diff --git a/backend/apps/core/system_info.py b/backend/apps/core/system_info.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0fece81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/apps/core/system_info.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+import platform
+from functools import lru_cache
+
+
+@lru_cache(maxsize=1)
+def _os_release_values():
+    values = {}
+    try:
+        with open("/etc/os-release", encoding="utf-8") as handle:
+            for line in handle:
+                line = line.strip()
+                if not line or "=" not in line:
+                    continue
+                key, value = line.split("=", 1)
+                values[key] = value.strip().strip('"')
+    except OSError:
+        pass
+    return values
+
+
+@lru_cache(maxsize=1)
+def get_os_info():
+    """OS display name and icon key, mirroring the original app's os_utils."""
+    system = platform.system()
+    release = platform.release()
+    if system == "Linux":
+        name = _os_release_values().get("NAME") or "Linux"
+        return {"name": name, "release": release, "icon": "linux"}
+    if system == "Darwin":
+        return {"name": "macOS", "release": release, "icon": "apple"}
+    if system == "Windows":
+        return {"name": "Windows", "release": release, "icon": "windows"}
+    return {"name": system, "release": release, "icon": "unknown"}
diff --git a/backend/apps/core/views.py b/backend/apps/core/views.py
index 26aa806..0d84860 100644
--- a/backend/apps/core/views.py
+++ b/backend/apps/core/views.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import platform
 import time
 
 from django.conf import settings
@@ -6,13 +5,7 @@ from rest_framework.permissions import AllowAny
 from rest_framework.response import Response
 from rest_framework.views import APIView
 
-
-def _os_info():
-    system = platform.system()
-    icon = {"Linux": "linux", "Darwin": "apple", "Windows": "windows"}.get(
-        system, "unknown"
-    )
-    return {"name": system, "release": platform.release(), "icon": icon}
+from .system_info import get_os_info
 
 
 def _worker_counts():
@@ -35,7 +28,7 @@ class StatusView(APIView):
             "env": settings.APP_ENV,
             "git_hash": settings.GIT_COMMIT_HASH,
             "version": settings.APP_VERSION,
-            "os": _os_info(),
+            "os": get_os_info(),
             "watched_folder": settings.WATCHED_FOLDER,
             "e621_time_ms": None,  # no e621 calls in the backend yet
             "workers": _worker_counts(),
diff --git a/frontend/design.md_j621_frontend_spec.md b/frontend/design.md_j621_frontend_spec.md
index 24c0ad3..2fd2177 100644
--- a/frontend/design.md_j621_frontend_spec.md
+++ b/frontend/design.md_j621_frontend_spec.md
@@ -77,12 +77,12 @@ All tag chips, counters, and sidebar taxonomy badges strictly adhere to e621's e
 
 ### 4.1 Global Frame (Shell)
 - **Top App Bar (`#11111b`, height: 56px):**
-  - Left: Brand mark `J621` badge (`#cba6f7`) followed by the **storage line** — the path of the watched folder that J621 indexes (e.g. `/mnt/media/library`). J621 is folder-based: this is just a path on disk, not a NAS/appliance indicator.
+  - Left: Brand mark `J621` badge (`#cba6f7`) only. The watched folder path lives in the footer status strip, not in the header.
   - Center: Nav pills: `Library`, `Online`, `Pools`, `Followed`, `Upload`, `Duplicates`, and `Stats [STAFF]`.
   - Right: System status pill with real backend values, never hardcoded: environment (`DEV`/`PROD`), git commit hash, the actual host OS, page generation time, and the total e621 API request time for that page load — e.g. `ENV: PROD · a1b2c3d · LINUX · 18ms (e621: 4ms)`. Followed by the user avatar.
 - **Global Footer Status Strip (`#11111b`, height: 32px):**
   - The strip placement is a proposal; its values are real and drawn from the existing stats data.
-  - Left: the watched folder path — `📁 Local Storage: /mnt/media/library`.
+  - Left: the watched folder path — `📁 Local Storage: /mnt/media/library`. This is the only place the path appears (J621 is folder-based; it is just a path on disk, not a NAS/appliance indicator).
   - Center: `⚡ Active Workers: N running | Queue: M pending` — the count of active optimization/ingest jobs and queued downloads (the original app surfaced this on its stats page; the footer simply keeps it visible).
   - Right: the running build — `<env> @ <git commit hash>` (e.g. `dev @ 3f35330`), matching the original app.
 - **Collapsible Sidebar (Behavior):**
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/AppShell.tsx b/frontend/src/components/AppShell.tsx
index 0536121..1db3aba 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/AppShell.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/AppShell.tsx
@@ -53,15 +53,6 @@ export function AppShell() {
             </span>
           </Link>
 
-          {status ? (
-            <span
-              className="hidden max-w-[240px] truncate font-mono text-[11px] text-ctp-overlay0 md:block"
-              title={status.watched_folder}
-            >
-              {status.watched_folder}
-            </span>
-          ) : null}
-
           {showSidebarToggle ? (
             <button
               type="button"
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/StatusPill.tsx b/frontend/src/components/StatusPill.tsx
index 3fff423..a3cb990 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/StatusPill.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/StatusPill.tsx
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export function StatusPill({ status }: { status?: SystemStatus }) {
       <span>{status.git_hash}</span>
       <span className="text-ctp-surface2">·</span>
       <OsIcon className="h-3 w-3" />
-      <span>{status.os.name.toUpperCase()}</span>
+      <span>{status.os.name}</span>
       <span className="text-ctp-surface2">·</span>
       <span>{formatMs(status.server_time_ms)}</span>
       {status.e621_time_ms !== null ? (