diff --git a/cmd/controller/main.go b/cmd/controller/main.go
index ab6ae2b2..4788bf82 100644
--- a/cmd/controller/main.go
+++ b/cmd/controller/main.go
@@ -84,6 +84,10 @@ func main() {
 	var orgDefaultMaxSandboxes int
 	var orgDefaultCPU string
 	var orgDefaultMemory string
+	var orgPoolTemplateName string
+	var orgPoolTemplateNamespace string
+	var orgPoolName string
+	var orgPoolWarmMin int
 
 	flag.StringVar(&metricsAddr, "metrics-bind-address", ":8080", "The address the metric endpoint binds to.")
 	flag.StringVar(&probeAddr, "health-probe-bind-address", ":8081", "The address the probe endpoint binds to.")
@@ -119,6 +123,10 @@ func main() {
 	flag.IntVar(&orgDefaultMaxSandboxes, "org-default-max-sandboxes", 50, "Default per-org sandbox/pod count ceiling applied to an Org's ResourceQuota when the Org sets no spec.quota override. The per-org abuse-control primitive: it bounds how much one tenant can schedule. Only used with --enable-org-tenancy.")
 	flag.StringVar(&orgDefaultCPU, "org-default-cpu", "32", "Default per-org aggregate CPU limit ceiling (a Kubernetes quantity, for example 32 or 32000m) applied to an Org's ResourceQuota when the Org sets no spec.quota override. Only used with --enable-org-tenancy.")
 	flag.StringVar(&orgDefaultMemory, "org-default-memory", "64Gi", "Default per-org aggregate memory limit ceiling (a Kubernetes quantity, for example 64Gi) applied to an Org's ResourceQuota when the Org sets no spec.quota override. Only used with --enable-org-tenancy.")
+	flag.StringVar(&orgPoolTemplateName, "org-pool-template-name", "", "Name of a reference SandboxPool (in --org-pool-template-namespace) whose full spec (image, resources, placement, snapshots, network) is cloned into every org namespace so a per-org create has a schedulable pool to fork from. Empty (the default) provisions NO per-org pool (bring-your-own-pool). Only used with --enable-org-tenancy.")
+	flag.StringVar(&orgPoolTemplateNamespace, "org-pool-template-namespace", "", "Namespace of the reference pool named by --org-pool-template-name. Empty defaults to the controller's own namespace. Only used with --enable-org-tenancy.")
+	flag.StringVar(&orgPoolName, "org-pool-name", "", "Name the cloned pool is created under in each org namespace; MUST match the pool name a create resolves (the SDK's image/pool argument). Empty defaults to --org-pool-template-name. Only used with --enable-org-tenancy.")
+	flag.IntVar(&orgPoolWarmMin, "org-pool-warm-min", 0, "warm.min override on the cloned per-org pool. Default 0: no idle warm husks, so N per-org pools cost nothing at rest; the first fork per org cold-starts and the pool warms on demand. Only used with --enable-org-tenancy.")
 	flag.Parse()
 
 	ctrl.SetLogger(zap.New(zap.UseDevMode(true)))
@@ -390,12 +398,16 @@ func main() {
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
 		orgReconciler := &controller.OrgReconciler{
-			Client:               mgr.GetClient(),
-			PoolSecretsSubject:   "mitos-controller",
-			PoolSecretsNamespace: poolControllerNamespace,
-			DefaultMaxSandboxes:  int32(orgDefaultMaxSandboxes), //nolint:gosec // flag value, operator-controlled, bounded by ResourceQuota semantics
-			DefaultCPU:           orgCPU,
-			DefaultMemory:        orgMem,
+			Client:                mgr.GetClient(),
+			PoolSecretsSubject:    "mitos-controller",
+			PoolSecretsNamespace:  poolControllerNamespace,
+			DefaultMaxSandboxes:   int32(orgDefaultMaxSandboxes), //nolint:gosec // flag value, operator-controlled, bounded by ResourceQuota semantics
+			DefaultCPU:            orgCPU,
+			DefaultMemory:         orgMem,
+			PoolTemplateName:      orgPoolTemplateName,
+			PoolTemplateNamespace: orgPoolTemplateNamespace,
+			OrgPoolName:           orgPoolName,
+			OrgPoolWarmMin:        int32(orgPoolWarmMin), //nolint:gosec // flag value, operator-controlled
 		}
 		if err := orgReconciler.SetupWithManager(mgr); err != nil {
 			logger.Error(err, "unable to create controller", "controller", "Org")
@@ -403,6 +415,12 @@ func main() {
 		}
 		logger.Info("org tenancy: ENABLED; provisioning per-org isolation namespaces (mitos-org-<id>) with PSA privileged labels, a ResourceQuota ceiling, a LimitRange, a default-deny NetworkPolicy + DNS egress, and the mitos-pool-secrets RoleBinding. Cross-org isolation is the separate namespace + default-deny NetworkPolicy + ResourceQuota + the microVM; a NetworkPolicy-enforcing CNI is required",
 			"default-max-sandboxes", orgDefaultMaxSandboxes, "default-cpu", orgDefaultCPU, "default-memory", orgDefaultMemory)
+		if orgPoolTemplateName != "" {
+			logger.Info("org tenancy: per-org pool ENABLED; cloning a reference pool spec into each org namespace with warm.min overridden so a per-org create has a schedulable pool to fork from",
+				"template-name", orgPoolTemplateName, "template-namespace", orgPoolTemplateNamespace, "org-pool-name", orgPoolName, "warm-min", orgPoolWarmMin)
+		} else {
+			logger.Info("org tenancy: per-org pool disabled (no --org-pool-template-name); each org namespace has NO pool until one is provisioned (bring-your-own-pool)")
+		}
 	} else {
 		logger.Info("org tenancy: disabled (default); self-host single-tenant. Pass --enable-org-tenancy for hosted multi-tenant per-org namespaces")
 	}
diff --git a/deploy/charts/mitos/templates/controller-deployment.yaml b/deploy/charts/mitos/templates/controller-deployment.yaml
index 9e41ca21..7754b500 100644
--- a/deploy/charts/mitos/templates/controller-deployment.yaml
+++ b/deploy/charts/mitos/templates/controller-deployment.yaml
@@ -83,6 +83,16 @@ spec:
             - --org-default-max-sandboxes={{ .Values.controller.orgTenancy.defaultMaxSandboxes }}
             - --org-default-cpu={{ .Values.controller.orgTenancy.defaultCPU }}
             - --org-default-memory={{ .Values.controller.orgTenancy.defaultMemory }}
+            {{- if .Values.controller.orgTenancy.poolTemplate.name }}
+            - --org-pool-template-name={{ .Values.controller.orgTenancy.poolTemplate.name }}
+            {{- if .Values.controller.orgTenancy.poolTemplate.namespace }}
+            - --org-pool-template-namespace={{ .Values.controller.orgTenancy.poolTemplate.namespace }}
+            {{- end }}
+            {{- if .Values.controller.orgTenancy.poolTemplate.orgPoolName }}
+            - --org-pool-name={{ .Values.controller.orgTenancy.poolTemplate.orgPoolName }}
+            {{- end }}
+            - --org-pool-warm-min={{ .Values.controller.orgTenancy.poolTemplate.warmMin }}
+            {{- end }}
             {{- end }}
             {{- /*
             Usage metering (issue #602): the collector scrapes every forkd
diff --git a/deploy/charts/mitos/values.schema.json b/deploy/charts/mitos/values.schema.json
index 1f06266e..1220e4f5 100644
--- a/deploy/charts/mitos/values.schema.json
+++ b/deploy/charts/mitos/values.schema.json
@@ -240,6 +240,29 @@
             "defaultMemory": {
               "description": "Default per-org aggregate memory limit ceiling, a Kubernetes quantity.",
               "type": "string"
+            },
+            "poolTemplate": {
+              "description": "Per-org SandboxPool cloned from a reference pool: when name is set, clone that pool's full spec into every org namespace with warm.min overridden.",
+              "type": "object",
+              "additionalProperties": false,
+              "properties": {
+                "name": {
+                  "description": "Reference SandboxPool to clone; empty disables per-org pools.",
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "namespace": {
+                  "description": "Namespace of the reference pool; empty defaults to the release namespace.",
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "orgPoolName": {
+                  "description": "Name the cloned pool takes per org; empty defaults to name.",
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "warmMin": {
+                  "description": "warm.min override on the cloned pool.",
+                  "type": "integer"
+                }
+              }
             }
           }
         },
diff --git a/deploy/charts/mitos/values.yaml b/deploy/charts/mitos/values.yaml
index 1d261569..c856137b 100644
--- a/deploy/charts/mitos/values.yaml
+++ b/deploy/charts/mitos/values.yaml
@@ -136,6 +136,25 @@ controller:
     defaultCPU: "32"
     # Default per-org aggregate memory limit ceiling (a Kubernetes quantity).
     defaultMemory: "64Gi"
+    # Per-org SandboxPool. When poolTemplate.name is set, the OrgReconciler clones
+    # that reference pool's FULL spec (image, resources, placement, snapshots,
+    # network) into every org namespace with warm.min overridden, so the per-org
+    # pool schedules exactly where the reference pool does (a bare image would not
+    # carry placement/resources). warmMin:0 means no idle warm husks, so N per-org
+    # pools cost nothing at rest (the snapshot is content-addressed and deduped per
+    # node); the first fork per org cold-starts and the pool warms on demand.
+    # orgPoolName MUST match the pool name a create resolves (the SDK image/pool
+    # argument). Empty name (the default) provisions no pool (bring-your-own-pool).
+    # Only used when enabled.
+    poolTemplate:
+      # Name of the reference SandboxPool to clone. Empty disables per-org pools.
+      name: ""
+      # Namespace of the reference pool. Empty defaults to the release namespace.
+      namespace: ""
+      # Name the cloned pool takes in each org namespace. Empty defaults to name.
+      orgPoolName: ""
+      # warm.min override on the cloned pool.
+      warmMin: 0
   # Usage metering (issues #164/#211/#602): the live per-org metering scraper
   # and the bearer-gated internal usage API the hosted console reads. OFF by
   # default: a self-host install that does not want metering renders none of it.
diff --git a/docs/threat-model.md b/docs/threat-model.md
index d2b25a92..9684c3a5 100644
--- a/docs/threat-model.md
+++ b/docs/threat-model.md
@@ -1525,6 +1525,20 @@ deleted or drifted stack object enqueues the Org and is recreated; org deletion
 cascades through owner references (the cluster-scoped Org owns the cluster-scoped
 Namespace, a valid owner edge).
 
+When `--org-pool-template-name` is set, the reconciler also clones a reference
+SandboxPool's full spec (image, resources, placement, snapshots, network) into
+each org namespace with `warm.min` overridden (default 0), named to match the
+pool a create resolves. Cloning from one reference is what makes the per-org pool
+schedule exactly where the reference does (a bare image would not carry the KVM
+placement); `warm.min:0` keeps no idle warm husks, so N per-org pools cost nothing
+at rest (the first fork per org cold-starts; the snapshot is content-addressed and
+deduped per node). This does NOT move the isolation boundary: the pool and its
+husks live inside the org's already-isolated namespace under the same default-deny
+NetworkPolicy and ResourceQuota, so it grants no cross-tenant reach. It is the
+enablement that lets the hosted deployment run per-org namespaces instead of one
+shared namespace (which is what closes the shared-namespace referenced-object
+class of issues in section 7b, the bare-name secret/workspace reference finding).
+
 What isolates two orgs: **the separate namespace + the per-org default-deny
 NetworkPolicy + the per-org ResourceQuota ceiling + the microVM.** No single one
 of these is the whole boundary; the microVM remains the in-pod isolation
diff --git a/internal/controller/org_builders_test.go b/internal/controller/org_builders_test.go
index 5e9460ef..21562e8b 100644
--- a/internal/controller/org_builders_test.go
+++ b/internal/controller/org_builders_test.go
@@ -10,6 +10,53 @@ import (
 	"mitos.run/mitos/internal/tenant"
 )
 
+// TestBuildOrgPoolFromTemplate asserts the per-org pool clones the reference
+// pool's full spec (image, resources, placement) and overrides ONLY warm.min to
+// the configured floor, carries the org label and target name/namespace, so a
+// per-org create in the org namespace has a schedulable pool to fork from (issue
+// #288 multi-tenancy enablement).
+func TestBuildOrgPoolFromTemplate(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpl := &v1.SandboxPool{
+		Spec: v1.SandboxPoolSpec{
+			Template: &v1.PoolTemplateSpec{
+				Image:     "ghcr.io/mitos-run/mitos-python:v1.13.0",
+				Resources: v1.SandboxResources{CPU: resource.MustParse("2"), Memory: resource.MustParse("512Mi")},
+			},
+			Warm: &v1.PoolWarm{Min: 8},
+			Placement: &v1.PoolPlacement{
+				NodeSelector: map[string]string{"mitos.run/kvm": "true"},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+	org := &v1.Org{}
+	org.Name = "acme"
+	pool := buildOrgPoolFromTemplate(org, tenant.NamespaceForOrg("acme"), "python", tmpl, 0)
+
+	if pool.Name != "python" {
+		t.Fatalf("name = %q, want python", pool.Name)
+	}
+	if pool.Namespace != "mitos-org-acme" {
+		t.Fatalf("namespace = %q, want mitos-org-acme", pool.Namespace)
+	}
+	if got := pool.Labels[tenant.OrgLabelKey]; got != "acme" {
+		t.Fatalf("org label = %q, want acme", got)
+	}
+	if pool.Spec.Template == nil || pool.Spec.Template.Image != "ghcr.io/mitos-run/mitos-python:v1.13.0" {
+		t.Fatalf("template image not cloned: %+v", pool.Spec.Template)
+	}
+	if pool.Spec.Placement == nil || pool.Spec.Placement.NodeSelector["mitos.run/kvm"] != "true" {
+		t.Fatalf("placement not cloned: %+v", pool.Spec.Placement)
+	}
+	if pool.Spec.Warm == nil || pool.Spec.Warm.Min != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("warm.min = %+v, want a non-nil Warm with Min 0 (overridden)", pool.Spec.Warm)
+	}
+	// The clone must be independent: mutating it must not touch the template.
+	pool.Spec.Placement.NodeSelector["mitos.run/kvm"] = "mutated"
+	if tmpl.Spec.Placement.NodeSelector["mitos.run/kvm"] != "true" {
+		t.Fatalf("clone shares the template's placement map (not a deep copy)")
+	}
+}
+
 // TestBuildOrgDefaultDenyPolicy asserts the per-org NetworkPolicy is
 // default-deny in BOTH directions with a single DNS egress allow, applies to
 // every pod in the namespace, and carries the org label.
diff --git a/internal/controller/org_controller.go b/internal/controller/org_controller.go
index 64064f7a..f7ead423 100644
--- a/internal/controller/org_controller.go
+++ b/internal/controller/org_controller.go
@@ -65,6 +65,28 @@ type OrgReconciler struct {
 	// DefaultMemory is the per-org aggregate memory limit ceiling applied when an
 	// Org sets no Quota override.
 	DefaultMemory resource.Quantity
+
+	// PoolTemplateName is the name of a reference SandboxPool (in
+	// PoolTemplateNamespace) whose spec is cloned into every org namespace so a
+	// per-org create has a pool to fork from. Cloning the full spec (template,
+	// resources, placement, snapshots, network) from ONE source of truth is what
+	// makes the per-org pool schedulable on the same nodes as the reference pool,
+	// which a bare image cannot. Empty disables per-org pool provisioning (the
+	// self-host / bring-your-own-pool posture), so a single-tenant install is
+	// unaffected.
+	PoolTemplateName string
+	// PoolTemplateNamespace is where the reference pool lives. Empty defaults to
+	// the controller's own namespace (PoolSecretsNamespace, else "mitos").
+	PoolTemplateNamespace string
+	// OrgPoolName is the name the cloned pool is created under in each org
+	// namespace. It MUST match the pool name a create resolves (the SDK passes it
+	// as the image/pool argument). Empty defaults to PoolTemplateName.
+	OrgPoolName string
+	// OrgPoolWarmMin overrides warm.min on the cloned per-org pool. Default 0: no
+	// dormant warm husks are held, so N per-org pools cost nothing at rest (the
+	// snapshot is content-addressed and deduped per node); the first fork per org
+	// cold-starts and the pool warms on demand.
+	OrgPoolWarmMin int32
 }
 
 const (
@@ -128,9 +150,83 @@ func (r *OrgReconciler) ensureStack(ctx context.Context, org *v1.Org, ns string)
 	if err := r.ensurePoolSecretsRoleBinding(ctx, org, ns); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	if err := r.ensureOrgPool(ctx, org, ns); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// ensureOrgPool clones the reference SandboxPool (PoolTemplateNamespace/
+// PoolTemplateName) into the org namespace when a template is configured. It is a
+// no-op otherwise (the self-host / bring-your-own-pool posture), so a
+// single-tenant install is unaffected. Cloning the full spec carries placement,
+// resources, snapshots, and network from one source of truth, so the per-org
+// pool schedules exactly where the reference pool does. The pool is created ONLY
+// (never updated): once it exists the reconciler leaves its spec alone, so a
+// warm.min bumped by the autoscaler or an operator persists. Owner-referenced to
+// the Org for cascade deletion.
+func (r *OrgReconciler) ensureOrgPool(ctx context.Context, org *v1.Org, ns string) error {
+	if r.PoolTemplateName == "" {
+		return nil
+	}
+	tns := r.PoolTemplateNamespace
+	if tns == "" {
+		tns = r.PoolSecretsNamespace
+	}
+	if tns == "" {
+		tns = defaultControllerNamespace
+	}
+	name := r.OrgPoolName
+	if name == "" {
+		name = r.PoolTemplateName
+	}
+
+	// Create-once: if the per-org pool already exists, leave it alone.
+	existing := &v1.SandboxPool{ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: name, Namespace: ns}}
+	if err := r.Get(ctx, client.ObjectKeyFromObject(existing), existing); err == nil {
+		return nil
+	} else if !apierrors.IsNotFound(err) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("get org pool %s/%s: %w", ns, name, err)
+	}
+
+	var tmpl v1.SandboxPool
+	if err := r.Get(ctx, client.ObjectKey{Namespace: tns, Name: r.PoolTemplateName}, &tmpl); err != nil {
+		// A missing template is an operator misconfiguration, not a transient: fail
+		// the reconcile so it surfaces on the Org status with actionable context.
+		return fmt.Errorf("get org pool template %s/%s: %w", tns, r.PoolTemplateName, err)
+	}
+
+	desired := buildOrgPoolFromTemplate(org, ns, name, &tmpl, r.OrgPoolWarmMin)
+	if err := r.setOwner(org, desired); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := r.Create(ctx, desired); err != nil && !apierrors.IsAlreadyExists(err) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("create org pool %s/%s: %w", ns, name, err)
+	}
 	return nil
 }
 
+// buildOrgPoolFromTemplate builds a per-org SandboxPool by deep-copying the
+// reference pool's spec and overriding only warm.min. Placement, resources,
+// snapshots, template image, and network are carried verbatim so the per-org
+// pool schedules exactly like the reference. warmMin defaults the pool to no
+// idle warm husks (0) so N per-org pools cost nothing at rest.
+func buildOrgPoolFromTemplate(org *v1.Org, ns, name string, tmpl *v1.SandboxPool, warmMin int32) *v1.SandboxPool {
+	spec := *tmpl.Spec.DeepCopy()
+	if spec.Warm == nil {
+		spec.Warm = &v1.PoolWarm{}
+	}
+	spec.Warm.Min = warmMin
+	return &v1.SandboxPool{
+		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+			Name:      name,
+			Namespace: ns,
+			Labels:    tenant.OrgLabels(org.Name),
+		},
+		Spec: spec,
+	}
+}
+
 // ensureNamespace creates or updates the org namespace with the org label and
 // the PSA privileged labels.
 //
@@ -213,7 +309,7 @@ func buildOrgResourceQuota(org *v1.Org, ns string, defMaxSandboxes int32, defCPU
 	}
 
 	hard := corev1.ResourceList{
-		corev1.ResourcePods:        *resource.NewQuantity(int64(maxPods), resource.DecimalSI),
+		corev1.ResourcePods:         *resource.NewQuantity(int64(maxPods), resource.DecimalSI),
 		"count/sandboxes.mitos.run": *resource.NewQuantity(int64(maxSandboxes), resource.DecimalSI),
 		corev1.ResourceLimitsCPU:    cpu,
 		corev1.ResourceLimitsMemory: mem,
diff --git a/internal/controller/org_envtest_test.go b/internal/controller/org_envtest_test.go
index 1e6f4a1b..b3e11c2a 100644
--- a/internal/controller/org_envtest_test.go
+++ b/internal/controller/org_envtest_test.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	networkingv1 "k8s.io/api/networking/v1"
 	rbacv1 "k8s.io/api/rbac/v1"
+	apierrors "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/errors"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/resource"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
@@ -157,6 +158,92 @@ func TestOrgReconcilerProvisionsIsolationStack(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestOrgReconcilerProvisionsPoolFromTemplate asserts that when a pool template
+// is configured the reconciler clones it (full spec, warm.min overridden to 0)
+// into the org namespace under OrgPoolName, owner-referenced to the Org, so a
+// per-org create has a schedulable pool to fork from (issue #288).
+func TestOrgReconcilerProvisionsPoolFromTemplate(t *testing.T) {
+	stamp := time.Now().UnixNano()
+	// Seed a reference pool in the controller namespace ("mitos"). Ensure the
+	// namespace exists first (envtest starts with none).
+	mitosNS := &corev1.Namespace{ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: "mitos"}}
+	if err := k8sClient.Create(ctx, mitosNS); err != nil && !apierrors.IsAlreadyExists(err) {
+		t.Fatalf("create mitos namespace: %v", err)
+	}
+	tmplName := fmt.Sprintf("python-%d", stamp)
+	tmpl := &v1.SandboxPool{
+		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: tmplName, Namespace: "mitos"},
+		Spec: v1.SandboxPoolSpec{
+			Template:  &v1.PoolTemplateSpec{Image: "ghcr.io/mitos-run/mitos-python:v1.13.0"},
+			Warm:      &v1.PoolWarm{Min: 8},
+			Placement: &v1.PoolPlacement{NodeSelector: map[string]string{"mitos.run/kvm": "true"}},
+		},
+	}
+	if err := k8sClient.Create(ctx, tmpl); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create template pool: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = k8sClient.Delete(ctx, tmpl) })
+
+	orgID := fmt.Sprintf("pooled-%d", stamp)
+	org := &v1.Org{ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: orgID}}
+	if err := k8sClient.Create(ctx, org); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create org: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = k8sClient.Delete(ctx, org) })
+
+	r := newOrgReconciler()
+	r.PoolTemplateName = tmplName
+	r.PoolTemplateNamespace = "mitos"
+	r.OrgPoolName = "python"
+	r.OrgPoolWarmMin = 0
+	reconcileOrg(t, r, orgID)
+
+	ns := tenant.NamespaceForOrg(orgID)
+	var pool v1.SandboxPool
+	if err := k8sClient.Get(ctx, types.NamespacedName{Name: "python", Namespace: ns}, &pool); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("get org pool: %v", err)
+	}
+	if pool.Spec.Template == nil || pool.Spec.Template.Image != "ghcr.io/mitos-run/mitos-python:v1.13.0" {
+		t.Errorf("pool template image = %+v, want cloned image", pool.Spec.Template)
+	}
+	if pool.Spec.Placement == nil || pool.Spec.Placement.NodeSelector["mitos.run/kvm"] != "true" {
+		t.Errorf("pool placement not cloned: %+v", pool.Spec.Placement)
+	}
+	if pool.Spec.Warm == nil || pool.Spec.Warm.Min != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("pool warm = %+v, want Min 0 (overridden)", pool.Spec.Warm)
+	}
+	if pool.Labels[tenant.OrgLabelKey] != orgID {
+		t.Errorf("pool org label = %q, want %q", pool.Labels[tenant.OrgLabelKey], orgID)
+	}
+	if !hasOrgOwner(pool.OwnerReferences, orgID) {
+		t.Errorf("pool missing Org owner reference: %+v", pool.OwnerReferences)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestOrgReconcilerSkipsPoolWhenUnconfigured asserts that with no pool template
+// (the self-host / bring-your-own-pool posture) NO pool is created, so a
+// single-tenant install is unaffected.
+func TestOrgReconcilerSkipsPoolWhenUnconfigured(t *testing.T) {
+	orgID := fmt.Sprintf("nopool-%d", time.Now().UnixNano())
+	org := &v1.Org{ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: orgID}}
+	if err := k8sClient.Create(ctx, org); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create org: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = k8sClient.Delete(ctx, org) })
+
+	r := newOrgReconciler() // PoolTemplateName empty
+	reconcileOrg(t, r, orgID)
+
+	ns := tenant.NamespaceForOrg(orgID)
+	var list v1.SandboxPoolList
+	if err := k8sClient.List(ctx, &list, client.InNamespace(ns)); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("list pools: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(list.Items) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("a pool was created despite no template: %+v", list.Items)
+	}
+}
+
 // TestOrgReconcilerTwoOrgsAreIsolated asserts two Orgs land in two DISTINCT
 // namespaces, each with its own full stack and ONLY its own org label.
 func TestOrgReconcilerTwoOrgsAreIsolated(t *testing.T) {