diff --git a/src/commands/linear.ts b/src/commands/linear.ts
index 7280947a..f7d94e04 100644
--- a/src/commands/linear.ts
+++ b/src/commands/linear.ts
@@ -183,6 +183,16 @@ async function renderHelp(input: {
     });
     return;
   }
+  await display.panel({
+    title: "Linear routing model",
+    tone: "info",
+    lines: [
+      "Profiles are global Linear auth identities.",
+      "Repos can bind a default Linear project route plus optional linked projects.",
+      "When you omit --profile, Hack prefers the repo binding first and then the global default profile.",
+      "Use `hack linear status` to see the active profile, default project, team, linked projects, and recovery steps.",
+    ],
+  });
   await display.table({
     columns: ["Command", "Summary"],
     rows: input.commands.map((cmd) => [`hack linear ${cmd.name}`, cmd.summary]),
diff --git a/src/control-plane/extensions/linear/auth.ts b/src/control-plane/extensions/linear/auth.ts
index b3c34cc1..ebc45d4f 100644
--- a/src/control-plane/extensions/linear/auth.ts
+++ b/src/control-plane/extensions/linear/auth.ts
@@ -262,12 +262,24 @@ export function resolveLinearAuthSettingsResult(input: {
       availableProfileIds.length > 0
         ? availableProfileIds.join(", ")
         : "(none configured)";
+    const fixLabel = (() => {
+      if (selected.selectedProfileSource === "command_flags") {
+        return `Use one of the available profiles with \`--profile <id>\`, or run \`hack linear connect --profile ${selected.selectedProfileId}\` to create it.`;
+      }
+      if (selected.selectedProfileSource === "project_routing") {
+        return `Update the repo route with \`hack linear setup --profile <id>\` or connect the missing profile with \`hack linear connect --profile ${selected.selectedProfileId}\`.`;
+      }
+      if (selected.selectedProfileSource === "global_default") {
+        return `Switch the global default with \`hack linear use --profile <id>\` or connect the missing profile with \`hack linear connect --profile ${selected.selectedProfileId}\`.`;
+      }
+      return `Connect a profile with \`hack linear connect --profile ${selected.selectedProfileId}\` or choose one with \`hack linear use --profile <id>\`.`;
+    })();
     return {
       ok: false,
       selectedProfileId: selected.selectedProfileId,
       selectedProfileSource: selected.selectedProfileSource,
       availableProfileIds,
-      error: `Linear profile "${selected.selectedProfileId}" (${sourceLabel}) was not found. Available profiles: ${availableLabel}.`,
+      error: `Linear profile "${selected.selectedProfileId}" (${sourceLabel}) was not found. Available profiles: ${availableLabel}. ${fixLabel}`,
     };
   }
 
diff --git a/src/control-plane/extensions/linear/commands.ts b/src/control-plane/extensions/linear/commands.ts
index e8066ef6..a1d9bbdf 100644
--- a/src/control-plane/extensions/linear/commands.ts
+++ b/src/control-plane/extensions/linear/commands.ts
@@ -2187,9 +2187,16 @@ async function renderLinearStatusPayload(input: {
   readonly payload: LinearStatusCommandPayload;
   readonly logger: ExtensionCommandContext["logger"];
 }): Promise<void> {
+  const bindingSummary = describeLinearBindingState({
+    binding: input.payload.projectBinding,
+  });
   const lines = [
     `Active profile: ${input.payload.summary.activeProfile}`,
     `Connection: ${input.payload.summary.connectionLabel}`,
+    `Repo binding profile: ${bindingSummary.profile}`,
+    `Default project: ${bindingSummary.project}`,
+    `Default team: ${bindingSummary.team}`,
+    `Linked projects: ${bindingSummary.linkedProjects}`,
     `Route: ${input.payload.summary.routingSummary}`,
     ...(input.payload.summary.linkedProjectsLabel
       ? [input.payload.summary.linkedProjectsLabel]
@@ -5230,8 +5237,7 @@ async function resolveLinearTargetForTicketSync(input: {
   if (!teamId) {
     return {
       ok: false,
-      error:
-        "Cannot resolve Linear team for ticket sync. Pass --team-id or bind a project with `hack x linear project-bind`.",
+      error: `Cannot resolve Linear team for ticket sync. Active route project: ${projectId ?? "(none)"}. Pass --team-id, or bind a default project/team with \`hack linear project-bind --project-id <linear-project-id> --team-id <linear-team-id>\`.`,
     };
   }
 
@@ -7010,6 +7016,33 @@ function buildLinearRoutingSummary(input: {
   })}.`;
 }
 
+function describeLinearBindingState(input: {
+  readonly binding:
+    | ResolvedLinearProjectBinding
+    | LinearStatusCommandPayload["projectBinding"];
+}): {
+  readonly profile: string;
+  readonly project: string;
+  readonly team: string;
+  readonly linkedProjects: string;
+} {
+  const defaultProject = input.binding.projectId
+    ? formatLinearProjectTarget({
+        projectId: input.binding.projectId,
+        ...(input.binding.projectName
+          ? { projectName: input.binding.projectName }
+          : {}),
+        ...(input.binding.teamId ? { teamId: input.binding.teamId } : {}),
+      })
+    : "(none)";
+  return {
+    profile: readOptionalString(input.binding.profileId) ?? "(none)",
+    project: defaultProject,
+    team: readOptionalString(input.binding.teamId) ?? "(none)",
+    linkedProjects: String(input.binding.additionalProjects.length),
+  };
+}
+
 function buildLinkedProjectsLabel(input: {
   readonly binding: ResolvedLinearProjectBinding;
 }): string | null {
@@ -7572,7 +7605,7 @@ function describeAmbiguousProjectArtifactTarget(input: {
     input.projectName ? `project name "${input.projectName}"` : null,
     input.teamId ? `team id "${input.teamId}"` : null,
   ].filter((part): part is string => Boolean(part));
-  return `Multiple ${input.source} Linear projects match ${parts.join(" and ")}. Pass --project-id to disambiguate.`;
+  return `Multiple ${input.source} Linear projects match ${parts.join(" and ")}. Pass --project-id to disambiguate, then confirm the repo route with \`hack linear status\`.`;
 }
 
 function describeMissingProjectArtifactTarget(input: {
@@ -7583,7 +7616,7 @@ function describeMissingProjectArtifactTarget(input: {
     input.projectName ? `project name "${input.projectName}"` : null,
     input.teamId ? `team id "${input.teamId}"` : null,
   ].filter((part): part is string => Boolean(part));
-  return `No Linear project matches ${parts.join(" and ")}. Pass --project-id or update the project binding.`;
+  return `No Linear project matches ${parts.join(" and ")}. Pass --project-id, run \`hack linear projects\` to inspect available projects, or update the repo binding with \`hack linear project-bind --project-id <linear-project-id>\`.`;
 }
 
 async function resolveProjectBindingDetails(input: {