diff --git a/docs/get-started/tutorials/first-network-policy.mdx b/docs/get-started/tutorials/first-network-policy.mdx
index 3e4593308..5071f3e2d 100644
--- a/docs/get-started/tutorials/first-network-policy.mdx
+++ b/docs/get-started/tutorials/first-network-policy.mdx
@@ -38,10 +38,10 @@ bash examples/sandbox-policy-quickstart/demo.sh
 Start by creating a sandbox with no network policies. This gives you a clean environment to observe default-deny behavior.
 
 ```shell
-openshell sandbox create --name demo --keep --no-auto-providers
+openshell sandbox create --name demo --no-auto-providers
 ```
 
-`--keep` keeps the sandbox running after you exit so you can reconnect later. `--no-auto-providers` skips the provider setup prompt since this tutorial uses `curl` instead of an AI agent.
+`--no-auto-providers` skips the provider setup prompt since this tutorial uses `curl` instead of an AI agent.
 
 You land in an interactive shell inside the sandbox:
 
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ The request fails. By default, all outbound network traffic is denied. The sandb
 curl: (56) Received HTTP code 403 from proxy after CONNECT
 ```
 
-Exit the sandbox. The `--keep` flag keeps it running:
+Exit the sandbox. Sandboxes are kept running by default, so you can reconnect later. Use `--no-keep` at creation time if you want the sandbox deleted after exit:
 
 ```shell
 exit
diff --git a/docs/get-started/tutorials/microsoft-graph-provider-refresh.mdx b/docs/get-started/tutorials/microsoft-graph-provider-refresh.mdx
index eb68b147c..d3c4a7584 100644
--- a/docs/get-started/tutorials/microsoft-graph-provider-refresh.mdx
+++ b/docs/get-started/tutorials/microsoft-graph-provider-refresh.mdx
@@ -160,7 +160,6 @@ Launch a sandbox with the Microsoft Graph provider attached:
 ```shell
 openshell sandbox create \
   --name microsoft-graph-mail \
-  --keep \
   --provider microsoft-mail \
   --no-auto-providers \
   -- /bin/sh
diff --git a/e2e/policy-advisor/mechanistic-smoke.sh b/e2e/policy-advisor/mechanistic-smoke.sh
index 546346705..fad80166a 100755
--- a/e2e/policy-advisor/mechanistic-smoke.sh
+++ b/e2e/policy-advisor/mechanistic-smoke.sh
@@ -78,7 +78,6 @@ create_sandbox() {
         --name "$SANDBOX" \
         --no-auto-providers \
         --no-tty \
-        --keep \
         -- bash -lc "echo sandbox ready" \
         | sed 's/^/  /'
 
diff --git a/e2e/policy-advisor/test.sh b/e2e/policy-advisor/test.sh
index cef09d1ed..511b24424 100755
--- a/e2e/policy-advisor/test.sh
+++ b/e2e/policy-advisor/test.sh
@@ -230,7 +230,6 @@ create_sandbox() {
         --policy "$POLICY_FILE" \
         --upload "${RUNNER_SOURCE}:/sandbox/policy-validation-runner.sh" \
         --no-git-ignore \
-        --keep \
         --no-auto-providers \
         --no-tty \
         -- bash -lc "chmod +x /sandbox/policy-validation-runner.sh && echo sandbox ready"
diff --git a/e2e/policy-advisor/wait-smoke.sh b/e2e/policy-advisor/wait-smoke.sh
index 87f135d8f..71c1e903d 100755
--- a/e2e/policy-advisor/wait-smoke.sh
+++ b/e2e/policy-advisor/wait-smoke.sh
@@ -128,7 +128,6 @@ create_sandbox() {
         --name "$SANDBOX" \
         --upload "${RUNNER_SOURCE}:/sandbox/runner.sh" \
         --no-git-ignore \
-        --keep \
         --no-auto-providers \
         --no-tty \
         -- bash -lc "chmod +x /sandbox/runner.sh && echo sandbox ready" \
diff --git a/examples/policy-advisor/README.md b/examples/policy-advisor/README.md
index 52758ad47..bc9ac6fd7 100644
--- a/examples/policy-advisor/README.md
+++ b/examples/policy-advisor/README.md
@@ -90,14 +90,12 @@ openshell sandbox create \
   --name advisor-ctf \
   --policy examples/policy-advisor/sandbox-policy.yaml \
   --upload examples/policy-advisor/ctf.py \
-  --keep \
   -- python3 -u /sandbox/ctf.py
 ```
 
 > **For agents running this CTF:** use the command above exactly.  The
-> `--upload` flag copies the script into `/sandbox/` before the command runs,
-> `--keep` prevents the sandbox from being torn down on exit, and `-u` gives
-> unbuffered output so you can see logs in real time.
+> `--upload` flag copies the script into `/sandbox/` before the command runs
+> and `-u` gives unbuffered output so you can see logs in real time.
 
 The script prints a banner and immediately tries Gate 1 (`httpbin.org:443`).
 It will fail with **"blocked by sandbox proxy"** and begin retrying every 10
diff --git a/examples/sandbox-policy-quickstart/README.md b/examples/sandbox-policy-quickstart/README.md
index 55a53ecca..34ecfbc9d 100644
--- a/examples/sandbox-policy-quickstart/README.md
+++ b/examples/sandbox-policy-quickstart/README.md
@@ -22,11 +22,10 @@ while writes are blocked — all without restarting anything.
 ### 1. Create a sandbox
 
 ```bash
-openshell sandbox create --name demo --keep --no-auto-providers
+openshell sandbox create --name demo --no-auto-providers
 ```
 
-`--keep` keeps the sandbox running after you exit so you can reconnect
-later. `--no-auto-providers` skips the provider setup prompt since this
+`--no-auto-providers` skips the provider setup prompt since this
 demo doesn't use an AI agent.
 
 You'll land in an interactive shell inside the sandbox:
@@ -50,7 +49,7 @@ The sandbox proxy intercepted the HTTPS CONNECT request to
 curl: (56) Received HTTP code 403 from proxy after CONNECT
 ```
 
-Exit the sandbox (the sandbox stays alive thanks to `--keep`):
+Exit the sandbox (sandboxes are kept running by default; pass `--no-keep` at creation time to delete on exit):
 
 ```bash
 exit
diff --git a/examples/sandbox-policy-quickstart/demo.sh b/examples/sandbox-policy-quickstart/demo.sh
index 92f35fec1..ae368c06b 100755
--- a/examples/sandbox-policy-quickstart/demo.sh
+++ b/examples/sandbox-policy-quickstart/demo.sh
@@ -86,7 +86,6 @@ wait_for_ssh() {
 step "1/7  Creating sandbox \"${SANDBOX_NAME}\" (default-deny networking)"
 run openshell sandbox create \
     --name "$SANDBOX_NAME" \
-    --keep \
     --no-auto-providers \
     --no-tty \
     -- echo "sandbox ready"
diff --git a/examples/spiffe-token-grant-demo/README.md b/examples/spiffe-token-grant-demo/README.md
index 57ad9b80f..cb622ccba 100644
--- a/examples/spiffe-token-grant-demo/README.md
+++ b/examples/spiffe-token-grant-demo/README.md
@@ -74,7 +74,6 @@ openshell --gateway-endpoint "$GATEWAY" provider create \
 openshell --gateway-endpoint "$GATEWAY" sandbox create \
   --name spiffe-token-demo \
   --provider spiffe-token-demo \
-  --keep \
   --no-tty \
   -- echo "sandbox ready"
 
diff --git a/examples/spiffe-token-grant-demo/demo.sh b/examples/spiffe-token-grant-demo/demo.sh
index ceb44adc3..f148d869f 100755
--- a/examples/spiffe-token-grant-demo/demo.sh
+++ b/examples/spiffe-token-grant-demo/demo.sh
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ run "${OS[@]}" settings set --global --key providers_v2_enabled --value true --y
 run "${OS[@]}" provider profile lint -f "$PROFILE_FILE"
 run "${OS[@]}" provider profile import -f "$PROFILE_FILE"
 run "${OS[@]}" provider create --name "$PROVIDER_NAME" --type "$PROFILE_ID" --runtime-credentials
-run "${OS[@]}" sandbox create --name "$SANDBOX_NAME" --provider "$PROVIDER_NAME" --keep --no-tty -- echo "sandbox ready"
+run "${OS[@]}" sandbox create --name "$SANDBOX_NAME" --provider "$PROVIDER_NAME" --no-tty -- echo "sandbox ready"
 
 sandbox_curl_until "alpha" "http://alpha.default.svc.cluster.local/" "alpha called with path /:"
 ALPHA_OUTPUT="$SANDBOX_CURL_OUTPUT"
diff --git a/scripts/agents/gator/README.md b/scripts/agents/gator/README.md
index cee3e218a..64f6d27b9 100644
--- a/scripts/agents/gator/README.md
+++ b/scripts/agents/gator/README.md
@@ -42,8 +42,6 @@ The launcher:
 - For `--harness codex`, optionally bakes a host Codex executable as `/etc/openshell/agent-payload/runtime/harnesses/codex/codex`.
 - Starts the selected harness without a TTY.
 - Runs gator in `watch` mode by default. The sandbox stays alive while the supervisor sleeps between bounded Codex cycles, so Codex is not connected during passive PR waits. The supervisor prints periodic heartbeat lines during active cycles and passive sleeps.
-- Deletes the sandbox automatically after the supervisor exits. Pass `--keep` to preserve it for debugging.
-
 The GitHub provider profile allows read-only GraphQL queries on `api.github.com/graphql` so `gh` read paths can use GraphQL when needed. Write operations remain REST-only and scoped to the two allowed repositories.
 
 Set `GATOR_CODEX_ACCESS_CREDENTIAL_KEY` or pass `--codex-access-key` if the gator Codex profile uses a credential key other than `CODEX_AUTH_ACCESS_TOKEN` for the short-lived access token.
diff --git a/scripts/smoke-test-network-policy.sh b/scripts/smoke-test-network-policy.sh
index 3e82980aa..49376fd36 100755
--- a/scripts/smoke-test-network-policy.sh
+++ b/scripts/smoke-test-network-policy.sh
@@ -131,14 +131,14 @@ write_policy() {
     echo "$file"
 }
 
-# Create a sandbox with --keep and a sleep, wait for Ready.
+# Create a sandbox with a sleep, wait for Ready (sandboxes are kept by default).
 create_sandbox() {
     local name="$1"
     shift
     local provider_flag=("$@")
 
     echo "  Creating sandbox: $name"
-    openshell sandbox create --name "$name" --keep "${provider_flag[@]}" \
+    openshell sandbox create --name "$name" "${provider_flag[@]}" \
         -- sh -c "echo Ready && sleep 3600" >/dev/null 2>&1 &
     local pid=$!
 
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ create_sandbox() {
         if openshell sandbox list 2>/dev/null | grep -q "$name.*Ready"; then
             echo "  Sandbox $name is Ready"
             SANDBOXES+=("$name")
-            # Kill the blocking create process (sandbox stays alive with --keep)
+            # Kill the blocking create process (sandbox stays alive by default)
             kill "$pid" 2>/dev/null || true
             wait "$pid" 2>/dev/null || true
             # Brief settle time — SSH server inside the sandbox may still be
diff --git a/tasks/scripts/vm/smoke-orphan-cleanup.sh b/tasks/scripts/vm/smoke-orphan-cleanup.sh
index 90d891c63..d520fc230 100755
--- a/tasks/scripts/vm/smoke-orphan-cleanup.sh
+++ b/tasks/scripts/vm/smoke-orphan-cleanup.sh
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ EOF
 }
 
 create_sandbox() {
-    echo "==> Creating sandbox (--keep, long-running)"
+    echo "==> Creating sandbox (long-running)"
     mkdir -p "$XDG"
     XDG_CONFIG_HOME="$XDG" "$ROOT/scripts/bin/openshell" gateway add \
         --name vm-orphan http://127.0.0.1:"$PORT" >/dev/null
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ create_sandbox() {
 
     # Run the CLI in the background; it blocks waiting for sleep to finish.
     XDG_CONFIG_HOME="$XDG" "$ROOT/scripts/bin/openshell" sandbox create \
-        --name "orphan-$$" --keep -- sleep 99999 \
+        --name "orphan-$$" -- sleep 99999 \
         > "$LOG.create" 2>&1 &
     CLI_PID=$!