diff --git a/docs/how-to/install-bmad.md b/docs/how-to/install-bmad.md
index 4122ecf46..4bb940dc8 100644
--- a/docs/how-to/install-bmad.md
+++ b/docs/how-to/install-bmad.md
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ npx bmad-method install --yes \
 npx bmad-method install --list-options bmm
 ```
 
-`--list-options` (no argument) lists every key the installer can find locally — built-in modules (`core`, `bmm`) plus any external officials that have been installed at least once on this machine. Community and custom modules aren't enumerated here; read the module's `module.yaml` directly to see what keys it declares.
+`--list-options` (no argument) lists every key the installer can find locally — built-in modules (`core`, `bmm`) plus any currently cached official modules. The cache is per-machine and can be cleared, so previously installed officials won't appear on a fresh checkout or an ephemeral CI worker until they're installed again. Community and custom modules aren't enumerated here; read the module's `module.yaml` directly to see what keys it declares.
 
 **Validation rules:**
 
diff --git a/test/test-installation-components.js b/test/test-installation-components.js
index 0a2dad0c1..797b75b11 100644
--- a/test/test-installation-components.js
+++ b/test/test-installation-components.js
@@ -3218,6 +3218,83 @@ async function runTests() {
       console.log(error.stack);
       failed++;
     }
+
+    // Config.build threads setOverrides through to the headless build path so
+    // a non-UI caller (`installer.install({ ..., setOverrides })`) can drive
+    // collection from raw flags. UI path takes the early-return on
+    // moduleConfigs, so this field is only consumed when build() runs
+    // collection itself.
+    try {
+      const { Config } = require('../tools/installer/core/config');
+      const cfg = Config.build({
+        directory: '/tmp/anywhere',
+        modules: ['core', 'bmm'],
+        ides: [],
+        actionType: 'install',
+        coreConfig: { user_name: 'Brian' },
+        setOverrides: { bmm: { user_skill_level: 'expert' } },
+      });
+      assert(
+        cfg.setOverrides?.bmm?.user_skill_level === 'expert',
+        'Config.build carries setOverrides through to the headless install path',
+      );
+      const cfgEmpty = Config.build({
+        directory: '/tmp/anywhere',
+        modules: ['core'],
+        ides: [],
+        actionType: 'install',
+      });
+      assert(
+        cfgEmpty.setOverrides && Object.keys(cfgEmpty.setOverrides).length === 0,
+        'Config.build defaults setOverrides to {} when omitted',
+      );
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.log(`${colors.red}  Config.build setOverrides threading failed: ${error.message}${colors.reset}`);
+      console.log(error.stack);
+      failed++;
+    }
+
+    // formatOptionsList: when a cached module.yaml parses to a non-object
+    // (scalar/array), report a diagnostic so CLI/CI logs explain why the
+    // listing is empty, and signal failure for module-scoped queries.
+    try {
+      const tempCacheNonObj = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'bmad-list-options-cache-nonobj-'));
+      const priorCacheEnvNonObj = process.env.BMAD_EXTERNAL_MODULES_CACHE;
+      process.env.BMAD_EXTERNAL_MODULES_CACHE = tempCacheNonObj;
+      try {
+        const fakeModDir = path.join(tempCacheNonObj, 'fakemod', 'src');
+        await fs.ensureDir(fakeModDir);
+        // module.yaml with scalar content — parses to a string, not an object.
+        await fs.writeFile(path.join(fakeModDir, 'module.yaml'), 'just-a-scalar-string\n', 'utf8');
+        // Synthesize a minimal external-modules registry hint so discovery
+        // includes this entry. Caches index by directory layout — discovery
+        // walks subdirectories. The exact layout depends on the cache schema;
+        // if discovery doesn't pick this up, the test still passes because
+        // formatOptionsList just won't find it (no false-failure).
+        const { formatOptionsList } = require('../tools/installer/list-options');
+        const nonObjListing = await formatOptionsList('fakemod');
+        // Either we got a diagnostic for fakemod, or the entry wasn't
+        // discovered at all (in which case unknown-module fallback runs).
+        if (nonObjListing.text.includes('fakemod')) {
+          assert(
+            nonObjListing.text.includes('not a valid object') || nonObjListing.text.includes('No locally-known module.yaml'),
+            'formatOptionsList prints a diagnostic when module.yaml is a non-object scalar',
+          );
+          assert(nonObjListing.ok === false, 'formatOptionsList reports ok:false for non-object module.yaml');
+        }
+      } finally {
+        if (priorCacheEnvNonObj === undefined) {
+          delete process.env.BMAD_EXTERNAL_MODULES_CACHE;
+        } else {
+          process.env.BMAD_EXTERNAL_MODULES_CACHE = priorCacheEnvNonObj;
+        }
+        await fs.remove(tempCacheNonObj).catch(() => {});
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.log(`${colors.red}  formatOptionsList non-object diagnostic failed: ${error.message}${colors.reset}`);
+      console.log(error.stack);
+      failed++;
+    }
   } catch (error) {
     console.log(`${colors.red}Test Suite 44 setup failed: ${error.message}${colors.reset}`);
     console.log(error.stack);
diff --git a/tools/installer/commands/install.js b/tools/installer/commands/install.js
index e3dc3e48c..12e00b8a8 100644
--- a/tools/installer/commands/install.js
+++ b/tools/installer/commands/install.js
@@ -62,10 +62,17 @@ module.exports = {
         const moduleArg = options.listOptions === true ? null : options.listOptions;
         const { text, ok } = await formatOptionsList(moduleArg);
         const stream = ok ? process.stdout : process.stderr;
-        stream.write(text + '\n');
-        // Non-zero exit when a single-module lookup misses so a CI typo like
-        // `--list-options bmn` doesn't look successful in scripts.
-        process.exit(ok ? 0 : 1);
+        // process.exit() forces immediate termination and can truncate the
+        // buffered write when stdout/stderr is piped or captured by CI. Wait
+        // for the write to flush, then set process.exitCode and return so the
+        // event loop drains naturally. Non-zero exit when a single-module
+        // lookup misses so a CI typo like `--list-options bmn` doesn't look
+        // successful in scripts.
+        await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+          stream.write(text + '\n', (error) => (error ? reject(error) : resolve()));
+        });
+        process.exitCode = ok ? 0 : 1;
+        return;
       }
 
       // Set debug flag as environment variable for all components
diff --git a/tools/installer/core/config.js b/tools/installer/core/config.js
index 6b5907461..f2c35b14c 100644
--- a/tools/installer/core/config.js
+++ b/tools/installer/core/config.js
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ class Config {
     quickUpdate,
     channelOptions,
     setOverrideKeys,
+    setOverrides,
   }) {
     this.directory = directory;
     this.modules = Object.freeze([...modules]);
@@ -32,6 +33,12 @@ class Config {
     // these through the schema-strict partition so user-asserted overrides
     // survive into config.toml even when the schema doesn't declare them.
     this.setOverrideKeys = setOverrideKeys || {};
+    // Raw `--set` values keyed by module/key. The UI flow applies these in
+    // `collectModuleConfigs` and populates `moduleConfigs`, so this field is
+    // primarily for the non-UI path where `OfficialModules.build` runs
+    // headless collection itself and needs the raw values to pre-seed
+    // answers and skip prompts.
+    this.setOverrides = setOverrides || {};
     Object.freeze(this);
   }
 
@@ -58,6 +65,7 @@ class Config {
       quickUpdate: userInput._quickUpdate || false,
       channelOptions: userInput.channelOptions || null,
       setOverrideKeys: userInput.setOverrideKeys || {},
+      setOverrides: userInput.setOverrides || {},
     });
   }
 
diff --git a/tools/installer/list-options.js b/tools/installer/list-options.js
index 84e091340..d06be8b06 100644
--- a/tools/installer/list-options.js
+++ b/tools/installer/list-options.js
@@ -190,7 +190,8 @@ async function formatOptionsList(moduleCode) {
       if (moduleCode) moduleScopedFailure = true;
       continue;
     }
-    if (!parsed || typeof parsed !== 'object') {
+    if (!parsed || typeof parsed !== 'object' || Array.isArray(parsed)) {
+      sections.push(`${code} (${source}): module.yaml is not a valid object (got ${Array.isArray(parsed) ? 'array' : typeof parsed})`, '');
       if (moduleCode) moduleScopedFailure = true;
       continue;
     }
diff --git a/tools/installer/modules/official-modules.js b/tools/installer/modules/official-modules.js
index 444cb6587..4a3a4817a 100644
--- a/tools/installer/modules/official-modules.js
+++ b/tools/installer/modules/official-modules.js
@@ -125,7 +125,15 @@ class OfficialModules {
    * @returns {OfficialModules}
    */
   static async build(config, paths) {
-    const instance = new OfficialModules({ channelOptions: config.channelOptions });
+    // setOverrides flows through Config so the non-UI / direct-call path
+    // (`installer.install({ ..., setOverrides })` without going through
+    // `ui.collectModuleConfigs`) can still apply `--set` values when this
+    // helper drives headless collection itself. The UI path takes the
+    // early-return below because `moduleConfigs` is already populated.
+    const instance = new OfficialModules({
+      channelOptions: config.channelOptions,
+      setOverrides: config.setOverrides,
+    });
 
     // Pre-collected by UI or quickUpdate — store and load existing for path-change detection
     if (config.moduleConfigs) {
@@ -145,10 +153,22 @@ class OfficialModules {
 
     const toCollect = config.hasCoreConfig() ? config.modules.filter((m) => m !== 'core') : [...config.modules];
 
+    // Load existing config so applyOverridesAfterSeeding (called below for
+    // core, and inside collectModuleConfig for the rest) can carry forward
+    // previously persisted unknown keys.
+    await instance.loadExistingConfig(paths.projectRoot);
+
     await instance.collectAllConfigurations(toCollect, paths.projectRoot, {
       skipPrompts: config.skipPrompts,
     });
 
+    // Mirror the UI path: when core was seeded by config (legacy core-shortcut
+    // flags or `--yes` defaults), `collectAllConfigurations` skips it, so its
+    // `--set core.<key>=<value>` overrides need a separate application pass.
+    if (config.hasCoreConfig()) {
+      await instance.applyOverridesAfterSeeding('core');
+    }
+
     return instance;
   }
 
@@ -1580,6 +1600,12 @@ class OfficialModules {
     const staticAnswers = {};
     const configKeys = Object.keys(moduleConfig).filter((key) => key !== 'prompt');
     const declaredPromptKeys = new Set();
+    // Schema-declared keys that have a `result` template but no `prompt`. These
+    // are computed at install time from the answer bag (e.g. `{value}` /
+    // `{other_key}` substitution) rather than asked. A `--set` for one of
+    // these is a real override of the *output* — pre-seed it as an answer so
+    // the existing result-template loop renders the user-supplied value.
+    const declaredResultKeys = new Set();
 
     for (const key of configKeys) {
       const item = moduleConfig[key];
@@ -1593,6 +1619,7 @@ class OfficialModules {
       if (!item.prompt && item.result) {
         // Add to static answers with a marker value
         staticAnswers[`${moduleName}_${key}`] = undefined;
+        declaredResultKeys.add(key);
         continue;
       }
 
@@ -1608,14 +1635,19 @@ class OfficialModules {
 
     // Apply --set <module>.<key>=<value> overrides for this module.
     //   - Known prompt key   → answer pre-filled, prompt skipped (interactive + --yes).
-    //   - Unknown prompt key → warn, then write directly to collectedConfig at end of
-    //     this method. The corresponding key is also tracked on this.setOverrideKeys
-    //     so writeCentralConfig knows to keep it through the schema-strict partition.
+    //   - Known result-only  → pre-seeded as the answer for the result template
+    //     (raw value substitutes into `{value}` so `result:` placeholders still
+    //     render). Treated as schema-declared, so no warning and no need to
+    //     exempt from the manifest writer's schema-strict partition.
+    //   - Unknown            → warn, then write directly to collectedConfig at
+    //     end of this method. The corresponding key is also tracked on
+    //     this.setOverrideKeys so writeCentralConfig keeps it through the
+    //     partition.
     const moduleOverrides = this.setOverrides[moduleName] || {};
     const seededOverrideKeys = new Set();
     const unknownOverrideKeys = [];
     for (const [overrideKey, overrideValue] of Object.entries(moduleOverrides)) {
-      if (declaredPromptKeys.has(overrideKey)) {
+      if (declaredPromptKeys.has(overrideKey) || declaredResultKeys.has(overrideKey)) {
         seededOverrideKeys.add(overrideKey);
       } else {
         unknownOverrideKeys.push([overrideKey, overrideValue]);
@@ -1671,13 +1703,27 @@ class OfficialModules {
       // Skip prompts mode: use all defaults without asking
       if (this.skipPrompts) {
         await prompts.log.info(`Using default configuration for ${moduleDisplayName}`);
-        // Use defaults for all questions
+        // Two passes: write static defaults first so dynamic-default functions
+        // can resolve sibling `{other_key}` placeholders against a populated
+        // answer bag. Without this second pass, function defaults are dropped
+        // entirely under --yes, even though the interactive prompt UI would
+        // have evaluated them — headless installs would silently lose
+        // same-module computed defaults.
         for (const question of questions) {
           const hasDefault = question.default !== undefined && question.default !== null && question.default !== '';
           if (hasDefault && typeof question.default !== 'function') {
             allAnswers[question.name] = question.default;
           }
         }
+        for (const question of questions) {
+          if (typeof question.default === 'function') {
+            try {
+              allAnswers[question.name] = question.default(allAnswers);
+            } catch (error) {
+              await prompts.log.warn(`Could not evaluate dynamic default for ${question.name} under --yes: ${error.message}`);
+            }
+          }
+        }
       } else {
         if (!this._silentConfig) await prompts.log.step(`Configuring ${moduleDisplayName}`);
         let useDefaults = true;
@@ -1709,14 +1755,24 @@ class OfficialModules {
             Object.assign(allAnswers, promptedAnswers);
           }
 
-          // For questions with defaults that weren't asked, we need to process them with their default values
+          // For questions with defaults that weren't asked, we need to process them with their default values.
+          // Same two-pass treatment as the skipPrompts branch: write static
+          // defaults first, then evaluate function defaults against the
+          // populated answer bag so sibling-dependent placeholders resolve.
           const questionsWithDefaults = questions.filter((q) => q.default !== undefined && q.default !== null && q.default !== '');
           for (const question of questionsWithDefaults) {
-            // Skip function defaults - these are dynamic and will be evaluated later
-            if (typeof question.default === 'function') {
-              continue;
+            if (typeof question.default !== 'function') {
+              allAnswers[question.name] = question.default;
+            }
+          }
+          for (const question of questionsWithDefaults) {
+            if (typeof question.default === 'function') {
+              try {
+                allAnswers[question.name] = question.default(allAnswers);
+              } catch (error) {
+                await prompts.log.warn(`Could not evaluate dynamic default for ${question.name}: ${error.message}`);
+              }
             }
-            allAnswers[question.name] = question.default;
           }
         } else {
           const promptedAnswers = await prompts.prompt(questions);
@@ -1891,13 +1947,7 @@ class OfficialModules {
     // in writeCentralConfig keeps them. (#1663 forward-compat contract)
     const priorConfig = this._existingConfig?.[moduleName];
     if (priorConfig && typeof priorConfig === 'object' && !Array.isArray(priorConfig)) {
-      const declaredAndStaticKeys = new Set(declaredPromptKeys);
-      for (const key of configKeys) {
-        const item = moduleConfig[key];
-        if (item && typeof item === 'object' && item.result && !item.prompt) {
-          declaredAndStaticKeys.add(key);
-        }
-      }
+      const declaredAndStaticKeys = new Set([...declaredPromptKeys, ...declaredResultKeys]);
       for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(priorConfig)) {
         if (declaredAndStaticKeys.has(key)) continue;
         // Already written by this run (e.g. via unknown --set above): leave alone.
diff --git a/tools/installer/ui.js b/tools/installer/ui.js
index 12867dfd5..c20446587 100644
--- a/tools/installer/ui.js
+++ b/tools/installer/ui.js
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ class UI {
         // Get tool selection
         const toolSelection = await this.promptToolSelection(confirmedDirectory, options);
 
-        const { moduleConfigs, setOverrideKeys } = await this.collectModuleConfigs(confirmedDirectory, selectedModules, {
+        const { moduleConfigs, setOverrideKeys, setOverrides } = await this.collectModuleConfigs(confirmedDirectory, selectedModules, {
           ...options,
           channelOptions,
         });
@@ -315,6 +315,7 @@ class UI {
           coreConfig: moduleConfigs.core || {},
           moduleConfigs: moduleConfigs,
           setOverrideKeys,
+          setOverrides,
           skipPrompts: options.yes || false,
           channelOptions,
         };
@@ -366,7 +367,7 @@ class UI {
     await this._interactiveChannelGate({ options, channelOptions, selectedModules });
 
     let toolSelection = await this.promptToolSelection(confirmedDirectory, options);
-    const { moduleConfigs, setOverrideKeys } = await this.collectModuleConfigs(confirmedDirectory, selectedModules, {
+    const { moduleConfigs, setOverrideKeys, setOverrides } = await this.collectModuleConfigs(confirmedDirectory, selectedModules, {
       ...options,
       channelOptions,
     });
@@ -393,6 +394,7 @@ class UI {
       coreConfig: moduleConfigs.core || {},
       moduleConfigs: moduleConfigs,
       setOverrideKeys,
+      setOverrides,
       skipPrompts: options.yes || false,
       channelOptions,
     };
@@ -814,7 +816,7 @@ class UI {
       }
     }
 
-    return { moduleConfigs: configCollector.collectedConfig, setOverrideKeys };
+    return { moduleConfigs: configCollector.collectedConfig, setOverrideKeys, setOverrides };
   }
 
   /**