diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/agentic_eval_with_fabric.ipynb b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/agentic_eval_with_fabric.ipynb
index 7414ba387e..ae75c40f85 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/agentic_eval_with_fabric.ipynb
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/agentic_eval_with_fabric.ipynb
@@ -599,13 +599,16 @@
     "result = evaluator.run_sync(\n",
     "    tasks=suite.tasks,\n",
     "    target=target,\n",
-    "    config=AgentEvalRunConfig(output_dir=OUTPUT_DIR, write_dashboard=True, parallelism=3),\n",
+    "    config=AgentEvalRunConfig(work_dir=OUTPUT_DIR, parallelism=3),\n",
     ")\n",
     "\n",
+    "# Storing the run is its own step; it defaults to the work_dir the config named.\n",
+    "location = result.persist()\n",
+    "\n",
     "print(\"run_id    :\", result.run_id)\n",
     "print(\"tasks     :\", result.summary.task_count)\n",
     "print(\"trials    :\", result.summary.trial_count)\n",
-    "print(\"dashboard :\", result.dashboard_path)"
+    "print(\"dashboard :\", location.dashboard_path)"
    ]
   },
   {
@@ -685,7 +688,7 @@
    "cell_type": "markdown",
    "id": "cell-34",
    "metadata": {},
-   "source": "To see **what the agent actually did** — its output, the files it changed, its step-by-step trajectory\n— open the HTML dashboard at `result.dashboard_path`, or read the persisted bundle under\n`result.output_dir` (`trials.jsonl`, `scores.jsonl`, `summary.json`). The trial evidence (the final\nworkspace and the ATIF trace) is what the metrics above opened to score each run."
+   "source": "To see **what the agent actually did** — its output, the files it changed, its step-by-step trajectory\n— open the HTML dashboard at `location.dashboard_path`, or read the persisted bundle under\n`location.output_dir` (`trials.jsonl`, `scores.jsonl`, `summary.json`). The trial evidence (the final\nworkspace and the ATIF trace) is what the metrics above opened to score each run."
   },
   {
    "cell_type": "markdown",
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/codex_docker/example.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/codex_docker/example.py
index 589fbaf7d2..e4d945576c 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/codex_docker/example.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/codex_docker/example.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 
 from nemo_evaluator_sdk import MetricInput, MetricOutput, MetricOutputSpec, MetricResult
 from nemo_evaluator_sdk.agent_eval.evaluator import AgentEvaluator
-from nemo_evaluator_sdk.agent_eval.results import AgentEvalResult
+from nemo_evaluator_sdk.agent_eval.results import AgentEvalResult, BundleLocation
 from nemo_evaluator_sdk.agent_eval.runtimes.codex.runtime import CodexDockerCliAgentRuntime
 from nemo_evaluator_sdk.agent_eval.tasks import AgentEvalRunConfig, AgentEvalTask
 from nemo_evaluator_sdk.agent_eval.trials import AgentTaskRunner
@@ -108,8 +108,12 @@ async def evaluate(
     output_dir: str | Path | None = None,
     runtime: AgentTaskRunner | None = None,
     write_dashboard: bool = True,
-) -> AgentEvalResult:
-    """Run one Docker Codex task and score its host-readable workspace evidence."""
+) -> tuple[AgentEvalResult, BundleLocation]:
+    """Run one Docker Codex task, score its workspace evidence, and store the run.
+
+    Returns the result and where it was written: ``run`` itself no longer persists, so storing is an
+    explicit step here.
+    """
     resolved_output_dir = Path(output_dir).expanduser() if output_dir is not None else _new_output_dir()
     target = runtime or _docker_runtime(resolved_output_dir)
 
@@ -127,21 +131,21 @@ async def evaluate(
         metrics=[WorkspaceArtifactMetric()],
     )
 
-    return await AgentEvaluator().run(
+    result = await AgentEvaluator().run(
         tasks=[task],
         target=target,
         config=AgentEvalRunConfig(
-            output_dir=resolved_output_dir,
+            work_dir=resolved_output_dir,
             parallelism=1,
-            write_dashboard=write_dashboard,
             benchmark={"name": "codex-docker-evidence-sanity"},
         ),
     )
+    return result, result.persist(write_dashboard=write_dashboard)
 
 
 async def main() -> None:
     logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO, format="%(levelname)s:%(name)s:%(message)s")
-    result = await evaluate()
+    result, location = await evaluate()
 
     trial = result.trials[0]
     if trial.output is None or trial.evidence is None:
@@ -156,7 +160,7 @@ async def main() -> None:
     print(f"artifact contents: {artifact.read_text(encoding='utf-8').strip()}")
     print(f"workspace_artifact.output_matches: {scores['workspace_artifact.output_matches']}")
     print(f"workspace_artifact.artifact_matches: {scores['workspace_artifact.artifact_matches']}")
-    print(f"run bundle: {result.output_dir}")
+    print(f"run bundle: {location.output_dir}")
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/fabric_container/run_e2e.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/fabric_container/run_e2e.py
index 6005d244c2..5ef3d0980f 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/fabric_container/run_e2e.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/fabric_container/run_e2e.py
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ async def main() -> int:
     )
 
     output_dir = Path(os.environ.get("FABRIC_OUTPUT_DIR", "/tmp/fabric-container-e2e"))
-    (trial,) = await runtime.run_tasks([task], AgentEvalRunConfig(output_dir=output_dir))
+    (trial,) = await runtime.run_tasks([task], AgentEvalRunConfig(work_dir=output_dir))
 
     print("=== TRIAL ===")
     print("status:", trial.status)
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/gym/run_gym_eval.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/gym/run_gym_eval.py
index dbf3e1e268..a8d9cfe376 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/gym/run_gym_eval.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/gym/run_gym_eval.py
@@ -97,15 +97,18 @@ async def _main(args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
     result = await AgentEvaluator().run(
         tasks=tasks,
         target=runner,
-        config=AgentEvalRunConfig(output_dir=output_dir, parallelism=1),
+        config=AgentEvalRunConfig(work_dir=output_dir, parallelism=1),
     )
+    # Storing the run is its own step. Defaults to the run's work_dir, so the bundle contains the
+    # evidence the trials point at.
+    location = result.persist()
 
     print("=== RESULT ===")
     print(f"tasks: {result.summary.task_count}  trials: {result.summary.trial_count}")
     print("aggregate scores:")
     for aggregate in result.summary.scores.scores:
         print(f"  {aggregate.name}: mean={aggregate.mean}")
-    print(f"\nRun bundle (run.json, trials.jsonl, scores.jsonl, report.html): {output_dir}")
+    print(f"\nRun bundle (run.json, trials.jsonl, scores.jsonl, report.html): {location.output_dir}")
     return 0
 
 
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/profbench/runner.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/profbench/runner.py
index d8435f32f7..1ba0e3ab25 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/profbench/runner.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/profbench/runner.py
@@ -121,13 +121,14 @@ async def run_profbench_mode(
         trials=trials,
         target=target,
         config=AgentEvalRunConfig(
-            output_dir=output_dir,
+            work_dir=output_dir,
             run_id=f"{run_instance_id}-{mode.value}",
             params=params,
             benchmark=benchmark_meta,
-            write_dashboard=False,
         ),
     )
+    # This example renders its own dashboards below, so persistence skips the built-in one.
+    result.persist(write_dashboard=False)
     sdk_dashboard_path, dashboard_path = write_example_dashboards(result, output_dir)
 
     overall = _profbench_overall(result)
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/run_agent_eval/pipeline.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/run_agent_eval/pipeline.py
index 67111f285b..7fb37b3c4e 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/run_agent_eval/pipeline.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/run_agent_eval/pipeline.py
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ async def run_tasks(
             target=target,
             config=self._run_config(output_dir=output_dir, run_id=run_id, benchmark=benchmark),
         )
-        self._maybe_write_gate(result)
+        self._persist_and_gate(result, output_dir)
         return result
 
     async def score_trials(
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ async def score_trials(
             trials=list(trials),
             config=self._run_config(output_dir=output_dir, run_id=run_id, benchmark=benchmark),
         )
-        self._maybe_write_gate(result)
+        self._persist_and_gate(result, output_dir)
         return result
 
     def _run_config(
@@ -104,10 +104,9 @@ def _run_config(
         benchmark: dict[str, object] | None,
     ) -> AgentEvalRunConfig:
         return AgentEvalRunConfig(
-            output_dir=output_dir,
+            work_dir=output_dir,
             run_id=run_id,
             parallelism=self.config.parallelism,
-            write_dashboard=self.config.write_dashboard,
             benchmark=dict(benchmark or {}),
         )
 
@@ -122,8 +121,12 @@ def _with_extra_metrics(self, task: AgentEvalTask) -> AgentEvalTask:
             return task
         return task.model_copy(update={"metrics": metrics + appended})
 
-    def _maybe_write_gate(self, result: AgentEvalResult) -> None:
-        if not (self.config.write_gate and result.output_dir is not None):
+    def _persist_and_gate(self, result: AgentEvalResult, output_dir: Path | None) -> None:
+        """Store the run (when a directory was given) and write the gate report beside it."""
+        if output_dir is None:
+            return
+        location = result.persist(write_dashboard=self.config.write_dashboard)
+        if not self.config.write_gate:
             return
         baseline = (
             load_baseline_summary(self.config.baseline_summary_path)
@@ -131,7 +134,7 @@ def _maybe_write_gate(self, result: AgentEvalResult) -> None:
             else None
         )
         report = evaluate_gate(result, thresholds=self.config.gate_thresholds, baseline_summary=baseline)
-        write_gate_report(report, result.output_dir)
+        write_gate_report(report, location.output_dir)
 
 
 __all__ = [
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/run_agent_eval/platform_runtime.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/run_agent_eval/platform_runtime.py
index 8c97094d75..93ca51b297 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/run_agent_eval/platform_runtime.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/run_agent_eval/platform_runtime.py
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ def task_image_tag(task_id: str) -> str:
 
 def resolve_run_layout(task: AgentEvalTask, config: AgentEvalRunConfig | None) -> AgenticRunLayout:
     """Resolve/create the on-disk layout for one task run."""
-    output_dir = config.output_dir if config is not None else None
+    output_dir = config.work_dir if config is not None else None
     run_dir = resolve_run_dir(output_dir, lambda: Path.cwd() / "nat-jobs" / task.id) / task.id
     base = prepare_run_layout(run_dir, str(task.inputs.get("instruction") or task.intent))
     state_dir = base.run_dir / "state"
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/run_agent_eval/run_agent_eval.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/run_agent_eval/run_agent_eval.py
index 3d564eae6e..1998d70da4 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/run_agent_eval/run_agent_eval.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/run_agent_eval/run_agent_eval.py
@@ -159,9 +159,9 @@ def _print_result(result: AgentEvalResult) -> None:
         if score.mean is not None:
             print(f"  {score.name}: mean={score.mean:.3f}")
     _print_measurements(result)
-    if result.output_dir is not None:
-        print(f"output_dir: {result.output_dir}")
-        print(f"gate: {result.output_dir / 'gate.json'}")
+    if result.work_dir is not None:
+        print(f"work_dir: {result.work_dir}")
+        print(f"gate: {result.work_dir / 'gate.json'}")
 
 
 def _print_measurements(result: AgentEvalResult) -> None:
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/run_agent_eval/workflow_runtime.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/run_agent_eval/workflow_runtime.py
index 0906e4afdc..05b1c0faa1 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/run_agent_eval/workflow_runtime.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/run_agent_eval/workflow_runtime.py
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ def _format_command(self, instruction_path: Path, workspace_dir: Path, input_jso
         return [substitutions.get(token, token) for token in self.config.command]
 
     def _run_dir(self, index: int, task: AgentEvalTask, config: AgentEvalRunConfig) -> Path:
-        root = (config.output_dir or Path.cwd()) / "evidence" / RUNTIME_NAME
+        root = (config.work_dir or Path.cwd()) / "evidence" / RUNTIME_NAME
         return root / (_safe_name(task.id) or f"task-{index}")
 
 
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/skill_eval/run_skill_eval.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/skill_eval/run_skill_eval.py
index 0693efe21e..5927eada8c 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/skill_eval/run_skill_eval.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/examples/skill_eval/run_skill_eval.py
@@ -258,15 +258,17 @@ async def _main() -> int:
         baseline = await AgentEvaluator().run(
             tasks=tasks,
             target=baseline_runtime,
-            config=AgentEvalRunConfig(run_id="baseline", output_dir=output_dir / "baseline", write_dashboard=False),
+            config=AgentEvalRunConfig(run_id="baseline", work_dir=output_dir / "baseline"),
         )
+        baseline.persist(write_dashboard=False)
         treated = await AgentEvaluator().run(
             tasks=tasks,
             target=baseline_runtime.with_skill(
                 skill
             ),  # We include the skill in the treated arm, so the two runs differ in *exactly* the skill.
-            config=AgentEvalRunConfig(run_id="treated", output_dir=output_dir / "treated", write_dashboard=False),
+            config=AgentEvalRunConfig(run_id="treated", work_dir=output_dir / "treated"),
         )
+        treated.persist(write_dashboard=False)
     except SkillInjectionError as exc:
         print(f"skill eval failed to load the bundled skill: {exc}")
         return 1
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/evaluator.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/evaluator.py
index 2880072880..892ff42c18 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/evaluator.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/evaluator.py
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@
 
 import httpx
 import nemo_evaluator_sdk.inference as inference
-from nemo_evaluator_sdk.agent_eval.dashboard import write_dashboard
-from nemo_evaluator_sdk.agent_eval.persistence import persist_run
 from nemo_evaluator_sdk.agent_eval.results import AgentEvalResult, AgentEvalSummary
 from nemo_evaluator_sdk.agent_eval.scores import (
     AgentEvalDiagnostic,
@@ -180,10 +178,9 @@ async def run(
             scores=scores,
             summary=AgentEvalSummary.from_scores(scores, tasks=task_list),
             benchmark=benchmark,
+            work_dir=runtime_config.work_dir,
         )
 
-        if runtime_config.output_dir is not None:
-            result = _persist_with_optional_dashboard(result, runtime_config.output_dir, runtime_config.write_dashboard)
         return result
 
     def run_sync(
@@ -324,8 +321,8 @@ async def generate_one(index: int, task: AgentEvalTask) -> AgentEvalTrial:
                         "invocation_id": f"{config.run_id}:{task.id}:{target.name}",
                     }
                     evidence_dir = (
-                        _task_evidence_dir(Path(config.output_dir), index=index, task_id=task.id)
-                        if config.output_dir is not None and isinstance(target, AgentBase)
+                        _task_evidence_dir(Path(config.work_dir), index=index, task_id=task.id)
+                        if config.work_dir is not None and isinstance(target, AgentBase)
                         else None
                     )
                     resolved_inference_fn = self.inference_fn
@@ -693,18 +690,6 @@ def _benchmark_metadata(tasks: list[AgentEvalTask]) -> dict[str, Any]:
     return {"benchmark": benchmarks[0] if len(benchmarks) == 1 else benchmarks}
 
 
-def _persist_with_optional_dashboard(
-    result: AgentEvalResult,
-    output_dir: Path,
-    write_html: bool,
-) -> AgentEvalResult:
-    path = Path(output_dir)
-    dashboard_path = None
-    if write_html:
-        dashboard_path = write_dashboard(result.model_copy(update={"output_dir": path}), path / "report.html")
-    return persist_run(result.model_copy(update={"output_dir": path, "dashboard_path": dashboard_path}), path)
-
-
 def _new_run_id() -> str:
     timestamp = datetime.now(UTC).strftime("%Y%m%d%H%M%S")
     return f"agent-eval-{timestamp}-{uuid.uuid4().hex[:8]}"
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/persistence.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/persistence.py
index b2b820e0e7..2c7383c2e9 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/persistence.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/persistence.py
@@ -10,32 +10,52 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any
 
-from nemo_evaluator_sdk.agent_eval.results import AgentEvalResult
+from nemo_evaluator_sdk.agent_eval.dashboard import write_dashboard
+from nemo_evaluator_sdk.agent_eval.results import AgentEvalResult, BundleLocation
 from nemo_evaluator_sdk.agent_eval.trials import AgentEvalTrial
 from pydantic import BaseModel
 
+#: Filename of the rendered HTML dashboard inside a bundle.
+DASHBOARD_FILENAME = "report.html"
 
-def persist_run(result: AgentEvalResult, output_dir: str | Path) -> AgentEvalResult:
-    """Persist a completed run bundle to ``output_dir``."""
+
+def persist_run(
+    result: AgentEvalResult,
+    output_dir: str | Path,
+    *,
+    write_html_dashboard: bool = True,
+) -> BundleLocation:
+    """Write a completed run to a bundle at ``output_dir`` and report where it landed.
+
+    Explicit rather than a side effect of :meth:`AgentEvaluator.run`: computing an evaluation and
+    storing one are different decisions, and folding them together is what forced the result object to
+    carry paths it could not know at construction time. (Same reasoning as ``publish_to_intake``.)
+
+    Set ``write_html_dashboard=False`` to skip rendering ``report.html`` — the dashboard is written
+    here so the manifest can record it in a single pass.
+    """
     path = Path(output_dir)
     path.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
 
+    # Render first so the manifest below can name it; the dashboard reads only the run's own contents.
+    dashboard_path = write_dashboard(result, path / DASHBOARD_FILENAME) if write_html_dashboard else None
+
     _write_json(path / "benchmark.json", result.benchmark)
     _write_jsonl(path / "tasks.jsonl", result.tasks)
     _write_trials(path / "trials.jsonl", result.trials, base=path)
     _write_jsonl(path / "scores.jsonl", result.scores)
     _write_json(path / "summary.json", result.summary)
 
-    updated = result.model_copy(update={"output_dir": path})
-    _write_json(path / "run.json", _run_manifest(updated))
-    return updated
+    location = BundleLocation(output_dir=path, dashboard_path=dashboard_path)
+    _write_json(path / "run.json", _run_manifest(result, location))
+    return location
 
 
-def _run_manifest(result: AgentEvalResult) -> dict[str, Any]:
+def _run_manifest(result: AgentEvalResult, location: BundleLocation) -> dict[str, Any]:
     return {
         "run_id": result.run_id,
-        "output_dir": str(result.output_dir) if result.output_dir is not None else None,
-        "dashboard_path": str(result.dashboard_path) if result.dashboard_path is not None else None,
+        "output_dir": str(location.output_dir),
+        "dashboard_path": str(location.dashboard_path) if location.dashboard_path is not None else None,
         "artifacts": {
             "benchmark": "benchmark.json",
             "tasks": "tasks.jsonl",
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/results.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/results.py
index 7eee3f6335..18cc01e564 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/results.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/results.py
@@ -68,8 +68,30 @@ def from_scores(
         )
 
 
+class BundleLocation(BaseModel):
+    """Where a run was written, returned by :meth:`AgentEvalResult.persist`.
+
+    Kept off :class:`AgentEvalResult` because it is not a property of the evaluation — it is the
+    outcome of choosing to store it. Holding one means the bundle exists, so there is no optional to
+    re-check; a run that was never persisted simply has no ``BundleLocation``.
+    """
+
+    model_config = ConfigDict(extra="forbid", frozen=True)
+
+    output_dir: Path = Field(description="Directory the run bundle was written to.")
+    dashboard_path: Path | None = Field(
+        default=None,
+        description="Path to the rendered HTML dashboard, or None when dashboard writing was disabled.",
+    )
+
+
 class AgentEvalResult(BaseModel):
-    """Root result for a completed agent evaluation: tasks, trials, scores, summary, and bundle metadata."""
+    """Root result for a completed agent evaluation: tasks, trials, scores, and summary.
+
+    Describes the evaluation and nothing else — storing it is a separate decision, made by calling
+    :meth:`persist`. Because the result carries no paths, it never holds a location that was unknown
+    when it was constructed, and nothing has to mutate it after the fact.
+    """
 
     model_config = ConfigDict(extra="forbid")
 
@@ -82,8 +104,39 @@ class AgentEvalResult(BaseModel):
         default_factory=dict,
         description="Benchmark metadata recorded for the run.",
     )
-    output_dir: Path | None = Field(default=None, description="Directory the run bundle was written to, if any.")
-    dashboard_path: Path | None = Field(default=None, description="Path to the rendered dashboard, if written.")
+    work_dir: Path | None = Field(
+        default=None,
+        description="Directory the run worked in, where its runtimes wrote trial evidence. Known "
+        "before the run starts (it comes from the run config), so unlike a bundle location it is "
+        "never attached after the fact. None for a purely in-memory run.",
+    )
+
+    def persist(self, output_dir: str | Path | None = None, *, write_dashboard: bool = True) -> BundleLocation:
+        """Write this run to a bundle and return where it landed.
+
+        Deliberately a call rather than something ``AgentEvaluator.run`` does for you: computing an
+        evaluation and storing one are separate decisions (the same reasoning as ``publish_to_intake``).
+
+        Defaults to :attr:`work_dir`, which is the directory the trials' evidence already lives under —
+        so the bundle is self-contained and survives being moved. Passing a different ``output_dir``
+        leaves those evidence references pointing back at the original directory. That is supported (a
+        re-scored run may reference an earlier run's deliverables) but the resulting bundle only
+        resolves while the original directory is still there.
+
+        Set ``write_dashboard=False`` to skip rendering ``report.html``.
+        """
+        # Imported here rather than at module scope: persistence imports this module for the types it
+        # writes, so a top-level import would be circular.
+        from nemo_evaluator_sdk.agent_eval.persistence import persist_run
+
+        target = output_dir if output_dir is not None else self.work_dir
+        if target is None:
+            raise ValueError(
+                "this run has no work_dir to persist into (it ran in memory); pass an explicit "
+                "output_dir, or set work_dir on the AgentEvalRunConfig so evidence and bundle share "
+                "a directory"
+            )
+        return persist_run(self, target, write_html_dashboard=write_dashboard)
 
 
 def _aggregate_scores(
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/codex/runtime.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/codex/runtime.py
index 717d10d653..4d85593b02 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/codex/runtime.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/codex/runtime.py
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ def _validate_artifact_permissions(self, evidence_dir: Path) -> None:
     def _evidence_dir(self, index: int, task: AgentEvalTask, config: AgentEvalRunConfig) -> Path:
         root = self._work_root
         if root is None:
-            root = (config.output_dir or Path.cwd()) / "evidence" / "codex"
+            root = (config.work_dir or Path.cwd()) / "evidence" / "codex"
         safe_task_id = _safe_path_name(task.id)
         task_dir = f"{index:06d}-{safe_task_id}" if safe_task_id else f"task-{index:06d}"
         return Path(root) / task_dir
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/docker_sandbox.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/docker_sandbox.py
index 22b4252b30..7bc7f13739 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/docker_sandbox.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/docker_sandbox.py
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ def _failed_trial(self, task: AgentEvalTask, exc: Exception, evidence_dir: Path)
         )
 
     def _evidence_dir(self, index: int, task: AgentEvalTask, config: AgentEvalRunConfig) -> Path:
-        root = config.output_dir if config.output_dir is not None else self._work_root
+        root = config.work_dir if config.work_dir is not None else self._work_root
         if root is None:
             root = Path(tempfile.gettempdir()) / "nemo-evaluator-agent-runtime"
         run_id = config.run_id or _new_runtime_run_id()
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/fabric/container_runtime.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/fabric/container_runtime.py
index 18ba73c905..285d44ca7c 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/fabric/container_runtime.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/fabric/container_runtime.py
@@ -469,7 +469,7 @@ def _failed_trial(
     def _evidence_dir(self, index: int, task: AgentEvalTask, config: AgentEvalRunConfig) -> Path:
         # Evidence lands under the run's output dir (like every other runtime); the container's own
         # working state lives at /out inside the sandbox and is downloaded here.
-        root = (config.output_dir or Path.cwd()) / "evidence" / "fabric_container"
+        root = (config.work_dir or Path.cwd()) / "evidence" / "fabric_container"
         return root / _common.task_subdir_name(index, task.id)
 
 
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/fabric/runtime.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/fabric/runtime.py
index 34d56b7c7a..f3fb330faf 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/fabric/runtime.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/fabric/runtime.py
@@ -511,7 +511,7 @@ def _relay_config(self, relay_dir: Path) -> RelayObservabilityConfig:
     def _evidence_dir(self, index: int, task: AgentEvalTask, config: AgentEvalRunConfig) -> Path:
         root = self._work_root
         if root is None:
-            root = (config.output_dir or Path.cwd()) / "evidence" / "fabric"
+            root = (config.work_dir or Path.cwd()) / "evidence" / "fabric"
         # The run id isolates this run's evidence from other runs sharing the same root (A/B baseline
         # vs. skilled); run_tasks always populates it, so the fallback only guards a direct call.
         run_id = config.run_id or _new_run_id()
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/gym_runtime.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/gym_runtime.py
index ab0e2a314f..fec77df130 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/gym_runtime.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/gym_runtime.py
@@ -347,8 +347,8 @@ async def run_tasks(
         # phases — parallelism bounds concurrent scoring (SDK-side, cheap), while Gym's `--concurrency`
         # bounds concurrent rollouts against the model endpoint during collection (tuned to that endpoint's
         # limits via GymRuntimeConfig.concurrency).
-        if config is not None and config.output_dir is not None:
-            work_dir = Path(config.output_dir) / "gym_run"
+        if config is not None and config.work_dir is not None:
+            work_dir = Path(config.work_dir) / "gym_run"
         else:
             work_dir = Path(tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="gym_run_"))
         work_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/harbor_runtime.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/harbor_runtime.py
index 374f2defa6..0c56660e98 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/harbor_runtime.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/runtimes/harbor_runtime.py
@@ -1299,7 +1299,7 @@ async def run_harbor_eval(
     return await AgentEvaluator().run(
         tasks=tasks,
         target=runner,
-        config=run_config or AgentEvalRunConfig(write_dashboard=False),
+        config=run_config or AgentEvalRunConfig(),
     )
 
 
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/tasks.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/tasks.py
index 83e5d64520..c33fcb0a78 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/tasks.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/src/nemo_evaluator_sdk/agent_eval/tasks.py
@@ -214,9 +214,11 @@ class AgentEvalRunConfig(BaseModel):
 
     model_config = ConfigDict(extra="forbid")
 
-    output_dir: Path | None = Field(
+    work_dir: Path | None = Field(
         default=None,
-        description="Directory where the run bundle is written; in-memory only when omitted.",
+        description="Directory the run works in: runtimes write trial evidence beneath it, and it is "
+        "the default target for AgentEvalResult.persist so the bundle contains that evidence. Purely "
+        "in-memory when omitted.",
     )
     run_id: str | None = Field(default=None, description="Explicit run identifier; generated when omitted.")
     prompt_template: str | dict[str, Any] | None = Field(
@@ -228,7 +230,6 @@ class AgentEvalRunConfig(BaseModel):
         description="Inference/run parameters used when producing trials online.",
     )
     parallelism: int = Field(default=4, ge=1, description="Maximum number of tasks scored concurrently.")
-    write_dashboard: bool = Field(default=True, description="Whether to render an HTML dashboard for the run.")
     benchmark: dict[str, Any] = Field(
         default_factory=dict,
         description="Benchmark metadata recorded alongside the run.",
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_codex_docker_example.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_codex_docker_example.py
index 26036d16e6..0b3868f0ed 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_codex_docker_example.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_codex_docker_example.py
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ def test_default_output_dir_is_under_repo_temp(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch)
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_codex_docker_example_scores_workspace_artifact(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
-    result = await codex_docker.evaluate(
+    result, location = await codex_docker.evaluate(
         output_dir=tmp_path / "run",
         runtime=_FakeCodexRuntime(tmp_path / "workspace"),
         write_dashboard=False,
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ async def test_codex_docker_example_scores_workspace_artifact(tmp_path: Path) ->
         "workspace_artifact.output_matches": True,
     }
     assert (tmp_path / "run" / "run.json").is_file()
+    assert location.output_dir == tmp_path / "run"
+    assert location.dashboard_path is None  # write_dashboard=False
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_docker_sandbox_runtime.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_docker_sandbox_runtime.py
index ad62495708..c33faae163 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_docker_sandbox_runtime.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_docker_sandbox_runtime.py
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ async def test_completed_run_writes_artifacts_and_evidence(monkeypatch: pytest.M
 
     trials = await runtime.run_tasks(
         [_task()],
-        config=AgentEvalRunConfig(output_dir=tmp_path, run_id="run-1", parallelism=1),
+        config=AgentEvalRunConfig(work_dir=tmp_path, run_id="run-1", parallelism=1),
     )
 
     evidence_dir = tmp_path / "agent-runtime" / "run-1" / "000000-task-1"
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ async def test_runtime_creates_and_deletes_one_sandbox_per_task(
 
     await runtime.run_tasks(
         [_task(task_id="task-1"), _task(task_id="task-2")],
-        config=AgentEvalRunConfig(output_dir=tmp_path, run_id="run-1", parallelism=2),
+        config=AgentEvalRunConfig(work_dir=tmp_path, run_id="run-1", parallelism=2),
     )
 
     assert len(client.created) == 2
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ async def test_direct_runtime_call_uses_one_generated_run_id(
 
     await runtime.run_tasks(
         [_task(task_id="task-1"), _task(task_id="task-2")],
-        config=AgentEvalRunConfig(output_dir=tmp_path, parallelism=2),
+        config=AgentEvalRunConfig(work_dir=tmp_path, parallelism=2),
     )
 
     run_dirs = list((tmp_path / "agent-runtime").iterdir())
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ async def test_parallelism_limits_concurrent_task_runs(
 
     await runtime.run_tasks(
         [_task(task_id=f"task-{index}") for index in range(4)],
-        config=AgentEvalRunConfig(output_dir=tmp_path, run_id="run-1", parallelism=2),
+        config=AgentEvalRunConfig(work_dir=tmp_path, run_id="run-1", parallelism=2),
     )
 
     assert runner.max_active == 2
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ async def test_runtime_exception_returns_failed_trial(
 
     trials = await runtime.run_tasks(
         [_task()],
-        config=AgentEvalRunConfig(output_dir=tmp_path, run_id="run-1", parallelism=1),
+        config=AgentEvalRunConfig(work_dir=tmp_path, run_id="run-1", parallelism=1),
     )
 
     error_path = tmp_path / "agent-runtime" / "run-1" / "000000-task-1" / "error.json"
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_evaluator.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_evaluator.py
index e4caa233b0..8ff1781c4f 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_evaluator.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_evaluator.py
@@ -295,16 +295,38 @@ def test_run_rejects_trials_and_target_together() -> None:
         )
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_run_writes_nothing_until_persist_is_called(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    # The point of the change: computing an evaluation and storing one are separate decisions, so a
+    # run given a work_dir still leaves it empty until the caller asks for a bundle.
+    result = await AgentEvaluator().run(
+        tasks=[_task()],
+        trials=[_candidate_trial()],
+        config=AgentEvalRunConfig(work_dir=tmp_path, parallelism=1),
+    )
+
+    assert not (tmp_path / "run.json").exists()
+    assert not (tmp_path / "report.html").exists()
+    # work_dir comes from the config, so it is known at construction — never patched on afterwards.
+    assert result.work_dir == tmp_path
+
+    result.persist()
+    assert (tmp_path / "run.json").is_file()
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_scores_imported_trials_with_metric_and_persists_bundle(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     result = await AgentEvaluator().run(
         tasks=[_task()],
         trials=[_candidate_trial()],
-        config=AgentEvalRunConfig(output_dir=tmp_path, parallelism=1),
+        config=AgentEvalRunConfig(work_dir=tmp_path, parallelism=1),
     )
+    # run() no longer writes anything; persisting is the caller's call and defaults to the work_dir.
+    location = result.persist()
 
     assert _score(result.summary, "constant_metric.score").mean == 0.75
-    assert result.dashboard_path == tmp_path / "report.html"
+    assert location.output_dir == tmp_path
+    assert location.dashboard_path == tmp_path / "report.html"
     assert (tmp_path / "run.json").exists()
     assert (tmp_path / "scores.jsonl").exists()
     assert "run_id" not in json.loads((tmp_path / "benchmark.json").read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
@@ -653,7 +675,6 @@ async def test_generation_boundary_names_agent_eval_context() -> None:
             config=AgentEvalRunConfig(
                 run_id="run-123",
                 params=RunConfigOnline(parallelism=1),
-                write_dashboard=False,
             ),
         )
 
@@ -689,10 +710,9 @@ async def test_default_agent_invocation_receives_run_context_and_evidence_dir(tm
             target=agent,
             config=AgentEvalRunConfig(
                 run_id="run-123",
-                output_dir=tmp_path,
+                work_dir=tmp_path,
                 prompt_template=prompt_template,
                 params=RunConfigOnline(parallelism=1),
-                write_dashboard=False,
             ),
         )
 
@@ -733,9 +753,8 @@ async def fake_invoke(agent: Agent, request: dict[str, Any], **kwargs: Any) -> A
             target=agent,
             config=AgentEvalRunConfig(
                 run_id="run-123",
-                output_dir=tmp_path,
+                work_dir=tmp_path,
                 params=RunConfigOnline(parallelism=1),
-                write_dashboard=False,
             ),
         )
 
@@ -773,9 +792,8 @@ def factory(context: AgentInferenceContext):
         target=agent,
         config=AgentEvalRunConfig(
             run_id="run-123",
-            output_dir=tmp_path,
+            work_dir=tmp_path,
             params=RunConfigOnline(parallelism=1),
-            write_dashboard=False,
         ),
     )
 
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_fabric_container_runtime.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_fabric_container_runtime.py
index e9a6f3694b..1ef7e2b764 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_fabric_container_runtime.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_fabric_container_runtime.py
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ def _runtime(provider: _FakeProvider, **kwargs: object) -> FabricContainerRuntim
 
 
 async def _run(runtime: FabricContainerRuntime, tasks: list[AgentEvalTask], tmp_path: Path) -> Sequence[AgentEvalTrial]:
-    return await runtime.run_tasks(tasks, AgentEvalRunConfig(output_dir=tmp_path))
+    return await runtime.run_tasks(tasks, AgentEvalRunConfig(work_dir=tmp_path))
 
 
 def _task() -> AgentEvalTask:
@@ -480,7 +480,7 @@ async def test_native_skill_preserves_preconfigured_skill_paths(
     skill = AgentSkill.from_directory(_skill_bundle(tmp_path / "src"))
     provider = _FakeProvider()
     runtime = FabricContainerRuntime(config, provider=provider, skills=[skill])  # type: ignore[arg-type]
-    await runtime.run_tasks([_task()], AgentEvalRunConfig(output_dir=tmp_path))
+    await runtime.run_tasks([_task()], AgentEvalRunConfig(work_dir=tmp_path))
 
     paths = _seeded_skill_paths(provider)
     assert paths[:2] == ["/pre/existing-a", "/pre/existing-b"]
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@ async def test_native_skill_on_runtime_discovered_adapter(tmp_path: Path, monkey
     skill = AgentSkill.from_directory(_skill_bundle(tmp_path / "src"))
     provider = _FakeProvider()
     runtime = FabricContainerRuntime(custom, provider=provider, skills=[skill])  # type: ignore[arg-type]
-    (trial,) = await runtime.run_tasks([_task()], AgentEvalRunConfig(output_dir=tmp_path))
+    (trial,) = await runtime.run_tasks([_task()], AgentEvalRunConfig(work_dir=tmp_path))
 
     assert "/in/skills/code-review" in _seeded_skill_paths(provider)
     assert trial.metadata["skill"]["mode"] == "native"
@@ -520,7 +520,7 @@ async def download_dir(self, handle: SandboxHandle, source_dir: str, target_dir:
     skill = AgentSkill.from_directory(_skill_bundle(tmp_path / "src"))
     provider = _CodexWorkspaceProvider()
     runtime = FabricContainerRuntime(_CODEX_CONFIG, provider=provider, skills=[skill])  # type: ignore[arg-type]
-    (trial,) = await runtime.run_tasks([_task()], AgentEvalRunConfig(output_dir=tmp_path))
+    (trial,) = await runtime.run_tasks([_task()], AgentEvalRunConfig(work_dir=tmp_path))
 
     # Codex discovers agentskills from .agents/skills/ in its working dir, so the bundle is seeded there in
     # the workspace (not /in), for the harness to self-discover during the run.
@@ -545,7 +545,7 @@ async def test_skill_on_unsupported_adapter_fails_fast(tmp_path: Path, monkeypat
     runtime = FabricContainerRuntime(unsupported, provider=_FakeProvider(), skills=[skill])  # type: ignore[arg-type]
 
     with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="no known skill-injection strategy"):
-        await runtime.run_tasks([_task()], AgentEvalRunConfig(output_dir=tmp_path))
+        await runtime.run_tasks([_task()], AgentEvalRunConfig(work_dir=tmp_path))
 
 
 async def test_no_skill_leaves_metadata_none_and_skips_planner(tmp_path: Path, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ async def download_dir(self, handle: SandboxHandle, source_dir: str, target_dir:
     ]
     provider = _CodexWorkspaceProvider()
     runtime = FabricContainerRuntime(_CODEX_CONFIG, provider=provider, skills=skills)  # type: ignore[arg-type]
-    (trial,) = await runtime.run_tasks([_task()], AgentEvalRunConfig(output_dir=tmp_path))
+    (trial,) = await runtime.run_tasks([_task()], AgentEvalRunConfig(work_dir=tmp_path))
 
     # Both bundles seeded under the codex discovery dir, no skills path, all scrubbed from evidence.
     assert provider.seeded["/out/workspace/.agents/skills/docx/SKILL.md"].startswith("---")
@@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ async def test_same_skill_from_both_injection_and_task_files_fails_task(
             "files": {".agents/skills/code-review/SKILL.md": "# override"},
         },
     )
-    (trial,) = await runtime.run_tasks([task], AgentEvalRunConfig(output_dir=tmp_path))
+    (trial,) = await runtime.run_tasks([task], AgentEvalRunConfig(work_dir=tmp_path))
 
     assert trial.status == AgentEvalTrialStatus.FAILED
     error = json.loads(Path(trial.evidence.require("error").ref).read_text())  # type: ignore[arg-type]
@@ -692,7 +692,7 @@ async def test_task_seeded_skill_coexists_with_a_different_injected_skill(
             "files": {".agents/skills/style-guide/SKILL.md": "---\nname: style-guide\n---\n"},
         },
     )
-    (trial,) = await runtime.run_tasks([task], AgentEvalRunConfig(output_dir=tmp_path))
+    (trial,) = await runtime.run_tasks([task], AgentEvalRunConfig(work_dir=tmp_path))
 
     assert trial.status == AgentEvalTrialStatus.COMPLETED
     assert "/out/workspace/.agents/skills/code-review/SKILL.md" in provider.seeded
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_fabric_integration.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_fabric_integration.py
index 9c12c223af..6327a36fba 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_fabric_integration.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_fabric_integration.py
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ def __init__(self, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
     result = AgentEvaluator().run_sync(
         tasks=[_task()],
         target=runtime,
-        config=AgentEvalRunConfig(output_dir=tmp_path / "out", parallelism=1, write_dashboard=False),
+        config=AgentEvalRunConfig(work_dir=tmp_path / "out", parallelism=1),
     )
 
     trial = result.trials[0]
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ def test_fabric_codex_live_eval_captures_atif_trajectory(tmp_path: Path) -> None
     result = AgentEvaluator().run_sync(
         tasks=[_task()],
         target=runtime,
-        config=AgentEvalRunConfig(output_dir=tmp_path / "out", parallelism=1, write_dashboard=False),
+        config=AgentEvalRunConfig(work_dir=tmp_path / "out", parallelism=1),
     )
 
     trial = result.trials[0]
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_harbor_runtime.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_harbor_runtime.py
index 7b53c1c6c8..bf19d2ac02 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_harbor_runtime.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_harbor_runtime.py
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ async def test_harbor_runner_scores_through_agent_evaluator_and_adapts_legacy_pa
     # run_job is awaited exactly once, then the job dir is adapted and scored end-to-end.
     calls = []
     runner = HarborAgentTaskRunner(job_dir=job_dir, run_job=lambda: _record(calls))
-    result = await AgentEvaluator().run(tasks=tasks, target=runner, config=AgentEvalRunConfig(write_dashboard=False))
+    result = await AgentEvaluator().run(tasks=tasks, target=runner, config=AgentEvalRunConfig())
     assert calls == ["ran"]
 
     rewards_by_task = {score.task_id: score.outputs[0].value for score in result.scores if score.outputs}
diff --git a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_persistence.py b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_persistence.py
index b1a83d9bdd..186e653617 100644
--- a/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_persistence.py
+++ b/packages/nemo_evaluator_sdk/tests/agent_eval/test_persistence.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 import shutil
 from pathlib import Path
 
+import pytest
 from nemo_evaluator_sdk.agent_eval.persistence import persist_run, read_trials
 from nemo_evaluator_sdk.agent_eval.results import AgentEvalResult, AgentEvalSummary
 from nemo_evaluator_sdk.agent_eval.trials import AgentEvalTrial, AgentEvalTrialStatus, AgentOutput
@@ -122,3 +123,34 @@ def test_persist_and_read_keep_external_evidence_refs_absolute(tmp_path: Path) -
 
     (trial,) = read_trials(bundle)
     assert trial.evidence.require("workspace").ref == external_ref  # retained as-is
+
+
+def test_persist_defaults_to_the_work_dir_so_evidence_lands_inside_the_bundle(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    # Defaulting to work_dir is what keeps a bundle self-contained: the evidence the trials point at
+    # is already underneath it, so persist can rewrite the refs bundle-relative.
+    workspace = tmp_path / "evidence" / "000000-taskA" / "workspace"
+    workspace.mkdir(parents=True)
+    result = AgentEvalResult(
+        run_id="r",
+        tasks=[],
+        trials=[_trial_with_workspace(str(workspace))],
+        scores=[],
+        summary=AgentEvalSummary.from_scores([], tasks=[]),
+        work_dir=tmp_path,
+    )
+
+    location = result.persist(write_dashboard=False)
+
+    assert location.output_dir == tmp_path
+    stored = json.loads((tmp_path / "trials.jsonl").read_text(encoding="utf-8"))["evidence"]["descriptors"]
+    assert stored["workspace"]["ref"] == "evidence/000000-taskA/workspace"  # relative => self-contained
+
+
+def test_persist_without_a_work_dir_or_an_explicit_target_is_an_error() -> None:
+    # An in-memory run has nowhere to go; failing loudly beats inventing a directory.
+    result = AgentEvalResult(
+        run_id="r", tasks=[], trials=[], scores=[], summary=AgentEvalSummary.from_scores([], tasks=[])
+    )
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="no work_dir"):
+        result.persist()
diff --git a/plugins/nemo-evaluator/src/nemo_evaluator/intake/publish.py b/plugins/nemo-evaluator/src/nemo_evaluator/intake/publish.py
index 11a2acf05b..a459ac9d2b 100644
--- a/plugins/nemo-evaluator/src/nemo_evaluator/intake/publish.py
+++ b/plugins/nemo-evaluator/src/nemo_evaluator/intake/publish.py
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ def _publish_failure_message(
     failures: list[tuple[str, BaseException]],
 ) -> str:
     """Build an actionable error: what failed, where the results are cached, how to recover."""
-    location = f"cached locally at {result.output_dir}" if result.output_dir is not None else "in the local run bundle"
+    location = f"cached locally at {result.work_dir}" if result.work_dir is not None else "in the local run bundle"
     detail = "\n  ".join(f"{trial_id}: {type(error).__name__}: {error}" for trial_id, error in failures)
     return (
         f"publish_to_intake: {len(failures)} of {len(result.trials)} trial(s) failed to publish "
diff --git a/plugins/nemo-evaluator/src/nemo_evaluator/jobs/agent_evaluate.py b/plugins/nemo-evaluator/src/nemo_evaluator/jobs/agent_evaluate.py
index 008e1338a7..4d890dcc80 100644
--- a/plugins/nemo-evaluator/src/nemo_evaluator/jobs/agent_evaluate.py
+++ b/plugins/nemo-evaluator/src/nemo_evaluator/jobs/agent_evaluate.py
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@
 from nemo_evaluator.shared.metric_bundles.bundles import unbundle_metric
 from nemo_evaluator.task_refs import resolve_agent_eval_tasks
 from nemo_evaluator_sdk.agent_eval.evaluator import AgentEvaluator
-from nemo_evaluator_sdk.agent_eval.persistence import persist_run
 from nemo_evaluator_sdk.agent_eval.results import AgentEvalResult
 from nemo_evaluator_sdk.agent_eval.runtimes.codex.runtime import CodexCliAgentRuntime
 from nemo_evaluator_sdk.agent_eval.runtimes.fabric.runtime import FabricAgentRuntime
@@ -295,7 +294,9 @@ def _resolve_target(
     def _write_result_files(result: AgentEvalResult, persistent_dir: Path) -> AgentEvalResultFiles:
         """Persist the run bundle (trials/scores/tasks/summary) under the job's storage."""
         bundle_dir = persistent_dir / AGENT_BUNDLE_DIR
-        persist_run(result, bundle_dir)
+        # No HTML dashboard for job runs: the artifact is consumed programmatically, and the job
+        # config asked for no dashboard before persistence became an explicit call.
+        result.persist(bundle_dir, write_dashboard=False)
         return AgentEvalResultFiles(bundle_dir=bundle_dir, summary=bundle_dir / SUMMARY_FILE_NAME)
 
     def run(
@@ -316,7 +317,6 @@ def run(
             parallelism=spec.max_concurrent_tasks,
             benchmark=spec.benchmark,
             fail_fast=spec.fail_fast,
-            write_dashboard=False,
         )
         # `run` may be injected a sync `sdk` (submitted jobs, via get_task_sdk) and/or an
         # `async_sdk`; forward whichever identity is present, preferring async when both are — the
diff --git a/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/evaluator.py b/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/evaluator.py
index 453ac48ab0..88ada94166 100644
--- a/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/evaluator.py
+++ b/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/evaluator.py
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@
 
 import httpx
 import nemo_platform.beta.evaluator.inference as inference
-from nemo_platform.beta.evaluator.agent_eval.dashboard import write_dashboard
-from nemo_platform.beta.evaluator.agent_eval.persistence import persist_run
 from nemo_platform.beta.evaluator.agent_eval.results import AgentEvalResult, AgentEvalSummary
 from nemo_platform.beta.evaluator.agent_eval.scores import (
     AgentEvalDiagnostic,
@@ -180,10 +178,9 @@ async def run(
             scores=scores,
             summary=AgentEvalSummary.from_scores(scores, tasks=task_list),
             benchmark=benchmark,
+            work_dir=runtime_config.work_dir,
         )
 
-        if runtime_config.output_dir is not None:
-            result = _persist_with_optional_dashboard(result, runtime_config.output_dir, runtime_config.write_dashboard)
         return result
 
     def run_sync(
@@ -324,8 +321,8 @@ async def generate_one(index: int, task: AgentEvalTask) -> AgentEvalTrial:
                         "invocation_id": f"{config.run_id}:{task.id}:{target.name}",
                     }
                     evidence_dir = (
-                        _task_evidence_dir(Path(config.output_dir), index=index, task_id=task.id)
-                        if config.output_dir is not None and isinstance(target, AgentBase)
+                        _task_evidence_dir(Path(config.work_dir), index=index, task_id=task.id)
+                        if config.work_dir is not None and isinstance(target, AgentBase)
                         else None
                     )
                     resolved_inference_fn = self.inference_fn
@@ -693,18 +690,6 @@ def _benchmark_metadata(tasks: list[AgentEvalTask]) -> dict[str, Any]:
     return {"benchmark": benchmarks[0] if len(benchmarks) == 1 else benchmarks}
 
 
-def _persist_with_optional_dashboard(
-    result: AgentEvalResult,
-    output_dir: Path,
-    write_html: bool,
-) -> AgentEvalResult:
-    path = Path(output_dir)
-    dashboard_path = None
-    if write_html:
-        dashboard_path = write_dashboard(result.model_copy(update={"output_dir": path}), path / "report.html")
-    return persist_run(result.model_copy(update={"output_dir": path, "dashboard_path": dashboard_path}), path)
-
-
 def _new_run_id() -> str:
     timestamp = datetime.now(UTC).strftime("%Y%m%d%H%M%S")
     return f"agent-eval-{timestamp}-{uuid.uuid4().hex[:8]}"
diff --git a/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/persistence.py b/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/persistence.py
index b9c26a04bf..7a232afe40 100644
--- a/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/persistence.py
+++ b/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/persistence.py
@@ -10,32 +10,52 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any
 
-from nemo_platform.beta.evaluator.agent_eval.results import AgentEvalResult
+from nemo_platform.beta.evaluator.agent_eval.dashboard import write_dashboard
+from nemo_platform.beta.evaluator.agent_eval.results import AgentEvalResult, BundleLocation
 from nemo_platform.beta.evaluator.agent_eval.trials import AgentEvalTrial
 from pydantic import BaseModel
 
+#: Filename of the rendered HTML dashboard inside a bundle.
+DASHBOARD_FILENAME = "report.html"
 
-def persist_run(result: AgentEvalResult, output_dir: str | Path) -> AgentEvalResult:
-    """Persist a completed run bundle to ``output_dir``."""
+
+def persist_run(
+    result: AgentEvalResult,
+    output_dir: str | Path,
+    *,
+    write_html_dashboard: bool = True,
+) -> BundleLocation:
+    """Write a completed run to a bundle at ``output_dir`` and report where it landed.
+
+    Explicit rather than a side effect of :meth:`AgentEvaluator.run`: computing an evaluation and
+    storing one are different decisions, and folding them together is what forced the result object to
+    carry paths it could not know at construction time. (Same reasoning as ``publish_to_intake``.)
+
+    Set ``write_html_dashboard=False`` to skip rendering ``report.html`` — the dashboard is written
+    here so the manifest can record it in a single pass.
+    """
     path = Path(output_dir)
     path.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
 
+    # Render first so the manifest below can name it; the dashboard reads only the run's own contents.
+    dashboard_path = write_dashboard(result, path / DASHBOARD_FILENAME) if write_html_dashboard else None
+
     _write_json(path / "benchmark.json", result.benchmark)
     _write_jsonl(path / "tasks.jsonl", result.tasks)
     _write_trials(path / "trials.jsonl", result.trials, base=path)
     _write_jsonl(path / "scores.jsonl", result.scores)
     _write_json(path / "summary.json", result.summary)
 
-    updated = result.model_copy(update={"output_dir": path})
-    _write_json(path / "run.json", _run_manifest(updated))
-    return updated
+    location = BundleLocation(output_dir=path, dashboard_path=dashboard_path)
+    _write_json(path / "run.json", _run_manifest(result, location))
+    return location
 
 
-def _run_manifest(result: AgentEvalResult) -> dict[str, Any]:
+def _run_manifest(result: AgentEvalResult, location: BundleLocation) -> dict[str, Any]:
     return {
         "run_id": result.run_id,
-        "output_dir": str(result.output_dir) if result.output_dir is not None else None,
-        "dashboard_path": str(result.dashboard_path) if result.dashboard_path is not None else None,
+        "output_dir": str(location.output_dir),
+        "dashboard_path": str(location.dashboard_path) if location.dashboard_path is not None else None,
         "artifacts": {
             "benchmark": "benchmark.json",
             "tasks": "tasks.jsonl",
diff --git a/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/results.py b/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/results.py
index 897e30aeea..d99a845c82 100644
--- a/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/results.py
+++ b/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/results.py
@@ -68,8 +68,30 @@ def from_scores(
         )
 
 
+class BundleLocation(BaseModel):
+    """Where a run was written, returned by :meth:`AgentEvalResult.persist`.
+
+    Kept off :class:`AgentEvalResult` because it is not a property of the evaluation — it is the
+    outcome of choosing to store it. Holding one means the bundle exists, so there is no optional to
+    re-check; a run that was never persisted simply has no ``BundleLocation``.
+    """
+
+    model_config = ConfigDict(extra="forbid", frozen=True)
+
+    output_dir: Path = Field(description="Directory the run bundle was written to.")
+    dashboard_path: Path | None = Field(
+        default=None,
+        description="Path to the rendered HTML dashboard, or None when dashboard writing was disabled.",
+    )
+
+
 class AgentEvalResult(BaseModel):
-    """Root result for a completed agent evaluation: tasks, trials, scores, summary, and bundle metadata."""
+    """Root result for a completed agent evaluation: tasks, trials, scores, and summary.
+
+    Describes the evaluation and nothing else — storing it is a separate decision, made by calling
+    :meth:`persist`. Because the result carries no paths, it never holds a location that was unknown
+    when it was constructed, and nothing has to mutate it after the fact.
+    """
 
     model_config = ConfigDict(extra="forbid")
 
@@ -82,8 +104,39 @@ class AgentEvalResult(BaseModel):
         default_factory=dict,
         description="Benchmark metadata recorded for the run.",
     )
-    output_dir: Path | None = Field(default=None, description="Directory the run bundle was written to, if any.")
-    dashboard_path: Path | None = Field(default=None, description="Path to the rendered dashboard, if written.")
+    work_dir: Path | None = Field(
+        default=None,
+        description="Directory the run worked in, where its runtimes wrote trial evidence. Known "
+        "before the run starts (it comes from the run config), so unlike a bundle location it is "
+        "never attached after the fact. None for a purely in-memory run.",
+    )
+
+    def persist(self, output_dir: str | Path | None = None, *, write_dashboard: bool = True) -> BundleLocation:
+        """Write this run to a bundle and return where it landed.
+
+        Deliberately a call rather than something ``AgentEvaluator.run`` does for you: computing an
+        evaluation and storing one are separate decisions (the same reasoning as ``publish_to_intake``).
+
+        Defaults to :attr:`work_dir`, which is the directory the trials' evidence already lives under —
+        so the bundle is self-contained and survives being moved. Passing a different ``output_dir``
+        leaves those evidence references pointing back at the original directory. That is supported (a
+        re-scored run may reference an earlier run's deliverables) but the resulting bundle only
+        resolves while the original directory is still there.
+
+        Set ``write_dashboard=False`` to skip rendering ``report.html``.
+        """
+        # Imported here rather than at module scope: persistence imports this module for the types it
+        # writes, so a top-level import would be circular.
+        from nemo_platform.beta.evaluator.agent_eval.persistence import persist_run
+
+        target = output_dir if output_dir is not None else self.work_dir
+        if target is None:
+            raise ValueError(
+                "this run has no work_dir to persist into (it ran in memory); pass an explicit "
+                "output_dir, or set work_dir on the AgentEvalRunConfig so evidence and bundle share "
+                "a directory"
+            )
+        return persist_run(self, target, write_html_dashboard=write_dashboard)
 
 
 def _aggregate_scores(
diff --git a/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/codex/runtime.py b/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/codex/runtime.py
index 32bacefc36..ed02136bdb 100644
--- a/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/codex/runtime.py
+++ b/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/codex/runtime.py
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ def _validate_artifact_permissions(self, evidence_dir: Path) -> None:
     def _evidence_dir(self, index: int, task: AgentEvalTask, config: AgentEvalRunConfig) -> Path:
         root = self._work_root
         if root is None:
-            root = (config.output_dir or Path.cwd()) / "evidence" / "codex"
+            root = (config.work_dir or Path.cwd()) / "evidence" / "codex"
         safe_task_id = _safe_path_name(task.id)
         task_dir = f"{index:06d}-{safe_task_id}" if safe_task_id else f"task-{index:06d}"
         return Path(root) / task_dir
diff --git a/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/docker_sandbox.py b/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/docker_sandbox.py
index 9113164c00..3240726ed0 100644
--- a/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/docker_sandbox.py
+++ b/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/docker_sandbox.py
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ def _failed_trial(self, task: AgentEvalTask, exc: Exception, evidence_dir: Path)
         )
 
     def _evidence_dir(self, index: int, task: AgentEvalTask, config: AgentEvalRunConfig) -> Path:
-        root = config.output_dir if config.output_dir is not None else self._work_root
+        root = config.work_dir if config.work_dir is not None else self._work_root
         if root is None:
             root = Path(tempfile.gettempdir()) / "nemo-evaluator-agent-runtime"
         run_id = config.run_id or _new_runtime_run_id()
diff --git a/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/fabric/container_runtime.py b/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/fabric/container_runtime.py
index 59fda190e6..28987c75d3 100644
--- a/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/fabric/container_runtime.py
+++ b/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/fabric/container_runtime.py
@@ -469,7 +469,7 @@ def _failed_trial(
     def _evidence_dir(self, index: int, task: AgentEvalTask, config: AgentEvalRunConfig) -> Path:
         # Evidence lands under the run's output dir (like every other runtime); the container's own
         # working state lives at /out inside the sandbox and is downloaded here.
-        root = (config.output_dir or Path.cwd()) / "evidence" / "fabric_container"
+        root = (config.work_dir or Path.cwd()) / "evidence" / "fabric_container"
         return root / _common.task_subdir_name(index, task.id)
 
 
diff --git a/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/fabric/runtime.py b/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/fabric/runtime.py
index 77423a4547..2ca60d3fe6 100644
--- a/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/fabric/runtime.py
+++ b/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/fabric/runtime.py
@@ -511,7 +511,7 @@ def _relay_config(self, relay_dir: Path) -> RelayObservabilityConfig:
     def _evidence_dir(self, index: int, task: AgentEvalTask, config: AgentEvalRunConfig) -> Path:
         root = self._work_root
         if root is None:
-            root = (config.output_dir or Path.cwd()) / "evidence" / "fabric"
+            root = (config.work_dir or Path.cwd()) / "evidence" / "fabric"
         # The run id isolates this run's evidence from other runs sharing the same root (A/B baseline
         # vs. skilled); run_tasks always populates it, so the fallback only guards a direct call.
         run_id = config.run_id or _new_run_id()
diff --git a/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/gym_runtime.py b/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/gym_runtime.py
index 94526bae68..60c8a4e9f7 100644
--- a/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/gym_runtime.py
+++ b/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/gym_runtime.py
@@ -347,8 +347,8 @@ async def run_tasks(
         # phases — parallelism bounds concurrent scoring (SDK-side, cheap), while Gym's `--concurrency`
         # bounds concurrent rollouts against the model endpoint during collection (tuned to that endpoint's
         # limits via GymRuntimeConfig.concurrency).
-        if config is not None and config.output_dir is not None:
-            work_dir = Path(config.output_dir) / "gym_run"
+        if config is not None and config.work_dir is not None:
+            work_dir = Path(config.work_dir) / "gym_run"
         else:
             work_dir = Path(tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="gym_run_"))
         work_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
diff --git a/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/harbor_runtime.py b/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/harbor_runtime.py
index 20d56349d3..a2efcbdf8b 100644
--- a/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/harbor_runtime.py
+++ b/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/runtimes/harbor_runtime.py
@@ -1299,7 +1299,7 @@ async def run_harbor_eval(
     return await AgentEvaluator().run(
         tasks=tasks,
         target=runner,
-        config=run_config or AgentEvalRunConfig(write_dashboard=False),
+        config=run_config or AgentEvalRunConfig(),
     )
 
 
diff --git a/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/tasks.py b/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/tasks.py
index 6c0da4ac21..3c23c2d8e8 100644
--- a/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/tasks.py
+++ b/sdk/python/nemo-platform/src/nemo_platform/beta/evaluator/agent_eval/tasks.py
@@ -214,9 +214,11 @@ class AgentEvalRunConfig(BaseModel):
 
     model_config = ConfigDict(extra="forbid")
 
-    output_dir: Path | None = Field(
+    work_dir: Path | None = Field(
         default=None,
-        description="Directory where the run bundle is written; in-memory only when omitted.",
+        description="Directory the run works in: runtimes write trial evidence beneath it, and it is "
+        "the default target for AgentEvalResult.persist so the bundle contains that evidence. Purely "
+        "in-memory when omitted.",
     )
     run_id: str | None = Field(default=None, description="Explicit run identifier; generated when omitted.")
     prompt_template: str | dict[str, Any] | None = Field(
@@ -228,7 +230,6 @@ class AgentEvalRunConfig(BaseModel):
         description="Inference/run parameters used when producing trials online.",
     )
     parallelism: int = Field(default=4, ge=1, description="Maximum number of tasks scored concurrently.")
-    write_dashboard: bool = Field(default=True, description="Whether to render an HTML dashboard for the run.")
     benchmark: dict[str, Any] = Field(
         default_factory=dict,
         description="Benchmark metadata recorded alongside the run.",