diff --git a/ui/src/components/frame/GlobalMicButton.tsx b/ui/src/components/frame/GlobalMicButton.tsx
index 7d586e8e..21670350 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/frame/GlobalMicButton.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/frame/GlobalMicButton.tsx
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@ import { useVoice } from "../../context/VoiceContext";
  *   - listening: volt fill, 1.5s pulse loop + expanding volt ring
  *   - speaking:  silver fill, no pulse
  *
- * Literal hex `#166534` (forest) and `#a0a0a0` (silver) are used because
- * MIGRATION-PLAN.md §3 proposes these as new CSS variables but has not yet
- * shipped them. Volt uses the `text-primary`/`bg-primary` semantic token.
+ * Uses the direct brand Tailwind aliases (`bg-forest`, `bg-silver`) that
+ * resolve to the `--forest` / `--silver` CSS vars declared in index.css.
+ * Volt uses the `text-primary`/`bg-primary` semantic token.
  */
 export function GlobalMicButton() {
   const { state, toggleListening, hasQueuedVoice } = useVoice();
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ export function GlobalMicButton() {
           aria-hidden="true"
           className={cn(
             "h-2 w-2 rounded-full",
-            hasQueuedVoice ? "bg-primary" : "bg-[#166534]",
+            hasQueuedVoice ? "bg-primary" : "bg-forest",
           )}
         />
       )}
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ export function GlobalMicButton() {
       {state === "speaking" && (
         <span
           aria-hidden="true"
-          className="h-2 w-2 rounded-full bg-[#a0a0a0]"
+          className="h-2 w-2 rounded-full bg-silver"
         />
       )}
     </button>
diff --git a/ui/src/components/projects/ProjectCard.test.tsx b/ui/src/components/projects/ProjectCard.test.tsx
index 7d89164d..dc3c418c 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/projects/ProjectCard.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/projects/ProjectCard.test.tsx
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ describe("ProjectCard", () => {
   it("renders a forest-green dot for idle status", () => {
     const api = render({ slug: "A", status: "idle", progress: 0 });
     expect(api.dot?.dataset.status).toBe("idle");
-    expect(api.dot?.className).toContain("bg-[#166534]");
+    expect(api.dot?.className).toContain("bg-forest");
   });
 
   it("renders a pulsing volt dot for working status", () => {
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ describe("ProjectCard", () => {
   it("renders a pale-yellow dot for waiting status", () => {
     const api = render({ slug: "A", status: "waiting", progress: 0 });
     expect(api.dot?.dataset.status).toBe("waiting");
-    expect(api.dot?.className).toContain("bg-[#f4f692]");
+    expect(api.dot?.className).toContain("bg-volt-pale");
   });
 
   it("sets progress bar fill width from normal progress value", () => {
diff --git a/ui/src/components/projects/ProjectCard.tsx b/ui/src/components/projects/ProjectCard.tsx
index 11930f7f..6ad619ec 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/projects/ProjectCard.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/projects/ProjectCard.tsx
@@ -43,13 +43,12 @@ export interface ProjectCardProps {
 
 function StatusDot({ status }: { status: ProjectCardStatus }) {
   if (status === "waiting") {
-    // Pale yellow literal hex — token doesn't ship until MIGRATION-PLAN §3.
     return (
       <span
         data-testid="project-card-status-dot"
         data-status="waiting"
         aria-label="Waiting on gate"
-        className="h-2 w-2 rounded-full bg-[#f4f692]"
+        className="h-2 w-2 rounded-full bg-volt-pale"
       />
     );
   }
@@ -68,7 +67,7 @@ function StatusDot({ status }: { status: ProjectCardStatus }) {
       data-testid="project-card-status-dot"
       data-status="idle"
       aria-label="Idle"
-      className="h-2 w-2 rounded-full bg-[#166534]"
+      className="h-2 w-2 rounded-full bg-forest"
     />
   );
 }
diff --git a/ui/src/components/projects/tabs/OverviewTab.tsx b/ui/src/components/projects/tabs/OverviewTab.tsx
index 1678d365..956d0dbc 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/projects/tabs/OverviewTab.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/projects/tabs/OverviewTab.tsx
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ function MilestoneBullet({ item }: { item: MilestoneItem }) {
         data-testid="milestone-bullet"
         data-state="next-gate"
         aria-hidden="true"
-        className="inline-block w-5 shrink-0 text-[#f4f692]"
+        className="inline-block w-5 shrink-0 text-volt-pale"
       >
         [○]
       </span>
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ function MilestoneChecklistCard({
               {item.state === "next-gate" ? (
                 <span
                   data-testid="milestone-next-gate-marker"
-                  className="ml-2 text-[11px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.12em] text-[#f4f692]"
+                  className="ml-2 text-[11px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.12em] text-volt-pale"
                 >
                   ← Next gate
                 </span>
diff --git a/ui/src/components/projects/tabs/TabPlaceholder.tsx b/ui/src/components/projects/tabs/TabPlaceholder.tsx
index 595a719b..488192db 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/projects/tabs/TabPlaceholder.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/projects/tabs/TabPlaceholder.tsx
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ export function TabPlaceholder({ testId, title, gapReason }: TabPlaceholderProps
       <p className="text-[14px] text-muted-foreground">
         <span
           data-testid={`${testId}-gap`}
-          className="inline-block rounded border border-[#f4f692]/40 bg-[#f4f692]/5 px-2 py-0.5 text-[11px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.1em] text-[#f4f692]"
+          className="inline-block rounded border border-volt-pale/40 bg-volt-pale/5 px-2 py-0.5 text-[11px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.1em] text-volt-pale"
         >
           Phase 11 data gap
         </span>
diff --git a/ui/src/components/settings/TelegramSection.tsx b/ui/src/components/settings/TelegramSection.tsx
index 6fc6f5a9..3db5cc70 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/settings/TelegramSection.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/settings/TelegramSection.tsx
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ export function TelegramSection() {
         <span
           className={cn(
             "text-xs font-medium",
-            running ? "text-[#166534] dark:text-primary" : "text-muted-foreground",
+            running ? "text-forest dark:text-primary" : "text-muted-foreground",
           )}
         >
           {statusQuery.isLoading ? "..." : running ? "Running" : "Not running"}
diff --git a/ui/src/pages/Projects.tsx b/ui/src/pages/Projects.tsx
index 95fb8659..ecf4f79b 100644
--- a/ui/src/pages/Projects.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/pages/Projects.tsx
@@ -225,9 +225,9 @@ export function Projects() {
           data-testid="projects-empty-cta"
           className={cn(
             "inline-flex items-center gap-2 rounded-md px-5 py-3",
-            "bg-[#166534] text-white",
+            "bg-forest text-white",
             "text-[14px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.1em]",
-            "hover:bg-[#166534]/90 transition-colors",
+            "hover:bg-forest/90 transition-colors",
             "focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-primary focus-visible:ring-offset-2 focus-visible:ring-offset-background",
           )}
         >
@@ -250,9 +250,9 @@ export function Projects() {
           data-testid="projects-new-project-cta"
           className={cn(
             "inline-flex items-center gap-2 rounded-md px-4 py-2",
-            "bg-[#166534] text-white",
+            "bg-forest text-white",
             "text-[12px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.12em]",
-            "hover:bg-[#166534]/90 transition-colors",
+            "hover:bg-forest/90 transition-colors",
             "focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-primary focus-visible:ring-offset-2 focus-visible:ring-offset-background",
           )}
         >