diff --git a/backend/__tests__/unit/routes/hosted.test.js b/backend/__tests__/unit/routes/hosted.test.js
index a09d7ccc57..301b0cbb39 100644
--- a/backend/__tests__/unit/routes/hosted.test.js
+++ b/backend/__tests__/unit/routes/hosted.test.js
@@ -66,6 +66,10 @@ jest.mock('../../../services/nativeRuntimeService', () => ({
 }));
 const mockMarkByoOpened = jest.fn();
 jest.mock('../../../services/onboardingMarks', () => ({ markByoOpened: (...args) => mockMarkByoOpened(...args) }));
+const mockCompleteConnectAgent = jest.fn();
+jest.mock('../../../services/starterTaskService', () => ({
+  completeConnectAgentStarterTask: (...args) => mockCompleteConnectAgent(...args),
+}));
 jest.mock('../../../routes/registry/tokens', () => ({
   revokeRuntimeTokensForAgent: (...args) => mockRevokeRuntimeTokens(...args),
   issueRuntimeTokenForAgent: (...args) => mockIssueToken(...args),
@@ -285,6 +289,9 @@ describe('/api/hosted', () => {
     });
     expect(mockHosted.provisionAgent).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ agentName: 'scout', instanceId: 'demo', runtimeToken: 'cm_agent_secret' });
     expect(installation.config.get('hosted').provisionedAt).toBeInstanceOf(Date);
+    // The worker's first use of its token completes the onboarding card, as a
+    // BYO agent's does; provision does not claim it is listening yet.
+    expect(mockCompleteConnectAgent).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
   it('rotates: revokes the old credential rows, clears the stored hashes, mints fresh', async () => {
@@ -467,6 +474,19 @@ describe('/api/hosted on the native engine', () => {
     expect(JSON.stringify(res.body)).not.toMatch(/cm_agent_/);
   });
 
+  // QA 2026-10-16: "Connect your first agent" stayed pending after a hosted
+  // agent went live, because the card completes on a runtime token's first
+  // use and a native hosted agent has no token. Provision is its live moment.
+  it('provision completes the "Connect your first agent" card in the agent\'s pod', async () => {
+    mockFindOne.mockResolvedValue(nativeInstallation());
+    const res = await request(app).post('/api/hosted/provision').send({ agentName: 'scout' });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(mockCompleteConnectAgent).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    const [{ podIds, agentLabel }] = mockCompleteConnectAgent.mock.calls[0];
+    expect(podIds.map(String)).toEqual(['pod-1']);
+    expect(agentLabel).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+
   it('provision of a native install 503s when the native runtime is unavailable, even with the worker up', async () => {
     mockHosted.isConfigured.mockReturnValue(true);
     mockNativeAvailable.mockReturnValue(false);
diff --git a/backend/routes/hosted.ts b/backend/routes/hosted.ts
index bf3b9b23c8..b0c724ca8f 100644
--- a/backend/routes/hosted.ts
+++ b/backend/routes/hosted.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ const auth = require('../middleware/auth');
 const { AgentInstallation } = require('../models/AgentRegistry');
 const User = require('../models/User');
 const AgentIdentityService = require('../services/agentIdentityService');
+const { completeConnectAgentStarterTask } = require('../services/starterTaskService');
 const hostedRuntime = require('../services/hostedRuntimeService');
 const { isNativeRuntimeAvailable } = require('../services/nativeRuntimeService');
 const {
@@ -258,6 +259,14 @@ router.post('/provision', hostedRateLimit, auth, async (req: any, res: any) => {
         { _id: installation._id },
         { $set: { 'config.hosted.provisionedAt': hosted.provisionedAt || new Date() } },
       );
+      // Live from here, and with no runtime token there is no first use to
+      // complete "Connect your first agent" the way a BYO or Durable Object
+      // agent's does (starterTaskService). QA 2026-10-16: the card sat pending
+      // while the hosted agent answered. Never throws, never awaited.
+      void completeConnectAgentStarterTask({
+        podIds: [installation.podId],
+        agentLabel: agentUser.botMetadata?.displayName || installation.displayName || agentName,
+      });
       return res.json({
         provisioned: true,
         engine,
diff --git a/backend/services/starterTaskService.ts b/backend/services/starterTaskService.ts
index 6a52931c5f..a2bc2c86e3 100644
--- a/backend/services/starterTaskService.ts
+++ b/backend/services/starterTaskService.ts
@@ -10,8 +10,10 @@
  * starter task done" while the card sat in Pending forever.
  *
  * Caller contract: fire-and-forget from the token-auth first-use paths
- * (agentRuntimeAuth HTTP + agentWebSocketService WS). Never throws; a board
- * write must not be able to fail an auth request.
+ * (agentRuntimeAuth HTTP + agentWebSocketService WS), and from the native
+ * hosted provision (routes/hosted.ts), where no token exists to be first-used
+ * and the agent is live once provisioned. Never throws; a board write must not
+ * be able to fail an auth or provision request.
  */
 import mongoose from 'mongoose';
 import Task from '../models/Task';