diff --git a/cmd/picoclaw/internal/helpers.go b/cmd/picoclaw/internal/helpers.go
index 9655d3c08..f81d7013d 100644
--- a/cmd/picoclaw/internal/helpers.go
+++ b/cmd/picoclaw/internal/helpers.go
@@ -18,12 +18,21 @@ var (
 	goVersion string
 )
 
+// GetPicoclawHome returns the picoclaw home directory.
+// Priority: $PICOCLAW_HOME > ~/.picoclaw
+func GetPicoclawHome() string {
+	if home := os.Getenv("PICOCLAW_HOME"); home != "" {
+		return home
+	}
+	home, _ := os.UserHomeDir()
+	return filepath.Join(home, ".picoclaw")
+}
+
 func GetConfigPath() string {
 	if configPath := os.Getenv("PICOCLAW_CONFIG"); configPath != "" {
 		return configPath
 	}
-	home, _ := os.UserHomeDir()
-	return filepath.Join(home, ".picoclaw", "config.json")
+	return filepath.Join(GetPicoclawHome(), "config.json")
 }
 
 func LoadConfig() (*config.Config, error) {
diff --git a/cmd/picoclaw/internal/helpers_test.go b/cmd/picoclaw/internal/helpers_test.go
index 47e2f8c07..646be1ba1 100644
--- a/cmd/picoclaw/internal/helpers_test.go
+++ b/cmd/picoclaw/internal/helpers_test.go
@@ -19,6 +19,27 @@ func TestGetConfigPath(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, want, got)
 }
 
+func TestGetConfigPath_WithPICOCLAW_HOME(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("PICOCLAW_HOME", "/custom/picoclaw")
+	t.Setenv("HOME", "/tmp/home")
+
+	got := GetConfigPath()
+	want := filepath.Join("/custom/picoclaw", "config.json")
+
+	assert.Equal(t, want, got)
+}
+
+func TestGetConfigPath_WithPICOCLAW_CONFIG(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("PICOCLAW_CONFIG", "/custom/config.json")
+	t.Setenv("PICOCLAW_HOME", "/custom/picoclaw")
+	t.Setenv("HOME", "/tmp/home")
+
+	got := GetConfigPath()
+	want := "/custom/config.json"
+
+	assert.Equal(t, want, got)
+}
+
 func TestFormatVersion_NoGitCommit(t *testing.T) {
 	oldVersion, oldGit := version, gitCommit
 	t.Cleanup(func() { version, gitCommit = oldVersion, oldGit })
diff --git a/pkg/agent/context.go b/pkg/agent/context.go
index 3aa903b3f..d84aea627 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/context.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/context.go
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ type ContextBuilder struct {
 }
 
 func getGlobalConfigDir() string {
+	if home := os.Getenv("PICOCLAW_HOME"); home != "" {
+		return home
+	}
 	home, err := os.UserHomeDir()
 	if err != nil {
 		return ""
diff --git a/pkg/agent/instance.go b/pkg/agent/instance.go
index ed25f537f..9a92fbbfd 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/instance.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/instance.go
@@ -187,12 +187,13 @@ func resolveAgentWorkspace(agentCfg *config.AgentConfig, defaults *config.AgentD
 	if agentCfg != nil && strings.TrimSpace(agentCfg.Workspace) != "" {
 		return expandHome(strings.TrimSpace(agentCfg.Workspace))
 	}
+	// Use the configured default workspace (respects PICOCLAW_HOME)
 	if agentCfg == nil || agentCfg.Default || agentCfg.ID == "" || routing.NormalizeAgentID(agentCfg.ID) == "main" {
 		return expandHome(defaults.Workspace)
 	}
-	home, _ := os.UserHomeDir()
+	// For named agents without explicit workspace, use default workspace with agent ID suffix
 	id := routing.NormalizeAgentID(agentCfg.ID)
-	return filepath.Join(home, ".picoclaw", "workspace-"+id)
+	return filepath.Join(expandHome(defaults.Workspace), "..", "workspace-"+id)
 }
 
 // resolveAgentModel resolves the primary model for an agent.
diff --git a/pkg/auth/store.go b/pkg/auth/store.go
index 283dc6977..2e55d4877 100644
--- a/pkg/auth/store.go
+++ b/pkg/auth/store.go
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@ func (c *AuthCredential) NeedsRefresh() bool {
 }
 
 func authFilePath() string {
+	if home := os.Getenv("PICOCLAW_HOME"); home != "" {
+		return filepath.Join(home, "auth.json")
+	}
 	home, _ := os.UserHomeDir()
 	return filepath.Join(home, ".picoclaw", "auth.json")
 }