diff --git a/desktop/src/App.tsx b/desktop/src/App.tsx
index b77e3e1..0f0fbce 100644
--- a/desktop/src/App.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/App.tsx
@@ -1995,14 +1995,14 @@ function App() {
         setAgentStates(INITIAL_AGENT_STATES);
         updateWorkflowMessage(workflowId, {
           status: "blocked",
-          phase: "Transcription approval required",
+          phase: "Local catalog required",
           progress: 100,
-          detail: result.message || "ReelBrain cannot begin grounded editing until a transcript is authorized.",
+          detail: result.message || "ReelBrain cannot begin grounded editing until a local catalog is available.",
           videoChanged: false,
         });
         setMessages((current) => [
           ...current,
-          { id: crypto.randomUUID(), role: "system", text: result.message || "Transcription approval is required before fan-out.", time: nowLabel() },
+          { id: crypto.randomUUID(), role: "system", text: result.message || "A local transcript and candidate catalog are required before fan-out.", time: nowLabel() },
         ]);
       } else {
         updateWorkflowMessage(workflowId, {
diff --git a/desktop/src/services/reelbrain.ts b/desktop/src/services/reelbrain.ts
index 3c8f0c9..2d08809 100644
--- a/desktop/src/services/reelbrain.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/services/reelbrain.ts
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ export async function startEditorialFanout(input: {
     agentResults: (raw.agentResults ?? raw.agent_results) as unknown[] | undefined,
     requiresCreatorApproval: (raw.requiresCreatorApproval ?? raw.requires_creator_approval) as boolean | undefined,
     requiredEffect: (raw.requiredEffect ?? raw.required_effect) as string | undefined,
+    catalogSearchPath: (raw.catalogSearchPath ?? raw.catalog_search_path) as string | undefined,
+    requiredCatalogFiles: (raw.requiredCatalogFiles ?? raw.required_catalog_files) as string[] | undefined,
     message: raw.message as string | undefined,
   };
 }
diff --git a/desktop/src/types.ts b/desktop/src/types.ts
index 5d53a05..0022310 100644
--- a/desktop/src/types.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/types.ts
@@ -257,6 +257,8 @@ export type FanoutResult = {
   agentResults?: unknown[];
   requiresCreatorApproval?: boolean;
   requiredEffect?: string;
+  catalogSearchPath?: string;
+  requiredCatalogFiles?: string[];
   message?: string;
 };
 
diff --git a/reelbrain/fanout.py b/reelbrain/fanout.py
index bf56c3c..2e3abaf 100644
--- a/reelbrain/fanout.py
+++ b/reelbrain/fanout.py
@@ -223,13 +223,36 @@ def plan(self, request: dict[str, object]) -> dict[str, object]:
             raise FanoutError("source_digest_mismatch")
         catalog = self._find_catalog(source_sha256)
         if catalog is None:
+            catalog_search_path = (
+                self.workspace
+                / ".reelbrain"
+                / "dogfood"
+                / "*"
+                / "run"
+                / "source_inventory.json"
+            )
+            required_catalog_files = [
+                "source_inventory.json",
+                "<source_id>/editorial_plan.json",
+                "<source_id>/bilingual_transcript.json",
+            ]
             return {
                 "status": "TRANSCRIPT_REQUIRED",
                 "source_path": str(source_path),
                 "source_sha256": source_sha256,
                 "requires_creator_approval": True,
                 "required_effect": "transcribe_and_build_candidate_catalog",
-                "message": "This source has no canonical transcript/catalog yet. Approve transcription before starting the editorial agents.",
+                "catalog_search_path": str(catalog_search_path),
+                "required_catalog_files": required_catalog_files,
+                "message": (
+                    "No canonical catalog matched this source SHA-256. ReelBrain searched "
+                    f"{catalog_search_path} and requires source_inventory.json plus "
+                    "<source_id>/editorial_plan.json and "
+                    "<source_id>/bilingual_transcript.json. Files elsewhere are not "
+                    "imported automatically. No agents ran, no video changed, and no "
+                    "provider spend was authorized. Prepare or import the catalog into "
+                    "the app workspace, then choose New edit again."
+                ),
             }
         memory = DesktopMemoryService(self.workspace, creator_id).inspect()
         current_steering = str(request.get("current_steering") or "").strip() or None
diff --git a/tests/test_desktop_runtime.py b/tests/test_desktop_runtime.py
index 638504c..5ea7d26 100644
--- a/tests/test_desktop_runtime.py
+++ b/tests/test_desktop_runtime.py
@@ -442,6 +442,18 @@ def test_unprepared_source_requires_transcription_approval(tmp_path: Path) -> No
     )
     assert result["status"] == "TRANSCRIPT_REQUIRED"
     assert result["requires_creator_approval"] is True
+    assert result["catalog_search_path"] == str(
+        tmp_path / ".reelbrain" / "dogfood" / "*" / "run" / "source_inventory.json"
+    )
+    assert result["required_catalog_files"] == [
+        "source_inventory.json",
+        "<source_id>/editorial_plan.json",
+        "<source_id>/bilingual_transcript.json",
+    ]
+    assert "Files elsewhere are not imported automatically" in result["message"]
+    assert "No agents ran, no video changed, and no provider spend was authorized" in result[
+        "message"
+    ]
 
 
 def test_creator_review_actions_never_imply_publish_ready(tmp_path: Path) -> None: