
   test("returns empty state when no dashboard is active and seeding is disabled", async () => {
     const store = await createTestStore();
 
@@ -69,3 +131,20 @@ async function createTestStore() {
 
   return store;
 }
+
+function olderDimensionLabSeed() {
+  const document = structuredClone(dimensionLabDashboardFixture);
+  document.statusStrips = document.statusStrips.map((strip) => ({
+    ...strip,
+    items: strip.items.filter((item) => item.id !== "auto-refresh"),
+  }));
+  document.serviceGroups = document.serviceGroups.map((group) =>
+    group.id === "ai-automation"
+      ? {
+          ...group,
+          services: group.services.filter((service) => service.id !== "prompt-registry"),
+        }
+      : group,
+  );
+  return document;
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/server/dashboard.ts b/src/lib/server/dashboard.ts
index d2bfc39..7821ee0 100644
--- a/src/lib/server/dashboard.ts
+++ b/src/lib/server/dashboard.ts
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ export interface DashboardRuntimeInvalid {
 }
 
 export interface DashboardRuntimeOptions {
+  refreshSeedDocument?: boolean;
   seedIfEmpty?: boolean;
   seedDocument?: DashboardDocument;
 }
@@ -54,8 +55,20 @@ export function loadDashboardRuntime(
   const dashboardStore = store || createDashboardStore();
 
   try {
+    const seedDocument = options.seedDocument || dimensionLabDashboardFixture;
     const active = dashboardStore.getActiveDashboard();
     if (active) {
+      if (
+        options.refreshSeedDocument &&
+        shouldRefreshSeedDashboard(active, seedDocument)
+      ) {
+        const refreshed = dashboardStore.commitDashboard(seedDocument, {
+          actor: "initial-seed",
+          message: "refresh bundled dashboard document",
+        });
+        return readyRuntimeState(refreshed.document, refreshed.id);
+      }
+
       return readyRuntimeState(active.document, active.currentRevisionId);
     }
 
@@ -69,7 +82,7 @@ export function loadDashboardRuntime(
     }
 
     const seeded = dashboardStore.seedDashboardIfEmpty(
-      options.seedDocument || dimensionLabDashboardFixture,
+      seedDocument,
       {
         actor: "initial-seed",
         message: "load initial dashboard document",
@@ -113,3 +126,22 @@ function invalidRuntimeState(errors: string[]): DashboardRuntimeInvalid {
     errors,
   };
 }
+
+function shouldRefreshSeedDashboard(
+  active: { document: DashboardDocument; revision: { actor: string } },
+  seedDocument: DashboardDocument,
+): boolean {
+  if (active.revision.actor !== "initial-seed") return false;
+  if (!isBundledDimensionLabSeed(active.document, seedDocument)) return false;
+  return JSON.stringify(active.document) !== JSON.stringify(seedDocument);
+}
+
+function isBundledDimensionLabSeed(
+  document: DashboardDocument,
+  seedDocument: DashboardDocument,
+): boolean {
+  return (
+    document.metadata.title === seedDocument.metadata.title &&
+    document.metadata.description === seedDocument.metadata.description
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/ui/components/DashboardFrame.svelte b/src/lib/ui/components/DashboardFrame.svelte
index 4ed42e1..5f1f0e4 100644
--- a/src/lib/ui/components/DashboardFrame.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/ui/components/DashboardFrame.svelte
@@ -113,12 +113,12 @@
     overflow: hidden;
   }
 
-  .dashboard-frame__panels :global(.service-panel[data-model-id="runtime-health"]) {
+  .dashboard-frame__panels :global(.service-panel[data-layout="grid"]) {
     grid-column: 1 / -1;
   }
 
   .dashboard-frame__panels
-    :global(.service-panel[data-model-id="runtime-health"] .panel__body) {
+    :global(.service-panel[data-layout="grid"] .panel__body) {
     grid-template-columns: repeat(4, minmax(0, 1fr));
   }
 
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@
     }
 
     .dashboard-frame__panels
-      :global(.service-panel[data-model-id="runtime-health"] .panel__body) {
+      :global(.service-panel[data-layout="grid"] .panel__body) {
       grid-template-columns: 1fr;
     }
   }
diff --git a/src/lib/ui/components/ServicePanel.svelte b/src/lib/ui/components/ServicePanel.svelte
index 0b997d7..864e09a 100644
--- a/src/lib/ui/components/ServicePanel.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/ui/components/ServicePanel.svelte
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
   let { group }: { group: UiServiceGroup } = $props();
 </script>
 
-<div class="service-panel" data-model-id={group.id}>
+<div class="service-panel" data-layout={group.layout || "list"} data-model-id={group.id}>
   <Panel title={group.title}>
   {#if group.summary?.length}
     <StatusStrip id={`${group.id}:summary`} items={group.summary} compact />
diff --git a/src/lib/ui/model-renderer.test.ts b/src/lib/ui/model-renderer.test.ts
index c660676..62942ee 100644
--- a/src/lib/ui/model-renderer.test.ts
+++ b/src/lib/ui/model-renderer.test.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ describe("dashboard model renderer", () => {
     expect(dashboard.serviceGroups.map((group) => group.id)).toEqual(
       dimensionLabDashboardFixture.layout.serviceGroups,
     );
+    expect(dashboard.serviceGroups.find((group) => group.id === "runtime-health")?.layout).toBe(
+      "grid",
+    );
     expect(dashboard.modules.map((module) => module.id)).toEqual([
       "weather-amsterdam",
       "runtime-health-summary",
diff --git a/src/lib/ui/model-renderer.ts b/src/lib/ui/model-renderer.ts
index 96e58f3..d5f3647 100644
--- a/src/lib/ui/model-renderer.ts
+++ b/src/lib/ui/model-renderer.ts
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ function telemetryToUi(card: TelemetryCard): UiTelemetryCard {
 function serviceGroupToUi(group: ServiceGroup): UiServiceGroup {
   return {
     id: group.id,
+    layout: group.layout,
     title: group.title,
     services: group.services.map(serviceToUi),
   };
diff --git a/src/lib/ui/types.ts b/src/lib/ui/types.ts
index 55d8aee..792a24b 100644
--- a/src/lib/ui/types.ts
+++ b/src/lib/ui/types.ts
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ export interface UiServiceRow {
 
 export interface UiServiceGroup {
   id: string;
+  layout?: "grid" | "list";
   title: string;
   services: UiServiceRow[];
   summary?: UiStatusItem[];
diff --git a/src/routes/+page.server.ts b/src/routes/+page.server.ts
index e2bd766..36e913d 100644
--- a/src/routes/+page.server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/+page.server.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@ import { loadDashboardRuntime } from "$lib/server/dashboard";
 import { resolveDashboardDatasources } from "$lib/server/datasources";
 
 export async function load() {
-  const dashboard = loadDashboardRuntime(undefined, { seedIfEmpty: true });
+  const dashboard = loadDashboardRuntime(undefined, {
+    refreshSeedDocument: true,
+    seedIfEmpty: true,
+  });
 
   if (dashboard.state !== "ready") {
     return { dashboard };
diff --git a/src/routes/+page.svelte b/src/routes/+page.svelte
index b4c4f11..29e61c9 100644
--- a/src/routes/+page.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/+page.svelte
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 <script lang="ts">
+  import { browser } from "$app/environment";
+  import { invalidateAll } from "$app/navigation";
   import {
     DashboardFrame,
     SystemState,
     dashboardDocumentToUiDashboard,
   } from "$lib/ui";
+  import { onDestroy } from "svelte";
   import type { PageData } from "./$types";
 
   let { data }: { data: PageData } = $props();
@@ -29,6 +32,30 @@
   let pageDescription = $derived(
     dashboard?.subtitle || stateSubtitle || stateMessage,
   );
+  let refreshTimer: number | undefined;
+
+  $effect(() => {
+    if (!browser) return;
+
+    if (refreshTimer) {
+      window.clearInterval(refreshTimer);
+      refreshTimer = undefined;
+    }
+
+    const refreshIntervalSeconds =
+      data.dashboard.state === "ready"
+        ? data.dashboard.document.metadata.refreshIntervalSeconds
+        : undefined;
+    if (!refreshIntervalSeconds) return;
+
+    refreshTimer = window.setInterval(() => {
+      void invalidateAll();
+    }, refreshIntervalSeconds * 1000);
+  });
+
+  onDestroy(() => {
+    if (refreshTimer) window.clearInterval(refreshTimer);
+  });
 </script>
 
 <svelte:head>
diff --git a/tests/e2e/dashboard.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/dashboard.spec.ts
index 367bc55..c0d65f6 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/dashboard.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/dashboard.spec.ts
@@ -64,10 +64,33 @@ test.describe("dashboard page QA gate", () => {
     const metrics = await page.evaluate(() => {
       const footer = document.querySelector("[data-model-id='footer-status']");
       const runtime = document.querySelector("[data-model-id='runtime-health']");
+      const visibleItems = [
+        ...document.querySelectorAll(".telemetry-card"),
+        ...document.querySelectorAll(".service-row"),
+        ...document.querySelectorAll(".footer-cell"),
+      ].map((element) => {
+        const rect = element.getBoundingClientRect();
+        return {
+          bottom: rect.bottom,
+          height: rect.height,
+          id: element.getAttribute("data-model-id"),
+          top: rect.top,
+          width: rect.width,
+        };
+      });
 
       return {
+        clippedItems: visibleItems.filter((item) =>
+          item.top < 0 ||
+          item.bottom > window.innerHeight ||
+          item.width <= 0 ||
+          item.height <= 0
+        ),
+        footerCellCount: document.querySelectorAll(".footer-cell").length,
         scrollWidth: document.documentElement.scrollWidth,
         scrollHeight: document.documentElement.scrollHeight,
+        serviceRowCount: document.querySelectorAll(".service-row").length,
+        telemetryCardCount: document.querySelectorAll(".telemetry-card").length,
         footerBottom: footer?.getBoundingClientRect().bottom ?? 0,
         runtimeBottom: runtime?.getBoundingClientRect().bottom ?? 0,
       };
@@ -77,6 +100,10 @@ test.describe("dashboard page QA gate", () => {
     expect(metrics.scrollHeight).toBeLessThanOrEqual(956);
     expect(metrics.runtimeBottom).toBeLessThanOrEqual(956);
     expect(metrics.footerBottom).toBeLessThanOrEqual(956);
+    expect(metrics.telemetryCardCount).toBe(16);
+    expect(metrics.serviceRowCount).toBe(28);
+    expect(metrics.footerCellCount).toBe(5);
+    expect(metrics.clippedItems).toEqual([]);
   });
 
   test("keeps the first screen usable on mobile", async ({ page }, testInfo) => {