diff --git a/cmd/mesh-host/main.go b/cmd/mesh-host/main.go
index 0c1c370..c246304 100644
--- a/cmd/mesh-host/main.go
+++ b/cmd/mesh-host/main.go
@@ -818,10 +818,7 @@ func enrol(ctx context.Context, opts options) error {
 	// control plane cannot decide what a node should run without it, so it travels with the
 	// request instead of being asked for in a second round trip.
 	detected := profile.Detect(ctx, profile.Default(nil), opts.timeout)
-	reported := map[string]any{}
-	if raw, err := json.Marshal(detected); err == nil {
-		_ = json.Unmarshal(raw, &reported)
-	}
+	reported := profileAsReported(detected)
 
 	// Signed with the identity just generated, so the mesh can tell this machine from anyone else
 	// who knows its public key (novox/hq issue 083).
@@ -1418,7 +1415,8 @@ func applyAndKeep(ctx context.Context, opts options, raw []byte, signed *store.D
 		sched.Sync(declared, held)
 	}
 
-	report := link.Report{Carried: carriedPorts(updated), Declared: digestOf(raw), Host: runningVersion()}
+	report := link.Report{Carried: carriedPorts(updated), Declared: digestOf(raw), Host: runningVersion(),
+		Profile: profileAsReported(profile.Detect(ctx, profile.Default(nil), opts.timeout))}
 	// Which of this machine's links face outside, for the filter the mesh writes around them
 	// (novox/hq ADR 0140). Reported whatever the node's mode: a converged node's filter needs it,
 	// and an adopted one becomes converged without a further round trip. A machine that cannot read
@@ -1630,3 +1628,13 @@ func refuseOlder(kept store.Declared, keptErr error, sequence int64) error {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+// profileAsReported is the profile as the mesh reads it — the same bytes enrolment sends, so a
+// report's profile and an enrolment's are one shape on the controller's side (novox/hq ADR 0161).
+func profileAsReported(detected profile.Profile) map[string]any {
+	reported := map[string]any{}
+	if raw, err := json.Marshal(detected); err == nil {
+		_ = json.Unmarshal(raw, &reported)
+	}
+	return reported
+}
diff --git a/internal/link/messages.go b/internal/link/messages.go
index ca9d0ce..1c1520d 100644
--- a/internal/link/messages.go
+++ b/internal/link/messages.go
@@ -110,6 +110,11 @@ type Report struct {
 	// and the mesh's up in its place, and where the found configuration's original was kept.
 	Tunnel *CarriedTunnel `json:"tunnel,omitempty"`
 
+	// Profile is what this machine can do, detected again by the apply that reports (novox/hq
+	// ADR 0161) — the same shape enrolment sends — so a capability gained or lost since enrolment,
+	// a network manager switched, reaches the mesh at the next push rather than never.
+	Profile map[string]any `json:"profile,omitempty"`
+
 	// Host is the version of the host that produced this report (novox/hq ADR 0141).
 	//
 	// Without it nothing can say a machine is behind, so "every machine current with its source"
diff --git a/internal/profile/detectors.go b/internal/profile/detectors.go
index d19114c..6798763 100644
--- a/internal/profile/detectors.go
+++ b/internal/profile/detectors.go
@@ -20,6 +20,14 @@ const (
 	// state: whether one IS running. Assignment needs the first.
 	CapSeat       = "seat"
 	CapPrivileged = "privileged"
+
+	// The network manager this machine runs, one capability per dialect (novox/hq ADR 0161): the
+	// uplink seat's holder declares its own, so the holder for a manager the machine does not run
+	// is refused the way any missing capability is, naming it. Active, not installed — a machine
+	// may have two of these on disk and runs one.
+	CapUplinkNetworkManager  = "uplink-networkmanager"
+	CapUplinkSystemdNetworkd = "uplink-systemd-networkd"
+	CapUplinkDhcpcd          = "uplink-dhcpcd"
 )
 
 // commandCapability is the shape most detectors take: run something, and treat a working
@@ -202,6 +210,21 @@ func Default(runner Runner) []Detector {
 			why:    "asks the kernel for interfaces — needs the module, not just the tool",
 			runner: runner,
 		},
+		commandCapability{
+			name: CapUplinkNetworkManager, command: "systemctl", args: []string{"is-active", "NetworkManager.service"},
+			why:    "asks the init whether NetworkManager is running — the dialect the uplink seat's holder must speak",
+			runner: runner,
+		},
+		commandCapability{
+			name: CapUplinkSystemdNetworkd, command: "systemctl", args: []string{"is-active", "systemd-networkd.service"},
+			why:    "asks the init whether systemd-networkd is running — the dialect the uplink seat's holder must speak",
+			runner: runner,
+		},
+		commandCapability{
+			name: CapUplinkDhcpcd, command: "systemctl", args: []string{"is-active", "dhcpcd.service"},
+			why:    "asks the init whether dhcpcd is running — the dialect the uplink seat's holder must speak",
+			runner: runner,
+		},
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/profile/uplink_test.go b/internal/profile/uplink_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0c015d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/profile/uplink_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+package profile
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// The uplink seat's holder must be the dialect the machine runs (novox/hq ADR 0161): the profile
+// names the network manager found active, one capability per manager, and nothing for one that is
+// merely installed.
+func TestTheProfileNamesTheNetworkManagerThatIsRunning(t *testing.T) {
+	runner := func(_ context.Context, name string, args ...string) (string, error) {
+		if name == "systemctl" && len(args) == 2 && args[0] == "is-active" {
+			if args[1] == "NetworkManager.service" {
+				return "active\n", nil
+			}
+			return "inactive\n", errors.New("exit status 3")
+		}
+		return "", errors.New("not here")
+	}
+	var have []Detector
+	for _, d := range Default(Runner(runner)) {
+		switch d.Name() {
+		case CapUplinkNetworkManager, CapUplinkSystemdNetworkd, CapUplinkDhcpcd:
+			have = append(have, d)
+		}
+	}
+	if len(have) != 3 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected a detector per manager, found %d", len(have))
+	}
+	for _, d := range have {
+		v := d.Detect(context.Background())
+		want := d.Name() == CapUplinkNetworkManager
+		if v.Present != want {
+			t.Errorf("%s: present=%v, want %v (%s)", d.Name(), v.Present, want, v.Detail)
+		}
+	}
+}