diff --git a/plugins/memory/honcho/session.py b/plugins/memory/honcho/session.py
index 5436f24fd..d8c6c0e63 100644
--- a/plugins/memory/honcho/session.py
+++ b/plugins/memory/honcho/session.py
@@ -1087,7 +1087,17 @@ class HonchoSessionManager:
 
         try:
             observer_peer_id, target_peer_id = self._resolve_observer_target(session, peer)
-            return self._fetch_peer_card(observer_peer_id, target=target_peer_id)
+            card = self._fetch_peer_card(observer_peer_id, target=target_peer_id)
+            if card:
+                return card
+            # Honcho self-hosted v3 stores the peer card on the peer itself
+            # (GET /peers/{id}/card). The observer-target slot used above is
+            # only populated when writes also go through that path. Fall back
+            # to the target peer's own card so honcho_profile works regardless
+            # of which write path populated it.
+            if target_peer_id:
+                return self._fetch_peer_card(target_peer_id)
+            return []
         except Exception as e:
             logger.debug("Failed to fetch peer card from Honcho: %s", e)
             return []
@@ -1234,13 +1244,22 @@ class HonchoSessionManager:
         if not session:
             return None
         try:
-            peer_id = self._resolve_peer_id(session, peer)
-            if peer_id is None:
+            observer_peer_id, target_peer_id = self._resolve_observer_target(session, peer)
+            if observer_peer_id is None:
                 logger.warning("Could not resolve peer '%s' for set_peer_card in session '%s'", peer, session_key)
                 return None
-            peer_obj = self._get_or_create_peer(peer_id)
-            result = peer_obj.set_card(card)
-            logger.info("Updated peer card for %s (%d facts)", peer_id, len(card))
+            peer_obj = self._get_or_create_peer(observer_peer_id)
+            result = (
+                peer_obj.set_card(card, target=target_peer_id)
+                if target_peer_id is not None
+                else peer_obj.set_card(card)
+            )
+            logger.info(
+                "Updated peer card observer=%s target=%s (%d facts)",
+                observer_peer_id,
+                target_peer_id or observer_peer_id,
+                len(card),
+            )
             return result
         except Exception as e:
             logger.error("Failed to set peer card: %s", e)
diff --git a/tests/honcho_plugin/test_session.py b/tests/honcho_plugin/test_session.py
index 40b1b8d85..cd9670af2 100644
--- a/tests/honcho_plugin/test_session.py
+++ b/tests/honcho_plugin/test_session.py
@@ -212,6 +212,39 @@ class TestPeerLookupHelpers:
         assert mgr.get_peer_card(session.key) == ["Name: Robert"]
         assistant_peer.get_card.assert_called_once_with(target=session.user_peer_id)
 
+    def test_get_peer_card_falls_back_to_target_peer_own_card(self):
+        # When the observer-target card slot is empty (returns None/[]), fall
+        # back to the target peer's own card. Self-hosted Honcho v3 stores the
+        # peer card on the peer itself; the observer-target slot is only
+        # populated when writes also go through that path.
+        mgr, session = self._make_cached_manager()
+        assistant_peer = MagicMock()
+        assistant_peer.get_card.return_value = None  # observer-target slot empty
+        user_peer = MagicMock()
+        user_peer.get_card.return_value = ["Prefers: dark mode"]
+
+        def _peer(peer_id: str) -> MagicMock:
+            return assistant_peer if peer_id == session.assistant_peer_id else user_peer
+
+        mgr._get_or_create_peer = MagicMock(side_effect=_peer)
+
+        assert mgr.get_peer_card(session.key) == ["Prefers: dark mode"]
+        assistant_peer.get_card.assert_called_once_with(target=session.user_peer_id)
+        user_peer.get_card.assert_called_once_with()
+
+    def test_set_peer_card_uses_observer_target_in_ai_observe_others_mode(self):
+        # Writes must go to the same observer-target slot that reads check,
+        # so that a subsequent honcho_profile read returns what was written.
+        mgr, session = self._make_cached_manager()
+        assistant_peer = MagicMock()
+        assistant_peer.set_card.return_value = ["Role: user"]
+        mgr._get_or_create_peer = MagicMock(return_value=assistant_peer)
+
+        result = mgr.set_peer_card(session.key, ["Role: user"])
+
+        assert result == ["Role: user"]
+        assistant_peer.set_card.assert_called_once_with(["Role: user"], target=session.user_peer_id)
+
     def test_search_context_uses_assistant_perspective_with_target(self):
         mgr, session = self._make_cached_manager()
         assistant_peer = MagicMock()