diff --git a/src/AcDream.Launcher/MainWindow.axaml b/src/AcDream.Launcher/MainWindow.axaml
index ab945311..da056eca 100644
--- a/src/AcDream.Launcher/MainWindow.axaml
+++ b/src/AcDream.Launcher/MainWindow.axaml
@@ -135,21 +135,23 @@
                     IsVisible="{Binding IsAccountSelected}">
               <StackPanel Spacing="8">
                 <TextBlock Text="Account profile" Classes="section" />
-                <TextBlock Text="Passwords stay only in launcher-profiles.json and are handed to children through standard input."
+                <TextBlock Text="Your characters appear here automatically after you log in."
                            TextWrapping="Wrap" />
+                <!-- LU8: "Refresh characters" and "Add cached character" are
+                     gone. Refresh opened a SECOND connection to the same
+                     account purely to read the roster, which the server treats
+                     as a new login and which therefore disconnected the
+                     session the user was already playing. It was also
+                     redundant: every ordinary login already carries the
+                     roster in the host's own status stream, and the
+                     orchestrator already merges it into the profiles
+                     (ApplyRosterLocked). Logging in IS the refresh. -->
                 <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" Spacing="8">
                   <Button Content="Open character select"
                           Classes="primary"
                           AutomationProperties.Name="Open character select for account"
                           Command="{Binding LaunchAccountGuiSelectCommand}" />
-                  <Button Content="Refresh characters"
-                          Command="{Binding RefreshCharactersCommand}" />
-                  <Button Content="Add cached character"
-                          Command="{Binding AddCharacterCommand}" />
                 </StackPanel>
-                <TextBlock Text="{Binding ProbeDisabledReason}"
-                           Classes="muted"
-                           TextWrapping="Wrap" />
                 <TextBlock Text="{Binding AccountGuiSelectDisabledReason}"
                            Classes="muted"
                            TextWrapping="Wrap" />
@@ -157,6 +159,36 @@
             </Border>
 
             <StackPanel IsVisible="{Binding IsCharacterSelected}" Spacing="14">
+              <Border Background="#213044" CornerRadius="6" Padding="12">
+                <StackPanel Spacing="10">
+                  <TextBlock Text="Launch" Classes="section" />
+                  <!-- LU7: choosing a character means choosing to play AS that
+                       character, so the only two things offered here are the
+                       two ways to be that character: in the game window, or
+                       headless. Character select is an ACCOUNT-level action —
+                       it deliberately picks no character — and lives on the
+                       account page only. -->
+                  <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" Spacing="8">
+                    <Button Content="Play"
+                            Classes="primary"
+                            MinWidth="110"
+                            AutomationProperties.Name="Play as the selected character"
+                            Command="{Binding LaunchGuiCommand}" />
+                    <Button Content="Headless"
+                            AutomationProperties.Name="Launch a headless session"
+                            Command="{Binding LaunchHeadlessCommand}" />
+                  </StackPanel>
+                  <TextBlock Text="{Binding GuiLaunchDisabledReason}"
+                             Classes="muted"
+                             TextWrapping="Wrap"
+                             IsVisible="{Binding ShowGuiLaunchDisabledReason}" />
+                  <TextBlock Text="{Binding HeadlessLaunchDisabledReason}"
+                             Classes="muted"
+                             TextWrapping="Wrap"
+                             IsVisible="{Binding ShowHeadlessLaunchDisabledReason}" />
+                </StackPanel>
+              </Border>
+
               <Border Background="#213044" CornerRadius="6" Padding="12">
                 <StackPanel Spacing="10">
                   <TextBlock Text="Per-character launch settings" Classes="section" />
@@ -189,36 +221,6 @@
                           Command="{Binding SaveCharacterSettingsCommand}" />
                 </StackPanel>
               </Border>
-
-              <Border Background="#213044" CornerRadius="6" Padding="12">
-                <StackPanel Spacing="10">
-                  <TextBlock Text="Launch" Classes="section" />
-                  <!-- LU7: choosing a character means choosing to play AS that
-                       character, so the only two things offered here are the
-                       two ways to be that character: in the game window, or
-                       headless. Character select is an ACCOUNT-level action —
-                       it deliberately picks no character — and lives on the
-                       account page only. -->
-                  <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" Spacing="8">
-                    <Button Content="Play"
-                            Classes="primary"
-                            MinWidth="110"
-                            AutomationProperties.Name="Play as the selected character"
-                            Command="{Binding LaunchGuiCommand}" />
-                    <Button Content="Headless"
-                            AutomationProperties.Name="Launch a headless session"
-                            Command="{Binding LaunchHeadlessCommand}" />
-                  </StackPanel>
-                  <TextBlock Text="{Binding GuiLaunchDisabledReason}"
-                             Classes="muted"
-                             TextWrapping="Wrap"
-                             IsVisible="{Binding ShowGuiLaunchDisabledReason}" />
-                  <TextBlock Text="{Binding HeadlessLaunchDisabledReason}"
-                             Classes="muted"
-                             TextWrapping="Wrap"
-                             IsVisible="{Binding ShowHeadlessLaunchDisabledReason}" />
-                </StackPanel>
-              </Border>
             </StackPanel>
           </StackPanel>
         </ScrollViewer>
diff --git a/src/AcDream.Launcher/ViewModels/LauncherWindowViewModel.cs b/src/AcDream.Launcher/ViewModels/LauncherWindowViewModel.cs
index 2a9ec928..a793e152 100644
--- a/src/AcDream.Launcher/ViewModels/LauncherWindowViewModel.cs
+++ b/src/AcDream.Launcher/ViewModels/LauncherWindowViewModel.cs
@@ -65,9 +65,6 @@ public sealed class LauncherWindowViewModel : ObservableObject, IDisposable
         SaveCharacterSettingsCommand = new RelayCommand(
             SaveCharacterSettings,
             () => IsCharacterSelected && CanInteract);
-        RefreshCharactersCommand = new AsyncRelayCommand(
-            RefreshCharactersAsync,
-            () => CanProbe);
         LaunchGuiCommand = new AsyncRelayCommand(
             () => LaunchSelectedAsync(LaunchMode.Gui),
             () => CanLaunchGui);
@@ -114,7 +111,6 @@ public sealed class LauncherWindowViewModel : ObservableObject, IDisposable
         {
             if (SetProperty(ref _isBusy, value))
             {
-                OnPropertyChanged(nameof(CanProbe));
                 OnPropertyChanged(nameof(CanLaunchGui));
                 OnPropertyChanged(nameof(CanLaunchHeadless));
                 OnPropertyChanged(nameof(CanLaunchAccountGuiSelect));
@@ -199,25 +195,6 @@ public sealed class LauncherWindowViewModel : ObservableObject, IDisposable
     public string LinuxGraphicalNotice =>
         _snapshot?.Platform.GraphicalLaunchDisabledReason ?? string.Empty;
 
-    public bool CanProbe =>
-        CanInteract
-        && TryGetSelectedAccount(out string server, out string account)
-        && _orchestrator.GetProbeCapability(server, account).IsAvailable;
-
-    public string ProbeDisabledReason
-    {
-        get
-        {
-            if (!TryGetSelectedAccount(out string server, out string account))
-            {
-                return "Select an account or one of its characters.";
-            }
-
-            return _orchestrator.GetProbeCapability(server, account).Reason
-                ?? "Character refresh is available.";
-        }
-    }
-
     public bool CanLaunchGui => CanLaunch(LaunchMode.Gui);
 
     public bool CanLaunchHeadless => CanLaunch(LaunchMode.Headless);
@@ -277,8 +254,6 @@ public sealed class LauncherWindowViewModel : ObservableObject, IDisposable
 
     public RelayCommand SaveCharacterSettingsCommand { get; }
 
-    public AsyncRelayCommand RefreshCharactersCommand { get; }
-
     public AsyncRelayCommand LaunchGuiCommand { get; }
 
     public AsyncRelayCommand LaunchAccountGuiSelectCommand { get; }
@@ -365,7 +340,6 @@ public sealed class LauncherWindowViewModel : ObservableObject, IDisposable
         }
 
         OnPropertyChanged(nameof(IsModalOpen));
-        OnPropertyChanged(nameof(CanProbe));
         OnPropertyChanged(nameof(CanLaunchGui));
         OnPropertyChanged(nameof(CanLaunchHeadless));
         OnPropertyChanged(nameof(CanLaunchAccountGuiSelect));
@@ -422,8 +396,6 @@ public sealed class LauncherWindowViewModel : ObservableObject, IDisposable
         OnPropertyChanged(nameof(InstallationStatus));
         OnPropertyChanged(nameof(ShowLinuxGraphicalNotice));
         OnPropertyChanged(nameof(LinuxGraphicalNotice));
-        OnPropertyChanged(nameof(CanProbe));
-        OnPropertyChanged(nameof(ProbeDisabledReason));
         OnPropertyChanged(nameof(CanLaunchGui));
         OnPropertyChanged(nameof(CanLaunchHeadless));
         OnPropertyChanged(nameof(CanLaunchAccountGuiSelect));
@@ -461,8 +433,6 @@ public sealed class LauncherWindowViewModel : ObservableObject, IDisposable
             LoadCharacterDraft();
         }
 
-        OnPropertyChanged(nameof(CanProbe));
-        OnPropertyChanged(nameof(ProbeDisabledReason));
         OnPropertyChanged(nameof(CanLaunchGui));
         OnPropertyChanged(nameof(CanLaunchHeadless));
         OnPropertyChanged(nameof(CanLaunchAccountGuiSelect));
@@ -728,19 +698,6 @@ public sealed class LauncherWindowViewModel : ObservableObject, IDisposable
         }
     }
 
-    private Task RefreshCharactersAsync()
-    {
-        if (!TryGetSelectedAccount(out string serverName, out string accountName))
-        {
-            return Task.CompletedTask;
-        }
-
-        return RunOperationAsync(
-            token => _orchestrator.ProbeAsync(serverName, accountName, token),
-            $"Refreshing characters for {accountName}…",
-            "Character refresh started. The roster will update from host status.");
-    }
-
     private Task LaunchSelectedAsync(LaunchMode mode)
     {
         LauncherCharacterSnapshot? character = GetSelectedCharacterSnapshot();
@@ -1049,7 +1006,6 @@ public sealed class LauncherWindowViewModel : ObservableObject, IDisposable
         EditSelectedCommand.NotifyCanExecuteChanged();
         RemoveSelectedCommand.NotifyCanExecuteChanged();
         SaveCharacterSettingsCommand.NotifyCanExecuteChanged();
-        RefreshCharactersCommand.NotifyCanExecuteChanged();
         LaunchGuiCommand.NotifyCanExecuteChanged();
         LaunchAccountGuiSelectCommand.NotifyCanExecuteChanged();
         LaunchHeadlessCommand.NotifyCanExecuteChanged();
diff --git a/tests/AcDream.Launcher.Core.Tests/Orchestration/LauncherOrchestratorTests.cs b/tests/AcDream.Launcher.Core.Tests/Orchestration/LauncherOrchestratorTests.cs
index 3c54a23f..7df28994 100644
--- a/tests/AcDream.Launcher.Core.Tests/Orchestration/LauncherOrchestratorTests.cs
+++ b/tests/AcDream.Launcher.Core.Tests/Orchestration/LauncherOrchestratorTests.cs
@@ -326,6 +326,61 @@ public sealed class LauncherOrchestratorTests : IDisposable
         Assert.Single(orchestrator.GetSnapshot().Sessions);
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// LU8: the launcher no longer offers "Refresh characters", because opening
+    /// a SECOND connection to an account purely to read its roster is a login
+    /// as far as the server is concerned, and it disconnected the session the
+    /// user was already playing. This is what replaces it — and it is not new
+    /// code, it is the path an ORDINARY login already took: the host reports
+    /// the roster in its own status stream and the orchestrator folds it into
+    /// the profiles. Logging in IS the refresh.
+    /// </summary>
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task AnOrdinaryLoginFoldsTheReportedRosterIntoTheStore()
+    {
+        var statusSources = new QueueStatusSourceFactory();
+        using LauncherOrchestrator orchestrator = CreateOrchestrator(
+            includeCharacter: false,
+            statusSourceFactory: statusSources);
+
+        // No cached character, so this is the account-level character-select
+        // launch a new user makes before any character is known.
+        _ = await orchestrator.LaunchAsync(
+            "Local ACE",
+            "testaccount",
+            characterName: null,
+            LaunchMode.GuiSelect);
+
+        QueueStatusSource source = Assert.Single(statusSources.Created);
+        source.Enqueue(new CharacterListStatusEvent
+        {
+            V = 1,
+            E = "characterList",
+            T = DateTimeOffset.UtcNow,
+            SessionId = "s1",
+            AccountName = "testaccount",
+            SlotCount = 6,
+            Characters =
+            [
+                new StatusCharacterEntry(0x5000000Au, "+Acdream", 0),
+                new StatusCharacterEntry(0x5000000Bu, "+Second", 0),
+            ],
+        });
+        orchestrator.PollStatus();
+
+        LauncherAccountSnapshot account = Assert.Single(
+            Assert.Single(orchestrator.GetSnapshot().Servers).Accounts);
+        Assert.Equal(2, account.Characters.Count);
+
+        // Persisted, so the tree still shows them on the next launcher start.
+        var reloaded = new LauncherProfileStore(
+            Path.Combine(_paths.ConfigDirectory, "launcher-profiles.json"));
+        Assert.True(reloaded.Load());
+        Assert.Equal(
+            2,
+            reloaded.Document.Servers.Single().Accounts.Single().Characters.Count);
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public async Task ProbeUsesTheProbeShapeAndFoldsTheReportedRosterIntoTheStore()
     {
diff --git a/tests/AcDream.Launcher.Tests/LauncherWindowViewModelTests.cs b/tests/AcDream.Launcher.Tests/LauncherWindowViewModelTests.cs
index 2399e4d0..04f709af 100644
--- a/tests/AcDream.Launcher.Tests/LauncherWindowViewModelTests.cs
+++ b/tests/AcDream.Launcher.Tests/LauncherWindowViewModelTests.cs
@@ -189,25 +189,12 @@ public sealed class LauncherWindowViewModelTests
             viewModel.OperationStatus);
     }
 
-    [Fact]
-    public async Task ProbeUsesTheSelectedAccountAndRunningAccountDisablesIt()
-    {
-        using var orchestrator = new FakeLauncherOrchestrator();
-        using var viewModel = CreateInitialized(orchestrator);
-        SelectAccount(viewModel);
-
-        Assert.True(viewModel.CanProbe);
-        await viewModel.RefreshCharactersCommand.ExecuteAsync();
-        Assert.Equal(("Local ACE", "testaccount"), orchestrator.ProbeRequest);
-
-        orchestrator.ProbeCapability = LauncherCapability.Unavailable(
-            "Stop the active session before refreshing this account.");
-        orchestrator.RaiseStateChanged();
-
-        SelectAccount(viewModel);
-        Assert.False(viewModel.CanProbe);
-        Assert.Contains("Stop", viewModel.ProbeDisabledReason, StringComparison.Ordinal);
-    }
+    // LU8: the probe-driven "Refresh characters" action is gone. It opened a
+    // SECOND connection to an account purely to read the roster, which the
+    // server treats as a new login and which disconnected a session the user
+    // was already playing. Its test goes with it rather than being skipped;
+    // the roster path that replaced it is covered by
+    // LauncherOrchestrator's roster merge on an ordinary login.
 
     [Fact]
     public void LinuxKeepsLauncherAndHeadlessAvailableButExplainsDisabledGuiModes()