diff --git a/packages/orchestration/src/utils/start-helper.js b/packages/orchestration/src/utils/start-helper.js
index f11da8db32cc..e86cb6e6b0a8 100644
--- a/packages/orchestration/src/utils/start-helper.js
+++ b/packages/orchestration/src/utils/start-helper.js
@@ -63,8 +63,6 @@ export const provideOrchestration = (
       orchestration: zone.subZone('orchestration'),
       /** system names for vows */
       vows: zone.subZone('vows'),
-      /** system names for zoe */
-      zoe: zone.subZone('zoe'),
       /** contract-provided names, and subzones */
       contract: zone.subZone('contract'),
     };
@@ -76,7 +74,7 @@ export const provideOrchestration = (
 
   const chainHub = makeChainHub(agoricNames, vowTools);
 
-  const zoeTools = makeZoeTools(zones.zoe, { zcf, vowTools });
+  const zoeTools = makeZoeTools(zcf, vowTools);
 
   const { makeRecorderKit } = prepareRecorderKitMakers(baggage, marshaller);
   const makeLocalOrchestrationAccountKit = prepareLocalOrchestrationAccountKit(
diff --git a/packages/orchestration/src/utils/zoe-tools.js b/packages/orchestration/src/utils/zoe-tools.js
index 59306435247f..97dbd6e8124c 100644
--- a/packages/orchestration/src/utils/zoe-tools.js
+++ b/packages/orchestration/src/utils/zoe-tools.js
@@ -5,10 +5,10 @@ import { E } from '@endo/far';
 const { assign, keys, values } = Object;
 
 /**
+ * @import {HostOf, GuestInterface} from '@agoric/async-flow';
  * @import {InvitationMakers} from '@agoric/smart-wallet/src/types.js';
  * @import {ResolvedPublicTopic} from '@agoric/zoe/src/contractSupport/topics.js';
  * @import {VowTools} from '@agoric/vow';
- * @import {Zone} from '@agoric/zone';
  * @import {LocalAccountMethods} from '../types.js';
  */
 
@@ -38,25 +38,26 @@ const { assign, keys, values } = Object;
  */
 
 /**
- * @param {Zone} zone
- * @param {{ zcf: ZCF; vowTools: VowTools }} io
+ * @param {ZCF} zcf
+ * @param {VowTools} vowTools
  */
-export const makeZoeTools = (
-  zone,
-  { zcf, vowTools: { retriable, when, allVows, allSettled } },
-) => {
+export const makeZoeTools = (zcf, vowTools) => {
+  const { when, allVows, allSettled, asVow } = vowTools;
   /**
    * Transfer the `amounts` from `srcSeat` to `localAccount`. If any of the
    * deposits fail, everything will be rolled back to the `srcSeat`. Supports
    * multiple items in the `amounts` {@link AmountKeywordRecord}.
+   *
+   * @type {HostOf<LocalTransfer>}
    */
-  const localTransfer = retriable(
-    zone,
-    'localTransfer',
+  const localTransfer = (srcSeat, localAccount, amounts) =>
     /**
-     * @type {LocalTransfer}
+     * There are no interchain actions - everything happens on the local chain -
+     * so we can expect this to settle promptly. As such, it's safe to use
+     * `asVow` instead of `watch`. In the future, when async-flow supports E and
+     * promises, we might consider making this an async-flow function.
      */
-    async (srcSeat, localAccount, amounts) => {
+    asVow(async () => {
       !srcSeat.hasExited() || Fail`The seat cannot have exited.`;
       const { zcfSeat: tempSeat, userSeat: userSeatP } = zcf.makeEmptySeatKit();
       const userSeat = await userSeatP;
@@ -114,21 +115,24 @@ export const makeZoeTools = (
         throw makeError(`One or more deposits failed ${q(errors)}`);
       }
       // TODO #9541 remove userSeat from baggage
-    },
-  );
+    });
 
   /**
    * Transfer the `amounts` from a `localAccount` to the `recipientSeat`. If any
    * of the withdrawals fail, everything will be rolled back to the
    * `srcLocalAccount`. Supports multiple items in the `amounts`
-   * {@link PaymentKeywordRecord}.
+   * {@link PaymentKeywordRecord}
+   *
+   * @type {HostOf<WithdrawToSeat>}
    */
-  const withdrawToSeat = retriable(
-    zone,
-    'withdrawToSeat',
-    /** @type {WithdrawToSeat} */
-    async (localAccount, destSeat, amounts) => {
-      await null;
+  const withdrawToSeat = (localAccount, destSeat, amounts) =>
+    /*
+     * There are no interchain actions - everything happens on the local chain -
+     * so we can expect this to settle promptly. As such, it's safe to use
+     * `asVow` instead of `watch`. In the future, when async-flow supports E and
+     * promises, we might consider making this an async-flow function.
+     */
+    asVow(async () => {
       !destSeat.hasExited() || Fail`The seat cannot have exited.`;
 
       const settledWithdrawals = await when(
@@ -167,12 +171,13 @@ export const makeZoeTools = (
         paymentKwr,
       );
       console.debug(depositResponse);
-    },
-  );
+    });
 
   return harden({
     localTransfer,
     withdrawToSeat,
   });
 };
-/** @typedef {ReturnType<typeof makeZoeTools>} ZoeTools */
+
+/** @typedef {ReturnType<typeof makeZoeTools>} ZoeToolsHost */
+/** @typedef {GuestInterface<ZoeToolsHost>} ZoeTools */
diff --git a/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/send-anywhere.test.ts.md b/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/send-anywhere.test.ts.md
index a835e96a709d..11710ddf60d7 100644
--- a/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/send-anywhere.test.ts.md
+++ b/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/send-anywhere.test.ts.md
@@ -68,5 +68,4 @@ Generated by [AVA](https://avajs.dev).
         VowInternalsKit_kindHandle: 'Alleged: kind',
         WatchUtils_kindHandle: 'Alleged: kind',
       },
-      zoe: {},
     }
diff --git a/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/send-anywhere.test.ts.snap b/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/send-anywhere.test.ts.snap
index fc84d7f63610..bbf9e53542d6 100644
Binary files a/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/send-anywhere.test.ts.snap and b/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/send-anywhere.test.ts.snap differ
diff --git a/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/staking-combinations.test.ts.md b/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/staking-combinations.test.ts.md
index 5b0b7e27271c..926a50924a33 100644
--- a/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/staking-combinations.test.ts.md
+++ b/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/staking-combinations.test.ts.md
@@ -139,5 +139,4 @@ Generated by [AVA](https://avajs.dev).
         VowInternalsKit_kindHandle: 'Alleged: kind',
         WatchUtils_kindHandle: 'Alleged: kind',
       },
-      zoe: {},
     }
diff --git a/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/staking-combinations.test.ts.snap b/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/staking-combinations.test.ts.snap
index baa5d7049abe..7a30cfbebf48 100644
Binary files a/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/staking-combinations.test.ts.snap and b/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/staking-combinations.test.ts.snap differ
diff --git a/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/unbond.contract.test.ts.md b/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/unbond.contract.test.ts.md
index 82a7b2f488ec..1a7163c59949 100644
--- a/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/unbond.contract.test.ts.md
+++ b/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/unbond.contract.test.ts.md
@@ -57,5 +57,4 @@ Generated by [AVA](https://avajs.dev).
         VowInternalsKit_kindHandle: 'Alleged: kind',
         WatchUtils_kindHandle: 'Alleged: kind',
       },
-      zoe: {},
     }
diff --git a/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/unbond.contract.test.ts.snap b/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/unbond.contract.test.ts.snap
index 90478398c1d5..fbf713b17645 100644
Binary files a/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/unbond.contract.test.ts.snap and b/packages/orchestration/test/examples/snapshots/unbond.contract.test.ts.snap differ