diff --git a/packages/app/src/onboarding/internal/model.test.ts b/packages/app/src/onboarding/internal/model.test.ts
index 548311274e..ee3a8b00c9 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/onboarding/internal/model.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/onboarding/internal/model.test.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import {
   createOnboardingModel,
   type OnboardingCompletionStorage,
+  type OnboardingModel,
   type OnboardingSetupHost,
 } from "./model";
 
@@ -28,6 +29,19 @@ const FRESH_HOST: OnboardingSetupHost = {
   hasProjects: false,
 };
 
+/** Presses Continue on whatever step is showing. */
+function advance(model: OnboardingModel) {
+  const state = model.getState();
+  if (state.status !== "open") throw new Error("setup is not open");
+  model.next(state.visit);
+}
+
+function currentVisit(model: OnboardingModel): number {
+  const state = model.getState();
+  if (state.status !== "open") throw new Error("setup is not open");
+  return state.visit;
+}
+
 async function openModel(storage = new MemoryCompletionStorage()) {
   const model = createOnboardingModel({ storage });
   await model.ready;
@@ -40,7 +54,7 @@ describe("onboarding model", () => {
 
     model.applySetupHost(FRESH_HOST, { includePhoneStep: true });
 
-    expect(model.getState()).toEqual({
+    expect(model.getState()).toMatchObject({
       status: "open",
       serverId: "local",
       steps: ["appearance", "providers", "projects", "orchestration", "phone"],
@@ -93,8 +107,8 @@ describe("onboarding model", () => {
   it("keeps the modal open when the host gains its first project during setup", async () => {
     const model = await openModel();
     model.applySetupHost(FRESH_HOST, { includePhoneStep: true });
-    model.next("appearance");
-    model.next("providers");
+    advance(model);
+    advance(model);
 
     model.applySetupHost({ ...FRESH_HOST, hasProjects: true }, { includePhoneStep: true });
 
@@ -117,10 +131,10 @@ describe("onboarding model", () => {
 
     model.back();
     expect(model.getState()).toMatchObject({ stepIndex: 0 });
-    model.next("appearance");
-    model.next("providers");
-    model.next("projects");
-    model.next("orchestration");
+    advance(model);
+    advance(model);
+    advance(model);
+    advance(model);
     expect(model.getState()).toMatchObject({ stepIndex: 3 });
     model.goTo("providers");
     expect(model.getState()).toMatchObject({ stepIndex: 1 });
@@ -128,21 +142,24 @@ describe("onboarding model", () => {
     expect(model.getState()).toMatchObject({ stepIndex: 0 });
   });
 
-  it("ignores a late advance from a step the user already left", async () => {
+  it("ignores a late advance from a step visit the user already left", async () => {
     const model = await openModel(new MemoryCompletionStorage(true));
     model.reopen("local", { includePhoneStep: true });
     model.goTo("projects");
 
-    // Projects are still being added when the user picks Appearance in the step rail.
+    // Projects are still being added when the user leaves Projects and comes back.
+    const addingFrom = currentVisit(model);
     model.goTo("appearance");
-    model.next("projects");
-    expect(model.getState()).toMatchObject({ stepIndex: 0 });
+    model.goTo("projects");
+    model.next(addingFrom);
+    expect(model.getState()).toMatchObject({ stepIndex: 2 });
 
-    // Or closes setup and opens it again before the add finishes.
+    // Or closes setup, opens it again and returns to Projects before the add finishes.
     await model.complete();
     model.reopen("local", { includePhoneStep: true });
-    model.next("projects");
-    expect(model.getState()).toMatchObject({ status: "open", stepIndex: 0 });
+    model.goTo("projects");
+    model.next(addingFrom);
+    expect(model.getState()).toMatchObject({ status: "open", stepIndex: 2 });
   });
 
   it("records completion when setup closes, so it does not open again", async () => {
@@ -177,7 +194,7 @@ describe("onboarding model", () => {
     });
 
     model.applySetupHost(FRESH_HOST, { includePhoneStep: true });
-    model.next("appearance");
+    advance(model);
     await model.complete();
 
     expect(seen).toEqual(["open:0", "open:1", "hidden"]);
diff --git a/packages/app/src/onboarding/internal/model.ts b/packages/app/src/onboarding/internal/model.ts
index 66f91953fa..1ac2f01f4a 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/onboarding/internal/model.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/onboarding/internal/model.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ export type OnboardingState =
       serverId: string;
       steps: readonly OnboardingStepId[];
       stepIndex: number;
+      /** Identifies this stay on the current step; it changes on every move, close or reopen. */
+      visit: number;
     };
 
 export interface OnboardingModel {
@@ -43,8 +45,11 @@ export interface OnboardingModel {
   subscribe(listener: () => void): () => void;
   applySetupHost(host: OnboardingSetupHost | null, options: OnboardingStepOptions): void;
   reopen(serverId: string, options: OnboardingStepOptions): void;
-  /** Leaves `from` for the following step. A no-op once the user is on another step or closed setup. */
-  next(from: OnboardingStepId): void;
+  /**
+   * Moves on from the step visit the caller saw. A no-op once that visit ended, so an action that
+   * finishes late never moves a step the user left or a setup they closed and reopened.
+   */
+  next(visit: number): void;
   back(): void;
   goTo(step: OnboardingStepId): void;
   /** Closes setup, whether the user finished or skipped it, and remembers that on this client. */
@@ -62,15 +67,6 @@ function isReadyForSetup(host: OnboardingSetupHost | null): host is OnboardingSe
   return host !== null && host.isConnected && host.hasHydratedWorkspaces;
 }
 
-function openState(serverId: string, options: OnboardingStepOptions): OnboardingState {
-  return {
-    status: "open",
-    serverId,
-    steps: options.includePhoneStep ? STEPS_WITH_PHONE : STEPS_WITHOUT_PHONE,
-    stepIndex: 0,
-  };
-}
-
 export function createOnboardingModel(input: {
   storage: OnboardingCompletionStorage;
 }): OnboardingModel {
@@ -78,6 +74,18 @@ export function createOnboardingModel(input: {
   let state: OnboardingState = { status: "deciding" };
   let completion: Completion = "loading";
   let pendingHost: PendingHost | null = null;
+  let visits = 0;
+
+  function openState(serverId: string, options: OnboardingStepOptions): OnboardingState {
+    visits += 1;
+    return {
+      status: "open",
+      serverId,
+      steps: options.includePhoneStep ? STEPS_WITH_PHONE : STEPS_WITHOUT_PHONE,
+      stepIndex: 0,
+      visit: visits,
+    };
+  }
 
   function setState(next: OnboardingState) {
     state = next;
@@ -105,7 +113,8 @@ export function createOnboardingModel(input: {
     if (state.status !== "open") return;
     const clamped = Math.max(0, Math.min(stepIndex, state.steps.length - 1));
     if (clamped === state.stepIndex) return;
-    setState({ ...state, stepIndex: clamped });
+    visits += 1;
+    setState({ ...state, stepIndex: clamped, visit: visits });
   }
 
   async function loadCompletion(): Promise<void> {
@@ -136,10 +145,8 @@ export function createOnboardingModel(input: {
     reopen(serverId, options) {
       setState(openState(serverId, options));
     },
-    next(from) {
-      if (state.status === "open" && state.steps[state.stepIndex] === from) {
-        moveTo(state.stepIndex + 1);
-      }
+    next(visit) {
+      if (state.status === "open" && state.visit === visit) moveTo(state.stepIndex + 1);
     },
     back() {
       if (state.status === "open") moveTo(state.stepIndex - 1);
diff --git a/packages/app/src/onboarding/internal/onboarding-modal.tsx b/packages/app/src/onboarding/internal/onboarding-modal.tsx
index 793235e24e..f292fda2c0 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/onboarding/internal/onboarding-modal.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/onboarding/internal/onboarding-modal.tsx
@@ -34,12 +34,13 @@ export function OnboardingModal({ model, state }: { model: OnboardingModel; stat
     void model.complete();
   }, [model]);
   const handleBack = useCallback(() => model.back(), [model]);
-  const handleNext = useCallback(() => model.next(step), [model, step]);
+  const { visit } = state;
+  const handleNext = useCallback(() => model.next(visit), [model, visit]);
   const handleAddSuggestions = useCallback(() => {
     void (async () => {
-      if (await addChecked()) model.next("projects");
+      if (await addChecked()) model.next(visit);
     })();
-  }, [addChecked, model]);
+  }, [addChecked, model, visit]);
   const primary = usePrimaryAction({
     step,
     isLast,
diff --git a/packages/app/src/project-suggestions/internal/project-suggestions.tsx b/packages/app/src/project-suggestions/internal/project-suggestions.tsx
index 18cbcb03d0..a98b070d69 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/project-suggestions/internal/project-suggestions.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/project-suggestions/internal/project-suggestions.tsx
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ export function ProjectSuggestionList({
               row={row}
               first={index === 0}
               providerLabels={list.providerLabels}
+              disabled={list.isAdding}
               onToggle={list.toggle}
             />
           ))}
@@ -69,17 +70,19 @@ function SuggestionRow({
   row,
   first,
   providerLabels,
+  disabled,
   onToggle,
 }: {
   row: SuggestionRowModel;
   first: boolean;
   providerLabels: ReadonlyMap<string, string>;
+  disabled: boolean;
   onToggle: (suggestion: ProjectSuggestion) => void;
 }) {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   const { suggestion, checked, addFailure } = row;
   const handlePress = useCallback(() => onToggle(suggestion), [onToggle, suggestion]);
-  const accessibilityState = useMemo(() => ({ checked }), [checked]);
+  const accessibilityState = useMemo(() => ({ checked, disabled }), [checked, disabled]);
   const lastActivity = useTimeAgo(useMemo(() => new Date(suggestion.lastActivityAt), [suggestion]));
   const providers = suggestion.providerIds.map((id) => providerLabels.get(id) ?? id).join(" · ");
   const rowStyle = useCallback(
@@ -95,6 +98,7 @@ function SuggestionRow({
     <PressHighlight
       style={rowStyle}
       onPress={handlePress}
+      disabled={disabled}
       accessibilityRole="checkbox"
       accessibilityLabel={suggestion.displayName}
       accessibilityState={accessibilityState}
diff --git a/packages/app/src/project-suggestions/internal/use-project-suggestions.ts b/packages/app/src/project-suggestions/internal/use-project-suggestions.ts
index b7b00192df..19723c177d 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/project-suggestions/internal/use-project-suggestions.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/project-suggestions/internal/use-project-suggestions.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ export type SuggestionList =
       providerLabels: ReadonlyMap<string, string>;
       reading: ProviderSuggestions[];
       failed: ProviderSuggestions[];
+      /** True while checked rows are being added; the selection is frozen until it settles. */
+      isAdding: boolean;
       toggle: (suggestion: ProjectSuggestion) => void;
       retry: (provider: string) => void;
     };
@@ -100,10 +102,11 @@ export function useProjectSuggestions(serverId: string): ProjectSuggestionsContr
       ),
       reading: state.providers.filter((provider) => provider.status === "loading"),
       failed: state.providers.filter((provider) => provider.status === "failed"),
+      isAdding: isPending,
       toggle,
       retry: state.retry,
     };
-  }, [state, suggestions, checkedRootPaths, addFailures, toggle]);
+  }, [state, suggestions, checkedRootPaths, addFailures, isPending, toggle]);
 
   return { list, checkedCount: checkedRootPaths.length, isAdding: isPending, addChecked };
 }