diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/MobileApp.tsx b/apps/mobile/src/MobileApp.tsx
index afc03e68..b09a0edc 100644
--- a/apps/mobile/src/MobileApp.tsx
+++ b/apps/mobile/src/MobileApp.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useMemo, useState } from 'react'
+import { useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
 import {
   FlatList,
   Pressable,
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ import {
   PencilSimple,
   SlidersHorizontal,
 } from 'phosphor-react-native'
-import { MobileNote, notes, sidebarSections } from './demoData'
+import { MobileNote, notes as fallbackNotes, sidebarSections } from './demoData'
+import { loadDemoVaultNotes } from './mobileDemoVault'
 import { MobileEditorAdapter } from './MobileEditorAdapter'
 import {
   createCompactNavigationState,
@@ -34,12 +35,30 @@ export function MobileApp() {
   const { width } = useWindowDimensions()
   const isTablet = width >= 820
   const showsProperties = width >= 1120
-  const [compactNavigation, setCompactNavigation] = useState(() => createCompactNavigationState(notes[0].id))
+  const [availableNotes, setAvailableNotes] = useState(fallbackNotes)
+  const [compactNavigation, setCompactNavigation] = useState(() => createCompactNavigationState(fallbackNotes[0].id))
   const selectedNote = useMemo(
-    () => notes.find((note) => note.id === compactNavigation.selectedNoteId) ?? notes[0],
-    [compactNavigation.selectedNoteId],
+    () => availableNotes.find((note) => note.id === compactNavigation.selectedNoteId) ?? availableNotes[0],
+    [availableNotes, compactNavigation.selectedNoteId],
   )
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    let isActive = true
+
+    loadDemoVaultNotes()
+      .then((loadedNotes) => {
+        if (isActive && loadedNotes.length > 0) {
+          setAvailableNotes(loadedNotes)
+          setCompactNavigation((state) => selectLoadedNote(state, loadedNotes))
+        }
+      })
+      .catch(() => {})
+
+    return () => {
+      isActive = false
+    }
+  }, [])
+
   const selectNote = (note: MobileNote) => {
     setCompactNavigation((state) => transitionCompactNavigation(state, { type: 'selectNote', noteId: note.id }))
   }
@@ -50,7 +69,11 @@ export function MobileApp() {
         {isTablet ? (
           <View style={styles.tabletShell}>
             <SidebarPanel />
-            <NoteListPanel selectedNoteId={compactNavigation.selectedNoteId} onSelectNote={selectNote} />
+            <NoteListPanel
+              notes={availableNotes}
+              selectedNoteId={compactNavigation.selectedNoteId}
+              onSelectNote={selectNote}
+            />
             <EditorPanel note={selectedNote} />
             {showsProperties ? <PropertiesPanel note={selectedNote} /> : null}
           </View>
@@ -58,6 +81,7 @@ export function MobileApp() {
           <CompactShell
             activePanel={compactNavigation.panel}
             note={selectedNote}
+            notes={availableNotes}
             selectedNoteId={compactNavigation.selectedNoteId}
             onNavigate={(event) => setCompactNavigation((state) => transitionCompactNavigation(state, event))}
             onSelectNote={selectNote}
@@ -71,12 +95,14 @@ export function MobileApp() {
 function CompactShell({
   activePanel,
   note,
+  notes,
   onNavigate,
   onSelectNote,
   selectedNoteId,
 }: {
   activePanel: CompactPanel
   note: MobileNote
+  notes: MobileNote[]
   onNavigate: (event: CompactNavigationEvent) => void
   onSelectNote: (note: MobileNote) => void
   selectedNoteId: string
@@ -112,6 +138,7 @@ function CompactShell({
   return (
     <SwipeSurface panel="list" onNavigate={onNavigate}>
       <NoteListPanel
+        notes={notes}
         selectedNoteId={selectedNoteId}
         onOpenSidebar={() => onNavigate({ type: 'openSidebar' })}
         onSelectNote={onSelectNote}
@@ -154,10 +181,12 @@ function SidebarPanel({ onClose }: { onClose?: () => void }) {
 }
 
 function NoteListPanel({
+  notes,
   onOpenSidebar,
   onSelectNote,
   selectedNoteId,
 }: {
+  notes: MobileNote[]
   onOpenSidebar?: () => void
   onSelectNote: (note: MobileNote) => void
   selectedNoteId: string
@@ -205,6 +234,12 @@ function NoteListPanel({
   )
 }
 
+function selectLoadedNote(state: ReturnType<typeof createCompactNavigationState>, loadedNotes: MobileNote[]) {
+  return loadedNotes.some((note) => note.id === state.selectedNoteId)
+    ? state
+    : { ...state, selectedNoteId: loadedNotes[0].id }
+}
+
 function EditorPanel({
   note,
   onBack,
diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/demoData.ts b/apps/mobile/src/demoData.ts
index 50ba2ef8..b9718925 100644
--- a/apps/mobile/src/demoData.ts
+++ b/apps/mobile/src/demoData.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { createFixtureMobileVaultRepository } from './mobileVaultRepository'
 
 export type { MobileNote } from './mobileNoteProjection'
 
-const noteContent: MobileNoteSource[] = [
+export const demoNoteSources: MobileNoteSource[] = [
   {
     id: 'workflow',
     type: 'Essay',
@@ -66,9 +66,9 @@ const noteContent: MobileNoteSource[] = [
   },
 ]
 
-export const notes: MobileNote[] = projectMobileNotes(noteContent)
+export const notes: MobileNote[] = projectMobileNotes(demoNoteSources)
 
-export const demoVaultRepository = createFixtureMobileVaultRepository(noteContent)
+export const demoVaultRepository = createFixtureMobileVaultRepository(demoNoteSources)
 
 export const sidebarSections = [
   {
diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/mobileDemoVault.ts b/apps/mobile/src/mobileDemoVault.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7c8567ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/mobile/src/mobileDemoVault.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import { demoNoteSources } from './demoData'
+import { createMobileVaultConfig } from './mobileVaultConfig'
+import { createNativeMobileVaultStorage } from './mobileNativeVaultStorage'
+import { createStoredMobileVaultRepository } from './mobileVaultRepository'
+import { seedMobileVaultIfEmpty } from './mobileVaultSeed'
+import type { MobileVaultFile } from './mobileVaultStorage'
+
+const demoVault = createDemoVaultConfig()
+
+export async function loadDemoVaultNotes() {
+  const storage = createNativeMobileVaultStorage()
+  await seedMobileVaultIfEmpty({ files: demoVaultFiles(), storage, vault: demoVault })
+
+  return createStoredMobileVaultRepository({ storage, vault: demoVault }).listNotes()
+}
+
+function demoVaultFiles(): MobileVaultFile[] {
+  return demoNoteSources.map((source) => ({
+    path: source.filename,
+    content: source.content,
+  }))
+}
+
+function createDemoVaultConfig() {
+  const result = createMobileVaultConfig({ id: 'personal', name: 'Personal Journal' })
+  if (!result.ok) {
+    throw new Error(result.error)
+  }
+
+  return result.config
+}
diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/mobileExpoVaultStorage.ts b/apps/mobile/src/mobileExpoVaultStorage.ts
index f94299c0..138cd269 100644
--- a/apps/mobile/src/mobileExpoVaultStorage.ts
+++ b/apps/mobile/src/mobileExpoVaultStorage.ts
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@ type VaultFileInput = {
   path: string
 }
 
+type DirectoryInput = {
+  fileSystem: ExpoMobileVaultFileSystem
+  uri: string
+}
+
 export function createExpoMobileVaultStorage(
   fileSystem: ExpoMobileVaultFileSystem,
 ): MobileVaultStorageDriver {
@@ -120,7 +125,7 @@ async function readVaultFile(input: VaultFileInput): Promise<MobileVaultFile> {
 
 async function ensureVaultRoot(fileSystem: ExpoMobileVaultFileSystem, vault: MobileVaultConfig) {
   const rootUri = vaultRootUri(fileSystem, vault)
-  await fileSystem.makeDirectoryAsync(rootUri, { intermediates: true })
+  await ensureDirectory({ fileSystem, uri: rootUri })
 
   return rootUri
 }
@@ -128,10 +133,21 @@ async function ensureVaultRoot(fileSystem: ExpoMobileVaultFileSystem, vault: Mob
 async function ensureParentDirectory(input: VaultFileInput) {
   const parentPath = input.path.split('/').slice(0, -1).join('/')
   if (parentPath) {
-    await input.fileSystem.makeDirectoryAsync(
-      appendUri({ root: input.rootUri, segments: [parentPath] }),
-      { intermediates: true },
-    )
+    await ensureDirectory({
+      fileSystem: input.fileSystem,
+      uri: appendUri({ root: input.rootUri, segments: [parentPath] }),
+    })
+  }
+}
+
+async function ensureDirectory(input: DirectoryInput) {
+  const info = await input.fileSystem.getInfoAsync(input.uri)
+  if (info.exists && !info.isDirectory) {
+    throw new Error(`Mobile vault path is not a directory: ${input.uri}`)
+  }
+
+  if (!info.exists) {
+    await input.fileSystem.makeDirectoryAsync(input.uri, { intermediates: true })
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/mobileVaultSeed.test.ts b/apps/mobile/src/mobileVaultSeed.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5f296530
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/mobile/src/mobileVaultSeed.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { createMobileVaultConfig } from './mobileVaultConfig'
+import { seedMobileVaultIfEmpty } from './mobileVaultSeed'
+import { createMemoryMobileVaultStorage } from './mobileVaultStorage'
+
+const vault = createVault()
+
+describe('mobile vault seed', () => {
+  it('writes starter notes when the mobile vault is empty', async () => {
+    const storage = createMemoryMobileVaultStorage([])
+
+    await expect(
+      seedMobileVaultIfEmpty({
+        files: [{ path: 'welcome.md', content: '# Welcome' }],
+        storage,
+        vault,
+      }),
+    ).resolves.toBe('seeded')
+
+    await expect(storage.readMarkdownFile(vault, 'welcome.md')).resolves.toBe('# Welcome')
+  })
+
+  it('keeps existing mobile vault files intact', async () => {
+    const storage = createMemoryMobileVaultStorage([{ path: 'existing.md', content: '# Existing' }])
+
+    await expect(
+      seedMobileVaultIfEmpty({
+        files: [{ path: 'existing.md', content: '# Replacement' }],
+        storage,
+        vault,
+      }),
+    ).resolves.toBe('alreadySeeded')
+
+    await expect(storage.readMarkdownFile(vault, 'existing.md')).resolves.toBe('# Existing')
+  })
+})
+
+function createVault() {
+  const result = createMobileVaultConfig({ id: 'personal', name: 'Personal Journal' })
+  if (!result.ok) {
+    throw new Error(result.error)
+  }
+
+  return result.config
+}
diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/mobileVaultSeed.ts b/apps/mobile/src/mobileVaultSeed.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4149276f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/mobile/src/mobileVaultSeed.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import type { MobileVaultConfig } from './mobileVaultConfig'
+import type { MobileVaultFile, MobileVaultStorageDriver } from './mobileVaultStorage'
+
+export type MobileVaultSeedResult = 'alreadySeeded' | 'seeded'
+
+export async function seedMobileVaultIfEmpty({
+  files,
+  storage,
+  vault,
+}: {
+  files: MobileVaultFile[]
+  storage: MobileVaultStorageDriver
+  vault: MobileVaultConfig
+}): Promise<MobileVaultSeedResult> {
+  const existingFiles = await storage.listMarkdownFiles(vault)
+  if (existingFiles.length > 0) {
+    return 'alreadySeeded'
+  }
+
+  await Promise.all(files.map((file) => storage.writeMarkdownFile(vault, file.path, file.content)))
+
+  return 'seeded'
+}
diff --git a/docs/MOBILE_PROGRESS.md b/docs/MOBILE_PROGRESS.md
index bae7034b..3ad12d03 100644
--- a/docs/MOBILE_PROGRESS.md
+++ b/docs/MOBILE_PROGRESS.md
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ This file is the resumable working log for Tolaria mobile. The strategy and road
 
 - Branch: `codex/mobile`
 - Active phase: Phase 2 - Mobile Shell
-- Active slice: Implement Expo FileSystem vault storage
+- Active slice: Seed app-local mobile demo vault
 - Push policy: commit locally; do not push unless explicitly requested
 - Validation target: iPad/iOS simulator first
 
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ This file is the resumable working log for Tolaria mobile. The strategy and road
 - Added a mobile vault storage driver contract plus memory implementation, and connected the mobile vault repository to app-local markdown files behind that storage interface.
 - Added Expo FileSystem as the first app-local mobile vault storage implementation behind the storage driver contract.
 - Created [ADR-0111](./adr/0111-expo-file-system-vault-storage.md) to record the mobile filesystem dependency and app-local vault storage path.
+- Added a mobile vault seeding boundary that writes starter Markdown files only when the app-local vault is empty.
+- Wired the mobile shell to load its starter notes through the native Expo FileSystem storage driver and stored repository path, with fixture notes retained as the fallback while storage initializes.
 
 ## Next Action
 
@@ -60,7 +62,7 @@ Continue Phase 2 with the next mobile shell slice:
 
 1. Dismiss or suppress Expo Go's first-run tools modal during simulator QA so screenshots capture the app without the overlay.
 2. Expand the serializer for additional TenTap output needed by real notes: links, emphasis, code, headings, ordered lists, and task lists.
-3. Wire the app shell to the stored repository once an initial demo vault seed path exists.
+3. Expand the serializer for additional TenTap output needed by real notes: links, emphasis, code, headings, ordered lists, and task lists.
 
 ## Verification Log
 
@@ -161,6 +163,12 @@ Continue Phase 2 with the next mobile shell slice:
 - `pnpm --filter @tolaria/mobile typecheck` passed after Expo storage adapter extraction.
 - CodeScene after Expo storage adapter extraction: `apps/mobile/src/mobileExpoVaultStorage.ts`, `apps/mobile/src/mobileExpoVaultStorage.test.ts`, and `apps/mobile/src/mobileNativeVaultStorage.ts` scored `10`.
 - `pnpm --filter @tolaria/mobile exec expo export --platform ios --output-dir /tmp/tolaria-mobile-export` passed after Expo storage adapter extraction.
+- `pnpm --filter @tolaria/mobile test -- src/mobileVaultSeed.test.ts` passed after app-local demo vault seeding: 12 files / 40 tests.
+- `pnpm --filter @tolaria/mobile test` passed after app-local demo vault seeding: 12 files / 40 tests.
+- `pnpm --filter @tolaria/mobile typecheck` passed after app-local demo vault seeding.
+- CodeScene after app-local demo vault seeding: `apps/mobile/src/MobileApp.tsx`, `apps/mobile/src/mobileDemoVault.ts`, `apps/mobile/src/mobileExpoVaultStorage.ts`, `apps/mobile/src/mobileVaultSeed.ts`, and `apps/mobile/src/mobileVaultSeed.test.ts` scored `10`; `apps/mobile/src/demoData.ts` returned no scorable code and no findings.
+- `pnpm --filter @tolaria/mobile exec expo export --platform ios --output-dir /tmp/tolaria-mobile-export` passed after app-local demo vault seeding.
+- `pnpm --filter @tolaria/mobile exec expo start --ios --clear --port 8087` launched on `iPad Pro 13-inch (M4)` after app-local demo vault seeding; screenshot captured at `/tmp/tolaria-mobile-seeded-ipad.png`. The app rendered via the stored repository path behind Expo Go's first-run Tools modal with no red runtime error overlay.
 
 ## Risks / Watch Items