diff --git a/packages/app/src/runtime/daemon-start-service.test.ts b/packages/app/src/runtime/daemon-start-service.test.ts
index f1cae10118..88fda398bb 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/runtime/daemon-start-service.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/runtime/daemon-start-service.test.ts
@@ -64,6 +64,81 @@ function makeRelayOnlyHost(serverId: string): HostProfile {
 }
 
 describe("DaemonStartService", () => {
+  it("keeps startup pending until a slow daemon becomes ready without restarting it", async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    try {
+      const fake = createFakeStore();
+      const starting = makeStatus({ status: "starting", serverId: "", listen: null });
+      const startDesktopDaemon = vi.fn(async () => starting);
+      const getDesktopDaemonStatus = vi
+        .fn()
+        .mockResolvedValueOnce(starting)
+        .mockResolvedValueOnce(makeStatus());
+      const service = new DaemonStartService({
+        store: fake.store,
+        startDesktopDaemon,
+        getDesktopDaemonStatus,
+      });
+      const result = service.start();
+      await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1000);
+      expect(service.isRunning()).toBe(true);
+      expect(service.getLastError()).toBeNull();
+      expect(fake.upserts).toEqual([]);
+      await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1000);
+      expect(await result).toEqual({ ok: true });
+      expect(startDesktopDaemon).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(fake.upserts).toEqual([
+        { listenAddress: "127.0.0.1:6767", serverId: "srv_desktop", hostname: "desktop" },
+      ]);
+      expect(service.isRunning()).toBe(false);
+    } finally {
+      vi.useRealTimers();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("shows the daemon error if it exits while startup is pending", async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    try {
+      const fake = createFakeStore();
+      const service = new DaemonStartService({
+        store: fake.store,
+        startDesktopDaemon: async () => makeStatus({ status: "starting", serverId: "" }),
+        getDesktopDaemonStatus: async () =>
+          makeStatus({ status: "errored", error: "provider startup failed" }),
+      });
+      const result = service.start();
+      await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1000);
+      expect(await result).toEqual({ ok: false, error: "provider startup failed" });
+      expect(fake.upserts).toEqual([]);
+      expect(service.isRunning()).toBe(false);
+    } finally {
+      vi.useRealTimers();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("bounds the readiness wait and leaves a retryable error", async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    try {
+      const fake = createFakeStore();
+      const starting = makeStatus({ status: "starting", serverId: "" });
+      const service = new DaemonStartService({
+        store: fake.store,
+        startDesktopDaemon: async () => starting,
+        getDesktopDaemonStatus: async () => starting,
+      });
+      const result = service.start();
+      await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(120000);
+      expect(await result).toEqual({
+        ok: false,
+        error: "The local daemon is still starting. Wait a moment and retry.",
+      });
+      expect(fake.upserts).toEqual([]);
+      expect(service.isRunning()).toBe(false);
+    } finally {
+      vi.useRealTimers();
+    }
+  });
+
   it("upserts the connection on a successful daemon start", async () => {
     const fake = createFakeStore();
     const service = new DaemonStartService({
diff --git a/packages/app/src/runtime/daemon-start-service.ts b/packages/app/src/runtime/daemon-start-service.ts
index b00e3a380c..1c07ecf8c4 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/runtime/daemon-start-service.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/runtime/daemon-start-service.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-import { startDesktopDaemon, type DesktopDaemonStatus } from "@/desktop/daemon/desktop-daemon";
+import {
+  getDesktopDaemonStatus,
+  startDesktopDaemon,
+  type DesktopDaemonStatus,
+} from "@/desktop/daemon/desktop-daemon";
 import { connectionFromListen } from "@/types/host-connection";
 import type { HostRuntimeStore } from "@/runtime/host-runtime";
 
@@ -14,6 +18,7 @@ type DaemonConnectionStore = Pick<HostRuntimeStore, "getHosts" | "upsertConnecti
 export interface DaemonStartServiceDeps {
   store: DaemonConnectionStore;
   startDesktopDaemon?: () => Promise<DesktopDaemonStatus>;
+  getDesktopDaemonStatus?: () => Promise<DesktopDaemonStatus>;
 }
 
 export async function upsertDesktopDaemonConnection(
@@ -48,6 +53,7 @@ export async function upsertDesktopDaemonConnection(
 export class DaemonStartService {
   private readonly store: DaemonConnectionStore;
   private readonly invokeStartDesktopDaemon: () => Promise<DesktopDaemonStatus>;
+  private readonly invokeGetDesktopDaemonStatus: () => Promise<DesktopDaemonStatus>;
   private readonly listeners = new Set<() => void>();
   private lastError: string | null = null;
   private inFlightCount = 0;
@@ -55,6 +61,7 @@ export class DaemonStartService {
   constructor(deps: DaemonStartServiceDeps) {
     this.store = deps.store;
     this.invokeStartDesktopDaemon = deps.startDesktopDaemon ?? startDesktopDaemon;
+    this.invokeGetDesktopDaemonStatus = deps.getDesktopDaemonStatus ?? getDesktopDaemonStatus;
   }
 
   async start(): Promise<DaemonStartResult> {
@@ -79,7 +86,21 @@ export class DaemonStartService {
         return { ok: true };
       }
 
-      const daemon = await this.invokeStartDesktopDaemon();
+      let daemon = await this.invokeStartDesktopDaemon();
+      // The desktop start command can return after its readiness deadline while
+      // the owned process keeps initializing. Keep the startup UI pending until
+      // that process can supply its host identity; do not launch it again.
+      const readinessDeadline = Date.now() + 120_000;
+      while (daemon.status === "starting") {
+        if (Date.now() >= readinessDeadline) {
+          return this.fail("The local daemon is still starting. Wait a moment and retry.");
+        }
+        await new Promise<void>((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 1000));
+        daemon = await this.invokeGetDesktopDaemonStatus();
+      }
+      if (daemon.status !== "running") {
+        return this.fail(daemon.error ?? "The local daemon stopped before startup completed.");
+      }
       const result = await upsertDesktopDaemonConnection(this.store, daemon);
       return result.ok ? result : this.fail(result.error);
     } catch (error) {