diff --git a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/aicpu/aicpu_executor.cpp b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/aicpu/aicpu_executor.cpp
index bf15c91bcd..239658a8e2 100644
--- a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/aicpu/aicpu_executor.cpp
+++ b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/aicpu/aicpu_executor.cpp
@@ -8,48 +8,27 @@
  * See LICENSE in the root of the software repository for the full text of the License.
  * -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
-#include <unistd.h>
-
 #include <atomic>
-#include <cinttypes>
 #include <cstdint>
 #include <cstdio>
 #include <cstdlib>
 #include <cstring>
-#ifdef __linux__
-#include <sys/mman.h>
-#endif
 
-#include "aicpu/device_time.h"
 #include "aicpu/device_phase_aicpu.h"
-#include "callable_protocol.h"
-#include "dispatch_payload.h"
 #include "runtime.h"
 #include "spin_hint.h"
 
 // Runtime headers (full struct definition for create/destroy + SIMPLER_SCOPE)
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime_core.h"
-#include "host_build_graph/runtime_types.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/shared_memory.h"
 
-// Performance profiling headers
-#include "aicpu/chip_swimlane_collector_aicpu.h"
-#include "aicpu/args_dump_aicpu.h"
-#include "common/chip_swimlane_profiling.h"
 #include "common/unified_log.h"
 
 // Register-based communication
 #include "aicpu/platform_aicpu_affinity.h"
 #include "aicpu/platform_regs.h"
-#include "common/platform_config.h"
 #include "utils/thread_completion_gate.h"
 
-// Core type definitions
-#include "common/core_type.h"
-
-// CoreCallable for resolved dispatch address
-#include "callable.h"
-
 // Scheduler data structures (CoreExecState, CoreTracker, etc.)
 #include "scheduler/scheduler_types.h"
 
diff --git a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/host/runtime_maker.cpp b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/host/runtime_maker.cpp
index 89f74e5852..adeec689b2 100644
--- a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/host/runtime_maker.cpp
+++ b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/host/runtime_maker.cpp
@@ -48,13 +48,12 @@
 #include <memory>
 #include <optional>
 #include <string>
-#include <type_traits>
 #include <utility>
 #include <unordered_map>
 #include <vector>
 
+#include "assert_compat.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"
-#include "host_build_graph/common.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/dep_gen_host_graph.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/graph_execution.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/host_tensor_access.h"
@@ -72,7 +71,7 @@
 #include "../../../../common/worker/runtime_c_api.h"
 #include "callable.h"
 #include "common/host_log_binding.h"
-#include "common/log_clock.h"
+#include "common/host_phase_kind.h"
 #include "common/platform_config.h"
 #include "common/unified_log.h"
 #include "host_log.h"
diff --git a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/orchestration/common.cpp b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/orchestration/common.cpp
index bda9a55a42..a6556db0fe 100644
--- a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/orchestration/common.cpp
+++ b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/orchestration/common.cpp
@@ -8,13 +8,13 @@
  * See LICENSE in the root of the software repository for the full text of the License.
  * -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
+#include "assert_compat.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/common.h"
 
 #ifdef __linux__
 #include <cxxabi.h>
 #include <dlfcn.h>
 #include <execinfo.h>
-#include <unistd.h>
 
 #include <array>
 #include <cstring>
diff --git a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/orchestration/orchestration_api.h b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/orchestration/orchestration_api.h
index 2b9d31d06b..1514664172 100644
--- a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/orchestration/orchestration_api.h
+++ b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/orchestration/orchestration_api.h
@@ -30,30 +30,22 @@
 #include <stddef.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 
-#include <array>
-#include <algorithm>
-#include <condition_variable>
 #include <cstring>
 #include <ctime>
 #include <functional>
-#include <mutex>
-#include <thread>
 #include <tuple>
 #include <type_traits>
-#include <utility>
-#include <vector>
 
 // Type headers needed by orchestration
-#include "host_build_graph/common.h"            // framework_bind_runtime / framework_current_runtime
-#include "common/host_phase_kind.h"             // HostPhaseKind, for the phase records below
-#include "host_build_graph/graph_cache.h"       // Graph Execution key and result helpers
-#include "host_build_graph/graph_host_state.h"  // GRAPH_MAX_DEFINITIONS
-#include "host_build_graph/runtime_ops.h"       // RuntimeOps, RuntimeContext forward declaration
-#include "host_build_graph/runtime_types.h"     // SIMPLER_ERROR_*
-#include "host_build_graph/submit_types.h"      // MixedKernels, INVALID_KERNEL_ID, subtask slots
-#include "types.h"                              // Arg, TaskOutputTensors, TensorArgType
-#include "task_args.h"                          // ChipStorageTaskArgs, simpler::hbg::Tensor
-#include "tensor.h"                             // simpler::hbg::Tensor, TensorCreateInfo
+#include "assert_compat.h"                    // debug_assert
+#include "host_build_graph/common.h"          // framework_bind_runtime / framework_current_runtime
+#include "common/host_phase_kind.h"           // HostPhaseKind, for the phase records below
+#include "host_build_graph/graph_cache.h"     // Graph Execution key and result helpers
+#include "host_build_graph/runtime_ops.h"     // RuntimeOps, RuntimeContext forward declaration
+#include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"  // SIMPLER_ERROR_*
+#include "host_build_graph/submit_types.h"    // MixedKernels, INVALID_KERNEL_ID, subtask slots
+#include "types.h"                            // Arg, TaskOutputTensors, TensorArgType
+#include "tensor.h"                           // simpler::hbg::Tensor, TensorCreateInfo
 
 // =============================================================================
 // simpler::hbg::Tensor Factory Helpers
diff --git a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/aicore_completion_mailbox.h b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/aicore_completion_mailbox.h
index 43c47c8d2d..a25755033e 100644
--- a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/aicore_completion_mailbox.h
+++ b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/aicore_completion_mailbox.h
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 #include <atomic>
 #include <cstdint>
 
-#include "aicore_completion_mailbox_types.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/constants.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/task_id.h"
 
diff --git a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/async_wait.h b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/async_wait.h
index 877a989899..a3a4fe782d 100644
--- a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/async_wait.h
+++ b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/async_wait.h
@@ -12,14 +12,13 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <atomic>
-#include <cstddef>
 #include <cstdint>
 
-#include "aicpu/platform_regs.h"
 #include "backend/sdma/sdma_completion_scheduler.h"
-#include "intrinsic.h"
 #include "aicore_completion_mailbox.h"
+#include "aicore_completion_mailbox_types.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/completion_token.h"
+#include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime_types.h"
 
 struct SchedulerState;
diff --git a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/backend/sdma/sdma_completion_scheduler.h b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/backend/sdma/sdma_completion_scheduler.h
index 7e8de807bc..ac49fc7f58 100644
--- a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/backend/sdma/sdma_completion_scheduler.h
+++ b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/backend/sdma/sdma_completion_scheduler.h
@@ -11,12 +11,11 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
-#include <cstddef>
 #include <cstdint>
 
-#include "aicpu/platform_regs.h"
-#include "aicore_completion_mailbox.h"
+#include "aicpu/cache_maintenance.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/completion_token.h"
+#include "host_build_graph/constants.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"
 
 inline uintptr_t sdma_completion_cache_line(const volatile void *addr) {
diff --git a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler.h b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler.h
index c2c0546d41..3981ed36f2 100644
--- a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler.h
+++ b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler.h
@@ -34,18 +34,23 @@
 
 #include <atomic>
 
-#include "common/core_type.h"
 #include "common/memory_barrier.h"
 #include "utils/device_arena.h"
 #include "aicpu/platform_regs.h"  // get_reg_ptr / RegId for the early-dispatch doorbell
 #include "async_wait.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/graph_execution.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/task_id.h"
-#include "host_build_graph/task_allocator.h"
+#include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime_types.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/shared_memory.h"
+// Defines the SIMPLER_*_PROFILING levels the conditionals below test. An #if on an
+// undefined macro evaluates to 0, so a profiling block reached through a transitive
+// include would switch itself off silently if that path ever went away.
+#include "profiling_config.h"
 
-#include "aicpu/device_time.h"  // get_sys_cnt_aicpu (used by early-dispatch doorbell timing too)
+#if SIMPLER_ORCH_PROFILING || SIMPLER_SCHED_PROFILING
+#include "aicpu/device_time.h"  // get_sys_cnt_aicpu, used only by the timed blocks below
+#endif
 #if SIMPLER_SCHED_PROFILING
 #define SCHED_CYCLE_START() uint64_t _st0 = get_sys_cnt_aicpu(), _st1
 #define SCHED_CYCLE_LAP(acc)        \
diff --git a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_cold_path.cpp b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_cold_path.cpp
index 248b86366c..2eb5c6af2d 100644
--- a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_cold_path.cpp
+++ b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_cold_path.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include <cinttypes>
 #include <cstdio>
 
+#include "assert_compat.h"
 #include "common/unified_log.h"
 #include "aicpu/device_time.h"
 #include "aicpu/chip_swimlane_collector_aicpu.h"
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "common/memory_barrier.h"
 #include "common/chip_swimlane_profiling.h"
 #include "common/platform_config.h"
+#include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime_core.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/shared_memory.h"
 #include "runtime.h"
diff --git a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_completion.cpp b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_completion.cpp
index 051660cd6d..63821c8c43 100644
--- a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_completion.cpp
+++ b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_completion.cpp
@@ -10,14 +10,12 @@
  */
 #include "scheduler_context.h"
 
-#include <algorithm>
-
 #include "common/unified_log.h"
 #include "aicpu/device_time.h"
-#include "aicpu/platform_regs.h"
 #include "common/chip_swimlane_profiling.h"
 #include "common/memory_barrier.h"
 #include "common/platform_config.h"
+#include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime_core.h"
 #include "runtime.h"
 #include "spin_hint.h"
diff --git a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_context.h b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_context.h
index ec649950de..59a0bd7796 100644
--- a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_context.h
+++ b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_context.h
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
  */
 #pragma once
 
+#include "assert_compat.h"
 #include "aicpu/device_phase_aicpu.h"
 #include "aicpu/platform_regs.h"
 #include "common/chip_swimlane_profiling.h"
@@ -19,7 +20,6 @@
 
 #include "scheduler/scheduler.h"
 
-#include "aicore_completion_mailbox.h"
 #include "dispatch_payload.h"
 
 // runtime.h cannot be included here — it pulls in Handshake, which this header
diff --git a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_dispatch.cpp b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_dispatch.cpp
index b21ba11ae6..1c6da51125 100644
--- a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_dispatch.cpp
+++ b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_dispatch.cpp
@@ -14,17 +14,18 @@
 #include <cinttypes>
 #include <limits>
 
-#include "host_build_graph/common.h"  // debug_assert
+#include "assert_compat.h"  // debug_assert
+#include "host_build_graph/common.h"
 
 #include "common/unified_log.h"
 #include "aicpu/aicpu_device_config.h"
 #include "aicpu/device_time.h"
-#include "aicpu/platform_regs.h"
 #include "callable.h"
 #include "common/chip_swimlane_profiling.h"
 #include "common/memory_barrier.h"
 #include "common/platform_config.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/async_poll_phase_accumulator.h"
+#include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime_core.h"
 #include "runtime.h"
 #include "spin_hint.h"
diff --git a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_types.h b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_types.h
index 9ba746ee22..5fbd550db9 100644
--- a/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_types.h
+++ b/src/a2a3/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_types.h
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include <cstddef>
 #include <cstdint>
 
+#include "assert_compat.h"
 #include "common/core_type.h"
 #include "common/platform_config.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime_types.h"
diff --git a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/aicpu/aicpu_executor.cpp b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/aicpu/aicpu_executor.cpp
index 0ef9291175..bdb0bc0fe0 100644
--- a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/aicpu/aicpu_executor.cpp
+++ b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/aicpu/aicpu_executor.cpp
@@ -8,29 +8,21 @@
  * See LICENSE in the root of the software repository for the full text of the License.
  * -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
-#include <unistd.h>
-
 #include <atomic>
-#include <algorithm>
 #include <cinttypes>
 #include <cstdint>
 #include <cstdio>
 #include <cstdlib>
 #include <cstring>
-#ifdef __linux__
-#include <sys/mman.h>
-#endif
 
 #include "aicore_lifecycle.h"
 #include "aicore_scheduler_error.h"
 #include "aicore_scheduler_state.h"
 #include "aicpu/aicpu_device_config.h"
 #include "aicpu/cache_maintenance.h"
-#include "aicpu/args_dump_aicpu.h"
 #include "aicpu/chip_swimlane_collector_aicpu.h"
 #include "aicpu/device_phase_aicpu.h"
 #include "aicpu/device_time.h"
-#include "aicpu/pmu_collector_aicpu.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/shared_memory.h"
 #include "runtime.h"
diff --git a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/host/runtime_maker.cpp b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/host/runtime_maker.cpp
index c81c35d6dc..3376813f99 100644
--- a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/host/runtime_maker.cpp
+++ b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/host/runtime_maker.cpp
@@ -50,13 +50,12 @@
 #include <mutex>
 #include <optional>
 #include <string>
-#include <type_traits>
 #include <utility>
 #include <unordered_map>
 #include <vector>
 
+#include "assert_compat.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"
-#include "host_build_graph/common.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/dep_gen_host_graph.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/graph_execution.h"
 #include "scheduler/scheduler_graph.h"
@@ -76,7 +75,7 @@
 #include "../../../../common/worker/runtime_c_api.h"
 #include "callable.h"
 #include "common/host_log_binding.h"
-#include "common/log_clock.h"
+#include "common/host_phase_kind.h"
 #include "common/platform_config.h"
 #include "common/unified_log.h"
 #include "host_log.h"
diff --git a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/orchestration/common.cpp b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/orchestration/common.cpp
index bda9a55a42..a6556db0fe 100644
--- a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/orchestration/common.cpp
+++ b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/orchestration/common.cpp
@@ -8,13 +8,13 @@
  * See LICENSE in the root of the software repository for the full text of the License.
  * -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
+#include "assert_compat.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/common.h"
 
 #ifdef __linux__
 #include <cxxabi.h>
 #include <dlfcn.h>
 #include <execinfo.h>
-#include <unistd.h>
 
 #include <array>
 #include <cstring>
diff --git a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/orchestration/orchestration_api.h b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/orchestration/orchestration_api.h
index 2b9d31d06b..1514664172 100644
--- a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/orchestration/orchestration_api.h
+++ b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/orchestration/orchestration_api.h
@@ -30,30 +30,22 @@
 #include <stddef.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 
-#include <array>
-#include <algorithm>
-#include <condition_variable>
 #include <cstring>
 #include <ctime>
 #include <functional>
-#include <mutex>
-#include <thread>
 #include <tuple>
 #include <type_traits>
-#include <utility>
-#include <vector>
 
 // Type headers needed by orchestration
-#include "host_build_graph/common.h"            // framework_bind_runtime / framework_current_runtime
-#include "common/host_phase_kind.h"             // HostPhaseKind, for the phase records below
-#include "host_build_graph/graph_cache.h"       // Graph Execution key and result helpers
-#include "host_build_graph/graph_host_state.h"  // GRAPH_MAX_DEFINITIONS
-#include "host_build_graph/runtime_ops.h"       // RuntimeOps, RuntimeContext forward declaration
-#include "host_build_graph/runtime_types.h"     // SIMPLER_ERROR_*
-#include "host_build_graph/submit_types.h"      // MixedKernels, INVALID_KERNEL_ID, subtask slots
-#include "types.h"                              // Arg, TaskOutputTensors, TensorArgType
-#include "task_args.h"                          // ChipStorageTaskArgs, simpler::hbg::Tensor
-#include "tensor.h"                             // simpler::hbg::Tensor, TensorCreateInfo
+#include "assert_compat.h"                    // debug_assert
+#include "host_build_graph/common.h"          // framework_bind_runtime / framework_current_runtime
+#include "common/host_phase_kind.h"           // HostPhaseKind, for the phase records below
+#include "host_build_graph/graph_cache.h"     // Graph Execution key and result helpers
+#include "host_build_graph/runtime_ops.h"     // RuntimeOps, RuntimeContext forward declaration
+#include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"  // SIMPLER_ERROR_*
+#include "host_build_graph/submit_types.h"    // MixedKernels, INVALID_KERNEL_ID, subtask slots
+#include "types.h"                            // Arg, TaskOutputTensors, TensorArgType
+#include "tensor.h"                           // simpler::hbg::Tensor, TensorCreateInfo
 
 // =============================================================================
 // simpler::hbg::Tensor Factory Helpers
diff --git a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/aicore_completion_mailbox.h b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/aicore_completion_mailbox.h
index 43c47c8d2d..a25755033e 100644
--- a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/aicore_completion_mailbox.h
+++ b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/aicore_completion_mailbox.h
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 #include <atomic>
 #include <cstdint>
 
-#include "aicore_completion_mailbox_types.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/constants.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/task_id.h"
 
diff --git a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/async_wait.h b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/async_wait.h
index 13fd0e8084..1abf209fab 100644
--- a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/async_wait.h
+++ b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/async_wait.h
@@ -12,14 +12,13 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <atomic>
-#include <cstddef>
 #include <cstdint>
 
-#include "aicpu/platform_regs.h"
 #include "backend/sdma/sdma_completion_scheduler.h"
-#include "intrinsic.h"
 #include "aicore_completion_mailbox.h"
+#include "aicore_completion_mailbox_types.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/completion_token.h"
+#include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime_types.h"
 
 struct SchedulerState;
diff --git a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/backend/sdma/sdma_completion_scheduler.h b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/backend/sdma/sdma_completion_scheduler.h
index c054e50856..92a9c63baf 100644
--- a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/backend/sdma/sdma_completion_scheduler.h
+++ b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/backend/sdma/sdma_completion_scheduler.h
@@ -11,11 +11,8 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
-#include <cstddef>
 #include <cstdint>
 
-#include "aicpu/platform_regs.h"
-#include "aicore_completion_mailbox.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/completion_token.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"
 
diff --git a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler.h b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler.h
index 49ce21dc78..6b6e006b11 100644
--- a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler.h
+++ b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler.h
@@ -34,19 +34,24 @@
 
 #include <atomic>
 
-#include "common/core_type.h"
 #include "common/memory_barrier.h"
 #include "utils/device_arena.h"
 #include "aicpu/platform_regs.h"  // get_reg_ptr / RegId for the early-dispatch doorbell
 #include "async_wait.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/graph_execution.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/task_id.h"
-#include "host_build_graph/task_allocator.h"
+#include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime_types.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/shared_memory.h"
 #include "scheduler_graph.h"
+// Defines the SIMPLER_*_PROFILING levels the conditionals below test. An #if on an
+// undefined macro evaluates to 0, so a profiling block reached through a transitive
+// include would switch itself off silently if that path ever went away.
+#include "profiling_config.h"
 
-#include "aicpu/device_time.h"  // get_sys_cnt_aicpu (used by early-dispatch doorbell timing too)
+#if SIMPLER_ORCH_PROFILING || SIMPLER_SCHED_PROFILING
+#include "aicpu/device_time.h"  // get_sys_cnt_aicpu, used only by the timed blocks below
+#endif
 
 // scheduler_graph.h states the storage layout as literals, because the AICore .o
 // that reads it cannot include runtime_types.h. This translation unit sees both,
diff --git a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_cold_path.cpp b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_cold_path.cpp
index 248b86366c..2eb5c6af2d 100644
--- a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_cold_path.cpp
+++ b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_cold_path.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include <cinttypes>
 #include <cstdio>
 
+#include "assert_compat.h"
 #include "common/unified_log.h"
 #include "aicpu/device_time.h"
 #include "aicpu/chip_swimlane_collector_aicpu.h"
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "common/memory_barrier.h"
 #include "common/chip_swimlane_profiling.h"
 #include "common/platform_config.h"
+#include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime_core.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/shared_memory.h"
 #include "runtime.h"
diff --git a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_completion.cpp b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_completion.cpp
index edd0126a82..7f670f52e1 100644
--- a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_completion.cpp
+++ b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_completion.cpp
@@ -10,14 +10,12 @@
  */
 #include "scheduler_context.h"
 
-#include <algorithm>
-
 #include "common/unified_log.h"
 #include "aicpu/device_time.h"
-#include "aicpu/platform_regs.h"
 #include "common/chip_swimlane_profiling.h"
 #include "common/memory_barrier.h"
 #include "common/platform_config.h"
+#include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime_core.h"
 #include "runtime.h"
 #include "spin_hint.h"
diff --git a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_context.h b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_context.h
index ec649950de..59a0bd7796 100644
--- a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_context.h
+++ b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_context.h
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
  */
 #pragma once
 
+#include "assert_compat.h"
 #include "aicpu/device_phase_aicpu.h"
 #include "aicpu/platform_regs.h"
 #include "common/chip_swimlane_profiling.h"
@@ -19,7 +20,6 @@
 
 #include "scheduler/scheduler.h"
 
-#include "aicore_completion_mailbox.h"
 #include "dispatch_payload.h"
 
 // runtime.h cannot be included here — it pulls in Handshake, which this header
diff --git a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_dispatch.cpp b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_dispatch.cpp
index 94c101a66f..f7bf4bade8 100644
--- a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_dispatch.cpp
+++ b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_dispatch.cpp
@@ -14,17 +14,18 @@
 #include <cinttypes>
 #include <limits>
 
-#include "host_build_graph/common.h"  // debug_assert
+#include "assert_compat.h"  // debug_assert
+#include "host_build_graph/common.h"
 
 #include "common/unified_log.h"
 #include "aicpu/aicpu_device_config.h"
 #include "aicpu/device_time.h"
-#include "aicpu/platform_regs.h"
 #include "callable.h"
 #include "common/chip_swimlane_profiling.h"
 #include "common/memory_barrier.h"
 #include "common/platform_config.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/async_poll_phase_accumulator.h"
+#include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime_core.h"
 #include "runtime.h"
 #include "spin_hint.h"
diff --git a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_types.h b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_types.h
index e356e1b872..a50bdf506c 100644
--- a/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_types.h
+++ b/src/a5/runtime/host_build_graph/runtime/scheduler/scheduler_types.h
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include <cstddef>
 #include <cstdint>
 
+#include "assert_compat.h"
 #include "common/core_type.h"
 #include "common/platform_config.h"
 #include "dispatch_payload.h"
diff --git a/src/common/host_build_graph/common.h b/src/common/host_build_graph/common.h
index 87e9da9a94..bec686eb6f 100644
--- a/src/common/host_build_graph/common.h
+++ b/src/common/host_build_graph/common.h
@@ -11,16 +11,8 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
-#include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
-// Assertion macros (always_assert / debug_assert), AssertionError, and the
-// MAYBE_UNINITIALIZED diagnostics live in the shared header so the unified
-// simpler::hbg::Tensor (src/common/task_interface/tensor.h) can use them without depending
-// on this runtime-specific header. assert_impl / get_stacktrace are defined in
-// orchestration/common.cpp for runtime targets.
-#include "assert_compat.h"
-
 // Framework-internal TLS bridge. The executor binds the current thread's
 // runtime before invoking the orchestration entry, so orchestration helpers can
 // fetch the current RuntimeContext without explicit parameter threading. Declared
diff --git a/src/common/host_build_graph/completion_token.h b/src/common/host_build_graph/completion_token.h
index 70c567a6ad..d885cc4334 100644
--- a/src/common/host_build_graph/completion_token.h
+++ b/src/common/host_build_graph/completion_token.h
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 
 #include <stdint.h>
 
-#include "aicore_completion_mailbox_types.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"
 
 // CompletionToken is the runtime-internal POD that backend submit handlers
diff --git a/src/common/host_build_graph/dep_gen_host_graph.h b/src/common/host_build_graph/dep_gen_host_graph.h
index e29d2113a6..d1a7962114 100644
--- a/src/common/host_build_graph/dep_gen_host_graph.h
+++ b/src/common/host_build_graph/dep_gen_host_graph.h
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@
 
 #include <cstdint>
 
-#include "host_build_graph/task_id.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/tensormap.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/types.h"  // TensorRef
 #include "tensor.h"
diff --git a/src/common/host_build_graph/device/graph_execution.cpp b/src/common/host_build_graph/device/graph_execution.cpp
index 674f9ee852..0e383c7471 100644
--- a/src/common/host_build_graph/device/graph_execution.cpp
+++ b/src/common/host_build_graph/device/graph_execution.cpp
@@ -13,9 +13,7 @@
 
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <cstring>
-#include <new>
 
-#include "graph_cache.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/task_id.h"
 
 namespace {
diff --git a/src/common/host_build_graph/host/graph_recorder_pool.cpp b/src/common/host_build_graph/host/graph_recorder_pool.cpp
index c2408f220e..a92c9168c4 100644
--- a/src/common/host_build_graph/host/graph_recorder_pool.cpp
+++ b/src/common/host_build_graph/host/graph_recorder_pool.cpp
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 #include <functional>
 #include <utility>
 
-#include "graph_host_state.h"
 // The ops implementations below need the full RuntimeContext, which is why the
 // header does not include this: a translation unit cannot see both it and
 // orchestration_api.h's partial definition.
diff --git a/src/common/host_build_graph/host/host_phase_trace.cpp b/src/common/host_build_graph/host/host_phase_trace.cpp
index 761231f1f2..98aaa8ca3c 100644
--- a/src/common/host_build_graph/host/host_phase_trace.cpp
+++ b/src/common/host_build_graph/host/host_phase_trace.cpp
@@ -21,15 +21,21 @@
 #include <atomic>
 #include <array>
 #include <cstdlib>
-#include <functional>
 #include <mutex>
-#include <thread>
 
 #if defined(__linux__)
 #include <sys/syscall.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #endif
 
+// The thread-id fallback below runs only where SYS_gettid is unavailable, and it is
+// the sole user of these two. SYS_gettid comes from <sys/syscall.h>, so this test
+// has to follow that include.
+#if !(defined(__linux__) && defined(SYS_gettid))
+#include <functional>
+#include <thread>
+#endif
+
 #include "common/host_api.h"
 #include "common/log_clock.h"
 #include "common/strace.h"
diff --git a/src/common/host_build_graph/host/orchestrator.cpp b/src/common/host_build_graph/host/orchestrator.cpp
index 2599588634..c6d5a4408a 100644
--- a/src/common/host_build_graph/host/orchestrator.cpp
+++ b/src/common/host_build_graph/host/orchestrator.cpp
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@
 #include <utility>
 #include <vector>
 
+#include "assert_compat.h"
 #include "common/host_phase_kind.h"
-#include "common/platform_config.h"
 #include "common/unified_log.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/dep_gen_host_graph.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/dep_compute.h"
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
 #include "graph_execution.h"
 #include "graph_host_state.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/task_id.h"
+#include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime_types.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/shared_memory.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/tensormap.h"
diff --git a/src/common/host_build_graph/host/runtime_core.cpp b/src/common/host_build_graph/host/runtime_core.cpp
index dc61bdd185..50be70c60d 100644
--- a/src/common/host_build_graph/host/runtime_core.cpp
+++ b/src/common/host_build_graph/host/runtime_core.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
 #include "common/unified_log.h"
+#include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/host_tensor_access.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/task_id.h"
 
diff --git a/src/common/host_build_graph/host/tensormap.cpp b/src/common/host_build_graph/host/tensormap.cpp
index 9c9226075c..3ec6169620 100644
--- a/src/common/host_build_graph/host/tensormap.cpp
+++ b/src/common/host_build_graph/host/tensormap.cpp
@@ -27,12 +27,12 @@
 #include "host_build_graph/tensormap.h"
 
 #include <stdlib.h>
-#include <string.h>
 
 #include <new>
 
-#include "host_build_graph/common.h"
+#include "assert_compat.h"
 #include "common/unified_log.h"
+#include "host_build_graph/runtime_types.h"
 
 // =============================================================================
 // TensorMap Lookup Chain Length Statistics (compile-time toggle)
diff --git a/src/common/host_build_graph/orchestrator.h b/src/common/host_build_graph/orchestrator.h
index 688bc7b692..45655da6c0 100644
--- a/src/common/host_build_graph/orchestrator.h
+++ b/src/common/host_build_graph/orchestrator.h
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@
 #include <memory>
 #include <type_traits>
 
-#include "common/chip_swimlane_profiling.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/task_allocator.h"
 #include "graph_cache.h"
+#include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime_types.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/submit_types.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/shared_memory.h"
diff --git a/src/common/host_build_graph/runtime.h b/src/common/host_build_graph/runtime.h
index 1aca5901e7..9f7db8f963 100644
--- a/src/common/host_build_graph/runtime.h
+++ b/src/common/host_build_graph/runtime.h
@@ -30,16 +30,12 @@
 
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
-#include <stdio.h>   // for fprintf, printf
-#include <string.h>  // for memset
 
 #include <vector>
 
 #include "common/core_type.h"
-#include "common/chip_swimlane_profiling.h"
 #include "common/platform_config.h"
 #include "aicpu/platform_aicpu_affinity.h"  // MAX_GATE_THREADS (aicpu_allowed_cpus bound)
-#include "dispatch_payload.h"
 #include "task_args.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/entry_args.h"  // EntryArgsStorage
 
diff --git a/src/common/host_build_graph/runtime_core.h b/src/common/host_build_graph/runtime_core.h
index d7ec2fc54d..032e15140c 100644
--- a/src/common/host_build_graph/runtime_core.h
+++ b/src/common/host_build_graph/runtime_core.h
@@ -37,13 +37,8 @@
 #include <type_traits>
 
 #include "utils/device_arena.h"
-#include "host_build_graph/runtime_types.h"
-#include "graph_cache.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime_ops.h"
-#include "host_build_graph/submit_types.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/shared_memory.h"
-#include "host_build_graph/task_allocator.h"
-#include "host_build_graph/tensormap.h"
 #include "scheduler/scheduler.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/orchestrator.h"
 #include "aicore_completion_mailbox.h"
diff --git a/src/common/host_build_graph/runtime_types.h b/src/common/host_build_graph/runtime_types.h
index 58db0976db..d457f225be 100644
--- a/src/common/host_build_graph/runtime_types.h
+++ b/src/common/host_build_graph/runtime_types.h
@@ -32,17 +32,22 @@
 #include <cstddef>
 #include <type_traits>
 
+#include "assert_compat.h"
+// Defines SIMPLER_DFX and the SIMPLER_*_PROFILING levels the conditionals in this
+// header test, so it has to precede them rather than sit inside one: an #if on an
+// undefined macro evaluates to 0, and a profiling block guarded that way would
+// switch itself off and report nothing. A macro named only in a preprocessor
+// condition is not a reference an include-cleaner can see, so this include reads
+// as unused to those tools.
 #include "profiling_config.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/constants.h"
-#include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"
 // NOTE (host_build_graph divergence from tensormap_and_ringbuffer): the
 // dispatch_payload.h include is intentionally dropped here. This header is
 // reached by a path-qualified include, and dispatch_payload.h uses #pragma once
 // (path-keyed), so leaving it in double-defines DispatchPayload against
 // tensormap_and_ringbuffer's copy inside the shared host-dispatcher TU.
-// runtime_types.h never references DispatchPayload itself; consumers that
-// need it include it via runtime.h directly.
-#include "aicore_completion_mailbox.h"
+// runtime_types.h never references DispatchPayload itself; the consumers that
+// need it include dispatch_payload.h directly.
 #include "common/args_dump_task_metadata.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/self_relative_ptr.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/submit_types.h"
diff --git a/src/common/host_build_graph/shared/runtime.cpp b/src/common/host_build_graph/shared/runtime.cpp
index c4c7455f9e..94f6a252b5 100644
--- a/src/common/host_build_graph/shared/runtime.cpp
+++ b/src/common/host_build_graph/shared/runtime.cpp
@@ -17,9 +17,9 @@
 
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime.h"
 
+#include <cstring>
+
 #include "common/unified_log.h"
-#include "host_build_graph/runtime_types.h"
-#include "host_build_graph/shared_memory.h"
 
 // =============================================================================
 // Constructor
@@ -27,11 +27,11 @@
 
 Runtime::Runtime() {
     // Initialize handshake buffers
-    memset(workers, 0, sizeof(workers));
+    std::memset(workers, 0, sizeof(workers));
     worker_count = 0;
     aicpu_thread_num = 1;
     ready_queue_shards = RUNTIME_DEFAULT_READY_QUEUE_SHARDS;
-    memset(aicpu_allowed_cpus, 0, sizeof(aicpu_allowed_cpus));
+    std::memset(aicpu_allowed_cpus, 0, sizeof(aicpu_allowed_cpus));
     aicpu_allowed_cpu_count = 0;
     aicpu_launch_count = 0;
     host_total_tasks = 0;
diff --git a/src/common/host_build_graph/shared/shared_memory.cpp b/src/common/host_build_graph/shared/shared_memory.cpp
index ceeb114ed4..cb92c4da57 100644
--- a/src/common/host_build_graph/shared/shared_memory.cpp
+++ b/src/common/host_build_graph/shared/shared_memory.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 #include <inttypes.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
-#include "common/unified_log.h"
+#include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"
 
 // =============================================================================
 // Size Calculation
diff --git a/src/common/host_build_graph/shared_memory.h b/src/common/host_build_graph/shared_memory.h
index 3bae0e3efe..2235a8f777 100644
--- a/src/common/host_build_graph/shared_memory.h
+++ b/src/common/host_build_graph/shared_memory.h
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 
 #include <cstring>
 
+#include "assert_compat.h"
 #include "utils/device_arena.h"
 #include "graph_execution.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime_types.h"
diff --git a/src/common/host_build_graph/task_allocator.h b/src/common/host_build_graph/task_allocator.h
index 693b8b12e0..8627e3074f 100644
--- a/src/common/host_build_graph/task_allocator.h
+++ b/src/common/host_build_graph/task_allocator.h
@@ -20,13 +20,12 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
-#include <algorithm>
 #include <atomic>
 #include <inttypes.h>
-#include <type_traits>
 
+#include "assert_compat.h"
+#include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/runtime_types.h"
-#include "host_build_graph/shared_memory.h"
 #include "common/unified_log.h"
 
 // =============================================================================
diff --git a/src/common/host_build_graph/tensor.h b/src/common/host_build_graph/tensor.h
index 74f68d4a6f..ddb6657e57 100644
--- a/src/common/host_build_graph/tensor.h
+++ b/src/common/host_build_graph/tensor.h
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
-#include <memory.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 
 #include <algorithm>
@@ -27,7 +26,6 @@
 #include "assert_compat.h"
 #include "data_type.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/task_id.h"
-#include "task_interface/arg_direction.h"
 #include "task_interface/tensor.h"
 
 namespace simpler::hbg {
diff --git a/src/common/host_build_graph/tensor_create_info.h b/src/common/host_build_graph/tensor_create_info.h
index 731871f539..2f7f39d24b 100644
--- a/src/common/host_build_graph/tensor_create_info.h
+++ b/src/common/host_build_graph/tensor_create_info.h
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <cstring>
-#include <memory.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 
+#include "assert_compat.h"
 #include "data_type.h"
 #include "tensor.h"
 
diff --git a/src/common/host_build_graph/tensormap.h b/src/common/host_build_graph/tensormap.h
index defa7df4f9..91c2c391b8 100644
--- a/src/common/host_build_graph/tensormap.h
+++ b/src/common/host_build_graph/tensormap.h
@@ -49,10 +49,10 @@
 
 #include <memory>
 
-#include "host_build_graph/common.h"
+#include "assert_compat.h"
 #include "host_build_graph/task_id.h"
+#include "host_build_graph/tensor_create_info.h"
 #include "profiling_config.h"
-#include "host_build_graph/runtime_types.h"
 #include "tensor.h"
 
 // Overlap geometry types. Relocated here from tensor.h: they are used only by
diff --git a/src/common/host_build_graph/types.h b/src/common/host_build_graph/types.h
index 879a17b7fa..a5c9cbf6ed 100644
--- a/src/common/host_build_graph/types.h
+++ b/src/common/host_build_graph/types.h
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 #include <arm_neon.h>
 #endif
 
+#include "assert_compat.h"
 #include "aicpu/dump_arg_selection.h"
 #include "common/device_phase.h"
 #include "data_type.h"
diff --git a/tests/ut/cpp/common/test_hbg_graph_cache.cpp b/tests/ut/cpp/common/test_hbg_graph_cache.cpp
index 859ff69b24..af093d841d 100644
--- a/tests/ut/cpp/common/test_hbg_graph_cache.cpp
+++ b/tests/ut/cpp/common/test_hbg_graph_cache.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 #include <utility>
 #include <vector>
 
+#include "host_build_graph/runtime_status.h"
+
 #include "graph_cache.h"
 #include "graph_execution.h"
 #include "runtime_status/error_names.h"