diff --git a/core/Cargo.lock b/core/Cargo.lock
index 1c648364..1da20db5 100644
--- a/core/Cargo.lock
+++ b/core/Cargo.lock
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ checksum = "a23eb6b1614318a8071c9b2521f36b424b2c83db5eb3a0fead4a6c0809af6e61"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "archipelago"
-version = "1.7.32-alpha"
+version = "1.7.33-alpha"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "archipelago-container",
diff --git a/core/archipelago/Cargo.toml b/core/archipelago/Cargo.toml
index edc724e3..28e858db 100644
--- a/core/archipelago/Cargo.toml
+++ b/core/archipelago/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "archipelago"
-version = "1.7.32-alpha"
+version = "1.7.33-alpha"
 edition = "2021"
 description = "Archipelago Bitcoin Node OS - Native backend"
 authors = ["Archipelago Team"]
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/composables/useOnboarding.ts b/neode-ui/src/composables/useOnboarding.ts
index b20e9156..4c70acd3 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/composables/useOnboarding.ts
+++ b/neode-ui/src/composables/useOnboarding.ts
@@ -19,11 +19,13 @@ async function callWithRetry<T>(fn: () => Promise<T>, maxRetries = 3): Promise<T
 }
 
 export async function isOnboardingComplete(): Promise<boolean> {
-  // localStorage is set on completion and survives backend restarts/resets
-  if (localStorage.getItem('neode_onboarding_complete') === '1') return true
+  // Prefer the backend — localStorage gets stale across nodes (a
+  // browser that onboarded node A would otherwise treat fresh node B
+  // as already-onboarded and skip the wizard entirely). Only fall
+  // back to localStorage if the backend is unreachable.
   const result = await callWithRetry(() => rpcClient.isOnboardingComplete(), 2)
   if (result !== null) return result
-  return false
+  return localStorage.getItem('neode_onboarding_complete') === '1'
 }
 
 export async function completeOnboarding(): Promise<void> {
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/stores/__tests__/loginTransition.test.ts b/neode-ui/src/stores/__tests__/loginTransition.test.ts
index 089986e3..0eb66cc3 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/stores/__tests__/loginTransition.test.ts
+++ b/neode-ui/src/stores/__tests__/loginTransition.test.ts
@@ -10,10 +10,19 @@ describe('useLoginTransitionStore', () => {
   it('starts with all flags false', () => {
     const store = useLoginTransitionStore()
     expect(store.justLoggedIn).toBe(false)
+    expect(store.justCompletedOnboarding).toBe(false)
     expect(store.pendingWelcomeTyping).toBe(false)
     expect(store.startWelcomeTyping).toBe(false)
   })
 
+  it('setJustCompletedOnboarding updates justCompletedOnboarding', () => {
+    const store = useLoginTransitionStore()
+    store.setJustCompletedOnboarding(true)
+    expect(store.justCompletedOnboarding).toBe(true)
+    store.setJustCompletedOnboarding(false)
+    expect(store.justCompletedOnboarding).toBe(false)
+  })
+
   it('setJustLoggedIn updates justLoggedIn', () => {
     const store = useLoginTransitionStore()
     store.setJustLoggedIn(true)
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/stores/loginTransition.ts b/neode-ui/src/stores/loginTransition.ts
index c85d71b4..c1004000 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/stores/loginTransition.ts
+++ b/neode-ui/src/stores/loginTransition.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,13 @@ import { ref } from 'vue'
 /** Signals that we just logged in - Dashboard uses this for zoom + oomph */
 export const useLoginTransitionStore = defineStore('loginTransition', () => {
   const justLoggedIn = ref(false)
+  /**
+   * True only when the user just finished the onboarding wizard
+   * (first password setup), as distinct from a regular re-login.
+   * Dashboard uses this to decide whether to play the full glitchy
+   * reveal vs just a quick interface-draw.
+   */
+  const justCompletedOnboarding = ref(false)
   /** Show empty welcome block until typing starts (hide static text) */
   const pendingWelcomeTyping = ref(false)
   /** Trigger welcome typing on Home - set true after dashboard animation finishes */
@@ -13,6 +20,10 @@ export const useLoginTransitionStore = defineStore('loginTransition', () => {
     justLoggedIn.value = value
   }
 
+  function setJustCompletedOnboarding(value: boolean) {
+    justCompletedOnboarding.value = value
+  }
+
   function setPendingWelcomeTyping(value: boolean) {
     pendingWelcomeTyping.value = value
   }
@@ -24,6 +35,8 @@ export const useLoginTransitionStore = defineStore('loginTransition', () => {
   return {
     justLoggedIn,
     setJustLoggedIn,
+    justCompletedOnboarding,
+    setJustCompletedOnboarding,
     pendingWelcomeTyping,
     setPendingWelcomeTyping,
     startWelcomeTyping,
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/views/Dashboard.vue b/neode-ui/src/views/Dashboard.vue
index 35cf90a9..571d80cb 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/views/Dashboard.vue
+++ b/neode-ui/src/views/Dashboard.vue
@@ -264,10 +264,13 @@ watch(() => route.path, (newPath) => {
 onMounted(() => {
   previousRoutePath = route.path
   document.body.classList.add('dashboard-active')
-  if (loginTransition.justLoggedIn) {
+  if (loginTransition.justCompletedOnboarding) {
+    // Full glitchy reveal — only on the very first dashboard entry
+    // right after onboarding (one-time event, persists in feel).
     playDashboardLoadOomph()
     showZoomIn.value = true
     loginTransition.setPendingWelcomeTyping(true)
+    loginTransition.setJustCompletedOnboarding(false)
     loginTransition.setJustLoggedIn(false)
     const triggerRevealGlitch = () => {
       isGlitching.value = true
@@ -281,6 +284,18 @@ onMounted(() => {
       loginTransition.setStartWelcomeTyping(true)
       loginTransition.setPendingWelcomeTyping(false)
     }, 4000)
+  } else if (loginTransition.justLoggedIn) {
+    // Regular re-login — quick interface draw, no triple glitch flashes.
+    // Just the zoom-in for a short beat, then welcome typing fires fast.
+    playDashboardLoadOomph()
+    showZoomIn.value = true
+    loginTransition.setPendingWelcomeTyping(true)
+    loginTransition.setJustLoggedIn(false)
+    scheduledTimeout(() => { showZoomIn.value = false }, 1200)
+    scheduledTimeout(() => {
+      loginTransition.setStartWelcomeTyping(true)
+      loginTransition.setPendingWelcomeTyping(false)
+    }, 600)
   }
 
   window.addEventListener('keydown', handleKioskShortcuts)
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/views/Login.vue b/neode-ui/src/views/Login.vue
index ce2b17fd..12ca0062 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/views/Login.vue
+++ b/neode-ui/src/views/Login.vue
@@ -408,6 +408,7 @@ async function handleSetup() {
     stopSynthwave()
     whooshAway.value = true
     playLoginSuccessWhoosh()
+    loginTransition.setJustCompletedOnboarding(true)
     loginTransition.setJustLoggedIn(true)
     await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 520))
     await router.replace(loginRedirectTo.value).catch(() => {
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/views/OnboardingWrapper.vue b/neode-ui/src/views/OnboardingWrapper.vue
index 76e2546d..0b9f3da1 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/views/OnboardingWrapper.vue
+++ b/neode-ui/src/views/OnboardingWrapper.vue
@@ -86,9 +86,23 @@ const videoBackgroundRoutes = ['/onboarding/intro', '/login']
 // Login uses video when coming from splash, or static + glitch when direct
 const isLoginRoute = computed(() => route.path === '/login')
 
+// True once onboarding is complete. Used to skip the intro video on
+// the /login route so that returning (logged-out) users go straight
+// to the screensaver-style static + glitch background instead of
+// replaying the full intro every time.
+const onboardingDone = computed(() => {
+  try {
+    return localStorage.getItem('neode_onboarding_complete') === '1'
+  } catch {
+    return false
+  }
+})
+
 // Check if current route should use video background
 const useVideoBackground = computed(() => {
-  return videoBackgroundRoutes.includes(route.path)
+  if (!videoBackgroundRoutes.includes(route.path)) return false
+  if (route.path === '/login' && onboardingDone.value) return false
+  return true
 })
 
 // Map each route to a specific background image
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/views/RootRedirect.vue b/neode-ui/src/views/RootRedirect.vue
index c3935b75..caac6831 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/views/RootRedirect.vue
+++ b/neode-ui/src/views/RootRedirect.vue
@@ -129,7 +129,31 @@ onMounted(async () => {
     return
   }
 
-  // Server not ready — show boot screen (waiting for backend)
+  // Server not ready. The full BootScreen is meant for a genuine
+  // cold-start (fresh install), not for the brief blip during an
+  // OTA update where the backend restarts. If onboarding has already
+  // completed we just keep the spinner and retry until the server
+  // responds again.
+  const wasOnboardedBefore = localStorage.getItem('neode_onboarding_complete') === '1'
+  if (wasOnboardedBefore) {
+    log('server down + onboarded → polling without boot screen')
+    let retries = 0
+    const maxRetries = 30 // 30 * 2s = 60s before giving up and showing boot screen
+    const poll = setInterval(async () => {
+      retries++
+      if (await quickHealthCheck()) {
+        clearInterval(poll)
+        proceedToApp()
+        return
+      }
+      if (retries >= maxRetries) {
+        clearInterval(poll)
+        log('server still down after retries → falling back to boot screen')
+        showBootScreen.value = true
+      }
+    }, 2000)
+    return
+  }
   showBootScreen.value = true
 })
 </script>
diff --git a/neode-ui/vite.config.ts b/neode-ui/vite.config.ts
index dcd3167c..6c84b093 100644
--- a/neode-ui/vite.config.ts
+++ b/neode-ui/vite.config.ts
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ export default defineConfig({
             urlPattern: /\/assets\/.*/i,
             handler: 'CacheFirst',
             options: {
-              cacheName: 'assets-cache-v2',
+              cacheName: 'assets-cache-v3',
               expiration: {
                 maxEntries: 100,
                 maxAgeSeconds: 60 * 60 * 24 * 30 // 30 days