diff --git a/apps/console/src/app/CommandBar.tsx b/apps/console/src/app/CommandBar.tsx
index 73dd86c..4d1e83e 100644
--- a/apps/console/src/app/CommandBar.tsx
+++ b/apps/console/src/app/CommandBar.tsx
@@ -7,19 +7,22 @@ import { useEffect, useMemo, useState } from "react";
 import { useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
 import { Search } from "lucide-react";
 import { AnimatePresence, motion } from "framer-motion";
+import { DEMO_MODE } from "../demo/flag";
 
+// Jump-to targets mirror the sidebar: in real mode only the backend-backed
+// screens are reachable, so the palette hides the demo-only destinations too.
 const DESTINATIONS = [
-  { label: "Dashboard", to: "/" },
-  { label: "Contractors", to: "/contractors" },
-  { label: "Payroll", to: "/payroll" },
-  { label: "Invoices to pay", to: "/invoices" },
-  { label: "Send & vendor pay", to: "/pay" },
-  { label: "Approvals", to: "/approvals" },
-  { label: "Treasury", to: "/treasury" },
-  { label: "Auditor grants", to: "/grants" },
-  { label: "Audit log", to: "/audit" },
-  { label: "Settings & team", to: "/settings" },
-];
+  { label: "Dashboard", to: "/", real: false },
+  { label: "Contractors", to: "/contractors", real: false },
+  { label: "Payroll", to: "/payroll", real: true },
+  { label: "Invoices to pay", to: "/invoices", real: false },
+  { label: "Send & vendor pay", to: "/pay", real: false },
+  { label: "Approvals", to: "/approvals", real: false },
+  { label: "Treasury", to: "/treasury", real: true },
+  { label: "Auditor grants", to: "/grants", real: false },
+  { label: "Audit log", to: "/audit", real: false },
+  { label: "Settings & team", to: "/settings", real: false },
+].filter((d) => DEMO_MODE || d.real);
 
 export function CommandBar() {
   const nav = useNavigate();
diff --git a/apps/console/src/app/Shell.tsx b/apps/console/src/app/Shell.tsx
index 73bfdaa..d17806e 100644
--- a/apps/console/src/app/Shell.tsx
+++ b/apps/console/src/app/Shell.tsx
@@ -3,29 +3,17 @@
  * (workspace switcher, ⌘K search, live network badge, mask-eye, bell, avatar),
  * and the routed content area with the cursor-interactive canvas behind the cards.
  */
-import {
-  ArrowUpRight,
-  Bell,
-  ChevronDown,
-  Eye,
-  EyeOff,
-  FileText,
-  LayoutDashboard,
-  ScrollText,
-  Settings,
-  ShieldCheck,
-  Users,
-  Wallet,
-  CheckCheck,
-} from "lucide-react";
-import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { Bell, CheckCheck, ChevronDown, Eye, EyeOff, Settings, Users } from "lucide-react";
+import { Fragment, useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { AnimatePresence, motion } from "framer-motion";
-import { NavLink, Route, Routes, useLocation, useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
+import { NavLink, Navigate, Route, Routes, useLocation, useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
 import { StageVideo } from "../ui/StageVideo";
 import { CommandBar } from "./CommandBar";
 import { AvalancheMark, Logo } from "../ui/Logo";
 import { NetworkMenu } from "./NetworkMenu";
 import { useConsole } from "../lib/store";
+import { DEMO_MODE } from "../demo/flag";
+import { REAL_HOME, visibleNavGroups, visibleNavItems } from "./nav";
 import { formatAddress } from "../lib/format";
 import { Dashboard } from "../screens/Dashboard";
 import { Approvals } from "../screens/Approvals";
@@ -213,21 +201,28 @@ export function Shell() {
         {/* body: sidebar nav + routed content */}
         <div className="flex flex-1 overflow-hidden">
           <aside className="flex w-[240px] flex-none flex-col gap-1 border-r border-border bg-surface px-3.5 py-4">
-            <Eyebrow>Overview</Eyebrow>
-            <NavItem to="/" icon={LayoutDashboard} label="Overview" />
-            <Eyebrow>Payments</Eyebrow>
-            <NavItem to="/contractors" icon={Users} label="Contractors" />
-            <NavItem to="/payroll" icon={Users} label="Payroll" />
-            <NavItem to="/invoices" icon={FileText} label="Invoices" />
-            <NavItem to="/pay" icon={ArrowUpRight} label="One-off payment" />
-            <Eyebrow>Operations</Eyebrow>
-            <NavItem to="/approvals" icon={CheckCheck} label="Approvals" badge={pending || undefined} />
-            <NavItem to="/treasury" icon={Wallet} label="Treasury" />
-            <Eyebrow>Compliance</Eyebrow>
-            <NavItem to="/grants" icon={ShieldCheck} label="Auditor access" />
-            <NavItem to="/audit" icon={ScrollText} label="Audit log" />
+            {visibleNavGroups().map((group) => (
+              <Fragment key={group}>
+                <Eyebrow>{group}</Eyebrow>
+                {visibleNavItems()
+                  .filter((item) => !item.footer && item.group === group)
+                  .map((item) => (
+                    <NavItem
+                      key={item.to}
+                      to={item.to}
+                      icon={item.icon}
+                      label={item.label}
+                      badge={item.to === "/approvals" ? pending || undefined : undefined}
+                    />
+                  ))}
+              </Fragment>
+            ))}
             <div className="flex-1" />
-            <NavItem to="/settings" icon={Settings} label="Settings & team" />
+            {visibleNavItems()
+              .filter((item) => item.footer)
+              .map((item) => (
+                <NavItem key={item.to} to={item.to} icon={item.icon} label={item.label} />
+              ))}
             <div className="mt-auto flex items-center justify-center gap-1.5 border-t border-border/60 pt-3 text-[11px] font-medium text-[#8a9099]" data-testid="built-on-avalanche">
               <AvalancheMark size={13} /> Built on Avalanche
             </div>
@@ -237,18 +232,30 @@ export function Shell() {
             <main className="no-scrollbar relative z-10 h-full overflow-y-auto px-5 py-6">
               {activeOrg ? (
                 <Routes location={loc} key={loc.pathname}>
-                  <Route path="/" element={<Dashboard />} />
-                  <Route path="/approvals" element={<Approvals />} />
-                  <Route path="/contractors" element={<Contractors />} />
-                  <Route path="/payroll" element={<Payroll />} />
-                  <Route path="/invoices" element={<Invoices />} />
-                  <Route path="/pay" element={<Pay />} />
-                  <Route path="/treasury" element={<Treasury />} />
-                  <Route path="/grants" element={<Grants />} />
-                  <Route path="/audit" element={<AuditLog />} />
-                  <Route path="/claim" element={<InviteClaim />} />
-                  <Route path="/settings" element={<SettingsScreen />} />
-                  <Route path="*" element={<Dashboard />} />
+                  {DEMO_MODE ? (
+                    <>
+                      <Route path="/" element={<Dashboard />} />
+                      <Route path="/approvals" element={<Approvals />} />
+                      <Route path="/contractors" element={<Contractors />} />
+                      <Route path="/payroll" element={<Payroll />} />
+                      <Route path="/invoices" element={<Invoices />} />
+                      <Route path="/pay" element={<Pay />} />
+                      <Route path="/treasury" element={<Treasury />} />
+                      <Route path="/grants" element={<Grants />} />
+                      <Route path="/audit" element={<AuditLog />} />
+                      <Route path="/claim" element={<InviteClaim />} />
+                      <Route path="/settings" element={<SettingsScreen />} />
+                      <Route path="*" element={<Dashboard />} />
+                    </>
+                  ) : (
+                    <>
+                      {/* Real mode: only the backend-backed screens; everything else
+                          is demo-only and redirects to the treasury landing. */}
+                      <Route path="/payroll" element={<Payroll />} />
+                      <Route path="/treasury" element={<Treasury />} />
+                      <Route path="*" element={<Navigate to={REAL_HOME} replace />} />
+                    </>
+                  )}
                 </Routes>
               ) : (
                 <NoOrgPlaceholder address={session?.user.address} />
diff --git a/apps/console/src/app/nav.test.ts b/apps/console/src/app/nav.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3048d88
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/console/src/app/nav.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { NAV_ITEMS, REAL_HOME, visibleNavGroups, visibleNavItems } from "./nav";
+
+describe("real-mode nav gating", () => {
+  it("real mode exposes only the backend-backed screens (Payroll + Treasury)", () => {
+    const tos = visibleNavItems(false)
+      .map((i) => i.to)
+      .sort();
+    expect(tos).toEqual(["/payroll", "/treasury"]);
+  });
+
+  it("real mode hides every no-backend screen", () => {
+    const tos = new Set(visibleNavItems(false).map((i) => i.to));
+    for (const hidden of ["/", "/contractors", "/invoices", "/pay", "/approvals", "/grants", "/audit", "/settings"]) {
+      expect(tos.has(hidden)).toBe(false);
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("demo mode shows the full product", () => {
+    const items = visibleNavItems(true);
+    expect(items).toHaveLength(NAV_ITEMS.length);
+    expect(items.some((i) => i.to === "/contractors")).toBe(true);
+    expect(items.some((i) => i.to === "/settings")).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("real-mode groups collapse to the two wired sections, in order", () => {
+    expect(visibleNavGroups(false)).toEqual(["Payments", "Operations"]);
+  });
+
+  it("demo-mode keeps all non-footer sections", () => {
+    expect(visibleNavGroups(true)).toEqual(["Overview", "Payments", "Operations", "Compliance"]);
+  });
+
+  it("real mode lands on the treasury (Overview has no backend)", () => {
+    expect(REAL_HOME).toBe("/treasury");
+    // the landing must itself be a real-backed screen
+    const landing = NAV_ITEMS.find((i) => i.to === REAL_HOME);
+    expect(landing?.realBacked).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/console/src/app/nav.ts b/apps/console/src/app/nav.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..89915ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/console/src/app/nav.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+/**
+ * Nav model — the single source of truth for the sidebar + command bar, and which
+ * screens are exposed in each build mode. In **real mode** the console only shows
+ * screens that actually talk to the eERC backend (auth/onboarding/treasury/payroll);
+ * the rest (Overview, Contractors, Invoices, one-off Pay, Approvals, Grants, Audit,
+ * Settings) have no backend on this platform and stay **demo-only**. Demo mode
+ * (`VITE_DEMO_MODE=1`) shows the full product as the vision.
+ */
+import type { LucideIcon } from "lucide-react";
+import { ArrowUpRight, CheckCheck, FileText, LayoutDashboard, ScrollText, Settings, ShieldCheck, Users, Wallet } from "lucide-react";
+import { DEMO_MODE } from "../demo/flag";
+
+export type NavGroup = "Overview" | "Payments" | "Operations" | "Compliance" | "Settings";
+
+export interface NavItemDef {
+  to: string;
+  label: string;
+  icon: LucideIcon;
+  group: NavGroup;
+  /** True only when the screen is wired to a real backend endpoint. */
+  realBacked: boolean;
+  /** Pinned to the bottom of the sidebar (Settings). */
+  footer?: boolean;
+}
+
+export const NAV_ITEMS: NavItemDef[] = [
+  { to: "/", label: "Overview", icon: LayoutDashboard, group: "Overview", realBacked: false },
+  { to: "/contractors", label: "Contractors", icon: Users, group: "Payments", realBacked: false },
+  { to: "/payroll", label: "Payroll", icon: Users, group: "Payments", realBacked: true },
+  { to: "/invoices", label: "Invoices", icon: FileText, group: "Payments", realBacked: false },
+  { to: "/pay", label: "One-off payment", icon: ArrowUpRight, group: "Payments", realBacked: false },
+  { to: "/approvals", label: "Approvals", icon: CheckCheck, group: "Operations", realBacked: false },
+  { to: "/treasury", label: "Treasury", icon: Wallet, group: "Operations", realBacked: true },
+  { to: "/grants", label: "Auditor access", icon: ShieldCheck, group: "Compliance", realBacked: false },
+  { to: "/audit", label: "Audit log", icon: ScrollText, group: "Compliance", realBacked: false },
+  { to: "/settings", label: "Settings & team", icon: Settings, group: "Settings", realBacked: false, footer: true },
+];
+
+/** Where real mode lands (Overview has no backend). */
+export const REAL_HOME = "/treasury";
+
+/** Nav items to render for the given build mode. Real mode hides no-backend screens. */
+export function visibleNavItems(demoMode: boolean = DEMO_MODE): NavItemDef[] {
+  return NAV_ITEMS.filter((item) => demoMode || item.realBacked);
+}
+
+/** Ordered, de-duplicated list of groups that have at least one visible non-footer item. */
+export function visibleNavGroups(demoMode: boolean = DEMO_MODE): NavGroup[] {
+  const groups: NavGroup[] = [];
+  for (const item of visibleNavItems(demoMode)) {
+    if (item.footer) continue;
+    if (!groups.includes(item.group)) groups.push(item.group);
+  }
+  return groups;
+}