diff --git a/hermes_cli/gateway_migrate_guards.py b/hermes_cli/gateway_migrate_guards.py
index cadbb14ac7..4912c3a950 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/gateway_migrate_guards.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/gateway_migrate_guards.py
@@ -91,16 +91,25 @@ def _service_label(profile: ProfileGateway) -> str:
 
 
 def _guard_service_domain(plan: MigrationPlan, profile: ProfileGateway) -> Optional[str]:
-    """Different manager or scope than the default gateway (system vs user systemd, launchd vs systemd,
-    or any service when the default is detached: the auto path never elects a secondary's manager).
-    Two units on one profile is an ambiguous topology the unattended path does not resolve either."""
+    """Different manager or scope than the one the fleet converges on (system vs user systemd, launchd vs
+    systemd). The reference is the default's own unit when it has one, else the manager
+    ``target_service_kind()`` elects from the secondaries: a default that never had a gateway unit is not a
+    service domain of its own, and refusing every secondary against it left the common upgrade fleet (N
+    launchd profiles, unit-less default, #118097) printing blockers instead of folding. Two managers
+    among the secondaries still refuse — the ones not elected differ from the target. Two units on one
+    profile is an ambiguous topology the unattended path does not resolve either."""
     if len(profile.services) > 1:
         return (f"Profile '{profile.name}' has more than one installed service ({profile.service_label()}): "
                 f"an ambiguous service topology is not folded automatically.")
-    if set(profile.services) == set(plan.default.services):
+    target = plan.target_service_kind()
+    reference = plan.default.services or ([target] if target is not None else [])
+    if set(profile.services) == set(reference):
         return None
-    return (f"Profile '{profile.name}' runs under {_service_label(profile)} while the default gateway "
-            f"runs under {_service_label(plan.default)}: a different service domain is not folded automatically.")
+    from hermes_cli.gateway_migrate import _service_label as _kind_label
+    against = (f"the default gateway runs under {_service_label(plan.default)}" if plan.default.services
+               else f"the fleet converges on {_kind_label(target)}")
+    return (f"Profile '{profile.name}' runs under {_service_label(profile)} while {against}: "
+            f"a different service domain is not folded automatically.")
 
 
 def _guard_unix_user(plan: MigrationPlan, profile: ProfileGateway) -> Optional[str]:
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_gateway_migrate_multiplex.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_gateway_migrate_multiplex.py
index 4445b77eb6..8681d65edf 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_gateway_migrate_multiplex.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_gateway_migrate_multiplex.py
@@ -373,6 +373,38 @@ def test_update_hook_still_migrates_same_user_same_scope_profiles_under_the_defa
     assert _config_flag(fleet.root) is True and ("ops", "uninstall") in fleet.ops
 
 
+def test_update_hook_folds_a_unit_less_default_when_every_secondary_shares_one_manager(fleet, capsys, monkeypatch):
+    """The #118097 fleet: the default profile never had a gateway unit, every secondary runs under the
+    SAME manager (all launchd, one macOS user). That is one service domain, and the manager the plan
+    elects as the target (``target_service_kind``) is the reference the guard must agree with — not the
+    default's empty unit list, which turned every such fleet into "blockers" instead of a fold.
+    Controls: a default unit under another manager, and two managers among the secondaries, still refuse."""
+    from hermes_cli.gateway_migrate_guards import auto_migration_blockers
+    monkeypatch.setattr(gm, "_gateway_identity", lambda home, pid, service: (1000, home), raising=False)
+    fleet.services.update({"coder": ("launchd", False), "ops": ("launchd", False)})
+    assert "default" not in fleet.services
+    plan = gm.build_migration_plan()
+    assert plan.target_service_kind() == ("launchd", False)
+    assert auto_migration_blockers(plan) == []
+
+    gm.maybe_auto_migrate_after_update()
+    out = capsys.readouterr().out
+    assert "serves 3 profiles" in out and _config_flag(fleet.root) is True
+    assert ("coder", "uninstall") in fleet.ops and ("ops", "uninstall") in fleet.ops
+    assert ("default", "install") in fleet.ops and fleet.services == {"default": ("launchd", False)}
+
+    # Control 1: the default HAS a unit under another manager -> still a different service domain.
+    fleet.services.update({"default": ("systemd", False), "coder": ("launchd", False), "ops": ("launchd", False)})
+    fleet.pids.update({"coder": 4101, "ops": 4102})
+    blockers = auto_migration_blockers(gm.build_migration_plan())
+    assert blockers and all("different service domain" in b for b in blockers)
+    # Control 2: unit-less default, secondaries under two managers -> the non-elected one refuses.
+    fleet.services.pop("default")
+    fleet.services.update({"coder": ("launchd", False), "ops": ("systemd", False)})
+    blockers = auto_migration_blockers(gm.build_migration_plan())
+    assert len(blockers) == 1 and "'ops'" in blockers[0] and "different service domain" in blockers[0]
+
+
 def test_auto_multiplex_migration_false_opts_out_of_the_update_hook_but_not_the_explicit_command(fleet, capsys):
     """``gateway.auto_multiplex_migration: false`` is a durable opt-out: an otherwise-eligible fleet is
     left alone by ``hermes update`` (no output, no ops, no flag flip), while the operator typing