diff --git a/docs/TEST_INTEGRITY.md b/docs/TEST_INTEGRITY.md
index e6e5832..c426613 100644
--- a/docs/TEST_INTEGRITY.md
+++ b/docs/TEST_INTEGRITY.md
@@ -2268,3 +2268,25 @@ test_integrity_note:
     did_relax_any_assertion: false
     if_true_explain_spec_basis: ""
 ```
+# First live scheduler pilot: native systemd parser (2026-09-30)
+
+```yaml
+test_integrity_note:
+  change_type: new_tests
+  scenarios:
+    - id: SCN-systemd-native-unit
+      given: "A generated dispatcher with a repository path containing spaces, percent and quote characters"
+      when: "The real Linux systemd-analyze parser verifies the emitted service"
+      then: "The service parses successfully and WorkingDirectory remains an absolute scalar path"
+  observable_outcomes:
+    - "Actual native parser exit status and generated unit bytes"
+  determinism_controls:
+    - "Temporary project path alias and unit file; /usr/bin/true command; verify-only, no service activation"
+  anti_cheat_rationale:
+    prevents:
+      - "Mocked systemctl success masking invalid unit syntax"
+      - "Treating quoted ExecStart syntax as valid for scalar WorkingDirectory"
+  relaxation:
+    did_relax_any_assertion: false
+    if_true_explain_spec_basis: ""
+```
diff --git a/src/schedules/launcher.mjs b/src/schedules/launcher.mjs
index d3a3222..d59e9e6 100644
--- a/src/schedules/launcher.mjs
+++ b/src/schedules/launcher.mjs
@@ -15,6 +15,18 @@ function unitQuote(value) {
   return `"${String(value).replaceAll('\\', '\\\\').replaceAll('"', '\\"')}"`;
 }
 
+// WorkingDirectory is a scalar path, not an ExecStart-style quoted word.
+// C-escape special path bytes and escape systemd specifiers without adding quotes.
+function unitPath(value) {
+  return [...String(value)].map(character => {
+    if (character === '%') return '%%';
+    if (character.charCodeAt(0) <= 0x20 || character === '\\' || character === '"') {
+      return `\\x${character.charCodeAt(0).toString(16).padStart(2, '0')}`;
+    }
+    return character;
+  }).join('');
+}
+
 function configPath(repositoryRoot) {
   return join(repositoryRoot, '.torch', 'torch.yaml');
 }
@@ -39,7 +51,7 @@ function render({ repositoryRoot, projectId, command, digest, env }) {
     ? `Environment=${unitQuote(`XDG_DATA_HOME=${resolve(env.XDG_DATA_HOME)}`)}\n` : '';
   const service = [
     '[Unit]', `Description=TORCH system schedules for ${projectId}`, '', '[Service]', 'Type=oneshot',
-    `WorkingDirectory=${unitQuote(repositoryRoot)}`, environment.trimEnd(),
+    `WorkingDirectory=${unitPath(repositoryRoot)}`, environment.trimEnd(),
     `ExecStart=${args.map(unitQuote).join(' ')}`, '',
   ].filter((line) => line !== '').join('\n') + '\n';
   const timer = [
diff --git a/test/fleet/schedules.test.mjs b/test/fleet/schedules.test.mjs
index 536ae04..77e8159 100644
--- a/test/fleet/schedules.test.mjs
+++ b/test/fleet/schedules.test.mjs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 import { execFileSync, spawnSync } from 'node:child_process';
-import { existsSync, mkdtempSync, readFileSync, writeFileSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { existsSync, mkdtempSync, readFileSync, symlinkSync, writeFileSync } from 'node:fs';
 import { tmpdir } from 'node:os';
 import { join } from 'node:path';
 import test from 'node:test';
@@ -16,6 +16,25 @@ import { loadProjectConfig, validateProjectConfig } from '../../src/kernel/confi
 import { CheckService } from '../../src/checks/service.mjs';
 import { IntegrationService } from '../../src/integration/service.mjs';
 import { createWorktrees } from '../../src/kernel/worktrees.mjs';
+
+test('SCN-systemd-native-unit: generated dispatcher is accepted by the real systemd parser', (t) => {
+  if (process.platform !== 'linux') return t.skip('Native systemd qualification is Linux-specific');
+  const context = fixture();
+  const alias = join(mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'torch-unit-path-')), 'project space % "quoted"');
+  symlinkSync(context.root, alias, 'dir');
+  const launcher = new ScheduleLauncherService({ repositoryRoot: alias, env: context.env, command: ['/usr/bin/true'] });
+  const plan = launcher.plan();
+  const service = plan.files.find(file => file.name.endsWith('.service'));
+  const directory = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'torch-systemd-verify-'));
+  const path = join(directory, service.name);
+  writeFileSync(path, service.content);
+  assert.match(service.content, /WorkingDirectory=\//);
+  assert.ok(!service.content.includes('WorkingDirectory="'));
+  assert.ok(service.content.includes('project\\x20space\\x20%%\\x20\\x22quoted\\x22'));
+  const checked = spawnSync('systemd-analyze', ['--user', 'verify', path], { encoding: 'utf8' });
+  assert.equal(checked.error, undefined, checked.error?.message);
+  assert.equal(checked.status, 0, checked.stderr);
+});
 import { createRuntimeAdapterRegistry } from '../../src/adapters/registry.mjs';
 import { planAreaUp } from '../../src/runtime/lifecycle.mjs';
 import { observeProject } from '../../src/observability/snapshot.mjs';