diff --git a/plugins/files/frontend/src/index.js b/plugins/files/frontend/src/index.js
index 330ca35..3ae149d 100644
--- a/plugins/files/frontend/src/index.js
+++ b/plugins/files/frontend/src/index.js
@@ -335,6 +335,13 @@
         return full.indexOf(workspaceRoot + '/') === 0 ? full.slice(workspaceRoot.length + 1) : full;
       }
 
+      function isWorkspaceEvent(event) {
+        var payload = (event && event.payload) || {};
+        var path = cleanPath(payload.path || '');
+        if (!path) return true;
+        return !workspaceRoot || path === workspaceRoot || path.indexOf(workspaceRoot + '/') === 0;
+      }
+
       var toolbar = el('div', { className: 'files-toolbar' });
       var breadcrumb = el('div', { className: 'files-breadcrumb' });
       var backBtn = iconButton('back', 'Back', 'back', goBack);
@@ -1412,8 +1419,22 @@
       loadContributionActions();
       loadEntries();
 
+      var fileChangedUnsubscribe = null;
+      if (api.events && typeof api.events.subscribe === 'function') {
+        api.events.subscribe('file.changed', function (event) {
+          if (disposed || !isWorkspaceEvent(event)) return;
+          if (showingTrash) loadTrashEntries();
+          else loadEntries();
+        }).then(function (unsubscribe) {
+          fileChangedUnsubscribe = unsubscribe;
+        }).catch(function (err) {
+          console.error('[files] file.changed subscription:', err);
+        });
+      }
+
       containerEl.__filesCleanup = function () {
         disposed = true;
+        if (typeof fileChangedUnsubscribe === 'function') fileChangedUnsubscribe();
         document.removeEventListener('click', onDocClick);
         document.removeEventListener('keydown', onDocKeydown);
         window.removeEventListener('mousedown', handleMouseHistory, true);
diff --git a/plugins/files/plugin.json b/plugins/files/plugin.json
index 387661c..f6dc4d9 100644
--- a/plugins/files/plugin.json
+++ b/plugins/files/plugin.json
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
     "files.write",
     "files.delete",
     "files.openExternal",
+    "events.subscribe",
     "workbench.open",
     "ui.register"
   ],
diff --git a/plugins/notes/frontend/src/index.js b/plugins/notes/frontend/src/index.js
index a934a1b..83db706 100644
--- a/plugins/notes/frontend/src/index.js
+++ b/plugins/notes/frontend/src/index.js
@@ -345,6 +345,14 @@
         });
       }
 
+      function isNotesEvent(event) {
+        var payload = (event && event.payload) || {};
+        var changedPath = cleanPath(payload.path || '');
+        if (!changedPath) return true;
+        var parent = notesParent();
+        return changedPath === parent || changedPath.indexOf(parent + '/') === 0;
+      }
+
       function actionInitial(action) {
         var label = String(action && action.label || '').trim();
         return label ? label.charAt(0).toUpperCase() : '+';
@@ -640,8 +648,21 @@
       loadContributionActions();
       loadNotes();
 
+      var fileChangedUnsubscribe = null;
+      if (api.events && typeof api.events.subscribe === 'function') {
+        api.events.subscribe('file.changed', function (event) {
+          if (disposed || !isNotesEvent(event)) return;
+          loadNotes();
+        }).then(function (unsubscribe) {
+          fileChangedUnsubscribe = unsubscribe;
+        }).catch(function (err) {
+          console.error('[notes] file.changed subscription:', err);
+        });
+      }
+
       containerEl.__notesCleanup = function () {
         disposed = true;
+        if (typeof fileChangedUnsubscribe === 'function') fileChangedUnsubscribe();
       };
     },
 
diff --git a/plugins/notes/plugin.json b/plugins/notes/plugin.json
index 4c2d3ff..dc3b381 100644
--- a/plugins/notes/plugin.json
+++ b/plugins/notes/plugin.json
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
     "files.read",
     "files.write",
     "files.delete",
+    "events.subscribe",
     "workbench.open",
     "ui.register"
   ],
diff --git a/scripts/smoke-files-plugin.js b/scripts/smoke-files-plugin.js
index 7ed64ed..b820257 100755
--- a/scripts/smoke-files-plugin.js
+++ b/scripts/smoke-files-plugin.js
@@ -198,7 +198,9 @@ function loadFilesComponent(document) {
 function makeApi() {
   const externalCalls = [];
   const contributionCalls = [];
+  const eventHandlers = {};
   let restored = false;
+  let externalVisible = false;
   let trashEntries = [{
     originalPath: 'Docs/deleted.md',
     trashPath: '.verstak/trash/files/mock/deleted.md',
@@ -210,6 +212,13 @@ function makeApi() {
   return {
     externalCalls,
     contributionCalls,
+    emitFileChanged(payload) {
+      (eventHandlers['file.changed'] || []).forEach((handler) => handler({
+        name: 'file.changed',
+        payload,
+        timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
+      }));
+    },
     files: {
       list: async () => {
         const entries = [{
@@ -230,6 +239,16 @@ function makeApi() {
             modifiedAt: '2026-06-27T01:03:00Z',
           });
         }
+        if (externalVisible) {
+          entries.push({
+            name: 'external.md',
+            relativePath: 'Docs/external.md',
+            type: 'file',
+            extension: 'md',
+            size: 9,
+            modifiedAt: '2026-06-27T01:04:00Z',
+          });
+        }
         return entries;
       },
       metadata: async () => { throw new Error('not-found'); },
@@ -279,6 +298,18 @@ function makeApi() {
         return { status: 'handled' };
       },
     },
+    events: {
+      subscribe: async (eventName, handler) => {
+        eventHandlers[eventName] = eventHandlers[eventName] || [];
+        eventHandlers[eventName].push(handler);
+        return () => {
+          eventHandlers[eventName] = (eventHandlers[eventName] || []).filter((candidate) => candidate !== handler);
+        };
+      },
+    },
+    showExternalFile() {
+      externalVisible = true;
+    },
   };
 }
 
@@ -351,6 +382,13 @@ async function flush() {
   if (!restoredRow) {
     throw new Error(`restored file row not rendered after restore: ${container.textContent}`);
   }
+  api.showExternalFile();
+  api.emitFileChanged({ path: 'Docs/external.md', operation: 'external.create', type: 'file' });
+  await flush();
+  const externalRow = walk(container, (node) => node.getAttribute && node.getAttribute('data-file-path') === 'Docs/external.md');
+  if (!externalRow) {
+    throw new Error(`external file row not rendered after file.changed: ${container.textContent}`);
+  }
 
   console.log('files frontend smoke passed');
 })().catch((err) => {
diff --git a/scripts/smoke-notes-plugin.js b/scripts/smoke-notes-plugin.js
index 44e8337..e92520a 100755
--- a/scripts/smoke-notes-plugin.js
+++ b/scripts/smoke-notes-plugin.js
@@ -137,10 +137,18 @@ function makeApi(options = {}) {
   const entries = new Map();
   const opened = [];
   const contributionCalls = [];
+  const eventHandlers = {};
   return {
     entries,
     opened,
     contributionCalls,
+    emitFileChanged(payload) {
+      (eventHandlers['file.changed'] || []).forEach((handler) => handler({
+        name: 'file.changed',
+        payload,
+        timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
+      }));
+    },
     files: {
       list: async (relativeDir) => {
         const prefix = relativeDir ? `${relativeDir}/` : '';
@@ -212,6 +220,15 @@ function makeApi(options = {}) {
         return { status: 'handled' };
       },
     },
+    events: {
+      subscribe: async (eventName, handler) => {
+        eventHandlers[eventName] = eventHandlers[eventName] || [];
+        eventHandlers[eventName].push(handler);
+        return () => {
+          eventHandlers[eventName] = (eventHandlers[eventName] || []).filter((candidate) => candidate !== handler);
+        };
+      },
+    },
   };
 }
 
@@ -292,6 +309,13 @@ async function mountNotes(api) {
   sortSelect.value = 'title-asc';
   sortSelect.dispatchEvent('change');
 
+  createApi.entries.set('Project/Notes/Third_Note.md', { type: 'file', content: '# Third Note\n' });
+  createApi.emitFileChanged({ path: 'Project/Notes/Third_Note.md', operation: 'external.create', type: 'file' });
+  await flush();
+  if (!container.textContent.includes('Third Note')) {
+    throw new Error(`notes list did not refresh after file.changed: ${container.textContent}`);
+  }
+
   const renameButton = walk(container, (node) => node.getAttribute && node.getAttribute('data-note-action') === 'rename');
   if (!renameButton) throw new Error('rename note button not found');
   renameButton.click();