diff --git a/apps/desktop/README.md b/apps/desktop/README.md
index a1da176726d1..706611acb1ae 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/README.md
+++ b/apps/desktop/README.md
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ Already have the Hermes CLI? Just run:
 hermes desktop
 ```
 
-It builds and launches the GUI against your existing install — same config, keys, sessions, and skills. On first launch Hermes walks you through picking a provider and model; nothing else to configure.
+It builds and launches the GUI against your existing install — same config, keys, sessions, and skills. If Desktop cannot find a usable runtime or saved remote connection, first launch lets you connect to an existing Hermes gateway or install Hermes locally. Local onboarding then walks you through choosing a provider and model.
 
 ### Prebuilt installers
 
@@ -134,6 +134,19 @@ Desktop supports a managed local backend, explicit remote gateways, and Hermes
 Cloud connections. Remote and cloud modes use the same remote-capability path;
 authentication and discovery differ, not the renderer feature model.
 
+When no usable local runtime or saved remote connection exists, the first-run
+screen offers **Connect to existing Hermes** before starting the local installer.
+Desktop probes the gateway to discover token or OAuth authentication, requires a
+successful HTTP and WebSocket connection test, and saves the connection using
+the same encrypted Desktop configuration used by Settings. A saved remote
+connection bypasses this choice on later launches. The regular Desktop build
+still includes the local-install option; this is a remote operating mode, not a
+separate client-only application.
+
+In remote mode the gateway host is the execution boundary: agent tools,
+terminal commands, and file operations run against the remote Hermes host, not
+the computer displaying the Desktop UI.
+
 Projects are the workspace abstraction. A project may own multiple folders,
 repositories, worktrees, and sessions; a bare new chat remains detached unless
 the user enters a project or configures a default project directory. Use the
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/connection-apply.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/connection-apply.ts
index 5764b9091e73..579af1a79e97 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/electron/connection-apply.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/connection-apply.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 async function applyConnectionChange({
   cancelAndWait,
   isPrimary,
+  rehomePrimary = null,
   scope,
   sendApplied,
   stopPool,
@@ -16,6 +17,12 @@ async function applyConnectionChange({
     return
   }
 
+  if (rehomePrimary) {
+    await rehomePrimary()
+
+    return
+  }
+
   await teardownPrimary()
   sendApplied()
 }
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/first-run-setup-gate.test.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/first-run-setup-gate.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f8b53525f0fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/first-run-setup-gate.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict'
+
+import { test } from 'vitest'
+
+import { createFirstRunSetupGate } from './first-run-setup-gate'
+
+const bootstrapBackend = {
+  activeRoot: '/tmp/hermes-home/hermes-agent',
+  kind: 'bootstrap-needed',
+  platform: 'linux'
+}
+
+function delay(ms: number) {
+  return new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, ms))
+}
+
+async function settledState(promise: Promise<unknown>) {
+  return Promise.race([promise.then(() => 'resolved'), delay(10).then(() => 'pending')])
+}
+
+test('first-run setup gate skips non-bootstrap backends', async () => {
+  const prompts = []
+  const gate = createFirstRunSetupGate({ promptChoice: backend => prompts.push(backend), stuckAfterMs: 0 })
+
+  await gate.wait({ kind: 'remote' })
+  await gate.wait(null)
+
+  assert.deepEqual(prompts, [])
+  assert.equal(gate.hasWaiter(), false)
+})
+
+test('first-run setup gate prompts once for concurrent waits', async () => {
+  const prompts = []
+  const gate = createFirstRunSetupGate({ promptChoice: backend => prompts.push(backend), stuckAfterMs: 0 })
+
+  const first = gate.wait(bootstrapBackend)
+  const second = gate.wait(bootstrapBackend)
+
+  assert.equal(gate.hasWaiter(), true)
+  assert.equal(prompts.length, 1)
+  assert.equal(await settledState(first), 'pending')
+
+  gate.continueLocal()
+
+  assert.deepEqual(await Promise.all([first, second]), ['continue-local', 'continue-local'])
+  assert.equal(gate.hasWaiter(), false)
+  assert.equal(gate.isLocalBootstrapConfirmed(), true)
+})
+
+test('continueLocal keeps the setup choice visible until bootstrap owns the overlay', async () => {
+  let hidden = 0
+  const gate = createFirstRunSetupGate({ hideChoice: () => hidden++, stuckAfterMs: 0 })
+  const pending = gate.wait(bootstrapBackend)
+
+  gate.continueLocal()
+
+  assert.equal(await pending, 'continue-local')
+  assert.equal(hidden, 0)
+  assert.equal(gate.isLocalBootstrapConfirmed(), true)
+})
+
+test('retry reset preserves the local install confirmation', async () => {
+  const prompts = []
+  const gate = createFirstRunSetupGate({ promptChoice: backend => prompts.push(backend), stuckAfterMs: 0 })
+
+  const pending = gate.wait(bootstrapBackend)
+  gate.continueLocal()
+  await pending
+
+  gate.resetForRetry()
+  await gate.wait(bootstrapBackend)
+
+  assert.equal(gate.isLocalBootstrapConfirmed(), true)
+  assert.equal(prompts.length, 1)
+  assert.equal(gate.hasWaiter(), false)
+})
+
+test('retry reset explicitly settles an active waiter without allowing local bootstrap', async () => {
+  const gate = createFirstRunSetupGate({ stuckAfterMs: 0 })
+  const pending = gate.wait(bootstrapBackend)
+
+  gate.resetForRetry()
+
+  assert.equal(await pending, 'reset')
+  assert.equal(gate.hasWaiter(), false)
+  assert.equal(gate.isLocalBootstrapConfirmed(), false)
+})
+
+test('repair reset clears the local install confirmation and shows the gate again', async () => {
+  const prompts = []
+  const gate = createFirstRunSetupGate({ promptChoice: backend => prompts.push(backend), stuckAfterMs: 0 })
+
+  const pending = gate.wait(bootstrapBackend)
+  gate.continueLocal()
+  await pending
+
+  gate.resetForRepair()
+  const next = gate.wait(bootstrapBackend)
+
+  assert.equal(gate.isLocalBootstrapConfirmed(), false)
+  assert.equal(prompts.length, 2)
+  assert.equal(gate.hasWaiter(), true)
+
+  gate.continueLocal()
+  await next
+})
+
+test('remote apply settles the gated boot for remote re-resolution and hides the choice', async () => {
+  let hidden = 0
+  const gate = createFirstRunSetupGate({ hideChoice: () => hidden++, stuckAfterMs: 0 })
+  const pending = gate.wait(bootstrapBackend)
+
+  const resumedWaiter = gate.abandonForRemoteApply()
+
+  assert.equal(resumedWaiter, true)
+  assert.equal(hidden, 1)
+  assert.equal(gate.hasWaiter(), false)
+  assert.equal(gate.isLocalBootstrapConfirmed(), false)
+  assert.equal(await pending, 'remote-applied')
+})
+
+test('remote apply without a waiter has no first-run side effects', async () => {
+  let hidden = 0
+  const gate = createFirstRunSetupGate({ hideChoice: () => hidden++, stuckAfterMs: 0 })
+  const pending = gate.wait(bootstrapBackend)
+
+  gate.continueLocal()
+  await pending
+
+  assert.equal(gate.abandonForRemoteApply(), false)
+  assert.equal(hidden, 0)
+  assert.equal(gate.isLocalBootstrapConfirmed(), true)
+})
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/first-run-setup-gate.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/first-run-setup-gate.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..2d83cbeafe69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/first-run-setup-gate.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+interface FirstRunSetupBackend {
+  activeRoot?: string
+  kind?: string
+  platform?: string
+}
+
+interface FirstRunSetupGateOptions {
+  hideChoice?: () => void
+  log?: (message: string) => void
+  onStuck?: (backend: FirstRunSetupBackend, stuckAfterMs: number) => void
+  promptChoice?: (backend: FirstRunSetupBackend) => void
+  stuckAfterMs?: number
+}
+
+export type FirstRunSetupDecision = 'continue-local' | 'remote-applied' | 'reset'
+
+export function createFirstRunSetupGate({
+  hideChoice,
+  log,
+  onStuck,
+  promptChoice,
+  stuckAfterMs = 120000
+}: FirstRunSetupGateOptions = {}) {
+  let localBootstrapConfirmed = false
+
+  let waiter: {
+    promise: Promise<FirstRunSetupDecision>
+    resolve: (decision: FirstRunSetupDecision) => void
+  } | null = null
+
+  let stuckTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null
+
+  const clearStuckTimer = () => {
+    if (stuckTimer) {
+      clearTimeout(stuckTimer)
+      stuckTimer = null
+    }
+  }
+
+  const armStuckTimer = (backend: FirstRunSetupBackend) => {
+    clearStuckTimer()
+
+    if (!Number.isFinite(stuckAfterMs) || stuckAfterMs <= 0 || typeof log !== 'function') {
+      return
+    }
+
+    stuckTimer = setTimeout(() => {
+      onStuck?.(backend, stuckAfterMs)
+      log(
+        `[bootstrap] still waiting for first-run setup choice after ${Math.round(stuckAfterMs / 1000)}s ` +
+          `(platform=${backend?.platform || 'unknown'})`
+      )
+    }, stuckAfterMs)
+
+    if (typeof stuckTimer.unref === 'function') {
+      stuckTimer.unref()
+    }
+  }
+
+  const shouldGate = (backend?: FirstRunSetupBackend | null) =>
+    Boolean(backend && backend.kind === 'bootstrap-needed' && !localBootstrapConfirmed)
+
+  const wait = async (backend?: FirstRunSetupBackend | null) => {
+    if (!shouldGate(backend)) {
+      return 'continue-local' as const
+    }
+
+    if (waiter) {
+      return waiter.promise
+    }
+
+    promptChoice?.(backend)
+    armStuckTimer(backend)
+
+    let resolveWaiter: (decision: FirstRunSetupDecision) => void = () => {}
+
+    const promise = new Promise<FirstRunSetupDecision>(resolve => {
+      resolveWaiter = resolve
+    })
+
+    waiter = { promise, resolve: resolveWaiter }
+
+    return promise
+  }
+
+  const settleWaiter = (decision: FirstRunSetupDecision) => {
+    clearStuckTimer()
+
+    if (!waiter) {
+      return false
+    }
+
+    const activeWaiter = waiter
+    waiter = null
+    activeWaiter.resolve(decision)
+
+    return true
+  }
+
+  const continueLocal = () => {
+    localBootstrapConfirmed = true
+    settleWaiter('continue-local')
+  }
+
+  const resetForRetry = () => {
+    // Reset paths are followed by a renderer reload / fresh startHermes() call.
+    // Settle the old boot explicitly so it cannot fall through into local
+    // bootstrap and cannot leak a forever-pending connection promise.
+    settleWaiter('reset')
+  }
+
+  const resetForRepair = () => {
+    resetForRetry()
+    localBootstrapConfirmed = false
+  }
+
+  const abandonForRemoteApply = () => {
+    // Resume the gated startHermes() with an explicit remote decision. The
+    // caller re-resolves the newly-persisted remote config instead of falling
+    // through into local bootstrap or leaking the original connection promise.
+    const resumedWaiter = settleWaiter('remote-applied')
+
+    if (!resumedWaiter) {
+      return false
+    }
+
+    localBootstrapConfirmed = false
+    hideChoice?.()
+
+    return true
+  }
+
+  const isLocalBootstrapConfirmed = () => localBootstrapConfirmed
+  const hasWaiter = () => Boolean(waiter)
+
+  return {
+    abandonForRemoteApply,
+    continueLocal,
+    hasWaiter,
+    isLocalBootstrapConfirmed,
+    resetForRepair,
+    resetForRetry,
+    shouldGate,
+    wait
+  }
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/first-run-setup-main-process.test.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/first-run-setup-main-process.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..1dc1b920ef60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/first-run-setup-main-process.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict'
+
+import { test, vi } from 'vitest'
+
+import { applyConnectionChange } from './connection-apply'
+import { createFirstRunSetupGate } from './first-run-setup-gate'
+import { runPrimaryBackendStartup } from './primary-backend-startup'
+import { rehomePrimaryConnection } from './primary-connection-rehome'
+
+test('a first-run bootstrap-needed remote apply connects without ensuring or bootstrapping locally', async () => {
+  const gate = createFirstRunSetupGate({ stuckAfterMs: 0 })
+
+  const bootstrapBackend = {
+    activeRoot: '/tmp/hermes-home/hermes-agent',
+    kind: 'bootstrap-needed',
+    platform: 'linux'
+  }
+
+  const candidateRemote = {
+    authMode: 'token',
+    baseUrl: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes',
+    source: 'settings',
+    token: 'secret',
+    wsUrl: 'wss://gateway.example.com/hermes/api/ws?token=secret'
+  }
+
+  let savedRemote: typeof candidateRemote | null = null
+
+  const resolveRemote = vi.fn(async () => savedRemote)
+  const connectRemote = vi.fn(async remote => ({ ...remote, mode: 'remote' as const }))
+  const runBootstrap = vi.fn()
+
+  const ensureLocalRuntime = vi.fn(async backend => {
+    await runBootstrap()
+
+    return { ...backend, command: 'hermes' }
+  })
+
+  const teardownPrimaryBackend = vi.fn(async () => {})
+  const cancelSshBootstrap = vi.fn(async () => {})
+  const teardownSsh = vi.fn(async () => {})
+  const clearLocalBootstrapFailure = vi.fn()
+  const notifyConnectionApplied = vi.fn()
+  const waitForLocalStart = vi.fn(async () => {})
+  const prepareLocalBackend = vi.fn(async () => bootstrapBackend)
+
+  const pendingConnection = runPrimaryBackendStartup({
+    connectRemote,
+    ensureLocalRuntime,
+    prepareLocalBackend,
+    resolveRemote,
+    waitForDecision: gate.wait,
+    waitForLocalStart
+  })
+
+  await vi.waitFor(() => assert.equal(gate.hasWaiter(), true))
+
+  // Mirrors the IPC handler's production ordering: persist the tested config,
+  // then re-home. The pending start must re-resolve this saved value.
+  savedRemote = candidateRemote
+
+  await applyConnectionChange({
+    cancelAndWait: cancelSshBootstrap,
+    isPrimary: true,
+    rehomePrimary: () =>
+      rehomePrimaryConnection({
+        clearLocalBootstrapFailure,
+        mode: 'remote',
+        notifyConnectionApplied,
+        resumeFirstRunRemote: gate.abandonForRemoteApply,
+        teardownPrimaryBackend
+      }),
+    scope: '',
+    sendApplied: notifyConnectionApplied,
+    stopPool: vi.fn(),
+    teardownPrimary: teardownPrimaryBackend,
+    teardownSsh
+  })
+
+  assert.deepEqual(await pendingConnection, {
+    kind: 'remote',
+    connection: { ...candidateRemote, mode: 'remote' }
+  })
+  assert.deepEqual(resolveRemote.mock.calls, [[], []])
+  assert.deepEqual(connectRemote.mock.calls, [[candidateRemote]])
+  assert.deepEqual(waitForLocalStart.mock.calls, [[]])
+  assert.deepEqual(prepareLocalBackend.mock.calls, [[]])
+  assert.equal(ensureLocalRuntime.mock.calls.length, 0)
+  assert.equal(runBootstrap.mock.calls.length, 0)
+  assert.deepEqual(cancelSshBootstrap.mock.calls, [['']])
+  assert.deepEqual(teardownSsh.mock.calls, [['']])
+  assert.equal(teardownPrimaryBackend.mock.calls.length, 0)
+  assert.equal(clearLocalBootstrapFailure.mock.calls.length, 1)
+  assert.equal(notifyConnectionApplied.mock.calls.length, 0)
+})
+
+test('a primary apply without an active first-run gate tears down before reconnect notification', async () => {
+  const order: string[] = []
+  const clearLocalBootstrapFailure = vi.fn(() => order.push('clear-failure'))
+
+  const teardownPrimaryBackend = vi.fn(async () => {
+    order.push('teardown')
+  })
+
+  const notifyConnectionApplied = vi.fn(() => order.push('notify'))
+
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    await rehomePrimaryConnection({
+      clearLocalBootstrapFailure,
+      mode: 'remote',
+      notifyConnectionApplied,
+      resumeFirstRunRemote: () => false,
+      teardownPrimaryBackend
+    }),
+    { resumedFirstRunRemote: false }
+  )
+  assert.deepEqual(teardownPrimaryBackend.mock.calls, [[{ soft: true }]])
+  assert.deepEqual(order, ['clear-failure', 'teardown', 'notify'])
+})
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/main.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/main.ts
index c448e3ac0318..e83fa416fcbc 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/electron/main.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/main.ts
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ import {
 import { installEmbedReferer } from './embed-referer'
 import { createEventDeduper } from './event-dedupe'
 import { findGitBash as _findGitBash } from './find-git-bash'
+import { createFirstRunSetupGate } from './first-run-setup-gate'
 import { readDirForIpc } from './fs-read-dir'
 import { probeGatewayWebSocket } from './gateway-ws-probe'
 import { scanGitRepos } from './git-repo-scan'
@@ -128,6 +129,8 @@ import {
 import { runNativeLogin } from './native-oauth-login'
 import { serializeJsonBody, setJsonRequestHeaders } from './oauth-net-request'
 import { createKeepAwake } from './power-save'
+import { FirstRunSetupResetError, runPrimaryBackendStartup } from './primary-backend-startup'
+import { rehomePrimaryConnection } from './primary-connection-rehome'
 import { decideProfileDeleteAction, profileNameFromDeleteRequest, resolveRouteProfile } from './profile-delete-routing'
 import * as remoteLifecycle from './remote-lifecycle'
 import { RemoteLivenessTracker, RemoteRevalidationCoordinator, revalidateRemoteConnection } from './remote-liveness'
@@ -1399,13 +1402,17 @@ let bootstrapState = {
   log: [],
   startedAt: null,
   completedAt: null,
+  setupChoice: null,
   unsupportedPlatform: null
 }
 
+let firstRunSetupGate = null
+
 function broadcastBootstrapEvent(ev) {
   if (ev.type === 'manifest') {
     bootstrapState.manifest = ev
     bootstrapState.active = true
+    bootstrapState.setupChoice = null
     bootstrapState.startedAt = bootstrapState.startedAt || Date.now()
     bootstrapState.stages = {}
 
@@ -1433,14 +1440,30 @@ function broadcastBootstrapEvent(ev) {
   } else if (ev.type === 'failed') {
     bootstrapState.active = false
     bootstrapState.error = ev.error || 'unknown error'
+    bootstrapState.setupChoice = null
   } else if (ev.type === 'unsupported-platform') {
     bootstrapState.active = false
+    bootstrapState.setupChoice = null
     bootstrapState.unsupportedPlatform = {
       platform: ev.platform,
       activeRoot: ev.activeRoot,
       installCommand: ev.installCommand,
       docsUrl: ev.docsUrl
     }
+  } else if (ev.type === 'setup-choice') {
+    bootstrapState.active = false
+    bootstrapState.error = null
+    bootstrapState.manifest = null
+    bootstrapState.stages = {}
+    bootstrapState.setupChoice = ev.active
+      ? {
+          platform: ev.platform,
+          activeRoot: ev.activeRoot
+        }
+      : null
+    bootstrapState.unsupportedPlatform = null
+  } else if (ev.type === 'dismissed') {
+    resetBootstrapSnapshot()
   }
 
   if (!mainWindow || mainWindow.isDestroyed()) {
@@ -1460,6 +1483,100 @@ function getBootstrapState() {
   return bootstrapState
 }
 
+function resetBootstrapSnapshot() {
+  bootstrapState = {
+    active: false,
+    manifest: null,
+    stages: {},
+    error: null,
+    log: [],
+    startedAt: null,
+    completedAt: null,
+    setupChoice: null,
+    unsupportedPlatform: null
+  }
+}
+
+function promptFirstRunSetupChoice(backend) {
+  broadcastBootstrapEvent({
+    type: 'setup-choice',
+    active: true,
+    platform: backend.platform || process.platform,
+    activeRoot: backend.activeRoot || ACTIVE_HERMES_ROOT
+  })
+}
+
+function hideFirstRunSetupChoice() {
+  if (bootstrapState.setupChoice) {
+    broadcastBootstrapEvent({ type: 'setup-choice', active: false })
+  }
+}
+
+function getFirstRunSetupGate() {
+  if (!firstRunSetupGate) {
+    firstRunSetupGate = createFirstRunSetupGate({
+      hideChoice: hideFirstRunSetupChoice,
+      log: rememberLog,
+      onStuck: (_backend, stuckAfterMs) => {
+        updateBootProgress(
+          {
+            error: null,
+            message: `Still waiting for first-run setup choice after ${Math.round(stuckAfterMs / 1000)} seconds`,
+            phase: 'bootstrap.choice',
+            progress: 12,
+            running: true
+          },
+          { allowDecrease: true }
+        )
+      },
+      promptChoice: promptFirstRunSetupChoice
+    })
+  }
+
+  return firstRunSetupGate
+}
+
+async function waitForFirstRunSetupChoice(backend) {
+  const gate = getFirstRunSetupGate()
+
+  if (!gate.shouldGate(backend)) {
+    return 'continue-local'
+  }
+
+  updateBootProgress(
+    {
+      error: null,
+      message: 'Waiting for first-run setup choice',
+      phase: 'bootstrap.choice',
+      progress: 12,
+      running: true
+    },
+    { allowDecrease: true }
+  )
+
+  return gate.wait(backend)
+}
+
+function continueFirstRunLocalBootstrap() {
+  getFirstRunSetupGate().continueLocal()
+}
+
+function abandonFirstRunSetupChoiceForRemoteApply() {
+  const gate = getFirstRunSetupGate()
+
+  if (!gate.hasWaiter()) {
+    return false
+  }
+
+  const resumedGatedConnection = gate.abandonForRemoteApply()
+
+  if (resumedGatedConnection) {
+    broadcastBootstrapEvent({ type: 'dismissed' })
+  }
+
+  return resumedGatedConnection
+}
+
 function updateBootProgress(update, options: { allowDecrease?: boolean } = {}) {
   const nextProgressRaw =
     typeof update.progress === 'number' ? clampBootProgress(update.progress) : bootProgressState.progress
@@ -7767,14 +7884,7 @@ async function startHermes() {
   let attemptedRemote = primaryBackendIsRemote()
 
   const connectionPromise = (async () => {
-    await advanceBootProgress('backend.resolve', 'Resolving Hermes backend', 8)
-    // Resolve for the desktop's primary profile so a per-profile remote
-    // override on the active profile is honored (falls back to env / global).
-    // Re-read once resolved so the classification tracks the value actually used.
-    attemptedRemote = primaryBackendIsRemote()
-    const remote = await resolveRemoteBackend(primaryProfileKey())
-
-    if (remote) {
+    const connectRemote = async remote => {
       await advanceBootProgress('backend.remote', `Connecting to remote Hermes backend at ${remote.baseUrl}`, 24)
       await waitForHermes(remote.baseUrl, remote.token)
       updateBootProgress({
@@ -7800,14 +7910,9 @@ async function startHermes() {
       }
     }
 
-    // Mutual exclusion with an in-app update (#50238). If this instance was
-    // relaunched while the Tauri updater is still applying an update, spawning
-    // a local backend now re-locks the venv shim and gets killed by the
-    // updater's straggler cleanup — looping. Park until the update finishes (or
-    // is detected stale), THEN start the backend. Local backends only; remote
-    // connections returned above and never touch the install tree.
-    await waitForUpdateToFinish()
-
+    await advanceBootProgress('backend.resolve', 'Resolving Hermes backend', 8)
+    // Resolve for the desktop's primary profile so a per-profile remote
+    // override on the active profile is honored (falls back to env / global).
     const token = crypto.randomBytes(32).toString('base64url')
     // --port 0: the OS assigns an ephemeral port; the child announces it on stdout.
     const backendArgs = ['serve', '--host', '127.0.0.1', '--port', '0']
@@ -7822,8 +7927,32 @@ async function startHermes() {
       backendArgs.unshift('--profile', activeProfile)
     }
 
-    await advanceBootProgress('backend.runtime', 'Resolving Hermes runtime', 28)
-    const backend = await ensureRuntime(resolveHermesBackend(backendArgs))
+    const setup = await runPrimaryBackendStartup({
+      connectRemote,
+      ensureLocalRuntime: ensureRuntime,
+      prepareLocalBackend: async () => {
+        await advanceBootProgress('backend.runtime', 'Resolving Hermes runtime', 28)
+
+        return resolveHermesBackend(backendArgs)
+      },
+      resolveRemote: () => {
+        // Classify immediately before each throwing resolve. This callback runs
+        // both for an already-saved remote and after first-run remote Apply.
+        attemptedRemote = primaryBackendIsRemote()
+
+        return resolveRemoteBackend(primaryProfileKey())
+      },
+      waitForDecision: waitForFirstRunSetupChoice,
+      // Mutual exclusion with an in-app update (#50238). Remote connections
+      // return before this waiter; local starts park until the updater exits.
+      waitForLocalStart: waitForUpdateToFinish
+    })
+
+    if (setup.kind === 'remote') {
+      return setup.connection
+    }
+
+    const backend = setup.backend
     // Route old runtimes (no `serve`) through the legacy `dashboard --no-open`.
     backend.args = getBackendArgsForRuntime(backend)
     const hermesCwd = resolveHermesCwd()
@@ -7979,6 +8108,10 @@ async function startHermes() {
       throw error
     }
 
+    if (error instanceof FirstRunSetupResetError) {
+      throw error
+    }
+
     const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)
 
     // Only latch LOCAL boot failures. A remote failure (lapsed session / mint
@@ -8793,16 +8926,8 @@ ipcMain.handle('hermes:bootstrap:reset', async () => {
   await teardownPrimaryBackendAndWait()
   bootstrapFailure = null
   backendStartFailure = null
-  bootstrapState = {
-    active: false,
-    manifest: null,
-    stages: {},
-    error: null,
-    log: [],
-    startedAt: null,
-    completedAt: null,
-    unsupportedPlatform: null
-  }
+  getFirstRunSetupGate().resetForRetry()
+  resetBootstrapSnapshot()
 
   return { ok: true }
 })
@@ -8823,10 +8948,17 @@ ipcMain.handle('hermes:bootstrap:repair', async () => {
 
   bootstrapFailure = null
   backendStartFailure = null
+  getFirstRunSetupGate().resetForRepair()
   resetHermesConnection()
 
   return { ok: true }
 })
+ipcMain.handle('hermes:bootstrap:continue-local', async () => {
+  rememberLog('[bootstrap] local install selected by renderer; continuing first-launch bootstrap')
+  continueFirstRunLocalBootstrap()
+
+  return { ok: true }
+})
 ipcMain.handle('hermes:bootstrap:cancel', async () => {
   // Renderer's Cancel button during first-launch install. Abort the running
   // install script (SIGTERM via the runner's abortSignal). runBootstrap
@@ -9005,6 +9137,18 @@ ipcMain.handle('hermes:connection-config:apply', async (_event, payload) => {
   await applyConnectionChange({
     cancelAndWait: value => sshBootstrapCoordinator.cancelAndWait(value),
     isPrimary: !key || key === primaryProfileKey(),
+    rehomePrimary: () =>
+      rehomePrimaryConnection({
+        clearLocalBootstrapFailure: () => {
+          // A remote connection bypasses local runtime/bootstrap failures. Clear
+          // the local-install latch so unsupported/failure escape paths can re-home.
+          bootstrapFailure = null
+        },
+        mode: config.mode,
+        notifyConnectionApplied: sendConnectionApplied,
+        resumeFirstRunRemote: abandonFirstRunSetupChoiceForRemoteApply,
+        teardownPrimaryBackend: teardownPrimaryBackendAndWait
+      }),
     scope,
     sendApplied: sendConnectionApplied,
     stopPool: stopPoolBackend,
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/preload.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/preload.ts
index 7652a7688dd2..47d854a1938d 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/electron/preload.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/preload.ts
@@ -237,6 +237,7 @@ contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld('hermesDesktop', {
   // current snapshot via getBootstrapState() to recover after a devtools
   // reload mid-bootstrap.
   getBootstrapState: () => ipcRenderer.invoke('hermes:bootstrap:get'),
+  continueBootstrapLocal: () => ipcRenderer.invoke('hermes:bootstrap:continue-local'),
   resetBootstrap: () => ipcRenderer.invoke('hermes:bootstrap:reset'),
   repairBootstrap: () => ipcRenderer.invoke('hermes:bootstrap:repair'),
   cancelBootstrap: () => ipcRenderer.invoke('hermes:bootstrap:cancel'),
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/primary-backend-startup.test.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/primary-backend-startup.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6d3f5c8f44de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/primary-backend-startup.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict'
+
+import { test, vi } from 'vitest'
+
+import { createFirstRunSetupGate } from './first-run-setup-gate'
+import { FirstRunSetupResetError, runPrimaryBackendStartup } from './primary-backend-startup'
+
+const bootstrapBackend = {
+  activeRoot: '/tmp/hermes-home/hermes-agent',
+  kind: 'bootstrap-needed',
+  platform: 'linux'
+}
+
+function startupOptions(overrides: Record<string, unknown> = {}) {
+  return {
+    connectRemote: vi.fn(async remote => ({ baseUrl: remote.baseUrl, mode: 'remote' as const })),
+    ensureLocalRuntime: vi.fn(async backend => ({ ...backend, command: 'hermes' })),
+    prepareLocalBackend: vi.fn(async () => bootstrapBackend),
+    resolveRemote: vi.fn(async () => null),
+    waitForDecision: vi.fn(async () => 'continue-local' as const),
+    waitForLocalStart: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+    ...overrides
+  }
+}
+
+test('remote apply re-resolves the saved connection without ensuring a local runtime', async () => {
+  const gate = createFirstRunSetupGate({ stuckAfterMs: 0 })
+  const savedRemote = { baseUrl: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes' }
+  let configuredRemote: typeof savedRemote | null = null
+
+  const options = startupOptions({
+    resolveRemote: vi.fn(async () => configuredRemote),
+    waitForDecision: gate.wait
+  })
+
+  const pending = runPrimaryBackendStartup(options)
+
+  await vi.waitFor(() => assert.equal(gate.hasWaiter(), true))
+  configuredRemote = savedRemote
+  assert.equal(gate.abandonForRemoteApply(), true)
+
+  assert.deepEqual(await pending, {
+    kind: 'remote',
+    connection: { baseUrl: savedRemote.baseUrl, mode: 'remote' }
+  })
+  assert.deepEqual(options.resolveRemote.mock.calls, [[], []])
+  assert.deepEqual(options.connectRemote.mock.calls, [[savedRemote]])
+  assert.equal(options.ensureLocalRuntime.mock.calls.length, 0)
+})
+
+test('an already-saved remote bypasses every local startup step', async () => {
+  const savedRemote = { baseUrl: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes' }
+  const options = startupOptions({ resolveRemote: vi.fn(async () => savedRemote) })
+
+  assert.deepEqual(await runPrimaryBackendStartup(options), {
+    kind: 'remote',
+    connection: { baseUrl: savedRemote.baseUrl, mode: 'remote' }
+  })
+  assert.equal(options.waitForLocalStart.mock.calls.length, 0)
+  assert.equal(options.prepareLocalBackend.mock.calls.length, 0)
+  assert.equal(options.waitForDecision.mock.calls.length, 0)
+  assert.equal(options.ensureLocalRuntime.mock.calls.length, 0)
+})
+
+test('remote apply fails clearly when no saved remote can be resolved', async () => {
+  const gate = createFirstRunSetupGate({ stuckAfterMs: 0 })
+  const options = startupOptions({ waitForDecision: gate.wait })
+  const pending = runPrimaryBackendStartup(options)
+
+  await vi.waitFor(() => assert.equal(gate.hasWaiter(), true))
+  gate.abandonForRemoteApply()
+
+  await assert.rejects(pending, /without a saved remote backend/)
+  assert.equal(options.connectRemote.mock.calls.length, 0)
+  assert.equal(options.ensureLocalRuntime.mock.calls.length, 0)
+})
+
+test('continue local waits for update exclusion and ensures the prepared runtime exactly once', async () => {
+  const gate = createFirstRunSetupGate({ stuckAfterMs: 0 })
+  const runtimeBackend = { ...bootstrapBackend, command: 'hermes' }
+
+  const options = startupOptions({
+    ensureLocalRuntime: vi.fn(async () => runtimeBackend),
+    waitForDecision: gate.wait
+  })
+
+  const pending = runPrimaryBackendStartup(options)
+
+  await vi.waitFor(() => assert.equal(gate.hasWaiter(), true))
+  gate.continueLocal()
+
+  assert.deepEqual(await pending, { kind: 'local', backend: runtimeBackend })
+  assert.deepEqual(options.waitForLocalStart.mock.calls, [[]])
+  assert.deepEqual(options.prepareLocalBackend.mock.calls, [[]])
+  assert.deepEqual(options.ensureLocalRuntime.mock.calls, [[bootstrapBackend]])
+  assert.deepEqual(options.resolveRemote.mock.calls, [[]])
+})
+
+test('reset rejects with a typed error and never enters either backend', async () => {
+  const gate = createFirstRunSetupGate({ stuckAfterMs: 0 })
+  const options = startupOptions({ waitForDecision: gate.wait })
+  const pending = runPrimaryBackendStartup(options)
+
+  await vi.waitFor(() => assert.equal(gate.hasWaiter(), true))
+  gate.resetForRetry()
+
+  await assert.rejects(pending, error => error instanceof FirstRunSetupResetError && error.firstRunSetupReset)
+  assert.equal(options.connectRemote.mock.calls.length, 0)
+  assert.equal(options.ensureLocalRuntime.mock.calls.length, 0)
+})
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/primary-backend-startup.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/primary-backend-startup.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..edbe5167b059
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/primary-backend-startup.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+import type { FirstRunSetupDecision } from './first-run-setup-gate'
+
+export interface PrimaryBackendStartupOptions<Backend, RuntimeBackend, Remote, Connection> {
+  connectRemote: (remote: Remote) => Promise<Connection>
+  ensureLocalRuntime: (backend: Backend) => Promise<RuntimeBackend>
+  prepareLocalBackend: () => Backend | Promise<Backend>
+  resolveRemote: () => Promise<Remote | null>
+  waitForDecision: (backend: Backend) => Promise<FirstRunSetupDecision>
+  waitForLocalStart: () => Promise<unknown>
+}
+
+export type PrimaryBackendStartupResult<RuntimeBackend, Connection> =
+  | { kind: 'local'; backend: RuntimeBackend }
+  | { kind: 'remote'; connection: Connection }
+
+export class FirstRunSetupResetError extends Error {
+  readonly firstRunSetupReset = true
+
+  constructor() {
+    super('First-run setup was reset before a choice completed.')
+    this.name = 'FirstRunSetupResetError'
+  }
+}
+
+// Owns the production startHermes path up to the local process spawn. Keeping
+// the full ordering here makes the first-run remote boundary executable in a
+// test: an already-saved remote wins immediately; otherwise update exclusion
+// and local backend resolution happen before the setup gate, and a remote Apply
+// re-resolves persisted config without ever entering ensureRuntime/bootstrap.
+export async function runPrimaryBackendStartup<Backend, RuntimeBackend, Remote, Connection>({
+  connectRemote,
+  ensureLocalRuntime,
+  prepareLocalBackend,
+  resolveRemote,
+  waitForDecision,
+  waitForLocalStart
+}: PrimaryBackendStartupOptions<Backend, RuntimeBackend, Remote, Connection>): Promise<
+  PrimaryBackendStartupResult<RuntimeBackend, Connection>
+> {
+  const savedRemote = await resolveRemote()
+
+  if (savedRemote) {
+    return { kind: 'remote', connection: await connectRemote(savedRemote) }
+  }
+
+  await waitForLocalStart()
+
+  const backend = await prepareLocalBackend()
+  const decision = await waitForDecision(backend)
+
+  if (decision === 'remote-applied') {
+    const appliedRemote = await resolveRemote()
+
+    if (!appliedRemote) {
+      throw new Error('First-run remote setup completed without a saved remote backend.')
+    }
+
+    return { kind: 'remote', connection: await connectRemote(appliedRemote) }
+  }
+
+  if (decision === 'reset') {
+    throw new FirstRunSetupResetError()
+  }
+
+  return { kind: 'local', backend: await ensureLocalRuntime(backend) }
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/primary-connection-rehome.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/primary-connection-rehome.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..4952b8a90281
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/primary-connection-rehome.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+export interface PrimaryConnectionRehomeOptions {
+  clearLocalBootstrapFailure: () => void
+  mode: string
+  notifyConnectionApplied: () => void
+  resumeFirstRunRemote: () => boolean
+  teardownPrimaryBackend: (options: { soft: boolean }) => Promise<void>
+}
+
+// Production seam shared by the connection-config IPC handler and the
+// first-run integration test. A remote apply that resumes the active setup
+// gate must keep that connection attempt alive; ordinary mode changes tear the
+// current backend down before the renderer is told to reconnect.
+export async function rehomePrimaryConnection({
+  clearLocalBootstrapFailure,
+  mode,
+  notifyConnectionApplied,
+  resumeFirstRunRemote,
+  teardownPrimaryBackend
+}: PrimaryConnectionRehomeOptions): Promise<{ resumedFirstRunRemote: boolean }> {
+  let resumedFirstRunRemote = false
+
+  if (mode === 'remote') {
+    resumedFirstRunRemote = resumeFirstRunRemote()
+    clearLocalBootstrapFailure()
+  }
+
+  if (resumedFirstRunRemote) {
+    return { resumedFirstRunRemote: true }
+  }
+
+  await teardownPrimaryBackend({ soft: true })
+  notifyConnectionApplied()
+
+  return { resumedFirstRunRemote: false }
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/boot-failure-reauth.ts b/apps/desktop/src/components/boot-failure-reauth.ts
index 680445752132..703f3f745856 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/boot-failure-reauth.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/boot-failure-reauth.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import type { DesktopAuthProvider, DesktopConnectionConfig } from '@/global'
+import { deriveRemoteAuthProviderShape } from '@/lib/desktop-remote-auth'
 
 // Pure helpers for the boot-failure overlay's remote-reauth branch. Kept out
 // of the .tsx so they can be unit-tested without a React/jsdom render (the
@@ -136,18 +137,7 @@ export function deriveProviderShape(providers: DesktopAuthProvider[] | null | un
   isPassword: boolean
   providerLabel: string
 } {
-  const list = providers ?? []
-
-  if (list.length === 0) {
-    return { isPassword: false, providerLabel: 'your identity provider' }
-  }
-
-  const isPassword = list.every(p => Boolean(p.supportsPassword))
-
-  const providerLabel =
-    list.length === 1 ? list[0].displayName || list[0].name : list.map(p => p.displayName || p.name).join(' / ')
-
-  return { isPassword, providerLabel }
+  return deriveRemoteAuthProviderShape(providers)
 }
 
 // Button copy for the remote sign-in action.
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/desktop-install-overlay.test.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/components/desktop-install-overlay.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..ce3b9a04548f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/desktop-install-overlay.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,499 @@
+// @vitest-environment jsdom
+import { act, cleanup, fireEvent, render, screen, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react'
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+
+import type { DesktopBootstrapEvent, DesktopBootstrapState, DesktopConnectionProbeResult } from '@/global'
+
+import { DesktopInstallOverlay } from './desktop-install-overlay'
+
+function bootstrapState(overrides: Partial<DesktopBootstrapState> = {}): DesktopBootstrapState {
+  return {
+    active: false,
+    manifest: null,
+    stages: {},
+    error: null,
+    log: [],
+    startedAt: null,
+    completedAt: null,
+    setupChoice: null,
+    unsupportedPlatform: null,
+    ...overrides
+  }
+}
+
+function installDesktopMock(state: DesktopBootstrapState) {
+  const bootstrapListeners = new Set<(event: DesktopBootstrapEvent) => void>()
+
+  const desktop = {
+    getBootstrapState: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(state),
+    onBootstrapEvent: vi.fn((listener: (event: DesktopBootstrapEvent) => void) => {
+      bootstrapListeners.add(listener)
+
+      return () => bootstrapListeners.delete(listener)
+    }),
+    continueBootstrapLocal: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ ok: true }),
+    probeConnectionConfig: vi.fn(),
+    testConnectionConfig: vi.fn(),
+    applyConnectionConfig: vi.fn(),
+    oauthLoginConnectionConfig: vi.fn(),
+    openExternal: vi.fn(),
+    emitBootstrapEvent: (event: DesktopBootstrapEvent) => {
+      for (const listener of bootstrapListeners) {
+        listener(event)
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  Object.defineProperty(window, 'hermesDesktop', {
+    configurable: true,
+    value: desktop
+  })
+
+  return desktop
+}
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  vi.restoreAllMocks()
+})
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  cleanup()
+  vi.useRealTimers()
+  Reflect.deleteProperty(window, 'hermesDesktop')
+})
+
+describe('DesktopInstallOverlay first-run setup', () => {
+  it('shows the remote/local choice without installer progress', async () => {
+    installDesktopMock(
+      bootstrapState({
+        setupChoice: { platform: 'win32', activeRoot: 'C:\\Users\\me\\AppData\\Local\\hermes\\hermes-agent' }
+      })
+    )
+
+    render(<DesktopInstallOverlay />)
+
+    expect(await screen.findByText('Set up Hermes Desktop')).toBeTruthy()
+    expect(screen.getByText('Connect to existing Hermes')).toBeTruthy()
+    expect(screen.getByText('Install Hermes locally')).toBeTruthy()
+    expect(screen.queryByText(/steps complete/i)).toBeNull()
+    expect(screen.queryByText(/Fetching installer manifest/i)).toBeNull()
+  })
+
+  it('continues local bootstrap only when Install Hermes locally is selected', async () => {
+    const desktop = installDesktopMock(
+      bootstrapState({
+        setupChoice: { platform: 'win32', activeRoot: 'C:\\Users\\me\\AppData\\Local\\hermes\\hermes-agent' }
+      })
+    )
+
+    render(<DesktopInstallOverlay />)
+
+    fireEvent.click(await screen.findByText('Install Hermes locally'))
+
+    expect(desktop.continueBootstrapLocal).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    expect(screen.getByText('Set up Hermes Desktop')).toBeTruthy()
+
+    act(() => {
+      desktop.emitBootstrapEvent({ type: 'manifest', protocolVersion: 1, stages: [] })
+    })
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(screen.queryByText('Set up Hermes Desktop')).toBeNull())
+    expect(screen.getByText(/Fetching installer manifest/i)).toBeTruthy()
+  })
+
+  it('surfaces a recoverable error when the local-bootstrap bridge is unavailable', async () => {
+    const desktop = installDesktopMock(
+      bootstrapState({
+        setupChoice: { platform: 'win32', activeRoot: 'C:\\Users\\me\\AppData\\Local\\hermes\\hermes-agent' }
+      })
+    )
+
+    desktop.continueBootstrapLocal = undefined as never
+    render(<DesktopInstallOverlay />)
+
+    const install = (await screen.findByText('Install Hermes locally')).closest('button') as HTMLButtonElement
+    fireEvent.click(install)
+
+    expect(
+      await screen.findByText('Local installation could not start. Restart Hermes Desktop and try again.')
+    ).toBeTruthy()
+    expect(install.disabled).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('opens the remote connection form from the first-run choice', async () => {
+    installDesktopMock(
+      bootstrapState({
+        setupChoice: { platform: 'linux', activeRoot: '/home/me/.hermes/hermes-agent' }
+      })
+    )
+
+    render(<DesktopInstallOverlay />)
+
+    fireEvent.click(await screen.findByText('Connect to existing Hermes'))
+
+    expect(await screen.findByText('Gateway URL')).toBeTruthy()
+    expect(screen.getByText('Test connection')).toBeTruthy()
+    expect(screen.getByText('Apply and reconnect')).toBeTruthy()
+  })
+
+  it('returns from the remote connection form to the first-run choice', async () => {
+    installDesktopMock(
+      bootstrapState({
+        setupChoice: { platform: 'linux', activeRoot: '/home/me/.hermes/hermes-agent' }
+      })
+    )
+
+    render(<DesktopInstallOverlay />)
+
+    fireEvent.click(await screen.findByText('Connect to existing Hermes'))
+    expect(await screen.findByText('Gateway URL')).toBeTruthy()
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText('Back'))
+
+    expect(await screen.findByText('Set up Hermes Desktop')).toBeTruthy()
+    expect(screen.getByText('Install Hermes locally')).toBeTruthy()
+  })
+
+  it('requires a successful token connection test before applying remote config', async () => {
+    const desktop = installDesktopMock(
+      bootstrapState({
+        setupChoice: { platform: 'linux', activeRoot: '/home/me/.hermes/hermes-agent' }
+      })
+    )
+
+    desktop.probeConnectionConfig.mockResolvedValue({
+      authMode: 'token',
+      baseUrl: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes',
+      error: null,
+      providers: [],
+      reachable: true,
+      version: '0.17.0'
+    })
+    desktop.testConnectionConfig.mockResolvedValue({
+      baseUrl: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes',
+      ok: true,
+      version: '0.17.0'
+    })
+    desktop.applyConnectionConfig.mockImplementation(async () => {
+      desktop.emitBootstrapEvent({ type: 'dismissed' })
+
+      return { mode: 'remote' }
+    })
+
+    render(<DesktopInstallOverlay />)
+
+    fireEvent.click(await screen.findByText('Connect to existing Hermes'))
+    fireEvent.change(await screen.findByPlaceholderText('https://gateway.example.com/hermes'), {
+      target: { value: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes' }
+    })
+
+    const apply = screen.getByText('Apply and reconnect').closest('button') as HTMLButtonElement
+    expect(apply.disabled).toBe(true)
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 550))
+    })
+
+    fireEvent.change(await screen.findByPlaceholderText('Paste session token'), {
+      target: { value: 'session-secret' }
+    })
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText('Test connection'))
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(desktop.testConnectionConfig).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+        mode: 'remote',
+        remoteAuthMode: 'token',
+        remoteToken: 'session-secret',
+        remoteUrl: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes'
+      })
+    })
+
+    await screen.findByText('Connected to https://gateway.example.com/hermes (0.17.0).')
+    expect(apply.disabled).toBe(false)
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText('Apply and reconnect'))
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(desktop.applyConnectionConfig).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+        mode: 'remote',
+        remoteAuthMode: 'token',
+        remoteToken: 'session-secret',
+        remoteUrl: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes'
+      })
+    })
+    await waitFor(() => expect(screen.queryByText('Gateway URL')).toBeNull())
+  })
+
+  it('ignores a completed probe after the gateway URL becomes invalid', async () => {
+    const desktop = installDesktopMock(
+      bootstrapState({
+        setupChoice: { platform: 'linux', activeRoot: '/home/me/.hermes/hermes-agent' }
+      })
+    )
+
+    let resolveProbe: ((result: DesktopConnectionProbeResult) => void) | undefined
+
+    const pendingProbe = new Promise<DesktopConnectionProbeResult>(resolve => {
+      resolveProbe = resolve
+    })
+
+    desktop.probeConnectionConfig.mockReturnValue(pendingProbe)
+
+    render(<DesktopInstallOverlay />)
+
+    fireEvent.click(await screen.findByText('Connect to existing Hermes'))
+    const urlInput = await screen.findByPlaceholderText('https://gateway.example.com/hermes')
+    fireEvent.change(urlInput, { target: { value: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes' } })
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 550))
+    })
+    expect(desktop.probeConnectionConfig).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+
+    fireEvent.change(urlInput, { target: { value: 'not-a-url' } })
+    await act(async () => {
+      resolveProbe?.({
+        authMode: 'token',
+        baseUrl: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes',
+        error: null,
+        providers: [],
+        reachable: true,
+        version: '0.17.0'
+      })
+      await pendingProbe
+    })
+
+    expect(screen.queryByPlaceholderText('Paste session token')).toBeNull()
+    expect((screen.getByText('Test connection').closest('button') as HTMLButtonElement).disabled).toBe(true)
+    expect((screen.getByText('Apply and reconnect').closest('button') as HTMLButtonElement).disabled).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  it('does not enable Apply when credentials change during a connection test', async () => {
+    const desktop = installDesktopMock(
+      bootstrapState({
+        setupChoice: { platform: 'linux', activeRoot: '/home/me/.hermes/hermes-agent' }
+      })
+    )
+
+    desktop.probeConnectionConfig.mockResolvedValue({
+      authMode: 'token',
+      baseUrl: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes',
+      error: null,
+      providers: [],
+      reachable: true,
+      version: '0.17.0'
+    })
+
+    let resolveTest: ((result: { baseUrl: string; ok: boolean; version: string }) => void) | undefined
+
+    const pendingTest = new Promise<{ baseUrl: string; ok: boolean; version: string }>(resolve => {
+      resolveTest = resolve
+    })
+
+    desktop.testConnectionConfig.mockReturnValue(pendingTest)
+
+    render(<DesktopInstallOverlay />)
+
+    fireEvent.click(await screen.findByText('Connect to existing Hermes'))
+    fireEvent.change(await screen.findByPlaceholderText('https://gateway.example.com/hermes'), {
+      target: { value: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes' }
+    })
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 550))
+    })
+
+    const tokenInput = await screen.findByPlaceholderText('Paste session token')
+    const apply = screen.getByText('Apply and reconnect').closest('button') as HTMLButtonElement
+
+    fireEvent.change(tokenInput, { target: { value: 'token-a' } })
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText('Test connection'))
+    await waitFor(() => expect(desktop.testConnectionConfig).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1))
+
+    fireEvent.change(tokenInput, { target: { value: 'token-b' } })
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      resolveTest?.({ baseUrl: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes', ok: true, version: '0.17.0' })
+      await pendingTest
+    })
+
+    expect(screen.queryByText('Connected to https://gateway.example.com/hermes (0.17.0).')).toBeNull()
+    expect(apply.disabled).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  it('restores remote apply controls when applying the tested connection fails', async () => {
+    const desktop = installDesktopMock(
+      bootstrapState({
+        setupChoice: { platform: 'linux', activeRoot: '/home/me/.hermes/hermes-agent' }
+      })
+    )
+
+    desktop.probeConnectionConfig.mockResolvedValue({
+      authMode: 'token',
+      baseUrl: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes',
+      error: null,
+      providers: [],
+      reachable: true,
+      version: '0.17.0'
+    })
+    desktop.testConnectionConfig.mockResolvedValue({
+      baseUrl: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes',
+      ok: true,
+      version: '0.17.0'
+    })
+    desktop.applyConnectionConfig.mockRejectedValue(new Error('remote apply failed'))
+
+    render(<DesktopInstallOverlay />)
+
+    fireEvent.click(await screen.findByText('Connect to existing Hermes'))
+    fireEvent.change(await screen.findByPlaceholderText('https://gateway.example.com/hermes'), {
+      target: { value: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes' }
+    })
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 550))
+    })
+
+    fireEvent.change(await screen.findByPlaceholderText('Paste session token'), {
+      target: { value: 'session-secret' }
+    })
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText('Test connection'))
+    await screen.findByText('Connected to https://gateway.example.com/hermes (0.17.0).')
+
+    const apply = screen.getByText('Apply and reconnect').closest('button') as HTMLButtonElement
+    fireEvent.click(apply)
+
+    expect(await screen.findByText('remote apply failed')).toBeTruthy()
+    expect(apply.disabled).toBe(false)
+    expect(screen.getByText('Gateway URL')).toBeTruthy()
+  })
+
+  it('signs in, tests, and applies a password-style remote gateway', async () => {
+    const desktop = installDesktopMock(
+      bootstrapState({
+        setupChoice: { platform: 'linux', activeRoot: '/home/me/.hermes/hermes-agent' }
+      })
+    )
+
+    desktop.probeConnectionConfig.mockResolvedValue({
+      authMode: 'oauth',
+      baseUrl: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes',
+      error: null,
+      providers: [{ displayName: 'Username & Password', name: 'password', supportsPassword: true }],
+      reachable: true,
+      version: '0.17.0'
+    })
+    desktop.oauthLoginConnectionConfig.mockResolvedValue({
+      baseUrl: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes',
+      connected: true,
+      ok: true
+    })
+    desktop.testConnectionConfig.mockResolvedValue({
+      baseUrl: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes',
+      ok: true,
+      version: null
+    })
+    desktop.applyConnectionConfig.mockResolvedValue({ mode: 'remote' })
+
+    render(<DesktopInstallOverlay />)
+
+    fireEvent.click(await screen.findByText('Connect to existing Hermes'))
+    fireEvent.change(await screen.findByPlaceholderText('https://gateway.example.com/hermes'), {
+      target: { value: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes' }
+    })
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 550))
+    })
+
+    expect(screen.queryByText('Sign in with Username & Password')).toBeNull()
+    fireEvent.click(await screen.findByText('Sign in'))
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(desktop.oauthLoginConnectionConfig).toHaveBeenCalledWith('https://gateway.example.com/hermes')
+    })
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText('Test connection'))
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(desktop.testConnectionConfig).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+        mode: 'remote',
+        remoteAuthMode: 'oauth',
+        remoteToken: undefined,
+        remoteUrl: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes'
+      })
+    })
+
+    await screen.findByText('Connected to https://gateway.example.com/hermes.')
+    const apply = screen.getByText('Apply and reconnect').closest('button') as HTMLButtonElement
+    expect(apply.disabled).toBe(false)
+    fireEvent.click(apply)
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(desktop.applyConnectionConfig).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+        mode: 'remote',
+        remoteAuthMode: 'oauth',
+        remoteToken: undefined,
+        remoteUrl: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes'
+      })
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('offers remote connection from the unsupported packaged install screen', async () => {
+    const desktop = installDesktopMock(
+      bootstrapState({
+        unsupportedPlatform: {
+          platform: 'darwin',
+          activeRoot: '/Users/me/.hermes/hermes-agent',
+          installCommand: 'curl -fsSL https://example.invalid/install.sh | sh',
+          docsUrl: 'https://example.invalid/docs'
+        }
+      })
+    )
+
+    render(<DesktopInstallOverlay />)
+
+    expect(await screen.findByText('Hermes needs a one-time install')).toBeTruthy()
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText('Connect existing'))
+
+    expect(await screen.findByText('Gateway URL')).toBeTruthy()
+
+    desktop.probeConnectionConfig.mockResolvedValue({
+      authMode: 'token',
+      baseUrl: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes',
+      error: null,
+      providers: [],
+      reachable: true,
+      version: '0.17.0'
+    })
+    desktop.testConnectionConfig.mockResolvedValue({
+      baseUrl: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes',
+      ok: true,
+      version: '0.17.0'
+    })
+    desktop.applyConnectionConfig.mockImplementation(async () => {
+      desktop.emitBootstrapEvent({ type: 'dismissed' })
+
+      return { mode: 'remote' }
+    })
+
+    fireEvent.change(screen.getByPlaceholderText('https://gateway.example.com/hermes'), {
+      target: { value: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes' }
+    })
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 550))
+    })
+
+    fireEvent.change(await screen.findByPlaceholderText('Paste session token'), {
+      target: { value: 'session-secret' }
+    })
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText('Test connection'))
+    await screen.findByText('Connected to https://gateway.example.com/hermes (0.17.0).')
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText('Apply and reconnect'))
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(screen.queryByText('Gateway URL')).toBeNull())
+    expect(screen.queryByText('Hermes needs a one-time install')).toBeNull()
+  })
+})
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/desktop-install-overlay.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/components/desktop-install-overlay.tsx
index b701fa9ff6a1..8a56f93c8c45 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/desktop-install-overlay.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/desktop-install-overlay.tsx
@@ -15,10 +15,12 @@ import type {
   DesktopBootstrapState
 } from '@/global'
 import { useI18n } from '@/i18n'
-import { ChevronDown, ChevronRight, iconSize } from '@/lib/icons'
+import { AlertCircle, ChevronDown, ChevronRight, Globe, iconSize, Loader2, Monitor } from '@/lib/icons'
 import { capitalize } from '@/lib/text'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 
+import { FirstRunRemoteForm } from './first-run-remote-form'
+
 /**
  * DesktopInstallOverlay
  *
@@ -155,6 +157,10 @@ function StageRow({ descriptor, result, now }: StageRowProps) {
   )
 }
 
+function errorMessage(err: unknown): string {
+  return err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err || 'Unknown error')
+}
+
 const EMPTY_STATE: DesktopBootstrapState = {
   active: false,
   manifest: null,
@@ -163,10 +169,32 @@ const EMPTY_STATE: DesktopBootstrapState = {
   log: [],
   startedAt: null,
   completedAt: null,
+  setupChoice: null,
   unsupportedPlatform: null
 }
 
 function applyEvent(state: DesktopBootstrapState, ev: DesktopBootstrapEvent): DesktopBootstrapState {
+  if (ev.type === 'dismissed') {
+    return { ...EMPTY_STATE }
+  }
+
+  if (ev.type === 'setup-choice') {
+    return {
+      ...state,
+      active: false,
+      manifest: null,
+      stages: {},
+      error: null,
+      setupChoice: ev.active
+        ? {
+            platform: ev.platform || state.setupChoice?.platform || 'unknown',
+            activeRoot: ev.activeRoot || state.setupChoice?.activeRoot || ''
+          }
+        : null,
+      unsupportedPlatform: null
+    }
+  }
+
   if (ev.type === 'manifest') {
     const stages: Record<string, DesktopBootstrapStageResult> = {}
 
@@ -180,6 +208,7 @@ function applyEvent(state: DesktopBootstrapState, ev: DesktopBootstrapEvent): De
       manifest: { type: 'manifest', stages: ev.stages, protocolVersion: ev.protocolVersion },
       stages,
       error: null,
+      setupChoice: null,
       startedAt: state.startedAt || Date.now()
     }
   }
@@ -219,13 +248,14 @@ function applyEvent(state: DesktopBootstrapState, ev: DesktopBootstrapEvent): De
   }
 
   if (ev.type === 'failed') {
-    return { ...state, active: false, error: ev.error || 'unknown error' }
+    return { ...state, active: false, error: ev.error || 'unknown error', setupChoice: null }
   }
 
   if (ev.type === 'unsupported-platform') {
     return {
       ...state,
       active: false,
+      setupChoice: null,
       unsupportedPlatform: {
         platform: ev.platform,
         activeRoot: ev.activeRoot,
@@ -246,6 +276,9 @@ export function DesktopInstallOverlay({ enabled = true }: DesktopInstallOverlayP
   const [logOpen, setLogOpen] = useState(false)
   const [copied, setCopied] = useState(false)
   const [cancelling, setCancelling] = useState(false)
+  const [remoteOpen, setRemoteOpen] = useState(false)
+  const [localStarting, setLocalStarting] = useState(false)
+  const [localStartError, setLocalStartError] = useState<string | null>(null)
   const [now, setNow] = useState(() => Date.now())
   const logEndRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null)
 
@@ -312,6 +345,14 @@ export function DesktopInstallOverlay({ enabled = true }: DesktopInstallOverlayP
     }
   }, [state.error])
 
+  // The choice remains mounted while main hands off to local bootstrap. Once
+  // a manifest/failure takes ownership (or a later repair presents a fresh
+  // choice), clear the transient button state so it cannot leak across phases.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    setLocalStarting(false)
+    setLocalStartError(null)
+  }, [state.setupChoice?.activeRoot])
+
   // Mount logic: show whenever a bootstrap is in flight, completed-with-error,
   // or actively running with a manifest. Hide entirely after a successful
   // completion so the rest of the UI can take over.
@@ -332,13 +373,96 @@ export function DesktopInstallOverlay({ enabled = true }: DesktopInstallOverlayP
       return true
     }
 
+    if (state.setupChoice) {
+      return true
+    }
+
     return false
-  }, [enabled, state.active, state.error, state.unsupportedPlatform])
+  }, [enabled, state.active, state.error, state.setupChoice, state.unsupportedPlatform])
 
   if (!shouldShow) {
     return null
   }
 
+  if (remoteOpen) {
+    return <FirstRunRemoteForm onBack={() => setRemoteOpen(false)} />
+  }
+
+  if (state.setupChoice) {
+    return (
+      <div className="fixed inset-0 z-[1400] flex items-center justify-center bg-background/90 p-4 backdrop-blur-md">
+        <div className="w-full max-w-2xl rounded-xl border border-(--stroke-nous) bg-card p-8 shadow-nous">
+          <div className="flex items-start gap-4">
+            <BrandMark className="size-11 shrink-0" />
+            <div className="min-w-0">
+              <h2 className="text-xl font-semibold tracking-tight">{copy.setupChoiceTitle}</h2>
+              <p className="mt-1.5 text-sm text-muted-foreground">{copy.setupChoiceDesc}</p>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+
+          <div className="mt-6 grid gap-3 sm:grid-cols-2">
+            <button
+              className="rounded-lg border border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) bg-(--ui-bg-quinary) p-4 text-left transition hover:bg-(--chrome-action-hover)"
+              onClick={() => setRemoteOpen(true)}
+              type="button"
+            >
+              <div className="flex items-center gap-2 text-sm font-medium">
+                <Globe className="size-4 text-muted-foreground" />
+                <span>{copy.connectExistingTitle}</span>
+              </div>
+              <p className="mt-2 text-sm leading-5 text-muted-foreground">{copy.connectExistingDesc}</p>
+            </button>
+
+            <button
+              className="rounded-lg border border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) bg-(--ui-bg-quinary) p-4 text-left transition hover:bg-(--chrome-action-hover) disabled:cursor-wait disabled:opacity-60"
+              disabled={localStarting}
+              onClick={async () => {
+                setLocalStarting(true)
+                setLocalStartError(null)
+
+                try {
+                  const desktop = window.hermesDesktop
+
+                  if (!desktop || typeof desktop.continueBootstrapLocal !== 'function') {
+                    throw new Error(copy.localStartUnavailable)
+                  }
+
+                  await desktop.continueBootstrapLocal()
+                } catch (err) {
+                  setLocalStartError(errorMessage(err))
+                  setLocalStarting(false)
+                }
+              }}
+              type="button"
+            >
+              <div className="flex items-center gap-2 text-sm font-medium">
+                {localStarting ? (
+                  <Loader2 className="size-4 animate-spin text-muted-foreground" />
+                ) : (
+                  <Monitor className="size-4 text-muted-foreground" />
+                )}
+                <span>{copy.installLocalTitle}</span>
+              </div>
+              <p className="mt-2 text-sm leading-5 text-muted-foreground">{copy.installLocalDesc}</p>
+            </button>
+          </div>
+
+          {localStartError ? (
+            <div className="mt-4 flex items-start gap-2 text-sm text-destructive">
+              <AlertCircle className="mt-0.5 size-4 shrink-0" />
+              <span>{localStartError}</span>
+            </div>
+          ) : null}
+
+          <div className="mt-6 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+            {copy.installTo}{' '}
+            <code className="font-mono text-(--ui-text-secondary)">{state.setupChoice.activeRoot}</code>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    )
+  }
+
   // Unsupported-platform branch: macOS/Linux packaged builds hit this when
   // there's no Hermes Agent installed yet and we can't drive install.sh
   // (no stage protocol equivalent yet). Show a copy-paste install command
@@ -384,9 +508,15 @@ export function DesktopInstallOverlay({ enabled = true }: DesktopInstallOverlayP
             <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
               {copy.installTo} <code className="font-mono text-(--ui-text-secondary)">{ups.activeRoot}</code>
             </span>
-            <Button onClick={() => window.location.reload()} size="sm" variant="default">
-              {copy.retryAfterRun}
-            </Button>
+            <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+              <Button onClick={() => setRemoteOpen(true)} size="sm" variant="secondary">
+                <Globe className="size-4" />
+                {copy.connectExistingShort}
+              </Button>
+              <Button onClick={() => window.location.reload()} size="sm" variant="default">
+                {copy.retryAfterRun}
+              </Button>
+            </div>
           </div>
         </div>
       </div>
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/first-run-remote-form.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/components/first-run-remote-form.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..ced31acdd444
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/first-run-remote-form.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,345 @@
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react'
+
+import { BrandMark } from '@/components/brand-mark'
+import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
+import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input'
+import type { DesktopConnectionProbeResult } from '@/global'
+import { useI18n } from '@/i18n'
+import { deriveRemoteAuthProviderShape } from '@/lib/desktop-remote-auth'
+import { AlertCircle, Check, Loader2, LogIn } from '@/lib/icons'
+
+type AuthMode = 'oauth' | 'token'
+type ProbeStatus = 'idle' | 'probing' | 'done' | 'error'
+
+interface FirstRunRemoteFormProps {
+  onBack: () => void
+}
+
+function errorMessage(err: unknown): string {
+  return err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err || 'Unknown error')
+}
+
+export function FirstRunRemoteForm({ onBack }: FirstRunRemoteFormProps) {
+  const { t } = useI18n()
+  const copy = t.install
+  const [remoteUrl, setRemoteUrl] = useState('')
+  const [remoteToken, setRemoteToken] = useState('')
+  const [probeStatus, setProbeStatus] = useState<ProbeStatus>('idle')
+  const [probe, setProbe] = useState<DesktopConnectionProbeResult | null>(null)
+  const [oauthConnected, setOauthConnected] = useState(false)
+  const [signingIn, setSigningIn] = useState(false)
+  const [testing, setTesting] = useState(false)
+  const [applying, setApplying] = useState(false)
+  const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null)
+  const [success, setSuccess] = useState<string | null>(null)
+  const [lastTestedPayloadKey, setLastTestedPayloadKey] = useState<string | null>(null)
+  const probeSeq = useRef(0)
+  const testSeq = useRef(0)
+
+  const trimmedUrl = remoteUrl.trim()
+
+  const invalidateTest = useCallback(() => {
+    testSeq.current += 1
+    setTesting(false)
+    setError(null)
+    setSuccess(null)
+    setLastTestedPayloadKey(null)
+  }, [])
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const seq = ++probeSeq.current
+
+    if (!trimmedUrl || !/^https?:\/\//i.test(trimmedUrl)) {
+      setProbeStatus('idle')
+      setProbe(null)
+      setOauthConnected(false)
+
+      return
+    }
+
+    const desktop = window.hermesDesktop
+
+    if (!desktop?.probeConnectionConfig) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    setProbeStatus('probing')
+
+    const timer = window.setTimeout(() => {
+      desktop
+        .probeConnectionConfig(trimmedUrl)
+        .then(result => {
+          if (seq !== probeSeq.current) {
+            return
+          }
+
+          invalidateTest()
+          setProbe(result)
+          setProbeStatus(result.reachable ? 'done' : 'error')
+
+          if (result.reachable && result.authMode !== 'oauth') {
+            setOauthConnected(false)
+          }
+        })
+        .catch(err => {
+          if (seq !== probeSeq.current) {
+            return
+          }
+
+          setProbe(null)
+          setProbeStatus('error')
+          setError(errorMessage(err))
+        })
+    }, 500)
+
+    return () => window.clearTimeout(timer)
+  }, [invalidateTest, trimmedUrl])
+
+  const authMode: AuthMode = probeStatus === 'done' && probe?.authMode === 'oauth' ? 'oauth' : 'token'
+  const authResolved = probeStatus === 'done' && probe?.authMode !== 'unknown'
+  const authProviderShape = deriveRemoteAuthProviderShape(probe?.providers, copy.identityProvider)
+  const { isPassword: isPasswordProvider, providerLabel } = authProviderShape
+  const canRetryProbe = Boolean(trimmedUrl && probeStatus === 'error')
+
+  const canTest = Boolean(
+    trimmedUrl && (canRetryProbe || (authResolved && (authMode === 'oauth' ? oauthConnected : remoteToken.trim())))
+  )
+
+  const payload = () => ({
+    mode: 'remote' as const,
+    remoteAuthMode: authMode,
+    remoteToken: authMode === 'token' ? remoteToken.trim() || undefined : undefined,
+    remoteUrl: trimmedUrl
+  })
+
+  const currentPayloadKey = JSON.stringify(payload())
+  const payloadKeyRef = useRef(currentPayloadKey)
+  payloadKeyRef.current = currentPayloadKey
+  const canApply = lastTestedPayloadKey === currentPayloadKey
+
+  const signIn = async () => {
+    if (!trimmedUrl) {
+      setError(copy.enterUrlFirst)
+
+      return
+    }
+
+    setSigningIn(true)
+    setError(null)
+
+    try {
+      // Unlike Settings, first-run intentionally does not pre-save remote mode:
+      // backing out must still allow local install without leaving a remote
+      // connection selected. The login IPC accepts the raw URL and stores only
+      // its OAuth cookies; config is persisted once the user applies.
+      const result = await window.hermesDesktop.oauthLoginConnectionConfig(trimmedUrl)
+      invalidateTest()
+      setOauthConnected(Boolean(result.connected))
+
+      if (!result.connected) {
+        setError(copy.signInIncomplete)
+      }
+    } catch (err) {
+      setError(errorMessage(err))
+    } finally {
+      setSigningIn(false)
+    }
+  }
+
+  const testRemote = async () => {
+    if (!canTest) {
+      setError(authMode === 'oauth' ? copy.incompleteSignInTest : copy.incompleteTokenTest)
+
+      return
+    }
+
+    const seq = ++testSeq.current
+    const testedPayload = payload()
+    const testedPayloadKey = JSON.stringify(testedPayload)
+
+    setTesting(true)
+    setError(null)
+    setSuccess(null)
+    setLastTestedPayloadKey(null)
+
+    try {
+      if (!authResolved) {
+        const result = await window.hermesDesktop.probeConnectionConfig(trimmedUrl)
+
+        if (seq !== testSeq.current || testedPayloadKey !== payloadKeyRef.current) {
+          return
+        }
+
+        setProbe(result)
+        setProbeStatus(result.reachable ? 'done' : 'error')
+        setError(result.reachable && result.authMode !== 'unknown' ? null : result.error || copy.probeError)
+
+        return
+      }
+
+      const result = await window.hermesDesktop.testConnectionConfig(testedPayload)
+
+      if (seq !== testSeq.current || testedPayloadKey !== payloadKeyRef.current) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      setSuccess(copy.testSucceeded(result.baseUrl || trimmedUrl, result.version ?? undefined))
+      setLastTestedPayloadKey(testedPayloadKey)
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (seq === testSeq.current && testedPayloadKey === payloadKeyRef.current) {
+        setError(errorMessage(err))
+      }
+    } finally {
+      if (seq === testSeq.current) {
+        setTesting(false)
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  const applyRemote = async () => {
+    if (!canApply) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    const testedPayload = payload()
+
+    setApplying(true)
+    setError(null)
+    let applied = false
+
+    try {
+      await window.hermesDesktop.applyConnectionConfig(testedPayload)
+      applied = true
+    } catch (err) {
+      setError(errorMessage(err))
+    } finally {
+      setApplying(false)
+    }
+
+    if (applied) {
+      onBack()
+    }
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <div className="fixed inset-0 z-[1400] flex items-center justify-center bg-background/90 p-4 backdrop-blur-md">
+      <div className="flex w-full max-w-xl flex-col rounded-xl border border-(--stroke-nous) bg-card p-8 shadow-nous">
+        <div className="flex items-start gap-4">
+          <BrandMark className="size-11 shrink-0" />
+          <div className="min-w-0">
+            <h2 className="text-xl font-semibold tracking-tight">{copy.remoteSetupTitle}</h2>
+            <p className="mt-1.5 text-sm text-muted-foreground">{copy.remoteSetupDesc}</p>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+
+        <div className="mt-6 grid gap-4">
+          <label className="grid gap-1.5">
+            <span className="text-xs font-medium text-muted-foreground">{copy.remoteUrlTitle}</span>
+            <Input
+              autoComplete="url"
+              disabled={applying}
+              onChange={event => {
+                invalidateTest()
+                setRemoteUrl(event.target.value)
+              }}
+              placeholder={copy.remoteUrlPlaceholder}
+              value={remoteUrl}
+            />
+            <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">{copy.remoteUrlDesc}</span>
+          </label>
+
+          {probeStatus === 'probing' ? (
+            <div className="flex items-center gap-2 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+              <Loader2 className="size-4 animate-spin" />
+              {copy.probing}
+            </div>
+          ) : null}
+
+          {probeStatus === 'error' ? (
+            <div className="flex items-start gap-2 text-sm text-destructive">
+              <AlertCircle className="mt-0.5 size-4 shrink-0" />
+              <span>{probe?.error || copy.probeError}</span>
+            </div>
+          ) : null}
+
+          {authResolved && authMode === 'oauth' ? (
+            <div className="rounded-md border border-(--ui-stroke-tertiary) p-3">
+              <div className="flex items-center justify-between gap-3">
+                <div>
+                  <div className="text-sm font-medium">{copy.authTitle}</div>
+                  <p className="mt-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                    {oauthConnected ? copy.authSignedIn : copy.authNeedsOauth(providerLabel)}
+                  </p>
+                </div>
+                {oauthConnected ? (
+                  <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5 text-sm text-primary">
+                    <Check className="size-4" />
+                    {copy.connected}
+                  </div>
+                ) : (
+                  <Button disabled={signingIn || applying} onClick={() => void signIn()} size="sm">
+                    {signingIn ? <Loader2 className="size-4 animate-spin" /> : <LogIn className="size-4" />}
+                    {isPasswordProvider ? copy.signIn : copy.signInWith(providerLabel)}
+                  </Button>
+                )}
+              </div>
+            </div>
+          ) : null}
+
+          {authResolved && authMode === 'token' ? (
+            <label className="grid gap-1.5">
+              <span className="text-xs font-medium text-muted-foreground">{copy.tokenTitle}</span>
+              <Input
+                autoComplete="off"
+                disabled={applying}
+                onChange={event => {
+                  invalidateTest()
+                  setRemoteToken(event.target.value)
+                }}
+                placeholder={copy.pasteSessionToken}
+                type="password"
+                value={remoteToken}
+              />
+              <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">{copy.tokenDesc}</span>
+            </label>
+          ) : null}
+
+          {error ? (
+            <div className="flex items-start gap-2 text-sm text-destructive">
+              <AlertCircle className="mt-0.5 size-4 shrink-0" />
+              <span>{error}</span>
+            </div>
+          ) : null}
+
+          {success ? (
+            <div className="flex items-center gap-2 text-sm text-primary">
+              <Check className="size-4" />
+              <span>{success}</span>
+            </div>
+          ) : null}
+        </div>
+
+        <div className="mt-7 flex flex-wrap items-center justify-between gap-3">
+          <Button disabled={applying} onClick={onBack} size="sm" variant="ghost">
+            {copy.backToSetup}
+          </Button>
+          <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+            <Button
+              disabled={testing || applying || !canTest}
+              onClick={() => void testRemote()}
+              size="sm"
+              variant="secondary"
+            >
+              {testing ? <Loader2 className="size-4 animate-spin" /> : null}
+              {copy.testConnection}
+            </Button>
+            <Button disabled={applying || !canApply} onClick={() => void applyRemote()} size="sm">
+              {applying ? <Loader2 className="size-4 animate-spin" /> : null}
+              {copy.applyRemote}
+            </Button>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/global.d.ts b/apps/desktop/src/global.d.ts
index d9d9af1ee13c..c0c3c7f246fd 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/global.d.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/global.d.ts
@@ -211,6 +211,7 @@ declare global {
       onPowerResume?: (callback: () => void) => () => void
       onBootProgress: (callback: (payload: DesktopBootProgress) => void) => () => void
       getBootstrapState: () => Promise<DesktopBootstrapState>
+      continueBootstrapLocal: () => Promise<{ ok: boolean }>
       resetBootstrap: () => Promise<{ ok: boolean }>
       repairBootstrap: () => Promise<{ ok: boolean }>
       cancelBootstrap: () => Promise<{ ok: boolean; cancelled: boolean }>
@@ -627,6 +628,11 @@ export interface DesktopBootstrapUnsupportedPlatform {
   docsUrl: string
 }
 
+export interface DesktopBootstrapSetupChoice {
+  platform: string
+  activeRoot: string
+}
+
 export interface DesktopBootstrapState {
   active: boolean
   manifest: { type: 'manifest'; stages: DesktopBootstrapStageDescriptor[]; protocolVersion: number | null } | null
@@ -635,10 +641,18 @@ export interface DesktopBootstrapState {
   log: Array<{ ts: number; stage: string | null; line: string; stream?: 'stdout' | 'stderr' }>
   startedAt: number | null
   completedAt: number | null
+  setupChoice: DesktopBootstrapSetupChoice | null
   unsupportedPlatform: DesktopBootstrapUnsupportedPlatform | null
 }
 
 export type DesktopBootstrapEvent =
+  | { type: 'dismissed' }
+  | {
+      type: 'setup-choice'
+      active: boolean
+      platform?: string
+      activeRoot?: string
+    }
   | { type: 'manifest'; stages: DesktopBootstrapStageDescriptor[]; protocolVersion: number | null }
   | {
       type: 'stage'
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts
index ca18522043e2..c48f8f5cf14f 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts
@@ -2121,6 +2121,40 @@ export const en: Translations = {
     viewDocs: 'View install docs',
     installTo: 'Will install to',
     retryAfterRun: 'I’ve run it -- retry',
+    setupChoiceTitle: 'Set up Hermes Desktop',
+    setupChoiceDesc:
+      'Connect this app to a Hermes gateway you already run, or install Hermes locally on this computer.',
+    connectExistingTitle: 'Connect to existing Hermes',
+    connectExistingShort: 'Connect existing',
+    connectExistingDesc: 'Use a remote backend with a session token or browser sign-in. No local install will start.',
+    installLocalTitle: 'Install Hermes locally',
+    installLocalDesc: 'Download Hermes, create its Python environment, and run the backend on this computer.',
+    localStartUnavailable: 'Local installation could not start. Restart Hermes Desktop and try again.',
+    remoteSetupTitle: 'Connect to existing Hermes',
+    remoteSetupDesc: 'Enter your gateway URL. Hermes Desktop will detect whether it needs a token or browser sign-in.',
+    remoteUrlTitle: 'Gateway URL',
+    remoteUrlDesc: 'Use the base URL of the Hermes gateway, including https:// when remote.',
+    remoteUrlPlaceholder: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes',
+    probing: 'Detecting gateway authentication...',
+    probeError: 'Could not reach that Hermes gateway.',
+    identityProvider: 'your identity provider',
+    authTitle: 'Authentication',
+    authNeedsOauth: provider => `Sign in with ${provider} before testing this gateway.`,
+    authSignedIn: 'Browser sign-in completed.',
+    connected: 'Connected',
+    signIn: 'Sign in',
+    signInWith: provider => `Sign in with ${provider}`,
+    enterUrlFirst: 'Enter a gateway URL first.',
+    signInIncomplete: 'The sign-in window closed before authentication completed.',
+    tokenTitle: 'Session token',
+    tokenDesc: 'Paste the session token from the remote gateway .env file.',
+    pasteSessionToken: 'Paste session token',
+    incompleteSignInTest: 'Sign in before testing this OAuth-gated gateway.',
+    incompleteTokenTest: 'Enter a session token before testing this gateway.',
+    testConnection: 'Test connection',
+    testSucceeded: (baseUrl, version) => `Connected to ${baseUrl}${version ? ` (${version})` : ''}.`,
+    applyRemote: 'Apply and reconnect',
+    backToSetup: 'Back',
     failedTitle: 'Installation failed',
     settingUpTitle: 'Setting up Hermes Agent',
     finishingTitle: 'Finishing up',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ja.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ja.ts
index b6ef78614131..9c640512595a 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ja.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ja.ts
@@ -1989,6 +1989,43 @@ export const ja = defineLocale({
     viewDocs: 'インストールドキュメントを見る',
     installTo: 'インストール先',
     retryAfterRun: '実行しました — 再試行',
+    setupChoiceTitle: 'Hermes Desktop をセットアップ',
+    setupChoiceDesc:
+      'すでに実行している Hermes ゲートウェイに接続するか、このコンピューターに Hermes をローカルインストールします。',
+    connectExistingTitle: '既存の Hermes に接続',
+    connectExistingShort: '既存環境に接続',
+    connectExistingDesc:
+      'セッショントークンまたはブラウザーサインインでリモートバックエンドを使用します。ローカルインストールは開始されません。',
+    installLocalTitle: 'Hermes をローカルにインストール',
+    installLocalDesc: 'Hermes をダウンロードし、Python 環境を作成して、このコンピューターでバックエンドを実行します。',
+    localStartUnavailable:
+      'ローカルインストールを開始できません。Hermes Desktop を再起動して、もう一度お試しください。',
+    remoteSetupTitle: '既存の Hermes に接続',
+    remoteSetupDesc:
+      'ゲートウェイ URL を入力してください。Hermes Desktop がトークンとブラウザーサインインのどちらが必要かを検出します。',
+    remoteUrlTitle: 'ゲートウェイ URL',
+    remoteUrlDesc: 'Hermes ゲートウェイのベース URL を使用します。リモートの場合は https:// を含めてください。',
+    remoteUrlPlaceholder: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes',
+    probing: 'ゲートウェイ認証方式を検出中...',
+    probeError: 'その Hermes ゲートウェイに到達できませんでした。',
+    identityProvider: 'ID プロバイダー',
+    authTitle: '認証',
+    authNeedsOauth: provider => `このゲートウェイをテストする前に ${provider} でサインインしてください。`,
+    authSignedIn: 'ブラウザーサインインが完了しました。',
+    connected: '接続済み',
+    signIn: 'サインイン',
+    signInWith: provider => `${provider} でサインイン`,
+    enterUrlFirst: '先にゲートウェイ URL を入力してください。',
+    signInIncomplete: '認証が完了する前にサインインウィンドウが閉じられました。',
+    tokenTitle: 'セッショントークン',
+    tokenDesc: 'リモートゲートウェイの .env ファイルからセッショントークンを貼り付けます。',
+    pasteSessionToken: 'セッショントークンを貼り付け',
+    incompleteSignInTest: 'OAuth で保護されたこのゲートウェイをテストする前にサインインしてください。',
+    incompleteTokenTest: 'このゲートウェイをテストする前にセッショントークンを入力してください。',
+    testConnection: '接続をテスト',
+    testSucceeded: (baseUrl, version) => `${baseUrl}${version ? ` (${version})` : ''} に接続しました。`,
+    applyRemote: '適用して再接続',
+    backToSetup: '戻る',
     failedTitle: 'インストールに失敗しました',
     settingUpTitle: 'Hermes Agent を設定中',
     finishingTitle: '仕上げ中',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts
index 3d163d6d5f8e..d7c8bc39f8b5 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts
@@ -1753,6 +1753,39 @@ export interface Translations {
     viewDocs: string
     installTo: string
     retryAfterRun: string
+    setupChoiceTitle: string
+    setupChoiceDesc: string
+    connectExistingTitle: string
+    connectExistingShort: string
+    connectExistingDesc: string
+    installLocalTitle: string
+    installLocalDesc: string
+    localStartUnavailable: string
+    remoteSetupTitle: string
+    remoteSetupDesc: string
+    remoteUrlTitle: string
+    remoteUrlDesc: string
+    remoteUrlPlaceholder: string
+    probing: string
+    probeError: string
+    identityProvider: string
+    authTitle: string
+    authNeedsOauth: (provider: string) => string
+    authSignedIn: string
+    connected: string
+    signIn: string
+    signInWith: (provider: string) => string
+    enterUrlFirst: string
+    signInIncomplete: string
+    tokenTitle: string
+    tokenDesc: string
+    pasteSessionToken: string
+    incompleteSignInTest: string
+    incompleteTokenTest: string
+    testConnection: string
+    testSucceeded: (baseUrl: string, version?: string) => string
+    applyRemote: string
+    backToSetup: string
     failedTitle: string
     settingUpTitle: string
     finishingTitle: string
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts
index 4c07372af168..f94fefc74167 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts
@@ -1930,6 +1930,40 @@ export const zhHant = defineLocale({
     viewDocs: '檢視安裝文件',
     installTo: '將安裝至',
     retryAfterRun: '我已執行 -- 重試',
+    setupChoiceTitle: '設定 Hermes Desktop',
+    setupChoiceDesc:
+      '將此應用程式連線到您已執行的 Hermes 閘道，或在這台電腦上本機安裝 Hermes。',
+    connectExistingTitle: '連線到現有 Hermes',
+    connectExistingShort: '連線現有環境',
+    connectExistingDesc: '使用工作階段權杖或瀏覽器登入連線遠端後端。不會啟動本機安裝。',
+    installLocalTitle: '本機安裝 Hermes',
+    installLocalDesc: '下載 Hermes、建立 Python 環境，並在這台電腦上執行後端。',
+    localStartUnavailable: '無法啟動本機安裝。請重新啟動 Hermes Desktop 後再試一次。',
+    remoteSetupTitle: '連線到現有 Hermes',
+    remoteSetupDesc: '輸入閘道 URL。Hermes Desktop 會偵測需要權杖還是瀏覽器登入。',
+    remoteUrlTitle: '閘道 URL',
+    remoteUrlDesc: '使用 Hermes 閘道的基礎 URL；遠端位址請包含 https://。',
+    remoteUrlPlaceholder: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes',
+    probing: '正在偵測閘道驗證方式...',
+    probeError: '無法連線到該 Hermes 閘道。',
+    identityProvider: '您的身分提供者',
+    authTitle: '驗證',
+    authNeedsOauth: provider => `測試此閘道前請先使用 ${provider} 登入。`,
+    authSignedIn: '瀏覽器登入已完成。',
+    connected: '已連線',
+    signIn: '登入',
+    signInWith: provider => `使用 ${provider} 登入`,
+    enterUrlFirst: '請先輸入閘道 URL。',
+    signInIncomplete: '驗證完成前登入視窗已關閉。',
+    tokenTitle: '工作階段權杖',
+    tokenDesc: '貼上遠端閘道 .env 檔案中的工作階段權杖。',
+    pasteSessionToken: '貼上工作階段權杖',
+    incompleteSignInTest: '測試此受 OAuth 保護的閘道前請先登入。',
+    incompleteTokenTest: '測試此閘道前請輸入工作階段權杖。',
+    testConnection: '測試連線',
+    testSucceeded: (baseUrl, version) => `已連線到 ${baseUrl}${version ? ` (${version})` : ''}。`,
+    applyRemote: '套用並重新連線',
+    backToSetup: '返回',
     failedTitle: '安裝失敗',
     settingUpTitle: '正在設定 Hermes Agent',
     finishingTitle: '正在收尾',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts
index e81b141bb698..1c3ab3c3a51d 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts
@@ -2307,6 +2307,40 @@ export const zh: Translations = {
     viewDocs: '查看安装文档',
     installTo: '将安装到',
     retryAfterRun: '我已运行 -- 重试',
+    setupChoiceTitle: '设置 Hermes Desktop',
+    setupChoiceDesc:
+      '将此应用连接到你已运行的 Hermes 网关，或在这台电脑上本地安装 Hermes。',
+    connectExistingTitle: '连接到现有 Hermes',
+    connectExistingShort: '连接现有环境',
+    connectExistingDesc: '使用会话令牌或浏览器登录连接远程后端。不会启动本地安装。',
+    installLocalTitle: '本地安装 Hermes',
+    installLocalDesc: '下载 Hermes，创建 Python 环境，并在这台电脑上运行后端。',
+    localStartUnavailable: '无法启动本地安装。请重启 Hermes Desktop 后重试。',
+    remoteSetupTitle: '连接到现有 Hermes',
+    remoteSetupDesc: '输入网关 URL。Hermes Desktop 会检测需要令牌还是浏览器登录。',
+    remoteUrlTitle: '网关 URL',
+    remoteUrlDesc: '使用 Hermes 网关的基础 URL；远程地址请包含 https://。',
+    remoteUrlPlaceholder: 'https://gateway.example.com/hermes',
+    probing: '正在检测网关认证方式...',
+    probeError: '无法连接到该 Hermes 网关。',
+    identityProvider: '你的身份提供方',
+    authTitle: '认证',
+    authNeedsOauth: provider => `测试此网关前请先使用 ${provider} 登录。`,
+    authSignedIn: '浏览器登录已完成。',
+    connected: '已连接',
+    signIn: '登录',
+    signInWith: provider => `使用 ${provider} 登录`,
+    enterUrlFirst: '请先输入网关 URL。',
+    signInIncomplete: '认证完成前登录窗口已关闭。',
+    tokenTitle: '会话令牌',
+    tokenDesc: '粘贴远程网关 .env 文件中的会话令牌。',
+    pasteSessionToken: '粘贴会话令牌',
+    incompleteSignInTest: '测试此受 OAuth 保护的网关前请先登录。',
+    incompleteTokenTest: '测试此网关前请输入会话令牌。',
+    testConnection: '测试连接',
+    testSucceeded: (baseUrl, version) => `已连接到 ${baseUrl}${version ? ` (${version})` : ''}。`,
+    applyRemote: '应用并重新连接',
+    backToSetup: '返回',
     failedTitle: '安装失败',
     settingUpTitle: '正在设置 Hermes Agent',
     finishingTitle: '正在收尾',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-remote-auth.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-remote-auth.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..734cbae4a2aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-remote-auth.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+
+import { deriveRemoteAuthProviderShape } from './desktop-remote-auth'
+
+describe('deriveRemoteAuthProviderShape', () => {
+  it('uses fallback copy when the gateway has not reported providers', () => {
+    expect(deriveRemoteAuthProviderShape(null)).toEqual({
+      isPassword: false,
+      providerLabel: 'your identity provider'
+    })
+    expect(deriveRemoteAuthProviderShape([], 'the configured gateway')).toEqual({
+      isPassword: false,
+      providerLabel: 'the configured gateway'
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('marks providers as password-style only when every provider supports password login', () => {
+    expect(
+      deriveRemoteAuthProviderShape([{ name: 'basic', displayName: 'Username & Password', supportsPassword: true }])
+    ).toEqual({
+      isPassword: true,
+      providerLabel: 'Username & Password'
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('keeps OAuth copy for redirect providers and mixed deployments', () => {
+    expect(deriveRemoteAuthProviderShape([{ name: 'nous', displayName: 'Nous Research', supportsPassword: false }]))
+      .toEqual({
+        isPassword: false,
+        providerLabel: 'Nous Research'
+      })
+
+    expect(
+      deriveRemoteAuthProviderShape([
+        { name: 'basic', displayName: 'Username & Password', supportsPassword: true },
+        { name: 'nous', displayName: 'Nous Research', supportsPassword: false }
+      ])
+    ).toEqual({
+      isPassword: false,
+      providerLabel: 'Username & Password / Nous Research'
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('falls back to provider names when display names are missing', () => {
+    expect(deriveRemoteAuthProviderShape([{ name: 'basic', displayName: '', supportsPassword: true }])).toEqual({
+      isPassword: true,
+      providerLabel: 'basic'
+    })
+  })
+})
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-remote-auth.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-remote-auth.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5616c81e658f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-remote-auth.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import type { DesktopAuthProvider } from '@/global'
+
+export interface RemoteAuthProviderShape {
+  isPassword: boolean
+  providerLabel: string
+}
+
+function providerDisplayName(provider: DesktopAuthProvider): string {
+  return provider.displayName || provider.name
+}
+
+export function deriveRemoteAuthProviderShape(
+  providers: DesktopAuthProvider[] | null | undefined,
+  fallback = 'your identity provider'
+): RemoteAuthProviderShape {
+  const list = providers ?? []
+
+  if (list.length === 0) {
+    return { isPassword: false, providerLabel: fallback }
+  }
+
+  return {
+    isPassword: list.every(provider => Boolean(provider.supportsPassword)),
+    providerLabel: list.map(providerDisplayName).join(' / ')
+  }
+}
diff --git a/scripts/release.py b/scripts/release.py
index b37396f6af33..8f1fb1c7e95d 100755
--- a/scripts/release.py
+++ b/scripts/release.py
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ PYPROJECT_FILE = REPO_ROOT / "pyproject.toml"
 # This dict is kept only so existing history keeps resolving; the effective
 # AUTHOR_MAP below merges it with the directory (directory wins).
 LEGACY_AUTHOR_MAP = {
+    "declanbatesmith@outlook.com": "cat-thats-fat",  # PR #60489 (desktop: first-run remote connection option)
+    "drbs2004@me.com": "cat-thats-fat",  # PR #60489 (desktop: first-run remote connection option; historical merge email)
     "122438640+ragingbulld@users.noreply.github.com": "ragingbulld",  # PR #65606 salvage (non-finite API wait deadlines; #65746)
     "zzpigpinggai@users.noreply.github.com": "zzpigpinggai",  # PR #66017 salvage of #63617 (OpenRouter explicit-provider picker visibility)
     "stellarisw@users.noreply.github.com": "StellarisW",  # PR #66222 salvage (Discord WebSocket liveness + systemd watchdog; #26656 follow-up)